Category: Sunday Interview

Tosin Popoola is a Republic of Ireland-based The Redeemed Christian Church of God pastor.
In this interview with YETUNDE OLADEINDE and INNOCENT DURU, she speaks about how her engagement as a beautician during her days of working as a director with Mary Kay Cosmetics prompted her to blend physical make up with spiritual make up for her clients.

WHAT’S interesting about your background? I live in the Republic of Ireland but I was born here in Nigeria. I am the last born of my parents. I had my primary and secondary education here in Lagos. I had my first degree in Philosophy from Ondo State University. My second degree was in the Republic of Ireland where I studied Law. I had my masters in International Development in Dublin City University. I run a non-governmental organisation., so I advocate for people, especially women and girls.

Aside from running a non-governmental organisation, what else do you do and what is your organisation into?

I am also a pastor. As women, we have a lot of issues that we are facing. In the Republic of Ireland, we advocate for women on issues of immigration. We also educate and encourage them on what they need to do to have a good home. My experience with some of our people in the Republic of Island is not a good one. Some of our people over there have no valid documents and do not have homes. So, they are always hiding from government officials. On many occasions, they are caught and put on the path of being deported back to the country. Such experience has also been a nasty one. There was a woman that was about to be deported but she had a baby there. Based on the Irish system, she was not supposed to be deported. We looked into her case and that was what saved her. There are so many girls that are depressed and suppressed in the society. We look into their condition and offer assistance to them.

How is life in the Republic of Ireland, is it a bed of roses as we always imagine here?

It is not a bed of roses abroad as many people may be tempted to believe. We also have our challenges in the Republic of Ireland. It is in Nigeria that I know that you can sleep as a pauper and tomorrow you wake up as a millionaire. Back there, if you don’t work, you don’t eat except you are into 419. If you are not into 419, you have to work before you can make both ends meet. Ireland is one of the safest countries in the world. We have Nigerians languishing in their prisons but it is always as a result of not having the right documentation. I have not for once come across cases of Nigerians involving in drug challenges over there.

Ireland is not among the top countries that many Nigerians travel to. What really took you there?

I was pregnant and just decided to go and have my third child outside Nigeria. I had the first and second here. I travelled to London to have my baby but on getting there, a friend of mine said why not in Ireland because it would give me the opportunity of having my residency and bring other children there. That was how I headed to Ireland. After putting to bed, I saw that the country was okay, I decided to stay back. I have been there since 2002; that is about 14 years now.

What is the Women of Essence Award that you are in Nigeria for all about?

The award was started in 2007 to encourage and inspire people who do a lot of things to improve the lives of others. How can we encourage such people to do more? It is not in our culture to give, we are fond of receiving. When we see people giving assistance to others, we need to encourage them. We started it in the Republic of Ireland with just three members in my sitting room, but now it has expanded to many other countries like Nigeria, Kenya and others. We have Kenyan members.  The unique thing about the Essence Award is not about giving awards to people alone. In the Republic of Ireland, we raise funds for the women refugees, we raise funds for children’s hospitals.

Why did you choose to also honour the late Stella Adadevoh?

We looked round in Nigeria to see which non-governmental organisation that we could partner with and Dr ASA (Dr Ameyo Stella Adadevoh) came to our mind. She helped to curtail the spread of ebola. The organisation is doing a lot of things and we decided to give the organisation and raise fund for the foundation so that they could go on establishing.  They are involved in training people on hygiene and other infectious diseases. They have been going around schools. The Redeemed Christian Church is not connected with Women of Essence. I am only a pastor in the church and my husband is also a pastor.

What in your opinion are the challenges facing women in this part of the world?

Some of the challenge facing women in this part of the world is that they are not allowed to have a voice. Traditionally, women are expected to be quiet. It shouldn’t be. Women should be allowed to be who they are. Women have talents and should be allowed to showcase them. They should not be suppressed in any way. Where I come from in the Republic of Ireland, we believe in reaching out to communities. We go out on the street to collect coins. By this, I mean that we go to departmental stores to help people doing shopping to pack things. When we do this, they give us a token. We join the money together and use it to reach out to people.

Attendance in churches in Europe and America is said to be dwindling. Is it the same in Ireland?

Attendance in churches is also dropping in Ireland because people are relocating to places like Canada, UK, etc. They always say they are going to seek greener pastures.

You certainly have a busy schedule. How do you relax when you have the opportunity of doing so?

I love action movies. To relax is to sit down quietly in the sitting room with the children and watch a nice movie. On my birthday I travel out of the country to catch some fun.

You travel out of which country, Nigeria or Ireland?

I travel out of Ireland just to spend some few days.

Most Pentecostal churches’ pastors don’t wear jewelleries. How come you do?

I am not a hypocrite. Christianity is not about wearing jewelleries or not wearing it. We have seen many people not wearing ear rings and they are worse than Lucifer. Wearing jewelleries does not stop me from serving God. I don’t see anything bad in that.

Your make-up is superb. How do you go about it?

I do it for myself at home. I was a Director in Mary Kay. While I was with the company, I received a lot of training and travelled to many countries. I also trained quite a large number of people.

You studied Philosophy and Law, how did you get into cosmetics?

When you see something that you love, you go for it. Somebody just introduced me to Mary Kay. I used the product and it was good on me.  I also love people looking beautiful so I decided to go into Mary Kay Cosmetics. I treated people with acnes on their faces, made them up and made them to know their skin tone and tell them what and what they can use to even their beauty. There is a difference between day and night cream.

How long did you do this?

I did it for between five and six years. I stopped because it was demanding. I needed to travel to train people and I needed to train people. When people were having parties, I had to be there. If they changed their clothes 10 times, I would have to make them up 10 times. You have to be at parties for as long as it lasts.

But all that must have come with a lot of money

Hmmm! It was not about the money it was about the fulfilment I had doing that. I love to see people looking good.

If you compare being a beautician and being a pastor, which one will you prefer?

Do you know that both touch lives? One gives spiritual food and the other makes people physically beautiful. Both of them will make you who you are. Some lack self-esteem and some don’t have spiritual stamina. When I was into  my Mary Kay business, I was severally asked ‘the way you are making people beautiful physically, why not also tell them about the Lord that can make them beautiful in spirit, soul and body’.  With that, I started ministering to women. Each time I was making people up, I would tell them about our Lord Jesus Christ. But it has not been easy for me to be making people up and be a pastor.  But I do have workshops and bring in experts in the field to train people.

