Ifedolapo Olaoti Ajayi

🖋️ The Nigerian Enterprise Growth Engines - Ideas, Brands, People and Organisations Reshaping Productivity, Governance and Innovation Transformation 2000-2025

[Ifedolapo Olaoti Ajayi @IfeAjayiNotes]

Make your plans as fantastic as you like, Because twenty-five years from now, they will seem mediocre. Make your plans ten times as great as you first planned and twenty-five years from now you will wonder why you didn't make them fifty times as great.

- Henry Curtis

[Ifedolapo Olaoti Ajayi @IfeAjayiNotes]

@Arsenal The Football Club for the #elite and the #street.

Huge Congratulations to Arsenal FC fans around the world!

#brandpower #loyalty #resiliency #valuedriven #sophisticated #organic #DecodeEnterprise

[BBC Sport @BBCSport]

BBC Sport pundits have voted Declan Rice as the Premier League player of the season 💪👏

[Footysm ⚽️ @Footysm]

🚨[🟢] NEW: Arsenal’s Premier League title lift recorded the highest live viewership for a title celebration in the last two decades 😳

Today’s celebrations peaked at 7.3 million live viewers, compared to Liverpool’s 3 million viewers during their title lift last season.

[Arsenal Rep @Arsenal_rep1]

💣🚨: Arsenal are the first team in premier league history to win the Premier league without conceding a penalty nor a red card..

[Kawangware Finest ™ - Geoffrey Moturi @cbs_ke]

Arsenal FC has taught us about resilience, persistence, hard work, team work, focus on the prize = Success.
No Giving Up even when you at your lowest moments.

Champions go on, when others stop.

Congratulations omwami Mikel Arteta for leading the team to greatness.

[Keir Starmer @Keir_Starmer]

22 long years for the Arsenal.

But finally, we’re back where we belong.

Champions!

[William Samoei Ruto, PhD @WilliamsRuto]

It has been quite an experience to follow @Arsenal Football Club's epic adventure, from times of struggle and crushing setback, to successive seasons of recovery and resurgence on their glorious path to the summit of the English Premier League.

In this time, we have witnessed the power of hope, resilience, focus and relentless hardwork in action, and watched a team of dedicated professional do battle against formidable adversaries, matchday after matchday.

Tonight, the great reward is won. The team is victorious. It's faith and dedication is vindicated. And our commitment to succeed through work, discipline and teamwork is affirmed.

Congratulations to the Gunners

[(fan) skye sports premier league @skyeepl]

Bukayo Saka with his grandmother, who travelled from Oro, Kwara State, Nigeria, to watch Arsenal’s win over Burnley last night. ♥️🇳🇬

[The Africa Report @TheAfricaReport]

From gold pits to ESG strategy rooms, Ghanaian women are reshaping mining’s future and changing how investors view the sector.

[Die Hard @jassjegs]

@Sifon_Bassey 🙏🙏

[Mohammed Idris, FNIPR @HMMohammedIdris]

Nigeria’s Television landscape is about to experience a major leap forward. After many years of delay, we are finally set to complete the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting.

The long-awaited Digital Switch Over (DSO) project is now fully ready for nationwide launch, with a defining new partnership between @nbcgovng and @NigComSat1R. We now have an upgraded DSO framework, that leverages satellite broadcasting - powered by NIGCOMSAT technology.

I’m pleased to say that the new DSO platform is scheduled for official commissioning on June 17, 2026.

This is truly a new dawn for our country. President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda is leaving no sector or industry out.

Digital broadcasting is infinitely superior to analogue, in terms of broadcast quality, analytics, accuracy of audience measurement, and competition. With digital broadcasting, there’s no room for monopoly. Everybody is going to compete.

Advertisers and broadcasters can make informed programming and investment decisions while improving content delivery to Nigerians. And Nigerians will have many more content options than ever before.

Join us on this exciting journey that will permanently transform broadcasting in Nigeria.

[ADF Magazine @ADFmagazine]

China’s Global Governance Initiative (GGI) normalization of techno-authoritarianism seeks to undermine African governanceChina’s Global Governance Initiative (GGI) normalization of techno-authoritarianism seeks to undermine African governanceChina’s Global Governance Initiative (GGI) normalization of techno-authoritarianism seeks to undermine African governance.

[Malibook @Malibooknews]

#URGENT le #Niger🇳🇪 sous le leadership du Général Abdourahamane TIANI prend une décision historique et déterminante.

Dans un contexte de renforcement des mesures sécuritaires, les autorités nigériennes ont décidé d’interdire formellement l’hébergement dans les mosquées et les écoles coraniques, tout en ordonnant la fermeture systématique des mosquées après chaque prière quotidienne. Cette disposition vise à prévenir tout usage détourné de ces lieux de culte, à renforcer le contrôle des rassemblements et à consolider le dispositif national de sécurité.

#AES #sahel #Decision #interdiction

[Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) @officialNESG]

Nigeria Private Sector Outlook 2026 equips business leaders, policymakers, investors, and development partners to navigate reform, risk, and growth. It highlights productivity priorities and policy signals shaping Nigeria’s economy. Click to download the report.

