By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The need for youths to be passionate about their cause to enable them to stay afloat in the face of debilitating challenges has been emphasised by an entertainer, Mr Debo Adebayo, otherwise known as Mr Macaroni.
Mr Macaroni, who is also an activist, gave this advice during the Winning with Social Media breakout session of the 2021 Youth Leadership Series (YLS) organised by Stanbic IBTC Holdings held on Thursday, April 8, 2021.
The actor was among the speakers invited to the virtual programme, which had youths from across Nigeria and various parts of the world including the UK, USA and UAE in attendance.
Mr Macaroni informed the audience that his passion and urge to succeed propelled him into the business of entertainment, adding that having realised he wanted more visibility; he invested in himself from his meagre resources.
At the webinar themed WINNING, another speaker, Ms Ifedayo Agoro, the founder of Diary of a Naija Girl (DANG), an online lifestyle website, revealed that the need to be heard and give women a voice made her leave a thriving career in the oil and gas industry and started her online community.
She noted that although she did well in her career, she was unhappy until she found fulfilment with DANG, adding that the first six months were not encouraging as many people didn’t really understand her vision, but she kept at it.
“Winning doesn’t only involve consistency, it also involves constantly adapting to change,” she told the participants, who keenly listened to her.
At the Winning with Entrepreneurship breakout session, the duo of Olumide Soyombo, co-founder, Bluechip Technologies and Tracy Batta, co-founder, Smoothie Express, addressed business strategic moves, that included the rudiments of nurturing businesses. The panellists shared their experiences and entrepreneurship journeys with the participants.
Soyombo alluded that it was common to encounter challenges and uncertainty with business start-ups and advised entrepreneurs to remain flexible and well adapted to the ever-changing business climate.
On Winning with Investments, Akin Bamidele Akintola, Head of Equity Sales, Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers, emphasised the need to make adequate preparations for the future. He explained that it was better to save in investments such as stocks and mutual funds, as the economy was largely unpredictable.
The co-founder of Bamboo Invest, an investment platform that allows Nigerians to invest in United States stocks, Yanmo Omorogbe, said her major challenge was getting funding and investors before the pandemic.
She advised people to believe in themselves, improve pitching skills and be persistent. She also stated that when entering any investment business, it was important to know the regulators.
On the part of the CEO of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Mr Demola Sogunle, “The Nigerian youth require support, guidance and empowerment to propel them to the pinnacle of their various fields.
“The innovative projects and tech disruptions championed by the youth in virtually every sector are proof of their ingenuity, skill, brilliance and resourcefulness.
“At Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, we believe in breaking boundaries, hence our tagline, IT CAN BE, which is hinged upon the premise that everything is possible as long as we are dedicated and put in the requisite effort to make it work.”
In his closing remarks, the CEO of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Wole Adeniyi, assured thousands of the participants at the event that Stanbic IBTC would continue to make productive investments in the lives of the younger generation, as well as providing the needed financial solutions that would help them achieve their dreams.
Aduragbemi Omiyale 
Adedapo Adesanya