BEING THE OPENING REMARKS BY HER EXCELLENCY, DR. (MRS.) LINDA AYADE, THE WIFE OF THE GOVERNOR OF CROSS RIVER STATE ON THE OCCASION OF THE 2015 YOUNG BUSINESS ICONS SUMMIT AND AWARD HELD AT THE CULTURAL CENTER COMPLEX, CALABAR ON OCTOBER 31ST 2015.
I feel quite honoured to be called upon to open this occasion. I want to welcome you all to this event of the 2015 Young Business Icons Summit and Award ceremony.
I wholeheartedly congratulate the management of CrossRiverWatch under the headship of Agba Jalingo and thank you immensely for choosing Cross River State, your home to host this event.
It is a thing of pride to see more of our sons from Cross River State distinguishing themselves in various trending ventures. Jalingo has carved a niche for himself in the media and publishing business and his personal achievement in this regard has given impetus and credibility to the awards.
I congratulate you for realizing that it is not enough to be successful in one’s chosen endeavour but that any real success must impact other people and outlive the achiever as well. Peter Drucker aptly puts it thus; ‘There is no success without a successor.
I look forward to the news that this summit will eventually produce new trailblazers as the profiles and business ideas of some of these contestants are quite impressive. My conclusion is that they have made the important positive decision that ‘No’ cannot be the final answer that this life has to offer them.
The era when people thought that business and trade were reserved for those who had no skills or who never did well in class is over. We live in a time when education and innovation has become the fulcrum of business and only those who dare to take the bull by the horn can achieve any meaningful success.
Today Cross River State is governed by a man who has successfully combined academics and business as main areas of operation. This governor, my dear husband, Professor Senator Ben Ayade, is a testimony to the fact that one does not have to abandon education in order to pursue entrepreneurship. They both actually go together.
Finally, I have the challenging words of Dr. Steve Maraboli, speaker and bestselling author of ‘Life, The Truth, and Being Free’. He reminds us that life is not a cruise; we have to dare to achieve. He says;
“When a new day begins, dare to smile gratefully.
When there is darkness, dare to be the first to shine a light.
When there is injustice, dare to be the first to condemn it.
When something seems difficult, dare to do it anyway.
When life seems to beat you down, dare to fight back.
When there seems to be no hope, dare to find some.
When you are feeling tired, dare to keep going.
When times are tough, dare to be tougher.
When love hurts you, dare to love again.
When someone is hurting, dare to help them heal.
When another is lost, dare to be the first to extend a hand.
When you cross paths with another, dare to make them smile.
When you feel great, dare to help someone else feel great too.
When the day is ended, dare to feel as you have done your best.
Dare to be the best you can.
At all times, dare to be!”
On this note, therefore, I dare to declare open the 2015 Young Business Icons Summit and Awards to the glory of God and the benefit of mankind!.
Thank you.
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