Mentoring, A Missing Key To The Development of Youths in Nigeria

Mentorship is a relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person. The mentor may be older or younger than the person being mentored, but he or she must have a certain area of expertise – Wikipedia.

No scenario better exemplifies the above definition of mentorship than that demonstrated at the audition stage of the 2016 edition of America’s Got Talent.

The scene puts Laura Bretan walking to the center of the stage; her hands clung to the microphone like it had the power to steady her trembling feet.

All eyes were on her; they all begged to know what the 13 years old girl with shaky hands and the look that says, “I’m unsure of myself” brought to the table. The room went quiet for what seemed like an eternity, with Simon Cowel staring directly like saying “Why are you here little girl”…

However, Laura opened her mouth to sing, lightening up the room, leaving everyone bewildered.

She rendered her piece with the touch of a seasoned professional – she just delivered one of the best performances to a highly technical opera –

“I think this show is going to completely change your life, and I’m going to change your life right now.” 

“Bretan would later advance to the finals, placing 6th overall, but no one would ever forget that first performance. “It was a dream come true” and performance that still sends shivers down the spine with its supernatural beauty.”

With those words spoken by Mel B. on America’s Got Talents show in 2016, Laura Bretan has since moved from being that girl that was described by Simon Cowel as coming up like a jelly in 2016, to become a well sought after Opera singer three years after.

One of her fans had this to say about her -” The truth is this girl, who is only16, has one of the most divine voices on this earth.”

Laura probably would not have risen to the point she is now if she was not mentored by some of the best in the music industry worldwide. She was unleashed on the world – One of the most angelic voices of our generation.

Every year an average of 414,00 businesses are registered in Nigeria. Unfortunately, only about half of that number survive past the five-year mark, and even then, the majority of those also end up winding down before they are ten.

Please consider reading up on how best to build systems that aid running successful businesses in Nigeria – click here.

As an entrepreneur myself, I’ve wondered how best entrepreneurs can change the narrative – ways to increase their odds of survival. Then it occurred to me that all along, I had struggled because I do not have someone to push me when I needed guidance, someone who like me, walks the path of entrepreneurship.

Suggested Read – Don’t Quit

What a growing entrepreneur needs most is real guidance from a mentor. New small business owners often lack one fundamental thing — experience.

It takes lots of sleepless nights, days, and even years, and sometimes lots of money, to gain the required business experience to run a successful company. Mentors allow you to draw on that experience right away — and for free.

Working with a mentor has proven to be an indicator of success. The stories of most Nigerian entrepreneurs would have been different if, like Hugo, they had someone to help them find their feet.

Unfortunately, only a few business, political, religious leaders take time out to mentor others. If entrepreneurship must be sustained in Nigeria, we must seek ways to attract mentors and get them to commit to mentoring.

ATTRACTING SUITABLE MENTORS AND GETTING THEM TO MENTOR YOU.

“Will you be my mentor?” That is one question that a lot of successful entrepreneurs get asked. Unfortunately, this question almost always gets NO as a response to the dismay of the entrepreneur.

The issue is not that the successful entrepreneur does not see the need to provide mentoring; the problem is that he isn’t sure of his availability. Listen, mentoring takes time, and time is what most successful entrepreneurs don’t have to give away.

All hope is not lost; the solution to getting yourself a mentor lies in the definition of mentorship: mentorship is a relationship, one that must be cultivated to grow.

One practical way to get yourself a mentor is to search for the Linkedin profile of the person you seek mentorship with, read his or her articles, then make meaningful contributions to all of them if you can.

One practical way to get yourself a mentor is to search for the Linkedin profile of the person you seek mentorship with, read his or her articles, then make meaningful contributions to all of them if you can.

Always ensure to be of value to him/her without making any request. Someday, I bet your mentor would take notice of you and reciprocate the value exchange.

Lastly, on attracting the right mentor, do you know that you are also mentoring some people without you knowing it?
Pick your mentor and start to learn from him while you find ways to get close to him or her.