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The Ogun State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has called on Governor Dapo Abiodun to urgently establish a Ministry of Youth Development and appoint a dedicated Commissioner to oversee youth-focused matters in the state.

In a strongly-worded open letter signed by the State Chairman, Oloye Akolawole Shoremi, and the State Secretary, Comrade Dotun Opaleye, the Council expressed growing concern over what it described as the “palpable fear of marginalization” among the over three million young people in the state.

While acknowledging the efforts of the governor, including the unbundling of the defunct Ministry of Youth & Sports in 2023 and various ad-hoc youth initiatives, the NYCN stated that these efforts have been largely insufficient to address the strategic needs of the state’s youth population.

“The non-existence of a Ministry for Youth Development since its announcement sends an unintended but disheartening message — that the concerns, aspirations, and potential of young people may not be prioritized with the same focused attention as other crucial sectors,” the letter stated.

The Council outlined its contributions under the current leadership, including promoting peace, civic engagement, entrepreneurship, and advocacy. It also referenced its role in mobilizing youth against cultism and drug abuse in collaboration with state authorities.

Despite these efforts, the NYCN lamented persistent bureaucratic challenges and a lack of dedicated structures to engage the youth effectively, highlighting a long-standing absence of operational vehicles and an abandoned Ogun Youth Development Centre brought to the governor’s attention in 2022.

The Council warned of dire implications if the issue remains unaddressed, including:

• Alienation and potential brain drain among talented youths.
• Increased social instability due to youth disengagement.
• Missed economic opportunities driven by youth innovation.
• Eroded trust between government and its largest constituency.

“Establishing a Ministry for Youth Development is not just an administrative move — it is a strategic imperative that reflects responsive leadership and investment in the future of Ogun State,” the letter emphasized.

The NYCN also noted that creating such a ministry would align Ogun State with others in the Southern region that have taken similar steps to institutionalize youth development at the highest level of governance.

The youth leadership urged Governor Abiodun, who also chairs the Southern Governors’ Forum, to prioritize their plea and demonstrate his administration’s commitment to building an inclusive, secure, and youth-empowered Ogun State.

Read the full statement below:

June 27, 2025.

His Excellency
Prince Dapo Abiodun, CON.
The Executive Governor of Ogun State
Governor’s Office
Abeokuta

Dear Sir,

A PLEA FOR THE HEART OF OGUN: ESTABLISHING A MINISTRY FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, APPOINTMENT OF A COMMISSIONER AND OTHER YOUTH RELATED MATTERS.

We write on behalf of the State Management Committee of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, representing over one thousand youth organizations across Ogun State and spanning over three million young people, with a heart filled with both understanding and a deep sense of urgency. The youth leadership is acutely aware of the multifaceted responsibilities and significant demands that rest upon your shoulders as the Leader of our beloved Ogun State. The task of governance is undoubtedly complex, often requiring difficult decisions and the careful allocation of limited resources across numerous pressing needs. Mr. Governor, we acknowledge and empathize with you on these inherent challenges.

However, it is with profound concern that we must once again bring to your attention a matter of critical importance to the very fabric and future of our State: the worrisome lack of an established and functional Ministry for Youth Development, led by a dedicated Commissioner.

For too long, the vibrant and dynamic youth constituency of Ogun State, the largest and unarguably the most energetic segment of our society, has experienced a palpable fear of being sidelined. While we appreciate your efforts and commitment to improving our welfare through the May 2023 pronouncement unbundling the defunct Ministry of Youth & Sports, periodic financial supports, various ad-hoc arrangements and the promotion of youth-focused initiatives within existing Ministries, these measures have proven insufficient to address the unique and multifaceted needs of our young people comprehensively and strategically.

The non-existence of a Ministry for Youth Development, since its pronouncement, sends an unintended but nonetheless disheartening message – that the concerns, aspirations, and potential of the young people of Ogun State are probably not prioritized with the same focused attention as other crucial sectors. This perceived attitude has burdened the youth constituency with a sense of disappointment and marginalization, hindering our ability to fully contribute to the progress and prosperity of the Gateway State.

