Informed Decisions Will Engender Sustainable Development Of African Continent – Izevbigie

Eki Izevbigie, is a Nigerian involved in several projects that cover: agriculture, energy, technology, education and infrastructure development in Nigeria; In this interview with OYENIRAN APATA, she speaks on the objectives of London School of Economics and Political Science “LSE Africa Summit”, plans to host the event on the African soil, impact on previous experiences to boost investment, influence policy, and challenge narratives, among others. Excerpts

What is the London School of Economics and Political Science “LSE Africa Summit” about and what has been its direct impact on the continent, Nigeria and Nigerians?

The LSE Africa Summit is an annual gathering that showcases Africa’s contributions to the world and fosters debates on the challenges facing the continent. By gathering renowned scholars, corporations, and influential leaders from across Africa, whilst gathering the authentic voices of Africans at the London School of Economics, we seek to create a platform that enables the power and potential of African nations to be transformed into action to boost investment, influence policy, and challenge narratives.
Given that we’ve just celebrated the third year of this Summit; we have achieved a successful event year after year because of our direct contact with the continent.

I believe that in all three previous summits, we have been able to engage Africans both at LSE and across the continent. For example, this year we welcomed a female presidential candidate, Her Honour Inonge Wina, the VP of Republic of Zambia, who gave a keynote address highlighting the importance of women in leadership on the continent.
While we aim to ensure that Africa is represented as a whole by inviting key leaders in research, policy and business to participate in the LSE Africa Summit, we noticed the direct impact on Nigeria, especially as last year Professor Yemi Osinbajo delivered a keynote address on innovative governance, and this year, former Vice President of Nigeria H.E Atiku Abubakar and the Governor of Lagos State H.E. Akinwunmi Ambode both gave keynote addresses during the day of the Business Conference.

This was a momentous occasion for Nigeria and Nigerians both in Diaspora and on ground in Nigeria. With one of the fastest growing economies and population in the world, it’s important for Nigerians to be involved in such debates, so that authentic Nigerian voices can be heard, and recommendations can be put forward. Lastly, on both days the Summit was trending on Twitter in Lagos.

What are the objectives of the summit?

Our main objective of the summit is to engage scholars, policy-makers and practitioners, as well as business leaders, government representatives, and businesses. By bringing these different actors together, the LSE Africa Summit offers a unique opportunity to identify key areas for African investment and to strengthen the link between academic research and policy-making in order to anchor Africa’s global standing.

What challenges have you faced organising the summit over the years?

We acknowledge the valuable role that research plays in “Africa’s rising”, it was important to ensure that research was channeled into discussions surrounding decision making, as an effort to close the knowledge gap. The summit has grown year after year, and there are plans being made for us to hold the next years’ event in Africa, so this might be an interesting challenge in itself in deciding which country to kick it off.

Talking about new thinking on action on supporting African leadership and cultural development; what is your perspective on the African continent and Nigeria especially?

Africa as a continent has seen a succession of leaderships that have somewhat prioritized personal agendas rather than tackling the real issues that have a long-term impact on the sustainability of the continent. Over the past four decades, Africa has witnessed a lack of visionary and altruistic leaders who have consigned to the welfare of their own people.
I believe that leaders not only in Nigeria but across Africa should begin to instigate reforms intended to increase productivity, increase incomes, and really harness essential services such as healthcare, security and education more efficiently.

In the past years you have been able to assemble quality Nigerian students, alumni and business professionals to the summit, what were the outcomes for Nigeria, Africa and to you as an individual?

It is imperative that Nigerian students, professionals and businesses get involved in the LSE Africa Summit, as the economy of Africa and also the largest population in Africa, we have to ensure that these voices are heard, and the key to achieving equitable growth for the countries in Africa is collaboration across the board. I am very privileged to have been the chair of this year’s Summit and Business Conference, as I am one of the one billion African’s who yearns for change. Being able to invite some of the most influential leaders to discuss this in finer detail was paramount for our generation and future generations to come.

You also raised thousands of pounds required to fly them to London and accommodate them and organised follow up events among others, what does it take to achieve all of these?

