BY Mayowa Tijani
Building Nations Initiative (BNI) on Saturday commissioned her pioneer community youth centre at the University of Ibadan, celebrating eight years of “positive impact on Nigerian youths”.
BNI is a youth-led, youth work and community development organisation that is committed to strengthening communities through the education, empowerment and engagement of young people as change agents in their respective communities.
Established in 2009 as a students’ association at the University of Ibadan, BNI later restructured into a youth-led association of young development practitioners that are committed to empowering young people as nation builders.
While giving her opening address, Oluwatoyin Odeku, the dean faculty of pharmacy, University of Ibadan, commended BNI youth work and community development activities especially the establishment of a youth centre.
She encouraged the leadership of BNI to document their activities and success stories from the values education and skills development programs to be offered at the centre.
Bayo Adeyinka, southwest regional manager for Fidelity Bank was the keynote speaker at the event.
In his speech title “You don’t need too much salt to cook a bag of rice”, Adeyinka explained that not all Nigerians will rise up to the responsibility of building a better Nigeria, however the few that God has placed the passion on their heart will definitely bring the purpose into fruition.
While introducing the centre, John Oluwadero, the president/CEO of BNI, explained that the community youth centre named Nation Builders Centre is envisioned to be a values learning and skills development platform for young people with the ultimate goal of raising responsible young leaders that will be the builder of a better society.
In his commendation speech, Tolulope Adebayo, the chair, BNI board of trustees, promised that BNI shall harness the Centre as a platform for creating opportunities for creative citizenship and youth civic engagement, while ensuring that the best of our national values are transmitted across generations.
The commissioning event also featured the launch of two commencement programs at the centre which are the Nation Builders Teens Club and certificate program in Language for Humanitarian Diplomacy (LAHD).
The commissioning of the youth centre also received commendation from other youth organisations such as Commonwealth Youth Council, The Nigerian Youth Parliament, West Africa Youth Exchange Council and YoungBreeds Foundation.
Other dignitaries at the event are the Ebenezer Ajayi, subdean students’ affairs at UNIOSUN; Tokunbo Salako, one-time president of the University of Ibadan Students’ Union.
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