Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has emphasized the urgent need for leaders across the nation to invest in young minds through digital innovation and education.
The governor reiterated this while delivering his address at the 2025 Oyo Youth Summit held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan in Ibadan on Tuesday.
The Oyo State Youth Summit 2025 themed “unlocking youth potential; addressing needs, fulfilling dreams,” began on April 29, 2025 with an awareness walk/sensitisation on drug abuse across the five zones of the state, continuing on April 30, 2025 with panel discussions and interactive sessions for skills development.
Governor Makinde stated that for the state and nation to achieve its economic prosperity that is sustainable in the face of the emerging global technology, leaders must intentionally begin to prioritize huge investment on human capital as against dependence on oil and other natural resources buried in the ground.
In his address, Governor Makinde stressed the importance of aligning youth development with global technological trends, particularly in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
He stressed that the state’s future economic prosperity lies in equipping its youth with relevant skills to thrive in a fast-changing and evolving digital ecosystem, describing it as the pathway to the future.
“Our greatest resource is not our land, mineral resources, or infrastructure, but the people. We must invest in their education, creativity, and technological capacity to prepare them to be able to explore ICT and AI for a sustainable economic prosperity,” Makinde said.
Recounting his early stage of his rise to wealth, Makinde, who recalled that he started paying workers salaries at the age of 29, disclosed that he was a product of a humble beginning but achieved his success through dedication, determination, and resilience to his goals and life aspiration.
He urged participants to endeavor to stay focused while taking advantage of every opportunity that presents itself to them, assuring that they can reach the peak of their dreams like he did.
Makinde noted that Oyo State is open to partnering with international tech firms and local institutions to create a robust digital ecosystem that promotes innovation and entrepreneurship.
“A lot of people would tell us we don’t have any business with poverty in Nigeria, and I’d ask them why, they’d say we have natural resources, we have oil, and we’re all going to Abuja every month for federal allocation from this oil. And I said that will not bring about economic prosperity.
“And also, people would say the average age in Nigeria is below 30, I said ok, so what is the usefulness of our youths that they’re not productive, they leave the university, no jobs for them.
“Sometimes, when I come into a gathering like this and I’m asking myself, these people in front of me, are they needy hands, are they stretching out their hands for us to give them handouts, or are they the potential that we need to unlock to create prosperity for this country? Well, I believe that you’re the potential that we have nothing, that we must unlock to create economic prosperity.
“Economic prosperity would come when we have entrepreneurs. Some of you are planning for jobs and looking at opportunities to be created by others. But I only worked for an organisation once in my entire life. I did one year of Youth Service in 1990-1991. I later worked for Shell and after that, I started working for myself. In the beginning, I could not even call myself a Managing Director, because I was too young.
“So, we must create entrepreneurs and you must always have that in mind. Get exposure if you have the opportunity. If you don’t, read up. We must be serious with education; we must educate our people to reduce illiteracy. If you are well-informed you will be able to make decisions that are logical.
“Finally, we must have intensive production. We have to be productive. I was here for a debate for the 2023 election and somebody asked if I was going to support local government autonomy and I said I would support productivity at the local government level, ” Makinde said.
Speaking on the controversial local government autonomy, Makinde said, “If autonomy is about what you share with local government areas in Abuja, that is not going to take us anywhere, because our population is growing and the handouts from Abuja have remained stagnant.
“These really are my messages to you this morning. Think about the three things that I already mentioned; economic prosperity would not come except we have entrepreneurs, except we have our people educated and except we back it up with intensive production.
“I give you the assurance that Oyo State would always lead the charge as we would give you the opportunities to unlock your potential,” The governor added.
Earlier in her welcome address, the convener and Oyo state Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Miss Wasilat Adegoke, lauded the governor’s approach to governance and support for youth development under his administration.
The commissioner charged youths to take ownership of their lives, unlock their potentials by being proactive, innovative and ready to impact their communities.
She said: “Under the leadership of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde, our state has witnessed a standard perspective in youth empowerment with initiatives that have positively impacted the lives of our youths in the state.
“This administration has prioritised youth development, recognising that the future of our state lies in the hands of our young people. His policies and programmes have been designed to unlock the potentials of the youth, providing them with the necessary tools, skills and support to succeed.
“Our government has implemented various initiatives aimed at empowering the youths, including youth entrepreneurship programmes to foster innovation and job creation.
“These initiatives are yielding positive results and we are committed to continuing our efforts to ensure that every person in Oyo State has access to opportunities that would enable them to reach their full potential.
“As we gather here today, I urge you to take ownership of your potential. Be proactive, be innovative and be determined to make a positive impact in your communities. Seize this opportunity to take calculated risks, develop your skills and build strong networks and mentorship. Stay focused on the face of challenges. State I want to use this opportunity to thank the governor for giving me the opportunity to serve the young people of Oyo State.”
Governor Makinde, who was given an Award of Lifetime Achievement in Governance, also presented different categories of awards to his Chief of Staff, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi; Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties, Miss Lolade Ajibola; Managing Director of BOVAS Oil and Gas Limited, Dr (Mrs) Victoria Samson; Mr Mustapha Iskil, popularly known as Arojinle; and a brand influenza; Mrs Bukunmi Adeaga-Ilori popularly known as Kikie, among others.
Some of those on the governor’s entourage included the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi; Head of Service, Mrs Olubunmi Oni, mni; Commissioners; Special Advisers and other dignitaries.