The Executive Director of Gmyt Fashion Academy, Princess Kelechin Oghene, who doubled up as Founder of Gmyt Foundation and the CEO of Gmyt African Humanitarian Awards is undoubtedly one of the success stories of entrepreneurship in Nigeria after starting small, grown and now helping many women to eradicate poverty by training  and empowerment. The entrepreneur speaks with CHINYERE OKOROAFOR on her vision, experience and humanitarian efforts of her organisation.

Few years Gmyt Fashion Academy kicked off you started Gmyt Foudation, what lead to it?

I have always had the passion to create millions of entrepreneurs who will become great ambassadors and tomorrow’s leaders.

Like I have always preached and done over the years and so you will agree with me from the ongoing pandemic that we need it now more than ever.

What are the challenges and journey of being an entrepreneur?

The life of an entrepreneur is a journey on a contorted road dotted with bumps and craters. At certain points, the bumps could seem as high as mountains and the pits as deep as lots, making this journey appear quite despondent.

The vision evolved 15 years ago when I started building myself to become what I have always admired, a successful entrepreneur who will raise millions like me in this nation and in the Diaspora. This optimistic philosophy that I have adopted had been much to me in my own journey towards achieving my goal. It was not at all easy.

I am also a big reader with a strong appetite for learning which prompted me to attend several workshops, training and I have bagged several executive degrees and qualifications from notable institutions which have made me more structured in my business dealings .Today, I am a leader with purpose. Every journey begins with one small step. I took that step, 15 years ago when I opened a boutique and later ventured into bespoke; this metamorphosed to the Gmyt Fashion Academy of today. The one positive trait that had proved to be highly efficient in boosting me out of hitches and deadly pits is ambition. I know that too much of it could corrupt a person, but so far it had only empowered my spirit with the needed optimism.

What areas of life issues has your passion led you to solve?

I’m dedicated  to my commitment of eradicating poverty through training and empowering women with the necessary skill-set to thrive and become financially independent thereby reducing what women go through like abuse, rape and other vices and because of that, I founded the Gmyt Foundation, a non-governmental organization set aside to help women and youths.

On the grounds that I have seen how women and youths are suffering and so using my position, I took it upon myself, together with my team to reduce the suffering in our society by conducting free entrepreneurial sessions, seminars, workshops and scholarships for women and youths worth over 200 million naira.

By the grace of God, we have empowered over 300 women and youths with industrial sewing machines through my proclaimed Initiative and we have trained over 500 women and youths that aspire to be Fashion designers.

My life, passion, vision, dream and mission is to contribute more to societal growth, that was why I organized the SME’s Scheme to support and encourage women and youths with brilliant ideas and so far, we have given millions of naira to support this movement. I do this because I am a philanthropist and it is in my nature to give and I want to encourage everyone to use their positions to help because I believe it starts with individuals.

As Albert Pike said and I quote “What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.”

You also started Gmyt African Humanitarian Awards, what is purpose behind it?

My avid love for fashion coupled with my passion for humanity propelled me to create the GMYT African Humanitarian Awards and Fashion show. The award ceremony recognises and celebrates philanthropist like myself.

It is important we recognize and appreciate their efforts, as you can see it’s not an easy task. It is also a platform that celebrates The Best Fashion Designers that have graduated from our prestigious school (Gmyt Fashion Academy students/Alumni) and it might interest you to know that we have done the 6th edition of this prestigious award over the years and counting.

The reason for all these initiatives is that the economic system in Nigeria is not only relentlessly harsh; it is sadistically cruel. Society has shown that your school degrees does not guarantee you job opportunities.

Your vision and aspirations as a young boy or girl would be despicably downtrodden. In addition, Nigeria possesses an enormous population and too few job opportunities to match, thus eliciting nervous breakdowns among many, some were even impelled to commit suicide due to the immense pressure.

I on the other hand, I am indescribably glad to have helped to reduce this through empowering youths who can become ambassadors and future leaders.

Today, as I celebrate a new year, looking back at what I have been able to achieve, I feel proud and still have the urge to do more and God’s willing, I will get there. In a bid to celebrate my birthday, we are giving out 20 scholarships because now more than ever, we need to adopt the habit of giving back to the society so that the world we live in can become a better place.

What is your word for young persons who wishes to join the fashion industry?

We look forward to meeting our amazing aspiring fashion designers that would take advantage of this opportunity into becoming students of GMYT Fashion Academy. This is important the opportunity of coming into their world as we can’t wait to impact our knowledge so they can achieve their dreams and aspiration going forward.

Founder/Executive Director Consumer Advocacy for Food Safety and Nutrition Initiative (CAFSANI), Professor Olugbenga Ben Ogunmoyela in this interview with ONYEWUCHI NWACHUKWU speaks on his commitment to fostering good nutrition. He also talks on his exploits in the academia, where he said he has nurtured over 300 graduates in the last 35 years.

