Nigeria stands at a demographic crossroads, with its youthful population offering both a tremendous opportunity and a potential challenge. As the nation’s population continues to grow rapidly, the need for evidence-based planning has never been more urgent. Youth unemployment, skills mismatch, and limited access to economic opportunities are persistent issues. However, with effective population planning, these challenges can be transformed into a demographic dividend. This podcast episode seeks to explore how population data and planning can drive smarter, evidence-based employment strategies and inclusive development policies. It will delve into the critical role of data-driven decision-making in aligning population trends with job creation, education, entrepreneurship, and youth empowerment programs. Objectives: •To highlight the connection between population dynamics and national development. •To discuss how youth-focused policies can be better designed using population data. •To explore innovative approaches to employment creation that are aligned with Nigeria’s demographic realities.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hello again and welcome to NYSG Radio Podcasts. So good
to have you on the court with us this morning, afternoon, evening,
depending on your neck of the world. Welcome to another
episode and today we are celebrating the World Population Day
and our topic for today is empowering a grain nation
youth empowerment through population planning. Now, Juria stands at a
(00:24):
demographic crossroad with a suitful population, offering both a tremendous
opportunity and a potential challenge. As the nation's population continues
to grow rapidly, the need for evidence based planning has
never been more urgent. New unemployment, skills, mismatch, and limited
access to economic opportunities are persistent issues. However, with effective
(00:46):
population planning, these challenges can be transformed into a demographic dividends.
And on today's episode, we are so glad to have
with us a distinguishach person who is a seasoned learning
specialists and policy advisor with a strong track record of
driving digital equity inclusive education across Africa. Is work spans
(01:07):
global organizations such as the United Nations Education Scientific and
Culturalized Organization UNESCO, GISE, code dot Org, Abuja Chamber of Commerce,
Facebook Now Meta Microsoft Nigeria three initiatives like Code to
Earn You are strained over twenty six thousand individuals encoding
equipping them with essential digital skills for the modern economy.
(01:30):
He is a Chavening scholar and the Tramatic lead for
the Politics and Governors Group under the Community of Practice
of Youth at the NEEESG. Please join me to welcome
mister Uluwa Toby or Senni. Mister Toby, You're welcome to
the podcast and thank you for joining us.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Thank you so much for having and it's.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Really good to be too awesome. Let's jump right into
the conversation. So from your experience, because I see that
you've gone across different and multiple global and local organizations
both within the country and offshore. From my experience, what
are some of the most present challenges the young people
face today in securing decent jobs?
Speaker 2 (02:11):
So thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
The way I like to look at this really is
the first part of it, which is a lot of
young people. I mean, we we are a really a
really blessed country. We have a really large use population,
but unfortunately a lot of young people will have an
idea say this, you know, as also an employer of
label is that the problem is that a lot of
(02:34):
young people have degrees. I mean, credentials are great, but
a lot of dis credentials do not prepare them for
the future of work. A lot of people have degrees
in courses that are prepared them for jobs of yesterday.
And I probably would use an example even myself for example,
by background and man accountant, and it means that you know,
(02:55):
I have training accounting, but a lot of a lot
of newer, younger friends today don't do the traditional you
know bookkeeping, you know, with with physical books and the
rest of that. And unfortunately that's what we're taking in school.
And so if you try to, you know, get a
job in a more modern complain, it means that the
complaint has to invest in training you. And unfortunately, the
(03:17):
sad reality is that a lot of complaints right now,
because of you know, the way the market is, cannot effort.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
To you know, to start to train people.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Especially again because a lot of the jobs that existing,
you know, and in our market in Nigeria are really
jobs with complaints that are you know, mid sized to
small semits and so they don't have so much somewhat
budget or even you know what's it called now or
even the capacity to actually train young people. And so
that's one of the biggest problem. The biggest mismatch is
(03:48):
that people have credentials, but discredentials they're unable to translate
this into a jobble. One of the problem that we
currently have also is the fact that in case this
is where people want a transition from one job to
the other for a lot of these skills that you
know that are most popular in our ecosystem, for example,
(04:12):
it's difficult for people to adapt. And I would say
that some of the challenges that people have had has
also been structured learning in a lot of this, and
that's why that a lot of the programs that I
have worked on in teaching people to God have always
said that, you know, no matter what it is that
we do, whether you are an accountant or even a
music professional, there has to be the it of everything.
And unfortunately this has not been a major curriculum. I mean,
(04:35):
there has been extensive work to try to bring in
technology and education, but this has also you know, been
one of the biggest problems that I have seen. You know,
that's affected young people who are getting into workplaces.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Thank you very much and quite interesting that you mentioned
this subject of adaptability and also the Internet of everything.
How do you then see the connection between population data
and job creation through effective skills acquisition initiatives?
Speaker 3 (05:03):
The Nigerian population is both a blessing and the course
and well, this is what I mean by blessing a
lot of young people, meaning that there's a lot of
opportunity but also translates to a taken time. But if
you let mess that world, it's it's an opportunity that
if we do not manage, it becomes very serious ranks.
And so the the nextus between you know, this young
(05:25):
population and also economic development, I think it's really very simple.
One is that we need to look at the data
and see, you know, what set of skill said do
we have the most and how can we then find
the skill set into what the economic or what can
translate into you know, imput for economic output eventually.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
And I think that we're also at a very important place.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
And this is because right now we've seen a lot
of US government have on a lot of countries including China,
and so it means that if we if we can
get it right, we can start to shift some manufacturing
and you know, Nangeria always has you know, my friends
in the diplomatics as the saying Nigeria always has good
relationship with West, you know onlike countries like China, and
(06:08):
I say this also on this podcast. And so it
means that in the near future we might not you know,
phace those kinds of times or sanctions. And so it
means that we if we can also take good use
of you know, this opportunity we're complaints when we start
to manufacture outside of China and then can move this
manufacturing to maybe into my Injuria and take advantage of
(06:31):
this growing youth population. The next thus really for this
is that when we need to follow the data most
skills said that we have been most like I said,
and also how can we ensure that we are also
digitally enabled what was it called economy? And one of
the largest problems that businesses have always complained about has
always been technology adaptation and also the level of the
(06:56):
core of technolic adoption that won't be people and also
the marketers as adopted. One of the biggiest and easiest
is for us to do this also is to is
to payerhaps we engage in large skill.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
You know, knowledge sharing.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
We've seen a lot of these kinds of programs, you know,
where we send people abroad for training and then bring
them back. But I think that this has to be
more institutional. Take, for example, universities and an Injuria should
have maybe again you know, most for they should have
a knowledge sharing system where you know, they are affiliated
to like investing in Korea, investing in the US, investing
(07:34):
in adds economists, where we can share knowledge and not
just because we want to send one or two professors
you know to the US every semester to you know,
to go and learn, but to make this translate into
actual learning for the people. And so it's beyond you know,
just seending the academics, but also you know, allowing the
people themselves who are learning. You know, there's a lot
(07:54):
of value in in sending to thens for example, and
exchange programs that they probably is in sanding in you know,
one professor who you know is thirty five years into
into his practice, and there's just so much he can
do when he's back, you know. And so I think
that that's one of the most important parts of that.
