Economic austerity: Don’t give up on yourself, Nigeria, Osinbajo urges youths

From Okwe Obi, Abuja

Dolapo Osinbajo, the wife of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has urged Nigerian youths not to give up on themselves and the country in spite of the current economic austerity, encouraging young people to soldier on towards a better future.

Mrs Osibanjo gave the advice at the 2020 graduation ceremony of Woodi Empowerment and Skills Acquisition Programme (WESAP), organised by the former First Lady of Imo State, Nneoma Rochas Okorocha, in Abuja.

She encouraged the over 200 graduands to change the fortunes of their families and the country by adequately using the skills learned and the materials provided to them.

‘I have only one thing that I need to say aside congratulating you. You are the light. And you will continue to shine brighter. As you go on with life, there are so many voices that will tell you that you are not good enough, beautiful enough, rich enough, you can’t make it.

‘I want you to reply that you are the light and that you will continue to shine. I want you to know that you are the light of this nation. Now you have a skill. It not for yourself.

‘The money you make from the skill, the glory you get is not for you alone, it is for your family. The brightness is also for Nigeria because you are our light.

‘The more you shine, the more the nation shines. When we wake up in the morning, we think about you. Everyone of you carries the hope of this land,’ she said.

Aside the distribution of over 200 sewing machines, ovens and fashion equipment, Mrs Okorocha, disclosed that some participants acquired designing, cosmetological, fashion and employability skills.

She maintained that the gesture was geared towards reducing the high rate of unemployment which had nudged many bright minds into criminality.

‘We see the rise of unemployment in the country, we recognise today how much the world has changed; therefore, WODDI remains committed to preparing the youths and girl child for the future, through our training to make them job providers.

‘I am convinced that equipping the youth with entrepreneurial skills is a way of dealing with the pandemic of unemployment which is a major cause of poverty in our land.

‘Our strategic plan and objective are to train over 5,000 Nigerians in the next two years.

‘God has been faithful to me and my family. I want to give them the opportunity to be part of society by empowering them,’ Mrs Okorocha said.