Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun has described the younger generation across Africa as the catalyst for developing a new economic frontier for the continent.
Abiodun stated this when he received members of the Royal African Young Leadership Forum, an initiative of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi for young men and women of the African continent in Abeokuta on Thursday.
While commending Oba Ogunwusi for starting a movement of evolving leadership for Africa, the governor said that the energy and creativity of members of the forum would help reposition the continent.
He said: “I see young men and women as catalysts for Africa’s structuring of a new economic frontier.
“I believe what Ooni of Ife has started here is not just a forum but a movement, a movement of an evolving African leadership.
He thanked the Ooni of Ife for the initiative and for “and for doing it quietly.”
“I believe that with the energy, creativity, versatility, and innovative thinking that you in that age group bracket possess, you are indeed the leaders of Africa today, and you must constantly remind yourselves of that.
“You must have the drive in you, you must have that spirit in you, you must have that resolve in you and it starts from this kind of association where you are meeting, mingling and sharing ideas, not just within your country, but across different countries,” he said.
Abiodun noted that the forum’s age group from 40 years downward represents between 65% and 70% of the population of the entire world.
Earlier, the Director of the Royal Forum, Tomisin Olawale, noted that the group in the last three years had done transactions in the region worth N300 billion.
He said that the Forum members are creating a new Africa as well as driving the new economic frontier for the continent.