Business Summit: Experts Suggest Measures for Youth Enterprenurial Development

By Our Reporter

Experts who featured at the second edition of BON Smith Business Summit over the weekend in Awka, Anambra State have called for strategic youth entrepreneurial development support initiatives to drive the ‘Aku-Luo Uno’ policy thrust of the Anambra State government.

The event held at BON Hotel Smith City Awka, according to the Convener, Mr Abraham Arinze Anaegbunam, was designed to support growth of Small and Medium-scale Enterprises through massive investments and grooming of young entrepreneurs in the state.

Abraham, also the Sales and Marketing Executive of the hotel said: “The objective is to leverage on the large platform of the facility in harnessing the inherent strengths and possibilities in young entrepreneurs by providing them with business wits and insights from successful business owners and entrepreneurs.

“This business summit also lends voice and support to the investment drive and the ‘Aku Luo Uno’ mantra of the Anambra State government.”

Earlier in his welcome remarks, the General Manager BON Smith City Hotel, Mr Anthony T. Zuokemefa, urged young entrepreneurs to remain focused on their goals and work hard to become successful in their businesses.

According to him, “Anambra is blessed with great people, it is only right to meticulously harness these business talents, provide them platforms to exercise their wits and equip them necessarily with the right information.

Entrepreneurship is the hope of the future. And future of our society and economy lies on the shoulders of daring entrepreneurs.

Barrister Uchenna Ajator, a realtor who spoke on Business Legitimacy, noted that one of the basic challenges many businesses face was the inability to identify what is legitimate and how to be legitimate.

“The beginning approach of any business on legitimacy is to register it with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). This is to get recognised by the government at all levels. The registration will also make you eligible for loans, grants, and other benefits that come from the Government,” Ajato said.

Mr. Benjamin Ezemma, a real estate expert who spoke on ‘Ethics of Starting Small and Growing Big’ disclosed that he started as a sausage roll (Gala) hawker while in school as an undergraduate.

“My hawking of gala was momentary because that’s what I could find to do. Afterwards, I began moulding blocks and supplying to construction sites. As a matter of fact, before I grew to this stage, I was severally chased out of my apartment in school because I couldn’t pay. This is why today, I understand what it means to be homeless”, he said while urging youths to stay focused and persevere while chasing their dreams.

Mr Jude Obiekwe, a business and life coach, charged participants to develop team spirit, rather than rely on their individual strength.

“We are strong as individuals but weak as a people in Nigeria. This is simply because everyone is driving his or her personal interest, which leaves us seemingly well off individually but shallow and bedridden as a community of persons. To truly succeed, it is important everyone develops the idea and interest in communal wealth.

“The objective, sincere combination of our individual strength will take this country to an enviable height, ” he stressed.

Ambassador Gabriel Chukwunwendu, another real estate expert and pool developer and maintenance engineer challenged the youths to keep focus and be content with processes.

He said:” Youths of this generation are swept by the get rich quick syndrome and this has cost us the lives of too many young ones.

“You will never find a truly successful person without a scary story. I was not always big, I had my down times before I started recording some little strokes of success.

Pharmacist Edith Anyakwo, who also spoke at the event, urged participants to take care of their health. While speaking on mental health, Anyakwo encouraged them to “develop the habit of routine mental status as a lot is happening that can whittle down the stability of the mental frame with cognitive signs.

She also encouraged every business owner to learn to take time to rest adequately, stating that it is a helpful measure of escape to relax the mental nerves.

Other speakers at the event include the Anambra State commissioner of police, Nnaghe Obono Itam ably represented by SP Tochukwu Ikenga who spoke on criminality, Mr Chisom Martins, on the creative power within you, Amb. Abuchi Umeh, Pst Mrs Chisom Phil Nwokolo, Hon. Chinedum Okafor, Mr Okwuchukwu Okonkwo ably represented by Mr Nzube Chinedum.