Lagos, Nigeria, 12th August 2025 – As the world marks the International Youth Day 2025 themed “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond”, Lion Olori Dame Ayo Yemisi Jaiyeola, Lions International Regional Chairperson for Region 1, Multiple District 404 Multiple Nigeria, has called for stronger youth engagement in Africa’s development process.
Speaking of the significance of the day, she said that Africa’s youthful population is “our greatest resource” and a critical driver for the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She stated that with more than 70% of youths between ages 19 and 35 years, young people should be the focus of SDGs and target of local governance.
“From Lagos Nigeria to Nairobi, Kenya, Kigali, Ghana, Burkina Faso and some other countries, I have seen young guys and gals turning challenges into solutions through clean energy innovations, enterprises, health campaigns, and community education,” said Dame Ayo Yemisi Jaiyeola.
She stressed the need for the world to realize that every local action is a step towards a global solution.
According to her, through the Leo movement and various youth empowerment programmes, the Lions Clubs International Nigeria has continued to mentor and train young leaders, support grassroots and youth-led projects, partner with young people in advancing community-based SDG initiatives and as well as Lions International existing collaboration with the United Nations.
Olori Yemisi Jaiyeola urged policymakers and development partners to make young people the focus of development and economic policies She charged African governments, SDG offices, states, Youth Development Ministries and local government authorities, ward councillors and youth development NGOs, church youth departments and royal fathers to invest in empowering young people with skills, in entrepreneurship, leadership, and civic engagement. She also advocated the inclusion of the youths in decision-making at local, national, and continental levels.
Dame Jaiyeola stressed the need for Africa to build cross-sector partnerships with youths as co-creators of the continent’s future.
Lion Ayo Jaiyeola is the missioner at God’s Wives International Foundation and counsellor to over 45,000 widows in Nigeria with over 30 years’ experience in widow care and understands what widowed and single mothers go through in raising fatherless and orphaned children many of whom have found the streets as their companion.
She also serves as chairman at Young Women Christian Association, and called on young women to behave properly and not to engage in drugs and other criminal activities.
Jaiyeola reiterated that African leaders also need to stop using the youths for their unholy political missions, “Make every youth a doer with the right skills and not criminals. When our youths rise, Africa rises—and the whole world feels the impact,” she asserted.
Lion Ayo Jaiyeola, who is the charter president of Maryland Royal Lions Club, charged African youths to join a Lions Club in their areas so that they will get good mentorship.
According to her, the Lions Clubs International needs more people, especially youths to serve their communities and grow in leadership.
She said that the Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service organization, with over 1.4 million members in more than 200 countries. She added that in Lion’s Multiple District 404, Lions and Leos serve their communities through projects in health, education, environment, and youth empowerment and many others.
Source
Independent Newspaper
https://independent.ng/international-youth-day-ayo-yemisi-jaiyeola-tasks-african-youths-to-drive-sdgs/?_thumbnail_id=2203260