Akwa Ibom state youths have been urged to cultivate the entrepreneurial spirit as a panacea to the ravaging unemployment pandemic in the nation as well as create wealth for themselves and the society at large.

Emmanuel Inyang, made the call Saturday; October 24 at Watbridge Hotels and Suites, Uyo during a one day Entrepreneurship conference tagged: Akwa Ibom Entrepreneurship Conference organized by his foundation to encourage youths to engage in trade and skill acquisition.

Inyang stressed that education is not enough to put food on the table considering the current economic realities, hence the need for creativity.

The facilitator, also a philanthropist advocated for entrepreneurial studies at all levels of education while calling on government to allocate more funds to give students the needed push for them to succeed, he explained that, Entrepreneurship is what Nigeria needs to break the viscious chains of poverty.

He shared his life experience to inspire and to teach the practicability of being an Entrepreneur, highlighted that risk taking, embracing opportunities, hard work, determination and integrity are the hallmarks of a successful Entrepreneur.

According to him, “A business person is not only a person who acts but thinks. Being an Entrepreneur nowadays one should think new ways of solving problems and creating value for humanity.”

“The entrepreneurial ecosystem of Akwa Ibom State is filled with persons who have innovative ideas, aspirations and zeal to contribute immensely to the economic revolution of Akwa Ibom State.

The encouraging stories across our visits remained that our entrepreneurs see others in same filed of production/service delivery as “collaborators” and not as “competitors, hence there is greater chance to commence exporting of Akwa Ibom products/services to the global village in the near future.” He said.

Consequently, Inyang believed for Nigeria to surmount the hurdles of unemployment, economic hardship, poverty, drug abuse among our youths, Entrepreneurship should be given top priority.

One of the key players in the business sector, Mr. Collins Oscar, CEO; Made-in Akwa Ibom Showroom, while speaking on the need for youth to key in to Entrepreneurship, tasked everybody who desired to create wealth for themselves not to close their minds to opportunities outside their course of study but to exploit their talents for the social, economic and political development of the country. He advised youths to partner with various organizations and acquire training while tolerating failure, adding that succeeding in business, one must pass through the rigorous process to be vested with the nitty-gritty.

Other successful business owners who spoke and shared their experiences in the business world where; Rev Fr. Daniel Inyangetoh, Founder; Unique farm, Mr. Ntefon Akpan, CEO; The Real woodpecker, Mr. Francis Onuk, Founder; The Roothub, Mr. Ntuen Anyang, CEO; Osani Global Resource and Ms. Utibe Akwa, CEO; Utytrends Enterprises and Mr. Akan Udom, CEO; Yenne e-Market NG.

The following persons also presented papers at the conference. Prof. Otoabasi Akpan, Dr. Christabel Brownson, Mr. Aniekan Usoroh, Nsikan Netima and Nature Udoh.
High point of the occasion was the presentation of cheques to winners of the Emmanuel Inyang Foundation Entrepreneurial Essay Competition; Akaninyene David, Kufre-Abasi Archibong and Nsikak Effiong respectively.