What striking thing would you say attracted your husband to you?

My long hair and I was wearing one beautiful ankara known as ‘lombodi’ way back in 1988. When he saw these and my slim body and beauty,  that was just it. I wasn’t wearing make-up then as I was still very young.

Engene Chime is making waves in the soft furnishing business with his unique designs. In this interview with YETUNDE OLADEINDE, he talks about his passion for creative works, the initial challenges and how artist can cope in the recession.

HOW did you get into the arts? First of all, arts runs in our family, so I have been painting since I was about 12, and I also discovered that I express myself a lot better when I paint. So, for me, it was the way to go…I sleep and see beautiful scenarios; a few of us could be watching something and I am seeing something completely different from what other people are seeing. I paint them from my perception of what they should look like and the result is beautiful and I know it is just God!

What were the initial challenges?

Initially, I would be the one to purchase art materials. I would paint, take them to be framed, market them, sell them and at the same time monitor sales. It was a herculean task for just one person, and in those days, it wasn’t the practice for every artist to hire a manager. So, it was difficult staying focused in the face of these challenges. Also then, the client would want to deal with the artist directly, so one had to be humble and professional at the same time. Added responsibilities of being a husband and father made it all the more challenging because an artist has to pay attention to detail and has to concentrate fully on his work, so it was indeed hectic but God has been faithful over the years. It only gets better.

How did you cope with the challenges?

At some point, my wonderful wife took up the responsibility of running the gallery. She left the benefits of a well-paying job behind so that I could face the work of production alone. It made things much easier. She browsed the internet and applied for exhibitions abroad, so in no time, I started to participate in exhibitions both here in Nigeria and abroad. Some galleries here also sold my works, and things generally became much easier.

Is this your first exhibition? If not, talk about the others

As I said earlier, I have had so many solo and group exhibitions over the years. I remember sometime in the late nineties, Mr. Reinold Van Til, a senior official in the IMF, attended a solo exhibition I had in the Eko Hotel. He loved them and invited me to Abuja where I exhibited. He thereafter introduced me to another Dutch lady who saw my paintings and came to the gallery and was speechless. She was so determined to get my works out there that she sponsored my trip to Amsterdam so I could exhibit. It was a huge success. So sometimes, I would exhibit there three times in one yea, in Emeerlourd, Almera Haven, Java Island, The City Centre etc. There was this occasion where I sold all my paintings before the exhibition even started! God has indeed been showing me mercy and it is evident in all I do. I have also exhibited in Orlando, Florida, with ‘COLOURS’ as the theme and was invited by Orange County to teach the children in the junior school. I got an award for that because they didn’t understand how I could hold the children’s attention for more than 20 minutes! I have exhibited in Etobicoke in Ontario, Canada and the theme was’ REFLECTIONS’. There have been so many others elsewhere and in Nigeria.

What inspired the theme, ‘Preserving the Past for the Future’?

Our motto in ‘eugenechime art is ‘Art in His Word’. In these times we live in, there are attempts to completely obliterate verses from the Word of God. For us who draw inspiration from God Himself, we will not sit by and allow this happen without trying to do something, so I figured that one very effective way to preserve the Word of God is to have it on walls, fabrics and everywhere else possible. Imagine waking up and seeing a painting with the inscription, ‘ALAANU, MERCIFUL GOD’ hanging on your wall, your first instinct will be to remember that God is indeed merciful and you won’t leave till you say,’ Thank you Lord for your mercy’. Also, the Word of God is to be preserved for the future generation, because imagine that a couple of years down the line, it could become difficult to buy a Bible that is complete with the totality of God’s word written there. Our grandchildren will never know that those words ever existed. Honestly, it will be a tragedy. So right now, my priority is to do all I can to keep these words alive through my works.

What is unique about the soft furnishing that you have?

Just like on our walls, soft furnishings like curtains and throw pillows also have verses inscribed on them, mostly verses that exalt God and His name. The idea is for us to constantly be conscious of the goodness of God and frankly speaking, with all that is going on in the world right now, a lot of people need to be reminded that it is always good to praise the one who has kept us all, so that no matter how hectic your day has been, there is something at home to remind you that you are still here and it could have been worse. So, these soft furnishings help to bring this truth into perspective.

Let’s talk about the memorable moments in your career.

I had earlier mentioned this wonderful Dutch lady that made my first exhibition in Amsterdam possible. Whilst there, I met Anna Mikie Bork, one of the biggest Dutch artists, and the ideas she shared with me have been with me till today as I got to understand a lot more about art in various forms. My visit to the Van Gogh Museum was also memorable. The works I saw there were so interesting. I have a few other memorable moments like when Mr. Reinold Van Til invited me to Abuja to exhibit. It was an experience I can’t forget in a hurry, he made sure I stayed with him and his family in their home.

Who or what do you consider the greatest influence in your life?

God Almighty first! His love keeps me going even when nothing around me suggests that it will be okay. My beautiful wife Sandra has been my biggest supporter, critic, adviser all rolled into one. As a very creative person herself, she would tell me about the works she can ‘feel’ and those that didn’t quite do it for her. She usually gets it right when she says before an exhibition,’ that a painting will be the first to be sold’ because it usually is! She thought up the idea of having these words on soft furnishing and fabrics because, according to her, everyone should carry Christ who is the Word of God personified and exhibit Him to the world. In the area of art, I have been influenced by RODCO, who was a painter. I saw his paintings and was inspired to do something new as I had largely been doing work on ‘surrealism’ in the past, so his works changed my perception. I also admire Fred Archibong of blessed memory. He was so determined to have his artworks all over the world and he didn’t think that anything could make that dream impossible. His zeal helped me to stay determined to put stuff out there that will go far and wide.

What is your definition of style and how does this impact on your work?

For me, style is taking the ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary. I am versatile and I have never believed in joining the bandwagon, so I look out for materials no one else is looking at. I see them and in my head I am already turning them into a work of art. At the end of the day, I produce works that stand out because the materials are peculiar to me alone and the way I choose to put them together makes it all the more unique. My works have forms that draw the viewer directly to them so I am always looking to see the expression on their faces, especially when they notice the originality and harmony in the works.

