The Special Assistant to the Governor of Osun state on Youth Affairs, Segun Oyewale has met with youth led- organizations and critical stakeholders in the state, to discuss ways to engage and amplify impacts.
During the meeting at the Government Secretariat in Abere, Oyewale explained his experience as an activist and a voice for the voiceless which has given him deeper understanding about youth’s position.
The interactive discussion centred around creating more opportunities for young people and more engagement with the state government, while noting that he plans to engage with more stakeholders, including government officials, to ensure continuous engagement and collaboration with young individuals in the state.
His words, “I understand that when a leader engages his citizens, it’s not only gives them sense of belonging, but it gives them the power to take care to know what is happening in this government, and to know how better we can serve them all.
“We should engage with the critical stakeholders in the state. We understand that no matter how much we think we are trying, the government cannot do it all, we need their input. How best do they think we can serve them? You can see and I make sure the meeting is non-political. We are being blunt with each other.
“Before my appointment, I have always been the voice of the voiceless. And that has given me a privilege to understand their position today. Because I was once in their position. I’m grateful to them for answering my call.
“The process of engagement started today by engaging the leaders the stakeholders those people you saw in that hall represents their entities. I believe as we are starting to engage in them that is going to lead us to the next steps, another set of people we can actually bring by next year we plan to start having youth engagements, I mean to chat with government officials that is going to be between the youth leaders of the senatorial district of the state.” He noted.
The Special Assistant also lamented on how youths are not aware of what the government has been doing in different sections so far.
“I observed that most of them are not aware about the government what government has been doing so far, you will agree with me that in less than two years of his Excellency Governor Ademola Adeleke he has done what former government could not even do in his entire four years in office.
“Check the infrastructure, check every other sectors health education but that’s not an excuse he’s essentially prioritized the welfare of all youth in the state so that is why he even appoint someone like me to be the representative and then voice between this youth and then government.
“I can tell you for free that this ministry, The ministry of youth under the leadership of the Hon. Commissioner, for Youths, Hon. Moshood Olalekan, has plan to empower more youth, very soon the recruitment of the Imole Youth Corps will be concluded and the results will definitely out, and this is not a government that’s owing salaries.” He added.
In an interview with newsmen, one of the participants of the meeting, Mr Raji Ahmed Adekunle described the meeting as a productive one which gives every participants to pour out their minds as it is.
“Today’s engagement was a vital one, a very productive one if I can say that, because it is such that gave every participant the opportunity to say it exactly as it is. And I hope that with the level of permissibility of discussion, we are going to have a good outcome.
” I think the government should recognize each youth with what they do. Because when we say youth, that is a general name that has different elements, different youth with what they do. So if the government is able to recognize youth with their platform, they will know what and what, this platform in the general platform of youth needs at any particular point in time.
“The government should be more focused. They should do more to attend to the needs of the youth.
As at present, the government is not doing enough to cater for the youth. He lamented.
