Author: user user

It was Monday morning, and Tolu sat at her desk, staring at her email of a juicy offer she had been dreaming of.

A corporate client had just commissioned her consulting services, and the amount she was about to quote made her stomach twist. ‘Maybe I shouldn’t ask for too much,’ she muttered. ‘They’ll think I’m greedy. Maybe I don’t really deserve this.’

Sound familiar? Welcome to the quiet, cunning world of imposter syndrome, where your own mind convinces you that your accomplishments are flukes and your worth is negotiable.

For Tolu, and countless professionals like her, those words were more than hesitation, it was imposter syndrome in action, quietly whispering that success wasn’t hers to claim. For many professionals, especially those early or mid-career, imposter syndrome often creeps in like a shadow, subtle but heavy. You might find yourself charging low fees because you feel undeserving, quietly downplaying your achievements during meetings, or hesitating to pursue promotions because you convince yourself that you ‘aren’t ready.’ And yet, the irony is sharp: when you undervalue yourself, the world tends to undervalue you too. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You whisper ‘I can’t,’ and whether consciously or unconsciously, the universe echoes back your own doubts. It is the very essence of the scriptural truth: ‘For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.’ If your mind is a garden, then doubt is the weed you water and soon it will overrun the flowers of your potential. Stop discounting your worth; after all, you are not a clearance item you are prime stock in the marketplace of talent. Imposter syndrome is more than an emotional hiccup; it is a phenomenon recognised by research.

Studies suggest that up to 70 percent of professionals experience feelings of imposterism at some point in their careers. The consequences are tangible: undervaluing oneself can lead to lost earnings, missed promotions, and diminished visibility in the professional sphere.

A Harvard Business Review study highlights that women, in particular, are up to 30 percent less likely to negotiate salaries than men, often due to internalised feelings of inadequacy. In careers where ‘asking too much’ feels risky, imposter syndrome quietly erodes opportunity. Yet, here is the paradox: that very unease is also a compass. The tightening in your chest, the second-guessing before quoting a fee, the hesitation to step into a new role, they are signals that you are stepping beyond the boundaries of comfort.

Recognising them is the first step toward reclaiming agency over your career. Vulnerability does not diminish you; it humanises you and creates space for growth. Tolu eventually typed her true value and hit send. The client accepted without question. In that moment, she realised the fear had always been hers alone. Imposter syndrome had whispered, ‘You don’t deserve this,’ yet the reality was entirely different. Success does not require the absence of doubt rather it requires action despite it.

For emerging professionals and seasoned leaders alike, the lesson is clear: your self-perception sets the ceiling for your potential. Imposter syndrome may whisper that you are unworthy, but that voice does not dictate your reality.

Claim your space, assert your value, and let your expertise speak louder than your doubts. Remember, the weeds of doubt cannot thrive in a garden that is intentionally watered with confidence, skill, and boldness.

So the next time that inner voice murmurs, ‘You don’t deserve this,’ respond decisively: ‘Actually, I do and here is why.’ Leadership and success belong to those who act, not those who shrink. Imposter syndrome may be a silent saboteur, but it can also be a catalyst a nudge to rise, to charge what you’re worth, and to let your brilliance light the way.

A DNA-based blood test is changing the future of cancer detection by spotting more than 50 types of the disease before symptoms appear.

Known as Galleri, the test scans the bloodstream for tiny fragments of tumour DNA shed by cancer cells, allowing doctors to identify early signs of cancer, pinpointing where it is developing, long before it becomes life-threatening, a report by The Independent revealed.

Developed by US-based biotech company Grail, the test is being evaluated by the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) and could mark a turning point in global cancer screening.

In a major real-world trial known as Pathfinder 2, researchers found that Galleri correctly identified cancer in 61.6 percent of people whose blood samples showed a cancer signal. Even more striking, the test accurately pinpointed the organ or tissue of origin in 92 percent of those cases, thereby helping doctors know where to look next.

‘We are really very excited. This is a further step along the way in really transforming cancer outcomes,’ Sir Harpal Kumar, president of International Business and BioPharma at Grail and former head of Cancer Research UK, averred.

