Ayomide Awe
The association of Mass Communication, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta under the Leadership of Comrade Afolabi Wasiu Oluwasegun (Peaceman), on Tuesday, organised a Tradefair system as part of the school vision to advancement and to promote students businesses.
The tradefair which took place infront of the AMACOS’ Secretariat was visited by the school Rector, Dr. Adeoye Odedeji; The Director of Students Affairs, Dr. Kolawole Amos; The Head of Department of Mass Communication, Mr Lekan Togunwa; Dr.Sina Aina, Dr Adeosun, Mrs Adeyemi and some other staffs of the school.
Speaking with news men, the Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr. Adeoye Odedeji emphasized the need for students not to rely on Certificates alone but to also involve in skills and small scale businesses which may ease the cost of living in Nigeria today.
Odedeji stated that the privilege given to students today is to showcase their skills in trade and commerce.
“From my interaction with some of them, i discovered that some of these students has been on it for over 2, 3, 4 to 5 years and I even interacted to one who said her business is registered which is commendable. This simply means that these students are ready to use this business as a means of livelihood of generating income to maintain themselves” Odedeji explained.
Odedeji also revealed that Skills goes beyond degrees and diplomas. We must acquire skills in a particular trade to enable you to earn a living beyond the certificate you have acquired.
Also, from the interview with the Director of Students Affairs, Dr. Kolawole Amos appreciated the initiative for coming up with such an idea and commended the students for making future for themselves.
Kolawole also revealed that will build a system that will build individuals who can be self reliant and dependent.
“It is a good thing for the student and the Polytechnic community that we can showcase to the whole world that indeed, we are doing well in this Department and as we have effortlessly been telling students that
the world has gone beyond what you studied in school, you have to explore” Kolawole Stated.
The DSA then assured the students that the school management will look into this and find a way of incorporating it into the curriculum.
When speaking to the Head of Mass communication Department, Mr Lekan Togunwa explained that the fact remains that this is a novel idea and in the history of the department, these students has been the first set to come up with such idea known as Trade Fair.
Togunwa revealed that the Trade Fair is inline with the Mass Communication Department’s vision and the new thinking of the Department is to train graduates that will have the capacity to start their own business which is inline with the objective of entrepreneurship as a course in the school at large.
Togunwa stated that ” There are lots of opportunity in the mass communication Industry for you to enhance the capacity to be on your own and this will make us to begin to train people with Orientation of becoming the employer of Labor.
“Government cannot employ everyone and we need to expand the private sector beyond the big companies and multinationals” Togunwa Emphasised.
During the event, Peaceman revealed that the Tradefare was the first of its kind in a way like this.
He said since we have entrepreneurship course in the department and this motivated him for creating an avenue for our students to promote their businesses.
Wasiu stated that Trade fair is not something that will end here, it is a long-lasting business and we are advising students not to rely on their degrees alone.
Peaceman said When he was campaigning, he said he was going to create a promotional platform where all the students can flourish and that has come to pass.
“We are putting everything we are being tought in class into practice be it advertising, public relations and marketing to be able to carry out our businesses effectively and am very sure that we have portrayed a very good image for the Department and the school at large” he said.