Welcome to The HR Decoded

Shall We Begin?

Dearest reader,

I was angry.

No, scratch that, I was “smoking” mad.

Someone had just publicly declared that she’d reviewed 5,000 applications from Nigerians and couldn’t find a single qualified candidate.

Not one.

And then, with all the confidence in the world, concluded that Nigerians are essentially unhirable, but don’t worry, she has the solution - “a course”.

The audacity of it all made my blood boil.

Not because criticism isn’t valid. Nigeria’s education system has gaps, and our workforce has challenges.

But to dismiss thousands of people with a single sweeping statement?

To reduce their struggles, their efforts, and their potential to a LinkedIn post packaged as tough love?

That wasn’t analysis, it was arrogance with a savior complex.

So I replied (you can read that reply HERE).

That LinkedIn exchange wasn’t just about one person’s bad take.

It exposed something deeper: the disconnect between those who make hiring decisions and those desperately trying to get hired.

And once I started pulling that thread, I couldn’t stop.

That single reply spiraled into more posts: about ghosting after interviews, about unpaid “internships,” about the poverty that makes exploitation possible, about the toxic startup cultures we’ve dressed up as “hustle.”

Each post revealed another layer of dysfunction, another story of someone who these systems had chewed up.

But it’s not enough to call out what’s broken.

We need a space where we actually talk about it - honestly, consistently, and with the intent to fix it.

That’s why The HR Decoded exists.

What you signed up for

Every other Thursday starting January 29, 2026, I’m sitting down with people who experience the direct consequences of Nigeria’s broken hiring and workplace systems - and who are building something better.

I’m talking to:

• HR leaders who’ve fixed what was rotting

• Founders who’ve built culture without crushing people

• Freelancers who’ve survived exploitation and carved out dignity

• Professionals who’ve walked through toxic workplaces and made it out alive

We’re digging into questions nobody wants to answer publicly, questions like:

• Why do companies ghost you after interviews?

• How does poverty weaponize job searches?

• What does toxic startup culture actually look like?

• How do “internships” become free labor?

• What does it take to build workplaces that don’t break people?

This isn’t going to be comfortable.

Some editions will make you angry.

Some will make you recognize yourself in stories you wish you didn’t relate to.

But that discomfort is necessary.

We can’t fix what we won’t name.

What I need from you

1. Reply to any edition.

These emails come straight to me.

If something resonates, tell me. If you disagree, challenge me. If you have a story that needs to be told, share it.

This is a conversation, not a lecture.

2. Share if it’s worth sharing.

If an edition hits, forward it to your friends. Post it on your WhatsApp status.

Tag someone who needs to see it.

Let the ministry grow and spread!

The more people who read this, the harder it becomes to ignore.

3. Expect honesty, not diplomacy.

I’m not here to make anyone comfortable.

I’m here to have honest conversations about what’s happening in Nigerian workplaces.

Some people won’t like that. That’s fine.

This newsletter isn’t for everyone.

First edition drops Thursday, January 29, 2026, at 8 AM.

I’ll see you there.

As always,

Best regards,
Isaac, son of Adewumi

P.S. If someone sent you here through WhatsApp or LinkedIn, hit reply and tell me who. I’d like to thank them properly.