The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Lagelu & District Society, in collaboration with The Polytechnic, Ibadan, has urged students to embrace integrity, strategic thinking, and innovation as core values for building successful careers and scalable businesses.
The charge was delivered at a seminar marking International Accounting Day 2025, held at the ICAN Lecture Theatre of the institution.
The event, themed “From Classroom to Boardroom: How to Start and Scale a Business,” brought together chartered accountants, academics, and industry professionals to share practical insights on entrepreneurship and career development.
Speaking at the seminar, Chairperson of ICAN Lagelu District, Chief Omokemi Oladipo (FCA), lauded the Accountancy Department for mentoring young people and preparing them for leadership roles beyond the classroom. “We are here to plant the seed of greatness in you. ICAN is more than a professional body; it helps you become multi-tasking leaders,” she said.
Prince Oyebade Oyedepo (FCA) described the theme as timely, urging students to uphold probity, integrity, and accountability.
He warned that compromised character had cost many professionals their careers, stressing, “This is why you must uphold ethics and values now.”
Ayodeji Adelabu (FCA), a senior manager at Flutterware Technologies Ltd., advised students that decisions shaping destinies are made in boardrooms.
He encouraged them to build businesses around their areas of competence while staying focused, innovative, and strategic. “Be visionary, adaptive, and leverage technology—these are the hallmarks of boardroom leaders,” he said.
Another facilitator, Mr. Lucas Omosebi (FCA), emphasised the importance of articulating a clear vision and engaging in long-term planning.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Olayinka Adenikinju (FCA) of Bowen University’s Department of Economics, Iwo, highlighted that viable business ideas often arise from solving real problems.
“Be solution providers,” she urged, stressing that the classroom-to-boardroom journey requires courage, discipline, and strategic clarity.
Prof. Adenikinju noted that execution, market validation, and adaptability are far more critical than ideas alone.
She advised students to avoid pursuing perfection at early stages, encouraging them instead to develop minimum viable products and test ideas in real markets. “Great ideas are common; great execution is rare,” she said.
Highlighting the financial realities of business growth, she emphasised understanding cash flow, unit economics, and customer value, noting that many start-ups fail due to poor financial discipline and weak market strategies.
She also underscored the importance of building strong, value-driven early teams, describing the first ten hires as the cultural backbone of any emerging company. Scaling a business, she said, requires moving from a founder-dependent model to a system-driven organisation with clearly documented processes.
“Your role as founders will eventually evolve from managing tasks to providing vision. Sustainable businesses depend on leaders who can think strategically, leverage data, and build operational systems that support long-term growth,” she added.
Veteran accountant Pa A. A. Elujoba (FCA) reminded participants that accountants are “all-rounders” and stressed the importance of deliberate planning in career and business growth.
In her remarks, the Head of the Accountancy Department, Dr. Jadesola Adepoju, thanked ICAN Lagelu District and guest speakers for investing in the students’ development, describing the seminar as a valuable boost to their professional grooming.
