The Aare Mayegun of Owu Kingdom and Aare Adinni of Owu Muslims, Prince Kazeem Adeyanju Olanrewaju Bakinson has launched a groundbreaking youth empowerment programme through his Aare Bakinson Foundation aimed at equipping young people with drone mapping and related technological skills.
What began as a plan to train 10 participants has now grown into a major initiative, with over 125 youths already subscribed and more continuing to show interest.
Speaking during the onboarding session held at Owu Club in Abeokuta on Saturday ,Prince Bakinson explained that the programme is designed to introduce the trainees to the full scope of drone technology, including its value chain and vast economic opportunities.
He said onboarding marks the first phase, after which participants will proceed to online learning modules followed by hands-on practical sessions.
He emphasized that the programme goes beyond technical training, as plans are also in place to secure official licensing for participants in line with regulations of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
“What we are doing today is what we call the onboarding, the opportunity to bring them into the fold , there will be the online part of it and practicals.
“We are not stopping at that , we are also getting them license because the regulations of the country by (NCAA) is that if you’re not licensed, you cannot fly drone” he said.
Prince Bakinson, a professional town planner stressed that his interest in drone mapping is connected to his broader vision for the development of Owu Kingdom. According to him, drone mapping is an essential tool in creating what he calls the Owu Master Plan , a long-term developmental guide aimed at transforming the community using modern spatial planning techniques.
“Why I make this important is that I’m poised to develop what I called Owu master plan is a development guide for Owu, because my background as a town planner , I want to design a master plan for Owu and i know that drone mapping is one of the expertise”.
He explained that the initiative is in collaboration with the Owu youths, the Cathedral Church, and the Akinale youths, making it a collective effort to uplift the entire community.
Aare Bakinson added that the training is expected to run until the first quarter of 2026, and participants will have the opportunity to specialize in various aspects of the drone ecosystem, including drone piloting, drone engineering, software sales, and drone-as-a-service operations.
“The training will take will take us to the first quarter of 2026, we have done the onboarding, we will have a time table for the online training where the practicals , drone as a service, there can be a drone pilot , drone engineer, some people can say I want to be selling the software and all that “ he said
Beyond training, Prince Bakinson revealed that the Aare Bakinson Foundation, which already offers annual scholarships to students in Ogun State, is prepared to support trainees with interest-free loans to start businesses in areas such as drone marketing.
He also noted that the skills acquired could open doors for participants to work with organizations requiring drone services, such as oil companies in need of pipeline mapping.
Prince Bakinson expressed optimism that the initiative will significantly reduce poverty by creating sustainable income opportunities for young people, adding that it will “take our children off the streets and empower them to build better lives for themselves and their families.”