Traditional screening methods, like mammograms or colonoscopies, target only specific cancers. But Galleri works differently as it looks for tiny fragments of tumour DNA in the blood, allowing it to detect multiple cancers at once, even in people with no symptoms.

In the Pathfinder 2 trial, conducted in the US and Canada with over *23,000 symptom-free participants, Galleri’s addition to regular screening programmes led to a sevenfold increase in the number of cancers detected within a year.

Over half of those cancers 53.5 percent were caught at stage I or II, when treatment outcomes are most favourable. In total, nearly 70 percent were identified at stages I to III, before the disease had spread widely.

For Harpal, these numbers represent more than statistics as they signal a possible shift in how health systems like the NHS could approach cancer care. ‘If we can find substantially greater numbers of cancers before they present clinically, we can use more effective and, in many cases, curative treatments. That should make a substantial difference to cancer outcomes,’ he said.

The Galleri test’s strength lies in both its scope and precision. It was able to rule out cancer in 99.6 percent of healthy individuals and detect the site of the tumour with remarkable accuracy.

For doctors, this can be a major time-saver. Instead of conducting multiple scans or invasive biopsies, they can quickly focus diagnostic efforts on the right part of the body.

‘If somebody presents with abdominal pain, you might ask: Is this ovarian, pancreatic, or colorectal cancer, or not cancer at all? If we can help clinicians direct those investigations, then we can make much better use of what is very scarce diagnostic capacity,’ Harpal explained.

This precision could be especially valuable for hard-to-detect cancers like pancreatic, liver, ovarian, and head-and-neck cancers, which are often discovered late, when treatment options are limited.

The NHS Galleri trial, which is testing the technology on tens of thousands of people in England, is expected to publish its results by mid-2026. If successful, the test could be rolled out widely, potentially as an annual blood test for people aged 50 and above, when cancer risk begins to rise.

Modelling studies suggest that such a programme could lead to 49 percent fewer late-stage diagnoses and 21 percent fewer deaths within five years.

Josh Ofman, president of Grail, said the data so far is extremely compelling, noting that about three-quarters of Galleri-detected cancers do not have recommended screening tests today.

Early Marriage and rising poverty in rural communities, and inadequate public investment in the education sector, have been identified as the major factors pushing girls out of the formal school system in most of the States in Northern Nigeria.

The identified factors are said to be responsible principally for a situation particularly in Kano, Northern Nigeria’s most populous State, in only about 25% women are literate, despite several billions of naira, the State has invested in education in the recent times.

Rabia Adamu Eshak, Education Specialist, made this submission, while presenting a lead paper, at a Two-Day Kano Girls Education Summit organised by Bridge Connect Africa Initiative in partnership with MALALA Foundation, which was opened on Friday in Kano.

Eshak, who is the former Commissioner for Education in Jigawa Sate, said there is nothing wrong with early marriage, but, marrying out young girls early without empowering them with functional education, implies danger to their future.

She also noted with the dismay the trend in which many young girls are being forced out of schools because their parents are too poor to sponsor their education, or unable to, preferring to marry out them because they believe education has no value.

According to her, in order to address the challenge of the growing out of school children in Northern Nigeria, the educationist, suggested that the culture of marrying out girls at young age needed to be legislated against.

In the same vein, she further suggested that stakeholders in the education sector in Northern Nigeria, particularly, Government at all levels: Federal, State and Local must scale up public their investment in the sector.

She however, commended the present administration in Kano State, for declaring state of emergence in the education sector, noting that the move was a mark of commitment by the Administration to addressing current challenges confronting the sector.

Earlier, Ali Haruna Makoda, Kano State Commissioner for Education, said that the State Government had voted the sum of N13 billion for the re-boarding of 13 Girl Secondary Schools in the state as part of the efforts to boost girl child education in the State.

Makoda said the Government in the outgoing budget circle had scaled up the monetary allocations to the education sector to about 31%, the first to be done in the history of the State.

