Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Monday in Ibadan counselled youths to be more focused on achieving greatness through hard work, discipline and positive mental attitude
The governor gave the advice at a leadership mentoring seminar held at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.
The seminar was organised by the state government in collaboration with Workplace Center.
NAN reports that the theme of the programme was ‘Essential Leadership Skills for Global Relevance- Surviving in a Digitalised World.”
The forum also featured talks on advantages of Information Technology and its application to survival as well as a quiz competition.
Ajimobi urged the youths to rise above their present condition and focus on achieving greatness through hard work.
“Here I am, a child of a tailor and today the governor. If you are really determined, through hard work, discipline and positive mental attitude, you will get there.
“What you are going to be in life is what you decide and do today. Success is the broadness of your achievement.
“ You must be an all-rounder and sacrifice. You should be ready to give and take. “In the whole of my family as a young boy, my uncle and myself were the only ones that passed WAEC.
“A lady once came to my school when I was a pupil in the primary school and mentored us on success. “She taught us as children of peasant farmers, mechanics, tailors and other poor parents about ways to escape poverty, harping on hard work as well as discipline,” he said.
The governor stated that the essence of the seminar was to achieve mentorship that would help youths fulfill their reasons for being in the world and make them contribute meaningfully to the society.
“You must give something for something. Even to to go to hell or paradise, you must make the sacrifice. Do not waste opportunities.
“ What I want next year, I am already working toward it,’’ he said.
Mr Shep Hyken, an author, commended the governor for his relentless efforts toward transforming the state into a modern one. Hyken said that the governor had during an interactive session on Sunday demonstrated his commitment and passion toward empowering youths in the state. Prof. Benjamin Akande, a renowned economist and the first black leader of an American college, also commended the administration for its developmental programmes.
Akande, a facilitator at the event, said he was committed to serving humanity through youth mentoring. “What I have spent the last 56 years to achieve in life, no matter how glowing and successful they might have portrayed me, will pale in comparison with what I want to use the next 50 years of my life to do and achieve.
“I want to devote the next 50 years to building young emerging talents, to give them the rope to rise and become the real hope and leaders of Oyo State and Nigeria.
“We believe that with this session, the benefiting youths would consolidate on the good works of the state administration in taking the state to another greater level in the comity of states,” he said.
Among those present were Akande’s wife, Biola, Dr Moji Olateru-Olagbegi and members of the State Executive Council. (NAN)
