By Amaka Agwuegbo
The Enterprise Development Services (EDS) of the Pan African University, in collaboration with Oxford Brookes University and British Council, is organizing a one-week training seminar for academic staff of Nigerian universities on entrepre-neurial development.

Focused on entrepreneur-ship and employability, the Enterprise Partnership for Africa Programme (EPA) is aimed at training the academic staff of Nigerian universities on how to teach entrepreneurially who would, in turn, become pioneers in the development of entrepreneurial context in Nigerian universities.

Speaking at the opening session, the EDS Director, Mr. Bamkole Peter, said the EPA, which focuses on context and entrepreneurial teaching, will teach lecturers and regenerate the univer-sity system to teach students to become entrepreneurs.

“We want today’s young graduates and under-graduates to be creative and explore the numerous job opportunities that abound outside the white-collar jobs that hardly exist.
“This programme hopes to internalize what is being taught them in school to create the much needed change.

“We also want to ensure the quality of graduates the schools churn out are employable because there is a total disconnect from what the students ought to be and the kind of students the system is turning out.”

Commending the initiative, a participant and the Director, Center for Entrepreneurship Development of the Yaba College of Technology, Dr. Olukemi Oyelola, said the programme would help prepare young entrepre-neurs on the challenges of being employers of labour.

“The teaching of entrepreneurial skills in universities would aid the growth of the economy, especially as the govern-ment is not encouraging entrepreneurailship.

“One of the challenges Nigerian entrepreneurs face is lack of electricity because the money spent on diesel can be used to further grow he business.

“Also, the importation of certain goods hinders the patronage of young talents.
“When India wanted to start manufacturing foot wears, their government told the citizens that anyone that can’t wear made in India shoes should go bare feet. This encouraged local manufacturing and patronage which helped in growing the economy.”

The participants listed some solutions to entrepre-neurial development to include value reorientation, review of government policies so as to encourage innovation, teaching and learning directed towards self motivation, sustainable university/industry partnership and retraining of teachers, among others.