The Founder and Spiritual Head of Shafaudeen-In-Islam Worldwide, Professor Sabit Ariyo Olagoke JP, has called on parents, policymakers and other stakeholders to strengthen parenting practices and youth empowerment strategies as a pathway to sustainable national development.
Professor Olagoke made the call during the 21st edition of the Shafaudeen Group of Schools Annual Kiddies Sports and Inter-School Novelty Race, organised to mark the commencement of the organisation’s 43rd annual Ishrat programme.
Delivering a lecture titled, “Parenting and the Secret of Youth Success,” Olagoke stressed that the behavioural patterns cultivated during childhood and adolescence largely determine success in adulthood.
He said, “Attaining success as a young adult is rooted in embracing lifelong learning, cultivating creativity, developing digital literacy, fostering global awareness and building resilience.”
“Young people must also learn to network and collaborate with their peers, remain curious and open-minded, and pursue life with clearly defined goals and priorities.”
He added that emotional intelligence, access to mentorship, and the ability to learn from both success and failure are critical elements of positive behavioural identity.
According to him, youths must adopt a balanced approach to life, ensuring “maximum positive value and minimal failure in their personal and professional pursuits.”
Professor Olagoke further highlighted four categories of youth identified by sociologist Michael Brake in 1980, noting that individuals may be respectable, delinquent, culturally rebellious or politically militant.
“The choice a young person makes among these categories eventually determines the end results of their life journey,” he said.
On national development, the Shafaudeen founder emphasised the importance of shared values and consistent orientation, calling for closer collaboration among the National Orientation Agency, the media and other relevant institutions.
“Guiding youths towards success requires a collective vision in which policymakers, parents and stakeholders work together to build a society where all children can reach their full potential, regardless of socio-economic differences.”
“Our national values can only be fully realised through continuous orientation programmes and well-guided use of the media and social media tools.”
At the end of the competition, Green House emerged overall winner with 132 points, followed by Purple House with 112 points.
Blue House and White House came third and fourth with 110 and 106 points respectively.
The occasion also featured the presentation of awards to distinguished personalities, including Comrade Abdulsalam Abdul-Quadri, National Financial Secretary of the National Youth Council of Nigeria and Comrade Emiola Alex, the State Chairman of the Council, among others.
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