We need to become Venture Capitalists in Nigeria.

Hi guys,

Its been a while I posted anything on this blog. Well, I have been occupied with so many projects and time is a scarce commodity. Anyways, sometime last year I got talking with my oga (aka direct supervisor) about Nigeria. I will not bore u with the details, but it got me thinking and I shared my thoughts with some of my friends. 

However, there is only so much me and my 4 friends can do, so I decided to share it with you, you and you reading this right now, and  these are the things that comes to mind:

1. Look around you, most people you will see in the offices today are people around your age, ranging between 20 to 40. That tells you that our age group is slowly moving into the mainstream of the economy. Next 1, 2 to 10 years, most of us should be major stake holders and decision makers in this Nation and in the World, God willing. 
2. A recent Business Day Newspaper report stated that unemployed youths are estimated at 68 million. Unemployed youths connotes, graduates with certificates but no work. But, really, must people wait for employment before they achieve something?
3. We have people with ideas, people can be create  websites better than or that will rival facebook, twitter, linkedin etc. We have people can create a special made in "Naija car," people that can make household equipment/ robots etc, and all they need is moral support and funding.
4. We hear and see Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook often, but do you know he has backers/ supporters/ investors who own more shares than he does. These people are silently chopping the money in the background without being in the spot light.
5. Otudeko and Co., got to where they are by pooling funds together and investing in stocks. They use the inherent power of “synergy.” Can’t we do the same?

Transportation is a key problem in Nigeria, I am sure we have people that have solutions better than buying a bigger car or a bigger truck.

Power is a key problem in Nigeria, I am sure we can get people that have ideas to solve such problems even if it’s on a small scale.

My oga friend’s son is in UK studying and he already has a wine making factory in Chile that ships in quality wine monthly.

I remember seeing some inventions on TV made by Nigerians when I was growing up. We had competitions that encouraged such inventions.

Now, imagine if 20 or more of us, pool N100,000.00 or more together and support a new invention, or a major and wonderful innovation or an already existing invention. Imagine if we gather 10 unemployed youths (e.g. engineers) who have ideas but no support and they come together to create a made in Nigeria car.

U may ask, what can a N100,000.00 do? N100,000.00 will remain N100,000.00, if u don’t put it to work. It’s the belief, passion and idea behind a N100,000.00 that makes it become N100 million.

If u ready to make a difference, if u ready to stop complaining and start doing your own bit to make this Nation great. Then let’s start looking for opportunities, for people with ideas and no money, contact them, get their plans, go through it, trash the un-serious ones, engage the serious ones, and come January 2014, lets come together with at least N100,000.00 each, and lets start controlling the fortunes of this Nation.

We all have what it takes, the only limit we can have is the limit we set for ourselves.

Our parents no try enough, they got complacent with what they had, well, I am “Oliver Twist” I want more than just having a 9 to 5. I want more than just being affected by other people’s decision about the Nation, when I know I can call the president on his private line to advise him on policies and even decide on the decisions to be taken on the Nation. 

We see the president, but we all know he has power brokers behind him, and truth be told, not all such power brokers are corrupt, and some of them are not professional politicians, but smart working business men and women.

Let’s take a position today, most of us are less than 40, so now is the time to work hard, work smart, and strike out a new path to greatness, and all it takes is One idea, and all we need is a sense of self belief that failure is only the stepping stones/ learning curve to greatness, the world will always stand aside for people that know where they are going..

January 2014, minimum of N100,000.00, 10 people or more, and together we can change our Nation, Nigeria, and the world itself.

Please note, this is not for everyone, we all know that, many are called, few are chosen.

If u are afraid to lose a N100,000.00 and gain experience, please walk on by, thank you.

If you are comfortable with where you are, please walk on by, thank you.

If u have doubts, do keep it to yourself and walk on by, thank you.”

Olumide Holloway

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