General News
Why We Need to Build a World Where Influence is a Blessing and Never a Curse
By Tomide Adeyeye
A quick glance through history and you will notice some key people who shaped the world. While many of these historical figures may be long gone, their impact is still very surreal.
For example, the Nazis’ idea of a “national community” shaped according to their racial ideals, was (and still is) a strong narrative used to validate some of the vile actions carried out. Nazis used laws to define and then separate those who belonged to the “national community” from those who did not. And they used the media to influence the thoughts, feelings, and actions of individuals in Germany.
While the Nazis used propaganda as a tool to try to condition the German public to accept, and support, all of their goals (including rearmament and war), the reality remains that these tactics are still being exploited today. Everyday we see people of influence use their powers to sell questionable agenda.
It is estimated that the effects of World War II led to the deaths of over 85 million people, and if the war had not come to an end following the suicide of Adolf hitler, who was the leader of the Nazis, many more would have died.
This is a classic example of how a compelling narrative matched with immense influence can completely change the world, either for good, or bad.
Nowadays conversations around influence are often trivial, focusing on the value of visibility, but at its core, influence resonates deeper than at face value. And many forget that influence is a key make up of how our world, our reality is shaped.
It’s bigger than who influences the clothes we wear or the food we eat. It’s bigger than what we watch or listen to. Influence rationalises the way we think and it is even more powerful because most times you can’t trace its root cause.
A recent study by renowned economist Matthew Gentzkow, showed that fabricated stories favoring Donald Trump were shared a total of 30 million times, nearly quadrupling the number of pro-Hillary Clinton shares leading up to the 2016 US elections. His study also shows that the most widely circulated stories were shared by well meaning Americans who believed these false narratives and became advocates for the message carried in these stories.
It is almost ironic that the leadership of the world was most likely shaped by the impact of false narratives. And this is the reality of the world we live in now. From Washington to Kigali; from London to Beirut. From Johannesburg to Abu Dhabi. We are facing a crisis of misinformation and leadership, engineered by people, platforms and places of strong influence. At a time when the world is in desperate need for great leadership, we are instead drowning in fake news and propaganda.
Look closer to home and you will see another depiction of influence in its devastating form. If you’d stroll through the Rwandan capital, Kigali, today, you’ll encounter well-kept streets, new skyscrapers and business centers — a modern city. And yet, 26 years ago, these same streets throughout the country — were lined with hundreds of thousands of corpses. It has been a quarter century since nearly 1 million people, most of them from the Tutsi minority group, were massacred in Rwanda in the space of a few months.
It took a long time for the massacre to be recognized as a genocide against the Tutsis, and for the world to say that it would “never again” look the other way. You would wonder why something so obvious would be hard to see. Why did it take the world a long time to recognise the genocide?
History often tells the story of how Hutu extremists carried out plans to wipe out the Tutsis. But how was a message of hate able to travel across the country, so much so that one man had no qualms in ending the life of his fellow countryman?
And yet, the world continues to look away every day. Not in Rwanda. But in Yemen, Congo, Myanmar, South Sudan, and even in Nigeria. It’s not always conspicuous mass killings. Instead, many smaller attacks occur on a daily basis, and they’re largely ignored.
It isn’t our fault that we have become pawns in this chess game, but while we may lack the power, we must never underestimate our will. We all have a duty to help people, companies and governments communicate more honestly and responsibly. Governments and organisations need to be more deliberate about what they say, when they say and how they say it. More importantly, we all must be willing to hold them accountable, with an understanding of the impact and influence that we have collectively.
We can’t compel or force people to be and do better. But as we enter the age of influence, there’s no better time to begin discussing and activating the resources that will drive us towards the kind of leadership we so badly need. The kind of direction we need for our lives, for our families, for our nations and for the world.
It’s the reason the Global Day of Influence may be the single most important day in the year. The first ever day of Influence is slated for November 22, 2020, and global media and public relations company, BHM has championed this day as a reminder of not only the influence that we all have but also a reminder of just how impressionable we all are.
Influence, like energy, cannot be destroyed, and we exist in an ecosystem that fosters a culture of influencing and influencers. From the local retailer who got everyone hooked on a new drink because she refused to ice the alternatives, to the local government leader who has convinced the artisans around that Corona Virus is a conspiracy, to even the teachers who speak to hundreds of kids every day and to the slay queens who have millions of followers on Instagram. We are all part of this culture, and we have a duty to not only be influenced, but also to cause the change we want to see in the world with our own influence, regardless of how big or small it may be.
If history is any indicator, then we can expect the world to remain divisive. Humans will always be creatures with varied opinions on a plethora of topics. Hence, the world will ultimately be shaped by the most influential people.
