40 First Jobs Book

Volume 2
40
FIRST
JOBS
Inspiring first job
stories of success
40 First Jobs
Inspiring First Job Stories of Success
Volume 2
Published 2019 in Nigeria

By Poise Nigeria Limited
5A, Pinnock Beach Estate
Lekki, Lagos
Tel: 01-3427870, 01-3427871, 07035145182
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.poisenigeria.org, www.poisegfa.org
Twitter & Instagram: @poise_gfa
ISBN: 978 -978-971-646-3
©Poise Nigeria
All Rights Reserved.
Except for appropriate use in critical reviews or works of scholarship,

the reproduction or use of this work in any form or by electronic,
mechanical or other means, now known or here after invented,
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Table of Content
Dedication --------------------------iv
Acknowledgement ----------------v
Preface -------------------------------vi
Foreword -----------------------------vii
ABOLORE SALAMI ----------------------11 MAVI SOKIA ISIBOR -----------------------94

ADEBAYO ALONGE --------------------14 NKEM OKOCHA (MAMAMONI) -------99
ADEDEJI OLOWE ------------------------19 NONYE CALLY-BECHI --------------------101
ADENIYI DUALE -------------------------- 22 OBAFUNKE ALADE-ADEYEFA -----------104
AGADA APOCHI ------------------------26 OLABODE OPADOKUN ------------------108
AJEBO ---------------------------------------28 OLAMIDE ADEDEJI--------------------------112
AKINYEMI DAVIDS -----------------------31 ONYEKA AKUMAH -------------------------115
BARRY OBIOMA -------------------------35 PATRICK UTOMI -----------------------------119
CHIOMA UKONU -------------------------38 SEYI BELLA -------------------------------------123
COSMAS MADUKA ----------------------42 SOWEMIMO ABIODUN --------------------126
EBELE CHUKWUJAMA -------------------46 TADE CASH -----------------------------------129
ELIJAH AYOLABI --------------------------51 TAIWO AYANLEYE --------------------------132
EMEKA NDU --------------------------------53 TEMITOPE OGUNSEMO -------------------135
ENIOLA FADAYOMI ----------------------56 TOLULOPE AGIRI ----------------------------138
FEB IDAHOSA ------------------------------59 UCHE ONWUAMAEGBU UGWU --------142
FUNKE ALOMOOLUWA -----------------62 UKINEBO DARE -------------------------------146
GODDIE ISIBOR ----------------------------65
ID CABASA-----------------------------------68 YOUTHS MAKING A DIFFERENCE
IHEANYI OKORO --------------------------71 ONYINYE NORMAN-ROBERTS -----------150
JIDE ALLO -----------------------------------75 OPEYEMI ADESHINA ------------------------153
JOAN AGHA -------------------------------79 OPEYEMI AGBAJE ---------------------------157
KOLA AINA --------------------------------83 YETUNDE ODUSOGA -----------------------159
LUCY SURHYEL NEWMAN -------------87 TRIVIA --------------------------------------------162
MARTIN ABRAHAM ----------------------91 SPONSORS -------------------------------------168
“The only true voyage would be not to travel through a hundred
different lands with the same pair of eyes, but to see the same land
through a hundred different pairs of eyes”
- Marcel Proust
“Albert grunted. ‘Do you know what happens to lads who ask
too many questions?
Mort thought for a moment. ‘No,’ he said eventually, ‘what?’
There was silence.
Then Albert straightened up and said,
‘Damned if I know. Probably they get answers,
and serve ‘em right.’”
- Terry Pratchett, Mort
Dedication
To every youth desirous of greatness.

Acknowledgement
As Napoleon Hill said, “It is literally true that you can succeed best and
quickest by helping others to succeed.“ The success of this book is driven
by the relentless passion of its contributors to pass on their knowledge.
Despite very extreme schedules, all our book contributors found time to
give us answers. We are indebtedly grateful for the efforts and time spent
by these role models.
Kudos to Stream 53 of the Poise Graduate Finishing Academy: Omame

Idaruwa Ethel, Ogonnaya Marcellina Anih, Shofolahan Mariam Motun-
rayo, Anyanwu Ugochi Phina-Rose, Onyekaba Chiwendu Rita, Ifejilimalu
Ijeoma Vincentia for their hard work.
Special appreciation to Oluwajuwonlo Esho and Bart Inyang for working

round the clock to make this publication a success.
To our remarkable donor and partner, Oxfam, and all the WorkinProgress
Alliance Project partners, thank you for your valuable contributions.
Preface
Welcome to 40 First Jobs: Inspiring First Job Stories of Success, Volume 2.

This book is designed to inspire young people with first job stories of role
models.
For most people, first jobs are not usually desirable, but in them lie the
potential for the desired jobs, only if taken seriously and as a significant
learning opportunity. This is what we hope you will gain from the book.
In about ten years, Poise Nigeria, through its Graduate Finishing Acad-
emy,has been actively involved in re-engineering Nigeria’s workforce
by equipping university graduates with skills that employers long for. We
have trained over 40,000 young executives and maintained an average
of 80% employment rate amongst our trained executives.
With this experience comes several essential questions from youths. Youths
have dreams that come with doubts and fears. Oft times, role models are
seen as heros who were lucky. However, like the stories in this book, luck
is opportunity meeting preparation. These stories show that dreams do
come true even with doubts and fear in the head; the most essential
thing is to believe in the heart and persevere.
This book is a book of answers; as the quality of questions usually deter-

mines the quality of answers. I would encourage you not to stop ques-
tioning; curiosity has its own reason for existence. As John Dewey puts it,
“A problem well put is half-solved.” Tim Ferriss also reiterates this fact as
he states, “Life punishes the vague wish and rewards the specific ask.“
Often, all that stands between you and what you want is a better set of
questions.
“Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish” – Steve Jobs

Don’t stop asking clear and specific questions; look for answers until you
find them.
Essentially, there are six questions that each contributor answers. First, let
us take a quick look of the six questions, and their explanations.
1. Who are you?

2. What was your first job?
3. Given the opportunity to start over again, what would you change
about your first job?
4. What were the challenges and how did you overcome them?
5. What specific skills did you build during your first job that are helpful
today?
6. What is your advice to someone who is not on his/her desired ca-
reer pathway?
The first question sets the ground to introduce the reader to the role mod-
el. Youths are generally inspired by success. They derive energy from the
fact that an obstacle has been overcome, or that someone has gone
through what they are going through at the moment.
The second question dives into the first job moments. We will figure out
what the most important skills are in finding that first opportunity: net-
working, critical thinking, taking the initiatives, resilience, or any other.
Some of the answers given show that the most important thing to focus
on during this time is learning, not remuneration.
The third question inquires what can be done if wrong steps have been
taken by a young reader. It also gives some insight and faith for enjoying
the process of a situation. It particularly explains Jim Collin’s discovery in
Good to Great. Mix the brutal reality of your present with hope that things
will be better in the future.
The fourth question seeks answers that empathize with most youths, but
most importantly, how to build resilience, fortitude and a habit of excel-
lence.
The fifth question explains how certain work skills can be built deliberate-
ly under intense pressure. Here, we see that work pressure is common to
all. It also inquires how the role models prepared proactively for today’s
success. This essentially gives a clue to why the role models succeeded
despite the odds.
The sixth question wraps it up with specific ideas and philosophy of these
role models. While facing several struggles, we often desire expert ad-
vice, this is what this question seeks answers for.
I hope you find this truly rewarding.
#40FirstJobs #BeInspired
Best,
Asher Adeniyi
Lead, Poise Graduate Finishing Academy
Foreword
Start where you are have you heard the expression “start from where
you are”? It means exactly that! What do you have in your hands? Use
it! It does not have to be a white collar job. What skills do you have?
What are the extra curricular activities you engaged in while in the
university? Did you sell things? Were you a speaker? Did you organize
events? Are you persuasive? Were you a socialite? These are skills you
can develop into profitable ventures while you wait for your ideal job.”
Also consider what you really want to do in the long term; start work-
ing your way in that direction. Focus on developing knowledge and
expertise in this area. Sometimes, your passion dictates your purpose.
There is a young lady who was desperate for a job. She spent years looking
and worrying after that elusive ideal job. While waiting, she accepted an
internship position that exposed her to teaching. Interestingly, she, who
thought she knew exactly what she wanted to do in life, discovered that
she was passionate about imparting knowledge. Even then, she went
for countless interviews while still conducting lessons. She refused to be-
lieve that in teaching lies the end of her search. Realisation came when
she made a sizable amount of money in a month. Then she realized that
she can make a career out of teaching and carve her own unique niche.
Where you start from does not matter, it is where you end that is impor-
tant. Don’t wait forever to get your dream job, it is a recipe for frustration
and/or depression. Don’t fall into that hole, climbing out can be a hercu-
lean task. There are many things you can do in the meantime. I worked
as a sales girl, I roamed around as a cub reporter, made hats, designed
cakes, sold okrika and sold ice water. While you are so engaged, the like-
lihood is that you will find your purpose and the wait would not be in vain.
I discovered that in some cases, a rejection from an organization that

you believe houses your dream job may be the wake up call you need
to get you started on your inner self search. Then you start asking yourself
those deep questions and finding the answers in the bits and pieces of
things you do to keep busy. Waiting and rejection may not be bad ex-
periences.
Waiting helps you to create your own job’s blue ocean. Hone your skills,
find your passion and discover your purpose. Don’t fret, don’t fuss, rather
make use of the time effectively. That ‘ideal job’ may not be so attractive
after all.
Mavi Sokia Isibor

Founder/Executive Vice Chairman, Poise Nigeria
ABOLORE SALAMI
CEO, Riby
Abolore Salami is the founder of Riby, a finance technology company

that offers a simple and smart finance management platform for groups
and their members. More than 60 million Nigerians do not have access
to financial services and only 40% have access to bank credits. Riby
strives to bridge this gap by enabling people to have access to financial
services and most importantly save consistently.
The company’s primary goal is to help people achieve financial stability,

and to achieve this, it collaborates with companies such as the Develop-
ment Finance Bank, Bank of Industry, Union Bank, Sterling bank amongst
others which have similar missions.
Abolore has over 15 years experience in business development, strate-

gy, sales, management consulting and business/ financial planning, and
has developed and managed several projects with local and global
companies and partners across several key sectors including technolo-
gy, power/energy, consulting, financial services/personal finance, insur-
ance, education, agriculture, media, entertainment & film production
and transportation.
Prior to Riby, he worked in different capacities with other companies

#40FirstJobs Page 11
such as: Business Lab Africa, Venture Garden Group, Del-York Interna-
tional, amongst others.
He has served several governmental committees and agencies includ-

ing Lagos State 3,000MW Embedded Power Project which has now been
passed into the state law; sub-committee on media distribution for the
Nigeria movie industry; ProjectACT - Project for Advancing Creativity and
Technology in the Nigeria Creative Industry.
Abolore has a degree from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria; an

MBA specialized in Finance from the University of Lagos; and also New
York Film Academy (Business of Film Production).
What was your first job experience?

I like to classify the first four years of my ten-year work experience as one.
I have been on the entrepreneurship path for a long time, as all the work
I did was targeted towards achieving business objectives.
“I do not think anyone should spend less than two to three years in a
particular company else they would not get enough value for them-
selves or from the company.”
However, my first real post-NYSC job was as a business analyst with Ciuci
Consulting. I learnt a lot on the job, including, the use of Excel for devel-
oping good financial models; before this time, I had been using calcula-
tors and Microsoft Word tables for the same task. I also learnt how to write
solid business plans, the importance of clarity in presentations, as well
as the importance of using appropriate language structure in writing. I
spent about a year on this job and only left due to the distance between
Egbeda where I stayed and Victoria Island where the company was lo-
cated.
After my exit from Ciuci Consulting, I continued on the path of learning
and building by taking up employment with Del York International where
I stayed for another four years. It is important to structure the first few
years of your career around what you seek to learn while also being
clear about what you want to achieve as an individual. Look for roles
that will help propel you towards that vision.
I also learnt the importance of fundamentals; that is the difference

between the knowledge of a thing and the utilization of that thing to
achieve a particular purpose.
What challenges did you face on your first job?

The major challenge as I earlier mentioned was that my house was far
way from the office, and commuting to work became an uphill task es-
pecially because of security reasons, as I needed to set out most times
as early as 5 am.
Page 12 #40FirstJobs
Also, during this period, while I was the sharpest at work, I was not the
most structured. To overcome this, I focused on my strengths and ensured
that I learnt as much as I could from the ecosystem that I found myself in.
Generally, my job challenges were more about physical issues such as
accommodation than about competence.
" Put your all into your job and do not jump from role to role be-
cause of money. As much as possible, prioritize getting the
right level of foundational exposure above money.
I was placed in a managerial role because I was good at certain things.

"
As is with first opportunities, it came with its own challenge: I had difficul-
ty managing people that weren’t in my age-group. However, I sought
counsel which still helps me till today. What you know is not the important
thing when it comes to leading others; the important thing is that your
followers know that you care about them and their work.
How would you say your early career stage affected your personal de-
velopment?
I imbibed the art of managing people during this period as I realized that
people would size you up and respond to you based on their opinion
about you. I understood the place of both technical skills and human
relations; this helped prepare me for managing my own business.
“Your technical skills will get you through the door, your emotional and
social skills will keep you in the room”
What is your advice to young individuals who feel that their jobs are not
on their desired career path?
If they are doing such jobs because of money and are good at it, then
that is fine but if the opposite is the case, then there is a problem.
My advice to these individuals is that while doing their jobs, they should
find ways to build their passion by offering to utilise the said passion for
extracurricular activities.
“There is always a way; just pray for right opportunities”
And even when you find a new job, do not destroy your reputation at
your current workplace; I strived to give at least three months notice be-
fore resigning from all the places I worked.
“No matter what, do not burn bridges.”
ADEBAYO ALONGE
Co-founder/ CEO, RxAll Inc.
Adebayo Alonge is a multi-award winning and renowned glob-

al pioneer of in-situ drug checking using deepTech in pharma. He
co-founded RxAll™ in 2016 after working for 10 years with Sanofi,
Roche, BASF, BCG in market development and strategy consulting.
Through RxAll™, he provides a means for patients in the developing world to

authenticate there medicines. His career in pharma is driven by a passion to
eliminate fake drugs as he almost died as a child from a counterfeit medicine.
RxAll’s AI nanoscanner™ called the RxScanner™ and cloud-based algo-

rithm helps regulators, narcotics control agencies, pharma manufacturers
and hospitals ensure that all drugs sold are of the highest quality. He has
led RxAll™ to achieve a multi-million-dollar valuation in 2 years and ramp
up 7-figure sales orders in its first year. He also led its market entry into East
Africa- Kenya & Uganda, West Africa- Nigeria & Ghana, SE Asia- Myanmar,
Malaysia & Singapore and the Americas- Canada, USA and Columbia
Adebayo was a keynote speaker at the 2015 US-Africa Business Con-

ference at Yale, where he was a Speaker on the healthcare in-
vesting panel. He recently spoke on CGTN about the food crisis in
Northern Nigeria. He also spoke at the 2018 Katapult FutureFestin Nor-
way, where he led RxAll™ to win the FutureFest’s2018 Global start-
up award. He recently led RxAll to win the 2019 Hello Tomorrow
Grand Prize out of 4500 deepTech startups from 119 countries. ‘
In addition, he is a recipient of the Mandela Washington Fellowship from

the US state department for his outstanding contributions to business
and entrepreneurship in Africa. Adebayo has bagged the following de-
grees; Master of Public Administration- in-view (deeptech in public pol-
icy concentration) from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government,
Master of Advanced Management (private equity concentration) from
the Yale School of Management and an MBA (strategy and finance)
with distinction from the Lagos Business School. He graduated with a
Bachelor of Pharmacy First Class Honours from the University of Ibadan.
What was your first job experience? Please tell us the year, the compen-
sation, how you got the job, the challenges, the high and low moments,
any other relevant (unique) experience. Was it your desirable job at first?
My first full time job experience was with Roche (now Swipha) as a sales
representative in 2010. Before I went off to my Youth Service in Bauchi, I
put together a shortlist of pharmaceutical companies I wanted to work
with. I was clear in my mind that I wanted to do work in sales, precisely
because after speaking with a mentor, I realised that this is the core skill
in business. I dropped off my cover letter and resume at the receptions
of the companies. About three months to the end of my youth service,
I was called to interview with a number of these companies. I received
some offers and decided to accept the Swipha (Roche) offer because
it offered the most challenge, which was to turn around a flagging sales
territory. There were a number of high moments. Receiving the chair-
man’s award for excellent performance at the end of my first year was
definitely a high moment.
Given a choice to start over, what would you change about the early
stage of your career?
If I had to start again, I would make more effort to pursue a research de-
gree outside Nigeria and develop my programming skills. Leaving Nige-
ria for my master`s really helped my career develop faster and opened
up new vistas of opportunity. Pursuing a research degree would have
also aligned much more closely with my academic record of accom-
plishment of excellence and would definitely have been more meaning-
ful than just trying to achieve sales targets. Although being a salesperson
early in my career has now proven to be very useful to my startup, so
everything worked out.
What impact did it have on your personal development? How did your
first job mould your skills and capabilities, and how did it prepare you for
success?
My first job is what you would refer to as ‘professional detailing with store
by store sales hustle’ ― a combination of technical with product sales. I
worked 8 am to 11 pm daily― spending time with doctors and pharma-
cists in teaching hospitals in Lagos late into the night. Some doctors only
knew my product name, i.e. Rocephin and later on Ocefix and I be-
came really well connected at senior levels in some of the most import-
ant health institutions in Lagos. I would organise professional roundtables
and clinical presentations where I presented on the pharmacology of
the medicines I sold ― one of my strong suites from pharmacy school.
The breadth of my professional knowledge impressed the doctors. This
helped to boost sales of my products so much so that sales for my terri-
tory grew 200% under eight months.
On the other hand, I would also go to a pharmacy store around the

Mushin and Surulere axis, putting in my products on return or sale ba-
sis. I knew every pharmacist in these sales territories; I had their contact
details and became friends with them. I also engaged some very large
distributors this way. This first job showed me how the drug distribution
system worked. Even more importantly, it taught me how to sell. It also
showed me how poor quality drugs get into the drug supply chain and
gave me a clear idea of how to solve them that led to founding RxAll.
More so, it helped me develop a rigorous gritty work ethic that has
helped me push through the challenges of selling our high tech product
at RxAll across the world.
Essentially, the same process I used back then, I continued to use to to-
day as RxAll’s chief selling officer ― I present technical sales of our high
tech product to scientists while working with merchants to distribute the
product across different countries in the world.Your first job really lays the
foundation for your career’s future.
What were the key challenges and moments of discouragements on the

first job? How did you overcome them? Did any principle or thought in
particular help you during this period?
Technical sales jobs are not easy. You have to convince older highly
trained professionals that you know what you are talking about. On the
other hand, you also have to get on the same level as very successful
traders who mostly did not go to college but learned through the ap-
prentice trading system. The required pattern of behavior in these two
environments is different. You have to be adaptable to fit in, be likable
and sell. People only buy from those they like. Keep your ego at home or
go hungry. I would run errands for doctors on call. I would spend time at
trader’s stores on weekends. In all cases, I would visit them for theirfamily
functions and events, and help them where I could with the personal
things they required. Some of my best customers were often mean to me
on the first contact. For example, a distributor in Mushin shouted me out
of her store as if I was a common thief – but my desire for success is great-
er than my sense of shame and fear of rejection ― I returned repeatedly
until I closed the sale and these once hostile people became repeat
customers. Some customers defrauded me. In one particular case I lost
over $2,500 (back in 2011; today this is worth $5,000) ― when they refused
to pay up for products I left on return or sale. I had to cover the cost of
these items with the company. In one case, one of my customers de-
frauded his customer, who decided that the only way he could get his
money back was to report the supplier to the police which in this was I. In
this particular scenario, my strong reputation at my place of work helped
rally support to resolve the case speedily.
The key principle for me that helped me cope with the challenges I
faced was that I wanted to be the best salesperson in my company but
even more importantly I saw this period as a learning phase for where I
was going ― to build my own company. My career discussion with my
mentor helped me decide I had to learn how to sell in order for me to
learn how to do business. Therefore, I went into a company that offered
me what I required ― professional detailing and product selling, and I
was prepared and willing to accept the vagaries thrown my way.
What would you say to someone whose first job is not on the path of his/
her desired career? Any word of encouragement or quotes?
“Make the most of it ― your first job is about learning core skills that you
can translate into other roles or your desired path.”
Some of the key learnings you can take from a first job are:
i) Ability to accept feedback: Many university graduates have an inflated
sense of self, that a good first job replete with honest criticism can help
deflate. Many young graduates are not just where they think they are
and a good first job with a good boss helps you see your true strengths,
as well as your weaknesses.
ii) Subordination to a good boss: Your first job boss is the most import-
ant element of your first job. Your first boss will teach you subordination
to authority that is critical in the business world. He will teach you task
achievement ― in the end, only those who consistently deliver are worth
their salt in the business world. He will teach you politicking; believe me,
all business is personal. He will teach you business writing using metrics;
without you poignantly showing what you have delivered in writing to
your superiors, your career potential is dim. He will provide you the op-
portunity to publicly present in the presence of c-suite managers without
which your prospect for promotion does not exist. I would choose a low-
er-paying first job with a good boss from whom I could learn over a high
paying job with a weak boss. See yourself as being in apprenticeship so
that you can take what you learn from your boss into more important
roles as your career progresses.
iii) Learn to work as part of a team: A good first job will help you realise
that you are just a part of a mighty whole. This will help you learn how to
leverage other people to get to where you want to go.
iv)Learn accountability to deliver targets: A good first job will teach you
accountability to yourself first, and then your team. You cannot hide re-
sults, whether good or bad. Those who work hard are seen. Those who do
not are seen. There is no hiding place in the business world. If you are not
winning, you are losing. The results you achieve are the mirror of your dai-
ly activities. If you are sleeping instead of working, your results will reveal
the same. You will learn that there are no short cuts to success.
These key learning points would be critical for you to develop the discipline
you need to learn new skills, the humility you need to accept a job beneath
what you see as your worth, the vision to play the long game because your
stooping today is to help you conquer tomorrow. You will learn what types
of people to avoid, such as disloyal people, lazy people, all talk people etc.
Whether you go ahead to start your business, go into academia or
non-profit; whichever path you take, these key learnings will avail you.
“Make sure you know what you want to take out of the experience and
go after it.”
ADÉDÈJÌ OLÓWÈ
CEO, Trium Networks Limited
Adédèjì Olówè is the CEO of Trium Networks Limited, a venture capital.

Prior to this, he was an Executive Director of Products and Services with
SystemSpecs Limited (Remita), one of the largest fintechs in Nigeria. He
was also the Divisional Head of Electronic Banking at Fidelity Bank Plc.
where he was responsible for the turnaround of the bank’s digital busi-
ness. He was previously responsible for United Bank for Africa Group’s
card business across 19 countries.
Alongside other industry veterans, he founded Open Banking Nigeria,

the nonprofit driving the development and adoption of a common API
standard for the Nigerian financial industry.
Adédèjì was also with Atlas Mara as the Vice President of Cards and
Payments, First City Monument Bank, and Access Bank Plc. He was an
Advisory Board Member at Verve International (a member of Interswitch
Group).
What values would your works have on the community?

Open Banking is a very transformational opportunity for Nigeria. When
APIs are standardised, a whole lot of innovative ideas will come to the
market. We have a lot of start-ups globally and also in Nigeria today.
Prior to the emergence of Amazon AWS, the numbers would not be so
great because if you had an idea and wanted to go live, you would
have had to go through the difficulty of buying your own server and
getting a personal network connection. However, with AWS, you can
create a company and your technology products can go live within
five minutes without worrying about a server. In fact, if you are starting
small, you may not even pay a dime for a year. That barrier has been
reduced by innovation.
A similar thing happens with Open Banking. Within the financial eco-
system, start-ups and fintechs can bring products to the market faster,
cheaper, and better. That is what we are working towards because Ni-
geria needs it. So, it is like we are setting up an intellectual infrastructure
for future generations of companies to work on. So, the impact would
be very big.
Please, tell us about your first job experience.

I got my very first job when I left the university for the National Youth Ser-
vice. I was a System Administrator at a cybercafé. I think my salary was
6,000 or 6,500 Naira. I worked there for six weeks, and I learnt a lot. That
was when I built my website. I also built my first commercial website for a
former Minister of Transport, during Obasanjo’s regime. I think I did it for
8,500 Naira. I shared the money with my friends. Even though it was for
six weeks, that job significantly transformed my life. I remember working
night and day to deliver on time, so that the customer would be happy.
How did you get the job, and what challenges did you encounter?
After I left school, NYSC was about two months away and I didn’t want
to waste my time. I told my brother about this. He was always going to a
cybercafé to browse. I decided one day to apply as a System Adminis-
trator, and the job description was just to help set up the computers for
people who wanted to browse. It was good. It was a small cybercafé.
That was my first job, and I will never forget it.
Six weeks was a short period to even have challenges. I had high mo-
ments all through. I can’t remember a dull or challenging moment. Fun-
nily, one of the guys I worked with then was a nephew to the owner of
that place, and we are still in touch till today.
Is there any relevant experience from your career that you never want
to forget?
I got all my jobs by leaving my comfort zone. From my first job, for exam-
ple, I got a contract to build a website which I probably didn’t know how
to do then. That was how I go into the tech space. When I left Access
Bank to go to Fidelity Bank, they asked me to work in finance; which is
how I spent almost four years working in finance. I picked up new skills.
So, every time I left my comfort zone, something good always hap-
pened. A new field of knowledge opened for me and the more I knew,
the better and more valuable I became to my current and future em-
ployers. So, I always advise people to walk out of their comfort zone,
learn something else, be under stress, and then be successful.
Was your first job the most desirable one at that moment?
No, it wasn’t because I knew people were interning with companies
like Accenture (which was formerly called Anderson Consulting) and
KPMG. I tried Anderson Consulting and passed the test, but was told
that the interview process took so long ― like up to a year. Many people
also wanted to get into Shell, Mobil, Chevron, and the like. That never
happened. As of that time, I wanted the other better options. However,
I am happy that I got the cybercafé job.
" Whatever you find yourself doing, do it well
"
If you were given a chance to start all over again, what would you have
changed in the early stage of your career?
I actually feel lucky with the way my career has gone and with the
things that I have done. I stepped out of my comfort zone. Maybe I
would have been much more daring. Being daring would have helped
me a whole lot more.
What impact did your first job have on your personal development?
I did my first contract website, I had my own website, and I started blog-
ging. For a lot of people, that was way ahead of time. So, that set my
career up as a visionary in technology. This all happened in 2001, and
it was absolutely foundational for my success today. The job also gave
me the encouragement to pursue a career in technology. Everyone
was good to me, and it was an awesome experience.
What advice can you give to someone who is having difficulty in start-
ing a career?
Some people would say, “Follow your passion,” but I don’t understand
what that means. I would say, “Whatever you find yourself doing, do
it well”. There is no better way to be respected than to be excellent at
what you do. That I what many people don’t like to do. If you find a new
career, develop yourself. For example, if your find yourself in a field for
the first time, learn about the industry, the product you are making, the
technology and infrastructure behind what you are styling, and so on.
When you’re going to talk to customers, read and learn about the cus-
tomers ahead. So that when you talk to them, they know you’re ready.
With that, you surprise them and make them more interested in you too.
So, young people should not have this idea that they are doing some-
body a favour or someone is doing a favour for them. Youths need to
put in some effort.
ADENIYI DUALE
Managing Partner, Duale, Ovia &
Alex-Adedipe
A legal practitioner with over a decade experience in various aspects

of corporate and commercial matters, Adeniyi Duale is the Managing
Partner at Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe who specialises in private equity,
energy (oil and gas, power and infrastructure), mergers and acquisitions,
business regulatory and advisory. He has been privileged to advise on a
number of energy deals across Nigeria and West Africa; this experience
in negotiating high profile corporate and commercial transactions, as
well as in providing strategic counsel to companies and their boards has
enabled him to facilitate seminars, workshops and conferences on na-
tional and international platforms.
" Mentorship is a two-way street; the mentor, provides in-

formation, access, valuable time, and knowledge to the
mentee and a good mentee, in turn,
thinks up creative ways to provide value to the mentor in
order to fully benefit from the relationship. "
Adeniyi has a deep passion for mentoring start-up companies and SMEs
while facilitating their expansion. He has also been recognized with var-
ious awards including the 2018 Law Digest Africa Awards for Managing
Partner of the Year and Young Managing Partner of the Year, as well as
the 2018 ESQ Nigerian Legal Awards for Young Managing Partner of the
Year.