Who are some of your mentors or role models?

Jesus Christ still remains my biggest mentor! I read my Bible and He shows me new revelations that help me every day. Pastor E.A. Adeboye and Pastor Ben Akabueze are also mentors because just Like Jesus Christ, they are both icons of simplicity and humility, and with these attributes, it only makes sense for one to study and emulate their lifestyle.

Which of your works do you cherish most and why?

It’s ‘MOTHER & CHILD’ any day. At a time when my wife and I were still trusting God for a child of our own, I woke up one day and saw a vision of her with a baby strapped on her back, I immediately went to work and produced this painting of a mother with her child strapped to her back. We waited for nine years before God blessed us with our first daughter. For these 21 years we have been married, that was a turning point for us because indeed it was no more about the waiting, it was the fact that during the period of waiting, we held on to God and a painting which sums up the love and faithfulness of God. The painting is still hanging and will never be sold.

Is the recession affecting art collectors?

For those that deal in art as their sole means of livelihood, it might be a bit challenging but the good news is that most of them have collected a lot of works over the years, and long before the recession, so they may not have to grapple with the issue of high cost of production by the artists. The issue then, like in other sectors, will be that the purchasing power of the clients has reduced due to the recession.

Princess Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf is a well-known philanthropist, pharmacist and business woman turned politician. She carved a niche for herself in developing and alleviating poverty at the grass roots, and therefore was described by many as a round peg in a round hole when she was appointed Commissioner for Youth and Social Development by Gov. Akinwumi Ambode. In this interview, she tells Daniel Adeleye the gains and pains of office.

How does it feel to be appointed a cabinet member under the present Gov. Akinwumi Ambode administration? It certainly doesn’t come easy.

To God be the glory. A lot of people are out there who are better than me, but the party found me worthy to be part of the cabinet member. And His Excellency, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, has been so wonderful to his workforce. He shared his vision with us and gives us freehand to work with him. Lagosians cannot have it better than what they have now by electing Gov. Akinwumi Ambode to steer the ship of Lagos State. And though it can be very challenging and tasking, but to God be the glory, we are doing the little best that we believe will lift Lagos State to a success story.

You trained as a pharmacist, how do you apply this to your appointment as Commissioner for Youth and Social Development?

That is what I do tell everybody; you go to university to acquire universal knowledge. In the university, there are some other things you do outside your mainstream course, which we called elective. So being a pharmacist does not limit me to the pharmaceutical sector. Going to the university had broadened my scope and mindset about life. So finding me here is like normal thing as a pharmacist. When we are talking about passion for humanity, as a pharmacist or a medical practitioner, you must have that passion. And that is exactly what is happening in the Ministry of Youth and Social Development.

Street kids are still a recurrent decimal in Lagos despite all legislations; what have you put in place or are doing differently to change this trend?

When you are talking about street kids, we have different types of kids that are on the streets. We have children that hawk on the streets, we have children who don’t have home for themselves, maybe their parents cannot take care of them, and they find themselves on the streets. What the Lagos State government is trying to put in place now is to have a rehabilitating home. Because when a child finds himself or herself on the street, he/she would have been influenced by one negative thing or the other. So we are trying to have a rehabilitation centre, and by the special grace of God, by the mid of next year, we should be able to establish that, by taking them there and rehabilitate them. After rehabilitation, we’ll then know whether we should release them to their families or for the state government to take charge for their training and upkeep.  If we pick children on the streets or anybody reports that he finds a child somewhere and we realise that such child doesn’t have an abode, then we’ll pick the child up for rehabilitation. And after rehabilitation, we’ll find out if there will be need for special investigation about them. The special investigation will tell us why they are on the streets and what type of rehabilitation they need, before we move to the next line of action.

There is also the problem of street urchins; they indulge in a lot of criminal activities. What are you doing or hope to do to get them off the streets?

If you are above 18, the law says you are on your own, in other words, you are matured. You should know your left from your right. Anyone who is above 18 and choose to disturb the peace of an environment, the law will take its due course on the person. So street urchin is not allowed in Lagos State, anybody caught disturbing the peace and harmony of other citizens, the law would be applied. Maybe you need to be reminded that you’re above 18 years, or you lack parental care or something else and you need government to come to your aid, then you come over yourself. But if you’re caught out there constituting nuisance to the public, definitely the law will not take it easy with such person. There is no excuse whatsoever for a person who is above 18 years to constitute nuisance to the public. But if they are below 18 years, we pick them up and rehabilitate them. That is the duty of government, because they are still under age. But as soon as they are above 18 years and end up in fomenting trouble, then the law will take its due course on them.

Prior to your appointment as a commissioner, you served as a supervisory councillor for Agric, Social Youth and Sports Development in Agbado Oke-odo LCDA; how are you bringing that experience to bear on your present job?

I will tell you, local government and state are far apart. But notwithstanding, when we are talking about the youth agitation, I learnt a lot about that at local government level. I’ve really mingled with them at that level up to the state. When I was at local government, I tried to put some things in place for the youth to serve as footprints I left behind after my service as a supervisory councillor at that time. So the youth agitation, what the youth want, I think I was able to learn that better at local government.

Unemployment, lack of relevance, recognition and other resources have been cited as challenges social workers in Nigeria are battling with. How would you react to that and what do you think is the way forward so that they can be of the same standard with those of developed societies?

Well, we should not forget that Nigeria is still a developing nation; we are not yet there. But thank God for the government of Lagos State that has made social worker a very crucial aspect of development. Not many states in Nigeria that take social services as very important and paramount as Lagos State Government has been doing. The rehabilitation of mentally challenged patients and destitute on the streets, we pick them up and ensure they are well taken care of. Not in many states in Nigeria you can have such. I agree that we are not yet there, because social services are an expensive critical service. In a developing nation, government needs to put a lot of things in place. Before we take care of infrastructure and environment, and we have only this meagre token to share around ourselves. But we are trying to ensure that social workers in Lagos State have adequate training. When they are well trained, within and outside the country, they will be able to compete with international standard that we are talking about.

Commissioners come and go, but how would you like to be remembered when you eventually leave this office?

