Category: Feminique

Abimbola Oki studied Estate Management and has a flair for entrepreneurship. In addition, she is passionate about empowering other women. In 2014, she worked on her skills in catering and started  D’Potters Catering Services which now caters to many top clients and celebrities. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde she takes you into her world.

THE inspiration came from the feedback  Abimbola Oki got from her social life was the starting point. “ It started as a hobby and I remember that a lot of the people I worked with loved my food a lot. So, I decided to start a business since I was not employed. I love hosting people in my house, especially during the festive seasons and my guests enjoyed my cooking so much that they gave me money. I was still job hunting at that point”.

Oki then got  the push from family and friends and she became convinced that it was the way to go: “ My husband and I had a discussion about starting a food business and that was how I started fully in 2014. My mum used to sell bread even though I wasn’t involved. My sister had a restaurant back then too and I helped to run it. I never thought of running a food business then, but I was able to learn one or two things from that experience”.

Happily, she goes on to talk about the high points as well as some of the memorable moments working in the sector. “We give value. I ensure that all our meals meet up to the standard that we have set for the brand, which is to give tasty and quality meals. We also have great customer service”.

Next, she takes you into her world and the things that make her brand unique. “I would say that it has been bitter and sweet. It also comes with so many challenges, but I must say that the experience has been worthwhile. God’s grace has brought us this far and everything is going just as I planned.”

She continued: “ A lot of people know how to cook but they don’t know about the business side, which is very critical. That influenced me to start  D’potters Catering School to educate women. Here, it’s a holistic curriculum and it is not just about learning how to cook but also learning about the business aspect, of building a successful brand. It has also been very fulfilling for me and I get a lot of messages from women that have transformed their lives and businesses”.

In the process, she has been able to prove to her mentees that being consistent and dedicated to their brand will pay off and they also can make it in any business they decide to venture into. “It has been an amazing journey so far. The first set of students graduated last month and some of them already started their businesses and they are doing very well”.

Her success story also revolves around touching lives. “ I always love to put smiles on people’s faces whether I know them or not. I have been through very hard times too. So, I understand their situation, this is my inspiration”.

Oki also talks about some of the lessons learned.”I have learned to be consistent with what I am doing, people are watching. We give a specified time for delivery and try to make sure we deliver on time. However, the unstable economy is also affecting us. This has led to an increase in the price of our food which unfortunately makes our customers complain sometimes”.

Next, the discussion goes on to identify  the things needed to move the sector to greater heights. “I am looking forward to an industry with great professionalism and regulated pricing. Here, we talking about an industry that will provide more tools to develop skills and expertise where I can compete with the best without feeling intimidated. In addition, getting customers to trust you and the brand is also very important because we usually do the payment before delivery. We have been able to build that trust. We also focus on getting a trusted delivery company to deliver food on time. There are many cases of food getting sour by the time clients get it. That should not happen. We have been able to get our personal bikes. For many getting  reliable staff can also be challenging.  On our part, we have been consistent with our principle which is to give customers value for their money”.

We treat our customers fairly and we don’t hesitate to apologize when things go wrong. We try to exceed their expectations, this makes them happy to refer us to their friends and families.”

Her experience working with organizations like BUA group,  Nigeria British Chamber of Commerce,  Rand Merchant bank, and STANBIC IBTC gave Oki the background experience which motivated Oki to put in her best at all times. “It has been a great experience. We have learned to be punctual, and professional in all we do and we have met great people in the process”.

Oki goes on to compare life as an entrepreneur to the things that she did in the past.“I only worked as a youth Corp member at L.S.D.P.C. I started this business afterward. I am looking at expanding the business to other states and even outside Nigeria, and maybe opening a restaurant. I train people both online and offline, I do consultations for some food vendors. I am always learning new things about my business from others. If I am not teaching, I am learning”.

Her advice for young people who want to go into the sector is: “Don’t start the business just because others are making money from it, make sure it’s something you love doing. My Dad is my greatest influence. He doesn’t take No for an answer. Government should provide basic amenities like good roads, electricity, water, good health care, good schools, etc. This will go a long way in helping every individual and business.

Oki added: “We also rent out our cooking studio to content creators, food bloggers, and food brands. Our outdoor cooking area is also available for rent to caterers who need a convenient cooking space for their large cooking. I have always dreamt of moving to a bigger space but I was scared of the unknown. We were given a quit notice at the former space because they did not want us to use the space for cooking again. We had no choice but to get a new space and we got exactly what we wanted. It was not easy getting space for cooking and took us a year to get to this new place. We did some renovations and it came out perfect”.

Hilda Effiong Bassey known as Hilda Baci is the founder of ‘My Food by Hilda”, actress, TV presenter, and talk show host. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, she talks about her homemade recipes, inspiration from her mother’s culinary techniques, the turning point in her life, and embarking on a cooking marathon.

YOU are embarking on a 4-day cooking Marathon to break the world’s longest cooking record. What inspired the idea?

I used to be obsessed with watching the Guinness Book of Records on TV and YouTube. At some point, I have been crazy about cooking. About 5 years ago, I said to my brother then that I had not seen anyone doing the longest cooking marathon. It was always the biggest pizza, the largest this and that. So, I imagined if someone cooked for a really long time and my brother said that it was a really good idea, people would enjoy it. I now inquired about it to know if a record like that was existing.

At the time, the current record holder just hit that record. I think that I kind of forgot it for a while. But, then somehow I didn’t stop thinking about it. It was on my mind, it was something that I really wanted to do. I told my friends and family members, and here we are.

So, what are you looking at?

The attempt is supposed to begin on the 28th and we would round up on the 1st.

 How did your mum influence your performance in the sector?

She was really good with people and customer service. I watched her build her business. I remember when she started, there were so many vendors in the space that she started with and as the years went by, she became the only one there in Area 10, Abuja. She did that and she trained us with that. So, I realized that there is money in the business but you just have to be serious about it.

It is a very competitive and tough sector. How do you cope?

I guess I have a passion for it. I enjoyed it. When you are doing what you love, it doesn’t feel like work. It is also supposed to fund my lifestyle. I have responsibilities and I mean every other thing that I have to do. This is basically like my handwork, so I have to take it seriously.

There are recipes everywhere. What makes yours different?

My tagline is made with love. It sounds very mundane but the truth is what I have at the back of my mind when I am making anything. I have some of these recipes which I learned from my mum and then I improved on them.

Talking about love, are your targets young people?

It’s for everybody.

During COVID-19, you supported the less privileged communities with about 3000 meals. What inspired you to do this?

Then, I noticed that there was a lack around my area. So, I used to take walks around Elegushi beach every Saturday morning. I saw that the guy there would help other people. It was their source of livelihood. But since COVID nothing was happening. So, every time I was passing, they would say mama please help us. They had kids as well as pregnant wives or girlfriends. I also noticed that those reaching out were going to the streets, and motherless homes, and nobody remembered them. So, I just decided to take it there. I did it every Saturday for the entire period of the lockdown. I used to take 150 meals there every Saturday. I always wore my face masks. It was rice, easy meals, Jollof, and fried rice. I alternated between both drinks and water. I had COVID at a point. It was towards the end of the lockdown and my body really fought it. I had a few malaria symptoms for one day. It didn’t really knock me down and I was still very active. I ate a lot of pepper soups that was it.

Let’s talk about life as a presenter and TV show host.

I can’t even remember the year but my friend sent me this post about Linda Ikeji TV, they were looking for a presenter. So, I just tried. I made an audition video and the video was really good at the time. Then I wanted to be an actress, be on the screen, and wanted everyone to know me. From there, I started auditioning for multiple presenting roles.

Was it easy or challenging doing this?

It wasn’t easy at all. I had to go to Lagos multiple times because Lagos is where it happens. I came to Lagos for just auditions. Sometimes, I got callbacks and would come back to Lagos. There was this particular station that had me come back like four times and eventually I didn’t get it. It was very upsetting.

What would you describe as the turning point for you?

I can’t say that I have one particular turning point. Different things! Moving to Lagos was definitely a turning point for me. If I didn’t come to Lagos, I wouldn’t be here. The challenges I faced pretty much got me to this point. I did a 9 to 5 and worked two jobs at a point. I was working as a cook. When I quit that job, I got the opportunity to have my own show on DSTV. It was called Dine on a Budget and it was on Pop Central TV channel. I basically used to host celebrities. I had a mixologist, just like dinner with friends. We got to discuss different topics while I was cooking. So, they would have an appetizer, main course, dessert, and cocktail. It was just like a really fun roundtable conversation while I was also trying to teach people how to cook. I was also entertaining them with their favorite celebrities. For me, doing that allowed me to combine all my interests, my ability to present, my ability to cook, and my desire to teach. And I like looking good, that way I married everything to one show.

Was there a particular fallout doing this?

It taught me to be more assertive. Getting the celebrities, I had to send them DMs. Some people would respond positively, some didn’t and till today, there are people that are just seeing my DM this year and this was like two years ago. I just knew that if you want something nobody is going to hand it over to you. You have to make an effort and get it yourself and achieve what you want.

At what point did you get into acting?

I think that in between all that, I was still going for acting auditions. I did a role, not necessarily a waka pass in this movie called side waves. It was directed by T. Sinachi. It featured Nancy Isime in 2018, then my very last acting role was playing a supporting lead in Dream Chaser. A movie by Multichoice talent factory. Acting is just a few years; I don’t take it seriously because my bottom line now is that I have to make money. If I am doing something that I love it has to serve me and pay my bills. Right now, acting is not doing that. I need to invest in my business.

How has the recent cash scarcity affected your business?

Oh yes, it has. We tried initially and it became a bit more difficult as time went on. There were days when we couldn’t buy petty things in the market because these women don’t take transfers. I remember calling my account officer to beg for twenty thousand nairas.

Do you have young people that you mentor?

I won’t say I mentor young people but I teach. It is not restricted to young people but anyone who is interested. I teach people how to cook. I share my recipes because I want recipes to propagate what I stand for. I want them to become authentic staple recipes. That is why I am very open to sharing them with as many people as possible. I notice that there is a lapse. The food industry, in terms of fast food and outdoor catering. We are not respected as we should be.

We should make as much money as we deserve to make based on the amount of work that we put in. I think that most times, we don’t understand the business side of it. So, you can have someone doing the same thing, sustainably but not profitably. So, you are doing the same thing but you are not able to scale up because you are not charging properly. You are not pricing properly. So, I just got to understand that a lot of people are struggling with that based on my interactions with customers, intending customers, and other food vendors as well. And because I like to share, I felt that this is something people need to learn and take their business more seriously. It can be very deceptive when you have an inflow, a lot of things coming in but then you are not exactly making money just because you have a lot of money coming in. So, you actually need to be very intentional about every single thing.

Could this be because there are so many people in the sector?

Not necessarily. I feel that if you have a niche for yourself like your service is good, you still have your client base. I would say people don’t have the desire to eat the same thing 365 days a year. As human beings, we are not static to be eating the same things. What you try to achieve is that you are top of mind. So, sometimes people are actually craving your food which is why you need to be original. So, I don’t think it is because the market is over-saturated.

Are your cooks male or female?

It’s a mix. I have about 8 cooks right now. 5 men and 3 women, both men and women are pulling their weight. Then the narrative was that cooking was only for women, when a man chooses to do it, it is done with precision. Now, more women are getting into it professionally.

What does the theme for the 2023 International Women’s Day?

I will like to relate this to the policies in the sector. You find that people don’t want to employ women as professional chefs. They think men would do it better. I think we need to be more intentional, this can actually be a craft that should be taken seriously. We need to have more people in culinary schools.

Kemi Oloidi is the author of Up and About – Memoir of an Expatriate Spouse, who tells her experiences traversing the world with her husband. Married to an expatriate, Oloidi who recently turned 60 in this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde shares her journey in over two decades of living across countries, with tips for younger women who are likely to find themselves in her shoes.

LET’S talk about your growing-up years and how they influenced who you are today.

I had my secondary school education at Saint Timothy College, Onike Yaba, that was after attending Federal Government School, which didn’t work for me, as I could not stay in a boarding school. After my secondary education, I worked with the Federal Audit Department for about three years. And then I decided to go back to school where I had my National Certificate in Education (NCE) in 1988 before I got married.

What  advice will you give to a young expatriate wife?

There are a couple of advice for a young expatriate wife; if you are in your 30s before you leave as an expatriate wife, I will say count your costs, and do your cost analysis. Find out if you will be able to get a job where you are going, if you are not sure you will get a job, discuss with your husband,  what the allowances will be.

In my own case, I just got promoted with an increment when we had to move.  I told him, ‘Oga, if I am going to leave my job, how do I live?  I can’t be asking for money for matches all the time. And he said, how much is your salary, I told him, and he said, I will pay you at the end of the month, and he was paying me my salary.

You need to be honest with your income, a woman without financial power is not good. And when I think I need an increment, I let him know and he plays his part. My sister told me that even if her husband decides to pay her all the money in the world, she cannot stay without working, hence you need contentment to thread my path. That is why I said, do your cost analysis and know if you can be a stay-at-home mum, because in some countries you are not allowed to work without proper documentation as it will require cost implications for the company.  You will also consider what kind of schools your children will be attending and what is the company’s contribution to it, including cars, and housing. Don’t let the euphoria of going abroad overshadow the reality.

