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  • Pupils urged to utilise knowledge for greatness

    Pupils urged to utilise knowledge for greatness

    • Mind Builder School holds graduation
    • By Ohimai Christiana, Francisca Chima, and Faruq Durosinmi

    Graduating pupils of Mind Builder High School have been urged to utilise the knowledge they have acquired in the institution to make impact to the society.

    This was the thrust of Pastor Tunde Ogunrekun’s message to the pupils. He was the keynote speaker at the school’s graduation ceremony held in Alausa, Lagos.

    Ogunrekun stressed the significance of integrity in achieving success.

    He said integrity encompasses transparency of character, sincerity in promise, faithfulness in duty, uprightness in finance, loyalty in service, and honesty in speech. All this, he added, would help the pupils to build credibility.

    “A man cannot rise beyond the limits of his character, he noted. Intelligence, education, exposure can take you to the top.

    “It is your character that will keep you there,” the Ogunrekun said.

    He advised the graduates to ensure they are seen as credible men and women of integrity in whatever they do.

    Education Director of Mind Builder High School, Mrs. Bola Falore, described graduation as a bridge spanning years of learning and guiding pupils towards an exciting future.

    Mrs. Falore noted that the occasion marked the culmination of lessons learned in the classroom, friendships and challenges overcome.

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    “We are gathered today not only to applaud your academic achievement but also to celebrate you,” she said.

    Celebrating the pupils’ accomplishments, Mrs. Falore said the school recognised not only academic brilliance, but also talent, creativity, leadership and the ways they contribute to making the school a vibrant community.

    “Every award presented today tells a story of determination, perseverance and belief that effort leads to success.

    “You are the star of the day. Shine brightly, chase your dreams, and remember that the future is in your hands. Stand tall and carry the lessons and values of Mind Builders School,” she said.

    Falore thanked the keynote speaker, the chairman, parents, and academic staff for their support.

    The school principal, Prince Agbelu Adekunle, expressed joy over the graduating pupils’ performance.

    “I am not surprised, really, because I know that teachers really worked hard on these students, and the parents really encouraged us,” he said.

    Adekunle stated that the school was excited and happy that efforts put into the pupils were not in vain, adding that seeing them getting this award is a joy for every teacher.

    The principal advised the graduates to hold onto the knowledge and discipline imparted to them by the school, regardless of where they find themselves in the future.

    Chairman of the day and MD/CEO of Consult Limited, Mr. Sesan Obe, said it was a “great honour and privilege” to chair the occasion.

    Quoting American civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Obe said: “Not everybody can be famous but everybody can be great, because greatness is determined by service.

    “You don’t have to come from a wealthy background to build a wealthy future. You just need to believe that you were created for more.”

    Valedictorian Aderogba Ademide Farid, the best student of the class of 2025, expressed excitement about his achievement, crediting it to hard work and thanking God, parents and teachers.

    He encouraged his junior ones to persevere, saying: “It is never really too high, hard work and perseverance always gets you there.”

    One of the graduating pupils, Oluwatunmise Oduselu, expressed happiness about being part of the graduating class.

    Oduselu encouraged those coming behind to work hard and avoid distractions. She said what she would miss most about her school were her classmates.

  • Six simple ways to boost your general knowledge daily

    Six simple ways to boost your general knowledge daily

    Expanding your general knowledge isn’t just about appearing smarter—it’s key to better understanding the world and building meaningful relationships. 

    By learning a little more each day—whether it’s about science, history, current events, or even fun trivia—you can enrich your perspective and transform your life. Think of it as planting seeds in your mind that grow into a vibrant garden of insights and skills. 

    The secret lies in staying curious and actively seeking out new information.

    Here are six quick and effective ways to enhance your general knowledge every day. 

    1. Read something new daily 

    Dive into books, newspapers, magazines, or blogs for fresh insights. Explore topics outside your usual interests—for instance, if you’re into sports, try reading an article about space exploration. Even 10–15 minutes of daily reading can broaden your perspective and help you discover something new. 

    2. Visit new places 

    Experience is a powerful teacher. Visiting places like museums, wildlife sanctuaries, or historical landmarks can leave lasting impressions. If you’re curious about a country or region, consider travelling there (budget permitting). Interacting with locals can also offer valuable insights into history, culture, and folklore. 

    3. Watch educational videos or listen to podcasts

    If reading isn’t your thing, educational videos and podcasts are great alternatives. Platforms like YouTube offer channels dedicated to general knowledge, while podcasts let you learn on the go. Whether you’re commuting or doing chores, these formats make learning convenient and enjoyable. 

