The Essence of Networking:

I wrote this article with 5 minutes' notice - for a get-together of mates from my secondary school- to celebrate peers who landed some big promotions in the Nigerian military. Enjoy.

‘Who networking epp?’- If you have never heard that statement before, then I take it that you do not understand the concept of heart-break and you are most probably a very privileged Nigerian! If, on the other hand you do, you are welcome to read this piece of opinion on the subject. The average Nigerian is strong and resilient; dealing with the headwinds of currency devaluation, inflation, petrol pump price deregulation, multiple taxation, dwindling oil price. Nigerians are ready! We thrive everywhere, literally in every country and environment fathomable. We love good food, we love to experiment with even the wild side of life but there is one thing we struggle with, in my own opinion. That one thing is Networking!! 

“Wetin be networking sef?”- you might be curious. When you hang out at the bar and chill with friends, when you hang around after church or prayers at the mosque, when you jaw-jaw literally all day on WhatsApp – isn’t this all ‘networking’? This is Nigeria, we have big problems and you want us to talk about ‘networking’? Does networking help you secure that contract, that marriage, that foot-in-the-door? How does one go about it? Is it even necessary in the first place? I’m about to give a simple response: Networking is an attitude to life.

When you care about your neighbour- not minding what you will get from them today- that is networking. When you help pull up the less fortunate among your peers from the University or secondary school- that is networking. When you set aside a few bucks to catch a few drinks with colleagues at work- that is networking. When you leave your husband and kids for a bit to learn something new about the next person- that is networking. These, and many more similar actions, are borne out of an attitude to life! How do we see the world? How ‘untransactional’ are we?

Nigerians are enterprising but we tend to get very transactional atimes- ‘can I help you’, ‘what can I do for you today’, ‘anything for the boys/ girls’? Nigerians love to have a good time and probably be on the wild side- but there is a price to pay and there is more importantly a reward at the end of the tunnel. We tend to gravitate towards the haves at the expense of the have-nots? How about we do a bit of both all at once? How about we teach each other skills and exchange perspectives on how we are progressing through life? That is networking..!!

Yes, the rewards of Networking are priceless but they accrue to organically built relationships. Twenty children cannot play together for twenty years but…..they can build lasting working relationships, incubate collaborations and institutionalize changes which would otherwise have been impossible. 

Networking is an attitude. It’s not just about ‘What is in it for me’. It is really about how you see life in general. Get a new attitude. Get Networking.