The I Chose Life Foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youths and Sports, has launched a comic series in honour of Nigeria’s first female combat flying officer, Tolulope Arotile, who died July 14, 2020, in a car accident.
The “Look Mum, I Can Fly” series, which is part of the foundation’s My Nigerian Dream project, initiated to celebrate Nigeria’s 60th Independence anniversary, was launched Saturday in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, the Coordinator, I Chose Life Foundation, Chijoke Obioma, said the goal was to celebrate the indomitable spirit of entrepreneurship and industry of Nigerian youths and to encourage them to live out their dreams.
He also said the event, which drew dignitaries, including the Chief of Naval Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar and Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare, was to involve the youth in the very important discussions around mental and emotional wellness especially in the post-COVID-19 era.
“The I Choose Life Foundation believes that if they can invest in today, tomorrow will be assured, thus underscoring the need to target young persons of school age if we are to curb the menace, and discourage the appetite for misuse of drugs at an early age,” he said.
Obioma stressed that the partnership between the federal government and the foundation is to empower young people to choose healthy lifestyles, explaining that the goal of the partnership is to support young people with messages, information and activities that empower them to choose life above illicit or dangerous drugs.
“Across the world, Nigerian youths are recognised for their smartness and hard work and they have distinguished themselves in sports, entertainment, medicine and all areas of human endeavour,” he added.
Mr Dare, while speaking, restated the federal government’s commitment to create one million jobs over the next three years through intervention funds provided by the Bank of Industry (BOI), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.
