By Adeyinka Adeniran
Stakeholders including parents, teachers, mentors, career coaches, peer educators, youth advocates among others have said the only way to secure the future of the children is for every persons to take it as a collective responsibility and give them priority attention, instead of seeing it as that of a particular set of individuals alone.
The past them to be safe.
They spoke in their separate remarks at a Youth Leadership summit tagged “Empowered for Change”, organised by the Breach Repairers, a non for profit youth organisation. The event held at the KAAF Auditorium, Human Nutrition and Dietetics department, University of Ibadan.
The stakeholders at the summit stressed that shaping the future of children should not be left to a few individuals or institutions alone. They agreed that communities, families and government must work together to prioritise children’s welfare and development. Calls were also made for stronger government support for education, mentorship initiatives and safe environments for young people to grow.
Delivering the keynote address, the Chief Operating Officer at Meristem and Co-founder of The Destiny Trust, Oluwakemi Ojenike spoke on the importance of time in the lives of teenagers, emphasising that intentional use of time is critical to building discipline, character, values and long-term vision.
She encouraged young people to be deliberate about how they invest their time and relationship with God, noting that habits formed during the teenage years often shape future outcomes.
Through engaging sessions, participants were encouraged to lead with integrity, responsibility and service, while making informed personal and career decisions.
The Breach Repairers Summit, a gathering of stakeholders dedicated to empowering young people impacted over 300 young participants with the values, skills and guidance required for ethical leadership and purposeful living as well as discussed ways of empowering the next generation.
Speaking, a tech and social impact professional, Yvonne Ogulu, said community and mentorship are crucial in helping young people find their way, saying, “It takes a village to raise a child, and many villages are not playing their part.”
She emphasized the need for people to take responsibility for their families and communities, and for the government to support initiatives that promote children’s development.
Also speaking, a speed mentor, Uche Azuh, shared personal experience of being inspired by mentors who helped her build passion for something bigger than herself.
She emphasized the importance of mentorship in helping children find their potential and pursue their dreams. “I was one of the kids seated just like this, and people like this coming to talk and you just get inspiration from them. I know these kids would have been inspired, especially at a time that there are many bad examples across the social media and society at large.”
She urged the government to create an enabling environment that allows children to thrive, emphasizing the need for funding schools, funding education, and making the environment safe for children to live.
“We need the government to stabilize the economy, to make sure that the children are protected,” Azuh added.
The summit’s project lead, Rachel Ogundeji said faith-based organization came up with the summit to raise a generation of young people who are passionate about growth, leadership, and making impact, noting that the organization works with schools and communities to provide mentorship and support to young people.
According to her, the summit is part of the organization’s efforts to empower young people and equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in life.
The programme was designed to help teenagers gain clarity, build confidence and understand that there are multiple pathways to success.A central focus of the summit was ethical leadership.
She said, “We just want to give teenagers clarity, confidence to choose, and show them that there are options for them.”
She explained that the organization is open to collaboration and partnership with the government and other stakeholders, highlighting the need for access to schools, funding, and resources to support their initiatives.
“We want the government to come in and help us. We need access to these schools because we had to go through a long process to get approval”, she explained.
The summit featured panel seasions moderated by Oluwabukola Shaba. The panelists were Ms Yvonne Ogwulu, Dr Teju Odufuwa, Mr Chuka Ononye and Mr Adeniyi Adeyemi, who represented Mr Toba Isehunwa. The discussion focused on leadership, personal growth, career development and navigating life choices as young people.
During the session, Speakers shared their experiences and insights on how to build confidence, make informed decisions, and pursue one’s passion. It also provided a platform for young people to interact with mentors and role models who can guide and support them in their journey.
Highpoint of the event was the presentation of N500,000 cash gifts to two teachers to inaugurate the maiden edition of the Olayinka Olusola Omigbodun Teacher’s Award. The award was instituted in honour of Professor Olayinka Olusola Omigbodun, the 12th and first female Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, and Nigeria’s first female Professor of Psychiatry.
The award recognises and appreciates outstanding teachers from both public and private schools across Oyo State who teach, mentor and support students to excel academically and uphold strong values.
