ABOUT YOU AS A FUTURES THINKER / PRACTITIONER

You identify yourself as an African futures thinker or practitioner. How would you describe to the woman or man on the street what it is that you do in this regard?

Someone who creates, from present realities and possible changes, different future situations/scenarios and problems, and then try to find solutions to avert probable problems, advise on better directions, and create a better future.

How many years have you worked as an African futures thinker / practitioner?

One year

In which countries or places have you had working experience as an African futures thinker / practitioner?

Nigeria, Ghana and Colombia.

In what languages have you undertaken futures / foresight related work or research?

English

What is it that motivates you to work or participate in the foresight / future studies / related field

It speaks to my core strengths as someone who has the ability and the penchant to want know, imagine and research out future trends/scenarios; and also have a knack for long time planning and scenario building.

What goal/s would you most like to reach with your work as an African futures thinker / practitioner?

To contribute to the advocating, creating, and influencing of long term development plans/policies that are followed to the letter for sustainable development by African countries.

Who or what most influenced your thinking as a futures thinker / practitioner, and how?

Robin Bourgeois of GFAR/FAO and the training by the GFAR/Foresight Future Thinking Platform - a platform of futures practitioner from across the world to which I belong as a young member/youth ambassador.

What is your main disciplinary background? (i.e. your primary training / qualification)

Agriculture and Environmental Biology
Communications and Data/Content Management

How do other people describe you and how do you describe yourself?

Others describe me as… intelligent/persistent
I describe myself as… proactive

YOUR PERSPECTIVE

What is one of your favourite quotes about the future?

"Rational behavior ... depends upon a ceaseless flow of data from the environment. It depends upon the power of the individual to predict, with at least a fair success, the outcome of his own actions. To do this, he must be able to predict how the environment will respond to his acts. Sanity, itself, thus hinges on man's ability to predict his immediate, personal future on the basis of information fed him by the environment." - ALVIN TOFFLER, Future Shock

How would you describe the state of African futures thinking right now?

The level of futures thinking and scenarios-building in African countries, especially at the government and public institutions level, is very low and should be improved upon for sustainable development in Africa.

What is, in your opinion, the main barrier to uptake of futures knowledge by African institutions and organisations?

Lack of will and an entrenched attitude towards short term planning/projects that produce quick results or fixes. Short-sightedness on the part of leadership.

If you were to give advice to someone who wants a career in African foresight / future studies, what would you say to him or her?

First try to understand the peculiarities of the African continent, the socio-cultural and socio-political leanings that influences thinking and planning, and the background history and socio-economic underpinnings of long-term planning in Africa.

What are your recommended readings for every African futures thinker / practitioner?

• Africa Unchained: The Blueprint for Africa's Future by George B.N. Ayittey
• Africa's Future: Darkness to Destiny: How the past is shaping Africa's economic evolution by Duncan Clarke
• Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
• 1984 by George Orwell
• I Live in the Future & Here’s How It Works by Nick Bilton

What are your recommendations for other favourite futures resources: websites, newsfeeds, mailing lists, associations, etc.?

http://www.egfar.org (Website of the GFAR Global Foresight Hub)