To God be the glory. Anywhere I work, I love to put down my footprints. So that in decades to come, there would be something to talk about that I achieved when I was there. Now there are two things that I am trying to do in the ministry that had not been there before I became commissioner. One of them is the establishment of Ibile Youth Academy. It is a youth development programme, because if we develop youth, we are developing the nation. If our youth are properly developed, we won’t be having all manner of challenges that we are having currently in Nigeria. Youth are the most vibrant, energetic and resourceful, when we are talking about any nation. And in that regard, Ibile Youth Academy will be across five divisions of Lagos State, and that is what Ibile stands for. The academy aspect of it is to gather the group of youth across the state together, and give them leadership training they need to go out there and train other youth on societal development. We believe that this will go a long way and touch a lot of other youths, because we can’t put all of them together at a time. We’ll groom them on volunteerism work, because here in Nigeria, we always believe government should do it all. We don’t believe that we need to give back to the society. Even if you are not working or you have not gotten a paid job, your volunteerism services can assist you to get a better connection, but we don’t see that here.

Being a commissioner comes with lots of challenges and demands on one’s time. Naturally this might create some friction at the home front; how have you balanced it all?

To God be the glory, I am a family woman and I built it strong, because that is part of social services we are talking about. We must take home very crucial. The kind of work I am doing is very challenging and tasking, but notwithstanding, the little time I get for myself, I spend it well with my family. So that they will have assurance that the psychosocial feelings before I became commissioner is still the same. So that one will not get back home and be looking for her family, I ensure that I balance it all. So I don’t have any issue with my home front. Everything remains balanced.

And your husband, how did he receive the news of your appointment?

We are together and he didn’t find it so surprising because he’s a politician as well and we are able to balance up everything. We go together on many political tours.

Being active in politics must come with some life lessons; can you share some of them with us?

Politics has taught me a lot. As a politician, you have to be very consistent and persevering. You don’t expect people to see your problem, but for you to see their own problems. Even when you have not eaten and they come to you, they don’t want to hear that, they want you to provide for their own needs. That is what politics is all about; giving back, and this service is a selfless one. People don’t want to see your own part of it, whether you are comfortable with it or not. In the past, I used to get angry so easily, but if you are in politics, you just have to be very calm and consistent and be ready to give more than your own capacity. And don’t expect them to appreciate it when you are doing all that, but God has a way of rewarding good deeds.

Many have criticised appointments handed to woman as tokenism; do you see it like that?

I’m hearing that for the first time, but I will tell you that what a man can do, a woman can do it much better. So, appointments given to women are not taken and let us have our rest, no. You can do it well, that is why you are there, and if you cannot do it you won’t be there. I always encourage women out there to be strong and bold to take up the challenges, and they shouldn’t see themselves as substitutes to support men alone. Yes, we are to support ourselves, but not because you are a woman and see yourself as inferior.

You do look good. What is your beauty routine?

Well, I am a simple woman, I don’t have any special routine. But I take care of myself adequately like any other conscious woman out there. Unfortunately, I don’t have much time to do exercise on a daily basis, but what I do for myself, I check myself regularly as a medical person if am out growing my weight, and how to manage myself. I know what to eat at the appropriate time. So I don’t do more than that.

Finally, how do you find time to relax?

If you’re working with His Excellency, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, you don’t have much time to relax, because he as a governor doesn’t relax. He works tirelessly. If you send His Excellency an email by 3.00 am, before 5.00 am you’ll get your response. He’s as active as that. So if you are working with that kind of person and you’re given an assignment, do you have any excuse for not doing it? No, you don’t. There is no particular time set aside for you to go and rest as far as the work of Lagos State is concerned. But when you don’t have much on your table to do and there is less pressure, you can find time for yourself and rest. But we give God all the glory for the grace He has bestowed on us to withstand the rigours.

Rev. Lizzy Suleman studied Mass Communication and has Masters in Public Administration. The wife of the founder and head pastor at Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleman, speaks to ADETUTU AUDU on her music career, the roles of woman as wife, mother and diligent company to men.

YOU have just released a music album. Do you also sing? It is a gospel song that features my husband and I. It is titled ‘Your Name Is Greater’. We are both gifted in singing and we do it to glorify God and inspire God’s people. Besides, many women are undeniably very gifted in praise worship, whether by voice or instrument. These gifts most definitely should not be ignored or neglected.

How do you reconcile the view that women are not called to be pastors or church elders given great works that many women like you are doing in the Lord’s vineyard?

The call of God on women is not restricted to just being woman without having anything to do with the pulpit. The general notion that women are not called to be pastors or into church leadership is a wrong and misleading notion. Biblically, it’s not so. From the Bible days to this contemporary world, we have women at the helms of affairs in the church setting. To start with, Deborah, the judge in Israel, the wife of Lapidoth who ruled Israel for years, is a woman, Judges 4. Esther, the wife of King Ahaserus, saved the race of Jews from being exterminated. And in the contemporary world of today, Aimee Semple McPherson, the founder of Four Square Gospel, and many others. Though Apostle Paul said women should be silent in church, this is peculiar with the church in Corinth because of the behaviour of the then women. This is not a general situation.

The Bible does not prohibit women from speaking in the church in pulpit ministry, teaching, preaching, praying, prophesying, or any other speaking function. The focus is on the proper use of spiritual gifts, tongues and prophecy. Apostle Paul’s closing exhortation is a fitting conclusion. Therefore, my brothers and sisters desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But let all things be done properly and in an orderly manner.

The notion that women should be silent in the church or not called to be pastors or leaders of congregation is wrong because of lack of total understanding of the scriptures.

There are women in places of authority. As a woman of God, how would the privilege not hinder her positive roles as wife and mother?

Every woman made by God is designed to be a wife to her husband and a mother to her biological children. And if the woman is in the church setting, she will have spiritual children (protégées). One thing that is common that would make any woman a good wife and a good mother is humility, large heart and submission. Without true application of these Godly virtues, any woman in the place of authority would mix things up to the detriment of the society.

Would you have been into other vocations outside sharing the grace with your husband?

Personally, I feel there is no higher calling, no greater task than this. I mean, in working towards helping to win souls for God. And my understanding is that of a woman who is liberated to fulfil the potential of being a servant of God.

