Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has charged youths in the state to harness the opportunities provided by the creative and technology industries to advance their careers.

Abiodun made this call at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, the state capital, during the Ogun Creative Industry and Technology Conference.

Speaking through his Special Assistant on Youth Development and Technology Innovation, Mr. Dennis Ogunnaike, the governor expressed confidence that the youths would leverage technology to harness their creative potential for economic development.

The governor, who identified crimes and criminality among youths as a “major crisis and ticking time bomb” for the state, explained that this challenge motivated his administration’s commitment to youth development and empowerment through information technology.

He stated, “If you look at the creative industry in Ogun State, this is the bedrock of creativity and innovation in Nigeria. We can see where it all started and how we can take it to the future we want. The World Bank says the creative industry in Nigeria can generate over 4 million jobs annually if properly harnessed. But how much of that harnessing are we doing?

“If you watch Africa Magic Yoruba, you’ll realize that over 85% of the movies shown on Africa Magic Yoruba are shot here in Ogun State. But how much investment do we have to keep that as an economic multiplier here in Ogun State?”

He added, “Some youths are always in the news for the wrong reasons. Either it’s the EFCC arresting 75 Yahoo boys in Sagamu or seven boys with human heads. When you look at their ages, it’s usually between 17 and 22. I feel like we have a major crisis on our land. If we don’t address this situation on time, we’ll be nurturing a bomb under our noses without even knowing.”

Abiodun emphasized the need for human capacity development to support the growth of industries in the state.

“If you don’t try early enough to illuminate the minds of these youths and refocus them on profitable ventures, they may divert those energies and misapply them. We don’t want the youths to be using their energy for cybercrimes or other criminal acts; we want them to divert their energy in a creative way.

“Most of the icons brought today have excelled in different areas of entertainment and the creative industry, politics, and more. They are here to encourage and motivate the youths on how to discover and apply their talents to their advantage and contribute meaningfully to the state’s economy.”

Delivering his paper on Creative Economy titled “Positioning Ogun as Nigeria’s Premier Hub for Young Creative Entrepreneurs through Innovation, Skill Enhancement, and Collaborative Efforts,”* cinematographer Tunde Kelani posited that with the advent of technology, young people’s ideas could reach a global audience, urging them to take advantage of this.

He described youths as architects of future-driven imagination who should harness the advantages of technology. He noted that the creative industry is no longer limited to traditional methods but now requires skills and passion.

Speaking on the creative economy and leveraging technology, the State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ola Oresanya, explained that the conference was a motivational program aimed at encouraging the youth to channel their energy into profitable ventures.

“In Ogun State, we have a large number of youths, we have a large number of industries, and we need to develop our human capacity to support the growth of industries in the state,” Oresanya stated.

“We don’t want the youths to be using their energy for cybercrimes or other criminal acts; we want them to divert their energy creatively. Most of the icons brought today have excelled in different areas of entertainment, the creative industry, and politics. They are here to encourage and motivate the youths to discover and apply their talents to their advantage and contribute meaningfully to the state’s economy.”