Debo is arguably the most influential entrepreneur in the Real Estate Market in Nigeria; he is currently riding a wave of over 7 Estate Developments, of over 8,000,000sqm of land, in different locations, all within Lagos and Ogun States of the Nigerian Federation. He is highly demanded as a conference speaker of repute, the Visionary and Real Estate Entrepreneur and Investment Consultant. He is the President of Prime Asset Housing Co-operative Multi-purpose Society Limited (PAHCMS) and founder of Realty Point Limited. Prior to starting up Realty Point Limited, ‘Debo had spent nearly 9 years in the Banking Industry. He was in a middle management capacity and was responsible for a portfolio of about N1.5 billion.

Ok, enough about Debo; I actually met up with him in his office and we had a chat about his passion to educate willing Nigerians on the proper framework of investing or setting up a real estate business in Nigeria. He has set up a school for budding and real estate aficionados which would not only take you through the ABC of real estate in Nigeria but the “street smart” culture especially in Nigeria. He has set up both a weekend lecture based school and a home based lecture school. This school is for those who want to be serious or are already serious about real estate business in Nigeria. It’s a must for every forward looking business man because there is no business without the mention of real estate. Please, if you are interested, please click HERE to know more. In the interim, you may enjoy the lengthy discussion I had with Debo in his office;

Q: Why set up this school?

A: I discovered that the real estate industry requires informed people to move it to the next level, because of the importance of real estate; it is the focus of the economy; there is nothing you do in life that does not involve real estate. Due to its demand, it opened that business up to just anybody, especially the agency aspect of it, it can’t be controlled, and anybody can be an agent. So the more untrained agents we have, the more problems we’d create in the industry.

A lot of things are happening outside of the legal frame work. Some agents get people to pay some fees before doing the job of agency and end up giving them unlivable buildings.  Another is the developers or the professionals in the business, most of them don’t know the nitty-gritty, and an average investor should be knowledgeable about real estate. A number of them don’t, they think real estate is like stocks that they buy today and sell tomorrow but it’s not like that, that is why some people want to build their own and they don’t build correctly, at the time of completion, if not for the money they had spent, if they speak genuinely, they feel like pulling it down cause you’d see water level rising in the house because of bad foundation and this affects the value.

So we want to do something for the entrepreneurs, someone that is interested in real estate business and keen on knowing what to do, it could help students that are still in school before they graduate and add the entrepreneurial flavor. Our curriculum in school are not fashioned after making you an entrepreneur, they are fashioned after making you a regular employee to go look for job. If you are an entrepreneur, adding this aspect of entrepreneurial class, sharpens your entrepreneurial skill in real estate. We run courses in all the aspects of real estate; legal, real estate law, construction basic etc. there are seven courses, one case study and one seminar session, plus the orientation. These are the classes one would go through, it normally covers a period of six weekends (Sat&Sun), also is the use of information technology in real estate business, accounting, ,basic issues as to real estate agency; how to set up and run your office, how to open your account and having your business registered, how to get clients and duties to them, managing your staff, duties to your principals and vendors, turning your agency into a real estate business.

Q: If I am a worker in a bank and my mind is on real estate, will this course adequately sensitize me toward the real estate business despite the fact that I have never in my life studied real estate?

A: it will adequately do that; the course is structured in such a way that, whether one is a novice, or has little knowledge about real estate or an expert, it is important to integrate this course into your portfolio. One can also be an expert in one area of real estate or you want to broaden your knowledge across the other areas of real estate, we start on the basis of not assuming that you know anything, then we build you up to the level you can function effectively running your business, later there are advanced program that will now specialize you in other areas of real estate. This is the first course that one will need. It will interest you to know that even those who went to the university to study estate management has been attending this program, The training is a blend of class and practical and thereafter there is a mentorship program, the lecturer and the contact you make can establish you. we also have a very important tool we brought out that anybody participating in our program either directly coming to the school or having our home service pack can have even for a trial basis for thirty days, especially for those interested in investment or the agency part of the business.

Q:  Is the course divided?

A: It’s a single course

Q: So why specialization?

A: the course takes you through every aspect of real estate, that can make you run a business out of it, but if you want to specialize in one aspect such as being a developer, then you’ll need the advanced course, or for someone who wants to be a real estate investor can build their portfolio then get an advanced course in real estate investment. Also there is an internet based community that we have wherein people share information on or for people who want to rent or buy, and that’s what the business is all about, people share information in a way that can help you trade part of the information you have and this is for anybody participating in our program either directly coming to the school or having our home service pack can have even for a trial basis for thirty days, especially for the investment or the agency part of the business. This thereby helps you give good value to your principal. This is to say when you participate in this program; there are so many leverages for you.

Q: If I am not really interested in real estate, I like entrepreneurship, and I am also working right now but I am prepared to leave my job, could this be a boost if I get the home study course to read through it, are there some entrepreneurial principles I can gather to push me through.

A: especially in the case study and in the seminar session, there are a number of people who are gainfully employed and are doing real estate part time and also doing it big time, a number of them had to leave their jobs after stabilizing, so there is a way you can build it while you are at work, I usually share a principle in our orientation program, real estate is one of the easiest business to start, almost with no capital.

Q: Did you start as an agent?

A: Yes in a way, I started as an information marketer in real estate, I started by doing seminars, getting people to facilitate and by publishing a magazine, the next level was the agency aspect and from then on it was a blast and I did that without any money, it’s about information, you can start it on a part time for example, marketing information where you develop into creating your own market.

Q: Is there a certification that enables banks invest into a person proven to know this business to a profitable state?

A: We give  certification of participation, the program is for knowledge seekers and not for certificate seekers, however as a school we are perfecting an arrangement for a diploma program, if you finish our entrepreneurship program if you are really interested in certification especially in the area of ethics of being an agent  you can start our advanced program which prepares you for certification in NIES exams, the other angle to it is what we are preparing which is having a fund that is dedicated fund to those presenting their real estate business idea. This makes money for both parties on either loan or equity arrangement, this is not necessarily from any bank, there are investors for that fund. This would be like the “Dragons Den” where there would be a panel to ascertain on the viability of the presentation.

Q: what are the challenges of the real estate business?

A: one is the legalities, real estate is all about land and it will interest you to know that nobody owns land, we only have interest in land and the interest is indicated by the document you have, and that’s why we have a lot of court cases. The base commodity we have is land and it is not moveable, cannot talk, e.g. if you take a person to a land and the person pays for it, a documentation is given, if the next day you give to another person the land will not scream out no! I was sold yesterday to another person, it’s the same land, you can’t manufacture it and give the other person another one, so you have to be careful in your transaction, that’s why a developer or agent needs to have this knowledge, just like any other kind of business you need to do due diligence in what you are marketing and who you are marketing it to, you can get a client a house after paying his initial payment,  the next time of he is to pay, it becomes an issue and after legal terms come in he can live in the house for the next five year without paying a dime. Or he can live in the house and when he leaves, it can be a serious mess. So it’s not so much about the money, in a nutshell,l the money is important but also the character of the client. You can lose money and can make money in real estate business, just like any other business, there are pit holes too.

Q: what can people who are already doing well in another business but want to divert some of their wealth to real estate gain out of this program?

A: a lot of people that I’ve met who do what I call “land lording”, who go build a house and let it out have said if they had know they won’t have gone into “land lording”, they would better give it to a manager, or if they know what they know now, they wouldn’t build were they built their house. I don’t consider real estate business in Nigeria to be good if the rental income does not pay for cost of the building in maximum of ten years, you’d see a lot of this buildings around twenty years they are still trying to make up the cost of the building, and when you build for rental you need to determine the kind of tenant you want and whether you can get those kinds of tenants in the area you are building. Location is important; some people would build duplex in a place that nobody would want to live in when a flat or self-contain would have gone faster. They get less money on the duplex compare to if they had built a flat there. These are the things every investor has to know. How do I decide this is what I should go into, how do I know my returns, my projections, am I ready for the troubles of “land lording”. Worldwide you still have tenants that will not pay and legality is applied in a timely fashion, not to talk of Nigeria where law takes forever.

Q: the fee for the program, how do you justify that?