[Bashir Bayo Ojulari - BBO @BBOjulari]

BIG ENERGY:

I am pleased to announce that NNPC Limited has successfully completed the River Niger crossing of the OB3 Gas Pipeline.

Executed 2km beneath the riverbed using advanced HDD technology, this milestone unlocks a transport capacity of 2 billion scf/day—strengthening Nigeria’s energy security, power generation, and industrial growth. It also builds on our AKK crossing success and reflects disciplined execution, innovative engineering, and the unwavering commitment of our team and partner, PCE Nig. Limited.

I thank Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his Gas-to-Prosperity agenda, our Board under Chairman Ahmadu Musa Kida, the host communities, and the resilient team at NGIC for their steadfast support and commitment.

The OB3 Pipeline links East to West and connects to the Northern corridor via the AKK Pipeline, unlocking over 500 million scf/day of domestic gas. The AKK will supply power plants, fertiliser, manufacturing, and new industries across Kaduna, Kano, and beyond, driving job creation, economic diversification, energy access, and West African exports.

[Impact Research @ecopoliticsNG]

This week's $15 surge to $105 Brent is less a price discovery than a stress test of the post-1970s energy security architecture, and the architecture is bending. Coordinated SPR releases from the US (79.7 million barrels), Japan (80 million, with a further 36 million pledged from 1 May), and IEA partners have failed to anchor expectations. What has capped the rally at $110 is not stockpile draws but a single diplomatic itinerary, with Iran's Foreign Minister en route to Pakistan for indirect talks. When a travel calendar moves the curve more than the largest coordinated reserve drawdown of the cycle, policymakers are being told something uncomfortable about the marginal utility of their primary crisis instrument.

The supply-side evidence reinforces the asymmetry. Goldman Sachs places 14.5 million barrels per day of Gulf output offline, 57% of pre-war capacity, with recovery measured in months rather than weeks, even once the Strait of Hormuz reopens. The IRGC's seizure of MSC Francesca and Epaminondas, in direct retaliation for the US interdiction of the Touska, confirms the chokepoint as an active theatre rather than a managed pause. Canada's headline 23.6 million-barrel "release," reclassified as pre-existing seasonal growth, illustrates the credibility deficit now emerging around emergency-response disclosures more broadly. The $110 threshold should be read as a diplomacy premium rather than a clearing price; downside risk to talks reprices in seconds, while supply normalisation will accrue over quarters.

For Nigeria, Proshare’s reading of the OilPrice report suggests that the constellation is unusually favourable on paper and unusually demanding in practice. With 14.5 mb/d of Gulf output offline, light sweet West African grades (Bonny Light, Forcados, Qua Iboe) are commanding structural premia that should translate into a material fiscal windfall against a 2026 budget built on far more conservative oil assumptions. The binding constraint is upstream deliverability: capturing the window requires sustained output above OPEC quota, which Nigeria has rarely achieved in recent cycles owing to pipeline vandalism, divestment overhang, and chronic underinvestment in mature acreage. The asymmetry is sharper still on the demand side.
https://t.co/2c8RNeeoKe

[HH Sheikh Mohammed @HHShkMohd]

Under the directives of the President of the UAE, we launch a new government model. Within two years, 50% of government sectors, services, and operations will run on Agentic AI, making the UAE the first government globally to operate at this scale through autonomous systems.

AI is no longer a tool. It analyses, decides, executes, and improves in real time. It will become our executive partner to enhance services, accelerate decisions, and raise efficiency.

This transformation has a clear timeline. Two years. Performance across government will be measured by speed of adoption, quality of implementation, and mastery of AI in redesigning government work.

We are investing in our people. Every federal employee will be trained to master AI, building one of the world’s strongest capabilities in AI-driven government.

Implementation will be overseen by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, with a dedicated taskforce chaired by Mohammad Al Gergawi driving execution.

The world is changing. Technology is accelerating. Our principle remains constant. People come first. Our goal is a government that is faster, more responsive, and more impactful.

[Baba Awori @EOyigi]

The Idejos: Keepers of the Land – The Onitana Chieftaincy: A Legacy Forged by a Powerful Woman
The Idejo chiefs, distinguished by their "White-Cap Chiefs" (Onifila-Funfun) insignia, form the venerable landowning aristocracy of Lagos. Their foundational authority stems from the lineage of Olofin Ogunfunminire, the legendary progenitor of the Awori people. Among these prominent figures, the Onitana Chieftaincy holds a particularly distinctive position, notable for its unique origin through the initiative of a powerful woman and its foundational connection to the Aromire lineage.

Origin and Relationship to the Olofin
The genesis of the Onitana Chieftaincy is unique among the Idejos. It does not originate from a direct son of the Olofin, but rather through Isiyemi, also known as Erelu Ile. Isiyemi was a great-grandchild of Oshoboja, who was the son of Onita Ogbogbodi (the first Aromire of Lagos). This establishes a clear lineage back to the Olofin Ogunfunminire through the Aromire line.