And I also think that Benginia needs a very very
(08:14):
deliberate planning. These young people, including myself, you know, who
have this skill set, a.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Lot of them want to be.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Laid And I say this because again on the Internet
we see a lot of them. They jump on the
next moving trade or people are learning you know, you
are ux right now. Everybody wants to learn it. People
are learning maybe how to write front, how to write
code frontad development. A lot of people are learning it
and they're not exactly shore word to and so that's
(08:47):
where I think that there has to be deliverate planning.
You know, the government has to give more structured options
for people. And at this point, the government really has
to treat human capital development, you know, as a crisis,
and that's been us.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
You cannot have.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
This many people out of job and if you do not,
you know, use data to guide these decisions, you really
cannot make any progress with it.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
Quite interesting that you mentioned population being both a blessing
and a curse, and I hope for Nigeria, owing to
the fact that we have good relationship with the Western world,
can make this population boom a blessing for a country.
My next question to you would be how does population
data help inform employment strategies and national development planning, and
(09:31):
if you could please tell us what practical steps the
government and civil society can take to ensure that population
policies are inclusive and youth centered.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
Yeah, this is the way I look at it. You know,
every skilled you, everyone skilled you to rather is a
missed opportunity.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Every trained youth is a national asset.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
The way we have to visit this is this if
we if you and I are normal trained, you know,
the problem is that it means that even if we
become teachers, we would you know, instill this you know,
incomplete or bad knowledge that we have around knowledge that
we have or the next generation.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
And so there is when that is when there is
a big problem. You know, the.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
Connection between data and national planning very very straightforward, you know,
and also for inclusive education. One of the biggest problems
that I know that we have and interestingly, you know,
as a personal disability to myself, sometimes sometimes we get
to forget that, you know, the society is made up of,
you know, of everyone, you know, the eble body and
(10:37):
the person's ability. Unfortunately, again for people like myself who
have non visible disabilities, we tend to you know, to
forget the society tends to forget that we also need
to be catered for. And I think that one of
the most interesting approaches even to be to make classrooms
more accessible. I told someone something one time and that
it's been almost ten years and it's yes, it's still
(10:59):
has inter found the results for me.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
And that's this. I've never walked into a bank in Nigeria,
and I've seen and.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
I've been in a bank, working in a bank, and
I have gone to a lot of banks. I mean,
I did study accounts and work in fintech, so I
think that I do visit's quite a lot of banks.
But I've never gone into a bank. And since since
someone on a wheelchair work in a bank? And so,
does it mean that we are saying that we want
to only train the able bodied people in the society.
(11:28):
Does it mean that we want to diffranchise this set
of people in society. I mean there's a lot of
disability classes. People you know, with low vision. You know,
we'd be our classrooms as you know, not evenly qued
for you know, for people with great vision, let alone
people with low vision. And so there is a big
problem and that which is why again I said that,
you know, we have to follow what the data says.
(11:50):
And now we have a real crisis. We have hundreds
of thousands of people finish and why I see, you know,
and they want to we see, we see a real
problem and them being that people, you know, people go
to university for five six years, they study stem you know,
and they come out and what they want to do
is make up and this is really great, you know,
you can start an enterprising you know. But I'm sure
(12:12):
that that's not why they probably went to school to
study about chemises for six years. And the gap that
we have in healthcare, for example, that's not that's not
being made. And as a matter of fact, I think
that a lot of Cervil society organizations are doing a
lot of work in also trying to break the gap,
and especially where the government is lacking. But I think
there has to be a lot more pressure. Is also
(12:34):
sensitizing the policy makers, and that's because a lot of
policies really at the test book level, they're inclusive in
the sense that you know, they had one or two
closes there that says that you know, there has.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
To be X y Z in it.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
But I think that you know, maybe we need to actually,
you know, do a quoter system. And this is what
I mean, And maybe we have to say that in
every classroom of one hundred people, at least thirty people
them more people who identify as personal disabilities, and so
they have to be deliberate efforts to inclusion, you know,
that's number one. Number two, there has to be delegate
efforts to ensure that you know, more women. For example,
(13:11):
in term, I looked at the data of startup founders
and the startup leadership and I realize that there's a
lot more you know, women in the management side of
startups and a lot of imagining businesses than they are
on the technical side. And I think that that is
a very serious problem because you know, some of the
most brilliant people in compter science and women and men
(13:33):
out of loveless was a woman want to do for
seple to right code?
Speaker 2 (13:36):
You know?
Speaker 3 (13:37):
And so if we do not start a bridge, that
it means that we you know, we we don't even
we don't have shining starts for younger women to look
up to. And so for for men, for example, you
can easily say, oh, you know, there's this guy, you
know there mention them again. You know, there's the guys
are Paste Actual and Ezra, and you can look up
to them and say, oh, that's a man doing great stuff.
(13:58):
You know, but who exactly do we want young women
to look at interesting? They are also very great women,
you know, doing great stuff for example at big Givest
we have or do at Pigivest. But we need more people,
We need more order in society. And the only way
we can have more order is to include women a
lot more in Uman captal development effort.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
And also also.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
At this point, we need to see civil society organizations
not just put pressure on the government at the federal
level for education because again the primer education for example,
you know, it's not it's in the hands of the
Dartias and government and so all the other layers of government. Rather,
I'm still there's a need for us to do this,
but also most importantly ensure that private players in education
(14:43):
are held accountable. And what I mean by that is
we see a lot of private players make education. You know,
they want to choose their own direction. And sometimes this
is good because you know, they're able to tell what
their outputs, but also bad because they tend to what's
it called. It tend not to be supervised, and so
civil society organizations can start to hold everyone accountable, the government,
(15:08):
private players, and also ensure that we are able to,
you know, to try and change how it is that
we want from that side.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Thank you very much. And I got some new every
old skilled dut. It's a missed opportunity, every skilled dut.
It's a national asset. Did I get that cote right?
Speaker 2 (15:27):
But you got that correct?
Speaker 1 (15:29):
Amazing, amazing code. Can you speak more to non visible disability?
You mentioned the concept known as non visible disability.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Can you speak a little bit on that?
