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Nigerian youths have been urged by Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun to take advantage of opportunities provided by the creative industry and technology to succeed in their chosen fields.

The governor disclosed that the state plans to empower 2,360 young people by providing them with training in technology and the creative industry.

Abiodun stated this during the Ogun Creative Industry and Technology Conference held at the June 12 Cultural Centre Abeokuta.

The governor, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Youth Development and Technology Innovation and convener of the programme, Dennis Ogunnaike, stressed that his administration is particularly dedicated to the development and empowerment of young people through information technology, describing adolescent crimes and criminalities as “a major crisis and ticking time bomb” on the state’s lap.

To maximise economic growth and progress, he expressed optimism that the conference would change the narrative of youths from negativity to positivity and help them harness their creative potential.

He said: “If you look at the creative industry in Ogun State, this is the bedrock of creativity and innovation in Nigeria. We can see where it all started and how we can take it to the future we want.

“The World Bank says the creative industry in Nigeria can generate over four million jobs annually if properly harnessed. But how much of that harnessing are we doing?

“We’re always in the news for the wrong reasons. Either it’s the EFCC arresting 75 Yahoo boys in Sagamu or seven boys with human heads, and when you look at their ages, it’s usually between 17 and 22. I feel like we have a major crisis on our land. If we don’t address this situation on time, we’ll be nurturing a bomb under our noses without even knowing.

” In Ogun State, we have a large number of youths, we have a large number of industries, and we need to develop our human capacity that can really support the growth of industries in the state. If you don’t try early enough to illuminate the minds of these youths and refocus them on profitable ventures, they may divert those energies and misapply them.

“We don’t want the youths to be using their energy for cyber crimes or other criminal acts, but we want them to divert the energy in a creative way. Most of the icons that have been brought today have excelled in different areas of entertainment and creative industry, politics, among others.”

Delivering his keynote address on the theme, “Creative Economy: Positioning Ogun as Nigeria’s Premier Hub for Young Creative Entrepreneurs through Innovation, Skill Enhancement and Collaborative Efforts,” Tunde Kelani asserted that with the advent of technology, their ideas could reach a global audience.

He maintained that the creative industry is no longer limited, urging young creatives never to give up on themselves.

Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, the State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, stated that the administration is concerned about youth channelling their abilities to support growth and development rather than cybercrimes or criminal acts.

The conference had in attendance legendary filmmaker Tunde Kelani, stand-up comedian Ali Baba, and showbiz personality Denrele Edun, among others.