NEWS
Adeleke Engages 10,000 Youths For Imole Youth Corps
. . . Claims 250, 000 Jobs Created In Last Two Years
In the bid to tackle youth employment and engagement, Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has inducted 10,000 young people into the Imole Youth Corps (IYC).
This was revealed in a government statement in Osogbo on Thursday by the Spokesperson to the State Governor, Olawale Rasheed.
It was gathered that inauguration happened at a grand ceremony at the Freedom Park, Osogbo, where Gov Adeleke described the IYC as “a major highlight of his administration’s push to address youth joblessness alongside other indirect steps to engage the youth across the sectors”
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To the members of the Imole youth corps clad in their uniforms, the Gov Adeleke pointed out that the programme was designed as “a transitional arrangement designed to provide opportunities for our youth” from all walks of life.
In his words, “Today’s gathering is a continuation of our efforts to provide job opportunities for our teaming youth. Ten thousand youths spread across the 332 political wards are engaged to provide services in the area of health, security, environment and education.”
He assured that “the newly enrolled Imole Youth Corps members are to be trained to deliver support services across the grassroots economy and other sectors”
Gov Adeleke charged the corps members to demonstrate strong commitment in whatever sector they are assigned, so as “to justify the confidence reposed in you by working diligently in your posted areas”.
On efforts to tackle the unemployment crisis, Gov Adeleke said, “Our administration is focused on tackling the unemployment crisis. We note the widespread joblessness among the youth.
“Our first decision is to create an enabling environment for job creation by both the government and the private sector. Part of actions taken so far by the administration is to provide financial support to small businesses through cooperative movement, statewide infrastructure upgrade and the recent launching of the agropreneur programme.
“Through small business financing, this administration has provided lifeline and operational loans to thousands of grassroots entrepreneurs. Over Four Billion Naira has so far been committed to this revolving loan scheme.
“Our government is also enforcing local content in the implementation of the state’s infrastructure projects. We engage local contractors who in turn employ local technicians, thereby imparting new skills. Additionally, local suppliers are patronized. We ensure Osun money revolves within Osun state.
“I am happy to announce that through our local content policy, financial access to businesses, and ongoing youth agropreneur programme, over 250,000 of our population were provided job opportunities. The figures are set to increase as we launch the agropreneur project in each of the 30 local government and Area Council.”
He directed the Commissioner for Youth Development, Moshood Olagunju to enforce the performance evaluation system to ensure that the goals of the programme are realized, assuring the public that “the activities of the Imole Youth Corps will be subjected to regular performance evaluation.
In his address to the IYC members, the Commissioner congratulated them and tasked them to be good ambassadors of the newly created youth engagement platform.
“I commend Mr Governor and the entire members of the State Executive Council on the successful take off of the programme. Governor Adeleke has demonstrated now and then his love and passion for youth development”, the Commissioner posited.
Oil marketers have warned that Nigerians may soon pay as much as ₦1,500 per litre for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, as global oil prices surge following the escalating conflict involving Iran in the Middle East.
The National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, issued the warning on Tuesday while speaking on a television programme on the impact of the global crisis on fuel prices.
According to him, the current volatility in the international oil market has already pushed petrol prices above ₦1,000 per litre at the depot level, with the ex-depot price from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery now standing at about ₦1,175 per litre.
He explained that once logistics, transportation, and other operational costs are added, the final pump price could rise significantly, possibly reaching ₦1,500 per litre in the near future.
Despite concerns about the rising cost of fuel, Gillis-Harry noted that steady availability of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery remains a major relief for Nigeria, stressing that consistent supply is better than a nationwide fuel scarcity.
He added that the refinery’s production capacity is helping to stabilize supply across the country at a time when global markets remain highly unstable.
The latest price adjustment by the Dangote Refinery marks the fourth review within two weeks. Petrol prices increased from ₦995 per litre to ₦1,175 per litre, while diesel rose from ₦1,430 to about ₦1,620 per litre.
The development comes amid a sharp spike in international crude oil prices triggered by fears of supply disruptions due to the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Brent crude recently climbed above $102 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose to around $101 per barrel.
Industry analysts say the rising oil prices are already having a ripple effect on Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, forcing depot operators and fuel marketers to adjust their prices in response to the global market trend.
Meanwhile, the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stated that although Nigeria introduced a crude-for-naira arrangement to support local refineries, the facility still purchases crude oil at international market prices, leaving it exposed to global price fluctuations.
The United Nations has raised the alarm over a dramatic surge in attacks on schools worldwide, reporting a 166% increase between 2021 and 2024.
The rise highlights the escalating dangers faced by children in conflict zones.
United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, revealed the figures during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the rights of the child on Monday.
The session, themed “Mainstreaming the Rights of Children in Armed Conflict: Prevention and Protection,” focused on protecting children amid global conflicts.
Al-Nashif noted that the attacks were particularly concentrated in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, where children remain among the most vulnerable victims.
“In 2024, armed conflict directly affected nearly one in six children globally—about 470 million children,” she said. “Years of lost education, trauma, and lasting mental scars shape societies for generations. Long after the fighting subsides, children continue to face deadly risks.”
She highlighted Gaza as having the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita, warning that the impact of war goes far beyond immediate violence.
In Lebanon, government figures show that more than 450,000 people were displaced in less than a week, with at least 394 fatalities, including 83 children, during the 2024 conflict with Israel.
Al-Nashif also stressed the disproportionate risks for displaced children, who are more likely to die from disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2025 cholera outbreak killed 340 children, underscoring the long-term consequences of conflict.
She called on states to uphold their international obligations to protect children, insisting that protecting children is “both a legal obligation and a humanitarian moral imperative.”
Also speaking at the council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, warned that violence against children continued at extreme levels in 2025.
She urged mainstreaming child protection across peace, security, humanitarian, human rights, and development efforts, emphasizing that children should actively participate in shaping policies designed to safeguard them.
Frazier highlighted her office’s global campaign, “Prove It Matters,” aimed at amplifying children’s voices in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
The UN report underscores the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect children and ensure their safety in conflict zones worldwide.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
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