the challenge i face as i prepare myself for the next … · myself for the next 10 years of...

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


¨  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


¨  Work with National Society of Black Engineers and the University of Idaho leadership


¨  Work with National Society of Black Engineers and the University of Idaho


¨  What does a Harley Davidson motorcycle sound like?


¨  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


¨  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)


¨  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)


¨  International Falls, MN (Minus 37 deg C) = Very harsh environment


¨  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

Thank you…

…Questions?…

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