Ayobami Oladejo

Telco. Fintech. Digital Transformation. Researcher. Consultant. Lecturer. Husband of a fine lady and Dad to cute babes. PhD (GIBS, University of Pretoria)

[Ayobami Oladejo @ayooladejo]

Problems are usually systemic and require digging deep for a sustainable solution. A short thread of how I learned to approach problems in a different way.
I will give some examples from work, study and an interview.
#SystemsThinking

[Anele Mdoda @Anele]

What you are not going to do is call a sportsperson who got this here country 4 Olympic medals unpatriotic. Nah

Thank you for your service Tatiana Smith. We are sorry we failed you sisi. I personally will still root for you even if you are not carrying our flag.

Yhini le

[Olúwashínà Òkélèjì @oluwashina]

TopTier Sports Management brought some of #Africa’s top football legends to Lagos, where Nigeria’s golden generation beat Team Africa 2-1 in a Legends Football Game at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan.

Un grand merci à @AnthonyBaffoe pour maintenir les légendes en activité.

[VT @VusiThembekwayo]

I can't believe I need to make these points, but here we are:

1. Tatjana is the most decorated Olympian in the history of South Africa’s participation in the Olympics. And she earned that by COMPETING FOR SOUTH AFRICA.

So when exactly did she stop being a patriot?

2. If, as you seem to suggest, she was just a “European”, why would she have competed on behalf of South Africa throughout her career?

Answer: She wouldn't have!

You see, your logic has a foundational flaw in its argument:

The two propositions can't both be true.

She couldn't have competed on behalf of South Africa, ergo a patriot, and at the same time been just a “disloyal European.”

And my proposition is based on known facts: she competed on behalf of South Africa and won medals wearing the green and gold.

Yours is based on innuendo: she is a disloyal European.

I honestly hope you can raise the level of argument to meet the seriousness of this issue.

The driver for this decision is about something else.

3. Rather than deal with the set of circumstances that have led Tatjana to this point, you're making her reaction/response the problem.

So, forget what she's been frustrated by and what she's been dealing with; blame her for the decision she made.

In the streets, they call that victim blaming.

PS: Athletes don't have the leisure of careers that last ad infinitum.
They have a short window to compete, and sporting administrators' role is to make sure they can do so without unnecessary hindrance.

4. Tatjana is free to choose the nation for which she wants to compete.

As a patriotic South African who wants the best talent to compete on behalf of, rather than against, my country, I am sad that this is the path she has chosen.

But this is the cost of the freedom we all enjoy: some will make decisions we don't like.

The real question is this: what conditions and circumstances would help South Africa become an attractive sporting nation for swim-athletes to compete on behalf of?

Keep your eyes on the prize: that's the real question.

We can do better than this “she is a white, disloyal European” vitriolic argument.

5. I've seen some arguments say, “at least she can choose another country. Some of us don't have that choice.”

I don't know how we should process that.

Having the option and making the choice are two different issues.

You can dislike that she has the option. You can argue that you want all South African pot-committed to the country.

Side-note: That doesn't square with your constitutional freedoms, but you're free to make that argument if you wish.

I am asking, what made her think this was even a choice to consider? What issues was she dealing with? How many other athletes are dealing with the same issues?

Because that's the real issue: the cause, not the effect.

[Ayobami Oladejo @ayooladejo]

@Ajairei I believe they are deliberately dumb. And it works for them because their supporters find ways to explain the nonsense. I also think many Nigerians hate cerebral politicians.

[Ayobami Oladejo @ayooladejo]

@afalli Totally agree with this.

[Ayobami Oladejo @ayooladejo]

Just imagine. She worked for less than 2 years at SpaceX and got enough shares to aid her early retirement after the IPO.
Again, not all jobs are the same.
And even when we criticise the likes of Elon, we must remember the good they do.

[Jordan Griffiths @JordiGriff]

@sphaphiwo His withdrawal is meaningless. No one cares. He has no hopes of being JHB mayor in the first place.

[Ayobami Oladejo @ayooladejo]

I was worried when I watched Carte Blanche 2 weeks ago and she was featured. Swimming South Africa should be ashamed of how they treat the swimmers.
Unnecessary fines, not supporting the swimmers adequately and the minister also not intervening.
This is truly sad.

[Marawa Sports Worldwide @MarawaSportShow]

South Africa’s most decorated Olympian, Tatjana Smith, has officially switched sporting allegiance to the Netherlands after World Aquatics approved her change of nationality.

🥇🥇 Olympic gold medals
🥈🥈 Olympic silver medals
🇿🇦 A South African legend

While she will now compete in Dutch colours and target LA 2028, Smith will remain based in South Africa, continue training with her long-time coaches, and support local athletes through the Lighthouse Sport Foundation.

