From Ademola Orunbon
The Oluseyi Bisiriyu Foundation (OBF), in conjunction with National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Abeokuta North Local Government Branch, have trained twenty-five (25) youths in vocational and life skills programmes, in order to make them self-employed, reliant and sufficient in the State.
The founder of the Foundation, Barr. Oluseyi Bisiriyu, while handing over equipment to the graduands, at the Spices Hall, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, said the programme was in line with the organization’s deep commitment to supporting the youth with a view to giving them a better tomorrow.
Bisiriyu disclosed that the foundation is devoted to training and empowering the underprivileged, particularly with the intention to make them creators of wealth, noting that the youths trained in their respective areas of interest, such as; Hairdressing, Barbing, Graphic designing, Tailoring and Shoe making.
Bisiriyu maintained that “if we could start the empowerment with youths in our area, they would get busy with productive ventures that would keep them away from nefarious activities, they will no longer be idle hands that serve as devil’s workshop and we shall also be able to comfortably move freely in our respective areas without any form of harassment.”
He revealed that OBF remained an empowerment foundation with strategic ideologies to make all those who partner with the foundation to achieve individual financial freedom, noting that the foundation would not relent on its efforts at empowering youths in the State.
While distributing vocational items, such as clippers, dryers, sewing machine and many others to the graduands, Bisiriyu implored them to be law abiding citizens, inculcate what they learned to others and be modest and civility at all times.
He also used the occasion to distribute wheelchairs and crushes to 25 People Living With Disabilities (PLWD), in the State, saying that not only able bodied persons need to be empowered but also the physical challenged persons in the State.
The Special Guest of Honour at the event, Chief Abiodun Atobatele gave each of the graduands N20,000 to support the programme, noting that the initiative similar to his philanthropic philosophy.
He urged the graduands to be lenient, patient and steadfast as they have become employer of labour too, saying that it is important to be generous, free-giver, especially to the less previledge in the society, so as to have a peaceful co-existence.
In his remarks, the Coordinator NYCN Abeokuta North Local Government Branch, Comrade Emmanuel Enitan Ojo appreciated the OBF for the kind gesture, noting that the Youth Council would always provide the foundation with necessary assistance when the need arises.
He added that it was imperative to empower the youths as the leaders of tomorrow, appealing to all beneficiaries to make use of the opportunity and also make OBF proud in all their respective future endeavours.
The Transition Chairman, Abeokuta North Local Government, Prince (Dr). Tunde Tella hailed the organizer of the programme (NYCN) and the foundation for empowering youths in the local government area, noting that it would serve as a sigh of relief to the council and the entire State in general.
One of the beneficiaries, Ibukunoluwa Ogunbiyi thanked the foundation for uplifting them from struggling and making them self-employed, noting that the foundation would also be remembered for the kind opportunity given to them.
Amongst those grace the occasion includes; Chairman, Ogun State National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Comrade Abdul-Jabaar Ayelagbe, Chairman, State Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Arch. Samson Popoola, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ogun State Command, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youths, Comrade Lamide Lawal among others.