He commended the Bridge Connect Africa Initiative, and MALLA Foundation for organising the summit which according to him, came at a right time, as it is helping to generate more attention to the prevailing State of the education sector, in the State, and Northern Nigeria.

Fatima Musa Aliyu, Chief Operating Officer of Bridge Connect Africa Initiative, said that the programme with the theme: ‘Investing in Her Future: Advancing Girls’ Education through Equitable Budgeting’, was organised under the Bridging Access to Girls ` Education programme it is implementing.

‘The Summit is convened under the Bridging Access to Girls’ Education (BAGE) Project, with support from Malala Fund and in collaboration with the Kano State Government. It will consolidate reform efforts, amplify grassroots voices, and strengthen political, institutional, and community commitments to equitable education financing and service delivery for girls in Kano State.

‘It will also serve as the platform to formally declare the adoption of the Gender Responsive Education Budgeting (GREB) Framework by the Kano state government. High-level and key stakeholders, including the Executive Governor of Kano State, His Excellency Abba Kabir Yusuf, are attending’, she stated.

You have worked across banking, construction, and now technology. What experiences from your earlier career have shaped the way you are building Scrella?

Every phase of my career taught me something critical about people, systems, and execution. Banking taught me financial discipline, risk management, and how trust underpins every transaction.

My time in construction, especially at Rebar Perfecta, showed me how structure and process can transform an industry that was once informal and fragmented. Now in technology, I’m combining those lessons, financial structure, operational efficiency, and human-centred design to build Scrella as both a sustainable business, a financially inclusive product and a trustworthy brand.

Many device owners in Africa struggle with affordability and access. How does Scrella balance the business model with the goal of financial inclusion?

At Scrella, financial inclusion is the foundation of our model. We designed our plans to start as low as ?3,500 annually, making protection accessible to people who have never considered insurance before.

Commercially, we balance this by leveraging technology and partnerships to reduce overhead costs. It’s not about choosing between profit and inclusion, it’s about proving that inclusion is a profitable strategy when you build with empathy and scale in mind.

Scrella uses artificial intelligence for remote device inspection. What challenges did you face in introducing this technology, and how have customers responded?

The first challenge was trust. Many users didn’t believe an app could check their screen and its sensors accurately. We had to invest heavily in user education, which is showing, not just telling, that the process works.

But once people experienced the speed and convenience of being able to get insured in minutes without visiting a centre, adoption grew rapidly. Today, users love that they can insure their phones from anywhere. It’s that blend of innovation and convenience that wins trust over time.

Moving from traditional finance and construction logistics to insurtech is a unique shift. What guided your decision to enter the smartphone insurance space?

It started with a pattern I couldn’t ignore. In my other business, team members constantly came to me for help fixing broken screens and these repairs often wiped out their monthly salary. The same thing happened with my mentees and even family members.

I realized this wasn’t just a personal issue, it was a structural one. People’s lives were being disrupted by something preventable. That insight, combined with my background in financial systems, made the smartphone insurance space a natural next step. Scrella became my way of solving that problem at scale.

Insurance penetration in Nigeria is low compared to global standards. How do you see digital platforms like Scrella changing this trend?

Digital platforms like Scrella are rewriting the insurance playbook. Traditional models relied on paperwork, agents, and stressful, long claims processes, which are all barriers to adoption.

We’re using technology to simplify everything: instant eligibility checks, and onboarding, transparent pricing, and seamless claims. This transparency breeds trust, which is the key to adoption. Over time, as more people experience the benefits firsthand, digital insurance will move from being an option to being a norm, much like mobile banking did a decade ago.

As smartphones become central to work, education, and daily life, what role do you think insurance will play in enabling digital participation for underserved communities?

Insurance is the silent enabler of digital inclusion. When people know their devices are protected, they use them more confidently for work, learning, and commerce.

For underserved communities, that safety net can mean the difference between staying online or being cut off. Scrella’s goal is to make sure a cracked screen doesn’t disconnect someone from an opportunity. In a broader sense, device insurance is becoming a form of digital empowerment because it keeps people connected to progress.

