Entrepreneurial Training For Students Will Drive Economic Growth, Says Olori Atuwatse III

Her Royal Majesty Olori, the wife of the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, has emphasized that providing students with entrepreneurial training will equip them to tackle future challenges while also contributing to the nation’s economic development through small, medium, and large-scale businesses.

Speaking at the second day of an entrepreneurial training program for students from selected schools in the Warri South Council Area, Olori Atuwatse III noted that the initial phase of the initiative, dubbed “Train-The-Trainers,” involves training teachers who will then educate students in their respective schools.

She explained that the Set4LYf project, organized by Junior Achievement Nigeria in collaboration with the Royal Iwere Foundation, aims to train thousands of young people over a span of six months, equipping them with essential entrepreneurial skills to positively influence both their lives and their communities.

“The program is designed to empower these young individuals, who represent the next generation of leaders, to enhance, build, and develop their communities. With this training, they will be better prepared to thrive on the global stage,” she said.

Olori Atuwatse III expressed confidence that in the coming years, the students receiving this training would be able to compete effectively with their peers worldwide in business, leadership, and entrepreneurship.

She highlighted that the teachers participating in the training are volunteers dedicated to implementing the program across different schools. Due to the vast number of students in the three local government areas of Warri—Warri South, Warri North, and Warri Southwest—it is impractical to reach all students directly.

“This initiative by Junior Achievement Nigeria trains teachers who have chosen to partner with us as our implementation arm. Effectively reaching over a thousand children means integrating into the existing educational system, and the teachers are integral to that process. Empowering the teachers translates directly to empowering the children, which is the best approach for the Foundation,” she stated.

In addition to the teachers, the foundation has enlisted volunteer staff to assist over the next six months, focusing on ensuring that the robust curriculum is successfully implemented in classrooms and during extracurricular activities.

Olori Ogiame Atuwatse III, who was represented at the event by Ogechukwu Abiago Ezeobiorah, Chief Operations Officer of the Royal Iwere Foundation— the humanitarian arm of the Warri Kingdom Monarchy— urged the training teachers to take the initiative seriously to effectively impact the students. She also encouraged the students to approach the program with earnestness and a commitment to learning.

Ugonna Achebe, the Executive Director of Junior Achievement Nigeria, stated that the Set4LYf program aims to cultivate entrepreneurial skills and foster an entrepreneurial mindset among young people, enabling them to identify problems, seize opportunities, and devise solutions to build a sustainable economic framework.

He highlighted that the training emphasizes practical learning, with the day’s focus on an “Ideathon” session, which elicited enthusiastic participation from the teachers. “Today, the trainees were excited, and their responses were very encouraging. The teachers were actively engaged, collaborating and sharing insights. We aim to connect real community problems to viable solutions,” he remarked.

Represented by Assistant Program Manager Oluwaseyi Hassan, Achebe expressed hope that the teachers would effectively transfer their newly acquired skills to their students upon returning to their campuses. He encouraged the students to take their studies seriously in order to gain the knowledge and skills that will benefit their future endeavors.

The Set4LYf training program, which commenced yesterday, will continue tomorrow.