Tell us a little about yourself…

I grew up in Ifon, Southwest Nigeria but went to Government College, Ibadan, from where I proceeded to the University of Ibadan, where I studied Agriculture, with specialisation in Biochemistry and Nutrition. I later went to University of Reading, where I obtained my MSc and PhD in Food Technology. I later qualified as a Chartered Chemist of the Royal Society of Chemistry and Industry. Inspired by my experiences in and outside Nigeria, especially working with SMEs in 2019, I helped to establish the first specific local advocacy initiative to protect and promote consumer rights to safe, nutritious and healthy foods in Nigeria: Consumer Advocacy for Food Safety and Nutrition Initiative (CAFSANI). Aside my role as Executive Director of CAFSANI, I work as a professor of Food Science and Technology at the BellsUniversity of Technology, Ota, Ogun State and an accomplished mentor and professor of professors. I have nurtured over 300 graduates at different levels in the last 35 years.

What got you interested in nutrition?

I was initially admitted to study veterinary medicine at the University of Ibadan but from the first practical class on anatomy and physiology of farm animals, I was clear that I was not going to be fulfilled in that profession. So, I changed my course to the Department of Animal Science to study Agricultural – Biochemistry and Nutrition, and there I discovered my passion for Food Science and Technology. I have spent the last four decades pursuing various initiatives at interface between good nutrition, food and agriculture. The link between agriculture, food and nutrition cannot be over-emphasised in an agrarian economy like ours, yet we have one of the worst nutritional indices in the global community today. It is incredible how little people know about the foods they eat and the nourishment that they provide, including the dangers of unsafe food preservation and handling practices. This is what inspired me to create Consumer Advocacy for Food Safety and Nutrition Initiative (CAFSANI). Our goal is to bring this subject of nutrition and food safety to the general public like never before, to help spread knowledge that nutrition plays an important role in enhancing our immune systems and good health, especially in this Covid-19 period.

What do you work on and how does it relate to public private engagement for nutrition?

At CAFSANI, our objective is to collaborate with various stakeholders, including regulators, professional associations (like the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology and the Nutrition Society of Nigeria), and development/civil society organisations, to provide a knowledge-based platform for protecting and promoting consumer interests. Our focus is to create awareness and contribute to arresting the worsening nutrition statistics in Nigeria, thereby enhancing the quality of life.

To do this well, we knew before we started that we would need to assemble a Board of Trustees with a wide range of expertise, credibility and professional achievements. The Chairman of our board is Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, MFR, DSc, currently a Visiting Professor at the National Universities Commission, Abuja and immediate past Deputy Governor and Honourable Commissioner of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation for Kano State.

As part of our outreach strategy, we seek out individuals from various sectors, both in the public and private space, who can add value to the discourse as volunteers or partners for our sensitisation programmes and workshops as we cannot do this alone.

These workshops create a safe space for drawing and mobilising attention to the challenges of different communities so that we not only become more familiar with each other’s beliefs, but also foster public–private partnerships.

We also work with partners to provide technical data, market research and support to businesses and regulatory bodies, which are often not readily available in Nigeria.

How exciting is your work?

The most exciting thing for me is to see how all stakeholders, including colleagues in the academia, government and the general public embrace new knowledge and focus on how we can – together – create a safer food system because we are all consumers!

We are also happy to see the enthusiastic support of many professionals, both within and outside the food and nutrition space, who, despite the fact that this is not an environment that has a culture of ‘volunteering’ services, have indicated their interests in offering their services to CAFSANI as volunteers in support of this initiative. This is mainly because they see it as worthwhile and long overdue, and not because of any financial benefits.

In fact, my wife, a banker, who had always wondered why I was so active in the pursuit of so many diverse “pro bono” activities in food and nutrition, now shares this passion!

And what are the challenges?

One major challenge is the sustainability component of many projects which would benefit consumers. Access to supporting grants and funds at this initial start-up stage has also been a major challenge, but we were so determined that we took up the challenge by using personal resources. This was necessary to establish a presence, build credibility and increase our visibility through participation in various food safety, nutrition and sensitisation trainings and workshops.

Again, it is often difficult to believe that some people truly want to ‘give back’ without any strings attached; but this, in fact, is our motivation!

Tell us about your recent success

CAFSANI has been invited to a public inquiry as Consumer Protection Agents to the federal competition and Consumer Protection Commission on a violation of “Consumer Right to Life,” which suggests that we are gaining recognition promoting consumer rights to safety in general! We have also made quite a number of impacting presentations in many webinars targeted at the public, professional associations and SMEs during this Covid-19 pandemic, and we are particularly excited at our increasing number of followers on social media.

These discussions are likely to continue because SMEs are the livewire of the economy, responsible for over 60-70% of the food system.

Though there is currently no evidence to suggest that Covid-19 can be transmitted through food or water, we will continue to share information about food preparation and eating habits to encourage safe and nutritious diets. However, the attendant disruptions in the food supply system will pose a significant challenge for all actors in the system for a long time to come. This is where I see the relevance of CAFSANI manifesting even more in the foreseeable future.

What’s next for CAFSANI?

With the present global lockdowns, it is difficult to plan for anything with a considerable degree of certainty. However, CAFSANI intends to keep the momentum!

If you were to have a slogan for this work, what would it be?

