the challenge i face as i prepare myself for the next … · myself for the next 10 years of...
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THE CHALLENGE I FACE AS I PREPARE MYSELF FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS OF
AFRICA’S DEVELOPMENT
25th August 2014
Gbenga Ige MIT Impactlabs Lagos Nigeria
Intro and Agenda
¨ Where it all began ¨ My CEO ¨ What have I been up to… ¨ The questions I have had to and still need to answer ¨ Your Questions
Intro and Agenda
¨ Where it all began ¨ My CEO ¨ What have I been up to… ¨ The questions I have had to and still need to answer ¨ Where am I headed? ¨ Your Questions
Where it all began…
¨ Born in Jos and lived there till I was 13. ¨ Moved to Lagos to complete SS
¤ Late Mrs Ndefo was pivotal in my adjustment in FGC Ijanikin
¤ Elected a Prefect – Went to the Man O’ War Sea School Camp and got my first real high stress leadership experiece
¤ Wanted to be a Neuro-surgeon and then…
My CEO – A lot of my decisions will be driven by this lady…
¨ Collage of Tomide’s pictures… someone who looks up to me… The reason why I am at MIT today…my decision to quit work and sell all my belongings… What does this say about the amount of risk that I am willing to take…
What have I been up to?
¨ Obafemi Awolowo University ¨ Practically ran my life but with new freedoms that I
sometimes was not very well prepared for ¤ I had mastered the art of studying when I needed to ¤ Choices of what to get involved in
n Religion – CLU/AVSI n Extra-curricular activities like – Sports, Dating, Parties etc. n Trade off between a 1st Class and having a balanced Uni experience
¨ YouBid! ¤ Partnership structure ¤ Issues with the school authorities ¤ Motivating my marketers ¤ The impact of the loss on me – Sold my PC L
What have I been up to?
¨ Idaho – My future is in my hands and I can shape its ¨ Even more freedom to mess with here ¨ Was importance to focus on who I wanted to be
What have I been up to?
¨ Work with National Society of Black Engineers and the University of Idaho leadership
What have I been up to?
¨ Cummins – Pretty comfortable life ¨ As a Diagnostic Engineer I got my first glimpse into
some realities of work/human interaction and myself ¤ Meritocracy ¤ Importance of a sponsor – Mentorship? ¤ I am risk averse so even though I had some business ideas at
the time I never worked on them ¤ Easy to lose touch with Nigeria ¤ Like a lot of African children I had responsibilities to my
family and sometimes these responsibilities were in conflict with the things I wanted personally
What have I been up to?
¨ Cummins – Did some cool stuff ¤ Designed diagnostic algorithms that helped diesel
engines meet government emission regulations ¤ Led a team to develop a software-hardware hybrid
system used to test failures in engines ¤ Led a team of engineers to deliver software content for
the 2013 Dodge RAM truck – Xmas 2010, Drove across the country on vacation over 2500 miles (Lagos – Sokoto x 4)
What have I been up to?
¨ Drove trucks for miles and miles testing them in some of the harshest environments – 16th July, 2009 Death Valley, CA – 50 deg C (Highest ever temp in Sokoto is 47.2 deg C and maximum temperature usually under 40 deg C)
What have I been up to?
¨ Somethings I have learnt ¤ Not to down play the importance of luck and chance ¤ Networking is very helpful ¤ Mentorships are pivotal in your career ¤ Friends have been and will be very important parts of
my life and also motivate me ¤ I constantly need to reinvent myself to be at the top of
the game anywhere
The questions I still need to answer...
¨ Do I work remotely or not? ¨ How exactly can I do I do meet all my dreams and
aspirations while meeting my responsibilities? ¨ Will I have the courage to look at “Africa” and give
as much as I get – not as much as I’ve got… ¨ Been gone 8 years now…Am I going to come back? ¨ Where does money come into the picture especially
when I think of my desire to sacrifice myself for others?
How I hope to approach this challenge… Wish I knew but…
…Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the habor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover – Mark Twain
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