To ensure that the teeming youths of Nigeria believe in the country and its potential, rather than succumbing to the JAPA syndrome, Foundation for Partnership for Initiatives in Niger Delta (PIND) and the Young Professionals (YP) have trained over 350 youths from Ondo State in a mentor/mentee initiative.

This effort aims to empower them to achieve their goals by learning from the experiences of their mentors to attain greatness.

The Executive Director of PIND Foundation, Tunji Idowu, stated that mentorship is a widely recognized process that can accelerate the growth of younger individuals by allowing them to learn from those who are older and more experienced in their fields.

While emphasising that Nigeria is blessed with many brilliant and smart young people, and every leader needs to invest in them and remove the obstacles in their path, Idowu added that the government can only do so much, but as long as they don’t put impediments in their way, the youth can succeed on their own.

He emphasized that PIND focuses significantly on youth development, which is why the mentor/mentee initiative is crucial for preparing the youth to be employable in society or to become their own bosses without fear of the unknown.

He noted that this is part of PIND’s contribution to job creation in the country by mentoring young people on building and maintaining relationships, communication, and personal branding.

He stated that the overall goal is to provide guidance to help them navigate their journey and reduce confusion in their lives.

He called on the government to be proactive, as the young people coming up now simply want a good environment to pursue their goals.

The Youth Employment Pathways Manager for PIND Foundation, Mr. Patrick Ekpe, mentioned that the high current unemployment rate can be attributed to the young population, highlighting the need for skills training across the Niger Delta states to provide support, information, and mentorship.

Ekpe listed some of the skills that young people will benefit from, including Integrated Agriculture, solar installation and inverter maintenance, ICT, Building Construction skills such as piping and plumbing, POP, electrical installation, and more.

He disclosed that this initiative, which started last year, will continue until July/August, targeting young people between the ages of 16 and 30, unemployed individuals, persons with disabilities, and young women with high degrees.

One of the mentors, the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Engr. Razak Obe, who commended the organizers, also described the program as a legitimate shortcut in life for young people, allowing them to learn from others’ mistakes rather than their own.

According to him: “Programs like this are novel because they are intentionally targeted at young people, and if they are nurtured in their hearts, they will transform the nation. Not only Ondo State but the entire country stands to benefit as they will not need to focus on just one direction in their efforts to succeed.”