Añuli Aniebo Ola- Olaniyi is the founder and executive director of HEIR Women Development and Hub. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, talks about raising young girls and women for leadership, her documentary on the barriers faced by women, her book, ‘More Than Just Pretty,’ as well as hosting Live shows on women’s economic empowerment.
LET’S talk about life working on women’s issues
The importance of using one’s voice as a tool to impact positive knowledge and proffer inclusive and sustainable solutions is always top of my agenda. Now, there are so many conversations happening all at the same time and all of these different, varying, and critical conversations are all constituted to reduce and erase the challenges and barriers we all face. I have kept my learning evolving as I deep dive into the root causes of the issues girls and women live with. My journey is one where I am constantly questioning the societal script, reviewing produced knowledge about the narrative, analysing history and re-thinking and re-imagining how this all could have been told differently and women treated like human beings. I constantly re-assess my thinking and my positioning to ensure this impact I’m committed to make is a selfless one.
What spurred your interest as a gender specialist?
First, I don’t think I am a ‘gender specialist’. Secondly, it’s also not just a job role or a job title with a set of responsibilities. It is more convoluted than it reads and more than a job title. And just to be clear, gendering is the representation of everyone and not just women contrary to pushed narratives. After taking certification courses on Gender by the UN, the goal to return to school and take a second Masters in Gender Studies was to expand my knowledge and increase my skills in tools that can be inclusive in analysing the historical context and applying to present day challenges we all face.
My encounter with supporting young women and girls took off when I watched a CNN documentary on young women leaving Nigeria to get employment and undergoing horrific treatment and abuse, with some turning into slaves and some losing their lives. I must have been in a bubble assuming education and employment are available but I did further research and got so concerned about the barriers and challenges women face in every single area of life and living. That moment of realisation stuck with me and I took a decision to know more and support more.
What has been your international exposure working with different organisations as a Project Manager?
It’s a great opportunity I don’t take for granted. My work ethic came from my parents and the importance of a woman building a life and responsibility for herself first was instilled in me and my siblings.
I am grateful to work with the skills I develop and diversify the skills as well when required. Working both internationally and in Nigeria is an experience that keeps increasing my capacity, my learning, my commercial knowledge and my goals for my future. I have worked in financial organisations, ICT, Medical, Telecommunications, Education and Start Ups. The learning experience is the highest point as I keep growing.
What are some of the memorable moments in the sector?
I can speak for all sectors I have worked and still working in. That memorable moments happen daily. If I have to be specific, it will be starting a new role, a new project, a new team, a new opportunity, and a new organisation. I get to build and increase capacity, work with team on a project or projects, expand my horizon and intellect. There is an anonymous quote that says “the largest room in the entire world is the room for improvement”. Now, that’s my opinion. Any sector, any opportunity will always come with room for me to improve myself. The memories accumulate in the moments of opportunity to be better at my craft.
What dreams did you have while growing up?
What didn’t I dream about when growing up? I’m thankful to have a dad who encouraged me and my siblings to dream and commit to making our dreams come through. I had hoped to become a medical doctor, birth three boys (because I have three sisters and that seemed enough), meet Queen Elizabeth and be knighted, run a large hostel that supports marginalised groups, become a Global Ambassador for Peace and Goodwill, have flawless skin, gosh! It’s a lot! But let me tell you about one dream I had that ended up being truncated-becoming a medical doctor to save lives. I did get a very high score in JAMB examination to be admitted into the best University in Nigeria- the University of Ibadan, to study Medicine. My dreams were drumming up until I had to decode different and study Psychology. I suppose I thought if I couldn’t physically help the human body, I can help the human mind perform as it should.
Tell us about your experience working on Violence Against Women?
I have to say that life is a gift and precious and to violate or dominate another’s life is wrong. My interventions range from being a VAWG mentor to campaigns against GBV and most specifically, advocating against sexual harassment in workplaces. The work my team and I do has given us opportunities to be endorsed by NOA, provincial membership registration with ICPC, and registration at the Social Development FCT.
