The Ooni of lfe, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi says, children are future hope of any nation and must be nurtured and introduce to entrepreneurial skills at early stage to mitigate spate of unemployment among young Nigerians
Oba Ogunwusi was speaking while playing host to hundreds of children from various schools in Ile-Ife and environs to celebrate this year’s children’s day.
The monarch who arrived the palace amidst cheers and excitement by the waiting children congratulated them on occasion of the day and urged them to prepare well for the task of doing the nation proud.
He appealed to parents and guardians to add vocational and business skills to the formal education being given to their children in schools.
“The children are fast learners and this is why we parents must take advantage of that to catch them young.
“While sending them to schools, the best is to assist them to acquire one vocational trade or the other. If we are into technical works or businesses as parents, we should engage them so that they would be empowered to face and conquer the challenges ahead.” The Ooni said.
To make the day memorable and impactful, the event featured a training in Adire textile making for young school children, especially those in senior classes to acquaint them with craft making and artworks.
Under the supervision of their teachers and experts, the children were taught on materials and process of making the traditional cloth design just as they were made to do the practicals at the end of the training.
The free training was organised by Ooni in conjunction with Adire Oodua Hub, initiated to to educate and sensitise young children about the cultural and economic benefits of Adire and to expose them to the beauty of the craft.
The goal of the workshop according to the Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O) of the Adire Oodua Textile Hub, Princess Ronke Ademiluyi, is to stimulate and sensitize young people about the cultural as well as economic benefits of the adire textile, towards exposing them to the beauty and versatility of the material by providing free training for the children.
“We want them to learn the basics today and be confident that they can do a lot with their hands.
“Their education is of equal importance to us and we shall continue to monitor their growth while we intimate them with entrepreneural skills particularly to make them stand a better chance in the lucrative textile industry.” Princess Ademiluyi said.
Participants were drawn from Secondary schools in Ile-Ife including Akinlooye Model College, Oduduwa College, Ife Anglican Grammar School, Seventh Day Adventist Secondary School, Saint Phillips Anglican Grammar School, Saint Peters African Grammar School and Moremi High School.
Others are ; Saint Johns Grammar School, Ansarudeen Grammar School, Oranmiyan Grammar School and Idita Secondary School.
Expressing his heartfelt joy, a participant from Akinlooye Model College, Abdullahi Adetoyese, described the workshop as beneficial, thanking the Ooni for his kindness.
“I have learnt basics about the popular Adire textile and I am willing to learn more as I practice the knowledge I have acquired.” He said.
Also, Abiodun Roseline from Oduduwa College, said the event would forever be in her memory.
“After learning so well, my day was blessed by the sighting of the Ooni who prayed for us. I am so happy.” She noted.
