...as MMGIVIT begins weeklong charity programme
By Is’haq Babatunde
As MMGIVIT begins the 2022 edition of its annual weeklong charity programmes, secondary school students in Nigeria have been advised to carefully make career choice and explore their potentials in order to become key players in the country’s socio-economic space in the nearest future.
The Convener of the MMGIVIT who doubles as the Vice Chancellor of the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, Professor Muhammed Mustapaha Akanbi SAN gave the advice in his opening remarks at the 2022 Education and Career Counseling Day of MMGIVIT, held on Wednesday (26th January, 2022)
He further advised secondary School students to take advantage of abundant opportunities available in ICT, urging them to also embrace entrepreneurial skills in order to make them total students fit for the 21st century.
Professor Akanbi who enjoined Nigerian students and youths in general to nurture big dreams in life, said impossibility could be made possible through determination, focus and consistency of plans.
The learned silk explained that MMGIVIT came into existence about six years ago, to provide succour to the less privileged in the society by a way of wealth redistribution to the needy.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of the occasion and Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration, KWASU, Professor Omololu Oladele Fapojuwo who, noted that the programme was designed to help the young ones (secondary School students) make well informed decisions about their future for personal fulfilment and socio-economic development of the country.
Professor Fapojuwo explained that over time the MMGIVIT has moved beyond just wealth distribution by coming up with well packaged programmes for wellbeing of people such as poetry competition, free healthcare, career talks, as well as education and counselling programmes for secondary school students.
He said the idea is to shape their future by giving them right advice and necessary information about the courses of their interests.
“The activities of this week will include:organization of Educational and Career Counseling programme for secondary schools. Later other activities such as: Poetry Competitions, also for secondary schools, Advocacy Sessions for Community Development, Health Awareness for the poor and theaged and also Test for Basic Medical needs, will follow.
He hinted that activities of the week would be rounded up with the redistribution of wealth on Saturday, (January 29, 2022).
“Focusing on today’s event, I’ll like to tell you that, often, people especially the young ones,are confused about their career choices and their future. In general, Career counselling is a process in which individuals are guided to understand more about their abilities and skills” he added.
In their separate lectures at the event, the resource persons implored students to pick up career where they have comparative strength so as to excel in their chosen fields and become great contributors to the country’s growth and development.
In his lecture, Dr. Taofeeq Amoloye of the Department of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Kwara State University (KWASU), said the course which is about designing and maintenance of Aircraft and spacecraft, is a very lucrative career.
He further said that knowledge aerospace engineering could be deployed to other fields such as agriculture through use of drone for area mapping among others.Also in his address, Mr Umar Oba Adelodun who is an agriculturist, described farming as the future of any country.
Adelodun who is a graduate of Engineering from KWASU, pointed out that agriculture has vast potentials and opportunities for economic gains.
In his speech, Director of Centre for Entrepreneurship in KWASU, Dr Sunday Ojo described Entrepreneurship as a window of opportunity to break even in life.
According to him, entrepreneurial skills equip graduates to become job creators after graduation rather than job seekers.
Also, the Managing Director of Ilorin Innovation Hub, Mr. Temi Kolawole advised students to identify their areas of strength and explore their potentials in order to be fulfilled in life.
Kolawole urged Nigerian youth to tap the unlimited opportunities derivable from the ICT, saying that ICT is relevant and required in all careers.
However, over twenty (20) secondary schools across the state participated in the counseling session.
In related development, the MMGIVIT organised an advocacy session for Community Development Associations drawn from across the state on Wednesday (26th January, 2022).Speaking on the MMGIVIT theme for the year “Charity a panacea for poverty and insecurity,” the resources persons who alluded poverty to insecurity, charged people to engage in gainful venture to free themselves from shackles of penury.
They noted that government cannot do it alone hence the need for citizens to take their fates in their hands in order to raise their standard of living.
The resource persons were the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ajayi Okasanmi; Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship in KWASU, Dr Sunday Ojo and Director, Centre for Community Development, Mr. Lawal Olohungbebe.
Earlier, in his speech, the Chairman of the MMGIVIT Chairman, Prof. Ibrahim Kayode Adams, reinstated the avowed commitment of the organization to contribute its quota towards ameliorating the plight of the less privileged in the society.Represented by Prof. Akanbi SAN, he stressed the need for people to equip themselves with trade skills for economic wellbeing.
The two events held at African Peoples Hall, Onikanga street, G. R. A, Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