As a student-led event, it’s part of our role to raise 100% of the funds required to hold the summit. We believe that dissemination of these conversations on Africa should be accessible and also free. We do not charge our participants for accessing both days of the conference, and the role of our sponsors is to help us realize this.
This year, we held our first “Entrepreneurship Brunch”, as a follow-up event after the Summit. It involved 35 participants who had expressed on their applications that they needed guidance in upscaling their businesses on the continent. Co-hosted by the Harambe Entrepreneur Alliance (HEA), a network that encourages and supports young Africans who are trying to start businesses on the continent, the brunch was designed to give advice on these entrepreneur’s businesses ideas.

Most importantly, for us to achieve progression and change, we need to keep hearing from both Africans and those non-Africans who envision a prosperous Africa, especially those who have unique stories to tell. As that famous African proverb goes, “it takes a whole village to raise a child”, collectively we can work together to ensure Africa continues rising.

You are in for next year’s summit, what are the categories of professionals, students and other categories of people that you expect at the event?

Yes, rightly so. My decision to join the LSE Africa Summit committee was to be involved beyond my time at the LSE. Students that have been a part of these continuing debates are some of Africa’s brightest, with huge – but very much achievable – ambitions.

Likewise, the professionals that come to the Summit each year are shaping the continent’s conversations across the sectors they work in. So, why not connect them with researchers and policymakers that are also taking their stance, whilst ensuring that those responsible for the key leadership decisions at a state level are also present. We hope the balance is consistent year after year.

Obviously, you have been a wonderful ambassador of this country, how would you describe the image of the country out there in London and beyond?

I’d like to think I can be an ambassador for Nigeria. It will always be home to me and I cannot wait to come back to Nigeria.
I will start with the LSE, speaking to some of my professors – Nigerians are known for working extremely hard and taking their education very seriously, and to share this perspective with London and beyond. Nigerians are often perceived as the brightest, ambitious and goal-getters. Our professional practitioners; doctors and nurses are Nigerian, there is a sustained admiration of Nigerians.

Judging from your interaction with professionals and students that have been part of the LSE Africa Summit, what does the future hold for the continent and Nigeria?

I believe the future is very bright, if we get things right, and learn from past mistakes. To that end we’ve had some of the biggest leaders from across Africa attend the LSE Africa Summit over the past three years to continue the conversation.
While we value the involvement of these leaders in business and research, we also see the importance of ensuring our interaction with the wider African community is balanced between the students and professionals as their decisions hence forth will help shape the sustainable development of the Continent, so for this reason it is very important we continue to maintain such balance.

Lastly, Nigeria’s future is extremely bright. We are realising the importance and urgency to develop and diversify our industries across energy, agriculture, finance, tourism and many more in order to maintain our standing, both with Africa and with the rest of the world.
I believe we can make this happen, and having annual events like the LSE Africa Summit really helps to anchor this message. We have some of the brightest students at the LSE from Nigeria, most of which I have had a chance to interact with. They all want to give back to Nigeria and be a part of this wealth creation once they complete their degrees. Add to that a large and growing population and an entrepreneurial spirit, and the future looks bright.

Izevbigie; can you give a brief about your background as a Nigerian citizen and educational pursuits both locally and overseas?

I spent my early years in Nigeria, specifically in Benin City. Coming from a large family, which thrived on educational excellence, it was always a plan that I would study abroad to support my future career. I left Nigerian at a young age, and grew up with my Nigerian mother. She always reminded me the importance of education and ensured that I was equipped with all the tools to guarantee that I could achieve the very best.
Education has always been important to me. I worked at London Business School for a number of years, and came across a number of bright Nigerians students who were studying at MBA and Masters Level in Finance at the school.

Inspired by this trend, I pursued some further studies of my own, and decided upon a post-experience Msc in Management, Organisations and Governance at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
This programme provides an interdisciplinary social science perspective on the analysis of management and leadership, in relation to corporate governance, innovation and entrepreneurship. My main focus is on Africa, specifically on Nigeria. Since starting my Masters at the LSE I have done several projects on sectors spanning across agriculture, energy, technology, education and infrastructure development in Nigeria