By Olanrewaju Adesanya
The Nigerian students have been charged to be tenacious in building individual capacity and self-worth to shore up their core value in life.
This task was given to secondary school leavers in Agege by experts and facilitators at the 7th edition of Beyond Secondary Education: What Next? (BSEWN), programme organized by Future Matters Concept (FMC) at Agege Local Government Education Authority conference center, theme “Achieving Greatness through Positive Vibes”.
In a keynote address delivered by Director-General, Quality Education Assurance, Ministry of Education, Lagos state, Ronke Soyombo, said that the theme of the program is pivotal in ensuring a brighter future of young people.
“According to the theme of this event, Achieving Greatness Through Positive Vibes, you have chosen to change the world of these future leaders by bringing out the best in them to achieving maximum self discovery, repositioning them for purposeful leadership roles and transforming them into confident and purposeful individuals with maximum concentration.
Soyombo, who was represented by the Zonal Director, Quality Education Assurance, Alimoso zone, Ajose kemi noted that there is a need for young people to know that they are the strength of the nation.
“As youths on your shoulder lies the future leadership of this great nation, we are therefore preparing you for the leadership roles you are bound to play.
“Leadership is a professional cross you must all carry at one point or another and to become a leader is not on a platter of gold. Hard work, diligence, focus and determination are keys to becoming a successful leader”
Since leadership skills are not on a platter of gold, you must continually be involved in capacity building to yield more productive results leading to improved learning and development.
“You must imbibe a work ethic that will propel you to the top with clear vision of what your goals are”.
”The educational and leadership skills you acquire will motivate and inspire you to the zenith of your chosen careers”.
“Let us reawaken entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation in all areas, let us get our youths off the streets, let us acculturate them with values, and let us create an enabling environment that would see them prosper and evidently reflecting in the progress and development of key areas of the Nigerian society”
While commending the convener, Adewale Adeleye, head strategist Future Matters Concepts for this laudable initiative
“No doubt, the future of these young leaders of tomorrow has taken the front burner in your vision of a robust future, opening doors to a whole lot of opportunities as they progress from one academic level to another”.
“In line with the objectives of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Lagos State Office of Education Quality Assurance on Lagos State Child’s Right Law 2007 for quality education not for teaching and learning alone but to invest in the potentials of our teeming youths for a purposeful future through, most especially, harnessing the 21st skill acquisitions and entrepreneurship. Soyombo added.
In a remark by The Tutor General General/Permanent Secretary Lagos State Education District 1, Agege Dr. Folayinka Ayandele, opined that a child’s mindset could be an asset or a liability owing to what information is available for it to process and use.
While delivering a keynote address, Ayandele who was ably represented by Mrs Funke Longe a Director of Administration and Human Resource at the Education District, established the fact that a child would either have a ‘Growing’ or a ‘Fixed’ mindset which majorly plays a pivotal role on who the individual eventually turns out to be in future.
“Idea rules the world and the information you are opened to will make or mar you, many in life tend to have fixed mindset rather than a growing mindset, they are not opened to ideas, they tend to build a high wall around themselves, so they have no network and their progress in life is hampered”
“Achieving Greatness comes with various challenges that require serious dedication to one’s dreams and aspirations for a brighter future”
“As young people your positive attitude towards your dreams of a glorious future should give you solace and energy in the face of present challenges you might be expressing”
“The world celebrates exceptional youth, who achieve excellence in his or her endeavors” Ayandele stated
The Past Chairman, NIPR, Lagos Barrister Jide Ologun foremost amongst the facilitators at the course charting forum for young minds harps on the importance of concentrating on self-development early in life, rather than wasting time on things that add up nothing to ones worth.
According to him correct networking is the key to a successful living while strategy to combat lives inevitable challenges brings about solution.
It is because we are not maximizing our potentials that is why we have resource control issue, we don’t want the younger generation to continue in this wrong direction and few of us started igniting the mindset in them.
“Irrespective of their physical location majority of people grow up in the midst of having to take right decisions.
“There are children raised up even in environment that cannot be described as Crime prone and they end up in crime because right now beyond the physical environment what about technology, online community and different kinds that are available, so it is apt to engage this minds.
“Our concern now is grooming them to take right decisions.” Ologun affirms.
Earlier the convener of BSEWN Adewale Adeleye noted that many of the students after secondary tend to be uncertain about what the future holds for them so the programme aims at charting a right course for them.
“It is a concept aimed at inspiring excellent attitude towards academic pursuit, providing adequate information on career choices, leadership and entrepreneurship, while addressing issues substance/abuse/sexual reproductive health and vices amongst the young people.
“The theme of this year’s edition “Achieving Greatness through Positive Vibes” becomes imperatives following some of the challenges known as VICES that often confront our young people on the way to the top.
“I urge you all to prepare your mind for today’s impartation, three topics which include, Young people the strength of our Nation, Developing Essential Life skills and Eschewing Vices, Embracing Virtues, will be discussed by our carefully selected Guest Speakers”
CPS Saheed Olayinka Egbeyemi, the chairman Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental and Special offences, while delivering his goodwill message at the event cited the importance of the environment in ensuring an individual is well groomed.
“Seated here are future leaders, I want to make them know that Crime does not pay and education is the key to success.
“The environment determines who you are, I was able to rise to limelight just due to my mindset and poise to achieve much in life, I was born and bred in Agege but as I moved out to another serene environment my mindset change”
Some of the other dignitaries and facilitators who also played active roles includes; Education Secretary, Agege Local Government Education Authority Hon. Olamilekan Majiyagbe; Chief Operating Officer Soulcomms, Mrs Mojisola Saka; second in command to the chairman task force, SP Adetayo Akerele; NIPR General Secretary, Lagos state, Mrs Thelma Okoh and host of others.
Miss Nuratu Malik a student of Government College said the programme had impacted her greatly.
“Just like the chairman of Task force didn’t allow his background to put his back on the ground, I think your background should help to bring you out finally, it should not determine what you will become in future.
Abubarka Sulaiman from State Senior High School Oyewole in his reaction to the programme, said that it enlightened him more of the fact that after secondary school there is still a long way to go.
“It teach me how to make use of the resources, I have now in order for me to have a better future.