There was a mild drama in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Saturday as former President Olusegun Obasanjo was seen riding a tricycle and later stopped to pick up a passenger.
Obasanjo rode the tricycle, popularly called “Keke,” from the premises of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), at Oke-Mosan in Abeokuta, through the popular Kuto under the bridge.
Along the route, the former president stopped and picked up a male passenger to demonstrate his expertise in riding a tricycle.
The development led to jubilation by onlookers and commercial motorcycle riders, popularly known as okada riders, as some of them hailed him, shouting “Obj, Obj.”Obasanjo had recently distributed 85 tricycles to 85 beneficiaries as part of activities marking his birthday.
The former president said he rode the tricycle as a way to demonstrate the safety of the means of transportation.
Obasanjo, however, urged youths to embrace every opportunity with hard work and dedication.
He said that with tricycles and other small-scale businesses, youths could become self-employed and ultimately achieve economic independence.
He said he had employed not less than 5,000 youths working in his various establishments.
Obasanjo said, “There is nothing wrong with young people starting small. The Keke is secured and safe when handled professionally and with discipline.
“In fact, you can plan your business the way you wish and earn income that you can deploy to other investments. And if you can get a second one, you can give that to someone else.
“So you become self-employed, and you have also employed somebody.”
Obasanjo stated that he had remained committed to the economic empowerment of young people through initiatives that can generate employment opportunities. This is how we can increasingly address unemployment in Nigeria.
He said, “I have always had a passion for youth empowerment and employment. When I started establishing farms, do you think I could run the farm alone?
“The people I employed on the farms, some of them are as educated as PhD. There are veterinary doctors among them, an Agric economist and some people who are well educated. Some of my children have a PhD and are still working with me.
“The other time I checked, the people who are working with us directly at our various establishments – we have over 5,000, and most of them are youths. I have always had a passion for youth because there is no substitute for employment.
Obasanjo’s symbolic passenger, simply identified as Lamidi, expresses his delight, saying the day would be memorable in his life.