Scrella covers both new and in-use smartphones. How do you ensure that risk management and customer trust are balanced in this approach?

Covering in-use devices is part of our inclusion mission, but it does come with risk. That’s why our AI-driven remote eligibility test is so important, it gives us an accurate real time health status of the device before it’s insured.

On the trust side, we maintain transparency: customers see what’s covered, what’s not, and what their diagnostics report says.That balance between transparency and data-driven risk control is what keeps both our partners and customers protected.

Beyond individual customers, do you see opportunities for partnerships with mobile operators, banks, or governments to scale access to device insurance?

Absolutely. Strategic partnerships are at the core of our growth vision. We’re already working with mobile retailers and repair vendors to embed insurance at the point of sale or service.

The next frontier is integration with telcos, digital lenders, and fintechs, allowing users to access insurance through their existing ecosystems. We also see potential in working with governments or development agencies to extend device protection to teachers, civil servants, and entrepreneurs who rely on smartphones for their livelihoods. It’s about embedding protection where people already are.

As a founder, how do you measure success – is it customer adoption, social impact, financial returns, or a mix of these?

For me, success is a blend of all three. Financial sustainability is crucial; it keeps the lights on.

But what truly drives me is seeing the social impact: people keeping their businesses running, students staying connected, all because they’re insured. Customer adoption validates our relevance; financial returns ensure our continuity; social impact reminds us why we started. When those three align, that’s real success.

Looking ahead, what long-term shifts in technology or consumer behaviour do you think will most influence the future of device insurance in Africa?

The biggest shift will be embedded protection insurance that’s built into devices, data plans, or financing packages. Consumers won’t have to think about buying insurance; it’ll be part of their digital lifestyle.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced that the Nigerian Air Force would be conducting its annual 10km walk/jog exercise, which would result in a partial closure of the Airport access road between Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2) and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) on Saturday, 18th of October 2025, from 06:00hrs.

‘During this period, security personnel would be deployed along access roads to direct traffic and ensure safety. This does not in any way disrupt airport operations, as scheduled flights would operate normally,’ FAAN said in its statement.

The authority stated that the access roads would be completely opened immediately after the exercise.

It advised passengers and airport users to plan their movements accordingly, as localised traffic disruptions may occur around the airport vicinity during the exercise.

‘FAAN regrets any inconvenience this may cause and appreciates your understanding and cooperation,’ the statement added.

Artificial intelligence is changing the global workforce faster than many institutions can adjust. A report by McKinsey and Company estimates that up to 30 per cent of work hours in the United States could be automated by 2030 as generative AI systems become more advanced. Research by the Brookings Institution also indicates that around 36 million American jobs-about one-quarter of the total workforce- are in ‘high exposure’ categories, where more than 70 per cent of tasks could be automated.

While these numbers may sound concerning, the same technology that creates job risks can also help workers safeguard their careers. ChatGPT, a generative AI model, can be used to identify, evaluate, and even design roles that are more resistant to automation. Instead of viewing AI as a threat, workers can use it to find their place in a changing job market.

According to Forbes, here are four practical ChatGPT prompts that can help users future-proof their work life.

1. Use ChatGPT to map transferable skills to emerging AI-complementary roles

According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, 44 per cent of workers’ core skills are expected to change by 2027 due to automation and digital transformation. This shift is driving up demand for creativity, analytical thinking, and social influence.

ChatGPT Prompt ‘Act as a career strategist. Ask me 15 questions to help identify my strongest transferable skills, experiences, and natural strengths. Then, map those to 10 emerging job roles that are least likely to be automated in the next decade. Include why each role is resilient to automation.’

This exercise helps users understand how their human-centred skills fit into evolving work patterns. McKinsey’s research shows that demand for social and emotional skills will grow by 24 per cent by 2030, while routine data-entry and clerical skills will decline. ChatGPT can quickly connect a person’s current abilities to roles that depend on human judgment.

2. Use ChatGPT to reverse-engineer job descriptions and identify a ‘Human Edge’

A growing number of employers are looking for candidates who can work alongside AI systems rather than compete with them. Instead of applying to jobs directly, job seekers can use ChatGPT to analyse job descriptions and separate tasks that rely on human judgment from those that AI could automate.

ChatGPT Prompt ‘Act as a hiring manager. Analyse 5 job descriptions I provide and identify the top skills, responsibilities, and traits that are human-led vs. AI-automatable. Then, create a strategy for how I can emphasise my human edge in applications and interviews.’

This approach goes beyond keyword matching. A Brookings report found that 85 per cent of U.S. workers could see at least 10 per cent of their job tasks affected by generative AI. However, the degree of impact depends on the mix of human and machine tasks.

Resilient jobs are not limited to the technology industry. Fields such as education design, ethical technology policy, healthcare communication, and skilled trades remain in high demand. A Brookings analysis notes that non-routine interpersonal and ethical tasks are the least likely to be automated.

ChatGPT Prompt ‘Act as a future of work researcher. Given my skills and interests [insert here], suggest 10 surprising or less obvious career paths that are resistant to automation. For each, explain why AI is unlikely to replace it, what the entry routes are, and what kind of impact someone in that role can make.’

This prompt can reveal overlooked but stable career paths that align with a user’s interests. The World Economic Forum predicts the creation of roughly 170 million new roles globally by 2030, many in sectors that depend on human creativity and complex problem-solving.

4. Use ChatGPT to design a hybrid ‘AI-Enabled’ role around your strengths

The most sustainable jobs in the future will not exclude AI but integrate it. Combining human skills with AI efficiency creates what some analysts call ‘hybrid roles.’

ChatGPT Prompt ‘Act as a career designer. Based on my skills and interests [insert], help me design a hybrid role where I use AI tools to automate repetitive tasks and focus my energy on high-value human work. Provide a job title, daily workflow, tools I’d use, and examples of companies that might hire for such a role.’

McKinsey’s analysis suggests that by 2030, about 60 per cent of jobs could be reshaped through task reconfiguration rather than elimination. ChatGPT can help users design roles that blend human creativity with machine efficiency-sometimes before those positions even exist formally.

King Bubaraye Dakolo, Chairman of Bayelsa Traditional Rulers Council has called for total support to Dangote Refinery, the only indigenous private-owned refinery in the country, declaring unions in the oil sector as cabals.

‘When you talk about a cabal in the oil sector ensuring that Nigerians keep paying unnecessarily high prices for oil and gas products, that cabal are the oil unions’, Dakolo said when he visited the $19.5 billion Dangote Refinery, Friday in company of Reno Omokri, former presidential aide to Goodluck Jonathan and social commentator.

He told the management of Dangote Refinery that ‘Niger Deltans have sense of fulfillment that, after years of not making the best of our natural resources, God has raised a man like Alhaji Aliko Dangote and the Dangote Refinery to end the distortions in the value chain of Nigeria’s oil and gas downstream industry, by making local refining of our resources a possibility’.

He urged both the Federal, State and local governments, the private sector and the unions to cooperate with Dangote as he refines oil locally.

He recalled that the nation’s refineries would have been working since 2007, when the Obasanjo administration sold a 51% stake in the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries to a consortium called Bluestar Oil, of which Aliko Dangote was the principal promoter.

‘What happened? PENGASSAN went on a strike over the sale, and as a direct consequence of that strike, the late President Yar’adua cancelled the sale. For eighteen years, those refineries remained comatose after spending $18 billion’.

Dakolo therefore said it is preposterous for any organisation or individual to accuse Alhaji Dangote or the Dangote Refinery of being a monopoly. ‘The industry is open, and anybody or a group can enter it.

‘Thirty licenses were given out for refineries, some of which are modular, including the BUA 200,000 capacity per day. With what is happening to Dangote, no right-thinking bank or investor will back any additional refining capacity.

‘But because it takes time to recoup capital and make a profit, unpatriotic Nigerians prefer the easy money of importing refined petroleum products for sale in Nigeria, rather than investing in local refining’.

