The Chairman of Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Hon. David Olusegun Odunmbaku, has launched a six-month digital skills empowerment programme for 154 youths within the council area, urging them to take active roles in the nation’s democratic process.
The comprehensive training, which began at the ICT Centre Oluwole Ogba, will cover essential areas including digital literacy, social media marketing, cybersecurity, digital entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud computing. The programme is designed to equip young people with relevant digital skills that can enhance their employability and promote self-reliance in the digital economy.
Addressing the participants, Hon. Odunmbaku encouraged the youths to make the most of the initiative while also exercising their civic responsibility. He advised them to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate actively in elections, stressing that their involvement is crucial for democratic growth.
“Go and register to vote and exhibit your civic responsibility,” he said. “Many of our young ones are disconnected from governance. Your decisions matter — you should be able to choose your leaders. If I had sat on the fence, I wouldn’t be chairman today.”
The council chairman expressed concern over the growing apathy among young Nigerians toward governance and emphasised that meaningful change in society can only occur through active participation. He added that youth participation in governance remains central to sustainable development and innovation.
“We have a cerebral president who has created programmes that benefit the youths, such as the school loan scheme and the reinstatement of history as a compulsory subject in schools. As youths, you can change the status quo by participating in the electoral process. It may not be a perfect system, but it can only improve when you participate,” he stated.
Speaking further on the empowerment initiative, Odunmbaku described the digital training as a “fantastic opportunity” for the participants to gain advanced technological knowledge. He urged them to take the training seriously as it could help them become independent and globally competitive.
“Digital empowerment will give you the skills to reach the next level. The world has changed, and vocational skills have evolved into technology. Take this training seriously because you never know when you’ll need it,” he said.