Academics task students on entrepreneurship, digital skills
Academics at Kola Daisi University, Ibadan, urged Nigerian students to adopt entrepreneurship, digital literacy, and employability skills to combat unemployment during an inaugural career fair. Speakers like Dr Jonathan Ikeolumba from Pan-Atlantic University and Prof Adebola Ekanola emphasized problem-solving, resilience, and continuous learning to thrive in a rapidly changing job market.
Nigerian academics urged students to embrace entrepreneurship and digital skills as solutions to unemployment during the inaugural career fair at Kola Daisi University, Ibadan (KDU-I). The event aimed to equip final-year students with practical knowledge, industry exposure, and entrepreneurial insights before graduation. Dr Jonathan Ikeolumba, a scholar at Lagos Business School (Pan-Atlantic University), stressed that Nigeria’s unemployment crisis requires a shift from job-seeking to job creation. He highlighted entrepreneurship as the most viable path for graduates, noting that technology—including AI—lowers barriers to starting businesses with just a smartphone and internet access. Ikeolumba defined entrepreneurship as problem-solving, urging students to view challenges as business opportunities while adopting financial discipline, structured planning, and resilience. Ikeolumba warned that failure is inevitable in entrepreneurship but emphasized that risk-taking and recovery define success. He also stressed the importance of marketing and communication skills, describing them as essential tools for job interviews, business pitches, and daily interactions. Prof Adebola Ekanola, former acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, noted that technological advancements are reshaping the global workplace, creating new jobs while rendering some obsolete. He urged students to acquire digital, technical, and soft skills—such as communication, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence—to remain employable. Continuous learning through reskilling and upskilling was framed as critical to adapting to evolving job requirements. Kola Daisi University’s newly appointed Vice-Chancellor, Prof Olajumoke Morenikeji, stated the fair’s goal was to expose students to industry experts and bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world practice. The event targeted final-year students to prepare them for life beyond university, integrating academic knowledge with practical industry insights.
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