Oluyomi Ola-David Insights

What tools are appropriate in the attempt to habitually differentiate partial truths from whole truths? Which should be prominent, silent strength or loud faints. Is it always necessary to spend money to make money? How may commercial banking retain ethical content? What factors may account for the brevity of informal social contracts? How do non-interest bankers track the streams to which loanable funds flow into, after they may have been disbursed? If boom and bust cycles are really inevitable, why do observers lament? What is the real cost of trade-off between height measures and depth measures? By what means are consumers' preferences revealed, whether for product reputation or full product development? Can the strength of youth erode ancient history? Who ends taking up subjects considered to be of meagre importance? How may timelessness contribute to productivity? How can we tell a vehicle is too fast for longevity? Why would a female lemon command a higher market price than a

One of the things I was delighted to experience during my graduate internship at the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) was the practicality of united diversity. If my memory serves me right, behind my desk was an European and by my right was a Cameroonian, while on the left was an Asian who did not compromise weekly karate classes. In front of my desk there was a row of Africans and Latinos.  Outside of my workspace, I worked closely with a uniquely meticulous Ugandan in furtherance of my assigned projects. The Indian lady down one hallway could graciously adorn her signature sari and forehead dot, and a Kenyan consultant looked ever so gorgeous in her native attires and beaded accessories.   Everyone could just be present to add value to the broad unifying objectives of the workplace community. Here is my bottom line: the United Nations system presents a model of what is plausible when people with varied ethnic nationalities, native penchant, and skills cooperate to achieve un

This week, while looking through shelves to pick out some pre-searched books in development economics and macroeconomics from a University Library, I came by a title on the role of religious organisations in African development. At that instant, I was reminded that I had once thought out the inevitable role of piety in the development of religious Africa. In order to design appropriate and effective interventions for Africa, it is necessary to study the culture and structure of the average African personality. In recent history, economic agents, who seek to take advantage of the fearful, insecure and superstitious African, have been observed to design appropriate media messages, methods, and materials that perpetrate their trade. Using fundamental brainwashing tactics, religious extremists reck a lot of havoc on the minds and perspectives of adherents. The monumental damages to human lives and infrastructure, engineered by such religious devotees can be observed throughout Africa. Furt

Deep within Nigeria's and Africa's inundating socio-economic problems lay streams of opportunities and potential for socio-economic strengthening. However, more often than not, a considerable majority of indigenous populations, who may be without visionary perspectives, merely bemoan the numerous challenges. Thankfully, the inflow of human capital and financial capital from oversea territories increasingly serve to jolt local sleeping giants to action. For instance, soon after a stream of foreign-owned firms expanded the output of the Nigerian telecommunications sector at the turn of the century, an indigenous telecommunications firm emerged to claim part of the market share. Moreover, several cases of knowledge spillovers from 'foreign presence' in various industries are apparent in the recent development history of Rwanda, Madagascar, and Kenya amongst others. In the light of these, foreign direct investment as well as portfolio inflows to Africa's largely untappe

Can exhibitions be sufficient replacements for erudition? Who should be weary of crowded rooms with crowded minds? Can we conceive a lending rate as low as 0-1 per cent?  Why does it seem easier to see the weaknesses and threats (as well as strengths and opportunities) in others and more difficult to identify one's? What can lone voices do other than keep mute? Are good works always useful and for how long? Is the middle-class really disappearing? The 'Visible Hand' can regulate the 'Invisible Hand', but who sufficiently regulates the 'Visible Hand'? Can we have banks as good as family, with no money usage costs? What would the global economy look like if everything was sold for free? Which is superior, for-profit or the not-for-profit motive? What is the price of a compliment? When does giving a compliment become a necessary good? What is the underlying philosophy of the poor? What is the cost of arrogance? Which is the better choice over the course of a li

I became interested in the intricacies of school choice a few years ago, when I began to closely observe household decision trends, with respect to school transitions in my local community. I started by interviewing parents who had children in the basic education age brackets. A considerable majority were concerned that the cognitive achievements of their young children were not at par with those of children from comparator schools. Many were willing to pay additional fees to get their wards enrolled in high-performing prestigious schools even though they were farther away from their homesteads. Low-income households tend to patronise and may prefer low-cost private schools to overcrowded and dilapidated public schools. Even though school ads and bill boards may attract some business, prospective clients utilise self-driven fact finding missions. Many engage members of their social and business networks to obtain firsthand school testimonials. For many parents of preschoolers, schools

