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Tag: mentoring

  • UI VC advises new varsities on mentoring

    UI VC advises new varsities on mentoring

    The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan (UI), Prof. Idowu Olayinka, has warned that newly licensed institutions that fail to take mentoring from older institutions are likely to run a “trial and error” basis and reinvent the wheel.

    Olayinka spoke yesterday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, while hosting the Bishop of Sword of Spirit Ministries, Bishop Francis Wale Oke.

    The cleric led other top management workers and officials of the newly licensed Precious Cornerstone University (PCU) in Ibadan, to the UI vice chancellor.

    Olayinka said: “We are fully disposed to being the mentor of the newly established Precious Cornerstone University, Ibadan, Nigeria. It is our greatest pleasure to be the mentor of the university because we know it has a lot of potential. We are prepared to assist them in every way possible, either in the human capacity building, governance or in other capacities.

    “Some institutions have failed to make themselves available for mentoring, as directed by the National Universities Commission (NUC), but such institutions would only be running on trial and error basis because UI has the experience of 70 years behind us. We have made mistakes and we have also recorded a lot of achievements over the years.

    “So, the idea is for us to be able to leverage on the advantages and the achievements we have recorded in the last 70 years. There is no point reinventing the wheel.

    “For Precious Cornerstone University, we will let them know the good practices and the bad practices. This is because we are not expected to dictate to them; as that is not the intention of the NUC when they directed that we should be their mentor. It is just to assist them. The directive does not make the newly founded institution a subsidiary to us. But I think the PCU has started on a very good note.”

    Oke said PCU was excited when UI was selected as its mentor.

    He said: “We are glad that the premier university in Nigeria is the one to mentor us. They have the resources, the capacity and the experience that we can tap into. We will tap into it maximally.

    “Our expectation is that UI will give us matured guiding. They will be involved in the governing council meeting and the appointment principal officers and genuine governance of the university. Our vision is to have a world-class university and one of the criteria for that is good governance of the university.”

     

     

     

  • Pharmacists canvass mentoring to boost practice

    The Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP) have stressed the need for mentoring of pharmacy students on career choices to develop their profession.

    Its members spoke at this year’s Young Pharmacists Mentoring Day in Lagos with the theme: Aligning career path towards emerging trends in pharmaceutical practice.

    Chairman on the occasion Mr Adetunji Doherty said there was confusion about how students choose careers after university.

    He said young students or pharmacists would turn out well when they are guided by experienced persons in their profession.

    “Studying as a pharmacy student is different from working as a pharmacist. This is because young pharmacists would be asked to put into practice what they have learnt,” he said.

    Doherty said there are various disciplines in pharmacy, such as hospital, academic, industry/production, community, and sales and marketing, among others, adding that students should choose the area they have flair for.

    Doherty, who imports medicines, said he has been doing his business for more than 20 years, adding: “You have to know your strength and weaknesses”.

    NAIP’s National Chairman, Mr Gbenga Falabi, said pharmacy allows for mentoring and, as such, can help young pharmacy students to gravitate towards the industry.

    He said the industry requires skills and expertise, adding: “But the goal is that pharmacy thinks about the people and how you can serve them”.

    Falabi said a single mistake in the granulation of acute ingridients can make investors lose their money.

    “This is why NAIP is trying to build capacity of young pharmacists in industrial pharmacy,” he said.

    He said there was the need to generate interest in sales and marketing as well as production aspect of pharmacy because they are also important to the profession.

    Technical Production, Drugsfield Pharmaceuticals Ltd Executive Director, Mr Ade Kehinde said pharmacy should ensure availability of efficacious drugs and medicines.

    He charged them to have a vision, adding that this would make them go the right way in their career path.

    Kehinde said they should set their goals and how to achieve them.

    He listed some of the benefits of pharmacy as job security, independence and steady progress.

    Some challenges, he said, are lack of infrastructure, power and fund.

  • Ambode’s foundation targets leadership mentoring, youth empowerment

    Ambode’s foundation targets leadership mentoring, youth empowerment

    LA Roche Leadership Foundation, a non-profit organisation founded in 2013 by Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, has been formally inaugurated.

    The foundation, which was opened to the public at an event attended by eminent personalities on Saturday in Lagos, will offer leadership mentoring and empowerment for the youths.

    It will also attend to the welfare and prosperity of students in all facets of their educational endeavours.

    The governor, who has since stepped aside from active participation in the affairs of the foundation to avoid conflict of interest, was said to have founded the organisation owing to his passion for reaching out to children and young ones, especially by creating and sustaining a positive and enabling educational environment for the students.