Nelson Mandela had seen it all in his lifetime. He had experienced the hate, the pain, the redemption and the honor of being the man to liberate South-Africa from apartheid.
However his take on racism is somewhat eye-opening. “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
Mandela always understood the power of propaganda, the strength of a narrative, and the power of influence to either create or destroy.
The odds may be stacked against us but with a collective resolve, we have a chance to create a world in which the truth is not subjective, a world where propaganda is a thing of the past. It will not be easy, but with each Global Day of Influence, we will lay the foundation of the future that we so desperately need.
And to those who think it is impossible to see a world where influence is only blessing and never a curse. Remember, it was Mandela who once said – “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
General News
Fiona Ahimie Launches LEADHER Mentorship Session to Inspire the Next Generation of Female Leaders
As part of activities leading up to her investiture as the 14th President of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) and the first female President in the Institute’s history, Dr. Fiona Ahmed Ahimie, Managing Director of First Securities Brokers Limited, hosted the inaugural LeadHER Mentorship Session last week.
The session, themed “Leading with Purpose, Breaking Barriers, Building Legacy,” brought together emerging female professionals and aspiring leaders from across various industries for an engaging afternoon of mentorship, learning, and empowerment.
The LeadHER Mentorship Session was designed to provide participants with practical insights into leadership, career advancement, personal development, and navigating challenges in the traditionally male-dominated sectors.
Through candid conversations and shared experiences, attendees gained valuable perspectives on building successful careers while creating lasting impact within their organizations and communities.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Ahimie noted that leadership is not merely about achieving personal success but about creating pathways for others to thrive.
“Throughout my professional journey, I have benefited from the guidance, support, and encouragement of remarkable mentors. The LeadHER Mentorship Session is an opportunity to pay that forward by equipping and inspiring the next generation of women to pursue excellence, embrace leadership opportunities, and break barriers with confidence,” she said.
The mentorship session forms part of a broader commitment to advancing female participation and leadership within Nigeria’s financial services industry and the wider corporate ecosystem. It also reflects Dr. Ahimie’s longstanding dedication to talent development, professional excellence, and inclusive leadership.
The event provided a platform for meaningful dialogue, networking, and knowledge sharing.
Dr. Ahimie’s investiture as President of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers marks a historic milestone for the Institute and the Nigerian capital market, underscoring the growing role of women in shaping the future of the financial services industry.
Ventures Platform and the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art (YSMA), Pan-Atlantic University, are pleased to announce Haneefah Adam as the winner of the inaugural Ventures Platform–YSMA Futures Art Award, a pioneering public art commission established to support artistic innovation and future-focused cultural expression in Nigeria.
L-R: Kola Aina, Founding Partner, Ventures Platform; Dotun Olowoporokun, Managing Partner, Ventures Platform; Haneefah Adam, Artist and winner of the Futures Art Award; and Jess Castellote, Director, Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art, Pan-Atlantic University during the Presentation of the Ventures Platform-YSMA Futures Art Award at Ventures Platform’s 10th Anniversary Dinner in Lagos on June 19, 2026.
The announcement was made during the 10th Anniversary Dinner of Ventures Platform in Lagos, where Haneefah was formally recognized following a competitive national selection process that attracted submissions from artists and art collectives across Nigeria.
As the winner of the Award, Haneefah will be commissioned to create a 12-foot public sculpture titled Bloom in Unexpected Places, which will be permanently installed within the YSMA and Pan-Atlantic University environment.
Selected through a rigorous jury process involving leading artists, curators, scholars, and cultural professionals, the proposal distinguished itself through its originality, conceptual strength, artistic ambition, and thoughtful engagement with the Award’s central theme: Reimagine the future and build into form through art.
The work explores themes of growth, resilience, innovation, and possibility, inviting audiences to reflect on how creativity and human ingenuity can flourish in unexpected circumstances and environments. Through its scale and public presence, the installation is intended to spark conversations about the future while enriching the cultural landscape of the University and the wider community.
The Award represents a landmark moment in Haneefah Adam’s artistic journey. While she has earned recognition for her innovative and socially engaged practice, this commission marks her first institutional award, her first major public art commission, and the largest public artwork of her career to date.
Speaking on behalf of YSMA, Museum Director, Jess Castellote described the Award as an important investment in both artists and public culture.
“At YSMA, we believe museums have a responsibility not only to preserve cultural heritage but also to support the creation of new cultural futures. Haneefah’s proposal impressed the Jury with its clarity, imagination, and relevance to contemporary conversations about innovation and possibility.
“We are delighted to support the realization of this ambitious work and to welcome it into the Museum’s growing public art programme.
“The Ventures Platform–YSMA Futures Art Award demonstrates what is possible when cultural institutions and private-sector partners work together to invest in creativity and public engagement.”
