Mentorship Key to Building Responsible, Entrepreneurial Youth – Prof Abdulbaqi

 

Nigerians have been urged to deliberately invest in the mentorship of young people in the areas of character formation and entrepreneurship as a pathway to building responsible citizens and securing the nation’s future.

The Dean, Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences, University of Ilorin, Professor Sa’udat Salah-Abdulbaqi, made the call in Ilorin, Kwara State, during the public presentation of the book titled “Kuliya of Ilorin: A Life of Purpose” and the unveiling of the Kuliyan Gari of Ilorin Emirate’s National Youth Mentorship Summit.

Speaking at the event held at Al-Hikmah University, Professor Abdulbaqi described mentorship as a deliberate and purposeful process of guiding young people to become useful members of society.

“Mentorship is an investment in the future of our nation. When we invest in our youth today, we are preparing a better Nigeria for tomorrow,” she said.

According to her, effective mentorship begins from the home, where children are first prepared for life and future responsibilities.

She added that modern digital platforms could also be deployed to enrol youths into mentorship programmes that expose them to employment opportunities, entrepreneurship and personal development.

Professor Abdulbaqi urged young people to embrace mentorship opportunities as acts of goodwill meant to shape their lives positively, while also encouraging them to cultivate the habit of giving back to society.

“No matter how little, youths should always think of how they can contribute to making life better for others, especially the less privileged,” she advised.

In his remarks, the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, expressed happiness over the presentation of a book dedicated to teaching people the values and practice of mentorship.

He noted that the publication would help educate youths on good conduct and responsible living within the society.

Reviewing the book, the General Manager of Gari FM, Ilorin, Barrister Mahmud Abdulraheem, described the presentation as timely, saying the life of the subject of the book reflects meaningful contributions to societal growth and development.

Also speaking, the Kuliyan Gari of Ilorin, Yusuf Olaolu-Ali, SAN, reminded Nigerians that every individual has a divine purpose to fulfil in life.

He said, “The line between good and bad people is very thin,” and urged everyone to play their part in promoting growth and development in the society.

Earlier, the author of the book, a former National Auditor and Kwara State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Mallam Biodun Abdulkareem, said the exemplary philosophical spirit and values of the awardee inspired him to document the life story.

According to him, the book is aimed at reawakening the culture of selflessness and doing good among members of the public.