By Oluwatoyin Adegoke
Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has unveiled another youth centre in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, expressing concern over the growing number of idle young people on the streets and emphasizing the need to engage them meaningfully.
The new facility, named Obanta Centre, established under the Olusegun Obasanjo Youth Development Centre of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), comprises a cinema, squash court, lawn tennis court, and an entrepreneurial centre, among other features.
Chief Obasanjo stressed that youth development remained central to Nigeria’s progress, explaining that the Ijebu-Ode project was part of his broader commitment to creating safe and productive spaces for young people.
The former president, who noted that similar centres had been established at Panseke and within the OOPL premises in Abeokuta, said the idea was to combine work, recreation, and social interaction to help youths live balanced and purposeful lives.
Director of the OOPL Youth Centre, Mrs. Bisi Kolapo, highlighted other features of the new Obanta Centre to include a five-a-side football pitch that could be converted for basketball or volleyball, a swimming pool, gym, two cinema halls, a VIP cinema, and an event hall.
She added that beyond recreation, the centre would serve as a platform for entrepreneurship training, mentorship, and startup support to help young people build businesses and create jobs.
Chairman of the occasion and Ogbeni Oja of Ijebuland, Chief Sunny Kuku, commended Chief Obasanjo for his consistent contributions to the socio-economic development of Ijebu and described the project as a unique initiative that combines health, education, and social welfare.
