By Ishaq Dan-Imam, Lokoja

The Muri Governorship support group, Muri Elite Network (M.E.N), has held a training and awareness session on Youth employability and entrepreneurial skills with youths and adults in Lokoja, on Saturday.

About One hundred and thirteen youths from across the state were trained in different vocational skills such as Yoghurt making, bead-making, make-up, baking, and tailoring among other skills.
The interactive session featured presentation on behavioral change Communication, introduction to business ethics, neurolinguistic programming, and importance of regular family session to child’s upbringing and development.

Director, programmes and strategy of Muri Elite Network, Baba Abdul Bala, stressed on the importance of strategic engagement of youths to change their mindset about their ill-being with a view to changing the misconceptions and beliefs about making fortunes, while exposing the participants to the principles of business success in a competitive business environment.
Mr. Bala said the group was in the vanguard of harnessing the potential of youths for greater economic well-being.

Mr. Bala urged the participants to learn the 21st century skills especially the emerging digital skills and channel their creative minds to money making ventures by reviving their spirit of enterprise in order to become entrepreneurs, millionaires and problem solvers with innovative business solutions in Kogi state in line with the economic vision of SDP Governorship Candidate, Hon. Muritala Ajaka.

National Coordinator of the group, Mr. Anthony Idoko, said M.E.N entrepreneurship programme was aimed at reducing youth unemployment and indolence among the youth in Kogi state, as the organization plans entrepreneurship skills for ten thousand (10,000) youths with focus on vocational skills under its entrepreneurship development programme.

Mr. Idoko, who spoke on importance of creative thinking and self-reliance, said youths that were engaged in gainful economic activities with innovative business ideas have the potential to become millionaires and employers of labour in their life time.

” We are working with professionals and inspirational business leaders and experts in different walks of life to bring out the hidden business talents in youths to make them self-employed. We train the youths to embrace entrepreneurship for sustainable livelihoods, overcome low self-esteem, indolence, and poverty through out-of-the-box thinking that will lead youthful members of the group to economic prosperity.

“Our entrepreneurship mentorship Programme is an innovative ways of adding value to society and creating wealth among youths through entrepreneurship training. The Muri Elite Network, Imparts Skills to the youth in Kogi state without limitations as the organization is actively involved in economic emancipation of the youth and the downtrodden in Kogi state,” Idoko, said.

The national coordinator of (M.E.N) also used the occasion to offer voter education to the participants to reduce void votes that may occur due to wrong thumb printing on the ballot paper during voting in the upcoming Governorship election in the state. Mr. Idoko, however, gave a demonstration of ‘the right thumbprinting’ to the participants, adding that “your votes determine your future.”

The youth participants in the training interviewed, said they were psyched up with the inspirational insights of the speakers as they expressed gratitude to the organization for promoting the ideals of youth entrepreneurship in Kogi State.

Tolu Odebiyi Scholarship Foundation has provided N40m as bursary allowances to to four hundred (400) beneficiaries of the foundation in batches.

This is coming as a fulfilment of his promise to continue to provide financial assistance and his desire to create opportunities for exceptionally brilliant students from Ogun West Senatorial District to excel.

The foundation which has also been creating internship, job, and empowerment opportunities for young minds, is making available the bursary allowances promply for their 2023/24 academic year in various public tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

The beneficiaries, after receiving their scholarship thanked the Patron of the foundation, Sen. Tolu Odebiyi, CON for the invaluable support and contribution towards making their academic dreams reality. The students indicated that the bursary allowances have reduced their financial burdens.
Sen. Odebiyi who is committed to staying true with the passion of building future leaders, noted that the foundation will continue to strive hard to ensure that the students become better citizens who would be useful to themselves and the society.

The CEO of the Foundation, Mrs Folashade Odebiyi expressed gratitude to God for the enabling grace to continue with the initiative and also thanked their very supportive partners.

A beneficiary from Sawonjo Yewa North, Olubiyi Jesutofunmi Moyofanu expressed appreciation to the senator for taking care of him throughout his academic period at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye in the past five years financially and also for the gift of a Laptop that has boosted his online classes.

Ganiyat Adedoyin Akinsanya a student of Lagos State University, Ojo Lagos said, “Very few people can do the things you do, the love, care and consistency. You are so special to us. I received the bursary with thanks. Thank you, our Distinguished Ọmọlúwàbí Senator Tolu Odebiyi, CON and TOD foundation at large”.

Another beneficiary, Olusegun Ayodele Samuel from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye said, his deepest appreciation goes to Senator Tolu Odebiyi (CON) for securing an internship for him at one of the best law firms in Nigeria.
According to him, the senator worked tirelessly to secure the internship for him even when applications had already closed. He is indeed an angel sent from God.
“Senator Tolu Odebiyi is one of the few politicians in Nigeria that gives us hope of a better country. I am eternally grateful to you and your family”.

The foundation, since 2019 has been building a mass of educated youths with morals, knowledge, expertise and mentality to move this great country forward.

The TOD Scholars as they are referred to, have recorded 68 graduates with 14 first class honors.
In addition, 20 graduates are currently serving the nation in their NYSC service year and those that have completed NYSC are employed in top tier companies including Flutterwave and Main One.

The need to lend a helping hand to the less privileged has again been brought to the fore, given the harsh economic realities many Nigerians are currently passing through.
This, is coming as an Abuja based Non-governmental organisation, Helpline Foundation for the Needy, has urged Nigerians to engage in acts of charity to help alleviate poverty among the populace. 
The group said the call has become necessary in view of the impact of the removal of petroleum subsidy, stressing that the policy is biting hard on the economy and the populace.
President of the Foundation, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, made the appeal in a message to commemorate this year’s International Day of Charity.
She, however, commended the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for the recent palliatives distributed across the states of the country, while appealing to state governors to ensure that the palliative items get to the targeted audience.
“Such efforts has helped in alleviating hardship, not just among the poorest in the communities but also the jobless, the youths and other groups”, she said.
While calling on governments, corporate bodies, NGOs and individuals to do more in assisting the needy, Dr. Ahmadu argued that giving was a decision, noting that one must not wait until he or she has enough before lending a hand to the less-privileged in the society.
According to her, “such acts of charity will help attain the United Nations (UN) Agenda on Sustainable Development for the eradication of poverty 2030.
“In whatever condition, at whatever level you are, someone is wishing he or she was like you. And the little you can offer, don’t hold back, and when you give, do it as unto the Lord, without expecting anything in return; and I am sure God will replenish you in hundred folds”.
Dr. Ahmadu also stressed that the value of giving was what prompted the establishment of Helpline Foundation for the Needy, aimed at bringing about empowerment programmes such as skill acquisition, cash transfer, and starter-packs to help the needy improve their livelihood and reduce poverty.
She also commended various non-governmental organisations for their philanthropic activities towards the less privileged and urged them not to relent in the good work.
While appealing for donations from well meaning Nigerians to be able to distribute to identified less privileged persons in the FCT and its environs, Dr. Ahmadu said gifts of all kinds are acceptable by the Foundation to further increase number of items to be distributed.
Dr. Ahmadu maintained that increased involvement of well-meaning Nigerians in philanthropism was necessary because government alone cannot eradicate poverty in the country.
Recall that the International Day of Charity was established by the United Nations with the objective of sensitizing and mobilizing people, NGOs and stakeholders around the world to help others through volunteerism and philanthropism.
The Day was chosen to draw attention and efforts to humanitarian crises and human suffering within and among nations, as well as in recognition of efforts of charitable organizations and individuals, including the Mother Teresa.