Your Excellency, the National Youth Council of Nigeria, under our leadership, has consistently strived to be a reliable partner in progress through the following means:

1. We have championed peace and social cohesion by working tirelessly to mediate disputes and promote understanding amongst diverse youth groups across the length and breadth of Ogun State.
2. We’ve facilitated civic engagement by encouraging young people to participate actively in governance processes and community development initiatives, referencing our several voter’s education, election monitoring, electoral debates and account of stewardship at the Local Government, Senatorial and State Levels.
3. We’ve promoted skills acquisition and entrepreneurship by either collaborating or spearheading programs aimed at empowering youths with the tools for economic independence, including the facilitation of business grants under your administration.
4. We’ve served and continue to serve as a vital communication bridge, conveying the needs and aspirations of the youth to relevant authorities and disseminating crucial information back to our constituency. This included strategic advocacy visits and engagements with you, the Deputy Governor, the Speaker, the Secretary to the State Government, notable Commissioners and other relevant stakeholders.
5. We’ve mobilized youth for positive social actions, enabling our young people to participate actively in state-led initiatives and contributing to the overall well-being of Ogun State. This includes partnership and initiation of fora against cultism and anti-drug activities, with evidences of actions available on request.

Our dear Governor, despite these consistent efforts, the lack of a dedicated Ministry often leaves the youth leadership navigating bureaucratic bottlenecks and struggling for the focused attention required to effectively address the pressing issues facing our youth – issues ranging from a dwindled inclusion in governance as evident through the lack of a Ministry for Youth Development, skills gaps to civic apathy and social vices, and insufficient allocation of resources to youth empowerment and capacity building.

Your Excellency, the continued absence of a Ministry for Youth Development carries significant implications for the future of Ogun State and your leadership as the Chairman of the Southern Governors of Nigeria. Neglecting this vital demographic risks the following:

1. Alienating a significant portion of our population, leading to disillusionment and a potential brain drain as our talented youths will unarguably seek opportunities elsewhere. This, of course, becomes a sabotage to the mantra of building our future together.
2. Undermining social stability as our frustrated and disengaged youth are technically becoming vulnerable to negative influences, potentially re-enabling social unrest against your assurances during previous youth agitations.
3. Hindering economic growth as the negligence of our demands for the past few years risks us missing out on the immense potential of our innovation, creativity, and energy to drive economic progress.
4. Creating a disconnect between the government and its largest constituency therefore eroding trust and making it challenging to effectively implement youth-focused policies in the future.

Your Excellency, we firmly believe that the express establishment of a Ministry for Youth Development, headed by a passionate and dedicated Commissioner, is not merely an administrative adjustment but a strategic imperative and demonstration of a responsive leadership across the Southern States of Nigeria. It would send a powerful message to our peers, within and beyond, that your government indeed values us, understands our needs, and committed to sustaining the investment in our future. It would provide a focal point for policy formulation, program implementation, and effective engagement with the youth constituency.

It may be necessary to remind you once again, our dear Governor, that the youth leadership of Ogun State has no single Operational Bus till date to support our daily activities. The vehicles of previous and current State Chairmen of the Youth Council have majorly borne the brunt of work-related incidents in our bids to advocate the interest of the youth constituency. It may also be necessary to state, Your Excellency, that the Ogun Youth Development Centre brought to your notice, during our August 2022 meeting with you, is currently lying unattended with a tendency of being withdrawn from the foundational mandate of a State Youth Resource Center. Needless to begin list, in comparison, the number of youth operational vehicles or Youth Development Centers in neighboring States.

We humbly implore you, Your Excellency, to consider this plea with the utmost urgency. By prioritizing the establishment of our Ministry and other youth related matters, you will not only address a long-standing concern but also unlock the immense potential of our constituency, paving the way for a more prosperous, secure, and vibrant future for all.

We remain hopeful for your positive actions and look forward to an immediate future where the voices and needs of the youth constituency are given the prominence we rightfully deserve.

Yours in youth development,

Olóyè Akolawole Shoremi
The 10th State Chairman
National Youth Council of Nigeria

Com. ‘Dotun Opaleye
State Secretary
National Youth Council of Nigeria

For: The young People of Ogun State