The Special Adviser to Kogi State Governor on Youth and Student Matters, Comrade Oladele John Nihi, has called for the establishment of a Unified Okun Youth Development Framework to tackle unemployment, curb radicalisation, and harness the potential of young people across Okunland.
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Nihi, who described youth unemployment as both an economic and security problem, made the call while delivering a speech titled “Unity for the Future: Youth Engagement, Job Creation and Anti-Radicalization” at the Okun Unity Dialogue held in Abuja.
He said Okunland’s greatest resource was not its land or hills but its people, particularly its educated and innovative youth population, and stressed that unemployment, when combined with poverty and exclusion, creates vulnerability that criminals, extremists and cult groups often exploit.
“An idle youth is vulnerable,” Nihi said, adding that the difference between a young person who turns to crime and one who becomes an entrepreneur often comes down to opportunity, mentorship and inclusion.
Three-pillar framework proposed
Nihi proposed a development framework anchored on three pillars:
Unified Vocational and Skills Hubs — centres offering training in trades such as fashion, welding, construction, renewable energy and agro-processing, paired with mentorship and market access.
Agricultural Entrepreneurship — youth agricultural clusters covering the full value chain, from production to processing, packaging and export.
Technology and Digital Skills — training centres for software development, digital marketing, data, AI and cybersecurity, positioning Okun youths to earn from the global digital economy.
