Growing up, I noticed that in as much as our nation was not born of fine politics, our nation’s birth theatre echoed loud languages, and rued the ruses of “as soon as practicable”. The colonial surgeons, by will or pressure, forfeited sweet cocoa in the west of the Niger, wealth beneath the east, and now with nostalgia, pyramids of grains heaped by the commitment of the Hausas in that dusty, audacious landscape. And then to the south, the Atlantic stayed ours; we gazed at the alluring scenery and vessel traffic.

The question to pose becomes, “what does the current Nigeria state present?” For many, the question is rather a hard one to crack and for others the only escape is a flight to the west in search of  “Greener pastures”

In view of the posing question, there are only but 3 things I strongly believe we ought to do as young versatile minds if we want to change the status quo.

These things include ACHIEVE, MAKE IMPACT and GIVE BACK.

Achieve (Find a Problem)

The next few years of your youthfulness should be focused primarily on achieving. It is important that for you to become relevant in any society and in the larger world one must be able to have a prominent portfolio to come to dine at the table of “men”. Our world is rapidly changing and the game in the Nigerian landscape is swiftly changing, with many young ones taking their stake in the nation.

The current Nigerian states present so many problems that if only are seen as (business) opportunities for us young ones would give those who travel this road a strong edge. I met a Lebanese recently who was fully dressed in an “agbada” attire. For some reason, we got chatting and he was excited at the Nigerian opportunities and marvelled at why our young ones choose to journey to other continents in search of the “supposed” greener pasture whereas even the Nigerian flag says it’s Green enough.

His parting words were; “The problems of this great nation are vast business opportunities for you and I to take advantage of”. As such, one must learn to identify a problem or gap, develop a solution and in the process make money. In areas where there are no toilets, provide “shit solutions”, in areas where there are already solutions, provide a better alternative.  It is imperative that young ones take hold of these posing opportunities presented by the Nigerian state and carve for themselves a niche. It is therefore safe to say that the future belongs to those who see it first before they become obvious. For example; we all know the brothers who made the first airplane (wright brothers) but we don’t know the President of Airplane manufacturers i.e. Boeing, Airbus etc.

Make Impact.

This is the most important phase of this note and the singular reason is why I love Nigeria. With over 160million people you can’t fail to impress Nigerian people since they do not ask for much. With very little solutions you can touch the lives of millions of families in ways you cannot imagine. Your reach is limitless! It is your impact that gives you the calibre of person you can be. All they simply ask of you, is that you have the solutions. When you see Nigerians suffering, don’t look at it and insult the government or trade blames. Think of it as a business venture, provide a solution and make money. YES money. Money is a vital tool in order to create an impact. Rich people get everything free, as such your finances could be channelled to something positive.

Like touching the lives of many in a whole lot of ways, reducing the number of hawkers on our streets, helping that little girl on the roadside shuffling through cars just to sell a bag of pure water for a gain of 20Naira per bag and before I forget, eliminating what I prefer to call the “house girl syndrome”.

Give back.

I cannot but stress the importance of this gesture. I believe a large part of our system decay today is as a result of the failure of many of our “great men” to give back to their roots. “Roots” applies to their local community, alma mater, university etc. Some of our leaders today went to public institutions and at the time, had their education given to them as a right and not a privilege.

Most of them had their clothes washed for them whilst at university and food provided for them but as it stands these public facilities are in a total mess and it’s very possible that these said “leaders” haven’t been back to their old schools where they had the best of their formative years. There is therefore the dire importance to give back, not just give back but to do so in a way that your generosity will act as a catalyst to many others. Give back to the society, back to the community, back to the “hands that moulded the fine clay pot”.

Brethren, the times are changing. The world is no longer looking for resumes and CVs. I personally believe that there are too many CVs out there. As dynamic young Nigerians, let us begin to channel our strength to creating more business plans instead.

Let us together reposition our society in the right shape. In all that we do, let us collectively strive to achieve greatly, impact widely and give back generously and as we do so, may the good lord guide us in our paths.  At the end of the day, we would gladly align to the prayers of St. Paul when he said “I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race and I have kept the faith.”

The post Why we should view today’s problems as tomorrow’s businesses appeared first on Celebrating Progress Africa.

Earlier this year, Kenyans went to the polls to elect their fourth president. Many considered this year’s election as one of the most crucial in the nation’s 50-year history as it was the first election under the new constitution that called for a devolved form of government. While the presidential election was hotly contested, it is instructive to look into the country’s best kept secret for economic growth under the leadership of former President Mwai Kibaki – non-interventionist policies.

Up until the election of Mr. Kibaki in 2002, most sectors of the economy were under direct control of the government. State-owned corporations such as the Kenya Power and Lighting Company had failed to cater to a majority of the population. Economic growth was stifled with resources allocated to government cronies. Corruption was rife and bureaucracy was suffocating. The result was a stagnant economy that regressed in real terms through the 1990’s as other economies around the world were capitalizing on positive global trends of technology and globalization.

Figure 1: GDP data visualized using thinknum (http://www.thinknum.com)

Figure 2:[1] Data visualized using thinknum (http://www.thinknum.com)

In my opinion, Kibaki’s genius was to limit government interference in the private sector. He embarked on an ambitious program to privatize non-performing state corporations including Telkom Kenya and Kenya Railways. What were the results? Kenya’s average GDP growth in his ten years in power has doubled from the lackluster growth from a decade earlier.

