Create Jobs; Youths Urged

AllAfrica.com

January 9, 2004

Dec 30, 2003 (Daily Trust/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- An entrepreneur, Mr Cyneril Adaranijo has urged Nigerian youths to cultivate the idea of creating, rather than increasingly depending on the government.

Delivering a paper titled: "Building the Nigerian Dream," at the National Talent Motivation Conference in Lagos, Mr. Adaranijo said over dependence on government for employment has only succeeded in turning the nation to a beggar, and subduing the youth's talent and vision to identifying their potentials, and moulding the dream of the nation.

According to him, the level of unemployment in Nigeria is appalling, and this is so because the youth have failed to look inward for alternative things they can do to earn their living, adding that "creativity rather than reliance on paper certificate," go a long way in creating new opportunities for the youth.

He stressed that the famous Mcdonald of this world was able to cut his teeth because he identified his vision and dream, adding that talent could be better appreciated when it is shared within.

While emphasizing that the greatest asset of a nation is its investment on people, Mr Adaranijo said the youths should bear the odds and prepare themselves for challenges posed by globalisation.

According to him, it is not that there is complete unemployment in Nigeria, but he added than 90 per cent of Nigerians are not willing and ready to take up new responsibilities that would task their potentials. He added that taking responsibility should not always be commensurate with heavy rewards in terms of money, but rather in terms of skills acquisition and knowledge that would help in creating wealth.

Mr Adaranijo further said extensive reading and internet surfing are new emerging tools the youths in Nigeria can arm themselves with, in order to cope with the competitive global world..

He expressed optimism that the current deregulation of the economy by the Obasanjo administration is yielding good dividends, going by the considerable level of foreign investment in the country.

"In five years time I foresee much more foreign investment and new opportunities in the country as a result of the deregulation. But this development however portends that the Nigerian youths should gird their loins and move along with the revolution expected to take off in the country or elsewhere find foreign companies operating in Nigeria recruiting personnel from outside its shores," he said.

by Mohammed Shosanya

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KEYWORD: Nigeria

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