The Special Adviser to the Governor of Osun State on Information and Strategy, Semiu Okanlawon, has urged the newly installed Asiwaju Odo of Iwoland and former Acting Vice Chancellor of the Osun State University, Prof. Jeleel Oguntola Alamu, to key into the youths development agenda of the Rauf Aregbesola administration.
Okanlawon gave the charge in Iwo on Saturday at the installation of Alamu as the Asiwaju Odo of the ancient city by the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba AbdulRasheed Adewale Akanbi.
He reminded the new Chief, a Professor of Physics, of the many strategic ways in which the Aregbesola administration has gone about youths development, noting that this is the reason the state has earned the recognition as the state with the lowest crime rate in Nigeria.
Okanlawon said the choice of Alamu for his new role is to inspire the youths towards productive engagements rather than all forms of social vices many young ones are inclined.
He said: “With the choice of a young, vibrant academic, the Oluwo has spoken eloquently on who should be the role models for our teeming youths.
“Drug addicts cannot be our models.
“Fraudsters cannot be our models.
“Criminals in the society cannot be our models.”
The Special Adviser said the Aregbesola government has the best youths engagements formulae in Nigeria.
“This is why the World Bank was compelled to adopt Osun’s model for the entire nation in its youths empowerment programme called YESSO,” Okanlawon added
He listed programmes such as the Osun Youths Empowerment Scheme, Osun Rural Enterprises and Agricultural Programme, OYESTECH, calisthenics, training of young farmers and others as different ways the Aregbesola government had motivated the youths into actions luring them away from crimes and other social vices.
Okanlawon urged the new Asiwaju Odo (Leader of the Youths) to see how he could mobilize the youths to compliment the initiatives of the government.
