Consul General, United States of America Consulate, Lagos, Will Stevens paid a visit to the University of Lagos on Tuesday, December 5, 2023. While in the University, he stopped by the Vice-Chancellor’s office on the 11th floor of the Senate House where he had a brief tête-à-tête. with the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics & Research), Prof. Bola Oboh.
Afterwards, Mr. Stevens and the Vice-Chancellor proceeded to the J. F. Ade Ajayi Auditorium to attend the third Ambassador Walter Carrington Annual Symposium organised by the Carrington Youth Foundation Initiative (CYFI).
The wife of the founder of the Foundation and Member, Board of Trustees, Carrington Fellowship Network, Dr. Arese Carrington, in her welcome address, stated that the third Annual Walter Carrington symposium was an avenue to celebrate her late husband’s life and legacies with discussions on this year’s theme, Innovate, Create, and Sustain: Youth Entrepreneurship for a Better Future. She noted that building entrepreneurship and leadership in youths is crucial to ensure Nigeria’s success and future, as entrepreneurship is important for creating jobs, developing the economy of the nation, and addressing local and global challenges.
She charged young entrepreneurs to “take advantage of the global world we live in and as you innovate also collaborate.”
Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ogunsola, OON, FAS, in her brief remarks, welcomed participants to the University and reiterated the University’s commitment to changing mindsets. She noted that UNILAG’s motto which is in deed and in truth “underscores that a leader must have a good character because gaining knowledge and building skills without ethics will not take one far. Leadership is by example.”
Mr. Will Stevens, in his address, disclosed that “the Consulate always supported the initiative because youth and civil engagement are the foundation of democracy… Without engagement at the local level, there is no democracy.”
He charged participants to take charge of their democracy and hold their leaders accountable. Excitedly, he shared his delight at finding out and visiting the presidential library at Abeokuta recently. He mentioned that, interestingly, the library is the only presidential library in the whole of Africa, and it resonated with him because in America, every U.S. president has a library launched after he leaves office.
The President, CYFI, Olusola Owonikoko, spoke a bit about the Foundation, its fellowship programme, it’s formative years in Lagos and how it has been extended to 10 states in Nigeria, with the help of sponsors, including the U.S. Consulate. He noted that this year, 80 fellows were trained and about 5000 people were impacted across Nigeria. He also talked about several programmes which the Initiative embarked upon this year, disclosing that the 50 students trained under its “Student Entrepreneurship programme” would graduate at the event. Out of this number, 5 would take part in a pitching competition at the symposium.
Executive Director, Fate Foundation, Adenike Adeyemi, took to the podium to deliver the keynote address on the central theme of Innovate, Create, and Sustain: Youth Entrepreneurship for a Better Future. She spoke about the Fate Foundation and how it has been supporting young entrepreneurs since its inception, its Aspiring Entrepreneurship Programme and its impact on many young people over the years. While referring to the President’s intention to build a trillion-dollar economy come 2026, she noted that Nigeria cannot build and grow a transformative economy without three things; these are: young people who understand innovation and can transform these innovation opportunities into job opportunities; decent jobs and small & growing businesses.
Using Nigeria’s young and innovative entrepreneurs as examples, Mrs. Adeyemi also shared the following 5 core takeaway nuggets for building sustainable businesses as aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators:
• What do you have in your hands? She asked students not to despise their courses of study, especially if they did not choose them. She urged them to explore the options, and opportunities each one offers, as they might be gateways to their entrepreneurship journeys.
• Innovation can come from anywhere.
• Nigeria is a hot bed of opportunities waiting to be tapped.
• Entrepreneurship has different ways as everyone needs entrepreneurship in one way or the other, either as an entrepreneur or an employee of the entrepreneur.
• There are diverse factors of success.
She rounded off her address by stating that a successful business cannot be built without digital and financial literacy. Hence, she urged all aspiring entrepreneurs to ensure that they build up those skills now or as they go along.
The symposium featured another keynote address delivered by the immediate past official photographer of the President of Nigeria, Bayo Omoboriowo; a panel session; a pitching competition; a presentation of awards to some CFYI alumni and a networking & business fair.
The Ambassador Walter Carrington Annual Symposium was inaugurated in 2021 as a platform which brings together young Nigerians to discuss issues that directly affect them and proffer solutions that amplify their voices, strengthen their agency, and promote national development. The symposium celebrates the life and legacy of the former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria, the late Ambassador Walter Carrington.
The Carrington Fellowship Network is a broad network of CYFI Fellows, alumni, mentors, volunteers, leaders, and members who are committed to the ideals of Ambassador Carrington. These include good governance, inclusive education, accessible healthcare, economic empowerment, civil liberties, and sustainable environment.
The Carrington Youth Fellowship Initiative, CYFI, is the flagship program of the Carrington Fellowship Network. CYFI is a dynamic youth-based initiative launched in 2011 by the U.S. Consulate General, Lagos. CYFI brings together Nigerian youth with exceptional vision, skills, and experience to design and implement projects that impact Nigerian society.