A: for the material, there are some text books that would be including in that material and networking tool (data of people that are in this practice) they can contact, the typical school program that we run will just cost about fifty thousand Naira but before the end of the year it going cost about fifty-five or sixty because of some additional benefits we are bringing on board. The ones attending the program for six weekends will be spending time and money and the other guys would do theirs in the comfort of their home. To cap it up If you’re buying the home course, we live a day that we encourage you to come for the certification program, it will facilitate your networking and we can put a face to your program, and you’d be absorbed into the alumni.

If you read this to the end, you surely know the importance of this program; please click HERE to show interest. Have a lovely weekend!

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Since 5 years of successful online business, I have observed loyal followers who have watched me risk, fail, stand-up, succeed, fail again and eventually going to succeed in a bigger way. These followers have read my posts and made positive comments about my work but do not actually understand the in-road to a successful business venture in the 21^st century: It’s not just having an online presence (so many people have set up blogs, forums, etc without success), it’s about picking the right ingredients from the right resource to leverage whatever you want to do with your life.

Before this workshop commences on the 20^th of March, I would be exposing my readers to young millionaires who have leveraged the online business to succeed in their line of business interest. One of the great minds, I am fortunate and privilege to mix with is Deolu Akinyemi: He is the CEO of Generis Solution and one of the major players of Network Marketing in Nigeria. I have watched him leverage his online presence (www.deoluakinyemi.com) to become one of the most promising self-employed multimillionaires we have in Nigeria.

I have been trying to tackle him since his trip to India but I finally caught up with him online in Dubai. He helped me convert the Dollars I made in Holiday and Cash (H&C) to Naira and was I glad for the extra money. We later chatted and to my surprise, he informed me about the gigantic improvements that have been made in H & C and Network Marketing in Nigeria. Suddenly, I realized how having the right Online Business can be leveraged into something so huge. This is an interview I had with him concerning Network Marketing and H&C: It is a must read!

1. Congrats on establishing a legal framework for Network Marketing in Nigeria ‫ National Institute of Network Marketing in Nigeria; can you give us a hint on what this would mean to all Network Marketers in Nigeria.

Thank you Dipo, it’s been a 6 months project, and I’m excited we’ve crossed the major hurdles. The relevant ministries have approved, and we are simply dotting the “Is” and crossing the “Ts”.

The implication of having this institute is birth of standards and structures for the industry in Nigeria. Just like ICAN has established accounting as a veritable profession, Network Marketers are 21^st century professionals, and it’s only proper the industry operates on proper foundations of knowledge, skills and attitude requirements in Nigeria as well. It also means it will be more difficult for just any company without standards or sustainable systems to operate in Nigeria and deceive Nigerians.

I’ll ask Nigerians to be patient and watch that space, as we begin to partner with reputable universities to develop and deliver a curriculum that makes it possible for people to build a career in this industry. These systems are well established in many other countries, and encourage proper people to function in the industry. Businesses fail; more out of people failure than failure of ideas. Defining a basic minimum standard of knowledge is critical to sustainable growth in any industry.

1. Network Marketing players (including yourself) have always advocated Network Marketing as an effective Plan B for Nigerian workforce. Is this feasible knowing full well, the kind of devotion the network marketing requires? (e.g. training attendance, sales presentation, etc)

Network marketing is a lot of work, it’s no get rich quick, it however is one of the 5 options that can help people build passive income over a life time, and is the most reasonable option for someone who doesn’t have as much as $1million to invest. If people are serious about their future, it’s something they need to look at with an open mind. The interesting thing is that people who have the wrong perspective are not knowledgeable about the industry or the requirements of success. How many books have they read, how many DVDs have people watched? Success is not spontaneous combustion, its deliberate effort. It’s a solid plan B, a true character and personal development vehicle and a business school for people who like helping people.

I also try to educate people that to work until you are 50 to begin to do any business is bordering on suicide. The first 3yrs of a company are usually its demanding years, and its learning years. Learning involves bad experiences, and shocks. People should get themselves involved and learn the basic rudiments of all businesses (lead generation, leads conversion and sales retention). Learn while you are young, better now than later.

1. From your experience, what does it take a very passionate and ambitious persons to be successful in any network marketing program

Every industry has their success parameters, in Real Estate its location, in Network Marketing, it’s perseverance. There is a book I’m reading, my first year in Network Marketing, the author says you won’t be super rich until the 10yr. You need to be willing to fail forward until you find the right company with the right model, and stick to it.

E.g. I have given myself a 10yr commitment for example, and I’m not backing down until I rank with Number 1 in any other industry.

1. You are one of the most successful bloggers in Nigeria; what is the correlation between owning a blog and having a successful network marketing campaign?

Sincerely there is not much of a correlation; you can succeed without owning a blog. Facebook and twitter are levelers. However, online presence is equity in the 21^st century world; if you are not there you are gradually becoming irrelevant.

1. For the past one year now, I realize you have been single minded concerning one particular program (Holiday and Cash). What are your motivations towards this particular program?

I had given up on the industry ‫ due to the bitter pills of failure and the aftermaths of success without successors, but I got an experience that got me to empty my cup. I met a guy about my age that had spent 9yrs+ in the same network marketing company and become super successful and had loyal and grateful followership that I could only dream about. I decided to learn from the past, and face the future. I chose to do the opposite of what majority would do, I decided to fail forward.

I also discovered that when good people unplug themselves from any system, then evil people will dominate it. We called any music that doesn’t fit our framework secular and sex merchants took over the industry, we declared politics unfit for good people and now we have rogues. I decided to occupy and not vacate.

1. One of the main attractions of any Direct Marketing Program is product: H&C does not seem to have any specific tangible products. What are your comments on this?

H&C has products, tangible and intangible. The tangible and intangible products in H&C are valued at more than 10 times their purchase price. Some of them when you hear will literally blow your mind. It’s so good; the possibility of an upward price review is imminent.

The reason people think like that, was that in the beginning it was not so. A lot of things have been added in time, so much so that today, it’s almost unthinkable not to have the privilege pack (the H&C product bundle). You can get more details by clicking  HERE

1. You seem to be the only visible player online advocating for H&C; can you give us an example of some successful protégés.

There are many successful protégés, online and offline. If you check very well, I have not been doing direct advocacy for H&C. The internet is more a place to generate leads, not to close sales. It’s an industry people join by faith and succeed by knowledge. I am careful of marketing people without knowing them, and that learning is being passed to all, so you might not see much talk online, it’s deliberate.

However for an idea of successful protégés, I was in India with 35 other Nigerians in my team. We met with the rest of the world. Here in Dubai in the platinum meeting there are 7 Nigerian Couples. These are people who have grown to the highest levels in the company and are being offered shares in the global company.  A few of the India pictures on my India Experience article will reveal some names. There are lots of ordinary people with extra ordinary results. There are a number of great people of who I am really proud, who have left their fulltime day jobs to face this full time.

1. Nigerians experienced the bitter pill of online business in 2007 with some few players (e.g. me) cashing in on it. How does H&C eliminate these kinds of scenario where only a few reap the rewards?

H&C is built on a model agreed around the world by Network Marketing Gurus to be the fairest reward plan (profit sharing plan actually). Also because the company is constantly reinvesting in creating more value for the product, even if you don’t market, you gain. Imagine you have access to travel to Thailand, Dubai, Mauritius and Las Vegas without paying a dime for your hotel bills, imagine you also have e-books worth $3,000 and imagine these are just a tip of the iceberg.

1. The leadership program of H&C is a great opportunity for most Nigerians to experience a different cultural and geographical landscape. Tell us your experience (good and bad)?

Travel is higher education! I usually tell people there is a difference between going abroad on training and going for an all expense paid vacation. 7 days on the exotic alluring laps of luxury is beyond description ‫ either in Egypt cruising the Nile for 3 days on a ship, the exotic tours to the pyramids and the temples of Ramses of Moses, or moving from island to island in the natural paradise of Mauritius or beholding the great sights of the Taj Mahal. It’s been an experience that makes you demand more from our leaders, and gives people the privilege of expanding their horizons.

1.  In 5 years time, how would H&C be relevant to the Nigerian economy and political landscape?

I’m amazed that you can see the connection clearly between the economy and the political. If you asked me 5yrs ago, I’ll be excited about 5yrs. These days however I think in 10s and more. So please permit me to say that 10yrs from now, I’ll be able to sound better and more excited, than a 33yr old guy I met in Malaysia that said “When this company started, the MD said that one day we will own our own country, I’m proud to tell you today that having a customer base of 5.5million people in 10yrs, this dream has already come true.” We will be relevant.