Contrary to expectations, the journey to the commencement of my first
job was not rosy and straight. Prior to the commencement of my BL pro-
gramme at the Nigerian Law School, I had commenced an internship
programme with one of the top tier law firms in Nigeria, and upon my
successful call to Bar and a fulfilling internship programme, I applied to
be retained in the firm as an employee. However, the procedure was
longer than anticipated, so I decided to send applications to other top
tier law firms in the country while awaiting the outcome of my in-house
application.
Thereafter, two of these firms that I’d applied to invited me for interviews
and extended job offers to me. I accepted the offer from the firm with
lesser remuneration and was availed the opportunity to work in the Cor-
porate and Commercial Department which had a thorough, detailed
and extremely intelligent lawyer as its head.
The great times on my first job mostly came from praises of a job well
done from a superior, or client attached to it. A particularly exciting mo-
ment was during a commercial transaction of which I bore the lead: the
case was a complex one because the client had been heavily fined
and suspended from operation by a regulator. Despite being a rookie, I
was an integral member of the team that delivered excellent advice to
the client, negotiated a suitable resolution, and was commended by
the client for a job well done.
Another significantly exciting moment on my first job was when I was

appointed transaction lead in the acquisition and subsequent merger
between an international oil service company and an indigenous oil
service company which led to a global acquisition of their parent com-
panies.
A noteworthy low moment on my first job was being passed over on a
promotion which I believed I was qualified and fit for.
What impact did it have on your personal development? What were the
vital lessons you learnt on the first job?
Being passed over on a promotion which I believed I was qualified for
was quite devastating for me. However, with the passing of time and
adaptation to the circumstance, the period helped build an attitude of
patience and tenacity towards my career, as I refused to jump ship to
the next available job opportunity. I instead, dug my heels in and deter-
mined to distinguish myself beyond reasonable doubt to my superiors
and colleagues.
In retrospect, I have realized that a young professional’s attitude towards
the first challenging winds faced on his chosen career path will form the
seeds on which that career will be shaped. While a decision to leave the
organization with bitterness and resentfulness might have been a justifia-
ble feeling or action at the time, it could have led to the close of certain
collaborations and strategic opportunities further on in my career.
What were the key challenges and moments of discouragements on the

first job? How did you overcome them?
I believe some of the challenges were in the workload, long hours, and
probably the fact that the “take home” never really took you home. In
addition, career paths were not clearly defined yet; the phrase “may
your road be rough” usually used by my maths tutor in secondary school
kept me going. The statement means that a man will not possess or devel-
op the character necessary to manage and deal with success if
" “Personal development and mentorship in a desired industry
"
will work together to provide the desired result for a person.”
things were handed to him without working hard. This principle has kept
me going over the years.
“All challenges are opportunities to learn and improve upon yourself.”
her desired career?
Many first jobs do not appear desirable, but they are often the founda-
tion upon which an individual’s career is built, therefore, it is important for
every person willing to develop his career in a chosen field to maximize
every opportunity available on a first job.
“Seek knowledge as no knowledge is useless.”
In the event that a person’s first job is not on the path of his/her desired
career, it will be beneficial to seek mentorship from persons who are al-
ready established in the field where he/she desires to gain access.
Mentorship is a two-way street; the mentor, provides information, access,

valuable time, and knowledge to the mentee and a good mentee, in
turn thinks up creative ways to provide value to the mentor in order to
fully benefit from the relationship.
Besides mentorship, such individual should invest in personal develop-

ment and good aptitude in the desired sector/industry, so that he/she
will always be prepared to demonstrate the value he/she can bring into
an organization within the sector if granted the opportunity.
AGADA APOCHI
Managing Director, Unified Payment
AGADA APOCHI is the founder and director of PayAttitude, a fi-

nancial technology (fintech) owned by a consortium of leading Nige-
rian banks; it seeks to make payments easier for Nigerians, using Nige-
rian-owned technology. It delivers financial technology that focuses on
the digital payment space. It focuses on how people can perform digital
transactions using their mobile devices. He is the Managing Director/CEO
of Unified Payment Services Limited (UPS).
Agada obtained his master’s in Organisational Psychology with speciali-

sation in Change Leadership from the Columbia University in New York. He
also holds a master’s degree in Law, and is an alumnus of the Lagos Busi-
ness School; He has attended different executive learning programmes
at the Harvard Business School, the Insead Business School, Cornell Uni-
versity and Bank Card Business School in Cambridge. Agada holds many
academic honours and awards including best graduating student. He
was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1992 and has since worked and gained
experience in company law & practice, banking and financial services,
electronic transactions, retail business, administration, strategy, execu-
tion and change leadership.
Agada is an innovator, entrepreneur, honorary chartered banker, char-

tered mediator & conciliator, a fellow, International Academy of Cards &
payments, Certified International Cards & Payments Professional (CICPP),
barrister and solicitor.
Unlike many people, his ideal job was his first job; did that make things all
rosy for him? Find out in this interview.

My first job was at Union Bank, and it was a desirable one because I had
always wanted to be a company solicitor. The job came with its challeng-
es, of which the most difficult was with human relations; I had a number
of employees that were older than I but who were on a lower level than
I because I came in with a university degree, which they, at the time did
not have. Many of them were quick to flaunt their ages and years of ex-
perience in my face, probably because they felt that my education gave
me an advantage over them.
" The principles of commitment, dedication and character are

key; irrespective of your start, possessing them guarantees a
"
successful end.
Given a choice to start over, what would you change about

the early stages of your career?
In hindsight, there are certainly a number of things I would do better, giv-
en the level of experience I now have. I now know that there are a few
things that I could have done in a different way.
Kindly advice those who feel that their first job is not in their desired ca-
reer path
Irrespective of the organisation you work for, the principles that make you
successful are the same.
The principles of commitment, dedication and character are key; irre-
spective of your start, possessing them guarantees a successful end.
AJEBO (EREM EMEKA)
Founder, House of Ajebo
Erem Emeka Nehemiah Kalu a.k.a Ajebo is a Nigerian standup come-

dian, entrepreneur, OAP, MC and musician. He is the founder of a pro-
duction house called House of Ajebo, and also the founder of House of
Ajebo Animation Studio.
He started his radio career in 2007 while still in the university ,and has
worked with a few radio stations like Naija FM, Rhythm Awka e.t.c. His
comedy career took wings after winning the AY Open Mic challenge
and being a part of AY Concert for a period of time.
Ajebo is passionate and dynamic, and has taken comedy beyond
cracking jokes and being on stage to advertising, PR and content cre-
ation.
Ajebo holds a degree from the University of Nigeria.
What was your first job?

My first job was at 16 years old. I was paid 4,000 Naira to anchor a wed-
ding and although I dressed in the full Ibo regalia in order to look older,
the first response I got from the person who handed the microphone to
me was one of contempt; he asked if I was really the compère. By
the end of my presentation however, I had garnered the respect
of that same individual. Whilst the job was not my first experience
as a comedian, it was my first professional dabble into that area, and
as such really stands out for me.
Was it a desired job?

Yes, I always knew that was what I was born to do. Contrary to the norm
at the time, when everyone aimed at becoming either doctors or law-
yers, especially in order to provide mothers with material to impress oth-
ers, I always knew my path was entertainment. As far back as a kid
in the children’s division at church, I was the one who would act and
cause parents to fall off their seats; amongst other similar escapades. In
fact, by the time I was ready to go to the university, I was seeking one
that offered Comedy. My inability to find one prompted me to study
Mass Communication for both my first and second degree.
“Parents should not push their dreams on their children, allow them
have theirs.”
What are some of the challenges and discouragements you experi-

enced at the beginning of your career?
The issue of non-payment was the biggest challenge I faced ,especially
because I started in the church where they always insisted that each
performance was being done for God who gave an individual his/her
talents free of charge. However, my mother really encouraged me as
she always gave me some money for every free service I rendered.
Another issue was the biased view that various persons had about co-
medians. They perceived us as a group that would come disrupt their
events. To combat these, we had to ensure our complimentary cards
were well put together. Today, the rest is history.
“Package yourself better to eradicate a biased view”
How does your work add value to the community? And how do you
hope to inspire young people?
In a country where there are so many problems, comedians are need-
ed to keep the people sane. Besides this, we, as comedians, rekindle
hope by connecting to people and their situations; making light of
these situations that people ordinarily take too seriously.
As an individual, I like to encourage a lot of young people, especially
because I started at a very young age. I always tell them that, “Talent
is not enough,” it accounts for just about 40% of what is required for
success. Work ethics and character are equally very important as you
cannot earn a living out of just talent.
“Talent is raw material; it must be converted to skills.”
Another noteworthy point I emphasize is that music and comedy are

not the only talents available; there are many others ranging from con-
flict resolution to cooking.
" Know what you want, go for it regardless of the
prevalent trend.
"
What is your advice for those yet to discover their career paths or whose
first jobs are not on their desired career path?
The worst thing you can do to yourself is to do nothing. While you might
not be on your career path, you must endeavor to discover yourself.
“The human mind adapts to whatever you constantly subject yourself

to.”
Everyone has multiple talents, and is a product of his/her environment,

therefore wherever you find yourself, discover new things about your-
self and learn about everything by keeping an open mind. When you
eventually find your career path, you will find that it would be done
effortlessly.
“Keep developing yourself”
Also, do not be afraid to change environment, as it spurs growth. As an

example, I resigned from a successful career as a radio host after nine
years despite discouragement against such action from various quar-
ters because I knew that environment was not encouraging me to grow.
This I did without burning bridges.
“Do not be afraid to start something new due to fear;

whether fear of what people would say or fear of hunger.”
AKINYEMI DAVIDS
Founding Pastor, Global Impact
Church
The founding pastor of Global Impact Church, currently headquartered

at The Goodland, Ifako, Lagos, is the president of Global Impact Insti-
tute (GII), aimed at skill acquisition and human capacity development.
He also oversees the Human Potential Fund (HPF) that helps youths fi-
nance their education and/or entrepreneurial pathways.
A sought after speaker and the host of Wisdom Today on Radio and TV,
he is a product of the Obafemi Awolowo University, the Pan Atlantic
University, Nigeria; the Institute of Leadership & Management, United
Kingdom, Daystar Leadership Academy (DLA), Nigeria; and the Univer-
sity of Huddersfield, London.
He has a passion for leadership and hosts the Ministers and Leaders Fo-
rum (MLF) dedicated to leaders. He is a member of the Faculty of DLA
Executive, and also possesses an Advanced Diploma in Pastoral and
Transformational Leadership, RILA. With a strong desire to see people
fulfil their potential, Pastor Yemi has authored many books including the
Achieve Greatness Daily Devotional, 7 laws of Favour, In pursuit of Aca-
demic Excellence, etc.
Yemi, married to Bimbo, both live in Lagos with their four adorable
daughters.
What was your first job experience? How and when did you get the job?
While I was still in the University, I applied to intern at Winners’ Chapel.
This was because I knew I was going to start an organisation In Nigeria of
today, it`s not what you read, it`s what is available. When the desirable
is not available, the available becomes the desirable In Nigeria of today,
it`s not what you read, it`s what is available. When the desirable is not
available, the available becomes the desirable — a church, and I saw
greatness in Winners’ Chapel. It was coincidental because they had just
acquired what is now known as Canaan Land. It was my desire to gain
a bigger vision and I did, by working there. It was not about the money,
it was about the vision. I think what many people need to look out for is
their vision and what can enhance that vision. There’s something about
the mental picture one has.
It was also an opportunity to see life — real life — it consolidates your

vision, it makes it very real. They just acquired the property, about 500
acres. You can imagine someone that was still in the university — fourth
year, who has the vision to start a church after graduation, and desir-
ing greatness, being exposed to this bold and big task undertaken by
Winners’ Chapel (which was about to build a 50,000-seater auditorium).
I summoned the courage, I wrote some letters and approached the
leadership of the church, stating my intentions and desire to work with
the church.
Then I was given a job as a store keeper. I was privileged to see how
the land was cleared, how everything started from the ground. Look-
ing back today, I’m grateful. I think that will help a lot of people — the
foundational things you need to do. If you put money first, you’re going
to miss it completely. The experience and exposure should be more im-
portant. In fact, what it does is to broaden your vision even more and
then have this different experience.
Anytime the leader of the church, Bishop Oyedepo came around, I was
privileged to have a little chat with him on site. I was also able to throw
in one or two questions, and that was a real game changer for me.
Those answers you get will help you to begin to build your own bridge
towards the things you are seeing ahead. Looking back now, I’m grate-
ful because though I had the opportunity of working in other places just
to make money, the vision was more important than the money.
Let’s talk about how you started your ministry from scratch — the highs
and lows.
Wow! We started in December, 2001. We had been praying, planning
and preparing to take off. We had amazing pictures in our minds. I was
the best student in my class, so after graduation, I got numerous job of-
fers. I could have gone for one of them as the opportunities were there,
and my parents also wanted me to get a regular paying job. Starting
from scratch wasn’t easy.
The challenge for me was that my heart was saying “yes, yes, yes! This
is destiny” but my head was giving me a lot of problems. My head was
warning me, “you’re going to suffer” and “it’s not going to work out.
Why can’t you just get a job? You did well in school, why are you suf-
fering?” The heart kept saying “this is it!”. We started with humility; you
always start small, then endure. It wasn’t easy. We started with seven
members in attendance in the church auditorium, and I had to shout.
On Sundays, I used to feel bad for the people that came more than for
myself.
" Answers you receive from mentors help you to begin to build
your own bridge towards the things you are seeing ahead.
"
The challenge was always there, there was a lot of work and someone
had to start. As soon as we started, however, many people extended
hands of assistance to the church. Some people came around and said
that they just wanted to attend our programmes. From seven to twenty,
from twenty to fifty, sixty, the church grew steadily. We had to move to
another facility. The first place we used was setup in a big eatery.
The second challenge I faced as the leader was at the second location
we moved to. We moved there during the dry season, only to find out
several weeks later that the venue had very faulty roofs. As the rains
came, water was always leaking into the auditorium during service. Af-
ter trying to rectify the situation a numbr of times, all the carpenters
around refused to come for the repairs again. My head kept telling me
that this whole thing wouldn’t work. We eventually secured the services
of an engineer from one of my mentors, and the issue was dealt with.
We then increased services for the first time, and it was a good thing.
The voice in the head is one thing every young person and startup will
go through. If your heart says “yes”, follow your heart, your head will
follow your heart later.
Please tell us how watching Canaan Land from its foundation and being
a witness of it all influenced your life.
Yes! You have to be stubborn, positively. One has to stick to it no matter
what. I’ve learnt to be stubborn and unrelenting in the face of chal-
lenges. It had to work out. For me, I was so deep into my situation and I
couldn’t go get a job just like that. It was a scenario where one has burnt
the bridges so what is open to one has to work. Sometimes, when un-
necessary alternatives are available, progress isn’t made. So that helps.
Whatever the challenge, you will overcome it. Then the second thing
I’ve picked, which is major, is humility. One will need humility as one ris-
es to the top. So, when you remember those heartbreaking challenges,
the disappointments faced, the money shortages, it keeps you humble.
It is very key. Some people begin to get results, but somehow, arrogance
and pride set in and that begins to impede their progress. But when you
remember your humble beginnings, you smile and it keeps you broken.
This attitude is needed for one to keep soaring high.
Some people are dissatisfied with their current jobs or employment sta-
tus because they don’t like what they are currently doing or they have
better qualification. What’s your advice to them?
Dreams will always come to pass if you still believe. Wherever they are
now, they must know that it is a stepping stone to where they want to
be. Never downplay what you’re doing right now or where you are,
give your best. I would like to encourage you to be committed to your
dreams; it could be sending out CVs or starting this dream of yours, bit
by bit. Transition can begin any moment. No matter how small it seems,
don’t abandon that dream you have. But don’t abruptly end or stop
what you’re currently doing, where you are; you still have to give it your
best shot. Life is about transitions. Start taking steps towards the direc-
tion of your dreams and along the line you can just transit to building
that dream full-time.
Transition can be critical, it can be boring because you need patience.

You need wisdom. You need to pray for wisdom because if you don’t
know how to transit well, it could spoil a number of things. Don’t give up
on that dream, be dutiful at your current job and know that the experi-
ence you’re gaining right now will always be useful. See where you are
as part of the preparation process, preparation can never be too much.
Even if you don’t like the job, it’s a preparation. Start sending your CVs
and getting some training along this line. By the time you transit fully,
you’ll still gratefully look back at the experience you had now. Don’t
throw this opportunity away.
Any favourite quotes for this occasion?

Yes. The good news is that nothing is permanent, the bad news is that
nothing is permanent. Meaning that if you’re going to be challenged
now, you can turn it to a good thing, and if you’re doing great right now,
be careful because it can change.
“Man was not created as a finality but as a possibility; we all have pos-
sibilities inside us.”
BARRY OBIOMAH
Chief Consulting Officer, Poise Nigeria
Limited
Barry Obiomah is the Chief Consulting Officer Poise Nigeria. He is a sea-

soned self-motivated and experienced facilitator with over 23 years
working experience in consulting, training, banking operations, human
resources development, credit control as well as learning and develop-
ment. He obtained his first degree in Education Psychology from the Uni-
versity of Jos with a second class upper division in 1992, his master`s in
International Law and Diplomacy in 1996, and his MBA from the University
of Ilorin in 2004.
He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Professional Managers and
Administrators (USA), a member of the Nigerian Institute of Training and
Development, and is certified by Miller Heiman, UK on Strategic and
Conceptual Selling.
Barry played an important role in the team responsible for setting Poise
up in Kenya. He has worked in various positions including Head of Train-
ing Programmes and Research, Chief Operating Officer, Head Human
Resource and Planning, Head of Accounts as he advanced in his career.
His core competences and attributes cut across Business Image Con-
sulting, Business Communication Skills, Human Resource Management,
Negotiation Skills, Interpersonal Relationship Skills, Listening Skills, Business
Etiquette, Strategic Selling and Service Excellence.
He is an experienced and erudite facilitator of contemporary Advanced
Business Writing Skills, Interpersonal Communication Skills, Initiative and Pro-
active Thinking, Problem Solving Skills, Social and Business Etiquette, Per-
formance Thinking, Emotional Intelligence, Workplace Ethics, Social Intel-
ligence and Cultural Intelligence. He continues to facilitate programmes
within and outside Nigerian during training sessions for multinationals and
small businesses alike in his major area of expertise, Business Communica-
tion.

My first job was in October 1993 at Universal Trust Bank. I had gotten the
job through my elder sister who was the Human Resource Manager at the
bank when I went to visit her to request some money, instead of honoring
my request she advised that I needed a job, after which she proceeded
to obtain my resume and credentials. She however made it clear that I
would not get the job if I failed the interview.
I worked there for about 18 months before I returned to school to acquire

a master`s degree in International Law and Diplomacy. After my Masters,
I got a job at the First Bank of Nigeria Plc, where I worked for eight years.
After my exit from the banking industry, I discovered that I had skills in train-
ing and development, which coincidentally had been my last role in the
bank. I therefore went into consulting which I have been at for the past
13 years.
What was the most difficult aspect of your first job and how did it shape
you?
The most difficult aspect of my first job was the lack of freedom to use my
initiative. It was very mechanical and did not enable me to think as I only
had to follow instructions. This was difficult because I like to be very inno-
vative, try out new things and ways to achieve a particular task. Due to
my first job, I developed a fixed mindset which later affected my career as
well as my early years in consulting.
However, I made up my mind to become good at what I was doing. I was

known at a point for balancing unbalanced bank accounts and books.
Whenever any department or even other branches of the bank had un-
balanced books, I was called upon to balance it. While I was good at that,
the mechanical nature of the job stilted my creativity.
Given a choice to start over, what would you change about the early stag-
es of your career?
If I had a choice to start again, I wouldn’t go into paid employment, I
would rather have moved with the times by developing an entrepreneuri-
al mindset. I would have done my own business and made a good lasting
legacy of myself.
“Try something that has never been done before”
In the industry aspect, if I was to revamp the banking industry, I would

make it more creative and innovative. Also, I would shift the industry’s fo-
cus from only trading and ensure that it reflects and contributes to real
economic growth.
If your first job did not impact greatly on your skills and capabilities, which
job/experience would you say moulded you the most in terms of prepar-
ing you for success?
The job that began to shape me for success was the consulting job. Al-
though, it was not a high paying job, it was able to shape my mindset
positively and give me a broader view of what the intricacies of business is
all about, and how to do business. My brief association with a very experi-
enced consultant, Mr Johnson Ikube, helped sharpen my consulting skills. I
am still using those lessons from him in running my consulting career.
Also, in my present position, I learnt how to face difficult challenges, trans-
form nothing into something and resuscitate dysfunctional business units
into comfortable and growing ones. In other words, I learnt how to pro-
duce results.
What would you say is the most important factor in determining the ideal
first job?
Come in with a growth mindset to make a positive impact first. In other
words, you must come with a mind to give and not the other way round.
Kindly share your advice to those whose first jobs are in a field that seems
unrelated to their desired career path?
I never used any of my degrees. I never applied any of my specialties
to work. My specialty degrees were different from my career path. The
most important thing is to have the basic skills and also be adaptable
to your work environment. I advise young graduates to acquire as many
skills as they can, whether it is relevant to your desired career path or not,
because they cannot tell which would become relevant for their career
progression and development.
“You are not limited by your course of study.”
Learn to have the right attitude to work; be committed to whatever your

hands find to do per time.
“There is no dream job; you create your dream job by being the best at
what you currently do.”
You reap what you sow, plant the right attitude to work and reap career
success.
CHIOMA UKONU
Co-Founder and COO, RecyclePoints
A consummate professional with over a decade of hands- on ex-

perience and international exposure in environmental sustainability,
women empowerment, youth employment, business leadership, circu-
lar economy, government and community engagement, Mrs Ukonu is
an Industrial Physics graduate from the Federal University of Technolo-
gy, Owerri, Nigeria, and she holds a certificate in Social Sector Manage-
ment from Pan Atlantic University, Lagos, Nigeria. She has had a suc-
cessful career across various sectors including the telecommunications,
banking sector, and the environmental sector.
She is the co-founder and chief operating officer of RecyclePoints, Ni-

geria’s foremost waste recycling and social benefit venture which moti-
vates post-consumers to recycle, by creating value from their everyday
waste. In her capacity as the head of operations at RecyclePoints, Chi-
oma has led the organisation to win many awards and recognitions;
some of these include the 2015 Best Recycling Innovation Award, the
2016 Africa Clean up Conference Award for Recycling Venture of the
year, the Chivas Venture Nigeria Award which went on to solely repre-
sent Nigeria at the 2017 Chivas Global Awards for Social Enterprise, the
LEAP Africa Social Innovator Award 2017 amongst others. She was a
global finalist for the 2018 Pritzker Environmental Genius Award by the
University of California, Los Angeles. The company was also in 2018 se-
lected as the only African company into LAUNCH Circulars, a global
competition for innovations that fosters circular economy; in that same
year, RecyclePoints emerged runner-up in the MIT Legatum/Zambe-
zi Prize Award for Innovation in Financial Inclusion, which granted her
business training in the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT), Boston, USA.
She has fostered sustainable public and private sector partnerships

through collaborations with various state governments, public institu-
tions and private entities. In recognition of the special talent that she
is, and her contributions to the society in the area of social innovation,
she was recently appointed a judge for the prestigious Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT) Inclusive Innovative Change 2019.
Mrs Chioma Ukonu is a successful social impact advocate who vol-

unteers for several organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Des
Moines,Iowa; Meals from the Heartland Des Moines,Iowa,USA; CleanUp
Nigeria; ClimateSmart Nigeria; and Green Women Forum. She is also a
member of various fellowships and leadership groups including the USA
government’s Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Lead-
ers, African Youth Initiative on Climate Change, Chivas Venture Global
Alumni Fellowship, LEAP Africa Social Innovators Fellowship, Tony Elume-
lu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme Alumni Fellowship, and the
Cherrie Blair Foundation for Women.
Mrs Ukonu, is well known for her strong business acumen and is a certified
broadcaster and internationally sought-after conference speaker who
has spoken at the pioneer TED event in Eastern Nigeria, the UNDESA 54th
Commission on Social Development held at the UN HQ, New York,
USA; the Lioness of Africa annual conference held in South Africa;
the Social Media Week, Lagos; and the Cherie Blair Foundation’s
2019 International Women’s Day Conference held in London, UK.
She has received business training from various prestigious institu-
tions around the world including the Said Business School – Oxford
University; Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, USA; and the En-
terprise Development Centre (EDC) of the Pan Atlantic University,
Lagos, Nigeria. She is a Nigerian, a wife, a mother to three lovely
kids, a result oriented and resilient hard working young lady. She
stands for sustainable development, local content development,
and she is a firm believer of a better Africa; where Africans are in-
tegral to the solutions for Africa’s problems.
" Excellence is not the native of any nation; you make
excellence a citizen of your nation/home. You have
to work it out. Keep working, one day your announce-
ment will come.
"
My first job post-NYSC was as a sales supervisor with Idea House
whch was at the time providing activation services for Mobitel’s
newly launched 4G internet service. Before my employment, my
husband had assisted in submitting my CV to Mobitel and although
I did not get into Mobitel directly, I was selected from their data-
base when the recruitment for the marketing role commenced. As
a supervisor, my salary was 30,000 Naira. At the initial point of ap-
pointment, Mobitel had promised to retain the ten best individuals,
however, at the end of the project only five were retained; I was
one of those retained as the team of twenty-five that I had super-
vised made the highest sales. The job was a very risky one because
if any of the sales representatives had eloped with an internet mo-
dem, I would have had to pay for it; this, however, enabled me to
build relationships and also taught me to encourage my subordi-
nates. In an attempt to make the cut that would be retained, we
used to hawk modems in the traffic and this frustrated some per-
sons, I saw it as a means to an end and kept pushing on. Eventually,
I was absorbed into Mobitel’s corporate sales team from where I
was moved to the relationship management team; my time at cor-
porate sales exposed me to the use of PowerPoint in making pres-
entations, the need to know the company strategy, how to deliver
the services and uniqueness of the company to prospects as well
as the conversion of prospects to customers.
“As a salesperson, you must have a good technical knowledge of

what you are selling.”
Even though my husband was doing well in the oil and gas sector,
I refused to be a housewife doing nothing and took that first job
knowing that it was a step that would lead me to the next level. I
learnt people management, technical support, as well as the im-
portance of emotional intelligence and empathy through my first
job, and was able to move to the banking industry after about two
to three years with all that I had learnt.
Mobitel being a privately owned company helped to build my en-

trepreneurial abilities; my husband and I were working opposite
each other at the time, and so used to meet up after work hours
to brainstorm and research concerning our own business — Recy-
clePoints, as we knew we could not remain in paid employment
forever. We both remained in paid employment even after start-
ing RecyclePoints, I only resigned from paid employment after
the business started making a centre amount of traction; in other
words you have to have a transition/exit plan when moving from
paid employment to entrepreneurship to avoid a burn out.
What were the key challenges encountered in your first job?

My late maternal grandmother used to say that the best of you will
come out in the tightest corners and this statement inspired me
and kept me going despite the various challenges from tracking
devices to creating and closing pipelines faced on the job.
She also used to say that “Excellence is not the native of any nation;
you make excellence a citizen of your nation/home.“ You have to
work it out. Keep working, one day your announcement will come.
What is your advice to young people whose first jobs are not on
their desired career path?
Such individuals should see the job as the first opportunity to build
their career and as a stepping stone to the next level. It is their
premier training ground since they are just coming out of school
and as such, they should be grateful for their first employer who
employed them despite their lack of experience. I advise them to
deliver their duties such that their employer would be willing to give
them a good reference upon their exit from the organisation. Also,
such persons should take it as an opportunity to learn basic, trans-
ferable skills that would help in their career. Finally, learn the regu-
latory aspect of your work and expand your knowledge.
“Do not burn bridges.”

“When people give you an opportunity, show up and show out.”
COSMAS MADUKA
Founder/CEO, Coscharis Group
Dr Cosmas Maduabuchukwu Maduka is the founder, president/CEO of

Coscharis Group, an indigenous conglomerate with diverse interest in
manufacturing, ICT, petrochemical, auto care and auto components,
automobile sales and services, agric and agro allied business sectors.
Dr Maduka hails from a relatively unknown and obscure background.

The loss of his father at an early age of four deprived him of the opportu-
nity to acquire formal education; however, by a dint of hard work, ded-
ication and perseverance, he has become one of the leading Chief
Executive Officers in Nigeria.
He is today an icon in the Nigerian automobile industry as he is regard-

ed as a benchmark for other operators in the industry. This is reflected
in the fact that Coscharis Motors was appointed the sole dealer for no-
table luxurious brands like Rolls Royce, BMW, MINI, Jaguar Land Rover &
representative of Ford Motor Company in Nigeria.
He was awarded a honorary doctor of Business Administration by the
University of Nigeria in 2003 and distinguished fellowship of the Nigeria
Law School in 2004. He is also a Fellow of African Business School, a
member of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, as well as the
Institute of Directors, Nigeria.
He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School (Executive Education Pro-
gramme, November 2009) and in September 2012, he was con-
ferred with the National Honor of the Commander of the Order of
the Niger (CON) by the President of the Federal Republic of Nige-
ria. He served as a director in Access Bank Plc., one of the leading
banks in Nigeria for twelve (12) years from 2000-2012. He is currently
serving on board of many companies including CG-Eko LLP, First
System Refinishes Ltd, CG Biostadt Limited. He is a deacon in the
Local Christian Assembly in Lagos and is married with children.
With an original story of the rise of a man from a humble back-

ground to the place of honour, Dr Maduka’s story is truly inspiring.

