The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has said that youths’ feelings of exclusion must be resolved quickly.

Hamzat, who gave the charge as a keynote speaker at the seventh Turning Point Annual Youth Leadership Conference, themed ‘Emerge 2026’, held at the Ade Ajayi Auditorium, University of Lagos (UNILAG), said the youths seem to feel excluded and ignored.

The deputy governor, represented at the conference by the Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende, said there is a lacuna or divergence between the current role of youths and the roles they are actually playing now.

ALSO, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has charged youths to harness opportunities in non-oil exports sector, insisting that the nation’s economic growth lies in the hands of its youths.

Hamzat, however, advised that young people must avoid an entitlement mentality and that everything cannot be served on a platter of gold, insisting that society and parents cannot provide all our needs.

“Many simply eschew politics, believing it is murky and dirty. However, they conveniently forget that we may end up suffering from the fools’ rule. If intelligent men repudiate politics in the fear of being assaulted, we must remember that we will endure the rule by men of lesser intelligence who will rule, not beyond their wisdom, but within the limit of their intellect,” he said.

Executive Director (ED)/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NEPC, Nonye Ayeni, said the Council believes the future of Nigeria’s economic growth lies in the hands of its youths, particularly their ability to harness opportunities in the non-oil export sector.

She said that as the global economy continues to evolve, young Nigerians must begin to see themselves not just as job seekers, but also as value creators, entrepreneurs, and exporters of goods and services.

Ayeni, who was represented by Principal Trade Promotion Officer, Nancy Oluchi Okpa, added that Nigeria is richly endowed with immense export potential, from agricultural products, such as cocoa, cashew, sesame and ginger, to creative digital services that are increasingly gaining global recognition and that the role of young leaders in unlocking these opportunities cannot be overstated.

“We therefore encourage you to take advantage of the various initiatives and programmes provided by the NEPC, which are designed to equip you with the knowledge, tools, and platforms needed to compete effectively in the global marketplace,” she said.

The Convener, Olusegun Odufuwa, said: “In a country like ours, rich in potential yet challenged by division, uncertainty, and unmet promises, the responsibility to emerge does not lie with someone else, but with everyone.

“Nigeria does not just need more talented young people; we have plenty of that. What we need are young people who are intentional, united, and impact-driven. Young people who will bridge divides, tribal, religious, and social, and build a nation where collaboration replaces competition, and purpose overrides prejudice.

“This conference is not just about conversations; it is about transformation. It is about equipping the youths to lead in their spaces, to influence their communities, and to create solutions that will outlive them.

He, therefore, challenged the youths to engage, act and emerge.