In Nigeria, you have your support system, your friends, family, and all the rest. Abroad, you will be alone until you can settle and make friends, but the initial stage is usually hard. After you have passed that stage, you start thinking, about how you can improve yourself.

Share with us some experiences living outside the country.

Our first assignment was in Uzbekistan, it was a socialist country; it is a controlled economy. I heard that there used to be black students in the past, but to be honest, a lot of people would see me then and scream. So, it was difficult to make friends. One day, someone approached me and said she had a weird question to ask, she inquired if we wear clothes in my country, and I just told her no, that I came to their country naked and I got my first dress at the airport. She believed me and even pitied me. Then I offered to invite her for tea when she came, I brought out my photo album and didn’t tell her anything. As she flipped the pages, she saw me in my beautiful dresses, pictures of my family, and my wedding dress. She looked up and asked if this was me in my country and I said yes.

And she went, ‘Africa is beautiful.’ And guess what, she became my ambassador and told everybody she knew about me. Suddenly, everybody wanted to be my friend. They will wave at me. They will offer to give me tomatoes. Tomato is like fruit for them. That was how I became a superstar in the small city. So it would be best if you found a way to break whatever bias. I don’t think it will be that bad in this era, of technology.

How were you able to deal with culture shock and being in a different environment?

That killed me and sometimes I will break down. We spent three and half years in the first country we lived in, Uzbekistan. At some point, I wasn’t going out anymore, people wanted to see what I am buying, hear me talk and so I told my husband I didn’t want to go shopping anymore. He took over with the aid of our driver and housemaid at the time.

By the time we moved to Kenya, I thought, this was also an African country like ours, but then I realized that East Africa and West Africa are poles apart. I discovered that other than plantains and Ewedu, the Kenyans eat like Europeans. They have their maize and beans that they cook together, no oil, no pepper, nothing they just cook maize, beans and they enjoy it, they serve it at parties. We don’t dress alike either, but we were able to manage as a sizable Nigerian population in Kenya and we made it worth the while for each other.

What has been your highest point as you turn 60?

I remember when I turned 50, I tell you, I cried the whole time, because I just looked at myself. My children and my husband organized a dinner for me, and I sat at the table  and I just started crying. My husband and kids were shocked, and I looked at myself and said I haven’t achieved anything other than following their dad. I have nothing to my name. I think I just wasted my life and now I am 50.

And my daughter said mum, how can you say this? Look at us. Look at my brother. You have raised us. Are you not proud of us? Look at your husband, you have supported him; he is a success. How can you say you have not gained anything? How can you say you have wasted your life? Please don’t do this to yourself. You have achieved everything. My husband couldn’t say anything. He was shocked. Then later in the day he called me and said if you continue to think like this, then you won’t know how to be grateful.

 What is it that we don’t have? We are healthy above all. What do you want? Do you want to be the CEO of a company? And to be honest, I was carrying that idea before he voiced it out that day. I have been thinking, why am I jobless? I realize that as humans, we seem to focus on what we don’t have. So, for my 60th my husband said I must have a party, even though I am not a party person.

So how long did it take to put your thoughts into a book?

I started thinking about it in 2012 when my daughter told me I should consider putting my thoughts in a book. In 2017 I decided to sit down and write. Because at that time, we already knew when we were retiring. So, I just picked the countries one after the other and penned them down.

You have been married for over 30 years, in an age where marriages are failing, what has kept yours?

To be honest, the first thing is God, the Bible says the people that know their God will carry out great exploits. Then you try and find your own, know your limits. So first of all, you have to be confident in yourself to have a stable home. A lot of us allow our society to shape who we are. Be yourself. Don’t allow anybody to push you, and don’t listen to what people say. Please know what works best for you. People will tease my husband saying he doesn’t womanize or drink. He is a good man, he is listening, but he does drive me crazy because he is a very strict person. For me, I will say prayer is what made my marriage or what makes it still standing because we talked of divorce, I will not lie. There are times I said listen, I don’t think this is working for me, especially in the early stages – the first five years. I am still praying for my family.

A woman should have a life even after being married, what is your advice to young women in this regard?

Find your niche. We need fun in life. You have to find what makes you happy. I have friends whose husbands are nothing to write home about. So I always tell them in life, you have to be happy. Find something that makes you happy and do it, we can’t be serious all the time. Continue to pray if you’re still together. If you are a single mother, still pray, pray for your children, pray for yourself, pray for ex. I have seen people who are divorced for years and they still come together, the marriage is fantastic. If you are single and not married, you are looking to marry a good man, keep praying, I’m sure your time will come. I was the last person to be married among my folks of friends. Commit your ways unto the Lord and He will order your steps. Trust Him with all your hearts.

Ngozi Omambala is the CEO of NMO management Limited. She is passionate about empowering young creatives in fashion, music and modeling. In this encounter with Yetunde Oladeinde, she talked about working with a global audience, collaborating with stakeholders and how Burnaboy started on her platform.

TELL us about your journey discovering talents?

It’s been a journey of growth, appreciation and a team that is really united. And we have had to go through a lot. In the last two years, we have been experiencing the pandemic and we continued, migrated online. We navigated well and God blessed us, opened us up to a global audience. Last year, we were able to do the show in a physical building because of Lagos protocols.

For online we had an audience of 10,000 people watching us and we know it is going to be better this year. We have a critical stage to take up to capacity of a 1000 people and we are going to grow within the space. Our theme this year is really highlighting the circles in Lagos, the flooding, climate change and the environment.

So, the Naval Dockyard is apt. We have the Atlantic sea, the Lagoon and if you look, you would see the plastics everywhere. You can see the flooding everywhere and you can rate the industry through the arts. We are trying to influence our younger generation to take control, emancipation and empowering them. So, that is the essence of our platform. We have grown now and see that we are stronger culturally and morally in Nigeria and pan African.

How would you describe the choice of your two ambassadors this year?

We wanted to show that fashion is opened to anybody. It doesn’t matter your color, your creed, whether you are dark skinned, albino, they are beautiful. Absolutely stunning. Actually one of our most stunning to date. Every single one has had its uniqueness but we love this. It tells a lot about who fashion is for. Fashion is for everybody and there is no discrimination and we are so proud of this image that we are going to see across Lagos.

Catching them young is also exciting. What have been the reactions?

