Panelists at the first Lagos seminar of the Entrepreneurship Platform Initiative (EPI), have urged budding entrepreneurs particularly women and youths to be innovative and aspire beyond their set business targets.
The panelists in their respective remarks at the forum encouraged women to take advantage of their God given skills and develop great business ideas so as to thrive in all they set out to achieve. The EPI seminar tagged, “Courage,” was designed to nurture and promote entrepreneurship among women and youths.
The event assembled the most sought after entrepreneurs, technocrats and business success blueprints leaders and experts who took turns to mentor and inspire young women entrepreneurs on how to take their businesses and careers to new heights.
Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga, encouraged participants to look beyond the present state of the nation’s economy and rise to the top where they actually belong.
Onanuga, represented by the Senior Special Adviser, Mrs Abiodun Oyedele, said, “Women are generally innovative and have the ability to relate to others which makes their position or viewpoint crucial in business. By having a well-rounded personality and set of experiences, it’s usually possible to relate to almost anyone. Sometimes being able to relate to others helps you increase your business strength which helps your business soar naturally”.
“If the likes of Folorunso Alakija, Ibukun Awosika and my humble self among many other successful young women can excel and attain greater heights, what tells you that you cannot also achieve same or better. You can even do better if you set your mind to it. Let no one tell you otherwise.
Corroborating the deputy governor’s views, Executive Director, Micro Enterprise, Bank of Industry, Mrs Toyin Adeniji, said, “Women are the greatest business people with exceptional acumen waiting to be tapped.
All they need is a little nudge and encouragement and that is what EPI is doing.” President of EPI, Mrs Mercy Abu Bello, noted that one of the major reasons the programme was set up is to empower women to give their business the needed push to succeed.
“The overall benefits of this programme cannot be over emphasized, as it will help revamp the entrepreneurial sector by injecting young minds and more women into it; in turn leading to self-reliance which will curb idleness and restiveness,” she said.