It was a gathering of the brightest and best brains, burning with intellectual sagacity and laden with intelligent acumen, when Change Monitors (a social media platform) created by the erstwhile Secretary to Mushin (Ajina) Local Government, Barr. Ismail Olawale Yahya (Iroko); hosted an epochal Morning Coffee Interaction, moderated and anchored by Hon. Adeluola Ayodele (The Iron Man);on Saturday,8 August, 2015. Indeed, Mushin made history.
The Admin of the platform, Barr. Yahya welcomed all and sundry to the gathering and admonished all to abide by the rules and regulations and respect the place and person of the moderator. He urged all present to respect the others’ opinion and be considerate enough to accommodate contrary views. He introduced the lead discussant, in person of Aremo Diipo Akinsete, and the co-discussant in person of Hon. Niyi Akinsiju (Mushin Chairmanship hopeful). He, therefore, declared the First-Ever-of-Its-Kind, epoch making Morning Coffee get-together in the history of Mushin opened.
The opening prayer was led by ‘Wagbemiga Mary-Peter (The Senator).
In his welcoming remarks, Hon. Adeluola reeled out the rules of engagement and enjoined all present to beware and mindful of issues; address it headlong and NOT attack personalities. Equally, The Iron Man informed the gathering to understand the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 (FOI) affords every Nigerian (nay Mushine) the right of expression without fear or favour. Therefore, all present should feel free in voicing their views without the fear of been reprimanded.
He, then, called for the introduction of all present.
Youth Unemployment and Idleness was the topic for the lead discussant, Aremo Akinsete. Diipo listed, among other things, social unrest, hooliganism, increase in drug and substance abuse, sugar daddy/mummy syndrome, cultism, as the resultant effects of unemployment, generally. However, Mushin seems to be the hotbed of all social vices known today. In fact, social vices do not only birth in Mushin, they launch their new products, as well, in Mushin. This bleak scenario hovering like a gathered storm over the Mushin airspace is as an upshot of massive unemployment in Mushin.
Recommendations: Among other things, Aremo Diipo Akinsete made the following recommendations as the remedy and panacea to the plethora of civil unrests occasioned by the surplus unemployment in Mushin. They include: Seminars/Conferences/Workshops to address youth restiveness; A complete and holistic overhauling of the educational system and revamping of the 6-3-3-4 system; Empowerment in the form of a comprehensive computer training and government support for those trained at empowerment/vocational centers; Creation of a Football League since Mushin thrives in football; Creation of Legal and Youth Aid Council to cater for the needs of the teeming youths; Last but not least, Diipo recommended the re-orientation and attitudinal change for both the youths and those involved in their training and upbringing.
The second discussant, Hon. Niyi Akinsiju discussed the Measures Needed to Taking Restive Youths of the Streets. Hon. Akinsiju traced the root of youth restiveness to the education acquired by Mushin youths. He opined that many youths in Mushin, particularly the street urchins, are at best secondary school drop-out. The few who were able to acquire education are the ones with OND or OND drop-out. In fact, according to him, a large contingent of stark illiterates populates Mushin.
As such, on the average, a Mushine person is seen as a security risk/threat. To avert/reverse these ugly trends, Hon. Akimsiju recommends, among others, that the police be involved and seen as members of the community of their station: watchdog agency should absorb the miscreants and train them as community police; Equally, the government, both federal, state and local, must be involved with the work of artisans like the Bangladesh experience, to cushing the downward effects of low patronage; The local government MUST see and explore the windows opened to them in AGOA in creating wealth and jobs for the teeming unemployed youths and people of Mushin; Software development is the fastest growing industry in the world, talented youths should be trained abroad to utilize this opportunity.
The interactive session of the Morning Coffee Interaction followed suit as the moderator led us in making contributions and engaging the discussants, accordingly. The issue of godfatherism and aspirant’s recommendation was harped upon. Accordingly, it (godfatherism) was reported to be a failure of right process; etiquette. Forthwith, the gathering agreed that an aspirant should be recommended for any political office by his/her Ward Chairman, Secretary and Landlord or CDA Chairman; on a duly signed letter.
Moreover, continual orientation is expedient for character building. Community radio was canvassed for, as a great way of reaching the generality of the people and create employment and wealth for the youths and people of Mushin. Hon. Osifeso, Bora, Hon. Fayinka, Soj, among others, proffered one form of solutions or the other to tackle the myriad problems of unemployment and youth restiveness; not only in Mushin, but in Nigeria in particular and the world in general.

Adesuwa Helen

For Sunsplash Classics Magazine

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