My story is very unique; different and unusual from what most peo-
ple expect it to be. I consider my first job to be the six and a half
years of apprenticeship when I trained to sell motor parts. I lost my
father at age four, and this cost me the opportunity to further my
education beyond elementary three, as my mother was saddled
with the sole responsibility of taking care of me and my siblings.
“Your response to the things that life throws at you is most

important”
Although I did not have a four-wall education, I took life as a school

and learnt from the various challenges thrown my way.
“In the school of life; as you graduate from one position, nature has
a way of writing a new learning subject for you. It all boils down to
how much you are willing to learn.”
At some point when it became difficult for my mother to train all

of us, I was sent to go live with my grandparents from where I was
eventually sent to an uncle in Lagos. Before this period, I and my
brother used to sell Akara (bean cake) for our mother early in the
morning, I usually sold more than one tray while my brother strug-
gled with his first. This built a level of confidence in me as I realized I
had a gift in selling. My life received new purpose and direction in
1976 when I gave my life to Christ at the turn of my 15th birthday; this
coincided with the period when I gained freedom from my appren-
ticeship which had been under my uncle.
Even though I had served him well, my uncle gave me only 200 Na-
ira which was not enough to pay for a shop as my stewardship fee.
This ill-treatment prompted me to vow that he will be astonished by
the time he would hear of my accomplishment in five years; I subse-
quently wrote down my goals and stuck to them closely.
you?
The most difficult aspect of an apprenticeship was learning the disci-
pline that the job required for success. The discipline I learnt was un-
precedented and it shaped me especially because I was young with a
free and open mind. The simple fact that I did not have a formal educa-
tion and thus could not make notes sharpened my mind and memory
as I had to store everything in my brain
“The body can take up more things, depending on the training you put
it through.”
Also, since I had an unwritten contract with my uncle and the conse-
quence of disobedience very grievous, I could not hang out with other
teenagers or enjoy the things youth did.
“You can either confront and surmount your challenges or cry and
complain; life does not listen to your logic, it goes on unperturbed
regardless”
stages of your career?
I would go back to school. If I were asked to assess myself, I would say
that had I furthered my education, I would have made a first-class as I
am very brilliant.
Nevertheless, I did not give up on myself, I kept looking for ways to im-
prove myself with the understanding that I could not build a reputation
based on my plans; people had to see results to trust me.
"
A goal without a plan is only a wish and a vision without action
is a daydream while action without a vision is a nightmare. The
only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.
What then would you say moulded you the most in terms of preparing
you for success and why?
"
Going through mentorship is the most important aspect in my life, in fact
I recommend it for every young man and woman. That period of ap-
prenticeship taught me how to manage resources as well as how to do
research; I researched an informal way and discovered that some parts
of cars were interchangeable from one brand to another. This discovery
not only gave me an edge over other traders by the time I started my
own business, but it also taught me to look beyond the surface to the
particulars beneath.
“If you lack knowledge of what you are doing, you will pay in a hard
way.”
What would you say is the most important factor in deciding on a
career path?
It is best to get a job in the area of your study, or in something you
have flair for. If you do what you love, you will excel at it. In life, there
is no man born without a gift, once you identify it, treasure and
sharpen it.
“You will keep struggling if you do something that you are not good
at. The treasure within you is of greater value than anything with-
out”
As an entrepreneur, you must be willing to be misunderstood as

nothing can stop a man that has the right mental attitude from
achieving his goal.
“Great minds have a purpose; others have wishes”
Do not try to do what people want or expect, else you won’t get
far in life.
EBELE CHUKWUJAMA
CEO, Poise Nigeria Limited
Ebele Chukwujama is the Managing Director of Poise Nigeria Plc. Poise

is Nigeria’s premier personality and image consultant that provides
practical and applicable career development programmes at all levels
through excellence in culture, people impact and service delivery.
Ebele is an experienced Senior Management Executive with proven track

record of success in corporate leadership, business management, sales
and marketing planning, key account management, profit optimisation,
and relationship development. She obtained a degree in Banking and
Finance from Abia State University (1997). She possesses first rate skills in
providing strategic direction for organisational success and is adept at
directing cross functional teams towards attainment of aggressive reve-
nue targets. She holds a certificate in Business Administration and Man-
agement from the London School of Business and Finance (LSBF). Subse-
quently she served as a Senior Manager at Zenith Bank plc (1999-2013).
After 15 years serving at top management level in the banking/financial

sector with remarkable results, she turned her career towards providing
innovative leadership within the wellness and fitness sector where she
successfully developed and led teams to initiate and implement busi-
ness systems and programmes that impacted thousands of lives, at-
tained nationwide customer base and improved revenue performance
by huge percentages.
She recently took the helm of leadership as Managing Director and

Board Member at Poise Nigeria, Africa’s leading personality and image
consultancy. At Poise, she daily takes on exciting challenges of providing
strategic leadership for the team to take new frontiers in the business of
human capital development.
"
As a young graduate, you must have a vision and a goal.
Some persons can serve as a springboard for you to achieve
something, so do not look down on anyone. Your destiny
might be aligned with such people.
Tell us about your first job experience

"
For me, it was from NYSC straight to work. I started my career in the bank
at the lowest rung of the ladder. I started out as an EA, what we now call
graduate assistant. My first role was in customer service. It was all a very
exciting process. I got to meet new people, and l liked the job. It was my
first experience in a corporate environment aside from my youth corps
service experience with Union Bank. It was exciting to work at Zenith
Bank, being a tech-savvy new generation bank. The job was a learning
curve. I started at the EA level, and after about seven months, I moved
up to sales and marketing; I remember being sceptical about this pro-
motion. I was afraid because I didn’t really know anyone ― I did not even
grow up in Lagos ― I was worried about how I would excel in the role. I
think it was my knowledge of the product that built my self-confidence
because you cannot sell what you do not know.
Performing in this role meant meeting people and being customer-cen-

tric. I had to go out of my comfort zone, and my bosses thought that I
had the potential to excel in this role. My boss kept saying to me, “You
can do it.” I was a rookie, but I had a positive spirit. I remember crying
back then because everyone dumped their work on me. I did not know
where to start. It took one senior colleague to say to me, “Come, let me
teach you,” for me to build my confidence. When I got home that day,
I, complained to my cousin about everyone dumping their work on me.
She said this was good for my career because it would give me an op-
portunity to learn.
I never forgot this fact as a young professional. From there, I continued to

grow. Zenith Bank was good for my career.
What were the major challenges you experienced in your early career?
My major challenge was punctuality. I always got into trouble for not get-
ting to work early. I remember that my boss pointed out that my senior
colleagues, who were married and lived very far were always early to
work, while I, who was still single at that time, couldn’t seem to make it to
the office in time. That was the last day I was late.
As a customer service executive, it was also challenging to deal with diffi-

cult customers. I remember a particular customer who had an issue with
confirming her cheque. It was not actually the fault of the bank. While
we worked hard to resolve the issue, the customer was right there in the
banking hall, shouting. When I found out that the delay was not from the
bank, I went to inform the customer and he had an outburst on me. He
rained a lot of insults on me. Of course, I could not respond because of
the ethics of the job. At that time, I was just two months into the banking
job. I was so embarrassed that I could hardly walk back to my seat. After
he got the cheque confirmed, he came back to apologise quietly, but
the deed was already done. Of course, I did not take it personal.
“One of the things that I learnt as a marketing and sales executive

was ‘never give up, keep knocking.’”
I was eight months pregnant when I landed my first deal. Many of my col-
leagues in the office did not believe the account would come through.
It was after this achievement that I got my promotion. From there, it kept
getting better. Never underestimate the power of discipline and hard
work.
“Sometimes, when you knock on a door and you get a negative re-
sponse, do not despair but keep knocking.
Never say never until it is over. It is never over until you say so.”
Is there any other unique experience you would like to share?

It has been a long time, I cannot really pinpoint anything, but I would
say just be prepared because opportunity meets preparedness. I advise
people to be prepared at all times. Emotional preparedness is what you
need the most. If you cannot visualise the role in your mind, you will not
be able to assume such a role.
“As a young graduate, you must have a vision and a goal. Some persons
can serve as a springboard for you to achieve something, do not look
down on anyone. Your destiny might be aligned with such people.”
As a graduate, you may have the desire to work with an oil and gas
company, but such an opportunity may not be forthcoming at the time.
Then, you may get a job with a smaller company and you refuse the job
because it’s not what you want. While it might not be what you want, you
may learn something new in this role while you wait and prepare for that
oil and gas company. I believe that there should be no limits to people’s
dreams. Dream big and let God decide the rest.
You have to commit to the process. You cannot achieve your dreams
overnight. You have to commit to the process of perseverance, patience,
resilience, and grace. By the time you achieve your dreams, you will be
ready for them because you’ve gone through the process.
Do not focus on the people that started ahead of you. This life is about
your name and your race. Maintain your lane and know your vision. You
are uniquely made, and you have potential. We all have greatness in
us. Some people have it easy with their first job experience, while some
persons do not. Yes, you need to aspire to get better, but still, do not com-
pare yourself with others. Just have the passion and the drive, and with
God, all things will be possible for you. As a man thinketh, so he is. If you
can think it, you can become it. The problem is many of us think too small.
Focus on thinking big. The “how” with regards to achieving your dreams
will happen.
If you could change anything in your past, what would it be?

I would have probably saved more and done more investments; knowing
that there would be a time I would need to fall back on my investments
and savings. My dad would always tell us to save but I did not take it seri-
ously. I really thought he was trying to make me not to spend my pocket
money. If I could change anything, I would develop better savings and
investment culture.
What impact did your first job have on your personal development?
I learnt negotiation skills, interpersonal skills, and relationship manage-
ment skills. I had to work with an account that was foreign to Nigeria, and
my relationship management skills helped me manage this for about
seven years. I also learnt the art of selling and PR. And, I had to learn soft
skills on the job.
Did all these skills prepare you for success?

Yes, they did. I did not know that I would ever leave the banking sector,
but I left there to become an entrepreneur. And now, all of these skills put
together is what I am using to lead Poise Nigeria. These skills were built for
over twenty years.
" Believe in your dreams. Understand that no one can limit you
except you. More importantly, if your dream doesn’t scare you,
then it is not big enough.
Did you experience any discouragement in your first job?

"
My first job was like my dream job. I never thought I would work with Zenith
Bank. At that time, I was earning even more than the General Manager
of another old generation bank. Also, because I seemed unserious dur-
ing my service year, no one expected me to get that kind of job. Zenith
Bank was my dream job, and as God would have it, I stayed there and I
grew there. The organisation was good to me, up until the moment I left.
Maybe I would feel differently if I had tried something different.
What is your advice for someone who is not on the right path in his or
her career?
Yes; you need to feed your passion, and passion is not always what you
think you like. Learn to write down your goals and vision. Research and
acquire the skills that you need for that desired job. You cannot move
from where you are to where you want to be without having a clear
destination. The Bible says, “write down your vision”. When I realised that
I needed to get involved with the development of my children, I had to
make a radical decision, so I resigned. Now, you don’t have to do what
I have done.
When I wanted to return to a 9-5, I was clear on the job role I wanted.
When the opportunity came, I was able to recognise it. In my heart, I
was convinced that I needed to get a CEO role, and when the oppor-
tunity to work with Poise Nigeria came along, I was sure it was for me.
For a fresh graduate or someone in the mid-career, I need you to know

that it is not all about where you are now, but where you want to find
yourself. Be sure about what you want. Be clear on your vision and start
working towards it. Opportunity with preparedness is success. But if you
are not prepared, you cannot seize any opportunity.
Be prepared, passionate, and focused.
ELIJAH AYOLABI
Professor & Pioneer Vice Chancellor,
Mountain Top University
Ayolabi, Elijah Adebowale (Professor and the pioneer Vice Chancellor

of Mountain Top University) is a renowned Geophysicist with over 20
years of experience in environmental studies. He specialises in Environ-
mental, Engineering and Exploration Geophysics. He has executed sev-
eral environmental and exploration studies for reputable organizations
such as Schlumberger and Celtel (Zain). He is also a member of a num-
ber of professional bodies such as the Nigerian Mining and Geoscience
Society (NMGS), Nigerian Association of Petroleum Exploration (NAPE),
Science Association of Nigeria just to mention few. He is an external
examiner and external assessor for professorial position for many univer-
sities in Africa. Ayolabi has successively trained over 100 postgraduate
students with over 90 articles in journals and referred conference pro-
ceedings locally and internationally

It was in 1978 or thereabout; upon the completion of my modern school
education, I was employed as a petrol attendant on a monthly salary of
20 Naira. It was a very exciting job which I had gotten through a cousin
of mine and was targeted towards raising funds to further my education
at the teacher’s college.
What challenges did you have during that period?
The job had periods when we made losses; however, I was happy on
the job because as a young man at the time. I had found something
to earn me a living. My time on the job came to an end around 1980
when the employment of an individual placed under my supervision
became characterized by the incurment of loss at the station. Since I
was in charge, the losses incurred were always removed from my salary
which had been increased to 30 Naira at the time, in fact, one particular
month I was left with only 50 kobo at the end of the deductions. I got
tired of the situation and decided to continue my education; my father’s
friend was the local inspector of education in this period and thus I was
immediately given a letter of admission into secondary school where I
was placed in year 2 as a result of my previous modern school qualifica-
tion. Looking back, I realise that the stealing issue was actually a push
from God because I would not have left the job had it not occurred. I
stayed with my Christian grandmother during the period and learnt how
to pray as well as the habit of early rising from her.
What impact did your first job experience have on your personal devel-
opment?
I learnt hard work from that first job as we always resumed early and
closed betw

“The acquisition of a degree is not the important factor; your ability to
apply the knowledge gained to the development of the environment is”
What is your advice to individuals whose first jobs are not in their desired
career path?
There is always a starting point; you cannot begin today and expect to
attain the last rung of the ladder on that same day. Think and plan.
"
You might have a humble beginning but with constant self-de-
"
velopment and commitment to work, you begin to experience
growth
EMEKA NDU
Group Vice Chairmain, C&I Leasing
Plc
Emeka Ndu is the Group Vice Chairman of C&I Leasing Plc.

He was the Chairman of The Equipment Leasing Association of
Nigeria, (ELAN) and also served as the Chairman of the Shipping
and Marine Services Sub-Committee of the National Consultative
Forum set up by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (Na-
tional Content Division) to promote indigenous content in the Ni-
gerian oil & gas industry. Mr. Ndu was the Vice President, Africa
Leasing Association ,and a member of Nigeria Economic Summit
Group.
He is a speaker and has spoken at the World Leasing Convention,

London in 2009, the World Leasing Convention, Amsterdam, Neth-
erlands in 2008, amongst others.
Mr. Ndu holds a degree in Accounting from the University of Nigeria,

and is also a Chartered Accountant by the Institute of Chartered
Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN). He possesses a wealth of experience
which he brings to the business industry

My first job was as an audit assistant with PriceWaterhouse; I had
applied for the job during my youth service year and was fortunate
to have been selected after series of interviews. I was not familiar with
Lagos as I had hitherto lived and schooled in the east all my life, so I had
an accommodation challenge. However, I had an uncle in Lagos at the
time that I stayed with for eight months, after which a friend and I pooled
funds together to rent an apartment. Another challenge I had was with
transportation, as PW had clients all over Lagos.
Some of the factors that I believe gave me the advantage of being se-
lected for the job could include the fact that I had finished with a Second
Class Upper Division degree, which was quite fortuitous as I was not really
always a serious student. And, I may also have impressed the interview-
ers with my motivation and attitude to life.
What were the key challenges faced in your role itself?

Every job comes with challenges; so even though PW had decent
pre-deployment training, there were times when the task assigned were
well over my head and I sometimes did not understand what to do. The
expectation was therefore that I learn on the job. Also, the job was asso-
ciated with very long work hours; I could spend as many as 10-12 hours
at the office every day. But that taught me a number of things, one of
which was the importance of every person you encounter in achieving
your goals, as you cannot operate effectively as an isolated island.
Given a choice to start over, would you change anything about your
early career stage?
No, I think it was a perfect job as I learnt a lot from it. The pay was not the
greatest but it laid the foundation for succeeding at a lot of things that I
did after I left the firm. The mistake a lot of young people make is to as-
sume that immediately they graduate from the university, they become
workers. You should really look at the few years after graduation as an
extension of your learning process as “The university only equips you to
start the ‘school of life.’ The first few years (5-10) after the completion of
university studies should be taken as a period of learning.”
What did you gain from that early stage of your career that has helped
shape your personal development?
PriceWaterhouse exposed me to both good and bad companies as well
as the habits that distinguished these two groups. And sometimes, it’s not
always the big things that are the indicators. For instance, I noticed over
time that there was a correlation between a company’s hygiene and its
performance. “Once people get careless with basic hygiene (dirty toi-
lets etc), it is very unlikely that they would do business the way they ought
to.” I found that companies that had clean toilets invariably had well
kept books as both endeavors require some dedication and devotion to
details.
In the same vein, I learnt that an individual has to take great care of his
personal appearance and strive to appear neat and well groomed at
all times, as this is what people see first.
“People form their first impression within minutes of meeting you rather
than after a lengthy interview.”
" Your attitude to small jobs will make people entrust

bigger things to you.
"
What would you say to individuals who feel their first job is not on their
desired career path?
I believe that such individuals should know that regardless of the job that
they do, they are in business; the only difference between a business
and a job is that the former involves multiple clients while at the latter;
your only client is your employer. Therefore, having a perspective that
the job is your business would ensure that you prioritize serving your client
and would invariably propel you to do the job diligently.
When I was about to start C&I Leasing, I realized that most of those who
invested their money in the business were those that I had previously
worked with or interacted with in one sphere or the other. At the time, I
had no idea that in a few years I might be asking them to invest in a start
up business. These persons had formed their personal impressions about
me and were impressed enough to entrust their resources into my hands.
So, you must realise that “Every job that you do is an interview,” so we
should always strive to do our utmost best.
ENIOLA FADAYOMI
Chairman, IoD Centre for Corporate
Governance
With over 40 years of practice, Eniola Fadayomi is one of Nigeria’s most

famous commercial lawyers. She started her distinguished career with
the Lagos State Ministry of Justice in 1972, and left in 1979. She was a
member, Citizenship Committee and also the Executive Secretary, Coun-
cil on the Prerogative of Mercy. In 1980, she joined First Bank of Nigeria
Plc as legal adviser.
She was appointed Lagos State Attorney General & Commissioner for
Justice in 1987, and served as member, Body of Benchers, Body for Inter-
national co-operation in Criminal Prosecution and Enforcement, Council
of Legal Education. She was a Senior Partner at Nigeria’s oldest law firms
of Messrs Irving & Bonnar and Messrs Bentley Edu & Co. between 1990
and 1998. She was also the Principal Partner of Eniola Fadayomi & Co.
firm of Solicitors and Advocates between 1998 and 2002
Mrs. Fadayomi was the Senior Partner and Team Leader for the finali-
sation of the US$785 Milbon OSO 11 (Condensate) Field Development
Project owned by Mobil Producing Unlimited and the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in 1992. The project was partly financed
by equity from the sponsors and debt capital from the World Bank, IFC,
US Export/Import Bank, Japan Export/Import Bank and the European In-
vestment Bank.
Mrs. Fadayomi also led the legal team which advised and negotiated the
project financing, documentation and designing of the investment vehi-
cle of the OS0-NGL Project, a gas utilisation project, which was sequel to
the OSO-Field Development Project Originally estimated at US$810 mil-
lion. Mrs Fadayomi has vast experience in negotiation of both local and
international commercial contracts and in advising foreign companies
investing in Nigeria. She has appeared before numerous courts in Nigeria.
Mrs Fadayomi was chairman, Afribank Plc She is the founder-trustee At-
lantic Hall Education Trust Council and Millennium Harvest Limited. She
is currently the chairman of the Law Reform Committee, and a former
president of the Institute of Directors, the chairman and publisher of the
Financial Standard Newspapers. As a widely acknowledged Transaction
Lawyer, Eniola Fadayomi is a respected expert in Corporate and Com-
mercial Law and Practice.
Chief (Mrs.) Fadayomi is a recipient of a National Merit Award, Member
Federal Republic (MFR) of Nigeria.
Please tell us about your first job, and if it was a formal or an informal job.
I got a vacation job in Shell Nigeria during the break around July in the
legal department. My boss was Mr Lekan, a legal advisor and head of
the legal unit in Shell. It was an interesting job because my boss had an
interesting personality, and was very relaxed and always said the expe-
rience was great because you meet a lot of people, and you will get to
wine and dine. He was also flamboyant. My job was looking at leases of
oil pipelines. It was my first interaction with MEND in Niger Delta.
In law school, we had to work six months with a firm of lawyers called
Fedegbe & Co. in Western House — it was a very classy, upscale solicitor)
very high profile and great inter office relationship. He used to take the
staff along with clients. He allowed us to review cases and talk about
them, and through this, we were exposed and learnt a lot about prac-
ticing law.
My first main job was with the Ministry of Justice, Lagos State at the ad-
ministrative general office at Obalende. We dealt with administration of
estates for those who are deceased. I started with the legislative drafting
unit, and we were given formal training on drafting of legal documents.
This knowledge stayed with me throughout and it was a very useful exer-
cise. From that department, I moved to DPP, when the Ministry of Justice
was on Marina, before it moved to Oba Akran in Ikeja. I was in DPP for
many years before going to work in First Bank, which was very different
from my military experience. I was in charge of every aspect of law that
the company handled, ranging from loans to releasing the estate of a
deceased person. My background with the Justice Department was val-
uable and a huge asset to me.
" When you get opportunities, it`s not really clear where it`s
coming from, but if you are consistently focused, others may
notice your work ethics and behaviour, and say a lot about
you, whether in jest or seriously.
"
From First Bank, I was appointed to become a commissioner, and went
back to some of what I was doing before, however at a higher level,
and with a much broader perspective of what was going on. It gave me
a broader knowledge of all aspects of law. My career was enjoyable, as
it was challenging and interesting.
What were the biggest challenges, especially in the early years?

I constantly had to do research in order to know what’s going on around
the world and to know what I was talking about and be prepared.
Continuing to work on the job was a challenge. When I got married and
had kids, it was a challenge, but I got an elderly lady to take care of the
kids, and I also kept my lifestyle simple and uncomplicated.
How much value did your first job add in terms of the direction you took
in your career?
It was an immeasurable experience from every place that I worked. If
you go somewhere and always give excuses and waste time on frivo-
lous things, you wouldn`t get much chance to work. I got a lot of expe-
rience about working, about the work, and about dealing with human
issues. In terms of the impact it had long term, you never really know
who`s looking at you while you work.
What are the most important factors that people should look out for
when looking for a job?
Look at what you are good at; it may not always be what you enjoy. It
is an added advantage if it’s what you enjoy doing. Also look at your
career/work opportunity, although that is a bit more difficult to know.
These two factors are very important. Some people are lucky that they
get a work that they enjoy and are good at. You also have to look at
the environment in which you are working. You don’t want to work in an
organisation that doesn’t have a good reputation because it will rub off
on you.
For instance, if you apply for a position in a large and reputable organ-
isation, they will check your employment record, and if they find that
you have worked with a disreputable organisation, it could hinder your
career growth. You should always have good references, and be ready
to give your time for necessary research and preparation when going
for interviews.
FEB IDAHOSA
President, Benson Idahosa University
Bishop Faith Emmanuel Benson Idahosa II, popularly known as Bishop

FEB, is a prominent man of God, an exceptional professional and a
reputable entrepreneur who leads an exemplary life worthy to be reck-
oned with. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and
a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration from Oral Roberts
University, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA and has a master`s degree in Public
Health. He is currently a Doctoral candidate for Educational Leadership
at the Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA.
Bishop FEB Idahosa has been in the education field for the past 20 years,
and has served as the President of Benson Idahosa University since
March 15th 1998. Along with his duties as President of BIU, he is the Pres-
ident of Big Ben’s Children Hospital, the Vice President of Faith Medi-
plex group of hospitals, the Vice President of All Nations for Christ Bible
Institute International, as well as the Vice President of the Archbishop
Idahosa Foundation and Idahosa World Outreach. He is a member of
the Church of God Mission International (CGMI)
Council of Bishops, its Board of Administration, Board of Education, the
International Communion of Charismatic Churches, Victory Christian
Fellowship Newcastle DE, and the Edo National Association, USA.
In all of these responsibilities, Bishop FEB functions with excellence and
godly professionalism.
" Several things would bring you before great men; two notable
ones are diligence and your gifts.
"
In his capacity as an entrepreneur and businessman, Bishop FEB heads
the Above Only Group, the Pear Systems Development Company, DFI
Nigeria, DFI U.S.A,Rejuvenate Media and BIU Property Development
Company. These reputable establishments are thriving in their various
areas of expertise, providing exquisite services both within and outside
the country. He is also a business facilitator and teacher as he teaches
success strategies for Nigerian startups. He regularly shares these busi-
ness tips on his social media handles.
Bishop Idahosa who has authored six books, is the loving husband of Rev.
Laurie Whetstone-Idahosa, the father of three sons and an elite minister
of God. He remains an epitome of vast knowledge, a man of humility,
integrity and a multi-faceted leader.

During my undergraduate studies at Oral Roberts University, USA, I took
up my first paid job as I needed another source of income besides the
monthly stipend that I received from my father. The job, which was part-
time, placed me in the employment of the university’s carpool division
as a driver; my role involved car maintenance and transportation of
the university’s guests during the weekends. The next major job that I
did was during my master’s programme; it was a sales-related job at a
gadget store which required me to deal and take care of customers.
Both of these jobs helped me understand people and deal with custom-
ers while keeping them happy.
How did these early career choices help prepare you for success to-
day?
They helped me build a good work ethic; I understood the importance
of work as well as being on time.
“If you do not work, you would not eat”- Holy Bible
Even though I had a guaranteed monthly source of income, I had to

work to be able to afford and do the things that I wanted; so these jobs
helped me learn that I had to work hard for anything that I wanted
to achieve in life. During the duration of my first job, I was at one time
assigned to pick up my father, Archbishop Benson Idahosa who was a
member of the board of regents at my school; although he smiled when
he realized my designation, he later confessed to having cried in his
room because as a Nigerian, being a driver appeared demeaning. He,
however, supported me as he understood what it was building in me.
What challenges did you face on these jobs?
Both jobs were customer-facing in nature and my assignment was to
keep these customers happy; so as is expected for such jobs, I met some
very difficult individuals, who did not want to work in the right way. To
combat this, I had to learn how to turn around an unhappy situation
and find a way to bring these individuals to my side of the table.
What is your advice for young people looking for jobs?

The biggest skill that a young person can learn is how to improve his/her
mind. So while seeking a job, spend time learning as much as you can
about something you have a passion for.
“Passion is good, but it is very important to have some knowledge

about it and how to convert it into income.”
Utilise the internet which is the best university in the world appropriately;
you can learn how to do anything from there.
What is your advice for individuals whose first job is not in their desired
career path?
While it might not be your career path, give it your best for as long as
you are at it. You need to be diligent in whatever you are currently do-
ing, to get to a bigger territory.
“Several things would bring you before great men; two notable ones
are diligence and your gifts.”
If you are not utilizing your gifts in the work that you do now, remain dili-
gent and strive for excellence, so that you will be noticed wherever you
are. This would allow you to stand before great men and inadvertently
place you on your desired career path.
FUNKE ALOMOOLUWA
Executive Director, Chams Plc.
Funke AlomoOluwa is an Executive Director at Chams Plc, a foremost

Information Technology Company quoted on the Nigerian Stock Ex-
change. Her responsibility covers innovation, business development,
marketing, and corporate communications.
Funke is a seasoned business executive spanning about two decades

in both the financial and ICT sectors, with a proven track record of suc-
cessfully guiding major expansion efforts, turnarounds, strategic part-
nerships, and transactions in both public and private sectors. As the
Managing Director, ChamsAccess, she was the brain behind the trans-
formation of the company. She successfully put in place an organisa-
tional-wide succession plan that ensured the success she recorded con-
tinued after her exit.
She was the deputy project manager of the Bank Verification Number
(BVN) project initiated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the
Banker’s Committee to implement the customer identification and verifi-
cation project of banks in Nigeria ― the largest KYC project in Africa. On
the same project, she was also the Chief Installation Officer responsible
for the design and strategies for deploying over 30,000 devices across
5,000 bank branches all over Nigeria, and managing a team of over 100
staff members across the country. This project added tremendous value
by sanitizing the financial system and curbing corruption.
She is an alumnus of the IESE Business School, Barcelona Spain and
Lagos Business School Executive MBA programme. A fellow of the In-
stitute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Funke holds a de-
gree in Computer Science and Economics (combined honors) from
the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. She is a member of the Nigeria
Computer Society (NCS), a member of the Institute of Directors (IOD)
and an associate member of Women in Business (WIMBIZ).
Funke attends several high-profiled seminars, symposia, training work-
shops, conferences, and courses locally and internationally. She has
delivered speeches and has been on a panel at many of these events.
She is multiskilled, a people-person, and has a passion for causes such

as support for less privileged and aged people.
What was your first job experience? Please tell us the year, the compen-
sation, how you got the job, the challenges, the high and low moments,
as well as any other relevant (unique) experience. Was it your desirable
job at first?
My first job was coincidentally at Chams plc, as an NYSC corp member
in the year 1998. On resumption, I was deployed to the networking unit,
and after a few weeks down the line, I was told I would be moved to
the accounts department’s cash office to support the cashier in the
payment of cash. To say I was devastated was an understatement! I felt
it was a demeaning position. I studied Computer Science and Econom-
ics, combined honors, and could not just imagine being moved out of
my career path. I gave myself two reasons; first, I purposely redeployed
from Anambra state because I wanted to pursue a career in computer
science., and secondly, I was a core science student, and if I wanted
to pursue Accounting, I would have been a commercial student and
enjoyed 4 years in the university as against 7 years, courtesy the ASUU
strike. As such, I refused to resume at my new duty for 2 weeks.
" My advice would be that they keep trusting God, the author
and finisher and in due season, He would make all things
beautiful in His own time.
"
I was later humbled by the words of my aunt, Mrs. Bimbo Cole, who I
was living with at that time, and was a branch manager, who told me if
I had done that at her branch, she would have ensured I rot in the said
unit. The following day, I went to the AGM, Finance and Accounts, at
the time, and apologized profusely. It was then that I was informed that
my suspension letter was just about being written.
I bought Accounting Frankwood, because I needed to understand the

basics of debit and credit. Along the line, there was an opportunity to
implement an accounting package for the unit, and I was recommend-
ed. By the grace of God, I am a fellow of ICAN, and there are many
other feathers to my cap.
Absolutely nothing. I have learnt to conserve my energy by minimizing
the time spent in regret or complaint or in situations I have no control
over. Every event is a lesson to me, every person, a teacher.
her desired career? Any word of encouragement or quotes?
I would quote a verse from my favorite scriptures, which I also make
reference to when I am counselling my mentees; it is in the book of Jer-
emiah 10 vs 23
“Lord, I know that none of us are in charge of our own destiny; none of us
have control over our own life.” ― Good News Translation.
My advice would be that they keep trusting God, the author and finish-
er and in due season, He would make all things beautiful in His own time.
first job mold your skills and capabilities, and how did it prepare you for
success?
As earlier mentioned, I did not study Accounting in school, but being
moved to accounts and finance early in my career made me big on
improving myself. Every day after work, you would see me buried in my
Frankwood trying to perfect my skills; weekends were not left out as I
would always have a book in my hands, trying to gather as much I can.
I consciously get materials that aid in the development of my compe-
tencies in whatever role I find myself in. I also encourage my team mem-
bers to make learning and development a lifestyle.
GODDIE ISIBOR
Pro-Chancellor, Benson Idahosa
University
Dr Goddie O. Isibor is the Chairman of Council, and Pro-chancellor of

Benson Idahosa University. He holds an MSc in Industrial Engineering
from Cranfield University, Bedfordshire,UK. He is also a recipient of an
Honorary Doctorate in Science & Business Administration from Benson
Idahosa University and has a wealth of experience which he gained
from his various appointments as Managing Director, BUA Sugar Refin-
ery(2013); Group Chief Executive Officer and Group Managing Director,
Nosak Vegetable Oil Refinery; Marketing Director, Honeywell Flour Mills
Plc (2000), Sales Director, Raleigh Industries Plc; Head Production Mate-
rials Control, Shell Petroleum Development Company, 1978; and Chair-
man, Anza Micro Finance Bank.

