In Part 2 of this insightful ONE2ONE conversation, Steve Babaeko — creative leader, entrepreneur, and global voice for African storytelling — discusses why Africa must tell its own stories. We go deeper into his early struggles and pivot away from television to building a multi-country creative network, Steve shares powerful insights on:• Why Africa must tell its own stories — authentically• The global misunderstanding of African creativity• Leadership lessons from being a copywriter at heart• The rise of Gen Z creators and digital natives• Why Africa shouldn’t ask for a seat at the table — but bring its ownHe also reflects on his global recognition at the Cannes Lions award, the phenomenal rise of artists like Burna Boy, and the future of African influence in culture, business, and innovation.This is a conversation about identity, power, legacy, and the future of African creativity on the global stage.🧭 CHAPTERS00:00 – Introduction00:17 – From indigenization to building an independent network01:09 – Theatre arts, early ambitions & career pivot02:13 – The reality of TV vs survival03:17 – The Nigerian hustle story03:51 – Why Africa must tell its own story04:06 – What makes storytelling authentically African05:12 – Afrobeats, language & global appeal06:41 – Copywriting mindset → leadership philosophy07:33 – The “blank page” as an entrepreneur08:36 – Discipline & early influences09:22 – What the world gets wrong about African creativity09:45 – Diversity in global judging (Cannes Lions insight)11:03 – Africa’s future: population & creative power12:38 – Soft power & government responsibility13:32 – “Bring your own table” 🔥14:28 – Building Africa’s creative ecosystem16:18 – Infrastructure, policy & long-term vision17:45 – Creativity vs leadership lessons19:30 – Self-development & global education20:36 – Gen Z: bold, confident, unstoppable22:00 – Digital natives & the information advantage23:54 – Bridging generations & leadership gaps25:23 – Legacy & expansion across Africa26:24 – Courage, risk & global ambition27:39 – Final thoughts & closingℹ️ About ONE2ONEONE2ONE is a long-form documentary archive of African institutional leadership.Through structured and reflective conversations, ONE2ONE documents the individuals who build and govern the institutions shaping African society — across finance, telecommunications, infrastructure, regulation, culture, and public administration.Each episode contributes to a durable public record of African institutional life, preserving the perspectives of those responsible for designing and sustaining complex systems, and examining the decisions within them that have shaped economies, industries, and public life. Together, these conversations form an evolving record of how institutions are built, stewarded, and tested across generations.📡 Broadcast on Channels TV (DSTV) and Channels 24 UK (Sky 515)🌐 Available on YouTube, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms© 2026 Intelligentsia One Ltd. All rights reserved.This broadcast edition is a time-adapted version of the complete ONE2ONE conversation.Watch Part 1 here: https://bit.ly/one2oneS4Ep1#SteveBabaeko #AfricanCreativity #OneToOne #AfricanStories #CreativeLeadership #Afrobeats #GenZAfrica #Entrepreneurship #AfricanFuture #Storytelling
