The Nero Okwa Xperience

DR. BRUCE ONOBRAKPEYAAt 94, Dr. Bruce Onobrakpeya stands as one of Africa's greatest living artists. For over six decades, he has been a master sculptor, painter, and cultural documentarian—preserving African history, philosophy, and heritage through his art.

His work has been exhibited globally and is part of major collections. But beyond the accolades, Dr. Bruce is a keeper of stories—documenting African civilization and carrying wisdom for the next generation.

In this conversation, we explore:

→ His 60+ year journey as an artist and cultural visionary

→ The stories and wisdom that must be shared now

→ What it means to build a legacy that outlasts you

→ His vision for Africa's future

Introducing: The African Renaissance SeriesThis series is a timeless conversation with the leaders, artists, and visionaries who shaped modern Africa. I'll be sitting down with legends across Nigeria and Africa — on their story, their work, and their vision for a prosperous Africa.Not to preserve the past. But to learn from it.Conversations designed to still matter in 50 years. Because knowing where we came from is how we know where we're going.Welcome to The African Renaissance Series.CONNECT:Instagram: @thenerookwaxperienceNewsletter: nerookwa.substack.comPodcast: The Nero Okwa Xperience (Spotify, Apple Podcasts)

Oroma Cookey-Gam is the Creative Director and Co-Founder of THIS IS US, a Nigerian fashion brand preserving a 500-year-old indigo dyeing tradition.

In this conversation:

- From lawyer to fashion designer

- Discovering Funtua cotton in Northern Nigeria

- The 500-year-old Kofar Mata dye pits in Kano

- Faith as foundation for sustainable fashion- The real cost of "Made in Nigeria"

- Balancing motherhood, marriage, and entrepreneurship

Connect with THIS IS US:Instagram: @thisisusngWebsite: thisisusworld.com

Connect with me:Instagram: @thenerookwaxperienceNewsletter: Business Notes by Nero Okwa

Here's a new podcast episode narrating my journey building Jetseta—a private jet marketplace in Nigeria.

If you're an entrepreneur, product manager, or just someone interested in building businesses in Africa, this episode is for you.

What you'll learn:✈️ How to discover your real value proposition (it's not what you think)✈️ Why all the work begins AFTER launch✈️ How to build trust from zero✈️ The power of persistence in sales✈️ Leading teams when you can't rely on age or title✈️ Solving big problems during crises

40 minutes of raw, unfiltered storytelling.

📖 Full written article:nerookwa.substack.com/p/87-the-african-aviator-lessons-from

In this episode, we sit down with Lin Loke, founder of Nuwa wellness brand and former management consultant. Lin shares her journey from corporate burnout to building a health and wellness company, the power of picking up the phone, and why trust is the foundation of every business. We dive deep into career pivots, the reality of launching a consumer brand, and the importance of taking that crucial first step.

00:00 - Introduction

01:00 - Career Foundation & Early Experiences

01:04 - Lin's UCL journey and early career exploration

07:20 - Summer internships: From surveying buildings to inspecting Wembley Stadium

12:56 - Lin: Early career exploration eliminates what you don't want to 13:53 - Nero: Business is about people - rapport building and stakeholder management

16:04 - Lin's 5 years at Arup: M&A infrastructure and due diligence

17:21 - Meeting Hael Kobayashi: From Star Wars to digital transformation mentor

20:28 - The importance of mentors and international exposurePivoting from Corporate to Entrepreneurship

22:05 - Lin: Escaping the linear career path - why consulting wasn't enough

23:35 - Nero's story: From engineering to discovering lean startup methodology

27:20 - Lin: Creative energy and the birth of Nuwa wellness brand

29:15 - The burnout that inspired the product ideaBuilding Nuwa: From Idea to Execution

34:00 - From trademark to product development: The research process

36:31 - East meets West philosophy in wellness products

39:10 - Packaging innovation: Why she chose biodegradable tea bags over bottles

42:43 - Finding manufacturing partners: The power of picking up the phone

Golden Insights on Entrepreneurship

46:29 - Nero's Jetseta story: Uber for private jets in Nigeria

49:50 - Marketing photoshoot as MVP56:02 - Dogfooding your product changes how you sell

The Reality of Launching

56:51 - Lin: The misconception about "selling out" on launch day

59:22 - Nero: Trust before the trust - preparation meets opportunity

Philosophy & Final Advice

01:01:03 - "The frog in the well knows nothing about the ocean"

01:03:33 - Lin: Learning by doing vs. learning about doing01:07:57 - Most rewarding aspects of building Nuwa

01:10:55 - Final advice: Find a problem you care about and care deeper

01:13:22 - Nero's closing thoughts: Keep taking risks, the best is yet to come

Guest: Lin Loke - Founder of Nuwa Wellness

In this episode, we sit down with Alberto Zandi, the co-founder of Emerald Hospitality Group, Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree, and the host of the 30 & Thriving Podcast.

