NKOLI OGBOLU

Nkoli Ogbolu was the Creative Director at Rosabel Advertising before setting up her own company. She is also the National President of the International Women’s Society (IWS). In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, she talks about her passion, running a skill centre, memorable moments and reaching out to the less-privileged.

When did you become IWS president?

March 2019. It’s been very challenging but I have put in 16 years of membership with IWS. Of course, you understand that all these years, you would have learnt a thing or two about IWS. I am using all that to run this tenure.

What took you to the organisation?

It was Evelyn Akeredolu. She was my classmate in Queens College. At that time, I was at a cross roads of what to do. I had just left Rosabel as creative director and I was starting my own business and I felt it was time to give back. She told me about IWS and I said why not? So, I joined the organisation.

What type of business did you start on your own?

It was same advertising.

How has the sector been for you?

It hasn’t been easy. You know how it is; everybody is a copy writer, an artist, a printer. Everybody is everything in advertisement now. Sadly, that sector of the economy hasn’t grown because it’s like the owner takes all kind of business.

I would have thought that with the advent of social media, things would be better now

It is the social media that has really grounded advertising. Everybody is doing it themselves. They are their copywriters and their artists. And they can do basic graphics.

Are you trying to diversify and look at other areas?

Of course, after my tenure at IWS I am looking at doing something that has been my pet dream but let me keep it quiet for now.

Let’s talk about IWS since you took over. What are the programmes that you have done?

When I took my tenureship, one thing we had to do is to restrategise. A 62-year-old organisation has a lot going for it but if you do not listen to the wind and what it brings for, then this change that you want to have happen, would not happen. One thing we had to was to look at the possibilities and opportunities that have presented themselves in this 21stcentury with technology and with what is happening around us so that we can uplift. If we say we are a charity organisation and we want to be at the very pinnacle of charity giving, then we must hold our own in that space. And if you look at the trends, you find IDP’s widows are becoming more and more because of the war in Nigeria, so to speak, especially in the Boko Haram areas. Many widows abound. Of course, 10.5 million children are out of school. Can you imagine 35 million widows in Nigeria for a population of 200 (million)? It’s a lot and government is doing so much but it is not enough. So, it behoves us as civil society, NGO to help out and that is what we are trying to look at and do. And of course, that strategy is very key in all of this.

What are some of the programmes of the organisation?

We have six charities. The oldest charity is the IWS Day Nursery School in Yaba; it was established in 1963. And the 2nd charity is the LUTH Library Trolley service established in 1968 where we read to patients every Wednesday. That that has been going on since then. We drive the trolley round the wards and give the reading materials to patients to keep them busy and happy. Take a look away from other problems. We also have the Widows Trust Fund that was established in 1998; and in 1999, the skill centre was established. The skill centre celebrated its 20th anniversary last week.

What do you do at the skill centre?

We have vocational skills that we teach like catering and events management, sewing and fashion designing, beauty and salon services and adult literacy. Our adult literacy is really gaining grounds and it includes those who have never gone to school but they are mature. We also have hospitality and we are a dynamic organisation, we listen to the needs of the people. That is why we set up the hospitality department. Here, drivers, housekeepers and maids are trained properly.

How do you reach out to your targets?

We send out fliers and when they come we register them. It is a very big organisation with proper structures in place.

How would you describe Nigerians and charity; are they givers?

Yes, they are givers but it could be better. We are complaining about funding because corporate donors are fatigued. Everybody is rushing to them for funding. So, we have to look elsewhere.

In recent times, people have been talking about hunger in the land. Is there a way you help to fill this need?

Yes, we are having a soup kitchen in September and it is going to be one of our major charities for the year and every year now going forward.

We are going to be feeding 500 people, to help address the hunger need. Government really should hearken to our needs, they should do more. There is so much hunger and poverty in the land. And this country is so endowed that we don’t have to be begging. The government needs to do more.

Women are also talking about being in public life, are you doing anything about this?

We are doing more of charity but there are all kinds of things open to us now. The other day, we condemned rape, the trending case. We are going into advocacy and strengthening women for political purpose. That is where we would make the laws that would favour them. So, we are going to be doing all of that, expanding and collaborating with other people.