I was the keynote speaker at the APNI annual gala and awards night on Saturday, 13th December 2025. I was the founding president of the organisation and led it from its inception in 2016 to 2019. I enjoyed writing this keynote, and I thought you’d find it nice to read.
Ms President Edima
Mrs Vice President Helen
The entire APNI leadership,
Distinguished guests.
It’s my honour to stand in front of you today to deliver the keynote speech at the APNI annual Gala and awards night. The last time I gave a speech was in April 2019, when I officially handed over the leadership after the vast majority of the founding members resigned.
Now, I should start with a confession.
Leading APNI was my first real leadership role. And like many first leadership roles, I was learning on the job. Sometimes in real time. Sometimes… in front of an audience. That is a very humbling experience. In hindsight, handing over the leadership was the best decision all of us could have made. There was conflict, there were strong opinions, but we all agreed on one thing: APNI was bigger than any individual. For it to grow and truly blossom, we had to step aside. And so we did!
That does not discount the work we did. Birthing anything is difficult, and APNI was no different. I am deeply grateful that APNI exists today. But the truth is, it nearly did not.
Lesson One: Do Not Stop Trying
Let me take you back to 2013.
Two friends and I had what we believed was a brilliant idea. We would start an African professional network. We gathered a few people in a pub on O’Connell Street, had a couple of beers, shared big visions for the future…
That was it. No constitution. No follow-up meeting. Just vibes!
And that organisation started and died on the very same day. There is still probably a Facebook page about it somewhere. Since then, I had the urge to do more but I did not know how to.
In 2016, Ann Bockarie, one of the founding members, reached out to say there was another attempt to start an African professional network. I knew instantly that this was the right moment to try again. This second attempt gave birth to APNI, and I am grateful I had the opportunity to be part of it, this time in a different way.
So my first lesson is simple: do not stop trying.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different outcome. So please continue trying to bring your vision to life. Do it on your own, or with others; it doesn’t matter. Keep trying if your first attempt fails. It might just mean the timing, the people, or the approach needs to change.
APNI exists today because people tried again.
Lesson Two: You Will Get More Than You Put In
APNI changed my life in ways I could never have planned. Looking back, you can only connect the dots backwards. In October 2017, we hosted one of our quarterly events with Citibank. We were running two workshops at the same time. After setting everything up, I stepped into the lobby to catch my breath. I bumped into a guy called Shekinah, and we started talking. Less than a month later, I joined his company as CFO. In 2019, that company was acquired by Stripe for an eight-figure sum.
When I joined Stripe, I met Nubi Kay, the second president of APNI. Less than a year later, we started HoaQ, an investment community that has invested over $4 million across more than 100 startups. Coincidentally, HoaQ also invested in Shekinah’s next company, Apata. A few years later, we launched Borderless, a platform for investment communities, and I now spend all my time working on this.
My entire tech career started from a random encounter at an APNI event.
But it was not really random.
It came from years of organising events, talking to sponsors, finding venues, working with volunteers, and doing the unglamorous work that nobody sees. It was a lot of effort, but it was worth it because I got far more out of APNI than I ever put into it.
And that leads to my second lesson: you will get more out of any community than you put into it.
So I encourage you to take this organisation to new heights. Speak for it. Stand for it. Protect it. Serve it. Trust me. It will give you more back than you expect.
Lesson Three: APNI Is Your Organisation
I was at a dinner party recently, and APNI came up in conversation. One guest began listing things they felt were not working. I listened carefully and then asked a simple question: What is APNI doing right?
Before they could answer, I started listing them.
APNI is empowering businesses like the ones nominated here tonight and through Lion’s Den every year. APNI is connecting excellent professionals to Irish companies through its career events. APNI is mentoring the next generation of Africans to do better and be better in this country.
APNI is a force in Irish society.
Yes, there is always room to improve. But the positive economic and societal impact of this organisation far outweighs what might not be working. And for those with feedback, please share it with the leadership. They listen.
So my third and final lesson is this: APNI is your organisation.
Tell your employers about it. Support the leadership. Give constructive feedback. Help them be better.
Closing: Your Role in a Changing Story
The story of Africa is changing. And the image of Africans is changing even faster. Every single person in this room is playing a role in that change here in Ireland. Yesterday, I received an email from the Irish Ambassador to Nigeria. And that happened because of APNI.
We are accountants, lawyers, doctors, entrepreneurs, and professionals shaping the future of nations. We are positive contributors to the countries we live in. And Ireland is no different. As I close this talk, I want to remind you of one thing: APNI wasn’t around 10 years ago. Many people have sacrificed time and effort for this organisation to stand strong today.
One day, years from now, someone else will be standing here to tell a story about how APNI changed their life. The only question is whether your name will be somewhere in that story.
So do not be a spectator. Be a steward. Show up. Play your part in bringing APNI to greater heights. My dream has always been to host our annual Gala at the 3 Arena, and I’m very confident that it will happen one day.
Thank you all for all you’ve done and will do for this amazing organisation.
Enjoy your evening
About APNI
APNI is a network of professionals from different industries and sectors working with top global and leading Irish companies. It’s the largest community of diverse talents and entrepreneurs with a passionate desire to connect and collaborate, and to support each other in adding value to the workforce in Ireland.