In view of the fast changing world than we are in and its demands on Africa which has a young continent, government, policy makers have been tasked to position the youths for the challenge the global village poses on them.
Real Estate merchant, Otunba Yemi Saheed Lawal (FCA), along with other speakers at the 10th National Conference 2019 of the School of Management Studies, Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, Ogun State, spoke on Tuesday on the theme, ‘Positioning Nigeria For Globally Competitive Economy Through Youth Empowerment’ The Chief Executive Officer of Seagle Property Development Company Limited and Harvard graduate, Otunba Lawal giving interesting statistics, asked how prepared are Nigerian youths to get the jobs in view of disruptive technology?
“Five years from now, more than one-third of skills that are considered important in today’s workforce would have changed. How prepared are our youths to get these jobs? We need to change and improve on our skills to prepare for our digital evolution. We need to change our school curriculum to reflect the present day realities.
Also, we will need to turn our youthful population into an asset. Twenty-seven million new jobs will need to be created for our young people by 2030. Where will these jobs come from. To succeed and make our youths employable, Nigerian youths
will need to develop new skills. But how will this happen? More than eighty percent of our problems will be solved if we deal with corruption,” says Lawal.
He urged leaders and head of institutions to change the paradigm by teaching our students to be employers and not employees which is akin to corporate slavery.
Professor Aminu Mikailu, tasked the students to upgrade their skills in any endeavours and learn to be a global candidate.
“Since Nigeria churns out six hundred thousand graduates every year and only ten percent are able to get jobs.
Paid jobs can’t be the solution. Our students would have to take their destinies in their hands and develop skills that will make them employers of labour. Government needs to cater for her youths or else we are sitting on a time bomb as education is very important and we have to Innovate”.
Professor Lanre Fagbohun, vice-chancellor of Lagos State University LASU who was represented by Dr Ofem, director of career development centre, stated that the empowered youth is a national asset to any Nation and more of government efforts in youth policy implementation and development initiatives are needed if Nigerian youths are to compete globally .
The dean of School of Management Studies, Dr Mikhailu Akinde appreciating the speakers noted that
A communique will be drafted from the speeches at the end of the three-day nation’s conference and sent to the appropriate quarters.
