Yusuff Olatunji Mutalub is a fast rising youth advocate in Nigeria. Born 28 years ago in Iwo, Nigeria. Yusuff Mutalub over the last six months has reached out to more than 3,000 youths in South Western Nigeria through his various youth advocacy and developmental activities.
Yusuff Ola-Gold as he’s fondly called is a graduate of Geology and Exploration Geophysics with second class honour (Upper division). He also had a diploma in Public Speaking and Writing from Scriploque Academy, Ibadan.
Yusuff started his career as a social worker with Guildance Community Development Foundation, Ibadan before he left the organization to start his own initiative in September, 2016.
He’s a recipient of a good number of award including the 2016 Osun Youth Ambassador Award.
Yusuff Ola-Gold, Mutalub is a geologist, a youth advocate, a community developer and social entrepreneur. He has been able to cut a niche for himself as a voice of the youth in Osun state and beyond. He’s the Founder/Executive Director of Arise and Impact Nigerian Youths Initiative, a registered non-governmental organization working in the area of leadership, education, Entrepreneurship, youth advocacy and good governance.
The organization was born out of deep burning passion to see youths excel in all ramifications. The organization is determined in building, restructuring and developing the mindset of youths towards achieving success in leadership, education, Entrepreneurship and community development.
The organization craves to be a citadel where ideas, values and innovations will be shared among Nigerian youths. Through various citizenry and leadership advocacy programs, Arisenigyouths.com aims to create a society built on ethical standard and good values. The organization is a youth based one promoting education and academic excellence, youth advocacy and empowerment, civic and community engagement, good governance and social justices.
Yusuff is also the CEO of HArise Consulting Services , a business arm of Arise and Impact Nigerian Youths Initiative. The arm of the organization was set up to engage individuals, groups, private sectors, government and parastatals in formulating strategies and rendering services that are more responsive to community needs through capacity building mechanisms especially in the area of leadership, education, entrepreneurship and community development. HArise Consulting has a wide range of services with the sole motive of improving human, capacity building and sustainability.
Yusuff has been a able to combine his professional life with his humanitarian engagement.
Yusuff is of the opinion that a new set of leaders is needed in taking charge of Nigeria affairs. In an exclusive interview with Amiloaded Correspondent, Yusuff said;
“We are a set of Youths who are only interested in putting on dead man shoe.
As a Nigerian Youths, we need to create an alternative path to leadership. There’s need to leave the old ways and channel a new path. We can’t continue in the same old way. There’s a need for a new order of doing things”. Yusuff has been involved in good number of youth oriented projects in Nigeria and Osun State in particular. Through his organization, he has partnered with a good number of organizations in Nigeria in creating a new path for Nigerian Youths.
Yusuff Olatunji organised the first ever Youth Conference in Iwoland. Iwoland Youth Conference 2017
The conference was used to bring together more than 1000 youths within and outside Iwoland. Youths were drawn from Iwo, Ayedire and Ola-Oluwa Local Government Areas particularly and the entire state and beyond.
Participants were drawn from youths in government, student union bodies, Non Governmental Organization, youth based groups and forums, Youths in business and academic.
The aim of the conference was to identify and share practical and evidence based solutions to the log of problems facing Nigerian Youths and Iwoland in particular. The conference also presented an opportunity and platform to highlight issues, roles and challenges of Nigerian Youths. It was also an avenue to reflect on practical actions that accord young people the needed opportunity to play their part in the development of our immediate environment and beyond.
The conference was an avenue to promote an increased recognition of youths as key agents of social change and economic growth on all sphere of our societies.
The conference was well attended. Top government functionaries, people in academics and business, among others were in attended. Hon Semiu Okanlawon, SSA to Osun State Governor on Information and Strategy delivered the keynote address and Communique was issued after the conference and was submitted to the appropriate authorities in government both in state and local levels.
When asked how he was able to pull the conference together and attracted such huge attention and success. “It was a great experience organizing the conference. It took me a year to put the conference together. Many thought we just came up with the conference in just few weeks. It was more than 12 months planning. I emptied my saving in the cause of organizing the conference. I have a dream. I saw a lot of potentials in Iwoland youths and I see the reasons to harness these potentials. These among others prompted the motive behind the conference” He posited.
“It wasn’t easy during the cause of putting everything together towards the conference. But I wasn’t alone. I had a great team headed by a YALI fellow, Lara ALABI. She was wonderful. I received a huge support from my good brother and partner, Leye Adewuyi. Everyone on the team was great. One is too small to achieve greatness , they made the conference a success story. We also received support from top government functionaries including Honorable Representing Iwo Federal Constituency In Abuja, Hon Gafar Akintayo Amere, Secretary to the State Government of Osun, Alh Moshood ADEOTI among others.”
“We also received moral support from Oluwo of Iwo, Oba AbdulRasheed Adewale Akanbi Telu 1. Oluwo is the true definition of fatherhood. He gave us the needed self esteem.”
Iwo is indeed blessed with a good number promising youths in whom the future of Iwoland is secured
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