Wow, that was a mouthful and I hope you have digested and chewed on it. Please, do not get it twisted; one of the levelers to Deolu’s success is online presence. Learn the rudiments of adopting a successful online presence by participating in the Blog Money Workshop:

DATE: 20^TH AND 21^ST March, 2010

TIME: Saturday (10.00am to 4.00pm); Sunday (1.00pm to 6.00pm)

FACILITATOR: Dipo Tepede, MBA, DCP, PMP^R (soon)

VENUE: Realty Point beside GT Bank, Mobolaji Bank Anthony, Ikeja

FEE: 12, 000 NAIRA ONLY

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 25 persons only

If you have indicated interest and have not received payment information, I would send to you ASAP. A minimum commitment fee of N5000 must be paid before 10^th March, 2010 to secure a seat. Seats are reserved on first pay not first inquiry. Please, kindly click HERE to get payment information. Have a lovely week!

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Well, in an attempt to answer my initial question, I took a trip down memory lane and looked at the trends: When my elder brother was about to take his JAMB, he was advised to take a course on Economics because that was the in-thing; during my time, it was Computers. When I finished my undergraduate studies, the whole buzz was on Cisco Certification. Immediately, I started working, the general advice was Masters abroad and now you need Project Management Cert.

The reasons for these inconsistent advices are simple: 1.) the world changes and only those that move with the change reap the fruits. 2) To move from one level to another, you need to acquire a different knowledge from what you are used to. 3)In order to get out of rat race, you need to continuously invest in a liquefiable asset and education is one of the lowest risk investment in the world. 4) Competition is real and only those who are ahead of competition survive. 5) In the event of crisis leading to job loss, nothing keeps you employable than a higher knowledge.

I remember vividly my entry into the International Carrier Service department of Globacom. The prerequisite for entry was MBA from UK or US. It wasn't just Masters, it has to be MBA and it was not just any MBA but from UK or US. This was where the rubber met the road for me because I only had a first degree from a Nigerian university. I did my research into the department filled with only expatriates and was able to connect the department function to my knowledge in CCNA. I knew that if I was given a chance for an interview, I was going to impress them with my research. I had to go through 3 gruesome interviews and I was selected with three others amongst 200 Masters Graduate.

My Cisco certification came in handy and made me unique; the key was actually connecting my certification with what they do. What would I have done without the certification? After entering the department, I did not have to dream to fly first class; I was always flying first class whenever I was on official assignment. Looking back now at the moment I wanted to make the investment to get certification, it was a huge struggle because the money was not just there but investing in education is life sustaining.

The first time I heard of Project Management Certification was from a colleague who was preparing for PRINCE2 exam. Some weeks after he bagged his PRINCE2 certificate, he moved to BAT for a higher position and a mouth watering salary. I have really not had the time to venture into it because of my MBA program but when a friend from South Africa told me he was coming to Nigeria with his team to prepare interested Nigerians to pass the PMP certificate, I was immediately interested. This is the interview I had with Ayo:

1. Give us a brief data about urself?

My name is Oladejo Ayobami Abiodun; I am a graduate of Mathematics from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife also holds a diploma in Internet Governance from Diplo Malta. I am an ICT professional and project manager with a relatively broad spectrum including Telecommunications, Web Development, Database Designs, Network Administration and Security, Windows and Unix Systems Administration, Programming, e.t.c. I am a consultant to private companies and also government institutions especially in ICT policy research. My job revolves around the field of Data Services and I am one of the few data services professionals in Africa. I manage projects in diverse fields and I am a Project Management Professional (PMP).

I have successfully managed network overhaul especially in the packet switch/Mobile IP environments for two leading Telecoms operations in Africa. My passion for mobile data products has helped operators to improve on their Average Revenue Per User. My recent efforts brought a very low populated African country on to the map of the biggest Mobile Internet users in the world.

I have co-authored a book titled; Global Process, Local Reality;  a book that chronicles the participation of Nigerian youths in the World Summit on the Information Society process. I am married to Lola and we have a beautiful daughter.

2. Why PMP is useful to an average executive?

A credential like the Project Management Professional (PMP) is very relevant to any serious executive especially with the present events happening in the economic horizon. Most organizations are no longer interested in keeping redundant staff on their payroll but instead run their activities in a projectized manner. The developed countries recognized that a long time ago especially the United States and the United Kingdom; hence the development of project management methodologies. The big companies in Nigeria especially in Telecommunication, Oil and Gas, as well as construction caught the bug earlier on than the rest. A vivid example - most Construction company permanent staff are project managers who go ahead to recruit contract workers to implement projects. This means they don't keep the skills they don't need at a particular time. This method is already permeating into other sectors of the economy and even subject matter experts are waking up to the reality that we are in a project controlled environment.

3. Can you give us a scenario where you integrated PMP to your projects?

At the moment; everything I do revolves around projects. Projects are temporary endeavours with a set objective and a timeline to achieve a particular goal. This means I even use it in my personal life apart from my career. Most people actually work by projects but they do it haphazardly in no particular manner where they confuse project management with project directing. Project management is a broad field and the Project Management Institute has done well by evolving a very academic and practical methodology that doesn't fail if applied very well. The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) is a document which guides the management of projects in the PMI way. This addresses all aspects of a project including - cost, time, human resources, procurement, quality, scope, risk, communications and Integration which are referred to as the knowledge areas. A good understanding of those and the application of the project management processes as defined by PMI namely - Initiating, planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling and Closing will ensure a properly run project.

4. What is the difference between PMP and PRINCE 2?

PMP originated from the United States while Prince2 evolved from the United Kingdom. I get this question many times and I will just say that the first major difference is the way they conduct their credential examination. You must first qualify to write the PMP exam. They believe you must have some level of post-graduate experience as well as maturity to be a PMP. I tell people that qualifying to write the PMP exam is more tasking than the process of writing the exam itself. While not slighting Prince 2; I can rightly say that you can write the exam 2 weeks after finishing college if you have the money to pay for high cost of training. Besides, PMP has gained grounds in many countries of the World today including the UK. Also, the support structure for credential holders after passing is very strong in PMP with a lot of seminars and activities to get PMPs updated and also checking their activities.

Also, Prince 2 is a methodology that is more tailored to IT projects (Though can be used in other projects) while PMP is a body of knowledge that can be adapted to all industries. It is a simple rule of thumb that a project manager should be able to manage any type of project successfully irregardless of the industry or discipline.

5. Is this certification globally recognized?

PMP is a globally recognized credential. A Google check for it will give an even better picture of its relevance in today's world. Also, the network of PMPs is something you can never fault. Having a PMP means you are recognized as a project manager of integrity. PMI goes through a screening process that ensures its members and credential holders propagate the good image of the institution at all times. One of the benefits of having the PMP certification is that it gives us opportunity to deal with people all over the world without being labeled a scammer. For example; I was able to negotiate some deals and got some items bought and shipped to another address apart from my credit card shipping address just because I am a PMP. Why? The company knows that if they suspect fraud later; they can report me to PMI and my credential will be cancelled.

6. What advantage does this certification have concerning your productivity at work?

A lot. Many of us are not very organized at work. We do our tasks without proper planning. Attending a PMP training class alone even without writing the examination is enough to correct this. It also covers our loopholes. Let me give you an example. Before I got to know about the PMP, I used to make some serious mistakes. A phone call from a boss was enough to get me to do things. I later learned almost painfully that it was the wrong way to behave in the corporate establishments if you want to last long. You need a document; least being an email before you change that software configuration or before releasing the next order. You might say that is common sense but a lot of people have fallen into the trap and many are still doing same. Another vivid example - when the Central Bank Governor did the naira redenomination exercise and it failed - I told people it wouldn't have happened if he were a PMP. Why? A PMP knows that you cannot start a project without having what we call a project charter. A project charter is a document signed by the project sponsor to give legal backing to the endeavor. In this case, the president of the federal republic of Nigeria is the sponsor but he never signed the dotted lines. Soludo only conversed on phone or in person with him and that gave him the right to deny his involvement. You can see the wisdoms one can learn by being a PMP.

