The Mountain Top University, Ogun State, has advised the Nigerian governments to curtail and manage the consequences of violence.
Vice-Chancellor, MTU, Prof. Elijah Ayolabi, stated this at the fourth edition of the MTU International Conference on Entrepreneurship, titled, ‘Entrepreneurship and sustainable development: Challenges and economic recovery.’
He added that insecurity was a leading obstacle to sustainable development, saying some panaceas to imbibe to ensure the eradication of insecurity in Nigeria and the recovery of its economy are appropriate leadership, good governance, socio-economic development, elimination of corruption and entrenchment of social and economic justice.
‘‘There is also the need to modernise security agencies with training, intelligence sharing, advanced technology, logistics, motivation, and change of orientation by security personnel.’’
Also speaking, the first keynote speaker at the event, a former deputy governor of Lagos State, Mr Femi Pedro, encouraged the audience to strive to be thinkers, and solution providers and learn how to overcome challenges.
‘‘Have the mindset of someone who wants to be successful. Start thinking in your mind about what you want to be 10 years from now. Don’t be discouraged the person who will succeed tomorrow is the person who can imagine what tomorrow will be like. The best way to succeed in life today is to be an entrepreneur. It is not only to be in business but to be in control of your life. I am excited about your future, stay on the right course, stay focused, don’t run away, and keep the right company,’’ he advised.
Acting director of the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development, MTU, Dr Pat Erigbe, described entrepreneurship as the bedrock of development in any nation, adding that it was an important factor in the development of any economy or nation.
‘‘It is the key contributor to innovation, improvement of product and helps in the reduction of unemployment and crime. ’’
The second keynote speaker of the conference, Vice-Chancellor, Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, Prof. Nosa Owens-Ibie, who spoke on Business is Dead … but Alive: Communicating Resilience in Entrepreneurship Spaces,’ revealed that entrepreneurship was not about hands-on skill alone, saying learners should be taught the entrepreneurship aspects of every course of study in the university.
‘‘It would amaze all to know the entrepreneurship potential of many of what they call today’s “Yahoo Boys”. If their talent can be re-directed to creative pursuits, India, China, the United States, and Israel would trail Nigeria in inventions and the next start-up which Oswald Guobadia says would impact the world. If entrepreneurship is alive and unfolding, a business cannot die. No matter what the cost of diesel and gas has caused, business is alive and is exiting the Accident and Emergency Ward.’’
