Olaide

Learn. Unlearn. Relearn.
You Will Never Walk Alone!!! @LFC

[Michael Taiwo @AskMichaelTaiwo]

Speaking two languages delays dementia by four to five years. Not medication. Not supplements. Just the daily act of switching between tongues.

Your brain runs a quiet gym every time it picks which language to speak and which one to hush. Attention, control, flexibility. All of it gets a workout without you noticing.

Na Yoruba wey you dey speak for house dey protect your brain for old age. The pidgin. The Igbo. The Hausa. All of it is medicine nobody prescribed.

Every African child raised between languages was handed a shield nobody told them about.

[Michael Taiwo @AskMichaelTaiwo]

Nobody hires the CV. They hire the story the CV is hinting at.

Learn to tell it plainly.

[Michael Taiwo @AskMichaelTaiwo]

If you are a fresh graduate, I highly recommend getting a 9-5 job.

The obvious reasons are that you need the money and network and technical know-how.

But another less-talked-about reason is that it’s good for you to actually experience how an organization works.

You learn hierarchy of command, decorum, standard operating procedures, how to investigate failures, how to react to a dynamic environment, how to communicate, how to reward/punish, and so on.

For better or worse, 95% of the way I approach business is copied from Shell.

I simply don’t know how else to run a company. So I do what I’ve seen work for 12 years.

Of course, my business is different from Shell’s so I adjust as needed but the principle and the philosophy carry through.

Some people got born into a family with a long rich history of business/entrepreneurship and maybe even went straight to get an MBA. These folks may start a business fresh out of school and reasonably be expected to succeed.

But if you are like most of us, then I recommend working for someone else for a while.

[Michael Taiwo @AskMichaelTaiwo]

I went to LinkedIn to check out her Shell history and it is "typical" for those who rise to her level in the company.

Shell has a talent management tool called the "Current Estimated Potential."

It is a way for the company to quickly sieve through the new employees and put them in a "box"

The exercise was carried out every 2 years then (it is now every 3 years).

This is different from a performance review.

This is a potential review exercise.

The company is asking, "how far do we think this person will go in this company?"

As at the time she joined Shell, there were four levels.

Level 1: SE (Senior Executive) - this is where the Executive Vice Presidents all the way to the CEO sit.

Level 2: A-B (Level A or B) - this is for those who report to executive level. They are big guys too.
For instance, her last role was likely at Job Grade B.

Level 3: 1-2 (Job Grade 1 or 2) - this is where most people retire from the company even after spending 40+ years.

Level 4: 3-5 (Job Grade 3 or 5) - if you are a university graduate you are already here or will end up here if you stick around. It is given to people almost as a punishment. Shell discontinued it some years ago. So there are just three levels now.

What I am saying is this: within two years of joining Shell, she was probably already rated at a CEP Level of SE.

This means Shell has said she should be put on a track that will let her become a "Senior Executive" one day.

The CEP becomes - more often than not - a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Once Shell labels your profile as an "SE":

- you get assigned a current Senior Executive as a sponsor who fights for you,

- you are allowed to attend top programs to upskill you

- if you apply for any job within the company and the hiring manager sees that you are an "SE," your application automatically rises to the top. At that point, you are just competing with other "SE's."

Not all Shell staff get rated. You have to be a university graduate, for instance. Less than 3% of staff are SE.

My point is that her fate was already sealed in her first 2 years in the company. Looking at her LinkedIn history, I can tell you with concerning accuracy the type of considerations that went into each promotion.

It is a machine the company has perfected over 100 years. It is both impressive and frightening depending on your vantage point.

Congratulations to her.

May her reign bode well for the company and the country.

[Akin Olaoye @akintollgate]

These three things enabled her to achieve this growth. Hope this is a learning opportunity for many, especially women in the field. Read carefully!

1. Early Exposure - She is a PH girl with roots in an oil and gas industry/community. The exposure, industry knowledge and access to mentors from a very young age cannot be overlooked. This early exposure creates clarity of purpose & a clear career path with a track record of competency while attaining academic equals & job consistency. She didn’t bounce around to take juicy offers from Shell’s competitors who dangle exciting salaries and perks just to poach. Career employees with tenure like her who develop themselves are rewarded greatly. Her early cross-posting (taking an expatriate assignment) is the number one door buster for career growth in O&G especially Shell. Employees who took job posting assignments often accelerated from Level 5 senior staff to Level 2-3 within
4 years.