I want to add a domestic angle to this too. Imagine a man trying to renovate his house. He goes ahead and awards the contract to someone without letting his wife and kids in. A PMP won't do that because he knows what Stakeholder Management is all about. I can go on and on but time won't permit me.

7. Which particular company departments would PMP be useful to?

Every department needs the skills of a PMP. There is no department where projects are relegated to the background. Some companies are even projectizing their day to day activities in a creative way to make them organized and effective. PMPs are trained and supported to have a culture of turning things around. They are most suited to curtailing corrupt practices especially in procurement issues. Passing the exam is not even the end if it all. You have to be active in the community of PMPs to continue being a PMP. You also have to maintain your integrity to avoid being blacklisted and prosecuted. If you ask me; I think PMPs have a role in sanitizing our nation. You might be interested in knowing that a whole topic is dedicated to professional and social responsibility in the PMP exam.

8. Can PMP compensate for not having MBA?

In a way, yes. Some of the topics in the PMP certification examination are similar to the MBA. You will be required as a PMP to understand business cases, justifications costing and procurement as well as human resources. You are also encouraged to go deeper into these fields after passing your examination to remain relevant and grow as a project manager. Some universities are even offering MBAs with specialization in Project Management and such institutions seek accreditation status from the Project Management Institute which shows the strength of the PMP. Depending on the need of the individual; one might still want to go for the MBA if that is the career path.

9. Any personal success story of any one you know who has the certification

There are a lot of people who have benefited from obtaining PMP. Most companies will require PMP before offering you a Project Management positions. You can also check job boards across the world and see the requirements. I am a success story too. I started enjoying the benefit of a PMP even before writing the examination after attending the training. I started using the principles taught in the PMP curriculum to my day to day activities and it improved my efficiency as well as my ability to deliver projects to time, cost and quality. Before long; I was called to lead a project that was normally the exclusive right of the project office staff in my then work place. Now, I have overseen major network overhaul for 2 big telecoms operators in Africa. I also have also consulted for the biggest GSM operator in Africa due to the mix of my technical and project management skills.

10. General advice for those reading this interview.

Whatever your career is right now; you need to step it up in the right direction by getting the right project management certification. For those who are not yet qualified to write the PMP exam yet; there is a chance to get the CAPM which is also offered by the Project Management Institute. Only those who are relevant will continue getting the right jobs and keeping their present ones. Project Management is an emerging field in Nigeria with just a few hoarding the details; this is a chance for you to break in.

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DIPO TEPEDE IS CURRENTLY OFFERING FREE PMP CLASSES; CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

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“I found my passion in writing, my voice in teaching and writing, and my strength in marketing”

This is exactly how I would have introduced myself but not as articulate as she has done. She is actually a very popular figure in Egypt, breaking traditions, extending barriers and pace setting. She is an Author, a Relationship Expert Speaker and professional speaker; a guest speaker with Egyptian Satellite Chanel, Modern TV, AIN, Dream TV and Nile FM, 104.2. She is an instructor with the Business Studies Division of American University in Cairo.

 

I learnt a lot from the interview I had with her on herself, her bestselling book and Egyptian relationships. Please, kindly take your time to read her answers on this breathtaking interview:

 

1. May we know you ( your general bio data ‫ name, age, place of residence, etc)

Name: Marwa Rakha

Age: 34

Born and raised in Cairo ‫ Egypt

Single

 

2. Can you give us a brief insight into your education background?

BA Faculty of Alsun 1996 ‫ English Department ‫ Ain Shams University

Sales & Marketing Certificate 1999 ‫ American University in Cairo

Business Administration Certificate 1998 ‫ American University in Cairo

 

3. Give us a little insight into social difficulties faced by ladies in Egypt

Women in Egypt are trapped between who they are and who they are expected to be; they are required to live up to the expectations of their parents, families, colleagues, and later on, husbands and kids. In their attempt to meet those expectations, they lose touch with who they really are and the great things they can really do.

The society dictates how they should look during different phases of their lives, how they talk, what they wear, who they hang out with, who they get married to, and how to raise their kids. Expressing their true feelings towards someone makes them liable to losing their reputation and losing the man himself. Discussing their desires, stating their opinions, and being ambitious is highly frowned upon. I am talking mainly here about the majority of Egyptian women not the liberated elite.

 

4. Have you ever been outside Egypt? Where do you get the boldness to challenge the norms in Egypt?

I lived in the US when I was 8 years old for 9 months ‫ if that countsJ

I have also been on short trips to Paris, Berlin, Dubai, New York, and Bahrain.

Boldness? I tried so hard for 21 years of my life to mold myself into the “good girl image”. I failed. From 21 to 28 I had continuous inner conflicts and dilemmas of figuring out who I am and what I really want. The gap between who I am and how I wanted people to see me was so wide that it tore me apart. Every time I looked at myself in the mirror I saw the misfit that I was. It was the worst period in my life. I moved out when I was 28 and that was a turning point in my life. I realized that I was strong and that I was responsible. I enjoyed my independence and I began letting go of people’s expectations of me ‫ I simply no longer cared. From 28 to 33 was a self discovery phase. I discovered that I can do much more than a 9 to 5 job, that my suffering and bad experiences should not go in vain, that I need a voice, that the higher I spoke the stronger I felt, that the more I spoke the more people listened, and that my mission in life is to fight for common sense.

My book is an angry book. I was an angry person. Writing healed me. A lot of young girls and women identified with my book and that says that a lot of women are going through what I have been through. I cannot say that every woman who read my book identified. Some found it very negative and that it did not offer any solutions. I guess it all depends on which phase in your life you are at and what kind of experiences you have been through. I published The Poison Tree because I needed to complete that last step in my liberation. I was pleasantly surprised when a lot of girls wrote to me telling me that I have given them a voice and I fully understand why the ones who hated it felt that way.

 

5. Have you ever been in any relationship? Where do you get the insights from to teach your people?

I have been in and out of many relationships. Like any other girl, I wanted to get married and to have kids. But when your self esteem is low, you allow people to step all over you. This has been the pattern in my earlier relations. I worked so hard on my self-esteem issues and it clearly shows in my book in the difference between the first half and the second half. Then I went through a vindictive phase where I only attracted people whom I could hurt. By the time I regained my balance and was ready to give and receive love, I have become the man I wanted to get married to. I intimidate the average Egyptian man ‫ average here has nothing to do with social class or finances.

This is how I help people … I have evolved from a very judgmental person into a person who is tolerant and empathetic. I have made all their mistakes and felt most of the feelings they are going through. I just tell them how to move on and get past that. Most of the time people do not talk to me because they want a solution; they just need to be heard. At times I feel that they are leaning on me and there were times when I felt protective of them. I do not wear the mask of the expert; I am the friend who has been there and done that.

 

6. Tell us about your book; are you planning to write more books?

The Poison Tree ‫ planted and grown in Egypt is a collection of most of my published articles since March 2005 until the end of 2007. In the beginning I talk symbolically about the suffocating life of an Egyptian girl growing up, then I address my mom, then my dad, and then “Santa” who is supposed to get me my Mr. RightJ In the beginning my “articles” were mainly about my different experiences with men in my search for a partner. I uncover the hypocrisy and the fakeness of my society. Towards the middle of the book, my anger resides and I begin looking outside of me; I look at and analyze dating, sex, shame, honor, and other taboos in Egypt. I wanted to shock and shake people. I wanted girls to know that they are not alone, that it is not their fault, and that this does not have to be their life. I wanted men to rethink their actions, ideas, and opinions of a woman. I wanted them to be fair and to be human because they were created human.

After The Poison Tree got published, I came to terms with myself and I fully healed. This is a good thing but in the process I lost my voice. I was the voice of an angry Egyptian girl, now I am not. I still write but my current articles are great for magazines but they are not book material. I do not want to write a book where I adopt the morbid holier than thou tone. I will wait for the right triggerJ

 

7. The culture of the Northern part of Nigeria is similar to mainstream Egypt; don’t you think this culture however stiff inhibits the practice of divorce which is common in the West.

I do not know about Nigeria but divorce has become very common in Egypt. It is as though people no longer try to make it work. I guess the last figure was 6 divorces per hour. Divorce is just the legal proof that the marriage ended but how many marriage do end without legal proof? I know of people who live together under the same roof but are mentally, emotionally, and physically separated. I think this culture encourages boiling kettles … such marriages are better of annulled.