Zandi shares valuable insights on his entrepreneurship journey, building iconic restaurant brands, and the importance of happiness for success.⁠00:00⁠ - Intro⁠00:33⁠ - Alberto's story⁠04:13⁠ - Finding the right business model ⁠05:08⁠ - Finding the right opportunity ⁠08:19⁠ - Travelling and building a brand⁠10:50⁠ - Working with his twin brother ⁠15:00⁠ - Curating a quality restaurant experience⁠17:10⁠ - 30 & Thriving Podcast⁠21:00⁠ - Success is never final, failure is never fatal⁠21:45⁠ - Defining Success⁠24:06⁠ - Advice to his 21 year old self ⁠25:09⁠ - What's Next Emperor Nero Okwa: ⁠  / nerookwa  ⁠, IG: @nero_okwaAlberto Zandi: ⁠  / alberto-zandi-ba0a54130  ⁠Emerald Hospitality Group: ⁠https://emerald-hospitality-group.com/⁠30 & Thriving Podcast: ⁠https://30-and-thriving.com/⁠

After the amazing conversation on Creativity and Entrepreneurship with @BukaTheBuilder we were having an amazing 'back stage' chat and decided to just keep rolling the camera. We covered a lot of interesting themes on navigating identities from growing up somewhere else, Nigeria Culture 4.0, and Predictions for Africa.00:00 - Intro00:33 - Navigating Identities 01:12 - Nigeria Culture 4.001:32 - Add the Old, Enjoy the New 01:42 - African Diaspora 02:14 – Back to the source 02:36 - The Year of Return Ghana 201903:38 - Burna Boy: African Giant Album07:09 - Burna Boy: Touring Craft07:57 – Between 2 options, why not both?08:40 – Culturally Multilingual 08:54 – Creating Nigeria Culture 4.009:16 – We are creating history, right now09:40 – Being aware of the moment 10:04 – New tools to create 10:16 - Nigeria10:40 – Future of Africa, Agenda 206311:03 – Africa Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)12:15 – Mansa Musa, Europe 13:07 – Knowing where you came from 13:17 – We Need New Narratives13:52 – A Time to be Alive 14:43 – African High Speed Railway 16:15 – Africa Ecommerce 17:55 – Learning about my Culture18:24 – PREDICTIONS for Africa21:12 - Travelling across Africa, Hubs 22:16 – AfCFTA22:44 – People follow Opportunities. 23:55 - That’s a Wrap Emperor Nero: IG: @nero_okwaBuka The Builder: IG: @bukathebuilder

Had an amazing conversation on Creativity and Entrepreneurship with @BukaTheBuilder.We covered a lot of interesting themes on Music, Summer 2024, Creating, Africa, Culture and much more.

00:00 Intro

01:04 Buka - Attending Oxford Business Africa Summit

02:27 Nero - Attending Oxford Business Africa Summit

03:40 Buka - Music on our playlist

04:20 Nero - Music on our playlist

05:20 Buka - Summer: DJing, Music videos

06:52 Nero - Summer: Newsletter anniversary

07:38 Nero - Summer: Discovering your niche

08:31 Nero - Summer: Exploring London

11:55 Buka - What's next ?

13:22 Buka - Building the brand, dance, DJing

14:39 Buka - Mobile DJing, European tour

13:36 Nero - What's next ?

14:14 Nero - Climbing Kilimanjaro

15:24 Nero - Music the soundtrack of our lives

16:05 Life is Movie

16:25 Emperor Nero brand

17:57 Creating for yourself, body of work

18:19 Year of return, Afronation and Ghana

19:30 Be a beginner again

20:21 Buka - Discovering places with music

20:58 Nero - London Carnival, the multidimensional experience.

22:58 Buka - Art takes courage

23:16 Buka - Not good is better not done

24:15 Buka - If you don’t start you’ll never win

25:16 1 big thing in 6 months

26:46 Advice for creatives

28:29 Go up for glory

Emperor Nero: IG: @nero_okwaBuka The Builder: IG: @bukathebuilder

In this final episode of the Kilimanjaro series, Nero reflects on his transformative journey, from the challenges of the climb to the profound impact of exploring Tanzania.

He shares insights on self-discovery, the importance of environmental conservation, and the need for greater African travel and collaboration.

Drawing inspiration from a certain Japanese proverb, Nero emphasizes the importance of expanding our horizons and embracing new experiences to broaden our understanding of the world.

This episode takes us to the enchanting island of Zanzibar. I'll describe exploring the historic Stone Town, relaxing on pristine beaches, and immersing myself in the vibrant culture and delicious cuisine.

We'll then catch a ferry to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's largest city, where I'll experience the blend of old and new.