Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire SAN, representing the Ondo Central Senatorial District, has urged Nigerian youths, particularly graduates, to pursue vocational skills as a means of achieving self-reliance. During a skill acquisition program held in Akure, the senator expressed that depending solely on government employment is no longer a feasible expectation in Nigeria’s current economic landscape.

The initiative, which began on Monday and runs until Wednesday, is designed to empower participants with practical skills. Sponsored by Adegbonmire in partnership with the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services, the program has attracted the participation of around 170 youths from the Ondo Central region.

“My view is that we need to equip youths with skills so they can become self-employed,” Adegbonmire stated. He emphasized that the unrealistic notion that the government can employ everyone must be dispelled. “To truly address unemployment, we need to ensure people acquire skills that will empower them to work independently,” he added, highlighting the necessity of vocational training in reducing the nation’s unemployment rate.

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In addition to vocational skills, Adegbonmire asserted that education should focus on practical abilities rather than merely obtaining degrees. “By equipping people with practical skills, we help them to be self-reliant. This, to me, is the essence of being truly educated,” he explained.

Engr. Ayodele Adesina, a representative from Energy Impact Consultant, the firm evaluating the program, shared details about the training. Out of the 170 participants, 100 are fresh graduates receiving instruction in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), while the remaining 70 women are being trained in agricultural skills. Adesina highlighted that the graduates would learn crucial ICT skills such as CCTV and solar-powered inverter installation, while the women would gain knowledge in the palm oil processing value chain.