It takes one person to make the needed change...
Sometimes, even if you cannot make the big change, keep making noise about the need for change and influence little changes every chance you get.
That is the case of Benjamin Boakye the 44-year old young man we (with Kirk T. Semple) met yesterday in Accra. He is known as 'the Whistleblower Extraordinaire', Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) in Ghana.
For many years now, he has single-handedly caused disruptions in the Ghana Energy and Petroleum sector exposing corruption practices and bringing the government to a sense of accountability to the people.
A good friend of mine and yesterday we jump-started a strategic partnership with Lancaster University and ACEP in capacity building and research in the sustainable energy and environment space in Ghana.
Keep making your noise!!!!
#research #sustainable #africa #people #change #energy #environment #environment #petroleum #building #university #DrAkanSpeaks
Once he was usual and now he is the boss!!!
Before now he was just my colleague and friend and Prof of Environmental Microbiology but it’s the first time I am traveling with him as ‘the boss’ - Director of Lancaster Environment Centre, one of the most reputable environmental centres in #europe.
As I fly into Accra today with Prof Kirk T. Semple I look forward to leading a high profile workshop on Lancaster University’s Stimulating Entrepreneurial Thinking in Scientist (SETS) of Differentiate Project under the British Council sponsored and ChangeSchool led Innovation for African University Program.
I asked Kirk, so do you feel different being the boss, and he said ‘I just feel tired’.
Guess what boss!! You are only two months in. Get on with it.
When you are good at what you do, being tired is part of the job 🤣🤣🤣. Just don’t be over-tired…
#innovation #job #project #change #change #school #university #environmental #DrAkanSpeaks #environment
You can only give what you have....please read this true story.
Few years ago I got a call from the most reputable private university in Kenya - Strathmore University to teach on their premiere Masters degree Law (LLM) program in Oil and Gas.
My module was Oil and Gas Licensing and #Local #Content
In my first lesson I told them: at the end of this module, you will all pitch to a panel to give you a local content based #oil and #gas operating license.
I placed them in groups and made them form 'made-up companies and allocate roles like the senior management of an imaginary oil and gas firm'.
They worked in groups all through the course upgrading their license presentations using content from the course as I taught.
I invited a staff of the #Ministry of Petroleum and Mining in Kenya as a member of the judging panel. This is one of the persons who real companies come to make presentations to for licenses in Kenya.
The students had so much fun creating 'made-up business cards, hard-copy company profiles, business services and local content propositions etc.
The presentations were amazing….BUT SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED!
Few days after my module ended, I walked into class unscheduled and met the students having a meeting and you cannot believe what they were talking about!
They were discussing forming 'actual and real companies' with different solution-services they could offer in Kenya within the oil and gas market. It blew my mind away!!
Many years after that module, I am still in touch with many of my students who are doing amazing things with the companies they set up.
There was a practical real-world challenge and application that I created as the driver of the module and it made all the difference.
Also, the design of the module meant they didn't just learn about local content but they developed team building, communication, presentation, analysis and a plethora of #soft skills.
Africa universities arise..... our students and graduates need you!
I would like to do some teaching next year so reach out if you need a visiting professor 😊
Follow me on LinkedIn - https://lnkd.in/dnWQymM
#universities #sustainability #africa #students #drakanspeaks
Learning business just to pass my examinations but clueless afterwards…
Not anymore…
I was a #science student but I did a mandatory business course during my first degree.....yet I didn't know anything about a business plan........
Most African students in Business and Management Departments of Universities would know about business theories but no applications…..
What about #science, #engineering, #medical and #technology students? Most are clueless about #innovation in entrepreneurship ….
Over 12 million Africa youth enter into the work force yearly but only 3 million formal #jobs are created annually......that's a 9 million deficit per year.
So it means Africa will never address its unemployment issues if #entrepreneurship towards creating jobs is not intentional and integral with a focus on science and innovation……in an Industrial Revolution 4.0 era..
It is the reason why we developed toolkits on Stimulating Entrepreneurial Thinking in Scientists and Students (SETSS) in #Africa.
This is a British Council funded and ChangeSchool supported project called Differentiate led by Lancaster University University and project managed by myself Dr. Akanimo Odon
As we come to the end of the project, it is a delight to see hundreds and hundreds of African academics in STEM areas know how to think entrepreneurially and support their students to do the same.
