Be innovative, Lagos Speaker charges youths

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, on Friday, called on Nigerian youths to be innovative, to address unemployment and poverty in the country.

Obasa made the call while receiving an award of Exemplary Leadership conferred on him by the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) in his office at the Assembly Complex, Alausa, Ikeja.

“I can say boldly, with what I am seeing that our youths are ready to take over.

“We all want good leaders for Nigeria, we don’t want a country where only the rich will have their way and others do not.

“We want people with ideas, you must be innovative, you must have administrative ideas, you have to look inwards and bring out what others would have to embrace.

“With government’s support, we can eradicate unemployment and poverty,” he said.

The speaker, however, urged students to desist from tendencies that were encouraging division in the students Union.

He appreciated the association for conferring him with the exemplary leadership award, and urged them to continue demonstrating sound leadership character at all times.

The leader of the delegation, Luqman Salahudeen, said that NAPS decided to honour the Speaker because of his style of leadership in the state.

Salahudeen, who is the first Nigerian student to head the West African Polytechnic Union, explained that Obasa had been piloting the affairs of Lagos Assembly without rancour or acrimony.

“We appreciate your leadership; maybe those (other Houses) who do not coordinate themselves can learn from you.

“Nigerian students are upcoming generation; we are very jealous of your achievements,” Salahudeen said.

While giving the vote of thanks, the Deputy Majority Leader of the House, Mr Muyiwa Jimoh, said the Speaker’s doors were always open.

He said the Speaker had a plan to create a special desk that would attend to issues concerning youths, promising that the Assembly would also continue to support them.