Tony Ajero is the lead consultant for Black Nigeria. Black is a knowledge-driven consultancy with a focus on supporting Africa’s youth to maximise their value-laden potential among the world’s continents.
This is done by collaborating with nations, international bodies, brands, and individuals focused on win-win relationships with Africa and her youth. Our abiding goal is Africa’s renaissance, he said.
Black combines the secular knowledge gained over more than three decades with the fundamentals of youth empowerment: spirituality (not religiosity) and discipline. To answer your question, our core motivation is Africa’s youth—making them the best they can be in a manner that benefits both themselves and society.
Success Story
To him, “we have not succeeded, for our success is measured in the lives we impact for the greater good. Yes, there are edifying milestones, but what beckons ahead is far greater than what lies in the past. Vince Lombardi is credited with the saying, “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.”
“The journey is as important as the destination. We see ourselves as having just begun the journey. I believe so much that we must enjoy our work, for each day is one day never to be regained or relived.”
Potential For Growth
“With knowledge, the potential for growth and success is limitless. The more you know, the more powerful you are. Ironically, the more you know, the more humbled you are, because you then know you know nothing. One of my great bosses, Tony Elumelu, used to say that many people who say they have 20, 30, or 40 years of experience only have one year of experience repeated 20, 30, and 40 years over.
“They learn nothing new. They have no capacity for learning. They so tenaciously hold to the minute knowledge they have that they refuse to see other perspectives. Whereas some may have two to four years of experience packed with new learnings, experiences, and outcomes. In this internet age, learning is easy, fun, and productive.
“I tell young people that it is up to the individual to set her own goals and pursue them. Moreover, unemployment levels in Nigeria cannot hold a knowledgeable person down. Why? The market is global; Nigerians are in Surulere working for global companies across the world and earning quality income. Marshal McLuhan’s “Global Village” is already here and flourishing,” he pointed out.
Advice For Upcoming Entrepreneurs
“Articulate your dream; be clear on what you want to achieve and how. Live your dream, no matter how challenging, because the journey is a major part of the story. Surround yourself with like-minded people.
“You don’t need to have the whole world with you, no. An entrepreneur can be quite lonely. But the force of his dream keeps him going. If you have God with you, guiding and teaching you along the way, then you cannot fail,” he pointed out.
Biography
Ajero had his undergraduate education at the famous Jackson School of Mass Communication of the University of Nigeria and his M.Sc. in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos, Akoka.
He started his career at Patike Communication before moving to Insight and later to Taijo Wonukabe.
He would subsequently head the corporate affairs function at the then Standard Trust Bank (now United Bank for Africa), First Atlantic Bank, and Broad Bank. He has attended numerous courses locally and internationally and is a much sought-after speaker on marketing communications and volunteering, among others.