2. Engineering Degree &
Background - Born to parents in the technical/academic field. Her late Father being an and a teacher mum. I come from this same background and kids in these demography often excel than others. Her choice of Chemical Engineering (Previously Petroleum Chemical before it was split) from UNIBEN puts her above every other non technical oil & gas executive, regardless of the multitude of executive MBAs to stack behind their non-engineering degrees during the course of their careers (I have strong statistics to back this up). It’s a potent combination in the oil community and you will find many of such individuals at the top of the game.

3. Career consistency & Character - Elohor joined Shell at a very young age and grew her competency from the field in production all through a business Analyst role and leading operations ultimately. This business, field and operations background makes you a beast in the oil & gas industry especially a company like Shell. The networking and relationships you acquire over the initial decades sets you on a path for accelerated growth, career mentors who gladly endorse your promotions or assignments. Many who switch roles within the same company and expand their competencies in other non-core areas like Engineering or Exploration stand above others. Exposure to Asset management to capital projects, field operations and interfacing with most upstream areas keeps your profile well ahead of others. Internal politics defines the dimension of your career. A solid reputation, decent character and zero scandal both private and public keeps you highly respected. Not seen to be a dictator or one with an ego trip is often a virtue that many think is a weakness for “women in leadership”. The oil and gas industry in Nigeria can be very sexist but a woman who began her career in the oil fields of Production Area A, B & C in Imo & Rivers, means she is battle tested (Don’t know what those depts are called today). A few calls to some of my relatives & family friends who she worked under, notable a family friend who was the SNEPco boss all said one thing, “she is a natural leader and a team player”. The corporate DNA of a company like Shell/SPDC with past rockstars from Mutiu Sunmonu to Ebong to Egbert Imomoh who all assumed this position at a young age, all reward such attributes. She is a student of the industry and now a master in the O&G Sector!
Congrats Elohor….

[OLUWASEUN_ Gott Sei Dank @i_am_aoejnr]

Days ago, I accidentally hit a parked Lexus . I felt terrible knowing that the owner would eventually return to find the car in that condition.

I waited for about 20 minutes, hoping the owner would come back. When no one showed up, I wrote a note, placed it under the windshield wiper, and drove away. In the note, I sincerely apologized, accepted full responsibility for the damage, and included my phone number.

When I got home, I kept expecting a call from the owner, but none came. I became worried, wondering if the wind had blown the note away or if the owner had simply not seen it.

This morning, my phone finally rang. It was the owner of the vehicle. I apologized again and explained how I had waited at the scene before leaving the note. As we talked, we switched to a WhatsApp video call.

During our conversation, I learned something that deeply moved me. Had I not left that note, the driver's life could have been turned upside down. The owner explained that it was his driver who had taken the vehicle out. When the driver returned with the note in tears, he admitted what had happened.

The owner said that if the note had not been there, he would have assumed the driver was responsible. He intended to have him arrested, compel him to pay for the damaged headlight, and dismiss him from his job—despite the fact that the driver's salary could never cover the cost of the repair.

I pleaded with him not to take such action. He replied that there was no longer any need since I had accepted responsibility.

He initially planned to send me his account details for the repairs, but later told me not to worry about it.

I left that conversation overwhelmed with gratitude to God. A simple decision to be honest and take responsibility may have saved a man from losing his job, his dignity, and his livelihood.

Behind every worker is a family. That driver is someone's husband and someone's father. Had events unfolded differently, his wife and children would have borne the pain of consequences they did not deserve.

Integrity may seem costly in the moment, but it can save lives, preserve livelihoods, and restore faith in humanity.

cc: https://t.co/7bDhX0jEan

[HR Sis @seyithemie]

Love to see women shatter glass ceilings. 👏👏👏

In the past 1 month, we’ve seen

Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN elected as the 33rd President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)

Mrs Folake Soetan, former MD Ikeja Electric, appointed as MD of Arahas Global Oilfield Services (a Sahara Group company)

Now Mrs Elohor Aiboni as no. 1 in Shell Nigeria.

