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Industry pioneers, human resource executives and career professionals gathered Tuesday in a zoom meeting for the highly anticipated eighth edition of the Career Summit.
Convened by the President of Lorache Consulting, Ayo Adeyemi, the landmark event served as a dual celebration, marking nearly a decade of free human capital development alongside the convener’s birthday.
Addressing a large audience of global participants joining online, Adeyemi expressed profound gratitude for the overwhelming turnout.
He emphasized that the annual summit remains an intentional corporate social responsibility initiative designed to equip the workforce with critical direction.
”I decided to do something impact-driven in celebration of my birthday,” Adeyemi stated. “To everyone who supported me by saying happy birthday and by honouring this invitation, I am deeply grateful. We have gathered a fantastic set of speakers, true professionals who are ready to deepen our knowledge and give clear direction to our career paths. We are doing this with utmost intentionality.”
Delivering the keynote address under the event’s central theme, ‘Career in the Cognitive Era: Powering Human Potential with AI,’ the President and Chairman of Council, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), Mallam Ahmed Ladan Gobir, commended Adeyemi’s selflessness in a society where public spirit is rare.
”When you have people giving back freely like Adeyemi for eight consecutive years, it is quite commendable,” Gobir remarked.
Turning to the theme, he described the cognitive era as a defining moment in the evolution of work.
Gobir cited data from the World Economic Forum (WEF) indicating that 39 per cent of workers’ core skills will change by 2030.
He starkly contrasted these global demands with domestic challenges, pointing to 2025 World Bank data showing that 85 million Nigerians still lack access to steady electricity, a fundamental infrastructure required for AI adoption.
Among this demographic are thousands of Nigerian graduates expected to compete in a highly technology-inclined world.
Despite these hurdles, Gobir argued that human potential thrives irrespective of geography.
He noted that while analytical thinking is paramount, technical qualifications alone no longer secure relevance in an environment marked by persistent unemployment and underemployment, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
”AI is with us; we cannot run away from it,” Gobir urged. “Most employers today will choose a graduate who has built a visible work portfolio over one who relies solely on a degree. Career growth now demands agility, resilience and consistent reinvention. Furthermore, we must advocate for responsible AI adoption, working with technology in a way that aligns with global standards and does not infringe on human rights.”
Echoing the call for ethical technology usage, the Founder and President of the Guardian of the Nation Leadership Centre (GOTN), Dr. Linus Okorie, observed that the world has fundamentally shifted before our very eyes.
While acknowledging that artificial intelligence is increasingly managing complex thinking processes, Okorie warned against neglecting “leadership capital” and the human spirit.
”Those behind AI must make decisions with a human angle,” Okorie asserted. “We must train our people on leadership values so that a professional groomed with a sound mind can deploy AI effectively while fully respecting the core values of humanity.”
Offering a marketing and branding perspective, President and Chairman of the Governing Council, National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), Bolajoko Bayo-Ajayi, challenged professionals to look beyond standard competitiveness and focus on strategic adaptation.
Addressing the pervasive anxiety regarding job displacement, Bayo-Ajayi clarified that AI is not designed to replace humans, but rather to amplify them.
”AI is our strategic co-pilot, and we are meant to work in harmony,” she explained. “Humans will remain the ultimate decision-makers and gatekeepers. This synergy allows us to hand over routine tasks and research to technology while we focus on higher-level execution.”
To achieve global recognition, Bayo-Ajayi outlined several critical success factors for modern professionals:
A Mindset Shift toward Mastery: The era of trying to be everywhere at once is over. Professionals must leverage AI to carve out a specific niche and dive deep into their chosen specialization to maintain a competitive edge.
Investing in Trust Currency: Professional visibility is not just about being physically present in an office; it is about building trust. Trust cannot be bought; it must be earned through consistent value.
Intentional Networking and Community: Professionals must optimize platforms like LinkedIn, focusing strictly on contact quality over quantity.
Bayo-Ajayi concluded by urging attendees to actively embed themselves within established professional communities and regulatory bodies to safeguard their career trajectories, specifically citing organizations such as the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), NIMN, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
A major highlight of the summit was an inspiring fireside session delivered by the VP of Technology Operations, Services & Cloud Transformation (Canada), Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson.
Nwafor-Robinson challenged participants to operate with radical intentionality and build an “unshakable purpose” capable of weathering rapid industry changes.
She urged professionals to transition from a mindset of mere survival to absolute ownership, defining true corporate success as being “empowered in your own skin”.
Navigating organizational transitions, she noted, requires individuals to find their unique lane and leverage personal gifts to inspire collaborative team cultures.
The summit concluded with a collective call to action for public and private sector collaboration to enhance local learning infrastructure.
By merging technological adoption with robust leadership values, the forum established a clear roadmap for ensuring Nigeria’s workforce remains resilient, responsible and globally competitive in the cognitive era.
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