Kenya’s hobbled road infrastructure has been improved with new superhighways in service and other in construction, regional trade has vastly improved, and corruption has been reduced. Perhaps one of the more prominent success stories has been Safaricom which was minority-owned by Telkom Kenya. Safaricom’s M-Pesa mobile money network is now the most successful implementation of mobile money in the world.

On a recent trip to Kenya, I got a chance to catch up with Dr. Bitange Ndemo, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communications. He talked about how he has leveraged public-private partnerships to build out Kenya’s tech infrastructure. The results are evident for all to see – Kenya, along with Nigeria and South Africa, is now considered Africa’s leading hub for innovation and information technology.

What does the future hold for Kenya? I think the answer lies more in the government’s ability to implement policies that are less invasive and that foster free enterprise and the growth of businesses. With the devolution of the government and the creation of new county governments that are in charge of local budgets for infrastructure, education, etc, whoever is in State House matters less and less to the common Kenyan.

Eric Omwega is co-Founder of Thinknum

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(CNN) – Having just quit a highly lucrative job with tech giant Microsoft in the United States, where he’d made millions working as a program manager, Patrick Awuah would wake up once in a while wondering if he’d done the right thing.

“And then I read the words of Goethe,” remembers Awuah: “Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it — begin it now.”

What Awuah wanted to begin was to create a university in his native Ghana, a state-of-the-art education hub that would help educate the country’s next generation of leaders.

Inspired by the saying of the famous German writer, Awuah moved with his family back to Ghana. There, he invested his own money and with the help of other donors he founded Ashesi University.

“Africa needs to have a renaissance,” says Awuah, as he explains what drove him to take the risky decision.

“The world needs to change in this way and I strongly believe that people like me who have had the privilege of a great education need to be part of the solution; that I need to be really actively involved in helping to drive this change in Africa so that 30, 50 years from now, the world will be a different place for all people of African descent in the world.”

Fostering leaders

Located about an hour’s drive from the capital Accra, Ashesi, which appropriately translates to “beginning,” is the first Ghanaian university to combine technical majors with a liberal arts approach.

Its vibrant campus, set on 100 acres in a town called Berekuso, was designed to be inspiring for the more than 500 young Ghanaians studying there.

Read this: Building a network of leaders

And while Ashesi has already come a long way — when the school first opened in 2002 there was no campus, just a couple of rented buildings for its 30 students — Awuah plans to expand his offering as part of his dream of finding and developing Africa’s next problem solvers.

“In this country, only 5% of college-age kids go to college,” he says. “And there’s two problems with that number: one is it’s too small, but the second is that everyone who goes to college by definition is going to be running this country one day, the 5% — they’re going to be running the courts, they’re going to be designing roads and buildings and infrastructure, they’re going to be running the hospitals, the schools, the businesses.

“So when I look at universities I see Africa fast-forward 30 years. When this 20-year-old is now in his or her 50s, that person is going to be a leader. And so I felt that engaging how that leadership, that future leadership core, is educated could be catalytic.”

Tough decisions

Awuah, who grew up in Accra, left Ghana in 1985 to pursue his own education in the United States. There, he got a job at Microsoft, spearheading software design for dial-up internet access, making millions in the process.

He admits that quitting Microsoft was not an easy decision and credits his American wife for supporting him.

“I won’t lie to you — it was tough,” says Awuah. “But I can tell you that when I mentioned this idea to my wife, she immediately agreed,” he adds. “She’d never been to Africa before she met me and part of her conviction that this sounded like a good idea and her willingness to go ahead with it was very encouraging.”

Committed to providing greater education opportunities in Ghana, he went back to school himself, earning a Master’s degree at Berkeley, one of the world’s top business schools. For his efforts, he’s won many awards.

Changing the continent

Today Ashesi, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, offers degrees in business, information systems and computer science, with plans to offer engineering and economics majors in the near future. Its graduation rate is between 70 and 90%, according to Awuah.

Total fees costs $9,000 a year, including tuition, housing and meals. Awuah says the university brings together a diverse mix of students from different backgrounds, including scholarship-winning undergraduates from humble beginnings who are the first in their families to attend college.

Read this: Young innovators can change how world sees Africa

“Our last freshman class, 50% of that class paid full tuition, 25% were on full scholarships and 25% on partial scholarships,” he says.”The reason why diversity’s so important is that the most important conversation on campus is a conversation about the good society — what is the good society we would like to see in Africa?’ That conversation is a lot more interesting if you have diversity in the classroom,” adds Awuah.

“Because each person has an important perspective to share, but each person also has certain blinders that need to be peeled away — that can be peeled away if they’re in a room with others who have other perspectives as they do.”

Looking ahead, Awuah says he hopes Africa’s universities will cultivate a new generation of bold and innovative leaders, helping the continent to transform itself.

“If you come back in 30 years, universities will be competing for the best and brightest students,” he says. “I hope that universities will also be competing on things such as whose students are the most ethical,” he adds.” If that happens, it will change the continent.”

The post Patrick Awuah – the Millionaire who quit Microsoft to educate Africa’s future leaders appeared first on Celebrating Progress Africa.

Speaking on the partnership, Oluchi Onweagba:

“I am excited to be hosting Africa’s Next Top Model and it is great to be part of the successful America’s Next Top Model franchise that Tyra Banks created and has hosted for an impressive 20 cycles thus far in the U.S. The African version of the franchise is long overdue and I expect the show to be a smashing success across the continent. My company, LuLu Productions, will be partnering with Never Machine productions with Gavin Wratten as co-executive producer and also one of the giant media houses to help make this show a big success.”

