THE LBS MBA EXPERIENCE

Welcome to LBS
Where do I start from?
Like most of you (and my other colleagues), I heard many horrifying stories about how you will have no social life, many sleepless nights and many other such stories. Then brush up started and I kept asking myself when that time will come (Yes, overconfidence was worrying me). When it started, I wanted to drop out, but the sunk cost kept me going.

My humble self, Moyo Awopegba

  
This isn’t to scare you or anything, but darling, the time will surely come.

There’s so much to say but I will “keep it short and simple” (in Dr. Owolabi’s voice).

The choice to come to LBS, as you will find out soon enough, is one of the best decisions you have ever made.

LBS: Never get carried away by the ambience of the school (Owolabi’s voice yet again). LBS is essentially what you make of it. You will be given equal opportunities but what you get out of it lies in your hands (you will be asked the “Why you are here” question severally).

Displaying that “learning has taken place”

 
The people (staff and colleagues): The staff, hmm...I am certain by now you will have been initiated to the “ENJOYment”. You have some of the most qualified and highly connected facilitators, try to make friends
 with them and ensure they don’t ask you...“how do you sound?” (in Salami’s voice). Note that some of them may appear very “not-nice”, its all a charade.
When I came to LBS, I thought to myself that I must be a smartass to “meet the cut”, but you will soon realise that you have even smarter colleagues and a lot to learn (especially from helping others).

ABC Conference: with the accounting gurus Jumoke and Enoor

The binders: I don’t have much to say on this, especially as I hated them so. Study the necessary and internalise the ones you have read...so that learning can take place.

The grooving: DO NOT miss out on this part. Trust me this is really were the bonding happens. I made some friend (Mayowa, especially) here. Let your hair down, cause all work and no play...can run you mad... MBA is for the living, I cannot kill myself.

With Eze Bobo

You: Above all, Know thyself...cause that is what will make the difference. Be guided by what you want to make out of the MBA program. No matter how vague that may sound, it will seperate you from the crowd if you live by it. When the time comes, you will understand that part well.

Once again, Welcome!!!
   













Moyosore Awopegba
MBA 11
President, SME Logic

A word from Eze BooBoo

Dear MBA 12, 

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL ABOUT LBS?

I am glad to tell you that you couldn’t have chosen the LBS experience at a better time.

Increased globalization is bringing about a meltdown of international borders. Consequently, businesses are beginning to think less national, and more regional and global. Like most members of the elite MBA clique worldwide, your ambitions have brought you here in search of the “X-Factor”; those skill-sets that stand you apart from peers in your chosen career or business.

One of those sleepless nights

With Nigeria being tipped as one of the promising frontiers for global growth, the MBA at LBS will help you develop comparative skill-sets with MBAs from Harvard, London Business School, INSEAD and Hong Kong UST Business School. But that is not the spice. The good news is that YOU will soon join the league of the privileged few who know better than anyone else, how to put information together about the Nigerian, and indeed the African business environment.
But before the glory, you will need to live the story… and trust me; it is not all rosy.
 

NOW YOU ARE IN… WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE?
On our first day in school, we interacted with interesting people like the Dean, Enase; MBA Director, Nubi; and one of our dear facilitators, Henrietta (iron lady). But I will never forget when the Facility Manager, Mrs. Matilda Ubajiaka mentioned that LBS will open its doors to us at 6.30am, and will be glad if we leave in time for it to shut down at 8pm. In response to this, I remember my friend and group member, Mayowa, muttering under his breath, “wetin man pikin go dey do here reach that kind time?”

Burning it up at 1am

Don’t be in a hurry, though. When the time comes, you will know.
As the age old saying goes; “who no go, no fit know”.  Time has definitely revealed lots of things that kept us in school till 8pm. In fact, it became common for LBS to drive us away at night, only for my group to converge at Bie’s crib or Christie & Oyinlola’s crib. On such nights, sleep was elusive. You will encounter those unfortunate days like when Dr. Owolabi expected a group analysis of 10-year financial reports for Guinness and Unilever in PowerPoint by 9.30am. Or like when Dr. Salami asked for the submission of printed one-pagers by noon, describing in summary, the entire Nigerian Financial System… And you will learn, like we did, to stay over in each other’s houses to burn the midnight candle, in pursuit of deadlines.
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?
There is no question as to whether you are smart or not; you scaled through the rigorous admission process of the LBS MBA programme, didn’t you? However, on this journey with you are 60-something equally (if not more) brilliant individuals. Some of their contributions in class will make you doubt your ability to think.
 

Mayowa breaking it down at almost 8pm

When Adebayo or Seun (Mrs.) speak, I ask myself, “abi no be the same case me and these people dey read so?” Ayo, Othuko and Ayowole regularly sent me free-falling through off-tangent, deep and well thought-out analysis.
But guess what? It is not a competition. Prepare well by reading those cases and technical notes. “Internalize your binders”, as Owolabi would say it. Speak with confidence and clarity when you participate in class discussions. As you gradually identify your areas of strength, feel free to express yourself and share with others. You will discover by the end of the first year, how much of your most desired/admired skills you would have absorbed.
 
