The Busaosowo Foundation believes that the youths of our nation are strong and focus driven. To build on our efforts towards ensuring a nation of actively engaged youths who will keep pushing until the best is made of them, we are glad to introduce: PROJECT_INSPIRE (Real People, Real Stories, Real Success) where we share interviews with youths in Nigeria who are doing amazing things to make the nation a better place.
On our first edition, our guest is Idoko Isaac Jr.
•PROJECT_INSPIRE• : Can we meet you?
°IDOKO° : My name is IDOKO Isaac Junior, a graduate of Agricultural Economics and Extension from the prestigious Kogi State University. I am 28 Years Old.
°IDOKO° : My name is IDOKO Isaac Junior, a graduate of Agricultural Economics and Extension from the prestigious Kogi State University. I am 28 Years Old.
•PROJECT_INSPIRE• : Tell us about your childhood?
°IDOKO° :My childhood was characterized by both good and bad memories. I was born at OJO ARMY CANTONMENT, LAGOS into a family of 14, 9th in the rank. My late Dad was a military officer. His sudden and untimely death when I was 10 made life difficult for my family. But with our supportive mother, we were able to conquer and pull through so many hurdles. Her words and compassionate nature towards friends and foes, relatives and strangers really taught me a lesson and caused a revolution that led to my willingness to serve humanity and make the world a better place for those around me.
°IDOKO° :My childhood was characterized by both good and bad memories. I was born at OJO ARMY CANTONMENT, LAGOS into a family of 14, 9th in the rank. My late Dad was a military officer. His sudden and untimely death when I was 10 made life difficult for my family. But with our supportive mother, we were able to conquer and pull through so many hurdles. Her words and compassionate nature towards friends and foes, relatives and strangers really taught me a lesson and caused a revolution that led to my willingness to serve humanity and make the world a better place for those around me.
• PROJECT_INSPIRE• :What is your educational background like?
°IDOKO°:As a child of a military officer ,I had to deal with the challenge of moving from one state to another. Growing up, I attended four different secondary schools because of this.I finally wrote my SSCE in 2008. Getting to the University,I was shocked at the number of carryovers students had in a particular course .I decided that I was going to do something to salvage the situation. This led me to begin tutorial classes on Mathematics, Computer and Statistics for both students of Agricultural and Natural Sciences Faculties. The whole lecture theatre will be filled up with students ready to learn and pass their exams. With time, the classes were yielding the desired results and as it is in many circles, lecturers were unhappy that they had fewer students to mock for failure. Some even sought opportunities to victimize me. Alas, God delivered me from them all...( smiles).
•PROJECT_INSPIRE•: What contributions are you making to see a better Nigeria?
°IDOKO°: My passion has always been and is still to help people especially youths be the best they are created to be. I am at all times on the lookout for channels that can give life to this desire. At one point,I was part of LifeExcel International, a Youth-based nonprofit organization which aims at inspiring and empowering young people to fulfil their dreams.I served as its Project Coordinator. Through LifeExcel International, we were able to empower over 1,000 young people across several states in Nigeria, especially in Kogi State and Imo State.
I have also served as the President of the FCT SDGs CDS group. During this period,several life-saving projects such as Project Red(where free medical tests were administered to young and aged people in the FCT) were carried out. We also carried out several outreaches and intervention projects to help the various IDP camps in the FCT, including providing a library for them and stocking it with books, relieve materials etc. We established SDGs clubs across ten schools in the FCT. We collaborated with JORY Foundation to establish one at the Demonstration School for the Deaf at Kawo, Kaduna State. We travelled from Abuja to Kaduna almost weekly to Kaduna to train the children.
I recently resigned my Job as the SDGs Project Manager with Mindthe_gap Innovation Hub (The largest Google partner in Africa) where we have trained and empowered over 10,000 Nigerian youths on the use of Digital Skills to create decent jobs for themselves and grow their businesses. This we were able to achieve through our partnership with Google, Ministry of Youths and Sports and the NYSC.
In 2017,my friends and I established CONFLICT FREE NATION (www.conflictfreenation.org) to prevent violent conflicts in the nation and help victims of such conflicts.
°IDOKO°:As a child of a military officer ,I had to deal with the challenge of moving from one state to another. Growing up, I attended four different secondary schools because of this.I finally wrote my SSCE in 2008. Getting to the University,I was shocked at the number of carryovers students had in a particular course .I decided that I was going to do something to salvage the situation. This led me to begin tutorial classes on Mathematics, Computer and Statistics for both students of Agricultural and Natural Sciences Faculties. The whole lecture theatre will be filled up with students ready to learn and pass their exams. With time, the classes were yielding the desired results and as it is in many circles, lecturers were unhappy that they had fewer students to mock for failure. Some even sought opportunities to victimize me. Alas, God delivered me from them all...( smiles).
•PROJECT_INSPIRE•: What contributions are you making to see a better Nigeria?
°IDOKO°: My passion has always been and is still to help people especially youths be the best they are created to be. I am at all times on the lookout for channels that can give life to this desire. At one point,I was part of LifeExcel International, a Youth-based nonprofit organization which aims at inspiring and empowering young people to fulfil their dreams.I served as its Project Coordinator. Through LifeExcel International, we were able to empower over 1,000 young people across several states in Nigeria, especially in Kogi State and Imo State.
