BY EDWARD OSEGHE
OKADA: Igbinedion University, Okada (IUO), has reiterated its commitment to bridging the gap between theory and practice through entrepreneurship-driven education aimed at producing self-reliant graduates and job creators.
Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Lawrence Ikechukwu Ezemonye, stated this during the opening of the 2025 Entrepreneurial Skills Acquisition and Employability Training Programme, held at the university’s main campus in Okada, Edo State.
Prof. Ezemonye said the initiative was designed to ignite the spirit of enterprise among students and prepare them to become key contributors to national development.
“Entrepreneurial thinking is not just about starting a business; it’s about cultivating a mindset of curiosity, creativity and courage,” he said.
He urged students and staff to see education as a platform for innovation and transformation, adding that the university’s policies, research and partnerships are being aligned with national and global innovation ecosystems.
The Vice-Chancellor described the university’s founder and chancellor, Chief (Dr.) Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, as “enterprise personified,” noting that his life exemplifies perseverance and the transformative power of entrepreneurship.
Director of the Sir (Dr.) David Osunde Centre for Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition, Dr. Mary Josiah, said the university’s entrepreneurship complex hosts 13 schools currently training 300-level students in entrepreneurial theory and practice.
She said the programme aims to equip students with the skills to identify opportunities, tackle unemployment and drive innovation, adding that the institution continues to serve as an “entrepreneurial incubator” for students.
Delivering a lecture on “The Role of the Corporate Affairs Commission in Youth Entrepreneurial Development,” the Edo State Head of CAC, Mr. Clifford Imohimi, represented by Mr. Paul Ageewua, explained the Commission’s role in administering business registration and regulation to support youth enterprises.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of EdoJobs, Hon. Kelly Kerimu Shehu, represented by Mr. Mutairu Muhammed Muftahu, lauded the university’s collaboration in empowering young people.
“Your partnership continues to make a lasting impact across the state. We encourage participants to learn, innovate and become productive ambassadors for economic transformation,” he said.