Oluwafemi Okikiola’s Post

Human Errors ; Policies Don't Fail. #femiokikiola The best way to address challenges in a system is to ensure that everyone effectively play their roles, from policies formation to implementations. Gaps in-between these stages are the reasons why we have challenges that oftentimes lead to policies failure. Peter, as a consultant, was privileged to design the hr policies of one of his consultants. Except all stakeholders awake with a resolve to address policy challenges in the system, we might continue to have unachieved goals and visions because good policies are the strength of the organization. Unlike of old when policies were designed from the textbook of knowledge, today's realities have shown that we might need to get closer to and if possible experience what is being felt by the recipients in order to design the right solutions for problems. Our ability to feel the pulse of the people that our policies affect can help us to make more solid decisions. It is also important for us to be more practically driven and maybe less academic in our approach to solving the equations. Policy issues are very serious challenges that affect lives and trajectories and may not deserve the "glamour" that sometimes goes with it. Even though we smile in the face of challenges, policy issues deserve very strong and tough decisions that can even make us become firmer in addressing deep rooted problems affecting the peace and stability of systems. Our resolve to drive a more healthy socio economic impact on growth may require us to remove barriers in the system through policy decisions. Policies can be designed to promote SMES innovations. We saw a Nigeria woman on tv who left her job (as a banker) to start her own hairdressing saloon and also selling Nigeria cooked foods, in the USA and it is very interesting to see foreigners eating and enjoying Nigeria meals even as she had close to 15 people working for her. Driving policies to support SMEs is a move in the right direction, anywhere. Policy issues are the cause of insecurities, unemployment, poverty; leading to disputes, protests, crime, violence etc. Policies should be designed to address the needs of the people The only way to address deep rooted challenges in the system is for us to design and drive sound policies that may checkmate the threats to our collective joy, peace, stability; to promote creativity. Policies fail mostly because we oftentimes do not address the root causes of the system. It is sad to say that some policies are not grassroots and are sometimes unfriendly and hosttile to the people. Femi Okikiola CEO/Founder Humankind Foundation HR Consultant Uridium Technologies Limited Thought Leader/Creator Linkedin #conversationsforchange #futureofwork #futureofleadership #management #hr

A Humane Economy. Is it even possible? At CONTRACT South Africa our purpose is to Inspire a Humane Economy, and I am often faced with the question of whether this is even possible. When we work with clients that have rising rates of employees facing burnout, and health challenges due to work stress and overwhelm, when we encounter organisations which focus solely on profit, and not on where they make their profit, considering their people and environment, I question the likelihood of success in creating a humane economy. These moments are distressing and sometimes feel like a punch in the gut. On the other hand, we have clients that continue to inspire us, with a commitment to organisational growth, and the people within the organisation. These organisations are the shining light at the end of the tunnel. Not perfect, but continuously working on it. What do they do differently? Here are some highlights: 🔸 Leaders show up with kindness and understanding (and all leaders are held accountable for this) 🔸 There is space to be heard - everyone's opinion matters and is valued 🔸 Employees connect to the organisation because of what it does, why it does this, and HOW it does this. 🔸 ALL people (leaders and employees) feel safe to show up as themselves in all their roles (work, personal etc). I would love to hear some other thoughts on how you see a humane economy. Is there something your organisation is already doing? Chaital Harry (She/ Her) #CONTRACTSA #HumaneEconomy #OrganisationalGrowth #HealthyWorkplaces

