Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has challenged the Nigerian youths to engage in activities that would change the face of Nigeria for better by participating fully in all the socio-economic and political activities that guarantee better future for them and not allowing those that currently mess up their future to succeed.
The former president on Saturday celebrated Nigerian youths, who are working assiduously to make Nigeria great despite facing myriad of challenges, by donating 85 tricycles to them, asking them to shun the cliché ‘leaders of tomorrow’, challenging them that “Your Future is Today”.
Obasanjo, who spoke in Abeokuta, Ogun State Capital on Saturday while donating 85 tricycles to 85 youths drawn from Abuja and 36 States of the Federation as part of his 85-year birthday celebrations, tasked youths not to abandon Nigeria to “those who are messing it up, saying today is theirs and not only tomorrow as being said.
It was gathered that the market value of one tricycle is over N1m.
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Unveiling the give-back programme tagged “OBJ @85 Free Keke Programme, where 85 tricycles (Keke) were donated to 85 youth beneficiaries through Youth Development Centre of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), the former president said
despite many challenges confronting the nation there are “opportunities galore” and asked the youths to take advantage of it.
He said ” The first thing we want to prove is that there are opportunities galore in this country. Yes, things are not what they should be but you, as youths, individually and collectively, must make up your mind, make contributions in order to make things the way they should be.
“If you leave things to those who are messing it up for you and who are saying you are the leaders of tomorrow, you will never have that tomorrow. Today is your day.
“Then the third point is; yes, sometime you may get people who would help you and at times you may not even get who would help you; you must remember God has given you innate ability to be what He wants you to be and if you make up your mind on what you want to be, God will help you and He will provide those people who would help you to reach the sky which should be your limit.”
Earlier, Bisi Kolapo, the chairperson of the centre, implored the youth to emulate Obasanjo’s passion and commitment in an effort to build “Nigeria of our dreams”, just as she warned the youth against corruption and greed, saying it would be difficult to fight those menaces if there were culprits.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Bashir Alimodu and Asembe Ngumimi, from Borno and Benue States, respectively, lauded the centre’s for the donation, which they said will impact positively positively, growth and development of their trades.
They however promised to make judicious use of the tricycles, while they urged other wealthy Nigerians to take a cue from the lofty gesture of former president who was said to have not only lifted and empowered the young entrepreneurs across the country, but also taught a lesson of unity among the tribes and communities in the country.
