Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo state has revealed that the state government has successfully supported over 25,000 young people in different areas of entrepreneurship since 2020.
The governor disclosed this while delivering an address at the 2nd Special Annual Lecture of Dr. Mike Adenuga (Jnr) Professional Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies, held at the University of Lagos in Akoka, Lagos on Thursday.
Represented by his deputy, Olayide Adelami, the governor spoke to a diverse audience of scholars, students and industry players on the success story of his administration with regard to job creation and entrepreneurship.
He said, “We were being intentional in establishing the Ondo State Entrepreneurship Agency (ONDEA) to invest in our people to create values and support the economic growth of the state. I must tell you that the result has been phenomenal”
Basking in the euphoria of the brilliant outing at the just concluded Global Entrepreneurship Festival (GEF) in Ondo state, the governor restated his administration’s commitment to promote entrepreneurship among young people and support start-ups in the state.
According to him, “Our state just hosted the largest Global Entrepreneurship Festival, where over 20,000 participants and several notable global investors converged in Akure to seek enterprise opportunities in the state in particular and Nigeria as a whole”
Reacting to some points raised by the lecturer at the event, the governor emphasized that only a production economy would catalyze development in the country and that his administration is on top of its game in this direction.
He noted that the present Federal Government of Nigeria led by President Bola Tinubu inherited the economy and gradually working its way out of it with the Renewed Hope agenda.
In his thought-provoking lecture, titled ‘Navigating The Present Stormy Nigerian Economy: The New Enterprise Nigeria’, the 1st Occupier of Dr Mike Adenuga (Jnr) Professional Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies, Prof Sunday Adebisi, chronicled Nigeria’s economic and political journey since 1960, likening past presidents to ‘captains’ and their respective administrations to ‘vessels’.
Having identified what the problems are over the years, Adebisi provided fourteen practical solutions to move Nigeria forward, which included fit-for-purpose infrastructural projects, 25 years food security plan and integration of all ministries’ activities in synchronization with Nigerian needs
Also part of the solutions is to push for debt rescheduling, digitalization of all Bureau De-Change (BDC) transactions in Nigeria, aggressive job creation, combating inflation and oil subsidy removal management, among others.
He congratulated Governor Aiyedatiwa and his deputy for the unprecedented victory recorded in the November 16 Ondo state governorship election, where the All Progressives Congress (APC) won in all the 18 local government areas of the state.
Welcoming guests and participants to the lecture, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof Folasade Ogunsola extolled the Endower, Chief Mike Adenuga, saying the chair “reflects the values and contributions of an icon of entrepreneurship”
Chairman of the event, Dr Ibukun Awosika called on all stakeholders including government and the private sector to synergize and take entrepreneurship seriously.
“Entrepreneurship causes us to innovate and look at issues that challenge us as a people, our systems and our communities and to seek for how to create solutions that are scalable. This will ultimately take us far as a nation” Awosika remarked.
John Paul Akinduro,
Press Secretary to Ondo State Governor
(Office of the Deputy Governor)