“The voice of the consumer – Pioneering the advocacy for safe and nutritious foods”

Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi is renowned as a pharmacist and founder of Julie Pharmacy, one of the most popular drug outlets in the country. But not many people know that he also trained as a lawyer and even practiced at the reputable Rotimi Williams Chambers. As a man of many parts, he also had a stint in government as the Minister of Health during the military regime of the late Gen. Sani Abacha. Yet, the gentle-looking and soft-spoken businessman and lawyer grew up as an activist. In this interview with INNOCENT DURU, he speaks about his childhood, his exploits as a student union activist on the global stage, his experience as the first pharmacist to be appointed as health minister and his family life, among other issues.

CONGRATULATIONS on your 80th birthday. How do you feel attaining this age?

I have learnt to be grateful to God in all circumstances. I have learnt to have a sense of contentment. I have learnt to be humble and prayerful in all circumstances. Gratitude to God, contentment, simplicity, prayerfulness and humility summarise the lessons I have learnt in life.

So much information about your academic and professional life is in the public domain, but not so about your background. Could you let us into your family background—who your parents were; whether you were born with silver spoon; the challenges you faced growing up and all that?

As a child, I was what you’d probably call a delicate person. So I didn’t go to the farm, for instance, or do any of the more tasking physical activities. But I did enjoy living with my parents. Was I influenced by my parents? I would say yes and to a considerable extent.

My mother, for instance, influenced me in many ways and taught me many lessons. One of these lessons was: “know your rights and fight for them. Do not let anyone bully you.” Another lesson from my mother was that of compassion for my fellow man.

She always taught me that whatever may be my situation in life, I owed it a duty to consider the plight of my fellow man and strive to be of some help to him; to always strive to care for the underdog.

My mother was a very creative person, and I think that it was from her that I may have got my creative traits. She was artistic and very good in music and dancing. Cleanliness, fighting for one’s rights, identifying with the underdog, having a creative disposition were all from my mother.

My father influenced me in quite a few ways too. Unfortunately, I was only 12 when he passed on, so I can’t claim to have known him as much as I would have loved to. But he taught me the virtue of calmness in every situation: keeping one’s composure regardless of the situation. And then he would never jump into a conversation unless invited. He taught me the virtue of circumspection, carefully analysing all sides before speaking.

How was life with the reverend fathers? Did you feel particularly inspired by them?

The person that has influenced me the most is Rev. Monsignor Anthony Oguntuyi. He is the one who was instrumental to my being taken to live in the Catholic mission in the first place. In the mission, orderliness is very important, cleanliness is very important, simplicity is very important and you must not really be influenced by the rush for material accumulation.

You are brought up to have attention for details and that whatsoever that is worth doing is worth doing well. You are told that it is better to be a person of character than a person of wealth. You are taught that income is not the same thing as happiness. He is the only one I would like to mention in the catholic mission that influenced my life.

Your gentlemanly looks contradict that of a unionist you were while in school. What led a fragile looking person like you into student unionism?

I wanted to be a voice for my constituency, the students and young people.

You spent time living abroad as a scribe of the global Students Union organisation in the 1960s, the era of intense civil rights agitations and activities in the US, apartheid in South Africa and to a great extent the collapse of colonial governments in many African countries.

What was the position of the global students’ movement on the issue of race and racial equality for instance? As a black man serving in a minority position among an apparently white-dominated organisation, would you say that you were in any way able to influence the organisation’s attitudes and perceptions towards race? In what other ways do you think you may have influenced the students’ movement?

The student movement is typically an idealistic one. Students are young people and young people are always in a hurry to change the world. You can’t want to change the world and tolerate racism or apartheid.

So, naturally, the global student’s movement was very pro-change. I may have been black but once I demonstrated capacity, I was well respected within the organisation. I helped to create national student unions around the world – Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone countries.

I either led or was part of demonstrations in different countries. And these demonstrations were often around civil liberties and human rights. I remember leading a demonstration of students in Athens. I think at the time, we were clamouring for democracy and all that in different parts of the world.

I was in front, leading a predominantly white group of student demonstrators, and this caught the attention of the press in Athens. The next day, they had headlines like: “What is a black man coming to teach us about democracy?” So in that era, students were very pivotal to the development of thought. They were what you would call a moral compass for society.

But a lot has changed now in Nigeria. The mood of people in my generation was different from the mood of the people in today’s generation. Now the economic circumstances are such that for many young people, it is about basic survival. The young man or woman whose most important challenge is where the next meal will come from is not likely to be very concerned about changing the world.

You started Juli Pharmacy at a tender age. What was in your mind when you took this decision and were there discouragements or tempting job offers from anywhere?

I was young when we set out, and very determined to accomplish my dreams of having a model and modern pharmaceutical chain across Nigeria and possibly the West Africa sub-region. My target was to have 500 branches actually, although we succeeded in having 22 in total.

We invested heavily in logistics. We had a fleet of Peugeot station wagons for distribution to ensure that no branch was ever out of stock of any medicine. We invested in our people too. As I said earlier, we did everything possible to ensure that our people found the job fulfilling.

