Entrepreneur's Cradle: December 2015

CBN SS EDC CELEBRATION OF GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP WEEK 2015

For a period of one week, the SSEDC joined the world to celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week 2015, with different packages created to engage Agro-allied businesses, tech innovators, creative industry drivers. This was done with the aim of driving interaction with experts in the business and showcase cutting edge innovative and user friendly products and services that will enhance the productivity and profitability of SME’s.

As an institution set up to drive entrepreneurship within the region, collaborating with the Calabar Chamber of Commerce, and joining the global entrepreneurship community, the CBN South South Entrepreneurship Development Centre, organized commemorative events to celebrate the week. The events were targeted at captains of industry, government agencies, Entrepreneurs, Financial Community and General members of the public.

Global Entrepreneurship Week is the world’s largest celebration of innovators and job creators, who launch startups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth and expand human welfare. During one week in November, GEW is a platform created to inspire people globally through entrepreneurial fostering activities, help exploit existing and emerging opportunities as well as intimate networking gatherings, and connect practitioners to prospective investors, collaborators and mentors. The activities started with a city walk on Saturday, 14^th November 25, 2015 tagged “My Business, My Tomorrow which kicked off from CBN SS EDC grounds at Prof. Eyo Ita House through Marian Road–IBB Way, Akim Road, Etaagbor Road and ended with a picnic at the Airport Green.

The 4.3km city walk was aimed at creating awareness of Global Entrepreneurship Week, engaging and interacting with community business owners/CEOs with the ultimate goal of encouraging more people to see business as a sure way to financial freedom and wealth creation. The walk received active support, demonstrated by the excitement and participation from the enterprises which lined the route. Some business people took time off their work to share their testimonies, comment and dance with the walkers.

The commemorative events for the week, continued with two events, which took place on Monday 16^th November 25, 2015. The CAMPUS CEO event took place at the ETF hall of the CRUTECH by 10:00am with 447 students in attendance. The event which was aimed at encouraging students to imbibe entrepreneurship as a lifestyle even while still in school and mainly dependents was hosted by the vice-chancellor of the university Prof. Anthony Owan-Eno who encouraged the students to listen and imbibe entrepreneurship as this was practically one of the best advice they will be receiving. The conference featured a host of high profile speakers like Mr. Efa Imoke, the Vice President of CALCIMA who took the keynote address titled “Entrepreneurship; The Fulcrum of Economic Sustainability”; Mr Iso Bassey who spoke on practical ways of generating markets using modern marketing strategies; Mr. James Mbu and Dr. Nelson Takon who all expounded the theme “Entrepreneurship - The driver for sustainable growth”. They spoke on Eco-preneurship: locally driven entrepreneurship which is derived from solving problems in your society and environment; ICT-preneurship: using ICT to solve entrepreneurial problems and Techno-preneurship: the application of science to social, environmental problems. Mr. James Mbu wrapped-up the session talking about the 4Ps of entrepreneurship: Perception, Performance, Persistence and Passion.

The event also featured a panel discussion on The Giant Strides of Entrepreneurship by some existing business owners (who started their businesses while still students) to encourage the students to do same.

The second event for the day was the vocational training exercise for students of some secondary schools within Calabar municipality. It was held at the Obudu hall of the SS EDC by 11am and featured a total number of 42 students from GGSS Big Qua, Housing Estate, Eastern and NIICO secondary schools respectively.

The vocational training was put together to encourage an entrepreneurial lifestyle in the Secondary School Students through experiential and practical skills learning that can be commercialized.

Five different teams from Radiant Brides, Sugar n Spice, Ankara Bag House and others were on hand to teach the students how to make confectionaries (Cakes), Facial Makeup, Ankara shoe/bags making, Shoe making and Hat making.

The programme lasted for about 5 hours and some of the students who were ecstatic about their newly acquired skills promised to follow-up on and develop them. Master Ayi Ukorebi of NICO Secondary School who had taken the training on make-up commented that he never knew he had such artistic skills as he realized today and had every intention of pursuing his artistic side.

One of the secondary school teachers, Mr. Okoroafor Michael, on behalf of others, thanked SS EDC for putting together the training, as it afforded the students an opportunity to learn differently from what they are used to and encouraged all the students present to put to use, all the skills and knowledge gained from the training.

The Agripreneurship/Innovative conference which held on Thursday 18^th November, 2015 was aimed at drawing attention to the critical role entrepreneurship plays in the economies of developed countries taking into consideration the massive opportunities in the agricultural sector and the need for young people with innovative ideas to take advantage of such opportunities. Some of the activities in this event included a presentation by Dr. Alban Nwogu of the Ministry of Agric. Drew attention to the government’s efforts in the Agric. sector in several areas including free distribution of improved breeds of seeds including rice, cocoa and maize, giving 50% off chemical fertilizer, trainings on farm methods and lots more. In a question and answer session, he gave instructions on how to access these and many more schemes.

The programme director of CUSO international Mr. Danny Pelletier who spoke on “Land yield- the role of international agencies”, drew attention to the various opportunities for entrepreneurship and investments in Cross River State and Nigeria at large. He said Nigeria imports more Agricultural products than it produces and if the government can focus on developing and producing its food, there is a potential of self-sustainability thereby providing income for local farmers and reduced importation. He summed it up with the words “To be an entrepreneur requires internal motivation and also luck which is being at the right place and the right time doing the right things. The right place definitely is Nigeria and the right time is now with the increasing population with attendant huge increase in demand for all kinds of goods and services which will inadvertently lead to economic growth”.

These chain of week-long activities culminated on Friday 20^th in a dinner event tagged CEO/Investors’ round table with theme “Funding the SME sector”. This event was aimed at creating a platform where cheap funds can be raised for use by budding entrepreneurs as well as an opportunity for investors to take advantage of the unique products by young entrepreneurs before such ideas are made open to the public for investment.

This event featured an investment showcase by innovative young entrepreneurs, an auction sales of products especially with emphasis on waste-to-wealth, an entrepreneurial talk by Steve Harris and Victor Bassey. As with any celebration, there must be cake cutting! Mrs. Catherine Adie led the designates to cut the cake, spelling S-S-E-D-C!

Picture Gallery from GEW 2015 Activities

Day 1 – Entrepreneur City Awareness Walk/Picnic: