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Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
A former governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, on Tuesday, called on Nigerian youths to desist from spending quality time on watching the English Premiership matches and Big Brother shows, but rather spend their time to acquire knowledge capable of preparing them for leadership position.
This was just as two Pan Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere chieftains, Prof. Banji Ankintoye, Sen. Femi Okurounmu and other eminent Nigerians also tasked the youths on the need to seek knowledge, be determined and courageous, to take over the mantle of leadership from the old generation of leaders in the country.
Mimiko, spoke at a symposium tagged ‘Awo Conversations’, organised by the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, in commemoration of the birth anniversary of the late Premier of the defunct Western Region, held at the Efunyela Hall of Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State residence the Awolowos.
The event, with the theme: ‘The Youth and Nigeria’s Leadership Question: The Awo Example’, was attended by youth organisations, students, social media commentators, people from academics and voluntary organisations.
The symposium also had in attendance, panelists, who included Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji of the Rise Networks, the Executive Director, Stefanos Foundation, Mark Lipdo, President, Arewa Youth Forum, Yerima Shettima, a political scientist, Ngozi Nwogwugwu and an author, Adedara Oduguwa.
Mimiko, who noted that Awolowo’s biggest legacy was not the Cocoa House or Liberty Stadium or the first TV station in Africa, but his democratisation of access to quality education, charged youths to read and learn more, instead of spending their time on frivolities.
He, equally, told the youths to have a clear vision, passion to drive the vision and be ready to make sacrifices, if they are to take over the mantle of leadership of Nigeria.
The former governor further encouraged the youths to read and study how Awolowo, in a letter he wrote to the late foremost industrialist, Adeola Odutola, in March 1943, articulated his dreams and vision as a young man.
He stressed that good leaders were good readers and maintained that youths, must not be averse to knowledge seeking in order to become leaders in the mould of late Awolowo, whose ideals and ideas, according to Mimiko would live forever.
Said he, “Being a youth itself is not a qualification for leadership. That’s what I call misguided youth thinking. It’s almost becoming an ideology in Nigeria.
“For you to be a leader, you must have a clear vision and your vision will be borne out of your experiences and your knowledge. And having gotten your vision, you must have the passion to drive it. You must have the determination. You must be clear and you must be ready to make sacrifice to actualise your vision.
“Nobody will serve you leadership on a plate as if they are serving you dinner. You got to work and fight for it. I had a vision to be governor; I was determined. I was commissioner, I resigned and said I wanted to run.
“I resigned as commissioner, I tried, I didn’t get it. I was made a minister. With all the paraphernalia of being a federal minister, against the will of my boss, I resigned and said I wanted to be governor and I became governor.
“Young men and women, I wish that you read more and learn more. Your generation, the Big Brother Generation, please you know you are what you know. Readers are leaders, leaders are readers. Spend less time on Premier League, empower yourself with knowledge, you cannot lead if you don’t know more than your follower.
“Go back to the books. The greatest and the most ubiquitous tool of technology, your smart phone; there is nothing in knowledge that you want that you cannot get in there. You live in a privileged world. It’s a disaster if you miss the opportunity. Please, seek knowledge, drink knowledge, eat knowledge and then you’d become the leader that we desire.” Mimiko submitted.
In their respective remarks, Akintoye and Okurounmu, lamented how Nigerian youths lose their lives in the desert and the Mediterranean Sea, in order to seek greener pasture overseas.
They both tasked the youth on the need to arm themselves with the right knowledge, urging them to stay back in the country and wrest leadership positions from old generation leaders.
Earlier in her welcome address, Executive Director of the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, Dr. Olatokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu, noted that there was a dearth of dedicated and good leadership in Nigeria.
She stated that ‘Awo Conversations’ programme, was conceptualised to address the leadership vacuum and stimulate deep investigation into Awo’s concept.
Dr. Dosumu, however, said the annual event was targeted at sensitizing the youth, who according to her, had been badly affected by bad leadership in the country.
