The Vice-Chancellor of Rivers State University (RSU), Prof. Nlerum Okogbule, has charged members of the Association of Business Educators of Nigeria (ABEN) to intensify their knowledge in digital skills acquisition and entrepreneurship.
Prof. Okogbule gave the charge during the 34th Annual National Conference of ABEN held at the university’s main campus at Nkpolu Oroworukwu, Port Harcourt.
He said since businesses were now operating in a globalized economy, educational programmes for self-reliance must be adapted to the now reality. Besides. He said, business educators in Nigeria need to adopt a global outlook developing the different fields of business education.
“Business education can be seen on that aspect of vocational education involving business preparation for individuals to acquire appropriate knowledge, skills and attitudes for self-reliance, the world of work and as intelligent consumers of goods and services provided by business,” the VC said.
Prof. Okogbule told the participants at the conference to intellectually examine and interrogate the papers to be presented through a theoretical foundation.
He said, “The theme for the conference, ‘Business Education, Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition in the Digital era,’ is very apt in the prevailing economic situations we have in Nigeria where unemployment has become unprecedented, giving rise to criminal activities and threatening national security. Much of these negative developments can be adduced to lack of employment skills, especially among our youths.
“Business Education can have answers to them. In this conference sub-themes have been developed as areas to be explored in the quests for solutions to these problems.”
The vice-chancellor disclosed that it was in response to with what members of ABEN were doing in the area of entrepreneurship and skills acquisition that the management of RSU decided to establish the Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDC) at the main campus as well the faculty of Entrepreneurship at the Tai campus.
He stressed the need for the government to prioritise funding of Business Education for skills acquisition. “Nigeria has to get its priorities right. Education should be the priority of government, next to the provision of security and welfare for the people, which the Nigerian constitution affirms. It is because the needed priority is not accorded education that is responsible for much of Nigeria’s problems, perennial insecurity, being the poverty capital of the world, unacceptable unemployment level and other socio-economic crimes.”
The national president of ABEN, Prof. C. M. Ile, had said that the annual conference provides the opportunity and platform for members to discuss and exchange ideas as they relate to business knowledge, teaching skills and current demands of the labour market.
“As members of ABEN we expect that at the end of the conference, the Association shall come up with a communique highlighting the decisions regarding the best practices in the acquisition of skills in the digital era in business and entrepreneurship education programmes.”
Prof. Ile explained that the theme of the 2022 conference was in line with contemporary emphasis on skill acquisition aimed at securing decent jobs.
“The world today and the workplace cannot progress without requisite skills which must be imparted through novel instructional delivery; provision of requisite resource curriculum, appropriate funding, all geared towards acquiring decent jobs.”
The National President stated members of the Association only conferred awards on people of integrity who have also achieved in their areas of discipline.
He described Prof. Okogbule as an astute administrator who had achieved so much for the University as a vice-chancellor. He commended members of the 2022 LOC conference for a job well done.
The chairman of the LOC for the 2022 conference, Prof. William Ubulom, said that one of the objectives of the conference, was to create awareness for the students and members of the society on the need for skill acquisition in a digital world.
Prof. Ubulom stated that there was the need for unemployed persons particularly the youth to be self-reliant rather than waiting for white collar jobs.
He commended the management of the University for their support to ABEN, especially to members of the LOC of the 2022 conference while the secretary of the LOC at the 2022 conference, Dr. Frank Okiridu assured that members of the Association would continue to work round the clock towards imparting knowledge to students.
Our correspondent reports that the VC of RSU, Prof. Okogbule bagged ABEN Distinguished Merit Award, while Prof. Paulinus Chijoke Okwelle and Hon. Ndep Obi Ebam received ABEN Honourary Fellowship Award respectively. The last time RSU hosted ABEN conference was the 15th edition in 2003.
