1) The document discusses entrepreneurship as the way forward for youth after school in Nigeria given high unemployment. 2) It outlines the benefits of entrepreneurship education, including understanding business startups, career options, and financial concepts as well as increased self-worth and problem solving skills. 3) The document recommends learning skills like social skills, self-esteem, creativity, vocational skills, and provides examples of business areas like agriculture, fashion, and computer repair for youth to consider.

1. After School Cert, What
Next?

2. ENTREPRENEURSHIP :
THE WAY FORWARD
BY
PROFESSOR ALEX IKE IKEME
PROVOST, SINAI COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND
ENTREPRENEURIAL STUDIES GBOKO, BENUE STATE.
Presented at the 46th
Graduation and Price Giving Ceremony
of
Government Secondary School Gboko, Benue State.

3. Amidst teeming unemployment and worsening
economic conditions, dependence on government organ
for economic wellbeing is becoming evidently
unrealistic. The absorptive capacity of government
agencies has been exceeded due to shrinking
commitment of government to channel resources to job
creation ventures. Robust development programmes are
often starved of fund, hence their impact on general
employment and youth engagement in particular fall
short of the critical threshold required for expansion and
even development.
Introduction

4. A country where the youth is incapacitated has neither
prosperity nor posterity. It is philosophically ruined; it is
psychologically devastated and it is economically anomalous.
This situation aptly describes Nigeria; where the youth is
grappling without hope because the chieftains of the
economy, despite our wealth of resources, intimidating
manpower cohort and viable population statistics ignored the
exploitation of nature’s benevolence on us. It seems a curse
that we are so blessed. But there is solace for us in the wise
Igbo adage: uwaezuoke! This is only a solace not a solution,
but in a real situation only solution matters in issues of
posterity. This ugly situation, is better illustrated than
imagined.
Introduction Cont’d

13. Confronted with this appalling condition, it has become proper to
look inward in order to re-strategize. God has bequeathed Benue
State with posterity, which if we cherish, we must endear and
guard optimally. More than most other communities of our time
and race, we are empowered not only to determine but also
assure the destiny of our progenies. Our land is bursting with
economic vigour especially in the Agricultural Sector with
realization of poor financial returns. We would have been better
off if farmers in Benue State realize more than they are getting.
Rather than continuously pointing accusing fingers at the
leadership, we should assume the leadership of our own
community and exemplify with the optimal harnessing of
economic potentials.
Introduction Cont’d

14. If we can innovatively transform the benefit of the conurbation
engulfing Benue State and attendant economic opportunities, and
preserve same in sustainable youth development programmes,
we would have proven good leadership in our own time. Benue
State indigenes have served in the civil service and private sectors
on high ranking profiles; this we must treasure and sustain. The
deteriorating status of our youth is enough challenge for all
stakeholders to work together and reverse the negative impact of
government neglect and/or misplacement of priorities. We have
to build the capacity of our youths for our tomorrow and the
tomorrow of our dear traditions, norms, values and community.
This can be done smoothly if we synergize; all of us.
Introduction Cont’d

15. The problem of youth capacity building can be broadly grouped
into seven main issues as follows:
•Lack of information and tools to access information
•Lack of access to training and education; our education
paradigm (deficient in entrepreneurial content) is not sufficient
to meet/ capacitate us on our aim of involving youth in
sustainable development
•Lack of information sharing mechanisms, infrastructures and
technologies
•Lack of sustainable youth livelihood/employment
•Existing Capacity Building programmes are not linked with
concrete implementation of programmes and projects.
•Lack of technology transfer to facilitate capacity building of
youth in sustainable development
Introduction Cont’d

16. •Lack of necessary operational and administrative skills on youth
organizing, sustainable development planning, implementation,
monitoring and evaluation.
These can be appropriately tackled by two well established
principles of an effective capacity building for youth namely:
•It should be done alongside concrete community-level
implementation of doable sustainable development work.
•It should redefine formal education and perhaps informal
education capable of promoting sustainable development
principles. The acquisition of desirable attributes needed for
sustainable enterprises are of utmost importance. This will
definitely boost our industries in areas of automobile repairs and
body work, weaving of cloths, farming, furniture making to
mention only a few….
Introduction Cont’d

17. WHAT IS REQUIRED?
•ENTREPRENEURSHIP

18. WHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP
This is because, Entrepreneurship Education is seen as
a veritable tool for enhancing economic growth and
national development
During the immigration recruitment under Jonathans
Administration, 4000 spaces were advertised, but
800,000 applicants applied
The recent police recruitment, 10,000 spaces
advertised but 1,000,000 applicants applied
The current recruitment of 500,000 teachers 400,000
applied within 36 hours of opening the website.

19. The Need to Embrace Entrepreneurship
• The world harbors about 10 billion people, yet,
the wealth of the 60 richest people on earth is
greater than the combined wealth of half of the
worlds population
• Unsurprisingly, these 60 wealthiest individuals
are Entrepreneurs
• Dangote is currently the richest black man
valued at $30 billion
• Considering the following statistics, it is quite
apparent that we need to embrace
entrepreneurship.

