Dr Akin Akinpelu Mentorship Club has set out to impact 200,000 University students across Africa with a Campus Tour to visit ten prominent Nigerian universities and four renowned African institutions.
The project themed: ‘Street to Forbes’ aims to give a spark of hope, resilience, and inspire Africans.
While announcing the launch of the project during a press conference hosted by Akin Akinpelu Learning and Development Company (AAL&D), the Convener and Official Member, Forbes Coaches Council, Dr. Akin Akinpelu noted that there are about 740 million university students across Africa and less than 700 universities cater for them and that revealed a lot of deficit and problem with higher education on the continent.
Dr Akinpelu revealed that the campus tour which is to address the challenges that youths encounter is his personal effort and an expression of his unwavering commitment to empowering Africans to realise and attain their full potential.
Speaking on the commencement of this impact tour called ‘Street to Forbes’, he said, “We are telling every young person in Africa that you can be great, and you can create great success story at any level that you find yourselves in life.
“We are going to be visiting quite a number of Universities in Africa, maybe about 10 in West Africa and then 5 outside West Africa including East Africa and this is going to start exactly on April 13th, 2024 with Bell University.”
He explained that the “Street to Forbes” campus tour’s core goal is to empower, encourage, and inspire African youths to reach their full potential. And we set out with a single goal to kindle in each participant a spark of ambition and resilience.”
He further explained that “this tour is a call to action and we hope to provide participants with the skills and information that will help them in the future, and attitude needed to overcome challenges and also help them to see how they could seize opportunities with undying, unyielding determination through a series of carefully chosen courses, interactive sessions, and emotional conversation.
“I am devoted to providing mentorship, direction and support to every student group we come across in the journey,” he added.
Dr Akinpelu also noted that AAL&D will be working with different groups from the United Nations, Tech firms and few other groups to ensure that the aims of the project is achieved.
He added that it’s a good ground to find the highest level of young people in the schools to be able to build, inspire and help them to get better because there is already a conditioned atmosphere that can always enforce them to embrace knowledge at the cutting edge.
Dr Akinpelu also noted that “My team and I are committed to establishing a great atmosphere that is going to fosters development, education and self-discovery in collaboration with a selected group of renowned business owners, speakers, entrepreneurs and visionaries across the world but most important in Africa.
While he showed his sincere gratitude to all the sponsors, partners and supporters for making the tour possible, Akinpelu sought more stakeholder collaboration to enhance sustainability.
“We have the chance to work together to motivate the next wave of African leaders and bring about constructive change across the continent. This is the only way we can change the Africa that we have seen, the Africa that we are and we are tailoring to the Africa of the future.
The Forbes Coaches Council Member also urged the general public, relevant stakeholders, and more partners to join him on the “Street to Forbes” campus tour and together, saying, “let us empower the African child and let’s create new success stories and reach new heights of success.”
The press conference also witnessed the launch of a book titled ‘From the Street to Forbes’ which is a documentation of Dr Akinpelu’s life story.
The book publisher, Mrs. Favour Noah Afeoluwape said the book will be available from the second week of April on platforms such as Amazon, the Akin Akinpelu website and in shops across Africa and the very first campus tour at the Bell University.
While she called for more partners, Mrs Afeoluwape added that the book is not only for African Youths but it’s for everybody.
In the same vein, Dr. Dare Akinlaja, CEO of Oluwadare Akinlaja Research and Development, said the more partners and stakeholders the more commitment and better AAL&D can reach people.
He appealed to the media, business owners, entrepreneurs, stakeholders and the general public to collaborate with this initiative.
Others present at the press conference are Media practitioners, Head of Partnership Akin Akinlaja Learning and Development, AAL&D, Ms. Zainab Yussuff; a 400L student Bells University, Ms. Oluwaseyifunmi Aderemi representing the institution, among others.