    4. Play knowledge-based games 

    Learning can be fun! Engage in trivia games, quizzes, or crossword puzzles to boost your knowledge while having a good time. Games like Scrabble can expand your vocabulary, while friendly competition can make you eager to learn more. 

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    5. Follow experts and educational pages on social media 

    Social media isn’t just for entertainment—it can be a learning tool. Follow experts and pages that share facts, infographics, or insights on topics you’re interested in, like science, history, or economics. This turns your scrolling into a productive way to pick up bite-sized knowledge. 

    6. Ask questions and join conversations  

    Engaging with others is one of the best ways to learn. Ask questions, participate in discussions, or join online forums about topics you’re curious about. Conversations offer fresh perspectives, and explaining your thoughts can help reinforce your understanding.  

  • Knowledge ASUU needs

    Nigerians have long come to terms with the fact that public universities can hardly have a strike-free session. It was therefore no news to many that Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embarked on yet another round of strike last week after accusing government of lack of commitment to the 2009 pact between her and the government over the release of N1.3 trillion to address the decay in our tertiary institutions. The problems over which ASUU has battled government since the early 80s have not changed. So is ASUU’s strategy.

    The travails of tertiary institutions in Nigeria started with the incursion into politics of a military populated by the less-privileged in society who joined the military for a chance to climb the social ladder. Because they were envious of their better placed compatriots, their first set of victims when they forcefully took over power in 1966 were the politicians, considered as the source of their misfortune, intellectuals, bureaucrats and the press who they envied for their superior knowledge.

    The January 1966 coup plotters wiped out the politicians, the benefactors who had made it possible for them to get into the military in the first place. Yakubu Gowon then embarked on his own war against the intellectuals, ordering them to move out of their ivory towers. Murtala Muhammed and Olusegun Obasanjo who did not know the bureaucrats are the ‘salt of life’ embarked on a senseless retirement of highly trained and experienced civil servants ‘with immediate effect’. Obasanjo took over privately owned Daily Times, the most influential and most widely circulated newspaper in Africa south of Sahara. Buhari, besides jailing journalists for reporting the truth also jailed politicians irrespective of their offences for long periods ranging between 100-200 years. Babangida without contesting or winning an election hilariously called himself president. He and Abacha also deluded themselves thinking they could decree political parties and even teach democracy.

    The ill-educated soldiers did not stop at that. They effected what Tekena Tamuno called “a status coup”.  In 1960, only the prime minister earned more than a vice chancellor (4,500 to 3700.punds). A professor earned more than a cabinet minister and an army general while a first degree holder joining the civil service earned more than a second lieutenant. But all that changed by 1975 with generals not only earning more than professors but earning their salaries for life.

    But I think the misadventure of a military not trained in the art of managing society can at best be described as a folly. That their unpatriotic and unambitious creation – the ‘new breed’ politicians allocate outrageous salaries to themselves should only attract the sympathy from ASUU.  In any case, the entry point for professors as recently observed by Kayode Fayemi, the governor of Ekiti State is about N500, 000. Except those in the banking and oil industry, very few Nigerians earn that. And compared with the media, an institution which like the universities is engaged in the business of trading in knowledge, the universities are not doing badly.  As an executive director of Guardian newspapers with turnover in billions, for 18 years, four of them as chief operating officer, I did not earn anything close to that.

    But beyond issue of salaries, the current ASUU strategy and dubious claims such as the country is rich enough to execute free university education,  cannot move those who believe you can without education,  become president, chairmen of international conglomerates and earn higher salaries by merely allocating more weight to brawn than brain.

    We saw the effect of ASUU’s false and unchallenged claim aimed at blackmailing government on our students who unfortunately are incapable of articulating our current problems as they demonstrated on the street of Abuja last Monday demanding an increase in the current education budget to 28%.

    This was long after Adamu Adamu, the minister of education had made it clear that the pledged made by Yar’Adua and Jonathan  which the duo could not implement at a period of economic boom cannot be fulfilled now that the economy is just recovering from a recession. This was also after the   chairman of the implementation monitoring committee of the agreement, Wale Babalakin, citing other competing expenditure demands, that require funding ‘which, government cannot ignore’, has appealed to ASUU for dialogue. And this was after the government has said it has no money to pay except it takes a bond which will become a burden for the youths in future.

