- Governor celebrates creativity, innovation, boundless potential of youth in Kwara
The Kwara State Palliative Distribution Committee at the weekend submitted its report to the state government, with Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq commending the efforts and the fairness with which members carried out the exercise.
The state government had in August 2023 inaugurated the committee to distribute 250,000 10kg bags of rice to the less privileged as part of the efforts to ease the hard time that came with the removal of fuel subsidy.
The Governor also thanked the Federal Government for supporting states with N2bn to purchase that rice at the time.
“First of all, let me commend you for the good job you have done. From the onset, we wanted to make sure that it was an independent committee that distributed the food. We are proud of what you’ve done and your fairness in the distribution. There was a lot of commendation from various communities. It was very impactful.
“I also thank the Federal Government for giving each state of the federation N2b on this palliative. Our government will continue to engage in such efforts. It was really impactful. As it is, we will work round the clock to ease things and checkmate the activities of the 5th columnists who try to make things hard for the people.
“In many places (other than Kwara) people went about selling food items donated by the government but the manner in which you reached the communities was something that would have been difficult for them to take and resell. But your method made sure that the rice got to those who needed it. So, on this note, I truly thank you.”
The chairperson of the committee, Mrs. Ebunoluwarotimi Adelesi said the 12-member committee had distributed 255,000 bags of 10kg rice across 193 political wards in the state, adding that they were very fair and just in the distribution to the targeted people.
She explained that members of the various communities, including traditional and religious leaders, representatives of CSOs, youth, women, and people living with disabilities were carried along in order to ease the distribution exercise.
“We were not just to give this palliative to anybody; we made sure that each ward formed a committee, including the most senior traditional leaders, Imams, Pastors, youth representatives, women representatives, people living with disabilities representatives and security agencies to ensure that the people were given their fair shares.
“After that, the committee also sold about 50,000 bags of 50kg maize at more than half the market price to the associations of poultry farmers, fish farmers, among others. Why we sold the maize is that the money will be refunded to the Federal Government, and people confirmed that it actually assisted them with their feeds,” she said.
She appreciated the Governor for giving them the opportunity to serve in that capacity and for allowing them to operate without interference.
Other members of the committee are: the Emir of Shonga, Dr. Haliru Yahya; state Secretary of Jama’átu Nasrul Islam, Professor Hamzat AbdulRaheem; Christian Association Chairman (CAN) chairman, Bishop Sunday Adewole; Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe and Mrs Grace Funke Bolaji (both representing CSOs); chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (Kwara), Dr. Saudat Abdulbaqi; Mr. Steven Awoyale (youth); representative of the DSS, Mr AbdulRasheed Shafi; representative of ‘disability’ community Comrade Yusuf Bashir; representative of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Hajia Binta Abubakar Mora; and Permanent Secretary, General Services in the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abdulrahman Ameen Babatunde (Secretary).
Governor celebrates creativity, innovation, boundless potential of youth in Kwara
In another development, Governor AbdulRazaq on Friday said the administration will continue to empower the youth, nurture their talents and equip them with necessary skills to thrive in the evolving world.
He said the government prioritizes youth development, thereby investing in projects that create opportunities for them to explore, experiment and express themselves freely.
The Governor was speaking in Ilorin at the Kwara Books and Arts Festival, an event designed to celebrate creativity, innovation, and the boundless potential of youth in the state.
The programme, which is the second in the series, was put together by a team of young people led by Mr. Abdulbasit Hossein, and was themed: “Transcendence”.
It featured panel discussions, where panelists spoke on the importance of record keeping, the need to improve access to data about creatives and cultural heritage, how economic situation affects the creative industry, and how young people can master their arts.
“At the heart of our administration’s vision lies a steadfast commitment to empowering our youth, nurturing their talents, and equipping them with the skills and opportunities they need to thrive in an ever-changing world,” the Governor said this through the Commissioner for Communications, Bola Olukoju who represented him.
“Today, I am honored to share with you some of the initiatives and projects that we have undertaken to realize this vision and unlock the full potential of our youth. First and foremost, we recognize that creativity knows no bounds, and our youth are the torchbearers of innovation and imagination.
“That is why we have invested in initiatives such as the Visual Arts Centre, the Ilorin Innovation Hub, the Film Factory, and the Garment Factory—spaces where young minds can explore, experiment, and express themselves freely. These hubs of creativity not only provide avenues for artistic expression but also serve as incubators for entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic growth,” he said.
AbdulRazaq, who described literacy as a foundation for all other forms of learning, said the launch of the technology based KwaraLEARN by his government was to revolutionize learning and literacy development in the state.
By harnessing the power of technology, we are breaking down barriers to education, expanding access to quality learning resources, and empowering our youth to unlock their full potential, he said.
The Governor also said that the government is keen to promote and preserve cultural identity through initiatives that celebrate diversity, foster cultural exchange, and promote social cohesion, adding “culture is the lifeblood of our communities”.
He commended the organizer and those who have contributed to the success of the festival that he noted was driven by dedication, passion, and commitment to youth empowerment.
“This book festival is a positive reference point that has put Kwara on the map, and we are glad to associate with the young people who are the architects of the initiative. We hope to see the festival become bigger and a major rallying point for creative minds in northern Nigeria and Nigeria as a whole.”
The event was well attended by government officials, academics, artists and writers, including Commissioner for Environment Alhaji Usman Ndanusa; Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Rafiu Ajakaye; Deputy Registrar, University of Ilorin Dr Hauwah Abdulkareem; and Dr Sanusi Lafiagi from Al-hikmah University Nigeria, among other dignitaries.
Director of KWABAFEST, Abdulbasit Hossein, in his remarks, said the programme was organized to tell the original story of the state, and to serve as a platform to host and nurture future voicers in Nigeria literature.
He said Kwara is at the forefront in the arts, creativity and film making, and deserves to be projected well to the larger society.
“We realized that the state is not seen as a harbor of creatives, and it is important for us to put in place things like this. People often go to Lagos or Abuja for any kind of support in the creative industry. But why not Kwara, which has the largest waterfall in the whole of Africa? This is a state that has produced many names in terms of art, creativity, film making, yet it is being sidelined.
“Kwara state has new voicers in literature, and just like some of us will argue this state has the future voice in Nigeria literature. If a state that has the future voice of Nigeria literature does not have a platform where we can host and nurture these voicers then we have a big challenge, and this is what the KWABAFEST wants to achieve,” he said.
Lafiagi, one of the panelists, who spoke on how the economy affects the artistic works, said it is important for Nigerian citizens, especially the talented youth, to do away with a sense of entitlement and see the current economic downturn as a means to think outside the box to improve the economy.
“The economic situation of the country is actually affecting everyone. But as a youth we can take positivity out of the negative situation. And that is, the economic situation should actually force us to harness our God given talents,” he said.
Another panelist, Abdulkareem, described the event as insightful given that it underscores the importance of using research to foster record keeping and access to data about cultural heritage, and how to preserve them.