    Part of the objectives of the foundation was to sponsor students by way of scholarships, grants and organising capacity-building seminars, workshops and other related activities and opportunities to students and young people, as well as collaborating with other stakeholders such as government agencies, NGOs and foreign bodies to raise awareness on the country’s state of education and intervening with solutions.

    In her welcome address at the event, the foundation’s administrator, Mrs. Marina Oshoba, said the formal launch marked a milestone in the life of La Roche Foundation, as it would offer a relationship between the organisation and the core people it had been working to serve who are the children and young ones.

    She said: “We started our registration process in 2012. But we got our permit by 2013 and even from before then till date, we have been working on our six projects which are the Flags Project, Tool Box Project, Internship Project, Toy Box Project, Support Our Schools Project and Our Chosen Youth Project.

    “Since we got our new facility last year May, we are now fine-tuning our in-house work such as our Book Bank, E-library, Mobile Library, Resource Centre and E-book Club. We have a Facebook page and we have a blog that we write every two weeks where we talk about education and leadership mentoring.”

    For instance, the administrator said through the schools support project, the foundation hoped to answer to infrastructural needs of schools in Lagos State and work with manufacturers of building and construction materials, building technology professionals and other well-meaning sponsors to help refurbish and upgrade public schools.

    The foundation, according to its administrator, has so far won three awards for projects executed at Government Technical College, Agidingbi; St. Jude’s Primary School, Ebute-Metta and Ojokoro Community Library.

    On funding, Mrs. Oshoba said the Board of La Roche Leadership Foundation was not presently favourably disposed to the idea of soliciting for funds from the public, but felt the foundation has to first build track record.

    She added that she believe that people must first see what the foundation has been able to do to be persuaded to give.

    Chairman of the Foundation and retired Justice of the Supreme Court Justice George Oguntade said the essence of such foundation could not be down played, as it would go a long way in reaching out to people.

    He said: “If you look at the starting position of the Nigerian society, you will know that we are virtually at the end of the ladder in almost all aspects and so foundations like this will hasten development in Nigeria and I think it is commendable.”

    Justice Oguntade, however, expressed the hope that the foundation would be replicated across the state and later across the country, so that the advantages can be evenly distributed.

    Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Oversees Affairs Prof. Ademola Abass said a foundations such as La Roche would help reach out to people, who are often overlooked by mainstream governmental agencies in the society either because their needs do not fall within the mainframe policies of government at any given point in time.

  • Mentoring key to pharmacy growth, says ex-minister

    Pharmacists have underscored the importance of youth mentorship to the profession’s development.

    According to the President, Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, any profession, which does not take care of its younger generation has no future.

    He spoke at the inauguration of the Academy’s Young Pharmacists Mentoring Programme tagged: The Next generation pharmacist: Poise, pizzazz and panache.

    The future of pharmacy, he said, would be given to the younger generations that dare to do things differently.

    According to him, a lot of people think mentoring was about watching television and wishing to be like those they see. This, he said, is not mentoring.

    He urged elders of pharmacy profession to pass down their experience to the younger generation because the future belongs to them.

    Mentoring, he said, will help to develop young talents and re-position the pharmacy profession.

    He urged young pharmacists to strive for excellence because ‘nobody will like to mentor a failure that does not have an aim’.

    He urged pharmacists help one another because nobody can promote their profession than them.

    The former Health Minister asked: “I look at the history of the Ministry of Health, there has been no pharmacist as the Minister of Health except me. Is it a sin to have another person at the saddle?”

    He urged young pharmacist to open their mind to opportunities and dare to do things differently.

    President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Mr Ahmed Yakassai said education goes beyond the classroom, adding that young pharmacists should be ready to learn from experienced people.

    He said: “Young pharmacists can imbibe the knowledge gained from the doyen of the profession,” adding that the mentoring programme will help young pharmacists think about the patient. He stressed that it will help people to understand that pharmacists are thinking about safety, medication therapy “and being an essential member of the healthcare team.

    “They will be able to practice with courage, knowledge and experience from what they have learnt,”he said.

    According to him, the academy,  was considering empowering young pharmacists, adding that young pharmacists should use the social media positively.

    The gubernatorial candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Mr Jimi Agbaje said mentoring has become a way of bringing up the younger ones and is not limited to pharmacy.

    The profession, he said, is trying to formalise mentoring in a way that is better organised for the younger pharmacists.

    “We are trying to get them involved in a way that they will add value to the profession and themselves,” he said.

