The growing rate of youth unemployment raises concerns, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has stated that preparations are in place to employ 100,000 young people over the next two years. He has urged all stakeholders to take action in an effort to lessen the scourge.
The monarch who announced this during the opening of the Ojaja More shopping centre in Ile-Ife claims it is a response to the nation’s mounting unemployment issue.
He continued by noting that each mall is anticipated to generate 1000 direct and indirect jobs, and that within the next two years, 100 such malls will be built around the nation.
“We started in Ile-Ife since charity starts at home, and within the following 24 months, we plan to establish a chain of over 100 stalls to cover the entire South West of Nigeria. In Nigeria and across Africa, it will be a first of its type.
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“Beyond grooming young minds and serious-minded youths in a retail business, this initiative will offer over 100,000 direct and indirect employment to our youths across the country, thereby contributing in no small means to human development and capacity building. That’s my target.
“This is a job creation for the Nigerian youths. Ojaja More simply means that people (consumers) can pay less and get more. It is a combination of royalty and retail to create a different shopping perspective starting from Ile-Ife The Source. The business is structured to allow personalized shopping to grow the retail business which is grossly underdeveloped in Nigeria due to reasons which include a proliferation of neighborhood stores and unorganized markets among others.
“While in Johannesburg about 15 years ago on a business visit, I saw so many retail stores, I thereafter realized that as big as Nigeria was and still is, there are only five (5) major malls with no single one in my hometown Ile-Ife that is refined, classy and affordable.
“Like we have names of people branded into companies like this in developed countries, I initiated this project to build the confidence of our younger ones in productive business and investment activities. Youths are the real drivers of economic growth,” The Ooni said.