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Yes, yes, absolutely, Okay, So I would I would share
a little bit of my story. I had an accident
about eleven years ago, and so I did factory a
part of my face. I probably if pictures of me
and see some sort of remarks on my face. And
so I had a condition on a celebratory which is
(16:01):
essentially because you know, when I failed, my score pressed
on my brain and all of that. And then I've
had a lot of a couple of approached studies to
take care of that. But a lot of non visible
disabilities apart from server trophy, for example, which I hit
is a no visical disability. Now there's a lot more
basical disability, like lots of vision, you know, people with
(16:23):
color blindness. And why some of these things have major
problems is that in our classrooms, for example, and I'll
give you one example, because I don't see colors on
one from my eyes in a regular nine duran classroom,
if I go to a government school on days like
these are years raining right now in Nigeria, and days
like this when it is raining and you know it's
quite cloudy and dark, you know, during the day, the
(16:45):
class the classes would be monocol in the sense that
there will be only two or tay colors in the classroom.
And that's because you know, it's cloudy, and so people
with colorblindess can not separate those colors properly. And so
whatever did it is writing with chuck on the board,
they cannot see. And the unfortunate part of it is
that because they don't want to be they don't want
(17:07):
to be labeled in the class, they don't want to
be put aside, they will try to string along and
imagine that that happens on a day or on a
week when they are teaching the most important part of
the term. You know, maybe it's a mass a math
class and you know, they are teaching the toughest pad
in algebra at that time, and you know, he misses
(17:28):
out on that. You know, fortunately that students has you know,
no access to extra you know, extra classes, and so
he misses out on that is great surple and that
can be the beginning of, you know, of something else.
But also because of the fact that as as a
people we don't do enough testing. A lot of people
(17:49):
have argued that the Injuria has a lot of artism,
and I just think that Niningeria really is not testing enough.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
And so there are a lot of people.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
For example, we see people who been you know, who
have been said that they maybe do not understand that, yes,
some people are more analyticate than the other, but does
not mean that anybody cannot learn that for example, you know,
and that's probably because you know, this person befoires additional
you know, what's it called additional support. It could be autism,
it could be this leasure and you know a lot
(18:19):
of these conditions they go on that nose. And so
people are in classrooms and the teacher does not even
know how to support them. And again because I am
a chip scholar, I you know, wrote a paper on
building their musical massifety technologies for persons with learning disabilities
and have realized that even very interesting cases like people
(18:40):
with loss of yearing. So imagine a classroom are just
pay to a picture. Yeah, So imagine a classroom with
maybe five hundred students, and this is an invested classroom
because my classroom in Louder people that are large, we
about five, you know, accounting, and there's somebody with loss
of yearing, who is short and who is shy, you know,
(19:00):
and so the person is just maybe city. So when
people try exactly you know, and the teacher cannot you know,
his teacher's boys definitely cannot get to the back of
the class, you know. And so in some cases people
have multiple disabilities, you know, and so it means that
that person is just disfranchised. It's not he's going to
be graded with it to to a toddlers or struggled
(19:21):
to get it to or even a first class. But
it could have been better, you know, it could have
been it could have been way better. This person could
have felt included. And because the first part of learning
is to open the mind. And if you cannot open
anyone's mind, I don't think you can. But I also
think that the real solution to this really is that
the future should really not be predicted for young people,
(19:43):
you know, he should be co designed with them. And
so if people who make these policies, the people who
build these policies should consider these different parts.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Of it quite interesting that your movement in this direction,
If you don't mind, how put a question so that
we can put them more into contest. Let me add
some more con just to that, and thank you so
much for this enlightenment about non visible disability. Before you
speak about what government should do. How can Nigeria move
from you know, just data collection to actual data culture,
(20:12):
one where data is routinely used to design, implement, and
monitor you focused employment policy and other issues that affect
young people.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
In the country. The most important part of data is transparency.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
People need to trust the data and perhaps the government
needs to really publish the data more of.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
And this is how people.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
Would would trust and people would then be able to
also co build with the government.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
I'll give you one example.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
When in many sectors, when the government says that we
have let me use agriculture. For example, when the government says,
n Induria, it's not producing enough rice, people see opportunity
in it and then they do what they started to
produce rise because they see a business opportunity in it.
The government really publishes more data that I believe that
the government has as says too, and the governments collect
(21:04):
it starts to allow more players to join the government
in building the national development.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
And the first part of.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
It really should be we have a youth population, and
so policies should be youth focused. You know, it should
be evidence based. And one of the biggest problems we
currently have. I mean it's not even to have the
census in a really long time. You know, the presidential
ctingly said we're two forty million. You know some of
us work with population has two hundred million, and so
they are you know, their multiple goes to these there's
(21:32):
missing something as the government saying something. And so we
need to also be able to say that as a
government that every time or lawmakers make policies, he has
to be did a driven We should not be making
policies right now. We should be making more policies on
the future go I mean, everybody's building are right now
(21:53):
and a lot of very interesting and complaints that I
have seen building interesting stuff in are you know, but
you barely seeing any of that come from oun country
and maybe by extension continental also because you know, nobody
is looking at how we can start the service from them.
But most importantly there's one interesting thing I used to
stay to people, which is that you know, as a
people who've been eating and for the longest, you know,
(22:16):
and there's really no actual machine designed by us, you know,
to make these things to automate you know, these things,
and so it means that the government needs to start
to see that we can coporate solutions, you know, at
challenge societies using these data to see how we can
solve solutions in our societies. And again civil society you know,
(22:36):
does have a lot of vote to playing this, you know,
to see that we can take these data and then
translate them into getting actual research from them.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
Thank you, thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
In light of the dangerious informal economy because we you know,
seem to have a larger informal sector than the formal
sector in Nigeria, and then there's a lot of issue
around on them events in a country, how can population
planning help us to formalize job part ways and strengthen
our labor market structures.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
I think that's a very tricky one and interesting one
at the same time. We have a very informal economy,
but they are solving key parts of the economy. And
this is very evident. You know, we have people who
make shoes or who maybe for example, repair issues, and
it means that there's an opportunity there. We can start
(23:32):
to make shoes. We have people who sow bads for example.
They can be small businesses. Lack of saying China. You know,
they can be small businesses, they can start to employees
killed people, and they can try start to transform that knowledge.
Now we can we can gradually move that informal economy
so more formal economy one by using a lot of
new technology. So imagine that, and then I'll give you
(23:57):
one interesting example. Imagine that they manufacturer and our Injuria
who maybe makes maybe energy drink. Let me let me
just say somebody who makes maybe food to juice and
maybe is treating maybe key or or something in legal states.
You know, if they start to use more advanced equipment
for what they do, you know, locally fabricated equipment. It
(24:17):
means that they can start to scale. But the only
way they can add this knowledge to their production line
is because what's it called is because now they're bringing
in people who have this knowledge, you know. But unfortunately,
we have mechanical engineers who can barely build any mechanical equipment,
and so it means that it's difficult for us to
then translate you know, these skill set, this academic skill set,
(24:39):
into solving real life problems. And again compack to what
I said earlier about capacity development, we need to be
able to move beyond credentialism, you know, into solving actual
life problems. And that means that, for example, our problems
are unique. Our problems are different from, for example, the
problems of China the problems of the United States. And
until we can start to solve each of these problems
(25:00):
using you know, this academic knowledge to be difficult for
us to actually move from you know, skill labor to that.
