Gbenga the CEO of Landmark Internship International recently described his life story of finding his voice as a young man living in Nigeria. Through his exploration of self and the development of confidence for oneself, Gbenga was able to achieve more than the status quo. He describes the panic stricken feelings of finding oneself as a young person, and the difficulties of believing in oneself by following ones heart and dreams. For Gbenga, the revelation came when he realized he needed to become a social entrepreneur and follow his compelling desire to help Nigerian youth through a service system called NYSC, National Youth Service Corporation.
The NYSC is a corporation created by the Nigerian government in hopes of placing emphasis on national pride through organizing a ‘compulsory’ one year service for graduates of various tertiary institutions in Nigeria. This system has been created to help promote community services, a stronger economy within Nigeria as well as provide an excellent opportunity for Nigerian youth to not only get involved within their community, but develop hands-on experience within the Nigerian work force. However, the NYSC system was tailored to suit the needs of nationalists and not the needs of Nigerian youth and their professional goals, thus making it an undesirable option and causing it to fail in achieving its ultimate goals.
Gbenga Ogunjimi sought not to criticize the NYSC for its failures but created a new system with similar positive missions; synchronizing these missions with the professional goals of young Nigerian graduates. From this, Landmark Internship International was born.
Landmark Internship International, LII, recognizes the need to assist Nigerian youth by providing a network of unique global internship and volunteering opportunities. Through deploying various employment alternatives, Nigerian youth can attain global competitiveness and ultimately becoming world-class employees, entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs.
The need for such a service has never been more imperative. Since the current Nigerian education system is failing to educate Nigerian youth in a way that is compatible to the global community, many Nigerian youth have found themselves unemployable after many years of education, thus increasing unemployment, decreasing social financial stability and increasing poverty levels within Nigeria. Gbenga’s mission has been to address these issues through LII, organizing a link between the global market and Nigerian graduates.
Unlike other programs, LII provides its volunteers with a given platform to deploy their unique skills, passion and educational experience to help small business, schools and not-for-profit organizations thus making Africa, and the world at large, a better place. One unique development opportunity is the SME Internship program. This platform provides young professionals, aspiring entrepreneurs and MBA students a chance to turn around small businesses in Nigeria, thus providing hands-on practical opportunities in Africa for highly educated Nigerian youth.
When asked about the development process involved in starting a social enterprise, Gbenga explained how the initial steps one needs to take to follow their heart can be the most difficult path. One may question whether they have the education, money or experience to take on a lead role within their community. Gbenga explained that finding others who have the same global and social perspectives can be a wonderful charge to action. He reached out to others and found Ndidi Nwuneli, a very successful social entrepreneur. Through mentoring sessions, Ndidi asked Gbenga, ‘If you like to help people and still make money, then you are a social entrepreneur’; these words confirmed he was on the right path. Since then, Gbenga has experienced wondering successes such as winning the Global Knowledge Entrepreneurship Award (GK3) for young social entrepreneurs along with a successful campaign to revive the waning culture of volunteerism in Nigeria.
The GK3 award was the break Gbenga was waiting for. Through networking and additional funding, Gbenga is now able to focus on some of the challenges involved with connecting international companies, SMEs and non profits to the LII programs for young Nigerian professionals. Through recent developments and positioning statements such as: ‘promoting professional volunteerism to Africa’ and launching a ‘Come to Africa’ campaign, Gbenga and LII can address the serious issues of attracting new businesses to African countries, this being one of the most difficult challenges Africa faces within the current global economic community.
Gbenga and LII have harnessed the power of the internet, reaching a global audience and making connections with serious social enterprises interested in partnering up with appealing African graduates, recognizing these African graduates as international talented employees and upcoming entrepreneurs.
Gbenga has this advice for aspiring young social entrepreneurs:
“My advice to Nigerian youth social entrepreneurs like myself – is never to allow the social economic challenges of the country narrow their global view and reach. We must always think outside the box, imbibe the spirit of entrepreneurship and ensure our reach is beyond our grasp, having no regard to what we currently have in our hands. It can be done – regardless of everything, global impact and competitiveness is achievable, our dreams can’t wait any longer.”
Gbenga hopes to intensify his ongoing efforts in positioning internships as a viable tool for African youth, SMEs and non profits. As well as, continuing to build a strong alliance with universities, youth organizations and world class companies to ensure a growth of open opportunities for not only African youth but youth around the world.
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