In Nigeria, everyone is a victim. A victim of a system created by us, for the rest. Who are we? We are not the necessarily the smartest, but we decide the experiences of the smartest within the system. We are the most powerful in the society. We get everything we want. Our lives are heavily subsidized by the same people who employed us to work for them. You see, some of us are into politics. Those of us in politics …

Last Friday, I decided there was no better way to spend my weekend than taking a trip to my parent’s house and staying with them the entire weekend. So, yesterday, one of my friends that was starting his PhD application called to get some advice about the structure of his research proposal. I had to explain few things to him over the phone. The call lasted about 12 minutes. I didn’t know my step-mum was paying attention to my explanation …

A lot of people have been talking to me recently about furthering their studies. The most recurring theme happens to be those who studied a different undergraduate course than what they are currently practicing (a discussion for another day). So, most feel the need to get a master’s degree in the field they currently work to advance their career options while some just want to deepen their acumen in the same area. Good as it sounds, but there is an …

Because the experiences of this journey deserves to be told… I thought 2015 was my most difficult year (because of the hard decisions I made) as I wrote in a never-published article I sent to a friend, but living through 2016 has proved me wrong. At some point, it looked like the year will never end; more like 5 years in 1. Alas, here we are. 31st freaking day of a long year. 98% of the events that shaped this …

This has to be the most bitter Christmas I have experienced in my life. The Christmas/New Year season I’m used to is the one with the songs, laughter and plenty of chicken to eat. This time round, it’s the opposite of that for many of the people I know. Like the girl who just shared her plans to go into blood money anyway possible for her. I am the last person she’s hoping on. How did she get here? Her …

Academia, as they say lags a lot in adopting modern practices compared to other sectors. Thankfully, this is beginning to change gradually as we’ve seen quite some innovation among some educational institutions and some start-ups trying to change the status quo. However, there might be cause for concern. Most of the advances I have seen recently have been focused on one major aspect– tuition. Hundreds of start-ups are taking tuition online or helping students find good teachers who can deliver …

Speed is a skill. That is one of my mantras at work and I chant it to every team member. When there’s work to be done, it must be done now, at the fastest speed possible. It’s my personality and I have allowed it flow into one of the company’s core values. Being who I am, I can hardly wait for anything. I’m the type that sends out specifications to a supplier and want the quote immediately. I hate responses …

Over the last few months, I’ve had encounters with over 300 qualified students who did not enrol in any University this year. Many have dropped out and few others are planning to if circumstances do not change in the near future. It tears my heart apart. These are students I have had one-on-one interactions with. They are brilliant and intelligent. They have everything to be a good student in any University, except – money. I feel sad that excellence in …

In the Stone Age, before modern medicines were developed, herbs ruled. The doctors that existed then (we call them native doctors in Africa) prescribed herbs and prepared concoctions for their patients. Centuries later, few good men went to invent medicines, machines/tools, therapies and the likes that now dominate the practice of medicine. To be a doctor or hospital today, one must effectively deploy all these new tools to treat patients. The same shift will happen in education. Today, the buzz …

Many are the problems facing Africa as a continent. Let’s not talk so much about the local problems, but instead about the stereotype by western media and Hollywood. There are many solutions to this, but I doubt if videos and media campaigns is the ultimate solution. This morning, I received a link to one of such videos dispelling the stereotype. While the video might have gone viral (considering I got it from an Indian), what I doubt is whether the …