20. WHO IS AN ENTREPRENEUR
• An Entrepreneur is one who has the ability to
turn ideas into action.
• An Entrepreneur identifies needs and
generates ideas on how to proactively satisfy
these needs at a profit…….
• Entrepreneurship is all about engaging one in
such a way that there will be a total
revolution of what the person is thinking or
doing

21. Characteristics of an Entrepreneur
• Boldness
• Persistence
• Confidence
• Foresight
• Sacrifice
• Integrity
• Risk-taker

22. Entrepreneurial Skills
• Entrepreneurship will equip you with
Entrepreneurial/Employability skills. Most
graduates lack the requisite skills for 21st
Century
labour market. You will be equipped with:
 Communication skills to instill confidence in you
 Problem solving skills: To always proffer solutions
in your place of work or any place you may find
yourself
 Decision making skills

23. Entrepreneurial Skills Cont’d
Marketing and saleable skill
Managerial skill
Self-efficacy skill: knowing oneself, limits,
interests, getting to be useful to oneself and
others
Self confidence, independence, optimism,
leadership skills, commitment, flexibility,
initiative, achievement of intention, motivation,
ICT compliant, business idea, risk taking,
reliable, integrity, ability to make business plan,
ability to assess self etc.

24. WELCOME TO SINAI COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION AND ENTREPRENEURIAL
STUDIES
THE MULTI-SkILLS CENTRE

25. Our Aim
• Our aim is to train participants, so as to enable
them start thinking differently
• Develop participants, to discover their values
and talents
• Equip participants with word class managerial
capacity through core values and best practices,
wherever they find themselves, in the banking
sector, as classroom teachers, as managers in
organizations, as principals in schools, etc. They
should exhibit extraordinary qualities and fit
into the system.

26. Our Aim Cont’d
• To produce Strategists
• A Strategist is :
 An Opportunist
 Risk Taker
 Problem Solver
 An Innovator
 Persistent
 Change-oriented, etc
Strategists do not follow the crowd……
• Expose you to various ways of accessing grants

27. THE WAY FORWARD
• Entrepreneurship is a critical factor of production that
harnesses knowledge including technical progress for
use in production.
• Entrepreneurship education is learning directed
towards developing in people those skills,
competencies, understanding and attributes which
equip them to be innovative and to identify, create,
initiate and successfully start and manage personal or
community business, seeking for opportunities to
change society for the better while working for
themselves or organization.

28. SKILLS TO LEARN
1. Social skills
• We have to strive to be stable to enable us
think divergently.
• We would be willing to learn to cooperate
and develop friendship to work in small
groups.
• Praise and celebrate other people’s
progress.
• Resolve conflicts without aggression.

29. Skills to Learn Cont’d
2. SELF ESTEEM
• Confidence
• Sincerity
• Honesty
3. LIFE SKILLS
• Confidence
• Organization
• Taking initiative
• Self control
• Persistence
• Time and financial
management
4. CREATIVITY SKILL
• Problem-solving
• Developing unique ideas
• Thinking diligently and
seeking different
solutions/interpretation
• Ability to process
information
• Turning challenges of life
into fruitful and beneficial
outcome
• Risk taking, high or order
thinking

30. Skills to Learn Cont’d
5. VOCATIONAL SKILLS
I want to suggest areas that
prospective entrepreneurs
should focus attention on:
these are only suggestions
which could be improved
upon.
• Services
• Agricultural production
• Bakery, food and catering
• Fashion and designing
• Cosmetology
• Computer operations,
repairs/maintenance and
networking
• Printing and publishing
• Creative arts and design
• Media and communication
• Interior and exterior
decoration
• Aluminum (window and
door fabrication)
• Agro allied ventures
• NGO’s
• …..and many more

31. The Benefits of Entrepreneurship
GENERAL BENEFITS OF
ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION
• These include:
• Understanding the essential steps in business start-up.
• Enhance awareness of career and entrepreneurial option.
• Use strategies for idea generation and assessment of
feasibility of ideas.
• Understanding basic financial concepts.
• Increased awareness of social responsibility and
entrepreneurs' contributions to society. Greater likelihood of
graduating to next education level.

32. Continuation of Benefits
For students, the following positive outcomes are possible:
• Increased sense of "locus of control."
• Greater awareness of personal talents and skills.
• Improve school attendance.
• Higher academic achievements.
• Application of enhanced creativity skills in business situations.
• Enhanced business opportunity recognition skills.
• Ability to handle business situations ethically.
• Use problem-solving skills effectively.

33. Continuation of Benefits
For adults, Entrepreneurship Education has the following
benefits:
• Enhanced personal and career goals and attitudes.
• Improved self-management skills because of focus on
personal responsibility.
• Enhanced ability to pursue additional training or access to
other resources and services.
• Improved problem-identification and solving skills for
business operations issue.
• Enhanced self-worth through understanding of personal
capabilities.
• Enhanced reliance on team work as focus to solve realistic

34. SPECIFIC BENEFITS OF
ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION
• Ability to pursue entrepreneurship as a means of earning a
living.
• Improved business start-up planning and management.
• Ability to follow a business plan to achieve business goals.
• Demonstrate business management/operation skills to
maintain business longevity.
• Demonstrate effective financial management and application
of basic accounting principles.
• Rethinking of business closings as an exit strategy versus
failure.
• The entrepreneurial process "bridges" learning and earning in
a very unique way, changing societies for the better.

36. CONCLUSION
• This is the time we must all come together to outlaw
poverty, create wealth and employment. We must have
special places in our hearts for the empowerment of our
youths, the leaders of tomorrow. We must become agents
of change. We must like social entrepreneurs approach our
social problems with entrepreneurial spirit and business
acumen. Rather than leaving societal needs to government,
social entrepreneurs find what is not working and solve the
problem by changing the system, spreading the solution
and persuading the entire society to take new leaps; we
must not only strive to create business, but also strive to
create positive change.

37. Mile Stones

48. Thank You for
LisTening