At first people thought I was crazy and unusual. Someone even said I was putting children on stage. We have a bigger programme and we are looking at the future. We also know that our youths today are the leaders of tomorrow. So, we are preparing a new perspective, getting our youths to come up, be strong and empowered. So, we knew our direction and that is what you are seeing now. Our children of yesterday are coming strong and influencing the globe. It’s been very exciting and we are very proud.

Burnaboy is one of the artists who passed through your platform. What are your memories?

He performed with us about 9 years ago. I am good friends with his mother who is his manager. She has also been through our journey as well. She is reaping the rewards now. They have been travelling around, constantly on tours. Burnaboy took our music platform alongside MI and Nneka. We did it then in Surulere. If you go online, you would see some pictures of him doing our Loud and Proud. He’s really blessed, looks a lot younger but he is one of the fine artists and we are so proud of what he has done, what he has achieved. To be very honest, what we have done is to support them, but at the end of the day, it’s been him and his mother and their team work that has worked for them. They persevered and I know some of the trials they have gone through.

Let’s talk about the vision?

We’ve got memoirs to write, it’s been a great journey.

It’s been challenging but amazing. Also, we’ve come through COVID and now we are open to the public again. It’s more interesting doing things online because we have a totally different audience now. We have an international global audience due to COVID. So, my positive things did come with COVID and last year we had people watching us from America, India, China and UK. I had friends; school friends who were watching us live.

It’s been a real positive and thankful journey. We go back in years, like 20 years. I did a platform like this way back in Jamaica with Ade Bakare and we were ahead of our time. What we are doing now, we did 20 years ago. Now, we would probably go back to different countries in the continent and beyond. We want to really spread the cultural influence as much as possible, tap into our music industry to what is happening across the world in the cultural space. We have also formed links with other organizations like the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).Also, looking at the arts and education which is the way to go. History, art, music and entertainment go hand in hand and it is important to look to look after our planet and we are seeing the effect on the planet on planet change. This is something that we really have to recognise and work towards achieving. We have a number of people willing to collaborate with us on this. Africa has become slowly the dumping ground for what we are seeing and we need to stop that. We have to do all we can to overcome this, educate ourselves and others.

Would you say you have made the same impact with music talents?

We started about years ago to empower young creatives. Now, we have incorporated the GBT auditions into the Pan African Music runway by having a mono search, which we do every year and take two aspiring models and showcase them to the world. This also applies to music and one of the artists performing today is a product of that platform. It is so good to see them coming through and being successful in the contemporary market.

Dear Barrister Temilolu,

I read that you are a Gender Advocate, and mother of a million girls…. that’s alright, but on being a mother of a million girls, I have something to say.

Please the boys need a mother too. Trust me, the boy child may look strong, but he is a slower developer  and much more mentally challenged when compared to his sister in almost every home. The boy child needs help and the  support of mothers, not only theirs. We need responsible husbands for your million daughters, and responsible fathers to their children. Please help the boys too.

Alexander Onuoha

Dear Madam Temilolu Okeowo,  

I decided to follow TEMILOLU OKEOWO on facebook after reading her post on virginity online and I found out TEMILOLU OKEOWO philosophy agrees with mine. This is the big problem I’m facing in my marriage today. I married last year at 36 years old as a virgin but my wife was not a virgin but has engaged in s3x countless times with different guys. I never dreamt of marrying someone of her type but because I was frustrated and could hardly find a virgin to marry coupled with the fact that I was running out of time, I just closed my eyes to marry her after about 8 months we met in church.

What you wrote in your article on Virginity published by Punch Newspaper on Facebook is very true and correct and I find it quite consoling to discover there are people who still stand for truth and sanctity in this corrupt and perverse world. I am exactly 18months  in marriage. Time has never been able to heal up my wounds in this marriage especially when I am still uncovering and realizing more and more of my wife’s past s3xual exploits on daily basis and how she deceived me all through! I am just holding my self from having explicit contempt for her. I am already developing blood pressure from pains going through my heart on daily basis when uncontrollable thinking flows into my heart on how guys must have recklessly threshed out the juice out of my wife thereby depriving me from experiencing my God-appointed pleasure which is my only entitlement, right and privilege for life.

My pain has also been heightened because my wife still doesn’t acknowledge her mistake and is always justifying her premarital s3xual activities and sees nothing wrong with not marrying as a virgin thereby making me the fool. I have come to realize that we don’t share the same mind on godliness and fear of God. Right now I feel cheated. She deceived me by speaking light of her past. She said she slept with a guy once, only for me to later discover she got  pregnant and had to do an abortion only for me to stumble on an old chat on her phone and discover she had serial unprotected s3x with a guy who came on vacation from the U.S. She deceived me that she was a saint but I have come to realize she’s a child of the devil who never sees anything wrong with fornication and said she never made any mistake and owes me no apology.

In my single days, I was born again and I was determined to preserve myself for my future wife to win her love, trust and respect and also to prove my general love and commitment to righteousness. I also considered it unfair and injustice to s3xually exploit a lady I’m not married to because someone will marry her at the end. I was this thoughtful! I preached against s3xual immorality from my teens until i got married. I never knew how i ended up with her. I have rejected several ladies with her type of history. I did my best but today it’s unfortunate that I didn’t receive inturn the kindness I deserve. I have generally become discouraged to ever believe or commit to whatever is right or moral again. I am a Christian and a Bible believer, I don’t believe in divorce. This would have been the best and quickest means of recovering my joy, happiness and sanity in this marriage.

The reason for this message to you, like I earlier stated is to let you know that you are doing a great work. Don’t allow anyone discourage or stop you because the world no longer value truth but today hold truth in disdain. Your advocacy and programs are real and true and you are relieving many people from their depressed and confused state by speaking the truth, please continue. I would also like you to reach out to me with counseling and encouragement or with programs you believe could be of help to me.  Thank you.

Obiora

Dear Mr. Obiora,

I still empathize with you after discussing with you at length and also pointing out where you got it wrong which i believe could also be a way the devil employed to get back at you for living a life of holiness! However, I believe there’s nothing God can’t do to change the present situation of your marriage and if Rahab the prostitute could be listed in the genealogy of Jesus Christ our Lord and savior, that woman could still become an angel and your jewel! We’ll keep discussing and praying! God bless you sir!

FINAL WORD

Chastity does not belong to the past. It saves you a lot of trouble, preserves your beautiful destiny and stands you out from the crowd. You are better off not engaging in pre-marital and extra-marital s3x. Stay chaste!

Evangelist Temilolu O. Okeowo is the founder and Head girl of The Girls Apostolic Ministry of All Nations, an apostolic ministry for girls in their teens and twenties, and Girls Club of Nigeria, an NGO for Nigerian girls aimed at influencing a positive change. She published her debut-book for girls – THE BEAUTY OF LIFE – as an undergraduate and has other books and publications. She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2003 and is a Certified Forensics Examiner.

