The Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, yesterday, called on stakeholders to fully explore the available potentials that abound across the country to create massive employment for the teeming unemployed young graduates.
Professor Oloyede, who decried the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria lamented that the non-utilisation of available potentials that abound across the country has worsened unemployment rate among young graduates annually.
According to him, the development has risen the unemployment rate from about 15 per cent in 2003 to at least 20 per cent in 2009 with at least 40 per cent of youths population being unemployed.
The vice chancellor who spoke at the First Capacity Building lecture of Faculty of Law of the institution tagged " Unleash the Dragon – Survival Kit for the 21st Century Workplace" held at the main auditorium of the university on however said that, those who are knowledgeable should be imbued with skills that will make them to be economically independent without necessarily seeking employment from anyone.
He posited that "It is trite to say that, Nigeria has a huge potential that it is inconceivable for people to be grappling with poverty" noting that, the opportunities available in agriculture alone are innumerable that if well utilized by all and sundry the prevalent unemployment rate facing the society may have been addressed.
Oloyede further listed the potentials to include 79million hectares of fertile land , a rich vegetation capable of supporting a wide range of diverse livestock, 267.7 billion of m3 of surface water, 57.9 billion m3 of underground water and 3.14million hectares of irrigable land.
Apart from this, he said that, there is extensive coastal region rich in fish with other marine products and several natural resources.
The vice chancellor noted that, Nigeria has all it takes to be food sufficient but the missing link appears to be inability to convert the resources to products just as the failure of many to convert knowledge to wealth.
The Guest Lecturer, Mr Niyi Yusuf the Country , Managing Director of Accenture explained to the students that they must have the 6 C?s of leadership, namely
Earlier, the Dean, Faculty of Law, Dr. Wahab Egbewole said that, the faculty decided to organize the capacity building lecture in order to address the prevalent unemployment rate after the graduation of students so as to assist them prepare for the task ahead.
He believed that, the lecture would also assist the students to fashion out way forward in the challenges that may be encountered and thereby allowing them to be self-reliant rather than depending on seeking for white collar jobs.