Ibadan chefs academy, Royal Spices graduates 87 students

Akinwande Soji-Ojo

The leading school of catering and hospitality management in Oyo State, Royal Spices Academy, has graduated 87 students from different departments for the 2022/2023 academic session.

The graduation ceremony, which coincided with the 32nd  anniversary of existence of the hospitality business, was held at World Lylies Event Center, Apata, Ibadan, on Tuesday.

Delivering a lecture, titled,’ Navigating Entrepreneurial Landscapes,’ the Guest Speaker, Dr Eyiwunmi Olayinka, said the future belongs to those who can think like an entrepreneur.

She said navigating entrepreneurial landscapes takes courage, adding that building relationships, identifying gaps, collaborating, being innovative and having the right skills set will make an entrepreneur to stand out and have positive impact on the society.

“If you want to succeed in life, relationships matter. It is those who you know that will help you to the top.

“Relationships take 85% out of your success, make sure you find the right relationships to be successful. Competition is stiff out there, but if you have the right relationships, you’ll be successful,” she said.

Olayinka, who is a senior lecturer in the Department of European Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, further said  information is key to success for an entrepreneur, stressing that having information about the business, environment, people’s needs and satisfying their needs is a way to to stand out among competitors.

“Africa is the terrain to succeed if you know your way and do the right thing. Identify  gaps and fill those gaps adequately. Give whatever you are doing your best and give it a touch of excellence; impact your environment and dream big.

“Obstacles will come your way, but if you develop entrepreneurial mindset with tenacity, you will overcome. Think of how you can inject newness into what you do. There is nothing you do that is new, but the idea you bring into it is the newness.

“Develop an entrepreneurial mindset, skills, knowledge, self learning, problem solving, time management and collaborate,” she added.

In her address, the Rector of the school, Dr Olufunmi Adegbile, said Nigerian youths must continue to take risks, stressing that taking risks is acquiring skills that will enable them move on in life.

She noted that what brought Nigeria into the situation she is currently experiencing was because there are so many graduates without skills that will enable them to stand on their own.

“We graduated them from various universities and polytechnics by telling them jobs are waiting for them, but the truth is the white collar jobs are no longer there.  They should be creators of jobs, that’s what we are saying at Royal Spices Academy, come in and acquire skills that can take you higher, make you fly and continue to be independent,” she said.

The Rector, enjoined the graduands to close their eyes to corruption and keep their  integrity.   

She also disclosed that Royal Spices has  acquired a hostel facility for its students, adding that intending students from outside Oyo State can now have easy access to accommodation.

According to Adegbile, some of the graduating students will be receiving awards in recognition of their outstanding performances and behaviours.

“The awards are expected to encourage them in igniting their entrepreneurial instincts and start of their own enterprises.

“As we turn out a new set of graduates today, we believe that we are sending out great ambassadors who will go out and make a difference in the hospitality sector and contribute to the realising  of our own dream of positively impacting our society and economy,” she added.