‘Vision for a self-sufficient Naga state’

Morung Express News
Dimapur | November 9  

“As I am, so is my Nation.” Neichute Doulo delivered the 7th Morung Lecture today, starting with this thought by Frank Buchman. He presented a vision of economic development and prosperity—vision for a self sufficient Naga state—which is not popularly discussed in Media or textbooks or by research scholars. Rather, he applied a practitioners lens to truly examine how entrepreneurship can be utilized to bring about economic and sustained success.  

Doulo is the CEO and Coordinator of Entrepreneurs Associates, and was recently declared ‘Social Entrepreneur of the Year (SEOP) –India, 2016’.  

The Lecture today examined how entrepreneurs are essential towards building a self-sufficient Naga state and that young people should aspire towards creating shared-value strategies to create economic and social impact, and also accelerate the process of development. The Lecture was attended by school and college students, academicians, local entrepreneurs, scholars and media persons at DABA’s Elim Hall in Duncan Bosti here.  

“We have to change our mindset from a Government centric income to economic centric income. The story of how we can survive only with a Government job needs to be revived and challenged,” Doulo said, reiterating that change in the way we think is the most important because we must believe that we can achieve it.  

Busting the myth that only industries, factories, government jobs, service industry, and jobs outside the State can bring about economic development, he stated that we need to look at the available resources in our State and use it to our best advantage. Citing examples, he listed Millets, Jobtears, Kholar, Pig rearing, Mithun rearing as good areas where we can create wealth and opportunities. “All we need is an entrepreneurial spirit,” he said.  

Doulo also emphasized on the importance of promoting entrepreneurship among the Nagas. And to do this, he said, “I dream of a self-sufficient Naga state by 2030. And fifty per cent success by 2025 can be achieved if 10,000 Naga youth take up entrepreneurship and if 50,000 farmers graduate from subsistence farming to micro commercial farming, then it will not be a dream but a practical reality.”  

However, he cautioned, entrepreneurship is not a ‘bed of roses’ but requires one to sweat it out. “I give a time period of ten years to anyone starting out in business. In entrepreneurship, ten years is instant success,” he said. He also felt that capital should be a deterrent to someone wanting to do business, but one should start business because he has no capital and wants to make money.  

“Give me ten thousand Naga entrepreneurs and our idea of self sufficiency will turn into a reality,” the social entrepreneur boldly stated.  

During the question and answer session with the attendees, Doulo also commented that problems faced by entrepreneurs in the region will continue to exist like issues of tax, competition, market, and many more. But, “An entrepreneur will always try to find answers where there is no answer.” He also called upon everyone to stop with the stereotypes that Nagas are not good in business.  

Doulo concluded, “The public has always been our social auditors and we hope that they continue to do so. We might not be able to do all that we envision, but as long as the people are supportive and willing to work towards progress and development, the vision we have in mind will surely accelerate and reach us all.”  

A sustainable paradigm

In his concluding remarks, Dr. Aküm Longchari, Editor of The Morung Express, presented a brief outline on the speaker’s lecture. Hailing Neichute as an innovative social thinker, he remarked, “I am proud of his ability to think outside the box and his imagination to find local solutions to things that are important and relevant.”  

Further terming the lecture as a ‘lesson’, he said, “Listening to Neichute, I am reminded once more that the heart of the question of self-sufficiency is a state of mind, that we have to move away from a culture of dependency. Today, we are called towards a definition of entrepreneurship which is rooted in our Naga values and vision and he has successfully presented a paradigm that really speaks to the Naga heart.”  

He also pointed out that not many entrepreneurs have the same kind of entrepreneurial spirit that Neichute possesses, because he opined that traditionally the foundation of Entrepreneurship was formed in Truth, Morality and Technique. However, in today’s context, there seems to be a generation of entrepreneurs who emphasize and focus mostly on technique only, he felt. Perhaps, that is why we continue with the culture of dependency. He suggested for a converging of the three forces to create a sustainable paradigm.  

“We also have to continue imagining. But the real question is do we have the courage to imagine? Do we together have the collective will to imagine the vision of Neichute Duolo to turn our State into a self-sufficient state by 2030,” he posed.