Oyo giving youth platforms to unlock their potential – Governor Makinde
By Adejayan Gbenga
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to providing platforms and opportunities for young people in the state to realize their full potential.
Speaking on Wednesday at the grand finale of the Oyo State Youth Summit 2025, held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, the governor emphasized three pillars for achieving economic prosperity in Nigeria: entrepreneurship, education, and intensive production.
“Economic prosperity will come when we have entrepreneurs. Many of you are planning for jobs and looking at opportunities created by others. I only worked for an organization once in my life—during my National Youth Service in 1990–1991. After that, I worked briefly with Shell, then started working for myself,” he said.
“In the beginning, I couldn’t even call myself a Managing Director—I was too young. So, we must create entrepreneurs, and you must always have that mindset. Get exposure if you can. If not, read and educate yourself.”
Makinde stressed the need for serious investment in education to reduce illiteracy and improve informed decision-making among the populace.
He also underscored the importance of intensive production: “We must be productive. During a 2023 election debate, I was asked whether I support local government autonomy. I said I support productivity at the local government level. Autonomy that only focuses on revenue sharing from Abuja won’t help us. Our population is growing, but federal allocations remain stagnant.”
The governor urged youths to embrace the three pillars—entrepreneurship, education, and productivity—to unlock economic growth. “I assure you that Oyo State will continue to lead the way and provide opportunities for you to unlock your potential,” he concluded.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Miss Wasilat Adegoke, commended Governor Makinde’s administration for implementing impactful youth-oriented policies and initiatives.
