By Olanrewaju Adesanya
The place of the Nigerian youth in the growth and development of the country cannot be overlooked, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, chairman of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria, has said.
Obasa, who is also the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, said this in a message to mark the 2019 edition of the International Youth Day which comes with the theme: ‘Transforming Education’.
The Speaker, while noting that education remains the best legacy to bequeath to children ultimately seen as future leaders, urged the federal and state governments to fashion out better ways of ensuring the Nigerian youth are the major beneficiaries of the country’s democracy.
In a statement by his media office, the Speaker lamented reports putting the number of out of school children in the country at over 10 million.
He noted that the current state of education in the country resulted from lack of proper investments in the sector over the years.
“President Muhammadu Buhari recently promised to prioritise education in the country and I want to share same hope that at the end of the day, a sizeable number of our youth would not only be educated, but find themselves in meaningful ventures away from seeking white collar jobs which are, in most cases, unavailable,” Obasa said.
He also urged speakers in the state Houses of Assembly in the country to support the need for massive education and empowerment of the youths in their domains by coming up with laws that would advance their welfare.
“Where possible, governments can engage in inter-state partnership or collaboration for the greater interests of the Nigerian youth,” the speaker added.
In the eighth Lagos House of Assembly, the Speaker had sponsored a bill to make the teaching of Yoruba language compulsory in schools.
Obasa noted that the bill, now passed into law and effectively being implemented is not only meant to preserve the Yoruba language.
“At a period of increased social vices, understanding the norms, culture and tradition of the Yoruba is paramount in consideration of building a peaceful and virile society,” he said.
He assured that the Lagos Assembly will continue to work with the executive arm of government to boost education and youth development.
