Profiling Interview
By Ted Dii
Chibuike Egbujiem Samuel the lead consultant and the CEO for Sound Mind Buildup, with its slogan:( Keep Developing, Keep Growing), entrepreneur, and a minister of God
My name is David
Tetteh, the host and Chibuike Egbujiem Samuel the CEO and the lead consultant
for Sound Mind Buildup the guest. We are going to have a profiling interview
this morning.
Chibuike, you are
welcome.
Thank you, David.
Is my pleasure to be on this program with you. Thank you.
Chibuike, we will
love you to tell us a bit about yourself, your root, your family background,
where you grew up…
Okay, uhmm…, I grew up in quiet a large
family. My father was a polygynous man, he had two wives and I am the last born
of the entire family which is totally twelve children, seven from my mother and
five from the first wife. So, I grew up in a village setting, my primary, and
secondary, I had it in the village. Yeah, it was the university that brought me
to the township and from there I began to nurture the mindset of creating
something different. It has not been an easy journey growing up but it been determination,
focus, consistency, and trying to better every day and all that. I remember a
very striking memory it was growing up, I couldn’t speak English. I remember
those days some of my uncle’s children live in Lagos which used to be the
capital town of Nigeria. When they came back and they were speaking English, I
could not communicate with them. So, I resorted to use sign language to
communicate with them because I was deep into the vernacular. This is not to
elevate the English language but this is to say I was not opportune to learn
the general language that I could communicate with everybody at a time but I
picked that up, I was determine that I was going to learn it, speak it and I
was going to become some body that people will listen to and here we are today.
It has been a long journey but thank God we are here today.
Okay, that is very
interesting story. Living in a very large family like that it is not easy and
in fact you have tried. And you are known to be a very busy person, your work,
your ministry work, business training, consulting work… so, what do you do to
wine down after a long period of training, busy here and there. Your hoppy and
interest. Can you tell us a little bit about that one?
Well, so I read, I
read most at times for entertainment, I read to relax, most at times release me
to sleep. Needed to calm my nerves so that I can relax myself and maybe sleep.
I read a lot, that is when I am not reading for a kind of knowledge, I just read
to calm myself and then I look at comedies and laugh and relax myself. So,
these are the things I do to relax when I am not working.
The combination of
reading and watching comedy is a very interesting hoppy. Across Africa, you are
known to be the lead consultant and the CEO for Sound Mind Buildup and we know
Sound Mind Buildup has a slogan as Keep Developing and Keep Growing. So, what
brought about the name Sound Mind Buildup and what inspired you? Can you tell
us about your journey because growing up from village and getting the mindset
to develop such a big organization and international organization like this it
is not easy, how did it starts?
Okay it was in
2016, when I was in my final year, we were been much more concerned about
developing myself and creating. For me to catchup with the trend, keep
impacting in my mind. That was when I got this idea and the name Sound Mind
Buildup particularly, Sound Mind came from the scriptures, 1 Timothy 1:7, that
says he has not given us the spirit of fear, but of love, of power and of Sound
Mind. Immediately, that captivated my attention, that I couldn’t get my mind
off it and I said this is it, this is what I am looking for. My own my mind
needs to be sound before I can be able to transformed other mind and as matter
of fact, I can become a mirror through which other people can look at and get
themselves transformed, right. So, when that came up, I said, okay, this is
what we are going to do, we are going to build up this platform Sound Mind and
at a time when we started, it was Sound Mind Developing International. That was
in 2016- 2017 there about but as we kept mouthed and kept iterated, in 2019, it
became Sound Mind Buildup, it became something we could build and keep
building. That is why our tag line is Keep Developing, Keep Growing. We
released that in development there is no destination, there no place you will
get to and you will say you are developed that you can develop again and growth
is something that is continuous, if you plateau or if get to a point and you
stop growing you start dying, right? This is where we came from, from the place
where we discovered the name to creating, growing, and iterating till we got
this point, Sound Mind Buildup.
That is a very
nice story. So, Chibuike, since you started the organization, I have you had
any challenge that you can say you found it very difficult solving it?
Well, challenges
are constant for a business person, young entrepreneur and young person in
Africa who had not encountered problem is probably not in Africa and not even
live at all because even in Europe, America, and China there are challenges so
I am saying there have been challenges but they have retard, discourage, or not
made us to quit. For examples, we have the electricity challenges, lack of some
certain resources and some certain things to work out which are not working out
the way we want but we keep on moving. At as the matter of fact, we have
something below our name which is Keep Developing, Keep Growing. So, we taking
what we have and transform it to look like what we want but even though it not
what we want but we keep developing on what we have and we keep growing. So, we
have a lot of challenges but most important of it is, the challenges have not
caused us to quit.
Chibuike, I know
your organization has had partnership with major institutions and Universities,
can you tell us about the impacts this partnership has had on you or still
having on you?
Okay, here in
Nigeria we have had partnership with University of Cross River State we have
been ranked as number 7 in South Sahara Africa Universities and we are
partnering with voice1Africa and a lot partnership that are still in process.
