ekene banye

In this week’s episode of the Think BIG for Africa Podcast. my conversation is with a brother/friend, and a former guest, Oluyomi Martins.

Our conversation covers various issues and concerns about Nigeria’s current economic situation. We are asking questions to try to find out what happened and the way forward.

00:00 Introduction
02:35 NLC Protest in Nigeria
03:32 Fuel Subsidy & Nigeria's Failed Projects
15:27 Leadership Will Needed to Remake Nigeria
17:06 Things Nigerians are Afraid to Say!
21:22 What The CBN is Doing
25:17 Inflation in Nigeria
27:01 Solution to Productivity Issues
32:40 Value chain & Supply chain
41:59 8. Human Capital Issues
48:10 Productivity, Inflation & Exchange Rate
52:03 Tough Challenge for Young Nigerians
58:04 Reversed Education Curriculum
1:04:03 New Age Responsive Institutions
1:07:00 12. Abia State Electrification Project
1:11:13 Recalibration of Nigeria's Future

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Enjoy! 

Welcome back to the Think BIG for Africa Podcast. In today’s episode, my guest is Mbulelo Jili; a Branding Guru and Market Analyst. Mbulelo is the Founder and Managing Director of “The Local Agency.” The Local Agency helps brands scale & construct data-driven marketing strategies in African markets. 

This conversation was relatively short, however we covered several important topics. It started with banter where I exposed my Ignorance of music trends – I had only recently discovered Burna Boy.

1.        Mbulelo’s life journey that led him to a Career in Advertising

2.      The Diversity and Uniqueness of African Markets  - Led to The Birth of The Local Agency

3.      Audience Research and The Road Map for Effective Marketing Strategy

4.     The Evolution of Marketing and Branding in Africa

5.      Ideal customers of “The Local Agency”

6.      Personal and Business Branding in the age of the internet and social media.

7.      Challenges in marketing in Africa 

8.     Identifying and managing privacy issues in Africa

9.      The next moves of  “The Local Agency”

10.  What does representation mean to you?

11.     Reading books to expand our horizon -  Mbulelo’s Recommendations

12.   Fixing local issues through fostering entrepreneurial minds in Africa – a few more.

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Enjoy! 

In today’s episode of the Think BIG for Africa Podcast, my guest is a polyglot Adedeji Odulesi. Adedeji is fluent in three Nigerian and four European languages. This extraordinary language skill and composure enable Adedeji to become a sort after International Master of Ceremony. Also, Adedeji has a YouTube channel where he showcases other Africans with excellent language skills.

Africa being a continent with over 3,000 languages, I was excited to speak with Adedeji on his views about the impact of the diversity of language and culture on Africa. Here are our conversation topics;

1.        Build a career around your talents, skills, and what you love 

2.      How a polyglot farmer became a most sort-after Master of Ceremony

3.      How does Africa’s diversity of languages and cultures affect its unity 

4.     The role of language in development in a fast-paced world

5.      Advise for young Africans - See your cup ss HALF-FULL and take ownership of your present and future 

6.      Why we shouldn’t place our hope on politicians – most have never successfully built ANYTHING.

7.      Africa Will Be The Center of The World in 20-30 Years 

8.     Why Africans must challenge our norms

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Enjoy! 

This month is the 3rd anniversary of the Think BIG for Africa Podcast. I’m grateful to all my guests and members of my audience worldwide. I’m thankful for supporting me on this incredible journey. Please help me reach more people by sharing and inviting others to the podcast.

In this first episode of our anniversary month, my guest is an uncommon Sports Business Entrepreneur; Syombua A Kibue. Syombua is a Sports Pathway Specialist and an advocate for Girls and Women in Sports, Investor & Mentor. She is the CEO of SKEIYA. Syombua understands the huge economic and social opportunities that sports bring to Africa, and she is working on making them work for our communities.

Though this conversation with Syombua was primarily focused on sports, it opened and expanded different issues in Africa worth discussing. The huge opportunities in sports in Africa are wholly untapped. Our conversation topics included;

1.        How to make the global sports systems work for Africa

2.      How to make the world come to Africa to learn

3.      Why do African players prioritize their European clubs ahead of their countries

4.     Why don't Africans speak with one voice?

5.      Her journey -Entering the business of Sports

6.      Taking advantage of the love of sports in Africa - Where is Sports going in Africa? –

7.      Should African countries have permanent standing national teams?

8.     Creating sustainable environments to attract global talents to build Africa

9.      Girls and Women in Sports

10.  Advice to young Africans and 20-30 Vision for Africa

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Welcome back to the Think BIG for Africa Podcast. In today’s episode, my guest is a medical doctor, a Public Health Specialist, and a Researcher; Bridget Nwagbara. Bridget is an advocate for cardiovascular health and longevity. She is also the Co-founder of Viedial Healthcare which builds personalized care to prevent cardiovascular diseases.
 