WELCOME TO AN EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME
When next you get to class, please take a good look at the faces of all those wonderful people. Some of your best friends will be made here. Surprise birthday parties will be hosted by these strangers who have become an integral part of your future. Marriages have been birthed on this programme. Many successful businesses started in LBS.
The LBS experience is whatever you make of it. Beyond the grind of your daily school routine, find time to get to know each other. With the help of your lecturers, your colleagues and the many people you cross paths with within the next 21 months, you are set to create some of the best memories you will cherish for the rest of your life. I hope you make the best of it; and as the LBS cafeteria staff like to say, I sure do hope you “Enjoy it”.
 
Best Regards.
Kelechi Okere
Class President, MBA 11

My Experience

• The opening words from Enase when we came into the system on the first day was that she felt pity for us on getting admitted into the school and I was like (Shuu, nawa o). Telling us things like our lives was about to change. I remember the first facilitator locked people out just to prove her point that the school has zero tolerance for late coming.

• Most of the things you would be taught at brush up won’t be graded but it will form the bedrock of your entire program, hold on to the knowledge tightly.

• As for the leadership junkies amongst you who like to volunteer for many things, be careful so it doesn’t cut into your time for studies (the one I volunteered for is still a thorn in my throat). But trust me, u need all these extracurricular activities to boost you up.

• All play and no work makes Akpos a ‘runz boy’. LBS got one of the sickest set of exams. Need I remind you, a D grade isn’t a pass mark over here; the minimum you need to pass a course is a C grade.
  

• Fear no evil, we party like rock stars, (my MBA9 mentor told me this before I came into the system so I’m telling you too). In our first month my class MBA11 threw 3 parties, need I say, my house party was off the hinges. (By the way, it’s a taboo to wear trousers to the beach during functions; accredited modes of dressing are bum shorts and short gowns) #wicked grin#

• How could I forget to hint ya’all about our in house bar ‘Gazebo’. Where we meet at the table of men and drink to greatness with the likes of Kelechi (Ezeh Bobo) the dude never misses any meeting, Dotun (never drinks anything in green bottles, ever faithful to the dark bottles), Biggy (the dude is so married to Smirnoff Ice), Pastor Sammy (his on a Heineken diet). The chicken wings and gizzard also taste nice.

• You will also need all the knowledge to stand Dr. Yetunde Anibaba, she loves to ask ‘WHY’ after every submission you make in class, just to hit the bases of your point. She is one of my favorite.

• In Dr. Owolabi’s voice
  
  …………, just kidding, get your MBA first.

              Gidado Oladamola.

MBA tips from Miss Parker

Hello People,
Glad to have you on the MBA Programme… I just thought to share a few tips that you might find useful during your course of study;

1. It is NOT a competition: This tip is probably the most important but often the most ignored. Even, I am not sure I have completely grasped the concept of it yet. You need to drop the university/ secondary school mentality that I have to be first in class. Note: This is not advising anyone to be lax in their studies oooo! There are no positions, everyone can get As. Don’t be so focused on being “first”, that you miss the “Moon-walking Bear” (The bare obvious, no pun intended). Help as many people that you can, helping won’t reduce your grade (or at least I think it won’t). It is better to cooperate than compete.
2. Learn:  My favourite lines are probably “You’re my mentor” and “When I grow up, I want to be like you”. Everyone usually thinks I’m joking, but I’m very honest. Don’t believe you know it all; you probably know more than everyone else in your class but there might be something (as simple as excel) that the next person might know more than you. Don’t be proud, walk over, smile and say; “Hey, please teach me”… This one I swear (in Dr. O’s voice) won’t kill you.
3. CHILL OUT: Please, sometimes we all need a break. Can you kill yourself? NO! They will tell you to leave your friends outside the program for the next 22 months …. Hmm! Your “friends” (I mean ALL kinds) outside will not wait for you for that long oooooo! Sure, make friends with people on the inside but please have some “Me” time once in a while. It won’t kill.
4. Work Smart, Don’t “go” and Kill Yourself: The LBS MBA program is strenuous (they will tell you themselves) and you will be put in groups. UTILIZE your group and reap the benefits (DON’T PLAGIARIZE oooo, I’m not there). Don’t go off to one corner and do it by yourself, you’ll probably not end up completing your work (Results, not efforts, are recognized). Learn from everyone, there is always something to be learnt(ed).
5. Internalize Your Binders: No lies, this is the crux of the MBA program, if you follow the other tips and neglect this one, it won’t end well… Read your binders thoroughly, so in case you are cold-called, you won’t leave a bad first, second, or third impression in the minds of your facilitators.
6. Read Wide: For everybody (especially the avid readers), you need to read way more than the materials you’ll be given. Yes, they’ll be enough to get you through the program but after then; what next? (Note: This is NOT an advert strategy to get people to join my book club, ASWEAR!!!!). Read wide, Read Long! Just don’t pick up that book if you haven’t read your cases AND your notes!
7. Be friends with people like Nerome, JMJ, Roy and Samuel: Can’t Explain why, you’ll find out. Lol.
8. Make Friends: Please, Please, and Please! This one is equally as important as the first. Look for people that share your goals, business partners (Oh! Ye Entrepreneurs), and potential “family members”. Just KEEP Calm and Enjoy Your MBA!

