The Chairman of the Oyo State Agency for Youth Development (AYD), Hon. Adebowale Adebayo Falana, has urged young people across Oke-Ogun and Oyo State to actively participate in politics and community development, stressing that the future of leadership rests in the hands of the youth.
Falana made the call on Thursday while delivering a keynote address at the 6th Edition of the Oke-Ogun Indigenous Youths Solidarity Forum, held at the Igboho City Hall.
The event was themed: “Oke-Ogun Youths: Transforming Our Heritage Through Active Participation in Elections and Community Development.”
Addressing participants, Falana expressed appreciation to the Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, for creating opportunities for young, innovative and talented individuals to contribute meaningfully to governance and the state’s development agenda.
He noted that the Makinde administration has consistently demonstrated its commitment to youth inclusion by appointing competent young people into strategic positions, thereby empowering them to contribute to sustainable development across the state.
Falana highlighted the achievements of the Oyo State Agency for Youth Development, saying the agency has continued to champion policies and programmes aimed at equipping young people with the skills, opportunities and platforms needed to thrive.
According to him, the visible developmental projects executed by Governor Makinde across the state are a testament to his commitment to inclusive governance, adding that traditional rulers can attest to the administration’s remarkable infrastructural and socio-economic strides.
He maintained that the current generation of youths must prepare themselves to assume leadership responsibilities, insisting that leadership should no longer be viewed as the exclusive preserve of older generations.
Drawing inspiration from global examples, Falana said the emergence of relatively young leaders in different parts of the world demonstrates that age should not be a barrier to effective leadership.
“If a young person can successfully lead a nation elsewhere, there is no reason Oyo State cannot also produce capable young leaders with the experience, vision and competence required to govern, Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi candidature in Allied Peoples Movement represents youth taking over ” he said.
The AYD Chairman charged students and youths to begin positioning themselves for leadership by embracing integrity, discipline, competence and active participation in the democratic process.
He also appealed to traditional rulers across Oyo State to deliberately encourage and support qualified young people for elective and appointive political offices, expressing confidence that they possess the capacity to transform not only Oke-Ogun but the entire state.
Falana emphasized that the youth remain the greatest asset of every geopolitical zone in Oyo State, including Oke-Ogun, Ibadan, Oyo, Ogbomoso and Ibarapa, urging them to unite in pursuit of collective progress rather than sectional interests.
Speaking with journalists after the event, he reiterated his appreciation to Governor Makinde for sustaining policies that encourage youth participation in governance, describing such initiatives as essential to the state’s long-term development.
He stressed that leadership demands discipline, vision and commitment to service, urging traditional institutions to continue opening leadership opportunities for competent young people.
Falana further dismissed the politics of regional sentiment and marginalisation, insisting that effective governance should be driven by competence, innovation and commitment to public service rather than geographical considerations.
He encouraged young people not to underestimate their abilities but to confidently engage in politics and leadership with ideas capable of driving sustainable development and inclusive governance.
According to him, Oyo State’s future depends on a new generation of visionary leaders who are prepared to pursue transformative policies that will deliver meaningful development to all communities irrespective of regional differences.
The forum brought together youths, students, community leaders, traditional rulers and other stakeholders from across the Oke-Ogun region to deliberate on strategies for strengthening youth participation in elections, governance and grassroots development.
In his entourage are; All Youth bodies Chairmen, Speakers of the 3rd Oyo State Youth Parliament and members, Chief of Staff to the Chairman, Personal assistant and Media director and several others.
