By Jonathan Ugbal
The founder of The Bridge Leadership Foundation, TBLF Senator Liyel Imoke says the need to raise an army of well equipped and inspired youths to lead themselves and others informed the choice of the 2016 theme of the foundation’s Career Day.
Imoke who said that the empowering of young people is always a guaranteed investment stated this at the 2016 Career Day of TBLF held Saturday, where he called for support to ensure more children go to school and get an education.
“We continue to advocate for greater development, as we pursue our vision to raise a community of inspired, equipped and influential young leaders, who lead themselves and others. That is why the theme for this year’s career day, ‘Building Tomorrow’s Entrepreneurs’ could not be more relevant” Imoke said and pointing out that, “Our strive for excellence among young people, has earned the foundation a reputation that is unrivalled across the region and Country and also empowering it to pitch itself among other globally recognized youth organizations through various capacity building and networking opportunities.”
The immediate past governor of Cross River State who argued that “Entrepreneurship is not all about been successful” but more about leading and taking chances said there was need to expose the youths to opportunities available in the various sectors of the economy as well as letting the know “The importance of internship and volunteerism which are necessary tools to maximize the opportunities available.”
Announcing the expansion of the Bridge Scholarship scheme to cover more students than it did last year, Imoke solicited the support of all for a new initiative which aims at ensuring “No child chooses between education and food.”
The 2016 Career day as earlier reported by CrossRiverWatch, held at the Calabar International Convention Centre which at the peak of the event, was filled to capacity with people from different walks of life.
The Keynote speaker, Ubong King who owns a private security outfit stunned the crowd with his story of working 3 years without pay as a security guard, a situation he said caused him to “create the future I wanted because I do not want people to lose their possessions”.
He charged the participants to tackle situations head on and not run away from them. “The only way to get out of trouble is to get into the trouble” he said drawing mixed reactions from the crowd.
Ubong tasked the participants to create the future they wanted and not to leave anything to chance. He opined that “the best way to predict the future is to create it” adding that; “You do not need government to build businesses”. He said his family labelled him a failure and he ended up attending 3 different Universities in 3 years and called on them to plan and mind their attitude saying that “The difference between a vulture and an eagle is in their method of feeding.”
Other panelists and speakers also share their life experiences and gave tips on how people can succeed with Jimi Tewe, leaving participants shocked with his statement that; “Anytime you do not find a job, the job is inside you so search for it within you.”
The event which drew a large crowd had Honorable Legor Idagbo, representing Obudu/Bekwarra/Obanliku federal constituency in the green chambers of the national assembly, Honorable John Lebo, Speaker Cross River State House of Assembly, Honorable Martins Orim who is the Chief of Staff to the governor of Cross River State, Barrister Efiok Cobham, who was deputy governor to Senator Liyel Imoke, the former state chairman of the PDP John Achort Okon among many others in attendance.
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