Have you ever been to a bee hive? You may not find any other spots so full of activity as this. The bees make sweet sounds you may call noise, but they may not care a hoot. They are just too busy to be deterred by naysayers.  Do bees care about the style of your hair, the colour of your new shoes, or the fancy outfit you are out to parade? They do not seem to care about you or what else you may have to say, except it is out of line with what their royal leads have decreed. Every bit of the average bee is useful for your internal well being and outward beautification. You may harvest honey bees produce through their busyness as long as you are an expert in their glamourous field of play. Even as an expert bee keeper, you will need to to keep that reasonable shield on, if you intend to live long to enjoy the sweet profits from your investments.  With a steady output of activity sounds, honey, honey combs, bees stay busy enough to retain your patronage. Just ensure you do not consume too

 It may always seem sweet to rule over others It is also sweet to sit and be ruled It is always great to serve others It is also great to sit and be served It may always seem sweet to correct others It is also sweet to stand to be corrected It is always great to teach others It is also great to muse and be taught It may always seem sweet to develop others It is also sweet to be calm enough to develop It is always great to enrich others It is also great to be poor and enriched It may always seem sweet to know more than others It is also sweet to be ignorant and know less It is always great to exercise authority over others It is also great to be subject to authority It may always seem sweet to be older than others It is also sweet to be young and amenable It is always great to fly above others It is also great to make a conscious landing It may always seem sweet to be better than others It is also sweet to be less than most It is always great to speak to the nations It is also great to

This weekend, I am reminded of one of the soulful speeches of a founding father of the American heritage, Patrick Henry: The famous "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" Declaration. The speeches and actions of the founding fathers of African hope and independence from perceived oppression, were equally daring, patriotic, and visionary. They all knew that true liberty is about taking absolute responsibility for the outcome of one's decisions and actions. Yet they all lived very long enough to pen the kind of constitutions and build institutions that could guarantee the fulfilment of the dreams they envisaged. The sustainable future of generations yet unborn lie subject to our collective and unselfish commitment to building nations and societies that work for all. We can all work to promote peace and security, people development, shared prosperity, protect planetary boundaries and build partnerships that save the planet. We are better working together for a sustainable future

The African continent is fast becoming a hub for global investments in financial services, energy generation, goods manufacturing, sanitation and waste management, real estate development, construction, agro-processing, IT development, media and entertainment amongst several others. Consequent to this, African governments urgently need to move beyond promoting investments and creating favourable local business climates that are conducive for foreign direct investments.  I think it is more imperative and welfare-enhancing to build and maintain institutions that effectively and sustainably regulate business practices as well as protect consumers and the environment.  For instance, while the recent growth in the financial services sector, powered by vibrant indigenous and foreign-vested fintechs, has increased competition and innovation in the financial services sector, more is to be desired with respect to compliance with global best practices.  A survey of customer reviews of some forei

In a good house, open roofs allow for light In a bad house, there are only solid walls In a good house, doors are placed on detour sides In a bad house, there are only front doors and back doors In a good house, windows are placed high to let light flow In a bad house, there are only curtained and low windows. In a good house, people may speak truth and be warmly at peace In a bad house, people may only listen to live in hypocrisy, and  watch their backs. In a good house, people may know the time and chance that happens to them and their neighbours In a bad house, people may not certainly count on their steady times and chances In a good house, people love people and use money as a tool In a bad house, people love money and use people as tools In a good house, the sincere children can say the emperor is without clothing In a bad house, the children's cold tongues may only affirm that the emperor is gorgeous In a good house, every weakness can be made strength In a bad house, every

This week, I sat in an undergraduate economics class for freshmen where my colleague taught on types of economic systems. It was interesting been refreshed by the  knowledge sharing session. He highlighted four economic systems - traditional, capitalist, command, and mixed economies - and discussed perceived advantages and disadvantages of each. The framework of the various systems dictate economic and socio-political mechanisms via which economic problems are solved and basic questions answered. For instance, whereas primitive values, habits and customs may inform answers to the basic economic questions in a traditional economic system, the central governing authority holds the resource key and pulls the economic trigger in a command economy.  Majority of students who spoke unanimously from some residual knowledge and experiential perspective, disfavoured the notion of a 'command economy', stating that it will likely be authoritarian in scope and their opinion may not matter.