Ask Chuka

  Many years ago, as a Supply Chain Data Officer at the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, I had a boss who did not approve of the customised database management system we used for inventory management and other logistics activities in the department. Before pushing for change, he took time to understand the system, holding several meetings with me and the team. He even requested reports, which I could generate in minutes using Microsoft Access. But ultimately, he advocated for a simpler system—Microsoft Excel—perhaps because he wasn’t familiar with Access. When he insisted on the switch, I refused. I had strong reasons, but he was adamant. Without much discussion, he proceeded with his plans—conducting stock counts, restructuring inventory categories, and implementing an Excel-based management system. He even instructed the warehouse team to exclude me from data-sharing and rerouted all requests through another staff member. For weeks, I sat at work doing nothing but observing. ...

Reading The Smartest Giant in Town by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler reminded me of a simple yet powerful truth: We rise by lifting others. George, the giant, was the scruffiest person in town—his old brown sandals and patched gown made sure of that. Wanting a fresh look, he visited a shop and bought himself smart new clothes: a crisp shirt, trousers, a belt, a stripy tie, diamond-patterned socks, and polished shoes. Feeling good, he strolled through town to show off his new look, leaving his old clothes behind. But soon, he met a series of animals in need: 🦒 A giraffe, shivering in the cold—so George gave up his smart tie as a scarf. 🐐 A goat, whose sail had blown away—so George offered his shirt to catch the wind. 🐭 A mother mouse and her babies, left homeless by a fire—so George gave them his shoe for shelter. 🦊 A fox, who lost its sleeping bag—so George handed over his socks for warmth. 🐶 A dog, stuck at the edge of a muddy bog—so George used his belt to help it across. By...

  I often tell my friends that it’s easy to follow the scriptural instruction to “love your enemies and pray for those who curse you”—when you have no known enemies. We all laughed and debated the point over some delicious Nsala soup my wife, Linda, had prepared. But just a few days later, my friend Roland stormed into my office, fuming about being passed over for promotion again and receiving a lower bonus last year. Before I could even say, “Bros, calm down,” Roland blurted out, “God will punish my boss and the entire management for treating me so badly!” Smiling, I encouraged him to pause and think. I’ve been in his shoes before. I told him that anger wouldn’t solve anything and that it’s in moments like these that we need to choose forgiveness and love—no matter how hard it feels. I reminded him of the scripture that says, “The hearts of kings are in the palm of God’s hands.” Sometimes, in this our Nigeria, promotions don’t happen because of your talent or hard work. You even s...

  PLEASE DO NOT LOSE FAITH Tonight, I reflected on my younger days, when people were drawn to the choir because they loved my voice and the way I led worship. I was passionate about worshipping God and seeing others join the choir excited me. Some of those who joined were ladies who felt connected to me because of how I led them. I never saw anything wrong with what initially drew them in—after all, anything can inspire us to start something good. But I always hoped that over time, their focus would shift to a deeper connection with God, the One we worship through all those beautiful sounds of praise. Unfortunately, I got close to a couple of these ladies, and they agreed to date me because they believed that with a "church boy," you couldn’t go wrong. They assumed that being in church meant I perfectly reflected God’s nature. But I was far from perfect. No matter how righteous I appeared, my righteousness was like filthy rags before the God we served. When some of these rela...

RATHER THAN COMPLAIN ABOUT LACK OF TRUST, DEPLOY SYSTEMS TO ENSURE IT. Warren Buffett famously said, “Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if you don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.” With all that Buffett has achieved, I’ve always trusted his wisdom. Yet, in a society where integrity feels like a scarce resource, hiring the right people can seem like an endless battle. Take my experience in 2024. I hired John (not his real name) as a driver, agreeing to pay him 80,000 Naira per month. Not long after, I noticed he had a habit of shortchanging me—for instance, buying 46,000 Naira worth of petrol instead of the 50,000 I instructed, pocketing the balance. When confronted, John repeatedly denied it. To address the issue, I didn’t just rely on trust; I implemented a system. I instructed him to buy fuel only from designated stations and told the staff there to inform me of any discrepancies...