What it does is that, it gives you a possibility mindset, it means that these
things are possible, doable, achievable. That whatever you are doing it, at
what level you are doing it, you can do better than that. You can move to the
next level. So, the impact it has had on me is that, it has increased my
possibility mindset. That, hey, this thing can be done, this thing is
achievable, nothing is too difficult be achieved. I think it was Henry Ford who
that said if you can think of it, you can achieve it. Anything man that has not
thought of, it a thing that man has not achieve and I want to say this, that
you have not achieve it does not mean that it unachievable, if you can think
about it. So, when I sat down and thought about it many years ago, then I said
we are going to do some partnership, at that time it was a dream. Gradually, we
have gotten the first, second and we keep getting closer to the higher. And I
want to use this opportunity to talk to every young entrepreneur in the Africa
landscape that what ever you are thinking about is possible but what you just
need to do is to put it out there and to have the patient to follow it, and
keep developing yourself to be the version of the person that would achieve
that which you want to achieve. And as time goes on, you are going to achieve
it.
That is a very
good impact. Chibuike, I personally got to know you through the partnership
with Voice1Africa. The EDP for Africa program that just happen recently and the
first cohort covered about 450 participants. Can you please tell about that EDP
for Africa program, how it happened, and how did it come about.
Okay, I think that
was 2022 when I was speaking with the founder of Voice1Africa, Mr. Joe, he is
my good friend and when we were having the conversation, he brought up that
there is something we can do for young
African entrepreneur all over Africa to be able to grow and give them some impact and all that, then I said
yes why not we can do that. So, we began to work on that but I was thinking
that all we are going to do is what is going to become because I am a type of
person that what once we building on something, I look ahead of that, I begin
to look at sustainability, and identity for that thing. That was when I
realized that if we are talking about entrepreneurship and it about Africa
landscape then it can become entrepreneurship development for Africa. So, that
was when the name EDP for Africa program came to be, alright. Entrepreneurship
Development Program for Africa that was where it started, and we did some
little things then and the year ended. All through last year 2023, and we were
thinking of the next thing, then next level of the program. That was when we
birthed the grand development program that we started offering in January and
then got to the next level where grands need to be given to young entrepreneur
in Africa. When the application came out, we were marveled that the rate at
which the application was taken very serious by young African and of course we
know that was an indication that young Africans are hungry for knowledge, help,
mentorship, coaching and all of that. People jumped at it and within two weeks
of the opening of the application, we up to 450 applicants of the program and
it was amazing being the first time launching such a program under EDP for
Africa and we had that level of interest.
In fact, that
program was marvelous because, first time starting a program and having
participants over 450 it was a very great beginning. So, we will love to know
if there would more EDP for Africa programs or it was a one-off program?
Yeah, we have a
sustainability platform that, as a matter of fact, the idea is to have at least
four batches again, right. So, as I am talking to you now, we are on the road
to launch the second batch of the program having concluded the first batch and
the first batch, three participants that was awarded $100 each making it $300
has received their grants over the weekend. We are using this opportunity to
also call for more sponsors to come on board because right now Voice1Africa is
the only organization sponsoring the entire program, the business program, the
grants and every other operation that has to do with making sure program is
reality. That is so much, responsibilities on Voice1Africa and I must say kudos
to Voice1Africa. So, we are going to have of them, as a matter of fact we are
going to launch the second batch application process which will start in
August, and we are going to see if it can cover up three batches this year. It
is something we are building on a sustainable platform.
That is great I
hope youth of Africa we are ready and expect more EDP for Africa from you Sound
Mind Buildup and Voice1Africa. So, since I got to know you through the EDP for
Africa, I have started following you, your program you do every Saturday. I got
to know that you have been nominated as a candidate for Mandela Washington
Fellowship 2024 that is yet to come off. Can you tell us this nomination, how
do you feel about it and when is it happening?
Okay, errhm…it
very interesting, it is very important I made this, right, you know. Mandela
Washington Fellowship was something I applied for in 2019and I will say I was
rejected, so, I kept on applying, last year I applied and I was surprised I was
called for the interview but surprisingly, the interview mail, I was not able
to see it. It was the morning of the interview, where I got a text message on
my phone that, I am going to have interview in the next 15 minutes online so I
should be ready for that. I was surprise, how can I be invited for interview
and I didn’t know so I quickly went to my mail and realized the mail has been
sent to me about seven day ago, right. Apparently, there was a lot mail coming
in so I couldn’t spot that then I got ready and for the interview, we had the
interview and ended. In March, I came back from a journey and I received a call
from the US embassy that you have been selected as one of the Mandela
Washington Fellowship for 2024. I didn’t know how to express my joy, it was mind
blowing, unexpected, it was something I didn’t see coming at all, David, I kid
you not. I feel very delighted and honored to be selected and of course there
are a lot of people applied and were not taken not because were not qualify but
because there are particular things maybe the Mandela Washington Fellowship
organizers are looking out which I turn to strike that core. So, I think what
we are doing as Sound Mind Buildup is really getting the attention that it
required, we are not joking, we are reaching people, we are making impact, we
are helping young African to become young entrepreneurs, enhance their
entrepreneur skills, to create more businesses, to create more jobs, right?
