About 3000 youths across the southwest states are expected to participate in the forthcoming regional youth summit in Osun state to develop a 25-year master plan for the region.
The Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo is expected to declare open the Osun State Regional Youth Summit on Tuesday, 9th at WODIF center in Osogbo, the State capital.
Others expected include a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, award-winning writer, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Gen. Alani Akinrinde, the Ooni of Ife, and Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II among other top dignitaries.
Briefing journalists at the State Secretariat in Abere, the Commissioner for Regional Integration who is also the convener of the summit Hon. Bola Ilori, said the summit is to bring youths across the Western Region together to generate ideas that would take the region to greater heights.
“The summit is to provide a platform for the youths of the western region, to come together and plan the future of the region. The script will be written by them on how this region will be by 20 years and that is why we call it “West 2040”. So it is to involve the youths in the planning of how the region will be by year 2040.
“The Genesis of this was that all the Governors of the West met in July 23rd at Abeokuta where they resolved that there should be 25 years master plan for the region.”
Debunking the news that the Summit is politically motivated, Ilori said the Summit has no political undertone, adding that the Summit isn’t about political parties but about the future of the youths and the region.
“There would be no APC or PDP, there would only be the Yoruba Party of Nigeria which everybody is part of by birth. Also the decision of the master plan was taken by both APC and PDP at Abeokuta, it has no political colouration. It is a solution funding summit that we are putting together.”
“We want to build the culture of adding to the society, we want our youths to become productive and to generate ideas. We encourage our youths to come loaded with ideas because there be will official endorsement for their ideas at the Summit.”
Ilori added that the Summit would be tightly secured and that alcohol would not be allowed. He thereby urged interested youths to register for the Summit via the portal specifically launched for the summit.
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