    And contrary to ASUU’s claim, there are very few places in the world where good and qualitative education is free. It is true Canada gives grants to its citizens, but this is because the country suffers a deficit of qualified professionals. And because such grants are tied to performance, those who fall below standard have access to students’ loan. It is also true the US and Britain give grants to their universities (US $76 billion in 2013, Britain £12.1 billion in 2016 – Punch editorial November 14). But in both nations, the grants are not substitutes for school fees. Hillary Clinton during the US presidential contest of 2016 was on record as promising to bring relief to those American youths saddled with $75,000 indebtedness after graduation.

    In Britain, most of the universities are self-sustaining through payment of fees, especially by foreign students and patenting their research findings. Fees charged to non-EU students are unregulated and higher than for UK and EU students. This income allows universities to fund activities where costs exceed income.  Unfortunately for the first generation universities that used to attract foreign students in the 60s and 70s, ASUU’s endless strikes have become a disincentive to foreign students.

    For years, ASUU has been unreasonably opposed to payment of school fees by university students .The usual self-serving argument is the protection of the children of the poor. But if one may ask, how many children of the poor can compete with the children of the elite who attend elite secondary schools where fees can be as high as N1.5m for admission to universities of Lagos, Ibadan, Nsukka and ABU?  Over 50% of those who get admitted to these first generation universities went through diploma or DUPEB where in some universities they pay as high as N400, 000. But as soon as such children get absorbed into 200 levels, their parents join the league of poor people who can only afford N20, 000 school fees.

    Unlike in the US, where federal aid in the form of Pell Grants is awarded to students from families with annual incomes generally below $60,000 per year, those who benefit from government subsidies to the universities here are the political, economic, military and intellectual elite.

    Sadly, the poor artisans, market women, fruit and vegetable sellers whose interest ASUU claim to be protecting  are the ones who pay through their noses to put their children who never stood a chance getting admitted to the first generation Nigerian universities in the private universities in Nigeria, Republic of Benin and Ghana.

    ASUU must stop celebrating their knowledge of history and politics of ‘what was, what is’ and ‘who gets what, when and how’ and acquire some knowledge of economics. Besides, as against infantile duels, current ASUU leadership should show interest in making contributions to the policy thrust of government. That was the case in the 60s and 70s.

  • Knowledge versus vanity

    So, in an election where over 700,000 people were to launch a new leader through the vote, it boils down to barely 3000 persons. The fate of millions of Osun State citizens caves in to the oligarchy of the people. Oligarchy often entails men of money, influence and power, wheel horses on the crest of society. But for Osun State, we have the oligarchy of mere mortals.

    Those who will on Thursday decide whether it is the PDP or APC will not be a crowd in a serpentine queue curling into the streets across the state. Whether it is the dancing fellow with the chef’s cap, or the quiescent financial wizard with a shy tongue, it is not the will of the collective people this time. It is the will of the people, all right. But a few, a micro politics determining the large macrocosm of the collective will.

    It may not be the moneybags, per se. Not the big-time business man. Not the bureaucrat. We may have a sprinkling of them. But it will be the owner of roadside market stall, a mechanic, a wizened teacher, the tottering old retiree, the amala peddler who will lord it this time. They are the strange oligarchs. It is a fleeting crown, owned in less than half a day, but an accolade of consequence.

    From now, the real oligarchs, the party mavens and warriors of political retailing, will turn them into the damsels of democracy. They will woo them, make horse trading for them. They will reach for the cavernous purses, coin the right language, bow where necessary, rise with them, paw, bribe, cajole, tease.

    These oligarchs will vote in the few polling areas cancelled by the professorial INEC umpires. This breed of democrats is rarely seen in history, unless we flash back to the Greek era or the turbulence of the Italian democracy in the age of Machiavelli. It sometimes is one person like Rosa Parks who ignited a revolution for not moving her feet, or Harriet Beecher Stowe who authored the earth-shaking, anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. When she visited President Lincoln at the White House, he remarked: “So, you are the little woman that wrote the book that started this war”. Or a group like the few young black men and women who set the stage for the civil rights tempest in the United States. The late journalist David Halberstam documented that age in his immortal book, The Children.

    But they are not the typical oligarchs. Their power is basically passive. They won’t spend. They won’t hold nocturnal trysts. They will lose no sleep. They will wait for the persuaders, those who have stakes in APC and PDP. They are, in a sense, the jury men and women of the ballot, a few asked to decide where the people’s justice may lie. They are the filters and conscience of the over 700,000 who voted on Saturday September 22.

    Philosophers of democracy have often suspected the view that it depends on the majority. Whether we look at the evolution of the American system with his baggage of slavery, Jim Crow, the moral ambiguity on race and immigration, or the British system with the carefully choreographed topsy-turvy of its parliamentary system, or the seeming hybrid of the French, the fingers of a few loom large.

    But it may not be that simple. These little men may suddenly wake up to their power, the magnitude of their littleness. Politicians may now turn the few polling areas into new areas of command, knocking from door to door. As our politics goes, the new-minted politics of the stomach may pop into significance. Will it be free and fair from the point of view of those who collect money and cook for the day? Or will it be free and fair for the people. The little man wants to decide big. As Winston Churchill, who loved and hated democracy, stated, “at the bottom of all tributes paid to democracy is the little man.”

    But while all these are taking place, how much thought has gone into the biography or track records of the leading candidates, especially the chef-capped Adeleke? How many of the people think about his thespian proclivities, his penchant to dance, if uncreatively. How does a dancer become a candidate when he is an airhead, a mercurial entertainer, unable to rise as a student, and whose only badge of honour as a scholar is an F9 at school certificate, according to WAEC?

    How does a man with little knowledge become a hit with the little man? And how does he handle education and succeed a man, Rauf Aregbesola, who has raised the stakes in education for a generation in the state, not only with school feeding, but equipping and building some of the best in the land?  How does a dancer associated with a high flyer relative who can sing, and who speaks English that stumbles, understand how to pick a good handler of infrastructure, or youth empowerment, or health care system? Were his voters not conscious they were trying to enthrone an alawada as governor?

    It is one of the tragedies of democracy that knowledge is not as important as sentiment. Sentiment can be cloaked as knowledge. Some of the great supporters of Trump, or Erdogan or Duterte or even Hitler, Franco are not necessarily dumb. Knowledge has ceded its pride of place to nativist hysteria or quest for entertainment. They won’t concede they have no knowledge, rather they would think in the words of the writer Isaac Asimov that “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.”

    Have those people reflected on the profile and achievements of Oyetola? Maybe not. Maybe they prize dramatics over mathematics, flamboyance over performance. Or they want stage performance as governance.

    The heft of Oyetola’s following only indicates that, in spite of Aregbesola’s challenges, many saw the brilliance over the mistakes, the infrastructural work, scores for education and health care, especially his triumphs in the areas of the welfare state unequalled in the country.

    So, September 27 will be the day of the little man to make the point. Will he vote knowledge over vanity? That is the question.

     

    Nigerian actress blazes London stage

    The city of London holds a special allure for me: its theatre. The old colonial enclave, with its memory of suffocating arrogance, accepts my forgiveness

    Omatseye (left) and Uwajeh
    Omatseye (left) and Uwajeh

    when I waltz into its histrionic chambers to see great plays. I saw quite a few in my recent sojourn there, including Oscar Wilde’s hilarious The

    Importance of Being Earnest. But one play I had read quite a few times that I longed to see in flesh and blood has been Shakespeare’s King Lear. It’s the bard’s best offering and its immortality shines even today with many demented men at the helm. King Lear, who loses his mind because he cannot see beyond the flattery of his fragile ego, sold out at the Duke of York theatre as most great plays in London. I had to pay to stand for a happy three hours. For me the highlight was not my weary feet but the flair of a Nigerian Actress, Anita-Joy Uwajeh, who played Cordelia, whose mollifying wisdom reigns in the end of the story, even if she dies with her father Lear. She energised the stage with her soul and the Times of London lauded her “self-contained” brilliance.

  • Leadway boosts journalists’ knowledge on marine, oil and gas

    Leadway boosts journalists’ knowledge on marine, oil and gas

    Leadway Assurance Plc has boosted the skills and knowledge of media practitioners reporting Insurance on oil and gas, marine and aviation insurance as well as legislations and policies in the insurance sector.

    It was at a capacity building training, organised in partnership with the National Association of Insurance and Pension Correspondents (NAIPCO). The training was part of activities for the 2017 NAIPCO Conference.

    The training, which is the maiden edition of the initiative, focused on key areas including oil and gas insurance, marine insurance as well as legislations and policies in the insurance sector.

    Speaking on the training, Executive Director, General Business, Leadway Assurance, Ms. Adetola Adegbayi, reiterated the organisation’s commitment to empowering media practitioners to attain world class standard in the delivery of their profession.

