Opinion

The Divine Principles of Greatness (Pt. 2)

Published

1 year ago

December 3, 2021

Eric

By Tolulope A. Adegoke

“Principles are clearly penned and planned strategies of actualizing or fulfilling a purpose or goals, which are usually encrypted in simple modules in a bid to make it easier for whoever that is hungry enough to take the bold steps behind its creation. Talent isn’t just enough! Principles involves processes that polishes or fine-tunes our talents into effective skills, and skills into the realms of productivities and fulfilment that comes with the deserved profits, from the values which commanded it to fruition.” – Tolulope A. Adegoke

A principle is a moral rule or belief that helps you to know what is right, which affects your life and outputs. It is a fact of life that can bring out something from nothing.

The principles that you subscribe to would determine the level that you operate on (Colossians 2:8, 20).

The Principles of Identity

Who are? Your identity speaks or describes your person and essence in life. If you do not know ‘who’ you are, you cannot know ‘what’ you are!

What are you? (Psalm 8:4)

There is a perception that man wants to see of you; if you fall for it, you will automatically subscribe to it. You can only know ‘who’ and ‘what’ you are by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14). You are a spirit being, living in a body that consists of your spirit and soul. Your identity is critical. Check out your identity with God. The exemplars of greatness in the Scriptures knew who they were.

Identity is critical for the manifestation of what you have been created to become by God! Your soul is the breath of God (Genesis 1:28, Genesis 2:7)! God has created us to be moral and intellectual beings. We have been sent to reign on gods on Earth…given us dominion to reign on Earth.

The Principles of Vision

Where are you going? When do you intend to get there? What are the pictures of your desires? What do you intend to achieve? You see with your subconscious (the combination of your spirit and soul). It is as far as your eyes can see…whatever you see in the spirit must be documented and worked upon (Habakkuk 2:2), because they will affect your being on Earth. Anything without ‘dating’ would not produce the deserved sacrifices needed or required for its clear manifestations. Believing in manifestation is what makes it happen. When you pray, you must believe to see it happen. What you do not believe, may not yield. Your confession depicts what is in you. Vision is spiritual, no matter your kind of business. Everyone, organization and nations have their vision; and that is what drives their mission. Looking is not seeing, and it takes sights to see depths! The following are kinds of vision:

The Eye-sight

The Insight

The Foresight

The Hind-sight

Activate your future by living in its realities, by writing it in past tenses.

The Principles of Limits

A limit is a boundary, a restriction that creates hindrances to movements or progress. No matter how large your goals are, if you do not break out of your comfort zones, you will deliver as expected. You need a higher law to break through in your values… you can only breakthrough through a higher law. The Airplanes flies through the law of lifts or flights. There are no limits! You, therefore, need to break through in your thoughts and works.

The Principles of a Sound Mind

Your soul is the domain in-between the physical and the spiritual. It is in charge of your subconscious mind. Fear and Faith are forces that are powered through the mind! Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm. Fear is a limiting force that retards a person’s ability (divine or natural). which I suffice to say, Fear is simply believing in the power of the devil over God. And Faith is simply believing in the power of possibilities! That is God over the devil! 2 Timothy 1:7 reveals that “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind”. And the Holy Bible reveals that the word Fear not was mentioned (three hundred and sixty-five) 365 times, which means that it is a daily dosage for all. Fear distorts and distracts our sanity, and when one’s sanity has been tampered with, the sanctity of such a person may no longer be preserved. As soon as the sanctity of a person is polluted, safety is not guaranteed!

It is always about what you ‘want’, not what you do not want. You must develop yourself to decreeing and believing the positive sides of life…the ones you so much desire. Proverbs 23:7a reveals that “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:…”

The Principles of Alignment

Success and greatness are functions of alignment. The goal is the value…which are the principles you live by; it is the principles by which you believe! You believe drives you. Your values must, therefore, align with your core beliefs (vision).

The Principles of Power

Power is the ability to direct and influence yourself and others. One important thing about power is that “power only bows to Power! And God Almighty is the overall Power!” Greater is He that is you than he that is in the world! Romans 13:1 reveals that “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. While,1John 4: 4 confirms that “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.” Your biggest asset are: your thoughts, mindset, imagination and actions. They reveal what rules over you. You must activate the power within you! Power only answers to usage. The powers you do not deploy will fade away. Use the power within you to influence the powers without. In the Holy Bible, Eve became prey as seen in Genesis 3: 3-15 because she failed to use her inner power as given her by The Creator in Genesis 1:26-28.