He said no individual or corporation has been as responsible for stabilising petrol prices as Alhaji Dangote and the Dangote Refinery in the last year. In doing that, they have caused succour to occur in society’.

He encouraged for dialogue to resolve any issues in the industry.

Reno Omokri who assessed the massive investment by Dangote in the refinery said Nigeria has dropped in Africa as the largest importer of petroleum products due to the efforts of Dangote Refinery.

According to him, South Africa is presently the largest importer of petrol while Nigeria has made progress in petroleum products export, becoming the largest exporter of refined products in West Africa.

According to him, Nigerians have to realise that the volume of the money they have is not as important as the value of the money they have. ‘Money has to have value rather than volume and the only way for our currency to have value is when we are producing in Nigeria’.

Omokri who is advocate of grow Naira and buy Nigerian products with #GrowNairabuyNaija campaign therefore urged Nigerian citizens, the unions and governments at all levels to support Dangote Refinery because the activities of economic strength lie in local production.

He described Dangote as solely being responsible for 10% of GDP of Lagos. He said that the refinery is sitting on 2, 635 hectares with state-of-the-art technology. According to him the refinery is not only upto date but uptil tomorrow.

According to him over 650 ships have taken Dangote products from its multi-billion terminal out of Nigeria to US, Brazil and Argentina and other countries.

The delegation also visited Dangote Fertiliser, Dangote Urea export terminal and Dangote Lab, all at world-class standard.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has said that the most significant defection Nigerians should be concerned about is not between political parties, but the defection of hunger and poverty from their daily lives.

In his bi-monthly newsletter released on Thursday, the governor reflected on the recent wave of defections among politicians, particularly from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). He noted that while such political moves often dominate headlines, they add little to the lives of ordinary Nigerians who continue to battle rising food prices, joblessness, and economic frustration.

Makinde argued that the true victory for Nigeria will not come from politicians changing parties but from citizens overcoming the crushing effects of inflation and poverty. He described hunger as the ‘defection that truly matters,’ pointing out that most Nigerians now struggle to meet their most basic needs: food, housing, and healthcare while politicians focus on personal ambitions.

‘The most important defection that must happen in Nigeria is the defection of hunger and poverty from our midst,’ Makinde said. ‘Until hunger defects from our homes, until poverty defects from our society, no political movement or alliance will bring real change.’

The governor’s remarks come at a time when economic hardship has deepened across the country. The removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira have pushed the cost of living to record highs. Many families now survive on one meal a day, while small businesses are shutting down due to high operating costs. Makinde’s message reflects the growing frustration among Nigerians who feel disconnected from the political dramas unfolding in Abuja and state capitals.

He emphasised that political defections, while routine in Nigerian politics, do little to address the real issues affecting the people. ‘Let us not be distracted by the noise,’ he said. ‘The defections that dominate the news may be interesting to politicians, but they are meaningless to the market woman who cannot afford a bag of rice or the student who has to skip meals to pay school fees.’

According to Makinde, real change will come only when Nigerians themselves decide that enough is enough and demand better governance. He said the 2027 general elections would not be decided by defections or alliances but by the people’s will to hold leaders accountable. ‘Only the Nigerian people, not defections or political manoeuvres, will decide the outcome of 2027,’ he stated.

Makinde urged citizens not to lose hope despite the current economic challenges. He assured them that the situation is temporary if the nation remains committed to reforms that prioritize people’s welfare over politics. ‘We must not normalise hardship,’ he wrote. ‘We must not lose faith that things can get better. If we stay engaged, if we continue to demand accountability, the days of hunger and deprivation will not last forever.’

His comments have resonated with many Nigerians who see the endless cross-carpeting of politicians as a sign of opportunism rather than ideological conviction. For decades, political defections have been a feature of Nigeria’s democracy, often driven by personal interests or electoral calculations rather than the desire to improve governance. Yet, the average Nigerian has seen little improvement in living standards regardless of which party is in power.

Makinde’s statement subtly shifts attention from the political class to the real struggles of the people. It highlights a growing disconnect between Nigeria’s leaders and citizens who face daily hardship. The governor’s framing of ‘defection’ as a metaphor for economic transformation captures the frustration of a population that feels trapped in cycles of poverty and broken promises.