    According to Adegbayi, the training was part of the Leadway’s contribution to improving the media sector through regular capacity development training.

    The media practitioners, who participated in the training workshop, commended the company for its laudable initiative designed to improve their skills and knowledge about the insurance industry.

    Its Managing Director, Riskshield, Roland Okoro, described the training as an initiative organised at the right time when the country was in need of balanced and accurate reporting.

    “This platform provided by Leadway Assurance is indeed, a positive one and is avaluable platform for knowledge acquisition for media practitioners,” Okoro added.

  • LBS partners Total on knowledge transfer, research

    The Lagos Business School (LBS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Educational Partnership Agreement with Total to harness the knowledge transfer and sharing initiative between them.

    The highlight of the three-year MoU will have LBS supporting Total in its managerial development efforts.

    Others will include participation by Total in certain courses, presentations, conferences, case studies, knowledge sharing workshops and forums conducted by LBS; customisation of LBS-developed courses that are best suited to the needs of Total and the petroleum industry in general; participation by deserving LBS’s students at the Total’s summer school. LBS and Total will also collaborate on research.

    Representatives at the MoU signing ceremony were Dr. Enase Okonedo, Dean, LBS; Dr. Kingsley Ojoh, Executive Director & Chairman, Education Partnership Steering Committee; Total; Mr. Vincent Nnadi, Executive General Manager, CSR & Member Steering Committee, Total and Dr. Yinka David-West, Faculty Director, LBS.

    Others are Professor Chris Ogbechie, Head, Strategy and Entrepreneurship, LBS; Mr. Azu Azuike, Manager, CSR-Education & Member Steering Committee, Total; Gbenga Apapmpa, General Manager, New Energies, Total; Charles Ivenso, Director, Finance and Administration, LBS; Eugene Ohu, Faculty, Human Resources and Organisational Behaviour and Member Steering Committee, LBS.

  • NGO promotes Maths knowledge

    A non-governmental organisation, Race to Infinity Maths game, has devised a game that will attract learners to Mathematics.

    The creator of the game, Mrs Grace Olugbodi, said manya student, run away from mathematics because it is perceived as a subject too difficult to comprehend, adding that the game was devised to address this gap.

    According to her, the devise, which is a software, could be inserted into gadgets such as computers, mobile sets, and tabs. she added, that the more a player answers mathematical questions introduced by the devise, the more his knowledge of the subject increases.

    Olugbodi is optimistic that the game would build confidence in pupils and enhance the development of science in schools. She warned that running away from mathematics could have a negative consequence on pupils’ entire career.

    She said: “Some people may want to ask why are we promoting the teaching and learning of mathematics and not any other subject. We are doing this because it gives you confidence. I have been in the promotion of mathematics in the last decade. We will continue to do this to enhance human and societal development.”

    Similarly,Sam Onigbaajo, who is the founder of Women for Africa, a female empowerment body, and partner in the promotion of the Race to Infinity,  explained that  her NGO would reward widows who single handedly raised their children and honour women who have excelled in various fields, particularly widows who single handled supported the education of their children.

    He said African women have made unquantifiable impact in the promotion of education, therefore they needed to be encouraged and supported in view of their landmark achievements.

    “Women have greater potentials that are not being fulfilled, like what is obtained in other parts of the globe. Women enjoy unrestricted access to facilities that would help them develop. One of the ways to develop a society is to support and educate women and if this is done, the trend of development will flow.

    “We are going to support women in terms  of providing the platform in their growth; they are the assets we have to proudly showcase. Our objective is to add value to the life of the African women, promote and encourage the teaching of mathematics which many see as a nightmare.”

  • ‘Promasidor training broadened my knowledge’

    ‘Promasidor training broadened my knowledge’

    The first runner-up in the Promasidor Quill Awards, Olatunji Ololade, has commended Promasidor Nigeria Limited for the Thomson Foundation Summer Convergence Course, which is part of the prize for the yearly competition.

    Ololade, who just returned from Britain, after attending the course, gave the commendation during his visit to the company’s Managing Director, Olivier Thiry, in his Isolo, Lagos office.

    He said before he attended the course, he was a complete print journalist who had limited experience in contemporary journalism.

    However, Ololade described the course as unique because it gives a rare experience that does not come regularly.

