Oyo state government through the Commissioner for Youth and Sports in Oyo State, Seun Fakorede on Thursday inaugurated the members of the 2nd Assembly of the State Youth Parliament held at House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan.
Speaking at the inauguration, Hon. Fakorede disclosed that the initiative of the Assembly for Youth Parliament is to give youths the opportunity to be involved in the decision-making process and contribute meaningfully to the development of the state.
He also informed that the Youth Parliament is a replica of the state House of Assembly, which consists of 32 members drawn across the 32 constituencies in the state.
Fakorede said, “the objective of the programme is to bring together our youths and prepare them for effective participation in the process of decision making especially in matters affecting them, promote a good understanding of government activities and mentor them for future development.
“The present administration in Oyo State under Engr. Seyi Makinde does recognize that our vibrant youths are stakeholders and foremost drivers of national growth and development. Oyo State government, through her agencies, such as Oyo State Agency for Youth Development, Directorate of Poverty Alleviation of Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion and Oyo State Investment and Private Partnership Agency (OYSIPA) has been in the mainstream to effectively tackle the various challenges holistically facing our youths.”.
Meanwhile, Fakorede also admonished the new parliamentarians to eschew every act which is capable of tarnishing their image and family names or detrimental to the development of the state and nation as a whole.
He also charged them to give their best efforts by calling on the youth to take the opportunity to foster unity and growth in Nigeria.
“I want to use this medium to sound a note of warning to the youth parliamentarians that the state government is not ready to support any act of insubordination that will disturb the peace of the state in any way. I also wish to resound the clarion call to our dear youth that Nigeria’s unity and growth are collective responsibility and therefore, require attitudinal change among every stakeholder,” Fakorede said.
The Chairman, Oyo State House of Assembly Commission, Hon. Abdulwasi Musah and Chairman, House Committee on Youth and Sports, Hon. Fola Oyekunle commended the effort of the Commissioner for the successful conduct of the exercise.
They charged the youth parliamentarians to understudy the conduct of the state House of Assembly and ensure that the interests of youths in their respective constituencies remain their priority.
In his welcome address, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mr. Oyedeyi, expressed that the platform is for the youth to mobilize themselves for effective participation in the political development and decision-making process which will, in the long run, expose them to attributes of good governance in Nigeria and Oyo State in particular.
His words, “it is believed that when the youth are well informed, we would be able to inculcate in them a sense of hope, self-confidence, creativity and pride in the nation’s heritage while nurturing them to be disciplined, focused, law-abiding and to have the spirit of the nation-building.
I wish to crave the indulgence of everybody here and use this medium to implore the youth to reciprocate the kind gesture of the present administration by being law-abiding and support the present government towards the emancipation of the youth as they are being projected to higher parlance,” Oyadeyi said.
Meanwhile, youth parliamentarians Fawole Israel from Ibadan South-East constituency two and Oladiti Temilade Aishat from Lagelu constituency have been elected as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively for the 2nd Youth Parliament in the state.
Also in attendance at the inauguration were government functionaries including the Special Adviser on Youth and Sports, Kazeem Bolarinwa and Special Assistant on Projects, Oluwaseun Abiodun.
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