Oluseun Kayode Arowolaju is a United States-based Sports Management and Information Technology (IT) expert. In this exclusive interview with WEEKEND HOPE, he spoke on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced IT tools are reshaping industries and why young people should embrace digital innovation for  professional growth, among other issues.

Excerpt:

With your background in sport and technology management, what, in your opinion, is the role of digital transformation in modern sport’s administration?

You know, I thought I was going to be a professional athlete, but I didn’t realise that the Lord was calling me to something else. I believe that technology is the best way to make everything more efficient. For example, when I was playing at university, every weight we lifted was recorded. Every increase was documented, and our progress was tracked. With technology, we now have the ability to predict how fast an athlete can improve based on specific exercises. If I can tell you that lifting a certain weight five times will make you 2.1% stronger, it gives you the conviction that following a structured programme will yield specific results. These are things that were not available before, but technology is making them possible. Even athletes without coaches or access to big training facilities can now benefit from technology, which can bridge gaps and create opportunities they might not have had otherwise. The sports industry is increasingly leveraging data analytics and artificial intelligence. How do you think sports in Nigeria can adopt these technologies to enhance performance? 

In America, they are actively scouting Nigerian athletes. Many professionals in the NFL and basketball leagues are of Nigerian descent. We have the natural talent, but there is a lack of awareness. With technology, an athlete in Nigeria can showcase their skills online, and scouts from across the world can analyse and compare their performance with athletes abroad. Digital platforms are being used to track and evaluate players, creating pathways for them to transition from Nigeria to major leagues in America and Europe. I have a friend who was in the UK and had never played American football before. However, through digital platforms, scouts identified his potential and brought him to the NFL. This is the power of technology. I believe we will see more of these opportunities as long as we actively seek them. With the right approach, Nigeria can make significant progress in integrating technology into sports development.

Data privacy is a major concern with increased digitalisation. Do you think Nigeria’s regulatory framework is robust enough to protect users’ information?

You know, the good thing about it is that you don’t have to rely on Nigeria for this. Technology is so democratic that somebody could build something in America, and you can utilise it here. The tricky part that we all have to address among ourselves is whether we would want to store our data here or abroad. You see what’s going on with TikTok right now. TikTok was made in China, and the U.S. is now making noise, saying they don’t want Americans to store their data in China. So, it’s going to be a legislative issue, but the country should have a choice in the state and location where they want their data stored, and that choice should come from the people.

So, I’d almost turn the question back to individuals. If you are comfortable with your data being stored here, then you can leverage companies and databases that are built locally. If you are more comfortable with the security of storing data abroad, then you should have the ability to do so. Fortunately or unfortunately, it depends on who we elect and their stance on the matter. Hopefully, we elect people who reflect our own opinions.

As an IT expert, what advice would you give young Nigerians seeking to build a career in tech, especially with the rise of remote jobs and global competition?

Yeah, I mean, I started a company back in the States, and honestly, I only want to work with Nigerians. That’s it. I hope Nigeria realises the goldmine it has in terms of intellectual capacity. Nigerians are among the smartest people in the world.

  In the past, we used to think that we needed to take this knowledge abroad to make a living. Now, this phone is enough. It’s enough for someone here to be making 10,000 US dollars a year passively. It’s enough. I’m seeing people who just record ordinary videos, upload them on YouTube, and YouTube pays them in American dollars. That’s incredible. 

  There are two areas where I think Nigeria can truly dominate in technology. One is in design. Nigerians have good taste; they know what looks good. And if something doesn’t look good, they will let you know.  Everything on our phones was designed by someone who decided how it should look. Someone had to say, “No, this doesn’t look good” or “Yes, this looks good.” So, the more we can get into design and engineering, especially with artificial intelligence, the more we can build companies here that people abroad can use.

  AI is going to be similar to what the Internet was in the late 90s. And it’s available for all of us to utilise. So, I would specifically encourage people, especially young people, to start learning about artificial intelligence and the opportunities it unlocks.

The world is evolving rapidly with artificial intelligence and machine learning. How do you see this technology shaping the information technology landscape, particularly in Nigeria?

