Create platforms for Nigerian youths’ creativity, Ooni of Ife urges govts

The Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has called on the government at all levels and privileged Nigerians to create platforms for Nigerian youths to showcase their creativity to the world.

According to Ogunwusi, while officially unveiling the Ojaja Mini City on Friday in Akure, the Ondo State capital said his intention was to grow the economy.

Ogunwusi explained that the Ojaja Mini City, in Akure runs with the motive to empower Nigerian youths and grow the nation’s economy by creating platforms for creative producers to showcase their products and services.

The monarch said; “a lot of good things can happen in our country and if we believe in ourselves, like this typical project, if we believe that Nigeria and Nigerians can do it, then our deficit of housing will continue to reduce gradually,

“Here is an integrated city that you don’t even need to go out. We have everything here, we have a five-star hotel, a game centre, a children’s park, we have a shopping mall, we have a park, have school, we have residential estates.

“We won’t continue to cry over spilled milk, we know that we have housing deficits in the country but we need to make do with what we have to get results. We need to buy Nigeria, we need to produce in Nigeria, including our housing needs.

“Our project here is a city on its own, it is 100,000 square meters, and we are trying to showcase what is possible in Nigeria. Practically, everything you see here, we know where it came from in Nigeria. So, our mantra is at least 90 per cent of things that are made in Nigeria will be used because a lot of people probably think we do things that are of inferior quality. But no, it’s not true and that is why we are showcasing the Ojaja Mini City to the world.

“So for us, it’s just to model something that has never been done in Nigeria. A lot of people are always very sceptical of our products, that homemade goods, Nigerian made products aren’t good but we are not sceptical. Everything you are seeing here, we know the manufacturer.

“Thousands of youths will work here, a lot of them have actually shown their strength, things they can do and how they can make it happen. All the products here, the beauty is that they are made here. So this is what can actually engage youth, and that is what I stand for on this throne.”