Oluyomi Ola-David Insights

Have you ever seen the footage of a jailbreak? Whether at film or in reality, the 'successful' prisoners surely display energies of the brave, determination of the free and delectable smiles of grand architects of a new future. Nevertheless, by unflinching and intelligent forces of a just State, before long the momentary heroes and heroines of prison-independence parties resume the distressing chores and isolation they once presumed was over forever.  If you take a look at the perils of underdevelopment and socio-economic realities of many nation-states who once gained independence from their respective colonial masters, the re-imprisonment jinx of economic dependence and mental slavery holds true. Away from the pomp and pageantry of national independence is the subtle reality that sustainable economic freedom is birthed by absolute, individual and collective, responsibility.  We must no longer be at ease with individual, household, corporate, national, and global underdevelopm

Once upon a time, electronic and auto products made in Asian countries were tagged 'inferior' to their Western alternatives, perhaps they were. For instance, during my early childhood years, I learnt to associate anything marked by a 'Made in Taiwan' label with something less than the 'acceptable' standard. Many Asian firms started and grew mostly through reverse engineering processes, by which they sought to imitate and replicate technology standards created by industrialised countries. Their processes rode on cheaper location costs, enabling policy environments and change vanguards in local industry, to birth some of the most competitive and adaptive products in the global market. Today, it is needless to say that China and neighbouring Asia are a go-to for skilled labour and manufacturing solutions. Apparently, there may be lessons in economic and business history for latecomer African manufacturing.    With sheer enterprise and human rights-based initiative,

In daily drives through a vast residential and work community, I have had several opportunities to take life lessons in psychology, mind reading, and gesture education. At any instance you will likely meet at least three categories of pedestrians. First, are those who have stopped outrightly on a spot by the road, waiting on the benevolence of drivers by for a ride to a desired destination. Such folks wait on the side of traffic towards the end point they hope to arrive at. Sometimes, these pedestrians may wave you down vigorously or just give a hopeful look into your vehicle to spy on passenger room. If you dare drive by this category of pedestrians without waiting to help,  you may get that look that says: "You are not considerate at all, don't you know I had been waiting here for a bit". Next is the second class of pedestrians who have started walking along the way towards their anticipated destination. Nevertheless, while walking along they tend to keep ears and skins

Do you really need a MBA (Masters in Business Administration)? Then you may not really need to spend all that resource just for a certificate from Harvard Business School. Just invest in moving your time, skills, healthy body, and resources to Nigeria. All you will get is a real certification in business acumen plus a Masters in MBWAN (Management By Walking Around Nigeria).  Most assuredly, if you can learn to succeed at administering and doing business in Nigeria, then succeeding elsewhere is a piece of cake. If you fail to succeed in Nigeria, then you may not really have any business doing business anywhere else. Here is my bottomline: tough business climates are the real schools for educating, building and sustaining resilient businesses. In addition, the imminent transformation in Nigeria will ensure that all other categories of value-creating businesses can survive and thrive. Brace up! #businessclimate

In a dynamic global economy programmed with inevitable economic cycles of booms and busts, job security is a technical falsity. To my mind, 'job holding' sounds more realistic. In any and every job you ever hold, only your invaluable contributions may keep you employed for the long haul, if you choose to remain a placeholder. According to a Nigerian adage credited to the Yorubas, "it is the office that actually succeeds every officeholder". So, even if you lose a job during an 'unfavourable' economic cycle of recession, please do not despair. The skills you have built while you held a job can guarantee your sustainable development, IF ONLY you can think deep and through enough. The twin assets of skills and wholesome faith, if productively engaged, can keep you smiling through all business cycles.

