OMO-OLORE GRANT FOR YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS: A Walk-way For Greed?

By He-Who-Must-Never-Be-Named

I am an advocate of philanthropic gesture, especially in a country like ours where hardwork and diligence, more often than none, goes unrecognized and unrewarded. When brave politicians rise to the task of ensuring the survival of the coming generation, by investing in their future; be it for publicity stunts or for actually genuine intentions; it is a good thing. Perhaps not for the politician, who may have so much, that a few coins splayed at the people may not cost much, in exchange for political support; but for that young enterprising youth who strives to rise above the odds and add value to not only himself but also to the society at large.

The Omo- Olore Grant for Young Entrepreneur gained attention this year, as a way of rewarding budding entrepreneurs in their various works. An initiative of Hon. Dapo Lam Adesina, one time Commissioner for Youth and Sports for Oyo state (2014 – 2015) and a current member of the Federal House of Representatives, aims at supporting entrepreneurs in Ibadan North Local Government with the sum of a hundred thousand naira.

Interested participants need only advertise their intents to their friends and well-wishers, who tend go to nominate them on social media via the “dapolam” Instagram handle. The participant with the highest number of nominations at the end, emerges winner for the month. So far, eight winners have emerged and have been awarded a grant of a hundred thousand naira for their business from make-up artists to fashion designers and so on.

Although it is public knowledge that Honorable Adesina has declared his intention to run for the seat of governorship for Oyo state in 2019, this bears little meaning compared to the lives affected by his kind gesture, especially for Young entrepreneurs who may have great ideas and are strong-armed by financial inadequacies, which is what the grant tends to eliminate. While members of the Alexander Brown Hall, have been beneficiaries of the grant; one cannot help but notice a budding trend /rise in new business ideas, all geared towards the OMO-OLORE grant.

All of a sudden, CEOs are rising in their numbers with their business brands, all soliciting support in advance for the OMO-OLORE grant, even those who seem to have it all together financially, are also in the race. Do not get me wrong! Everyone is entitled to the race and their business ideas and trajectories, but in a twinkle of an eye, different businesses are springing up, and the next day, declaring intent to win the OMO-OLORE GRANT.

So the question begs answer: Is the OMO-OLORE GRANT another free money that is up for grabs by just posing as an entrepreneur? While I appreciate the teeming community of great business-minds in the hall, I think it is pertinent to ensure that we go about things the right way.

I strongly believe the OMO-OLORE GRANT should be for those who sincerely do not have the capital to start up their business, and should be given a fair ground to allow their business thrive too. The Grant should not be seen as a medal to be hung on the wall, but as an avenue to enable the youths better themselves, and hence it should be allowed to affect as many as those who need it, because they cannot afford it.

This is not to sound sentimental or dissuade minds from achieving their goals, but sometimes, emphaty to the need of another is one of the things that makes us human. I would honestly like for as many Brownites who can to win the OMO-OLORE GRANT and improve on their business ideas, but I also wouldn’t like to see a business idea crumble because it wasn’t given a fair chance to grow.

If you have the money to start your business, please do and let those who do not, be given a fair chance to winning. The sky is actually big for every bird to fly!