 

8. Just a little diversion, do Egyptian parents arrange marriage for their children like the Indians do? And is it the ladies that pay the dowry?

Hahahaa .. arranged marriages are very common in Egypt ‫ especially in rural areas ‫ but it is quite common for people to meet and get married after a period of dating.

NoJ The man pays the dowry.

 

9. Do you consider yourself to have succeeded and if so, why?

Yes. I have succeeded to prove that “it does not have to be this way”. I am an average middle class Egyptian girl with a normal education and an ordinary family, yet I have managed to gain full financial independence, move out, and use my capabilities to the fullest. I am no exception. It just needs a girl who is determined to make something out of her life.

 

10. Do you belief this initiative of yours will eventually shift the mindset of your people since they were groomed from childhood with these beliefs.

I am not alone. There are other great ladies on the blogosphere, on TV, in books, and at schools trying to do the same thing. There are also enlightened men who are trying to make a difference. I do not think I will see the change in my lifetime but I cannot lose hope. History says that it will take about 50 to 100 years to change mindsetsJ

 

11. An average lady comes to you and says «Marwa, how can I decide the right man for me?”

I will ask her: “Can you be yourself around him? Can you say whatever you feel? Do you feel that he will never judge you? Can you breathe easily in his presence? Are you being true to yourself or do you have to pretend to be someone else? Do you want to kiss him? Do you want him to be the father of your kids? If you die, will you trust him with your kids? Are you proud of him? Or are you just getting married because he is available and it is about time? Can you talk to him? Does he make you laugh? Do you want to cook for him? Do you smile when you see his number on your phone?”

 

12. Premarital sex is a big issue in Egypt as it is with the evangelical churches in Nigeria; do you believe that premarital sex will affect the success of your marriage?

If the sex is good, it represents 10% of the relationship. If the sex is bad, it represents 90% of the relationship. So, yes, sex is very important and the lack of sexual compatibility could lead to the collapse of the whole marriage. I am pro moving in together before getting married but how will they move in together if they do not move out of their parents’ home in the first place? If I promote this idea, instead of steady mature relationships, I will create brothels. People are not ready.

Sex for the sake of sex is one thing and sex as a natural development in the relationship is another thing. If I tell people today in Egypt that it is ok to have pre-marital sex, it will be a zoo. People are not ready. They do not understand how to be in a relationship let alone having sex in that relationship. How do I take the guilt out of the mind of a girl who was brought up to believe that it is a sin? How do I take the contempt out of the mind of a man who was brought up to think that she is a slut? People are not ready.

At this stage, men need to learn to respect women and women need to learn how to express their true selves. When we are done with that, when men stop judging women and women stop faking, we can talk about sex.

 

13. What made you decide to be a self-employed entrepreneur @ your age?

Once my basic needs of food, clothes, and shelter were secured I needed more time and space for self fulfillment, and I could never achieve that in a 9 to 5 job. Over and above, my experience as a part-time university instructor, free-lance trainer, writer, and media figure has made it impossible for me to fit in my old desk … I outgrew the position.

 

14. Give us a brief detail of the normal life of a self employed entrepreneur?

I follow the Covey model. I make sure that my week covers my six basic needs; physical, mental, financial, family, spiritual, and social.

Physical: I eat well, exercise, and pamper myself once a weekJ

Mental: Reading, writing, and debates

Financial: Most of my current work is on volunteer basis but I make sure that at least one thing in my business portfolio sustains my living.

Family: I visit my mom at least once a week and see my brother and his little family.

Spiritual: I check my contribution to my country ‫ be it through education, TV or radio programs, or by helping people who email or call me.

Social: I see one special friend per week.

 

15. If you were to advise an upcoming relationship expert like yourself, what would it be?

Be yourself. Give people access. No one knows it all. We live to learn. It is normal to change your position on something by time and it is your duty to relay that message to people. Smile, it makes you easier to approach.

 

16. Can you give us a scenario where you were hurt by a guy, and how you used this loss as a foundation to be a better person?

LOL … I wrote a book about thatJ

Moral of the story: Anger hurts you more than it hurts anyone else. Stop poking your wound, let it heal, be proud of the scar because you learnt something new while getting it.

 

17. Finally, your book addresses the ills in the Egyptian culture; how relevant is this book to African as a whole?

Developing and underdeveloped countries are developing and underdeveloped because their women are passive ‫ or forced to be passive ‫ and their men are more focused on being in control than being productive. People who do not question their beliefs and their traditional heritage will live in the past and will never move past their present. This book is just the start. If men read it and realize that they were wrong, if women read it and choose to be strong, if parents read it and decide to raise their children differently, then maybe Egyptians and Africans altogether will set their priorities right and spend their energy in being productive rather than on being judgmental.

 

 

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN READING WHAT CRITICS SAY ABOUT HER BOOK AND PROCURING HER BOOK WHICH I TOTALLY ENDORSE, PLEASE CLICK HERE 

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India is quite similar to Nigeria in every front especially in terms of population density, high migration tendency, strong intellectual individuals, corrupt leadership, British colonized, etc but India of recent times have advanced a great deal; they have been in the forefront of the computer age and are recently been proposed by France and UK to join the G-8 to make it G-13. What inspires me about the country is their leverage on human capital to drive their economy from their Bollywood exports to their High Skilled Expatriates.

 

 

In the interview below, I chatted with Nitesh Gupta ‫ a 22-year old entrepreneur based in India ‫ who is spear heading the export department of his father’s company ‫ Kayemel Machines PVT Limited. He has proven himself to be his own man by developing one of India’s first hybrid cars and winning the Northeastern Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) competition in the US in 2006. There are lots of nuggets to pick from this interview and young Nigerian entrepreneurs can learn a lot from this young guy. Please, read on…

 

 

 

 

1.      May we know you ( your general bio data ‫ name, age, place of residence, etc)

 

Well, my name is Nitesh Gupta and I am a resident of New Delhi, India.

I am at present 22 years old.

 

 

2.      Can you give us a brief insight into your education background?

 

My preliminary education (0-12 yrs) has taken place in a small town in India and my higher education (12-21 yrs)  in New Delhi.

I have passed out my Bachelors in Engineering from Delhi college of Engineering, New Delhi in the year 2007 in Mechanical Engineering.

I have also been a research scholar at University of Cambridge, UK during my college sophomore year.

 

 

3.      Have you ever been to Nigeria? What are your affections towards Nigerians?

 

I have never been to Nigeria although I wish I could some day.

I have particularly a very good image of Nigeria in my mind. Well, it is the fastest growing economy in Africa with biggest oil producer of the continent and it is trying to move fast on the path of development after years of colonial rule.

 

I think Nigerians are in common more like Indians sharing the same cultural and strong traditional values which is a little bit distorted due to Colonial rule but is strong enough to sustain the damages.

 

 

4.      Is India an import driven company like Nigeria? If not, tell us the manufacturing outfit you have?

 

India has very fast grown from an import driven economy in the 1980’s to the presently one of the biggest manufacturers in automobiles, pharmaceuticals, Information technology and various other fields.

 

The reason of this change can be attributed to our Liberalized Economy structure promoted by the government in 1990’s. India being the second most populous country in the world (approx 1 billion) its manpower has proven to be an asset to the country’s industries by providing cheap and abundant labor.

 

The country’s plentiful availability of natural resources viz coal, iron ore etc has lead to promotion of major industries.

 

 

5.      What made you decide to be a self-employed entrepreneur @ your age?

 

I have always been an ambitious person with the gut feeling that “Success lies within you; you just have to unearth it”.

 

Apart from this my source of inspiration has flown from great businessmen like Dhirubhai Ambani (Late Chairman , Reliance Industries) and Bill Gates( Founder Chairman Microsoft Inc.) who have shown the world that no obstacle can stop anyone from achieving success. It’s only the will power which is needed to be made strong.

Furthermore, my father Mr. R.R. Gupta has always been an inspiration for me.

He used to live in a small village in India, used to travel 100kms daily in trains to attend his college and started his business with a very small investment which he earned by doing a small job.

With hard work and willpower he is now a successful industrialist and this inspires me to achieve even greater heights of success.