    He urged the society to appreciate the role of the pharmacists because they are professionals in their own right. “It is not about competition in the health sector, the roles are clearly defined. If everybody is practicing those roles properly then the roles of each profession will be better appreciated,” he said.

  • How mentoring strengthens young entrepreneurs, by Rector

    The Rector, Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Yaba, Lagos State, Dr Margaret Ladipo has stressed the role of mentoring in building young entrepreneurs and eradicating unemployment in the country.

    Dr Ladipo spoke at a press briefing to announce the 29th convocation of the college on Tuesday.

    She said: “Entrepreneurship is all about mentoring. When youths see people who have been through what they are aspiring to do and succeeding in it, they become excited and encouraged.

    It also helps to inculcate the entrepreneurship attitude in the students. Imagine if you empower about 200 graduates from each institution in this country; attach them to mentors and micro finance banks. At the end of the day, they become entrepreneurs and employ about two or four graduates. Calculate the multiplier effect to reduce unemployment in our society. When they service their loans, you go through the process all over again.”

    The convocation would hold in two days, October 28 and 29.

    In accordance with her suggestion, she said the convocation lecture, to be delivered by former Vice Chancellor, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, is themed: ‘Entrepreneurship and mentorship role in youth empowerment and sustainable development.’

    The lecture would hold at the College multi-purpose hall at 10 am, with the occasion’s chairman as Dr Frank Jacobs, Chairman, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), while the graduation ceremony follows the next day.

    It will be a combined ceremony for grandaunts of the 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 academic sessions, bringing the total number of graduands to 11,957 – 5527 for the 2012/2013 sessin and 6430 for the 2013/2014 session, including full time and part time students.

    The Rector also disclosed that the essence of entrepreneurship education is to provide competent graduates who would be academically and economically endowed with requisite skills to become self employed and ultimately employers of labour.

  • ‘Success without mentoring is tragic’

    ‘Success without mentoring is tragic’

    Izehi Hannah Agunkejoye is the Executive Director of Ladies Helpline Initiative, an organisation which seeks to empower and develop women in communities as well as discover innate talents that can help to transform their lives. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, she talks about the impact made and some of the challenges encountered.

    What is your organisation about?

    It was established to groom and prepare young women ahead of future challenges socially, morally, economically, spiritually and career wise. Our target audience are the younger generation of women which include secondary school female students, female undergraduates, NYSC members and the generality of the young women folk.

    What we do is to go to some secondary schools and campuses as well as youth camps to create awareness on the need to abstain from pre-marital sex, discourage abortions, nurture and develop creative women leaders. In addition, we also initiate economic empowerment and career solutions via the instrument of seminars, workshops, conferences, research pilot projects and capacity building programmes.

    The initiative is committed to equipping young female entrepreneurs with moral values and leadership skills, which will make them become effective, value-driven women leaders and make them catalysts for change and improvement of the quality of life irrespective of their background.

    How did the idea start?

    The idea was borne out of previous unpalatable circumstance that surrounded my gaining admission into the Nigerian university. I made my papers at ‘O’ levels at once but I found it difficult securing admission.  I went to several schools within the space of six to seven years trying to secure a place to further my education, at last it came! I gained admission to study Sociology at the University of Ilorin. But what happened within those years of waiting, only God can tell. I had terrible experiences and temptations with people, especially men who wanted to ‘help’ me secure a place with mouth-watering promises, but eventually ended up in futility. Thank God for my parents who brought me up in the fear of God and I had a vision and a goal before me: to be a model to my generation and as well get married as a virgin which I did by God’s grace at the age of twenty-nine to a wonderful hubby!

    I believe young ladies can also be determined to stay sexually pure and out of pre-marital sex if only they dare to do so. When someone gives you a tokunbo car and a brand new car, which one will you go for? The new car of course! I dare young females to stay out of pre-marital sex and its vices; they will attract the right person. In life, you attract who you are and not what you want. So, young ladies of this generation should be able to set goals ahead of them, but they need to be equipped to handle the pressure of life especially at this age.

     What are some of the projects that you have carried out?

    We have our outreaches for both male and female young folks.

    Actually, as a growing initiative, we are carrying out sensitisation programmes in schools, at students’ workshop and seminars and even in churches as well. When we are invited, we deliver value and a timely solution to various degrees of challenges facing the youths, especially females. As you know, these groups of people are vulnerable and they need to be equipped to prepare for the great future that God has in store for them.

    How would you assess women in leadership position in the country today?

    Success without a successor is an incomplete success! If a woman is successful in her field of career or in her endeavours, she should be able to replicate the same in younger women. There are women who have been placed in high positions in the society but do not bother to mentor others. Some may never mentor other young ones, till they pass on. It is a social tragedy.

