The vice chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode Adebowale, has charged students of the institution not to allow their certificates to limit them in the future.
He gave the charge at a one-day sensitisation workshop themed: “Unlocking your Entrepreneurial Potential” organised by the university’s Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
In an address entitled “Igniting the Spark”, Adebowale acknowledged that, “we live in a world characterised by rapid technological change, dynamic economic landscapes, and evolving global challenges”.
He noted that traditional career paths, while still valuable, were no longer the sole avenues for success and societal impact, and he disclosed that Nigeria, and indeed Africa, face the critical challenge of youth unemployment.
The VC, therefore, stated that the solution does not lie merely in seeking existing jobs, but in creating them, stressing that this is where entrepreneurship and innovation become essential survival skills and powerful engines for national development.
He said the University of Ibadan, as Nigeria’s Premier University, has a sacred duty that transcends the dissemination of knowledge, reiterating that the university is tasked with moulding solution-finders, job creators, and societal transformers.
The vice chancellor explained that the purpose of establishing the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation was not for it to be just another administrative unit but a unit focused on embedding an entrepreneurial spirit within the University of Ibadan’s DNA.
He said CEI is the hub where theoretical knowledge converges with practical application, ideas are nurtured, prototypes are developed, and viable businesses are birthed.
Adebowale restated that the sensitisation program would awaken the participants’ entrepreneurial consciousness, emphasising that it would shift their mindsets from “Can I get a job?” to “What problem can I solve?” and “How can I build something meaningful?”
He commended the director of CEI, Professor Sherifat A. Aboaba, for organising the sensitisation programme, asserting that it is the first step for the students towards self-discovery, economic empowerment, and meaningful contribution to our nation’s development.
Earlier, Aboaba stated that students need to think beyond their certificates, encouraging participants to explore the entrepreneurial dimension of their courses of study.
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