 

 

 

6.      Tell us about the car you built?

 

I have been the part of the team which developed India’s first Hybrid vehicle.

The vehicle uses both sources of power viz. gasoline and electricity to run thus saving considerable amount of fuel and reducing air pollution.

We have achieved 82mpg as the mileage of our vehicle.

 

Our source of inspiration for this vehicle was the ever increasing problem of Global Warming which is facing the Planet earth. We wanted to show that the youth of today is not ignorant of the problems faced by today’s world and can work responsibly towards alleviating them.

 

As such, our efforts were praised by awarding us 1st Prize in Annual TourDeSol Championship held at Saratoga Springs, New York in May 2006 organized by Deptt of Energy, USA.

 

 

7.      India has become one of the economic force to reckon with on earth; computers, pharmacies, etc. Do you believe your culture and your religions play a big role to this success?

 

Yes, indeed India’s success in all the fields can be attributed to the strong foundations laid down by her culture and religion.

 

Our Vedic culture emphasizes on attainment of Salvation through Work and preaches us to become ‘KaramYogi’ meaning a person who is always focused on good work for betterment of society.

 

As such, people in India consider ‘Work as Worship’ and this feeling has led to our success in various spheres of life.

 

 

8.      Just a little diversion, do Indian parents still arrange marriage for their children? And is it the ladies that pay the dowry?

 

This is a very subjective question and depends on person to person.

India today is a mixed culture with both orthodox and modern western views embedded in the youth.

But yes, although love marriages are on rise still a majority of marriages in India are arranged by the parents and are succeeded in paying dowries by the bride’s family.

 

 

9.      Do you consider yourself to have succeeded and if so, why?

 

I have just started my career as an entrepreneur and developing this car and showcasing it to the world through NESEA Competition was just one part of it.

I will consider myself to be succeeded in life when I will be able to bring this car on roads and in reach of the common man so that the biggest problem of planet Earth (Global Warming) can be solved.

 

This is my definition of success as far as my business and passion is considered.

On practical terms I would consider myself successful if I can make changes in the lives of at least some of the millions of people starving here in India and world over.

 

 

10.  What is the relevance of your tricycle business to India and how do you think this will affect Nigeria?

 

My tricycle business is relevant in serving solution to two major problems of India.

-à Firstly, the high prevailing unemployment in India’s rural areas where these vehicles become a bread earner for many poor households.

We have tie-ups with Regional Banks to provide cheap loans to people in rural areas who want to buy this vehicle, these vehicles then being very strong and requiring cheap maintenance are ideal for carrying goods , to be used as passenger carrier as a taxi and various other commercial purposes.

 

-à Secondly, these vehicles are an economic mode of transportation for many people in rural areas where there are no buses or other modes of public transportation.

 

I think, in the same way these vehicles can prove beneficial to people in Nigeria as the terrain here is equally rough like India making these vehicles suitable and also the unemployment and other problems present are the same like India.

 

 

11.  An average guy comes to you and says «Nitesh, I have got 100k Naira (840 USD) in my savings, where do I begin my business from? »

 

Well, this is a bit tough question but answer to it is straight.

Every person in the world has one or other talent which needs to be identified.

I will advise the person to first identify his talent. He may be a good musician, a good artist, a good craftsmen or any one of many other trades.

 

He will have to first identify it then study in detail about his talent, work towards becoming one of the best in it and then market it to others to earn money.

And according to me, a 100k Naira will be enough to identifying yourself, building prototypes of your knowledge and then marketing them.

 

I will like to give my example in building my car to make the point stronger.

We were a group of 7 friends in this project. We needed something around 15000 USD to complete this car while we together had only 500USD in our savings and we didn’t want to ask for monies from our parents although our parents were capable to give that amount.

We then decided to start part time working. One of us starting taking tuitions, one started working at Mc Donald’s; I worked as a cash teller at one of the nearby malls.

In this way, we could generate about 400-500USD per month for all 7 of us.

After one year we had something 6000USD in our hand. We then started working on the project, completed the car around 35% and then contacted College authorities and other automobile companies in India to provide sponsorship.

 

We could then easily persuade them for 10000USD by showing our working model and hard work that went into it.

 

We also learnt a lesson from this: “If you beg no one will bother you, but if you prove yourself and demand; world will be there for you”.

 

 

 

12.  When we were discussing, you told me about building a mentoring site for Nigerian youths; can you tell my readers more about this?

 

I am interested in making a website where the Nigerian youth can have discussions with me directly about their problems in career.

We can then better understand the college life, living style and problems faced by an average Nigerian youth and can compare it with the Indians here.

I can then suggest them with some solutions which can be helpful for them.

 

 

 

13.  Give us a brief detail of the normal life of a self employed entrepreneur? Do you sit around watching TV and drinking while their monies are making more money?

 

A self employed entrepreneur has a life quite different from that of a normal job going person or businessman. He has to be very calculative in his approach, a quick decision maker and should have a lot of patience to see success and failures before he can attain his ultimate goal.

 

In his life, enjoyment and entertainment too is present although they take a sideline over work which is considered to be of prime importance.

 

 

14.  Nigeria is similar to India in so many ways; huge population, hot weather condition, etc; can you tell me the best way to reduce unemployment?

 

The best way to reduce unemployment is by “Youth Empowerment”.

Nigerian youth has to be motivated and given direction to utilize their own potential and seek opportunities to start their own cottage based or small scale based businesses which can in turn generate employment for many others.

 

Even if, we can convert 10% of unemployed people to self entrepreneurs this can lead to a chain reaction which will ultimately lead to path of prosperity for all.

 

The website we discussed in earlier points is just a small step to provide direction towards achieving that goal.

 

 

 

15.  Can you give us a scenario where you lost a lot of money, and you used this loss as a foundation for greater profit?

 

Yes, one such incident has occurred to me last year only we were on the verge of developing some changes in our engine for our vehicle which would have raised the mileage by 10%.

When we were on the final stages of development one of our most trustworthy and old employees leaked this information to our competitors and they launched that concept before us. It was both a loss of money and trust.

 

However, I didn’t take any kind of legal action and took the decision firmly that I have to eliminate that competitor from the market and also let that employee feel his wrongdoings.

We then started vigorously on new R&D’s , launched a series of changes in our vehicles ranging from engines to silencers and all.

This led us to grab a good market share and our production became much more than our competitor.

 

Well, this incident motivated me much more towards my work and helped me in achieving my goal earlier than anticipated.

 

 

 

16.  If you were to advise an upcoming entrepreneur, what would it be?

 

My advice will be to keep patience and believe in your self.

The life of an entrepreneur is very different and needs a lot of decision making power, patience and courage to accept success and failures.

The best way is to be honest to yourself, never cheat anyone and do your work with full effort.

Rest as written in Bhagvad Gita (Sacred Hindu book) “ Karamanya Vadhikaraste Maa Faleshu Kadachan”

 

“Man has to only perform his duties, rewarding success or failure is up to GOD.”

 

 

 Thank you

 

 

 

YOU MAY CHECK OUT THE CAR……

 

 

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I have gotten lots and tons of complaints about peeps inability to cycle out of Club Freedom and each person given their short comings (marketing club freedom!). I truly empathize with their feelings and their inadequacies and in other to see smiles on their face I sought a scheme that is able to nullify these shortcoming and together with this element is reliable, new and with proven track record.

I decided to have a chat with the Nigerian Representative of ecash-invest to fully understand the scheme. Apparently, he is a guy that I have so much respect for; he literarily guided my spiritual journey in the university with him being my Bible Study Leader teaching us (the Bible Study Team of SCM) the best way to memorize the Pauline Prayers, confessions of all sought and numerous result-oriented lifestyle that has shaped my thoughts and well being. He is someone that is endearing, motivating and integrity personified. He has gotten result in every field that he has ventured in (well that I am aware of). He is a gift from God.

