“Any human being without a skill in the 21st century is like an animal in the bush. You have nothing to offer society.”
— Dr. Ikedi Ohakim
In Nigeria today, youth unemployment is at a historic high, degrees often don’t translate to livelihoods, and young graduates are desperate for directions. Former governor of Imo State, Dr. Ikedi Ohakim is offering not just empathy, but a tested roadmap that could put an end to the problem once and for all.
In a recent youth-focused dialogue in Owerri, Dr. Ohakim, known for his bold and reformist tenure as Governor, spoke from both personal experience and policy legacy. When asked what he would do if he were 25 again in today’s Nigeria, he smiled and replied, “I am 25,” leaving many of the youth at the event bewildered.
Then he explained, it is not by age, but by mindset, learning spirit, and relentless adaptation. And the evidence this principle is in his journey. Since leaving office in 2011, Ohakim has moved from one classroom to another, studying leadership, governance, and global policy across institutions, including a stint at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Today, he serves as a research fellow at a university in Spain. For Ohakim, learning is not a phase, it’s a lifestyle.
From Learning to Doing: The Gospel of Skill
Ohakim called on today’s youth to go beyond certificates and embrace hands-on skills that translate into real-world opportunities. In his words, the 21st century no longer rewards credentials alone—it rewards capability, creativity, and self-reliance.
“I’m a welder. A carpenter. A sheet metal fabricator. I went to learn how to draw—both abstract and real art.”
These were not mere rhetoric. Ohakim has taken personal responsibility to embody the message he preaches. Whether it’s welding on his own construction site or sketching with professional artists, he demonstrates that no skill is beneath a leader, and no one is too old to learn something new.
He pointed to a growing number of young Nigerians who are building careers not just from university degrees, but from practical skills that solve everyday problems, tailors launching fashion brands, coders building mobile apps, auto mechanics evolving into vehicle diagnostics experts, or photographers making a living through social media.
“Even if your skill doesn’t immediately make you money,” he said, “it should save you money, give you confidence, and make you useful to yourself and your community. And when you do hire someone, you should be able to supervise them competently.”
He referenced a group of cultural dancers he met at a private function at Nicon Hilton, Abuja. After their vibrant cultural performance, they approached him, now dressed in business suits, for a brief chat. Each member of the group was gainfully employed in different sectors: banking, education, and marketing. Yet they had come together to monetise their love for cultural expression.
“That’s what skill is all about,” Ohakim said. “Creating value from who you are and what you can do, not just what’s written on your certificate.”
For the former governor, skill is not a fallback, it’s a foundation, a form of insurance, and a ticket to relevance in a rapidly changing economy where AI, automation, and remote work are redefining the job market.
When Youth Empowerment Was Budget Priority
Dr. Ohakim isn’t just offering ideas, he has a proven track record. When he governed Imo State, youth empowerment was the focal point on his agenda.
“At a time when the state’s monthly revenue hovered between ₦2–3 billion, we committed ₦800 million to employ 10,000 graduates. It was a deliberate investment in human capital, because I believed then, as I do now, that empowering people is the most sustainable form of infrastructure.”
His administration cleaned up the environment, attracting hotel and factory investments. He built rural roads, giving farmers access to markets and linking rural youth to the urban economy.
“We brought in a South African farming company, Agronova, to establish farm settlements across the three senatorial zones of the State,”
Ohakim recalled.
But this wasn’t just another government contract, it was a strategic model for rural transformation. The settlements were envisioned as hubs for modern agriculture, equipped with the technology, training, and extension services needed to help young people see farming as a business and not a last resort.
To ensure the initiative wasn’t monopolised by the politically connected, loans were distributed through town union presidents. A structure that allowed every autonomous community take charge of the programme and fairly select eligible youths from their community.
These funds helped young farmers acquire seedlings, tools, training, and access to markets. “Every community had a stake. Every youth, no matter their background, had a path to participate, produce, and prosper,” Ohakim said.
The programme wasn’t theoretical. In Okigwe Zone, for instance, clusters of youths began cultivating maize, cassava, vegetables, and poultry with guidance from Agronova’s extension staff. Over time, many of them formed cooperative societies, accessed additional grants, and began supplying produce to hotels, schools, and open markets. In some LGAs, these farm settlements revived dormant local economies, stimulating transport, agro-processing, and retail services.
“The goal was to make agriculture aspirational, to let Imo youths see it not as hoe-and-cutlass drudgery, but as a profitable enterprise tied to food security, export potential, and self-employment,”
Ohakim explained. The long-term vision was simple: every LGA with a self-sustaining farm cluster, run by empowered young people, contributing to GDP and local development.
Not Just Jobs, Mentorship and Elevation
For Dr. Ikedi Ohakim, empowering the youth wasn’t just about handing out jobs, it was about raising future leaders. His philosophy was clear:
“Anyone can be employed, but not everyone is shown how to lead, how to think critically, and how to grow.”
That’s why, during his administration, he made a deliberate effort to mentor promising young people—placing them in critical roles, exposing them to decision-making processes, and preparing them for future leadership.
“Most youths making waves in Imo today passed through my administration,” he noted. “Honourable Ikenga, for example, today one of the most productive federal lawmakers in the House of Representatives, was my Special Assistant.”
Ikenga’s story is one of many. Several young lawyers, policy analysts, civil servants, and development advocates who held junior roles during Ohakim’s tenure are now senior players in their fields, speaking on national television, leading NGOs, or drafting legislation
“Leadership cannot be left to chance,” Ohakim emphasised. “I was given an opportunity when I was young. Someone trusted me. And I made a vow that if I ever had the chance, I would do the same for others.”
This approach meant that over 50% of his appointees were under 40, many of them holding portfolios traditionally reserved for older technocrats. He rotated them through ministries, paired them with experienced mentors, and gave them room to make and learn from decisions.
But for Ohakim, mentorship wasn’t only about titles—it was about mindset transfer. He believed young people needed to understand public service not as a means to personal gain, but as a platform for legacy and purpose. And that meant exposure to responsibility, structured feedback, and access to networks.
In an era where political godfatherism still dominates many state structures, Ohakim’s approach was unusual—and, in many ways, quietly revolutionary. He didn’t hoard influence; he shared it. He didn’t fear the brilliance of the younger generation; he amplified it.
A Blueprint for the Future
Ohakim’s strategy for youth empowerment goes beyond tokenism. It combines:
- Skills training through finishing schools and local government centres
- Direct employment through state-backed initiatives
- Loans and support for young entrepreneurs
- Farm settlements for agro-industrial growth
- Mentorship into leadership and governance roles
His belief? Nigeria’s population boom is a blessing, if we focus on employment.
“If we create farm settlements in every local government, with just 2,000 youths in each, imagine what they will produce. That’s the future.”
In an age of viral slogans and fleeting fame, Dr. Ohakim’s message to the youth is as practical as it is profound:
“Acquire a skill. Empower yourself. Create value for society.”
