By Tosin Abiodun, Abeokuta
Barely a year after promoting a youth centre in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has floated another centre in Ijebu ode area of the state, with concern over the need to get the youth off the streets in the country.
The Centre; named Obanta Centre is under the Olusegun Obasanjo Youth Development Centre of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL)comprises a cinema, Squash Court, Lawn Tennis Court and an Entrepreneurial centre among others.
In a Press Statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi yesterday, the former President admonished youths in the country to make good use of opportunities abound in their communities to develop their innate and God-given talents,for self reliance,poverty reduction and socioeconomic development of the country."
Obasanjo hinted that, this was the third edition of having a youth centre in the state, saying : "We have one in Panseke (Abeokuta), we have one in OOPL and this one,Obanta centre in Ijebu ode and others are still coming. The commitment is to get the youth off the streets. And you can see what it consists of, but I call it hospitality ,relaxation and entertainment facilities, where youths can come learn and enjoy themselves.
"This is a community centre in a way to have a good and full life. You have to work and relax ,recreate and socialize. But, if all you do is to socialize and you don't work ,then that is too bad. So, to live a full life ,you have to work,they say work and play,I say rest,relax socialize and recreate," Obasanjo said.
The Director of the OOPL Youth Centre, Mrs Bisi Kolapo had earlier hinted that the Obanta Centre also consists of a tennis court,5 aside football pitch and you can turn it into basketball court. we can also turn it into a volleyball court and there is a swimming pool. We have two cinema halls and VIP Cinema hall. We have a gym facility ,we have also, where youths can enjoy themselves. But more importantly,we have an event centre that can be used for celebration,for anything you want in terms of event activities.
"As the Chief Promoter said,"in addition to these we do training for youths ,we do entrepreneurship training for youths,we teach them how to do business,create business of their own,employ people in business and so entrepreneurship,mentoring all these we do along ,we also do startup and we work along with them in any business,any trade and profession," she disclosed.
The Chairman of the occasion and the Ogbeni Oja of Ijebu land Chief Sunny Kuku eulogisized Obasanjo for his contribution to to socio-economic development of Ijebu, "including, touching the health of the people, education and social welfare."
Kuku stressed that he was marvelled by the health and social welfare inclusion aspect to the centre, saying, "when you have good health, the wealth will follow. This is a one and first centre which is unparallel in Ijebu land and I am encouraging others to go and build something like this and other things that will complement each other. So,
this is an extraordinary thing and we must thank him very much for what he has done. May God continue to bless him," Kuku prayed, as he sang: "For his a happy good fellow" for the former President.
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