My first job was in Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria
Limited following my return from the UK. I worked in the Production Ma-
terial Control Department. I had been recruited by the company from
Cranfield University, Bedford, England, where I studied both Mechanical
Engineering and Industrial Engineering at the master’s degree level.
Back then in Shell, everyone worked hard and was measured by re-
sults. We were given a lot of training on the job. I got to work in more
than one department, simply because there was work to be done and
I worked hard to deliver good results without looking at anyone. After
I had worked with Shell for a couple of years, I moved on to Kaleigh
Industries Nigeria Limited, Kano, where I got to handle more job roles. I
maintained the attitude of work that I had gotten from Shell for the rest
of my career. This is what has helped me to get and do really great jobs
all through my career.
you?
We had to work long hours, but it wasn’t so difficult. The most challenging
part was getting to the out-station locations. The only means of going
there was by boat which usually took about 3 to 4 hours. It was generally
a difficult job working in the production department. You had to apply
yourself to the job and take it seriously, in order to be taken seriously.
I wouldn’t change anything about the early stages of my career, be-
cause it was good training and helped me develop a good character
and the right attitude to work. These valuable traits, developed at the
early stage of my career have helped me through the course of my ca-
reer. Even now, I am usually the first to get to work and among the last
to leave; this has rubbed off on my subordinates, making them more
hardworking.
After I left Shell for Raleigh, I often had to work long hours and when
there was no power supply; I would use a torch to carry on with my work.
This helped me develop a stamina that I have maintained throughout
my life.
" The world continuously opens up for you when you have a
plan.
"
If your first job did not impact greatly on your skills and capabilities,
which job/ experience would you say moulded you the most in terms of
preparing you for success?
Apart from my first job, my work with God has impacted on my career
as well as other aspects of my life. At every stage of life, God was always
present with me. The opportunities I have had and the types of work I
have done have been as a result of this.
Another thing that has impacted my life greatly is the desire to work with
God and not do anything that will displease Him. This desire is present
in my family, work and social life. It has put in me, the drive to always
deliver results that are not just pleasing to man, but also to God.
“If it is pleasing to God, then it is pleasing to anyone.”
What would you say is the most important factor in determining an ideal
first job?
The first thing to try to teach young people is how to set goals; decide
what you want your goals to be. In deciding what your goals are, you
have to decide what you want and what you want to do in life. Having
decided this, you then have to determine how you are going to get
there.
“You cannot hit a target that you cannot see.”
If you decide on where you are going to, you will find a way to get there.
Having a goal helps you plan your life and stay on track when moving
towards it. If it’s a job you want, you need to send out as many resumes
as possible.
“Think Strategically.”
The second stage is to get effective about getting the job. To get that
ideal job, you have to get efficient, think consciously and deliberate-
ly look for the right firms, who knows them and also look for who has
contact with them. Send resumes to them and develop right interview
techniques. Also tailor yourself to the needs of the company. Most im-
portantly, do not get tired as you move towards your goal.
Do not develop the “lyaAlakara Syndrome”, where you just sit in a place
and wait for customers to come and buy your goods; make yourself vis-
ible, market yourself.
Kindly share your advice for those whose first job is in a field that seems
Research on your desired career path. Decide on the path, plan how
you will achieve your goal, look for companies that you want and plan
towards them. In most careers, almost everything is learnable, read
books and learn all you can about it.
Never stop asking questions and developing yourself. Decide the criti-
cal success factors for becoming the best in your career. Find out how
those who are successful in that field did it, because if you do what the
successful people did, you will be able to do it as well, or even better.
ID CABASA
Song writer/Producer
Ogunade Olumide popularly known as ID Cabasa was born in Lagos in

the mid 70s to a Christian family which hails from Ogun state. The third
child in a family of four, Olumide attended St Finbarrs College, Akoka,
after which he proceeded to the Lagos State University where he stud-
ied for a bachelors degree in Economics before pursuing a master’s
degree course in Management Science at the University of Lagos.
He worked briefly with Savannah bank Plc before deciding to pursue

music full time while studying for his master’s degree at UNILAG. He is a
director at Coded tunes entertainment; a recording and entertainment
company which has produced and nurtured great talents such as Lord
of Ajasa, 9ice, Jabless, Reminisce, Olamide, 2phat amongst others in
the Nigerian entertainment industry. He has also nurtured music pro-
ducers such as Cheefo, Pheels and several others.
ID Cabasa has several awards to his name including the Hip-hop world
awards, the best producer award 2009, the Future awards best Music
producer, NEA best music producer and the NMA best music producer.
Olumide Ogunade who is also the CEO of the creative/brand consult-

ing firm, has worked with several top musicians such as Banky W, Wizkid,
Durella, King Wasiu Ayinde, 2face Idibia, Tiwa savage, Faze and Pasu-
ma.
As a brand, he is known for making superstars from people who came

from almost nothing. Over the years, his beat has created waves that
make people refer to him as “the man with the magic finger.” Some of
the hits songs he has produced include ‘Gongon aso’ and ‘Totori’which
featured Olamide and Wizkid.
ID Cabasa is the creative pastor of Global Impact Church, Lagos and

is gentle, down to earth and a very emphatic lover of innovation and
good music He is married to the beautiful Sijuade and is blessed with 3
great kids; Kanyinsola, Dolapo and Asher.
" Start in bits; you do not have to start big all at once.
"
His name whenever mentioned in the music arena brings greatness to
mind.

I did my youth service at Savannah bank and was eventually absorbed
after a written test which I did not expect to yield positive news as nep-
otism was prominent in the bank; Igbos were the dominant tribe there,
and I was the only Yoruba person selected at the time. I started with the
bank in the year 2000 and subsequently worked there for two years with
a remuneration of about 40,000 Naira which was a lot of money for a
young man at that time.
During this period, most Nigerian banks including Savannah bank were
trying to computerize their operations and as a young management
trainee working in their Makurdi branch, I was able to distinguish my-
self; prior to the arrival of those hired to set up the computers, I had
helped to connect everything as a result of the knowledge of basic net-
working I had acquired from my music background, this impressed and
prompted my manager at the time to move me from the credit/debit
unit and place me as the head of the IT unit. This promotion availed me
the opportunity to learn software hacking, which became a side job for
me and also helped me realize that the bank’s software was extremely
penetrable. I reported the penetrability of the software to the Lagos
branch and got arrested for a few hours as they needed to make sure
that I had not moved some of their money. Upon finding no breaches, I
was apologized to and moved to the Abuja branch where I received a
two-step promotion.
However, Savannah bank shut down shortly afterwards, and I had to

move to Oceanic bank where the nudging to follow my music passion
intensified. I decided to pursue a master’s degree in Economics and it
was during this period that I started music professionally; I first worked
with a studio where I was not paid a dime for the 24 sessions worth 3000
Naira each that I did. The owner felt he was helping me and only be-
gan to pay when I decided to leave. In retrospect, I am grateful that I
worked in that studio as it happened to be one of the first in Nigeria to
use digital mixers; it provided a relevant experience which is still useful
for me till date.
Why did it take such time before going you went into music?
While I did not have fears about achieving success with music, I had
fears of survival because in those days, music was not as huge an in-
come source as it is today. Also, since I went to the university and fin-
ished with a good grade, I was afraid that people would opine that
I had wasted my parents’ money. These fears eventually served as a
catalyst which propelled me forward as I felt I needed to do something
to prove them wrong. I started to get more confidence and courage to
pursue my passion when those I worked within the studio began to see
the extraordinary in what I considered my normal output.
What is your advice to people who do not like their jobs?

It is not bad that they are working there now; I learnt a lot including how
to work in the corporate space, systems and structure, perseverance
amongst others from all the places that I worked and found myself. So
do not just up and leave your job, instead, practice what you to intend
to utilize in your own business where you are currently, this would open
you quickly to your desire.
“Whatever your hands find to do, do it well.”

“Excellence is not in what you do but in who you are.”
Stay on that job and gradually prepare the ground for what you intend
to do; once that ground begins to show some prospect, then, you can
take a leap.
IHEANYI OKORO
Senior Vice President, Babcock
University
Iheanyichukwu Okezie Okoro who was born on October 11, 1953 be-
gan his educational career at St Paul’s Anglican Primary School, Jos in
January 1959 from where he proceeded to the Adventist High School,
Ihie in January, 1966 for his secondary education. His secondary school
education was temporarily interrupted by the Nigerian Civil War from
1967-1969, thus delaying his completion of same till 1972 when he finished
as the best graduating student with a Division One Distinction.
In 1973, he attended the Federal Government College, Ilorin for the

Higher School Certificate which he completed in 1974, once again as
the best. For his university studies, he studied Medicine at the Univer-
sity of Ibadan as a Federal Scholar; he graduated top of the Internal
Medicine class in 1974, after which he proceeded to the Ahmadu Bel-
lo University Teaching Hospital, Zaria for his housemanship training. He
subsequently carried out his National Service in Rivers State between
July, 1980 and June, 1981, after which he returned to Zaria for his Post-
graduate training in Surgery. Bearing strikes and the temporary sack
by the Buhari/Idiagbon administration, he completed his postgraduate
training in May 1987, having passed all levels of examination at the first
attempt. He has several professional qualifications including the fellow
of the Nigerian Medical College in Surgery (1987), fellow of the West
African College of Surgeons (1990), and the fellow of the International
College of Surgeons (2002).
He was appointed Lecturer I/Consultant by the Ahmadu Bello University

Teaching Hospital in January, 1988. Irked by the inconsistencies in gov-
ernment service, he left ABUTH for private practice in December 1989.
He had a short stint at Abia State University Teaching Hospital between
October, 1994 and September, 1996. Iheanyi joined the services of Imo
State University Owerri in October, 1999 as Senior Lecturer and pioneer
coordinator of its School of Medicine. In April, 2005, he went for a short
course in Neuroscience at Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
" So, for those who get jobs that is not in line with their career
path, they should make the best of what they`re doing.
"
He was promoted to Associate Professor of Surgical Anatomy in 2006; he
was subsequently appointed Professor of Anatomy and Surgery in 2009.
In January 2010, he moved to Babcock University as the Provost of the

College of Health and Medical Sciences. Later that year, he was elect-
ed as the Senior Vice President of Babcock University. Since joining Bab-
cock University, Iheanyi has assisted in the establishment of three medi-
cal schools in the country.
He is currently the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academics/Provost, College

of Health and Medical Sciences, Babcock University. Iheanyi is widely
published in both local and international journals. He is happily married
to Professor Clara Okoro, the University Librarian of Babcock University.

I was one of the best graduating students from the University of Ibadan,
in 1979. I applied for housemanship in Zaria, and I got it with ease. I went
to the teaching hospital to ask what the experience was like. I was told
I had the opportunity to do hands-on training, which was a great op-
portunity. The job in Zaria was quite challenging because it was the only
teaching hospital in the north. So all the patients from Benue, Sokoto,
Kano, Maiduguri came to Zaria. As a house officer, I did hernia and ap-
pendix, which was unusual. I remember one man whose son had an
industrial accident, and his ear was cut off. I treated him and took good
care of him. I recommended that the boy should be taken to Kaduna
for plastic surgery. The man offered me a lot of money to show appreci-
ation, however, I rejected it, to his surprise. And that has been my princi-
ple; I never charge anything from my patients, up till my late service. The
besetting aspect of the job is the time that goes into it. I would work till
about 11 p.m. sometimes, then go home to cook, as I was not married
then. While cooking, I would sleep off, then the smoke of the burnt food
would wake me up. My first job experience was exciting because that
set the path for me as a surgeon. It gave me the rudiments. At Zaria, we
were trained to operate in such a detailed manner.
What was your compensation like?

Well, it`s just the normal salary they paid us. I can`t remember how much
they paid us, however, it was very small. But I was just a contented per-
son, because even when I was serving as a corp member in Port-Har-
court, unlike other corp members who would want a comfortable pri-
vate hospital, I wasn`t interested. I went elsewhere where I was paid only
the NYSC allowance of 200 Naira. I dedicated my time to them, and they
treated me as a king when I was leaving. So I`ve always been contented
with what I`ve been getting. When I deal with people and they say “God
bless you,” that`s far more important than anything else. The Bible says,
“Make your light so shine, so that people will see you and glorify your fa-
ther who is in heaven.” So when people appreciate you for what you do
and thank God for you, that`s a lot.
Did you have any challenges?

Since I`m doing what I love to do, I don`t think I had any challenge. The
people I worked with loved me, so I loved my job. The only challenge
was the stress, however, generally, I enjoyed the experience.
If you had the opportunity to start all over, what`s one thing you would
change?
That`s a tough one. Looking back, I don`t think there`s any regret in what
I`ve been able to do in life. The private practice thing is one long deci-
sion I took, and if I had the chance, I wouldn`t do it again. I was a very
good doctor and academic, but out of annoyance of what the govern-
ment did to me, I said I would, and open up a clinic. It takes a lion`s heart
to run a clinic, because people would try to take advantage of you. So
one regret I have in life is opening a private clinic. I won`t do that again.
What impact has your profession had on your personal development?

It has helped me be where I am today. As an academic doctor, you
want to be a professor; that`s the highest achievement for an academ-
ic doctor. In terms of position, doctors want to be provosts of colleges
of medicine. And in terms of administration, I don`t want to be a Vice
Chancellor. As a Deputy Vice Chancellor, I think I`ve made my mark,
both here and internationally. So all these things I`ve done in life have
helped me to be who I am today, and I`m grateful to God for that.
And also, I`ve been a source of encouragement to young people; I`ve
trained a number of them. Many of my students are professors now, and
each time they see me, they give me that respect.
Is there a principle that guides you?

I`m a Seventh-Day Adventist Christian, and that has influenced my worl-
dview and my relationship with my God. I believe that the Lord doeth all
things well. However, one principle I have in life is to leave a place better
than I left it. So, if I get to a place, I want to make a mark. The time I`m
leaving, there should be an obvious difference between the time I got
there, and the time I`m leaving. I believe in thinking out of the box to
make things work for those around you.
“In Nigeria of today, it`s not what you read, it`s what is available. When
the desirable is not available, the available becomes the desirable.”
What word of encouragement do you have for people whose first job is
not in their path of career?
If for some reason, the job isn`t what you planned for, but somehow, you
just got yourself into it, I would want that person to make the best use
of the opportunity. Stop grumbling and mumbling that this is not what
I want to do in life. That is what opportunity has given to you; you can
create a career out of that, or you keep hoping for the one that will give
you job satisfaction, because that is important in whatever one is doing.
JIDE ALLO
Head, Investment Management, Stan-
bic IBTC Pensions Managers Limited
Jide Allo is a thoroughbred financial expert with over fourteen years’

experience in finance and wealth management covering international
banking, investment analysis, stockbroking and fund management.
Prior to assuming this role, he was the head of investment for Stanbic
IBTC’s Asset Management Limited (SIAML) where he was responsible
for providing overall leadership and direction for the investment man-
agement team. Before that, he also led the team responsible for ac-
quisition of financial institutions mandate within the Business Develop-
ment Division of SIAML. He also has extensive experience in investment
management, research and risk management, having been involved
in developing and implementing investment and portfolio risk manage-
ment strategies for some of the oldest and largest privately and publicly
managed funds since 2006. During this period he was also involved in
developing and launching various pioneer products such as Stanbic
IBTC Money Market Fund, Stanbic IBTC Umbrella Fund, Stanbic IBTC Dol-
lar Fund and SIAML Pension ETF 40.
Jide holds an MBA from Lagos Business School (LBS) Pan-Atlantic Univer-
sity, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Ilorin and is an Associate
Chartered Accountant (ACA).
" One needs to have that ability to continuously do a self-ap-
praisal and give their very best to doing whatever their hands
find to do.
Please, tell us about your first job experience.

"
I started doing part-time jobs when I was in S.S.1 or thereabout. I started
by teaching some neighbouring primary school children in the evening.
After sitting for WAEC, I worked in a shop as a salesman for about three
months. I then moved to becoming a teacher at a school for about a
session. It was a new school, and I was part of the founding teachers.
They had about three pupils in primary four, and about eight pupils in
primary five. The proprietor’s daughter was in primary six. I taught the
three classes together — as one class. However, I still had to fix the nor-
mal eight or nine periods per day for each of the three classes. It was
quite energy-sapping. So, I did that for almost one school session before
I got admitted into the university.
My first proper job was at Overland Airways immediately after my NYSC.

About six of us, young men were employed and trained. The vision of
the organisation was to serve as an airline hub, particularly for redun-
dant airports like Ibadan airport, Ilorin airport, Akure airport, and the
like across the nation. The business model was to get a small aircraft
that could move people around in those locations and connect them
to the bigger airports in bigger cities ― a gentleman and I were sent to
Akure, and we spent about four months there. Chief Olusegun Agagun
was the governor of Ondo State at that time.
As an accountant, my focus after university was to do my ICAN exam

and become a chartered accountant. When I got to Akure, I thought I
would have the opportunity to receive lectures and prepare myself for
the exam, but after being there for a while, I discovered that there was
no ICAN centre in Akure, and that the town was purely a civil service
based community. In fact, our airline operation became a sort of taxi
that was used whenever the governor and his entourage wanted to
go to Abuja. If the governor was not travelling, then there wasn’t any
operation. So, I just made up my mind to go back to Lagos and do my
ICAN exams.
After I resigned and went back to Lagos, I enrolled for tutorials at an

ICAN training centre and started preparing for my exam. Thankfully, I
passed the exam. Once the result came out, I started applying for an-
other job, shortly after, I was employed by Investment Banking and Trust
Company – currently Stanbic IBTC.
So, the major challenge you faced in your first job was just inactivity?
Yes, that’s correct; a very low level of activity. Then, the fact also that
it did not provide me with the opportunity for personal development
which was very key to me. I knew that as a graduate of Accounting, the
next important hurdle was for me to become a chartered accountant
― that was the natural progression, however, that location just didn’t
afford me the opportunity to be able to move in that direction so, I had
to re-navigate.
Could you tell us about the job you got after ICAN?
So, after ICAN, I got employed by Investment Banking and Trust Com-
pany. I was in the Foreign Operations Department and was responsible
for reconciling all foreign bank accounts, processing letters of credit
and bills for collection as well as handling other foreign currency remit-
tances. It was a dream job because banking was one of the leading
sectors – most undergraduates were keen on getting such opportuni-
ties. However, it came with its own challenges. The first challenge was
distance. I was still living with my parents somewhere around Abule
Egba, and I had to navigate to V.I. everyday. So, I would typically leave
the house around 5 a.m. I also had to work very late because I was
new on the job and had a lot of catching up to do. So, on getting back
home most of the time, my parents would be waiting in the living room
for me because every other person had gone to bed. I would get home
around 10:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. and be out of the house by 5:00 a.m.
the next day. After doing that for about two or three weeks, I just told
myself, “This thing is not sustainable. Life cannot be this hard.” So, I had
a conversation with my eldest brother who worked with Zenith bank at
that time. I told him about the difficulty I experienced and how I could
not cope with it. It was a very interesting conversation - I can’t ever
forget. He said, “Well, I hear you. It’s true, the challenges are real, but
the decision is yours. If you want to drop the job, it`s fine, but just know
that your name has been removed from the list of dependants in this
family. So, if you drop that job, you would have to fend for yourself.” This
was less than a month after I started; I had not even received my first
salary. It was quite instructive. I just had to pick myself up to know that
although it was not all that I wanted in a job, it was what I had at that
moment, and I had to make the best of it. So, I remained there, and
to the glory of God, I have been there for 15 years now. It has been a
story of growth, progress on the job, with my family and in diverse areas.
Looking back, I’m glad I made the right decision.
Can we talk about the particular skills and capabilities you developed
from the job experiences you had?
Looking back to connect the dots, two or three things stand out for
me across all these opportunities I have had. Overland helped me to
build my self-confidence. As I said, at that time, the governor was our
only real client. Imagine a young boy that just graduated and finished
NYSC, having the opportunity to relate with such calibre of people. I
had to be able to plan and juggle multiple balls at that time because I
was dealing with people who were the high and mighty in society, and
who would want to do things at their own convenience. Even as a young
boy, I remember that I had to stand with the Chief Security Officer of the
governor to say, “Sir, you can’t take guns to the tarmac. It’s not done. It
is a breach of safety procedures. We won’t allow that”. I had to stand
my ground and insist that they had to check in those guns and not take
them into the terminal. So, that self-confidence was something I had to
nurture from the very beginning of my career.
It also created a sense of responsibility for me. I was in a civil service state
where nothing was happening. The natural tendency would have been
to use the extra time to just live a wayward life. However, I knew that I
was fully responsible for the outcome of my life so I had to immediately
take relevant steps to maximise that opportunity by navigating in the
right direction.
What would you say to people who are currently engaged in jobs with
which they are discouraged and unsatisfied?
I think the reality of the environment we live in is that there is a very high
degree of under employment. In fact, there’s even a higher degree of
unemployment and most of those employed are underemployed. We
have graduates doing what school cert holders should be doing. We see
people who have 10 years of experience doing what graduate trainees
should be doing. But, that is the reality of our environment. Therefore, be-
ing in that kind of environment means that one has to maximize whatev-
er opportunity is available and give it the very best. My maxim has been
“whatever your hand finds to do, do it as unto the Lord”. So, the reward
ultimately comes from God, my employer is just a channel and God can
use multiple channels. Such mind set will release people from immediate
gratification and the focus on pleasing people.
Giving the baker’s dozen and going the extra mile should be a guiding
principle because it is the midst of those things that you think may not be
the best opportunities that best of opportunities would emerge.
My pastor would usually say, “Inside the little lies the great.So, even if
it is a little thing today and doesn’t look like much, it embodies a great
thing which you aspire to attain. Your ability to do that which you have
with your very best would lead to bigger opportunities - like someone
commending you because of your diligence. And, that is how what you
greatly desire would come. However, if you keep looking down on to-
day’s opportunity ― cancelling them out with thoughts like, “It’s not my
dream job, and it does not fit my skill set or qualification,” and do noth-
ing, you would just be destroying your chances of achieving the greatly
desired future.
JOAN AGHA
MD/CEO, Joan Consulting
Joan Agha is an author, a motivational speaker, a certified life coach

and a certified management consultant. She is the founder and presi-
dent of the Joan Agha Foundation (JAF) as well as the Joan Agha Life
Coaching Academy. She is also MD/CEO of Joan Consulting.
She has co-authored a book titled, The Spirit of Abundance with world-
class motivational speakers and bestselling authors like Brian Tracy and
Jack Canfield.
She is a division one student who has distinguished herself academical-

ly; Joan obtained a BSc in Business Administration from the University of
Benin in 1979, as well as an MBA from the University of Lagos in 1989.
She has served the nation meritoriously in different renowned institutions

such as the Federal Ministry of Education, the Central Bank of Nigeria,
Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCO),
and Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC)
where she worked until her retirement in November 2011.
Over the years, Joan Agha has undergone a number of profession-

al, management and leadership trainings, some of which include the
Leadership Development Forum for Women Executives held at Ma-
laysia in 2011; the Law of Attraction Retreat held at Glastonbury, UK in
2013; the Professional Development Programme held at the Harvard
Extension School in 2019; the 2019 Strategic Leadership and Leadership
Communication amongst others. She is a certified life coach trained
in 2013 at the Inspired Spirit Coaching Academy, Australia as well as
an accredited management trainer from the centre of management
development in 2014. She had the courage for change after 17 years in
a particular sector. Do you want to know how? Read on.
What was your first job? How did you get the job?
My first job was immediately after my youth service as a teacher at
Queens College, Yaba. I had been recruited from the University to the
Federal Ministry of Education from where I was deployed to Queens
College. As a graduate of Business Administration, I taught Economics
and Business studies and enjoyed the experience. My love for children
and the youth is probably a part of what propelled me to take the job
as opposed to a banking one as my course of study suggested.
What challenges did you encounter?

I did not stay at Queen`s College for long. My husband and I lived in
Festac town area, and as young graduates, did not have a car; this
was a major challenge due to the lengthiness of the commute. To com-
bat the issue, I got a transfer from the Federal Ministry of Education to
the Federal Government College, Ijanikin where I continued to teach
Economics and Business Studies. My new place of work only required a
single bus ride from my house.
What was the high point of your job?

Many of my students kept excelling in their exams and took to sending
me their final university grades. A number of these students made first-
class grades; one noteworthy experience was at the London airport
where one of my students honoured me by prostrating publicly thus
reminding me about the reward of teachers.
While I enjoyed teaching these two subjects in these schools, I eventu-

ally got tired of the classroom. By this time I had taken a transfer to Fed-
eral Government Girl’s College, Benin because my husband had been
transferred to the town; I sought change and went into the inspector-
ate arm of the Ministry of Education becoming a Federal Inspector of
Education. This new job involved assessing a school’s curriculum, en-
vironment and students performance while also meeting teachers in
order to give them feedback. We sometimes gave the Commissioner of
Education feedback as well. The job was very objective as we could
not be bribed.
" The worst thing a person can do to him or herself is to be in a
place where he/she is not happy.
"
Beside the professional benefits, my job with the Ministry of Education
helped me as a young mother to pay attention during the impressiona-
ble ages of my children. I was able to, in collaboration with other moth-
ers, pull resources together, which brought about a daycare which is to-
day the Ijanikin staff school. This early career choice generally helped
my family a great deal.
Do you think that this first experience had an impact on what you do
currently?
Yes, it did. I discovered that one of the purposes of my existence is to
impart knowledge in the life of people; at my first job, it was through
teaching secondary school students and now through senior manage-
ment staff.
“We are all placed on this earth for a purpose.”
What principles helped you overcome the challenges/discourage-

ments faced?
One of the greatest discouragements I faced was the inadequate re-
muneration that teachers received; we were neither well-paid nor well
regarded in society. It was particularly frustrating for me because some
of my mates who were not necessarily better than me whilst in school
but worked with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the like earned more.
Therefore, while I enjoyed teaching the children, I had to leave be-
cause I needed a better earning. I started to look outside the Ministry
of Education and eventually got a job with CBN as Manager (Medical
Services).
What would you say to a person who is not on his/her desired career
path?
As opined by Sunday Adelaja in his book, The Secret of Life, Life is pre-
dictable and understanding the laws of life as outlined in the Bible
would enable us to predict our future. Therefore, if you have a job that is
not in alignment with your career, nothing compels you to stay there. In-
stead, rebrand yourself, rethink your career path and launch into what
you want. Do not limit yourself; personally, when I found that I was no
longer happy with my teaching career, I left.
“The worst thing a person can do to themselves- is to be in a place

where they are not happy.”
There is no second chance to live; hence a person must make the most
of it in alignment with the creator.
Favourite Quote?
“If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you are
right.” — Henry Ford
KOLA AINA
Founder/CEO, Ventures Park
Kola Aina is the founder and CEO of Ventures Platform, a seed stage
fund accelerator which through its 16 weeks programme, provides ad-
visory, mentorship, back office support, seed –funding and need based
residency to selected start-ups.
He is also the Chairman of Ventures Park (Nigeria Premier co-working and

co-living campus), founder of Ventures Platforms Foundation, founder of
Emerging Platform Ltd(a multi sector technology provider), and Chair-
man of Edu Platform Ltd (an EdTech solutions provider) amongst other
companies he has either partnered with or invested in.
Kola has a degree in Electrical Engineer and an MBA specialized in Fi-
nance. He is married with kids.

