When Obasanjo told Nigerian youths to “get off the streets” and develop their talents to become self reliant, it was natural for some to roll their eyes and scoff. After all, isn’t that what every politician says to the youths? Maybe they expected young people to feel instantly inspired and somehow produce a letter of employment out of thin air. So, you would understand why many took Obasanjo’s words with a grain of salt.
Then again, there are others who have come to despise the word self reliant altogether. And can you blame them? In a country where electricity is unstable, rent is choking, and job openings often feel like mirages, self reliance can sound more like punishment than empowerment. It feels like saying, “You are on your own” but in a more poetic way.
Yet, somewhere in Ijebu Ode, something different is happening, a move that might just give the word self reliance some real meaning.
When Words Become Concrete
At the unveiling of the new Obanta Centre in Ogun State, Obasanjo did not just talk about youth empowerment; he built a space for it. The centre is part of his Olusegun Obasanjo Youth Development initiative and includes a cinema, gym, sports courts, and most importantly, an entrepreneurship hub. It is a space designed to teach young people how to build skills, manage businesses, and collaborate.
It might not solve Nigeria’s unemployment crisis overnight, but it shows something rare a structure that takes youth empowerment beyond sound bites. For years, we have seen empowerment programs that start with excitement and end with souvenir T-shirts. This one feels different. It feels like a model.
The Bigger Picture: A Country of Idle Potential
Nigeria is bursting with untapped talent. Walk through any major city, and you will find photographers, coders, stylists, traders, writers, and artisans all trying to make something out of nothing. The potential is there, but opportunity is not evenly distributed.
According to recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics, more than 50 percent of Nigerian youths are either unemployed or underemployed. Many of them have the skill but not the structure to support it. And that is the real tragedy, not lack of talent, but lack of systems that help it grow.
This is where initiatives like the Obanta Centre come in. If more communities built similar spaces not as political projects, but as practical hubs, we might start seeing a ripple effect. Imagine every local government having a youth development centre where people can learn, collaborate, and even play. That alone could shift how young people see their own capacity.
The Real Problem with “Empowerment”
Nigeria has a strange relationship with empowerment. The word has been thrown around so casually that it has almost lost meaning. Most “empowerment” programs end with handouts, photo ops, or motivational speeches that do not translate to real change.
True empowerment is not about giving someone ten thousand naira and calling it support. It is about giving them tools, training, and access to networks that can help them build something sustainable. It is about creating environments that spark creativity instead of stifling it.
That is why what Obasanjo built deserves attention. Because for once, empowerment has a physical address.
Turning Self Reliance into Community Power
Obasanjo’s advice about self reliance is not wrong. It is just incomplete without structure. Telling youths to be self reliant without creating an enabling environment is like asking a farmer to plant crops during harmattan.
But when you give them the tools, the space, and the support, self reliance becomes powerful. It becomes a community project. It means one young person learning tailoring can employ another, who in turn trains someone else. That is how economies grow, one small business, one idea, one skill at a time.
It is also a reminder that waiting for the government to fix everything is a lost cause. Communities, private citizens, and local entrepreneurs can start building the support systems they wish existed. Whether it is a co-working hub, a small training center, or even an online mentorship group, every effort counts.
A New Mindset for a New Generation
Self reliance is not just about surviving tough times, but owning your story. It is about looking at your environment and asking, “What can I make from this?” even when the odds look impossible.
Young Nigerians are already doing this quietly, from tech innovators in Yaba, to streetwear designers in Abuja, to farmers turning waste into profit in the North. They are rewriting what independence means. What they need now are more platforms that nurture those sparks.
Final Reflection
Obasanjo has built a centre. Others have built excuses. The question is, what are you building?
If there is one thing this moment reminds us, it is that Nigeria’s future will not be decided by those who talk about empowerment, but by those who create it. The rest of us have a choice to make: to wait, or to start building something, no matter how small.
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