In a bid to educate students on the role of entrepreneurship in economic growth and train them on how to advance their entrepreneurial endeavors, Ominira Initiative for Economic Advancement organized two entrepreneurship seminars at the University of Ilorin and Obafemi Awolowo University.
The seminars which had in attendance over 300 students across the two tertiary institutions was themed “The Role of Youths in Driving Entrepreneurship & Economic Development.” The participants consist of students, entrepreneurs, business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs whose core aim is to learn about metrics to develop their enterprises and to network with potential clients.
In a statement made by the Co-founder and Operations Director of Ominira Initiative, Stephen Oyedemi emphasized that it is important for students to start their entrepreneurial endeavors young and be contributors to the growth and development of the country’s economy. According to him, Ominira Initiative, with the support of the Institute of Economic Affairs and the Whetstone Freedom Fund, has been able to fund entrepreneurship seminars and donate over 1000 copies of books to students. He further stated that the organization will be giving out cash prizes to outstanding articles for their annual essay writing competitions for undergraduate students.
While speaking at the OAU Entrepreneurship Seminar, a Lecturer at the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Development Studies, Prof Shade Akinyemi enlightened the students on the difference between business venture and entrepreneurship. She explained the role of youths as drivers of entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic growth. She also challenged the participants to explore opportunities that will enhance their skills and position them for excellence.
In their separate remarks, speakers at the University of Ilorin assessed the role of youth-led enterprises in economic development, educating the students on how to create wealth, as well as social impact, thereby providing sustainable solutions to Nigeria’s economic challenges.
In the same vein, speakers at the Obafemi Awolowo University spoke on how students can maximize technology and innovation in business enterprise. They further enlightened participants on the importance of branding and storytelling to maximize profit and for business growth.
The seminars featured the donation of Eamon Butler’s books- Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Trade and Globalization, to the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ilorin, and the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Development Studies (IFED), OAU. Also, there were business pitches by student entrepreneurs, and the distribution of cash prizes and other promotional materials.