I had always worked; as far back as high school, I interned in my dad’s
business or sold something. In the university, I had a formal business that
involved graphic designing and event management. As an Electrical
Engineering student, I worked as a laboratory scientist; it was the most
boring job in the world for me. In fact, I disliked every minute of it but it
enabled me learn the discipline of showing up every day.
Since my dream was to end up on Wall Street as an investment banker,
I decided that a role in corporate finance was the best option for me,
therefore in August 2005, after the completion of my MBA, I took a job
as a financial analyst with payment just below $50,000 which was a lot
at the time. It was an interesting opportunity because I was not an ac-
counting student and the only financial knowledge was from the MBA
and the business that I did. During the interview for this job, the Chief
Financial Officer of the bank gave me a financial statement to interpret
into a story; I believe I got the job because instead of trying to buttress
my way through, I asked clarifying questions that enabled me to put my
thoughts together and give a more informed response.
“Be Inquisitive; Ask Questions.”
" People do not want to know you only for your job; they want
to know the kind of person you are. It would help you rise in
your career.
"
The high moments on the job were derived from helping thebcompa-
ny’s stock perform well in the market and the fact that I was responsible
for very important decision making. Also, I had a great boss who despite
being busy was full of insight. I learnt so much from him. Many of the
principles I learnt from him, I apply till date. Financial modelling, which I
have utilized throughout my career as an entrepreneur and an investor;
I learnt on this job.
“You never want your pay to exceed your experience.”
After a while, I got bored as I realized that monotony which characteriz-

es the finance sector was not for me. I soon found that the true purpose
of my life was to build platforms through technology.
Did you have any low moments during that period?

Yes, I had a few, but the most outstanding as I earlier mentioned was the
monotony. Also, I was about the only black person in the entire depart-
ment, so there were times I felt culturally out-of-place and misunder-
stood; this formed part of the reasons for my exit from the role.
What were your key challenges? How did you overcome them?
As a very good talker, I had been able to convince my interviewers that
I would do well on the job, however, it was a very technical job and I did
not come into the role with all the knowledge I needed. I knew this in
my heart and had to figure out ways to get the job done in an environ-
ment that did not accommodate any excuses. At the time, the internet
was not the treasure tool that it is today and so I had to identify people
who knew the things I did not while also figuring out a way to get these
persons to be open with their time. I had to learn fast because it was
a high-performance environment and I also had to build a network of
people around myself who I could reach out to when I needed help.
Another key lesson I learnt on the job is the importance of being a per-
sonable, social person in the corporate environment.
“People do not want to know you only for your job; they want to know
the kind of person you are. It would help you rise in your career.”
I realized the importance of building relationships and this has helped

me all through my life.
Given the opportunity, would you change anything about the early
Not really, as everything I went through built and set me up for the per-
son I am today. Although, I would have learnt how to write code earlier
as it would have been useful for me today because I am actively sur-
rounded by technology. I wish I was more technical on the software side.
Hence, I advise young people regardless of their fields to develop the
ability to write code as it is a superpower for any professional in today’s
world.
“Technology and software can be used to enhance any field of en-

deavour.”
What is your advice for persons whose first jobs are not in their career
paths?
It’s not the end of the world; there are a lot of people in this bucket,
rather see the job as a stepping stone for the next level because there
is something to learn from every job. However, you cannot stay in a job
you don’t feel connected to, especially if you want to be outstanding
or successful.
“The only way to be successful is to work in an environment that is

aligned with your purpose and strength.”
While I will encourage such an individual to stick to it in other to be finan-

cially stable, it is also important that he/she aggressively seeks to under-
stand his/her purpose, and in the interim could volunteer their time to
endeavors which align with their purpose and which could be an entry
point to opportunities in his/her desired field.
“Be pragmatic and yet strategic.”
What keeps you going? Any favourite quotes?

I believe that when we live and walk in alignment with our purpose, the
universe will ultimately conspire in our favour because the world has a
system of balance.
“Impossible is nothing. Anything we set our minds to, would happen.”
When you figure out your purpose, find a career in that field as any
work you can do for free is the best way to find success.
“Figure out the purpose of your life. Organize all your social and pro-
fessional activities in alignment with that purpose.”
LUCY NEWMAN
MD/CEO, FITC
Dr Newman’s overall goal is to add value to organisations and individu-

als in pursuit of a fulfilling career, as well as a ministry in counseling and
intercession. Her overall objective is to help people and systems to be
the best that they are meant to be. She has a personal philosophy —
that being in God’s plan is the perfect place of optimal performance,
and that personal values of equity, humility, integrity, empathy found-
ed on a foundation of godliness, as well as innovation and continued
improvement are important for sustained success.
Dr. Newman’s background includes development finance, private sec-

tor banking, consulting and academia. She has over the years earned
the reputation of being a results-focused person with proven success
in aligning strategy, structure, people, policies and systems to optimize
individual and organisational performance. She has over twenty-nine
years of formal industry and consulting work experience.
In May 2009, she became the MD/CEO of FITC from the Business Advi-
sory Performance Improvement Practice of the firm Pricewaterhouse-
Coopers (PwC) Nigeria. Dr. Newman has a doctorate degree in Busi-
ness Administration (Leadership and Performance) from the University
Of Phoenix, Arizona USA, an MBA [International Business] and a B.Sc.
in Business Administration [Financial Management], from the Ahmadu
Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
She is a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), the 2012-

2014 International Director of the Global Board of the International So-
ciety of Performance Improvement (ISPI), was the Chairman, FSS2020
Human Capital Development Implementation Committee From May
2009 to December 2011 and has been a member of the Executive
Committee of the West African Bankers’ Association |WABA] from May
2009 to date. She is an elected member of the Governing Council of
The Institute of Directors, Nigeria from 2018 to date.
As a young girl, Dr Newman wanted to practice architecture; at certain

period in her life, she worked in a drug company. Today her scope of
expertise covers finance, research, training and consulting, she is the
MD/CEO of Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC) and she loves it.

My first job was an informal job. I started working for my father, the Late
Mallam Angaya Mshelbwala from my penultimate year in secondary
school up until my final year at the university when he passed on. My fa-
ther was a registered nurse having studied in the UK in the 1960s. Upon
his return to Nigeria, he served his state from where he retired in the late
1970s. Afterwards he got into a partnership with his former colleague,
Late Alhaji Musa Tumsa who was a pharmacist, and together they es-
tablished the Savannah Pharmacy, which was later mutually dissolved.
He went on to establish the Kwari Drugs & Pharmacy Company Limited,
a commercial dispensary, dressing and primary care provider located
in the Maiduguri Metropolis.
My role at Kwari Drug & Pharmacy Limited was temporary as I only

worked during holidays, three times every week for the same number
of hours as my father. On alternate days, I accompanied my mum who
was a seamstress to her various private clients and helped her to pick
materials, take measurements and make deliveries.
At Kwari Drug & Pharmacy, I had various responsibilities; I was a store su-
pervisor, I balanced the cash books, kept track of expiry date on items
in the store, monitored debtors, flagged bills for settlement, reviewed
bank statements and monitored renewal of permits and levies as my
father was strict on compliance to rules of trade.
At that stage, I was simply exploring life and playing my role as a mem-
ber of the family. The entire experience was normal as I saw it as a path
to self-discovery.
“See every opportunity to do something as an opportunity to learn

and contribute.”
you?
The most difficult aspect of my first job was keeping the same hours as
my father three times a week; especially the part that involved waking
up in the morning and leaving the house as early as 7:30am to open
the shop while my peers were still sleeping.
My father knew that and ensured my mother allowed me to sleep im-
mediately after the Network News so that I could have my eight hours
of sleep.
In hindsight, I think these roles helped condition my perspective to life
and natural career paths. Keeping a balance on ‘things to do’ while
also supporting my father and mother, allowed me to focus on the
most important things and optimize
" Careers are conditioned by learning, experiences, interests,

perspectives and ‘Aha!’ moments.
"
I understood how money made could get lost; I learnt a lot from my
parents as I watched them pray and help others even in the midst of
their success.
I would have grumbled less and done everything more zealously! May-
be I would have done much better in life; maybe not! I am extreme-
ly grateful to my parents for giving me such an early foundation. At
secondary school level, all my father gave me for the work I did was
a stipend for lunch while my mother rewarded me by simply giving
me the privilege of making my own clothes. It was only after I got into
the university that she began to allow me collect and keep the full in-
come made on small jobs, which I delivered for her. Sometimes, I had
so much money during the long holidays from Ramadan sewing that I
didn’t need pocket money by resumption in September aside from my
air fare.
.
which job/experience would you say moulded you the most in terms of
preparing you for success and why?
I think my first job helped condition my skills, perspective to life and
eventual career path. I had intended to study Architecture; howev-
er, destiny happened as someone at the admissions office of my first
choice university committed a blunder with my JAMB form which was
not traced until admissions for that faculty closed.
Although the Faculty of Administration which housed my second
course choice, Accounting was still open, the department’s final list
had closed as well. Only Business Administration was pending, and
since it had similar courses with Accounting especially in the first year,
I chose Business Admin. with a plan to crossover to Accounting in year
my second year. In business administration, I saw the concepts behind
what I had been doing inn my parents businesses. Upon the completion
of my bachelor`s degree, I went further to carry out a master`s and even
a doctorate in Business Administration.
What would you say is the most important factor in determining the ide-
al first job?
Having learnt from personal experience, through my work with my grow-
ing children as well as the observation of career blinders in employees
of some of our client organizations, I realized the most important factor
to consider in determining one’s ideal first job is one’s ability to do that
job for free. The objective must be to learn important skills and not mon-
ey generation.
“One’s propensity to make a living is directly proportional to the value

that one adds to society.”
These are invaluable life skills for sustained personal leadership, success
and happiness that must not be sacrificed on the platter of searching
for ‘happening jobs’ with cool perks as first jobs.
Kindly advise those whose first job is in a field that seems unrelated to
their desired career path.
It is wonderful if one has clarity of where one’s career is headed from
one’s first job. Otherwise, for optimal performance in later career,
“One’s first job needs not be in an area of one’s aspired career, because
careers actually emerge and get refined over time.”
In fact, as a performance improvement consultant, I actually recom-

mend that an individual gets a broad clarity of where his/her career is
likely headed while keeping an open mind and identifying opportuni-
ties for learning related perspectives and skills. It is however desirous that
they avoid destructive career derailment.
Note that fresh perspectives which create excellence and competitive
edge usually come from areas other than one’s career.
MARTIN ABRAHAM
Associate Director, Group Talent
Development at IHS Tower
Martin Abraham is an Associate Director, Group Talent Development at

IHS Towers, a company specialized in building towers and managing
sites for mobile network operators.
He has a professional career that spans over 15 years. He was the

Managing Partner and Principal Training/Coach at MOHSPIRE, he has
worked with law firms such as Olufon & Co, Ukpong & Omotoso and
the much esteemed Babalakin & Co. He has also worked with Oceanic
Bank in the learning and development department.
A certified NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) practitioner ,he deliv-

ers lectures, teachings and trainings in personal development, spiritual
and professional growth; approaching the area of internal processing
and directing from a unique blend of personal experiences and well
researched training and teaching from wisdom of the ages.
Mr. Abraham is an ardent researcher who has facilitated various train-

ing programmes amongst which are: result oriented thinking with NLP,
team building, communications skill enhancement, front desk skills, cus-
tomer service excellence & customer management , presentation skills,
train the trainer, conflict resolution, anger management, intraprenural
skills training, persuasion, influence & negotiations, master mind, time
management & meeting effectiveness, problem solving, goal setting,
strategic thinking and mapping e.t.c
Mr. Abraham holds a degree in Law from the Federal University of Ilorin
and also a bachelor at Law degree from the Council of Legal Stud-
ies,Abuja.

My first job was in 2004 during my National Youth Service when I worked
actively as a lawyer with Babalakin & Co. I spent a lot of time in the
Court of Appeal as well as the Federal High Court dealing with mainly
corporate and civil cases. It was a cordial, helpful and empowering
experience which exposed me to the law and gave me a broad per-
spective of the legal environment. Although I was a corper at the time,
I was not treated as such. Instead, I was regarded as a lawyer and was
assigned cases to deal with. The job was better than most similar roles
as I was paid about 20,000 Naira besides the Federal Government sti-
pend allocated to corpers. I have no bad memories of the experience
as I worked with people who were interested in helping others grow.
" Who we are is not defined by what we do, what we do stems

from who we are.
"
How has the experience contributed to your personal development?
I imbibed a lot during the period; I learnt communication, the impli-
cation of language, the utilization of language as a professional tool,
people management, the importance of feedback and reports as well
as customer relations.
“You have to study hard to show yourself approved”
It taught me the “flatness” of the professional personality; the owner

of the firm, Wale Babalakin though already a prominent man at the
time, would never allow another lawyer regardless of their age to carry
out any domestic activities for him. This particular experience helped
shape the flat mentality I have which ascribes that irrespective of the
position a person holds in an organization, all professionals are on the
same level.
What challenges did you have on the job?

I did not have many professional struggles. The only noteworthy chal-
lenge was in the fact that I was not very good with the computer at
the time, this made typing very difficult and I had to spend a lot of time
getting my documentation together.
Also, the job did not allow for downtime as I had a lot of responsibilities,
however, this forced me to grow quick.
Given the opportunity, is there anything you would like to change about
the start of your career?
Yes. I had more time when I was younger and feel that I should have
done more certification courses such as CIPD and CIPM. I should have
delved into other disciplines and invested more of the money I made
during the period in developing myself professionally.
What is your advice for individuals whose first jobs are not in their career
path?
First and foremost, I would not encourage anyone to stay on one path.
Also, do not be concerned about the path you are walking rather pay
more attention to the one who is walking the path. The challenge is not
in finding a job that taps directly into your skills and qualifications; it is in
discovering who you are. For instance, it is not about studying medicine,
it is about the person practicing the profession. Know clearly that “who
we are is not defined by what we do, what we do stems from who we
are.”
“We are not human doings; we are human beings”

Quote
“Do not rejoice for having found a path; rejoice because you have found
the soul that walks the path” –Kahlil Gibran (Self Knowledge)
MAVI ISIBOR
Executive Vice Chairman,
Poise Nigeria Limited
Mavi Sokia Isibor is the founder and current Vice Chairman of Poise Ni-
geria Limited, the first personality and image consultancy in Nigeria and
Author of Nigeria’s first and only etiquette handbook, The Art of Refine-
ment.
In 18 years, she has grown the organization into a group of four subsidiar-
ies: Poise Business Image Consultancy, Poise School of Communication,
Poise Graduate Finishing Academy and Ekobits (ICT Academy). With
over 30 years of experience in the corporate world, she is recognised
in international circles as an authority in the field of Etiquettes, Person-
ality Development, Corporate Image and Branding, Success Strategies,
Ethics, and Elocution and Public Speaking. Her passion to enhancing
the image of business executives has seen her spend the last seventeen
years equipping and grooming business executives with vital skills neces-
sary in today’s globalized and highly multicultural business environment.
She is also dedicated to proffering expert and unique strategies in pro-

jecting businesses and ideas plus positioning images of corporate estab-
lishments. As an active propagator of the values of etiquette and ethics,
she speaks regularly at international Business Leaders Forum. She spoke
at the Howard University African Business Conference in Washington,
contributed at the United Nations Global Compact Leaders’ Summit
(CEO) Study in the USA and she was two-time Legacy & Legacy’s guest
speaker at the Festival of Ideas in Accra, Ghana, and two-time speaker
at the IOD Women Directors’ Forum. Most recently, here in her country,
she has collaborated with several professional bodies such as the Insti-
tute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN); The Chartered Insur-
ers Institute of Nigeria CIIN; The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria
(CIBN) on the first ever African Female Professional Breakfast Meeting
in the World Conference of Banking Institutes 2017; Institute of Directors
Nigeria and a host of other professional and business entities.
Please tell us about your first job, and if it was a formal or an informal job.
My first job was immediately after secondary school. I got a job at UTC
(it was a departmental store) as a sales girl. My parents couldn’t afford
to pay for me to take my education further, so I had to do some work to
earn an income. I worked with UTC for a year as a sales girl, but my salary
there still wasn’t enough to pay my school fees and because my mates
were already in the university, I decided to go to Benin for a better job.
I worked at the Nigerian Observer as a cub reporter for a year. I saved
every dime I made in the two years that I worked for both UTC and the
Nigerian Observer. This was easy because, I was living with my parents in
Lagos and later with my sister in Benin at that time. When I had earned
enough money, I decided I had wasted enough time, and got admis-
sion into a university in the UK. I used all my savings to pay; at that time,
school fees weren’t expensive. I got my passport and ticket. A ticket to
the UK cost 3,000 Naira, which was a lot of money then. At that time also,
we didn’t need a visa to travel, because both Nigeria and the UK were
members of the Commonwealth. I got to the UK and started schooling,
but I needed money for my upkeep and to survive. I had to work two
jobs. I didn’t have any support coming from anyone, rather, I had to
send money home to Nigeria from my meagre earnings.
I got a job at a breakfast restaurant. First thing in the morning, I would go

to the restaurant to serve breakfast to people who were going to work
early in the morning and finish at about 9:00am. From there, I would go
to school and afterschool; I would go to work at the theatre where they
had live shows. They had musicals and plays, but mainly musicals. I sold
snacks and drinks moving up and down the rows. During the summer
break, I worked three jobs. I did not know what it meant to holiday or
to have a vacation. I worked at the breakfast restaurant in the morn-
ing and later at the theatre for the afternoon and evening shifts. There
were days when I would get back home very tired. I’d be so tired that
I’d eat a meal of maybe eba or something, and just fall asleep on the
spot without washing my hands. It was a very hectic time in my life and I
maintained this routine for years.
you?
Selling, meeting people and getting them to buy was the most difficult
aspect of my first job. I had been brought up by very strict parents, so this
made me reluctant and reserved. One mantra in my home was never
talk to strangers. Although I was very stubborn and brash, I didn’t have
the social graces to meet or approach people; so suddenly being in
the face of people, selling to them and getting them to be willing to
part with their money was a huge step away from the teachings I had
received.
It took a lot of strength, and it literally broke me and remoulded me. It

chipped away every day all the values I knew and had been taught by
my parents, and that wasn’t easy because they were values I had held
on to all my life. It was like fighting a losing battle. It got worse when I
started working for the newspaper because I had to go look for news,
and many times I was put in the governor’s entourage. I had to get used
to sticking my sheet of paper in people’s face because a recorder was
a luxury we couldn’t afford then. This helped me to improve on my writ-
ing skills. I had never been a good writer, but that made me realise that
writing was important. I met some great people during my stint as a cub
reporter. It was quite exposing for a sheltered young girl.
Another difficult aspect for me was learning to deal with men. I had to
learn to manage them without bruising their egos. I learnt to say “no”
in a nice manner, meaning the words, with all seriousness and firmness.
Everything that my upbringing had imparted in me just went against the
grain of everything I was required to do in my job.
" They were life lessons that I had to learn, tough experiences,
but without them, I don’t think I’d be where I am today
"
As a sales girl, I remember crying many times from frustration, because
it felt like that was all men wanted my body. They could decide to buy
from just one person, so they could proposition you. When I was a cub
reporter, they would specifically call and say that there was a job that
they would only give it to me. This made performing my job very difficult,
if I tried to do my job, people would take advantage and if I stayed back,
I don’t get any news to the ire of my editor.
If I had to, I would try and go to school earlier. Not having the oppor-
tunity to attend university at the same time with my mates toughened
me. Although, I don’t see the difference between where they are now
and where I am, and I don’t know if it was good or bad, but at that time,
it was a very bitter pill to swallow. It negatively affected my psyche at
that age. It greatly affected my self-esteem because I felt deprived and
lacking in something important. This made me more determined to ex-
cel and succeed and a lot more competitive to be the best at whatever
I do. I had the best marketing paper in the whole of my school in the U.K.
I don’t know what benefit that was to me, but it sure feels like an expres-
sion of a form of low-esteem. People thought I was a goal getter, but I
knew deep down that was not the case. My drive for success was born
out of the fact that I wanted to prove to the world and myself that I could
still catch-up despite the delay.
I would change that, but I wouldn’t change the experience because it

helped to remould me and remove the wool from my eyes. It helped me
to unlearn some of the things that were not profitable to me at the time.
For instance, I had to unlearn the “do not talk to strangers” talk fast be-
cause my job required me to constantly speak to strangers. It also taught
me emotional intelligence because very early in life, I could manage
situations and still come out unscathed. I would definitely change the
way I felt about being short changed by my parents. I used to blame my
parents and was very angry with them for having children they couldn’t
cater for, but I later got over the anger, and realised that it was his (my
father) level and ability to achieve.
As a result, I was determined never to get back to that level ever again.
You could say I had four first starts from UTC, to Nigerian Observer, to
waiting tables in the U.K and finally, the job in the theatre. My first real job
after graduating and completing my NYSC programme was at Bayero
University, Kano in 1981 as an Administrative Officer. It was in the North. I
was exposed to diverse people, religions, ideologies and perspectives to
life, which broadened my mind, made me culturally intelligent, and pre-
pared me to work with just about anybody. I also sold ice block, cakes,
clothes, and some other things to boost my income. I was able to handle
difficult situations because of my past experiences with difficult people
of varying cultures, traditions, and thinking.
preparing you for success?
My very first job as a sales girl strengthened me and my resolve to suc-
ceed. It made me realise the different levels of work. My first jobs were a
launching pad to bridge the gap between the life I was born into and
the life that I really wanted and desired for myself. My first official job was
already taking me to the life I wanted, while the others were a launching
pad. They were life lessons that I had to learn, tough experiences, but
without them, I don’t think I’d be where I am today. My launch pad jobs
(which is how I will describe my very first jobs), taught me not to take no
for an answer, not to see failure as a place to stagnate and moan and
whine about.
al first job?
“Is there anything like an ideal first job? I don’t think an ideal first job is
real. If someone says that they have found an ideal first job, I would say
to that person that they haven’t started life.”
An ideal first job for me is a “cushy job”, it gives you soft landing and
doesn’t prepare you for life. When you go from ideal to ideal, a time
comes when you buckle under pressure and fall due to unyielding chal-
lenges of life. Most people that have had an ideal first job might have a
stellar track record, but when they are faced with situations where they
need to be strong, they may not be equipped to cope because they
were not equipped for the hardballs that life throws their way at certain
levels.
Kindly share your advice for those whose first job is in a field that seems
unrelated to their desired career path.
Basically, when looking for a first job, look for a job that will build char-
acter and stamina to withstand the hardballs of life because they will
definitely come. They come in diverse forms and vary from person to
person, so you have to be prepared. There is always something to learn.
When you stay in a field that is unrelated to your desired career path, it
may just turn out to be where God had for you in the first place. There
are people who have been in a place by default, and they found out
that the role had helped them. Take me for instance, I believe my early
experiences have helped me, as evident in the selling and networking
that I do easily now. The truth of the matter is that if I had gone straight
to my first official job that was in the university, I don’t think I would have
learnt these skills at all, and I would have just followed the routine life
while struggling to learn these lessons. Every experience you gather
from what you are doing now, related or unrelated, will become useful
to you later in life, so don’t despise where you are right now.
“Do your job very well wherever you are right now, regardless of where
you think you should be. Don’t rest on your laurels; have the insatiable
itch to improve yourself.”
Do what you are doing very well while you are looking for your ideal job.
NKEM OKOCHA
Founder, Mamamoni
My name is Nkem Okocha, I`m the founder of Mamamoni, and Mama-

moni is a fintech social enterprise that empowers women in rural and
urban slum communities. We provide free vocational and financial lit-
eracy skill for low-income female entrepreneurs in rural communities
and urban slum communities in Nigeria. And also, through our fintech
platform, we provide micro loans, for these women to either start their
businesses or push the businesses that they already have, so basically, I
would say I`m a social entrepreneur that creates sustainable economic
opportunities for poor women in Nigeria, and our aim of doing this is
to end poverty. Because, as it has been said, Nigeria has the highest
population of poor people and if you look at the percentage of those
people in Nigeria,women have the higher percentage.
There are really no structures to help these women, so we are trying our
best in the little way we can to help these women. Mamamoni began
in 2013, and we`ve been able to assist over 6,300 women. There have
been free trainings for women to start their businesses, and we also pro-
vide loans for them to boost these businesses. However, we discovered
that some women don`t have a flair for business, so in 2017, we started a
liquid soap factory that employs only low-income women. We currently
have 20 women in employment.
We`ve received several awards, as a result of what we are doing for
women. I`m a Tony Elumelu Foundation pioneer Alumna, winning a grant
from the Tony Elumelu Foundation in 2015; I`m an outstanding LEAP Africa
Social Innovator for 2016; I`m also a Mandela Washington Fellow; I also
won the most impactful Tony Elumelu Entrepreneur award in 2017 from
the Tony Elumelu Foundation. I`ve won other awards and recognition
from the Office of the Presidency and other organisations for our work
with women.
What was your very first job?

My very first job was with Equity Bank and I began in 2014. I was a note
counter in the bulk room. I then became a customer intimacy officer in
Intercontinental Bank for two years, before becoming a customer data
processing officer. Between these roles, I marketed the bank products.
The job shaped me, because it helped me put systems in place when I
started Mamamoni. The policies and trainings of the bank system helped
me build discipline and a culture of integrity. It also afforded me with the
skills of networking, and I developed crucial relationships from my days
in the bank.
Did you encounter challenges at that first job?

I always craved personal development which the banking job didn`t
give me an opportunity for. There were trainings and seminars I couldn`t
attend because I was at the bank from Monday to Saturday. Hence, I
spent my leave periods and public holidays on trainings.
" "
Discipline, Integrity and Networking are essential skills for suc-
cess.
If you had an opportunity to start all over again, what would you change
about that early stage of your job?
I believe that everything that happened to me was orchestrated by God
to shape me for what I am doing now, and will do later. I wouldn`t say
I have anything I`d like to change. Well, maybe I`d like to change the
Saturday banking which deprived me of building relationships, and rest.
What would you say to people who feel sad about their current job, which
is probably their first opportunity?
I`d say they should have an open mind. When my bank job took all of my
time, I was sad, I didn`t understand how it was shaping me. I`d say they
should learn, and look for one thing that gives them joy.
What`s your favourite quote?
“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve,”

— Napoleon Hill.
NONYE CALLY-BECHI
Chief Operating Officer, Poise Nigeria
Limited
Nonye Cally-Bechi holds a degree in Performing Arts from the University

of Ilorin and a master`s degree from the University of Ibadan. She is a
qualified image consultant and a speech coach. She has a major in-
tellectual interest in Personality Development and Public Speaking. She
has garnered a rich reserve of knowledge from managing people and
has featured as facilitator and coach to many prestigious organisations,
including the public and private sectors; and high net worth individuals.
Her training competencies span across several interests in Personality

Development, Etiquette, and Ethics, Corporate Image, Elocution, Public
Speaking, Business Presentations, and Modern Manners. She is ardent
and an advocate for best practices.
She has also participated in a number of Leadership and Management
courses, member Nigerian Institute of Training & Development (MITD);
has a deep interest in people skills and human resources management.
She has, since January, 2012, been the Chief Operating Officer of Poise
Nigeria Limited, and since January, 2018, been the General Manager
and Senior Consultant of the organisation.

Please tell us how you got your first job and if it was a formal or an infor-
mal job?
My very first job was informal; I was fully engaged in my mother’s business
of buying and selling in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. She travelled to the
rural areas of the state to buy grains for storage. It is a business that keeps
you on your toes. I also had to do some other supplies for her. Some of
her customers expected us to deliver to them as early as 6 o`clock every
morning. I did this when I was barely 12 years old, and somehow I got a
stipend from what I did.
My first formal job was in the Tourism Bureau of Jigawa state during my
NYSC, and as a corps member, we had little to do in the office. So I de-
cided to take up a part-time teaching job in a secondary school, just to
avoid being idle. The job kept me busy and also made me read more.
However, my first formal job post-NYSC was a learning ground. The com-
pany is called Education Resource International. I got this job through a
TV station I was supposed to work for. We were sent there for one-month
in Pronunciation and Diction. After the training, I was expecting to work
in the Lagos office of the TV station, but was asked to go to Ibadan. Be-
cause I just concluded my master’s degree from the University of Ibadan,
I declined the offer.
Eventually, the company that trained us in elocution offered me a job as

a teacher. The job requires you to go to different primary and secondary
schools to teach elocution/pronunciation. Teaching primary and sec-
ondary pupils was a tough job, but I enjoyed it while it lasted.
you?
I’m not sure I learnt anything from my first formal job during the NYSC, but
the informal job with my mother taught me some basic lessons about
business. The biggest lesson I learnt from that experience was tenacity
and commitment, to be committed to what you do; no matter how small.
My mother made me understand this clearly from the way she handled
me, that “punctuality is the soul of business;” this has helped me till today.
My other first job as a teacher even to kindergartens, (pre-schoolers) was
very challenging. Handling and managing that age was tough, it was
even tougher with the secondary school students. That experience has
helped me even in what I do today as a trainer. The only challenge with
this particular job was that you were not allowed to think for yourself,
you don’t even prepare your lesson notes. The lesson note is prepared by
someone else and given to you to deliver in class. There was no room to
explore and be creative.
Given the choice to start over again? I would seize every opportuni-

ty to develop myself in the course of the job. Though, naturally, I am a
hard-working person; I would not have allowed opportunities to pass me
by; I would have gone for an employability course to understand how
things are done in the workplace. Understand the work and environment
more and invest in personal development no matter how little.
My first job with the Education Resource International lasted for about
a year, I had to leave the job because I felt it wasn’t what I wanted. I
started something of my own before I eventually got the job with Poise
Nigeria. My job at Poise Nigeria moulded me and impacted greatly on
my personality, skills, and capabilities. It is a huge learning ground; it also
gave me the opportunity to discover myself more.
first job?
I strongly believe that there are no small jobs, though the
organisation may be small. Consequently, it is not how big or how small
the organization is. It is the understanding of what you want. Therefore,
commitment and willingness to learn should be a major factor because
most times the very big companies might not offer you the opportunity to
be as productive as you want. Be open as much as you can to learning
and acquiring new skills, also commitment should be your watchword.
Even if it’s not what you want, the knowledge gained might be very use-
ful in your future endeavours.
" Knowledge gained from whatsoever we do can never be a

waste, enjoy the job while it lasts.
"
Kindly share your advice to those whose first job is in a field that seems
Maybe you are there for a reason because nothing happens by acci-
dent. We have heard stories of people who after several years of work
had gone back to build careers and even organisations from the ex-
periences of their first jobs. Also note that our first job, whether formal or
informal shapes us and sometimes put us in a career path. Never take it
for granted, so you do not look back someday with regret.