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Presenting his movie “Alexa Affair” for the first time at the Berlin film festival in 2004 garnered him much recognition in the minds of Nigerians and the world. He is seen as a great “Nollywood” success. Jeta’s The Amazing Grace which won the award as Best West African Film in 2006 Screen Nations Award UK is also the first Nigerian film to be screened at the preeminent Cannes film festival. Jeta Amata’s recent credits include, Inale (A musical on an African fairy tale) and Black Gold (A film that recounts the atrocities inflicted upon the people living in the oil rich Niger Delta).” – Hollywood Stars

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As toddlers, before we took our first step, we all had the fear of falling. Imagine how terrifying it must be for a toddler to contemplate taking that very first baby step. Most of us likely fell on our first try. However, we took another step and yet another, until we could eventually crawl, walk and finally run.

Imagine if we all never took that first baby step out of fear.

It sounds unthinkable and yet a lot of us refuse to take that very first small baby step in our lives. We languish in one spot, letting fear take over our lives and condemn us to inaction.

We deserve better. We all should live fulfilling and productive lives free from the chains that fear uses to bind us.

How to get rid of fear

The easiest way to get rid of fear is to demystify it. How do we demystify fear?

We demystify fear by doing what we are afraid of doing. Simply that, and nothing more.

Recently, I challenged myself to do one bold thing a day. I would think of one thing I would like to accomplish in a given day that I am afraid of doing and then I will set a goal for myself to do that thing.

It doesn’t always work out. Sometimes I fail, but sometimes I succeed. When I succeed it is an amazing feeling. I am often shocked that I was able to do what I was so afraid of doing. It often feels like I had scales fall out of my eyes. All of a sudden, I see new vistas of possibilities and I believe that I can do even more things that I never imagined possible. I set even bolder goals and keep failing and sometimes succeeding. Doing this frequently lets you realize that there is no shame in trying and failing. In a sense, we must fail in order to succeed. Just like we experienced as toddlers when trying to learn how to walk, we must crawl in order to eventually learn how to run. There is no shame in crawling, falling and starting anew. This is the only way in which we can grow.

Be vulnerable

The idea is to expose yourself to the potential of failing. When you expose yourself, you diminish fear’s power over you as you are already exposed, thus greatly diminishing what you have to lose. The trick is in taking that first step towards exposing yourself in spite of fear. It’s a vulnerable state, but one that strengthens you over time.

In doing this, I have also found that the most important thing is not whether I have failed or succeeded. The most important thing is that I am on my way to ridding myself of my fear of accomplishing that goal. It is like my first crawl. I might fall but after falling, I often realize that it was not as bad as I thought it would be and I keep crawling, until I start walking and eventually running. Everyone deserves that feeling of liberation- that feeling of being able to stare fear in the face and call its bluff.

Overcoming Fear

Overcoming fear is one of the greatest battles of our lives. We owe it to ourselves to win daily small battles over fear. It builds endurance and removes fear’s power over our lives.

Wouldn’t you rather live fearlessly? I would. It starts today. Write down one thing you are afraid of doing and do it. If you fall, pick yourself up and try again. Do this over and over again until you defeat your fear of doing that thing.

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Editor’s note: Bob Geldof is a member of the Africa Progress Panel, chaired by Kofi Annan, and a musician, businessman and campaigner against poverty. The views expressed are his own.

Why Africa still needs aid

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The Google Student Ambassador Program is an opportunity for students to act as liaisons between Google and their universities. These ambassadors:

• Learn about innovative Google products and programs
• Plan and host fun events on campus
• Act as a campus contact for Google teams
• Help Google better understand each university’s culture

It’s that time of the year again, when students are selected from universities across Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) to be part the Google Student Ambassador program. The second year of the program saw tremendous growth as it expanded from 6 to 12 countries, and grew from 28 to 97 universities with 160 Ambassadors within 1 year.

Google Student Ambassadors (GSAs) are student leaders on campus whose mission is to use technology to make a difference, not only in their universities, but also in their communities more widely.

Eligible Field of Study

They have majors from Computer Science, to Anthropology, to Business, to Zoology! (in other words, any student is eligible)

Selection Criteria and Eligibility

Ambassadors are thrilled by new technology, enthusiastic about Google, and involved in their school communities.

Number of Student Ambassadors: 160 student Ambassadors where selected within one year

Value of Program

Google Ambassadors have the opportunity to enhance their professional development, leadership, and communication skills, and access to a unique network of Google Ambassadors across EMEA. Plus, there’s swag!

With the skills developed during their tenure, a number  of GSAs have even gone on to start their own businesses

Duration of Program:

The program is one school year in length.

Application Deadline

April 11, 2013.

Offered annually? Yes

How to Apply

If you’re inspired to participate in the Google Student Ambassador Program, you are invited to enter for the 2013 program. Eligible students from all backgrounds should complete the application form before April 11, 2013.

The post Apply now for the Google Student Ambassador Program 2013 appeared first on Celebrating Progress Africa.

One of the firm beliefs upon which the SA+1 week was built is the fact that the week started out with a mountaineering experience on the nearly 200 feet – the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University prayer mountain within the University Campus itself. Apart from the imposing feature of the mountain and other surrounding hills, the area boasts of an ear-tingling scenic and landscape beauty all preserved in as much pristine condition as possible.

The expedition started out at about 8:45am with a proud collection of eager hands and ready feet, willing to scale the jagged, all-imposing sides of the mountain. The climbing resumed with cheerful chatters and comic reliefs by members of the expedition team with intermittent reliefs of refreshments and rests. Prayers were also made at the peak of the mountain.

