The text of a Public Lecture delivered on May 1, 2019 by Professor Samson O. Ojoawo at the 4th Osun Youth Ambassador Award, held at Aurora Event Centre, Osogbo, Osun State of Nigeria

1. SOME ADMIRABLE
HALLMARKS OF
STERLING YOUTHS
IN THE CONTEMPORARY AGE
BY
Samson Olakunle OJOAWO, Ph.D, MNSE, MNICE, AMASCE, Regd. Engr (COREN)
Professor of Civil Engineering,
Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria
BEING A TEXT OF TALK DELIVERED
@THE
OSUN YOUTH 2019 AMBASSADOR AWARD, THE 4TH EDITION
HELD AT AURORA EVENT CENTRE, OSOGBO
1ST MAY, 2019
SOME ADMIRABLE
HALLMARKS OF
STERLING YOUTHS
IN THE CONTEMPORARY AGE
BY
Samson Olakunle OJOAWO, Ph.D, MNSE, MNICE, AMASCE, Regd. Engr (COREN)
Professor of Civil Engineering,
Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria
BEING A TEXT OF TALK DELIVERED
@THE
OSUN YOUTH 2019 AMBASSADOR AWARD, THE 4TH EDITION
HELD AT AURORA EVENT CENTRE, OSOGBO
1ST MAY, 2019
05/02/19 1

2. INTRODUCTION
Definitions
Hallmark: distinctive characteristic or feature
of a person or thing
• Trademark, emblem, badge, symbol,
representation
Sterling: excellent, first-rate, outstanding,
exceptional, superlative
Youth – a young man/woman, between
childhood and adulthood
Hallmark: distinctive characteristic or feature
of a person or thing
• Trademark, emblem, badge, symbol,
representation
Sterling: excellent, first-rate, outstanding,
exceptional, superlative
Youth – a young man/woman, between
childhood and adulthood
05/02/19 2

3. This talk
Some admirable hallmarks of sterling
youths in the contemporary age
therefore centers on:
Certain distinctive
features/trademarks/qualities of an
outstanding/superlative young
man/woman in this present age
This talk
Some admirable hallmarks of sterling
youths in the contemporary age
therefore centers on:
Certain distinctive
features/trademarks/qualities of an
outstanding/superlative young
man/woman in this present age
05/02/19 3

4. • Youths are the dynamic categories of
personalities, absence of whom the future
remains uncertain, they are the vertebral of
any nation, state or community.
• Youths are the parts of community with which
most knotty problems are solved
• Youths are the dynamic categories of
personalities, absence of whom the future
remains uncertain, they are the vertebral of
any nation, state or community.
• Youths are the parts of community with which
most knotty problems are solved
05/02/19 4

5. Some dynamic youths
..of different race and colour
05/02/19 5

6. • Youth are young people who have stopped being
children but are not yet fully accepted as adults
(Igbaji, 2017).
• They are usually called youth because they are
strong, young, dynamic and very active in the
society.
• The rational youth policy defines youth as all those
within the age range of fourteen and forty (14 – 40)
years.
• By implication, anyone above forty years of age is
no longer a youth and should not be so regarded.
• Youth are young people who have stopped being
children but are not yet fully accepted as adults
(Igbaji, 2017).
• They are usually called youth because they are
strong, young, dynamic and very active in the
society.
• The rational youth policy defines youth as all those
within the age range of fourteen and forty (14 – 40)
years.
• By implication, anyone above forty years of age is
no longer a youth and should not be so regarded.05/02/19 6

7. 05/02/19 7

8. 05/02/19 8

9. 2018 World Population Data
Sheet With Focus on Youth
According to the 2018 World Population Data Sheet of
the Population Reference Bureau (PRB)
• The present World population is 7.6 billion people of
which 1.2 billion (about 16%) are youths between ages
15 and 24
• With 31 percent projection factor, by 2050 the world
population will reach 9.9 billion and of those youths
expected to be 1.5 billion
• Africa’s youth population will rise to 35 percent of the
world youth total in 2050, from 20 percent today.
According to the 2018 World Population Data Sheet of
the Population Reference Bureau (PRB)
• The present World population is 7.6 billion people of
which 1.2 billion (about 16%) are youths between ages
15 and 24
• With 31 percent projection factor, by 2050 the world
population will reach 9.9 billion and of those youths
expected to be 1.5 billion
• Africa’s youth population will rise to 35 percent of the
world youth total in 2050, from 20 percent today.05/02/19 9

10. • Nigeria is currently the 7th most populous country of the
world.
• By 2050, Nigeria will become the 3rd most populous
country as its population rises to 411 million, upward of
109 percent from 2018.
• Ethiopia currently has the highest share of youth
population at 21.8 percent while Bulgaria has the lowest
share at 9.1 percent.
• The 2050 projections show Africa’s population will be
more than double to 2.6 billion by 2050 and account for
more than half (58 percent) of the global population
increase by that date.
• The population of 26 countries, nearly all in Africa, will at
least double. Niger in West Africa will see its population
nearly tripled.
• – Population Reference Bureau, 2018
• Nigeria is currently the 7th most populous country of the
world.
• By 2050, Nigeria will become the 3rd most populous
country as its population rises to 411 million, upward of
109 percent from 2018.
• Ethiopia currently has the highest share of youth
population at 21.8 percent while Bulgaria has the lowest
share at 9.1 percent.
• The 2050 projections show Africa’s population will be
more than double to 2.6 billion by 2050 and account for
more than half (58 percent) of the global population
increase by that date.
• The population of 26 countries, nearly all in Africa, will at
least double. Niger in West Africa will see its population
nearly tripled.
• – Population Reference Bureau, 201805/02/19 10

