Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has urged youths in the state to take advantage of government empowerment programmes to acquire relevant skills, establish sustainable businesses and become employers of labour.
Oyebanji gave the charge at the weekend during the International Youth Day Summit organised by the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Ekiti State chapter, to commemorate the 2026 International Youth Day.
The event was held at the Obafemi Awolowo Civic Centre in Ado Ekiti.
Represented by the Commissioner for Youth Development, Gold Adedayo, the governor encouraged young people to maximise the opportunities provided through various youth-focused initiatives designed to develop their skills and improve their economic prospects.
Oyebanji said his administration had made youth development a priority by creating opportunities in entrepreneurship, skills acquisition, digital innovation, agriculture, sports and other sectors.
He explained that the establishment of a dedicated Ministry of Youth Development was part of efforts to give greater attention to the aspirations, challenges and potential of young people in the state.
The governor listed some of the administration’s interventions as financial support for youth and student organisations, skills training, enterprise support, provision of start-up tools and capital, technology and innovation platforms, as well as regular engagement with young people.
While congratulating the youths on the occasion, Oyebanji cautioned them against pursuing quick wealth through shortcuts, stressing that sustainable success required discipline, hard work, patience and continuous self-development.
He assured the youths that his administration would continue to create an enabling environment for them to contribute to the development and future prosperity of Ekiti State.
In his keynote address, the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Adeoye Aribasoye, urged youths to reject the notion that they are merely “leaders of tomorrow”, saying they should take ownership of the present and actively participate in shaping the future of the state and Nigeria.
Aribasoye noted that government could not employ everyone, stressing that its responsibility was to create an environment where young people could innovate, thrive and create wealth.
He challenged the youths to prioritise competence, digital skills, entrepreneurship, agriculture, renewable energy and emerging technologies while using their talents to develop sustainable businesses and create employment opportunities.
The Speaker also urged young people to move from consumption to creation and from protests to constructive policy engagement by identifying societal challenges and developing solutions that could contribute to economic and social development.
Earlier, the Chairman of NYCN, Ekiti State chapter, Segun Bankole, commended the Oyebanji administration for its commitment to youth empowerment.
Bankole described the government’s initiatives as deliberate efforts to equip young people with the resources and opportunities needed to become self-reliant and productive members of society.
He said the youth week and International Youth Day Summit were designed to bring together young people from different backgrounds to exchange ideas, build networks and identify practical ways of contributing to the development of Ekiti State.
