By Euphemia Ejiofor
A Public Affairs analyst and Commentator, entrepreneurship
consultant and trainer, Mr. Nnabugwu Chizoba, who spoke unbehalf of BEGE Foundation for Youths and Women, as the
Executive Director, in a recent programme, held in Jos,
the Plateau State capital, has identified entrepreneurship as pivotal instrument
in the struggle by government at different levels of governance in Nigeria, to
pull the Nigerian economy out of the present economic quagmire.
Mr. Nnabugwu Chizoba, made the observation during the ceremony
marking the flag off of the Simon Lalong Empowerment Scheme (SLEMS), held at
the Dadin Kowa Youth Centre, Jos, used for the occasion. The event represented
the flag off of the Scheme in the Northern Senatorial Zone, of Plateau State.
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| Beneficiaries of SLEMS in attendance at the event |
Noting that the Scheme was designed
to capture the interest of Rt. Hon Simon Bako Lalong, the Governor of Plateau
State, who has never hidden his desire to run an all-inclusive government,
where everybody, including the vulnerable youths and women, play very active
role, towards building the economy of Plateau State, Mr Nnabugwu Chizoba, said:.
“Entrepreneurship as a pivot for good governance and economic
development requires the ability of common people to uncover uncommon behaviours,
approaches, strategies and skills and in doing so imbibe the lessons, in ways
and manner that make it possible for them (Entrepreneurs) to produce uncommon results”.
Continuing in his speech, Mr.
Nnabugwu noted that:
“Entrepreneurs are ordinary people, whose life revolve around providing
solution to a problem before it (the solution) becomes very obvious for many
people to key into. Sometimes, when the occasion warrants that they expand what
is in existence, they do so. And at other times, it may demand that they
contract what already exists, they also do the same. The ability to identify
when the market needs these changes, is what has been severally referred to as "opportunity" while the ability to advantage of the opportunity by providing the accompanying goods and/or services in different unique ways, styles and fashion, is in my opinion and in this my address called creativity and
innovation”.
Earlier in his address, Mr.
Nnabugwu Chizoba, asked the beneficiaries of the Simon Lalong Empowerment
Scheme (SLEMS), if it was true or false that most state governments in the
Country owe workers’ salaries, to which they chorused “true”. He then went
further to enquire from the beneficiaries if that was a problem or not, to
which the beneficiaries said it was a very big problem.
On the strength of the above, Mr.
Nnabugwu reminded them that, if there was anybody among them who thinks that
life is easy, in the public service or that waiting or securing a white collar
job, is an answer to their problem, that the person already saw how untrue
his/her thinking was.
He therefore assured them that,
the future is bright for any of the beneficiaries who decides to embrace the
opportunity provided by the SLEMS programme, with all sense of determination,
focus and decision to excel. On this note, he pointed out to the audience that:
“Entrepreneurs are people who set their eyes on success always, but accept
failure as a co-traveler and companion, whose role on the journey, is always to
point out when things are not properly done, or when efforts have not produced
the desired result. This disposition of the entrepreneur towards “failure” is what
provides him/her with the constructive feedback necessary to convert mistakes
into strength and disappointments into energy, in such a way that working for
correction is easier and the desire to pull and push till success is achieved
is inevitable”.
“Being a successful entrepreneur isn’t just about what you do; it is
also about what you do not do or do not do well. Part of it is delaying hard
decisions, and includes indecision or inability to decide e.g. whether to
embrace entrepreneurship or not. A decision that You and only You must take”. Mr.
Nnabugwu Chizoba, noted before concluding his speech.
Present at the occasion, were the
Governor of Plateau State, represented by the Director General, Plateau State
Microfinance Development Agency, Mr. Haggai H. Gutap; representative of the Commissioner
for Sports; and the Management Committee Chairman, Barkinladi LGA; Godwin
Okoko, the Country Director, Apurimac Nigeria and Coordinator SLEMS Programme; and
many others.
The programme was organized by non-state
actors, led by Apurimac Nigeria, and supported by the Plateau State Government,
headed by Rt. Hon Simon Bako Lalong, as the Governor.
The various areas that the SLEMS beneficiaries will be trained
include: Computer Application, Knitting, Tailoring, Catering/decoration, phone
repairs, and Hair dressing. The training proper commences in the first week of September.
According to the organisers of
the programme, at least twenty one thousand (21000) vulnerable Youths and Women
across the 17 LGAs of the state will be trained and many of them empowered
through various forms of support by the end of the programme.
The flag off ceremony of the
scheme will hold in the three Senatorial Districts of Plateau State, with Tunkus
in Mikang LGA and Pankshin in Pankshin LGA as the next hosts respectively.
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