Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, the All Progressives Congress, APC, Candidate in Anambra ‘s November 8, governorship election has counseled students in Nigeria’s institutions of higher learning to try and acquire skills that will make them self reliant while pursuing their courses of study.
He said that the acquisition of such diverse skills will make them self reliant, innovators , creators of wealth and fulfilled employers of labour in the long run.
Ukachukwu spoke at the weekend during a symposium organized for students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University by DIUSCADI LASCADI Operations, a Non Governmental digitalized initiative for up skilling career development for innovation at the auditorium of the ASSU building in the institution.
Dr. Ikechukwu Umeh who founded the organization had said that it’s mission was to digitalize and deliver scalable career development pathways for students and graduates via innovation, mentorship, skills acquisition and real world exposure.
He said that the organization had the objectives of trying to bridge the gap between academic learning and career readiness, and create digital and physical platforms for skill building among others.
But Ukachukwu who was actually represented on the occasion by the former Chief Whip of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon Tony Uche Ezekwelu told them that it was not enough these days going to the university to read and graduate in a discipline, then come out with your certificate searching for jobs.
Acquisition of knowledge he said is a continuous process, a reason they should not just acquire certificates but skills which they can apply for the progress of society. Many of the world’s innovations we have today he said were not done by people that acquired certificates alone but knowledge.
“We go to school to school to acquire knowledge to solve societal problems. Do not be content with being a graduate and carrying your certificates around, searching for jobs that are, at times, non-existent.
You hone your skills and innovate. People like Bill Gates, Ford Motors, Elon Musk, our own Dangote, and a host of others were innovators and problem solvers,” he said while reminding them that he should not be misunderstood.
“Mark my words. I have not said that going to school is not important. It’s highly important. What I am saying is that while pursuing your academics, try to acquire skills outside of what is taught to you in the class to add to your self-actualization.
“Equip yourselves with skills that will make you an innovator and even an employer of labour. You must be an incubator of ideas. No idea is a waste. You only need to prop it up and pursue your dream.
“Every worthwhile achievement or physical innovation you see today begins as a dream encapsulated in a man’s idea Ideas move the world”, he said.
Ezekwelu,an Engineer by training described Ukachukwu as a knowledgeable and innovative young man who had applied his knowledge to build businesses, schools, and human beings, training over 20,000 in different categories of education who are gainfully employed, built houses for over 40 widows across the state and trained many youth in different skills who he also empowered with seed capital to take off.
The management of the organization later gave him an award in appreciation and recognition of his philanthropic gestures.
By Charles Onyekamuo @TheIndependent
