IT WILL ALWAYS BE ABOUT THE SIZE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.

(This post is slightly lengthy but very thought-provoking.)

I woke up this morning playing “Question” by BURNA BOY in my head and so I followed the lead and played the track on repeat for almost an hour. In the song, there is a line by the legendary producer DON JAZZY where he asked “WHEN YOU GO WIN GRAMMY?”. That line inspired this post.

2 days ago, I was listening to one of my favourite podcasts titled “Afrobeat Intelligence” by JOEY AKAN. His Guest was the maverick musician JESSE JAGZ (one of Africa’s brightest minds) and Jesse had queried our penchant for seeking approval from the western world to validate our music. He particularly said “if you don’t win a Grammy, our people think you’re not good enough.” [Digression: did I ever tell you I am a lover and enthusiast of the entertainment & lifestyle industry? Hopefully some day when I ‘hammer’, I will be a major investor in that industry… 😁]

So back to the gist… when Jesse made that statement, it got me thinking…

In our industry (Life Coaching), there is a relatively new wave of global access called FORBES COUNCIL. It consists of about 6 categories including COACHES, BUSINESS, etc. I am not a member yet (not because I don’t admire the platform but because I am in school for now. Channeling my resources to earn a targeted credential before I can decide if I want to now join). I have many loved colleagues who are deservedly FORBES COUNCIL MEMBERS like my lover-colleague Othman Abdulrasheed (The King of the North), Ezekiel Solesi (Master Strategist of life), Abiola ‘The Champ’ Salami, and several others.

FORBES COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP TO A COACH IS WHAT GRAMMY IS TO AN MUSICIAN. Alter egos.

It is very simplistic to me when we say the African person seeks validation from the western world by aligning or joining these platforms. I think otherwise, permit me. I think of it in the spectrum as a businessman.

In 2015, I founded what was called BEHAVIOURAL CHANGE PRACTITIONERS CONFERENCE (BCP CONFERENCE). My goal was to initiate a movement for EVERYONE IN THE BEHAVIOURAL MODIFICATION BUSINESS so that we could harmonize our processes, celebrate our wins and structure some form of regulation that can guide our work. I DID NOT SET OUT TO OWN IT. I was hoping our seniors will adopt it and we could evolve into something GLOBAL. That is why EVERY SPEAKER at that inaugural event was an industry leader of some sort. The speakers were DR LANRE OLUSOLA, DR MAYMUNAH KADIRI, PRAISE FOWOWE, INNOCENT USAR & TYLOR ILORI. The choice was deliberate. But the goal wasn’t achieved. However, today, Praise Fowowe and the IFED (Institute for Family Engineering and Development) Community run a more structured and outstanding annual conference system for FAMILY SYSTEMS PROFESSIONALS. This was a goal I desired for all of us.

I see this from 2 angles:

1. The FOUNDERS & the SYSTEM they develop: if any idea will become ATTRACTIVE irrespective of whether it is AFRICAN, WESTERN or not, I believe the organizers must design a GRAND SYSTEM OF MASS APPEAL. If you think small, practitioners will tilt towards BIGGER PLATFORMS. Remember that THE LARGER THE ACCEPTANCE, THE HIGHER THE VALUE OF WHAT YOU CREATE. Is that not why THE HEADIES is holding in UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 🇺🇸 in 2022? What if Uncle Ayo decides that Headies is a Naija thing and keeps it only in LAGOS? No!!! By moving to the USA to become congruent with American music, he has unleashed a GLOBAL SYSTEM which further attracts BIGGER TALENTS. Winning ‘The Next Rated’ in America will never be the same as winning that award in Lagos. The exposures are different!!! As popular as Fireboy DML is in Nigeria, many American artists tweeted that they “looked him up” FOR THE FIRST TIME because he performed at BET AWARDS 2022. Check am na!!!
2. THE PRACTITIONERS and PLAYERS: I may be passionate about my craft. I may love what I do and can do it FOR FREE but guess what!!! THE MORE PEOPLE WHO CAN GAIN ACCESS TO MY IP (or WHOM I CAN ACCESS: whether access their minds or their pockets), THE BETTER FOR MY PASSION AND WORKS. I do not think anyone sets out to be mediocre. Even those who self-sabotage when success beckons actually do so as a trauma response; not because in their minds they are not thinking of being global. I personally believe that EVERY PERSON WANTS THEIR IDEA TO BE GLOBAL. So logically, when there is a platform that guarantees GLOBAL ACCESS, the market will go there and REINFORCE the global repute of that platform.

So, what is my message?

1. As a FOUNDER: build with GLOBAL SYSTEMS and STRUCTURES in mind. Partner, collaborate, expand, invest, share, adopt and accelerate towards GLOBAL INCLUSION while guiding your work to fulfill its original mandate and core values. Do not compromise your values on the stable of global expansion but believe me, there’s always a global access for anything you start. Find it SLOWLY.
2. As a PLAYER: provided a platform does not violate your values, PLUG IN AND LEVERAGE THAT PLATFORM TO SHARE YOUR IDEOLOGIES. Use every possible, legitimate platform to make your voice heard. If it serves your purpose, USE IT WELL. A singer in CHRIST EMBASSY today (arguably) does WAY BETTER than a singer in almost every other Nigerian based denomination (maybe combined even). The facts are there. No visibility, no fulfillment. Trust me. A Congolese proverb says: IF YOU ARE NOT SEEN AND YOU ARE NOT HEARD, YOU DON’T EXIST. Today, I have 3 solid growing communities: SOBCA, BSG & OSP. Not all members of one belong to the other; maybe based on values differences or value proposition and it is okay. You don’t have to belong everywhere but the ones that appeal to you, join them.

IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT THE SIZE! Always!!! If not, WHY IS EVERY FAITH ASPIRING THAT ALL SOULS IN THE WORLD COME TO THEIR FAITH? Jesus said ‘make disciples of ALL NATIONS.’ Islam today is growing at an astronomical rate across the world… etc. EVERY IDEOLOGY SELLS TO GET MORE BUY-IN. This is the system of creation. You cannot fight it. Better leverage it before you make a fool of yourself.

Have I helped you?

m a k t u b!!!

The Octopus
@sobafemi