ENTREPRENEURSHIP – THE REAL ISSUES

In recent times, there has been a lot of talk in both the mainstream and social media about the lack of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial ability in Ghana and Africa as a whole. Recent purchases of Whatsapp, Oculus Rift and Instagram for $19 billion, $2 billion and $1 billion respectively by Facebook set tongues wagging in Ghana and Africa about the successes chalked by the originators of these “successful” start-ups. More dramatic was the fact that the originator of Whatsapp had sought employment at Facebook and had been turned down. The fact that these originators are young further fueled the fire.

As with all problems Ghanaian, we have sought and found a scapegoat to blame for our very apparent lack of entrepreneurship. This scapegoat is our educational system (and sometimes the government)! A lot of us, simpletons, business moguls and academicians alike have taken swipes at the educational system. “Our educational system is too academics oriented, too theoretical”, “We need to reform our educational system”, “Our educational system is outmoded, suited only to the days of Guggisberg”, “Our educational system does not allow us to think” are some of the very famous swipes taken at Ghana’s educational system, and for any young man (like me), it is uncool to claim on any platform, especially social media (twitter mostly) that the fault is not with the educational system but with us.

I do not seek to make excuses for the government or the educational system in Ghana. I agree that like all things, we need to tweak our educational system a little (or even much, whatever you think) to achieve optimal performance, but we cannot blame it for the lack of entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship starts with an idea, and ideas come out of thinking hard with an eye towards solving a problem no matter how minuscule. It is evident that the Ghanaian youth is not thinking, or even if s/he is, s/he is thinking about the wrong things. People are not thinking but are quick to say the educational system here doesn't allow them to think. Laughable excuse. Even if you attend Harvard Business School and learn all the entrepreneurship there is, if you fail to think for yourself you will remain just as you are!

Again, we are looking in the wrong place if we just go about blaming the educational system. I thought those "cool" people will ask for an enabling social and economic environment so that they can put their ideas in motion. The educational system isn't at fault when we do not have the enabling social and economic environment. Even if the educational system is to be faulted for our current lack of entrepreneurial ability, it will be a shame and an indictment on us to do so. This is because you have to learn to think & create. Don't wait for an educational system. Entrepreneurs lived before business schools and business curricula were created. Think oooo think! Apply yourselves to purposeful thoughts and actions. Put your ideas in motion and stop blaming everybody or everything!!

Also, some young people know that entrepreneurship starts with ideas. Because they hear others say entrepreneurship starts with ideas, people think up grandiose ideas without thinking how to start up that idea. Grand but unworkable ideas are useless. Create workable ideas and put your energy into starting up. Stop fooling around and blaming the educational system. Now most young persons want to be rich and drive the latest cars but nobody wants to put in the work. Everybody wants to be a TV star. Entrepreneurship also means putting in the work, applying yourself to purposeful thoughts and actions. It means being willing to take the risk to start small and put in the work to make it big. It means knowing that you may possibly make money at an older age (where you may not be strong enough to chase plenty girls or gadgets). Stop organizing parties and attending every hall week or beach trip, sit your asses on chairs and start thinking up workable plans. Put your energies to good entrepreneurial use!

Lastly, remember that reading makes you mentally agile, so if you are being taught to read and write (as our educational system is alleged to specialize in doing), you have the foundation for creative thinking. Don't remain at that level, build on it. The educational system cannot be blamed if you decide to remain only functionally literate. Some of you don’t read, not hand-outs or lecture notes, definitely not journals. Neither do you even know your talents or strengths. All these feed into entrepreneurship, so please sit up and set your mind to purpose.

Maybe I should also rest my tired fingers (typing ain’t easy) and set my mind to purposeful thinking!