In the space of strategy, organisational psychology, change management, career management and leadership, we neither have enough research nor books built on the Nigerian context.
We have great fictional and non-fictional novels with international acclaim, but in the above space, we still just consume hook, line and sinker, whatever North America and Europe produces.
Our corporate stories are not told, because those that rise to the top are mostly “lemmings”.
Too scared to tell their stories, because their positions are always so fragile.
People are too scared to write and so our corporate victories and scars, like our culture, will be (and is) being overrun by western corporate written stories.
Just like African history was by word of mouth and held within fraternities, our corporate journey is by word of mouth and held within fraternities.
That’s why it seems fraternities hold so much history. That’s the only way to hear stories. Informal, unquotable and untraceable.
Look at Felix Ohiwerei and late Gamaliel Onosode. Folklore, lacking adequate documentation.
Even you, reading this, you are guilty. With all you know, created and sold, most are buried in emails, texts, encrypted messages and internal memos. Only those in your corporate tribe get access to your overflowing spring of insight. For the world, your inspirational journey remains folklore.
Nigerian young talent that want to learn, go to people like Jack Welch and Lee Iacocca. Or worse still, they join a fraternity, and get mentors that provide informal guidance and point them to North American/European books as the lighthouse.
There are so many inspirational examples in Nigeria, we need to tell our stories.
– Osasu Oviawe