But also most definitely we need to also train more
people on what I would call business leadership. Why I
say this is because a lot of businesses in the Nigeria,
they usually diere the first generation and so there is
(25:21):
a lot of unskilled label and a lot of that,
for example, are led by one or two man business
you know, family led businesses and a lot of business
which are great, you know, but they really don't skill
beyond the first televation. And if we are able to
bring you know, the academic knowledge into this, I struggling
believe that we can, you know, so we can create
(25:41):
a bridge to this problem and ensure that businesses you know,
can employ more young people and start to use these
modern technologies you know, to scale up and increase more activity.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
Thank you very much. The team for this year is
what population they as defined by the UN. It's empowering
you to build the families. They want your opinion. How
can young people themselves lead the charge in advocating for
fair and hopeful futures.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
So for us as young people, the board release in
our hands. And I think the first part of it
is participation. I like to see it as the therapy
is people perspation and power participation.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
In governance itself, I've seen a lot of young people
want to.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
Distance themselves from government and say that you know, they
are technocrats, they are you know, in other sectors.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
They don't want to do that. But I think that
the first part of contributing international development is participation.
Speaker 3 (26:39):
Persupationial means actual perspation like running for office for example,
or policy information or even the great work that you know,
the guys at the enage you for example do. And
also one important part of it, which is holding leaders accountable.
You cannot if you ask someone to God design a
future with you who most able to hold them accountable?
(27:00):
And I'll use you know, a family setting for example.
Imagine a family setting where there's a little more democracy,
you know, where we can say that you know, with
less review what we did last year and see what
did not work and what worked, and then to put
more energy on what work, and to see how we
can correct what did not work, to ensure that, you know,
we can learn from mistakes of estay. And that's what
(27:21):
really needs to happen. Young people have the power and
so the most participate. And that's because if you if
you leave the you cannot you cannot live a process
and say you're not satisfied with the outcome.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
You know.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
The only way you can ensure that that works is
that you're part of you know, ensuring that the outcome
is the way you want it to be.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
But also there has to be a lot of you focusing.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
We need a lot more young people who believe more
in in Nigeria, and we need to as people, we
need to be patriarty and pubably, you know, compare. I
don't want to compare again some societies with ours, because
again every society is unique. But I think that as
the people, we need to show more love, you know,
(28:07):
and understanding for the change or the process that it
is that we want. And I say this because I
know a lot of young people, you know, sometimes myself included.
You know, we've lost open you know in certain parts
of you know, of the country. But that doesn't mean
that you know, you don't contribute your bigion. And by contributing,
I mean we need to understand that we're at a
(28:29):
very very very very critical stage. And the countries that
have been at this stage, they've been able to, you know,
to mold this into something better. And so it means
that you know, like Alico Diagota said, I think last
week or two weeks ago, Nigeria is five years from
being a great nation, you know. So it means that
if collecting me as young people you know, are justusy
coup pupular word if we're looking you know, as young people.
(28:52):
It means that in five years we really can be
you know, a really great country.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
And we would have.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
Thought that we would have with a finality, you know,
in that in that short period. You know, the government
has been trying to get a re finality to work
in over sixty years in my lifetime, none of the
government of finalities work, you know, and now you know,
a pirate individual article was able to make Refinity work.
So it means that many other sectors that we think
(29:16):
that you know, cannot work.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
They're easy to fix.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
And a lot of the problems that it is that
we we think that the society faces. So a lot
of the manufacturing cabs, a lot of young people can
start to put those caps. But also but I think
we're doing so well in it, you know, social entrepreneurship.
We're doing a lot of this activity in but we know,
to owe the government more accountabile, we need to ensure
that the theory piece work collectively as if people would participate,
(29:43):
and then we show that power really belongs to the people.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
Interesting, and I love your three piece. I know we're
running a bit out of time, So I will ask
you to questions and one as a final question before
I come to your clothing thoughts.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
And this is my last question to you will be
as we.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
Look towards twenty thirty and beyond, what does this smart
population policy look like? And how can young people or
what one major recommendation we do make in terms of
reform to ensure that Nigeria full leaders into its use
for population potential?
Speaker 3 (30:21):
How can I Inderia tap into use for population I
start with that bit of it. The most important path
right now, The most important path right now is human
capture development. We need very aggressive human character development. We
need to do We need to do it so much
that people would say we are doing so much, you know.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
That's the kind of aggressive approach we should have to.
Speaker 3 (30:43):
Like, we need people to complain that we are doing
towards you know, but we cannot do that if we
don't coporate solutions. It means that we need to see
that we can bring everybody to the table and say
what do we want to achieve, you know, short term
and long term as a country. Do we want to
be a technology focused country? They will want to drive
solutions and that and to see that we have a
(31:05):
common purpose for the player and say, over the next
twenty years we want to be a super powerful manufacturing.
Over the next many years, want to be super powerful innovation.
And then we can start to use the data to
guide a lot of the skills. But again, like I said,
if we the people do not trust the data, they
cannot work with it. And which is why one of
(31:25):
the most important things that I would genuinely would recommend
is to establish a National Youth Economic Intelligence Council that
we're taking into account, you know, the youth population.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
And I understand that, you know, we have a lot.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
Of communities, a lot of agencies that really are not
you know, doing what they're supposed to do. But this
would allow young people, you know, to see planning that
is focused on them. We make up the employment market,
we make up the imagine market, we make up the
you know, the next cell of voters. And so that
means that, you know, the future really is in our
(32:00):
and there has to be something that we can look
to to say that we understand these policies, we have
part of these policies. You know, we need to know
somebody directly. Every young person needs to be able to
point to somebody in their circle who is a part
of national development. And so what that means is that
we need to bring this now to the rist level.
It means that somebody in K two, for example, knows
(32:22):
somebody who and this is not you know, for nepotism
or anything, but there's somebody who we can directly look
up to you to say, oh, I know you know
today WU is part of the economy development and I
trust you know that ton Day is doing great work
to ensure that there's national development. And there's the only
way we can do that, really is that you're in
your output. Really is I mean impritic course to output
(32:44):
the quality of knowledge that people can give out. It
goes to the quality of knowledge that they have. And
so if you want an economy to be developed, we
need to bridge that knowledge gap. And breaking that knowledge
gap is the most important part of us doing this.
Thank you so much, mister A lower Toby for an
amazing and insightful podcast session. Is being interesting having this
(33:06):
conversation and empowering a grain nation youth empowerment.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Through population planning.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
And you've been listening to A Lower Toby Senior every
source person for today, till we come away next time.