Marriage is God’s design. But even in Christian homes, it is not all rosy. What are the best tonics to having a lasting marriage?

Marriage is a journey. Most times, some journeys in life are full of challenges while some are rosy depending on the factors put in place before the journey started. Frankly speaking, there is no perfect marriage on earth because two people with different backgrounds are coming to stay together. Perfect marriage is in heaven between the bride (the church) and the groom (Jesus). However, if any marriage must work, it must be the joint effort of the couple. So the best marriage tonic in my opinion is having marital understanding, that every husband should love his wife and every wife should submit to her husband.

Some Christian women are confusing the fact that men and women have equal rights and access to salvation, with the need for submission to the leadership of men. What do you have to say about this?

Every man and woman on earth has equal right and access to salvation which is based on their faith in Christ and it is a divine gift offered to mankind by God. As regards women submitting to the leadership of men (at home), it’s not debatable or contestable because it’s divine instruction according to Ephesians 5:22: “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” However, when a woman is in position of authority, both men and women under her should submit to her.

How do you really inspire women under your watch in the church?

Inspiration for timely and purposeful leadership is from God. When it is time to lead, the capable and the needed resources to accomplish the due delivery of the exercise would be made available by God.

As a leader, the best way to inspire your followers is to inspire yourself first. In other words, when a leader is inspired, the followers would be inspired. A deliberate attempt to live an exemplary life is another source of motivation and inspiration for our women.

Abortion is prevalent among women. It has become an excuse to avoid responsibility because those engaged in it will say it is because they have no money to care for the baby. How do we deal with it the Christian way?

To start with, abortion as you rightly put it is taking of life deliberately either from the stage of zygote or embryo or foetus. The moment of fertilisation is an entirely logical point to choose as the beginning of human life. Abortion is not the act or the way of God but of man and in no way is a Godly step that the society at large should emulate. Great stars, generals, professors, helpers of destinies have been sent into early extinction because of the evil work of blind mothers and fathers in the society. This evil vice can be dealt with in a Christian way first by having the fear of God. If every mother, would-be-mother, father and would-be-father should have the fear of God, the evil act of abortion would be curtailed because the Bible says ‘you shall not kill’ either from the stage of zygote or embryo or foetus or a full grown up human being, killing is killing.

What are the qualities that you believe describe a Godly woman?

The best way of describing qualities of a Godly woman is by aligning it with what the Bible says. A Godly woman must be a born again child of God whose life is a blessing to others. She must of necessity be engrossed with the duty of submission at home to her husband. A Godly woman can also mean a virtuous woman whose attributes are in Prov. 31:10-24. They are industrious, tact, not wasteful or extravagant in life, not wicked in mind, good mothers indeed, and not notorious in their approach to life.

In a nutshell, a Godly woman does not live all her life on the things of this world. She believes that we are pilgrims or strangers in this world; that sooner or later, Jesus will come back again to judge both the living and the dead. As a matter of fact, she knows that the every daily activity of human being is either pointing him or her to Heaven or hell.

Tell us about the lined up events and the just concluded International Women Conference.

The International Women Conference was a galaxy and compendium of power, testimonies and word depth. This is a conference where people converged from various continents of the world to be influenced positively by the new anointing which is the conference theme. We have had other conferences like the Restoration programme at Bologna in Northern Italy led by my husband and leader of the ministry, Apostle Johnson Suleman. Others coming include the Restoration Crusade at Ibadan between September 27 and 28; the International Ministers Conference in October; The Undeniable crusade in Lagos also in October; the Raw Power USA in October; the Raw Power Liberia also in October, and the Onitsha Restoration in November.  These conferences are packaged in such a way that they deliver on the divine promise of manifestations, healings, deliverances, restorations, accurate prophetic utterances, and more.

Rev Dr. Ola Akande was the first cleric to contest for the presidency under the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) in 1992.
The nonagenarian spoke with Sunday Oguntola on his amazing life at 90 and why he is not prepared to die yet. Excerpts:

HOW does it feel to be 90? I just don’t feel it that I am 90 years. I still feel like I am in my 70s or 60s because with the power of my brain to have been able to produce 12 books since 1986, I still feel like a young man. If it were not for the sore that developed on my right foot, I did not even feel that I am 80 years.

At the service of thanksgiving where the people were rejoicing with me for living up to 90 years, I told the whole congregation that I am giving them an invitation to be prepared to attend my 100th birthday.

You believe you will live up to 100?

Yes, I believe. My father died at 112 and he told me before he died that I must get to that age or go beyond it. So, my target is at least 120. When I reach that age, I can ask God to come and take me home. That is why I did not feel sick, if not for this sore.

My father transferred this sore to me. When he was 85 years, he began to have it until he died. The only thing I cannot do again is to write books. I think I have done enough writing but I read newspapers.

You read with glasses?

I read newspapers and bible without glasses. Occasionally when I write my sermons, I can use glasses and I can also decide not to use it.

You still preach?

I still have invitations to preach, which I honour. I had a preaching engagement on August 4 at the 80th birthday of a lady who requested that I should come and preach. I write most of my sermons in my mind; that is what I do. When I am asleep, I will just get up, pick a pen with a piece of paper and jot down whatever idea comes to my mind.

When I am on the toilet doing my number two, I have my pen with me. I ensure that I’m always with pens even when I sit doing nothing. I have paper and pen in my pocket and I will be jotting down points. If I am going to write letter to anybody, I would have first written the letter in my mind before I put it down and it will surprise you to know that about nine or 10 years ago, I began to use computer.

That is the mystery of my life and I did not understand it myself. I typed all my books myself with one finger because I did not know how to type with two hands. Everything is by picking. One of my books ‘Miracles, Mysteries and After Life’, I typed it myself and it is 365 pages.

What do you do these days?

As soon as I finish my breakfast, I go to sleep because the doctors have told me that the best thing I can do for this sore foot is to lie down on the bed and raise my legs on the pillow. That way, it will not be swelling.

I do not have any sickness apart from the sore foot, no headache, body pain, back pain and no more sex. The urge will not even come (laughter).

What is the cause of the sore foot?

