Oluyomi Ola-David Insights

With enabling institutional environments and connective infrastructure, global value chains can include economic agents in developing countries. Homegrown solutions are as viable as many on global markets.  With adequate #finance options, Africa can #industrialise sustainably.

What is education Without enlightenment Vain is knowledge  That darkens the mind What is education Without conscience  Vain is perspective That hardens the heart What is education Without culture Vain is tradition That clogs the wheel What is education Without virtue Vain is lesson That corrupts the mind What is education  Without audience Vain is stage That omits the crowd What is education  Without principle Vain is means That negates the end What is education  Without thought Vain is practice That enslaves the mind What is education  Without history Vain is parrot That ignores the past What is education  Without wealth Vain is tutelage That impoverishes the rich What is education  Without boundary Vain is nurture That deifies the mind What is education  Without faith Vain is subject That weakens the strong What is education  Without ancestry Vain is process That excludes the source ... Photo credit: Oluyomi Ola-David

You forget Because you care less I remember  Because I am mindful You rush Because you care less I wait Because I am mindful You skim Because you care less I study Because I am mindful You aid Because you care less I make Because I am mindful You look Because you care less I see Because I am mindful You race Because you care less I fly Because I am mindful You feel Because you care less I choose Because I am mindful You laze Because you care less I watch Because I am mindful You show Because you care less I think Because I am mindful You laugh Because you care less I wail Because I am mindful You get Because you care less I give Because I am mindful You use Because you care less I love Because I am mindful ... Photo credit: Oluyomi Ola-David

Singled out Call it merit Or call it favouritism  It is still what it is Sought out Call it skill Or call it charisma It is still what it is Lead singing Call it talent Or call it nepotism It is still what it is Dark skin Call it lovely Or call it black It is what it is Royal blood Call it red Or call it blue It is still what it is Curly hair Call it kinky Or call it straight It is still what it is Star light Call it bright Or call it blurry It is still what it is  Lion's roar Call it notice Or call it noise It is still what it is  Hidden thought Call it truth Or call it falsity It is still what it is Soaring eagle Call it king Or call it peasant It is still what it is Perennial problem Call it opportunity Or call it threat It is still what it is Open eyes Call it vision Or call it blindness It is still what it is ... Photo credit: Oluyomi Ola-David

If you live or work within a densely populated mega city, that is particularly bereft of high-speed fly-over or underground rail infrastructure suitable for efficient intra-city and inter-city transportation, you can relate to regular rush hour gridlock or slowdown.  Given high costs of housing in city centres and reserved areas, low-income and middle-income earners working in cities are usually pushed (by high rental costs) to affordable accommodation, available only on the edge of cities, in suburbs or in nearby towns.  It is needless to emphasise that high income earners retain patronage of pricey city housing units. Whenever public-aided low-cost housing units are in limited supply within urban areas, many in the 'bottom billion' get excluded. Consequently, wage earners, who live in suburbs but work in city centres, may have to combat long hours of daily commute in their attempt to stay productive and dutiful. If such workers can pull funds for housing accommodation, they m

By the 2014 rebasing of its GDP, Nigeria became Africa’s largest economy trumping its long time contender, South Africa. Amongst several things, the significant growth implies changes in the sectoral contribution of domestic output and employment. Conventionally, for a developing country context it is expected that international trade, foreign direct investment, industrial policy and global price fluctuations would have contributed to the shifts in the distribution of factors of production and final output. Given the uninclusive nature of the impressive surge in output, it is important to investigate what sectors accounted for the structural change. Using historical data on the Nigerian economy, Oyebanke and I examined (in a forthcoming paper) the contribution of foreign direct investment to structural transformation. Specifically, in the paper we provided answers to the following questions: What are the sources, nature and characteristics of the structural change

Inclusive growth is one of the recent concepts in development parlance. A drive for inclusive growth focuses on creating productive opportunities while ensuring there is equal access by all to those opportunities. Therefore, if growth is to be inclusive, it must consider the participation of every segment of society particularly the marginalized and vulnerable. Nigeria’s real estate sector has continued to grow at an impressive rate within the past decade. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the value of Nigeria’s real estate market has grown from N 1.4 trillion in 2011 to N 6.5 trillion in 2015. Notably, the residential real estate sub-sector’s contribution to GDP increased from 7.7 per cent in 2012 to 11.1 per cent in 2014. With over 80 per cent of Nigeria’s adult population living in rented accommodations, the sub-sector hold tremendous potential for growth. The Managing Director of The Infrastructure Bank (TIB) alludes to this in a report that projects the