Policy: Privatize to Nationalize This policy seeks to reform South Africa’s State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) by introducing a privatization strategy aimed at generating significant, sustained profits while sharing financial benefits equitably among all legal South African citizens. Through carefully managed privatization, the aim is to create a model of collective prosperity that stimulates economic growth, enhances operational efficiency, and offers direct financial returns to South African citizens irrespective of race, religion, or socio-economic status. Objectives and Rationale The "Privatize to Nationalize" approach is designed to: Policy Overview: 1. Enhance Operational Efficiency: By allowing private-sector expertise to manage SOEs, operations can be optimized, reducing inefficiencies and waste while improving service delivery and customer satisfaction. Private ownership is expected to foster competition, improve governance, and drive innovation. 2. Increase Profitability: Privatization can lead to greater profitability through better resource allocation and management incentives, focusing on maximizing return on investment. This profitability will create an expanded revenue stream, reducing reliance on taxpayer funding for SOEs. 3. Direct Citizen Profit-Sharing: A set percentage of profits generated from privatized SOEs will be redistributed among South African citizens, providing either monthly, quarterly, or yearly dividends. This system directly benefits individuals, contributing to financial stability and reducing economic inequalities. 4. Foster Inclusive Economic Growth: By ensuring that all South Africans receive profit shares, this policy will support economic empowerment across diverse communities, reducing the economic disparities rooted in past inequalities. Implementation Framework 1. Strategic Privatization: Key SOEs will be selected based on their potential profitability and readiness for privatization, with a phased approach ensuring careful oversight. 2. Profit Redistribution Mechanism: An independent fund will manage and distribute profits from these entities, ensuring fair, transparent, and equitable profit-sharing. 3. Regulatory Oversight: A regulatory body will oversee privatized entities to ensure adherence to fair practices, consumer rights, and compliance with national economic goals. 4. Social Impact Assessment: Annual assessments will ensure the policy continues to meet its objectives, adjusting profit distribution as necessary to reflect economic conditions and maximize citizen benefits. The "Privatize to Nationalize" policy, thus, presents a model of shared wealth, where the benefits of privatization support sustainable, inclusive prosperity for all South Africans. #PrivatizeToNationalize #EconomicEmpowerment #SharedProsperity #SouthAfricaGrowth #ProfitSharing #InclusiveEconomy #SOEReform #CitizenDividends #EfficientGovernance #FutureOfSA

“Once your mindset changes, everything on the outside will change along with it.” Steve Maraboli. While at the African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative General Assembly earlier this month, I had the pleasure of listening to Honourable Helen Chedza Chilisa MSc, Ae MBA, M.A.'s contributions in a panel discussion. What she shared resonated with me as an #Educationalist, #Entrepreneur and #Futurist. In her presentation Honourable Helen Chedza Chilisa MSc, Ae MBA, M.A. mentioned that one of the priority areas in achieving the goal of transitioning Botswana from middle income to high income status was a mindset change. The educationalist in me was excited because mindset plays a huge role in learning and skills acquisition; a role largely not addressed within most education settings. As an entrepreneur, it was great to have validation, at government level, that our #STEAM programming through The Maker Club was on the right track. Since it’s founding in 2016, every coding, robotics, engineering or 3D printing workshop delivered has at its core the objective of shifting mindsets. We were, and continue to be, deliberate about creating a product that goes beyond technical skills because we realize that without changing mindsets, Africa will not develop in the ways needed for its advancement. As a futurist, the news of a government prioritising mindset change was a signal of a significant shift towards addressing a fundamental issue, without which Africa cannot move forward. Beyond #scanning the environment for technological breakthroughs, #futurists also look for shifts in values and ideology that have potential to fundamentally change how we experience life. As Steve Maraboli says “Once your mindset changes, everything on the outside will change along with it.”  In my view, what the Government of Botswana has done in setting #MindsetChange as a national priority provides the foundation for not only starting that shift to a high-income country, but sustaining it. As a futurist in Africa, my hope is that this is indeed a signal of a shift that will sweep across our beautiful continent. #WeAreAwec #MindsetChange #EducationMatters #Entrepreneurship #FuturistPerspective #Botswana #STEAMProgramming #TheMakerClub #ShiftingMindsets #AfricaAdvancement #GovernmentPriorities #FutureTransformation #SustainableChange #FutureAfrica #FuturesThinking #Foresight #MindsetChange #BotswanaPriority5 See more of The Maker Club on Facebook.

