* I’m forever grateful to FUNAAB for the various skills I learnt while on campus. I am giving back to society through FUNAAB by empowering youths based on the current economic realities – Jaiyeola
By Nudoiba Ojen
With fanfare, Miss Bukola Jaiyeola, the Chief Executive of Next Big Deal Hub, a skill acquisition outfit, has empowered 50 youths, mostly students with entrepreneurship and vocational skills in Ogun State.
The business plans of the beneficiaries, upon assessment, stand to give them access to start-up grants, while some of them are to enjoy mentorship to grow their businesses.
Jaiyeola, a 2019 graduate of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), had partnered the university’s Centre For Entrepreneurship Studies (CENTS) for the programme which had 120 participants in attendance.
The FUNAAB alumna, who said she is ever grateful for the several opportunities at the university’s CENTS, given the array of skills she learned while on campus, said she felt she should give back to society through the institution in the area of entrepreneurship and vocational skill based of the present economic realities in the country.
The Nutrition and Dietetics graduate, whose area of specialisation now is Events Planning and Decorations, has had opportunity to be trained by the German agency, GIZ, on business development in addition to having obtained a Master’s Degree at Teesside University, United Kingdom where she resides at present after completion.
Last Saturday, September 23rd, 2023, was her day of showing at the grand finale and graduation of a set of 50 youths, mostly students, who had been undergoing the entrepreneurship and vocational skills training programme for one month at the FUNAAB CENTS. Over 120 participants were in attendance in total.
The entrepreneurial skills and vocations learnt by the youths in the four weeks programme included Fashion Designing, Graphics Designing, Shoe Making, Hairdressing, Event Planning and Decorations, Catering, Product Design (UI/UX), Frond End Web Dev, Photography and Videography, and Make Up and Gele.
Among personalities at the graduation ceremony are the Director of CENTS, FUNAAB, Prof (Mrs) E. Ayo John; Deputy Director of FUNAAB CENTS, Prof. Egbeyale; Principal Executive Manager, Mr Jide Olaiya; Founder of YFSI, Mr Tayo Akinpelu; Dr Oshadare Segun Anthony; Dr (Mrs) O.E Kajihausa; representatives from Prince AdeJohn Initiatives for Development (PAID); Mrs Oyindamola Olabode from Honey Haute Events and Grazac Technologies.
The Director of CENTS, Prof. Ayo John, urged government at all levels to provide enabling environment for young graduates to venture into vocational training to reduce the level of unemployment among youths as a way of fighting the current wave of insecurity in Nigeria.
The event also witnessed presentation of certificates and awards.
At the end of the programme, Jaiyeola, on behalf of her company, Next Big Deal Hub, presented a princely amount of N100,000 to the overall winner of Business Pitch at the training, Rebecca Oyindamola Olatunji.
The FUNAB CENTS Director, Prof. John, also gave a space in CENTS to Lady Olatunji to start her business.
There was agreement to groom and make sure she starts the cake business.
The other two participants that pitched would also be taken up for mentorship.
In her address, Miss Jaiyeola, who appreciated FUNAAB for providing the right environment for the training, said, “The major reason for the scheme and partnering with FUNAAB CENTS is primarily to give back to the institution and more importantly to empower youths and other interested individuals based on the current economic realities”.
Jaiyeola said, “With the way the world is going, apart from having a degree, one must also have a skill in one vocation or the other so that if the degree is not assisting you to make money into your bank account, you can make use of your skills. So students do not need to wait until after NYSC to look for jobs”.
She appreciated all her sponsors and partners and pledged that the organisation would continue to monitor the beneficiaries to ensure that they put into use what they learnt during the programme.
Jaiyeola said, “We are going to encourage some of them to access funds. Like today, one or two people are going to get a start-up grant as a panel has been set up to look at their Business Plans and assist in whatever forms we can”, she said.
The Next Big Deal Hub that started in 2017 organized similar training sessions for the young ones in different vocations in 12 states while more of it are to be organized. Her amiable team members urged people that want to become part of members of the organisation to register.
Jaiyeola said that people can reach her via LinkedIn at Bukola Jaiyeola or Instagram @jaiyeb. Other information to aid that were provided which include:
Email: info@nextbigdealhub.com
Website: www.nextbigdealhub.com
Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | TikTok | LinkedIn: @nextbigdealhub
