A lecturer at the department of Communication and Language Arts, University of Ibadan, Dr. Babatunde Ojebuyi has declared that insecurity, inconsistent policies and non-inclusion of youths in government programmes are the major factors hindering youths to realise their potentials in the country.
Ojebuyi made this declaration on Thursday in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
He spoke during the dissemination and engagement workshop organised by Partnership for African Social and Governance Research in conjunction with Mastercard foundation.
Ojebuyi who is the Principal Investigator, Nigeria Research Team while speaking at the event christened Africa Youth Aspirations and Resilience (AYAR) Research and Uptake Project, highlighted that youths in Nigeria are facing a lot of challenges which are limiting them to achieve their aspirations.
The event was attended by researchers, academic, representatives of youths and religious bodies and students from some tertiary institutions.
The don while addressing journalists at the event explained that insecurity, inconsistent policies by the government, COVID 19 and neglect of youths in government programmes are the major hindrances affecting youths development in the country.
He then urged the government and donor agencies to provide funds and trainings for Nigerian youths.
He added that there is a need to create policies to empower youths in the country.
“The project is trying to investigate the aspirations and resilience strategies of African youths. What are the challenges they are facing and how do they cope with the challenges and what do they aspire to be and the challenges.
“Nigeria possess some unique characteristics that any donor who want to contribute to the development of the youths cannot neglect. In terms of population, Nigeria has a population that the youth component is over 70 per cent. Out of the over 200 million people that we have in Nigeria, the youths contribute over 70 per cent. Youths are in the majority. If you want to do a program that has to do with youths development, you cannot neglect Nigeria.
“Nigeria is facing a lot of challenges that are affecting youth aspirations. The findings that we have is that Nigeria youths like other African youths have aspirations, they want to live a dignified work, but they are facing with some challenges. Challenges, barriers that are not making them to achieve their aspirations.
“One of them is insecurity, inconsistent policies by the government, COVID 19, even some youths are neglected. Majority of them are neglected in policies. They are facing a lot of challenges but they have aspirations and resilience. Their aspirations are threatened. Nigerian youths are resilience. Inspite of all these challenges, they are still moving.
“Today, we want to share our findings, because we have gone to the field. We have conducted our study which we are presenting today. One of the things we recommended is that government and donor agencies should provide funds and trainings for Nigerian youths. So, we recommended that government should create policies to empower these youths by providing funds and trainings”.
The Programme Coordinator, Joel Otieno, while speaking noted that the project was conducted so as to suggest policies and programes for the government in order to improve the living conditions of youths and women in the country.
“To suggest policies and programes that will improve the lives of women and youths. To ensure that the knowledge produced is used to implement policies. If the youths are empowered, it will help to ensure that the country is secured”.
ENDS