Nigeria’ll be built on youths’ energy – Osinbajo

Nigeria’ll be built on youths’ energy – Osinbajo

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday said Nigeria would be built on the energy, innovation and creativity of youths.

Osinbanjo spoke at the grand finale of the Aso Villa Demo Day held inside the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He told the gathering that included the Founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, that the youth must be included in the task of nation-building.

The vice-president said, “I want to say that this country is going to be built on the energy, on the innovation and on the creativity of the young people who are here.

“Whenever young people say that they want to be included, I believe very strongly that today you are included and no one has a choice in that matter.

“Today, technology has created a level playing field; technology has made it possible for you seated somewhere in your office or living room to create wealth, to create connectivity, to create all manner of things across the world.

“So this was not possible in the past. It is a new day, it is a completely new day and I think there is much hope and there is much that your generation of people are going to do. And I am certainly looking forward to being a part of that.

“By the time I am 80, I hope that I will be in a position to have an App that enables me to follow very closely whatever all you people are doing seated somewhere in my village enjoying life.

“I am sure that you are all going to have a great future and I certainly look forward to working with you as part of the government of Nigeria to ensure that all of our plans, all your talents and abilities are put to the best possible use and we support you all the way.”

Osinbajo also said the government would be cooperating with Facebook in a couple of months, especially as it concerns connectivity in Africa.

He said Zuckerberg’s visit to Nigeria had been energising for not just the young people, but everyone else.

He said since he and President Muhammadu Buharin were part of the 17 million people using the social networking site.

The Facebook founder, on his part, described as inspiring all what he has seen during his visit to Nigeria.

He said, “It’s so inspiring to see what you have built here. This trip has really blown me away by the talents of young entrepreneurs and developers in this country, and making a difference and making a change.

“It reminds me of when I wanted to start Facebook. I wasn’t starting a company at the time but wanted to build something to see if it will work.

“And that is what I see people here do, pushing through challenges, building things that you want to see in the world, if it will help the company great, if it will help the country great. You are not just going to shape Nigeria and the whole of Africa but the whole world.

“So, what I will say to the winners today and all the people that participated is that I’m blown away by what you are doing. I believe in you and I look forward to seeing what you do and congratulations.”

Thirty winners emerged from the over 4,000 that took part in the competition.

Three outstanding winners – Emmanuel Okena of Tracology, Allison Ukonu of Recycle Point  and Damilola Olokesusi of Mass Shuttle – got cash grants of N3m and N500,000 each from Airtel and Sahara Energy respectively.