In this exclusive interview with The Penvoice Blog on our monthly Executive Hub, Tosin Ikuyinminu shared his life experiences as Lagos State Youth Ambassador and why he thinks Nigerian youths are not ready for leadership. Excerpts…
TPB: What has been your experience as Lagos State Youth Ambassador?
My role as one of Lagos State Youth Ambassadors opened my eyes in the dividend and opportunities hidden in the youth population that we can start maximizing as a nation for social and economic growth.
And this exposure made me to start developing real time and virtual programs in addressing those concerns.
TPB: Was it a role you applied for and did you expect it?
Yes, I applied for the role of the youth ambassador via a leadership training academy called “IBILE Youth Academy” organized by the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development where the entire Youth Ambassadorial Teams were selected from the five divisions of Lagos State.
Sincerely, I wasn’t really expecting the position from the beginning of the training. My intention was just to learn and connect with other young amazing minds from different parts of Lagos State, but as the training continued, my leadership strength became more visible and it began to open my eyes to bigger opportunities I could embrace from the platform and here I am today by God’s grace.
TPB: So far, how would you describe the role of youths in Lagos state and Nigeria as a nation?
Youth would always play a key role to National Development.
I have personally seen the capacity of disruption the youth can cause in Nigeria, from the entertainment industry to technology, media and creativity.
If only our current leadership can learn to embrace youth inclusion in critical areas of the country’s development, then they will realize the younger generations have a lot to offer on the table of National Development.
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TPB: Do you think the youths are ready to take the leadership roles in the next general election?
I don’t think we are ready for Leadership, specifically for two reasons:
Firstly, from experience I have realized a huge number of us are still far from understanding the current state we are as a country. A large junk of us are still consumed with ideals of trends, showbiz, entertainment and sports making us lose focus on the real issues of concern that is suppose to trigger a need in making us find solutions to the significant issues of national growth.
Secondly, it is just so unfortunate that a little number of us have access to the right mentors.
And without the right mentorship, we might end up being the same example of the leadership we condemn.
Executive Hub with Tosin Ikuyinminu
TPB: What is your take on leadership in some major sectors as regard the youths in place?
When it comes to leadership, the conversation shouldn’t be age or experience rather the conversation should be values.
It totally makes no sense putting a young person in a leadership role with the wrong values with older generation.
Our focus now should be instilling the right values to this next generation of leaders coming up because if we don’t, we will end up producing the same kind of leadership we are fighting against in the younger ones because corruption knows no age.
TPB: How would you compare our youths with counterparts?
Nigeria is where it is today in the entertainment industry because of youth participation and engagement.
The Nigerian youth might not be doing absolutely well in all the spheres of impact but I strongly believe we can do better compared to the rest of the world if our government create a better enabling environment for them to thrive and explore.
TPB: Apart from funds and other basic necessities, what are the major challenges facing Nigerian youths?
Power!
If only there’s 24/7 power supply across all the states, you would be amazed what the Nigerian youth can become within a space of 5 years.
The Nigerian youth are obviously not inventing, creating and producing enough because of how they struggle with power from its limited supply to the cost of usage. I am saying this from personal experience myself because of how I had to struggle with power supply to run my business most especially in a metropolitan state like Lagos.
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Executive Hub with Tosin Ikuyinminu
TPB: What impact have you made to effectively change the mindset of the elderly towards the youths?
One of the greatest issues the elders have with the younger generation is the perception of us being too exuberant and less principled showing lack of experience.
As one the key representative of the Nigerian Youth, I have been able to prove the otherwise through a great projection of my expressions and character as one of Lagos State Youth Ambassadors in my work and achievements.
And this made me conclude that we can be young, energetic and exuberant sometimes but we can still be very guided, disciplined and principled in our character, works and sense of judgement.
“Eight Expectations from Our Youths” – Tosin
TPB: Considering the new normal of activities around the world, what are your expectations from the youths?
These are expectations from the Youths:
1. We need more young entrepreneurs to emerge and start producing most of the commodities we consume hereby boosting the economy and reducing importation.
2. We need Nigerian youths to pay a strong attention on how they can use new media (social media) to contribute to promoting the affairs of the country hereby enhancing national development.
3. We need the youths to pay attention to the new age agriculture and how they can participate.
4. We need the youths to start paying attention, promoting and investing in some other industries aside entertainment.
5. We need more youths in the education sector and invent ways learning can be enhanced for the new age advancement.
6. We need the youths to pay attention to technology, observe what is changing across the world and come into the different sectors of the country to implement those changes innovatively for the growth and development of the people.
7. We need more youths to participate in the policy making and politics, hereby being a part of the key decision making for the fast changing world we are in today.
8. Lastly, we need our youths in diaspora to come back home. We need their exposure to provoke the change we truly desire.
TPB: What inspired you to establish HypeMan Africa?
What inspired me to start my media agency, HypeMan Africa was because of my passion in contributing to shaping the African narrative better after I realized there are still a lot more stories to tell about Africa through individuals, brands and organizations.
This was what birth the vision of the agency in telling Africa’s unique stories through business, governance and media in shaping the narrative better.
And we do these through, brand management, digital media consulting, campaign management and event/project management.
TPB: What should people look out for in your company?
In the next 5 years we look forward to becoming one of Africa’s thought leading media agency with excellent track records and global recognition.
Executive Hub with Tosin Ikuyinminu
TPB: Any challenges so far as a youth ambassador?
My challenge started immediately COVID-19 came into the equation. There was a lot of projects we had planned to execute but before the global pandemic came in. Due to that, most of the projects we had in mind weren’t later executed and we had limited time because our tenure was supposed to last for just one year. So it was almost as if COVID-19 literally took 2020 away from us.
Though by God’s grace, we were able to achieve many other things despite the challenges we had with the limited time and resources.
TPB: What have been your achievements so far?
1. My company became my visible to the world than before.
2. I did a lot of collaborative projects with individuals and brands I never imagined I could access.
3. I was live on two TV Stations this year for the first time.
4. My social media followership and engagement increased a bit more than before.
5. I had the opportunity to network with high networth individuals and also built more credible relationships.
TPB: How do you unwind?
I visit the gym and do some workout.
5 Things People Don’t Know About Tosin
TPB: Can you tell us five things people don’t know about you?
1. I am younger than I look.
2. First impression people always assume me to be hard, harsh and aggressive but if you really come closer you would realize I am also cool headed, soft and flexible.
3. I like dark skin girls/women.
4. I have an amazing voice.
5. I am also a great dancer.
TPB: What is your hardest crack?
My hardest crack so far was getting an apartment of my own after leaving my parent.
That decision came with a lot of unforseen challenges from funding, dealing with agents, property set-up to unexpected dept. I just keep thanking God that I was able to scale through.
Executive Hub with Tosin Ikuyinminu
TPB: Ever had a regret?
I regret not being fluent with the Yoruba dialect which is my home language due to certain childhood upbringing barriars.
Though, I am still making attempt to learn but it is more difficult to learn as an adult compared to learning your home language as a child.
TPB: Three things you would love to change about yourself?
1. How I manage crises.
2. How I relate with the opposite sex.
3. How I handle and manage my properties.
TPB: One legacy you want to build?
I desire a day when my opinion will change the course of history either as a thought leader, a policy maker or an entrepreneur.
Because I see myself shaping the world better with my perspective becoming global voice.