Louisa Eikhomun Agbonkhese is domestic violence survivor, she has helping and empowering other survivors. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde she talked about building a shelter for victims, capturing her experience in a book, going into politics in Edo state and more.

HOW do you feel about publishing your book recently?

I feel very fulfilled today that I am able to successfully launch my book to create awareness on Domestic Violence and Laws of Protection.  I feel very happy that the government responded.  Even her Excellency, Mrs Ibijoke Sanwoolu sent a representative.  That shows where her heart is, that you cannot be too busy on Domestic Violence issues.  So, I appreciate her and the Governor, His Excellency Babajide Sanwoolu for all the efforts they have been able to make Lagos very progressive and safe for women and girls. The book is out in designated bookshops and amazon.com for those outside the country.

What inspired you to put the book together?

I survived Domestic violence and I kept quiet for a long time.  However report of women getting killed, suffering the same thing triggered me. I felt guilty for more than ten years and couldn’t do anything.  So, I said let me begin to document my experience.  I survived it, thrived and was able to overcome the trauma. Though you cannot really get over the trauma in your lifetime.  But could heal, integrate back into the society and begin to contribute to meaningful development as a woman. Putting the book together was just the first phase, but getting it out to the public was very challenging because I couldn’t afford the printing. So, when I had the opportunity of going to Europe as a Shelter City Guest, I took the manuscript along. Lo and behold, the idea was bought by Halim Foundation who made it possible for me to have it as a hard copy for everybody to have access.

What is the Shelter City Project all about?

It’s a human rights defenders Project for Violence,  Justice and Peace Netherlands,  where they ask Human Rights defenders who are under threats or tired to engage with them, have 90 days of rest in the Netherlands and of course to gain new experiences.  It is actually for rest and safety.  I was at the Netherlands for 90 days but I couldn’t rest. Till date, they said that my records there was like I came to work. How do you rest when you are having challenges.  So, I took every opportunity they gave me to learn, share my experience to impact on the students because I was actually giving talks to Masters students in some of the universities in Netherlands.  I made sure that I shared my story, told them what was happening, the challenges of tradition, patriarchy and all that. I came back with my book which was the greatest achievement from Shelter City Project.

Tell us about your initiative for Women?

Echoes of Women in Africa (ECOWA) was founded in 2011 out of my experience of Domestic Violence.  It was not a priority issue at first because after I experienced domestic violence I worked with Project Alert, the organisation that came to my rescue.  I also worked with Ikeja Weekly and was writing about Women’s issues. Then I got an invitation to the African Union (AU) by the gender directorate on the issues of women. I now found out that     I was still doing things around Women again.  I later got another invitation from Armani Africa by the African Union to participate in a few simulated operations and was on the gender component.  That was how all the pieces began to fall together.  I realised that I still had a lot to do in this area, women in conflict, women in domestic violence, women suffering one form of abuse or the other. When I returned from the Armani Africa Project by the AU in 2010, I got like minds together and came up with the idea of Echoes of Women in Africa. Today we are marking 11 years. We are not there as we as we expect but we are not out of the picture either. I am doing a shelter Project in Edo state, to God be the glory we are at the roof top level. We are using this opportunity to reflect on this so that it can be functional.  There are lots of shelters in Edo State, Shelters for the battered woman. And the issue of the battered woman is very sensitive, that you have to keep empowering other women. Domestic violence is an experience that you get blamed for, the culture blames you, society blames you and family blames you.

How do you come out of that blame. That is why a lot of people keep quiet, they don’t break the silence.

It is an experience that makes the victim a villain, stigmatized and then keep quiet and continue in silence.  So, Echoes of Women in Africa was established to ensure that women break the silence and we provide practical solutions, not just lip service. So, responding to the issues of domestic violence, the first thing for a woman is Shelter, where would she go to, a woman under threat. She has to remain there, if there is nowhere to go to temporarily.  That is why we need to have Shelters for battered women all over the Nation. 

Tell us one or two cases you have handled that inspires you?

We started the encouragers circle and we got people to come and talk to the survivors.  There was a particular lady who wanted to go into a second marriage, by the time she attended twice, she was able to realise that she had some self worth and would have made another mistake if she went into the second marriage. She had to call off that relationship and that was a success story because it would have been the same thing. She would have made another mistake and ended up in another violent relationship. All the indicators were there. So, women need to understand the indicators of abuse. Many don’t know the indicators, they think it is normal.  It is not normal to be under abuse and accept. You need to remove the blindfold and seek for help.

What lessons have you learnt working in this sector?

The first thing is that you have to be a voice, you cannot remain silent in the face of tyranny and discrimination.  It has already caused me friction from culture.  I am someone who have being singled out in my village for things I write about women.  Culture don’t want you to tell women they have rights. But, I persisted and I am known for that work now. At my book launch in Benin city, my traditional ruler came. So, when persistent in what you are doing, you will be respected.  Let people know that you are there.  It is not just lip service, not just what I use to earn a living. It should be a passion and women would believe in you and come to you to resolve issues.

Let’s talk about your experience in politics?

Initially, I started an ethnic Women’s movement in Esan known as the Eshan Women’s movement.  In 2012, I went to my community told the Women they have rights and can run for political office. The Women said no, that they had never seen a woman run for office. I decided to push them into positions like counsellors and others but met a brick wall. They had never seen it and were afraid that they might be going against their leaders. So, I said I would make myself an example and demystify the political process for them to understand that it is not for men alone. You don’t learn politics in the womb, you engage in it, get better and begin to seek counsel. I ran for the House of Assembly and was under pressure.  I was told that I would be stripped naked and put to shame if I get to the primaries. Then I sought counsel from older female politicians who told me not to give up. I persisted, went to the field and everyone blacklisted me. So, with shaky hands and fear, I went to the field and got one vote. Though I have not gone back to elective position, I have had different appointments.  My core passion is human rights, ensuring that the women are safe.

Tell us about your mentors?

The former Minister, Iyom Josephine Anenih is a woman I admire.  She believes in other women, doesn’t look down on other women. I met her in the course of running for office, though we are not in the same party. We connected and till date, I still call her. Another woman I admire is Rt. Hon. Ative, the only female Speaker in the whole of South south.  She was one of my mentors during my campaign in 2014. She told me, ‘ Don’t step down ‘. We need more women who are there to mentor others. Be available, let women come to you and share your experiences with them. That is what we need. It is not about giving money but sharing experiences and encouraging others. Mee Mofe Damijo, may her Soul rest in peace was my boss. She found me in Abuja and co- opted me as producer for the MEE and You show. I also did my Youth Service in a radio station but never been on TV as co- producer. Her death was very devastating for me.

