“Talent is never enough. Do well to discover your talent, but do better to work on your talent.”- Olalekan Julius
Olalekan Julius is a first-class graduate from the Department of Food Science and Technology, FUNAAD. He is a tutor in leadership, youth personal development, and entrepreneurship. He is an entrepreneur, a writer, an orator, a food commodity distributor, and a retailer. He is a member of JCI, where he once served as a board member and the Director of Growth and Retention.
He is presently one of the pioneer members and the Vice President of the Eagles’ Dynasty that focuses on youth empowerment, curbing youthful societal decadence, building youths for future works, and also on gender equality. Olalekan has won so many awards for his selfless efforts towards impacting lives.
HOW ARE YOU LOCALIZING THE SDGS IN NIGERIA?
I have been able to carry out some projects to help localize SDGs even in my locality (in Ogun State, Nigeria). I have organize a street talk with the help of my colleagues, for some women and children in Agbede Community, Alabata, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria on the importance of good hygienic practices focusing on Goals 3 and 6. With JCI, we’ve been able to carry out projects like “Educate A Child” where we chose a particular school “Muslim High School, Isolu, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria (Junior)”, we renovated their library, repainted it, made bookshelves, donated books and other necessities in library and we encouraged the students in the importance of education and reading.
I have also been able to carry out some projects even with my organization “The Eagles’ Dynasty”. We’ve been to “Ilishan High School, Ogun State, Nigeria” where we had sessions and seminars with the students on Gender Equality and we’ve also visited “Isanbi Comprehensive High School, Ogun State, Nigeria” where we had a seminar with the students of SS1 to SS3 on the importance of Quality Education and the need for advancement in studying.”
PLEASE TELL US MORE THE MAIN PROJECT YOU ARE WORKING ON
The project I’m presently working on is targeted at Quality Education and Decent work and Economic Growth. It is designed in form of a seminar and workshop and the major set of people are the secondary school pupil. We center on growing students’ minds towards the importance of how they can make the best of now to become something better in the future, so as to be able to restructure the education system in terms of facilities and teaching modes. We also donate books and other necessary materials for them. We also link students with counselors for those who need guidance and counseling.
PLEASE SHARE SOME OF THE IMPACT STORIES
I will share the story of a 17-year-old student who hawks after school every day, we found out during one of our seminars in school that because of the imposed child labour after school, she was struggling to focus on her academics. Our counseling team began working with her and she felt safe to share her plan to drop out of school and start engaging in prostitution. After the intervention session with her, she willingly changed her mind and embraced education instead. She now takes her education as very important and she hopes to become a university graduate and get decent work to better her life and that of her family.
HOW IS THE PROJECT ENSURING THAT NIGERIA ACHIEVES THE SDGS BY 2030?
Nigeria today has lost about 40% of her youth to lack of decent work and high unemployment rates and this is due to the fact that some have lost hope in the education system or many are jobless. Our project is helping to reshape the minds of the youths towards seeing the importance of education. This project is also encouraging the government to take responsibility in building a formidable education system in Nigeria.
WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES OR CONSTRAINTS AFFECTING THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT AND WHAT ARE THE SUPPORT YOU NEED?
The major challenges are; 1. Finances, lack of funds to carry out physical projects and donations. 2. Lack of human capital. 3. Weak agreement of the school’s authorities to permit access to talk to pupils.
YOUR ADVICE TO YOUNG PEOPLE
Talent is never enough. Do well to discover your talent, but do better to work on your talent, build your talent, make it useful, make it profitable, add good character to your talent, don’t just have talent, put it to work.
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