AKINYELE CONSTITUENCY ONE: A call to serve
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Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, "We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future." These words remind us that the future of every society depends largely on the quality of its young people. Building the youth, shaping the youth, and exposing young people to responsible leadership are essential to building a better future.
Growing up in Moniya, in the heart of Akinyele I, I have seen firsthand the challenges and realities that many of us, as young individuals, face while growing up. I have also seen the potential, brilliance, and resilience that God has deposited in the young individuals born into Akinyele I and those who grew up in its environment. I strongly believe that with the right opportunities, the right information, and the right partnerships, our young people can become catalysts for development, thereby contributing to the economic and social development of our dear state, Oyo State, and Nigeria at large.
As I begin this journey, my focus will be centered on three key areas.
First, vocational and technical development. Many of us who were born and grew up in Akinyele I possess talent and determination but lack the practical skills needed to become productive and self-reliant. I thank God for the platform of the Ayo Fatokun Foundation, which contributed to my capacity development over the years and which I continue to build upon. It is sad that this issue is still the reality for many young individuals in Akinyele in this modern day. We must continue to advocate for opportunities that equip our youth with relevant skills.
Second, entrepreneurship and business sustainability. It is not enough to encourage young people to start businesses. I believe it is important that we also promote knowledge, mentorship, and support systems that will enable those businesses to grow and thrive.
Third, tackling the menace of substance abuse through advocacy and awareness. Drug abuse continues to threaten the future of many promising young people who grew up in Akinyele I. Akinyele, in general, has produced many individuals who have succeeded in various areas of life, but the rapid growth of the drug abuse culture is beginning to destroy potential. One of my aims is to address this growing challenge through collaboration and continuous sensitization.
That being said, the eight thematic pillars envisioned by the Oyo State Agency for Youth Development will also serve as a guide throughout this journey. I am committed to working in line with these pillars, alongside my key focus areas, to support sustainable youth development and contribute meaningfully to the growth and development of Oyo State.
The Oyo State Youth Parliament is a learning platform for future leaders, and I strongly believe that this is a platform for me to contribute to the development of young individuals in Akinyele I and help change the stereotype attached to the youth from Akinyele.
However, I strongly believe that no meaningful development happens in isolation. Sustainable impact is built through collaboration. Therefore, I look forward to working with fellow parliamentarians, government agencies, ministries, private organizations, community leaders, and all relevant stakeholders to advance initiatives that will positively impact the youth of Akinyele I and Oyo State at large.
One thing I have learned through years of humanitarian service under the platform of the Ayo Fatokun Foundation, established by my principal, Hon. Ayo Fatokun, is that if an action is good enough to convince one person, then it has the power to convince thousands. Change begins with one step, one initiative, and one person willing to act.
My approach to this journey will continue to be guided by the values that have shaped my life: Commitment, Honesty, Intentionality, and Diligence. These values have remained my compass, and they will continue to guide my service.
As a people, we must embrace togetherness. There is a Yoruba saying that says, "Agbajo ọwọ́ la fi ń sọ̀yà." Great things are accomplished when we work together. The future we desire for our youth and our state can only become a reality through collective effort.
To the young people of Akinyele I, I want you to know that this platform is not about Victor Ayomide; it is about us. It is about contributing to a future where every young person who is born and grows up in Akinyele I is updated to the level of the modern world, thereby contributing to the development of our local government (Akinyele Local Government) and Oyo State at large.
Before I conclude, I would like to sincerely appreciate some remarkable individuals whose encouragement, guidance, and support contributed immensely to my emergence as a member of the 3rd Assembly of the Oyo State Youth Parliament. My sincere appreciation goes to my constituency representative, Hon. Lekan Monsur Abiola, the Honourable Member representing my great constituency, Akinyele I State Constituency, at the Oyo State House of Assembly, for his encouragement and the belief he has in me. I also want to appreciate Hon. Yusuff Adebisi, the Honourable Member representing Ibadan South-West State Constituency, for his valuable support and belief in my capacity. He has loved me just as he has loved my principal. I am equally grateful to Alhaji Abiola Ogungbade and Mr. Asimiyu Abiodun for the seen and unseen efforts that went into making this a reality, and I am saying a very big thank you.
Finally, with a heart full of gratitude, I specially appreciate my principal, Hon. Ayotunde Fatokun. He is my friend, my brother, an exceptional leader, and my principal, whose impact in Akinyele Local Government and Oyo State through humanitarian service continues to speak for itself. Through the platform of the Ayo Fatokun Foundation, he gave me opportunities that shaped my capacity. He gave me the freedom to build myself by providing all the resources I needed, which strengthened my growth journey over the years and helped mould the new Victor Ayomide. I am saying a very big thank you, my great man. God bless you.
I also want to appreciate my family: my father, Mr. Sunday Ogunsola; my mother, Mrs. Rachael Ogunsola; my brother, Blessing Ogunsola; and the entire Ogunsola family, who have always stood by me with their everyday support and prayers. I also want to thank the Okanlawon family, the Akinpelu family, and the Fatokun family in general, as well as all my friends, supporters, and well-wishers. A big thank you also goes to every other person who supported, encouraged, prayed for, and believed in me and my capacity, I am deeply grateful. I do not take your love, support, and confidence for granted.
Thank you, and God bless Akinyele I State Constituency.
God bless Akinyele Local Government.
God bless Oyo State.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
