Bellemskey's Blog

  This article was first published in Premium Times Wednesday 1 February, 2023 Upon completing my PhD studies over a decade ago, I decided not to undertake any training course that would span over one week. One to five days course? Okay! Anything more? Count me out. This was because I was mentally drained! The academic rigour , mental intensity and lonely journey of the PhD had left me brain-fagged. Luckily, I bagged a faculty position almost immediately and delved straight into the academia. I was happy to carry on with teaching, researching, publishing, conference attendance and community service; but to attend capacity building sessions scheduled to last more than 5 days, at a time? Definitely not for me! Fast-forward to February 2022, when by the sheer grace of God and providence of the Presidency, I got nominated to attend the Senior Executive Course 44, 2022 at the prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru, outskirt of Jos the capital of Plate

  This article was first published in  Business Day Newspaper  on Monday 16 January 2023 At every General Election cycle, especially the presidential and gubernatorial elections, predictions, forecasts, speculations, guesses and even prophecies are rife as to which candidates are likely to emerge victorious and crowned winner at the end of the cycle. Politicians often work with polling consultants and media practitioners to conduct and disseminate public opinion polls to help them design and test their campaign strategies, as well as create the needed media buzz in order to gain some public optics for a possible bandwagon effect. Nigeria’s 2023 General Election cycle is not an exception, as we have seen an array of polls being released in favour of one presidential or governorship candidate or another. If my memory serves me right, there’s been about seven polls or so released so far. As I read through the press releases or news reports on the poll results and findings, some q

Moving from academia to industry can sometimes be daunting, especially if the move was more serendipitous, than premeditated. I found myself in this position over 7 years ago, moving from a faculty position in the United Kingdom, to an industry-research position in Nigeria. Let me set out by stating for the records that I hold both the academia and industry in very high esteem, and the essence of this piece isn’t to place one above the other, but simply to share my thoughts and reflections on my move from core academia to industry. I have always been a firm believer that there should be more collaboration between “town” and “gown”, for society to fully reap the benefits of the knowledge economy. Reflecting on my experience, I have encapsulated 7 tips that helped consolidate my own move, from core academia to private sector opinion research consulting. It is my hope that this piece serves as a useful guide for academics seeking to take the leap into industry; particularly early care