Skip to main content

Stop Haunting For White Collar Jobs...Be Your Own Boss- Hammed Olawale


In a changing and unpredictable Nigeria, more youths are now stepping out to change their own story and that of their society. In this interview, EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST, COMPERE, TOASTMASTER, BEHAVIOURIST . Founder/President READ AND LEAD FOUNDATION & President Ikeja Toastmasters Club Hammed Mustapha Olawale tells me about his foundation. Excerpts
  
What inspired the creation of Read and Lead Foundation?

Read and Lead Foundation was inspired from the popular saying "Readers are Leaders". On the 28th of March 2011 I was reading an article on one of Nigeria dailies and I discovered that the secrets and ideas that governs the world are scattered in books and the westerners did that with the notion that the best way to keep a secret from the blacks is by putting it in books. So when I finally discovered this through the article I decided to start advocating for reading as a requisite for leading. Though not all readers are leaders but all leaders are readers. 

What are the challenges that surfaced since the establishment of the foundation?
At first, like minds joined the movement online because I took it to the micro blogging website (Facebook) as a group and it was all going fine as we challenged ourselves on a daily basis to read up life transforming literatures to prepare ourselves ahead for the future. After a while, transition into a full fleshed organisation was imminent as we continue to grow in size and reach on the internet and we started meeting in person on the 27th December 2011 and that was three days before our first conference. Our members are scattered across Nigeria tertiary institution so we had the challenge of not having everyone available at the same time due to the variation in our respective school calendars. We later structured annual programs so as to take the advocacy to a wider reach in real life just as it is on the internet so we needed fund and we had to raise that from our respective allowances which was also a bit difficult. 
 
After we discovered this challenges, we decided to start a "Robbin Hood" measure. Raise fund through envelopes and letters from people in our respective communities that have enough and using it to organise our programs. We also needed more man power, so artisans with like minds of societal development were also brought on board for efficiency. 

LEN seem like a perfect acronym, what do you intend to achieve with it?
LEN (Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Networking) to us is the synopsis of all Nigeria crux and we believe we can contribute to minimizing or rather eradicating the challenges we face with L.E.N by unraveling measures with which we can savour those ordeals. We also believe that been an entrepreneur is the only solution to our ever growing rate of unemployment in the country and a successful entrepreneur is one who have mastered the qualities of leadership and also develop skill for thorough networking. So L.E.N was just natural for us and it was an easy theme for us. 

What's your advice to youth out there who are still waiting for white collar jobs? 

Youths, white collar jobs? The last time I checked , Forbes rich list was flooded with business owners. People who started their businesses with little or no capital at all. So the only way out the mediocrity of always hunting for white collar jobs is for youths to start up their own business and be their own boss. Every idea, tips and mental resources they need will be the subjects at LEN2014 on the 27th December, 2014. So come and have a life transforming experience and by planning to attend LEN2014, you will make this month a December to remember.It is a free event and you can't just afford to miss it.

For inquires about the Read and Lead Foundation or LEN, please call 08162726997.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ikeja Toastmasters usher in new Leaders

The administration of Ikeja Toastmasters has entered a new era following the election of a President, Vice, Secretary, Treasurer and Sergent at Arm after the last administration ended in June 30, 2014. Tm Hammed Mustapha Olawale however emerged as President. The following members were also elected into different positions available in the club. Vice President Education: Tm Ibrahim Fatoyinbo Vice President Membership: Tm Abdullah Jimoh Vice President Public Relations: Tm Abdulhakeem Adeoye Secretary: Tm Aminat Fashola Treasurer: Tm Olasoji Fagbola Sergent at Arm: Tm Kehinde Fadare All new executives are on a year mandates. Officer Resources Serving as a district leader or club officer is a great responsibility and an exciting opportunity. Your term of office will be filled with chances for you to: Build teamwork skills Help clubs and members develop goals for improvement Facilitate individual and club success Instill members and clubs with enthusiasm, fidelity and a sense of responsibil...
Post a Comment
Read more

IBB, a fool at 70 –Obasanjo •Defends his role in privatization

OBJ Former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday responded to General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida’s dismissal of his eight-year rule as a failure, describing the former military president as a fool at 70. Babangida had on Tuesday in Minna, Niger State on the occasion of his 70th birthday, described Obasanjo as lacking in foresight and imagination. Barely 48 hours after, Obasanjo replied him. He had conducted a team from the United States (US) round the Olusegun Obasanjo Library in Abeokuta,Ogun State. He told reporters that Babangida’s description of him as a failure was not only the ranting of a drowning man, but that of a fool at 70. The ex- president, who was dressed in a blue guinea brocade and a cap to match, was initially hesitant when journalists who learnt of the inspection few hours earlier, asked him to react to Babangida’s comment. His words: “I did not believe my ears when the news came to me until I read it in some national dailies.” Quoting from the bo...
Post a Comment
Read more

KEEP ON PUSHING

Keep on pushing to the next level in your life, keep on moving forward in your  life. You make your own decision in life. If you want to become successful in life, it is a must if you really mean success. Noting comes free, so accept the challenges and face the reality of pain in order to open the way towards success in your life. What decision have you made? What action, risks and faith have you taken in your life if you do mean success? Imagine yourself 3 years from now where will you be? How hungry are you to achieve success in life? Success comes your way according to the decisions you make. If you have already made your decisions of becoming successful then you have to start believing, have faith and accept pain or failure in your life because nothing comes free. So if you mean success, you have to change your mindset from fear or disappointment to focus!
Post a Comment
Read more