#TheChoice9ja weekend Note. #Lessons for #Sub-Saharan #Africa #Nations: Fundamentals of Economics and Industrialization. Sub-Saharan African countries are still grappling with the issue of how to tackle poverty and move up the economic ladder. For any poor country wanting to break out of its lot and join the ranks of rich nations, realizing structural, wide-ranging and continuous changes in all sectors is a necessity. Those economies that have successfully emerged in a transformative fashion were able to do so because they were progressing on multiple fronts, as was the case in many East Asian and Southeast Asian nations. South Korea pushed forward many social, educational, economic and governmental ‘reforms’ and launched industrialization and rural development in a ‘concurrent’ manner. The worst-case scenario would be where a poor country with no resources remains idle and fails to undertake any significant economic initiatives. Resource-rich countries are better off as they can rely on these resources, but the danger of the Dutch Disease (the problem of production of natural resources causing a decline in other sectors like manufacturing) wrought by a commodity-based monocultural economy looms in these countries. Hence, an unsavoury recipe for the countries would be a combination of a resource-rich, commodity-dependent structure with bad management, and a lack of sense of ownership or a workable strategy. Evidently, hardly any countries have successfully developed simply by relying on their natural resources. Welcome To The Future Of Democracy In Nigeria. Africa’s First Political Rating and Review platform on “ www.thechoice9ja.com “ Where Your Voice Counts And Your Opinion Matters. Get Verified Now on our platforms @thechoice9ja #thechoice9ja #choice9ja #thechoice9jaanalytics

Continued Why This Matters to YOU I’m not talking about vague promises here—I’m talking about real change that impacts every Ugandan. This is about unlocking the full potential of our people, and here’s how it will look for you: For Workers: Higher wages, more job opportunities, and a stronger economy that rewards hard work. For Entrepreneurs: A business environment that’s free from bribes, hidden fees, and government delays. For Farmers: Fair prices and a global market that values your hard work. For Communities: Efficient government services that actually work and deliver results. The Value of This Vision By eliminating waste and inefficiency, and by restructuring key sectors, Uganda will be transformed into an economic powerhouse. This vision will: Save billions lost to corruption and mismanagement. Empower Ugandans to create wealth and seize opportunities. Position Uganda as a global leader in innovation and fair governance. But don’t just take my word for it—this is a movement that will be powered by YOU. Together, we can shape the future. Who Is This for? This vision is for every Ugandan who dreams of a better tomorrow: Farmers: Fair prices, fewer barriers, and access to broader markets. Entrepreneurs: A regulatory environment that supports your growth, not hinders it. Workers: Reliable jobs, better pay, and a government that’s accountable to you. Every Citizen: A government that works for the people, not the other way around. Why Me? This transformation requires bold leadership, innovative thinking, and the courage to challenge the status quo. While some may argue that the system is too broken to fix, I’m here to tell you that it’s not beyond repair. I’ve already delivered results in the private sector, and now, I’m ready to do the same for Uganda. I won’t just be another politician—I’ll be the leader who dismantles barriers, simplifies systems, and builds a Uganda where progress isn’t just a buzzword, but a reality. Join the Movement: Let’s Reshape Uganda Together This isn’t just a campaign—it’s a call to action. Together, we will take down the walls of inefficiency, empower every Ugandan, and build a future where opportunity isn’t a privilege for a few, but a right for all. The question is: Are you ready to see Uganda reach its full potential? If the answer is yes, then let’s make it happen—together. Vote for leadership that delivers fairness, opportunity, and prosperity. Vote for the future. Vote for change.

📰 The Business Standard caught up with Dr. Naomi Hossain, a political sociologist, a Professor at SOAS University and YPF's Senior Advisor, for her insights on the country's current affairs, overall state of the development sector during the Masterclass of 8th March arranged by Youth Policy Forum - YPF under the Right Here Right Now (RHRN) Project. ● In the beginning, when Dr. Hossain was asked to define accountability and citizen feedback mechanism in light of the country's recent restaurant fire tragedy, she identified the absence of good governance as quite evident in this case. Though we are observing government agencies' raiding the restaurant buildings, imposing fines, or shutting down some of them, such responses are nothing but temporary. ● While talking about the connection her ongoing work with accountability, she added that she has been involved in documenting the experiences of the victims and survivors of the 2013 Rana Plaza tragedy to make them stay ingrained in our collective consciousness and facilitate the pursuit of justice. ● Sharing her thoughts on the overall development sector of the country, she included that we have come a long way in a short period of time after independence and a multi-party, active democracy is crucial for fostering continuous development within a state. ● When Dr. Naomi was asked why the 1974 famine was not the much discussed in our public discourse, she added unlike the 1943 famine, there is not much literature, films, or art dedicated to the 1974 famine as perhaps people are still very sensitive about it and prefer not to discuss it. ● Discussing the significance of Development Studies in an emergent country like Bangladesh, Professor mentioned the significant strides of Bangladesh in implementing positive changes through development efforts, serving as a source of inspiration for other nations. ● Finally, while talking about Gender-Based Violence, she opposed the notion that gender-based violence is rising. Rather, according to her, it was always present in front of our eyes, unfortunately we could not observe it before. But nowadays, people's awareness is noticeable due to social media. News link given in the comment section ⬇️