👉 A new flag, but an enduring legacy in South African sport. 💚💛

@robertmarawa

#TatjanaSmith #Olympics #Swimming #SouthAfrica #Netherlands 🏊‍♀️✨

[Ayobami Oladejo @ayooladejo]

Knysna must return to its reputation as the jewel of the Garden Route.
The degradation of the past few years exposed the ills of bad governance.

[Newzroom Afrika @Newzroom405]

Political parties in Knysna will meet over the next few days to discuss coalition talks. The DA won the most votes with 44.41%,  9 of 21 seats short of a majority. After nearly 20 years of failed coalitions, can Knysna return to its former glory as the jewel of the Garden Route? @Nobesutu_Hejana is in Hornlee.

Watch: https://t.co/RSsq9hLKvn

#Newzroom405

[Team South Africa @OfficialTeamRSA]

🥇 GOLD FOR TEAM SOUTH AFRICA

Matao le Roux claims gold in the Men’s High Jump Final at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games 🇿🇦

#ForMyCountry #TeamSouthAfrica #Dakar2026 #YOG

[Ayobami Oladejo @ayooladejo]

@osenisegun I don’t have a problem with his entrepreneurial mindset and his engineering skills.
It is his funny asides including racism that irks me. Lol

[Ayobami Oladejo @ayooladejo]

@Ajairei These are difficult conversations about the psyche of people and how over the years, the moral compass keeps getting weaker. Sad stuff.

[Ayobami Oladejo @ayooladejo]

This life though.
Imagine that the Mekwe tendencies of a global CEO is enough to threaten the retirement savings of innocent people.
😔😔😔

[Ayobami Oladejo @ayooladejo]

@Ajairei One of my best mates, he will see this tweet.
He went for detty December some years ago in Lagos. He enjoyed it so much that he kept on about moving back to Nigeria.
But God is good as he quickly understood my illustration of the mirage of December enjoyment. 😂😂😂😂

[Ayobami Oladejo @ayooladejo]

@Ajairei Correct.
The exchange rate is not your mate.
Lmao

[Moe @Mochievous]

Save these tips if you plan to visit IITA (from Lagos)

1. Take the train. You can only book within a 48hr window of your trip. First class has ton of leg room but the coach cabin isn’t bad as well. I did both

2. IITA itself is best reached for bookings over email. As of Nov 2026, their rooms start from N125k (single). The one bedroom is N160k. I stayed in both but preferred the one bed as it has a kitchenette

3. The food in the International House cafeteria is quite nice. Don’t miss the sea food okro, pizza (they have a proper wood-fired oven), the meat pies (baked fresh at 11am every day), suya and all the different varieties of pepper soup. There’s also fresh palmwine on some days and this delicious pineapple drink you absolutely need to try.

4. The tennis coach is amazing. Book a class with him. He is also super beginner friendly.

5. Don’t miss a tour of the grounds. If you are lucky, you’ll get someone to show you around the farms as well.

6. Sunset at the lake is a must-do. Ask to be taken to the peninsula and also the dam as well.

7. Please be respectful of the grounds. It is a quiet research environment. It is also plastic-free so dispose of all your trash in the designated bins.

8. The forest walk is also a cool thing to do but you need at least two people for that. I was solo so couldn’t do it this time

9. The cafeteria dj comes alive in the evenings so don’t spend all your time in the room

10. The staff are incredible. Tip if you can

[Ayobami Oladejo @ayooladejo]

Cup cake’s speech at the election results announcement is very presidential.
South Africans must be proud of their country. The conduct of the election across the country is very commendable.
Other countries including western ones have things to learn from SA.

[Ayobami Oladejo @ayooladejo]

They don’t know …

[Gogo Ghosty 🇿🇦 @beauchamp_lord]

😂😂😂 Helen Zille is the reason you even found out about that autopsy. How ironic!

[Ayobami Oladejo @ayooladejo]

To be sincere, if the likes of Kenny Kunene respect or like you; you should really think about your life.

[Sir Mo @moreki_mo]

Dear Kenny Kunene,

You need to come down from that high horse. @helenzille is not your political equal, and your personal dislike of her is neither politically relevant nor a measure of her leadership. Your party has been thoroughly humbled at the polls, barely commanding 5% of the vote. You have no political muscle to dictate coalition terms or lecture anyone about who should lead Johannesburg. As Joburg residents, we're certainly not mourning your impending departure as MMC of Roads and Transport. Our roads are a disgrace, and the state of our city's infrastructure speaks for itself. You have very little to show for your time in office. Helen Zille is in an entirely different political league.