Juli Pharmacy was about reliability. You got whatever you wanted, promptly. That is why our tagline was “the sign of service.” We’ve always striven to epitomise great service delivery. People still come to Juli Pharmacy from as far as Kano and other distant places in search of genuine drugs. I should add that Juli was also a great training ground for pharmacists, especially those who would eventually go into the retail side of the business.

We’ve always tried to provide a workplace where employees would not only learn and improve both as pharmacists and as managers, but in addition have fun and be fulfilled as professionals whether as health professional or human resource professional or finance professional or even as logistics and marketing professionals.

Yours was the first indigenous company to be quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. How did you achieve this and what was the reaction of expatriates who dominated the scene?

We went to the stock exchange primarily because we wanted to raise additional capital to enable us expand further, because, as I said, the goal was to take us to 500 branches. I also needed to show that these things were possible and that as black people we could do them.

I had seen the role that capital markets had played elsewhere in the world in helping businesses to transcend the ‘start-up’ status and gradually move into the big league. I thought it was something that we could do here. As at the time I went to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, it was basically an exchange for multinational companies.

We were the first indigenously promoted firm to go there, and I’m sure that doing so helped to open the eyes of many local businesses to the fact that raising fund through the NSE was not as far-fetched as it might have seemed. If Juli could do it, then, they could too.

 You became the first pharmacist to be appointed minister of health in 1993 and, if am not mistaken, the only pharmacist to have occupied that position till date. What magic wand helped you to break the jinx?

I don’t know if there was a magic wand (laughs). But I had seen first-hand the level of suffering by millions of people across our country. I had seen poor health worsened by poverty.

Our health indices even at that time were very poor, but I don’t think statistics can sufficiently capture the gravity of our situation. You need to travel round the country to see and appreciate the health challenges we face. Maternal morbidity was unacceptably high and lots of infants and children were dying from childhood diseases at the time.

I found it difficult to accept that Nigerians were still being afflicted with schistosomiasis, guinea worm and other such diseases that ought to have been long eradicated. The public hospitals had also continued to deteriorate on every benchmark. Then, of course, there were the problems with drug distribution, with medicines including prescription medicines being freely sold by all manner of persons even in market places and bus-stops.

Now, having been PSN president, I was aware that quite a lot of work had been done and was still ongoing in our universities, especially in our faculties of pharmacy and the research institutes with regard to proffering solutions to some of these conditions.

These pharmaceutical and medical scientists needed proper direction, management and, most importantly, encouragement. There was also a need to have them collaborate as they all appeared to be working in silos.

I thought to myself that the health sector needed a radical overhaul. It needed to be better managed. There was a need for more accountability in the system. The professionals in the sector needed to be guided, better motivated and better managed to deliver at their optimum.

I felt the health professionals often tended to work at cross purposes and that there was a need to drum it into every one that at the end of the day, what really mattered was the health of our people. So fostering team work among the health professions was going to be key for me.

I believed that we could aggressively but systematically begin to redress the problem in a holistic manner and by means of our results, encourage both the government and governed to better appreciate that health is wealth.

We would enhance public information and education, re-organise public health institutions to become more efficient, encourage research, motivate our health professionals and all that. I had a master plan for the sector.

I believe that studying a multi-disciplinary course like pharmacy actually gives you a managerial edge over others, which perhaps, is one reason that you find pharmacists doing exceedingly well when they venture into other sectors.

Unfortunately, we haven’t had any other pharmacist as health minister since that time. I say this not out of self-interest, but I know the value of training that pharmacy schools bequeath on pharmacy graduates and believe that Nigeria can actually get more from pharmacists than it is currently getting. And it is the people of Nigeria who will benefit in the long run from the improvements in healthcare.

Nigeria does not seem to have prioritised pharmaceutical research. Although there are so many universities now with faculties of pharmacy, there are hardly any drug discoveries emanating from these institutions. How can we get our country to prioritise pharmaceutical research, especially given the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic and before it, the Ebola epidemic?

There is a combination of factors why we still do not prioritise research in our country. I think that the powers that be have not been able to fully understand and appreciate the connection between research and the everyday problems we face.

They don’t understand that the only way by which society gets better is through the efforts and diligence of scientists in whatever field. So we have a situation where research is so badly under-funded that many scientists are frustrated.

That is why you find many scientists migrating to developed countries. I know lots of pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, medical doctors and scientists who left our country in frustration but are now doing very well abroad.

Even when these scientists choose to stay behind and work, the environment is very challenging. Imagine how difficult it is to carry out research without regular power supply for instance, or having to buy mineral water from your pocket every day because clean, running water is not available.

So, it is not surprising that breakthroughs are not happening here frequently. Our operating environment does not support productivity in research.

But we are not resting on our oars as scientists. In fact, when we formed the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy some years ago, one of our major objectives was to accelerate advocacy towards prioritising pharmaceutical research and scientific research in general.

We have been on this for a number of years and continue to strategically engage our policy makers and other critical stakeholders on the need to prioritise research and development.

