Privileged youths in Ejigbo Local Government Area of Osun State have been urged to deliberately invest in the development of their community and avoid blindly following mentors without embracing values that promote growth and progress.
The call was made at the maiden edition of the Ejigbo Youth Summit 1.0, organised by the Ejigbo Youth Network. The summit, themed “Beyond Crumbs: Education, Jobs and a Seat at the Table,” was aimed at promoting meaningful conversations on the development and future of the town.
Speaking at the event, the Convener, Faruq Abass, said his passion for the growth and development of Ejigbo inspired the initiative.
According to him, the summit was created to provide a platform for stakeholders to discuss practical solutions to the town’s developmental challenges.
Abass noted that Ejigbo still lacks several basic amenities needed for sustainable development, adding that the summit would become an annual event.
The summit also featured panel discussions involving professionals and stakeholders from different sectors.
One of the panelists, Abiola Jimoh, identified the lack of trust among citizens as a major obstacle to the town’s progress. He encouraged privileged youths to be intentional about mentoring and supporting younger people, stressing that such efforts would contribute significantly to Ejigbo’s development.
Another panelist, Awoniyi Ogundeji, alongside the Convener, attributed many of the town’s challenges to selfishness and the excessive pursuit of personal gain. They called on youths to embrace unity and collective responsibility in order to achieve balanced and sustainable development across the community.
Also speaking, Amosun Abeeb blamed the town’s developmental setbacks on the attitudes of both leaders and followers. He observed that many young people have become overly devoted to personalities who offer little value, often settling for insignificant rewards instead of pursuing opportunities that could lead to greater success.
One of the participants, Adegbenjo Roqeeb, commended the organisers, saying the summit had broadened the perspective of many young people on their role in the development of Ejigbo.
The event attracted education stakeholders, religious and community leaders, as well as other prominent personalities from various sectors of society.