"Running Away is Not the Answer, Nigeria needs you Here”, Fashola Advises Nigerian Youths to Take Up Leadership Mantle

By: Olufemi Orunsola 

Former Minister of Power, Works, and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, has advised Nigerian youths to stay back in the country instead of running away in search of greener pastures abroad, noting that Nigeria needs her youths to take up the mantle of leadership of the country.

Fashola gave this advice while speaking on Saturday during the combined 8th and 9th convocation ceremonies of Elizade University in Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, Nigeria.

Fashola emphasized the importance of young people taking an active role in building Nigeria’s future rather than leaving the country in droves in quest for greener pastures.

Fashola, who is a two-term governor of Lagos State, admitted that indeed, the country engulfed in dire economic hardships at the moment but he took it upon himself to encourage youths to stay committed to scouting for, exploring and exploiting local opportunities in the country to survive and thrive.

In his words,“Our youths must seek ways to better themselves here at home,” he stated, calling for an end to the increasing trend of emigration. He emphasized, “Running away is not the answer; Nigeria needs you here.”

Using the perseverance of some successful Nigerians who chose to remain in the country despite tough circumstances, Fashola queried, “Why did Mrs. Folorunso Alakija not run away? Why did Chief Tunde Afolabi, who contributed so much to Nigeria, not run away? They faced hard times as well.”

Going into the history of hard times, Fashola made allusion to previous experiences of economic hardships in the country, noting that one of Nigeria's finest musician in the 1960s, Dr.Victor Olaiya’s who at that time had sang about the past economic hardships in the country via his songs in which he lamented that the times were hard “Ilu le o, ko s’owo l’ode,” which bore testimony to the fact that the times were tough back then confirming that rpast generations also had their share of difficulties yet stayed to contribute their quota to economic recovery and growth of the country.

Fashola profiled a catalogue of respected Nigerian leaders who persevered despite obstacles, noting that many of them, including Chief Ade-Ojo, founder of Elizade University, thrived only because they chose to stay back in the country and made a significant impact.

“There were challenging times when Chief Ade-Ojo was at the University of Nigeria (UNN), but he didn’t leave. If he had left, there would be no Elizade University today,” Fashola remarked, urging young people to take up the mantle of leadership within their communities.

At the combined Convocation ceremony, a visibly elated Michael Ade-Ojo, founder of Elizade University, expressed pride in the institution’s achievements during the ceremony, stating that his vision for the university has been to produce graduates of global standing who contribute to Nigeria’s development.

Although he acknowledged the financial sacrifices involved, Ade-Ojo shared his satisfaction with the progress, saying, “I have been intentionally sacrificial with my investment in the university. It gladdens my heart to see the seeds I sowed already bringing forth useful fruits.”

He further encouraged Elizade University to prioritize research and entrepreneurship training, emphasizing that these areas will prepare students to positively impact the Nigerian economy.

“My vision has always been to provide world-class education right here in Nigeria, and while there’s still work to be done, I am pleased with how far we have come,” Ade-Ojo stated.

In his own address,the Vice-Chancellor of Elizade University, Prof. Kayode Ijadunola, reiterated the institution’s commitment to producing well-rounded graduates equipped to tackle Nigeria’s economic and technological challenges.

“With new developments, a growing research portfolio, and strong community ties, Elizade University is poised to continue its upward trajectory in Nigerian higher education,” Ijadunola added.

Concluding, the University administrator highlighted the university’s focus on innovation and excellence in its academic programmes, noting that graduates of the University are properly groomed to take up the challenges of the 21st century economy.