by Sola Fasasi

Last year, Facing the Giants gave young people an opportunity to learn how to run an event management outfit from the masters in the field.

This year, the event returns with a more explosive session that concentrates on every phase of owning and running  an events management company. Organised by premier events outfit, Yvent Kouture, Facing the Giant is a 2-day interactive, skills acquisition and practical conference dedicated to providing a platform for young people to hone their skills, gain more knowledge and embark on the journey to becoming entrepreneurs in the event management sector.

“This is our contribution towards fighting the high unemployment figures in the country,” said Debola Lewis of Yvent Couture. “What we try to do is to empower young people with the tool they need most – information. We have discovered that young people are not doing as much as they ought to do in this country because they do not know they can do it. So we organise forums like this to tell them they can be like the entrepreneurs they admire, and we bring the big names in to show them how to be that.”

“Last year we had event management experts like Akin Ariyo of Open Hands; Tara-Fela Durotoye of House of Tara, Comedian Tee A, Funke Bucknor-Obruthe of Zapphaire Events and Tijani Mohammed  of Excellent Balloons,” Lewis noted. Other facilitators included Fumibi Adebayo of Rostal Flowers, Toyosi Akerele of Rise Networks, Akin Tofowomo of Shuga Band and Leke Adenuga of Quartz Fotography.

“Facing the Giants was perhaps the most important event I ever attended in my life,” said Akin Shofidiya, one of the participants at the previous edition. “I went out of that hall challenged. I concentrated on my own decoration outfit and today, just a few months after, I have a company that puts food on my table.”

This year’s edition will feature Yewande Zacchaeus of Eventful Limited, Olakunle Soriyan of Olakunle Soriyan Company, Ace Photographer Kelechi Amadi-Obi, Akin Ariyo of Open hands Limited, Banke Meshida Lawal of BM PRO Studios, Comedian Teju Baby face and Musician Tosin Martins.

Facilitator, Tosin Martins, who also spoke about the initiative, noted that “this is an excellent approach to engage and challenge young people to go forth and do something with themselves. The organisers capitalise on their experience within the industry and their social consciousness to contribute towards building a better Nigeria”.

The second edition of Facing the Giants is scheduled to hold on Thursday 17th and Friday 18th of March 2011 at the Afe Babalola Auditorium of the University of Lagos. Interested participants, visit www.facingthegiants.com.ng for more information.

Oluwapelumi