OBAFUNKE ALADE-ADEYEFA
Board Member, Union Bank
Obafunke Alade-Adeyefa joined the Board of Union Bank in April, 2017

as an Independent Non-Executive Director. She graduated with a
First Class honours degree in Economics from theUniversity of Ife (now
Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife in July 1981.
Her professional journey started in July 1987 when she took on her first
post-graduation job as an audit trainee with Peat, Marwick & Co. Hav-
ing won the first prize at both the Foundation and Professional I exami-
nations of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), she
obtained her certification as a Chartered Accountant and an associate
member of ICAN in May 1985, following which she was retained as an
Audit Senior at the same firm. She started her 10-year banking career
in May 1986, when she accepted a position in the Corporate Finance
department of First City Merchant Bank; less than two months later, she
was transferred to the treasury department of that bank where she de-
veloped her treasury management skills over the course of the ensuing
four years.
In April 1990, she was appointed the pioneer treasurer of Marina Inter-
national Bank (MerchantBankers), a position she held until December
1993. Afterwards, she moved into the position of Group Head, Corporate
Banking/Capital Markets of the bank in January 1994 and was in this po-
sition until April 1996 when she quit banking.
In June 1996, Mrs Alade-Adeyefa moved into the oil and gas sector when
she accepted a job with Texaco Overseas (Nigeria) Petroleum Co. Unltd,
as the head of its treasury unit. In January 2002, following a merger with
Chevron Nigeria, she became the treasury manager for ChevronTexaco
Nigeria Limited. By December 2004, she was assigned the role of the
Joint Venture Finance Manager after which she became the MD/CEO
of Chevron Nigeria Closed Pension Fund Administrator Limited in June
2008.
Mrs Funke is on the roll call of the International Who’s Who of Profession-
als and sits on the advisory board of Poise Graduate Finishing Academy
Nigeria. She loves music of varying genre and looks forward to doing a
lot more writing at her retirement.
Please tell us about your first job?

I had an aching curiosity about what it felt like to work in a formal setting
due to my observation of my late father’s endless years of professional life
and my sister’s seemingly glamorous job as a researcher in a Federal Re-
search Institute. I finally got satisfied when I landed my first job ever at the
Nigerian Tobacco Company (NTC), then in Ibadan. It was a vacation job
which I had obtained through my father during the summer following my
second year at the university. I was posted to the market research unit of
the company. I was motivated, full of energy and extremely enthusiastic;
in hindsight, I realize I might have across as an overachiever as the job
was only a holiday filler. Given that I rode with my father in the mornings,
I was usually in the office before almost everyone else. The work itself
was fun for me because it played to my interest and strength; it involved
sorting research questionnaires and transcribing the data into a usable
form for further analysis by the research staff. It required significant ini-
tiative as some of the responses demanded interpretation and context.
The job demanded a lot of time and effort.
Even though there were several affirming comments and commenda-
tions from the various permanent staff and my supervisor throughout the
period, it was not until the end of my stint that I realized that they had
found me quite unusual from their regular vacation employees; I had
noticed that the others got sent on menial errands far more than I did
and this taught me a huge life lesson.
“Those who can, do; those who can’t, get left behind.”
“You will be addressed or treated the way you present yourself. You will
be taken seriously if you come across as serious. You will be suitably
and adequately challenged if you step out and step up.”
I learnt that people noticed both big and small things. At the end of my
two months with them, the team insisted on having a little send-off event

primarily for me, also the manager in charge of the department showed
up to visit me in school while in town because according to him, he had
never met anyone like me and could never forget me.
The greatest benefit from that experience was how much I was able to
learn in such a short period. I gained new knowledge, acquired new
skills, got an insight into the workings of a well-run company, learnt a
lot about myself and my motivations. I also picked up capabilities that
would feed into my research a year and a half later. Most significantly, it
laid a pattern of behaviour for me that would evolve and accompany
me not just in my subsequent professional endeavours but in my private
life as well.
“Excellence has its reward.”
" The foundations of a good life are laid by incubating the right
attitudes, habits and behaviours during those
formative years. "
Right out of my NYSC period, a year during which I had the opportu-
nity of working in the Economic Planning Ministry of the Bauchi State
government and during which I picked up additional analytical skills, I
took up an Audit Trainee position with Peat Marwick & Co, a professional
accounting and audit firm. Before this, I had never harboured any con-
scious intention of pursuing an accounting career; however, my strong
graduating grades propelled the firm to pursue and recruit me.
“Good grades will open doors, it, however, does not necessarily get you
to the top, it is merely a valuable building block in the structure of your
career.”
I saw the job as an opportunity and with a mindset driven towards excel-
lence in whatever niche I found myself, I soon embraced the pursuit. It
was extremely rigorous because it required working full time during the
week, and attending lectures through the weekend in preparation for
the professional accountancy examinations. This was 33 years ago and
I believe that even though it was low paying, it was the most beneficial
and impactful job I ever held. The training was second to none; the envi-
ronment was professional and devoid of rancor and rivalry.
first job?
I have consistently preached the model of my career background to

those just starting. Having the kind of background that I had, prepares
you for a life long journey where challenges rarely faze you. It enables
you to build phenomenal capacity and engenders the right attitudes.
The ideal first job is one where the structure is in place for self-devel-
opment, self-motivation and self-discipline; it is one that presents daily
opportunities for constant learning and the stretching of the individual’s
limits.
This season of life is meant to be a learning experience geared towards
shaping and developing the individual’s versatility and core values, with-
out the distraction of burning concerns about earnings. A high-quality
beginning provides the springboard into much higher income brackets
further down one’s career path
Kindly share advice to those whose first job is in a field that seems unre-
lated to their desired career path?
In a career, there will always come a time when you might have to do
something outside of your preference.
“Do not take your eyes off the ball, don’t lower your standards, stay on
top of your game and be determined to shine where you are, while
you wait for what you want. Do not ever give less than your best”
Do your best where you are, someone will notice. At some point in my
career, my interest in accounting began to wan and shift to consultan-
cy-type work, I, however, stayed the course and remained diligent. In
no time, other doors began to open up.
Finally, the most important thing is to never forget or underestimate the

God-factor. The steps of the righteous are ordered by the Lord. I can
boldly say that my steps from those early, humble beginnings were or-
dered by God and I have learnt to stay attentive to His leading.

OLABODE OPADOKUN
MD/CEO, FBN General Insurance
Limited
Bode is a consummate financial services professional with over 25 years

of experience spanning underwriting, risk assessment, operations and
marketing in the insurance sector.
Prior to joining FBN General Insurance Limited, he was the Managing Di-
rector/CEO of Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC). Within
his first year of stewardship there, his astute business acumen helped
the Company successfully overturn its loss position. Since he joined the
Group in 2016, he has continually improved on the company’s perfor-
mance to the satisfaction of all stakeholders
Bode holds a master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the

Delta State University, Abraka, Delta State and is an Associate of the
Chartered Insurance Institute (ACII), UK. He is an alumnus of the prestig-
ious Lagos Business School (LBS), and also a fellow and a member of the
Governing Council of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN).
What year was it and what was the competition like in your first job?
I started my career as a young graduate in 1991. Fortunately, in my third
month of resumption, I was professionally qualified as a Chartered Insur-
ance Practitioner – and that was around the age of 22/23. What the job
entailed then was ‘underwriting’; that is, risk Assessment – when two risks
are presented, you serve as an underwriter. I called myself an underwrit-
ing trainee: I was just fresh from school and was learning the rudiments.
Yes, one has the academic requirements and professional qualification,
but it’s a bit different from the practical side. I was privileged to work
with the late Tunji Ogunkanmi at that time. He had a very good work
environment and also, the level of training was one of the things that
made us different. Beyond the technical side of learning, a lot of things
that relate to Customer Service as well as Human Relations provided a
foundation and helped people like us gather the stunt to get to the peak
of our career.
How did you get your first job?

Interestingly, I got this job on the street of Marina. How do I mean? When
I was in school, I did my Internship Programme of three months with Royal
Exchange Assurance and that was where Tunji Ogunkanmi was work-
ing then. There and then, I started my professional exam from my early
days in school and qualified within three months after graduation. While
working with Tunji Ogunkanmi, he facilitated extra lessons for those sit-
ting professional examinations at no cost. He noticed my keen interest
which brought us closer. Coincidentally, after I left school, I met him at
Marina and he asked what I was doing. I told him that I had just finished
school and that I planned to get a job soon. He asked me to see him in
his office, that was about two days after. On getting to his office, he told
me about his idea of starting up an insurance company and the strat-
egy he was to employ, as well as the prospect of me joining the team. I
told him I was interested and he requested my CV. I brought everything
out immediately.
He was surprised at this and I told him I was prepared and it was my duty
to hunt jobs. Since he mentioned an appointment, my initiative and in-
stinct was to guess the probable discussion of a job. I gave the CV to him
on a Wednesday and he requested to see me on Friday – I got my letter
of appointment on that Friday. I was quite lucky to have got that kind of
job at that time, because it was one of the highest paying jobs which
also had a very good work environment. I worked there for 10 years.
During your experience in your first job, were there challenges; high
points and low points?
I’ll count myself lucky; there wasn’t really any low point for me at that
time. During the June 12 crisis, when people could not move in Lagos for
days, some of us sneaked out and found our way to the office because
we felt incomplete after spending 2-3 days sitting at home. Then, the
Managing Director came one day and found half the staff in the office;
and was wondering how they would manage to find their way home. A
week after resumption, they decided to increase the salary of the entire
staff. The board approved this on the level of commitment the people
had. So, what was driving us then was the objective: we wanted to make

a change, we wanted to be part of the group of people who made the
change; we wanted to be part of the changing tools and not just watch
change happen. So, it was always a high moment.
" Don’t look at yourself from the point of financial gain. Take it
"
that your first job is still part of the schooling. The only differ-
ence now is; you are being paid for being trained.
If you were given a chance to start all over again, especially in your
early days of your career, would you have changed anything?
No. I think I see myself as lucky and privileged to have been where I am
today. If there is anything I wish to change, maybe my age shouldn’t
count again; I should still be as young as I was before. Because some-
times, when my children see me, they say “Daddy, you’re becoming an
old man” and I’ll say “You guys are not serious”. The profession I practice;
I love it so much that today, my daughter is also an Insurance Practi-
tioner and has a master`s in Insurance Risk Management. She was also
able to achieve something good which I’m always proud of – and that is
getting professionally qualified at the age of 21. She says she wants to do
better than I, and I’m so proud of her. She practises Insurance presently
in Nigeria, and she is still doing some other courses too.
How did your first job prepare you for the success of your career?
The trainings I got have really helped, and I’ll also make reference to self
development. It was very easy to understand what I want for myself and
also, to identify my areas of strengths and weaknesses. One of the things
I set out for when I started, even before my first job, was experience and
relevance. I believed I needed to gather experience, I needed to ask
questions, I needed to learn from those that had been on it. I also gave
myself a target that by a certain age, I wanted to be the CEO of an insti-
tution. Even though I didn’t achieve that, it took close to five years down-
time before I could achieve it. But it was a journey I had planned and I
always review everything at the end of each year. I set goals for myself
every three years and take time to review whether I am still on track. So,
it also helped at that early stage, as well as in doing some things. Then
also, I exposed myself to training, readings, etc. I remembered when I
was a student in Poise, I was there to be trained on Elocution and Public
Speaking. It was not that I was sponsored by my company; I sponsored
myself because I saw it as a necessity to achieve my goal. I got the job in
Abuja after three years of graduating from Poise. So, preparing yourself
for the future is what I’d advise other youths out there. It’s like the Boys’
Scout Motto: “Be Prepared”. Opportunities may strike at any time and
you can only see it if only you are well prepared for it.

To wrap it up sir, what advice do you have for someone who probably
is on their first job, but not in the desirable career path? Any words of
encouragement?
I do have them around me a lot. My advice to them is to strive for rele-
vance and knowledge. It’s what you should be on the lookout for. Don’t
look at yourself from the point of financial gain. Take it that your first job
is still part of the schooling. The only difference now is that you are be-
ing paid for being trained. In the past – the university, you paid tuition
for the training. But now, see yourself as someone that has continued to
be trained but is being paid an allowance. What should drive you is the
knowledge.
That’s why you can have about two or three graduates of the same
course, in the same school, starting work at the same time; but over time,
you see one above the other – it’s the foundation. Because, one may
come today, because of the drive for money, spends a year or two and
leaves for a job of a higher position where there is a higher pay. Mean-
while, the other who stays calm for over four to five years would have
acquired knowledge. When you put them side by side with the one that
has been jumping around; you can see more people moving to a level
that is even far higher than the other one that has been moving around
because of pay.
“You cannot give what you do not have. A time will come when be-
cause you never had the right foundation in terms of knowledge, it
will expose you when you get to a certain level in your career – and it
might be late.”
But as you’re starting, just be focused. Keep striving for knowledge. The
knowledge is there – no one can take it away from you. You can always
display and prove the experience you have anywhere you go.

OLAMIDE ADEDEJI
Founder, YBNL Nation
Olamide Adedeji popularly known by his stage name Olamide is a Ni-

gerian hip-hop recording artist who records mostly in Yoruba his native
tongue.
Olamide was born in Bariga,Lagos State. He started his musical career in

2000. When asked why music? He said: “I found out I was gifted so I had
to explore it. It’s my life, my hustle, my world.”
In 2010, Olamide released a single titled “Eni Duro” under the Coded
Tunes record label which he was signed unto at the time. The song was
an instant success and shot Olamide to limelight.
In 2011, he released his debut studio album titled Rapsodi while signed
to Coded Tunes and in 2012 released another album titled YBNL under
his label imprint called YBNL . So far he has released nine studio albums
which includes Baddest Guy Ever Liveth (2013), Street OT (2014), 2kings
(with Phyno) (2015), Evan Mayweather (2015), The Glory (2016), Lagos
Nawa (2017) and YBNL Mafia Family (2018).
Olamide is very versatile and is able to blend different tunes and beats
which is what sets him apart. He has attained a great level of success
in his career some of which include, being the first Nigerian to sign an
endorsement deal with Ciroc as well as being the first person to sell out
the Eko Convention Center for four consecutive years (2014 – 2018). He
has also sold out the Teslim Balogun Stadium holding over 12000 persons
as well as the 5000-capacity Eventim Apollo. His Culture Tour alongside
Phyno at the building six of O2 Arena in 2017. was also a sell-out event.
He has had several collaborations with other prominent Nigerian artists

such as Phyno, Wizkid, Reminisce, ID Cabasa, Dbanj, 9ice to mention a
few.
Olamide has had several nominations and won several awards which
includes Rap Artist of the year 2016 (City People Entertainment Award),
Rap Act of the Year (Nigeria Entertainment Award 2016), Best Street-Hop
Artiste, Artiste of the year (Headies 2015), Certified Banger Of the Year,
Video Wonder Of the Year, Male Artiste of The Year, Best Hip Hop Track,
MixtTape Of The Year, Album Of The Year (TooXclusive Awards), Best Rap
Album, Album Of The Year ( Headies 2013), Most Gifted West (Channel O
New Video Award), Best Indigenous Artiste, and a host of other awards.
He is the founder of YBNL Nation.
How did it all begin? Why did you choose your style of music?
Music chose me, in fact my childhood ambition was to become a foot-
ball player but sometime in primary school, I fell in love with rap music
and this enabled me to nurture and perfect my skills early in life. I grew
up listening to ID Cabasa and 9ice, so I believe that their music influ-
enced my style. In 2000, I decided to actively pursue my music career
and this birthed my hit track, ‘Eni duro’ in 2010. By 2011, I released my
debut studio album, Rapsodi under ID Cabasa’s Coded Tunes label; this
was followed up by YBNL in 2012 under my own record label, YBNL Na-
tion. I kept going and the rest, as they say, is history.
" Keep doing what you believe in.
"
What has kept you going in all this time?
Given the fact that my parents were poor, I determined that I would
succeed in life at all cost and therefore embraced doggedness, perse-
verance and hard work. Also, my ability to stay away from scandal and
the development of a strong work ethic has really been a driving force
for me. This has allowed me to release a large number of albums within
the short time span of my musical career. Furthermore, I ensure that my
lyrics are relatable and that my beats are pleasing to the ears; I con-
stantly seek live performances as this helps me to connect with my fans
and drives me to work harder. Primarily, I feel that the reason why I have
had so many hits is because music is my passion and my dream; it costs
me nothing to live my dream.
Finally, I attribute a lot to prayer, and constantly advice young people to
pray hard as they pursue their dreams.

What are the challenges faced on the job?
My biggest challenge in the music industry is piracy. We are however
grateful for where the industry is now; there has been growth and im-
provement. Although, much work and commitment need to be put in,
the advent of technology has hit hard on the pirates.
Given the chance, is there anything you would like to change about the
early stage of your career?
No. I am extremely grateful for those like ID Cabasa who helped me in
that early stage.
What is your advice to young people who are just beginning to find their
feet?
I advise them to work hard, pray, and never give up as they cannot func-
tion, progress or succeed without these three. Many times, a lot of peo-
ple do not make another attempt after a season of failure; whenever
you fail, pick yourself up and try again.
Also, be original. Be true to yourself no matter what, know that everyone
will not achieve success in the same way.
“Rome was not built in a day; keep trying in order to get it right.”

ONYEKA AKUMAH
Founder & CEO, Farmcrowdy
Onyeka Akumah is the founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of

Farmcrowdy, a start-up he launched in November 2016 and is currently
referred to as Nigeria’s First Digital Agriculture platform that empowers
rural farmers by providing them with improved seeds, farm inputs, train-
ings on modern farming techniques and provides a market for the sale
of their market produce.
Prior to Farmcrowdy, Onyeka was the Chief Commercial Officer of Trav-

elbeta – one of Nigeria’s leading online travel agencies. He has also
worked with Konga as Vice President, marketing, Jumia as Director of
Marketing & Partnerships, Wakanow as Online Marketing Manager,
E-Marketing Coordinator for Deloitte for West, East and Central Africa,
and Webmaster for British Council in Nigeria.
In addition to being the CEO of Farmcrowdy, Onyeka currently sits on

the Board of leading tech start-ups in New York and Lagos and constant-
ly seeks ways to impact on Nigerian youths through media and technol-
ogy.
Onyeka Akumah has been referred to as one of the most creative inter-
net and online marketing entrepreneurs focused on building household
names out of internet businesses in Nigeria . In 2017, he was appointed
to the E-Agric Stakeholders Forum by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture,
Nigeria and was recently made one of the youngest members of the
Honorary Council of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce & Industry in rec-
ognition of his innovative way of fusing technology with Agriculture while
empowering thousands of farmers. Onyeka holds a degree (distinction)
in Applied Information Technology from the Sikkim Manipal University,
India.
He has received various awards and recognitions, some of which in-

clude; The 100 Most Outstanding Individuals in Africa (2019), Top 5 Out-
standing Entrepreneurs in Nigeria ( 2018), Top 20 Young Entrepreneurs
to Watch in Africa by the African Youth Forum in Egypt (2017), amongst
others.
In his capacity as a public speaker, he has been invited to speak at a

number of platforms, some of which are The Economist Summit in Kenya,
Abuja International ICT Conference, The Nigerian National Career Fair,
Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, Social Media Week, Mobile
Web West Africa, Business Day: Agribusiness and Food Security Summit
and the London Metropolitan School of Business Management. In 2014,
he was appointed as a Mentor for Start-ups and Entrepreneurship at the
Rise Network. In 2015, he also mentored at the Tony Elumelu Foundation
and at the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria.
Could you please tell us about your first job experience?

In 2006, I got my first job which paid 25,000 Naira at a software engi-
neering company called CITzar because of my web design portfolio. I
had been designing websites for various customers since my days in the
university. My task at CITzar was to help them with their user experience
on a couple of projects, including the Unity Bank website. As a fresh
graduate, the experience was a good start point for me as it helped me
learn how to prepare myself for work and structure myself. It also helped
me understand how to talk, how to work and how to send emails.
My answer to this question is always that I will never change anything
about my past as the combination of everything that has happened
in my life has created the person I am today. I believe that if I go back
and change anything, I would most likely not be the individual you are
speaking to now; I enjoyed all my experiences and learnt from them
both from working for others as well as building my own businesses.
“My failures and successes taught me all that I know today”

How did these experiences shape your skills and capabilities? How did
they prepare you for success?
I have certain core values which by extension guide all the companies
I have built. One key value is my hunger to learn. In all my experiences,
I consistently look for the opportunity to learn something new while also
seeking avenues to apply myself. However, in my quest to learn new
things, I endeavour to remain as humble as possible in order to present
myself as a teachable individual.
"
The start of your career is not the time to look for a lot of mon-
"
ey, it is the time to learn and equip yourself. Your earnings will
rise in proportion to the value you offer.
Furthermore, I strive for excellence in all that I do. This makes me a com-
petitive person as I want all that I do to stand out and be the best. Ca-
reer-wise, I have learnt to start a project on a small scale, learn from the
mistakes made and then eventually scale the project up if I am able to
mitigate the risks involved to the barest minimum.
“Stay in the learning phase early so that you can build yourself before
scaling up on any project”
What key challenges did you have on your first job? How did you over-
come them?
I was excited about my first job as it was the first time I earned for some-
thing I considered fun. Also, about 90% of my colleagues were go-get-
ters, with the hunger to carry out exciting projects. However, the major
challenge I had was convincing my company’s Chief Technology Of-
ficer about the value of my work and the fact that I did not want to be a
programmer. I wanted to focus on the user experience rather than the
core software development area of the business. This was a challenge
because while I had the talent to write codes which were impermeable,
I did not particularly enjoy doing it. I was able to eventually deal with
that and move on.
What is your advice for people doing jobs that are not in their desired
career path?
Every job you find yourself doing is an opportunity to learn; never take
for granted the reason you are in that current job. Regardless that you
are not enjoying what you are doing, remove the veil from your eyes,
take a look at what other departments do, learn from them and use the
process to build yourself.
“Remember that if you eventually own your platform, it would not only
be about what you are interested in but about the overall operation of
an organisation with different elements in it.”

Therefore, for people who are frustrated about their current work posi-
tions, I advise that they first learn all that they need to in that environ-
ment. Do not resign while looking for new opportunities, especially if
you are just starting out. Personally, prior to starting my own business, I
worked in several organizations for over nine years and not all the jobs
were ideal; however, I ensured that I kept learning and increasing my
value such that by the time I moved on to the next job, I was getting in
at a higher level.
“The start of your career is not the time to look for a lot of money, it is
the time to learn and equip yourself. Your earnings would rise in pro-
portion to the value you offer.”

PATRICK UTOMI
Foremost Economist and National
Leader
An illustrious entrepreneur and motivational speaker, his journey to the

top is a testament to the importance of mentors in a person`s career. His
first job was as a sales intern ― a different career from his chosen field ―
however, what he took from the organisation set the pace for the rest
of his career.
Patrick Okedinachi Utomi is a fellow of the Institute of Management

Consultants of Nigeria, Chairman, Poise Nigeria and founding Senior
Faculty of the Lagos Business School -Pan Atlantic University. He was Di-
rector of the Centre for Applied Economics at the Lagos Business School.
He has served in senior positions in government— as an adviser to the
President of Nigeria; in the private sector— as Chief Operating Officer
for Volkswagen of Nigeria; and in academia. He is the author of several
management and public policy books, including the award-winning
Managing Uncertainty: Competition and Strategy in Emerging Econo-
mies (1998) and the 2006 book, Why Nations are Poor? His academic
background covers a range from Policy Economics, Business Adminis-
tration, and Political Science to Mass Communication. As an entrepre-
neur, he has founded or co-founded companies that are active in fields
including financial service, ICT, media, and agriculture.
Appointed Professor of the Social and Political Economy Environment of

Business, the pioneer entrepreneurship teacher at LBS has been a schol-
ar-in-residence at the Harvard Business School and the American Uni-
versity in Washington DC. As a leader of the Civil Society, he is the found-
er of the Centre for Values in Leadership; The Widow Support Centre
and the Concerned Professionals, which was bulwark against-military
oppression, among numerous other social enterprise initiatives.
He has collaborated fairly frequently with the Centre for Strategic and
International Studies (CSIS) in Washington and Chatham House in the
UK. He has also written commissioned papers for the UK’s DFID including
collaboration with colleagues from Oxford on the political economy of
growth in Nigeria. He is visiting scholar at John Hopkins School of Ad-
vanced International Studies (SAIS).
He has studied and written about the political economy of growth in Lat-
in America and Asia, particularly Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore,
India, and Hong Kong, countries in which he is much travelled. Utomi,
who was voted one of the top 10 Nigerian living legends in the Van-
guard Newspaper/Silverbird Television poll in 2009.
Adept at multitasking, he has reached the top in several endeavours,

becoming one of Nigeria`s top managers in manufacturing before his
33rd birthday, reaching a presidential advisory position at 27, earning
two master’s degrees and a PhD at 26, a professorship and global ac-
knowledgement as a leading scholar in Business, Political Economy and
Media Studies in his forties. His first publication in a refereed international
journal appeared in 1981 in the European journal, Gazette. He is perhaps
the first candidate for President in Nigeria to be formally endorsed by
such renowned scholars as the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka;
and Professor Sam Aluko, among others.
Honoured by so many Professional bodies as a distinguished fellow, in-

cluding the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations; Institute of Directors
(Nigeria), Institute of Strategic Management, Academy of Entrepreneur-
ship Studies, and inducted into the Junior Achievement (Nigeria) Hall
of Fame, and by the Senate of the University of Nigeria and Alumni of
UNN (ALOHA ― A Lion of High Achievement) with a collection of more
than 700 plaques that mark a life of service. He was awarded the Hon.
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA Honoris Causa) by the University
of Nigeria in 2012. He was recently along with such legends as Mr Akin-
tola Williams, Dr Michael and Dr Christopher Kolade, honoured by the
Convention on Business Integrity (CBI) in the only such recognition in two
decades.
He has passionately pursued the building of a viable opposition political
party in Nigeria and a transparent, accountable government. He was
candidate for president of Nigeria in 2007 and 2011. He is a man of faith
and family who is widely travelled through all the continents of the world.
He has visited more than eighty countries.

Please tell us about your first job, and if it was a formal or an informal
job?
My very first job was a vacation job in 1974 at the British Petroleum head
office at Broad Street, Lagos Island. I was an undergraduate at the Uni-
versity of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) at the time. I was attached to the office of
the executive director of sales at that time and my main job description
was writing reports and minutes on meetings held and also conducting
research in areas of sales development and market opportunities for the
company.
My very first experience with mentoring was at the company. I was taken
under the wings of a group of upwardly mobile business executives. They
took me to lunch most days, and I learnt more about the core aspects of
working and developing a sound work culture from them.
British Petroleum had a serious and strict work culture; you were expect-
ed to be at work at 7:30 am and not a minute later. No time was wasted
on idle chatter or lazing about. You were expected to be doing some-
thing constructive at every moment. It was almost graveyard silent at all
times.
you?
The discipline of doing everything properly and on time, was a bit of a
shock. We resumed at 7:30 am and not a minute later. Work days were
from Mondays till Saturday, and we only got to dress down on Saturdays.
Given a chance to start over, what would you change about the early
I would’nt change much about the early stage of my career. With the
benefit of hindsight, I better appreciate the opportunities it gave me
at such a young age to network and gain that level of exposure as an
undergraduate.
“My first job taught me two things: the value of work; and being care-
ful that your own choices determine your actions, rather than group
choices.”
which job would you say moulded you the most in terms of preparing
you for success and why?
I had a really good run with the company which I almost messed up
towards the end of my internship because I didn`t trust in my own self
and I took the advice of another intern. It was about a week or so left
before the end of our internship, and I had gone to inform my boss that
I wouldn`t be staying till the end of the month, and that I was handing in
my registration letter.

The university develops your capacity to think, while life and
" career develop your creativity and aptitude that you apply to
things and situations. Learn more about what you would like
to do, and move towards where you would like to go.
"
There was another intern there from my school that had worked there
previously, and he convinced me that I shouldn`t hand in my resignation
letter but keep working so that we ― all the interns ― could collect full
payment for the month and leave when we want, instead of the pay-
ment we would get for the days worked. So I went back to my boss and
collected back my resignation letter, he didn`t say anything then and
just handed it to me. A couple of days later, he asked why I collected
my letter back, and I explained to him. It was then that I realised that I
shouldn`t have gone with the general plan. I should have just stuck with
what I knew was right.
J.K Rowling, in one of the Harry Potter books says,
“We are the choices we make.”
" The good news is that nothing is permanent, the bad news is
that nothing is permanent.
"
We make choices daily, and those choices ultimately define who we are.
I have been impacted by the choices that I have made in the course of
my career. If you commit to doing the right thing all the time, the reward
is much.
al first job?
Someone whose first job is in an undisciplined environment, where you
come and go as you please will not get the right work ethics, and this
can affect the rest of their career. The work ethics I developed in my first
job has sustained me through the course of my career, even during my
youth service when I worked with a newspaper company. I was treated
far better than other corp members, and even some staff members be-
cause of the amount of effort I put into the work, and my ability to work
unsupervised. Cultivating the right work ethics helps to develop your ca-
reer and grows it faster.
Kindly share your advice for those whose first job is in fields that seem
unrelated to their desired career path.
There might be learning gaps between where you are now and where
you desire to go, but you can fill that easily by taking short courses. From
your current position, you can move on to another career that is similar
to your desired career, and eventually on to your desired career.
SEYI BELLA
Partner, Banwo & Ighodalo
She started as an intern and has risen to the position of Partner at Banwo
& Ighodalo; Seyi Bella works in the banking and finance practice of the
firm and as opposed to the specialist practice approach obtainable in
most jurisdictions, her practice is expansive, as she advises on banking
and financing matters across varying sectors, some of which include; real
estate, oil & gas, technology, projects amongst others.
She believes that adding value to the immediate community is in sea-

sons and stages and is dependent on a person’s position per time. As
she advanced in her career, she received several invitations to mentor
young people, this she affirms is a result of the steps she took early on in
her career and advises young associates to focus primarily on building
technical skills which will help them create appropriate network of influ-
ence.
As a young associate Seyi was an active member of a Non-Governmen-

tal Organization called Invent. She advices young professionals to volun-
teer as in her words, “You do not have to be recognized as technically
sound to impact your immediate community.” This successful lawyer who
remains down to earth walked us through her career path in this inter-
view. Read on to have a glimpse into her professional experience.

