The Accord Party candidate for Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has identified poverty and unemployment as major threats to Nigeria’s social values, warning that the difficulties facing young people could contribute to insecurity, thuggery and other social problems.
Olajengbesi urged mothers and women across Ijesa North to prioritise their children’s education, moral upbringing and development, saying addressing the country’s socioeconomic challenges must go hand in hand with raising responsible young people.
He spoke on Saturday at the Annual Joint Women Conference of the Diocese of Ijesa North, Church of Nigeria (Global Anglican Communion), where he called for greater collaboration between community leaders and women’s groups to improve livelihoods and strengthen family values.
The lawyer expressed concern that many graduates remained unemployed after completing their tertiary education, saying the situation had created difficulties for young people struggling to secure a stable future.
He also linked poverty and unemployment to youth restiveness, citing incidents of violence and thuggery during the August 2026 Osun governorship election as examples of challenges confronting the state.
Olajengbesi called for deliberate efforts to address the economic hardship facing young people, while urging parents to provide the guidance and discipline needed to prepare their children for responsible adulthood.
He particularly encouraged mothers to raise their children with strong spiritual and moral values, expressing the belief that proper upbringing would help young people make positive choices and contribute meaningfully to society.
The candidate also expressed his willingness to partner with women in Ijesa North on empowerment programmes and community development initiatives, saying he had learnt about some of the interventions already organised by the women.
He said his participation in the conference was an opportunity to identify with the women, appreciate their contributions to society and explore areas of collaboration to improve their welfare.
Olajengbesi further urged residents to preserve the industrious nature associated with the Ijesa people, saying their values and work ethic remained important to the development of the area.
“Ijesa people are great people. Ijesa people are hardworking people, and we must uphold the values,” he said.
He maintained that investing in young people, supporting women’s empowerment and promoting responsible parenting were necessary steps towards building stronger communities and improving the future of Ijesaland.
