Osogbo, Nigeria – Professor Clement Adebooye, Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University (UNIOSUN), has challenged Nigerian students to harness their potential within the country rather than chasing uncertain prospects abroad.
Speaking at the university’s 2025 Entrepreneurship Studies and Innovation Training Programme, Adebooye declared: “Nigeria offers greater success potential than America or Canada for those who think innovatively.”
Key Highlights:
The Home Advantage
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“Identify your strengths, develop them, and success will follow – Nigeria is full of untapped opportunities”
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Criticized professionals abandoning managerial roles for menial jobs abroad as “loss of dignity”
The Brain Drain Concern
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Expressed dismay at skilled Nigerians leaving lucrative careers to become support staff overseas
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“We must use our knowledge to build Nigeria by developing and scaling our ideas”
Entrepreneurship as Solution
Dr. Dayo Sobowale (Federal University, Oye-Ekiti) emphasized:
Vocational skills + business acumen = real wealth creation
“Managing and marketing a business separates self-employment from true success”
UNIOSUN’s Practical Approach
Director Dr. Adepeju Adigun revealed:
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Entrepreneurship training embedded in all curricula
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Goal: Produce job creators rather than job seekers
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Over 5,000 students trained in practical business skills since 2020
Why This Matters:
With Nigeria’s unemployment rate at 33.3% (Q1 2025), institutions like UNIOSUN are equipping youth to:
Recognize local opportunities
Develop marketable innovations
Build sustainable enterprises
“The grass isn’t greener abroad – it’s green where you water it,” Adebooye concluded, urging students to invest their creativity in Nigeria’s development.