Stakeholders at the youth empowerment programme recently organised by Healing Heart Foundation (HHF) in Lagos, have identified entrepreneurship as a way to liberty from the caprices of financial hardship.
The youth empowerment programme initiative with the theme, with the theme, ‘I’d rather be the boss’ tasked youths on the need to develop and put their talents into use as this is the only way they can become successful entrepreneurs.
Rev. Mrs. Sophy Mbanisi, president of Healing Heart Foundation, in her welcome address, said entrepreneurship sets one on the path of financial freedom, and noted the need for Nigeria to bounce back to the era of the groundnut pyramid and others when Nigerians were giants of agriculture.
She said, “Nigerians are talented people; everyone has one or two skills or gifts God has put in them but because the human mind always wants the easy way out, we leave those gifts lying dormant while we pursue money through white-collar jobs as the first thing in life.”
Therefore she said the programme was geared towards re-orientating the youth to innovative to develop their God-given talents and gifts and rather be their own bosses.
Mbanisi further said that is a way of joining other NGOs and the United nations to build a next generation of enterprising young men and women as it used to be in the civilisation era when people only made money through entrepreneurship.
Mr. Basil Apo, Manager, Health, Safety and Environment of Promasidor Company, makers while commending the programme said it is a way of addressing tomorrow as nobody can talk about the future without looking at the empowerment of the youth who are the leaders of tomorrow.
“Attention and concentration should be more on the youth; so we cannot overinvest at the end of the day, “he said.
He posited that employers of labour should de-emphasise certificate and focus more on what people can do, explaining that the certificate an intending staffer is carrying may not be a contributory factor to their performing excellently on the job.  According to him education is basically to expose one before going into what you have been naturally endowed with, that is, making use of your talents. He disclosed that in Promasidor the top management do have certificates for the particular jobs they do but have the skills and talent to excel on the job, “likewise most of our marketers are pharmacists.
“Therefore those at the top management of organisations in Nigeria should de-emphasise that an employee must read a particular course before being offered employment, but concentration should be on what you can do and excel on,” he said.
Also Mr. Ajibola Adebayo ( holy mallam), a professional comedian, while sharing his experience at the programme urged the youth to use everything that God has given to them positively.
He was of the view that God does not create anybody empty, “there must be something in you, something you have on the inside, you can use to work for yourself and be your own boss.”
He therefore urged the youths of today to discover that thing, read about it, read books about it and read about those you consider your mentors along that line.
“When you discover it and develop it, gradually you start earning money from it,” he stressed.
He explained that while growing up he discovered he enjoyed talking and when he did people always laughed and got entertained, and he therefore geared this to positive use by becoming a commercial master of ceremonies and eventually a comedian which has not only generated wealth for him, but has also made him a boss of his own.
Adebayo however appealed to the numerous youths that turned up for the programme to add integrity, humility and transparency to their talents especially when they begin to make fiches from them; because these factors are necessary if they are planning for continuity.
Continuing he harped on parents to encourage their children on the development of their talents, but stressed that they should maintain that the children obtain education first; as enlightenment and education are vital for better use and development of any talent, and “the society will be better for us,” he said.