The Principles of Work

Work is an activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a result. The Holy Bible reveals that since the very beginning of creation, God worked as seen in Genesis 2:2 “And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made…” And Genesis 2:19 reveals that “And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. While Exodus 20:9 “Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:”.

Proverbs 18:9 “He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.” Also, Ecclesiastes 9:7 (KJV) reveals “Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.” Ecclesiastes 9:10 unveils that “Whatsoever your hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whether thou goest.” For every work, there is a reward. No food for a lazy man. If you do nothing, you gain nothing!

The Principles of Time, Chance and Seasons

Ecclesiastes 9:11 “I returned and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.” Time and chance happens to everyone under the sun. All we need to do is to know, have a clear understanding of what Time it is, and taking swift bold steps, so as to be able to maximize the chances unveiled in it, just like the sons of Issachar guarantees greatness as seen in the Scripture 1 Chronicles 12:32 “And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had the understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; all their brethren were at their commandment”.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To everything, there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” Make good use of your times and chances…it waits for no one, it respects no one except its Maker (God Almighty).

The Principles of Rest

Rest means to cease work or movement in order to relax or recover strength. It also means to allow to be inactive in order to regain strength or health. Genesis 2:3
And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

If the Scripture above reveals that The Creator rested on the seventh day of creation, then as a human being you need rest after every labour. Ecclesiastes 5:12 says “The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.”

The Principles of Waiting

To wait means to stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or occurrence. It also means to defer something until a person’s arrival. This word has both spiritual and physical advantages as seen in Luke 24:49 where Jesus Christ was speaking to His disciples saying “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” Also, a verse of the Psalm 37:9 “For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.” That means, you do not wait on ‘who’ you do not trust. It is wise to wait only on God, because He does not fail nor falter.

The Principles of Gratitude

It is said that what you do not appreciate will definitely depreciate. Gratitude increases the value of a vessel (person) or in a thing. Gratitude emits love, then attracts grace which binds us together as one before God. Also, a portion of the Holy Bible buttressed it in the Book of Psalm 30:12 “To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee forever.” As a people, we must always be grateful to the Maker, because He is the Giver to all that gives and receives. Also, you must appreciate one another as humans to continue getting or attracting the very best from ourselves.

The Principles of Fellowship

Two good heads are better than one. The power of a union can conquer oppositions. Matthew 18:20 reveals that: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Also, in Leviticus 26: 8 (KJV) “And five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.”

The Principles of Quietude

In quietness lies the truth. As my daily mantra says “Calm, quiet and available is my soul before My Maker, God Almighty (The Creator of the Heavens and Earth).” Virtually all the great men of old and today practised and practices quietude as a daily routine. Another word for it is meditation. Meditation thrives in serenity. Meditation powers our souls to activate our spirit man which compels our bodies to obedience and align with the Divine will. Here is the factory of inventions. It is a process that leads as follows:

BrokennessàHumilityàCompassionàInspirationàRevelationàIlluminationàCreativity beyond human comprehension (Divine Order). A man who cannot quiet his spirit man will not consistently hear God. And, if you do not hear God, you will lack direction and productivity!

The Principles of Choice

God has given unto every man the free will and determinism to choose according to how he purposes in his heart. Deuteronomy 30:19
“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:” The choice you make decides your future. We all are products of our choices.

The Principles of Planning

You must permit yourself to perform well. You must perform well to perfection by training well. Lean on knowledge, from it you may find wisdom. Acquire skills for accessing and actualizing desired intentions or goals. Never ever relent following the above steps over and over again. True vision exposes, then empowers our individual or corporate missions. There will be no fulfilment of mission(s) without effective planning. It is effective planning that compels you to sit well to strategize properly; if you do not sit well, you will never ever discover or unlock a passion (solution) to pass on unto the next generation.

The Principles of Impacts/Giving

A gift is a thing given willingly to someone without payment or expecting anything in return for it. It is a present. The Bible records it in Acts 10:38
“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” Nothing that we have is really ours, we all our channels leading to one another to bless one another. Stop being a container! It has been given by God Almighty to be given unto men that needs it. God is a great exemplar here in John 3:16 “ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” 2 Corinthians 8:9 further reveals that “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes, he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” Jesus Christ lived a selfless life. He is our perfect example. Hebrews 12:2 finalizes it by saying “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

The Principles of Submission

2 Corinthians 10:5 says “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ…” Learn obedience by what Jesus Christ suffered! Develop an attitude of victory through the finished works of Jesus Christ on the Cross!