Isiyemi, a woman of significant influence, is credited with creating the Onitana Chieftaincy because she desired her own son to hold a White-Cap Chief title. This remarkable act of female agency occurred during the reign of her younger brother, Chief Ogabi Desoro, the 5th Aromire of Lagos. Isiyemi successfully persuaded her brother to designate land behind the Aromire Palace for the construction of the Onitana Palace, and her son, Meku, subsequently became the first Chief Onitana of Lagos.

Domain and Seat of Authority
A distinguishing characteristic of the Onitana Chieftaincy is its specific relationship with land ownership. Unlike many other Idejos who commanded vast territories, the Onitana initially held no land elsewhere beyond his immediate Iga (Palace) and its surrounding grounds. This unique situation implies that the land for the Onitana Palace was specifically carved out from the broader domain of the Aromire, underscoring the foundational dependency on the Aromire lineage for their initial territorial establishment on Lagos Island.

Role and Traditional Authority
The Chief Onitana was classified as an Idejo Chief, signifying his status within the traditional landowning aristocracy. Despite the initial limited landholdings, the establishment of a chieftaincy through such a deliberate act by a powerful woman like Isiyemi highlights its importance within the broader Idejo system. The Onitana's role would have involved participation in the collective governance structures of the Idejos, potentially including attendance at the Ose Iga (Olofin's weekly council meetings), similar to other Idejo chiefs like Onikoyi who also adjusted their palace locations to facilitate such attendance. An Oriki mentions "The Onitana who performed his coronation (by dancing to Owa)", suggesting a significant ceremonial role in past events.

Historical Interactions with Benin and the Obaship of Lagos
The Onitana Chieftaincy, emerging from the indigenous Awori lineage of the Olofin, existed within the evolving political landscape shaped by the influence of the Benin Kingdom. As previously discussed, the Obaship of Lagos was established through Benin's political intervention, with Ashipa (Fagade), an Awori chief, being appointed as the first Oba by the King of Benin. This created a dual layer of authority in Lagos: the indigenous landowning Idejos and the Benin-derived Obas.

The Onitana, as a chieftaincy established through a descendant of Aromire, would have navigated this complex power dynamic. While the overall political and economic power shifted towards the Benin-derived Obas, the traditional land rights of the Idejos, including the Onitana, remained a recognized aspect of Lagosian governance, albeit sometimes contested or subject to negotiation.

Land Ownership and Colonial Challenges
The unique land tenure of the Onitana—primarily limited to his palace grounds carved out from Aromire's territory—would have presented a distinct set of challenges and opportunities during the British colonial period. Like other Idejo chiefs, the Onitana's traditional claims to land were relevant in the context of British land policies. The landmark Amodu Tijani v. The Secretary, Southern Nigeria (1921) Privy Council case broadly affirmed the "full usufructuary title" of head chiefs on behalf of their communities, a principle that would have underpinned the Onitana's hereditary rights, even if his physical domain was smaller.

Oriki (Praise Names)
The Oriki of Ojora, includes direct references that illuminate the Onitana's origins and connections

"Erelu Ile lo se wa si Iya Onitana" (Erelu Ile initiated the creation of the Onitana)
"Onitana to joye ka lu d'Owa" (Onitana who performed his coronation by dancing to Owa)
"Ko to wa je Aromire Ake" (Before he became Aromire Ake)
"Aromire ekefa to ku" (The sixth Aromire who died)
"Oun lo bi Semo O se niga" (He begot Semo who also became Chief)

These lines confirm Isiyemi (Erelu Ile) as the mother of the first Onitana (Meku) and reveal a fascinating historical detail: a Chief Onitana could also later become the Aromire Ake, suggesting an intertwined succession between these two Idejo titles.

Signed: Baba Awori
Follow the handle @EOyigi

[Mathieu flamini @mathieuflamini]

Most people are surprised when they hear I went from professional football to green chemistry.
But to me, it was a natural transition. ⚽️👨🏽‍🔬

Growing up in the south of France, I was surrounded by nature and the sea from an early age. As my football career progressed, so did my awareness of global warming and the impact that different industries have on the environment and on our health.

The products most of us use every day, from shampoos to cleaning products to paints, are still built on fossil-based ingredients. Changing that became my mission.🌱

In 2013, I co-founded GFBiochemicals to make everyday products safer and more sustainable using plant-based ingredients.

Football prepared me for this journey more than I expected the discipline, the resilience, and what it truly means to be part of a team. But there is an important shift: as a player, you’re judged on your own performance. As a founder & CEO, your role is to lead and inspire your team, and to share success together.

I spoke with Harvard Business Review France about my journey: the transition from international footballer to Green Chemistry entrepreneur, the challenge of building in a sector I came to as an outsider.

Read the full interview: https://t.co/wESh2lENho

[The Africa Report @TheAfricaReport]

The World Bank recommends reinstating petrol import licences to dismantle a supply monopoly, aiming to lower domestic fuel costs that currently sit 12% above global benchmarks.