Beyond the thrill and un-channeled risk of common day climbing, the SA+1 climbing had as a goal to build a fine mesh of youth connected by choice for noble engagements and worthy involvement in service.  It is in the justified bid of achieving this mandate that the mountaineering expedition was organised. Perhaps, a more satisfying outcome of the experience was an overwhelming consensus that life, much like climbing, is a string of risks that yields best to calculation, intention and character. These, we all agreed remain veritable tools in any strife for positive change.

The expedition had the support of the Amusan family and had also in full attendance great minds pulled from acquaintances, collaborations, supports and friendships made at the Federal University of Technology, Akure; the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife itself as well as other various locations.

POLICE APPRECIATION

As Nigerians, it would amount to great hypocrisy and self-deception if we turn blind eyes to the inadequacies of our men of the force. Indeed, we admit that the Nigerian Police Force, much like other public instruments is fraught with its fair share of unworthy conducts. We hear and witness these trends from every part of the country where we come from and hold as true the fact that this constitutes one of the biggest assaults on the Nigerian image.

We admit that the corruption scourge has nothing to do with the black uniform such that there still exists a fair amount of officers who still hold in reverence the timeless creeds of honesty, patriotism, diligence and industry. We also must also recognise the effort of the entire force in securing civil peace, protecting lives and properties amidst the daunting common challenge of corruption and work place inefficiency, worsened by inadequate government reforms and policies.

We in the SA+1 team thus resolved on a different approach in confronting this international challenge. We hold the value of gratitude as a tool for reward and as an expression of a heightened sense of expectation. One good turn, deserves another, goes the dictum.

As part of the SA+1 WEEK OF IMPACT and in redeeming the above firm belief and resolution, we paid a visit to the Modakeke Police Station, a community police post largely responsible for the relative peace and security of the Modakeke Community, a community emerging from the rubbles of bloody communal hostilities with the Adjoining Ife Community – both in Osun State, Nigeria. The visit also witnessed the donation of food items and accessories, drinks and clothing materials. A recognition award lauding the efforts of the division and expressing more expectations from the force was also presented to the Police division by the team.

In an emotional reaction, the heads of the division, over-awed by such gestures lauded the efforts of the team; stating that appreciating the police amidst the unwavering torrents of public condemnation and criticisms is one of the rarest sights in Sub-Saharan Africa. He encouraged the team to do more and re-affirmed the commitment of the division in executing its highest mandates of civil security of lives and properties. We also affirm that this is a herald in the endless string of related events and initiatives by the team

VISIT TO MODAKEKE HIGH SCHOOL

Much like the other days in the SA+1 one week of impact, spirits were high. Everyone was raring to go and ready for the task of the day. The value and impact of education on the growth and future of the Modakeke community is much well-known to be ignored by any forward thinking individual. If we will develop a people, we have to ensure they get the right education. This is what prompted the visit to the ancient and prestigious Modakeke high School, Modakeke, Osun state for a career talk and book reading.

As expected, our first sights as we approached the school were the usual menaces you can always guess. Students were scattered around the school and it was looking much like a playground. At this point, the change we crave moved from being a burden. It became a heart cry. These kids are growing to be the future of this country. Our visit then became so well thought, well timed and on point.

The next one hour or so of our time was spent engaging the SS3 students in a career and capacity development talk. The celebrant himself, Sola Amusan, being an indigene of the community and having been schooled through the same cradles began by spelling it out to those kids that greatness is within reach. Starting up in life much like them, he chose to pick on the edge of originality to grow his brand, making himself globally competitive. He made those kids understand they can become anything they want to be.

The initially distracted and disorganised students were becoming curious. They had never heard anyone say words like this to them in their lives. The other team members also took time to encourage these kids to dream big, read books and be law abiding on their trek to stardom. What a level of response from the students! The same way anyone will be excited to suddenly be opened up to a new world of possibilities and greatness. Greatness beckons, they were made to believe.

The visit was brought to a close with a book reading performed by the convener of the one week of impact, SA+1, Sola Amusan as he read a copy of his book “ARE YOU BRANDED OR STRANDED?” to them.  Various gifts; books, biros, mathematical sets among others were distributed to the students.

The students were told to cultivate a 21st century compliant attitude and develop a reading culture.

The excited and very responsive teachers, particularly the vice-principals, were also sensitised, appreciated and presented with various gift items.

VOLUNTEERING TO TEACH AT FORESIGHT GROUP OF SCHOOLS

The next point of call was Foresight group of schools – an upwardly educational outfit located around Egbedore area in Modakeke, for volunteering to teach. Education; quality, delivery, substance and content is still the main issue to be impacted. The teacher impacts the child who later grows to take charge of the community. The child is limited and confined to the quality of the teacher. This implies the society will only grow as much as its teachers will make it. The celebrant himself, Sola Amusan SA, being a growth consultant, is much aware of this chain.

The team, arriving early enough, was joined by peeps from the famous Obafemi Awolowo University for the exercise. The idea was not to raise the standard; it was rather to suggest a new 21st century complaint approach to teaching and a more interactive structure. Learning has moved on from the dictatorship approach – teachers had better known.

The various team members then took-up different classes taking the students through different subjects ranging from Mathematics to English and all sorts. The classes were quite interactive and the students were excited about the experience. Those kids were also inspired and re-positioned for greater ideals.

It was then time to have some sessions with the teachers and executive staffs of the school. Everyone left there with a new perspective and paradigm. There is always a better approach to everything, this we were able to inspire and communicate.

The celebrant then thanked the staffs and presented gifts to the school. All the students in the junior secondary school arm got a copy of mathematics textbook. What a way celebrate and live!

