Development Practitioner & Author
From banking halls in Lagos to development practice in Stellenbosch — grounding big ideas in lived African experience.
Author
I write books for people who want to live and work with more intention — without the overwhelm of systems that demand too much. The 5-Minute Reset Series and The Barefoot Leader translate research and practice into tools anyone can use, starting today.
Practitioner
I design and facilitate learning experiences at Stellenbosch University, AFDA, and beyond — from sustainability and entrepreneurship modules to youth leadership workshops. I also mentor entrepreneurs through the Tony Elumelu Foundation programme. My approach is grounded in Ubuntu philosophy, participatory methods, and real-world African context.
About
I started my career in banking — Zenith Bank and Heritage Bank in Nigeria — before following a pull toward something I could not yet fully name. That pull led me to South Africa, to Stellenbosch University, and eventually to an MPhil in Sustainable Development with Distinction.
"The distance between knowing and doing is almost always a question of scale, not commitment."
I now split my time between facilitating at Stellenbosch University and AFDA, writing books, mentoring entrepreneurs through the Tony Elumelu Foundation, and taking on independent facilitation work with organisations doing serious development work across Africa and beyond. I am Nigerian by birth, South African by choice, and African by conviction.
MPhil — Distinction
Sustainable Development
Stellenbosch University
PGDip
Sustainable Development
Stellenbosch University
BSc
Accounting
Nigeria
Facilitator
Sustainability in the Digital Age
Stellenbosch University
Organisations I have worked with
Expertise
SDG frameworks, infrastructure financing, and macro-finance perspectives on development — with a particular focus on water, public investment, and what sustainable development actually costs in Africa.
Water · Infrastructure · Public FinanceDesigning and running participatory learning experiences — from university modules to youth leadership workshops. Ubuntu-informed, practically grounded, culturally aware.
Ubuntu · Participatory · HybridWorking with young Africans to develop their leadership identity, facilitation capacity, and connection to sustainable development goals — across six African countries and counting.
Pan-Africa · SDGs · IdentityHuman-centred problem-solving applied to development challenges — from community programmes to organisational learning systems.
HCD · Innovation · SystemsHelping organisations articulate what they are trying to change and how — building logic models that are honest about complexity and uncertainty.
MEL · ToC · ImpactFacilitating entrepreneurship modules at AFDA and Stellenbosch University, and mentoring early-stage African entrepreneurs through the Tony Elumelu Foundation programme — connecting business thinking with social purpose and African context.
TEF · AFDA · Social VenturesTranslating research and professional experience into books that real people actually read. Ten published works across self-help and leadership genres.
Amazon KDP · 10 BooksBooks
Every book starts from a real problem I have seen real people struggle with. The 5-Minute Reset Series gives practical micro-habit systems for daily life. The Barefoot Leader speaks directly to the next generation of African leaders. All available on Amazon globally.
Book 1
Daily micro-habits for mental clarity and peak performance
Available on AmazonBook 2
Beat distraction. Train your brain. Do your best work.
Available on AmazonBook 3
Calm anxiety, regulate your nervous system, reclaim your peace
Available on AmazonBook 4
Win your morning, set your intention, own the whole day
Available on AmazonBook 5
Silence the inner critic and show up fully
Coming SoonBook 6
Recharge fast, sleep deeper, sustain your vitality
Coming SoonBook 7
Systems, habits and tools for getting the right things done
Coming SoonLeadership
How young Africans are changing the world — and how you can too
Available on AmazonWorkbook
Personal leadership journal for young Africans
Available on AmazonFor Educators
A 7-session workshop series for youth leadership development
Available on AmazonResearch & Publications
My research sits at the intersection of sustainable development, digital transformation, and African development practice — grounded in fieldwork and informed by Ubuntu philosophy.
Masters research examining the structural financing challenges facing South Africa's water infrastructure — interrogating macro-financial frameworks, public investment gaps, and the policy choices that determine whether communities get clean water or not.
Module facilitation across Sustainability in the Digital Age, Social Entrepreneurship, and related development topics — using participatory methods, Design Thinking, and Ubuntu-informed approaches in hybrid learning environments.
Speaking & Facilitation
I speak and facilitate on the topics I have spent years researching and living — sustainable development, African leadership, habit change, and the intersection of digital technology and human flourishing.
