By Benjamin Njoku

We Hold A Hand, a community of mentors helping young professionals and entrepreneurs to chart a new career path, recently held a workshop to rejuvenate the dashing hope of young graduates and entrepreneurs who thronged the prestigious Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, for the event.

Tagged , “What’s Next After University”, the one-day event featured array of speakers including showbiz personality, Dayo Adeneye a.k.a D1, Bankole Williams, Oluyemisi Falaye, Lolo as well as seasoned entrepreneur, Yinka Opeke.

Speaking about the need for the workshop, the convener, Mr Kevin, expressed the need to encourage the young people to start businesses and stay in the country to discourage them from travelling abroad.

His words: “It’s not easy for me as it was really out of my comfort zone but it’s something that I think we need because if we are going to encourage the young people to start businesses and stay in the country so not to feel like they need to travel abroad, we need to give them support.

“Mentorship is something that is not just telling somebody this is how you do it but expressing that mental strength that they need, that confidence is what a lot of young people need to actually sustain their businesses and also deploy when they have a job. In the western companies they always ensure they have a mentoring program in their company so that when you join a company they will give you a person that will mentor you. That’s what we’re trying to do with this platform where young people have that one person they can confide in because sometimes when we’re in a crowd and it’s hard as might be shy, feel insecure that would help a lot.”

The sessions of the five speakers was an in-depth dive into their personal stories, how their early days were, the challenges they faced, successes recorded and bits of pointers shared on how to be successful, break even and achieve goals. It was a day of Legal insights, entertainment and show business exposure, multiple entrepreneurial records and coaching which was coupled with well appreciative guests on what they have learnt.

In her presentation, Entertainment lawyer, Barrister Oluyemisi Falaye and Bankole Williams stressed the need for young ones to be a mentor, be attentive, ready to learn, serve your way to the top , find problems and fix them.

As Willams puts it: “The problem is not the problem but how you see the problems. Every time you see a problem, there is an opportunity to make money.”

Veteran broadcaster, media entrepreneur, Dr. Adeneye hinged his success tips to five points namely: Get educated, have a game plan, be optimistic, work smart and choose your friends carefully. He believes in Nigeria and insisted that despite the challenges in the country, there is enough good to tap into to become successful. “ While you are helping others, you are helping yourself. If foreigners can make it here; why not we who are from this country?”
Adebowale who confessed that she battled low self-esteem for years and had to pack her law degree aside after practicing for four years to follow her passion said she had to rehearse for a play packaged for secondary schools organized by Zeb Ejiro’s late brother, Chico in a church without a roof. “Young people need to lose their false sense of security, regain their lost identity of self, and ask hard questions before they can serve.