Renewed Mind, Renewed Hope Initiative Takes Road Safety, Skills Training to Kaduna

The Renewed Mind for Renewed Hope Initiative has commenced a series of community-based interventions in Kaduna State, targeting commercial motorcyclists and secondary school students with road safety education and vocational skills training.

The initiative, inspired by the vision of Seyi Tinubu, is anchored on the principle that lasting development requires a change in mindset, alongside practical interventions that promote responsibility, discipline and self-reliance.

Okada Riders Get Safety Training

Commercial motorcyclists from different parts of Kaduna State participated in a road safety training organised under the initiative.

The riders were registered and provided with branded kits before undergoing training on traffic regulations, responsible riding and measures for preventing road crashes.

Organisers said the central message was that riders must value their own lives as much as those of the passengers they transport.

A facilitator said the training was designed to establish safer habits that would continue beyond the programme.

“We regard this training not as a final goal, but as the beginning of a culture that will inform how riders conduct themselves going forward,” the facilitator said.

An official of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, also participated in the training and urged the riders to obtain formal driving instruction and certification.

“There’s a driving school you can enroll in. The licence course is just one week for a motor car, but for motorcycles and tricycles, it’s less. So try and enroll,” the FRSC facilitator said.

The facilitators also warned riders against impatience at traffic lights and encouraged them to exercise caution before proceeding when the signal changes.

One participant said the training taught him the importance of patience and responsibility, particularly because commercial motorcyclists carry the lives of other people.

The organisers cited 2019 National Bureau of Statistics figures which recorded 10,522 motorcycle accidents in Nigeria, with 4,979 deaths and 5,543 injuries.

They said the prevalence of motorcycles as a means of commercial transportation makes continuous safety education necessary, particularly for riders who may not have received formal driving instruction.

The initiative said more training sessions would be held across Kaduna State as the campaign progresses.

Students Learn Shawarma, Burger Production

As part of its youth empowerment component, the initiative also organised a culinary training programme for secondary school students of All Success Academy in Guningora.

The students were taught how to prepare shawarma and burgers in a practical session led by Chef Tayo.

Project Coordinator, Victor Yusuf, said the programme was designed to help young people develop practical skills while reinforcing positive values.

“The reason for this renewed mind project is, to renew the mind of young youth; there cannot be a renewed home without a renewed mind,” Yusuf said.

Students were taken through the various stages of food preparation, including seasoning, grilling, assembling and packaging.

The session also featured a cooking competition, with Riches Enokela and Pindar Hyelkuzuku representing the burger team, while Patricia Patrick and Michael Christopher competed in the shawarma category.

Halimatu Sadia Dende and David Christopher assisted with the kitchen activities.

The completed meals were distributed among students, school staff and guests at the event.

Participants said the training provided lessons in kitchen hygiene, patience and consistency, in addition to the cooking skills.

One of the students said the newly acquired skill could become a source of income after secondary school, while another expressed appreciation for the opportunity to participate in the programme.

Rehila Christopher, wife of the school director, represented the school community, while community elder and Mai Angwan Galadima, Yakubu Audu, was also present.

Students and organisers wore branded T-shirts and caps carrying the Renewed Mind for Renewed Hope insignia.

The organisers said the two interventions were part of a wider programme that will continue across Kaduna State.

They said the initiative seeks to promote a culture of safety, discipline, responsibility, practical empowerment and self-belief, with the broader goal of contributing to safer and more resilient communities.

According to the organisers, the programme’s central message is that renewed hope can only be sustained when individuals embrace a renewed mindset and take responsibility for their actions.