Memoirs of an MBA (1)- EMBA 20

In the twilight of year 2014, while the momentum was building along political party lines as to who the political gladiators would be in the 2015 general elections, a number of young people were advancing work on their PDP* to become better leaders and managers on one hand; responsible leaders for Africa and the rest of the world on another hand and to be oasis of sanity on yet another.

As 2014 bade farewell to humanity and 2015 came upon us, January 9, 2015 signaled a meeting of minds and destinies. It was the commencement of what was to be a grueling, harrowing, stressful, time consuming, 'pocket friendly' but rewarding and fulfilling MBA programme at the Lagos Business School.

The excitement was palpable as we assembled on the first day of school for the induction and orientation sessions. The feeling of being among the chosen applicants was a good one; and pronto classes began.

We all seemed ready for the challenge not knowing the challenge was better prepared for us. The first few sessions seemed like a walk in the park until we began to realise what we had signed up for. As days rolled into weeks and weeks into months, the excitement had paled into insignificance. Assignments dwarfed assignments, term papers enveloped term papers and reading cases to proffer solutions to problems we did not create became our burden. Again; we signed up for it.

Our writing competences and thinking capacity were put to task ab initio (and remained tasked all through the programme) when on the first day of class we were tasked to contribute to a blog daily. Yes, you read right; daily. First, who gives assignments on the first day of school and makes it a daily to do when we are not contributing to a religious devotional. We didn't come here to blog did we? We murmured as we complied.

We literally mortgaged our weekends. We arrived for lectures on some Friday afternoons wearing mournful looks and on Saturdays mornings with evidence that some barely managed to slide out of bed. In many instances, many were physically in class with their minds and souls at home or somewhere else. A cold call from a faculty was what jolted many who fell asleep during sessions back to life; not forgetting the laughter that accompanied being caught napping.

The class was a fantastic blend of everything. Intellectual alacrity, beauty, spirituality, innovative thinking, ethical behavior, beautiful character, a daring spirit of enterprise, maturity, perseverance, compassion, ambition and drive; were available in different doses. We were pioneers of many things and in many respects. We thought differently and acted in like manner; even the school authorities acknowledged it.

In the maddening academic milieu, we managed to have great fun. Well planned and organised class hangouts and dinners. We gathered on Friday evenings to 'study fisheries and do a forensic analysis of a certain aquatic specie' at a bottles cathedral* located a few meters away from campus. The seasoning and spiciness of the fish is such that would keep soldiers perpetually at a mammy market and ready to go to war therefrom. We developed our own vocabulary. Jollofing* was one of such. I swear down* was another. These words came upon us like a thief in the night by a Davidic* element.

I sometimes wondered how some people (including myself) got admitted unto the programme. We must have pretended or put on our A-game while being interviewed. Everyone showed a bit of mischief and truancy albeit with executive refinement and corporate sophistication.

Our lives and future were evolving right before our eyes. We scripted it, erased the scripts and re-scripted the scripts. Arguments were frequent, divergent views on the same issue were many. Sometimes, there was a tingling feeling of inadequacy listening to the brilliance displayed by some classmates in making a point or analysing a case; only to realise that the feeling was available in small doses in most people depending on the subject of discourse.

We learnt a whole lot. We learnt to stop and smell the roses - auditing our lives. We learnt to ask, how much land does a man need? - The futility and vanity of vain aspirations, acquisition and ambition. We learnt about dilemmas and decision making in life, in careers and in business. We learnt about asset registers – putting all we’ve acquired in life together in preparation for the ultimate journey. We learnt about separating self from corporate entity. We learnt work life balance – striking a balance between work and other aspects of one’s life. We learnt about the beauty of family and relationships. We learnt about personal values and ethics in business. We even learnt about learning.

So when on graduation day in December 2017, with many dressed to the nines, we adorned robes and caps to match, in the presence of family, friends and well-wishers; it was indeed a glorious day. A fitting moment of fulfillment. It was nostalgic. It seemed (as it always does) just like yesterday when we started a race to a distance far afield and now the destination was upon us.

Lending credence to Will Durant’s saying that ‘education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance’; we went through the refiner’s fire and came out smashing hot with newly acquired knowledge and an even greater burden - to be oasis of sanity – exemplars of fine corporate and moral behavior.

PDP* - Personal Development Plans.

Bottles cathedral – a place we gathered for grilled fish and drinks.

Jollofing – taking a pleasure break in the midst of so much to do.

I swear down – a expression to get people to believe what you are saying.

Davidic – the person who introduced the vocabulary into our lexicon.