Unlike many people who have worked in various places, I started at Ban-
wo & Ighodalo in 2004 through an internship I had not particularly pur-
sued; I had gone to the firm in my capacity as the vice president of the
University of Lagos (UNILAG) Law Society to seek for funds for our annual
dinner, coincidentally the Partner I approached for funds had earlier that
day spoken to another person about the need to begin to culture UNI-
LAG law undergraduates and my name had come up. He eventually
gave us N100, 000 for our dinner on the condition that I work at the Firm
for a month.
This one month internship changed my perspective of Law because as a

university student, I had only seen Law through the eyes of litigation/dis-
pute resolution and had always thought that I would be a human rights
lawyer. The Internship provided me with great exposure to the world of
Business and Corporate Law. It also afforded me a foot in the door be-
cause as soon as I graduated from the Nigerian Law School, I was of-
fered a job with the Firm.
Although my prior experience with the firm as well as my accomplish-

ment as the best graduating student in my class at University of Lagos
did not automatically make things easy for me, my understanding of the
Firm’s culture set me about two or three steps ahead of my contempo-
raries in terms of my professional organization as well as in the quality of
work I did. I was extremely diligent during this time because I wanted to
be sure that I actually liked Law before proceeding for a Masters degree.
My diligence and hard work payed off because it helped me discover
that while I liked Law and was doing well at it, I did not enjoy law practice
as a litigator.
Some of the challenges young people can expect to face include

knowledge of their subjects, exhibiting proper writing skills and develop-
ment of emotional intelligence, necessary for negotiating in the work en-
vironment.
" Knowing your work and doing it properly is not enough, you
must know how to conduct yourself professionally as this com-
bined with your technical skills will help you
succeed. "
If your attitude is zero, no matter how smart you may be, you will discover
that things are simply not working for you. Although I learnt the hard way
sometimes; I learnt how to manage people rightly as well as not to take
things personally as it was not about me but about the value I brought to
the work place.

If you had the opportunity, is there anything you would like to change?
Yes, I sometimes feel I should have expanded my scope of specialization,
maybe taken on some work in Capital Market and developed myself
in the Practice. But generally, I do not think that I would change many
things as I am satisfied where I am today.
How did your first job impact your personal development?

Banwo & Ighodalo (B & I) is a very thorough work environment where the
best is celebrated; hence it makes it difficult for an individual to do less
than his/her best. B& I is filled with smart people and seasoned profes-
sionals who keep demanding more from you; the moment you begin to
show capacity; responsibility is pushed your way. I personally believe that
driving young people into positions of leadership is very good as it pushes
them to have an entrepreneurial perspective to all that they do.
“The earlier in your career you begin to have an entrepreneurial per-

spective and cease to see yourself as just an employee, the better”
I always say that I am grateful for a good work environment that provid-
ed the relevant challenge and still remained friendly, as I could not have
thrived in a hostile environment with my personality type. This ambience
was perfect for me and is part of the reason I chose to stay at the Firm.
What were your key challenges? How did you overcome them?
I came from an educational environment where we were told what to
do; however at Banwo & Ighodalo, I found that majority of my learning
was on the job. Nobody had the time to explain how anything was going
to be done until an individual had personally taken the time to carry out
some research on the subject. At the end of the day, the more I did a
particular thing, the better I got at it. Also, the trainings that the firm reg-
ularly sent us for helped.
What would you say to a person whose first job is not on his/her desired
career path?
I believe that such an individual is only doing such a job to make ends
meet and should see it as a means to an end. They should not get dis-
tracted and just settle because the job is paying their bills. Also, these
persons should have an open mind and examine the situation thorough-
ly; if they find that their current job does not make them happy neither
does it offer room for career growth, they need to move as staying would
be equivalent to doing themselves a disservice.
“There is a difference between a job and a career. Do something that

makes you feel like you are creating value.”

SOWEMIMO ABIODUN
Chairman/CEO, InfoMetriQ
Sowemimo Abiodun Alex is a computer programmer, internet entrepre-

neur, diplomat, domain broker and computer media application mogul.
Experienced in computer programming, information technology man-
agement, data entry processing and internet,he founded the global
data system of information profiling application, Pagepedia. He is the
Chairman/CEO InfoMetriQ; Jazaza commerce, Vice chairman, Vapour
paint plc; and founding partner of Infocus T&M.
Mr Sowemimo holds a degree in Estate management from the University

of Lagos, he also has a certificate of leadership at the Accra Business
School and advance diploma in Software Engineering at AP technolo-
gy institute. He has a Ph.D in Information Technology Management, from
the prestigious ICON University of Management Science & Technology,
Republic of Benin.
Dr Sowemimo Abiodun is the Revolution of innovation,and was appoint-

ed as ECOWAS youth council anti-corruption ambassador, represent-
ing over 200 million youths in 15 West African countries at all levels of
governance, conference and in line with standing against corruption.
He received the (SVNED) Silicon Valley Nigeria Economic Development
Certification and Award for his exemplary performance.

He was certified by Oracle in Internet of Things (IOT), Blockchain, Arti-
ficial Intelligence (AI) & Chatbets. Over the years, he led a company
involved in the web design and development of public and private ap-
plication design projects in many communities. In addition, he formed
and led companies in the development, building, auction and sales of
premium web domains.
What was your first job? Where was it? And what was the experience?
I have been an entrepreneur since childhood. Before I finished university,
I`d been using my technology to sell properties for people and compa-
nies such as Megamall. I was also using bulk SMS, bulk email, online post-
ings, etc. to solve problems in that industry. I broke through even at the
age of 16 or 17 years old, having sold properties worth over 300 million
Naira. I sold these properties via an online platform I created because
I`m a computer programmer. This was in 2009. The website advertised
properties for construction companies and individuals, with a promise
that their properties will be sold or rented.
Given a choice to probably start over again or do something differently,

what would you change about that experience?
No, I don`t want to change anything because over time, I`ve never
known a better yesterday, and everything has been a work in progress.
I grew up in an environment that taught me how to be a serial entre-
preneur, and I was able to nurture my upbringing to become a global
business tycoon. I don`t think there`s anything I want to change about
my past.
That first experience when you created that platform, can you describe
how it imparted on your personal development, and how it prepared
you for success today?
The first platform gave me something to leverage on, because I made
a lot of money, and I was able to use that money to set up different
businesses that failed, while some others succeeded. In the businesses
that failed, I gained a lot of experience, which has been helping me to
become the man I am. From my failure, I`ve learnt a lot about corporate
governance, how a proper corporate environment should run, the op-
erational structure, and how to bring in international and local investors.
Were there key challenges that you faced on the first job, and how did
you overcome them?
I brought in an investor, who caused some problems for the other inves-
tors. He invested a lot of money till the moment he had 1% stake over me.
Then, he gave me a tough time; giving me a Non-Disclosure-Agreement
to sign, which I refused to sign. This challenges persisted for more than a
year, but I did not give up. I kept being myself and pushing harder. Today,
the story is different. Now I`ve set up a bank in my thirties, and I have set
up several other companies that are accepted globally, among others.

What would you say to someone that is currently not on the path of his/
her desired career? How would you tell them to navigate themselves?
Anything you do should be passion-driven. But don’t just abandon a
job that is putting food on your table because you have no passion
for it. You have to keep doing what you`re doing, make sure you save
enough money. Not everybody will start a business or be at the top. We
all have different roles, but make your role significant. Be indispensable
and the world will pay you a fat fee. In summary, follow your passion,
save enough capital, (and you have to know how much capital you
need), understand the business very clearly, and put everything to God.
“Passion can open doors, and can make magic happen.” People who
are not in their desired job, don`t give up, save enough capital, learn
more about corporate governance before you venture into entrepre-
neurship. And learn about how to bring investors ― foreign investors. You
don`t expect to use all your capital to set up a business. And most im-
portantly, have a proper structure of the business you want to do.

TADE CASH
Cashflow King/Entrepreneur
Tade Cash is a world class cash flow entrepreneur and the king of rent-
al income properties, and a cash flow investor and educator. He is a
co-ounder of Weath Island Properties Limited, a property development
and environment enhancement company with emphasis on creating a
beautiful environment with a world class lifestyle. He has also co-found-
ed about four other cash rich enterprises.
He is the creator of the Shut and Sell programme. He is the creator of

The Money Mastery programme and the books, Shut up and Collect the
Money, The Money Mastery Revolution, Build Asset not just a Business,
and The Wealth Genotype.
Through his programmes and processes Tade creates value and high
income asset that is consistent, portable, transferrable and sellable. He
made his first million Dollars at 28 years.
Tade is a coach and a thought leader on matters bothering on financial

or economic freedom of an individual, as he is a firm believer in pros-
perity being a system and not a secret. He has appeared on many plat-
forms around the country and featured on many TV and radio shows.

I have always been a ‘jungle entrepreneur’, however, the key job ex-
perience that I had was about twenty years ago when I was trying to
figure out life. I worked in different places including a plating line and
a publishing house for a short duration. I spent less than two months
at the former and did not receive a salary on the job. My role at the
publishing house involved opening up a new market for the company,
and this taught me to be courageous and because I was partly paid by
commission, I learnt that if I could master how to create opportunities
for myself, then I could create my own financial destiny. All of these early
experiences prepared me for building companies.
What has been the impact of these experiences on your personal de-
velopment?
I realised that besides God who is the source of our lives, another impor-
tant factor in achieving success is our ability to be daring.
Those experiences taught me to be daring and because I started early,
I was not afraid of the consequence of failure; when things did not work
out, I learnt from them, and moved forward. I was able to develop the
mentality that my future is better than my past.
" Always be prepared for discouragement; lack of preparation

is what makes a lot of people give up when faced with it.
"
“Courage is a skill.”
I also acquired selling skills as I realized that my income and economy

were dependent on me. I also discovered that one of the leverages I
had was my mindset, so I focused on
developing it through reading books, by the time I was 25 years old, I
had read about 700 books.
“Selling is not being talkative but being persuasive;

it means the ability to get people to your side or perspective.”
Did you face any discouragement in this early stage of your career?
How did you overcome them?
Definitely, I was a young man and had some of my ventures fail. That
moment when courage is lost is called discouragement. Always be pre-
pared for discouragement; lack of preparation is what makes a lot of
people give up when faced with it. To overcome discouragement, I de-
veloped a rule of life: I could only be discouraged for a day. After which
I had to forge ahead.
One key discouragement I had at that early stage was that my first job
did not pay very well compared to the income of some of my mates.
To overcome the temptation of comparison, I told myself that while I

was permitted to learn from others, I could not run the races of others,
hence I was able to focus on myself and where I was going.
What is your advice to those who have a first job that is not in line with
their desired career path?
Life begins with knowing what you want. There are three codes of cau-
tion that you must know; one is desire, that is what you want to create
out of your life; the next is resistance which tells you that simply having
a desire is not enough, expect some challenges and the final code is
neutralize which is simply the development of greater capacity to pro-
duce more.
“You do not need to love the job when you start it; do it with excellence
and a love for the job would be triggered.”
Also, do not wish that your problems get smaller, only desire to be bigger
than your problems. Work is designed to make you better; rise up to the
challenge.

TAIWO AYANLEYE
Co-Founder, Stutern
Taiwo Ayanleye is the co-Founder of Stutern, a leading online platform

for internships and entry-level jobs placement in Nigeria, focused on ig-
niting Nigeria’s economic growth through skills and career development
by connecting employers who need talent, to millennials with plenty of it.
Stutern is an initiative of Taiwo and his twin brother Kehinde during their
NYSC which became a reality in 2015. Taiwo holds a degree in Econom-
ics from Bowen University and a master’s degree in Business Analytics
and Management Sciences from University of Southampton (2013).

My first work experience was in 2009 at a company in computer village
and it was during the holiday leading into my second year at the Uni-
versity. I had sought a job that was in direct opposite of my introverted
personality because I wanted to develop diverse skill sets. My major role
was to deposit the money made from the sales of the company goods,
in the bank while also relating to customers and assisting them with their
purchases.
Although, not directly relevant to my career today, the skills I learnt on the
job were transferable ones and helped me build selling skills while also
enabling me to gain a network of people who I still have contact with
till date. I got the job through a family friend whose fiancé was the chief
accountant at the company. However, by the next year even though
the company wanted me back, I did not want to stay in the circle of my
friends and family, so I researched online and sent out CVs to various
companies before I eventually got a job at a small consulting firm.
What were the challenges that you faced on the job?

I did a lot of cold calling which involved trying to convince people via
calls; since I was an introvert, this was a very hard rock. I, however, learnt
communication as a result of this challenge.
“When selling to people, it is important to focus on what they will get

from the product and not the product itself.”
Another challenge I had, this time on my second job was in the fact that
I was not paid a salary for the first month of work; this was a hassle as I
lived quite a distance from the office. I, however, stuck to it because it
was crucial for the future I envisioned for myself; I did not want to be like
most people who spent years commuting long distances just to get to
work, so, I decided to take the pain to learn as much as I could at the
time. The job gave me the opportunity to read a book titled The world is
flat which helped place me on the right path. I was also able to acquire
technical skills and gain knowledge of their importance.
“Your course of study has no impact on your ability to acquire technical

skills.”
Would you change anything about the early stage of your career if giv-
en the opportunity?
Not really, I appreciate everything that I went through and believe they
were just right for me. I only would have wished to “get my hands dirtier.”
How did this early career choices mould your skills and capabilities for
the success you have today?
Since my initial foray into the labour market was with small businesses, I
learnt that nothing gets done unless someone does it. You can plan ex-
tensively; however, if you don’t work on that plan, nothing will change.
I also learnt the importance of asking questions; most of my colleagues
then, just did things as they met them or according to how they were
asked to do them, however, my employer at the second job always in-
sisted on our input and this further improved my ability to ask questions
as well as my confidence level as I realized that my opinions were not
useless. This further propelled me to identify problems and profer solu-
tions to them.
Furthermore, as I watched my bosses read books, I also imbibed the cul-

ture because I thought that if people of their status were doing so, then it
had to be a part of the ingredients responsible for their success.

" All we know right now is what we went through and for us to
know more things; we have to go through other
different things.
"
What is your advice to a person whose first job is not in his/her desired
career path?
Looking back, none of those first jobs that I did pertain to what I do, so it
is really not about that. For such a person, do not say no to any oppor-
tunity that comes your way, whether or not it is what you are looking for.
Say yes to every opportunity because the soft skills which you will gain
are more important than the technical skills learnt on the job. Also, know
that a lot of skills learnt are transferable and would be useful whether
directly or indirectly.
Finally, wherever you find yourself, ensure that you work with the best
people in that place and not mediocre people.
“Be Deliberate.”

TEMITOPE OGUNSEMO
MD/CEO, Krystal Digital Network
Solutions Limited
Temitope Ogunsemo is the MD/CEO of Krystal Digital Network Solutions

Limited, a fast-growing edtech company, which specialises in the de-
velopment, research, deployment and creation of bespoke and ser-
vice-oriented software applications.
He holds a masters in Information Systems Management from the
University of Salford, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of
Ibadan; he is a member of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), the
Nigerian Internet Group (NIG), the British Computer Society (BCS), is a
three-time delegate at the Young CEO business summit, a delegate at
the 6th High Level Dialogue held in South Africa, and a member of the
Crans Montana Forum.
Temitope, in his capacity as the MD/CEO of Krystal Digital leads a

group of like-minded people who are passionate about a common
goal: bridging the digital divide between education and technology.
They are committed to solving a myriad of challenges through the au-
tomation of reoccurring tasks in organisations as well as by helping in-
stitutions and businesses position themselves better for growth. Primarily,
they recognise the need for strategic placement in the leading market
place.
Krystal Digital provides IT solutions to Federal Unity Colleges, Institution

and organisations at large and has a wide range of services which
include e-payment, school management information system, IT con-
sultancy, Web development amongst others. The company also con-
stantly carries out CSR projects targeted at meeting the needs of every
community in its immediate vicinity.

My first job was as an intern at the Kings College Old Boys` Association,
Lagos chapter; I obtained the job following the completion of my ten-
or as the president of the University of Ibadan chapter of the associa-
tion. The need to make a difference as well as serve diligently propelled
me to get involved with the association and whilst serving, I revamped
the association’s website and offered database management services
without receiving any form of salary.
As the youngest person in the committee, I learnt from older associates

who I regarded as mentors. In 2008, I was elevated from the position of
a volunteer, thus becoming the chief operating officer of the associa-
tion. It was a great opportunity as it appeared my consistency, hard
work, dedication, values and ideas came in handy for the organisation.
Thereafter, I got several recommendations and monetary value for my
services which are today useful in the running of my own business.
" If you want to go fast, walk alone; if you want to go far, walk
together.
"
first job mould your skills and capabilities, and how did it prepare you
for success?
My first job helped me develop a wide range of skills; self-confidence,
the need for self-improvement as well as the importance of adding val-
ue everywhere I found myself. The job also birthed some of the ideas
that gave rise to Krystal Digital, enabled me to build meaningful net-
works through interactions with personnel of large organisations. I ad-
vise young people to serve and render value at all time even when
monetary compensation is not available; also they must have a mentor.
What were the key challenges and moments of discouragements on

the first job? How did you overcome them? Did any principle or thought
in particular help you during this period?
I faced several challenges on my first job; I was the youngest person
in the organisation and was also the first within my age bracket to at-
tain the position of the Chief Operating Officer in the organization, this
brought a lot of envy and strife my way and I had to learn to man-
age my relationship with my colleagues and superiors appropriately.
Through all these challenges, I remained professional and never took

anything personally.
Furthermore, I learnt to test the potency of my dreams and ideas by un-

derstudying the best processes that could be applied for success, mak-
ing adjustments and aligning it with my long-term goals.
“Tough times never last, but tough people do”-

Robert Schuller
her desired career?
It does not matter. The most important thing is to make yourself valu-
able while giving your best wherever and whenever possible. Statistics
have shown that young people with skills and abilities fail to harness
opportunities because they are disguised as hard work. They should
understand that no learning experience or knowledge is a waste as an
individual would grow in the process, thus building capacity.
Summarily, the key is to give your best, add value and become indis-
pensable by offering solutions; this opportunity would offer you the net-
work that could usher you into your desired career, thereby helping you
attain long term success.

TOLULOPE AGIRI
Chief Human Resource Officer,
Interswitch Group
Mrs Tolulope Agiri has a first degree in Psychology from the Obafemi
Awolowo University and a master’s in Industrial Relation & Personnel
Management from the University of Lagos.
Her career spans two decades as an HR consultant and practitioner.

She worked with SCG consulting and Arthur Andersen (now KPMG Pro-
fessional Services) in various capacities before joining Unilever Nigeria
Plc. As Company Learning Manager at Unilever, she worked as Region-
al Training Manager for Unilever Africa Regional Group, Learning Direc-
tor(Africa Middle East & Turkey – AMET), Leadership Development Direc-
tor, AMET, before assuming her final role at Human Resources Nigeria in
2010. She is currently the Chief Human Resource Officer at Interswitch
group.
Tolu is happily married to Abayomi and they are blessed with two chil-
dren, Ifeoluwapo and Oluwatimilehin.
She didn’t have a clear career path in mind when she got her first job.
She took up the job because it was available at the time, but it set the
stage for everything.
Please tell us about your first job?

My first job was in 1993 at SCG Consulting, Surulere after I had done
my master’s programme at the University of Lagos. A colleague from
where I had done the industrial training for my master’s referred me to
the company. The organization provided consulting services to other
organizations and my job title was trainee consultant, and I was involved
in executive recruitment, upgrading of new staff, training facilitation
and project reporting.
What was the most difficult aspect of your first job, and how did it shape
you?
The hardest part for me was giving presentations, mostly because it was
my first time. It was heart-warming when I started receiving commenda-
tions from my boss as regards making presentations. In retrospect, I think
my reluctance to make presentations was linked to my low self- confi-
dence at the time.
Another difficult aspect of my job was the salary; I was earning about
13,000 Naira per annum which roughly translated to a little more than
1,000 Naira every month. It wasn’t easy for me at all. I come from a po-
lygamous home (with a near absent dad) so l had to fend for myself. In
those days, I was usually broke by the 2nd week & would have to travel
home to IIesa to get assistance from my mum as there were no mobile
phones or internet transfers in Nigeria then.
Writing reports was another difficult part of the job because my boss
was so fastidious. If the report was not done well, you would have to do
it repeatedly till it looked right to him. I must say that while it was difficult
at the time, I am grateful for it now as my colleagues tell me I have a
knack for spotting errors.
Despite the challenges I went through, what kept me going at this job
was my desire for knowledge and the feeling that l needed to get an-
other job before quitting. I eventually quit after nine months even in the
absence of another job.
Looking back, I am most grateful for the training (formal & informal) I
received in 9 months and also now understand the low wages we re-
ceived at the point. There were months when the company didn’t have
any running projects and we still had to be paid!
“I believe that the choice of your first job is so critical because that is
where your foundation is laid.”
And by the way – I met my husband at that first job!
I wouldn’t change a lot about my career except for my lack of ambition

in the early period of my career. I had always taken work as ‘oh this is a
good thing, let’s just do it’, without looking ahead to the future. I didn’t
have a plan but l had been blessed with good jobs and employers. I
suspect my career would be remarkably different if my employers had
been different. I worked with Arthur Anderson (AA now KPMG) for eight
years and l have been with Unilever for 13 years- these are 2 great or-
ganizations.
If l had to do this again- l would inject a lot more ambition and also
avail myself to mentors who would have inspired and helped paint the
picture much earlier in my career. I only just started planning my career
and setting goals a few years back.
Like I said earlier, my first job impacted my career positively, but I feel
every job I have been blessed with has added tremendous values to me.
When I worked with SCG Consulting, I picked up work ethics and writing
skills; since it was a small organization of about 10 consultants, I had no
choice but to work hard and learn how to use computers. I also learnt to
go the extra mile; we had only two computers in the entire organization
and had to wait on queues to use them, I usually had to go to work on
Saturdays to complete my tasks and improve on my computer skills.
At Arthur Anderson (KPMG), I learned that anything could be achieved

if I set my mind to it. One of my roles at AA was in the payroll division,
where I had initially thought I would never be able to function, however,
a year later I had mastered it and was seeking new challenges.
At Unilever, my technical abilities as a human resource professional got

better. I have learnt the importance of networking.
Kindly share your advice to those whose first job is in a field that seems
unrelated to their desired career path
It doesn’t matter if your first job is not in line with your course of study,
what is important is finding something worthwhile to do while you con-
tinue to aspire and search for that perfect job.
“Whatever your hands find to do, do it excellently well.”
The attributes I mentioned earlier (work ethics) are more important than
any congruence between your course of study and your desired career.
In Nigeria, you cannot always match your course of study with your
dream job, but understand that no knowledge is lost and any job that
you do will add to your future.

“Young leaders should concentrate on picking up skills in whatever job
they find themselves because those skills will eventually pay the bills.”
On the last note, I refer to a thought I got from Steve Jobs
“The dots always align when you look at them backwards.”
Things make sense eventually! Ask Joseph.

UCHENNA ONWUAMAEBGU
UGWU
Founder, Edufun Technik
Uchenna Onwuamaegbu Ugwu is the founder of Edufun Technik, a So-

cial Enterprise that focuses on the implementation of Science Technol-
ogy Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education for children and
youth from 3-18 years old in underprivileged and underserved commu-
nities in Eastern Nigeria.
Edufun Technik, addresses the challenges of inaccessibility and una-

vailability of Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics (STEM)
education through a design-driven customised STEM curriculum. Our
advocacy model is by increasing the number of girls between ages
3-18 years to have full access to STEM education in order to develop
requisite skills ready for the Big Future. Edufun Technik has covered over
500 classes of STEM curriculum since 2014, trained 1,200 pupils and 2,100
students in after-school STEM workshops and in-class activities as well as
consulting for schools on designing curriculum that will enhance STEM/
Robotics Education.
Uchenna holds a degree in Psychology at the Nnmadi Azikiwe Univer-

sity, Nigeria. She is a public speaker, a Mandela Washington fellow and
Obama Foundation African Leader.

Tell us about your first job experience.
My mum is an industrialist who engages in the production of toiletries.
As a secondary school student, I sold these items in school in order to
have some more pocket money. This was my first business experience. I
remember that when I returned from school, my siblings and I took some
of these items to the market to hawk. When I got into university, I need-
ed to continue growing my income, so I began a popcorn business, as
I saw that people were making a lot of money from it. The profit I got
from the popcorn business enabled me to start trading in Okrika ― used
clothes from Cotonou. At this time, I had already got someone who I put
in charge of the popcorn business. I would leave school on Friday night,
get to Seme border on Saturday morning, buy the clothes, and return
the same day. I did this twice every month. I also hired someone to help
me wash and iron the clothes. I did my clothing business on the school
premises.
Those were my first experiences with doing business. At that time, I didn’t
even know I was building entrepreneurial skills. I was merely doing busi-
ness for survival. In the long run, however, these skills have served as a
solid foundation for my current entrepreneurial endeavour. I don`t have
an office job.
How did these experiences prepare you for success?

During this period, I acquired useful skills like record-keeping, client
management, and negotiation. I also learnt how to identify and ap-
peal to my target customers. Many of these skills were impulsive. Now, I
understand the importance of these skills, especially in terms of business
management. My early entrepreneurial experiences prepared me for
my present life, as they shaped the way I think.
“I believe that anything that you put your mind to can be achieved.”
Without any formal knowledge of business management, I was able to

survive with the little profit I made. Now, I am better prepared for excel-
lence.
What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?
Surviving daily was challenging because I didn`t know what to expect.
I did not have a definite means of sustaining the business, and I had no
idea where the business was heading, however,
“...one of the things that gave me hope was the fact that I needed to be
persistent. I had to keep going.”

Persistence, for me, is about seeing the big picture. I had to keep mov-
ing, no matter how difficult things were at that time. This was one of the
principles that worked for me. I had the mindset that if what I was doing
didn’t work out, then I would try out something else.
“I was not afraid of failure. I believe that failure is part of the success
story.”
I always wanted to do big things, and those small experiences that I had
helped to shape me into what I am today.
“Another value that helped me is consistency. In order to succeed, you

need to be consistent in your thoughts and in the process.”
What’s your advice for young people who are still trying to forge a ca-
reer path for themselves?
Judging from my experience, I actually feel sorry for young people to-
day. Many of them have a sense of entitlement. The truth is, nobody
owes you anything. Rather, you owe yourself a lot.
Your parents do not owe you anything. Even the government does not
owe you. If you have been able to get a tertiary education, then you are
lucky. You need to get up and do something for yourself.
Another value that helped me is consistency. In order to suc-
" ceed, you need to be consistent in your thoughts and in the

process.
"
Do not take any work experience for granted. Even if you are volunteer-
ing, take it seriously as this experience would definitely prove useful in the
future. If you are assisting your mother in her business, take it as a job. You
do not need to have a white-collar job before you can succeed.
Many young people are egotistical. You need to get rid of your pride
and focus on survival. With perseverance, you will eventually scale up.
There is no business you are consistent at for three months that would not
yield a positive impact.
Young people should understand that they owe themselves. Their desti-
nies are in their hands. You cannot have a miracle by folding your hands
and sitting in your room. You need to get up and work. If you do not
know what to do, when you wake up every morning, go to a garage
and clean the cars. Definitely, you would receive some
compensation for this. Interestingly, you can get a lot of connections

from doing odd jobs. It’s only when you start that you can get better.
“As a young graduate, you must understand that no one pays you for
your certificate. What people pay for is your skill. No one needs your
certificate.”
Also, do not underestimate the power of volunteering. When you offer

value to people, they will be willing to reward you. The truth is, it is hard
to find any firm that is willing to pay you and train you at the same time.
Only the government does that. You must understand that life is not
about entitlements.
For young people who are discouraged, you need to brace up and
do something for yourselves. You need to think outside the box. Look
around your community and identify problems that you can solve. Start
doing something today. Learn a skill. That is the only way you can sur-
vive in this day and time.