Remember the Nigeria is just five years away from being
a great nation. That's a personal mantra that I'm taking
out of this conversation and a quote that a distinguished
panelist left with us today to think about is that
everyone's killed youth is a missed opportunity and every skilled
(33:36):
youth is a national asset. Till we'll come away again
next time. On the nyars You Radio podcast, keeping great,
Happy Old population Day.
Speaker 2 (33:46):
Thank you,
Hello again and welcome to NYSG Radio Podcasts. So good
to have you on the court with us this morning, afternoon, evening,
depending on your neck of the world. Welcome to another
episode and today we are celebrating the World Population Day
and our topic for today is empowering a grain nation
youth empowerment through population planning. Now, Juria stands at a
(00:24):
demographic crossroad with a suitful population, offering both a tremendous
opportunity and a potential challenge. As the nation's population continues
to grow rapidly, the need for evidence based planning has
never been more urgent. New unemployment, skills, mismatch, and limited
access to economic opportunities are persistent issues. However, with effective
(00:46):
population planning, these challenges can be transformed into a demographic dividends.
And on today's episode, we are so glad to have
with us a distinguishach person who is a seasoned learning
specialists and policy advisor with a strong track record of
driving digital equity inclusive education across Africa. Is work spans
(01:07):
global organizations such as the United Nations Education Scientific and
Culturalized Organization UNESCO, GISE, code dot Org, Abuja Chamber of Commerce,
Facebook Now Meta Microsoft Nigeria three initiatives like Code to
Earn You are strained over twenty six thousand individuals encoding
equipping them with essential digital skills for the modern economy.
(01:30):
He is a Chavening scholar and the Tramatic lead for
the Politics and Governors Group under the Community of Practice
of Youth at the NEEESG. Please join me to welcome
mister Uluwa Toby or Senni. Mister Toby, You're welcome to
the podcast and thank you for joining us.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Thank you so much for having and it's.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Really good to be too awesome. Let's jump right into
the conversation. So from your experience, because I see that
you've gone across different and multiple global and local organizations
both within the country and offshore. From my experience, what
are some of the most present challenges the young people
face today in securing decent jobs?
Speaker 2 (02:11):
So thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
The way I like to look at this really is
the first part of it, which is a lot of
young people. I mean, we we are a really a
really blessed country. We have a really large use population,
but unfortunately a lot of young people will have an
idea say this, you know, as also an employer of
label is that the problem is that a lot of
(02:34):
young people have degrees. I mean, credentials are great, but
a lot of dis credentials do not prepare them for
the future of work. A lot of people have degrees
in courses that are prepared them for jobs of yesterday.
And I probably would use an example even myself for example,
by background and man accountant, and it means that you know,
(02:55):
I have training accounting, but a lot of a lot
of newer, younger friends today don't do the traditional you
know bookkeeping, you know, with with physical books and the
rest of that. And unfortunately that's what we're taking in school.
And so if you try to, you know, get a
job in a more modern complain, it means that the
complaint has to invest in training you. And unfortunately, the
(03:17):
sad reality is that a lot of complaints right now,
because of you know, the way the market is, cannot effort.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
To you know, to start to train people.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Especially again because a lot of the jobs that existing,
you know, and in our market in Nigeria are really
jobs with complaints that are you know, mid sized to
small semits and so they don't have so much somewhat
budget or even you know what's it called now or
even the capacity to actually train young people. And so
that's one of the biggest problem. The biggest mismatch is
(03:48):
that people have credentials, but discredentials they're unable to translate
this into a jobble. One of the problem that we
currently have also is the fact that in case this
is where people want a transition from one job to
the other for a lot of these skills that you
know that are most popular in our ecosystem, for example,
(04:12):
it's difficult for people to adapt. And I would say
that some of the challenges that people have had has
also been structured learning in a lot of this, and
that's why that a lot of the programs that I
have worked on in teaching people to God have always
said that, you know, no matter what it is that
we do, whether you are an accountant or even a
music professional, there has to be the it of everything.
And unfortunately this has not been a major curriculum. I mean,
(04:35):
there has been extensive work to try to bring in
technology and education, but this has also you know, been
one of the biggest problems that I have seen. You know,
that's affected young people who are getting into workplaces.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Thank you very much and quite interesting that you mentioned
this subject of adaptability and also the Internet of everything.
How do you then see the connection between population data
and job creation through effective skills acquisition initiatives?
Speaker 3 (05:03):
The Nigerian population is both a blessing and the course
and well, this is what I mean by blessing a
lot of young people, meaning that there's a lot of
opportunity but also translates to a taken time. But if
you let mess that world, it's it's an opportunity that
if we do not manage, it becomes very serious ranks.
And so the the nextus between you know, this young
(05:25):
population and also economic development, I think it's really very simple.
One is that we need to look at the data
and see, you know, what set of skill said do
we have the most and how can we then find
the skill set into what the economic or what can
translate into you know, imput for economic output eventually.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
And I think that we're also at a very important place.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
And this is because right now we've seen a lot
of US government have on a lot of countries including China,
and so it means that if we if we can
get it right, we can start to shift some manufacturing
and you know, Nangeria always has you know, my friends
in the diplomatics as the saying Nigeria always has good
relationship with West, you know onlike countries like China, and
(06:08):
I say this also on this podcast. And so it
means that in the near future we might not you know,
phace those kinds of times or sanctions. And so it
means that we if we can also take good use
of you know, this opportunity we're complaints when we start
to manufacture outside of China and then can move this
manufacturing to maybe into my Injuria and take advantage of
(06:31):
this growing youth population. The next thus really for this
is that when we need to follow the data most
skills said that we have been most like I said,
and also how can we ensure that we are also
digitally enabled what was it called economy? And one of
the largest problems that businesses have always complained about has
always been technology adaptation and also the level of the
(06:56):
core of technolic adoption that won't be people and also
the marketers as adopted. One of the biggiest and easiest
is for us to do this also is to is
to payerhaps we engage in large skill.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
You know, knowledge sharing.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
We've seen a lot of these kinds of programs, you know,
where we send people abroad for training and then bring
them back. But I think that this has to be
more institutional. Take, for example, universities and an Injuria should
have maybe again you know, most for they should have
a knowledge sharing system where you know, they are affiliated
to like investing in Korea, investing in the US, investing
(07:34):
in adds economists, where we can share knowledge and not
just because we want to send one or two professors
you know to the US every semester to you know,
to go and learn, but to make this translate into
actual learning for the people. And so it's beyond you know,
just seending the academics, but also you know, allowing the
people themselves who are learning. You know, there's a lot
(07:54):
of value in in sending to thens for example, and
exchange programs that they probably is in sanding in you know,
one professor who you know is thirty five years into
into his practice, and there's just so much he can
do when he's back, you know. And so I think
that that's one of the most important parts of that.