We are also striving to re-orientate young pharmacists and scientists and get them to appreciate that scientific research is a major pillar of the pharmacy profession. Now this is a task that is very broad-based and for which different sectors need to play a role, including pharmacy schools in particular.

We must begin to look differently at our forests and lakes and rivers and soil. We must ask ourselves what remedies lie in these natural resources with which God has so blessed us. And on the back of our training as scientists, we must commit to researching these potential remedies and identifying and isolating those elements that show promise. We must research new ways of administering medicines to our people.

So we all have a lot of work to do. The government needs to encourage research better than it has done so far. It needs to fund research and encourage researchers. Researchers also need to be better focused and collaborate more.

What informed your decision to study Law and how have you been able to combine legal practice with Pharmacy all these years?

Why did I study Law? Well, the law profession is a liberating profession. A lawyer is generally called “learned” and I had always wanted to know what these learned people were learning.

After Law School, I was fortunate to be invited by the late Chief Rotimi Williams when I qualified as a lawyer. Chief F.R.A. Williams at that time was the most respected legal practitioner. He had a formidable personality and an even more formidable track record. I travelled around with him in his car and he treated me fondly like a son.

We went to court at various levels, from the High Court and the Appeal Court to the Supreme Court. It became a dilemma to me at a point, as I wondered whether I should abandon Pharmacy to look for the fame that the legal profession brought with it at that time.

But something kept whispering to me that my desire since I was in school had always been to make the pharmacy profession a better one. So I left and remained in Pharmacy.

But I do pro bono legal practice. It is called pro bono publico – that is, for the good of the public. It is something I do without making a noise. It involves getting people in the prisons freed, especially those who have been there for 10 years and longer and who have not had any opportunity of legal representation.

They probably have not had court attendance for those 10 years and I have learnt a lot. That gives me humility and makes me give gratitude to God to be able to help in such a small way.

If you see humanity suffer so needlessly at that level, then who are you to say, “God, I asked for this and you didn’t give me that?” Those people suffering are also part of humanity.

There are pharmacists who studied Law and emerged later as great jurists. Did you ever harbour any plans to perhaps become a Supreme Court Judge at some point in life?

No, I didn’t harbor it. I must say, though, that while I worked in the chambers of FRA Williams, he did pose the question to me at some point, as to whether I wanted to become a judge. We chewed over the prospect and agreed that the lifestyle of a judge is much too regimented. Even if I were inclined to becoming a judge, which I was not, the lifestyle was not one that would suit my disposition as a person.

Have you ever been tempted to practice law on a paid basis? Have other lawyers extended invitations to you while dealing with specific cases for instance?

Legal drafting is one of my strong points. It comes naturally to me. I have helped some of my friends in this regard. But not everything needs to be monetized.

What is your view of the legal profession in Nigeria? Does it still possess the same allure that it had in the 1980s when you studied it?

Of course, it no longer has the same allure. The image of the law profession can do with some laundering (laughs). The Nigerian Bar Association has its work cut out for it in this regard.

Many international legal authorities and institutions say they no longer study Nigerian law cases as legal outcomes in Nigeria often turn out to be confounding to common sense and natural justice. Would you like to talk about what many say is the deteriorating situation with Nigeria’s legal system in general? And would you like to proffer solutions for a way forward? How can Nigeria truly optimise the value of the judiciary and the legal profession in general as the last hope of the common man?

I believe that ethics need to be pushed to the forefront in the law profession. Ethics need to become more central to operations in the bar and on the bench. Ethics are very central to the health professions – pharmacy and medicine, obviously because when these professionals err, the effect can be very visibly seen and can be calamitous in scope.

You know, in Pharmacy school you are taught to be exceedingly ethical because an error of judgment can lead to the loss of lives of batches of people. I think that the law profession needs to increasingly imbibe such a mentality because of what our society – I mean the larger Nigerian society – loses on the back of a legal profession that is being rapidly eroded by ethical malfeasance. And in doing this, we need to employ multi-faceted approaches. We need to highlight ethics a lot more in the curriculum for lawyers in training.

People who err, whether on the bar or the bench, also need to be sanctioned. Erring lawyers and judges must not only be sanctioned, they must also be seen to be sanctioned.

You were never involved in partisan politics. Are you averse to it? Why?

As a student, I had actually planned that I would go into politics upon graduation. In fact it was one of my considerations when I became a scribe of the World Student’s Organisation.

I thought it would help me to prepare for leadership back home. It was while I was at the organisation in Holland that the democratic leadership was overthrown and the first coup took place. Then before you knew it, the civil war broke out. It was all so devastating.

What was becoming of our beloved country? Why was the country at war after a mere seven years of independence? This was a question I put to General Gowon when I led a delegation to visit him during the civil war.

Those developments affected me very badly and I lost every inclination to go into politics. In any case, by the time my sojourn in Holland was over, the military had taken over control and partisan politics had been banned.

I was never really able to summon much interest in politics after that. I channeled all my energy into building Juli Pharmacy and the organizations with which I was associated, including the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, my local church which is Saint Leo’s Catholic Church, Ikeja, Rotary Club, the Lions movement, Boys’ Scouts and others.