11. Nigeria has one of the largest populations of youth in the
world, comprising 33,652,424 members.
The 2009 National Youth Policy is guided by basic national
and international policy initiatives:
Education
gender,
health
population for sustainable development
National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy
(NEEDS)
- Nigeria 2009 National Youth
Policy https://www.k4health.org/toolkits/youthpolicy/nige
ria-national-youth-policy-and-strategic-plan-action".
National Youth Policy of Nigeria
Nigeria has one of the largest populations of youth in the
world, comprising 33,652,424 members.
The 2009 National Youth Policy is guided by basic national
and international policy initiatives:
Education
gender,
health
population for sustainable development
National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy
(NEEDS)
- Nigeria 2009 National Youth
Policy https://www.k4health.org/toolkits/youthpolicy/nige
ria-national-youth-policy-and-strategic-plan-action".05/02/19 11

12. Cross section of some Nigerian youths participating in the
National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme
of the Federal Government
05/02/19 12

13. What contemporary age are we?:
The one filled with several youths with
• Lack of moral values
• Inordinate quest for immediate wealth
• Prostitution
• Gambling
• Smoking
• Excessive alcohol
The one filled with several youths with
• Lack of moral values
• Inordinate quest for immediate wealth
• Prostitution
• Gambling
• Smoking
• Excessive alcohol05/02/19 13

14. Some smoking youths, wrong habit05/02/19 14

15. • Little premium on cultural values (respect
for elders, greetings, dressing)
• Theft
• Rape
• Living closely but miles apart in the mind
• Lawlessness
• Drug addiction
• Frauds
• Malpractices (examinations, elections etc)
• Indiscipline and Corruption
• and other countless social vices
• Little premium on cultural values (respect
for elders, greetings, dressing)
• Theft
• Rape
• Living closely but miles apart in the mind
• Lawlessness
• Drug addiction
• Frauds
• Malpractices (examinations, elections etc)
• Indiscipline and Corruption
• and other countless social vices05/02/19 15

16. Cross section of some other Nigerian youths05/02/19 16

17. 05/02/19 17

18. Some desirable sterling qualities:
•Godliness
(not religiosity)
•Godliness
(not religiosity)
05/02/19 18

19. •Tenacity
(quitters never win…)
•Tenacity
(quitters never win…)
05/02/19 19

20. •Honesty
(..the best policy as the saying goes)
•Honesty
(..the best policy as the saying goes)
05/02/19 20

21. 5 models of Honest Nigerian youths5 models of Honest Nigerian youths
05/02/19 21

22. Dr. Okolo Oteri Eme, a Nigerian Consultant
Ophthalmologist was overpaid her arrears
by 2.1 Million Naira, she refunded it - Allure Magazine05/02/19 22

23. Thehonestairportcleaner,JosephineUgwu,whoreturnedaboutN6millionshefound
duringaroutinecleanupattheMurtalaMohammedInternationalAirport toilet
-
05/02/19 23

24. In April 2018, Achi Daniel returned a bag full of cash and valuables
to the traveller at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport
-
05/02/19 24

25. In 2018, Chijinkem Ugwuanyi, a 2012 Graduate of Psychology from
Enugu State University of Science and Technology,
still unemployed returned N566,000 found at an accident scene
05/02/19 25

26. Muibi Shonubi in Baba
Alabi Ogundepo’s
rythm
Muibi Shonubi in Baba
Alabi Ogundepo’s
rythm
05/02/19 26

27. 05/02/19 27

28. •Good
citizenship
(franchise, tax payment , law abiding etc)
•Good
citizenship
(franchise, tax payment , law abiding etc)
05/02/19 28

29. Mr. President, the lover of Nigerian youths05/02/19 29

30. •Good
neighborliness
•Good
neighborliness
05/02/19 30

31. 05/02/19 31

32. 05/02/19 32
- A.U

33. Conclusion
Even as we celebrate the 4th Osun Youth Ambassador Award
and the 2019 Worker’s Day today, I strongly appeal to all
the Nigerian Youths to imbibe the discussed sterling
qualities viz:
 Godliness
 Tenacity
 Honesty
 Good citizenship &
 Good neighborliness
With these we can all make Nigeria and
indeed the world great!
Even as we celebrate the 4th Osun Youth Ambassador Award
and the 2019 Worker’s Day today, I strongly appeal to all
the Nigerian Youths to imbibe the discussed sterling
qualities viz:
 Godliness
 Tenacity
 Honesty
 Good citizenship &
 Good neighborliness
With these we can all make Nigeria and
indeed the world great!05/02/19 33

34. Nigeria: Good people Great nation05/02/19 34

35. References
(Selected)
• Igbaji, C. (2017) Role of youths in community development,
Project topics in Public Administration, retrieved online
December 16, 2018 at 00:10am
• https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/drug-abuse-were-
losing-two-generations-of-youth-to-addiction-nafdac/
• National Bureau of Statistics
• World Population Prospects (2017 Revision) - United
Nations population estimates and projections.
• Igbaji, C. (2017) Role of youths in community development,
Project topics in Public Administration, retrieved online
December 16, 2018 at 00:10am
• https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/drug-abuse-were-
losing-two-generations-of-youth-to-addiction-nafdac/
• National Bureau of Statistics
• World Population Prospects (2017 Revision) - United
Nations population estimates and projections.
05/02/19 35

36. THANKS FOR YOUR
RAPT ATTENTION05/02/19 36