Thank you for reading.

Please learn and apply where necessary.

Watch out for the Book titled: “The Power of an Empowered Zero” (From Zero to HERO) by Tolulope A. Adegoke. Foreword by Dr Yomi Garnett (CEO/Chancellor, Royal Biographical Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania U.S.A., U.K., Abuja, Nigeria.) Edited by Ola Aboderin.

Opinion

Opinion: Will the Hopes of Nigerians be Truly Renewed?

Published

12 hours ago

May 31, 2023

Eric

By Abdulakeem Sodeeq Sulyman

It has however been observed by sociologists of revolutions that the social and psychological impulse behind most revolutions are two-fold: the passion for social justice and the thirst for political vengeance.” – Tatalo Alamu

May 29th, 2023, will mark exactly eight years that the outgoing President, (Retd.) Major-General Muhammadu Buhari gained access to the helms of affairs of our dear country, Nigeria, with a new catchphrase “I belong to everybody and belong to nobody.” The promises inherent in that catchphrase was refreshing to virtually all Nigerians to the extent that, as a newspaper vendor then, I sold more than fifty copies of The Punch newspaper. The goodwill enjoyed by President Buhari was so fervent, unmatched and unprecedented – I think.

Tunde Jaiyebo says, “One of the greatest sources of pain and sorrow is to be betrayed by those who are supposed to protect, love and help you.” Since President Buhari’s tenure as a civilian president had begun, Nigeria, a country blessed in every ramification has been experiencing a whirlpool and rollercoaster in different aspects of our social and national life. What is most troubling is the failure of President Buhari’s administration to robustly tackle the tripartite issues – insecurity, corruption and stabilizing the economy – Buhari and his party, the APC, used to oust the then president Goodluck Jonathan and the then ruling party, the PDP.

Initially, President Buhari started his administration on a snail movement and another factor that derailed the rail of his administration was lack of conception of governance and political leadership, leading to losing some candidacies to ‘perceived enemies,’ failure to set-up his cabinet on time and failure to take responsibility for his inconsistent policies leading to economic summersaults. All these, amongst others, clearly revealed to discerned Nigerians that President Buhari was not ready for governance.

As the President prepares to vacate the Aso Rock in some hours, I am sure it will be difficult for him to accept that he is leaving the affairs of Nigeria and Nigerians in a bad state than he met it. C.S. Lewis aptly submitted that, “To assess the value of anything, one must first know its purpose.” The purposes of President Buhari’s administration was obvious – to rescue Nigeria from the throes of PDP’s abuse of power, minimize corruption and end insecurity. However, if we use these metrics to evaluate the President’s tenure, it must have come to terms with the dumbest Nigerians that our values have been mishandled and misplaced under Buhari.

The interesting and intriguing events that unfolded during President Buhari’s reign inflamed the passion of Nigerians to be ready for the 2023 elections. As the elections were approaching, the two major political parties – APC and PDP – witnessed enormous challenges in the selection of their flag bearers for the presidential election. To me, the decisive moment to the 2023 presidential election was the emergence of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the flag bearer of the PDP. This fueled the rages of some powerful forces and their actions cost the PDP or the emerging LP, the chances of winning the presidency. Like it or not, both Tinubu and Atiku have been at the forefronts of the Nigerian political dynamics getting to thirty years or thereabouts. This made me limit my search lens of electing a viable president of Nigeria to the two of them.

Fortunately for the APC, its candidate, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu emerged the winner of the presidential election. The announcement of Senator Tinubu as the winner of the presidential election was like robbing salts on the wounds being nursed by some people who believed that the president-elect has many civil and criminal allegations levelled against him and he ought to be declared innocent of those allegations before he can be sworn-in as the Nigerian president. A small boy like me might not have swum deeper in the murky waters of Nigerian politics, but what is clear to me is that our political climate is not meant for the faint-hearted and those not ready to toy with their dignity and reputations shouldn’t bother venturing into it!