See you all in October (Can’t wait!)
Ms. Parker B-)

MY ‘EMOCLEW’ MESSAGE TO YOU...

Upon entering the LBS environment - or a little bit further into the classroom say on your first day on the brush-up programme...I imagine your first thought(s) being;

‘wow’
This was same for someone like me who, prior to LBS, had never been in such an organised and beautiful classroom… and remembering the several occasions that I missed my way around school, setting out for the ladies room but ending up at the gazebo. The structure is overwhelming believe me.

‘Amma dress to kill’
True for those of you, like yours truly, who love to look good and ‘scatter’ all the boys’ heads

‘I’ll show them who the genius is’
Of course there’ll be those of you, like our dear AdeB, who are so knowledgeable and can’t wait to prove it...be informed, this guy knows something about everything

‘I just want to build relationships’
Some of you who, like our Christie-mama, love everyone and everyone… you will find deep bonding here

‘I just want to be a stress medicine to all’
This goes for anyone who, like our Pastor Samuel, revels in whooping it up (hehehe!!!) When you are tensed and need to de-stress, I recommend a 2minutes chat with Sammy or even when you need a few humorous lines to win a girl over *grins*

‘I want to carve out a niche for myself’
For our various subject gurus who know the mic will never be upturned from them...the likes of Seun Remi-Adegoke, Thelma, Kelechi yellow, Sir Kenny, Terseel… see them for all the accounting ledgers you need balanced. On to Kelechi black (our very own bobo master), Kayinsola,  AdeB again(I told you he is so knowledgeable), Biggy Chu, Ahudiya, Ozzy mama, Chinyere, and Christie again… embrace them for all the lessons you need on making the perfect, sensible, detailed and relevant responses. They sure catch attention every time!

(P.S “Bobo”, you will soon come to understand *wink*, is a term used to describe jargon put together in intelligent sentence construction).

Next up is the only Peterside in the house, how blessed we are to have this dude...for all the political, socio- economic analysis and gist you may need and remember this name when Dr. Doyin Salami comes knocking in 2nd semester bombarding you with assignments, tasking you with gathering data you’ll never find. Othuko is his cohort; together they make a formidable well of economic knowledge.
(P.S they are very nice to guys too although to girls more)

My ‘emoclew’ welcome message is neither intended to be academic nor technical; neither did I intend it to be hypomanic; but to be funnily volcanic and antigenic; in this case stimulating interest on your part to mingle. MBA degree from LBS is a beautiful gift (even though you are paying for the services). MBA 11 is a more beautiful gift than you bargained for… the most beautiful add-on in the package. Amidst this clan are the most versatile beings planet earth has ever birthed.  Herein lay motivators, inspirers, builders, helpers, confidants, tutors, mothers, fathers, partners, comedians, and all the good things you could ever think of.
A lot can be said about our experiences in and out of the classroom, more than can ever be penned on paper or typed on MS-Word; but hopefully, after you have been awakened to the gift surrounding you by this little piece, you’ll be stirred to interact.
I urge you all therefore to INTERACT. LEARN. GIVE of your time and RECEIVE.

Congratulations once again and welcome on board!

Yours in the System,
Oyinlola Sobowale

Accomodation Tips

Hello All,

Congratulations on your Admission to the Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos Business School.
Not to bore you, here are a few tips to guide you with securing a decent accommodation during the course of your stay on the program.

"As for me it took a little time for me to get a good apartment, as I was taken to various places. One thing I was told was never to manage an apartment because it is cheap, as I will be spending the next 21months of my life there, and it becomes a home for me. Really, there is no value renting an apartment and then you are not able or comfortable living therein."

The accommodation around this side is on the high side, being on the Island, but then not too expensive. Trend has shown that the closer the accommodation is to school... (To lekki) the more expensive it is, though cheaper accommodation exists in places far from the school.
 For instance, the average price you can get a 2 or 3 bedroom flat around school is 600 or 840/900 respectively ( this will be divided by respective number of tenants renting the apartment) whereas you can get a 2 or 3 bedroom apartment at about 300-500k in places not too close to school (may require taking a cab 7-15 minutes to/from school)
Getting a decent and very conducive accommodation depends on what you want (taste, location) and how much you want to spend.

Tips on getting that apartment you really want:
1. See for yourself before negotiation

2. Beware of ground floor apartments (that we often call downstairs) watch for wall stains and walls being soaked at bottom edges with water, as those kinds of apartments will only leave you in regrets. You come back from school on a day and find-out that your apartment has been flooded and all properties soaked.

3. Watch-out for the link road to your apartment too, you may find out that what you see during the dry season will be entirely different from what you will see during the rainy season.
Also you will have reasons to be in school till 8pm or past, so for security reasons do not go to a very isolated area, as the temptation will be there because such apartment will be cheaper.

4. Finally, it is always advisable to get an apartment with/around your colleagues, as you will always need that company. You all will need to work together to do assignments and also to help each other out.

Thank you.
Ogunlesi Oluwatobi Temitayo
MBA '11