Some interviews hit because of who the person is. Others hit because of what they carry. For Episode 10, both are true.
This milestone episode of Proof of Life features someone I personally admire, reference, and recommend. Gidyon Thompson has been an inspiration to me—quietly consistent, creatively clear, and committed to doing the work. I’ve watched him chase his passions, sharpen his craft, and stretch himself across borders and bold ideas. As we celebrate our 10th interview in the series, there’s no better guest to mark this moment with.
Gidyon is a Brand and Partnership Consultant, co-founder of Eikon Grae, and a community-builder through Brandversations Africa—a space shaping the future of brand thinking on the continent. He’s led major projects for the likes of MTN, Coronation Group, NASENI, and more. But beyond logos and deliverables, Gidyon’s real magic is how he builds meaning, memory, and movement around African brilliance.
In this episode, he talks about personal pivots, difficult clients, relationship alignment, and why we’re still not exporting enough of Africa’s creative force to the world. It’s thoughtful, funny, grounded, and true to his brand: generous and unapologetically bright.
What does Proof of Life mean to you right now, as a brand consultant, community builder, and someone constantly creating space for African brilliance to be seen?
I think this is the first time someone is describing what I do as creating spaces for African brilliance to be seen. I love it and will steal it going forward.
To answer your question, the ultimate proof of life (proof that I am living and loving this life) will be waking up every morning to seeing more African brands leading conversations across sectors and industries the world over. For now, it’s the simple daily contribution I make to help brands enter and dominate new spaces.
You’ve worked with giants like MTN, Coronation Group, and leading voices in Africa’s tech and investment scene. But what personal project or milestone made you pause and say, “This is why I do this”?
Oh! I recently even posted about it. We worked on a project last year that is helping to save the federal government over 10 trillion naira through the circular engineering process. Building the Asset Restore brand working with the most incredible people at the National Agency for science and Engineering Infrastructure , for me was the most interesting thing I did in the last few years.
I mean, we’ve developed the brand for the biggest private league in the continent and I am excited that we get to export African talents through that pipeline, however, I think we can export even more African brilliance globally when our economy as a nation is growing and doing better. The Asset Restore project directly impact the economy and that will have a wider effect.
You studied communications in Nigeria and fine-tuned your branding skillset in the UK. How did living and learning in both places shape your understanding of storytelling and of self?
Storytelling and self. Hmm.
Yes, I have a first degree in Communication Arts from the University of Uyo and a Master’s in Brand Leadership from Norwich Business School. I believe I’m a better all-round person and professional because of these experiences.
Studying communication in Nigeria helped me understand culture and consumer nuance in storytelling. We’re a very colorful people—everything we do or say signals something. (Read Feyi Fawehinmi’s The Villager to understand why signaling is everything for the Nigerian consumer.) Context, framing, agenda-setting, communication value—all of it hits different when you learn it within the Nigerian education system.
Meanwhile, studying in the UK exposed me to global systems and structures for effective brand management. I even presented my dissertation findings at Google HQ in London. You can imagine what that does to your person. 😂
What do African brands often underestimate about themselves, and what are they getting right that the world still needs to catch up on?
I’ll go back to what I just said. I think we are a very very colourful people. If you stand in the London Underground station and watch people walk past you, you’ll see monochrome everywhere. Stand on Ikeja under bridge you’ll be tired of looking at bright colors.
“When I say we are a colourful people I don’t just mean fashion wise. Everything we do is just extra. Our food has spice, our conversations laced with crazy metaphors and multiple layered sacarsm, even the way we workship God is so exaggerated. Been colourful is beautiful and interesting. “
A good way to think of this is to remember that our entire childhood we collectively believed in the 99-1 game against India. That’s colourfulness is called “fooling” or “cruise” on social media. Afrobeats embraced it and we have artiste creating the most soulful music out there. I honestly think we can lean more into that colorful nature and create brands that challenge the norm and stretches the boundaries of what’s normal.