Across social media, some Nigerians have applauded Makinde’s comments, describing them as a ‘refreshing truth’ amid the political noise. Others, however, have challenged him to match words with action, noting that state governments also have a role in reducing hunger through policies that boost food production and support small businesses.

For many, the governor’s words speak to a deeper yearning for leadership that prioritizes human welfare over power struggles. As one trader in Ibadan put it, ‘All these defections don’t feed us. What we want is food on the table, jobs for our children, and peace in the country.’

Makinde’s message is a reminder that Nigeria’s political future will ultimately be shaped not by elite deals but by how effectively leaders can address the basic needs of the people. While political figures continue to move between parties in preparation for 2027, millions of Nigerians are more concerned about how to afford their next meal than who joins or leaves the APC or PDP.

As the governor concluded in his newsletter, ‘Real progress is not measured by who defects or who stays. It is measured by how many Nigerians can go to bed without hunger, how many children can go to school without fear, and how many families can live in dignity. That is the only defection that should matter.’

In an era where connections often shape careers as much as competence, the Lagos Business School (LBS), through its MBA Student Conference, empowered a new generation of young leaders to harness the power of strategic networking.

The conference, which brought together MBA students, alumni, business leaders, and industry experts for a full day of engaging discussions and knowledge sharing, was geared towards equipping emerging professionals with the tools to build meaningful relationships that drive both personal development and career advancement.

The MBA Student Conference organised by the Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University, was themed ‘Execution as a Competitive Edge: Skills, Systems, and Partnerships’.

Olayinka David-West, dean of Lagos Business School, in his address, encouraged participants to take full advantage of the learning and networking opportunities and to set the stage for insightful conversation and collaborations.

‘This conference is not just an event but an expression of what LBS stands for. It demonstrates that excellence at LBS is not confined to the classroom.

‘It is actively lived out in how our students organise, collaborate, and engage with the world. By adding this conference to our student-led platforms, you enrich the leadership, innovation, and culture of excellence that define our school,’ he said.

Peter Obi, a former presidential candidate and distinguished business leader, in his keynote address, emphasised the critical role of execution in achieving real results.

Speaking on the gap between strategy and execution, the ex-governor of Anambra State stressed that while ideas create vision, execution is what delivers real results.

He also emphasised the importance of accountability, strong systems, and partnerships built on trust as essential for lasting success.

‘When it comes to delivering the result, execution is crucial, because without action and planning, failure is inevitable.

‘For instance, as a trader, you’re the CEO, the chief financial officer, and operating officer, and everything revolves around you; hence, you must be disciplined,’ he said.

Moreover, Obi emphasised that responsible leadership comes with a lot of discipline, which requires somebody competent, and has the capacity, compassion, and commitment, stressing that because that commitment drives responsible leadership.

‘It’s not something you can’t execute halfway. As a leader, you have a company or a country that does well for one year and the next year falls back; that’s not a good leadership model; it has to be consistent. It’s that consistency that makes all the difference,’ he noted.

Hannah Abraham, Business Development Manager and Growth Strategist at Dutun and Prime Edge Development, shared insights during an interview. She emphasised that execution serves as a competitive edge.

‘You can have all the plans in the world; you can have five-year, 10-year good plans, but if you do not have the right execution and the right leadership.

‘If you don’t have the right guts to push because if you don’t have the leadership to actually push the execution, you will not succeed,’ she said.

Chinedu Udeze, customer experience manager at Ecobank, provided valuable perspectives when he said, ‘I think there needs to be a system of learning.

‘There is a need to have a system of learning, and there is a need to have a system of failing fast. You need to fail fast, make accommodation for that, and then learn from that and begin to grow, that’s what I think organisations need to do.’

Udeze emphasised that companies also need to train their staff to ensure that they have the requisite capacity to deliver on the strategic objectives of the organisation.

In addition, he reiterated that execution requires discipline; hence, leaders should be able to follow execution religiously.