🌍 Event Recap: Scaling People-driven Solutions on a Livable Planet 🌍 📅 Date: April 17th I greatly appreciated the dynamic group of thinkers and innovators at our event on the sidelines of the recent World Bank Spring Meetings. As we navigate the reforming international financial architecture, it's crucial to better integrate citizens, civil society organizations and social innovators into development financing and policy. Our goal is to foster strengthened collective action across governments, private sector, the social economy and civil society to enable scaled solutions. Furthermore, relying on networks will be crucial to implementing localized solutions and identifying innovative and inclusive approaches for complex development challenges. 🔑 Key Takeaways from Our Panelists: Jamie Drummond, Founder Sharing Strategies, co-Founder ONE: Emphasized the non-negotiability of governance, transparency, and accountability in addressing global crises like climate change and effective sustainable development. Jeroo Billimoria, Founder Catalyst 2030: Highlighted the importance of solid foundations in development finance, akin to "getting the plumbing right" to ensure social innovations can scale and link to larger global efforts financed by MDBs and others. Oluseun Onigbinde, Executive Director, BudgIT Nigeria: Discussed building trust and accountability between governments and citizens to ensure local organizations work through collaborative oversight systems to ensure scarce resources have maximum impact. Michael Jarvis, Executive Director, of Trust, Accountability and Inclusion Collaborative: Reminded us of the current "imagination deficit" in development finance, urging innovative approaches to bring a broader range of stakeholders and funders to work collectively on urgent challenges. 🔗 Watch the full event: https://lnkd.in/gCqwacCK A heartfelt thank you to all our panelists and our moderator, Alessandro Valera of Ashoka, for a thought-provoking discussion. 👥 #SustainableDevelopment #CivicEngagement #ClimateAction #SocialInnovation #CivilSociety

Trust in government is essential for social cohesion, effective institutions, and economic growth. According to a recent Afrobarometer trust score, less than 50% of Kenyans trust their Parliament, Presidency, and Judiciary, with the score declining over the years (see comments for references). In collaboration with MIT GOV/LAB, we surveyed 11,000 people about My County Hub, a joint effort between the county government and Safaricom PLC, to see if teaming up with a trusted private company could improve trust in government. Here’s what we found: ✅ We did not find that trust in Safaricom can be transferred to trust in the government.  ✅ Highlighting Safaricom’s role boosts willingness to use the platform but may hurt trust in the government among those with low trust in government to begin with. ✅ People with low trust in the government didn’t gain trust after learning about the partnership; instead, they saw the government as less capable. ✅ Those who trusted both Safaricom and the government saw their trust grow after learning about the collaboration. Nuole (Lula) Chen, Salim Kombo and Will Sullivan share more in this blog post: https://lnkd.in/dXRjr3Ce

Srilanka People’s patience is not unlimited Zombiya Mara and Puthano should know that!! The recent Supreme Court ruling in Sri Lanka resonates with growing frustrations among citizens over years of political corruption, economic mismanagement, and misleading rhetoric by leaders. The judgment itself is a warning to politicians, emphasizing that their mandate to serve the public cannot be taken lightly, especially in matters that impact livelihoods so directly, as seen in Sri Lanka’s economic collapse. The court’s decision highlighted how poor policies, lack of transparency, and neglect of the national interest have placed an unbearable burden on the general public. Public patience, as you mentioned, is not endless. Accountability is increasingly demanded, and there’s a palpable shift toward calling out those who misuse public trust. This sentiment reflects a global trend where people are expecting more ethical governance and transparency, particularly when they see the impact of failed policies on everyday essentials like food, fuel, and medicine . Upali Muthumuni