The Chief Executive Officer of The BEIGE Group, Mike Nyinaku, says entrepreneurship is a way of life.
The Entrepreneur of the Year made this statement at The University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), in a panel discussion organised by the Association of African Universities under the theme: ‘Entrepreneurial Learning & Communities of Practice’.
“Entrepreneurship is a way of life; it’s quite difficult to teach it as it’s more linked to one’s behaviour, personal experiences as well as aspirations. If you are not naturally disposed to exhibit those traits and are also not compelled by your environment to demonstrate them then it would be difficult to portray that character,” he said.
Mr. Nyinaku, Ghana’s sixth most influential person, added that opportunities exist but one has to be very determined and focus to be able to take advantage of the plethora of opportunities that surround us.
Sharing his thoughts on whether universities are providing knowledge that is enough to produce entrepreneurs, The BEIGE Group CEO said, “What you gain as you graduate from school is knowledge. It’s powerful but limited. Unless combined with practicable application of your knowledge, it cannot turn into skill.”
Speaking on what most organisations look out for in employing graduates, Mr. Nyinaku hinted that values are essential in everything that one does. As a people we need to show positive values and ethics such as honesty, diligence, integrity, hardwork among others. Many young graduates and employees do not often show positive values on the job hence lose their jobs.
Reacting to a question posed by the moderator about his statement ‘Jobs dey but boys no dey,’ Mr. Nyinaku said with his little experience in his short stay in this business of entrepreneurship that he has had, “there are opportunities but there are not a lot of people ready to apply themselves to the kind of sacrifices that you need to go through to harness those opportunities.”
He stressed the need to inculcate in people more positive values and attitudes so that we will have more productive people in work places who are not necessarily entrepreneurs but entrepreneurial within a quality entrepreneurial environment.
Other speakers on the panel were Prof. Goski Alabi, Dean, Centre for International Education & Collaboration at UPSA and Dr. Josephine Larbi-Apau, Presbyterian University College.
AAU represents the voice of higher education in Africa and works as the apex organisation and forum for consultation, exchange of information and co-operation among institutions of Higher Education in Africa.
The AAU is based in Accra and has a current membership of over 380 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
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