21 million young Nigerians jobless, engage in crimes Varsity don, Aibinu laments
The Vice Chancellor of Summit University Offa, Kwara State, Prof. Abiodun Musa Aibinu, has decried the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria, linking that to the increase in crime.
According to the Vice Chancellor, over 21 million young Nigerians are without any job to make ends meet.
Of the 21 million unemployed persons, Aibinu said 2.9 million have either graduate or postgraduate degrees from tertiary institutions of learning.
He expressed worries that the majority of unemployed persons fall between the productive ages of 15 and 34.
In his concern, the Professor warned that the high rate of unemployment has continued to lead youths to criminal activities to gain income to feed themselves and their families.
Aibinu spoke at a lecture he delivered during the Elective National Convention and 20th Anniversary of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta Muslim Alumni, (MAPAMA), held yesterday in Abeokuta.
Speaking on the theme, 'Creativity And Innovation: Tools For Solving Economic Crises In Nigeria', the VC lamented that most research projects carried out by students at the end of their academic years were being abandoned on shelves.
He said there was no motivation to turn the ideas in the research works into products that could be sold to the public.
While explaining that there is no link between tertiary institutions and industries, the don said this has created a chasm that discourages the transformation of these academic research projects into products that are marketable.
He regretted that Nigeria, with over 300 tertiary institutions, was ranked 124 in the global innovation rankings in 2021, according to the global innovation index.
Aibinu also complained that though the nation has several agencies saddled with the responsibility of promoting innovation and creativity, the output from the said agencies has never resulted in any significant increase in the country's technological ranking.
He, therefore, opined that the use of innovation and creativity can be implemented to develop the economic situation through what he termed 'Acadoprenuership', which he said is the turning of academic ideas and researches into viable businesses and start-up ventures.
With this, he expressed optimism that graduates would no longer rely on the government for job opportunities, but they would have the creativity and innovation to transform their knowledge and skills into sustainable firms.
Earlier in his speech, the MAPAMA National President, Prince Taofeek Oyeniyi, stated that the association has served as a platform for the growth of members in all aspects.
Oyeniyi disclosed that the body has been implementing key programmes in the area of education, economic empowerment, welfare and institutional capacity enhancement.
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
Damilola Yusuf Adelodun Hassanat Bello HYPPADEC Aliyu Alhassan Ile Arugbo Haliru Dantoro Abdullah Janet Amudat Olohungbebe ASMAU PLAZA State Bureau Of Internal Revenue Elerinjare Junior Secondary School Certificate Examinations Alaiye Abdul-Rahoof Bello CBT Victor Gbenga Yusuf Voices Of Tomorrow Share/Tsaragi Ilorin Emirate Stakeholders Forum Joseph Offorjama Dele Belgore Saka Balikis Kehinde Idowu Aremu Sola Saraki University Folajimi Aleshinloye Yunus Oniboki IYA YUSUF Ndama Al-hassan Oko-Olowo Kwara 2023 Ahmad Ali Labaeka Okin Biscuit Alfa Modibo Belgore Apata Ajele Secondary School Chief Imam Of Omu-Aran Samari Muftau Akanbi Oke Lanre Issa Onilu Ayinde Oyepitan Metro Park Gbenga Adebayo Ahmad Fatima Bisola Mashood Abdulrafiu Agboola Shehu Jimoh UNILORIN Alumni Association Abdulrazaq Adebayo Jeunkunu-Malete-Bani Mohammed Abdulahi Okala Baba Maryam Ado Bayero Kwara State Television Olatomiwa Williams Gobir 08001000100 Abiodun Oyedepo Odo-Owa Lithium Ganiyu Abolarin Ilesha-Baruba Eleja Ilorin Muslim Community Fatai Olodo Mahfouz Adedimeji Sulu Gambari Sanitation Exercise Deji Ajani Mutawali Of Ilorin Ibrahim Abiodun Umar Danladi Shero Kwara 2019 Mohammed Danjuma Vishvas KOZ Tractors Chief Imam Of Offa Afonja Mohammed Khadijat Kubura Ilorin Durbar

