Nigerian youths have been seriously admonished to see skills and vocational training as a way to tackle the current unemployment in the country.
A professor of Clinical Psychology from Lagos State University (LASU), Onaolapo Taiwo, gave the admonition during the 2022 graduation ceremony of Royal Spices Academy, held at World Lylies Event Center, Apata, Ibadan.
Taiwo, who was the guest speaker, urged graduands to be creative and to make judicious use of the skill they have acquired.
“Regardless of your age, when a person acquires a skill, until you put those skills together, they don’t become rewarding. When you put those skills together and become a vocation, it gives focus and becomes rewarding.
“Students with skills that are practical out there are better off than students who graduated with their bachelor’s degree. Vocations or skills open doors of opportunities,” he said.
Taiwo implored both the federal and state governments to return the country to the days of trade centers.
“Youths should go for skills, for instance, we have been saying something to government recently that, the one year National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) should be of more practical for the corps members.
“Like spending three or more weeks somewhere, then the rest of those months should be used for skills that can make them useful because there is no job from government,” he added.
In her address, the Rector and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Royal Spices Academy, Dr Olufunmi Adegbile, said the idea was initiated to contribute her own quota to the economy of the nation.
She said the academy has entered into an affiliation with Institut Supérieur Bilingue Libre du Togo (IBLT), Togo, over the joint training and certification of students in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management leading to a bachelor’s degree.
“This is in line with the expansion vision of Royal Spices Academy, to enlarge the academic frontiers of the institution, in order to open up more doors of opportunities for the benefit of students.
“In view of this, students of Royal Spices Academy will have the opportunity to participate in the programme of IBLT, in terms of further training and capacity building, after they have undertaken their programme under the tutelage of Royal Spices Academy leading to the award of BSc in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management,” she said
Adegbile urged the graduands to be good ambassadors of Royal Spices Academy, contribute their own quota to the economy and impact others.
“We are having 87 graduating students in different departments; 32 with Diploma in Culinary, 41 with Certificate in Culinary, two with Diploma in Cake Making and Sugar Craft, four with Certificate in Cake and Sugar Craft, one with Diploma in Hotel and Hospitality Management, six with Certificate in Pastry and Finger Foods and one with Certificate in Grill and Bar management,,” the rector said.
In his remarks, the Chairman, Royal Spices Board of Trustees, Mr. Tunde Laniyan, enjoined the graduands not to allow anything to affect them or drop their passion, urging them to be people of excellent ethics.
Speaking with news men after the event, the overall best graduating student, Mrs. Temperance Aluko, who noted that she did not expect to be the best graduating student, said she was only diligent with her work.
Aluko urged her junior colleagues to be hardworking and strive for success.
Also, the best-behaved student, Mrs Olayinka Shittu, said Royal Spices Academy has taught her great lessons of life, adding that apart from her academic work, the lessons had spiced up her marriage of over two decades by bringing joy and love to her home.
The event featured presentation of an excellent award to Professor Adenike Osofisan, for her outstanding contributions in her field and the country at large.
The overall best student, best behaved student, most innovative student were also given awards.
Royal Spices is a government approved academy dedicated to providing the highest level of culinary and hospitality instruction through world class programmes.
Packaged by Dare Raji