VISIT TO THE SCHOOL OF THE LESS PRIVILEGED

There is every likelihood they have not had such a nice time for a while. As a matter of fact,  most of them have been exonerated from life and its fantasies. Everyone seems comfortable with it but not him. Sola Amusan, the SA+1 initiative convener, chose along with his team to spend some time with the less privileged in the society. The visit to the school of the less privileged in MODAKEKE is born out of the same impact driven heart-cry that has become SA’s first instinct.

The team was well received, the students were made to realise that they are integral parts of the society and they can go as far as they want to go with their lives. A musician was also on set to treat the students to some nice and inspiring words in music. They felt hope. They saw abilities in their disabilities.

Food and Gift items were presented to the school and the teachers were encouraged to keep up the good work.

What a way to contribute your quota to the development of the community.

HOMAGE AT THE PALACE OF THE OGUNSUA OF MODAKEKE

Modakeke as a town in Ife land, has been through a lot of turmoil and unrest over the last decades. Someone steered the ship through those times and brought peace back to the people. The SA+1 team saw value in paying homage to Oba Francis Olatunji Adedoyin in order to bring to his notice, the efforts of the team during the one week of impact and the strides of the celebrant, Olusola Amusan toward local community development.

The Oba was excited to receive the team and was particularly proud of SA – pouring encomiums on him, encouraging him to continue in his concerted efforts towards developing and enhancing human capacity development at the grass-root level. He took time to pray for the celebrant and wish him many happy returns.

The team after leaving the palace made a stop-over at the Obafemi Awolowo University Museum to catch-up with history. Exciting times building up. Top notch anticipation. All is now set to recieve the dignitaries coming into town to launch Olusola Amusan’s unlimited edition of “Are you Branded or Stranded?”

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Maternal deaths drop

Motherless children

Need to invest more

The post Maternal health in Africa appeared first on Celebrating Progress Africa.

Confucius Institute

A skill that pays

More expansion ahead

The world is now a global village, requiring people to understand each other’s culture and languages, says Levi Nyagura, the University of Zimbabwe’s vice-chancellor. “We want to see Zimbabwean students get jobs in China. We will continue to work hard to institutionalize the Chinese language, as we have done with the other major world languages.”

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CP-Africa: How has your MBA from Columbia impacted your professional growth and career trajectory?

Osahon Akpata: Getting an MBA from Columbia has opened a number of doors in my career with its strong brand and extensive professional network. Working for a Fortune 50 company prior to business school, my experience was at largely regional. A Columbia MBA gave me exposure to international business with projects and study tours in Latin America, Asia and Africa and today, my career involves working with global business leaders.

CP-Africa: How has the African Economic Forum evolved since your involvement as a student at Columbia Graduate School of Business?

OA: There are three key changes I see in AEF since I first gained admission to Columbia. First, it has grown from an event that barely drew 200 people to one which boasts upwards of 500 attendees yearly. Secondly, it has moved from struggling to attract speakers to being a forum where internationally recognized personalities such as Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor and the CEO of the 2010 FIFA World Cup have featured. Thirdly, AEF creates a lot more buzz today in the media, with presence or mention on outlets such as CNN, MSNBC, BBC Radio, Vogue Italia and Sahara Reporters.

CP-Africa: What has it been like working for McKinsey Lagos?

OA: Being at McKinsey Lagos has been a whirlwind experience. I enjoy the opportunity of working with the top brass at public sector and corporate institutions in Nigeria and elsewhere on the continent. It is a relatively small and new office so it has an entrepreneurial edge and a family environment since we all know each other.  McKinsey is a global firm so it is not unusual to have members on a team from several different countries and I have had the pleasure of learning from some of the world’s brightest and most driven people. The rigorous training and exposure to challenges faced by companies and governments on the continent has proven McKinsey Lagos to be an excellent choice for my post-MBA career.

CP-Africa: How have you adjusted to life in Corporate Nigeria since returning to Lagos?

OA: The adjustment to life in Corporate Nigeria has been relatively smooth. I left the country aged 18 so when there are inconveniences like power outages or slow internet, I adapt to them. The landscape is more of virgin territory where unlike in developed economies where companies are looking to squeeze out an extra 1% of efficiency, in Nigeria, it is more like 30, 40 or 50% improvement. Corporate Nigeria is an exciting place to be as there is a lot of opportunity for growth.

CP-Africa: Where do you see Nigeria in the next 3 years?

OA: Well, I am not a babalawo (fortune teller), but several reputable international reports forecast economic growth in Nigeria. How impactful the current transformation efforts will be on the people depends partially on good governance and improved security. It is hard not to be bullish when you see droves of foreign investors and workers pouring in each time you fly to Lagos

CP-Africa: What role do you think the Diaspora can play in rebuilding Nigeria?

OA: The Diaspora can do several things to help develop their countries. Not everyone can or wants to move home so some can remain where they are and excel in their professions while staying connected to developments in their countries. Perhaps someday, an opportunity to provide technical expertise or a bridge between your homeland and the developed world could emerge.  Africans in the Diaspora should also strive to be good brand ambassadors for their countries. I know we often have the urge to criticize the situations back home but we need to be careful about that. Nowhere is perfect. In December 2010, I visited India and for all the economic and technological advancement, I still saw bad roads, power outages and several reports of corruption in government. That trip was one of the main triggers that made me move back to Nigeria. It made me realize that perfection in a developing country is a myth.

CP-Africa: What advice do you have for returnees looking to return home but are still hesitant?