UKINEBO DARE
Head, Edo State Skills Development
Agency
Ukinebo currently serves as the Senior Special Adviser to the Edo State
Governor on Skills Development and Job creation. She oversees the
Edojobs initiative with a mandate to create 200,000 jobs by 2020.
With an Msc. in Management from the University of Bradford and a

Computer Science degree from Benson Idahosa University, she started
her career in Oando Plc working in the Information Technology Depart-
ment.
Her passion for people development led her to change her career path
in 2010 and set up Poise Graduate Finishing Academy (PGFA). PGFA
achieved an 87% employment rate of its graduate and was endorsed
by the National Universities Commission and multiple reputable em-
ployers in Nigeria.
Uki won the Ford Foundation Prize for Youth Employment at the Future
Awards Africa (2015). She is credited for the execution of employabili-
ty interventions projects in partnership with international organizations
such as Oxfam Novib, SOS Kinderdorpen, Google (Google Serve in Ni-
geria 2015) and so on. Over 33,000 youth have benefitted from employ-
ability initiatives executed by Ukinebo and her team.
She is also invested in economic empowerment and this can be seen
through her volunteering activities as Programme Director of EkoBits in
February 2016. She was appointed the chairperson of the board, BITS
Global; a network of ICT and digital design academies across Africa.
Her outstanding accomplishments saw her rise to the position of Group
Managing Director of the Poise Nigeria Group in September 2017. She is
a Mandela Washington Fellow, winner of the 2017 JCI Ten Outstanding
Young Persons Award and a recipient of the Business Day 40 under 40
award.

Although I had an insightful experience as a cyber café attendant dur-
ing one of my high school holidays, my first official job was as a secre-
tary at Poise Nigeria. It was quite tasking because I was the first em-
ployee and most importantly because Poise was pioneering an entirely
new field in Nigeria at the time; this caused the job to be characterized
by a lot of research.
Also, the job required the preparation of PowerPoint presentation slides
and my role as the secretary and only junior staff made this my respon-
sibility; I had to teach myself how to prepare these slides, write letters
e.t.c. because IT was a new skill at the time. The job taught me a lot
including independence, the art of giving myself instructions as well as
the use of initiative.
Everybody can follow instructions; it, however, takes a spe-
" cial kind of person to follow a vision and create his/her own
instructions.
Although I had gotten the job as a secondary school graduate, a lot

"
rested on my shoulders and as such, I had to learn to communicate
professionally and be on time. All of these lessons added a lot of value
to my life and helped prepare the professional I am today.
Another noteworthy job that has had an impact on my career is the first
job I did immediately after my university education; it was a pre-NYSC
job in the IT unit of Oando Plc. This was where I first worked with individ-
uals who were on the same level as I was and soon realized that I had
a different work ethic from the others; this further propelled my desire
to teach others and was the embryo that birthed PGFA. In my role as
an IT support staff, I did not like to be made to feel like being a woman
was a handicap, so I did everything that there was to be done. I stayed
for long hours because I liked to ensure that all my daily assignments
were completed. All of these made me outstanding as I began to be
assigned tasks that were normally beyond my level.
Many times, I did not fully comprehend the instructions of my supervisor,
but rather than disappoint them, I would research extensively online
“Nothing is impossible; I simply do not know how to do it yet.”

The aforementioned jobs gave me the opportunity to ‘learn how to
learn’, a trait that has helped me every single day, month and year of
my career.
What were the high points on the job?

The difficulty index of a task assigned to me, usually tells me how the task
assigner perceives me. It was, therefore, a compliment whenever I was
assigned a difficult task as it proved to me that I had shown myself to be
of value.
As a corper at Oando Plc, I was one of the only two corpers allowed to
handle certain things asides management staff, this was a particular
high point for me.
Given the opportunity, is there as anything you would like about your
early career stage?
Even though I changed my career in order to follow my passion, I
would’nt change anything, not even the difficulties of that period. All
the experience I gained from IT continues to play a huge role in the exe-
cution of all my projects. Even the taunts of my colleagues who regard-
ed me as an ‘ITK’ helped prepare me for the job that I do now.
What would you say to individuals whose first job is not on their desired
career path?
Do that job with all your heart, might and soul because while you are
waiting for your ideal job, you must not waste your potential. Understand
that overcoming difficulties in your not-so-ideal job will equip you with
the skills needed to overcome difficulties even on your ideal job. Use the
opportunity to build your soft skills such that when you get into your ideal
job, your only concern will be developing the technical skills specific to
the job.
Strive for excellence in all activities. If you do these things, when you
eventually get into your desired career, you will be prepared and will rise
fast to catch up with those who started ahead of you.
“Whatsoever your hands find to do, do it well. Autograph your work with
excellence.”

YOUTHS
MAKING
A DIFFERENCE
TESTIMONIALS FROM
EKOBITS & CAREER KICKSTART

ONYINYE NORMAN-ROBERTS
Executive Assistant, First Aluminium
Nigeria Plc.
Onyinye Norman-Roberts is an advocate of continuous learning and

self-development. She believes that with diligence and persistence in
any given task, even the most insurmountable challenge can be over-
come and excellence obtained.
She is an Executive Assistant at First Aluminum Nigeria Plc. She has

worked with different companies in various capacities some of which
include Community Development Volunteer, Plateau Aids Control
Agency, Allure Africa, amongst others.
Can you please tell us about yourself?

I am from Southern Nigeria, Rivers State, I`m 30 years old, I currently work
as the Executive Assistant to the Chairman of First Aluminium Nigeria,
Plc. In my role, I`ve made it easier for junior staff to relate with top man-
agement.
What`s your first job/project?

The first job ever in my life was being a sales girl at a grocery shop, that
is what we call “supermarket” in Nigeria. I got that job after senior sec-
ondary school, and it was better than being idle, while we waited for
the result of my UTME (United Tertiary Matriculation Examination). I had
to retake the exam a second time which meant that I needed a job
in order not to be idle. I can’t remember the remuneration though be-
cause it’s such a long time.
Tell us the training you benefitted from the Oxfam project, and how it
has benefitted your personal development.
I benefitted from the three-week employability training tagged Career

Kickstart. Even though I knew I had potentials, I was overcome with fear
and doubt for a long time. I couldn’t relate with people without being
afraid or less confident. The experience at Poise brought me out of my
shell; I discovered myself; and why I act the way that I do. This made me
to interact with a lot of my class mates, and I made a lot of friends.
Every opportunity you find to do something for somebody,
" whether you`re working under the person or volunteering,

it`s a blessing in disguise. You learn, and no knowledge is
wasted. "
In addition, I learnt selling skills during the entrepreneurship project
where we were given a seed capital of 10,000 Naira to start a business
and make at least 40% profit in less than 10 days. I learnt how to put my-
self together, dress well, dress the way you want to be addressed, and
the knowledge I got from it helped me in securing the job I have now. I
also learnt how to comport myself during interviews.
Would you say the training has helped in determining your career path?
I wouldn`t say that, because I knew what I wanted before coming for
the programme. It’s still a journey as I am not yet there. One thing the
training has done for me is to bring me closer to the kind of person I
want to be because when I look at my boss, I see myself in her. I aspire
to be somehow like her.
What were some of the challenges and setbacks you encountered on

your first job, and how were you able to overcome them?
I had a boss who would always come and take things from the shop
without paying for it. Although, It was my job to make customers pay, I
couldn`t really do anything and I found myself accepting it happen. The
shop eventually ran down. I couldn`t fight with my boss, however, I de-
termined that when I have a business, I`d pay for everything that I take
from there because my business money is different from my personal
money.
What impact has the training had on you so far?

For my first job, I think it made me value money; it made me understand
the dignity of labour, that you work and earn money, no matter how
small it is. It comes with a sense of pride. It made me also start learning
the importance of saving. I think I was 16 at that time, and I was already

keeping some money aside to do certain things then.
So how are you going to connect with or inspire youths who are looking
for such opportunities? Do you have a plan of action?
I am doing this to accomplish this goal too because I know it will be
published, and that it will reach millions. Oxfam was so kind to give us
this opportunity; it was unpaid for. Therefore, I see this as giving back, so
whoever comes in contact with this testimony benefits immensely.
What would you say to someone whose first job is not in their career
path?
Every opportunity you find to do something for somebody, whether
you`re working under the person or volunteering, it`s a blessing in dis-
guise. You learn, and no knowledge is wasted.

OPEYEMI ADESHINA
Beneficiary, Ekobits ICT Academy
Opeyemi Adeshina is a 20 year old UI& UX Designer (User Interface and

User Experience). He is an alumnus of EKOBITS Academy (2016); a youth
based social enterprise that uses ICT creatively to improve the lives of
less privileged youth from non-formal settlement. Ekobits has Oxfam,
Work in Progress Alliance, Butterfly works and Poise Nigeria as its part-
ner/ sponsor. Opeyemi is currently a UI&UX designer at Upperlink Limit-
ed; an IT information technology company that specialises in internet
applications and database management software development ser-
vices in Nigeria. Prior to Upperlink Limited, he was an office assistant at
Giga Stream Consulting, a HR firm.
What was the experience like on your first job?

My first job experience was with Giga Streams in 2017. I got the job at
one of the job fairs held at Poise. I started out as an office assistant. That
was not the kind of job I was expecting because I graduated from a
digital school. I expected a job as a developer or graphics designer, but
I ended up working as an office assistant. I did this for a while, and I was
paid ten thousand Naira or thereabouts.
Would you consider it to be your desired job?

No. I graduated from a digital school, so I was looking for a digital job,
and not one involving sorting office papers and sending emails, but
that was what I ended up doing. I was the only one employed at the
office, so I didn’t really have a job role. I just did whatever job my boss
had in mind. I did the job for a while to gain some work experience and
develop myself for the other roles I intended to grow into. I also did it for
the remuneration.
At that time, I didn’t have a personal computer or smartphone, so I

needed the money to enable me buy a laptop. Learning was really
hard for me after I left school, so I had to work to enable me save some
money and get my career started.
" There are things that happen that may not seem
advantageous at the moment but if you think through it
objectively, it could help you forge your future.
"
So, tell us about the training you benefited from the Oxfam project and
how it has impacted your personal development.
I would start with what life was like before the training. I graduated
from digital school in 2015. After my graduation, I was just sitting at
home doing nothing. I wasn’t really inspired to do anything. I wanted
to be a petroleum engineer and work for the big oil companies. That
was before I heard about the Oxfam training from my friend. After the
training, I was able to think objectively and know what I really wanted
for my life and how to go about it. I enrolled in some online courses in
personal development. For me, it wasn’t just about the training, it was
about shaping my whole life. The training was more than learning the
basics of designing, it taught me character and workplace attitude.
Would you say the training has helped you choose a career path?
Yes, it has.
How?
As I said, before the training, I didn’t have any direction for my life. I
was just like other secondary school graduates out there, who just write
JAMB after school without really knowing why they want to get into the
university. After the training, I understood why I needed to further my
education. I wanted to study Petroleum Engineering initially but right
now, I want to study Psychology because it will be useful to my career
as a UI/UX designer. As a UI/UX designer, I need to understand how
people think and why they like what they like. Many tech companies
actually pay a lot of money in order to understudy their potential cus-
tomers, just to ensure these people remain loyal to their applications.
That is the kind of job I intend to end up doing.

What are some of the challenges and setbacks you experienced dur-
ing the training?
The major challenge was finance. There were days I had to trek down
from Ajah to Jakande. Throughout this time, however, my mind was fo-
cused on the goal. I believe in purpose and destiny as a Christian. I had
the conviction that the training was what I needed to do, regardless of
the circumstances. I was convinced that nothing could stop me from
achieving my goal.
How were you able to surmount the challenges?

On the issue of finance, some people assisted me. Some persons gave
me funds to cover my transportation. Also, I had a friend who used to
walk down with me from Ajah to Jakande, and after the training, we
would return home together. He was a major motivation.
What is the reward and impact of this opportunity so far?

This opportunity has been life-changing. It changed the way I think. I
grew up in a place that made it difficult for one to think about his or
her future because of the mentality of the people there. Participating
in this training has changed the way I think, and my general outlook on
life. It has helped me have a vision for my life.
I didn’t directly learn this from the training, but the training helped me
think about it.
How do you hope to inspire young people seeking similar opportuni-

ties?
After the training, I drafted an action plan for my life. Of course, I can’t
implement some of the plans now, due to financial constraint. But in the
long run, I intend to build an academy like this for UI/UX training. UI/UX is
a new field in Nigeria so, I want to set up a UI/UX design school.
Can you elaborate on that?

UI/UX means User Interface, User Experience. For every device we use,
there is always a UI and User Experience. When you click on a button
on your phone, you expect it to perform a certain action. If it doesn’t
perform this action, you get angry. That’s the User Experience. The
UI is what you see, that is the interface. For example, the button you
clicked on is the interface. It’s the interface that you use to relate with
the phone. The User Experience is what works in the background. Gen-
erally, it has to do with gadgets, electronics and the internet of things.
There are several ways you can implement UI and UX.
So in what capacity are you trying to create this kind of opportunity for
others?
Last month, I started a free graphics design training in my neighbor-
hood, but the response and turnout was poor. The major issue was that
many of them did not have laptops, and I could not provide laptops

that they could use for the training. That was the major reason it didn’t
work out.
Do you intend to continue this project, or would you try something new?
All my dreams are interconnected. I told you that I intend to set up a UI/
UX academy in the future. The reason I want to start the graphics design
free training is to enable me to have the experience of teaching and
relating with students. This way, I would be able to build on that knowl-
edge and experience for the UI/UX academy.
What would you say to someone who is yet to discover his or her career
path or whose first job is not in line with his or her desired career path?
First, to someone who is doing a job that is not in line with his or her de-
sired career path, as I said earlier, I believe in purpose and destiny.
There are some things that happen that may not seem advantageous
at the moment, but if you think through it objectively, it could help you
forge your future. Using myself as an example, I have worked with four
companies in three years, and each of these experiences has turned
out to be worthwhile.

OPEYEMI AGBAJE
Beneficiary, Ekobits ICT Academy
It is never too early to start out; 18-year-old Opeyemi Agbaje projects

the truth in this statement. As a media trainer at Eko Bits ICT Academy,
she takes us through her learning curve and gives us insight into her
goals for the future. Learn more.

My first job was in 2018 with Oxfam for their annual report. I got the job
through an Oxfam training which had earlier exposed me to designing
for Poise Nigeria.
What did you benefit from the Oxfam project training?

The training I underwent with Oxfam was the Ekobit ICT where I learnt
graphic design, UX, UI and Cinematography. The training really helped
me as I did not have any computer knowledge prior to this time; I only
utilized computers for watching movies. It has imparted my life greatly,
allowing me visualize my future.
Has the training help in determining your career path?

Yes, it has. While I am currently preparing to resume at the university
for a BSc. in Psychology, the training has afforded me a certificate that

would allow me return to graphic and photography upon completion
of my study.
What was your goal? What opportunities were given to you to take the
next step?
The training particularly improved my communication skills and confi-
dence level. It also afforded me the opportunity to travel to Benin to
talk to youths during the youth day where several keynote speakers
such as Waje as well as investors were present.
" Do not keep your dreams to yourself, share them so that

the right people can help you achieve them
"
What are some of the setbacks you encountered?
I really did not have any challenges. However, during the process of
preparing and applying to the University, I was afraid that I might have
to stop the training, but thankfully, I was able to finish up and will be
resuming school in a short while. My parents were also very supportive,
assisting me with majority of my needs during the course of the training.
What has been the reward of the opportunity?

I now know the way forward and know what I need to achieve in order
to get to the future I envision.
How do you hope to connect with youths looking for such opportunity?
I utilise my social media handles in broadcasting the activities at Eko-
bits. Also, we are currently through the alumni week, getting more peo-
ple to be sponsored for the programme.
What is your advice for those who have not found their career path?
I would advise that they take out time to know what really draws them
before moving to the next thing. Also, to get opportunities, such per-
sons should not keep their dreams to themselves, but share them so
that the right people can help them in achieving such dreams.

YETUNDE ODUSOGA
Talent Acquisition Specialist, WorkForce
28 years old Yetunde Ibidun Odusoga is a talent acquisition specialist

with Workforce group who has aided various candidates at different
entry levels to get job opportunities in the Finance sector. She sat with
us to give insight into her premier job which kick started her career.
Enjoy.
What was your first job experience? How much was the compensation?
How did you get the job?
My first job experience was in 2016 as an intern at Poise Nigeria for a
compensation package of 20,000 Naira. I got the job after the Career
Kickstart program that ended with me being one of the two top candi-
dates selected for an internship with the organization. I was promoted
to the position of the recruitment and reporting officer, that same year.
" “If you don’t try, you will never know”
"
What did you benefit from the Oxfam Project? How has it affected your
personal development?
As part of the premier Career Kickstart stream, I gained a lot of exper-
tise through the project ranging from presentation skills to communi-
cation skills, amongst others. In my personal development, the training
continues to have great impact in my present work which focuses a lot
on ability to convince clients through presentation to buy my products.
I believe strongly that if I had not taken part in the program, I would not
be as effective as I am currently in presentations and communication.
Did the training help in determining your career choice?

No, it did not determine my career choice rather it has aided my career
path as it enhanced my entire being, enabling me to communicate
with confidence and generally have improved soft skills.
What was your goal? What opportunities were given to you to take the
next step and how did you use them?
My goal was to learn more about soft skills; however, the opportunity
to intern with Poise Nigeria helped initiate my career in line with what I
studied; Human Resource Management.
What challenges did you encounter?

When I became the reporting and recruitment officer, I had to send
reports on Career Kickstart alumni progress to Oxfam and it was a bit
challenging as it was an entirely new terrain for me. I was however able
to push through with the support of an adviser in person of Ukinebo
Dare and also because it was my passion.
Even if a person supports you and teaches you how to do a thing, with-
out passion on your part, it’s a NO. I did not give up since HR is what I
love doing, I kept pushing till I was able to get through.
What has been the reward of this opportunity?

I have had a lot of rewards. Immediately I left Poise where I had dealt
majorly with graduate level and few mid-level recruitments, I started
core recruitment for senior level candidates at my subsequent appoint-
men, which was easy for me.
How do you hope to inspire youths looking for such opportunities? What
is your plan of action?
Prior to my exit from Poise Nigeria, I got the owner of the hostel I stayed
in during my studies at the Lagos State University to send a list of grad-
uates who had finished their National Youth Service or were prepar-
ing to round off to us, so that they could come for the Career kickstart
program. Even after my exit, I continue to follow-up on this, referring
individuals to the program.
What would you to say a person who is yet to discover his/her career
path?
Always try to do things, do not just assume that everything is not for you.
If you do not try, at the end of the day, nothing would be for you. For
instance, personally if I had not tried going for the Career kickstart pro-

gram, and just assumed it was another employability skill programme I
would not have gotten the opportunity I have now.
“If you don’t try, you will never know.”

40 First jobs
TRIVIA

1. Whose job challenge was learning to deal with difficult customers?
a) Mrs Obafunke Alade-Adeyefa
b) Bishop FEB Idahosa
c) Dr Cosmas Maduka
d) Mr Gbenga Showole
2. ________________ practiced Law for only a year.

a) Mrs Seyi Bella
b) Mr Agada Apochi
c) Mr Martin Abraham
d) Chief Mrs Eniola Fadayomi
3. Which of the contributors left their first job due to unjust punishments?
a) Professor Pat Utomi
b) Prof Elijah Ayolabi
c) Mrs Mavi Isibor
d) Dr Lucy Newman
4. One of his favorite quotes is by Kahlil Gibran. Who is this?

a) Mr Taiwo Ayanleye
b) Mr Kola Aina
c) Mr Martin Abraham
d) Professor Patrick Utomi
5. ____________wished to have towed the path of entrepreneurship.

a) Mr Martin Abraham
b) Mr Barry Obioma
c) Professor Goddie Isibor
d) Mrs Tolulope Agiri
6. Whose first job helped him realize his true calling was in a different
path?
a) Mr Kola Aina
b) Mr Taiwo Ayanleye
c) Mr Agada Apochi
d) Dr Goddie Isibor
7. Who worked as a driver in his first job?

a) Mr Olamide Adedeji
b) Bishop Feb Idahosa
c) ID Cabasa
d) Dr Cosmas Maduka
8. Who among the contributors got her career as a result of a mistake in

her JAMB details?
1. Mrs Joan Agha
2. Mrs Obafunke Alade-Adeyefa

3. Dr Lucy Suryhel Newman
4. Mrs Mavi Isibor
9.Who among the contributors made this statement: “We are not human
doings, we are human beings.”?
a) Mr Martin Abraham
b) Professor Pat Utomi
c) Mrs Ukinebo Dare
d) Dr Goddie Isibor
10. Which of the contributors found their career path as a child?

a) Mr Barry Obioma
b) Mr Emeka Erem Nehemiah
c) Mr Taiwo Ayanleye
d) Mrs Nonye Cally-Bechi
11. Who became successful without formal education?

a) Dr Cosmas Maduka
b) Mr Gbenga Showole
c) Mrs Nkem Okocha
d) Mrs Mavi Isibor
12.___________ left their first job primarily because of distance.

a) Mr Emeka Ndu
b) Professor Patrick Utomi
c) Mr Abolore Salami
d) Mr Olamide Adedeji
13. Who marketed their company at Alaba Market?

a) Mrs Chioma Ukonu
b) Dr Lucy Newman
c) Mrs Tolulope Agiri
d) Ms Nkem Okocha
14. Who had read 700 hundred books at 25?

a) Professor Elijah Ayolabi
b) Mr Tade Cash
c) Mr Onyeka Akumah
d) Dr Goddie Isibor
15. Who had their secondary school education interrupted by the Nige-
rian Civil War?
a) Mrs Nonye Cally-Belechi
b) Professor Iheanyichukwu Okoro
c) Ms Onyinye Norman-Roberts
d) Mr Opeyemi Adeshina

16. Who said, “Excellence is not in what you do, but in who you are”?
a) Mr Barry Obioma
b) Mr Olamide Adedeji
c) Mr Agada Apochi
d) ID Cabasa
17. Who stopped teaching to work at the Central Bank of Nigeria?

a) Mrs Joan Agha
b) Mrs Seyi Bella
c) Mr Emeka Nwakanma
18. Who worked at Cornerstone Insurance?

a) Mrs Tolulope Agiri
b) Mr Gbenga Showole
c) Mr Emeka Ndu
d) Mr Bode Opadokun
19. Whose first job was at Computer Village?

a) Mr Taiwo Ayanleye
b) Mr Emeka Akumah
c) Dr Cosmas Maduka
d) Mr Agada Apochi
20. Whose first pay was 4,000 Naira?

a) Dr Goddie Isibor
b) Mr Adeniyi Duale
c) Mr Temitope Ogunsemo
d) Mr Nehemiah Kalu
21.Who worked as a doctor in Zaria?

a) Dr Goddie Isibor
b) Dr Lucy Newman
c) Professor Iheanyichukwu Okoro
d) Professor Elijah Ayolabi
22. Who refused to be a stay-at-home wife, even though her husband

was successful?
a) Mrs Mavi Isibor
b) Dr Lucy Newman
c) Mrs Tolulope Agiri
d) Mrs Chioma Ukonu
23. Whose favourite quote is “Whatever the mind can conceive and

believe, it can achieve”?
a) Mrs Tolulope Agiri
b) Ms Nkem Okocha
c) Mrs Mavi Isibor
d) Dr Lucy Newman
24.____________ said this: “Knowledge gained from whatsoever we do

can never be a waste, enjoy the job while it lasts. Maybe you are there
for a reason because nothing happens by accident.”
a) Mrs Nonye Cally-Belechi
b) Professor Iheanyichukwu Okoro
c) Mr Emeka Ndu
d) Mr Bode Opadokun
25. Whose bank job denied them of self development opportunities and
made them seem introverted?
a) Ms Nkem Okocha
b) Mrs Obafunke Alade-Adeyefa
c) Dr Lucy Suryhel Newman
d) Professor Iheanyichukwu Okoro
26.__________ was appointed Lagos State Attorney General & Commis-

sioner for justice in 1987.
a) Mrs Obafunke Alade-Adeyefa
b) Chief Mrs Eniola Fadayomi
c) Mr Temitope Ogunsemo
d) Mr Nehemiah Kalu
27. Who said, “When you come in contact with anyone, you must be
able to impact them positively. To do this, however, you must first con-
nect with your passion”?
a) Mrs Ebele Chukwujama
b) Ms Nkem Okocha
c) Mrs Mavi Isibor
d) Mrs Seyi Blla
28. Who was considered unserious during their youth service?

a) Mr Opeyemi Adeshina
b) Mrs Ebele Chukwujama
c) Mr Bode Opadokun
d) Mrs Nonye Cally-Bechi
29. Who was paid 200 Naira as NYSC allowance?

a) Mr Barry Obioma
b) Mr Emeka Erem Nehemiah
c) Mr Taiwo Ayanleye
d) Professor Iheanyichukwu Okoro

30. “I do not think anyone should spend less than two to three years in a
particular company else they would not get enough value from them-
selves or the company.” Who said this?
a) Mr Abolore Salami
b) Professor Pat Utomi
c) Mrs Mavi Isibor

SPONSORS

Oxfam works with a diverse and broad range of individuals
and partner organizations to create sustainable and lasting
solutions to eradicate poverty, suffering & injustice. Through
the Work in Progress! (WiP!) project funded by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Oxfam aims to create more
employment and positive expectations about the future for
young men and women in Nigeria, Egypt & Somalia.
Spurred by a vision to enhance youth employment and raise a tru-

ly global labour force, Poise Graduate Finishing Academy (PGFA)
was founded by Poise Nigeria Ltd, Nigeria’s premier image and
personality consultancy.
PGFA has one goal: To Re-engineer the Nation’s Workforce. This

goal is relentlessly pursued by providing workplace learning and
education that bridge the gap between the knowledge gotten
from formal education and the practical Knowledge, Attitude, Skills
and Experience (KASE) required for success in life, career and en-
trepreneurship.
It established the PSENSE Employability certification, approved by

the National Universities Commission (NUC), which is a true measure
of an employee’s readiness for the workplace. In 10 years, PGFA
has trained over 40,000 young executives with 87.5% employment
rate amongst its PSENSE Executive Alumni.

40
FIRST
JOBS
our esteemed
contributors
ABOLORE SALAMI JIDE ALLO
ADEBAYO ALONGE JOAN AGHA
ADEDEJI OLOWE KOLA AINA
ADENIYI DUALE LUCY SURHYEL NEWMAN
AGADA APOCHI MARTIN ABRAHAM
AJEBO MAVI SOKIA ISIBOR
AKINYEMI DAVIDS NKEM OKOCHA (MAMAMONI)
BARRY OBIOMA NONYE CALLY-BECHI
BODE OPADOKUN OBAFUNKE ALADE-ADEYEFA
CHIOMA UKONU OLAMIDE
COSMAS MADUKA ONYEKA AKUMAH
EBELE CHUKWUJAMA PATRICK UTOMI
ELIJAH AYOLABI SEYI BELLA
EMEKA NDU SOWEMIMO ABIODUN
ENIOLA FADAYOMI TADE CASH
FEB IDAHOSA TAIWO AYANLEYE
FUNKE ALOMOOLUWA TEMITOPE OGUNSEMO
GODDIE ISIBOR TOLULOPE AGIRI
ID CABASA UCHE ONWUAMAEGBU UGWU
IHEANYI OKORO UKINEBO DARE
978-978-971-646-3

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Volume 2

Published 2019 in Nigeria

ISBN: 978 -978-971-646-3

All Rights Reserved.

Except for appropriate use in critical reviews or works of scholarship,

ABOLORE SALAMI ----------------------11 MAVI SOKIA ISIBOR -----------------------94

To every youth desirous of greatness.

Kudos to Stream 53 of the Poise Graduate Finishing Academy: Omame

Special appreciation to Oluwajuwonlo Esho and Bart Inyang for working

Welcome to 40 First Jobs: Inspiring First Job Stories of Success, Volume 2.

This book is a book of answers; as the quality of questions usually deter-

“Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish” – Steve Jobs

1. Who are you?

I discovered that in some cases, a rejection from an organization that

Mavi Sokia Isibor

Abolore Salami is the founder of Riby, a finance technology company

The company’s primary goal is to help people achieve financial stability,

Abolore has over 15 years experience in business development, strate-

Prior to Riby, he worked in different capacities with other companies

He has served several governmental committees and agencies includ-

Abolore has a degree from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria; an

What was your first job experience?

I also learnt the importance of fundamentals; that is the difference

What challenges did you face on your first job?

I was placed in a managerial role because I was good at certain things.

“There is always a way; just pray for right opportunities”

“No matter what, do not burn bridges.”

Adebayo Alonge is a multi-award winning and renowned glob-

Through RxAll™, he provides a means for patients in the developing world to

RxAll’s AI nanoscanner™ called the RxScanner™ and cloud-based algo-

Adebayo was a keynote speaker at the 2015 US-Africa Business Con-

In addition, he is a recipient of the Mandela Washington Fellowship from

On the other hand, I would also go to a pharmacy store around the

What were the key challenges and moments of discouragements on the

Adédèjì Olówè is the CEO of Trium Networks Limited, a venture capital.

Alongside other industry veterans, he founded Open Banking Nigeria,

What values would your works have on the community?

Please, tell us about your first job experience.

" Whatever you find yourself doing, do it well

A legal practitioner with over a decade experience in various aspects

" Mentorship is a two-way street; the mentor, provides in-

What was your first job experience?

Another significantly exciting moment on my first job was when I was

What were the key challenges and moments of discouragements on the

" “Personal development and mentorship in a desired industry

“All challenges are opportunities to learn and improve upon yourself.”

“Seek knowledge as no knowledge is useless.”

Mentorship is a two-way street; the mentor, provides information, access,

Besides mentorship, such individual should invest in personal develop-

AGADA APOCHI is the founder and director of PayAttitude, a fi-

Agada obtained his master’s in Organisational Psychology with speciali-

Agada is an innovator, entrepreneur, honorary chartered banker, char-

What was your first job experience?

" The principles of commitment, dedication and character are

Given a choice to start over, what would you change about

Erem Emeka Nehemiah Kalu a.k.a Ajebo is a Nigerian standup come-

What was your first job?

Was it a desired job?

What are some of the challenges and discouragements you experi-