In this conversation, we covered topics like;

-       Why Africans are prone to Cardio-Vascular diseases

-       The MYTH of long life in African villages

-       Public Health Advocacy for Cardio-Vascular Diseases in Nigeria 

-       How to get stakeholders to buy-in into the implementation of public health policies and proposals

-       The issues that motivated Bridget to choose to work on Cardio-Vascular diseases

-       The need for individuals to find out their Risk Factors for Cardio-Vascular diseases

-       Bridget’s books recommendations - Biographies and Philosophies that shape our times

-      AI, “Coded Gaze” and other ways of knowing – interesting concept 

-       Longevity and Re-designing of Life 

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Enjoy!

#africa #healthcare  #publichealth #healthcareresearch #cardiovasculardiseases ##cardiovascularhealth #makeafricagreat #africa2050 #thinkbigforafrica

Welcome back to the Think BIG for Africa Podcast. My guest on today’s episode is one of my many brothers, Oluyomi Martins. Yomi is a Business Coach and financial services consultant with over two decades of work experience in various International Banks and Financial Services Training and Consulting Firms.

Nearly all of us have bank accounts, and incur fees and charges for using them. In his recently published book “How to Conduct A Bank Statement Forensic Audit” Yomi takes us from debit through recovery of erroneous fees and charges. 

As a financial services consultant and bank statement forensic auditor, Yomi has assisted individuals, corporations, and government agencies in recovering over N2B (two billion naira) in excess bank charges and fees.

In this conversation, our discussion included;

-       Bank charges and fees specifically in Nigeria.

-       The extent of excess changes and unlawful fees by banks in Nigeria and globally.

-       Training in Financial literacy for customers.
- Looking out for excessive and unlawful changes and fees in your bank account

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Enjoy! 

ALL Pan-Africanists MUST Hear This!

A bonus topic in my recent conversation with Sylvester Sedibane; a young, purpose-driven leader from South Africa.

If Africans want to be United, then we MUST stop telling ourselves bogus and untrue stories.

#africa #developafrica #leadership #panafricanism #oneafrica #africandiversity #criticalthinking #curiosity #africanyouths #makeafricagreat #africa2050 

On today’s episode of the Think BIG for Africa Podcast. my guest is a young Educationalist. Entrepreneur and Ethical Leader from South Africa; Sylvester Sedibane. Sylvester is a purpose-driven individual who is passionate about personal growth and development and has a strong desire to help young people navigate the challenges and opportunities of life.

He is currently in Kigali, Rwanda, so we started the conversation with a constructive discussion about traveling in Africa and the recent announcements of Visa FREE travel by Kenya and Rwanda.

-       Education - Conscious Pursuit of Personal Growth

-       The Big Challenge for Educators in Africa – Funding and Keep Their Student Excited to Learn

-       The Profound Process to Discover Your Purpose

-       Servant Leadership is People Oriented

-       Sylvester’s 5 Books to You Reach The Next Level 

-       Advice for young Africans - Do Away With The AVERAGE Mindset

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As part of my recent conversation with John Kofi Annan, we delved into the Meaning, Relevance, Status, and Future of Pan-Africanism 

Skill Based Education, Technology, Meritocracy, Integrity in Leadership | John Kofi Annan
Video: https://youtu.be/Db-z8YhM08Y
Audio: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1709230/14118646

Welcome back to the Think BIG for Africa Podcast. In today’s episode, my guest is John Kofi Annan, a Ghanaian who has lived in Nigeria for several years. John is a Global Tech Coach, Public Speaker, ICT/Management Consultant, Leadership Coach, and Pan-Africanist.

John started from a humble but solid beginning. He learned business and people skills from his mum and he has used these to create impact for thousands of young Africans.

The first six-minute banter is not included here, but it’s available as a video clip, Also the last discussion about Pan-Africanism is so juicy that it will come as a separate mini episode afterward.

-       From a tomato seller to a Technology trainer with thousands of students

-       Journey from Ghana to Enugu to work with great mentors

-       Meritocracy in Africa

-       The need for education in African Certification with No Real Value

-       Practically Oriented Based Education System

-       Who will save Africa?

Listen, share, and kindly subscribe to the Think BIG for Africa Podcast on your favorite podcast platform (Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, Amazon Music, etc).
 
 Enjoy! 

