The Minister of Mines and Solid Minerals Development, Mr Olamilekan Adegbite has underscored the need for new partnerships and approaches to turn the tide of unemployment in Nigeria.
He made the remark at close of a training on Photography organized by the minister’s aide, Mr Oluwadamilare Fawole for selected youths across the six southwest states of Nigeria held at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife.
The Minister who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant Mr Olusegun Adedayo Pointed out that with daily increase in the number of unemployed youths and its consequence to national development, there was urgent need to seek other avenues to grow youth capacity to become self sufficient, explore and invest in new ventures such as the one provided by the media.
Mr Adegbite expressed delights that youths were beginning to take up innovative, creative and entrepreneural skills in building capacity and setting up their own enterprises, thereby creating jobs.
Speaking at the event, the sponsor of the free training who is also in charge of documentation in the office of the Minister of Mines and steel development, Mr Oluwadamilare Fawole said the programme targeted 300 young persons with 50 from each of the geopolitical zones.
Mr Fawole noted that global experiences from across the works had indicated that the private sector could provide jobs better, rather than the government,hence little efforts of individual citizens to transfer skills into the younger ones would go a long way to change the paradigm.
The sponsor of training advocated the inculcation of Photography into school curriculum, particularly at the elementary level so as to enable young people to decide early in life whether to give photography a career pursuit.
The participants who were elated at level of skill acquired during programme charged other skilled people to emulate Mr Fawole by voluntarily providing such opportunity and mentorship to raise amazing talents and create jobs.
At the end of the event, 3 participants who had the best photo expression went home with prizes including camera and other compliment.
The overall winner, Mr Sodiya Odunayo from Ogun State said despite the fact that he had taken photography as a means of livelihood to support his education for almost 4 years now, the training was a high opener on what 21st century commercial photography should be.
Similarly, a female participant, Miss Mercy Adebayo admitted that the programme had further challenged her that the female folks had potential to make an impact in photography,that was considered as a male affair.
Adenitan Akinola
