HON. BENSON HOSTS LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME FOR YOUTHS, SAYS HE'S AIMED AT CHANGING THE MINDSET OF YOUTHS IN IKORODU FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY. Kaoli, Deen, Akinsola, Rep. Alabi, Dr. Fatai-Abatan, Abiru, Ibeshe Monarch, others applaud the uncommon initiative.

Hon. Babajimi Adegoke Benson, MHR, representing Ikorodu federal Constituency, on January 27, 28, 2020, through the iCARE Foundation, organised a 2-day iCARE Lecture Series at Rega Hall, Olu-odo, Igbogbo, Lagos, a second of it's kind, where he brought together scholars, professionals from different field to address the mindset of Ikorodu youths towards the entrepreneurship as a way of boosting national economy.

The programme received the presence of highly respected personalities in Ikorodu, among which are His Royal Majesty, Oba Richard Abayomi Ogunsanya, Olubeshe of Ibeshe, Deputy Rector of Laspotech, Mr Meleolu, former Commissioner for Agric and Lagos East APC Vice Chairmam, Asipa Kaoli Olusanya, former Ag. Commissioner, Tourism, Arts and Culture, Hon Adebimpe Akinsola, former commissioner for Information, Otunba Ayodele Elesho, Host Chairman, Bldr. Olusesan Daini of Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Hon Wasiu Adeshina, Chairman Ikorodu LG, Hon Jumoke Jumbo-Ademehin, Hon Banjo Adeola, Hon Wasiu Agoro of Ikorodu West, Ikorodu North and Imota LCDAs, Councillors, Supervisors, among other hundreds of youths across Ikorodu federal Constituency.

Speaking at the opening day of the 2-day iCARE lecture series, Hon. Benson, stated that the annual gathering was designed to change the mindset of Ikorodu youths and bring out the best out of them, saying lots of investors have started coming to Ikorodu to invest.

According to him, “the reason why we are doing this lecture series is to bring the best to Ikorodu since I do not have any other local government, state and federal constituency except this. I have sworn to myself that I am going to bring the best here. A lots are going on in Ikorodu Division that many of us don’t know.

“A lot of companies are setting up their businesses here. There is a company called Kimberly Clark in America. They are opening $30billion factory in Ikorodu in 2021. They have started constructing their factory.

“There is another company setting up in Ijede, a $20billon investment. There is another Logistic company coming up in Ibeshe. They are going to employ our youths. They are going to make us self-sufficient and add value to our GDP of Lagos State and Nigeria. How best can we key in our youths?”, he asked rhetorically.

“I thought of how best to upscale our youths and that’s why we are bringing in top facilitators to come and speak with us. We also need to speak with the political class in order to discuss how to co-habitate and assist these companies when they come," he explained.

Hon. Benson further stated that as the host communities, Ikorodu needs to live peacefully with these companies when they come, in order to attract more investors, MegaXpression reports.

“That is what today is all about; how the political class can key in and assist and add value to the companies that are coming. We shall be talking about how to upscale the skills of unemployed youths and made them become employable”, the erudite Legislator stated.

Also, the Director-General of iCare Foundation, Mayor Deen Sanwoola, tolled the same vein with Hon. Benson, saying the lawmaker beliefs Ikorodu could be better by preparing the youths for leadership position. He charged the audience to consider themselves as leaders who attended the lecture for further development.

“The moment you are in-charge of your CDA, you are a leader; the moment you are incharge of your house, you are a leader; the moment any responsibility is handed over to you, you are a leader.

“When you are a leader, certain things are expected of you and there are certain things that you cannot do. Leadership don’t come naturally; you have to build it. When you get it naturally, it is not full and when you go to programmes like this, you pick one or two things that might be of help to your development.

“When you go to training like this, don’t have the believe that you cannot be trained because you see yourself as a leader. Why do you think that a boxer that has the world champions belt in his hands still need a trainer? Mind you, they are better than their coach and that’s why they are champions, but they still need a coach.

“When you go to event like this, take everything that you have learnt and that you know and put them aside and come in with a fresh mind because if it is one phrase or line that you pick from such training, it will be with you till the end of your life and it may be valuable to you”, Sanwoola said.

The East Senatorial Vice Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Asipa Kaoli Olusanya, in his remark applauded Hon. Babajimi Benson, saying the lawmaker has truly made him proud through his monthly food distribution and developing the mindset of the people.

“I must commend Hon. Benson for not only dishing out food basket every month. As he is doing that, he is also thinking about how to develop people’s minds. It is the quality of thinking that can affect our quality of minds.

“What Hon. Benson is doing now is to give us new reorientation; to work on our mindset which can only help you think differently in a manner that you will be able to help yourself and others.

“There are challenges in the society and there will always be challenges and there can never be enough, but within those challenges, there are opportunities," he said.

Kaoli further urged the youths to be ready for economic prosperity that would be coming to Ikorodu so that can be beneficiaries. He enjoined them to acquire skills so that they can be relevant in the scheme of things to come.

Rep. Akin Alabi, founder of NairaBET.com was the guest speaker on day one. Deen Sanwoola, DG iCARE Foundation speaks on the topic: 'Leading yourself, Leading others, Leading the Community', while Dr. Abiodun Fatai-Abatan, a senior lecturer from Lagos State University, LASU, talked about 'Leadership in politics'. And Otunba Ganiu Olusegun Abiru, former Clerk, Lagos State House of Assembly, lectured about 'Positioning youths for political leadership'.

On the second day, Mr Lanre Olusola, a catalyst, was the guest speaker, while Ms Abisola Olusanya, Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State on Agric, gave an eloquent lecture on youth entrepreneurship as a way of boosting national economy. Mrs Olajumoke Benson, wife of Hon. Babajimi Benson, did justice to the topic 'Running a successful business in Nigeria, the challenges', while Mr Bayo Oteju, Senior legislative Aide to Hon Babajimi Benson and Mr Akinyemi Adepeju, CEO Ikorodu Oga Radio, talked on the entrepreneurial mindset and creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship respectively.

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