Nation-building is such a serious business, that charlatans, the thoughtless and imprudent cannot navigate its terrain. As a consummate and conscientious nation builder, I think Nigeria first, then all other countries next. Nigeria is the STAR nation in Africa, she leads and others follow. If I can fix Nigeria, then Africa can be transformed. Afterwards, other nations will come for lessons. Watch out, Nigeria is on the verge of an epoch-making transformation! #structuraltransformation #Nigeriafirst #nationbuilding #Africa

With thoughts sometimes deep like sea With bright lamps that help us see With spoken lines that clarify paths for our feet Do literary sages through ages greet Words that give hope to our poor and liberate us to soar Calm storms that rage, stirring love and not hate Open blind eyes to united diversity and shuts out abuse of humanity Heal hearts that bleed is all the poetry we may need Poetry can be useful for global development. Therefore, no word that demeans human potential and enslave should come to the birth table.  Words that bring #peace, shared prosperity is #poetry good for #sustainabledevelopment. #WorldPoetryDay 2021 #sustainabledevelopment #peace Photo credit:UNESCO

Have you ever been excited reading a perfect-fit opportunity needed to advance your career, just to find out to your utter dismay that you are simply not age-eligible? If yes, then you have had a one-to-one encounter with ageism. Ageism describes conditions of exclusion of and discrimination against a particular age-group. No one should ever feel or be made to feel unable, damaged, or inappropriate for a productive activity just because of their age. Nothing may beat the synergy of experience and benefit of hindsight provided by the aged with the vigour and resilience of youth in advancing socio-economic progress. All governance systems and structures, from households and firms to state and global institutions, need to recognise that missed opportunities in time can be recovered with equal chances for ALL. We can all work to maintain a world for all ages. Yes we can. #Inclusion #global campaign to combat ageism #ageism @UNDecadeAgeing @Davos @UN Photo credit: UNDecadeAgeing

With a services-sector led growth, gains from industrialisation to Africa are few and far between. No country in Africa should miss out on the benefits of sustainable industrial development. Nonetheless, secure and stable energy infrastructure are enablers of private manufacturing. Also, Africa urgently needs an upgrade of technical skills required to boost current manufacturing output and industry capabilities. With the baseline manpower, a forceful political will and enabling energy-secure environments can serve as important drivers of manufacturing output. #services #energy security #manufacturing #governance #industrialisation #environment #clean energy Photo credit: Deloitte

Questions on my mind: * Which mechanisms are necessary to ensure that every Nigerian state and region can achieve food security? * What agro technologies can be employed to produce food and fruits for which available land is not suitable? * To what extent can infrastructural and business investments in ranches reduce herder/farmer crisis? * What urgent policies can demonstrate the government's political will in curbing crisis in Nigeria's livestock agriculture sub-sector? * How can we provide more equal opportunities for women in every sector, or wherever they choose to serve? * What structures, infrastructures, intrastructures, cultures (SIIC) sicken women and girls development & how can these be abolished? * What mechanisms will be effective to amplify support for the care economy? ...the list goes on... #agriculture #women #digital economy #equality #tourism and emissions #sustainabledevelopment #careeconomy Photo credit: Women Health Mag

The household economy is the cradle of development in all human societies. Whatever goes amiss or aright in the household economy tend to impact on the macroeconomy and extend to the global economy. As local and global governance institutions come to recognise the fundamental mechanisms of the household economy, care economy and their agents, they move to advance family-friendly policies and equality of opportunity in the interest of sustainable development. Given that inequities breed chaos, conflict, and stifle socio-economic progress, all households, corporates, governments, global institutions and their agents, should prioritise the vulnerable in day-to-day considerations and seek improvements in quality of life for all. The household economy is good business. #householdeconomics #decisionmaking #familyfriendlypolicies International Labour Organization #globalcompact Photo credit: Rowman and Littlefield

Even when equal opportunities exist, all forms of poverty may persist due to individuals' attitude to chances, choices and consequences.  Nevertheless, when inequality of opportunity is entrenched in our economic structure and culture, we inadvertedly aggravate the incidence and prevalence of poverty in our societies.  If developing countries would cease being the poverty capitals of the world, they must urgently prioritise structures, infrastructures, intrastructures and cultures (SIIC) that establish equality of opportunity for all.  To further the 'People' component of sustainable development, such economies can work to create equality of opportunity for women as well as men, boys and girls, mothers as well as fathers, youths and elders, rich and poor.  In furtherance of this, we can work to provide wholesome household solutions and social education on how to recognize opportunities, make wise decisions and await their actionable consequences. #businessclimate  #povertyr