Love it!!! 💯

[Sir J (J9) @SirJarus]

Only 4 Nigerians have risen to topmost position in Shell Nigeria (the rest oyinbo)

1. Basil Omiyi (2004 - 2009)

- Bsc Chemistry, UI, 1969
- Joined Shell in 1970 as Wellsite Petroleum Engineer
- Rose to the top in 2004 (34 years later)
- From Edo State

2. Mutiu Sunmonu (2010 - 2015)

- Bsc Mathematics & Computer Science (1st Class), Unilag, 1978
- Joined Shell in 1978 as Computer Programmer/Business Analyst
- Rose to the top in 2010 (32 years later)
- From Ogun(?) State

3. Osagie Okunbor (2015 - 2025)

- Bsc Business Administration, Uniben, 1986
- Joined Shell in 1986 as HR Trainee
- Rose to the top in 2004 (28 years later)
- From Edo State

4. Elohor Aibonu (2026 - )

- Bsc Chemical Engineering, Uniben, 1999
- Joined Shell in 2002 as Trainee Production Engineer
- Rose to the top in 2026 (24 years later)
- From Edo State

Insights

1. Before Basil, no Nigerian rose to the position
2. All joined Shell straight after school or as first main job (IOC people no dey quit lol)
3. Took longer for earlier guys to get there
4. Despite oil & gas being a technical field, only two of the four are trained engineers. Osagie joined as HR. Almost anyone can become CEO of oil company.
5. 3 of the 4 are from Edo State
6. 2 of the 4 studied in UNIBEN.

Any other insight or observation?

[Sir J (J9) @SirJarus]

Mrs Elohor Aiboni is the new Country Chair of Shell Companies in Nigeria.

She studied Chemical Engineering in UNIBEN and graduated in 1999, before joining Shell in 2002, rising through the ranks to now become #1 person in Shell Nigeria, first female to rise to that position.

[𝓢𝓱𝓪𝔂𝔂𝔂 🧚🏾‍♀️✨✨ @_iamhershayyy]

Controlling your emotions as a woman is really a form of power. Not every situation deserves a reaction, &not every man deserves access 2your feelings. Staying calm, thinking before reacting&protecting your peace can save you from a lot of stress, heartbreak&unnecessary drama.

[feyisayo 💸 @feyiszn]

PLEASE pray about everything ! Your mood swings, your temper, your ego, your insecurities, your mindset, your self love, your emotional state, your environment, your relationships, your lack of motivation, your lack of execution, your attraction to bad people! PRAY ABOUT IT ALL !

[zani @zani8319]

Men love a smart and intelligent woman until she uses her brain to decode his behavior patterns and bullshit.

[OurFaveOnlineDoc 🇬🇧 🇳🇬 @OurFavOnlineDoc]

“Did I ask you to do it for me? Did I?”

Please do whatever you do for anyone expecting absolutely nothing in return, not even gratitude, so that if they one day choose to be ungrateful, the pain won’t be too much to handle.

After sacrifice, after pain,
After going the extra mile for someone,
The worst thing you can hear is

“Did I ask you to do it for me?”

[HR Sis @seyithemie]

A Master’s degree and CIPM in- view already give you a strong theoretical foundation. Next, you should focus less on collecting certificates and more on building high-impact skills and applying them.

To deepen your current expertise, build skills along these 4 pillars:

1. Technology: AI, HRIS, HR automation.
2. Data: HR analytics and Data storytelling.
3. Strategy: HR Business partnering, workforce planning, change management etc.
4. People: Employee relations,leadership, labour law.

Also, invest in your network. Follow practitioners like Segun Akiode and Dr. Oluyemi Adeosun on YouTube for practical HR insights.

Most importantly, look for opportunities to jump on challenging projects and apply your skills. Experience backed by visible business results will accelerate your career.

You’re on the right track. Don’t put too much pressure yourself, enjoy the process.

[Sir Dickson @Wizarab10]

True.

And when someone puts an end to a relationship, it is not just the hurt they are putting an end to. They are also putting an end to the good memories. The dilemma arises because people are not all bad or all good. We just have a limit on what we can accept, and we expect our partner to love us enough to not breach it.

In every sphere of human relations, there is an acceptable code of conduct and you don’t breach it.

[Olaide @laidepetite]

@tosinolaseinde Wow! Frame 2!!! I’m getting that

[Olaide @laidepetite]

@TevinMacharia Amen in Jesus name

[yimika. @yimikaaaa]

my mom once told me “accountability will always feel like an attack when you are not ready to acknowledge how your behavior harms others” and that shit is real.

[Fola Aina @folanski]

Congratulations brother. Ever proud of you.

[Olaide @laidepetite]

@OlayemiKomolaf4 *use