    Women in leadership should be able to show true leadership in all spheres of life. These women should be able to teach young females through mentoring or any other positive way of balancing work and family. These are the values we want to impart to young people. This is because you don’t prepare for battle at the battle front; you equip yourself before the battle begins.

    However, there are some women in leadership positions who contribute in their own little way to the society. As little as it seems to be, it will go a long way.

    On the contrary, we have some women who look down on others because of what they have achieved. This ought not to be so. At Ladies Helpline Initiative, we seek to bring women in position closer to the younger folks to initiate and encourage mentoring, teaching these young ones what it takes to be a high flyer in life and not just a mediocre. A word of advice to women in leadership: Life is not about your duration but your donation!

    Who or what would you consider as the greatest influence in your life?

    Equipping and nurturing young females with value-driven leadership skills and the right knowledge is our greatest competitive edge, even for me as an individual.

    I believe dreams come true. My greatest influence in life is creating the space or room for self-development because learning is till death. I need to keep my mind young by equipping myself with necessary information that will add value to me as a person as well as to my community.

     If you had to advise Nigerian women, what would you tell them?

    As much as they can, Nigerian women should be our sisters’ keepers. We should learn to mentor the younger ones because today’s girls are tomorrow’s women. As we know from long and indisputable experience, investing in women has an amplifier effect of productivity & sustainable economic growth is a quote from UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, that I like.

    So, I believe that investing in women and girls is a good investment for our future. However, the boys should not be left out. Women should see themselves as assets in their homes and communities. You can’t become a leader overnight; you need to develop yourself to become one. Most women don’t read these days; they believe they are only meant to be in the kitchen.

    Nigerian women should rise up to the task and see themselves as global change agents irrespective of who they are and where they are.

    Women generally should have a winning mentality.

    What are the other things that occupy your time?

    I read a lot! Also, I love to write. I also love meeting people. Whenever I am less busy I read anything good that is worth reading. I love to write, hence, I have published few books such as:

    The Beauty of Virginity, 10 Golden Principles for Smart Ladies, How to be Naturally Beautiful as a Lady, The Confident Teenage Girl, Little Book of Wisdom for the 21st Century Lady, The Inspiring African Woman;(true life experiences of leading women), Little Book of Wisdom for Teen Girls, among others.

    More books will be published as time goes on. My purpose of writing and publishing these books is to inform the minds of young people, especially females, that she can add value positively to people around her irrespective of who you are and where you are. I believe in the future of these young people because when we invest in them now, we would reap a harvest of value-driven global women leaders who would be change agents in their society, who would stand up to make right decisions. The choices we make affect us and those around us. So, the need for continuous preparation is vital in order to see the desired change that is needed in our dear society.

    What did you study and where have you worked in the past?

    I studied Sociology at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State. I also had my PGD in Theology and Leadership from The Redeemed Christian Bible College. Though, currently am running my Masters in Public Policy: International Non-Governmental Organisation from Walden University, USA.

    Prior to this time, I had my certifications from NESBURG School of Business and Management in Persuasion and Communications, as well as in certification in Innovation Management & Entrepreneurship. Also, I am a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria and a member of Cherie Blair Mentoring Women in business.

  • ‘Burning desire for mentoring drives me’

    ‘Burning desire for mentoring drives me’

    It’s Children’s Day tomorrow and a number of people have sown seeds to make the day memorable. One of such people is Femi George who has been reaching out to children and young people with a passion called Egbon Aburo. Yetunde Oladeinde spoke with the lady who holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting Finance and Economics from the University of Kent, Canterbury England.

     

    THE mother of two wonderful boys has over 15 years’ experience, starting with a career in the oil sector in the United Kingdom before relocating to work in KPMG, Washington as an auditor. The amiable lady moved back to Nigeria about ten years ago and she has worked in a couple of multinationals and had a career in finance in organisations that include Dangote Industries.

    What inspired you to go into this?

    I have always warmed to people in need and speaking to a friend I made in my son’s school would share frustrations and plans, only to discover she had a similar desire to help young boys and girls. As we discussed the essence of what we wanted to achieve, I remember saying younger/older and she blurted out Egbon Aburo

    When did it all begin?

    Egbon Aburo was started in 2011. It was borne out of a burning desire to mentor and assist younger boys and girls in our society based on the positive influences received growing up from our older siblings, aunties, uncles and their network of friends.

