Youth advocate and author, Christopher Olusa, has embarked on a series of stakeholder engagements across Ondo State, using the platform of his recently published book, No More Future: Why Waiting Is Over and What to Build Instead, to open conversations on youth development, responsibility and the need for young people to begin building their futures now.
Olusa, who launched the book at the National Assembly in Abuja last month, has in recent days met with stakeholders across different sectors of the state, including the Deputy Governor, traditional and community leaders, education stakeholders, government officials, business leaders, media practitioners and youth organisations. The engagements form part of his wider initiative, The Future We Build — Ondo.
The author has also taken the conversation to institutions and individuals connected to his own journey, including the leadership of his alma mater and other education stakeholders. He has presented copies of the book during several of the meetings, while using the engagements to discuss how government, institutions, businesses and community leaders can serve as springboards for young people seeking to create opportunities and contribute to their communities.
At the meetings, Olusa has explained that No More Future is not a message of hopelessness or an argument that young people should disregard the challenges around them. Rather, he describes it as a call to action against a culture of indefinite waiting, encouraging young Nigerians to begin with what they have while also demanding that institutions create an environment in which their efforts can succeed.
Among those he has engaged are the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Chief Olayide Adelami; the Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Tob Loko; the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan; education and business stakeholders, media leaders, youth organisations and officials of government and security-related agencies.
The conversations have also extended to the media, with Olusa appearing on radio platforms in Akure during the period to discuss the ideas behind the book and the broader Future We Build initiative. The discussions have centred on youth expectations, education, opportunity, personal responsibility and the role of institutions in helping young people translate ideas into practical action.
The Ondo engagements are taking place against a broader public conversation about youth development in the state. Recent state government communications have highlighted programmes and initiatives focused on employment, skills, community development and opportunities for young people, while the governor has also called on young people to contribute to national renewal through service, innovation and responsible leadership.
According to Olusa, the Ondo engagements are only the beginning, with further stakeholder conversations, media appearances, book distribution activities and youth-focused engagements expected to follow. The conversations are also expected to feed into the planned Builders Tour, through which he intends to take the central question of No More Future to young people in educational institutions and communities: if nobody was coming to save you, what would you build?
