Amb. Habeeb Whyte, a lawyer, writer, public analyst and youth advocate, has urged youths in Ogun State to critically examine political promises ahead of the 2027 elections, saying they must demand clear implementation plans and measurable outcomes from programmes targeted at them.
Whyte, who is the Deputy Coordinator of the Cityboy Movement in Ogun State, BAT Lawyers Coordinator in the state and Chairman of the Ogun Youth Assembly, made the call in an open letter titled, “Yayi’s Blueprint and Our Generation: The Promises Are Important, But the Questions We Ask Are Even More Important.”
The intervention followed his review of The Progressive YAYI, a publication outlining the political record and proposed development agenda of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, for Ogun State.
According to Whyte, the blueprint covers areas including economic transformation, education, agriculture, youth empowerment, digital innovation, tourism, creative industries, infrastructure and inclusive governance.
He said the document’s proposal to train at least 100,000 youths in coding, design, data analysis and digital marketing deserved serious attention, but argued that youths must go beyond applauding the figure to asking how the programme would be implemented.
“100,000 youths is a significant proposal, but numbers alone do not constitute empowerment,” Whyte said. “Our generation must ask: 100,000 youths over what period, who qualifies, how will beneficiaries be selected and how will opportunities be distributed across Ogun’s three senatorial districts?”
He added that rural youths and other groups that may face barriers to accessing digital opportunities should also be considered in the implementation framework.
Whyte further questioned what would happen to beneficiaries after completing the proposed training, stressing that youth empowerment should not end with certificates.
“Will the programme end with certificates, or will there be clear pathways to employment, financing, entrepreneurship and access to global markets?” he asked.
The youth advocate said the ultimate measure of a youth empowerment programme should be its long-term economic impact, including the number of beneficiaries who secure sustainable employment, establish businesses, access markets and create jobs for others.
He also noted that the blueprint referenced previous ICT and skills-acquisition interventions attributed to Adeola, including training in Azure Cloud Computing, Power BI, Excel, digital marketing and graphic design, as well as the provision of laptops to some participants.
Whyte said such initiatives should evolve into a broader and sustainable youth economic system capable of connecting training with employment, entrepreneurship and investment.
On education, he said the proposed integration of technology into classrooms and modernisation of curricula should be linked to the realities of the future economy.
“A certificate should open a door, but skills should keep that door open,” he said, urging policymakers to strengthen the connection between educational institutions, industry, technology, entrepreneurship and emerging economic opportunities.
He also identified agriculture as another area where Ogun youths could benefit from a properly structured value chain, citing the proposed Ogun Farm Mechanisation Programme, irrigation, extension services, financing and improved market access.
According to him, young people should see agriculture beyond traditional farming and explore opportunities in agritech, mechanisation, processing, storage, logistics, commodity trading, packaging, financing and export.
“The critical question is where exactly does the young Ogun entrepreneur fit into the proposed agricultural value chain?” Whyte asked. “Will young farmers have access to land and finance, and will youth-owned agricultural businesses have access to markets?”
He also highlighted the creative economy, noting that music, film, fashion, Adire, photography, digital content, entertainment and cultural tourism could provide significant opportunities for young people.
Whyte said proposed developments around border towns and major growth corridors could equally create opportunities in construction, logistics, retail, technology, hospitality and professional services.
He urged youths to position themselves as participants and owners of emerging economic opportunities rather than merely consumers.
“Will we simply watch these new economies emerge, or will Ogun youths become their owners, professionals, entrepreneurs and investors?” he asked.
On governance, Whyte called for greater youth participation beyond election-time mobilisation, saying young people should have opportunities to contribute to policy formulation, budgeting, technology, agriculture, education, entrepreneurship, investment and development planning.
He advocated a transition from what he described as “youth mobilisation to youth participation,” with mechanisms through which young professionals, students, entrepreneurs, artisans, creatives, farmers and athletes could contribute to policy and monitor youth-focused programmes.
Whyte also urged youths to demand measurable targets and transparent reporting from political leaders.
“If 100,000 youths will be trained, we should know how many will be trained annually,” he said. “If start-ups will receive funding, what is the funding mechanism? If incubation hubs will be established, where will they be located?”
He added that youths should also be able to ask, after implementation, what was promised, what was budgeted, what was delivered and what measurable difference was achieved.
“Accountability is not hostility,” Whyte said. “As young people whose future is directly affected by these policies, we have a responsibility to ask informed questions and demand clear answers.”