But isn’t this a contradiction coming from someone who encourages professionals to go into politics?

My answer to this is that you don’t have to be a swimmer to know the temperature of the water. But a good number of former student leaders did go into politics in those days, I remember. In fact, Olof Palme, who later became Prime Minister of Sweden, was the leader of the Swedish National Union of Students in the 1950s.

In fact, when he visited Nigeria on a state visit, quite a few people were surprised when he asked to see me and the late Ambassador Olu Adeniji came looking for me at Juli Pharmacy.

In any case, the circumstances have changed. While I could have afforded to ignore politics in my time, I think there is now a much stronger imperative for young professionals and professionals in general, to join politics because our country is in need urgent need of a rescue.

Given your level of involvement in different spheres in the Catholic Church, one would imagine that by now, you should have been vested with a Knighthood. Perhaps the knighthood does not interest you. If so, why?

It is the sole prerogative of the Pope to confer knighthood on anybody. But you must remember that the hood does not make the monk.

There is a proliferation of churches in Nigeria. But this does not seem to have had any impact on the moral direction of the society, at least on the basis of the regular news reports which continue to be dominated by crime, fraud and all manner of vices. What is the real problem? Are the churches getting it wrong?

What is happening in Nigeria is ongoing elsewhere too. There is proliferation in the Christian, Muslim and the Hindu worlds and elsewhere. What I usually say is that because of the state of the nation, people are running helter-skelter for spiritual shelter.

It is easier to call a pastor a man of God, but many others are God of men. And the consequences are exploitation and willful misinterpretation of the Gospel. The scripture is simple, but we make it complicated for self-serving reasons.

You’ve been married to the same woman for almost 50 years. What is the secret of the longevity of your marriage?

It is the grace of God. The truth is that I am a very fortunate person and I can’t explain it. I don’t deserve it. Lucky is the man who finds a good wife. You see, this thing called marriage is like a lucky dip. Meeting my wife, Julia, is perhaps the best thing that has happened to my life.

My family has played and is still playing very vital roles in my life. No other role has been more important to me than the role they have played.

They are individually and jointly a blessing to me. When you see a man going around looking calm, it is because there is a wife there for him that genuinely loves and cares for him, and I have got all that. It is not me but by the grace of God. That is why I said in the beginning that I learnt prayerful humility.

God is using us to do certain things, in spite of us. So I thank God who has given me the best possible family that I could have had in marriage. The kids therefore, being products of love, sharing and mutual support, have grown to be a pride to us. That is why everybody in the family is called Juli. My name is Julius, my wife is Juliana, my first daughter is Julita; our first son is Julian; the next one is Julia and the last one is Julius. So everyone is Juli.

How would you like to be remembered? If a sentence were to be inscribed on your tombstone, what would you like it to read?

As a man who was grateful to God. I have had to live a very complicated life, not because I’m clever. I sit here and wonder why do I deserve all this? So it’s all about the grace of God.

Newspaper columnist, author, lawyer, certified forensics examiner and founder of Girls Club Nigeria and Worldwide, TEMILOLU OKEOWO shares the story of her passion for re-orientating and empowering girls with YETUNDE OLADEINDE.

It’s seven years of working with Girls on your Chastity programme, what has been the experience?

Very exciting, most delightful and highly fulfilling!

What inspired you?

I would say my love for God – to divert the attention of girls to His kingdom and also open their eyes to a lot of things most females are ignorant of – especially the proper use of their spirituality.

This came after experiencing some of life’s vicissitudes. Quite frankly, I feel God created me specifically for this role.

What are some of the things that you have done?

As an undergraduate Law Student in the late 90’s, I authored my debut-book, “The Beauty of Life,” which discusses the trials and triumphs of a girl growing up in a morally-decadent and male-dominated society while I also proffered solutions in it, not knowing I’d later on devote my life to the cause of girls!

Aside campaigning for the preservation of virginity till marriage and generally encouraging a chaste and holy life for those who missed the godly way through ‘Girls Club’ in different newspapers over the years, I’ve had countless invitations to minister in churches within and outside the country, institutions, communities and several, diverse gatherings for girls.

At a point in time, I also published a free daily manual for girls- “Life Nuggets for girls.”

From time to time, I go to market places and talk to mothers on the importance of encouraging their daughters to preserve their virginity till marriage while distributing pamphlets on same matter.

I also go to riverine areas to speak to girls who live under poverty level who can’t even read, speak or understand English language but who start having children as early as age 15. I take them food and clothing items and also pay for an English tutor to teach them the basics. I empowered a good number of these girls over time so they could sustain themselves.

I have so many other daughters whom I’ve had to pay their tuition, feeding or accommodation – so they wouldn’t have cause to succumb to the advances of men who wouldn’t assist until they’ve had carnal knowledge of them.

I’ve had to rescue a good number from domestic violence, child sexual abuse and more!

I’ve also been engaged in girl-child advocacy in all forms and I get invited every October to the International Day of the Girl Summit which holds at the U.N. Headquarters, New York to rub minds with other girl-child advocates across the continents.