Because Nigeria here that I come from has over 33% of unemployment rate
according to statistics and that is alarming, but I think the US has less that
5% and Nigeria which is only a country in Africa has 33%. I wonder what the
statistics will look like if you merge the entire Africa so, unemployment is
not a matter of the government infrastructure and policies, it is also
dependent on how much small businesses we are able to create that can employ a
junk of people from our environment. So, that is what we have been doing since
we started in 2019, the second phase of Sound Mind Buildup and I think that is
the recognition that Mandela Washington Fellowship is looking for, which I
happened to be selected as one of the participants that will be going to the US
for the 6week program. So, the 6week program is going to start in June and end
in August but the orientation is probably is going to start next week by this
time we should be on our way to the capital of Nigeria which is Abuja for the
orientation and it is happening all over Africa. So far it been a journey and I
am grateful for the selection, it is going to open me wide to the high horizon
and I expect to learn more on the business track where I play, to learn more to
obscure myself, to get more connections with more young Africa doing amazing
things in the other parts of Africa, and to bring our minds together to
transform the Africa continent.
In fact, knowing you, I have realized you are a
very perseverant person and you always keep pushing because for you to applied
the first time been rejected and try the other time, it means you are very
determined as you earlier on that even bringing up Sound Mind Buildup it was a
determination. You have portrayed that character, that you are always ready to
persevere, even if you are not getting what you want, you will continue till you get it.
So, Chibuike, this
is a two-part question. I will like you to tell us what inspires you to do
whatever you do?
Okay, so what inspires me is the idea, impact
the next person, is to make the next person better and when you want to make
the next person better, you have to be better to make someone better, right?
So, you have to put two strokes or invest two dollars into yourself before you
can give someone a dollar because you can give what you don’t have. You can be
talking about persistence and perseverance, and consistency without being
consistent yourself. If I try this once and I fail and I quit, I can’t be able to
tell somebody else to keep trying. I come from the background where things are
not just given to you, things are given to because you fight for it, you
persevere, you are rejected and you keep asking, you keep knocking at that
door. Until it opens, there is not a NO for an answer, I have lived like that
and I have practices as my way of life. So, what inspires me, is the ability to
know that someone can be better through me, and if someone being better is
going to come from me, then I have to do everything to hold myself into that
position that can make someone better. This is the inspiration, that I wake up
with every morning that every day, I have the duty to make someone better, so,
I have to invest in myself, I have to keep developing myself, I have to keep
equipping myself to be able to impact that one person that has to get his / her
own motivation and value looking at me.
And once I have
that mindset I can do whatever it takes to impact that person and I also get my
inspiration form Jesus Christ I must be bold to say who is a greatest leader of
all times he lived his life for people,
He did not live because he wanted to live, He lived because He wanted to make
others better and that is the footprint
I have followed since I met him, right in 2008 when I met him my life has not
been the same, seeing as a leader, as a motivation, and as someone who laid
down his life for all people and I think the way we can live is to know that we
can do something that can impact other people. So, that is why we need to
choose the positive paths so that other people get their positivity from your
open side.
That is great. You
are impacting more lives across Africa and the globe and we all know everyone
will crossover to the other side, so, how would you like to be remembered it
you crossover to the other side?
Okay, so, I would like to be remembered as
someone who lived his life to impact others. Even though what we do is business
consultant, we help small businesses to structure their businesses, scale, to
brand it well and we do a whole lot of things but the impact of making that
business better or making that person better is the motivation. So, I would
like to be remembered as one who poured his life, knowledge, intelligence,
ideas into other people, right. That is the greatest thing I will like other
people to say about me, is that created a business that helped other business
that is what motivate me and that is what wakes me up every morning.
Chibuike, it
getting interesting and we do not have all the time so, before I will leave
you, I would like you to give an advice to the youth of Africa because I know
you are very passionate about the youth of Africa.
Okay, I will say
to my fellow young Africans, there are a lot of challenges in Africa, ranging
from political instability, economic condition, to religious rivalry, to a
whole lot of things, pressure from a peer group and all of that. But I want the
young Africans to remember that the Africa we see today it is all that we have
got and we have poured in the passion to create a better Africa. No matter how
long the older guys rule Africa, one day it going to be us ruling Africa and
when we rule Africa, what will the result, and the end part we are going to
make, so we need to be passionate about Africa, one another, about creating
something for ourselves because Africa is our own, your country is your own, so
you do not leave it in the hands in any other person when you are on the
steering way, when you are the one who determine what decision you chosen, in
that your company, in that your NGO, in that your school, whatever you do
remember that Africa is in your hands. Let’s Africa a better place for all of us.
Chibuike, in fact
you have said it all but I will love you to give us a quote or your favorite
phrase before we depart.
Okay, my favorite
quote is found in the book of proverbs that says; as a man thinketh in his
heart so is he so, I will like you to go home with it because as you think,
that is who you are. That is not you are going to become, that is not who you
think you become, that is exactly who you are, and that is why I say you change
your thinking and you change your life. As a man thinks in his heart, so he is.
Thank you for having me David.
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