
05/09/2024
A pleasant day to all distinguished guests and dignitaries, His Excellency Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu , and all the awardees of The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award . I am Olanrewaju Opeyemi Matthew from State Senior High School, Alimosho.
My affiliation with The International Award for Young People Nigeria has greatly contributed to the development of my skills, particularly in cinematography. Through the award program, I learned how to shoot live content and edit it effectively. My physical strength has also improved through jogging as part of my recreational activities. Additionally, I have served my community by organizing a street cleanup exercise and volunteering with the award to assist participants in achieving their goals across the six educational districts in Lagos State. Moreover, the adventurous journey component gave me the opportunity to explore amazing places I had never visited before.
The award has impacted me in numerous ways, but to mention just a few: it has shaped my ability to work in a team, helped me overcome fears, built my resilience, and taught me that whatever journey I begin, I must finish it with determination, refusing to be distracted by challenges along the way.
I strongly believe that in the near future, through the skills and experiences gained from this award, I will complete the process of establishing my charity foundation, which will focus on the health sector, a key area in the The Lagos State Government THEMES agenda.
Finally, I would like to use this opportunity to express my gratitude to the National Director, Mr. Oshoke Jobrai Bello , my Award Leader, Mrs. Abiola Rabiu Adeagbo , the entire staff of The International Award for Young People Nigeria, The Honourable Commisioner for Education Hon Folasade Adefisayo, and Lagos State Ministry of Education for this great opportunity.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria, God bless Lagos State, God bless me, and God bless you all.