The Yoruba World Congress (YWC), led by emeritus Professor of History, Banji Akintoye, has commenced a mentorship programme aimed at guiding 300 Yoruba youths towards professional development that will put them at the centre of personal and community development.
The six-month programme will link 50 accomplished Yoruba professionals from various sectors and countries across the world to Yoruba graduates chosen from 10 states across Nigeria.
The initiative was announced in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Saturday at the end of a YWC event tagged, ‘YWC Launch with the Leader.’
The event brought together young people from 10 states to discuss the ‘Role, Responsibility and Opportunities for Young Educated Professionals in Yorubaland.’
Akintoye, urging Yoruba youths to “look around and see what they can do to help themselves and their communities”, advised youths to use their skills to forge partnerships that would bring innovation and improvement to ways of doing things.
The YWC Secretary General, Prof Anthony Kila, said the initiative would help place Yoruba graduates at the centre of “educating, empowering and engaging our communities towards emancipation and security of lives, property and culture.”
The keynote speaker, Akogun Tola Adeniyi, said, “Graduates are expected to play a leading role in the restoration of the Yoruba nation’s first class grade position in education, healthcare delivery provisions, sound and solid economic and fiscal policies, industrial revolution and excellent foreign affairs policies.
