Arowolo empowers Owode/Ibeshe youths in 15 vocations

Hon. Matthew Kolade Olufemi Arowolo, the Councilor representing the good people of Ward C4, Owode/Igbeshe, Lagos State has become synonymous with projects in his ward and beyond, but most life-impacting is his Initiative known as One Youth One Skill, and he has empowered over 600 youths through 15 different vocations including hair dressing, barbing, bead and wireworks, website design, among others. On Friday, August 30 at a Gala Night and Award Ceremony, he honoured the youth in his area for their exceptional valuable contributions to the society. SUCCESS DAMIAN reports.

Among the young ones honoured at the Gala were Obasa Oluwadamilola as the best student for 2018/2019 session; Eniolorunda Iyanuoluwa, Young Icon of Integrity; Fakayode Omolola Oluwapelumi, Most Outstanding and Improved student; Bello Zainab Ojuolapo received Outstanding Leadership honour; while the Publisher of Fabulous Magazine, Jane Osamor, was honoured for the Most Supportive Media House Award.

Honourable Arowolo while expressing overwhelming appreciation at the event said “In the last one year we have trained over 300 youths in 15 different vocations, like tailoring, bead-making and wireworks, Barbing and hairdressing, computer training, among others. We are also doing an award night, which the graduation will be taking place tomorrow. We gathered to celebrate these youths, and tell them that in whatever field they find themselves, they can always be celebrated.” 

On what inspired him to do what he is doing, he said “ I am from the ghetto, from the dungeon, I have gone through a lot of things in life, like when I was in polytechnic and university respectively, I learnt that the youths go through a lot of things that they don’t tell at home, which if they have the opportunity of doing something for themselves they would have engaged themselves. 

A child who goes home to get the parents pay his school fees, and having seen his parents borrowing money from the micro finance to make sure the school fee is paid would not like to face the same challenge, or who needed to pay for handout that the lecturers are hell bent that you must buy; so in that regard I believe that if a child is taught how to do tailoring work, a machine is just 30 to N35, 000, the child goes to school with just a machine; she would be able to feed herself. If a child learns how to do barbing work, with a clipper of N4000, without stress or hassle, he should be able to feed himself, if a child learns computer with just a laptop or desk top of between N40,000 to N50,000, at a lower level, he or she should feed him or herself if he or she is serious. That is why I decided that in my own thinking that, I just have to give to the youth back, because Nigeria of our days is still not what we think, but for us to see the Nigeria of our dream, we should empower the youth, when the youth go into the public setting they will do well for themselves.”

Speaking on how long he has been training the youth in the area he said “I have been doing this for the past 5 years. I just emerged councilor two years ago. My first year I graduated 85, second year 105, the third year 98, last year I could not do it because of election, this year we are having 312 youths.” 

Arowolo also spoke on the performance of those trained “We have taught them 15 different vocations that I can be proud of, those that have learn tailoring, who will deliver, not one week, two weeks, one month or two months, they learn it for years. I engage them, I use my salary to buy sewing machine, two, two every month, then I engage those in hair dressing, And this is how I do it, I make sure I employ those in tailor, both male and female, I will give those machine to them, and tell them to use them to make money but teach these children for free. I Pay for the shop, I pay for the electricity, and I service the machine for them. Anytime I get my sitting allowance which is 40,000, I gave them to share.” 

He also spoke on how he fixed some inner roads in Ibeshe, “Raoni is not my ward, Alibo is also not my ward, but it is people in my ward that ply the road thro and fro, I found out that the interlock is bad, people got accident easily, I talked to the youths, that I am a civil engineer, can you engage in this assignment with me, I bought materials for it, I bought interlock, for one week, we were fixing the road, this is a road they say we should go and bring 1.8m, but with 410, 000 we were able to fix the road, personally from my salary without taking money from anybody.”

Hon. Arowolo also talked about getting Trademoney for those that have graduated from the trainings, “I went to the office of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, to obtain a form for them for Trade-money, I pray they will be merciful to them and give them the money, I believe instantly they leave this place they should be able to do something with their lives. With 50 to N100,000, some of them will even employ people, get one or two sewing machine and start a new life. Some of them are already engaged. I taught them not only how to do the work I taught them marketing, I taught them to talk to their neighbours every day, you don’t go to bed in a day without talking to a minimum of five people what you do for a living.”

He also spoke on some of the projects he is planning to embark on “I dream of good things every day. I am dreaming that in the next two months after I relax from this graduation, I want to write all foreign embassies, I want them to come to my area, the elders here need attention, you can see that my place is surrounded by the lagoon, my people need attention. Let me tell you something, apart from this major road that goes into ibeshe, ibeshe doesn’t have good inner roads, I want the governor to help me to do the roads, to maintain the roads and I know that local government may not be able to do it all, I also want Private sector to come and conduct their CSR in my ward.”