I’ve decided to celebrate my mission on earth on a very special day and declared August 6, World Chastity Day which I believe would be celebrated in the world’s continents some day!

What are the challenges?

A lot of girls are almost, if not damaged before they ever get to discover themselves or their spirituality! Most parents have not laid a solid foundation, spiritually; I discover that a lot of today’s parents are not intentional and just leave their children to time and chance.

And before you know it, the society has gotten into their heads- raped their innocence and defiled their souls. So all I can do is damage control.

In a situation where, after listening to my ministration or reading my posts, you are not in an enabling environment to practise these godly principles, what then happens? May God help our girls!

What do you think is responsible for the recent increase in rape cases?

To start with, most African men have been raised with an entitlement and lordship mentality, which has resulted into a good number of them having an uncontrollable libido, to the extent of unleashing terror on the female folk including babies in diapers! So, I believe it’s a dearth in moral values, the consequences of living in a highly depraved world, lack of sex education, our society’s very poor and enabling attitude and lack of stiff penalties for perpetrators!

What are some of your memorable experiences working with young girls?

I’ve had countless memorable experiences but I place more value on the awesome testimonies of how reading my articles has transformed lives.

A few years back, one Mr. Mutiu who had been following my articles in the papers suddenly blurted out in the comment section of one of my Facebook posts telling the world to thank me for saving him from his masturbation addiction of 17 years and getting his life/marriage back on track by just reading three of my newspaper articles on Masturbation. I was stunned that a full-fledged family man would come out and make such public declaration.

Also, on my 35th birthday six years ago, a woman in her mid-50’scame out and burst into tears as she held the mic. She told the world how even at her age, she followed my teachings on sexual purity and holiness and became addicted to it while practising the solutions I gave.

She said she not only recovered from a life of hopelessness, rejection, long-term shame and all forms of spiritual battles, with the power of God which she was able to develop in herself, she was able to recover her share of some properties she jointly-owned with her ex-husband who had defiantly held on to them for years and battled her in court! The point is righteousness and brokenness exalts and gives us more power than anything else in the world!

What or who inspires the things you do?

My love for girls, the institutions they are and the necessity of making them realise the goldmine in them and harnessing it in good time instead of living a life of slavery and confusion.

Who do you consider the greatest influence in your life?

My late dad, Sir Victor Taiwo Okeowo of blessed memory who helped develop my self-worth by bringing out the best in me and harassing me until I made the most of my potentials just to make him proud of me.

I would say my godly upbringing; his constant monitoring, over-protection and strictness especially with my relationship with the opposite sex while treating me with so much love and making me feel very special laid a formidable foundation for Girls Club.

Secondly, I can’t but mention, Dr. D. K.O. Olukoya, the G.O of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries whose spiritual audaciousness and fiery ministrations on holiness inspired me to go into ministry and contribute my quota to the Kingdom of God.

With top recognitions like Business Coach of the Year 2018 by Entrepreneur Africa, Coach of the Year 2019 by Prestige Awards and Entrepreneur of the Year 2018 by Women on Fire Initiative in her kitty, Temi Ajibewa, MD/CEO, Temi Asabi Global already has her name etched in gold, but the delectable business coach with a passion for the womenfolk appears to just be taking off. She shares her story with DORCAS EGEDE.

You’ve made quite a name coaching women in business, particularly on how to take advantage of the online space. What’s the untold story?

I have always sold things, but I began to sell things officially in 2006 after I encountered a man, who said you can’t solve human problems and ever go broke. So, I asked myself what human problems I could solve. As an undergraduate, I began to wash clothes for people, help with school registrations, literally solved human problems to make money.

The beginning of this phase of my life however was in 2014. I was pregnant with my first child and couldn’t do much physically. Because I was also schooling, I became somehow broke. But somehow, my Blackberry phone got bad and I got a Techno Android replacement. I discovered that it cost more to stay online on an android phone than on a blackberry. Then it became necessary for me to source cheap data bundles and got connected to a guy.

I got data bundle from the guy by sending him recharge card. I was surprised that someone somewhere I didn’t know sent me data bundle and it worked. That was my first interaction with online business. I was intrigued and the hustler in me began to question this guy. I asked him to teach me the business for a fee, but he bluntly refused, saying he couldn’t set himself up for competition.

Using the code he sent me to check my account balance, I went on Google and searched for everything I needed to start the business. The code took me straight to MTN website. I learnt that it was a legitimate way of buying data in bulk and selling in bits. So, I began the business. Unfortunately for me, the website only taught the codes, not the business. There are intricacies behind all the codes and I lost money in my third month of venturing into the business. This made me seek mentoring.

I found someone who agreed to teach me for a fee, and what he taught me has shifted my life significantly. Within four months, I had cumulatively made a million naira from what I began with just N10,000. Let me quickly add that the success I recorded was not so much about the business, as it was about its marketability. How marketable is that business you want to start? Is it going to meet a need around you? If not around you, can you push it to where it’s needed?

