Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Saturday, rode a commercial tricycle across parts of Abeokuta, the Ogun capital urging youths to embrace every opportunity with hardwork and dedication.
The ex-President had in June, donated tricycles to 85 persons as part of an empowerment programme in honour of his 85th birthday. He clocked 85 on March 5, 2022.
Obasanjo personally rode the tricycle, popularly called Keke from the premises of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), through Kuto under bridge, amidst greetings and jubilation by onlookers along the road.
The onlookers expressed surprise at the former president riding the keke, a reaction Obasanjo said was fuelled by wrongful societal classification of all keke riders as miscreants and the tendency of young people avoiding the virtue of starting small.
The president, along the route, stopped and picked a male passenger to demonstrate that riding in the tricycle is safe, if used properly and for people to learn how to start small and grow their craft.
Speaking after returning to the OOPL premises, Obasanjo said: “There is nothing wrong in young people starting small. The Keke is secure and safe when handled professionally and with discipline. In fact, you can plan your business the way you wish and earn income that you can deploy to other investments. And if you are able to get a second one, you can give that to someonelese. So you become self-employed and you have also employed somebody.”
He added that he remained committed to the economic empowerment of young people through initiatives that can generate employment. “This is how we can increasingly address unemployment in Nigeria.
He said, “I have always have passion for youths, empowerment and employment. When I started establishing farms, do you think I can run the farm alone?
“The people I employed on the farms some of them are as educated as PhD. There are veterinary doctors among them, Agric economist and some people that are well educated. Some of my children that have PhD are still working with me.
“The other time I checked the people that are working with us directly in our various establishments, we have over 5,000 and most of them are youths. I have always had passion for youths because there is no substitute for employment.”