I think the first thing is education. Right now, every time I talk to my mum about what she’d like to help people in Nigeria with, she mentions school fees. If you want to go to the best schools, there’s a significant cost involved. But now, everything you need to learn is accessible through artificial intelligence. It can create a specialised curriculum for you. You can say, I want to learn how to do journalism in this particular sector, in this particular state, for this particular person. And it will refine all of that information and present you with a curriculum and a course for you to build yourself and deepen your understanding of certain things.  And it’s the cheapest it has ever been. It unlocks information that has always existed but has not been accessible. So, access to information is, I think, the number one thing. The second thing, I believe, is efficiency.

There is a lot of wasted space, wasted time, and wasted thought that can now be streamlined. For example, before reading a book, imagine if something recommended the exact book you needed to enhance your skill set in a particular area. These are the capabilities that exist, and you do not need to go anywhere to access them.

All you need to do is use your phone or computer, and you will have access to information that nobody in the world had in previous years.

Okay, we learnt that you are married to a white.  So how has your union influenced your worldview, especially in terms of work ethic, technology, and global business interactions?

She is Asian. You know, if you could put Nigeria and Vietnam in the same city and everyone looked the same, you would almost not notice a difference. The culture is so respectful. It’s as if she was— I mean, she would make iyan (pounded yam), for me.  It is as if she was born there, and I think it all stems from respect. The cultural emphasis on respect from both her nation and ours made it easier for us to connect and relate with one another.  As it relates to business, one of the things I hope to do one day is—Vietnam has a very strong textile industry. They produce fabric and clothing. Nigeria, on the other hand, has great tailors and designers.  If there were a way to connect these two industries, we could have an abundance of textiles produced at a reasonable cost, skilled individuals capable of crafting high-quality garments, and then integrate this into global commerce. I have not acted on this yet, but these are some of the ideas I consider, given our similar backgrounds—places that are not as established but have the work ethic, passion, and resources to thrive.

Many Nigerians living abroad find it difficult to return home to invest due to insecurity, financial constraints, and similar challenges. Do you ever think you will return to Nigeria to invest?

I want to. Honestly, I was telling my mum that if I could stay in Nigeria for one full year, I think it would make all the difference. I would love to. Fortunately, I have at least one place where I can stay, settle, build, pray, and leverage my talents. So, if we want to encourage people to return, we need to ensure that there is space for them. One of the challenges I faced was—this is my first time back in 26 years. People kept asking how I was adjusting, and having a place to stay made that adjustment much easier.  It frees my mind to think creatively, and I am still writing software while I am here. I am still leveraging AI while I am here. I am still making videos and uploading them to YouTube while I am here.

  So, if we can create something similar to what the Entrepreneurship Village intends to do here in Akure—if we can establish spaces where people can come, dedicated to building, and we incentivise them—saying, “Come and build, we will subsidise this. If you stay here for one year, we will provide you with free office space for that period”—then we can encourage more people to return. I hope, and it is my wish, that I will keep coming back repeatedly because I believe the next technological revolution will begin in this land. You cannot convince me otherwise.

Many companies, especially in Nigeria, struggle with digital transformation. From your experience, what are the biggest mistakes organisations make when trying to integrate new technologies?

I think one of the major issues is failing to involve young people. It is harder to unlearn something than to learn it. If you have done something a certain way all your life and are suddenly told to do it differently—for instance, if you have been using pen and paper for 40, 50, or 60 years and are then handed a computer and told to type everything—it will not be easy. It will be very difficult.

  However, a child who has never used pen and paper—at the age of three, four, five, or six—if given a computer or a phone, I guarantee that within three months, they will be able to accomplish things their parents, bosses, and elders cannot.

  Take my son, for example. He is six years old, and I am always amazed at what he can do on the computer at his age. I was fortunate—my father gave me my first computer when I was six or seven. That early exposure allowed me to learn the technology that I now leverage in my studies and career. There is a saying called the “cathedral mindset.” When Catholic cathedrals were being built across the world, construction would often take 200 to 300 years. The people who laid the foundation knew they would never set foot inside the completed building, yet they built it anyway.

  As a people, we must be willing to invest in things we may never personally benefit from but that future generations will. The moment we adopt this mindset, I promise you, things will look different in the years to come.

You are one of the organisers of the Akure All Night Praise event. Nights of Wonders

How was your experience? How did you feel about it?

Yes, Sir. There is a special grace for prayer in this country. I find it so much easier to pray here. I come, and it’s as if somebody has just opened up my channels to prayer. And I think that is why so many gospel ministers and pastors are being exported from Nigeria all over the world.

