With the unemployment rate amongst youths in the country at an all time high, learning entrepreneurship skills has become inevitable for youths determined to escape the poverty trap, experts have said.
This was the submission made by a cross-section of experts at the youth’s summit facilitated by Forever Living Products, Aromire Avenue, Ikeja, in Lagos, recently.
Tagged: ‘Forever Youth Summit: Building for the future,’ the event drew participants from all walks of life.
While declaring the four-day event open, the Country Sales Manager Forever Living Products Nigeria, Mr. Daniel Ikechukwu observed that over 47.4% of Nigerian youths were either unemployed or underemployed according to the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics Report, 2017.
Justifying the need for the programme, Ikechukwu said the objective of the summit is to create healthier and higher quality of life for Nigerian youths. “They must take charge of their lives and be involved in actions that will transform their beliefs, values, attitude and finances. He urged them to imbibe the spirit of Forever which is the spirit of love, and learn skills from some of the best business managers in Nigeria to build a bigger and better future for themselves.”
Amongst the eminent speakers include: Dr. Cosmas Maduka, businessman, founder, President/CEO of Coscharis Group; Mr. Tony Attah, Managing Director/CEO Nigeria Liquefied Gas and Pharm. Victor Erukunuakpor, Managing Director/CEO Gratunity Nigeria Limited.
Firing the first salvo, Maduka who shared his story of starting out from a humble beginning, “Mine was a humble beginning”, Maduka said. Lost his father at age 4, he had to withdraw from school at Primary III at age 7. “I hawked akara to contribute to the up keep of my family,” he revealed. However, Attah revealed how an aptitude test in Yamoussoukro, changed the way he viewed life. “I was part of a 900-youth group who were drilled on how they viewed life and wealth. We were asked to privately indicate what each could do with a free hundred million dollars. While some Africans desired a bigger house, cars, youths from advanced societies had different perspectives.”
According to Attah, a 19-year-old from Europe, said with the money, he could eradicate malaria in Sudan and Ethiopia and hope that one day he could be opportune to visit the place. Another said he would use his imaginary millions to eradicate poverty in Africa and hope to visit there one day.
Attah said the responses changed the way he viewed life. “It is important that you live for something bigger than yourself. Who will miss you when you are no longer here?” he asked a now subdued audience.
“In life journey, everyone needs help and that is the meaning of team work, after all, two good heads are better than one. You can have everything you want in life, if you just help other people get what they want, operating individually, you can achieve nothing. Without other people you will not happen,” Attah stressed, condemning those who believe the grass is always greener on the other side. “No,” he said, “The grass is always greener where you water it,” he observed.