Ekiti State youths have been advised to back up their educational certification with vocational skills and entrepreneurship.
The state governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, who gave the admonition, said such will make young people self-reliant and less dependent on others for their needs.
This came as the state’s youth unanimously backed Governor Oyebanji to continue as the state’s helmsman until 2030.
Governor Oyebanji spoke during the Senatorial Youth interface with him tagged: “Youth, Let’s Talk With BAO 3.0” held in each of the three senatorial districts headquarters of the state, Ido-Ekiti (North), Ikere Ekiti (South) and Ado-Ekiti (Central) on June 24, 25 and 26, 2025 respectively.
The governor, represented by the state Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Adesola Gold Adedayo, attended the fora, which was designed to ensure inclusive governance. All the state’s youth would be given recognition, carried along, and participated in all government activities.
Adedayo, who expressed the governor’s pledge to always centre the youth in his vision for a prosperous Ekiti, said the program was approved for each of the three senatorial districts to bring the government closer to the people.
He said, “Governor Oyebanji has allowed the youth to engage the government to plan and contribute their quota to the development of our state because everything that the governor is doing is for the good of our future.
“The programme started in 2023. The platform allows the youth to speak, interact, and engage with their youth-loving governor. It is also a platform for the government to communicate its activities to the youth. This is another opportunity to tell him other things you want, and the things done for you so far”.
Speaking further on why youths must add vocational skills to their education, he said, “The federal or state government can’t give employment to everyone; it is not possible. Our ministry’s data says that 70 per cent of the state’s total population is youth, so will the government be able to give all of them a job?
“What is important is empowerment, which the government has been doing. Apart from giving employment, at present, plans are on to employ people in the state aviation sector, the process of the teaching and non-teaching staff recruitment is also on.’’
The youths of all three Senatorial districts premised their resolve to back and support Governor Oyebanji for a second term on his giant strides in all state sectors.
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