  During that Night of Wonders, I was able to see firsthand how people are so passionate about praise, prayer, and the Word, how people would expend so much energy just to dance before the Lord God Almighty. And it’s something I have never seen before in my entire life. It inspired me and taught me many things about God and His people. It is also something I want to take back home with me. So, AKure Night of Wonders—we will be doing it again by God’s grace next year. If you don’t believe me, come back next year and see it for yourself.

As a pastor, how do you combine pastoral work with your career?

Prayer. Sometimes, my day starts at 6 a.m. I work until 6 p.m., spend an hour with my family, and then it’s time for church. After church, I must spend some time with my wife.  Maybe I have to preach, prepare a sermon, and then I go to sleep by 12, 1, or 2 a.m., waking up again at 6 a.m.—just four hours of sleep—before doing it all over again. So, the only way I can explain it is by grace. Human ability alone cannot sustain you when it comes to the work of the Lord. It simply cannot. The Bible says, “It is not by power, it is not by might, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord.

   Another thing is that I have shifted my thinking from balance. There is a term called work-life balance—balancing family life, work life, ministry life, business life—everyone seeks balance. But you will never find it. What I have begun to focus on is harmony. Instead of trying to balance everything, I ensure I am doing the right things at the right time. So, when God wants me to be with my wife, may I not be with my computer.  When God wants me to be with my computer, may I not be with my wife. When God wants me to pray, may I not be doing anything else. That is how I have been learning to live my life.

When He tells me to pray, everything else must stop. Let me pray.  When He wants me to focus on my children, let me shut everything down. Let’s go to the park, let’s go find food.  I have been learning to be led by the Lord and do whatever He tells me to do at any given time. And it has given me great peace about work, ministry, family—everything that concerns a man.

You mentioned that your six-year old boy is good with computers, and here in Nigeria, the government has banned secondary school students from bringing phones to school. What’s your take on this?

It’s a terrible policy. It’s a bad policy.

If you look at all the nations that are ahead in technology, look at their children.  I understand that there are some negative effects of giving children devices at an early age.  There are some terrible effects. Their attention spans shrink. The internet is unregulated, and there are things they can see that they shouldn’t. So, I understand the spirit of the policy—we want to protect them.  But there is such a thing as overprotection, to the point that when they are finally exposed, they act without wisdom.

  We need to find a balance. We must acknowledge the dangers but also the benefits. After all, the same knife that can kill can also prepare a meal.  There are many opportunities we are failing to leverage. If we want to move forward, we must start early. I’m sure you’ve been hearing a lot of negative news about Nigeria.

Since you arrived , what have your experiences been? Are they actually portraying us in a bad light?

  If I can speak candidly…There is a stigma attached to being Nigerian. But at the same time, there are many positives. If you look at the black workforce in America, the most educated and successful are Nigerians. This means people are deciding, I want to hire you. I want you to help my business. I want you on my team. The stigma seems to fade when you leave Nigeria, which is why so many people want to leave.  But what is our own stigma against ourselves? How do we perceive ourselves?

The same talents are born here. But outside, they find ways to develop them, cultivate them, and harvest them. We must learn to harvest what we have sown instead of constantly exporting. Because I tell you, the world is enjoying Nigeria—but when will Nigeria enjoy Nigeria? When? When will Nigeria enjoy Nigeria? Everyone loves Nigerian culture. They love the food. Every time I come, they ask, Do you have Jollof rice for me? Do you have efo for me?  They love our food, our culture, our work ethic, and our ability.

   Look at Israel Adesanya in the UFC. Everyone loves him, and he proudly wears Nigeria proudly. But if he were to return to Nigeria, what would his experience be like? There are some negative stigmas.  Even when I arrived at the airport, officials looking at my passport expected me to greet the. Will you not greet your brother? they ask. But my presence is a greeting. Why must I empty my pockets to greet someone?  It was my first time in 26 years. I had just arrived, and now I was expected to greet a stranger? I was telling them the other day—it begins at the border. When you look at a house, you can tell a lot about it just by looking from the outside.

You see the grass, the gate, the gatekeeper. Before you meet the owner, you already know a lot about the house. So, we must guard our perimeter and ensure that we project excellence. So that by the time people arrive, they will continue to see excellence.

That is my prayer for Nigeria.