For Ventures Platform, the Award forms part of its broader vision of supporting the systems, ideas, and people shaping Africa’s future.
According to Kola Aina, Founder and General Partner of Ventures Platform: “As we celebrate ten years of backing visionary founders across Africa, we wanted to create something that reflects our belief that innovation is not confined to technology or business alone.
“The future is also imagined through culture, creativity, and the stories we tell about ourselves. This Award represents an investment in imagination itself.
“Haneefah’s proposal captures that spirit beautifully, and we are excited to see it come to life as a public artwork that inspires curiosity, reflection, and optimism.”
The Award is one component of a broader three-year collaboration between Ventures Platform and YSMA, which also includes entrepreneurship-focused masterclasses, guest lectures, and student engagement initiatives within the Pan-Atlantic University ecosystem.
Supporting the long-term legacy of the programme is Atsur Technologies Ltd, the exclusive Provenance Infrastructure and Physical-Digital Documentation Partner for the Ventures Platform–YSMA Futures Art Award. Through this partnership, every commissioned artwork produced under the Award will be professionally digitized, authenticated, and recorded using Artsur’s provenance and collection management technology, ensuring robust documentation of the artist’s creative process, the artwork’s history, and its enduring place within Nigeria’s cultural record. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to strengthening transparency, documentation standards, and the long-term preservation of contemporary African artistic production using innovative technologies.
Commenting on her selection, Haneefah Adam expressed gratitude for the opportunity and excitement about the journey ahead.
“I am deeply honoured to be the inaugural recipient of the Ventures Platform–YSMA Futures Art Award. To have my work selected from among so many strong submissions is both humbling and encouraging. Bloom in Unexpected Places is rooted in the belief that creativity, hope, and transformation can emerge even in the most unlikely circumstances. I look forward to working with YSMA and Ventures Platform to bring this vision into the public realm and create a work that invites people to think differently about the future.”
Beyond the commissioning of a single artwork, the Ventures Platform–YSMA Futures Art Award seeks to establish a new model for collaboration between the cultural and innovation sectors. By positioning artists as active participants in conversations about technology, entrepreneurship, and societal transformation, the Award expands the ways in which the future can be imagined, questioned, and made visible.
As work begins on Bloom in Unexpected Places, the project signals a bold commitment by both Ventures Platform and YSMA to nurturing creative talent, supporting public art, and fostering interdisciplinary approaches to shaping the future.
Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), official industry body and advocacy group for major telecommunications providers in Nigeria, has backed the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) directive requiring banks and fintechs to host payment transaction data locally.
Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, ALTON
Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, ALTON, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagosat the weekend.
His position follows a recent CBN directive mandating that banks, fintechs, and other payment service providers store payment transaction data generated in Nigeria on local servers from January 1, 2027.
The directive forms part of measures aimed at strengthening oversight of the country’s rapidly growing digital payments ecosystem.
Adebayo said data sovereignty required countries to take responsibility for their entire data value chain.
According to him, this covers data collection, management, storage, and integrity assurance.
“We cannot continue to outsource that to other jurisdictions.
“The more we host our data locally, the better for us,” he said.
Adebayo said local hosting would enable Nigeria to manage data end-to-end and guarantee the integrity of critical information.
He noted that hosting payment data outside the country increased communication requirements, latency, and retrieval costs.
“For every transaction involving data hosted outside our shores, communication has to take place from your location to the host and back.
“It increases latency and also increases the cost of data retrieval,” he said.
The ALTON chairman described the directive as an important first step toward achieving national data sovereignty.
He also dismissed concerns about infrastructure readiness, saying Nigeria already had significant data center capacity.
According to him, several Nigerian-owned facilities currently host data for organisations operating from other jurisdictions.
“I’m happy to say that we have a lot of data centres owned and managed by Nigerians that are hosting data from other jurisdictions.
“If people overseas can host their data here, why can’t we host our own data here?” he queried.
Adebayo argued that local hosting would reduce dependence on foreign infrastructure while improving national control over data security.
He said concerns about security and reliability should not justify continued reliance on foreign hosting providers.
“No one can protect your house better than yourself.
“You have more at stake in terms of security and safety than somebody else hosting your data,” he said.
The telecom industry leader also highlighted the cost implications of local hosting.
He said organisations that host data locally would pay in local currency rather than foreign currency.
According to him, this would help reduce exposure to exchange rate pressures and lower long-term operating costs.
Adebayo said Nigeria currently had about six Tier III data centres, with additional facilities under development.
He, however, stressed that capacity was more important than the number of facilities.
“It’s not just about the numbers; it’s about the capacity of what they can host.
“So far, we can,” he said.
He urged stakeholders to accelerate efforts toward domestic data hosting and management.
“The earlier we begin to domesticate our data hosting and data management, the better for us,” Adebayo added.
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