OA: I understand their hesitance as moving back to the continent is not for everybody and should be done carefully. Educating oneself about the realities on ground helps. I recommend visiting occasionally and attending events like Columbia’s African Economic Forum to hear people speak about the challenges and opportunities on the continent. I would use the opportunity to network with speakers who are visiting from the continent and others who do business or have an interest there. Decision making is much easier when you have the facts.

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When we think about the role of the African diaspora in political engagement and policy on the continent what comes to mind? That’s right, we don’t usually think about the diaspora in that way at all – or at least I know I didn’t until recently. When I talk about the diaspora I mean those 1st and 2nd generation Africans and their children that have settled in more developed countries abroad, although I recognize there is a large population of the diaspora that have settled in other African countries. As a second generation Nigerian born in the U.S. I grew up hearing stories of the relatively peaceful and prosperous Nigeria before the Biafran war and subsequent, unfortunate spiral into chaos under corrupt, despotic regimes. With these stories, justified by even more horrifying depictions of the Africa’s governance failures by western media, I assumed that politics and public institutions in Africa were a black hole of corruption and greed where the uneducated crooks in power pillage with impunity and the few that try to change things for the better end up jailed, missing or dead. We all remember Saro-Wiwa.

With this bleak outlook, who wouldn’t believe that those who return to help improve governance on ground risk being eaten alive. Why bother diving into such a treacherous environment when we (the diaspora) can sit comfortably at home and contribute to Africa’s development through remittances with just the click of a button. Let’s be real – for many (but not all) Nigerians that had the resources to leave, get educated and settled in “the west” life tends to be less fraught with wahala (trouble). If the electricity mysteriously shuts off, you can pretty much count on the problem being resolved within 24 hours – permanently. If you have a heart attack or get in a car accident there will be an ambulance there in minutes to whisk you away to the nearest hospital where you can guarantee the competency and training of the physicians. Oh and by the way – the public schools are free and usually pretty good. So juxtapose these perks of living in a more developed nation with the harrowing tales of those that travel to Nigeria and are kidnapped for ransom by area boys who have conspired with their own friends and family, it is no wonder why many don’t want to return permanently. So many of us just go back for christmas, weddings and funerals and remit, fundraise, and remit some more the rest of the time, content with the fact that we’re contributing something – and we are contributing a lot. According to the World Bank, in 2012 Africa received almost $60 billion from its workers abroad. However, identifying the tangible development impact of remittances is the real challenge. We all know remittances can be used for anything from lavish weddings to diesel fuel. I remember attending a hometown association event with my mom near Washington, D.C. and they were raising funds to enhance security and law enforcement in their community in Nigeria. I soon found out that those “remittances” would be used to arm area boys with rifles and guns to fend off the armed robbers and kidnappers that had been terrorizing the area. I was shocked and alarmed. Not only at the obvious risks of arming local guys with minimal training but also at the broader implications of what it all meant. I think more often than not, remittances are used to fund patchwork solutions to deeper structural issues that can only be transformed through real policy and governance shifts, in this instance the limited capacity and effectiveness of the local police to address crime.

But the diaspora isn’t only remitting, they are also returning to launch enterprises and run businesses that stimulate local economies and create employment. More and more we see young Africans who have been educated abroad return to launch successful businesses in African markets, Tayo Oviosu of Pagatech and Jason Njoku of iROKO Partners just to name a few. Of course there are numerous critiques of the real intentions of these returnees, much of which can be summed up in a recent op-ed by an anonymous yet “self hating” member of the African diaspora who posits that these people are nothing more than shameless opportunists who return to claim their place at “the top of the pile”. While some may share her pessimism, I personally find such gross generalizations erroneous and dangerously counterproductive, detracting us from the real issue at hand. Remittances and enterprises are great and we should keep doing them, I’m a firm believer that something is better than nothing. But they won’t change the institutions that are needed to create widespread, political, social and economic stability. I think the discourse around diaspora engagement should focus on how those 1st and 2nd generation Africans abroad can become more politically engaged to better shape public policy that will create an environment that facilitates positive change.

There are a variety of ways to politically engage the diaspora: from enfranchisement to representation in national assemblies and legislatures. Right now, over 25 African nations allow for their diaspora to vote abroad in some capacity. With more advancements and innovations that facilitate the electoral process, for example Ghana’s recent introduction of biometric voting during the 2012 elections, extending the vote to the diaspora should be more feasible than ever for those nations, like Nigeria, that have not made that step. African governments should capitalize on the financial and intellectual resources of the diaspora and use political enfranchisement as a tool to give those abroad a sense of civic responsibility and ownership of the nation building process. Incentivize them to contribute their time, energy, resources and skills to address the problems on ground. The fact is that while many are returning, many others have been, and will continue to be, seduced by the relative ease and comfort of life in “the west”.

Countries that don’t make a concerted effort to maintain a sense of national/cultural identity and responsibility among this population, and create the foundation for engaging the diaspora in a positive way, risk losing future generations of would-be changemakers to the assimilative societies of more developed nations. Make no mistake the diaspora is not Africa’s salvation. There needs to be a collaborative effort between those based abroad and those based within the continent to address issues, transform systems and achieve mutually beneficial goals. One of the big questions I have is how people at home, across all socio-economic levels, view the importance or relevance of the diaspora in governance and change on the continent? How can we achieve coordination between these two groups – and where does political participation come into play? If at least one of your parents is a Nigerian citizen, should you automatically receive a voter registration card on your 18th birthday?