It comes with arthritis, which I inherited from my father. It was the arthritis that developed to swollen foot and ultimately after four years, there was a little sore that opened and that was what I’m treating. It is almost healed up though.

But when you have sore on one foot, it would affect the other and that is why I use walking stick occasionally. The problem is that if I sit for long, getting up will be a problem for me.

Are you diabetic?

No, I thank God for that. My father was not diabetic before he died. All my four sisters, none of them was diabetic. Two of them died. One died at the age of 61 and the other at 80.

Likewise none of my five children had diabetic. As many times as the medical doctors have tested my blood here in Nigeria or America, I have been free of diabetes and that is something I am very happy for.

What will you attribute your strong health to?

I will say it is God; it is a gift from God because I grew up in Ghana. I still speak Ghanaian languages. I can speak Fante very fluently and the way I speak English is quite different from the Nigerian way of speaking English.

The thing that surprises me is that I do not go to hospital. I am gifted by God with good health and in addition to that supernatural God’s gift. I think it is the way of life I lived in Ghana because Ghanaians are extremely very neat and we have brought that into our marriage.

I have been married for 59 years. By December, we will be married for 60 years. Also there was something I learnt when I was in high school in Ghana. It was called the power of positive thinking. I belonged to a small group of high students. I went to high school in 1945 and finished in 1949.

What do you eat?

My food here in Nigeria is pounded yam with good soup like gbegiri, ewedu or okro with meat. I used to like fish but the fish here in Ibadan is not that okay for me. Occasionally, I call on my people in Lagos to buy sea fish for me while coming.

Also I like amala occasionally. I tell mama (his wife) 85 years to cook for me. My wife at 85 is still strong and I use to wonder what the secret is. She remembers more things than I do and I tell her that maybe when she gets to 90 years, her brain would tell her.

Was there anything you did that you realise you should have done better?

I cannot remember any, my brother. My life has been marked by God’s faithfulness and kindness. I only cry these days because many of my contemporaries have gone. When I think back, I cry and I remember the boys and girls with whom I went to school. I remember that among all of us only two are remaining. The others have died. Those whom we went to high school together in Ghana between 1945 and 1949, there are not more than four that remain.

I asked God why He has preserved my life. Why has He not allowed these people to live? I also think of the years I spent in seminaries, in America and I did not have many friends any more to contact. It is very painful, very painful.

Can you compare Nigeria of now to the one you grew up in?

In Nigeria of today, you cannot tell the truth and be respected. That is why I do not accept too much invitation to preach. One of our ministers died a few years ago. He was my name sake and his family invited me to come and preach. Everyone knows that my preaching is down-to-earth and many people did not like it.

If you invite me to come and preach, I will ask the invitees if they will be able to withstand my sermon because I will tell the whole congregation what God asks me to tell them. I spoke at the funeral and about a week after that, one young man who just started his ministry brought a letter.

He dropped it in at the entrance of our house. When I saw the letter, I exclaimed that the young man is condemning me because of the way I preached. I wrote a note to him and enclosed his letter in it. I told him he should not have written to me in such manner. He wrote back another stinker.

I made several copies of the letter that one of these days I will go to attend the church where he worships. Incidentally, the church he was is the church that I and my wife founded in 1979. After I greeted the people, I told them that I had information that I wanted to pass to the congregation.

I shared copies of the letter to the worshippers and he was unable to talk. The congregation was surprised and I told them to ask the man why he wrote such a stinker.

When a pastor preaches in the church and he speaks the truth, the congregation will not like him. They may decide not to pay his salary or sack him. During our time, we did not have that. In short, things have changed. If you want to tell the truth now, you have to be careful.

Ann Njemanze took the home video industry by storm twenty years ago, when her stunning role in Domitila exposed a lot about prostitution both locally and abroad.  Twenty year on, Njemanze is still bubbling with life, rearing to do more, but now preferring to pitch her tent more with the stage.  In this interaction with Edozie Udeze, she bares it all – her career, her favourite foods, fashion, holidays spots and lots more.

MANY of your fans have been wondering where you are and what you’ve been up to?

At the moment, I am a staffer of the National Troupe of Nigeria.  What I am doing now is that mainly I am a civil servant.  Secondly, I am trying to come out with my own movie, my own production.

Since the movie Domitila, people have been wondering what happened to you?

Just like every other thing in life, people to their works.  After that, they move on.  It has been the same with me since after Domitila.  I have moved on.  But I think I heard the producer saying he’d do part three of Domitila very soon.  So, I am waiting for that to happen.  And if it happens, all well and good.

Domitila seems to be the high point of your career.  What do you think?

I beg to differ.  I can’t say anything is the high point of my career yet.  No.  For me, The Catch has been the best production.  So far it is.  It is the one we did at the time.  And it has remained a very good one for me.  And after that…  For me, it was a good and sweet story and it was good at the time.  The script was good and well-written.  Indeed, I can’t even talk about highpoint of career because I am not even seventy yet.  For me, my career is still very much on.  So it is not yet time to talk about highpoint of career.  Even some artists in their seventies still have a lot to offer to the society in their profession.

So far Domitila still ranks..?

Oh, like I said, it was the best of its kind and it came out when it did.  The subject-matter was topical just like it still is today.  Then Nollywood as we know it today had not gone far.  A lot of things were still being put in place.  So, it was like Domitila with its subject-matter hit the society like a thunder bolt and it stuck.  First of all, the language was for everyone.  It was Pidgin English.  It wasn’t like we were trying to impress.  No.  We didn’t have to speak the White man’s language.  What we did, the medium we used touched everybody.  In fact, we were in touch with everybody.  Everybody in Nigeria, even outside the shores of Nigeria, got the message.  And you know pidgin is no more purely a Nigerian affair.  Across the world, some people understand it and so it was easy for the message to stick.

Why did you choose to play that role in Domitila?

Well, did I really choose to play that role?  Even, for me it was a challenge.  Yes, it was a challenge.  I needed to do it myself and to interpret the role well as an artiste.  Then I could do it and do it well.  Fresh from school then, I was rearing to go.  It was the second project that stared me in the face and I felt I needed to do it well.  I wanted it to be different from the rest – speak English, do the phonetics and so on.  But this was different from the rest, sort of.  And so Zeb Ejiro really did a good work on us.  And so, as you can see, here we are today.

