What is success to me :)

This day two years ago, I was taking a course on Acumen and one of the first things I ought to do was to define what success is to me. Of course, I thought hard about it (across multiple themes important to me), wrote it down, and shared it via an email to myself :)

Side story: I started working in an amazing organization, Enough is Enough (EiE) Nigeria immediately after my NYSC in 2017, and oh boy, I was (still am) passionate about fixing the many problems we saw. This would mean going out on the street to protest when needed (remembered being tear-gassed during the #RevolutionNow protest), educating citizens on radio (was sort of a weekly guest/co-presenter on #NoWahalaMonday on Top Radio with the amazing Yomi Kazeem ), going to Zamfara, and Ebonyi to implement a project on local governance, educating citizens using town hall meetings across the country, leading/supporting engagements (debates, town halls) with candidates, name it. The whole nine yards! It definitely was an experience, fulfilling, I must confess.

COVID-19 hit and I started rethinking my career choices, plus it didn't help that I started to fill I was moving round (not 'wrong' as I erroneously wrote two years ago) circles. We were not making a lot of progress (at least, so I thought), and while I was clear that Nigeria's problems were existential (like Oluseun Onigbinde will put it), I wanted some results to at least make it feel like there was some light somewhere. Well, after some thought, I decided to pitch my tent in healthcare (I definitely did not see this coming - I thought I had waved a final goodbye to health after my BSc in Physiology from the University of Ibadan ).

Luckily, there was an opening in Sahara Group for a Programme Officer role in the CSR arm (which as I got to know later, the recruitment process was re-started because they did not get the right fit). At the time, at least from the information on their website, the organization's focus was Health and Education. Viola! I found what I wanted, plus some private sector experience would not be bad, or so I thought. Oh well, a week to resumption, Oluseyi Ojurongbe, PMP?, PRINCE2? called to welcome me, explain the role and all and I was hit with the shocker - the focus actually is "access to energy" and "sustainable environment". *At this point, I think I'm already giving too much info. So, wait for the rest when I write my first book in 2024 :) (hahaha, what do they say about speaking things to existence)*.

Five months after my resumption in Sahara, I wrote that note on what success was to me. Of course, money was more (almost twice my salary at EiE), I was doing amazing work supporting 10 entrepreneurs in Africa; working with the amazing Pearl Uzokwe and Seyi, sometimes sitting a door away from the really amazing Kola Adesina , creating partnerships like what now exists between SAHARA GROUP FOUNDATION and STEMCafe , and getting to pitch project ideas on behalf of the foundation to The Tope Shonubi (now, I forget that his nickname)!! Yet, something felt missing. I knew it! I certainly knew it!

Let's just say, a few things happened (which I'd speak about later), I got talking to Alex N. (whom I met here), did some research, and working at Sydani Group came to be! Of course, I had a Master's degree in mind and was hoping to get funding from Bristol, Warwick, or Birmingham (none of which came through).

Well, it has been two years since I wrote that note and this is me just detailing how grateful I am. I have (and still am) pursued what success is to me career-wise and I have made some progress. While the last week since my birthday has been somewhat reflective and perhaps came with me being "sad" at my pace, getting a notification from Gmail about this email made me grateful!

Oh-boy, I have grown! Pearl Uzokwe , your Gen-Z guy now makes a lot better slides, and analysis, sweet! Lol. Adeolu Adekola , you guy now leads teams of smart people to do great things!! Adebisi Adenipekun , I am trying to fill those shoes you left here :)

In summary right, I am just grateful! Grateful to God! Grateful for the blessedness of women and men that helped me on this path. The journey is still far, but I am learning to take stock and be grateful. I make mistakes, and I am growing, but I am grateful for the privilege to lead and learn.

Now, I need to think and write again "what is success to me?", and review carefully if anything has changed.

Till then, I'd like to hear from you! WHAT IS SUCCESS TO YOU, CAREER-WISE?