And I also think that Benginia needs a very very
(08:14):
deliberate planning. These young people, including myself, you know, who
have this skill set, a.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Lot of them want to be.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Laid And I say this because again on the Internet
we see a lot of them. They jump on the
next moving trade or people are learning you know, you
are ux right now. Everybody wants to learn it. People
are learning maybe how to write front, how to write
code frontad development. A lot of people are learning it
and they're not exactly shore word to and so that's
(08:47):
where I think that there has to be deliverate planning.
You know, the government has to give more structured options
for people. And at this point, the government really has
to treat human capital development, you know, as a crisis,
and that's been us.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
You cannot have.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
This many people out of job and if you do not,
you know, use data to guide these decisions, you really
cannot make any progress with it.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
Quite interesting that you mentioned population being both a blessing
and a curse, and I hope for Nigeria, owing to
the fact that we have good relationship with the Western world,
can make this population boom a blessing for a country.
My next question to you would be how does population
data help inform employment strategies and national development planning, and
(09:31):
if you could please tell us what practical steps the
government and civil society can take to ensure that population
policies are inclusive and youth centered.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
Yeah, this is the way I look at it. You know,
every skilled you, everyone skilled you to rather is a
missed opportunity.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Every trained youth is a national asset.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
The way we have to visit this is this if
we if you and I are normal trained, you know,
the problem is that it means that even if we
become teachers, we would you know, instill this you know,
incomplete or bad knowledge that we have around knowledge that
we have or the next generation.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
And so there is when that is when there is
a big problem. You know, the.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
Connection between data and national planning very very straightforward, you know,
and also for inclusive education. One of the biggest problems
that I know that we have and interestingly, you know,
as a personal disability to myself, sometimes sometimes we get
to forget that, you know, the society is made up of,
you know, of everyone, you know, the eble body and
(10:37):
the person's ability. Unfortunately, again for people like myself who
have non visible disabilities, we tend to you know, to
forget the society tends to forget that we also need
to be catered for. And I think that one of
the most interesting approaches even to be to make classrooms
more accessible. I told someone something one time and that
it's been almost ten years and it's yes, it's still
(10:59):
has inter found the results for me.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
And that's this. I've never walked into a bank in Nigeria,
and I've seen and.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
I've been in a bank, working in a bank, and
I have gone to a lot of banks. I mean,
I did study accounts and work in fintech, so I
think that I do visit's quite a lot of banks.
But I've never gone into a bank. And since since
someone on a wheelchair work in a bank? And so,
does it mean that we are saying that we want
to only train the able bodied people in the society.
(11:28):
Does it mean that we want to diffranchise this set
of people in society. I mean there's a lot of
disability classes. People you know, with low vision. You know,
we'd be our classrooms as you know, not evenly qued
for you know, for people with great vision, let alone
people with low vision. And so there is a big
problem and that which is why again I said that,
you know, we have to follow what the data says.
(11:50):
And now we have a real crisis. We have hundreds
of thousands of people finish and why I see, you know,
and they want to we see, we see a real
problem and them being that people, you know, people go
to university for five six years, they study stem you know,
and they come out and what they want to do
is make up and this is really great, you know,
you can start an enterprising you know. But I'm sure
(12:12):
that that's not why they probably went to school to
study about chemises for six years. And the gap that
we have in healthcare, for example, that's not that's not
being made. And as a matter of fact, I think
that a lot of Cervil society organizations are doing a
lot of work in also trying to break the gap,
and especially where the government is lacking. But I think
there has to be a lot more pressure. Is also
(12:34):
sensitizing the policy makers, and that's because a lot of
policies really at the test book level, they're inclusive in
the sense that you know, they had one or two
closes there that says that you know, there has.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
To be X y Z in it.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
But I think that you know, maybe we need to actually,
you know, do a quoter system. And this is what
I mean, And maybe we have to say that in
every classroom of one hundred people, at least thirty people
them more people who identify as personal disabilities, and so
they have to be deliberate efforts to inclusion, you know,
that's number one. Number two, there has to be delegate
efforts to ensure that you know, more women. For example,
(13:11):
in term, I looked at the data of startup founders
and the startup leadership and I realize that there's a
lot more you know, women in the management side of
startups and a lot of imagining businesses than they are
on the technical side. And I think that that is
a very serious problem because you know, some of the
most brilliant people in compter science and women and men
(13:33):
out of loveless was a woman want to do for
seple to right code?
Speaker 2 (13:36):
You know?
Speaker 3 (13:37):
And so if we do not start a bridge, that
it means that we you know, we we don't even
we don't have shining starts for younger women to look
up to. And so for for men, for example, you
can easily say, oh, you know, there's this guy, you
know there mention them again. You know, there's the guys
are Paste Actual and Ezra, and you can look up
to them and say, oh, that's a man doing great stuff.
(13:58):
You know, but who exactly do we want young women
to look at interesting? They are also very great women,
you know, doing great stuff for example at big Givest
we have or do at Pigivest. But we need more people,
We need more order in society. And the only way
we can have more order is to include women a
lot more in Uman captal development effort.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
And also also.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
At this point, we need to see civil society organizations
not just put pressure on the government at the federal
level for education because again the primer education for example,
you know, it's not it's in the hands of the
Dartias and government and so all the other layers of government. Rather,
I'm still there's a need for us to do this,
but also most importantly ensure that private players in education
(14:43):
are held accountable. And what I mean by that is
we see a lot of private players make education. You know,
they want to choose their own direction. And sometimes this
is good because you know, they're able to tell what
their outputs, but also bad because they tend to what's
it called. It tend not to be supervised, and so
civil society organizations can start to hold everyone accountable, the government,
(15:08):
private players, and also ensure that we are able to,
you know, to try and change how it is that
we want from that side.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Thank you very much. And I got some new every
old skilled dut. It's a missed opportunity, every skilled dut.
It's a national asset. Did I get that cote right?
Speaker 2 (15:27):
But you got that correct?
Speaker 1 (15:29):
Amazing, amazing code. Can you speak more to non visible disability?
You mentioned the concept known as non visible disability.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Can you speak a little bit on that?
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Yes, yes, absolutely, Okay, So I would I would share
a little bit of my story. I had an accident
about eleven years ago, and so I did factory a
part of my face. I probably if pictures of me
and see some sort of remarks on my face. And
so I had a condition on a celebratory which is
(16:01):
essentially because you know, when I failed, my score pressed
on my brain and all of that. And then I've
had a lot of a couple of approached studies to
take care of that. But a lot of non visible
disabilities apart from server trophy, for example, which I hit
is a no visical disability. Now there's a lot more
basical disability, like lots of vision, you know, people with
(16:23):
color blindness. And why some of these things have major
problems is that in our classrooms, for example, and I'll
give you one example, because I don't see colors on
one from my eyes in a regular nine duran classroom,
if I go to a government school on days like
these are years raining right now in Nigeria, and days
like this when it is raining and you know it's
quite cloudy and dark, you know, during the day, the
(16:45):
class the classes would be monocol in the sense that
there will be only two or tay colors in the classroom.