Looking into the political pedigree of Senator Tinubu, there is no doubt that he has proven his mettle to preside the affairs of Nigeria some days. His track record of working with some of the finest brains in the legal practice shows that he is sorrounded with competent individuals who can help in addressing injustice and restore social equity and inclusion. His experience as a senator during the military junta had equipped him for the liaison and collaborations required to drive cooperations among the arms of government; while his sagacity to be the only governor that survived the impeachment onslaughts against the South-west governors during 1999-2003 and many other battles he had won were enough to convince Nigerians that Tinubu is capable of steering the affairs of Nigeria to our dreamed land.

At this point that every decision to birth a virile country counts, Nigeria doesn’t deserve to be governed by ‘accidental managers’ – those that present themselves to us as problem solvers and maintain the status quo, giving us reasons why things don’t work, instead of exploring and discovering how to get things done to better the lots of ours. However, in order for us to have deliberate leaders, we must adjust our leadership selection process as submitted by Dele Momodu that “If anything must change in our country, how we select and elect our leaders must be the first change we embark upon.” Nigeria will not change if we citizens don’t change our approaches to politics and manners of electing leaders by desisting from basing our choices on factors that can be easily exploited and polarised.

Gerald Sykes makes us understand that “Any solid achievement must, of necessity, take years of humble apprenticeship and estrangement from most of society” and this is what Tinubu’s political sojourn teaches. Tinubu never hides it that he is interested in presiding the affairs of Nigeria some days. Instead of exploiting our differences to inflame the polity, he built bridges, assembling politicians with common aspirations and leveraged his political wit and acumen to galvanise resources for the birth of alliance which today’s the All Progressives Congress culminated from. I believe his role in the formation of APC qualifies him for the daunting task of rebuilding the cracking foundations of our dear country, Nigeria.

This humble intervention of mine is not to eulogise the president-elect, but to acknowledge how he has honed himself for the highest political office in Nigeria. What Nigerians witnessed in the last general elections, brought into fore that Nigeria is a nation existing in abstraction. It has become obvious that we need a leader that can set a new direction for the future. Some happenings in the elections revealed to us that our nation has been widely and deeply divisive and needs to be redeemed before it is too late! The challenges we are currently grappling with call for a combination of strategic and servant leadership; leaders that can harness the diversity of our dear country to set us on the path to our peculiar greatness and economic prosperity.

Simon Kolawole posited that “In underdevelopment politics, balancing is a major instrument of achieving some political stability.” Nigeria is in dire need of leaders who will respect every part of the country and create equal opportunities for people from every part of Nigeria to thrive and flourish. The potentialities of Nigeria are much more than political affiliations, ethnic background or religious sentiments. The over concentration on our fault lines – religion, ethnicity, etc., – has called for leadership that will initiate steps aimed at healing our wounds. That is why Augustine, the Bishop of Hippo in Algeria, says, “Political efforts to separate Christians from non-Christians will probably cause more harm than good.”

In the next few days, Nigerians will be looking forward to the game plans and frameworks that will be deployed by the president-elect to restore our common aspirations. The safest way to achieve this is by shifting from politics to governance because Aristotle quipped that “The point of politics is to moderate a bad government so that it doesn’t become worse and, if possible, to try to gradually make it better.” Many people still believe in the Nigerian dream. But all they need is a leader who can strengthen their beliefs by making them feel important in the quest of birthing the nation of their dream. “Nations that flourish are those that continually reinvent themselves in light of domestic and changing world conditions. Those that fail to reform will atrophy and die,” says Obadiah Mailafia.

May Nigeria attain the lofty heights envisioned for it by her forefathers.

Abdulakeem Sodeeq SULYMAN is a Librarian, Author, Researcher and budding Self-development expert. He can be reached via +2348132226994 or sulymansodiq.a.1524@gmail.com

Opinion

Voice of Emancipation: Nigeria’s New President

Published

5 days ago

May 27, 2023

Eric

By Kayode Emola

In less than 48 hours Nigeria will welcome a new President, charged with handling its affairs for the next four years. Yet among the many challenges awaiting the new president, whether Nigeria itself can even survive another four years remains to be seen. There is no doubt that the Tinubu/Shettima presidency will need more than courage to keep Nigeria united for the full duration of their elected term.

Only time will tell whether Tinubu and Shettima will be sworn in come May 29, or whether we will instead have an interim government. However, one thing of which we are certain is that the era of Muhammad Buhari is over, never to be experienced again. Those who have survived living under Buhari’s misrule in Nigeria for the last eight years deserve an award for endurance.

