Lagos state Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has appointed Florence Otedola, the popular disk jockey (DJ) better known as Cuppy, to lead the Lagos Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) youth alliance network.
In a statement, the Lagos state office of SDGs and investment said DJ Cuppy’s selection was based on her philanthropic gestures as well as passion for education and youth development.
It also cited several other development-oriented initiatives that the entertainer has inspired over the years including Cuppy Foundation and ‘Cuppy Takes Africa’ tour in 2015.
Other persons enlisted to champion the initiative include Jumoke Odetola, Nollywood actress; Doyinsola Ogunye, founder of Mental and Environmental Development Initiative for Children (MEDIC); and Joshua Alade, the executive director of Nigeria youth SDGs network.
Solape Hammond, SDGs and investment aide to Sanwo-Olu, said the initiative is aimed at birthing a youth-led movement that is inclusive, responsive, transparent, and sustainable.
According to her, young people have unique insights and perspectives that can drive more effective policy towards ensuring that government commitments to SDGs are fulfilled.
“Governor Sanwo-Olu is very proud of the increasing scale of ambitious youth-led advocacy that are providing sustainable solutions to emerging challenges in the state,” she said.
“This administration is passionate about engaging the youth in developing inclusive, transparent, collaborative and responsive mechanisms for the SDGs.”
On his part, Lekan Fatodu, senior special assistant to Sanwo-Olu on SDGs, said the development shows the governor’s commitment to stimulate the passion of Lagos youths around development and good governance.
He said the state government is looking forward to working with the whole youth development sector to ensure that the SDGs aspirations translate into reality.
“Lagos State Government acknowledges the enormous capability and capacity of its teeming youth population as evidenced in their remarkable exploits in different areas of human endeavour,” he said.
“It is therefore more beneficial to all when these vibrant and pragmatic individuals are drawn into the development actions and activities of the state with a view to accelerating and improving outcomes.
“This campaign therefore is opening up the conventional space to strengthen all youth-led efforts to make lasting change across every community and to catalysing the attainment of the SDGs in Lagos State.”
The Lagos youth alliance is a strategic platform established for young people to connect, dialogue, collaborate and consolidate efforts on sustainable development in the state.