And that's because you know, it's cloudy, and so people
with colorblindess can not separate those colors properly. And so
whatever did it is writing with chuck on the board,
they cannot see. And the unfortunate part of it is
that because they don't want to be they don't want
(17:07):
to be labeled in the class, they don't want to
be put aside, they will try to string along and
imagine that that happens on a day or on a
week when they are teaching the most important part of
the term. You know, maybe it's a mass a math
class and you know, they are teaching the toughest pad
in algebra at that time, and you know, he misses
(17:28):
out on that. You know, fortunately that students has you know,
no access to extra you know, extra classes, and so
he misses out on that is great surple and that
can be the beginning of, you know, of something else.
But also because of the fact that as as a
people we don't do enough testing. A lot of people
(17:49):
have argued that the Injuria has a lot of artism,
and I just think that Niningeria really is not testing enough.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
And so there are a lot of people.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
For example, we see people who been you know, who
have been said that they maybe do not understand that, yes,
some people are more analyticate than the other, but does
not mean that anybody cannot learn that for example, you know,
and that's probably because you know, this person befoires additional
you know, what's it called additional support. It could be autism,
it could be this leasure and you know a lot
(18:19):
of these conditions they go on that nose. And so
people are in classrooms and the teacher does not even
know how to support them. And again because I am
a chip scholar, I you know, wrote a paper on
building their musical massifety technologies for persons with learning disabilities
and have realized that even very interesting cases like people
(18:40):
with loss of yearing. So imagine a classroom are just
pay to a picture. Yeah, So imagine a classroom with
maybe five hundred students, and this is an invested classroom
because my classroom in Louder people that are large, we
about five, you know, accounting, and there's somebody with loss
of yearing, who is short and who is shy, you know,
(19:00):
and so the person is just maybe city. So when
people try exactly you know, and the teacher cannot you know,
his teacher's boys definitely cannot get to the back of
the class, you know. And so in some cases people
have multiple disabilities, you know, and so it means that
that person is just disfranchised. It's not he's going to
be graded with it to to a toddlers or struggled
(19:21):
to get it to or even a first class. But
it could have been better, you know, it could have
been it could have been way better. This person could
have felt included. And because the first part of learning
is to open the mind. And if you cannot open
anyone's mind, I don't think you can. But I also
think that the real solution to this really is that
the future should really not be predicted for young people,
(19:43):
you know, he should be co designed with them. And
so if people who make these policies, the people who
build these policies should consider these different parts.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Of it quite interesting that your movement in this direction,
If you don't mind, how put a question so that
we can put them more into contest. Let me add
some more con just to that, and thank you so
much for this enlightenment about non visible disability. Before you
speak about what government should do. How can Nigeria move
from you know, just data collection to actual data culture,
(20:12):
one where data is routinely used to design, implement, and
monitor you focused employment policy and other issues that affect
young people.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
In the country. The most important part of data is transparency.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
People need to trust the data and perhaps the government
needs to really publish the data more of.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
And this is how people.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
Would would trust and people would then be able to
also co build with the government.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
I'll give you one example.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
When in many sectors, when the government says that we
have let me use agriculture. For example, when the government says,
n Induria, it's not producing enough rice, people see opportunity
in it and then they do what they started to
produce rise because they see a business opportunity in it.
The government really publishes more data that I believe that
the government has as says too, and the governments collect
(21:04):
it starts to allow more players to join the government
in building the national development.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
And the first part of.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
It really should be we have a youth population, and
so policies should be youth focused. You know, it should
be evidence based. And one of the biggest problems we
currently have. I mean it's not even to have the
census in a really long time. You know, the presidential
ctingly said we're two forty million. You know some of
us work with population has two hundred million, and so
they are you know, their multiple goes to these there's
(21:32):
missing something as the government saying something. And so we
need to also be able to say that as a
government that every time or lawmakers make policies, he has
to be did a driven We should not be making
policies right now. We should be making more policies on
the future go I mean, everybody's building are right now
(21:53):
and a lot of very interesting and complaints that I
have seen building interesting stuff in are you know, but
you barely seeing any of that come from oun country
and maybe by extension continental also because you know, nobody
is looking at how we can start the service from them.
But most importantly there's one interesting thing I used to
stay to people, which is that you know, as a
people who've been eating and for the longest, you know,
(22:16):
and there's really no actual machine designed by us, you know,
to make these things to automate you know, these things,
and so it means that the government needs to start
to see that we can coporate solutions, you know, at
challenge societies using these data to see how we can
solve solutions in our societies. And again civil society you know,
(22:36):
does have a lot of vote to playing this, you know,
to see that we can take these data and then
translate them into getting actual research from them.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
Thank you, thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
In light of the dangerious informal economy because we you know,
seem to have a larger informal sector than the formal
sector in Nigeria, and then there's a lot of issue
around on them events in a country, how can population
planning help us to formalize job part ways and strengthen
our labor market structures.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
I think that's a very tricky one and interesting one
at the same time. We have a very informal economy,
but they are solving key parts of the economy. And
this is very evident. You know, we have people who
make shoes or who maybe for example, repair issues, and
it means that there's an opportunity there. We can start
(23:32):
to make shoes. We have people who sow bads for example.
They can be small businesses. Lack of saying China. You know,
they can be small businesses, they can start to employees
killed people, and they can try start to transform that knowledge.
Now we can we can gradually move that informal economy
so more formal economy one by using a lot of
new technology. So imagine that, and then I'll give you
(23:57):
one interesting example. Imagine that they manufacturer and our Injuria
who maybe makes maybe energy drink. Let me let me
just say somebody who makes maybe food to juice and
maybe is treating maybe key or or something in legal states.
You know, if they start to use more advanced equipment
for what they do, you know, locally fabricated equipment. It
(24:17):
means that they can start to scale. But the only
way they can add this knowledge to their production line
is because what's it called is because now they're bringing
in people who have this knowledge, you know. But unfortunately,
we have mechanical engineers who can barely build any mechanical equipment,
and so it means that it's difficult for us to
then translate you know, these skill set, this academic skill set,
(24:39):
into solving real life problems. And again compack to what
I said earlier about capacity development, we need to be
able to move beyond credentialism, you know, into solving actual
life problems. And that means that, for example, our problems
are unique. Our problems are different from, for example, the
problems of China the problems of the United States. And
until we can start to solve each of these problems
(25:00):
using you know, this academic knowledge to be difficult for
us to actually move from you know, skill labor to that.