    “I am seizing this opportunity again to express my heart-felt appreciation to Promasidor Nigeria Limited for giving me the privilege to attend the course. The training really broadened my horizon, which has practically changed my orientation to journalism,”he said.

    According to him, the course has widened his perspective beyond traditional journalism as he has been equipped to face competition from across the world.

    His words: “Before I travelled, I had limited experience about online journalism. I was a complete print reporter, but I discovered during the Summer Convergence Course run by Thomson Foundation and propelled by Promasidor that there was a lot more in today’s journalism profession.”

  • Update your knowledge, dentists advised

    Update your knowledge, dentists advised

    Dentists have been urged  to reposition themselves and their practices to enhance productivity.

    It was at this year’s National Dental Association Continuing Medical Education (CME) held in partnership with Oral B.

    The Oral B dental detailing programme is aimed at educating dentists on oral care and developing their competencies.

    Procter and Gamble Brand Marketing Director Tolulope Adedeji said the firm was committed to oral hygiene through capacity building for dentists.

    It sponsors the CME for dentists in order to update them on new  trends and developments which promote oral care hygiene.

    She spoke on the theme: The Exceptional Dentist – five years of New Paradigm for Enhanced Productivity.

    Adedeji, describing dentists as critical partners of the company’s oral care brand, launched five years ago, said “the more dentists know, the better they also can give services to patients as they come.”

    She added: “To enable Nigerians access qualitative dental care, it is necessary we equip our dental care professionals on the constant innovations discovered in oral health care”.

    One of the highlights of the workshop was the exposure of participants to the revolutionary and multipurpose benefits of stabilised stannous toothpastes with reference to the research results on Stannous Fluoride with Nigerian patients.

    Dr Patricia Ayanbadejo, a periodontist and lecturer at the Department of Preventive Dentistry, University of Lagos, in his keynote address recommended that: “Nigerians should be buying toothpastes with anti-bacterial agents to clean their teeth.”

    Represented by Dr Modupeore Shorunke, an associate professor of Dentistry, LASUCOM, Dr Ayanbadejo said they are better in preventing tooth decay, sensitivity and gum problems.

    She said toothpastes with anti-bacterial content help in preventing plaque which irritates the gum and leads to gum disease.

    Dr Ayanbadejo said: “Currently, over 90 per cent of patients seen in our dental clinic have some degree of gum disease across all age groups and socio-economic status.

    ‘’Despite brushing every day, many people still find it difficult to maintain the level of plaque control that ensures that the gums are healthy. Just as fluoride is for prevention of tooth decay, so also, anti-bacterial toothpaste helps to kill the bacteria and plaque that causes gum disease”.

    Oral-B, in partnership with the Nigerian Dental Association (NDA), has supported over 2,000 dentists in Nigeria since its launch in 2011, updating them with latest developments in dentistry.

  • ‘Knowledge acquisition panacea to entrepreneurial failures’

    Knowledge acquisition, not finance, is the panacea to problems bedevilling entrepreneurs.

    This was the view of  stakeholders at the first edition of the Youth Entrepreneurship Summit (YES), organised by Palm3 Strategy, in Lagos.

    The  theme was “Nigeria beyond oil: Advancing SMMEs development through entrepreneurship social media”.

    The consensus of participants  was that acquisition of the right knowledge will go a long way in ensuring the success of young entrepreneurs.

    The Acting Chief Executive Officer, Bank of Industry (BoI), Mr Waheed Olagunju, said though most entrepreneurs complained of lack of finance in starting up, investigations revealed that most start-ups do not have the requisite knowledge to manage their businesses.

    He said BoI would tackle youth unemployment through various grants –  Youth Entrepreneurship Support (YES) grant to young graduates and Graduate Entrepreneurship Funds (GEF) for youth corps members – to assist youths with good business ideas to start their business.

    Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Chief Executive Officer Mr Olusegun Awolowo said the agency has various initiatives to assist young entrepreneurs to key into government policies on exportation. He, however, regretted that lack of information about the activities of NEPC explained why many Nigerian products were not being exported.

    Olam Nigeria Vice President, Ade Adefeko, said for Nigeria to diversify beyond oil, the nexus between agriculture and technology, with the  active participation of the youth, should be pursued as that would promote agriculture.

    Similarly, the Managing Director, Palm3 Strategy, Mr Ndiana Mattew, said YES was borne out of lack of mentorship for budding entrepreneurs without connections or a formal business school, a level playing field on market entry, obstacles to finance and lack of knowledge/skill or its accessibility by the average the youth.