DEAR Evangelist Temilolu, You are an amazing woman God has sent to this generation of youth! May God bless you indeed for your consistent messages that touch even a man like me! You are wonderful! Please keep up the good work!

Olatunji Liasu

 

Dear Ma,

I came across your article and couldn’t help sending you a message after all visiting your Facebook timeline! You’re amazing ma! How you preach s3xual purity doggedly moves me! This is the path I’ve been called to and seeing your passion greatly and deeply inspires me! Thanks for all you do ma!

Victory Umoru

 

Dear Mummy Temilolu,

I bless the day I saw your facebook account under “people you may know.”Hmmmmmm…I would have lost my virginity that very day but God used you as my Guardian Angel! I love you and will always follow your words of advice! Please don’t stop writing on chastity. God bless you ma!

Michelle Lawrence

 

Kingdom greetings Apostle,

May God Almighty bless you real good! I thank God we still have women who stand for the truth, who still proclaim that virginity is virtue and s3xual purity is a must in a life of a believer! Glory be to God! I am learning a lot from your articles!

Tlotlisang Mapitse (Lesotho, South Africa)

My darling, precious, glorious, dignified, world-famous and heavenly celebrated Nigerian sisters,

On a more serious note, even if God forgives you after engaging in premarital s3x over and over again, what about the evil baggage you load into your life through transference of spirits through s3xual intercourse? Or you didn’t know that s3xual intercourse is spiritual intercourse, spiritual exchange? Good and evil are transferred into one’s life and the evil comes with a legion of demons and raging spirits!

Do you think it’s easy to get rid of them? Oh! What a pity! May you not spend 20 years grounded on one spot! Too many men and women are finished before their middle age and roaming aimlessly in cyclic problems because they slept with the wrong person(s)! Have you ever wondered why some girls/ladies would do crazy things with their boyfriends even when they know it could spell doom for them? Just like the case of the Akwa-Ibom girl whose boyfriend recorded their s3x session and it later went viral! It would be on the internet forever, even her children would see it! Imagine what she showcased to the world because of a guy whose destiny or destination she knows nothing about! Can they still be together now? NO! Can she be happy right now? NO! Can she ever be confident to come out and run for a public office? NO! Are her parents proud of her now? I very much doubt!

Once your s3x partner’s spirit mingles with yours through s3xual intercourse- it’s another ball game entirely! If he’s spiritually-stronger than you and unfortunately for you occultic, he could turn you to his s3x slave and empty you of what God has deposited in you to settle you for life! I’m talking about your shinning, glory, stars, spiritual energy to effortlessly do what so many people cannot achieve! Be careful! Be patient! Stop messing around with your life in the name of love!!!

May the mighty power of God uproot greed from your souls because a lot of you engage in premarital s3x in exchange for favours! Do you know that’s prostitution? You invite unnecessary trouble into your life and start crying that a force is always trying to suffocate you when sleeping; some spirit is always having s3x with you in the dream and so much more! Yet you keep defiling God’s temple! You can’t be serious!

Nevertheless the foundation of god standout sure, having this seal; the lord knoweth them that are his. And, let everyone that Namath the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 2 Timothy 2:19

Depart…depart…depart…from s3xual immorality and every act of unholiness! May your enemy, the devil know the bitter shame of defeat over your lives and may his everlasting shame know no end in Jesus mighty name!

May God strengthen every virgin to remain so till her wedding night and may God give every delayed destiny fire to fly in Jesus mighty name!

 

I invite you to follow me on Facebook –Temilolu Okeowo Instagram@ Okeowotemilolu.

 

FINAL WORD

Chastity does not belong to the past. It saves you a lot of trouble, preserves your beautiful destiny and stands you out from the crowd. You are better off not engaging in pre-marital and extra-marital s3x. Stay chaste!

Evangelist Temilolu O. Okeowo is the founder and Head girl of The Girls Apostolic Ministry of All Nations, an apostolic ministry for girls in their teens and twenties, and Girls Club of Nigeria, an NGO for Nigerian girls aimed at influencing a positive change. She published her debut-book for girls – THE BEAUTY OF LIFE – as an undergraduate and has other books and publications. She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2003 and is a Certified Forensics Examiner.

DEAR Aunty Temilolu, I’ve just read your post on virginity and I want to say thank you. Though it looks like we lack pleasures, not current, not trending, stupid etc, I am certain, just as you are that the latter shall be glorious! Thank you for your invaluable preachings on sexual purity!

Pat

 

Dear Aunty Temilolu,

I just want you to know I agree with your priceless teachings and I am a witness to the rewards of living a chaste life! I waited till 34 to get married and my fiancé and i never compromised. I clearly understood where I was coming from, I wanted to change some patterns and I never wanted to walk anyone’s path. I have tasted suffering, rejection, loneliness in life because of my refusal to engage in sex before marriage! I have been offered to be laid on several occasions just to get a job even with a 1st Class and a Master’s degree but I would always say to myself, “it’s too late to compromise…” The long and short of it is that I never regretted my decision and God rewarded me! Please keep up the good work. May God continue to increase in you in Jesus mighty name!

Anita Ogbonna

 

Dear Aunty Temilolu,

I am a 25-year-old graduate.I graduated from the University 2 years ago. I met a guy after my service year around April last year. As I write this right now I  still feel so ashamed of my self. I can’t stop regretting everything that happened between this guy and I. After five months of our relationship, he asked for sex. I didn’t want to accept at first. Then he began disturbing me and giving me the cold shoulder! I was so blind I never knew that was a red flag. After so much persuasion, I finally accepted we should have sex. After the sexual intercourse, he stopped picking my calls, he blocked my number on this phone and blocked me on all his social media handles. Truly, guys change drastically after sex. I feel so ashamed right now especially when I learnt from someone that he is makes jest of me when having a conversation with his friends. I learnt my lesson in a very hard way. One of my friends counseled that a man that truly loves you will wait till your  wedding night,not asking for sex in a relationship. A few months ago, I started following your articles. Though i am not a virgin, i feel so ashamed of myself. Because I allowed myself to be deceived by an ordinary man, a mere mortal! Truly, chastity is the best and the word of God is the truth! Now i understand why the scripture says we should flee from all forms of fleshly lust. I cry a lot especially at night because the pain is still deep in my heart. In fact, I’m crying as i write and I pray God forgives me and sends the right man destined for me. Right now

I will wait patiently till my wedding night. Please let other girls see this and learn from my experience. Also, please remember me in your prayers. Thanks ma.