Does the message in Domitila still prevalent in the society to this day?

Oh, yes.  The message was there at that time.  But today it is even more serious.  The issue of prostitution is even more rife now.  The character, Domitila, lived a dual life.  Because of the environment, maybe she could not push further.  That was what happened.  Back in time in Domitila, that was about 20 years ago, you wouldn’t openly let people know you were a street girl – a prostitute.  But right now, the situation is different.  Girls are more daring, bolder now that they were then.  People are even making children and are dumping them on the streets.  The level of prostitution now is indeed on the increase and the story is more pathetic now.  And this is very painful to look at, knowing that we were at a point a very conservative society.  Yes, to some extent, we are a very conservative society.

But today our cultures are being eroded, fading away bit by bit.  What we see in the society now, shows that things stink, our cultures are deteriorating fast.  This is not good enough.

What does Domitila symbolize?

It is actually an old classical name, derived from the Italian language.  Or Latin, if you wish.  I didn’t create the name myself.  The work was Zeb Ejiro’s.  All we did was to fit into the characters to bring out the beauty and the name of the movie.  But from the research I did, it is an old classical name, from the Italian history.  Even from the sound of it, you’d know it is Italian.  It is actually Dom-i-t-i-la, so pronounced to bring out its total meaning.

As a staffer of the National Troupe of Nigeria, what role do you really play?

Oh, I play my role as an artiste, as a marketer and so on.  And that’s quite a lot (laughs) isn’t it?

As it is now, do you prefer stage to screen?

No, any seasoned actor should, you know, be in love with stage.  Stage gives you the boldness you need.  It inspires you as an artiste, to be in your best element while acting.  That is the beauty of it all.  Television makes you more exposed and known by more viewers.  However, stage is where the action is.  Unfortunately, quite unlike what happens outside the country, here the paparazzi only follow the TV actors and actresses and seem to pay more attention to them.  In actual fact, stage or live actors give you the real thing, to tell the essence of the story and the what it has for the people.  As arts and cultures in Nigeria are evolving, people have begun also to realize that stage has a lot of meaning to offer.  Hubert Ogunde did it and did it very well, to expose and explore the beauty of total theatre; live theatre to be more precise.  Ogunde was all about stage.  So, the tempo is increasing, the awareness is multiplying bit by bit.  Even though the TV comes with its own glitterati I still prefer to do my bit on stage.  I see it as a good riddance.  It is for me to still extend that mileage to make stage go further and further into the society.  It helps me also to explore my artistic talent further and to explore more on stage.

So you now give your whole professional time to stage?

Yes, it has been stage all the way.  It counts more for me now than ever before.  Oh, yes, it is stage for me now.  So far Ghost of the Living Dead by the late Professor Ola Rotimi still remains my best work on stage.  It was done when I was at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, doing my Diploma in Theatre Arts.  It was fantastic.

Yes, talking about the University of Port Harcourt, during those formative years as an undergraduate, what lessons did you learn most to be where you are today?

The heat, the strength, the sense of togetherness we imbibed then as students of Theatre.  In everything we did we had to imbibe all these.  You had to be a singer, a writer, an actor, a composer, a total artiste to be able to make it.  All these were there for us then as Theatre students of the institution.  Everything in one, if you needed to find yourself on top of your game was there.  It was a battle to survive; to make it, to come out tops.  You had the likes of Monalisa Chinda who was my classmate, you know.  Rita Dominic was there; she was our senior in the department.  It was good and tough and interesting too.  So, Julius Agwu was also my senior.  Those were the dons.  Oh, oh, it was so fascinating.  It was the same way we were told – this is your line, this is your life and we followed it.  It was a discipline that was instilled in you and which you were meant to follow.  It wasn’t an all-comers affair which everybody thinks it is today.  And that is the quarrel I have with the TV today where you feel you can do theatre as you like.  No it is not supposed to be so.  And they think what you call theatre is the TV.  That’s the problem, when you do not have a job, you run to the TV, you run to acting.  No.  No.  It is a whole lot of serious work.  It encompasses a lot.  That was what the Uniport did for me during those my formative years and I will never forget.

Wild, wild, Ann Njemanze, that’s how most of your fans see you as an actress…?

Oh, as an actress, I hope I get better.  Oh you have to get better and put in what makes you a spectacular artiste.  I try to get better, sure.  I try to be modest.  The day you begin to fall or falter is the day you tell yourself you know it all.  And so I thank God that acting is not the only forte that I follow in life.  I am into writing; I write a lot.  Even as in actress I try to look into something that’s challenging.  It helps me to move on in life, to be a better person in both my writing and acting career.  It is challenging.  Any actor or actress who wants to remain relevant, would like to see herself pushing, working endlessly to be on top.  It is in taking on a role that is more challenging each time you act that makes you to be above the rest.  You have to dare all the time; you have to prove yourself in whatever role you are asked to play.  The role you are to play next has to be more challenging than the one you’ve just finished otherwise it becomes a bore.  That is why again it is good for the stage to continue to urge you on and put you on your toes.

Outside TV and stage, what else occupies your time?

Umh, it is writing.  Oh, yes, I write a lot.  Also, I have a blog.  I wrote once for High society.  I have been writing all my life and I wrote most of the series on Maltina radio.  That indeed takes a lot of my time.  Parenting also takes a lot of my time; taking care of my children.

Parenting – let’s talk about it…?

Yes, I have two children.  I am forced to do my bit.  I have no choice, but try to take care of them.  It has not been easy, yet they are grown ups now.  For now, my daughter is a model.  Oh, yes, she is.  She models mostly for a model company in Sierra Leone where she goes to often and on.  She’s been there like four times this year.  She is studying Mass Communications.  My son is inclined to engineering actually.

How do you define your sense of fashion?

Fashion?  My sense of fashion?  It is what I feel, what I feel at a time.  What I feel is like being upbeat.  Yes.  People feel I am a jeans person due to the kind of job I do.  But that has not always been the case.  No, it is not.  It depends on how I feel.  So when you come to my wardrobe, there’s an array of clothes to wear.

What’s that things you value most preciously in your wardrobe?

