The Osun State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO), has assured youths in the state of his readiness to policies that would transform their lives if elected governor of the state.

 

While promising to place youths at the centre of decision-making in his government, Oyebamiji added that young residents in the state would enjoy political inclusion, creative economy, sports development and skills acquisition.

 

Oyebamiji made this known at an interactive session with youths in Osogbo, capital of the state. Various stakeholders in the youths and sports sectors of the state including students, young professionals, Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), artisans, civil society organisations, community groups and representatives of other youth clusters were in attendance at the event and they engaged the APC candidate on his plans for the state.

 

The event, organised by the Directorate of Youths, Students and Civil Society of the Osun APC Campaign Council, provided a platform for young people to interrogate the candidate’s PROSPERITY Agenda and seek clarification on issues affecting their future.

 

Oyebamiji expressed confidence in his chances of emerging victorious in the August 15 governorship election, saying his campaign engagements across the 30 local government areas had enabled him to gain first-hand knowledge of the aspirations of residents.

 

“We shall be duly elected come August 15. This is because we have traversed all the 30 local government areas of the state in three different periods: the pre-primary period, the period of inaugurating the party canvassers, and finally the direct campaign interface with the people of Osun State,” he said.

 

The APC candidate identified sports as a critical sector capable of stimulating economic growth and creating opportunities for young people, saying he had been holding consultations on ways to reposition the sector.

 

He disclosed that he was exploring the possibility of establishing a strong sports club in the Southwest, through collaboration among governors in the region, to promote sporting excellence and create opportunities for young talents.

 

Earlier, the Chairman of the Directorate of Youths, Students and Civil Society, Ayodele David Asalu, described the gathering as more than a political meeting, saying it was designed as an open conversation between the APC candidate and young people from different backgrounds.

 

Asalu said young people should not be treated merely as instruments for political mobilisation during elections but must be active participants in governance and decision-making.

 

He identified education, employment, skills development, entrepreneurship, technology, creative economy and political participation as some of the major issues requiring urgent attention in order to improve the wellbeing and productivity of young people in the state.

 

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Kehinde Ayantunji, alleged that the current administration had failed to adequately develop sports infrastructure and youth-oriented programmes in the state.

 

Ayantunji claimed that the state had, in recent years, experienced a decline in sports infrastructure, adding that the lack of adequate facilities had negatively affected grassroots sports development.

 

He also expressed concern over what he described as the growing influence of thuggery and brigandage among some youths, arguing that government must provide productive alternatives through sports, skills acquisition, employment and entrepreneurship.

 

The Lead Discussant, Dr. Lekan Olatunji, said the PROSPERITY Agenda was developed with youth inclusion as one of its major pillars, stressing that young people were involved in the process of shaping the manifesto.

 

According to him, youths would not only participate in the development process under an AMBO administration but would also be involved in the implementation and evaluation of government programmes.

 

Olatunji noted that with about 67 per cent of Osun’s population below the age of 40, any meaningful development strategy must recognise young people as major drivers of productivity, innovation and economic growth.

 

He listed improved education, skills development, support for small and medium-scale enterprises, talent development, creative economy, sports, agriculture and youth-focused wealth creation initiatives among the areas covered by the agenda.

 

He also highlighted plans to activate the state’s free trade zone through a public-private partnership model, saying the initiative would support production, fashion, talent showcases and annual festivals designed to discover and develop young talents.

 

Speaking on sports and youth empowerment, the Chairman of the Osun Football Association, Mr Sola Fanawopo, called for greater investment in sports as an economic sector.

 

Fanawopo advocated the establishment of basic sports facilities across the nine federal constituencies of the state to encourage grassroots talent discovery and provide young people with opportunities to develop their sporting abilities.

 

The Deputy Governorship Candidate, Engr. Benjamin Adereti, assured the youths that they would play a significant role in determining the direction of an AMBO administration.

 

Adereti promised increased digital penetration, greater investment in technology-driven governance and continuous training and retraining of the state’s workforce, while challenging young people to acquire the skills needed to take advantage of emerging opportunities.

 

The Chairman of the occasion, Engr. Olamilekan Badmus, urged youths to vote massively for Oyebamiji in the August 15 governorship election, expressing confidence that his administration would provide opportunities capable of driving economic prosperity in the state.

 

The session featured a panel discussion and question-and-answer segment, during which participants engaged the APC candidate and other speakers on education, employment, entrepreneurship, governance, sports development and youth inclusion.

 

The organisers said the engagement was part of efforts to create platforms where young people could meaningfully participate in discussions on the future direction of Osun State and understand the policy proposals of the APC governorship candidate.