We must not allow the expected swearing-in of a Yoruba man as Nigeria’s president on Monday 29 to make us complacent. Indeed, my Yoruba people, our task has just doubled.

Nigeria’s future is now looking more imperiled than ever before. The Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) are already threatening to declare their own independent Biafra nation if Tinubu is sworn in come May 29. And the Biafra campaigners are not the only disgruntled people within the country. The vast majority of our Yoruba people and even the Hausa people are becoming embittered with the trajectory Nigeria has taken since independence. At this point now, the new president must decide if Nigeria will continue as it is, or ask the indigenous people to decide their future.

It is increasingly evident that Nigeria is not a sustainable venture, and that a trading post cannot become a country that can endure the test of time. The people within Nigeria never decided to unite and become a country, so trying to hold them to ransom can never succeed.

I will therefore urge the incoming president to rethink his policies if he has not thought about a peaceful way in which Nigeria’s dissolution can be established. Powering through and hoping that he can hold Nigeria together like his predecessor Buhari did will definitely not stand the test of time.

To my fellow Yoruba people who are singing hallelujah that a Yoruba man is going to be president. I want us to know that just as Buhari is leaving the Presidential seat come Monday 29, Tinubu will also not be president for life. When he leaves what will be the fate of the Yoruba people or the other nationalities that makes up Nigeria.

At this juncture in our history, it would be the time to give the indigenous peoples of Nigerians the opportunity to determine their future in a constitutional conference. Nigeria has gone past its due date and must now be prepared for decommissioning just like several countries such as Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, etc has done in the past. If not, a dysfunctional disengagement may lead to utter chaos if not another civil considering the damage the country is currently doing to the lives of millions of frustrated youths. The rate of poverty is not abating with the currency being devalued on a daily basis putting more strain on the people’s finances

The handlers of Nigeria must acknowledge that the unitary system being practiced in Nigeria has utterly failed the people. The people must now be handed a lifeline in order to salvage a future for themselves and their future generations. Anything short of that may mean Nigeria may go the way other African countries such as Somalia and South Sudan etc have divided with years of bitter civil war which has resulted in the loss of millions of innocent lives.

Yoruba people should not shout ‘Uhuru’ yet because one of us is sitting in ‘Aso rock’. If history has thought us anything, whoever becomes president of Nigeria is there for themselves and not necessarily representing their constituents. That Tinubu will be president does not stop the call for an independent Yoruba nation, if anything, the call for an independent Yoruba nation should now become louder and clearer to send a strong signal to the local and international communities that the Yoruba people have finally made up their mind to leave Nigeria.

Opinion

DNV: Namibia Welcomes First Digital Nomads

Published

5 days ago

May 27, 2023

Eric

By Dolapo Aina

According to Citizen Remote, “A digital nomad visa is a temporary permit that allows visitors to stay in a country while they work remotely. Multiple countries offer these sorts of visas, and most of them have a duration of twelve months, with the possibility to extend your stay. While they may not be for everyone, a digital nomad visa allows many remote workers to travel the world while they work from the comfort of their computers. They also help the countries impulse their economy by having foreigners stay for extended periods.”

Several benefits and fallouts of having digital nomads in a country include but not limited to positive country branding by the digital nomads who are residents in their host country. Digital nomads tend to amplify messages the host country might have been trying to get across to potential travellers. On the African Continent, only a few countries have latched on to Digital Nomads and Digital Nomad visas (and it is noteworthy to state that some African countries might not term it Digital Nomad Visas but have something in that guise.)

Since the COVID-19 pandemic and its attendant fallouts, digital nomads and remote work have increased exponentially globally and in Africa particularly.

According to the Harvard School of Business, with the global shift towards remote work over the past three years, approximately forty-seven countries have developed digital nomad visa programmes. On the African Continent, a few countries offer Digital Nomad Visa. These countries are and in no particular order: Cape Verde, Mauritius, Namibia and Seychelles. Other countries on the African Continent have something within this category but officially, it is designated as Digital Nomad Visa.

On Tuesday, 9^th of May 2023, Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board announced and welcomed Namibia’s first Digital Nomads.

According to a statement signed by Ms. Catherine Shipushu, who is the senior manager: Marketing, Branding and Communications of Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board, “Namibia officially recorded her first digital nomads just five months after the official launch of the country’s Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) on 11 October 2022. The programme was launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration and Security (MHAISS) and the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), with the aim of enhancing economic activity in the country. The first two digital nomad visa applications were approved on Tuesday, 14 February 2023.”

