A whole bunch of scholars, trade professionals, and authorities officers gathered at Yaba College of Technology for Youth in Creativity 1.0, a company social accountability (CSR) initiative geared toward equipping younger Lagosians with the talents, mentorship, and inspiration to thrive in Nigeria’s quickly rising inventive economic system.
The programme, organised by visionary entrepreneur Eziada Folashade Balogun underneath the Black Historical past & Way of life Awards (BHLA) platform, supplied a mixture of workshops, mentorship classes, panel discussions, and empowerment giveaways. With creativity now one of the crucial helpful international expertise—spanning digital content material, media, trend, design, tech, and storytelling—the initiative aimed to offer college students with a platform to discover, develop, and categorical their inventive skills in significant methods.
In her keynote, Folashade Balogun emphasised that creativity is not a aspect hustle, however a driving pressure of the trendy economic system. She inspired contributors to dream boldly, study fearlessly, and create relentlessly. “When younger individuals are given entry, steering, and help,” she stated, “they will construct careers, begin companies, inform their tales, and form the way forward for their communities—one concept, one talent, and one younger thoughts at a time.”
In regards to the founder: Dieda Folashade Balogun is a family-oriented, multifaceted entrepreneur with a various portfolio spanning numerous industries each domestically and internationally. She holds a Bachelor’s diploma in Mass Communication and Media Research from the College of Uyo. She has enhanced her experience by government applications at Lagos Enterprise School, Shanghai Enterprise School, Strathmore Enterprise School, and NUS Enterprise School.
Her profession started in petroleum and advertising, the place she served for over 20 years as a vendor with African Petroleum PLC. Folashade later transitioned into the inventive sector, founding Home of SOTA, a trend model that bridges African trend with the diaspora. Her experiences impressed her to launch BHLA, a nonprofit initiative that celebrates African and African-descended people worldwide who’re breaking obstacles in enterprise, life-style, and tradition, whereas addressing the challenges confronted by Black-owned corporations on a world scale.
On the occasion, Lagos State, chief of employees, Tayo Ayinde, urged college students to embrace due course of of their careers, begin small, and do not forget that their future lies in their very own arms. Representing the governor, Commissioner for Youth and Social Growth, Mobolaji Abubakre Ogunlende, inspired college students to uphold integrity, embrace their youthful vitality, and absolutely apply the teachings of the day. He applauded the organisers for involving the youth and reaffirmed Lagos State Authorities’s dedication to supporting initiatives that promote youth improvement, social development, and gender equality.
The rector of Yaba College of Technology additionally addressed attendees, praising the faculty’s position in nurturing innovators and inventive entrepreneurs. Individuals engaged in sensible classes on trend, digital content material creation, magnificence, tech, and entrepreneurship, and obtained empowerment packages together with telephones, magnificence kits, hair styling instruments, and stitching machines—sources geared toward equipping college students to show their concepts into sustainable ventures.
The initiative strengthens the connection between training, authorities, and the inventive sector, showcasing a shared dedication to youth empowerment, innovation, and expertise improvement. Organisers highlighted that Youth in Creativity 1.0 just isn’t solely about inspiration but in addition about giving younger folks the instruments, mentorship, and networks to thrive within the inventive economic system.
“Creativity is a instrument for transformation,” Folashade Balogun stated. “By this programme, we intention to make it attainable for younger Lagosians to pursue their passions, develop their expertise, and contribute to shaping a brighter, extra revolutionary future.”
Youth in Creativity 1.0 is anticipated to develop into an annual programme, increasing alternatives for younger creatives and fostering pathways for them to succeed domestically and internationally.