But also most definitely we need to also train more
people on what I would call business leadership. Why I
say this is because a lot of businesses in the Nigeria,
they usually diere the first generation and so there is
(25:21):
a lot of unskilled label and a lot of that,
for example, are led by one or two man business
you know, family led businesses and a lot of business
which are great, you know, but they really don't skill
beyond the first televation. And if we are able to
bring you know, the academic knowledge into this, I struggling
believe that we can, you know, so we can create
(25:41):
a bridge to this problem and ensure that businesses you know,
can employ more young people and start to use these
modern technologies you know, to scale up and increase more activity.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
Thank you very much. The team for this year is
what population they as defined by the UN. It's empowering
you to build the families. They want your opinion. How
can young people themselves lead the charge in advocating for
fair and hopeful futures.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
So for us as young people, the board release in
our hands. And I think the first part of it
is participation. I like to see it as the therapy
is people perspation and power participation.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
In governance itself, I've seen a lot of young people
want to.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
Distance themselves from government and say that you know, they
are technocrats, they are you know, in other sectors.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
They don't want to do that. But I think that
the first part of contributing international development is participation.
Speaker 3 (26:39):
Persupationial means actual perspation like running for office for example,
or policy information or even the great work that you know,
the guys at the enage you for example do. And
also one important part of it, which is holding leaders accountable.
You cannot if you ask someone to God design a
future with you who most able to hold them accountable?
(27:00):
And I'll use you know, a family setting for example.
Imagine a family setting where there's a little more democracy,
you know, where we can say that you know, with
less review what we did last year and see what
did not work and what worked, and then to put
more energy on what work, and to see how we
can correct what did not work, to ensure that, you know,
we can learn from mistakes of estay. And that's what
(27:21):
really needs to happen. Young people have the power and
so the most participate. And that's because if you if
you leave the you cannot you cannot live a process
and say you're not satisfied with the outcome.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
You know.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
The only way you can ensure that that works is
that you're part of you know, ensuring that the outcome
is the way you want it to be.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
But also there has to be a lot of you focusing.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
We need a lot more young people who believe more
in in Nigeria, and we need to as people, we
need to be patriarty and pubably, you know, compare. I
don't want to compare again some societies with ours, because
again every society is unique. But I think that as
the people, we need to show more love, you know,
(28:07):
and understanding for the change or the process that it
is that we want. And I say this because I
know a lot of young people, you know, sometimes myself included.
You know, we've lost open you know in certain parts
of you know, of the country. But that doesn't mean
that you know, you don't contribute your bigion. And by contributing,
I mean we need to understand that we're at a
(28:29):
very very very very critical stage. And the countries that
have been at this stage, they've been able to, you know,
to mold this into something better. And so it means
that you know, like Alico Diagota said, I think last
week or two weeks ago, Nigeria is five years from
being a great nation, you know. So it means that
if collecting me as young people you know, are justusy
coup pupular word if we're looking you know, as young people.
(28:52):
It means that in five years we really can be
you know, a really great country.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
And we would have.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
Thought that we would have with a finality, you know,
in that in that short period. You know, the government
has been trying to get a re finality to work
in over sixty years in my lifetime, none of the
government of finalities work, you know, and now you know,
a pirate individual article was able to make Refinity work.
So it means that many other sectors that we think
(29:16):
that you know, cannot work.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
They're easy to fix.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
And a lot of the problems that it is that
we we think that the society faces. So a lot
of the manufacturing cabs, a lot of young people can
start to put those caps. But also but I think
we're doing so well in it, you know, social entrepreneurship.
We're doing a lot of this activity in but we know,
to owe the government more accountabile, we need to ensure
that the theory piece work collectively as if people would participate,
(29:43):
and then we show that power really belongs to the people.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
Interesting, and I love your three piece. I know we're
running a bit out of time, So I will ask
you to questions and one as a final question before
I come to your clothing thoughts.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
And this is my last question to you will be
as we.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
Look towards twenty thirty and beyond, what does this smart
population policy look like? And how can young people or
what one major recommendation we do make in terms of
reform to ensure that Nigeria full leaders into its use
for population potential?
Speaker 3 (30:21):
How can I Inderia tap into use for population I
start with that bit of it. The most important path
right now, The most important path right now is human
capture development. We need very aggressive human character development. We
need to do We need to do it so much
that people would say we are doing so much, you know.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
That's the kind of aggressive approach we should have to.
Speaker 3 (30:43):
Like, we need people to complain that we are doing
towards you know, but we cannot do that if we
don't coporate solutions. It means that we need to see
that we can bring everybody to the table and say
what do we want to achieve, you know, short term
and long term as a country. Do we want to
be a technology focused country? They will want to drive
solutions and that and to see that we have a
(31:05):
common purpose for the player and say, over the next
twenty years we want to be a super powerful manufacturing.
Over the next many years, want to be super powerful innovation.
And then we can start to use the data to
guide a lot of the skills. But again, like I said,
if we the people do not trust the data, they
cannot work with it. And which is why one of
(31:25):
the most important things that I would genuinely would recommend
is to establish a National Youth Economic Intelligence Council that
we're taking into account, you know, the youth population.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
And I understand that, you know, we have a lot.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
Of communities, a lot of agencies that really are not
you know, doing what they're supposed to do. But this
would allow young people, you know, to see planning that
is focused on them. We make up the employment market,
we make up the imagine market, we make up the
you know, the next cell of voters. And so that
means that, you know, the future really is in our
(32:00):
and there has to be something that we can look
to to say that we understand these policies, we have
part of these policies. You know, we need to know
somebody directly. Every young person needs to be able to
point to somebody in their circle who is a part
of national development. And so what that means is that
we need to bring this now to the rist level.
It means that somebody in K two, for example, knows
(32:22):
somebody who and this is not you know, for nepotism
or anything, but there's somebody who we can directly look
up to you to say, oh, I know you know
today WU is part of the economy development and I
trust you know that ton Day is doing great work
to ensure that there's national development. And there's the only
way we can do that, really is that you're in
your output. Really is I mean impritic course to output
(32:44):
the quality of knowledge that people can give out. It
goes to the quality of knowledge that they have. And
so if you want an economy to be developed, we
need to bridge that knowledge gap. And breaking that knowledge
gap is the most important part of us doing this.
Thank you so much, mister A lower Toby for an
amazing and insightful podcast session. Is being interesting having this
(33:06):
conversation and empowering a grain nation youth empowerment.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Through population planning.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
And you've been listening to A Lower Toby Senior every
source person for today, till we come away next time.
Remember the Nigeria is just five years away from being
a great nation. That's a personal mantra that I'm taking
out of this conversation and a quote that a distinguished
panelist left with us today to think about is that
everyone's killed youth is a missed opportunity and every skilled
(33:36):
youth is a national asset. Till we'll come away again
next time. On the nyars You Radio podcast, keeping great,
Happy Old population Day.
Speaker 2 (33:46):
Thank you,
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Bobby Bones Show
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.