Zika Bobby
Twenty-four-year-old Priscilla Ozashawa Odoyin is the newly crowned Queen of Alago, a sprawling community in Nasarawa State. She recently unveiled her plans for youth emancipation and promotion of girl child education.
The 400 level University of Jos Chemistry under-graduate also talked about increasing the need for self-reliance among girls and making them more resourceful to themselves and their society.
What are your duties, roles as Queen of Alago?
My role is to bring promotional opportunities to Alago community, to educate girls and make them see their inner beauty. I am here to make them aware that they have values in the society.
I also want to promote increased self-reliance among the youths generally with particular focus on the female folks
Any specific programme for the education of the girl-child?
My programme for the girl-child is to go to school. Help get scholarship for indigent students. With that we will be able to achieve what we want, which is to encourage the girl-child, because some of them stopped at secondary school level. I want to encourage them to go beyond that level of education.
Skills acquisition is also another area of focus. The promotion of skills for employment generation is another area of focus that will be given serious attention. There are so many things to learn and create employment from. I have identified areas like hair dressing, tie and dye, food and beverage processing, catering, bag-making, beads and a whole lots.
Have you interacted with government officials, traditional rulers at any level to promote your goal?
Yes I have. I have spoken to some traditional rulers, I was granted audience with Ogochi Onawo and so many others. I would be visiting them soon to intimate them of my vision and solicit their support towards achieving my goal.
We shall also promote our agenda using various mass media channels, taking advantage of our evolving global village.
We are aware that the world is dynamic and change does happen faster than we anticipate. We would counsel on how best to use the Internet and social media for societal growth and development while shunning vices associated with the Internet.
Promotion of a crime-free society and how best youths can support unity and love among our people is also on our agenda.
What are your hobbies?
I sing and model, because it gives me the opportunity to reach out to people.
Who is your role model?
My mother is my role model. She has influenced me positively in many ways. Aside my biological ties to her, I give her the credit for my successes in the race for this crown. She is never tired of impacting on me. I am eternally grateful to her for all she has done. She is one in a trillion.
Any advice to your generation?
I want to advise them to stop chasing unnecessary things. They should channel their time and energy to areas and activities that would promote their economic and career wellbeing and protect their future. They should wake up to the reality that time wasted cannot be regained. They should use their time wisely by focusing on what will make them better women and even if you are not educated there is something you can do with your life.
I strongly advise young ladies not to be dependent on men who are rich. I always hear some say they cannot marry a man who is not rich. Why can’t you, the lady, be the rich one?
Some ladies say their future husbands must be rich. They say they can’t marry a poor man. Are you going to remain single for the rest of your life if a rich man doesn’t come for you?
I join other women like me to discourage this mentality for materialism; I promote a standard where ladies will be counted in their good numbers among those who have made the society better.