OKOBI Goes to Oxford

We often assume that big ideas must come from the world’s most powerful institutions. But sometimes, meaningful innovation begins in unexpected places; in small communities, shaped by local challenges, and powered by people who dare to think differently.

That’s what made my recent visit to the University of Oxford so special.

On July 19, I had the privilege of delivering a guest lecture at Saïd Business School. But this wasn’t just any lecture. It was about a homegrown Nigerian initiative, OKOBI (One Kindred One Business) designed to drive inclusive economic development from the grassroots up. OKOBI was developed in Imo State, Nigeria, as a practical way to apply Africapitalism, a concept that calls for the private sector to play a leading role in Africa’s transformation.

To share this story with a class of international students at one of the world’s most respected universities was a full-circle moment. It wasn’t just a talk about Africa, it was a talk from Africa. And it showed, in real time, that African-born ideas can have global relevance and spark deep reflection in spaces that often look to the Global South only as a site of problems, not solutions.

In the piece below, I reflect on that experience, the meaning of knowledge exchange, and what it means when an idea like OKOBI makes its way from Imo to Oxford.

👉 Read the full article:OKOBI Goes to Oxford University: Memories and Lessons