What kind of Nigeria are we building? “If there’s no real move to change, then you’re in the same boat with everybody else.” — Caxton Martins In Episode 8 of The World Without People, Ayomide sits down with Mobolaji Caxton Martins for a wide-ranging conversation about Nigeria, identity, culture, media, technology, advertising and the choices that shape the society we live in. From growing up in Surulere and studying at the University of Lagos to working across advertising, financial services, legal services and brand strategy, Caxton shares how his experiences have shaped the way he thinks about people, business and society. The conversation goes beyond careers. They talk about how advertising can shape culture, why Nigerians have developed different ways of navigating everyday life, the impact of our online and offline identities, the rise of the “prosumer,” and why businesses need to understand people differently today. They also ask harder questions: What is Nigeria’s story? Who is responsible for changing it? And what happens when we become so used to broken systems that they start to feel normal? This is a conversation about Nigeria, but ultimately, it’s about people, choices, stories and the kind of future we are creating. Follow The World Without People Instagram https://instagram.com/twwpcast TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@twwpcast X (Twitter) https://x.com/twwpcast Website https://www.worldwithoutpeople.org Timestamps 0:00 — Introduction & meeting Caxton Martins 1:00 — Growing up in Surulere & his early education 4:00 — School, privilege & different social backgrounds 6:00 — University of Lagos & finding his direction 8:00 — Focus, commitment & the importance of learning 12:00 — From education to discovering his career path 15:00 — Advertising, branding & understanding people 18:00 — How advertising shapes the way we see the world 22:00 — Technology, changing behaviour & modern life 26:00 — The changing consumer 28:00 — Understanding people and building better brands 30:00 — Branding, perception & professional identity 34:00 — Media, communication & how people consume information 38:00 — Using communication to influence behaviour 40:00 — Governance, responsibility & changing society 43:00 — The future of Nigeria 46:00 — Nigeria’s story & the role we all play 50:00 — What can citizens actually do? 52:00 — Business, markets & opportunities in Nigeria 54:00 — Life experiences, growth & becoming an adult 58:00 — Family, responsibility & perspective 1:00:00 — Preparing for the future & protecting what matters 1:03:00 — Nigeria’s culture, values & the way we live 1:08:55 — Closing About the Guest Mobolaji Caxton Martins is a brand and business professional with experience across advertising, financial services, legal services, governance and brand strategy. His work and perspective sit at the intersection of people, brands, culture and society. This episode explores what happens when we stop simply accepting the world around us and start asking better questions about it. Because The World Without People would not exist without the stories that make us human.