Please, sit back and digest the interview I had with the ecash representative in Nigeria:

1. Sir, may we know your full name?

ANSWER: My Name is Adeolu Akinyemi

2. Can you give us a little insight into your education and career background?

ANSWER:   I’m an Engineer by background; I studied Electronics and Electrical Engineering for 5yrs motivated by my love for Mathematics. In the course of studying the course, I discovered my love for, patience with and talent in dealing with human beings. I decided to venture into Human Resources Development. I started my career as a Recruiting Manager in Procter and Gamble,

3. Why did you decide to leave paid employment and what is your advice to those that want to take this route?

ANSWER:  I decided to leave because I believed that God was leading me to let go of my comfort zone because he had bigger things in store for me. I didn’t leave because I had fantastic savings, the monthly salary I agreed with my staff to be paid was about 10% of my last salary in employment. My advice to anyone who wants to take a similar route is make up your mind that this is right for you (God’s leading and guidance helps), and don’t measure progress by comfort, measure by peace, Also make up your mind not to look for a way out or turn back… have the attitude of I’ll succeed at this, or die trying.  Also get a mentor, it helps.

4. You are a major icon on investment amongst youths in

ANSWER:  It shouldn’t come as a surprise to you, but what I know, I have known by association, reading and MBA on the streets. One of the first lessons I learnt after switching to entrepreneurship is that employees could be specialists, business owners should not. 3M started out as Mining and Manufacturing Company of

5. I would like to congratulate you on the position of being the Nigerian representative of Ecash-Invest.

ANSWER:  Thank you. Whenever I think about it, I am humbled. I joined CF 6 months after over 7,000 Nigerians. When I read the letter they wrote to me, my heart skips a beat. One words stand out as basis for their choice…Integrity! I’ve been told more than 20 times by some of their leaders “I trust you”.  I feel it’s a honor to establish that Nigerians can be trusted.

6.  For the sake of the audience; what is ecash-invest?

ANSWER:  Ecash-Invest is an investment program organized exclusively for Clubfreedom members. It gives them an opportunity to invest as little as N40,000 in FX that is managed by professionals and earn more than 10% monthly. No guarantees on ROI are given, but based on the demo trading they have done so far, it is safe to assume that 10% monthly individual ROI is not herculean. It is actually possible to earn alarming returns based on referral bonuses on your downlines in CF who join the program. Remember if you are fresh, you’ll need to join CF first then sign up for the program.

7. How do I pay into this scheme; is it through egold, ewallet or ebullion like CF or would they allow credit card this time around?

ANSWER: You can register with egold, ecash, ebullion and CC, but to fund your wallet will require, ecash or ebullion. You can get ecash in Naira over 5-10 working days via www.ecash-exchange.biz/nigeria at reasonable rates that vary with the rise and fall of the exchange indexes.

8. Why do you believe ecash-invest would sustain through the years?

ANSWER: I believe that ecash-invest would become a global bank over the years, giving the common man an opportunity to live his dreams. The fact that there are no guarantees on the returns minimizes the pressures on the fund managers, and the fact that people can recoup their initial capital within 90days indicates a lot of flexibility and willingness to be available for the long term. My interaction with the management of ecash-invest gives me a little confidence about their values and their commitment to helping people build wealth. Having said all these however, good people, bad people, good companies and bad companies all die ‫ there is an element of risk in every venture. I’m speaking from my own research and due diligence which forms a basis for my investment decision.

9. Have you met these guyz from ecash? Physically met them?

ANSWER: No, but I will in December, D.V. With the communication opportunities that exist these days however, I’m more in touch with them than I am with my neigbours.

10. Is there any difference between ecash and clubfreedom?

ANSWER:  Yeah…they are different. Funny as it may sound, but it was the brief description of ecash invest as a program to come, that made me join Clubfreedom/6k4you in the first instance. Multilevel Marketing Programs that merely circulate wealth but do not have a means of creating wealth are destined to crash. The money between entering a board and cycling out of a board is called breakage, this is the money the developers of the progam/ owners of whichever company can decide to get away with, and crash the program, if they are wise as well, this is fund that they can create a system around growing to ensure the continuity and sustainability of the system. With ecash invest, the CF team have shown genius in that they have an all round way of adding value to people, have created more sources of fund, and have created a system that if well managed can make CF and ecash-invest rock for decades.

11. Ecash seems like a good platform for those that despise marketing; what is your take on this?

ANSWER: I agree 100%. If you have no down lines you can make back your payment for CF membership and vouchers ($200) and your investment into ecash investment back in less than 6months. From the trading report… maybe 3months.

12. What is the investment cycle? If I put my money today when would I see my returns?

ANSWER: You can withdraw your returns monthly, but your money will grow and be compounded daily. You can take your capital out after 90days.

13. What is the frequency of cashing out your returns: is it daily, monthly or yearly?

ANSWER: Monthly

14. Can you cash out your principal together with your returns at maturity?

ANSWER:  After  90 days you cash out completely… my thoughts are, the returns will be so wonderful, you won’t.

15. For someone like me that registered on the 7^th July 2007 (07.07.07) with 150 dollars and the registration has been changed to 50 dollars; how do I get my 100 dollars?

ANSWER:  You’ll either get your $100 back, or it will be put into the trading account for you.

16.   If I place 5K dollars and I get a return of 1K dollars in a month; can I rollover my funds? If I decide to cash out 1K dollars, how would I get it?

ANSWER:  You can rollover your funds, you can even add more. If you want to cash out, you can wire the money into your dorm account. If that is a problem because you don’t have one, you can wire it into my dorm and I’ll pay you the Naira equivalent.

17. What are your predictions for ecash-invest?

ANSWER: One of my down lines in CF sent me an MTN blackberry today as thank you. With ecash invest, some people will buy me a house in the World project in

18.  Why ecash invest not other schemes like open trade, swiss cash, etc?

ANSWER:  Ecash Invest is simply genius… they went for the network first via Clubfreedom, now they have a network that is bigger than all these other good guys. They have also earned our trust to an extent with CF. 

19. Wait before we round up this interview; how much are you investing in ecash-invest?

ANSWER:  I’m conservative, I don’t like talking about money in public, but let me just say I’m putting what will give me my desired monthly salary monthly into it.

20.    Final advice to investors and wannabe investors…

ANSWER:   Disclaimer: All you have read are the sincere thoughts of  Adeolu Akinyemi, and in no way qualifies as the bible of investment, nor a gun pointed to your heard coercing you to join. I have encouraged all my family (daddy, mummy, wifey, brother, sisters and daughter) to invest and they have. Many people will thank me and indeed Dipo in 3 months for breaking this down for them, yet some will call to say they were not told, that I wasn’t fair. Please take this little token of information, and make the world better with it.

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1. Wow, it's been sometime now so what have you been up to?

I've been trying to find a real-life business to complement Nairaland.
I've researched so many businesses: comics, movies, sales agencies,
concierge services, libraries, video rental business,... and that's
just the tip of the iceberg. But I'm yet to launch any one.
That's because I'm too risk-averse. I'm so afraid of failure.

2. Do you know the nairaland.net admin personally or otherwise?

I know he's a Nairaland member who got into a fight with me in the
webmaster section and got banned, but I'm not sure which one exactly.
I've not really done much to unmask his identity, though. If I really
wanted to know, I would in 30 minutes or so. but his beef is very
personal, I must say.

Because he's paying for the nairaland.net domain, he has to keep
fighting me in order to grow his site. He can't afford to forgive and
forget anymore. Isn't that sad?

3. The nairaland.net admin has laid some accusations against you? Have you
heard them? What do you think of them?

Which accusations specifically? I'd like to respond to them one by
one as you raise them.

4. In one of the accusation, he calls you a liar and sees himself as a
protector of truth. What is your response to these allegations?

I'm not a liar; I'm an ethical businessman. I believe that trust is
the foundation of business. You can't go to the market to buy
tomatoes if you're afraid that the seller will take your money and run
away! You can't partner with an untrustworthy person.

I strive to tell the truth at all times so I can in turn demand the
truth from others.

5. There is also one Paul Ola that described you as uneducated and
your forum is for uneducated people. What is your pick on that?

That's not worth responding to. Educated people don't say such things.

6. What are all these spams and bots and how can they covertly
register themselves to your forum?

As I indicated in my last interview, I spend a lot of my time deleting
spam accounts. This is a battle that every popular wiki, blog or
forum has to get into. And it's no big deal, because I'm currently
winning the battle. I have made registration a bit more complex.

Read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spambot for more info.

7. So let's move to other juicer stuff, so how far with your career?
Have you started the movies, plays, etc?

Alas, I'm yet to get the right script, so the dream has been suspended for now.