Sustainability, Finance & Development
For universities, NGOs, and development organisations exploring infrastructure, public finance, and what sustainable development actually costs on the ground in Africa.
The Barefoot Leader — Youth Leadership for African Contexts
For youth programmes, leadership conferences, and organisations working with young Africans. Ubuntu-grounded and genuinely energising.
The 5-Minute Reset — Micro-Habits for High Performance
For corporate wellness programmes, universities, and professional development events. Practical, evidence-based, immediately applicable.
Facilitating Difficult Conversations
For organisations navigating change, inequality, or complex stakeholder dynamics. Draws on years of facilitation experience across Africa and internationally.
Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation in Africa
For universities, incubators, and development programmes. Drawing on experience facilitating entrepreneurship modules and mentoring Tony Elumelu Foundation entrepreneurs across Africa.
Available for keynote speaking, workshop facilitation, module design, and consulting engagements. Based in South Africa, available internationally.
Previous engagements include university programmes, NGO leadership retreats, corporate sustainability workshops, and international youth exchanges.
Get In Touch →Tools & Worksheets
Frameworks and worksheets I use in my own facilitation work — free to download and adapt for your context. All tools are grounded in participatory practice and designed for real use in African development settings.
A facilitation-ready canvas for applying human-centred design thinking to community and development challenges. Includes empathy mapping, problem framing, and ideation templates.
↓ Download FreeA step-by-step template for developing honest, context-sensitive theories of change. Includes assumption mapping and outcome pathway worksheets for NGOs and community programmes.
↓ Download FreeA practical tool for mapping your organisation's work to the Sustainable Development Goals — and being honest about which goals you can genuinely contribute to versus which are aspirational.
↓ Download FreeAn introductory guide to participatory research methods for development practitioners — including community mapping, focus group facilitation, and ethical considerations for African contexts.
↓ Download FreeA guided reflection worksheet for leaders and facilitators exploring Ubuntu philosophy in practice — moving from "I" to "We" in decision-making, team dynamics, and community leadership.
↓ Download FreeA one-page planning template for designing and running effective facilitation sessions — covering purpose, flow, timing, participant dynamics, and reflection prompts for the facilitator.
↓ Download FreeBook Companion Resources
Free companion worksheets for every book in The 5-Minute Reset Series and The Barefoot Leader — download, print, and use alongside the books.
Track your five daily Resets across 30 days. Includes the Done List template, One-Thing planner, and weekly reflection prompts from the book series.
↓ Download Free TrackerThe two most-used exercises from The Barefoot Leader — the Root Map identity tool and the personal leadership manifesto template. Printable, single-page versions for workshops and classrooms.
↓ Download Free TemplatesA printable pocket card with the four-step Focus Reset system — Clear, Set One Task, Timer, Start Without Thinking. Plus the signature rule to put on your desk.
↓ Download Free CardStudent Resources
Resources specifically for students in the Sustainability in the Digital Age module and related programmes at Stellenbosch University — and for any student navigating postgraduate development studies.
Core and supplementary readings for Sustainability in the Digital Age — curated and annotated so you know which chapters matter most and why.
↓ Download Reading ListA practical guide to academic writing for development studies students — structuring arguments, citing sources, and writing about complex African development challenges clearly and honestly.
↓ Download GuideAn introduction to qualitative and participatory research methods for postgraduate students — covering research design, ethics, data collection, and analysis in development contexts.
↓ Download PrimerA structured framework for designing student-led SDG projects — from problem identification and stakeholder mapping to implementation planning and impact measurement.
↓ Download FrameworkKey tools from the Social Entrepreneurship module — business model canvas adapted for social ventures, impact measurement basics, and the lean startup approach for community-based initiatives.
↓ Download ToolkitResources for MPhil and Honours students — proposal writing guide, chapter structure templates, qualitative data analysis methods, and the Stellenbosch library database guide.
↓ Download Resources"Need something specific that is not listed here?"
If you are a current student and need a resource, reference, or guidance on a specific topic — reach out directly. I am always happy to point you in the right direction.
Get In Touch →Contact
Whether you want to hire me to facilitate, commission a workshop, talk about a collaboration, or just say hello — I would like to hear from you.