Senator Abiru meets Ikorodu Business Stakeholders, canvasses youths technological,digital upskilling

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Industries and the Senator representing the Lagos East Senatorial District, Distinguished Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru, FCA on Friday morning met with business stakeholders in the Ikorodu division at a meeting tagged, ‘Breakfast with Ayangburen’ at the Palace of Ikorodu Monarch, Alayeluwa, His Royal Majesty, Oba (Engr) Kabiru Adewale Shotobi, Adegorusen V.

Abiru, a retired bank Chief Executive and former Lagos State Commissioner of Finance advocated that young people who are seeking job opportunities must be upskilled in technology and digital skills for them to be relevant in the fourth industrial generation.

The maiden meeting with business community which focused on enabling the ease of doing business for companies and industries and how to generate employment opportunities was organized by the Ikorodu – Oga Development Association (IKODASS).

The Senator appreciated business owners in Ikorodu who have been contributing immensely to national development through payments of taxes and creation of employment opportunities and provision of Social Corporate Responsibilities.

On the ease of doing business, Senator Abiru acknowledged the efforts of governments at both State and Federal levels at creating the enabling environment for business through ‘strong regulatory frameworks and infrastructural development to continuously improve on ease of doing business particularly pre and post pandemic: roads, credit forbearances by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) etc’’.

The Senator told the gathering that, “On generating employment opportunities for our teeming youths. Let’s face it, the times have changed significantly. The currency of our age is digital technology. That is what is shaping the world. So, there must be an intentional shift by positioning our youths for enormous job opportunities that the tech ecosystem promises.

“Growing the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP can be greatly enhanced by technology. We have seen how Tech start-ups like Flutterwaves and Paystack are booming amidst global economic headwinds.

“On 14 October, 2021, at my first award ceremony of bursaries to 600 indigents but brilliant students of Lagos East who study across different tertiary institutions in Nigeria, I brought one of the success stories in tech space, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Co-founder, Flutterwave to speak to young people on how they can leverage technology to move ahead. Interestingly, Iyinoluwa grew up in Somolu, a Local Government under our Senatorial District. He pulled himself up by his bootstraps and went on to build a tech company that is currently estimated to be worth over $3billion.Thus, technology and Innovation has reshaped how business is done from advertising, to payment systems, deliverables etc.

“On this score, I am putting my money where my mouth is. I recently established an Innovation Hub in the Lagos East district, known as the Senator Abiru Innovation Lab (SAIL) in partnership with a renowned technology and Social Enterprise company, The Co-creation Hub (Cc-HUB) to train youths in the senatorial district on relevant digital and innovation skills, and build the best entrepreneurs that can compete in the ever-dynamic global economy’’.

In his remarks, the IKODASS Chairman, Mr Rotimi Erogbogbo said the Association was out to harness the vast economic potential of Ikorodu for the development of the people especially in the area of employment opportunities for youths.

“A situation where well educated able bodied young people cannot find gainful employment after school is not only worrisome, it is also a potential security conundrum that must be nipped in the bud lest our division travels the route of some other regions. We must learn lessons from these regions and avoid the consequences they experienced”, the IKODASS Chairman said.

Dignitaries who joined the Ikorodu monarch for the breakfast include; Chief Adewunmi Ogunsanya, the Chairman Multichoice Nigeria who is also the Odofin of Ikorodu land, Otunba Steve Anifowoshe, the Asiwaju of Ikorodu land, Professor (Chief) Kunle Ade Wahaab OFR, OON, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, Chief Ayodele Elesho, the Agba Akin of Ikorodu land, Alhaji Babatunde Rotinwa, Dr (Otunba) Saheed Oladapo Ibikunle, Member, LASUBEB and Chief Monzor Olowosago, Publisher, Oriwu Sun Community Newspaper among others.