Convergence Conference targets career, business growth

Oluseye added that many individuals fail to reach their full potential in business or their careers due to gaps in knowledge or approach, noting that the conference is designed to address these challenges.

He said, “We realized that in life, every now and again, every business leader, every professional hits a place called the Plato. The Plato is that place where your next level is far but it's also near. The Plato is that place you feel that there is more yet it looks elusive and you are unable to access it. So we have put the Convergence together, bringing people who are at the very apex of their careers, very apex of businesses, to tell the rest of us, when we are in this place, how do we cross that divide."

Speaking further, he emphasised that the conference is not another “jamboree” assuring that participants would at the end record traceable impacts in their businesses; describing the conference as a catalyst.

“What is important about convergence is, it is a conference of knowledge where great minds come together to show the way, to show the how, to draft a course for others to be able to follow. 

“We are trying to change the narrative of people coming together to have a jamboree and call it a conference,” he said, pointing out that participants will be exposed to networking with like-minds." he explained.

Painting a picture to drive a point, he said, “Imagine a mid-level manager who works for an IOC, and you've been there for eight years and everybody that joined at the same time with you has been promoted, instead of praying and fasting, you need to attend Convergence, may be there is something you are missing, may be there is something you ought to do that you are not doing, or may be there is something you ought not to be doing that you are doing. If you are not in a room where such conversations are held then you do not know and that is why I'm telling people it's a knowledge conference.”

He emphasised on the importance of the conference saying, "you must learn to invest in your own growth.

On the impact of the conference to the economy of Rivers State, Oluseye, who said he has spent most of his adulthood in Port Harcourt, said the desire of the conference is to also see that Rivers State takes its place among commity of states.

"I've seen this city go through different phases and I have seen where we are. My passion is to see real change in the environment I find myself. 

"There are reasons why certain places seems to be doing better than others. There is a reason why it looks like Lagos State is more commercially viable. There's a reason why it looks like Abuja is doing so well and there's a reason why Port Harcourt is Port Harcourt. One of the things is the average level of literacy across board. 

“There's a level of knowledge that is pervasive in Lagos, there's a level of knowledge that is pervasive in Abuja. We want to bring the level of knowledge in Port Harcourt up to speed. The desire to see Rivers State change, the desire to see Rivers State take its place in the comity of states,” he said. 

Oluseye emphasised that while there have been funding opportunities for small and medium scale businesses, the middle class has suffered neglect, pointing out that about 600 participants are expected to attend the conference.

He revealed that some of the top industry leaders that are expected at the ‘Convergence’ include Leye Falade, the newly appointed Managing Director/CEO, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG); Gbite Falade, MD/CEO, Aradel Holdings Plc; Kemi Adeosun, Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance; Tope Aladenusi of Deloitte Africa; Segun Zaccheaus, Lead Economist and Strategy at PwC; and Olakunle Soriyan, a Global Thinker, Futurist, and Thought Architect. 

Panel discussions, according to him, will also feature respected voices such as Olakunle Soriyan, Obi Imemba, and Viola Graham Douglas.

A major expectation is the participation of Euro-Exim which he revealed, is expected to unveil a fund guarantee that would help fund seekers to scale their businesses. It was however gathered that the fund would not be below $500,000 per beneficiary and not above $2bn. 

He added that there is a ‘Deal Room’ in the conference where people will network and businesses will be paired along their value chain. “If we have businesses thriving, every other aspect of the state will thrive, the economy will thrive, the economy of other businesses will thrive.” he stated.