Vincent Olukoya, an entrepreneur, Director of House of Roshe Global Limited, and Provost of Roshe Business School, has appealed to all levels of government to create and strengthen creative hubs to boost the country’s economy, reduce unemployment among the youth, and create more job opportunities.
In addition, the entrepreneur advised youths across the country to explore their creativity and talents to create jobs for themselves, emphasizing that this would help address the growing unemployment rate among the youth.
Olukoya, a fashion entrepreneur, made these remarks during a training session for female fashion designers in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, on adire and batik designs.
He urged the youth to be solution providers instead of waiting endlessly for government jobs.
According to Olukoya, the government’s focus for youths should not be solely on information technology but also on the creative world, where abundant opportunities exist.
While stressing the importance of the free empowerment program and training, Olukoya noted that the training would assist female fashion designers in further expanding their business horizons.
Olukoya, who was partnered by two FUTA undergraduates, Oluwatoyin Ajumobi and Frank Fadairo, stated, “There is one thing I always believe in, which is that if you empower a woman, you empower the whole family.
“Africa is endowed, and Nigeria in particular. There are lots of opportunities we can tap into in the fashion industry.
If we can come up with initiatives like this, we can train people to create unique designs and reach the global market. With that, there won’t be much need for them to depend on the government.
“We entrepreneurs are solution providers; we see problems and propose solutions to them, and this is one of the things we are trying to achieve.
“Participants came from Osun and Ogun States to attend the two-day training here in Akure. I laugh when people, particularly youths, say they are waiting for the government to provide jobs.
“I’m a graduate of Education Economics from the University of Ilorin, and since graduating, I’ve only used my certificate once.
“The government has its own problems; we individuals, especially the youth, should also identify the problems we see in society and propose solutions to them.
“The problem we currently face is unemployment, which the government cannot solve entirely. The best thing for us is to create jobs.
“The government should also establish creative hubs; their focus should not be on IT alone. They can create hubs where different skills can be learned, such as fashion designing, adire and batik making, or various other skills.”
One of the participants, Eniola Olaposi, said, “I graduated with a 2:1. When the white-collar job wasn’t forthcoming, I ventured into entrepreneurship, which also served as an opportunity to create jobs for others. I’ve always loved Adire because it’s a unique print, a unique skill, and it’s tied to culture.”
Another participant, Rukiyat Abudkabir, shared, “I came all the way from Osogbo for the free training here in Akure. It has been a significant experience for me because I’ve learned so much. Since it’s about culture, once you are creative, there is nothing you can’t do with it.”
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