    The name Egbon Aburo is a Yoruba word meaning older sibling younger sibling. We chose this name as it embodies what we are hoping to achieve with our organisation, which is the older generation reaching out to the younger generation. Our belief is that as a society, if we imbibe this attitude we can truly make a positive impact on the younger generation and leading to a brighter future as a nation.

    We are a group of individuals whose aims and objectives are to inspire, motivate and steer young boys and girls in secondary school education to be the best they can be. We have chosen the secondary schools as our primary focus. This is because we believe our formative years happen during this stage and if we can catch them young then we are much more likely to succeed in equipping our younger ones for the future.

    In any society, education is key to empowerment. A society that does not educate its young ones is in effect storing up problems for the future. Once upon a time in Nigeria, access to good education for all was more or less guaranteed and the old adage, “it takes a village to raise a child” was enshrined in our parents. Today, access to good education is losing their moral values and is generally disillusioned about the future.

    How do you help to transform lives?

    We aim to identify schools that have a positive outlook and support them in selected areas of development of the school like the library, ICT department and laboratories. We go to our adopted schools periodically to speak to the students and encourage them in identified areas of weaknesses that we perhaps see in the students.

    These include weak presentation skills, personal hygiene and low moral values. In addition, we also introduce reward systems so that each student can strive to be the best they can be as well as encourage and recognise their hard work and personal effort. The organisation also targets and supports vulnerable and struggling students that are in need of financial aid.

    Let’s talk about some of the cases you have handled?

    In October 2011, we visited and adopted Ijero Girls High School, Ebutemetta, Lagos. Here we were shown the school library which was yet to be utilised, as there were no books in the library. We decided at the time to equip the library for the girls. A book drive was organised and successfully received 300 books in donations. We presented over 200 books to the school on February 15th 2012.

    We supported their 2012 sports day and also presented identified students and class prefects with prizes for academic and non-academic excellence during the school year. We were pleased to see when we went back for a visit in June that the library was up and running and the kids were actively borrowing books and hopefully discovering the love of reading.

    Next we went to Lanre Awolokun Senior Secondary School, Gbagadam, where we donated book to their library. We also offered financial aid to four students identified to be in need of financial support, including a student with a medical condition, whom we continue to support. We also went to Igbobi Junior Secondary School. Our first visit to the school was in October 2012. Prior to our visit to the school we made contact with the vice principal for academics to give us the names of students that had excelled at their end of year exams in July 2012.

    We then used the opportunity during our visit to reward these students and gave them encouragement for the new academic year. In all, 12 awards were handed out for both academic- and non-academic-related performances. Financial aid was also given to four students identified by the school counsellor to be in need of basic necessities. This year, we supported Igbobi Junior Secondary School. The latest addition is Ogudu Grammar School annual prize giving, where we gave out gifts, cash award as well as treats to teachers and students.

    What are some of the challenges that you have encountered?

    Well, I would say that the first challenge is in identifying schools to partner with. Secondly, it is also tough meeting the needs of the schools and students with very limited resources. We also try to find creative non financial ways to meet the needs of the schools, book drives as well as getting volunteers to commit to scheduled activities like mentoring talks.

    What are some of the achievements recorded?

    We have given financial aid to over 5 students, donated over 300 books to school libraries, equipped a sick bay and encouraged over 100 students in sports and academic achievements with prizes and cash gifts.

    How can mentoring help to develop the individual?

    I believe in mentoring, and our primary focus is to give talks and encourage boys and girls in secondary education within our community. Everyone needs guidance, encouragement, appreciation and love and we hope that every time we meet with any student, either individually or collectively as a class or school, we positively impact their lives.

    Many people have played a positive role in my life and interestingly enough, I have met a lot more egbons in my adult life that continue to play a very pivotal role in my social, spiritual and work life.

    Who are your targets?

    Other achievements have been reaching out to people in hospitals and also getting more involved in church. Our targets are young boys and girls in secondary education as well as secondary schools in need of amenities. When I am not doing all of this, I look after my young boys or get involved with church activities.

    Can you tell us about the women you admire?

    I admire the strong women in my life, my mum, mother-in-law, my sister, Mother Theresa, Hillary Clinton.

    Who is the greatest person in your life?

    One of the greatest influences has been my dad who is the most generous person I know and my husband who is the kindest.

    If you had to advise young women, what would you tell them?

    The advice I would give to young women would be to always believe in themselves, work hard and aim for the heavens.

    Imagine that you were the President of Nigeria for one week, what would you like to change?

    As the President for a week, I will encourage any child of school age to be in school and introduce free meals. I will also cut all public spending and plough funds into education and healthcare.

    How do you spend your leisure?

    I enjoy boat rides and reading.