Girls…girls…girls,

Hmmm…I’ve responded appropriately to the above lady and I’m sure she would be fine!!! But what do you expect from a guy who has no serious lifetime commitment/contract with you (like marriage) to do when he’s surrounded by too many girls/ladies who are in fact chasing him to get laid by him? I’m so sorry about what happened to the lady above but quite frankly what do you expect when you choose the devil over God? Of course, you get nothing but shame, reproach and agony!!! I keep saying because your pastors don’t emphasize on ungodly sex doesn’t mean it’s okay for you to engage in it! Some of you are unfortunately so bland and blind in spirit such that you place your entire existence on guys and go about like life wouldn’t be worth living if you don’t have one boyfriend you’re sleeping with! What in the world has come over you??? Some of you feel if a guy promises to marry you like most of them do- you might as well let him have carnal knowledge of of you! May you not sleep with 50 men before age 22 and end up with none of them in marriage! YES!!! I know what I’m talking about! Can you please have some shame? It’s absolutely wrong for a guy who’s not your husband to see your nakedness! Some ladies have even forgotten the number of guys they’ve slept with all in the name of having a relationship! May your destiny not be scattered to pieces!!!

• To Be Continued

 

I invite you to follow me on Facebook –TEMILOLU OKEOWO Instagram @ Okeowotemilolu

FINAL WORD

Chastity does not belong to the past. It saves you a lot of trouble, preserves your beautiful destiny and stands you out from the crowd. You are better off not engaging in pre-marital and extra-marital sex. Stay chaste!

Evangelist Temilolu O. Okeowo is the founder and Head girl of The Girls Apostolic Ministry of All Nations, an apostolic ministry for girls in their teens and twenties, and Girls Club of Nigeria, an NGO for Nigerian girls aimed at influencing a positive change. She published her debut-book for girls – THE BEAUTY OF LIFE – as an undergraduate and has other books and publications. She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2003 and is a Certified Forensics Examiner.

Queensly Omogbai is a qualified UX/UI Designer who is currently working at one of Nigeria’s leading FinTech Companies, Jostpay Limited. She started off as a journalist before delving into the digital world.
In this interview with Olaitan Ganiu, Queensly talks about why she left the newsroom for web technologies, her turning point as well as her strong passion for the girl-child.

WHAT inspires the things you do?

The inspiration started from secondary school when I was the Vice President of the Press Club. Then, when l was in the university, I was a production assistant for a program called, Campus life. This was a turning point in my career. It was a groundbreaking experience. I did my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the Public Relations Unit of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA). At the same time, l was a presenter in Eko FM. After the completion of my service year, I was employed as a Communication Officer at a Law Firm, Astrea Partners.  I am currently working at a fintech company, JostPay as a Senior User Experience (UX) designer.

You studied Mass Communication, what inspired you to go into UX design?

Communication is a universal language which facilitates services to every establishment. The idea of information sharing will enable me to explain my work clearly and convincingly. One of the things that inspired me was the fact that UX design is concerned and deals with users, which allows me to make use of my experience and qualifications in communication. Also, I understand how crucial, communication of ideas and thought processes is key for any organization or with the end-users.

How has Mass Communication helped you as a UX designer?

To make a product successful, its requires effective communication with end-users. Each product through its interface design needs to tell users what it can do for them, how they can use it and why they should really care about using that product.  UX design is basically creating user-friendly intangible products. This can only be done effectively by gathering adequate and effective information about the user which is a similar rule in journalism ‘knowing your audience’. This and so much more of my skill acquired in the field of mass communication has proven effective in UX design

How would you compare both sectors?

In comparison, I do believe that they are two different sectors. However, digital technology has a

solid background in communications. So many founding rules adopted by the tech industry are embedded in communications. While mass communication will not be effective without digital technology. I will say they are different but strongly interwoven.

What was the turning point in your career?

The turning point for me was when I had to a cover story that got me injured during my internship in a media house. Then I started having doubts about the risk for journalists in Nigeria. I started doing research on a modern career that could be rewarding. There is no better time to become a UX designer, here you find global demand, countless job opportunities and low barriers to entry.

How were you able to secure a job as a qualified UX designer?

Wow! Far easier than I expected, there is no need for a degree, in any field in tech, as long as you can prove that you are good at what you do. Nobody is disturbing or asking for long years of experience. This  makes it a sector that you can grow in. The demand for UX designers is steadily increasing. LinkedIn even ranked UX design as one of the Top 5 in-demand skills as of 2020.

What dreams did you have while growing up?

I have always wanted to be a restaurateur and a media practitioner as far as secondary school. I actually wanted to be like Amanpour after seeing her covering one of the ‘Jos Crisis’ then . I also love experimenting with food and trying new recipes. I am the only female in my family. So, I always want to feed everyone in the family.

So far, tell us about some of your achievements?

This include consulting with clients to understand their goals, explaining user research results to internal and external stakeholders, developing personas and usage scenarios, conducting usability testing, creating product prototypes. We have also been teaching young adults about personal development and counselling them on challenging life issues as well as educating young pupil of prospective careers in tech.

What are some of the challenges encountered?

Some of the challenges is that most people do not have a good understanding of the Technology Industry, which in turn discourages people from venturing into it. Another challenge is poor electricity supply and internet accessibility, which is a constant struggle compared to our counterparts abroad. You will be able to solve most of the challenges, but some will really stress you.

So, what has been your greatest motivation throughout your journey?

The need to always want to create some apps that make people’s life much better. The smile that comes when you have given people satisfaction from your little innovation has been a great motivation. As UX designers’ problem-solving skills become even more valuable when they need to find a way to not only help the average user but also identify and solve the usability difficulties that come with other demographics.

With the recently Female Bills rejected by the government, do you think Nigerian women are given enough opportunities to grow?

Today, gender bias continues to create huge barriers for many women in Nigeria. Ongoing struggles include ensuring equal economic opportunities, educational equity, and an end to gender-based violence in Nigeria. I do believe the chances for women are better than what it was before, but we still have a long way to go.

What advice do you have for the girl-child who wants to go into the sector?

My advice is that if a girl-child wants to go into the Tech sector, it is important to sensitize parents and wards. Sometimes after mentoring, I have teenage girls come to me, to counsel them on how to speak to their parents on choosing a career in tech. Most female children are not encouraged or given the necessary support in such decisions. Also they can join clubs or groups (physically or online) that can foster their ambition.

What lessons has life taught you?

Life lesson which I always preach is to have principles, no matter the situation or circumstance you find yourself you will be able to overcome it.  ‘It’s never too late to be what you might’ve been.’ – George Eliot.

What are some of the things that you would like to do in future?

I will like to establish a brand that mentors and give opportunities for a career in tech, a facility that helps shape young minds, especially in Africa. Also have innovative product designs that will help make human life much better.

