The Venture in Management Program is a mini-MBA program organized by Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN), sponsored by African Capital Alliance Foundation, (ACA Foundation) and supported by the Lagos Business School(LBS)and Accenture Nigeria. 50 outstanding currently serving or recently finished serving members of the National Youth Service Corps are selected through a rigorous process to go through theresidentialprogram at LBS where they are exposed to lessons on Strategy, Business Management, Finance, Corporate Governance, Ethics and Leadership as well as MBA modelled business cases. These lessons prepare the participants to become ethicalbusiness leaders who will go on to run their own businesses or manage already established businesses and social enterprises.
This year’s program ran from February 19th through February 23rd. After a tour and brief history of LBS, participants settled in for lectures on ‘Writing an effective CV & Preparing For an Interview’ and ‘Entrepreneurship in an Uncertain Economy’ both delivered by LBS faculty members on Day 1.The week long activities at LBS also featured interactive sessions with business leaders such as Kunle Elebute, Chairman, KPMG Africa, Chienye Ogwo, ViMP alum and CEO Africa Initiative for Governance as well as Tunji Elesho, ViMP alum and Managing Partner, Growth Capital Fund.
On Wednesday, February 21st, participants began the day teaching JAN programs on entrepreneurship and financial literacy in primary and secondary schools in the Ajah axis of Lagos. This activity is a part of the week-long ViMP program that exposes participants to the need to always give back to society either as individuals or business entities, teaching the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR. Later that evening, participants convened at the Maison Fahrenheit Hotel, Lagos, where they got a chance to network with ViMP alumni, program sponsors, JAN board members and staff as well as local media correspondents.
On Friday, February 23rd, 2018, participants listened to Paul Kokoricha, Executive Partner, ACA, who delivered a powerful graduation lecture focusing on ACA’s 5 core values Integrity, Humility, Excellence, Discipline and Contribution, all of which he noted were relevant to any potential business leader. Thereafter, the most outstanding male and female participantswere recognized and awarded. Caleb Adebayo, a lawyer and graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University and Elohor Udubrae, a Chemical Engineer and graduate of Caritas University won this recognition based on their participation and contribution to in-class activities.
The week ended on a highnote as participants were treated to a movie night experience, of the Black Panther movie. Once again, everyone left feeling like super heroes and ready to take over the world for good. #WakandaForever
Segun Adebanji, Principal and Head, FMCG Agric, ACA12345678910
On Saturday morning, two ViMP 2018 participants, Caleb Adebayo and Esther Adelaja, along with Executive Director, JAN, Simi Nwogugu and Vice President, Investor Management ACA, Ogedi Onyeama, featured as guests on the Channels TV’s Saturday Sunrise Show to discuss the week’s highlights and shed more light on the program’s objectives and impact.
It was certainly a whirlwind of activities and in the words of the ViMP 2018 president, Joseph Emeka Okoroafor, “participants have been equipped to go take over every sector of the economy and inspire the change they desire to see.”
We look forward to ViMP 2019 and we invite potential participants to visit our website at www.ja-nigeria.org and follow us on social media for more details in the coming months.
Thank you to our sponsors and supporters: – Africa Capital Alliance Foundation; Lagos Business School and Accenture PLC as well as our media partners: – Channels TV; BellaNaija; Pulse TV; Punch and BusinessDay.