Tope Popoola is the Chief Empowerment Officer of Heritek Support Services Ltd, a human and business capacity building outfit as well as Team Lead, Leadership Engagement, Advocacy and Development (LEAD) Initiative in Ado-Ekiti. In this interview with Dele Morakinyo Popoola, a business incubation expert shares his ideas and ideals of productive enterprise. Excerpts:
What inspired Entrepreneurs Hangout?
When I relocated from Lagos to Ekiti in 2012, one of the first things that struck me was the abject poverty and the lack of drive to change the situation. I studied the environment well and came up with some findings. A significant part of the population looks up to government for survival. The paucity of industrial presence means that the largest employer of labour is government, followed by government contractors, a lot of whom don’t necessarily reinvest the money in Ekiti. Secondly, people seemed resigned to the status quo. So, when government’s ability to pay wages became an issue, the gravity of the situation was palpable.
Third, while indigenes complained about economic hardship, they are indebted heavily to cooperatives with the money borrowed being used to finance liabilities, burials, naming ceremonies, purchase of cars etc., rather than assets. Fourth, government’s laudable attempts (this was in Dr. Kayode Fayemi’s first coming) at economic empowerment and skills acquisition trainings were largely seen as “dividends of democracy” and an opportunity to partake of the national cake.
So, the graduates of such schemes merely reverted to status quo ante after going through the trainings and receiving take-off money. Sixth, most people in the state are risk-averse, so they mostly don’t like to part with what they have for the purpose of investment. The corollary of this is that generosity is not a very strong point among the people translating to non-circulation of resources.
Those who are bold enough to invest only think of short-term gains. I discovered that there were several people who were in business or who wanted to do business but don’t have the know-how. Seven, I noticed a form of religion that focused attention and prayers more on personal problems and desires rather than a desire to change the environment.
Finally, I noticed that most people believed that it was difficult if not impossible for anyone to have money beyond a certain level and anyone who had more than that must be a criminal or money-launderer of some sort. So, for them, as long as a man can put body and soul together, why does he need so much money? The burden to change the status quo occasioned by these and a few other factors actually birthed Entrepreneurs Hangout.
In a predominantly civil service environment, has your expectation been met in terms of participation?
Participation has been fairly encouraging. In fact, we have had to change venue three times because of space. But it could be better. The civil service orientation means that a significant part of the population will not be able to attend since we hold the programme on a Thursday. We did that because we discovered that Saturdays in the state are almost purely for merriment.
How would you profile the participants in terms of social, economic, educational background?
Participants cut across the spectrum. We have practicing entrepreneurs, rookie entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs as well as civil servants. It has really been mixed. However, there is a preponderance of the younger generation of entrepreneurs. I guess this is because of the platform on which we run most of the publicity, i.e. social media. This actually excites me because we have the opportunity to guide and mentor them before they start making mistakes that could prove very costly in the long run. Participants are largely educated people and the language of instruction is English.
How many editions have been held since inception? How has the turnout been on the average?
EHO began in August 2018 with first edition holding on Thursday 2nd August 2018. So, thus far, we have held six editions and the 7th is underway. As I said earlier, the turnout has been good, averaging between 80-120 people per edition. We plan to expand the scope to cover more participants
What do you see the concept growing into in the immediate future?
My vision for Entrepreneurs’ Hangout is that God would use it to grow as well as incubate businesses that will shape the trajectory of economic development in Ekiti state and nationally. I have a vision to raise through the programme, millionaires who will change the narrative that “there is no money in Ekiti” and who will become instruments of poverty eradication in the state.
What impact do you envisage for it in Ado-Ekiti and Ekiti State as a whole? How much support is the program receiving from the government, private sector and individuals e.g. the political class? Did you approach anyone in these categories? If you were to ask for all wish for the program, as if that is possible anyway, what are the key things you will be asking for?
At the time we started Entrepreneurs’ Hangout, Ekiti state was going through a transition from one government to another. So, involving government or any politician was completely out of the way. Let me say here that in the past, one has made several attempts to collaborate with the government at various levels but the results have been very discouraging. If we had partnership, EHO would probably have started much earlier than it did. We made overtures for collaboration with government through its relevant agencies since 2013 without any positive result.
We even submitted a proposal to the Ekiti State University for collaboration when it started its Enterprise Development Centre. Even though we offered our services free of charge, we gave up after several visits had yielded no results. In the last dispensation, we were given a slot on TV where, for over one year, we taught on entrepreneurship on the programme ENTERPRISE 101 WITH TOPE POPOOLA.
The programme was laid to rest when the station was suspended in the aftermath of the July 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State. One can say that that closure and the need for an alternative platform birthed EHO. The program has been largely self-funded although from time to time, we have had good-natured people who have given to support.
However, the level of support has not been consistent and has not yet come close to what is expended on each edition. To compensate for the support that we lack in finances, God has been gracious to give us a dedicated team of people who assist with planning and execution of each program. I am eternally grateful to them because they have taken a significant burden off my shoulder.
At present participation is free, are you considering charging a fee in the immediate future, or long term projection?
For now, because of the vision that birthed and drives the program, we intend to keep running the program for free. However, specialized programs that are organized based on the identified needs of participants will attract a modest participation fee.
Finally, what has the experience been like?
For me, it has been a richly rewarding experience. Although if I wanted to look at the financial implication, it has been challenging. But the thrill I feel knowing that someone will go to bed knowing exactly what he needs to do when he wakes up to step up his enterprise game, knowing that someone will be inspired to start something, that someone will become richer and more successful because he knows what to do, knowing that someone will find a higher purpose for living, is simply indescribable.
So, we put our best into each edition. The greatest reward for me would be the lives and businesses that will be transformed positively and who will go ahead and make significant impact in the society such that the economic landscape of Ekiti will become vibrant and buoyant.
