GMP builds capacity for Muslim youths

Guild of Muslim Professionals (GMP) has trained Muslim youth on how to develop leadership and entrepreneurial skills.

The workshop, which was organised by its Medical Group, saw the participants being trained on how to run a viable hospital/diagnostic business among others.

During the workshop, the speakers shared practical experiences with the participants and encouraged them to be innovative and creative.

The experts include Dr. Mohammed Salisu, a Consultant Paediatrician at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH); Pharmacist Lekan Asuni, MD Lefas Pharmaceuticals; Dr. Abdulgafar Jawando; and Dr Mustapha Alimi, who was represented.

Speaking to at the sideline of the workshop, Prof. Abdusamiu Musa, Medical Director of Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, urged participants to disabuse their minds from the insinuation that medicine favours a particular gender.

“With what we have said today, I know the participants are guided and we will definitely have an impact in their lives.”

“Medicine does not favour any gender more than the other. You just have to prove your worth. It depends on your dedication to duty,” he added.

The Managing Director of Citiserve, Dr Jubril Salaudeen, identified the need to continuously train Muslim youths to ensure that they prioritise job creation.

He urged the participants to seek mentorship from experienced people, stressing the need for the inclusion of entrepreneurial skills development in academic institutions curriculum.

He said: “This is just the beginning, and I think we should have more engagements.

This is an opportunity to engage doctors that are being trained at Nigeria universities and positioning them for a career in private practice; and something that gives them an edge, make them employers of labour by putting up a structure that is more sustainable.

“Though doctors are trained to be caregivers, there is a need for us to inculcate entrepreneurial training. Government hospitals cannot employ all the doctors that have been trained.

So, there is a need for them to create an opportunity for them to be able to practice, earn income and also contribute to the community.”

A wellness expert and motivational coach, Pharmacist Sesan Kareem, blamed the failure of many failed businesses started by Muslims on over assumption and poor preparedness for failure.

He said: “Developing entrepreneurship and leadership skills is vital. Muslims must have a purpose and mission.

Before starting any business, they must have the right strategies to apply. Entrepreneurship is both rewarding and challenging.

Studies have shown that seven out of ten businesses fail in five years. Failure in business is based on lack of proper understanding.

“Many people believe that immediately you start a business, you are going to succeed. No one has ever done that. The greatest companies in the world experienced failure.

“As an entrepreneur, you must understand that it is a long term journey. In the beginning, you are going to make some assumptions; the market will tell you the reality.

In the beginning you are going to make some mistakes, learn a lot of things in the hard way but those are your building blocks to actually achieve your goals. Market your ideas, product and services in a very consistent manner.”

The Medical Director of FIRMCARE Diagnostic and Medical Services, Dr Abdulgafar Jawando, emphasised the importance of ensuring that every doctor has an entrepreneurial skill.

“Entrepreneurship should be included in schools curriculum. It is included in that of the school that I attended but it is very theoretical. I have to come back to ensure its practicality,” he added.

Don’t be scared to start your business – Niqob-wearing Mompreneur

Noticed for her outstanding performance despite putting on a niqob, the Legit-Way-Out founder, Kifayah Adeniyi also known as Mompreneur, urged the participants to be bold enough to start a business regardless of their challenges.

“The truth is that before I started my own business, I used to think that all businesses are gone.

All the geniuses have taken over all the business ideas. It just came up to me one day that I was in a challenge, I was really disturbed.

I used to call that time my rock-bottom time. After seven days of depression, no help, no food. It later occurred to me that I need to teach people how not to fail the way I failed,” she narrated.

The GMP’s Board of Trustee Chairman, Alhaji Akeem Oyewale, said one of the goals of the professional body is to encourage youths confidence to go into entrepreneurship.

Oyewale, the Chief Executive Officer of Stanbic IBTC Nominee said: “This workshop is one of the programmes of the GMP.

It is to equip medical students with knowledge that they need to become entrepreneurs.

We believe that by giving them this skill, we are going to have a major impact on Muslims in the nearest future.

“We need to encourage them that it is not compulsory that you must work for someone. You can create a mechanism where you can hire people and build businesses that relate to the medical profession.”

Our aim is to bring out the innate ability in participants – Dr Oreagba

A member of the organising committee, Dr Ibrahim Oreagba, said the workshop was organised to empower the participants.

Oreagba, an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at College of Medicine University of Lagos (CMUL) said: “We believe that youths are key to a better future. The youths need to be empowered.

A lot of work needs to be done on our youths. They go around looking for job when they can create one.

This programme is aimed at empowering them. It is a programme to bring out the innate ability in youths and realise that they have many things to do for themselves.

“Entrepreneurship is very key. There is a very little effort in medical and pharmacy profession. It is just coming up. This will serve as a booster for them. This will serve as a practical experience for them.”