You’ve been an advocate for African brands going global. In your opinion, why do we still struggle to cross that threshold, and what’s the mindset shift we need to embrace?
I don’t think I can do justice to this question in just one interview. I wrote a 3,400-word article published in one of the biggest branding magazines in the world and still didn’t cover it all. 😂
Let’s just say: the problems are layered. And if you can, please link the article here for your readers. It gives more depth.
Has your perspective on relationships and partnership changed with age, experience, or ambition? What do you now understand about timing, readiness, or alignment that you didn’t five years ago?
Lol. One subject I rarely want to talk about mostly because anything you say about it will be a lens from which people will judge your relationship life 😂.
However, yes I think age, and experience has shaped me significantly.
For Timing, I think you’ll know when you are ready. I also think you should prioritize making money as a young person. Omo women for men no Dey finish!
On readiness, when you are ready, please be with someone that is also ready. If you compel people to be with you, you will have to posture and audition for the always. When you are ready, make sure they are ready too. Else, you’ll have a situation where people are responding to your love and not giving you their love.
On alignment, seek out only your type. Gods are not meant to be with peasants. Don’t find someone and try to mold them. That’s not your job. Find your type. Whatever you think you are, there will be people who see you and want you, just for who you are. So find your tribe. Alignment is easier when you are not trying to “work on” someone.
You’ve led major projects across the continent. What’s the most difficult one you’ve ever handled, and what did it teach you about people, leadership, or yourself?
I think the most difficult project I’ve worked on is still my first event in Uniuyo. 😂 I spoke with a friend recently and I told them, the hardest crowd to impress are students. When we launched the Advance conference marketing I knew we were playing a dangerous game. But we won. Valuable lessons from that project? With people, you have to realize that money is the very least tool for motivation, people were ready to go all the way for us because they were convinced we knew what we were doing and we were committed to seeing it through.
Second lesson is that, it’s never the tools or resources it’s always the heart and the soul you put in. We didn’t invest in any form of traditional advertising but we had an overflow. We were too passionate that we went to town telling every single person we could meet about our event and getting them regsitered.
Lastly, it’s never what you give people that matters, it’s who you help them become. So the people that worked on our team back then as volunteers are today massive industry leaders. They were all small and tiny like me back then. But everyone now is a super star in their field. Almost all of them reference being part of that team as a key learning opportunity for their journey.
You’re someone who evolves consistently. What’s one thing you’ve had to unlearn—whether in your craft, your leadership, or your personal life?
One thing? I unlearn everything, everytime. The way I see it is that, we are like sponge. You know how you place a foamy sponge on a pool of water and you have to squeeze it, to go again. That’s how we learn. We soak up everything in our environment but we can only get more in, if and when we unlearn and empty ourselves of that feeling of “I know enough”. So take in, unlearn, relearn, and learn again, then unlearn. It’s just a circle mate. 😂
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When everything’s moving too fast (briefs, clients, timelines), what grounds you? Is there a routine, quote, song, or moment that helps you reset?
In the past, I would just watch big bang theory for the 60th time and I am happy and centered again. These days I just go the gym and it’s become my happy place. I love that I can go to my gym even in the midnight. I also think football is a great escape for me too
This is Episode 10—a mini milestone in our series. To wrap things up, share one random thought that’s been living rent-free in your head lately. It could be deep, funny, chaotic, or quietly profound. We’ll take it.
Chaotic thought? 😂
Ermm, whatever an adult does with their body is nobody’s business and should never be. We are living in a world where everyone is telling everyone how to act and what to do even with their bodies. I think humans were not meant to dominate over other humans and so you don’t have a right to tell anyone how to live their life. At best it’s a suggestion and an opinion you can offer. Let people be!
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I am shelving our random thoughts column so I can introduce you to Gidyon’s newly launched project. Hear from him on why you should use obodo.com to grow your community.
The weekend begins with a can of Budweiser on a Saturday morning here.
