My Journey Through an MBA Programme at The Lagos Business School – II

The virtual class seemed real because of the level of interactions between the facilitators and the students. The bond is phenomenal. Usually, the class would open by word of encouragement by the professors asking student to ask questions on what was taught during the preceding class, sometimes they crack jokes, sometimes they reiterate that class participation has a score. All the classes start with a recap, informal conversations and gradually catapult into a full-blown academic discussion.

During my first two weeks at Lagos Business School, I was immersed into two subject areas – Data Analytics (DA) and Corporate Financial Accounting (CFA) – that got me battling with numbers.  The facilitators for the DA and the CFA classes are Prof. Bongo Adi and Prof. Akintola Owolobi respectively.

Prof. Bongo was part of my LBS admission interview panel. I easily recognised his wide smile, thick spectacle and bald head. The resume of Prof. Adi speaks for itself. He holds an MA and a PhD in development economics from the prestigious University of Tsukuba, Japan. He has over 15 years’ experience in teaching, policy research, and consulting and has consulted for World Bank, and numerous other international organisations.

The Data analytics class reminded me of my undergraduate days which was two decades down the lane. Then as an engineering student I offered statistics and probability. This time around, with Prof Bongo, the learning has evolved to the use of Microsoft Excel to solve statistical problems. It is more practical and engaging. However, the learning is quite demanding especially for some of us that combine full time job with an intensive MBA program coupled with aging brain that has not been challenged academically for many years.

I naturally love to participate in class discussions. But, during CFA classes, especially my first attendance at one of the CFA sessions, I got lost. I could not find my voice!. I found myself trying to think like an accountant without an accountancy degree or prior training except the little introductory of it during my M.Sc. days about fifteen years ago.

Prof. Owolobi, the well versed electrical electronic engineering graduate turned into chartered Accountant and professor of accountancy is a charismatic, field experienced academic who speak with authority in the area he knows very well like the back of his hand. I see carry himself with fatherly aura, and coincidently, I glanced at his LBS profile, I saw he is fondly referred to as ‘Baba’ by colleagues and students.

The reading material shared by Prof. Owolobi is written in lucid language. The book conjunctions with group work and discussions is helpful towards the improvement I am getting on CFA module.   The first chapters of the book, Financial Accounting for MBAs, has introduced into general principles of accountancy. Although, I have near zero background in subject matter, the has so far help to understand the concept of corporate financial accounting. It explained the Generally Acceptable Accounting Principles (GAAP) developed and issued by USA based Financial Accounting Standard Board. The sister agency, International Accounting Standard Board (IASB) which covered 167 jurisdictions including Europe, is responsible for developing and issuance of International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS).