Commentary on the Sydani Fellowship Program (2022 Summer Batch)
The Sydani Fellowship Program didn’t begin two years ago as many have come to think. I dare say that the program is almost as old as the firm itself. Why this bold assertion you may want to ask. Well, let’s not get into details just yet. For now, it is enough to state that the unofficial commencement of the Sydani fellowship program dates to the early periods and start-up seasons of Sydani Group.
There is no gain in saying the fact that the success and continued relevance of every organization is always a direct result of the invaluable investments made during the formative years. This was the case with Sydani.
Over the course of the past few years, Sydani has not only positioned herself as a one-of-a-kind industry leader in the management consulting practice in Nigeria but is also fast becoming a household name in the public health space and social sectors in Africa.
This budding firm led by the brilliant founder/CEO, Mr. Sidney Sampson is blazing the trail and setting a very high standard of excellence that has not only set her apart amongst many others but has also proven the fact that the decision to begin on a pedestal of quality and unparalleled excellence is the harbinger of the many celebrated achievements recorded in the last 4+ years.
More specifically, we can say that the decision by management to invest heavily in talent development and integrate a superior quality assurance system into the regular practice of the firm was much more than an afterthought. It was the silver bullet that launched Sydani into prominence.
From very early on, Mr. Sidney Sampson and his motley team of managers decided to provide direct and consistent mentorship to the company’s entire staff through the platform of the weekly problem-solving sessions and the monthly case-solving meetings. These platforms ran under the direct tutelage and mentorship of Mr. Sidney and his team of industry leaders who not only boast of long years of experience but have also cut their teeth having led major projects across the continent and have therefore become the embodiment of first-rate skills that many consultants long to have. It is no exaggeration to say that most of the current leading consultants in the firm are products of these platforms. Oldies like Abayomi Adeosun, Olubukola Ajibola, Moshood Audu, Rejoice Kaka, and Adebisi Adenipekun have made several references to this on many occasions.
These collegial platforms, to wit, the weekly problem-solving sessions, and the monthly case-solving meetings became vital parts of Sydani’s organizational culture and would later become the brainchild of the Graduate Internship Program (GIP) which evolved into what we now call the Sydani Fellowship Program. It, therefore, suffices to state that the last two batches of the program have not only positioned the SFP as an idea that has come to stay but also as a veritable platform where future consultants will not only be trained in the practical art of consulting but will also get the rare opportunity to participate real-time in projects and take ownership of these multi-million-dollar projects from as early on in their career.
No doubt, fellowship programs worldwide provide excellent opportunities to gain hands-on experience in techniques and skills that may otherwise be difficult to learn personally. It is also very clear that one of the major drives for the Sydani fellowship program is to identify, grow, and develop fellows who can be co-opted as professional consultants for immediate or future placement at Sydani at the end of the program.
Therefore, it only follows to say that Sydani Group is a rising global force of exceptional management consultants and the Sydani fellowship program is one major training ground that will deliver the next level of world-class consultants out of Africa. Thus, it becomes very clear what the program stands for, the ideals it espouses and why it will continue to evolve into a more resilient platform for knowledge preservation and transfer.
This hope, however, heavily rests on the continued refinement of the program through an intentional appraisal of every batch to unveil all attendant loopholes and identify all possible areas for consistent improvement.
Saheed, a fellow from the summer 2020 class, said the following about the fellowship experience: “Coming into Sydani as a fellow has been a journey of enlightenment because I have had the exceptional opportunity to interact with brilliant minds and learn practical strategies to tackle challenging problems. I have increased my technical skills and been more organized in my thoughts and communicating (using Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, and Excel). I’ve improved my ability to perform under pressure. For me, this voyage has been a pivotal point in my professional development. There are many of things to work on, and I think the experience will be better in the January batch.“
Overall, a simple sampling of consultants across the organization will reveal that the above assertion by Saheed is very true. It echoes the sentiments of both past, present, and possibly future members of the Sydani family. Few adjectives qualify to describe the experience of working at Sydani. Maybe ‘inspiring’ would do, or ‘euphoric,’ even ‘engaging’, ‘energizing,’ ‘daunting,’ etc. The truth is that all these words do not come close at all.
The crucial questions to ask would then be these, “What next for the Sydani Fellowship Program? What would the experience be like for the Winter batch of 2023? The answer is not far-fetched. It’s going to be better, and we look forward to onboarding the next batch of young and potential Sydani Consultant Rockstars.
Meanwhile, as a member of the great Sydani family, I am poised to continue to do the great and impactful work we are known for. Our mission as always remains the same; we will continue to prioritize today’s investments over yesterday’s victories. We are not just about improving on our past efforts, much more, we are all about building solid capital that will deliver the future into our hands.
