The Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade caused commotion at a youth gathering to drive home his point when he prostrated for over 100 teenagers as he appealed to youths across the State against any form of association with drug abuse.

This happened during the 2024 children’s day celebration organised by a non-governmental organisation, founded by Senior Special Assistant to Governor Makinde on local government and chieftaincy matters, Mrs Ramota Agberemi-Dabo.

Prince Oyelade who challenged the over 130 students at the event to hold on to the vision of great possibilities said they should believe that their lives will be impactful to many generations.

He said they should not fixate their minds on success only through politics saying that many successful professionals live better and happier than politicians.

“You can excel and be more successful and contented than the politician, provided you abstain from drug abuse and other emerging social vices” he told the young audience as they listened with rapt attention.

He therefore urged them not to be distracted in their journey to greatness.

Earlier in her welcome address, the founder of the NGO and Senior Special Assistant to Governor Makinde on local government and chieftaincy matters, Mrs Ramota Agberemi-Dabo, encouraged the students to remain committed to their education and make their parents proud.

She said the initiative which began in 2017 was borne out of the desire to mold future leaders from their young age.

The event which was held at the Akinyele local government secretariat had in attendance students from selected 22 government and private secondary schools in Ibadan.

Earlier, the commissioner for information had visited the State 2024 Children’s celebration held at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba.

Radio owners and managers have been advised to imbibe the welfare mentality of the current administration in Oyo State in the day-to-day running of their businesses.

The Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, gave the advice today during the official commissioning of Wells Radio, Ibadan.

He said those put in charge of broadcast management, be it Government or private, must be discrete and sensitive to the vagaries of their work environment.

Prince Oyelade, who commended the Chief Executive Officer of the radio station, Mrs. Lillian Bademosi, for being the first female radio enterpreneur in Oyo State, urged her and her contemporaries not to downsize their workforce, considering the current economic challenges in the nation.

He said that for the avoidance of doubt, the current administration in Oyo State has the record of not downsizing its workforce since 2019 when it came to power.

He recalled that at the time, the outgoing administration deliberately effected a policy that made the salaries of workers increase by almost 100%.

Prince Oyelade said rather than seek ways through the back door to downsize, Governor Seyi Makinde reabsorbed scores of civil servants whose appointments were wrongfully terminated, adding that the pattern will continue till 2027.

“Rather than bellyache over the obvious mischief, the Seyi Makinde administration has been labouring successfully to cater for the welfare of civil servants and has even engaged in addition financial incentives to motivate the workers”, he said.

Prince Oyelade further argued that the astronomical growth of radio stations in Oyo State in the past four years can be directly traced to the investment-friendly policy of the Seyi Makinde administration.

“One of the fastest growing industries in Nigeria today is the broadcast radio industry, saying Oyo State has 51 stations,” he noted.

He said, “By the turn of 2019, Oyo State, according to the National Broadcasting Commission NBC records, had barely 20 radio stations, but today, we have 51”.

“With these statistics, only Lagos and River States and the Federal Capital Territory have more radio stations than Oyo State, and these are essentially the States that drive the nation’s economy.”

Speaking earlier, Mrs. Lillian Bademosi said the radio station, which started as an online platform in 2017, seeks to church out wholesome contents and inspire its listeners.