  WHAT ARE YOUR BARGAINING RIGHTS? When my friend Timothy finally decided to start a small business, his biggest worry was the overhead costs of running one. To convince him to move forward, despite his strict condition of spending no more than 50,000 Naira monthly, I hired Martins, who was in desperate need of a job. The arrangement seemed perfect at first, and things moved smoothly. Two years later, during an evaluation, Timothy expressed satisfaction with the modest progress of the business. However, Martins felt deeply dissatisfied. He had earned the same salary for two years and saw no hope of an increase. I understood the dilemma—approaching Timothy could mean shutting down the business altogether. So, I offered Martins a challenge: grow the business to the point where we could hire him an assistant or even open a new branch, elevating his role. My role was simple—provide him with guidance. At the same time, I spoke to Timothy and proposed an agreement. If Martins could doubl...

  WHEN THE PURPOSE OF A ROLE IS UNKNOWN, ABUSE BECOMES INEVITABLE. I once had a driver named Barnabas Dogara. Before we started working together, I laid out a few important principles: timeliness, integrity, moderate speed (not exceeding 100km/h even on clear roads), confidentiality, and good hygiene. Barnabas exceeded my expectations in every way. We had an excellent working relationship until he was lured into a government job, enticed by promises of job security. What stood out most was how seriously he took his role. Sometimes, work stretched far beyond our agreed hours of 8 AM to 6 PM. On those days, I’d feel guilty and urge him to head home to his family while I managed independently. But Barnabas always insisted on staying, saying things like, "You take so many calls; I’ll wait until you’re done." His dedication was unwavering. Barnabas didn’t just drive me; he became almost indispensable. He knew when the internet bills were due, when medical insurance needed renewal,...

  Be Good to the People on Your Way Up the Ladder—You’ll Meet Them on Your Way Down At the 2024 ASNE Conference organised by the School Resource Council (SRC), a guest speaker praised Dr Abubakar (not his real name), a retired Director from the Ministry of Education, for his unwavering support to school owners on compliance matters. What stood out most were the testimonies shared by many school owners at the event. Dr Abubakar’s kindness and professional integrity during his tenure made him a trusted reference point for all compliance-related concerns before approaching the ministry. Leveraging his expertise and goodwill, he set up a private practice post-retirement to help schools navigate compliance seamlessly. Today, over 100 schools in Abuja rely on his services—a testament to his humane approach and refusal to exploit his position while in power. Last year, Jewel Publishers won a printing contract with JJL Ventures (not the actual name). We diligently worked on the project, de...

  In one of our fellowships at the Patriot's Connect, our leader, Dike Chukwumerije asked a thought-provoking question: If you had to choose a leader from three individuals, each possessing just one quality— Competence, Character, or Commitment —who would you pick? Competence: The individual has the necessary skills to get the job done. Character: The individual is a person of integrity and strong moral principles. Commitment: The individual is willing to do whatever it takes to complete the task. After much debate among those present, both physically and online, we unanimously agreed that the best choice would be the committed individual. Why? Because we've seen highly competent individuals refuse to perform their duties. We've also seen people of impeccable character shy away from action when it is most needed. Nigeria—and indeed the world—provides countless examples of evil thriving because good people remain silent. Choosing commitment means selecting someone who will...

Recently, my friend Buife, who also runs a printing and publishing business in Lagos, visited me in Abuja. He was surprised that my company operates with only two full-time graphic designers, while the rest of the team works on an ad-hoc basis. This got him thinking about reducing his overhead costs. He wanted to downsize his team of five graphic designers to two, mirroring my setup. However, he struggled with the decision as he was emotionally attached to his staff—many of whom had become close friends. He asked me for my help making an objective decision, so I devised a plan to evaluate the team's performance. I created three distinct tasks in a Word document and shared them with the graphic designers at different times. When the designs came back, my friends and I evaluated them—not just for aesthetics but for attention to detail. Who made fewer typo errors after feedback? Who adhered closely to the instructions and content? Who followed the specified colours and details? In the...