I began to teach other women. I’ll hold Whatsapp and Blackberry Messenger (BBM) group classes and teach them for a fee. No one taught me for free, so it would be unfair of me to teach other people for free. Besides, when you don’t pay money, you don’t pay attention.

I was making up to N400,000 in a month; some months, I made over. That whole experience gave birth to the business of coaching. The women began to call me coach. I didn’t even know what it meant to be a coach, but the calling was strong. I began to research about business coaching, went for more certification and mentoring and soon became my own person. Now I help other coaches monetise their skills.

How many women have you been able to reach with your trainings and mentoring programmes?

Quite a number. In our Facebook community, we have over 10,000 women. Also, on our mailing list, we have over 10,000 women. I teach these business principles online and also hold live events. We’ve had four editions of our live events and we have trained over 600 women at once in a live class.

We call it the Seven Figure Business Workshop, where we basically teach women how they can harness the power of the internet to make money. We also have an online academy, themillionairehousewife.com and we’ve been able to train many women using this platform. In the last five years, more than 20,000 women have taken some of my courses, enrolled for mentorship and read my book, How to make millions in your nightgown.

Tell us about some of your mentees that stand out and how much satisfaction comes with seeing people you have mentored blaze the trail.

There are so many of them; people like Frances Aborigo, who now does graphics designs and trains other women; Bell Nebolisa, who helps small businesses grow their business; Yinka Ojumola, who now has a seafood business; Oyeyipo Funmi, who is into health coaching, and many others. Recently, a woman reached out to me, her handle is @bonusmumng, and she said to me, “You did this. You inspired me to go all out. You have no idea what you’re doing, but you birthed this vision inside me.”

It’s so beautiful to know that just by living your life, others are being touched, liberated, and people are having that psychological release to dream. People buy my books and videos and still ask me to please allow them send me money because they feel they underpaid for the resources they bought. People come for my live events and they want to pay more because they feel what they got from the event is worth more than they paid for. And I do these things from a place of rest. It’s not a job for me, this is me just doing what I love and it’s bringing liberation to people. The joy is indescribable.

Why women? And would you grant requests from men?

The peculiarities surrounding women was why I chose to stay with women. As a wife and mother, I understand the whole stress attached. I also believe strongly that when you empower a woman you’ve empowered a family. An empowered woman will raise empowered children who will become empowered citizens of the world.

I believe that when you have values, you have everything, so I try to shape the thoughts and minds of women, because when they are better people, they’ll be in a good place to train their children and will not be economically liable. I think that it is witchcraft for any woman to choose to be a full-time housewife and do nothing. If your husband insists, I say you insist as well. Do something from home, however little. Leverage on the online space and do something awesome for yourself.

However, I have male mentees. A few days ago I had a live session with my mentees, and out of ten, two were men and they are boldly so.

Let’s talk about the challenges and how you surmount them.

Let me first of all say that there are still challenges I’m yet to surmount. One challenge I had was my husband. Initially, he didn’t understand the whole idea of being in the house and pressing your phone from morning till night. Are you doing internet fraud? He also wasn’t comfortable with people calling me at odd hours to buy data bundle. There was a day he smashed and broke my phone. But when I dared to stay focused and we began to see results, he became not just my fan, but my mentor. When I get stuck sometimes, I call him and ask for guidance, which he provides.

Men are majorly result-oriented. When I gifted my family with our first vacation abroad, it became clearer to him that spending hours on my phone was profitable after all. It is also very important for women to marry men who can carry their burdens. There is a burden to fulfilling destinies, impacting lives and going global. Many ladies are particular about men, who have big TV, big cars, who can afford to buy them human hair. But, does this man have the capacity to carry your vision?

Another challenge is the entitlement people have about information. They think it’s just information and it should be free if I really want to help. But I’m not one to submit to bullying or emotional blackmail. I’m helping you by sharing information with you for a token. We have many successful African entrepreneurs who have refused to write books, mentor, share their knowledge, and legitimately so. They don’t owe you anything. If they choose to share with you, you pay and thank them, because they got to where they are today with grits, sacrifices, blood, sweat and tears.

I also have challenges with some people who would buy my courses, take my classes, not implement, and complain that it didn’t work for them.

Let’s talk about the high points.

High points for me will be when I win awards, like winning the Business Coach of the Year 2018 by Entrepreneur Africa. Recognition is important to me because a lot of people are doing many noble things and no one is noticing them. I won Coach of the Year 2019 by Prestige Awards, in recognition of my contribution to the coaching industry. I also won the Entrepreneur of the Year 2018 by Women on Fire Initiative.

As a trained lawyer, do you sometimes miss the Law profession?

Never! Since my Call to Bar, I have not worn my wig and gown. I don’t think Law is the right fit for me.

What drives you?

Initially, my drive was to show my father that he made a mistake by rejecting me. Later on, my children became my motivation; I wanted to leave a legacy for them. They soon became too small to be my motivation. So right now, I get my energy from that place of awareness that my life, friends, family, children, husband, is too small to be the only reason why I’m alive. Now, I am motivated by the word of God that says “Ye are the light of the world and the salt of the earth.” Until the world hears my name, I’m not fulfilled.