By Gloria Osemudiamhen
The Edo State Governor, Sen. Monday Okpebholo has called on youths in the State through the Edo Youth Impact Forum (EYIF), to harness innovation and entrepreneurship to drive policy change and pursue their aspirations, as pathway to fulfilling their dreams and achieving greatness.
Sen. Okpebholo made the call at the maiden EYIF, themed “Empowered Youth, Transformed Future,” which held at the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub in Benin City. Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Umar Musa Ikhilor, he reaffirmed the Government’s dedication to youth empowerment through the SHINE Agenda, which focuses on human capacity building and education, amongst others. He disclosed that the programme is the first of several initiatives aimed at empowering youth and to drive positive change.
According to the Governor, “As a government, we have very strong inclination towards empowering our youth and ensuring that we give them the necessary tools and create the enabling environment for them to thrive. And this programme today is a testament to a key aspect of our SHINE Agenda, which is human capacity building, education. So practically, we are trying to empower our youth so that they go out there and make great things happen. This is going to be the beginning of several other initiatives to come. We believe that today is going to be a day for birthing dreams; dreams that can change the world.”
In an address, the Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani, encouraged youths to unlock their potential and harness the power of innovation and entrepreneurship in driving success. In her words, “We encourage our youths to take ownership of their future by identifying potentials and chasing their dreams; fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.”
Mrs. Anani reaffirmed the Edo State Government’s commitment to providing Edo youths with essential supports, including digital literacy, vocational training, and mentorship, in fostering their development. She also pledged the commitment of her Office, saying, “As the Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, I am committed to supporting and empowering our youths to become leaders and change makers in their communities. We recognize the importance of equipping our youths with relevant skills, knowledge, and resources to excel in their chosen fields. Our amiable Governor, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, has done tremendously well, ensuring every Edo youth is adequately empowered.”
She urged stakeholders to partner in supporting the youth, and advised them to reject social vices and be positive role models for the State. In her words, “I encourage you all to shun all forms of vices; cultism, rape and internet fraud and promote a culture of peace and development.”
The Team Lead of the EYIF 2025 Project and Special Adviser to the Governor on Investment, Mr. Kizito Okpebholo, expressed gratitude to the Governor, Sen. Okpebholo for conceptualizing the project, which according to him, has become a platform for empowering youths. He charged the winners of the “Hack the Future” initiative to make wise investments with the resources they have received.
The event featured innovation and creativity session; insightful masterclasses; a thought-provoking panel discussion themed “From Hustle to Scale: Building Sustainable Youth-led Enterprises;” and a sensational performance by John Ighodaro, also known as Johnny Drille. The highlight was the presentation of cash prizes of ₦2 million business grant to each of the top five winners of the “Hack the Future Challenge” pitch competition, to fuel their entrepreneurial dreams.
