By Sulaimon Olanrewaju
When dyslexia forced Richard Branson out of school, he chose entrepreneurship. In 1966, he launched Student Magazine, aiming to give his generation a voice. While the magazine was popular, it didn’t generate the expected revenue, and Branson ran into liquidity issues. Undeterred, he shifted focus to the music industry, starting a mail-order discount record business. This venture marked the beginning of his entrepreneurial journey to immense wealth.
Branson’s adventurous spirit led him to new ventures with mixed success. In 1984, he founded Virgin Atlantic Airlines to offer a superior flying experience. However, disaster struck when a flock of birds damaged the engine of Virgin’s only rented Boeing 747 during a test flight. This setback delayed certification and funding. Branson restructured his other businesses to fund repairs, and the airline eventually launched successfully.
Reflecting on his resilience, Branson credited a quote by Victor Kiam: “Even if you fall on your face, you’re still moving forward.” These words gave him the strength to persist, no matter the setbacks. He held on to the belief that with determination and hard work, anything was possible.
Similarly, while speaking on the theme “Unlocking Youth Potential; Addressing Needs, Fulfilling Dreams” at the Oyo State Youth Summit 2025, held at the International Conference Center, University of Ibadan, on April 29, Governor ‘Seyi Makinde shared a powerful story.
He said:
“In October 1990, my father dropped me at a park about a kilometre from here, where I boarded a Bendel Line bus to Port Harcourt for my NYSC. I had with me a pair of trousers, two T-shirts, and a couple of books. That was all. But I didn’t return to Ibadan until I became a billionaire. If I could do it, given the right opportunities and the right environment, you can also do it.”
The hall fell silent—everyone was captivated. A corps member with little more than the clothes on his back had built a billion-naira enterprise. It was a compelling narrative of possibilities.
Great leaders are great storytellers. They share personal experiences to inspire, highlight lessons learned, and provide roadmaps for others. Governor Makinde’s story was one of strategic growth, starting with leveraging his NYSC period and subsequent work at Shell Nigeria to develop valuable skills that prepared him for entrepreneurship.
He urged the youth:
“Get exposure if you have the opportunity. If not, read up. We must be serious with education; we must educate our people to reduce illiteracy. If you are well-informed, you’ll make logical decisions.”
Makinde emphasized that a nation’s wealth lies in its people, not its resources. He cited Finland’s transformation from an aid-dependent nation to a prosperous one through education, asserting that individuals can follow the same path to success through knowledge and skills acquisition.
Encouraging entrepreneurship, he said:
“Economic prosperity would come when we have entrepreneurs. Some of you are planning for jobs created by others. I only worked for an organization once—during NYSC in 1990-1991. After that, I worked for Shell, then became self-employed. I couldn’t even call myself MD at first—I was too young. We must create entrepreneurs.”
Entrepreneurs drive economic development. They innovate, open new markets, and create jobs. Thus, entrepreneurship is directly linked to national prosperity.
The governor further stressed the need for productivity, saying:
“We must have intensive production. We have to be productive.”
Productivity, he noted, is critical for economic growth. Increased productivity improves standards of living, boosts wages, and grows GDP. It also enables better access to goods, services, and education.
At another event—the 2024 Oyo State International Trade Fair (EXPOYO 2024)—Makinde advocated for export-oriented production:
“We are not just focused on local consumption or import substitution. Export orientation means producing for the global market and earning foreign exchange. We must develop our export market and attract foreigners.”
In closing his summit speech, he reiterated:
“Economic prosperity requires three things: entrepreneurs, education, and intensive production.”
He assured the youth of government support:
“Oyo State will always lead the charge in providing opportunities to unlock your potential.”
As the applause echoed in the hall and the governor stepped down, one phrase lingered: “If I could do it, given the right opportunities and the right environment, you can also do it.”
Conclusion
A mentor’s duty is to influence. Just as Victor Kiam’s quote molded Richard Branson into a relentless entrepreneur, Governor Makinde’s message can shape young Nigerians into knowledge-driven, productive entrepreneurs.
