Walter Wilson Nana
Buea, Cameroon
The stagnating Cameroonian economy and the absence of a veritable professional and entrepreneurial environment are increasingly worrisome to many in Cameroon today. In its quest to make a shift from the current reality, Landmark University College in Buea, Friday, April 25 2014 organised a talk to its students and the public on “Entrepreneurship and Capacity Building.”
Cameroonian business magnate, Paul Mbafor, CEO of ESCHOL in Yaoundé in a discourse on Sourcing for Finance for a Project said a business must be attractive to successfully get funding from a bank or an investor, indicating that business is time and an opportunity to grab.
The guest speakers at the public discourse (R-L) Paul Mbafor, Edward Musoke, Simon Legah, Thomas Orock & Doris Ngum
Mbafor said a successful entrepreneur or business operator must understand the fiscal policy of his or her country, saying the vision and objectives of a business venture must be clear and achievable. He will add that a prospective entrepreneur must master his subject and product, give it a good packaging, create credible networks and learn how to achieve good results.
According to Mbafor, some key elements in the success of any business venture are; a deep sense of discipline,
Thomas Orock, Guidance Counsellor & Business Operator delivers his discourse at the conference
consistency, honesty and ensure the continuity of the money that it is generating.
Mbafor mentioned that a successful entrepreneur must be able to build the right team, learn how to rise after falling and be generous too.
On The Notion of a Job, Guidance Counsellor and Business Operator, Thomas Orock said a job is anything done to earn a living, while calling for a quick shift of mindset from Cameroonian youths and those schooling at the higher level.
Orock challenged Cameroonian youths to be independent-minded, saying no government in the world pays well. “There is no rich civil servant. Anyone you see is a thief or an embezzler. We must encourage private initiatives and promote the private sector economy,” he said.
A proponent of professional and technical education, Orock said there is no mean job, noting that professional training is the only solution to the problems in Cameroon. “The Cameroon of today needs more job creators and not job seekers. Therefore, the youths must be solution providers and not solution seekers,” he added.
Sharing her views on Professional Education and Entrepreneurship, Doris Ngum of the Higher Institute of Management Studies, HIMS, Buea invited the youths to get themselves informed of what is happening in their communities and the country in general. She will corroborate earlier speakers who enjoined Cameroonian youths to be visionary, entrepreneurial, go for solutions and be proactive. “The solution is inside you. Look for it,” Ngum advised.
She cautioned the youths and graduates not to get into a business venture for the wrong reasons, saying students must think beyond the black board, be innovative and creative in their thoughts.
Simon Legah, President, Landmark University College, Buea invited his students and the Cameroonian youths to make an impact with their professional training, mentioning that on-the-job-training is vital for human value. “We have to provoke changes and make leaders in the process,” he said.
Earlier, the third Deputy Mayor of Buea, Edward Musoke told the youths not to be fault-finders and go for a mentality shift in Cameroon.
Mary Edimo, a graduate from the University of Buea and Clovis Akwa, student at Pan African Institute of Development, West Africa, PAID WA, Buea were unanimous that the growth of Cameroon’s economy will only be achieved through entrepreneurial education.
A question and answer session closed the public discourse as other issues related to entrepreneurship and professionalisation of education in Cameroon were given visibility.
Here are more pictures from the conference:
Cameroonian youths, students, entrepreneurs at the conference
Students of Landmark University College, Buea at the conference on Entrepreneurship & Capacity Building.