Thanks to Prof Kirk T. Semple for incredible leadership and to our amazing African partners in #Nigeria, #ghana and #kenya (Kenyatta University, University of Benin, Igbinedion University, Okada, African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) )
Follow me on LinkedIn - https://lnkd.in/dnWQymM
#innovation #africa #entrepreneurship #business #technology #work #science #jobs #management #engineering #engineering #students #project #university #universities #medical #leadership #kenya #nigeria #linkedin
The Publish or perish curse of African #universities......
Not anymore.
This is a known phrase in Africa academic circles where everything academics do is geared towards publishing research papers. Without it, there is no promotion....….
But can it be publish and impact?
With so much challenges in African societies, why can't researchers do research to drive innovation and impact while they still publish?
This is the reason why we won the British Council funded ChangeSchool - led Innovation for African University program funding which has been used to develop tool kits to Stimulate Entrepreneurial Thinking in Scientists and Students (SETSS).
This Lancaster University Differentiate Project has been led by Prof Kirk T. Semple and project-managed by moi Dr. Akanimo Odon
It has been amazing to present these toolkits to so many Vice Chancellors, academics, scientists and students in #Nigeria, #ghana and #Kenya and to see the impact…
Thanks to the African partners (Kenyatta University, University of Benin, Igbinedion University, Okada, African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) for incredible job so far......changing the narrative in Africa....
Follow me on LinkedIn - https://lnkd.in/dnWQymM
#innovation #africa #kenya #research #funding #linkedin #funding #job #change #project #nigeria #students #universities #university #school Sam Kamuriwo Anthony N-yelkabong Spencer Nwangwu #technology #network #publishing
The trial by error career!!
Not anymore....
I scored 204 in JAMB (the official university entrance exams in Nigeria) and couldn't get into Medicine so was offered Zoology. There were only two zoos in Nigeria so each time I walked into my year one class at #university of Benin #Nigeria, I thought 'I have to be the best to get that job in one of the zoos'
But then I heard that the #zoos have failed and the lions were hungry so it dashed my hope.
Then I heard several #zoology graduates got jobs in the bank and I thought, 'It doesn’t make sense but I wonder if I could get a job in a bank' and yes I did.
I worked for one year at the former Platinum Bank Nigeria for my NYSC and then I got a scholarship to the UK to do a Masters #degree in the #environment. Two weeks to finishing my MSc, I got into a panic unsure of what next so guess what I did again? Yes, I thought!!!🤣🤣
So I thought, 'I wonder if I could have a research career in the environment' so what did I do? I applied to fifteen UK universities and got an offer so proceeded to do a PhD in the environment too. I nearly died from #stress trying to finish that PhD 🤣🤣.
Funny thing is I don't really do anything now in #zoology or #banking and a bit in the environment. It was all based on the situation at the time.
So when you ask me now, who are you doc? I should say 'I am a zoological banker with an environmental expertise'.
But instead I say - 'I am an Anti-Trial-by-error-career Specialist'.
It's why I developed the most practical and clarity-oriented UK CPD #certified career programs for #african universities and professionals.
This week is the final week 4 of the one month International Career Coaching Program (ICCP) and there are over 300 students and professionals from about 14 African countries who are currently in Cohort six of the program about to complete.
The ICCP has been loaded onto a Flexylearn Training and Career App due to be launched soon. Watch out!!!
It’s okay to guess but it’s nicer to know!!!
Please share😊
#DrAkanSpeaks #career #jobs #university #education #flexylearn #environment #internship #universities
Congratulations are in order..it’s the third year anniversary of my #school……
It's three years since I set up a small outreach school in #nigeria - Lancaster International School……to educate and support kids of #families in the local community.
Few weeks ago the kids finished the term with a bang with different activities including #games, #shopping and lots of excitement.
Thanks to the amazing #headteacher and her entire #team for being simply incredible..….and dedicating themselves to impacting the lives of these young one.
Enjoy the #summer holidays 😊😊
Follow me on LinkedIn - Dr. Akanimo Odon
#team #school #nigeria #teacher #community #DrAkanSpeaks #educationforall #linkedin
They tell you think big! think big!! think big!!! I kinda disagree!!!
The truth is I am ‘always’ thinking small while I am trying to think big if I would ever get anything done..........
Do not look for a stranger to give you 1 million dollars so much that you miss 20 people living by you who have 100,000 #dollars each to give......
Break your #grand project or ideas into smaller bits and phases and open up yourself to a new era of grabbing #opportunities and actually getting things done.......
Have a great weekend LinkedIn family….
Follow me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drakanimoodon
#people #opportunities #project #gettingthingsdone #DrAkanSpeaks #linkedinfamily