
Day one of the ES Programme kicked off with insights from @theaniezekiel . Here’s what we learned about leadership, strategy, and taking action that matters. Save these lessons and start applying them today.
Aniekanabasi
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@theaniezekiel
Social Architect & Dad | Building out the Skills-Jobs-Spaces Ecosystem for the Digital Economy, starting from Akwa-Ibom State (Home 🧡🌴)

Day one of the ES Programme kicked off with insights from @theaniezekiel . Here’s what we learned about leadership, strategy, and taking action that matters. Save these lessons and start applying them today.


From the buses of Lagos to the bars of Brooklyn and beyond, the Premier League holds astonishing sway. This was not inevitable econ.st/4tPZ2Ye Photo: Getty Images

I’ve never spoken about this publicly, so bear with me. But I want to articulate why this Premier League win for Arsenal isn’t ’just football’. In July 2025, my son was born with a rare condition called CDH. It’s a hernia that forms in the diaphragm, which means that the major organs develop in the chest cavity. This puts extreme pressure on the development of the lungs. We were told throughout the pregnancy that he had a 30-40% chance of survival. We had to wait until my partner gave birth to see whether he would make it or not. He had life saving surgery on day 5 of his life - and we endured a 2 month stay in a hospital in London. At times we were told that he might not make it through the night - but by the grace of god, and throughout a rollercoaster of ups and downs he survived the intensive care process. During that time was the start of the Premier League season - and the one escape that I had was Arsenal football club. We had been at hospital for a month, and hadn’t left the hospital grounds. We were there 24/7. I felt so guilty leaving him, but made the choice to find a local pub and watch Arsenal’s season opening game against Man United. And for that 90 minutes, I was able to escape the pain and sadness. Watching Arsenal become the one thing that helped me escape, even for just 90 minutes over the course of those few months. We needed a name for my boy. Something to signify strength, courage and being brave hearted. We chose Leo. He was born on the 19th July. Leandro (Leo - number 19) Trossard’s goal against West Ham. That historic goal. Will forever live in a lot of people’s memories forever. For me, it felt like destiny. Leo is now thriving. And in his first season as an Arsenal fan, he’s been spoilt. Football means so much to all of us. This football club means so much to us. It’s more than just a game. It shapes people’s lives, their character. It’s hope, it’s escape, it’s proof that hard work pays off. Whatever your reason is for loving this club and loving football - enjoy every single second of this joy. This one is for you, son. 🦁

While Europe ages into dependency, Africa's growing into the world's largest workforce. The chart below tells a century-long story. In 1925, Europe's population was triple Africa's. By 1994, the populations had equalized. By 2023, Africa's population was double Europe's. By 2090, on current trajectories, Africa's population will be six times Europe's. More than some demographic curiosity, this is a structural realignment of the global economy: • Within the next decade — by 2035 — Africa will have the world’s largest work force, surpassing China and India • In the next quarter century, Africa will be home to 1 in 4 people on Earth • By 2050, Europe's working-age population will shrink — from ~370M to ~340M • Over that period Africa's working-age population will more than double — from ~575M to ~1.3B Europe is already feeling the consequences. Spain's Prime Minister @SanchezCastejon, for example, said last year that the nation must "choose between being an open and prosperous country or a closed-off, poor country," noting that immigrants contribute roughly 10% of the country's GDP. And just last month, Spain finalized an extraordinary amnesty program via royal decree, providing a path to legal residence & work authorization for an estimated 500,000 undocumented migrants — framing it explicitly as a "necessity" in response to labor shortages in agriculture, tourism, construction, and domestic care. Among those queuing to qualify: significant numbers of Moroccan, Algerian, Senegalese, and other African nationals. The irony is sharp: the continent that Europe once drained of labor is now the continent Europe increasingly depends on for it. Africa's demographic transition isn't some distant projection as it's sometimes framed. It's already reshaping labor markets, migration flows, and geopolitical leverage — today in 2026. The question isn't when Africa's population growth will impact the world. Rather, it's whether Africa's homegrown ecosystems, economies, and institutions will be able to capture the value of it. — Afridigest Intelligence — real intelligence & advisory to win in Africa's growth markets: afridigest.com/intelligence | Follow Afridigest on LinkedIn & Instagram



I’d said I would find time to write about @Arsenal and my view on why it gets the stick it does. As is becoming more evident, it really isn’t about the club so much as it is what it represents in this day and age. Grateful to have @ini_tn co-create this with me. #Arsenal
