The Senator Abiru Initiative Lab-SAIL, launched few months ago, has begun to yield result as it graduated maiden class of entrepreneurs on Friday 3 June 2022. The event, which doubled as a graduating ceremony and Demo-day of Business 101 for creative and artisans, marked the first group under the five categories of beneficiaries under the Senator Abiru’s initiative.
Other programmes under the aegis of SAIL include Tech Talent Development; Lagos East Teachers Fellowship; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics- STEAM; café for Secondary School Students and Start-up Accelerator for Businesses.
Of the forty-one participants who graduated, ten of them pitched for business grant and three successful candidates received three million naira from the senator to support their small-scale businesses. The event was hosted at the Aquilla Hall along Ebute road Ikorodu, amidst the curious eyes of journalists, investors, critics and tight security guards.
Business 101 for Artisans and Creatives is the foremost of the five programmes the Senator Tokunbo Abiru Constituency Team-TACT Foundation launched in early 2022 to empower artisans and business upstarts in the Lagos East Senatorial District. The programme was designed to prepare and support young talented creative hands that need grooming and guidance to break into the small and middle level markets. The business 101 scheme is open to residents of Lagos East Senatorial District, comprising of Ikorodu, Somolu, Kosofe, Epe, and Ibeju Lekki.
More than four thousand applicants applied during the selection process and fifty candidates were selected while forty-seven of them resumed the course. Though, forty-one candidates eventually graduated on June 3, 2022, the senator was happy that the first class completed their programme and are ready to explore the tech world.
In his opening speech, Senator Tokunbo Abiru gave a background to the initiative and justify why the youths have to be prepared to explore the tech-world. “Having failed to maximize the opportunities of the agricultural and industrial ages. Now we are in the digital revolution age, we therefor cannot as a nation afford to miss out on the enormous opportunities available in this innovation and digital age.”
The Senator said while addressing the audience, adding that with the current realities of things in our contemporary world, the future lies in technological innovation and that is the sole reason for establishing the Senator Abiru Innovation Lab- SAIL, to help equip young Nigerians. “So I knew, when I became Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that the most enduring empowerment I can give to young people and entrepreneurs, in my constituency is leveraging my global exposure and experience to make them globally competitive by equipping them with premium digital, innovative and technological skills which are in high demands globally.”
Dressed in bespoke kaftan attire with matching accessories, Senator Abiru spoke in eloquent sleek voice over the microphone as the enchanted audience listened in rapt attention. He explained that his primary goal is to ensure that the scheme graduate three hundred beneficiaries a year with 60 % of them being gainfully employed. Since the commencement of the academy early this year, the Senator disclosed how he has been frequenting Lagos from Abuja fortnightly to assess the level of success of the trainees. Though, he had the intention of taking more trainees but facility constraints forced his team to accommodate the numbers they are currently catering for.
He added that he is the sole sponsor of the programme but look forward to partner with interested investors, institutions, agencies and group who would give support to the trainees.
In his usual mantra, Senator Abiru emphasizes the need to prepare young folks for the future, “We should be training our young folks to be better than us.” He admonished the graduands to constantly improve on their life and strive to give back to the society. “The best you can give back to me for this modest investment, which I am not asking for anything for myself, is for you to be the next biggest investors in this generation and be part of those who will move Nigeria forward.” The Senator ended his heartwarming speech amidst standing ovation from the impressed audience.
The keynote speaker of the event, Ojoma Ochai, managing partner of the Creative Economy Practice at CcHUB, who spoke after the Senator, thanked Senator Tokunbo Abiru for giving youths such a great platform to excel. “There are many talks about youth empowerment but only few actual programmes engage the youths. 3% of the global GDP comes from creative industry. In the UK, the government makes 9 million pounds every hour from the creative industry, multiply this figure by the hours of the day, you realise how lucrative the creative industry is worth.”
Ms Ojoma explained to the audience and justified why the Senator must be appreciated for giving the youths the SAIL platform. She noted that our society is full of educated derelicts and they have to be empowered to make meaningful living.
Furthermore, in her short speech, Ms. Ojoma Ochai challenged the graduands to work hard, persist and strive for excellence. While wishing them good luck, she urged them to make impact as they graduated.
One of the facilitators and staff of the TACT Foundation, Ms. Omolabake Olagunju announced that before the presentation of certificate to the graduands, 10 of the trainees would be pitching for grants to raise capital for their businesses. Before the pitch began, a pre-recorded video of the SAIL programme was played on the digital life-size screen; documenting the rationale, beginning, and process of establishing the academy.
Another facilitator, Mr. John Habali encouraged the graduands before their pitch and urged them to use what they have been taught. The first to make his presentation was a graduate of the Lagos State Polytechnic (now Lagos State University of Science and Technology) Adedamola Victor Bolatiri. Bolatiri, who is a budding entrepreneur, pitched for 5 million naira to help acquire techs for his new graphics ventures called Adegraphics. Kolawole Jejelaye, a fine artists who established small business outfit called Marble Design Arts & Gallery, pitched for 10 million naira to help him acquire bigger printing machine to enable him handle branding and printing on liveries, faster and better.
Esther Ogundare, one of the SAIL graduands who runs her small business named Esotho Couture, pitched for 1 million naira to help her cover demands from her growing customers who buys her customised wears.
Isikalu Abiodun, a young photographer, needed 7 million naira to acquire new camera equipment, open standard office and pay his staff. Nwobodo Jessica, a fresh graduate from Yaba College Of Technology, who is running a six-months old tailoring business called Jessi Bellar Design, is into making of bespoke wears for women and pitched for 2.5 million naira for upgrading her business to a robust one.
John Olisa, who studied chemical engineering in the university, now makes casual wears and named his business Unikorn Couture. Olisa pitched for 2.5 million naira to help him stabilize his growing business. A daring female entrepreneur, Bakare Adetola Fatima who currently runs an auto-solution business; established her small firm called Sure Road Solutions. Her auto-tech firm was born six months ago and offers repair and maintenance services to organisations with sizeable number of vehicles. Fatima pitched for financial grant to help her launch online platforms to connect with customers across the country.
Joseph Bassey, who runs his film production company Kriticx entertainment, pitched for 10 million naira with 40% equity. Gbemileke David of Dassy Collections, pitched for 15 million naira to help his new business gain financial footstall; while Omolola Ejide Idowu of EMUA Bridals & Maidens, a wedding event planner start-up, pitched for 10 million naira with 25 % share equity.
While the judges compere results to decide the winner of the pitch, Senator Tokunbo Abiru was presenting certificate of completion to the forty-one graduands with the assistance some of the top officials of the SAIL/TACT foundation. The distinguished senator presented certificates to the graduating class amidst flashes of cameras. Dr. Saheed Ibikunle, Mr. Deji Abisola and panelist members of the pitch joined Senator Tokunbo Mukhail Abiru on the podium.
After which Ms. Ojoma Ochai announced that the Senator has reached a verdict to support the winner of the pitch with the sum of 1.5 million naira, first runner-up with 1 million naira while second runner-up with five hundred thousand naira. Nwobodo Jessica was announced the second runner-up; Esther Ogundare first runner-up while John Olisa won the pitch. Other graduands joined their colleagues in celebration for winning grants and all joined in a group photograph, while journalists engaged talk-heads for reports.