I was bored, so I applied for the MBA. At that time, in March – June 2022, the national corporation I worked for was undergoing a transition, so my role did not get much work done. My workdays were long and idle. In despair for the virility of my mind, I dusted off my teenage aspiration to get an MBA. I looked up the Lagos Business School (LBS) programs on their website, considered my options for some days, and then applied for the Modular Executive MBA (MEMBA). The LBS Entry Test was more suitable for me as the application and exam wait time was shorter; truthfully, I believed it would be easier than the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). I do not know if that is true now, since I have still not written the GMAT for comparison. I passed the test. Indeed, a reassuring thing; since I had not taken any standardized tests in five years and my computational skill had been put to little use for more than seven years.
On April 26, 2022, I was interviewed by the admissions board. The interview was virtual and fell into work hours. I was in an office that was just assigned to me which had excessive air conditioning. I shivered from the cold while managing to answer the questions. I gave candid answers and tried to be conversational. Fast forward to September 6, 2022, the admission support officer told me I was considered for the Modular MBA instead of the Modular Executive MBA. My admission was approved, and the letter came in November. I guessed that my past and present work roles were not suitable for an executive-level MBA.
I began thinking about how the MBA will be funded – I had other needs and an ongoing building project. Plus, the cost was expensive for my income. That began the back and forth with my wife on the opportunity cost, appropriateness, benefits, and timing. All through October till I attended the orientation program in January we kept going over the decision. Attendance at the orientation was part of our tests to enable our decision-making. We made a buy decision and I made the required deposit. Providence was on our side; I received an unexpected pay raise in November 2022.
The orientation program was warm and encouraging. The event was held in the Intercontinental classroom at the LBS and ran between Tuesday the 17th and Wednesday the 18th of January 2023. I loved the passion of the founders of LBS and their drive to make meaningful contributions to their immediate environment. It was surprising that it was not for profit making but to develop business leaders in Nigeria and the West-African sub-region who have strong ethical standards.
And so began my journey towards a Lagos Business School MBA. I have decided that my blogs on this platform, although a requirement for my Management Communication Course, will be a diary of my stay in LBS. Perhaps, we will have a book at the end. Come with me.
The featured photo was taken at the end of day 1 of the MMBA4 Orientation program.