The statement further revealed that the Digital Nomad Visa programme aims to capitalise on the growing global remote workforce by offering location-independent foreign professionals the chance to live, work, and experience Namibia for up to six months. These digital nomads contribute towards the country’s economy by injecting foreign currency in the ecosystem, but without usurping jobs meant for Namibians. Early results are encouraging, with over 121 enquiries about the programme recorded so far. Of this number a total of 20 applications were received, out of which nine were approved, with five rejections. The reasons for rejection were made known to include; applicants who do not meet the income requirements of two thousand dollars per month, and are thus unable to prove that they can effectively sustain themselves while in Namibia. Other applications were rejected because they were submitted while the applicants were already in Namibia on a different legal status such as a Tourist Visa, or they arrived in the country before approval of their application.

According to Ms. Catherine Shipushu; “The launch of the Digital Nomad Visa earned Namibia international praise, from Cape Town to Germany and as far as Australia. Additionally, we have witnessed a surge in queries and applications for the DNV through our website, further demonstrating the growing global interest. This demonstrates Namibia’s potential to harness the digital nomad trend and create new opportunities for local businesses in the tourism and information and communication technologies support sectors. As an effective marketing tool for Namibia, the DNV program has also created visibility through digital nomads documenting and sharing their experiences on social media and other mass media platforms, showcasing the nation’s natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and hospitality. This increased visibility has the potential to help attract more tourists, investors, and talent, further stimulating the nation’s economic growth and development.”

It is said that, by design, the Digital Nomad Visa complements, rather than competes with, the local workforce, ensuring digital nomads bring their own remote jobs or freelance projects to Namibia. This approach benefits the Namibian economy and its people while creating an environment for local entrepreneurs and professionals to expand their networks, learn from their international counterparts, and explore new avenues for collaboration.

Dolapo Aina reached out to Ms. Catherine Shipushu (senior manager: Marketing, Branding and Communications of Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board, in the Office of The Presidency) for more clarifications and insights.

On the abovementioned statement that the digital nomads contribute towards the country’s economy by injecting foreign currency in the ecosystem, I asked if this is the only criteria being looked at? What about those nomads who can attract global attention and global traffic into Namibia? How do you factor that into the policy? Ms. Catherine Shipushu stated that, “The Namibia Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) serves a dual purpose in enhancing the country’s economy. Firstly, it allows digital nomads to inject foreign currency into the ecosystem, contributing to economic activities and growth. Additionally, the DNV harnesses the power of digital nomads as ambassadors for Namibia. Through their documentation and sharing of experiences on social media and other platforms, they become valuable marketing assets, attracting global attention and generating publicity for the country. As part of our marketing campaign, we have engaged digital nomads, who are currently in Namibia, to share their unique perspectives and experiences, aiming to inspire and attract more digital nomads to choose Namibia as their preferred “work” destination. By leveraging their presence and influence, we strive to create a ripple effect of positive exposure and interest in Namibia, ultimately benefiting the local economy and fostering collaboration between local and international professionals.”

On the two thousand dollars per month projection, I asked if this was targeted at only Western nomads only or global nomads including African nomads who might not have the same financial muscle as their Western counterparts? And would this amount be reduced anytime soon? Ms. Catherine Shipushu stated that, “The requirement of USD 2,000 per month for the Namibia Digital Nomad Visa is not targeted exclusively at Western nomads. The income requirement serves as a benchmark to ensure that digital nomads, regardless of their nationality, have the financial means to sustain themselves comfortably in Namibia. The aim is to provide a positive experience for digital nomads and contribute to the local economy. The income requirement is based on the cost of living in Namibia and takes into account expenses such as accommodation, transportation, food and other essentials. The Namibian government understands the diverse backgrounds of digital nomads and aims to create an inclusive environment that welcomes global nomads, including those from Africa and other parts of the world, while maintaining a reasonable financial stability requirement. As with any programme, there is a possibility of periodic evaluation and adjustments based on feedback and the evolving circumstances.”

The launch of Namibia’s Digital Nomad Visa programme is a bold and strategic move that positions the country as a prime destination for remote workers from around the world. By embracing this global trend and offering a world-class visa program, Namibia stands to reap substantial economic, social, and cultural benefits.