Welcome back to the Think BIG for Africa Podcast. In today’s episode, my guest is Daniel Kwaku Merki. Daniel enables African entrepreneurs to create solutions to Africa's most challenging problems and to promote general-purpose technologies of the 21st century on the continent.

My conversation with Daniel started with him telling me about systemizing to role of Angel Investing. Then, a series of important and interesting topics;
Access Availability – Education 
General Purpose Technology
Start Small and Thinking Big
Independent Thinking
Philosophical Foundation of Africa’s Development
Diversity of Thought and Idea Meritocracy

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Welcome to another episode of the Think BIG for Africa Podcast. Today, I have a third-time returning guest David Owumi. David is the founder of SALT House – Africa’s First INCLUSION Research Institute. He is one of my favorite guests as he and his organization are taking on important work in our society.

In this conversation, we explored the complexity of African society and the various SALT House initiatives to promote and embed Inclusion.

SALT House Initiatives – such as SALT House Business, SALT House Governance, Beyond Borders Project

SALT House plans to host the first-ever African Inclusion Festival in Nigeria

The difficulty of implementing DEI in an already very diverse society.

Inclusion in Education - Science and Mathematics are not Western in origin.

How Africa will catch up with The West - Read the books Westerners read.

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Enjoy! 

Welcome back to the Think BIG for Africa Podcast. In today’s episode, my guest is Sharon Mbugua; a friend I met in Nairobi in 2006. Back then Sharon was working in Market Research and Consumer Insights. However, this conversation was not about her career, it was about the most precious gift we have; life.

Sharon survived a brain tumor and today, she is living with epilepsy and the impacts on her life. Our conversation started with a chit-chat catch-up after 17 years and evolved into;

Life-Changing Health Event – Sharon shared being diagnosed with a cancerous  brain tumor, treatment, and surgery in India which resulted in regular epilepsy episodes

Becoming an Epilepsy Warrior – Sharon advocates for epilepsy, media appearances, podcasting – “Wellness and You”, as well as being appointed to national and international (UN) led organizations.

Consequences of Underfunded Healthcare in Africa – Discussion on healthcare funding and the inevitable eventualities in a few decades as Africa’s young population gets older and needs healthcare.

Changing or Losing Careers Due to Healthcare Crisis – I and Sharon tried to articulate our individual struggles to return to our former careers after our health incidents.

Sharon’s book recommendations, advice to young Africans, and her vision for Africa by 2050.
 
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Enjoy!

Welcome back to the Think BIG for Africa Podcast. In today’s episode, I have an amazing young guest; Bavukile Vilane. Bavu is from South Africa. He is a consultant, entrepreneur, speaker, and the Founder of Whatsnxt.
 
Our conversation opened with Bavu telling about his discovery of the beauty and elegance of African cities and his desire to explore more. A beautiful start of an interesting and thought-provoking conversation.

 -       A Father’s Voice – The lessons from his father that built his foundational VALUES for the future and how playing team sports helped him develop leadership abilities. 

 -       Whatsnxt – Bridging the gap between GOOD and GREAT with a simple framework of Think, Plan & Execute. Helping small businesses and young entrepreneurs

 -       The drive that young Africans need to have to build Africa. Inferiority Complex - Mindset shift amongst the younger generation of Africans 

 -       Discussed Bavu’s favorite quote “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." — Will Durant 

 -       The need to change narratives in order to restore hope in Young Africa  - We explored the need to be open to learning from every group of the human family.

 -       Life Changing Books Recommendation - The Third Door and Four Classics 

 Listen, share, and kindly subscribe to the Think BIG for Africa Podcast on your favorite podcast platform (Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, Amazon Music, etc).
 
Enjoy! 

Welcome back to the Think BIG for Africa Podcast. Today’s conversation is one of the most impactful in the last two years of speaking with leaders from across Africa. My guest is a lawyer and entrepreneur; Amne Suedi. Amne work is unlocking opportunities for both local businesses and investors by forging strategic partnerships across Eastern African markets. She has adopted the moniker of Africa's pickiest Investment Adviser. 

Amne has an honest assessment of the real opportunities that will move Africa forward and benefit both local businesses and investors.
In this very important conversation, we discussed;

1.        Picking the right local and foreign investment collaborators.

2.      The investment needs of Africa – Education, agriculture, infrastructure vs. high technologies.  We questioned if Africa is been used as a laboratory to perfect new technologies that do not align with the immediate needs of the continent. 

