Prof. Dayo Faduyile Unveils Vision for Skills-Based Youth and Women Empowerment
As part of his agenda for sustainable development in Ondo South Senatorial District, Prof. Dayo Faduyile has reiterated his commitment to empowering young people and women through practical skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, and technology-driven opportunities.
Speaking during an appearance on Politics As Usual on MAJO TV, the senatorial hopeful emphasized the urgent need to shift attention from mere educational certification to the acquisition of relevant skills capable of creating wealth and driving economic growth.
According to Prof. Faduyile, many young people possess academic qualifications but lack the practical and technical competencies required to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving economy. He stressed that the future belongs to individuals equipped with marketable skills, particularly in technical and technology-related fields.
“We cannot afford to continue focusing only on educational certification. We must equip our youth and women with practical and soft skills that will make them productive, self-reliant, and economically empowered,” he stated.
The former president of the Nigerian Medical Association noted that his vision aligns with the establishment of a Skills and Technology Hub in Okitipupa, where young people and women would have access to training in areas such as maritime technology, agro-processing, information and communication technology (ICT), and structured industrial apprenticeship programmes in collaboration with federal agencies and private-sector partners.
Prof. Faduyile explained that sustainable economic growth is best driven by thriving small and medium-scale enterprises, adding that empowering people with the right skills would enable them to create businesses, generate employment, and contribute meaningfully to the local economy.
He expressed optimism that beneficiaries of the proposed training programmes would become catalysts for wider community development. According to him, individuals trained within the first year of the initiative would, over time, become mentors and trainers themselves, multiplying the impact of the programme across generations.
“I am confident that those we train today will be training others in the next decade and would have achieved remarkable success in their chosen fields,” he said.
Prof. Faduyile maintained that investing in skills acquisition remains one of the most effective strategies for reducing unemployment, promoting entrepreneurship, and building a prosperous future for the people of Ondo South.
✍️ Babatunde KUYE