As an impact-driven organisation, we create platforms for conversations and inclusive solutions to tackle GBV as it’s a world problem that concerns us all. It can be hard listening to stories and very painful as well to think about the violence that causes long-term trauma. My empathy and compassion levels are always up to ensure I’m available help when needed. The worst is happening to marginalized members of the society and I am both hopeful and optimistic that solutions will continue to improve to end violence.
What are some achievements working on HEIR Women’s hub, helping raise girls and young women?
My team and I do cross-sectional work on leadership development, career support, advocacy against human rights violations, civic education, and employability skills. In all this, young women are facing tough discrimination. One of our recently concluded projects on the prevalence of sexual harassment at workplaces with support from the Ford Foundation is a project with evidential data that can be used to probe and end SH at workplaces. We also currently are supported by the Nigerian Youths Future Fund to implement leadership enhancement and civic knowledge for young women, critical as we drum up to the general elections this 2023. One of our thematic areas is to see more young women take on leadership opportunities and decisions making roles.
Let’s talk about your documentary titled, ‘The realities of Leadership for young Women’
I envisioned the script for this short project over three years ago. This documentary was birthed and implemented by me. I created this piece to shed light on the barriers to leading young women by highlighting what societal scripts we all have been sold and the glaringly obvious negative impacts some of society has caused in limiting the number of women who lead in positions of authority. The reality is being young and female, in a country that has less than normal representation for women in decision-making roles.
What are some of the memorable moments of hosting Live talks?
I support the use of one’s platform to add value and increase knowledge. Having conversations and engaging with topics that concern our society is always a privilege. I have been blessed to host incredible conversations around human rights interests in varying degrees and levels and they are all memorable. I learn more, I interact with the audience and I lightly interrogate mindsets and myths to get us all to re-think what we think we know. I also enjoy sharing books I read on a monthly basis to encourage a reading culture among young women.
You recently authored a book titled, ‘More than Just Pretty.’ What is the message?
I authored this book to share my stories and experiences in my growing-up years to add some value to readers and get their mind thinking about how to make better-informed decisions about their choices. It’s a book with the objective to break the deceit of normalised forms of beauty and re-focus readers on what should matter. I speak to salient topics like financial literacy, career capacity, spirituality, quest for knowledge through reading books, the discovery of self, giving back to society, leadership development, and more in between conversations. At the end of each chapter, the reader has an opportunity to pause and reflect on what has been discussed and most importantly be intentional about applying identified changes for themselves.
What lessons has life taught you?
I’m learning to be kind to myself and to see time as a very valuable resource for all things now and to come. Life is teaching me that you need to know thyself; no one else can validate you. I’m learning to be kind to anyone that crosses my path and kindness is in many different forms. Life taught me to keep on my grind and that focus also helps. Life taught me to see love and have forgiveness as a tool. I learnt that the ultimate connection is one with your maker. Life is teaching me that everyone needs 2 things – God and therapy.
Tell us about the things that drive and inspire you.
I’m inspired by the real, true stories and behind-the-scenes journeys of people walking or have walked the paths of greatness. I’m driven by the confidence and love my maker has in me to ensure I live out my fullness. When I take on new opportunities, go through trials, overcome challenges, and improve upon myself, I appreciate the work and effort it took to get to the finish line. As I keep evolving and learning, I’m being reminded that it’s all about the one who sent me to be his vessel. Now, that’s the ultimate inspiration for me.
What are some of the changes that you would like to see in Nigeria today?
I would like to see a country and people with renewed mindsets and myths that benefit us all. I want to see an end to marginalization, discrimination and violence, end exploitation of human beings, positions of leadership to be awarded based on merits, accountability and capacity. A Nigeria that can live beyond mediocre standards implied over her, can cause a rippling change to occur.
Did you have mentors at the beginning of your career? What has been their impact?
Oh absolutely! I had and still have mentors. My career mindset and behaviour have been shaped first by my parents- instilling discipline, focus and responsibility, and these have never left me. Mentors I’m called to continue to support me through stretching my capacity but I must also say that I request platforms where I can grow. The impact over time has been tremendous. I’m still stretching (laughing), and as there is no end to learning, we are here for the long haul.
