The Kwara State University, Malete has marked the 2014 Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) to create awareness in the community on the import of entrepreneurship to boost the nation's development.

The week-long activities saw 24 secondary schools competing for laurels, with each of them presenting different business proposals to the public.

According to the Director of the University's Centre for Entrepreneurship, Dr Hakeem Ajonbadi, the GEW, celebrated in 150 countries across the world, started five years ago at the Kwara State University. It was premised on the university's realisation of the strategic place of entrepreneurship in national development effort by reducing unemployment.

Ajonbadi disclosed that the developed nations of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South-Africa (BRICS) attained their development feat through entrepreneurial ventures.

He said that explains why KWASU started entrepreneurship from inception to make its students job creators and not job seekers after graduation.

"Kwara State University has been recognised in the world as a university for entrepreneurship as we won two awards last year. I can assure you that the issue of entrepreneurship is something we take very seriously", he said.

Chairman of the Kwara State Small and Medium Enterprises Association, Mr. Ayodeji Ajisefini stressed that no nation could develop without entrepreneurship. He urged the secondary school students in attendance to inculcate the culture of entrepreneurship.

He said the rich men and women of tomorrow would be those who took up the challenge and decided to be entrepreneurs.

The immediate past Director of the Centre, Dr. Muritala Awodun said the celebration of the global entrepreneurship week had brought the issue into the consciousness of the community.

"The establishment of Kwara State University in 2009 and the commencement of the Global Entrepreneurship Week in 2010 has actually increased the awareness of the community on entrepreneurship and that is one of the purposes of the Global Entrepreneurship Week", he said.

Various business proposals, including the making of tie-and-die clothes and soap-making were presented by secondary school students.