CIAPS Scholars Showcase Skills at 2022 BETA Graduation

Segun Atanda/

Scholars graduating at the Centre for International Advanced and Professional Studies (CIAPS) at the weekend showed the stuff they are made of with research presentations reflecting their experiences and proficiencies.

Tagged 2022 BETA Graduation, the ceremony showcased a new generation of well-groomed entrepreneurs who made various business presentations.

Expressing his joy at the performances, the Centre Director at CIAPS – Prof. Anthony Kila, a Jean Monnet professor of Strategy and Development, told NewsmakersNG that the real joy in being a teacher “is to see people from something the day you meet them, and a short while down the line they’ve turned to something else”.

He said, “You can see them going gradually, and it’s very beautiful, sometimes, even they don’t notice it until they just put together something fantastic and say whoa, I did this; and you say yes you did it. Don’t be afraid, it’s doable. Our joy continues to be seeing professionals grow from this factory of professionals; these people who have left university with no clear direction. The work market is not ready for them. They are able to enter into it, even become creators of jobs and wealth.”

Speaking on the trend of Nigerians fleeing the country, Prof. Kila said, “I will not stop anyone that wants to travel from traveling. But we hope to raise people who are going because they want to, not because they have to. I think society is failing because people are leaving because they have to. A good society is a society where people leave because they want to, and not because they have to. But whether they want to stay here or go, our task is to give them the skills to make them thrive and to add value to them.

“There are some people abroad, among our graduates who are studying from abroad. We have two people from England and two from Canada. They are there and studying here. We will remain a global thing.”

One of the Training Facilitators at CIAPS, Mr. Rotimi Olanrewaju, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) discussed what should be done when starting a business. He urged aspiring entrepreneurs to test their own waters and not rely on people who overblow or overstate their success stories online.

“Don’t be deceived by the figures somebody is posting. Test your own water yourself,” he said.

He also urged aspiring entrepreneurs not to be in a haste dreaming to be the next Bill Gates.

“That’s a fantastic vision,” he said. “But, to achieve a vision, take steps. If you want to start selling Zobo, you create the market first. Identify what you need to succeed, and start researching your market.

“…You need to know that the people you want to sell to exist. If you want to sell feminine hygiene products that you developed yourself, where will you go to? If you go to Northern Nigeria, you will blow. The market is there. But the problem with Nigeria is that most people don’t want to face big challenges. I’ve heard of ‘Get Up and Go’; not ‘Drop It and Go’.”

One of the 53 graduates, Lauretta Ebhoma, spoke about her soap-making production venture – organic black soap production; others – Daniel Kayode Joseph spoke on the Effect of Capital Structure on Firm Performance, and Oluyemisi Ola Olowoyo described the CIAPS experience as an eye-opener while making a presentation.

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