In a move to stimulate entrepreneurial ventures within the Nigerian youth demographic, the administration of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) in Abeokuta on Wednesday honoured a selection of prominent Nigerian figures for their contributions.
This initiative aligns with broader objectives to foster innovation and business development in the region, PREMIER WORLD NEWS reports.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria’s leading manufacturing company, Rite Foods Limited, Mr. Seleem Adegunwa, the President of Ojere Igbayen Social Club, Barrister Abdul-Hafeez Atanda-Shoremi, popular TV Host of the Gbajumo Osere fame, Adedoyin Kukoyi and other selected Alumni of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta have been singled out for recognitions and decorated as Distinguished Entrepreneurs, in various industry capacities, by the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development of the state-owned Polytechnic.
The recognition came at a colourful event tagged maiden Made-in-Mapoly Distinguished Entrepreneurs (MMDEs) Awards and Exhibitions which took place at the Otunba Gbenga Daniel (OGD) Auditorium of the institution.
In his address, the Rector, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Dr. Adeoye Odedeji appreciated the Corporate sponsors and partners of the event and the Alumni of the Polytechnic who answered the clarion call for recognition by their Alma mater, noting that the Polytechnic’s Management supports initiatives capable of fast tracking the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on decent work, innovation and entrepreneurship through implementation of town-meet-gown initiatives like the MMDEs Awards and Exhibitions.
In his welcome address, the Director, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (MAPCED), Arc. Dr. Olabisi Baiyewu revealed that the initiative being in its first year of implementation, promises to explore and exploit all available channels of inspiring and connecting entrepreneurship students in the Polytechnic with the industry.
Speaking about the core essence of the event, the Chairman Central Planning Committee, Mr Olufemi Orunsola revealed that the initiative aims primarily at connecting the town with the gown, linking old students of the Polytechnic with current set of entrepreneurship students across all Departments and fields of study, to facilitate mentoring and networking.
PREMIER WORLD NEWS reports that the entrepreneurship promotion event attracted the partnership of the Special Adviser to Ogun State Governor on Investments Ms Sola Arobieke, who also doubles as the Deputy Director General of the Ogun State Investment Promotion Agency (OGUNINVEST), a Special Guest of Honour, who was recognized as a Distinguished Promoter of Entrepreneurship/Matron Figure.
PREMIER WORLD NEWS further reports that in the corporate category of the Distinguished Entrepreneurs Awards 1.0, Rite Foods Limited was recognized as the Most Versatile Manufacturing Company of the Year 2024 while the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Rite Foods Limited, Mr. Seleem Adegunwa who was ably represented by the Corporate Communications Manager of the company, Mr.Innocent Adulugba, was recognized as a Distinguished Entrepreneur with the Most Inspiring Success Story.
Speaking during the event, the Rite Foods CEO, encouraged Nigerian youths to embrace the acquisition of vital industry required skills in addition to their certificate, noting that entrepreneurship resilience and creative ingenuity are key traits every successful entrepreneur must possess.
Similarly, Barrister Abdul-Hafeez Atanda-Shoremi, the President of Ojere Igbayen Social Club, who was accompanied to the event by some 1997 alumni set members of the Polytechnic said that the recognition from his Alma Mater evokes a great feeling of fulfillment and nostalgia, advising current students of the Polytechnic to key into the pragmatic emphasis on entrepreneurship advocated by the Polytechnic.
In her own remarks, Adedoyin Kukoyi who dedicated the award to all young entrepreneurs, commended the organizers of the awards for their commitment to promotion of entrepreneurship among Nigerian youths, emphasizing that graduates have to be both creative and innovative about their quest for entrepreneurship excellence.
The popular TV Host also inspired participants at the Awards and Exhibitions with her success story of diversifying into other businesses in addition to broadcasting.
Another Awardee at the event, Mr.Akeem Salami, who is the CEO of Mobile Classroom Limited operators of Virtual Tests for tertiary students, demonstrated how his Virtual Tests operates at the event by administering a live Virtual Test session to participants, at the end of which the Mass Communication graduate turned educational Technopreneur gave the top three highest scorers in the Virtial test the sum of N50,000 each.
Other Awardees decorated at the event include:
- Funke Akindele (Jenifa); who once studied Mass Communication at the Polytechnic in recognition of her outstanding Box office record-breaking strides and entrepreneurship moves in the Nollywood industry.
- Alhaji Ayinde Soaga; a celebrated Broadcaster, Broadcast Manager formerly with the NTA for his entrepreneurial strides at the first Abuja-based Agricultural Radio and Television Station in Nigeria, ARCN.
- Mr. Korede Lawal; a Taxation Expert / Consultant based in Ogun State.
- Mr. Adeola Yusuf; (CEO Platforms Africa) who is being recognized for his successful journalism career spanning over two decades, with multiple journalism and non-journalism based awards to his credit.
- Dr. Adeyinka Adegbite; a seasoned multiple award winning Yoruba broadcast journalist, CEO, Omo Baba Tisa (OBT) Media billed to be recognized for his outstanding business opportunities/Entrepreneurship education in Yoruba language on Radio.
- Bola Solate-Ayedun; a serial entrepreneur billed to be recognized for her outstanding entrepreneurship strides in Ogun-based businesses such as the Public Faces Magazine, M-19 Events, ChopLife Brands and M-19 Consults.
- Hon. Lamide Lawal; a youth leader who has been involved in social crusading for youths since his days as a student leader at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic Abeokuta billed to be recognized for his consistent social Entrepreneurship initiatives and youth development strides. Lamide Lawal is the National President, All Progressives Congress, APC Youth League.
- Olamide Quadri; a Real Estate Investor and Successful Events Planner with close to a decade of outstanding delivery in the industry.
- Igwe Sylvester Theresa; a successful make up/make over beautician with over a decade of successful stride in the beautification business who has consistently given back to Alma mater by training and empowering many young ladies for free over the years.
Rite Foods Limited put a beams of smiles on the faces of participants at the event drawn from no fewer than 29 Departments across the Polytechnic as the youth-friendly company donated its wide range of soft drinks and snacks to the participants, assuring the Polytechnic of constant support for subsequent editions of the MMDE Awards and Exhibitions.
The Team Lead, DoIT Services, an Entrepreneurship education and consulting firm, Mr.Tobi Aware, donated an additional sum of N50,000 to one of the top 3 winners in the Virtual Tests on account of the candidates choice of volunteering during the 3-day Female Focused Free Entrepreneurship training floated at the Polytechnic as part of Pre-event activities for the MMDE Awards and Exhibitions 2024.
