Convocation letter [Writer's contest 2]

Coco Olorunfemi 10:32 - 22 September 2015

Graduation cap and scroll

This is an entry for the Pulse writer's contest by Kehinde Kenku. B. "...A high majority of jobs are created by small business started by entrepreneurally minded individuals like you and I...

Life they say is a journey. A journey we began to take the day we were born into the world. A world that can only be survived by the strong. Today graduates a new set of individuals into the labour market. A market not determined only by your certificate, but by your talent, skills, and creative minds. A market that now embraces entrepreneurship as a key driver of our economy wealth. A high majority of jobs are created by small business started by entrepreneurially minded individuals like you and I, many of whom go on to create big business.

15 years ago, the era of big successful entrepreneurs belonged to men such as TB Benson (the first SAN in Nigeria), Thomas Okoya (Eleganza), Mko Abiola (business mogul), etc. now in the year 2015, names such as the ones listed above no longer exist as new men and women has emerged such as the likes of Dangote (old cement man and the richest in Africa), Oba Otudeko (the flour guy), Mike Adenuga (Glo boss), Mrs Folorunsho Alakija (business women and the richest female in Africa), etc are now being recognised as the richest entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

15 years to come, these names will no longer top the list of richest men and women as new names will emerge and hold the title of wealth. The question now is, Do you count yourself as one day being the richest man or woman on earth, because if you do your path to success requires you to:-

NEVER GIVE UP: - Raymond dokpesi was on the verge of losing AIT but never gave up. Do the same.
BE FOCUSED: - these rich men never loosed focus. They understood their business and worked hard on it. Just like mark zuckerberg (facebook).
THINK BIG: - All these men were big thinkers. They are able to set missions and visions in which they are able to achieve because they saw the big picture. Aliko Dangote apart from being the largest manufacturer of cement now wants to build the biggest refinery in West Africa. He sees the big picture.
TAKE OPPORTUNITY: - The person sitting close to you today might turn out to be of importance to you tomorrow. Never look down on anyone. Seize opportunity; and lastly
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF: - This is the most important because once you fail to believe in yourself, you get nowhere. Start frying your fish now, no matter how small it and no matter the field you find yourself either in a skill, entertainment, business, etc.

Let’s not wait for 15 years to come; we can make a difference now because I see a Nigeria that will one day be dominated by 53% young entrepreneurs. There is no future for a lazy man. Today you wear a gown that tells the world you’re a graduate but it’s not about the gown but the honour it carriers as you enter into the world were another struggle begins.