All over the world, there is a major problem of leadership, there are several misconceptions and many in the corridors of power are overwhelmed with challenges.
Kemi Ogunkoya is the founder and CEO of LeaderX. A leadership strategist who has been in sector for about three decades; she worked with many phenomenal leaders as a trainer, advisor and consultant. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde she opens up on her experiences, challenges, need to fill the gaps and how the idea to create an app called LeaderX started.

WHAT is unique about the Leadership you unveiled?

With LeaderX people don’t have to break the bank anymore to access Leadership. Short term development interventions may cost between 10,000 to 15,000 dollars or even more. If you spend 10 minutes every day in a year, you would have spent over 60 hours developing your Leadership skills. As against, planning to go for a four hour programme that never happened. Access is easy because it is in the pocket, very close to you on your mobile device. It is also good for Organisations; they have a pathway on the app. We call it the enterprise plan and Organisations are able to enroll their people on the App, such that they can develop their leadership skills. I believe that there is a pathway for Leadership development. For people to become better leaders at work, to develop personal leadership because it begins with self. Until, they begin to develop personal Leadership, they would struggle to develop business leadership. They cannot go to work and become magicians and can’t give what they do not have. So, it definitely it begins with self. LeaderX is that solution, that intervention that makes Leadership development more sustainable.  It is the first of its kind in Nigeria and Africa. I would also say that this was proudly done by Nigerians, the entire app is 100 per cent Nigerian and I am so proud of what we have been able to accomplish.

What were the challenges encountered in the process of putting this together?

Top on the challenge was finding people within. We definitely are experiencing a huge talent drain. So, finding people who had the right skills, the right competence, right mind set was a challenge.  But, we were able to overcome this. A number of people has asked, is it Indians that developed it, but it is proudly Nigerian.

What motivated the idea?

As a Leadership development strategist, I get to move around a lot. Sometimes, I am in Lagos, Kano, Abuja and then the demands keep piling and I realised that there is a need and this need is bigger than just me. There is no way that I can be in a thousand and one places at the same time. But, if you are able to reach more people, be able to deal with the Leadership gap and remove the barrier to accessing Leadership development and create more opportunities.

Would this replace Mentoring?

I don’t think anything would replace the place of mentorship. But, we score this as a personal trainer that helps you get focus, achieve your dreams and also help you get better.

How do you feel unveiling this?

Oh my goodness! I am so honored and delighted doing this. It’s been a long journey getting into the tech space. It has been an Honour and I am grateful that we are doing this.  I am grateful that we are going beyond barriers’, going beyond stereotypes and we are able to do this. I am also proud that enough of importing everything from outside Nigeria and Africa. Now, we also get to export a resource from Nigeria to the rest of the world.

The night has been very long, the day also has been very long but it has been a very worthwhile course. Right from the very first moment that the idea was dropped in my spirit and through all the various transitions, the twists and turns as well as the victories and road blocks.

For over a decade, I have worked with phenomenal leaders in various walks of life, industry, countries and continent as a trainer, advisor and consultant. I have different proffered solution to their leadership development need. I have seen firsthand some of their pains, joys, victories, transformations, frustrations, desires and it pretty much cut across different areas of life. Whether they are trying to live a more fulfilling life, becoming better versions of themselves, leading and growing their organizations or looking for ways to accelerate their competence. Taking their leadership to the next level or maybe they are young leaders trying to find their path.

There are definitely numerous stories to tell, stories that can never be fully exhausted. These stories live with me; they inspire me to keep pushing on the agenda of demystifying and democratizing leadership.

As we look around us, there is obviously a leadership gap and one thing is obviously, leadership development can no longer be treated as a one night stand.

It’s coming shortly after COVID, when everyone went to the Digital space. Can we say that COVID inspired the idea?

Well, when we look at the changes that happened in the course of COVID, they were changes that would still come. But COVID was like a seed that made it ripen, thinking of how we have been able to adapt to the Digital world. It has influenced, but beyond that is a need to demystify and democratise Leadership.

What advice do you have for Women who like to avoid the tech space?

There is nothing that you put your mind to that you cannot surmount. Value for me comes first. So, we have to look at it based on the value we have and that should be the focus.

Where do you see LeaderX in the next few months?

I see LeaderX as the resource that is being absorbed all over the world as the go to Leadership resource. I know for sure that when people become better at who they are, they also become better at what they do. Research also states that globally about 90 per cent of people believe that developing their leadership skills would help them live more fulfilling and successful lives personally and professionally.

On the business scene, about 83 per cent of businesses say that it is important to develop leaders at every level. More than 77 per cent of organizations report that leadership is lacking and less than five per cent of companies need leadership development at all levels. We definitely see the gaps, we see the effect of the shortfalls, the cracks are beginning to show and they are widening. We cannot afford to continue to see the effect of this lacuna.

Today’s world demand a world for leadership to be a 24/7 activity. Therefore the traditional approaches alone do not seem to provide the adequate level of intervention needed. We started by understanding why this gaps exist, and its widening despite the awareness of leadership development. We went digging, conducted lots of interviews, did questionnaires, collated, analysed and reviewed. In the end, we identified 3 major constraints as time, finance and access.

How would you assess women’s leadership and the small representatives on boards?

I think sometimes, the reason why we have been able to see some form of representation has been because of the numbers and percentages dedicated to women. But I think the conversation has to go beyond that. For me, I say enough of the gender card. We need to play the value card. We should ask whoever has value to bring it to the table. I remember when we started; a particular client looked at me and asked, do women think leadership. And, I genuinely saw his thoughts and it was until value was being displayed that he said wow. So, I think we have to step away from that gender card; we have played that for way too long. Even as women, we have internalized it for way too long and even when the opportunities come, we feel that do, we deserve it. We need to develop that level of self awareness and come from that place where we genuinely see and receive people in the place of value irrespective of diversity, be it gender, nationality or age.

Tell us about the feedback from the research done?

We carried out a survey last year and we asked over 2000 professionals how much time they spend currently developing their leadership skills. Over 67 per cent fell between 0- 3 hours weekly. Yet, they desire to invest more of their human capital in developing their leadership skills. Then we have access. Finding more class leadership interventions can be nerve racking and finding interventions that provide sustainable access is almost no-existent. Let’s not forget the changes in the demography of the work space today. We saw these huge challenges; we understood the peculiarities and the implications of letting the statuesque remain. We had to do something and that quest to find solutions and consistently help leaders develop speed, agile effective and sustainable leadership to fulfill their dreams and achieve their goals berth LeaderX. It is an innovative 360 degrees, end to end on the go leadership development intervention