3.      The role of legal systems (Rule of Law) in enabling or disabling investments in Africa. 

4.     Questions and challenges about the abilities of AFCfTA to enable the internal African market to thrive.

5.      Fantastic book recommendations to strengthen your mind – 

6.      Finally, Amne shared the greatest advice for young Africans – Become VALUABLE to yourself and to your community.

Listen, share, and kindly subscribe to the Think BIG for Africa Podcast on your favorite podcast platform (Apple Podcast, Spotify, Amazon Music, etc) and YouTube.

Enjoy! 

Welcome back to the Think BIG for Africa Podcast. In today’s episode, we are visiting the Gold Coast to speak with young Ghanian Selasie Gomado. Selasie is the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Artemartis a rapidly growing art agency. Artemartis develops artists in both Ghana and the rest of the world. Selasie has been featured in multiple articles, including The New York Times, National Geographic, Artnet, and The Art Newspaper, and has worked with prestigious institutions including Phillips Auction House - London, Septieme Gallery - France, Lehmann Maupin – London, Efie Gallery – Dubai, Gallery 1957 – Ghana, among others.
  
Our conversation began with a brief discussion of the widespread “japa” (Brain Drain) phenomenon in Ghana and Nigeria. Origin and growth story of Artemartis. Selasie’s insight to help more people to understand and appreciate art. Discussed the big challenges affecting the art scene in Ghana, and then the story of his bold career change. Of course his book recommendations and advice to young Africans.
 
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 Enjoy! 

Welcome back to the Think BIG for Africa Podcast. By now, my regular audience would know that I’m all about education as the number tool for Africa’s development. Therefore, I will seek and bring all kinds of educators to this platform.  In today’s episode, my guest is David Ogunshola. David is an 'intersectionist', creating multi-sector brilliance expressed through tech, education, business & faith. An internationally recognized innovation catalyst driven by a mission to lower the age of innovators in Africa. David is a STEM Coach and co-founded Brainy Hive Schools, an innovative K-12 school providing world-class, balanced, and future-driven education to middle-income families starting from Uyo, Nigeria. 

In our conversation, we discussed many interesting topics and issues including; How and why David evolved from a software engineer to an Educator and children innovation catalyst, His catch them young program, focused in help young people become entrepreneurs by the age of 16. How David developed the first STEM curriculum for children in Africa. We also explored the need for African countries to prioritize the education of their youths and the need for us to do more work in basic science and not only rely on technology. 

We also discussed how the lack of motivation and strong beliefs disenables the fight in many young Africans, why many of us don’t like exploring difficult questions, and the implications. David also gave us his fantastic book recommendations for our libraries. Finally, David made it clear that no one is coming to save Africa and encouraged us to open our minds thereby opening our eyes to opportunities all around us.

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Today on the Think BIG for Africa Podcast, I’m having a real pub talk with a very passionate Nana Kyidomhene. Nana is a proud cattle farmer, who on the side also runs a Facebook page with thousands of young African followers. On this page, he shares and talks about African history, and this is exactly what we talked about for hours. 

Our conversation was so brotherly that the hours flew by. However, in this episode, I’m only sharing with you the first hour where we went back and forth on several topics like European claims of discovering African rivers,  African exploration across the Atlantic, and writing.

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Welcome back to the Think BIG for Africa Podcast. In today’s episode, my guest is a very interesting young leader;  Oluwaferanmidenu Favour Ogunbona  AKA Denu Bon whose motto is "I'm a marathoner at life and all I do is run!"

Denu Bon is fresh out of university, and currently going through the Nigerian National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program. He is an up-rising business magnate, founder, and chairman of two thriving startups, GoLoko Diaries Ltd (a media and publishing company) and Denu's Money Circle (a financial accountability circle incorporated as Denu's Circle Ltd).

In our conversation, we explored basic not well-understood or accepted truths about personal and societal success, especially by young people. Denu is definitely punching above his young age in his beliefs, ideas, and in his implementations. Denu believes in total dedication to his craft. 

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In today’s episode of the Think BIG for Africa Podcast, my guest is an Entrepreneur, Angle Investor, and a philanthropist; Michael Lawal. Michael is an enabler who has worked with many different people across Africa, from farmers, and bankers to policymakers.

In our conversation, we discussed inequality, unfairness, and injustices that Africa and Africans have endured for a long time. Michael consistently brought our discussion back to his vision of a new paradigm of power to respond appropriately and revive the African identity that will enable the Pan-African dream. This conversation is deep and has a wonderful message for Africans to explore and thrive beyond victimhood in an unequal and unfair world.

Listen, share, and kindly subscribe to the Think BIG for Africa Podcast on your favorite podcast platform (Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, Amazon Music, etc).

Enjoy!