Laide Raheem, Abeokuta

The U.S Consul General, Will Stevens has called on the Nigerian youths to be providers of solutions, especially on preservation of the environment.

Stevens equally charged them to take the lead in supporting every effort aimed at tackling the challenge of waste management in the country.

He gave this charge at the launch of the U.S. government supported “Recycling Waste to Wealth Challenge,” an enterprise competition for students in vocational and technical colleges in Ogun State held at Youth Development Centre, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) Abeokuta.

The project is supported through the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) Alumni Impact Award won by U.S. government exchange alumnus, Ewajesu Fashina currently working as World Bank representative in the Ogun State Economic and Transformation Project

The programme had in attendance students from the technical colleges in Ogun State.

Speaking further at the event, the Us Consul-General said Nigerians are not strange to providing solutions to problems and impacting the world for good saying over half a million of them are in the United States and they are the most successful diasporans for their ability to develop cutting edge solutions to problems.

Stevens said “for instance, out of nine unicorns in Africa, that is tech companies that provide solutions to everyday living challenges, Nigerians own five insisting that these youths must take a cue from these great Nigerians and be part of the team helping to preserve the environment”.

He added: “Nigerians in diasporas in United States is over half a million, Nigerian – Americans, they are the most successful diaspora group in the United States when it comes to income level and education level. They build connections back to Nigeria, they bring investments back, they bring academic connections back, they bring startup companies.

“When we talk about the tech sector in Nigeria, Africa has nine unicorns, a unicorn is a tech company that is worth over $1 billion, out of these nine, five are in Nigeria and all five are incorporated in United States as well which means they built those connections with the US, they have succeeded together.

“And when we talk about whatever they have succeeded in doing, they are identifying solutions to problems that you face. Companies like flutterwaves, andela are Fintech companies that we talked about are bringing banking to people who are previously unbanked, they are bring financial solutions and fixing the problems you face and the problems you face are the same problems my kids face and I hope and feel that you can be part of that solution.

“I hope and feel that you can fix the the problems and the problems are big, its climate change which leads to flooding, it is plastics pollution, it is food insecurity, it is the backsliding of democracy in the region”.

Stevens noted that even in democracy Nigeria is providing a path for other countries in Africa to follow particularly when it comes to sticking to the constitution and ensuring successful transitions from one democratically elected government to another since over 24 years ago when the country returned to democracy.

“Obasanjo served two terms and left power, he set the precedent in Nigeria of you serve and then you step aside for your successor. Nigeria has enjoyed almost 25years of presidential successions.

“President Buhari just did the same thing, he served his two terms and then he stepped aside, that is a big deal on democracy, peaceful transitions of power, that is a huge thing to be proud of, It does not happen very often. There are Presidents of neighbouring countries that have been there for a very very long time, 20, 30, 40 years, that leads to democratic instability, it leads to coups

“Ngeria is the fourth largest democracy in the world, you just had a successful presidential transition, successful elections, this is something you should not take for granted. The idea that people can come into power, they can serve and then leave is really cool and should be commended”. He submitted.

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