Ah, if I told you it will no longer be exclusive to me.  That’s why it is precious and more valuable to me and to me alone (laughs).  No, no, I won’t let it out well, well, it is a particular set of bra but I won’t go further than that…  That’s all I can say to you, oh you are much persistent…

What brand of shoes do you like?

Because I had a knee operation way back, I wear the kind of shoes that define my mood and fashion.  But the bottom line is to wear what makes you comfortable; what makes me comfortable at all times.

If you are not spending your holidays in Nigeria, where else will you be?

I will either be in Adamawa or in Canning town, East London.  I think I prefer there to Pembroke.  But then, again, Pembroke in the UK ain’t bad.  But the last time I was in Pembroke was July last year.  I was there for a week.  The place is changing too, just like Nigeria, you know.  Again the folk culture is coming up there and a lot of things are changing.  Things are opening up.

What is your favourite soup?

Okro; Ofe okro.

Why?

It is easy to prepare.  I know I have disappointed you.  You expected me to say Ofe Owerri, because I am an Owerri girl.  As for swallow I am not too particular about any.  It also helps to swallow food easily, you see.  Yes, Ofe Owerri is beautiful; it is fine; I do it well, but it is not my favourite.

Tale Alimi is a business coach and radio presenter with Wfm. In this interview with YETUNDE OLADEINDE, she talks about life as a business coach, the challenges and the motivation working with over 500 SME’s as a business mid wife and catalyst. 

WHAT does life as a business coach entail? It entails working with aspiring and emerging business owners to create, start and grow their businesses by putting in place the right strategies, structures and systems. I see myself as some sort of business mid-wife and catalyst at the same time. I am constantly researching new ways to help my clients perform better with their business at the same time, I get to work with them through my one on one or group programs. It is an incredibly fulfilling opportunity to serve and help people create authentically successful businesses.

What inspired the idea?

I was inspired by a couple of experiences and incidences in my personal and professional life. Firstly I worked in a consulting firm after my MBA, and I was privileged to be a team lead in a department that worked with SME and family owned businesses to put the right systems and structures they need to grow their businesses. I got to work with some of the fastest growing medium sized companies in Nigeria today in beauty, health care and technology amongst others. It was a really fulfilling experience for me. Secondly, I have also started several of my own businesses and I saw the challenges of running a business so I am determined to take the struggle out of running a business especially in this economy. I also have a certificate in personal coaching from the coaching academy UK.

What are some achievements recorded?

My achievements are the success of my clients businesses. Till date I have worked with over 500 SME’s through my training and coaching programs in the last 5 years and that has being very satisfying. I have also reached over 10,000 aspiring and emerging business owners through my various multi-media platforms in the last one year. I however don’t think I have achieved a lot yet sincerely as there is so much more ground to cover. My vision is to be able to reach and serve 10million people in the next 5 years.

What are the challenges encountered?

The challenges I face are not peculiar to me, they are actually common to anyone who is a pioneer in a new industry especially one that has to do with personal development. The business coaching industry is still quite new in Nigeria and with low barrier of entry and little or no regulation , anyone can claim to be a business coach. I have taken the challenge in stride to create awareness and set a positive example for others coming behind me to follow. My aim is to build an industry, so that anyone who wants to start and grow a business will work with a business coach.

How do you cope with the challenges?

My posture is to take the challenges in its stride and I am constantly challenging myself to up my game and ensure I keep getting tangible results for my clients. I am also in this for the long haul so I constantly remind myself that business success does not happen overnight. This is a very important stance, because this is the same thing I tell my clients. I am also committed to continuous learning and growth and challenges are one of the things that fuel growth.

Who are your targets?

My target clients are aspiring and emerging entrepreneurs who have the hunger and drive to build and grow an authentically successful business that will contribute to the growth of the economy as well as give them personal fulfilment.

Let’s talk about life as a presenter on WFM 91.7

I am an independent presenter on wfm 91.7, which is the first radio station that focuses on women and their families. I host a show called the entrepreneur’s journey where I interview inspiring entrepreneurs and they share their stories of how they started and have become successful.

Tell us about some memorable moments on radio?

Every week is actually memorable for me because I get to interview some of the most inspiring entrepreneurs and hear how they have surmounted great challenges and built successful enterprises. Two interviews that really inspired me were my interviews with Price Saviour Ichie of the association of micro entrepreneurs and hearing the story of how he went from hawking his products to now employing over 50 people. Another was interviewing my mentor Mrs Adenike Ogunlesi of Ruff&tumble and seeing how humble and passionate she still is despite all her achievements and employing over 200 people.

Do you believe in mentoring?

Definitely! I just spoke about my mentor Mrs Adenike Ogunlesi and I have also been privileged to have some other great mentors as I have gone along in my journey. A mentor is important because you can learn from their experience. However, we must know that our own journey is different from our mentors, so we can learn from them without trying to copy their journey so we don’t get distracted from our own path.

Who are you role models and Mentors?

Sincerely I have so many because I am constantly learning and growing. And the truth is they have changed as the seasons of my life have changed. The number one person I turn to these days is God. This is very important because I can get unbiased and divine counsel from him.

Who or what do you consider the greatest influence in your life?

Once again, my relationship with God and the voice I hear in my spirit and this has come with time and growth. Before, I was quick to listen to the opinions of people and have sometimes being derailed by that. These days I seek God’s opinion first before anyone else’s. I respect the counsel of my family, mentors and teachers, but I always try to filter it by God’s guidance.

What is your definition of style?

Style is a way to express your personal brand and preference. It is a way to show people who you are through your taste and fashion choices.

What are the other things that occupy your time?

I love exercising! I try to work out 6 times a week. I jog sometimes, do aerobics and core training. I used to play Lawn tennis, but I have not played in a while. I also love to spend time with my family and my 8 year old son. I am also some sort of geek so I am constantly reading and researching. I love to discover and explore new teachings.

How can entrepreneurs survive this economy?

I shared some tips on this a few weeks ago on a television program and it is also on my Instagram page. A few pointers are; they need to keep their eye on the cash and spend more on income generating activities whilst cutting out activities that might be frivolous or not necessary to grow the business. They have to become more creative and create more pocket friendly products. They have to focus on giving more value to their existing clients to keep them loyal and happy. Finally they have to stay positive and persist as the economic recession will pass and they don’t want to lose hope too quickly.