Should countries allow citizens abroad to elect representatives to national assemblies, as in France and Cape Verde? These types of questions should fuel the dialogue around diaspora engagement moving forward. Luckily enough, on February 20th Vote or Quench, Sleeves Up Nigeria and Sonic Diaspora will be hosting two events during Social Media Week, “Who Needs the African Diaspora” in Lagos, Nigeria and “Digital Africa: The Diaspora Strikes Back” in Washington, D.C. that will touch on exactly this. What better way to celebrate Africa’s first edition of Social Media Week, a global event that explores the social, cultural and economic impact of social media, than with a much needed conversation on whether the diaspora really matters. If you think diaspora engagement is an important issue, and will be in Lagos, Nigeria or Washington, D.C. check them out. Don’t care or can’t be bothered – check it out anyway or voice your opinion on twitter (#SMWDiasporaVote) on why you think we should all just shut up.

Crystal Nwokorie is a Management Consultant and Africa enthusiast in Washington, DC. @CrystalNwokorie

On a lighter note, the Social Media Week Diaspora team recently made a Nigerian version of the viral video, Harlem Shake on You Tube. Check it out here.

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Speaking on her arrival, Darey said, “I’m more than happy that Kim Kardashian is joining us for this first-of-its-kind concert. Millions of Nigerians follow Kim on her different shows, especially Keeping up with the Kardashians, and we thought it’d be a good idea to have her co-host Love…Like A Movie with me.”

“We’re bringing together some of the greatest talents in the world of entertainment for a special evening where we celebrate love and all it means to us. It’s an opportunity for lovers of love and life, and all those who believe in the beauty of romance to enjoy an excellent evening that’ll stay in their memories forever,” he said.

Love…Like A Movie is theatrical valentine concert, produced by Darey’s Soul Muzik as an exhibition of performance varieties, using the interpretation of powerful emotions, music, cross-culture dance and acrobatic performances, lights, moving images and customized sets.

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Ordinarily we have been led to believe that a democratic government is essentially a participatory one and as such citizens have inalienable rights to ask questions of their representatives while expecting sensible, reasonable and civil answers, backed with facts. It is universally held that people who get “voted” into political offices are answerable to those who voted them in. But it appears we are practicing something else in Nigeria where it has become a crime for freeborn citizens to ask questions of their so-called government.

It is a known fact that in most third world countries, the mass media is controlled by government or businessmen who are mostly stooges and yes men of those in government. Therefore, the government usually controls what streams out from these media channels. Since the media generally shapes debates and discourse, opposition voices are usually muted. But with the advent of social media, online blogging, twitter, Facebook etc, the various governments in third world countries have been running helter skelter; having lost the monopoly of information. Nigeria as a third world nation is no exception. We have been denied information over the years but suddenly, it does appear, the people have found a voice in social media and are judiciously using it to call their government to order.

One thing is clear though: despite the rants and dissenting voices online, the Nigerian government scoffs at the voices of the people so much so that a presidential adviser once branded some citizens as ” collective children of anger”. But there seems to be an exception to this rule. The moment certain personalities use the social media to make their voices heard, a horde of presidential minions are unleashed, from the attack dog, to crawling roaches. Like a cackle of hyenas, they are usually out in full force. They do not have to give any intelligible answer or clear grey areas as raised. Their singular aim is to muddle up the puddle, in their usually rambunctious manner. They raise unsubstantiated allegations and mudslinging is their watchword.

The presidential minions have no restraints nor decorum. They don’t care about the sacredness of facts or the sanctity of proof. NO, that ain’t their turf. All they want is to divert attention and turn the gaze of the masses away from salient issues raised by anyone they perceive as influential. When all that fails, the government, through any of their numerous agencies, may start to pursue spurious court cases against these so called opponents.

Recently, Obiageli Ezekwesili, former World Bank Vice President, was University of Nigeria Nsukka’s 42nd Convocation lecturer. There she observed that the two administrations that succeeded Olusegun Obasanjo’s had squandered $67bn – a combined sum from our foreign reserve and Excess Crude Account. Deeply troubled, she complained that six years after the administration she “served handed over such humongous national wealth to another one, most Nigerians (especially the poor) continue to suffer the effects of failing public health and education systems, as well as decrepit infrastructure and battered institutions.”

The government got jolted by that revelation. They were more troubled by the image of the messenger and the damaging impact it will have on their already grossly despised administration.

After such revelation, one expects a sensible government to either explain what happened or contradict such claims. Not this government. In came the rambunctious and loquacious Labaran Maku, the misinformation( sorry, information) minister. He didn’t bother to explain or contradict Mrs, Ezekwesili, but rather in his usually unintelligent fashion, cast aspersions on her person. It was almost a contest of ‘yes, our government is bad, but was yours better?’ Nigerians were treated to more macabre dance steps when a member of the presidential media gang, a supposed intelligentsia and a former chairman of the editorial board of a national newspaper, jumped into the fray.

Reuben Abati took infamy to a new low, going on an expletive laden spree. Not once did he he even pretend to address Ezekwesili’s allegation. No, that wasn’t necessary in Abati’s book. He chose to give her and her supposed co-travelers a serious tongue lash. The only sad part was that Reuben was not man enough to mention their names. All he could do was make allusions that keen watchers of events could piece together to know who particular invectives were meant for .

Let us stop for a moment and examine what the bone of contention has been about. Ezekwesili alleged that the government under which she served, left behind a humongous amount of $45billion in Nigeria’s foreign reserve and $22billion in the excess crude account (ECA) totaling $67 billion as sum left behind by the Obasanjo led government. But the government that succeeded theirs, while the incumbent president was a vice President, had frittered some of that sum. Let us also recall that the same Obasanjo led government paid off the entirety of Nigeria’s foreign debt which was around $30billion at the time.

