Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for embarking on the ‘Brain Gain 2’ programme, saying that the exercise which was meant to sensitize young school leavers across the country of opportunities in the armed forces, was a welcome development.
Represented by his deputy, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, Governor Abiodun noted that the exercise is a worthy one, coming at a time when lots of people are undecided on where they want to go.
He added that the sensitization programme would aid lots of young indigenes of the state to choose a career in the military.
This exercise, Gov Abiodun said, is coming at a time when a lot of our youths are lacklustre about career in the military because the glamour of democratic rule has taken shine off military career.
The “brain gain would help in exposing our secondary school pupils to a wide range of options available for people who want to join the military,” he said.
He added that education is an important sector the current government in the state is seriously looking at, noting that the state government just concluded a retreat session for new principals and vice-principals, so as to ensure they have the right set of skills and needed leadership skills to prepare the students for the future.
“Your visit has complemented what it is that we do here, our Special Adviser on Education (Secondary and Primary) has been working tirelessly. She just had a retreat for new principals and vice that have been promoted, just to make sure that the human capacity is there to develop the children and then make them good seeds for what it is that you are offering in the military academy around the country…I hope you have spurred our children into looking at a career in the military,” he said.
The helmsman added that the state will make it a duty to sensitize students in the state on what they stand to gain in the military, adding that they will also serve as ambassadors and talk to the children in the state on various career path available in the military.
“All of us who perhaps didn’t have the opportunity ourselves to join the military, we will also be your ambassadors and try and talk to our children to look at these options and join the military,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the leader of the delegation, (Team South West),Brigadier General Idowu Akinlawon noted that the first exercise of the Brain Gain which was first held in 2016, was introduced when the service chiefs realized that there were lots of erroneous beliefs that have prevented many brilliant youths from joining the armed forces.
He added that the Brain Gain will help them to begin to see the military as a good path to choose their career from.
The Brigadier General further said that the campaign in the South-South, South-East and North-East took place between the 27th of October and the 10th of November, 2019, adding that the campaign that involves the South West, North-West and North- Central kicked off on the 17th of November.
Akinlawon commended the state government and its people for the reception they got when they arrived the state, saying that the campaign which began on Tuesday at Yewa College, Ilaro was a huge success.
He concluded that the ultimate goal task was to educate and enlighten the youths on the potentials they have in the military.
