ABUJA — A Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant in Oyo State, Mogaji Kayode Ogunshola, has blamed the growing dependence on artisans from Benin and Togo on the lack of practical skills among youths in the state, warning that poverty and unemployment would continue to fuel insecurity if left unresolved.

Ogunshola said Oyo State must move beyond infrastructure-driven development and focus more on small businesses, vocational training, agriculture and local industries capable of creating jobs and improving incomes.

He spoke on Thursday in Abuja after submitting his nomination forms for the Oyo State governorship race ahead of the 2027 elections.

"What makes a man from Benin better than my people in Oyo State? The skills are not there.

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"People are building houses and estates, but they don't employ Nigerians. They bring people from Benin and Togo," he said.

The PDP aspirant said technical and vocational training must be revived to tackle unemployment and improve productivity.

"We need to ensure that we build faculties and centres of excellence in masonry, carpentry and woodwork. Let's go back to the basics," Ogunshola said.

He said economic growth would remain weak without deliberate investment in SMEs and local industries.

"You can build infrastructure. You can build roads. But what industries are you empowering at the middle and top-middle tiers?" he asked.

On agriculture, Ogunshola called for investment in rural roads, irrigation systems, storage facilities and agro-processing centres to help farmers increase production and earnings.

"Agriculture should not just be about survival. It should become a commercial system that creates wealth, jobs and opportunities for our people," he said.

He also linked kidnapping and violent crime to poverty and youth unemployment.

"If you don't address poverty, then things like kidnapping will persist," he added.