Hundreds of students, industry professionals, and government officials gathered at Yaba College of Technology for Youth in Creativity 1.0, a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative designed to equip young Lagosians with the skills, mentorship, and inspiration to thrive in Nigeria’s fast-growing creative economy.
The program, organized by entrepreneur Eziada Folashade Balogun under the Black History & Lifestyle Awards (BHLA) platform, featured workshops, mentorship sessions, panel discussions, and empowerment giveaways. With creativity increasingly recognized as a critical global skill across digital content, media, fashion, design, tech, and storytelling, the initiative provided students with opportunities to explore and develop their creative potential.
In her keynote, Folashade Balogun emphasized that creativity is no longer a side hustle but a driving force of the modern economy. She encouraged participants to dream boldly, learn fearlessly, and create relentlessly. “When young people are given access, guidance, and support,” she said, “they can build careers, start businesses, tell their stories, and shape the future of their communities one idea, one skill, and one young mind at a time.”
Folashade Balogun, a Mass Communication and Media Studies graduate from the University of Uyo, has enhanced her expertise with executive programs at Lagos Business School, Shanghai Business School, Strathmore Business School, and NUS Business School. She previously spent over two decades in petroleum and marketing before transitioning into the creative sector, founding House of SOTA, a fashion brand bridging African fashion with the diaspora. Her experiences inspired the launch of BHLA, celebrating African and African-descended individuals breaking barriers in business, lifestyle, and culture while addressing challenges faced by Black-owned companies globally.
At the event, Lagos State Chief of Staff, Tayo Ayinde, urged students to embrace due process, start small, and take charge of their futures. Representing the governor, Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Abubakre Ogunlende, encouraged students to uphold integrity, channel their energy positively, and apply the day’s lessons fully. He praised the organisers for involving youth and reaffirmed the state government’s support for initiatives promoting youth development, social advancement, and gender equality.
The Rector of Yaba College of Technology also commended the college’s role in nurturing innovators and creative entrepreneurs. Students participated in practical sessions covering fashion, digital content creation, beauty, tech, and entrepreneurship. They received empowerment packages including phones, beauty kits, hair styling tools, and sewing machines, resources aimed at helping them turn ideas into sustainable ventures.
The initiative fosters collaboration between education, government, and the creative sector, highlighting a shared commitment to youth empowerment, innovation, and skills development. Organisers noted that Youth in Creativity 1.0 is designed not only to inspire but also to equip young people with the tools, mentorship, and networks needed to succeed in the creative economy.
“Creativity is a tool for transformation,” Folashade Balogun said. “Through this programme, we aim to make it possible for young Lagosians to pursue their passions, grow their skills, and contribute to shaping a brighter, more innovative future.”
Youth in Creativity 1.0 is expected to become an annual programme, expanding opportunities for young creatives and providing pathways for them to thrive locally and internationally.
