Unilorin: TEC Holds GSE Sensitisation Program For Student

The Technical and Entrepreneurship Center (TEC) of University of Ilorin, has sensitised her students on the need for the spirit and skill for entrepreneurship -a requisite for GSE301, in the university auditorium.

The program, which was declared open by representative of the Vice-Chancellor university of Ilorin; the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Management Services; Professor Adedayo Yusuf Abdulkareem.

He gave an insight into the establishment of the centre. In his words, "Technical and Entrepreneurship Center was established in 2008 to provide entrepreneurship education to students, following some directives by the Nigeria Universities Commission."

He further exposed students to the new and existing skills available for acquisition and implored them to be attentive and to participate so as to gain maximally from the program.

There were three-paper presentation on; the integration of entrepreneurship training into formal university  education, vocational training on Tye and Dye, and the application of Educational Technology in vocational skills training, aptly presented by the managing director and CEO of Positive Image Consult; Mr Nasir Abdul Quadri, an entrepreneur in Tye and Dye making; Mrs Fatimo Abidemi Ore, and a lecturer of the department of Educational Technology; Dr Amosa, respectively.

Other personnel present at the program include the director of TEC; Dr I.M Abdul, the Dean of Education; professor N.B Oyedeji, a representative of the Dean of Law; Dr Akeem Ijaya, the director of Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC); Barr (Mrs) Temitade Oladipo, and a representative of the federal ministry of employment, labour and housing; Dr I. Timothy.

The CEO of Positive Image Consult; Mr Nasir Abdul Quadri, charged the university to do more on entrepreneurship and gave its attendant benefits to the students.

He said, "this is a university that has a population of 30,000 to 35,000 students and each of these students uses notebooks for their courses. If the university can delve into the production of notebooks and have each student buy at least 5 notebooks in a session, there will be job opportunity -among others- for students as the university can make it a rule to employ only her students."

He further urged the students to be  extraordinary in their activities. In his words, "we're in an extraordinary time and we need extraordinary efforts to solve our problems. Everyone that passes through the university must come out to solve Nigeria problems."

Mrs Fatimo Abidemi Ore, an expert in Tye and Dye took the student through the making of Tye and Dye.

In her presentation she said, "Tye and Dye is a cloth mostly worn by the Yorubas. It was first made in Jogolola's  compound of egbaland in Abeokuta..."

She further exposed the students to the materials and processes involved in making Tye and Dye.

In her words, "the needed materials for making Tye and Dye are fabric, hand gloves, nylon, plastic, water source, pot, paraffin wax. For the processes; wash the fabric to remove impurities, squeeze out the excess water, prepare the dye to be used, apply on the fabric, allow it to stay for a long time, rinse the fabric in water, allow to dry and starch."

A lecturer of department Educational Technology, Dr Amosa, said there's need for the application of Educational Technology in the teaching of entrepreneurship education as it encourages active participation of students and leads to efficiency.

In his paper, he said, "Educational Technology involves generating, using and controlling technological processes to solve educational problems. We use technology as a product and as a process. As a product, it involves bringing all forms of technology into teaching and learning, and as a process, it is the idea of using Integrated Systems Design (ISD) to design learning packages for the learners."

He then stressed the relevance of delivery mechanism in entrepreneurship application with focus on WIKIHOW and augmented reality software. He also made it clear to the students that, "if Nigerian graduates are self-reliant, the nation will be relieved of unemployed graduates."

On remarks and comments, Barr (Mrs) Temitade Oladipo advised the students to register a business name.

She took them through the procedures as she charged the university to be involved thereby sighting the modalities of Kwara state university (KWASU) and a student who received a financial grant via the school's involvement.

In her words, "you can register your business name right where you are. You see, in KWASU, every 200 level students must compulsorily register a business name. In fact, it carries 40 marks. This university can also imbibe that. There's a guy in KWASU. His name is Jimoh Ibrahim. During the U-WIN program, he applied and the school helped him to package his proposal which got him a 10million naira grant and with this, he was able to set up a restaurant in the university community."

After the comments session, students were allowed to asked questions. A student asked, "When a student has aspiration for a skill but later found out that the slot for the aspired skill has been filled, what can TEC do to help." and another student asked if there would be any payments to be made by the students.

In response to the questions respectively, the director of TEC said, "We cannot limit your ambitions. The only reason for that was to avoid overcrowding of students in a particular skill." However, for whatever it is that you're interested in, you are not limited to come to the centre during this period only but throughout your academic year and even during the holidays for your aspired skill if you have a good standing CGPA.

On the issue of payment, the Vice-Chancellor has agreed magnanimously to underact the course of GSE301 for this year only. We are still working on the appropriate fees. We will communicate with the students union when necessary, he said.

He said, "the objective of this program is that the students should have the practical ability of reproducing the materials for which they've been trained."

Adnan Adegbindin,


UCJ, UNILORIN.