The conference highlighted the critical gap between strategy and execution, stressing that while ideas create vision, execution is what truly delivers results.

Discussions revolved around the necessity of accountability, strong systems, trust-based partnerships, continuous learning, and disciplined leadership for sustainable success in business and governance.

The conference was widely seen as a success, inspiring participants to view execution not just as a process, but as a true competitive advantage in leadership and business.

When Joycee Awosika founded Oríkì Group a decade ago, wellness was not yet a global movement; certainly not in Africa. What began in 2014 as a vision to take African brands to the world, and in 2015 as a modest product showroom in Victoria Island, has today evolved into a multi-country ecosystem of wellness innovation, luxury, and empowerment.

At a recent press conference held ahead of its 10th anniversary celebration scheduled for October 26, ORÍKÌ Group reflected on its decade-long journey, its growing impact, and its bold plans for the future.

‘When we started, people saw wellness as indulgence; today, that story has changed. People now prioritize self-care and preventive health,’ said Joycee Awosika, Founder and CEO of ORÍKÌ Group

From its flagship spa at V.I. at Oju Olobun, launched in 2015 to its expansion at Oriental Hotel, and its presence in 15 locations across Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda, ORÍKÌ has set the pace for what Africa’s wellness economy could look like; rooted in science, culture, and community. Its innovation, Unwind by ORÍKÌ, described as the Uber of the spa industry, has brought relaxation and care into hundreds of thousands of homes through mobile therapists across cities such as Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Kampala, and Nairobi.

Beyond wellness experiences, ORÍKÌ vision is deeply tied to empowerment. Through its training programmes, the company has helped individuals become skilled professionals and entrepreneurs. Its Anoint Haircare range, now present across four regions, demonstrates the brand’s capacity to create and scale locally made beauty solutions powered by African botanicals like cloves, kola nuts and atilli oil.

ORÍKÌ expansion has also attracted partnerships with seven Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), allowing clients to access spa and wellness services through prepaid health plans; a first-of-its-kind collaboration in Nigeria’s wellness industry.

‘For us, wellness is not just business; it’s about the true, intentional care for people,’ Awosika emphasized. ‘We are people-focused, and our work is to make care accessible, sustainable, and empowering.’

Speaking at the conference, Abiodun Obaseki, ORÍKÌ Spas, Head of Operations, emphasized that wellness is a right, not a privilege. ‘Our wellness programmes are designed for everyone, from the working class to the elderly, from individuals to families,’ she said. ‘Wellness should not be seen as a luxury. It’s a fundamental part of living, and preventive care will always outweigh corrective care.’

Other members of the ORÍKÌ team echoed similar sentiments, reflecting on the brand’s unwavering commitment to wellness and its people-first philosophy. They emphasized that the journey has been one of resilience, innovation, and purpose, anchored in the belief that true wellness should be inclusive and accessible to everyone. From spa professionals to brand partners, each voice underscored the collective effort behind ORÍKÌ evolution into a wellness ecosystem that empowers individuals, nurtures communities, and sets the pace for holistic care in Africa.

As ORÍKÌ moves into its second decade, its focus shifts toward its FSC Manufacturing arm (Farm to Skin Manufacturing), expanding its local production of safe, sustainable skincare products that rival synthetic imports. The company has also announced its plans to open its newest Lagos spa in VGC in October 2025 and a major international location outside of Africa in December 2025.

Internally, ORÍKÌ continues to invest in leadership development through its HR initiatives, ensuring that every member of its team; affectionately called the Humans of Oríkì, embodies the brand’s core values of care, excellence, and authenticity.

‘What distinguishes ORÍKÌ is our attention to detail, our empathy, and our people,’ Awosika said in closing. ‘We’re not just an ecosystem; we’re the backbone enabling others to thrive. Our next decade will redefine wellness across continents.’

The company’s 10th Anniversary campaign, themed ‘Accessible Wellness. Global Impact,’ celebrates not only how far ORÍKÌ has come, but how deeply it will continue to shape Africa’s wellness story, one care experience at a time.