I have also served as the President of the FCT SDGs CDS group. During this period,several life-saving projects such as Project Red(where free medical tests were administered to young and aged people in the FCT) were carried out. We also carried out several outreaches and intervention projects to help the various IDP camps in the FCT, including providing a library for them and stocking it with books, relieve materials etc. We established SDGs clubs across ten schools in the FCT. We collaborated with JORY Foundation to establish one at the Demonstration School for the Deaf at Kawo, Kaduna State. We travelled from Abuja to Kaduna almost weekly to Kaduna to train the children.
I recently resigned my Job as the SDGs Project Manager with Mindthe_gap Innovation Hub (The largest Google partner in Africa) where we have trained and empowered over 10,000 Nigerian youths on the use of Digital Skills to create decent jobs for themselves and grow their businesses. This we were able to achieve through our partnership with Google, Ministry of Youths and Sports and the NYSC.
In 2017,my friends and I established CONFLICT FREE NATION (www.conflictfreenation.org) to prevent violent conflicts in the nation and help victims of such conflicts.
•PROJECT_INSPIRE•:What has been your motivation?
°IDOKO°: I love it when I see people live out their dreams and I am always willing to help. The fulfilment that comes from that is indescribable.
°IDOKO°: I love it when I see people live out their dreams and I am always willing to help. The fulfilment that comes from that is indescribable.
•PROJECT_INSPIRE•: Tell us more about Conflict Free Nation and its impacts?
°IDOKO°: No nation can be greater than the quality of its youth. Hence, the grooming of efficient and effective youths will in no small measure increase the productivity of our nation and its workforce. That is why at CONFLICT FREE NATION, we make it a priority to engage youths. Over time,we have trained hundreds of people on different vocational skills such as shoe making, paint making, make up, sewing etc. This we believe will not only reduce unemployment but crime which is a major concern to us in Nigeria.
°IDOKO°: No nation can be greater than the quality of its youth. Hence, the grooming of efficient and effective youths will in no small measure increase the productivity of our nation and its workforce. That is why at CONFLICT FREE NATION, we make it a priority to engage youths. Over time,we have trained hundreds of people on different vocational skills such as shoe making, paint making, make up, sewing etc. This we believe will not only reduce unemployment but crime which is a major concern to us in Nigeria.
•PROJECT_INSPIRE•: Are there challenges ?
°IDOKO°: Of course. The major challenges have been finances and moral support. For example, when we launched "Project Empower 500 " at Bauchi State,it cost us over 2million naira.We had no external funding despite solicitations. The money was raised from the members of the organization. We have carried out other projects the same way we did "Empower 500" because we believe in adding value.
°IDOKO°: Of course. The major challenges have been finances and moral support. For example, when we launched "Project Empower 500 " at Bauchi State,it cost us over 2million naira.We had no external funding despite solicitations. The money was raised from the members of the organization. We have carried out other projects the same way we did "Empower 500" because we believe in adding value.
•PROJECT_INSPIRE•: How has the reaction of the people your organization serve been?
°IDOKO°:Nigerians are very hospitable people. In every community we have reached out to,they accepted us and our message. No matter how much you want to help people,they must be willing to be helped and this is no struggle with those we are reaching out to.
°IDOKO°:Nigerians are very hospitable people. In every community we have reached out to,they accepted us and our message. No matter how much you want to help people,they must be willing to be helped and this is no struggle with those we are reaching out to.
•PROJECT_INSPIRE•:What do you think has been the major cause of unemployment among Nigerian youths and how can we get out of this?
°IDOKO°:I think the problem can be traced back to our educational system. The nature of our schools is very deceptive. They teach you theories that have no place in the marketplace. Most of what we learn in school is far behind what is needed to survive this century. If we must change for the better,then,we need to redefine our school system.Students should not just be taught about problems but how to solve them.
°IDOKO°:I think the problem can be traced back to our educational system. The nature of our schools is very deceptive. They teach you theories that have no place in the marketplace. Most of what we learn in school is far behind what is needed to survive this century. If we must change for the better,then,we need to redefine our school system.Students should not just be taught about problems but how to solve them.
•PROJECT_INSPIRE•: What would you say is reason for the noninvolvement of youths in governance?
°IDOKO°:Youths are the strength of any nation. But the scenario we have in Nigeria is rather pitiable as many young people do not believe in Nigeria any more since old men have hijacked the system. Failure has been a major part of successive governments. But hope is not lost yet.I think youths need to have a little more faith in Nigeria and get involved. The elections are very close. We must all vote and make our votes count.
°IDOKO°:Youths are the strength of any nation. But the scenario we have in Nigeria is rather pitiable as many young people do not believe in Nigeria any more since old men have hijacked the system. Failure has been a major part of successive governments. But hope is not lost yet.I think youths need to have a little more faith in Nigeria and get involved. The elections are very close. We must all vote and make our votes count.
•PROJECT_INSPIRE•: Final words to the Nigerian youth.
°IDOKO°:To my fellow compatriots, the ever resilient and hardworking youths,please do not give up on your dreams.Keep pursuing them even in the dark and investing in personal development. Your sweat will pay off very soon.
°IDOKO°:To my fellow compatriots, the ever resilient and hardworking youths,please do not give up on your dreams.Keep pursuing them even in the dark and investing in personal development. Your sweat will pay off very soon.
•PROJECT_INSPIRE•:Thank you for sharing your story with us and we do pray that many will be inspired as they read.
Thanks so much for having me. God Bless
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