The immediate past Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Oseloka Obaze, has called on students of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, to imbibe the attitude of hard work, resilience and dream big so as to end up as role models in the society.

He made the statement at a one day workshop held yesterday at the institution’s main campus in Oko, saying that there is no field of human endeavour lacking in accomplishment but only determination is required.

Speaking on the topic, “Communication Convergence; Bridging the Digital Divide, Dynamic Changes in the Wireless World,” Obaze said: “All of you seated here have your respective preordained destiny. What will be, will be! And, exhibit diligence and believe in your capacity to help change the world.

“Today, politics dominate our sphere. So everyone wants to be a politician; and as such you have the good, the bad and the ugly. Government is near omnipotent and is seen as the sole employer of labour. That should not be.

“Government’s role is to govern, ensure law and order, regulate, and create the enabling environment for individual and private investors to do business, employ labour and create wealth. Primary in this role is Government’s building and maintenance of public infrastructure.”

He maintained that great and successful nations have never been built by governments, but by individuals and groups, who not only have big dreams but understand the place of the entrepreneur in national development and know that by seizing the moment they make a different.

He cited some notable individuals in Nigeria who have done very well in the private sector to include Aliko Dangote of Dangote Group, Mike Adenuga of Globacom, Innocent Chukwuma of Innoson Motors, Cletus Ibeto of the Ibeto Group, Tony Elumelu of Heirs Holdings as well as those living outside the country and advised the students to emulate their hard work.

While commending their contributions to nation building through the provision of employment, he reminded the students that they are in school to get the basic experience required to join the national work force adding that the choice to become an employee or an employer of labour, is a matter of personal one.

Obaze stressed that life is full of challenges; but that the challenges should play the role of a motivating factor to higher thresholds and accomplishment.

“The environment and facilities in which you study might not be the best; they certainly could use some improvement, but they are better than what obtained when I went to school at your age. Certainly, in the university, the only computer we had was punch card COBOL computers,” he noted.

He advised students in tertiary institutions to go into research for their projects and papers by going to the library saying that reach work has been made easy with the existence of laptops, tablets, and Google from the comfort of one’s room or hostel.

•Photo shows Oseloka Obaze.

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