YOU-WIN, IBBUL Challenge Students to Think Beyond Certificates

The YOU-WIN Department of the Federal Ministry of Finance has partnered with the Centre for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Development, CEID, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, to expose 200-level students to entrepreneurship, innovation, and wealth-creation opportunities. 

The programme seeks to transform students' mindset from dependence on conventional employment to identifying problems, creating solutions, and building businesses around those solutions.

Speaking at the event, a YOU-WIN consultant, Mr. Jimmy Habu, challenged the participants to become "angry with the status quo," urging them to look beyond the university environment and recognize the numerous opportunities available in society.

He said the realities of the modern economy demand creativity, innovation, and problem-solving abilities, and stressed that students must begin to ask themselves what they can create that will benefit society and contribute to the economy.

Habu expressed optimism that the partnership between YOU-WIN and IBBUL's Centre for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Development would produce young innovators capable of creating businesses and employing others. He said the future belongs to those who can transform ideas into practical solutions, and that the ultimate objective is to develop graduates who will not only ask, "Who will employ me?", but will confidently ask, "What can I create, and how many people can I employ?"

Declaring the workshop open, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mohammed Hadi Sulaiman, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Professor Salihu Mohammed Niworu, said the programme came at the right time. He described it as an important step towards changing students' mindset from seeking conventional employment to becoming creators of opportunities.

He urged the students to begin thinking about what they could produce with their knowledge, skills, and talents, stressing that universities should prepare young people not only to look for jobs but also to develop innovative ideas that can make them self-reliant.

Professor Niworu further encouraged the participants to read widely, acquire relevant knowledge, and develop products and services capable of attracting markets. He said students possess significant intellectual and creative abilities which, when properly developed and directed, could become valuable economic resources. He therefore urged them to take the workshop seriously, interact freely, and use the opportunity to discover their potential, noting that developing marketable ideas and productive skills would enable them to become self-sustaining and contribute meaningfully to society.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Director of the Centre for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Development, CEID, Professor Idris Ndagi, welcomed participants to the programme, describing it as an interactive session with representatives of the Federal Ministry of Finance's YOU-WIN Programme.

He said the engagement was designed to expose students to entrepreneurship opportunities and provide them with relevant learning materials, including entrepreneurship books, to guide them after graduation. 

Professor Ndagi urged the students to take the programme seriously and develop the mindset of becoming job creators rather than job seekers, while expressing appreciation to the visiting team and everyone who attended the programme.

Other speakers at the event urged students to take advantage of the entrepreneurship opportunities available at the university. They stressed that practical skills would complement students' academic qualifications and provide alternative sources of income after graduation. The speakers encouraged students to learn skills that could make them self-reliant, noting that entrepreneurship has become an essential component of modern university education. 

They said students should begin preparing for life beyond graduation, including retirement and the uncertainties of the job market, and advised them to pay attention, participate actively, and identify at least one skill they could develop into a sustainable source of income, stressing that "your skills can bring you before kings."

The speakers further noted that students do not necessarily need huge capital to start a business, as they can begin with the resources, knowledge, talents, and platforms already available to them. They encouraged students to leverage social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to market their skills, products, and services, while also taking advantage of the University's entrepreneurship programmes and support initiatives.

They challenged the students to move beyond theoretical knowledge, embrace practical learning, and start developing ideas that can create value, generate income, and potentially provide employment for others.