The future came visiting for students of the Department of Geosciences, University of Lagos, on Friday, November 17, 2023 when a practising Gemologist let them into the world of Gemstones and the opportunities that lay across its value chain.
Ms. Jenna White, a PhD student at the Colorado School of Mines, was the Guest Speaker at the Town & Gown Seminar Series 2.0 of the Geosciences Department, where she made a presentation on Transparent and Traceable Gemstones in Supply Chains.
Highly interactive, Ms. White struck a rapport with the audience, which enabled her to share her knowledge in a Question-and-Answer mode.
She introduced the students to the basics of gems and the discipline of Gemology, which is the science of studying, cutting, and valuing precious stones. She highlighted the national and international prospects of the field, and the opportunities it holds for specialists.
“As students of Geology and Geosciences, you are truly sitting on a gold mine, as far as your career prospects are concerned. Gemology is one area of specialisation that many people are not looking at, even at my school in the United States. Nigeria has tons of gems but, like Sri Lanka, it has not developed the capacity to capture the value in a supply chain that links the mines to the market. There are huge opportunities for people with a scientific mind in this industry.”
She commended the Department of Geology for the initiative to expose its students to the realities of the industry, and charged the students to seize the opportunity.
“What your Faculty has done is to link you with the industry early, so that you do not leave here only with a piece of paper. There are lots of opportunities in this industry, if you’re willing to put in the work. Look very closely at the entire value chain of gems mining and sales in Nigeria, identify your place in it, and occupy it with determination, diligence, and an adaptable mind that is willing to learn.”
Also present at the seminar was Mrs Tekena Koko, Executive Director at Gold Treasure Exchange Limited. She shared with the students her sojourn from banking into jewellery making, in spite of her Biochemistry background.
“I didn’t have a Geosciences background. I was in Banking for 15 years, but found out, at the end of my MBA programme, that my passion is for jewelleries. So, I ventured into it, starting from scratch. Today, what we started as a jewellery repair company has evolved into one that produces new jewellery pieces, from start to finish. You can do same. Just develop an entrepreneurial mindset and take it upon yourself to learn and apply”.
The Head of Department, Professor A.M. Odukoya, appreciated the resource persons for their willing support of the department’s effort at making students work-place ready.
“The idea behind this seminar is to bring in the industry so that you are immediately exposed to the practical aspect of the theory we teach you here. We are determined to create job creators out of our students, and we are delighted that stakeholders like our resources persons today are willing to support us.”
The seminar was well-attended by students of the Department of Geosciences and other interested students from the Faculty of Science.
