By Isaac Lewu
The Director, Technical and Entrepreneurship Centre(TEC), University of Ilorin, Prof. Usman Adebimpe Raheem, has urged students with a flair for enterprise to register with the African Support Bureau for Entrepreneurship (ASBE) and acquire the skills needed to become job creators rather than job seekers.
Prof. Raheem gave the advice this penultimate Tuesday(June 17, 2025) while speaking at the ASBE Clubs Day held at the Faculty of Agriculture Lecture Theatre.
The Director, who is also a member of the University Governing Council, said that TEC would continue to provide mentorship, training and start-up support that would enable students to carve a niche for themselves in entrepreneurship.
He added that white-collar jobs are shrinking and that entrepreneurial competence is now the surest route to sustainable livelihood.
In his keynote address, titled “Mentoring UNILORIN Students for Positive Networking towards Entrepreneurship Evolution,” a Lecturer at the Department of Industrial Chemistry and Chief Executive Officer of Sulthan Animal Breeding Farms, Dr. Suleiman Olalekan Ibrahim, underscored the importance of strategic networking and mentorship as vital tools for nurturing student entrepreneurs and guiding them towards sustainable business development.
Dr Ibrahim challenged undergraduates to transform ideas into bankable ventures through value creation, market insight and disciplined execution.
The agric business expert shared insights from his entrepreneurial journey, highlighting the importance of perseverance, adaptability, and vision in navigating the realities of the Nigerian business environment. He urged students to treat every challenge as a learning curve and see entrepreneurship as a mindset, not just a career choice.
Dr Ibrahim also highlighted the critical role of mentorship, collaboration, and strategic networking in business development. He noted that many young people fail not because they lack ideas, but because they lack guidance and access to supportive communities.
He, therefore, encouraged students to seek mentors, align with like-minded individuals, and build strong networks that foster growth and innovation. He said, “No successful entrepreneur builds in isolation. Mentorship is the bridge between ideas and success”. He concluded by challenging students to become problem-solvers, not just profit-seekers.
The International Coordinator of ASBE and Director of International Linkages and Partnerships, Prof. Folake Eunice Sola-Ojo, applauded the growing student interest in enterprise, describing it as evidence of “a decisive shift towards self-reliance and innovation.”
She, therefore, called for stronger academia-industry partnerships to expose students to real-life business challenges.
Earlier, the University ASBE Coordinator, Mrs Mariam Toyin Adeyemi, and Student Coordinator, Department of Animal Production, Mrs. Ainlara Amatolu Agomi, highlighted ASBE’s role in disseminating accurate entrepreneurship information across the Ilorin community.
Also speaking, the Guest of Honour, Amb. Halimat Modupe Balogun, commended ASBE’s consistency in capacity-building as she tied youth entrepreneurship to national development.
She added that equipping students to be job creators would accelerate Nigeria’s economic growth agenda as she also urged other Faculties to replicate ASBE’s practical model.
In his remarks, the newly elected ASBE Students’ Club President, Mr Abdulrasaq Ajibola Oyewo, promised a “transformative tenure anchored on skills, restructuring and networking.”
Mr Oyewo, who is a student of the Faculty of Law, unveiled a three-point agenda of inclusivity, transparency and member-driven growth aimed at producing the next generation of chief executive officers.
The event also featured exhibitions, elevator-pitch sessions and motivational talks that connected aspiring entrepreneurs with academics and industry professionals.
