Winner of the 2020 Big Brother Naija, Olamilekan Agbeleshe, popularly known as Laycon, has been appointed youth ambassador by the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun.
The governor disclosed this in Abeokuta on Tuesday when he hosted the 26-year-old University of Lagos graduate who is also an indigene of Odeda Local Government Area of the state.
“Once again I congratulate you and on this note, I hereby appoint you as Youth Ambassador of Ogun State. I look forward to working with you to be a model of good character, excellence, good virtues, calmness, integrity that are general attributes of Ogun State, and in fact, your homestead, Odeda,” Abiodun said.
The also admonished young Nigerians to take a cue from Laycon’s demeanour and how he related well with the other 19 housemates from different backgrounds while in the Big Brother Naija House.
He said: “You have also demonstrated with the way you carried out your assigned tasks in the House with comportment; intellectual responses to questions and; your spirit of fair-play, that your academic achievement at the University of Lagos was earned. This has also shown that our Universities can still produce graduates that are found worthy in character and good learning.”
Governor Abiodun praised Laycon saying that the celebration of his personality is beyond the entertainment that the House provided but what he represents: “a rare combination of prodigious intellect, academic excellence, multi-faceted talents, character and resilience.”
He also announced a cash reward of ₦5 million naira and 3-bedroom bungalow apartment to the reality TV show star.
However, the governor’s gesture has met with criticisms by many observers across various social media platforms, describing it as misplaced priority, given that Laycon has already been adequately rewarded as the winner of the reality tv show, while Governor Abiodun is not known to have shown similar generosity to academically-brilliant Ogun state indigenes or youths that have excelled in sports and creative endeavours.
Read some of the comments below:
“misplaced priority. Additional 5million to the 85million. House again.”
“Celebration of vanity. This is why the focus of the youth is how to make quick money without an intellectual work.”
“I hope our leaders are not stylishly encouraging youths to do anything doable to get to stardom… Hard Work Pays in the 60s, 70s and 80s. Hard Work no longer have bearing in today’s generation.”
“This is laughable and totally lacking in deep thinking and focus. A sad day for struggling Nigerian Youth. A situation where the state government is still owing the pensioners and civil servants backlogs of arrears and deductions. Misplaced Priorities.”
Recall that the Ogun and Lagos internal revenue services had demanded that Laycon pay taxes from the cash prizes he won from the reality TV show. However, the Ogun State government may not be able to tax Laycon for his earnings because he does not live and work there.
The house and other assets he won are located in Lagos State.
