Sakeenah Kareem
On August 26th, 2023, a bustling gathering of over 1000 individuals from various walks of Ogun state and beyond convened at the 1000 Capacity Lecture Theatre of the prestigious Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta [FUNAAB] for insightful engagement and pragmatic learning.
This significant event, the Career Connect Summit, orchestrated by the dynamic duo of Mahmoud Damisi and Peter Ojo along with their dedicated team, provided a platform for individuals to explore the nexus between personal narratives and professional success.
The event which was themed Narrative Influence; Shaping the World through Stories had the presence of dignified personalities from diverse career sectors telling their stories to bridge the gap between them and the ones on the other side of the success ladder – the audience, and subsequently, motivate them.
The event excellently hosted by Toheeb Bisiriyu, a professional corporate event host, was built upon four illuminating panel sessions and a fireside chat with a total of 8 speakers.
Dr Macaulay Babajide Milton who is a lecturer at the Federal University of Technology, Akure [ FUTA] and an entrepreneur enlightened the audience on education and migration – edumigration in the fireside chat moderated by Benjamin Elemide.
The Politics and Governance session moderated by Adedayo Salami had Hon. Seun Fakorede, the erstwhile commissioner of youth and sports, Oyo state point out the intersection of youth citizenship and technology. Olabode Otolorin engaged the duo of Joey Akan, an entertainment journalist and Isaac Olayiwola, a skit maker popularly known as Layi Wasabi as they elucidated the Roadmap to Visibility in the entertainment industry.
The audience was guided through the crossroads of entrepreneurship and technology by Solomon Enilolobo, CEO of Oluwalogbon Electronics with the moderation of Bode Maxwell. With Shalom Oyinkansola, the journey of navigating growth in the creative industry was toured by Omotara Lawrence, Alabi Lawrence, and Mr Wadud.
The Intersection of Individuality and Professionalism
In the modern landscape of career development, the notion that individuality and professionalism can co-exist is now a landmark. The rigid structures of the past are broken and individuals are now discovering that their uniqueness as individuals can seamlessly intersect with their professional pursuits, giving rise to a paradigm career shift.
The Career Connect Summit of 2023 underscored this transformational concept, showcasing that personal narratives, authenticity, and creative expression are compatible with professionalism and instrumental in shaping extraordinary career trajectories.
Dr Macaulay Milton believed that every individual who wants to make waves should conduct a Strength, weakness, opportunities, and threat [SWOT] analysis without money as a deciding factor. He stated that this step is crucial to choosing a career where one’s strengths can be utilised and one’s weaknesses won’t be much of a hindrance.
He also emphasized the role of psychological growth, resilience, and perseverance which are all individual traits in a career’s trajectory.
Honourable Fakorede reiterated the same notion by urging the youth to “not only clamour for change but also be willing to take up the mantle of responsibility and let your personality shine”.
Omotora Lawrence further established that everyone is unique in their way and that can be their greatest strength. “There are many people that can do it but there is no one else that can do it the way you do it”, she added.
Layi Wasabi also hammered that knowing oneself and grooming the identity is the first step to growing in the creative industry. He shared his story of how he had always had a humorous personality since childhood and how that shaped the character in his skits. He then motivated the audience that “whatever is outstanding will always stand out”.
“Do it their way until you can do it your way”, as said by Alabi Lawrence corroborates the inevitability of individualism in professionality and beyond.
Overall, the speakers highlighted the significance of strategic positioning, personal distinctiveness, and embracing failures as stepping stones to success as common factors in every success narrative.
Career Connect; The change catalyst
The impact of the Career Connect Summit is intricately woven into its very essence – a catalyst for transformation, bridging gaps and igniting inspiration among the ambitious minds of Ogun state and beyond.
Mahmoud Damisi is the leading founder of Everything Middleman Consults, Dean of Career Connect Academy, and Convener of Career Connect Summit. He is also a social entrepreneur.
As the visionary convener of the event, Damisi unveiled the underlying motivations that set the wheels of this transformative summit into motion. In an exclusive interview, Damisi provided insights into the thought process, driving forces, and future aspirations that have propelled the Career Connect Summit to the forefront of career development events.
Reflecting on the inception of the summit, Damisi unveiled the intent that fueled its creation. “The thought process behind Career Connect Summit was to bring leaders, administrators, and the top professionals from various industries to share their success stories, reveal the hidden facets of their achievements, and illuminate the journeys of youths through the challenges that shaped them”, he expressed.
This approach, he believed, would serve as a bridge between mentors and mentees, creators and their admirers, thus fostering a seamless exchange of wisdom and insights.
When questioned about his motivations, Damisi’s response revealed a burning desire to be a change driver. He believed that for meaningful transformation to occur, actions must be executed.
“As an individual, what prompted me to do this was that, if we don’t do it, no one is going to do it for us,” he declared. The realization that innovation and progress are often instigated by those who dare to step up, inspired Damisi to take on the challenge himself.
Damisi attributed the success of the event to a dynamic team effort, particularly highlighting the indispensable role of Peter Ojo. He encapsulated the pivotal role played by Peter Ojo by addressing him as the “Ngolo Kante” of the event.
Looking ahead, Damisi envisioned the “Career Connect Summit evolving into a national event and potentially extending its reach to the grassroots level, including secondary and primary schools.”.
The convener was keen to emphasize that the summit’s impact extends beyond the confines of his university, stating, “It is not a FUNAAB event but an Ogun state event.”
An event like no other
Through engaging dialogues, profound insights, and candid revelations, attendees departed with more than just knowledge; they carried a newfound perspective on navigating their paths to success. The summit has paved the way for many to shape their futures with the power of their stories.
This impact was evident as the fulfilling voices of the host, participant and volunteers vibrated the success of the event.
Toheeb Bisiriyu, the host of the event, believed that a summit would be an understatement of what career connect was. “The Career Connect Summit wasn’t just a summit, it was a revolution”, he said. “As a serial event host, hosting the Career Connect was supposed to be like every other event I’ve hosted, but it was exceptional for me. The event touches the present and the future of work. The experience was quite phenomenal. It was way beyond my expectations.”, Toheeb added.
For Ameenat Badmus,a student of the school, she had been anticipating the summit and she was glad that it was a time well spent. A 10/10, she says. Her most important takeaway is to do it and do it well.
Oyero Habeebullah, a University of Ibadan student and a techite admitted to being amazed by the event. He had learnt and he’s willing to implement that it’s important to build a capacity around whatever you do and also be a person of value.
Noheem Shokunbi felt that “Career Connect is an amazing event and it was the motivation and guide I needed. “It really surpassed my expectations. I wished they could continue doing it every year”, Noheem said bitter-sweetly. “My most important takeaway is that in anything you do, just be consistent”, he added.
Further conversations with participants and volunteers yielded several other positive comments. When asked what Career Connect could do better, many could not find a flaw in the event,
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