The immediate past President of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, Chief Adeyemi Soladoye, on Sunday, said Nigeria must stop building the future for youth but rather build the youth for the future to enable them to cope with the challenges of a changing world.
He also advocated for a strategic approach to communal and human development.
He stated this at Ibadan House, Oke-Aremo in Ibadan, Oyo State, during the 2023 Oke-Odo Day launch of a N250million appeal fund for the completion of the Club House, as well as the Patron and Matron of the Club.
Soladoye, who was the guest speaker, said, “The era of building the future for our youth is over. The way out in Nigeria today is to build our youth for the future. The over-flogged bursary awards and other monetary inducements for our youth are already becoming counter-productive. The solution is for each community to take two steps backward into the formative stages of our youth and also adopt simple, low-cost, non-personalised projects that will remain in the community for ages.
“If Ibadan will regain her greatness in no distant future, the journey will start from the transformation of three affiliate clubs of the CCII from socio-cultural clubs to community welfare advocacy groups. These are the Oke-Odo Club, Ido Descendants Union, and Lagelu Indigenes Club, Ona Ara. The most difficult part of any job is the starting. When we dare to conquer, providence normally sets in. I wish the Oke-Odo community a successful re-positioning on Ibadanland.”
In his remarks, the Chairman of the occasion, who is also the Chairman of BOVAS Group of Companies, Samson Bamidele, prayed for peace across all sectors of the human community.
Bamidele said, “It is time to build Oke-Odo House in Ibadan. I have a strategy for doing this and I educate people. Be involved, because I am involved, I shall succeed. All I am involved in succeeds. Importantly, always ask if what you engage in tallies with the wish of God.
“Because we are all involved, we shall succeed. Do not say because you donated today, you will not contribute any more in the future. We have to keep doing it. Celebrate yourself, do not undermine the interest of Ibadan. We should keep faith in one another,” he stated.
The president of the club, Kola Kolawole, expressed gratitude for the large turnout of eminent sons and daughters of Ibadan, assuring them of the unalloyed commitment of his team to deliver on the project.
Award recipients were Prof. Victor Lasebikan, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, Prof. Soji Adejumo, Dr. Olaide Olaoye, Abiola Alli, Gbadegesin Ibrahim, Bashiru Ajibade and Ayantola Adesegun among others
Dignitaries at the occasion were the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, represented by the Alayunre of Idi Ayunre, Oba Muritala Olumini, former Oyo State Governor, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, former Head of Service in the state, Ololade Agboola, wife of former Governor, Mutiat Ladoja, represented by Modinat, R.S Oyebanji, Olugbemi Ogunwale, Yusuf Akande, Gbonnka Olubadan, Chief Waheed Ekun, Oyewale Saheed, Kazeem Oladepo, ex-assistant Secretary-General of the club, Tajudeen Salaudeen, Mogaji Lukman Olanlehin, Waheed Adepoju, Tunde Kudaisi, and Senator Sharafadeen Alli.