8. What challenges are you facing right now on film production and
what are you doing to ameliorate these challenges?

It's easier to make money if you're a film distributor or marketer,
but I want to be a producer. Yet, I don't have a tolerance for the
financial risk involved, nor do I want to swindle investors into
sponsoring a movie that may fail to make a profit. Obviously, I'm
stuck!

9. Have you gotten a story for your film and what is the name of this film?

I believe I need a great story because that's where Nigerian movies
are weak. You don't need special effects and such, but you need a
good story. I don't have one yet.

10. What is it like producing films in Nigeria and do you think your
film would be a second rated film?

It will have a first class story. In that respect, it won't be second-rated.

11. What is your experience so far between e-commerce and traditional
marketing style?

Hmmm.

12. Do you believe you have done well for your age in terms of
entrepreneurship?

My age is not something I consider. Sometimes I feel I know nothing
about entrepreneurship and that I'm lucky to have Google Adsense to
save my neck. I seem to lack what it takes to do business with
Nigerians, but of course I'll keep trying until I succeed at something
new.

13. If you have a chance to mentor someone (assuming you are not
mentoring anybody) as an entrepreneur; what would be your first advice
i.e. entrepreneur 101?

Advice: Read the Bootstrapper's Bible:

http://www.nairaland.com/img/bootstrap.pdf

14. What do you feel about the rankings of Alexa.com stating that
Nairaland is the most populated forum and second most populated site
behind This Day?

I'd like to say «take that» to the people who claim I inflate my
traffic statistics.

http://www.alexa.com/browse?&CategoryID=25813

15. Apart from Alexa, what other prestigious rankings or accolades
have you bagged?

I'm not really into awards these days. As a webmaster, I think the
best award I can get is to see people falling in love with my site and
getting the advice they need.

16. Most people say you are cruel and stern in your approach to
corrections; if true, is there really a reason for all this?

I'm not cruel. How could you suggest such a ridiculous thing! I'm as
sweet as sugar! However, I can be very brusque because I just don't
have enough time. I wish people could understand why this has to be
so. The time to cajole people to obey is just not there. If I have to
apologize for every post I have to delete, I will have to spend 72
hours a day just apologizing and Nairaland will never grow. Why
can't we all just obey the rules?

17. What are your opinions as a business man towards schemes like
Nospetco, Treasurlink and Sefteg; would you get involved in these
schemes?

I think all pyramid schemes are scams. Even if you manage to make a
positive return, the people you introduce to the schemes will probably
lose their money. If they lose their money despite your assurances to
the contrary, then you have scammed them.

The scammer is not just the person who starts the scheme; everyone who
invites people to join the scheme is a potential scammer, because the
only way to avoid being scammed is to scam others. What a dirty
game!! People should avoid them at all costs!

18. Is there romance in sight for Seun and what are Seun's
perspectives to marriage?

Send your CV to seun@nairaland.com for processing. (pretty ladies only!)

19. One last word, on the political situation in Nigeria and how it
affects you as an entrepreneur?

The government is ignoring its primary responsibility of maintaining
law and order and moving into industries best served by the private
sector. It is sad that with the police, courts and prisons in
disarray, our government has time and money to waste on white elephant
projects that will never work such as PHCN. It is sad that some
industries have been declared out of bounds to those of us who don't
have billions. However, I am optimistic that hardworking people will
continue to thrive in this country. Somehow, we are still stumbling
in the right direction!

I'd be happy if you can help me invite more people to Nairaland:
http://www.nairaland.com/ <- the number one Nigerian Forum!

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1.)    May we meet you? (Name, your passion, what you are doing at the moment)
 

I am a banker. I enjoy my work and look forward to adding value to my client’s  business on a daily basis. Outside work, I pastor the teen’s department of my church. I take time to develope personal relationships with them and create an opportunity where they can have someone to talk to especially when they are at a cross road and need to take difficult decisions. I find teenagers to be very special people even though it takes extra effort to understand them.  
 
I derive satisfaction from creating writing that people can read easily and enjoy. People have said my books have an easy flow and that is because it is important to me that everyone can read what I have to write. I have just been given an assignment to edit a Christian Magazine. My thoughts now are on how I can juggle my time together and fashion out some time for this. 2.)    Would I be right to call you a prolific and successful writer

I am not sure about prolific and successful now, but by God’s grace I will get there. I have only written 2 books but I have several manuscripts which I hope to put together as time permits. I have set myself a target of writing one book a year.

 

 

 

3.)    Why writing? What informed your decision to go into writing.

I see myself first as a story teller and a motivator before being a writer. I find it easy to describe things, events, actions to capture people’s attention and getting them to want to know more. Writing then becomes a way to tell my stories to a wider audience.

 

 

 

As a person I also believe that we should sometimes re-assess the limitations that naturally keep us where we are. Most of the time our first instinct is to look at a situation as impossible just because it seems impossible. I hope that people who read my books will find the strength to question their self imposed limitations and make several progressive steps forward.

 

 

 

4.)    How many books have you written so far?

I have two published books ‫ ‘Tailed’ and ‘The Aireginan Dream’. I have 4 other books at various stages of completion

 

 

 

5.)    What type of books do you write? Fiction, etc? What do you try to project when writing?
 
 
Essentially I write fiction and inspirational materials. I write poems once in a       while. I have also written a few songs, one of which is in the process of being    produced.  I have been the editor of two church newsletters.  
 
My desire when writing is to cause a positive change. 6.)    Do you see writing as a platform of influence? Why?

Obviously writing is a platform of influence. That is one of the strongest reasons why anyone should write. Why? Because your books can go to a much wider breadth and to much deeper depths of the mind than the author can ever reach without writing.

 

 

7.)    What are your short and long range goals?
 
 
I would love to write full time. I am already putting structures in place to see that happen8.)    Who are the seasoned writers you look up to?

For fiction - Francine Rivers, Karen Kingsbury, Angela Hunt, Dee Henderson, Frank Perretti, Ted Dekker.

 

I also read management and motivational books.

 

 

9.)    If a young guy/lady asks for your secret to writing. What would be your reply?

Inspiration, Hardwork and Excellence

 

 

 

10) Now to the most interesting part; does writing pay in Nigeria?

 

 

For now it doesn’t; Nigerians are just developing a culture of reading, albeit at   a very slow rate. But we should note that the greatest opportunities abound in      developing industries. It is going to take a lot of hard work but very soon it       will begin to pay.

 

 

11) Which of your books would you say has made the greatest impact in terms of economy, influence?

 

 

My books are just gaining readership so the influence is growing

 

 

12) What are your sources of inspiration?

 

 

 My greatest source of inspiration is God. I am also fascinated with impossibilities becoming possible. For example, a football match usually becomes interesting to me when an underdog team comes from behind and begins to win a match. I love to encourage people from challenged backgrounds to aspire to heights they never felt they could reach. The numerous seeming impossibilities in the Nigerian landscape motivated me to write the Aireginan Dream.

 

 

13)  Please, kindly give us your website and other avenues to get your work?

 

 

My website is www.dupeolorunjo.com and there is a page on the website that lists purchase options for my books including online shops for buyers outside Nigeria. There are also sample chapters of my books

 

 

 

14) May you tell us the solution to unemployment in Nigeria.

 

 

A long term solution is for the government to pay attention to employment and consciously create opportunities for the people. The private sector has done extremely well. Small time entrepreneurs with a clear vision are also making a difference. A friend of mine recently retired after 13 years in Banking and set up a bakery. Even though it may be a drop in the ocean she has taken 44 people out of the unemployment market

 

 

In the mean time, there is need for people to look out for opportunities themselves. They exist in Nigeria in spite of how bleak things sometimes look. Let me give an example, a young lady I met was about to go back to her village because she had no capital and no hope for survival in Lagos. I had an extensive discussion with her at the end of which she realized she could supply Garri to foodsellers with a starting capital of N10, 000. I was shocked that N10, 000 could solve her problem and immediately arranged a loan for her. Her testimony four months later, with as smile on her face was that her business was doing well and she was now financially stable.  

15) A word to wanna be writers?

 

I have a page on writing tips on my website. So I’ll just summarize here.

 

 

Read a lot and gather a wide knowledge of your proposed genre. Gather experience by writing articles for magazines. Have your work critiqued by a professional before you decide to publish. Most important ‫ start writing today!

 

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