Today, Nigeria owes about $10billion in foreign debt and $50billion in local debt. Bear in mind that crude oil which forms between 70-80% of our national income has never sold for less than $90 per barrel in the last 6 years. Nigeria’s current OPEC quota is 2million BPD. You can do the maths. Recall also that the British Prime Minister, in Davos, recently asked the Nigerian government to account for the over $100billion which accrued to Nigeria last year. He made the call while belaboring the point that Nigeria does not deserve more foreign aid.

What is lost to most Nigerians in this government orchestrated “roforofo” public mudslinging, is that instead of asking the hard questions, the masses are being treated to a Nigerian brand of the Roman Coliseum. During the zenith of the Roman empire, when the citizens are disillusioned and therefore become restless, especially when the government’s performance is abysmal, the rulers will stage a big gathering to entertain them by throwing a Christian into the arena to battle bare knuckled with either a lion or a tiger. These regular “shows” were usually staged as a form of diversion to turn the attention of the populace from the ineptitude of the government of the day. Today in the Jonathanian era, we have our modern day coliseum. It is an arena that reads like: “yes I am very inept and corrupt but others are corrupt too”. The gullible amongst us lap it up and say “yes those people are not saints”. They (the gullible ones) usually miss it. The question we all ought to be asking is: “when did governance become a contest of the worse among the worst”? Is governance meant to improve our welfare or seek to prove that preceding administrations didn’t fare any better? The joke is on us.

Nigerians have lost sight of the real deal. Obasanjo was not a saint, neither were his subordinates. But what you can’t take away from his government was the fact that he placed Nigeria on the path to meeting the millennium development goals. I will seek to clarify a few points in the paragraphs that follow. I believe that all sensible Nigerians should join Mrs. Ezekwesili in this crusade. Follow me patiently, as I enumerate a couple of issues quickly.

What is the use of having a large reserve? International(foreign) reserves are a country’s “external assets”–including foreign currency deposits and bonds held by central banks and monetary authorities, gold and SDRs. Nigeria under Obasanjo, saved the excess money which was not in the budget, due to sudden increase in global oil price. Note that in reserves, you merely hold the funds as savings but it doesn’t yield any interest. To answer the question of why a country needs its FR, in global trade, countries show up at the negotiation table with what they have in store as a way of gaining an upper hand and tilting the bargain their way. Nigeria as an import based economy needs to maintain a low and stable exchange rate. The healthy state of our external reserve is a means to achieving that lofty goal.

Any business man can bear witness to the catastrophic happenings of December 2008 when the exchange rate crashed from 118 naira to a USD to about 200 naira to a USD. What created such a terrible and unstable situation was the depletion of the external reserves by the federal government of Nigeria led by Yar’adua and Goodluck Jonathan. Herein lies the crux of the matter. What became of the $67 billion? Having a healthy foreign reserve is a precursor to being able to dictate the play in global finance and foreign trade. It enables a country to play and bargain from a position of strength. A healthy foreign reserve also helps to defend the local currency from unnecessary fluctuations and sharp drop in value.

Let me quickly explain that countries are moving away from just having foreign reserves to creating Sovereign Wealth Fund SWF. What is SWF? A sovereign wealth fund (SWF) is a state-owned investment fund composed of financial assets such as stocks, bonds, property, precious metals, or other financial instruments. Sovereign wealth funds are global investments. Most SWFs are funded by foreign exchange assets. Since the SWF is usually funded by foreign exchange assets, we could have easily funded ours from the ECA. Some sovereign wealth funds may be held by a central bank, which accumulates the funds in the course of its management of a nation’s banking system. This type of fund is usually of major economic and fiscal importance. Other sovereign wealth funds are simply the state savings that are invested by various entities for the purposes of investment returns, and that may not have a significant role in fiscal management.

The aftermath of the depletion of our foreign reserves was what led to many Nigerian banks losing their foreign credit lines, thereby emasculating those banks from being able to fund importation requests by Nigerian businesses.

From the foregoing, it is crystal clear that the government of Yar’Adua and Jonathan have a lot of questions to answer, but they would rather be clever by half. While Angola, a former war enclave, has launched the SWF in October 2012, our presidential rabble rousers and attack maggots are busy making a fool of themselves. The question of the $67billion is no longer a question of yesterday’s men against today’s men. It is a case of the crimes of this GOVERNMENT against our collective sensibilities. Enough of these roman coliseums. We are no longer interested in who is a saint or the sinner. We need answers to the question posed by Dr. Mrs obiageli Ezekwesili: where is NIGERIA’S 67 billion USD?

Like I earlier averred, Obasanjo or his team were no saints; but he clearly had a team of forward looking technocrats, proven men and women who were forward looking and who made provisions for a better future for Nigeria, unlike the present administration that does nothing but borrow while plunging Nigeria into a deeper hole. Nigeria’s debt; both local and foreign, is almost $60billion (that is over N7 trillion). I weep for the future. Indeed Obasanjo did make a lot of mistakes, but what you cannot accuse him of is not planning for the future.

Rather than Reuben Abati engaging the citizens in a civil manner, like the proverbial elder, he chose to walk into the village square with corn cobs tied to his waste and inadvertently has made himself a playmate of fowls and chickens. Let them continue their macabre dance in the market square. That is their palaver. What we demand is an explanation by their financial managers about what became of the $67billion.

Of the many mistakes Obasanjo made, herein lies his greatest mistake- that he bequeathed to Nigeria two of the worst kinds of successors: an invalid and a nincompoop, because success without a successor is invariably a big failure.

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