The Vice Counsellor of Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Prof. Mrs. Chinedum Peace Babalola has called on stakeholders and government at all levels to support entrepreneurship in Nigerian Institutions.
She made the call recently, at the 2nd Convocation Ceremony of the Institution which held at the University’s auditorium, Ajebo Road, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Prof. Chinedum noted that students who passed through Chrisland University have been instilled with entrepreneurship skills right from their first year in school, adding that the students are trained to be employers of labour rather than job seekers.
While addressing the graduating students on the need to be strategic and innovative as they embark on a new life, she also advised the government to focus attention on skills training to tackle the challenge of graduate unemployment in the continent.
She added that everyone would not become an entrepreneur, thus making it imperative for them to acquire other skills that could enable them to become proficient and possibly even consultants in their new fields.
The Vice-Chancellor congratulated the 28 graduating students being awarded with Bachelor degrees and professional certificates in entrepreneurship, saying that their training in the university had also equipped them with skills for self-employment.
Prof Babalola said that among the 28 graduates, five of them who are all females made First Class while FolashadeKikelomo Mary with 4.80CGPA from the College of Natural and Applied Sciences emerged as the overall best graduating students.
Speaking at the event, the Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, lamented the fate of over 14 million out of school children in Nigeria saying that lack of formal education and stagnated development are some of the biggest problems confronting the country.
Obasanjo disclosed that about 14million children who ought to be in school are out on the streets and that this should be a source of worry to whoever wanted the best for the country and Africa as a whole.
He said, "We have 14million children that should be in school and are not in school that';s more than the population of many African countries".
He, however, urged the graduating students to remain focused in spite of the difficulties in Nigeria, adding that, there are still opportunities out there that they could explore.
The governor of Ogun state, Prince Dapo Abiodun represented by the Commissioner for Education, Prof Abayomi Arigbabu, while rejoicing with the university on the auspicious occasion of its 2nd convocation praised the institution for its commitment to quality university education that is needed to produce manpower to address some of the country';s challenges, such as entrepreneurship and leadership skills.
Wife of Ogun State governor, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun also commended the university management for working round the clock to ensure that the convocation hold despite the spike on the COVID-19 pandemic the ravaged the world.
"The year 2020 has been challenging for all of us but through it all, you have put together a splendid ceremony, I say well done and I have the assurance that you will continue to lift higher this banner of excellence,” the wife of the governor said.
On her part, the guest speaker at the convocation, Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology, African Union, Prof Sarah Anyang Agbor, charged African leaders to have the strong political will to ensure sustainable growth and impact the people for good.
Delivering the convocation lecture with the theme “Leadership, Sustainable Growth, and National Building in Africa: A Reflective Perspective” Prof Sarah Agbor explained that among the critical issues Africa faces today, is the bludgeoning youth population and with it, the challenge of youth unemployment saying that data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reveals that unemployment rate as at the second quarter of 2020 was 27.1%.
She said, “For us to achieve AU Vision 2063, change the glooming narrative of the African youth, the leaders must invest in good governance to achieve this goal. Good governance is a reflection of an effective leadership and vice versa.
“Show me a leader with a penchant to serve his people, meet the needs and aspirations of his citizens, and achieve collective growth for the populace and I will show you a leader who is result/performance oriented and implements good governance.”
