HC Youth Development Champions Youth Inclusion as Ekiti YAN Inaugurates Fourth Assembly — Lauds Governor Oyebanji’s Model of Youth-Driven Governance.

HC Youth Development Champions Youth Inclusion as Ekiti YAN Inaugurates Fourth Assembly — Lauds Governor Oyebanji’s Model of Youth-Driven Governance. 

By Olamide Akinwumi. 

The Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN), Ekiti State Chapter, on Tuesday inaugurated the Fourth Assembly in a colourful ceremony that brought together youth leaders, government officials, and advocates of inclusive governance. 

The event, held at G-Bos Hotel in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, witnessed the active participation of the Honourable Commissioner for Youth Development, represented by Ambassador Olu-Ajayi Maxwell, the Special Assistant to Governor Biodun Oyebanji on Youth Development. 

Delivering a keynote address on behalf of the Commissioner, Ambassador Olu-Ajayi spoke on the topic, "Bridging the Gap: Youth Leadership and Good Governance." He emphasized the critical need for meaningful youth participation in governance, noting that young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow but change-makers of today.  

  

“Youth are the live current of any nation’s development,” he said. “Their participation is not only beneficial but necessary. The strength of leadership lies not in age, but in productivity, emotional intelligence, and ethical responsibility.”  

Representing the Honourable Commissioner, Olu-Ajayi hailed Governor Biodun Oyebanji as a shining example of youth-inclusive leadership. He highlighted the governor’s early start in public service, recalling how Oyebanji served as the Secretary of the committee that midwifed the creation of Ekiti State, and now stands as a beacon of mentorship and participatory governance.  

  

“Governor Oyebanji has built a bridge between generations. He exemplifies servant leadership and unwavering commitment to youth empowerment,” he noted.  

He further outlined several groundbreaking initiatives rolled out by the Oyebanji-led administration to empower the youth across Ekiti State:  

●Bring Back Youths to Agriculture Initiative (2,500+ beneficiaries)  

  

●Ekiti Broiler Production Scheme (125 youths) and Youths in Horticulture (50 youths)  

  

●Provision of buses for youth mobility and 2,500 hectares of land cleared for farming  

  

●Renovation of farm dormitories in Eporo, Ikere, Oke Ako, Iyemero, Aramoko, and Erifun  

  

●Adire Hub (1,000+ youth and women trained in textile entrepreneurship)  

  

●Ekiti State Skill Academy (150 youths enrolled)  

  

●Training of over 1,000 unemployed graduates for self-reliance  

  

●SMEDAN Partnership to train 5,000 youths in business management  

  

●Launch of the Youth Resource Center and sponsorship of youth to international leadership conferences  

  

●Youth employment across state and federal civil service  

  

●Continuous subvention support to youth organizations since 2024  

  

  

“These are not tokenistic efforts,” he stressed. “They are deliberate and structured to make youth active participants in the governance process, not just beneficiaries.”  

Olu-Ajayi also praised Governor Oyebanji’s open-door policy, citing initiatives like “Youth, Let’s Talk With BAO” and regular town hall engagements as platforms that have strengthened government-youth relations. 

Quoting the governor, he said: “Leadership is not about the position you hold, but the service you render. We must listen to the voices of the youth; they have valuable insights that can shape our policies for the better.”  

  

He further encouraged young people to embrace leadership development and mentorship, pointing to historical examples such as General Yakubu Gowon, who led Nigeria at age 32, as proof that age is not a limitation to impact.  

The Honourable Commissioner’s representative concluded by urging stakeholders to invest in youth as a legacy of transformation. “A wise leader empowers the next generation. When we invest time and energy in young people, we create a future driven by motivation, purpose, and excellence.”  

Other dignitaries at the event included Mr. Mike Folorunsho, Technical Assistant to the Governor on Youth Inclusion; Hon. Bosun Osaloni, Executive Chairman, Ado Local Government; Mr. Alex Oyeyemi, representing Erelu Kemi Elebute; Rt. Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun, Commissioner for Information, represented by Asiwaju Femi Kasali; Hon. Gold Adedayo, Commissioner for Youth Development; Rt. Hon. Umaru Bala Babayaro, Deputy Speaker of YAN from Kaduna State; Rt. Hon. Famuyibo Eniobanke, National Speaker Youth Assembly of Nigeria; Hon. Olatokunbo Gbadamosi, Chairman of Ado North LGA; Dr. Elizabeth Fadimuyo (Mrs. Eunice Fadimuyo), Grand Patron of YAN Ekiti State; Hon. Ayo Ojo, Technical Assistant on Youth Inclusion; and several other youth stakeholders.

The inauguration was seen as a major milestone in consolidating youth participation in Ekiti State’s political, economic, and developmental affairs under the inclusive leadership of Governor Oyebanji.