Veteran comedian and entrepreneur, Atunyota Akpobome, popularly known as Ali Baba, has urged Nigerians to intentionally develop and monetise their talents in order to create value for society and achieve personal success.
Ali Baba made the call while speaking at the Life Guide Colloquium held in Lagos, where brand strategist and leadership expert, Jide Adeyemi, unveiled his book titled “Life Guide: Stories, Lessons and Insights to Empower Your Journey.”
Speaking on the theme, “Influence Engineering,” the comedian said talent alone is not enough, stressing that individuals must continuously refine their abilities until they become valuable assets sought after commercially and socially.
“We are talking about mining your potential properly until it becomes an asset,” Ali Baba said. “Potential is where to start from, but you have to develop it enough to the point where people begin to seek it for commercial or societal value.”
He also emphasised the importance of recognising individuals who create opportunities and contribute positively to society, noting that appreciation encourages others to make meaningful impacts.
According to him, rewarding positive contributions is vital to building a progressive and compassionate society where people remain motivated to uplift others.
Also speaking at the event, Jide Adeyemi called for intentional and purposeful leadership in Nigeria, arguing that the country’s major challenge is not a shortage of capable leaders but the lack of continuity and genuine concern for citizens.
Adeyemi criticised the frequent abandonment of policies and programmes by incoming administrations, saying the absence of continuity has slowed national development.
“One government comes with fantastic programmes, and immediately they leave office, the next person starts something new. That is why we don’t have continuity,” he said.
He described Nigeria as a nation full of opportunities despite its challenges, noting that existing gaps across sectors create room for innovation, entrepreneurship and wealth creation.
“This is one country where you can go to bed with nothing and wake up the next morning a millionaire because someone gives you an opportunity,” Adeyemi stated.
The leadership expert explained that the colloquium was organised to provide direction and clarity for people navigating life, leadership, business, faith and nation-building in a world filled with distractions.
He added that his book was written to help readers gain personal clarity, embrace integrity and live more purposefully.
