Category: Women In Business

KloverHarris Limited is an indigenous human capital consultancy company. With a diverse client base across the sectors of the economy. Its Managing Partner, Ms. Bukola Ariyibi, has brought her track record in the human resources industry to bear in positioning it as the go-to company for businesses in the country and globally. The University of Hertfordshire-trained consulting professional shares a compelling story of how she turned the use of cutting-edge Information Technology (IT) into a strategic enabler for clients’ optimum productivity and satisfaction with Assistant Editor CHIKODI OKEREOCHA.

Its value proposition is top-notch and compelling. Indeed, with its unique approach to delivering maximum gains for diverse clients across all sectors of the economy based on their distinctiveness, KloverHarris Limited, an indigenous human capital consultancy company, is a company to beat in the human resources industry.

The company boasts track records and operations in three vital aspects of its business solutions spanning accounting and tax advisory, learning and development as well as recruitment services, and is poised to ensure clients’ satisfaction and optimal productivity with its top-notch solutions.

The Managing Partner of KloverHarris Limited, Ms. Bukola Ariyibi, said, for instance, that in accounting and tax advisory services, it has observed how tax compliance has become a major challenge for many businesses as they see taxation as a minefield, consequently creating difficulties with their remittances and obligations to the appropriate government agencies.

Accordingly, she said through the use of modern technology, KloverHarris has turned this burden around for its clients. “Our tax and advisory experts not only work with our clients to remit their taxes as and when due, but also view taxation as a strategic opportunity to provide measurable insights,” she said.

The company’s learning and development solutions are no less exciting. They were, according to Bukola, designed to transform businesses to achieve their strategic objectives. “We are conversant with how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being optimised in imparting knowledge. As a business, we have identified this trend and positioned ourselves to meet the demands of our clients as they relate to e-learning,” she stated.

KloverHarris also has competitive edge in recruitment services, encouraged by its unique ability to spot the talent of the best fit. Again, Bukola said: “We can always tell the difference between Curriculum Vitae (CV) and an interviewee. It is like night and day. Beyond CVs, we help our clients spot candidates who are equipped with the knowledge to accelerate their businesses. We also believe that our talents of best fit should thrive in their career paths and it is a win-win situation.”

Since 2015 when it started out, KloverHarris Limited, an indigenous consulting company set up to proffer quality learning and development services, human resource administration and business/IT consulting services to clients across various sectors within Africa, has, over the years, gained significant experiences in its fields of specialty and prides itself in how well it assists businesses and organisations overcome challenges and help remove barriers.

In doing so, Bukola said the deployment of cutting-edge technology is at the centre of the company’s resolve to deliver immense value to its clients. According to her, the company measures the existing delivery processes of its clients and sees how they align with their strategic goals and objectives in line with global best practices, with cutting-edge methodologies for growth processes.

An experienced Managing Consultant with demonstrated history of working in the human resources space, Bukola is one of Nigeria’s acclaimed consulting professionals. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, Osun State, in 2001. She also earned a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) Finance, General, from University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom (UK)

Effortless beautiful and hardworking, with sharp, analytical mind, Bukola is schooled in strategic planning, business development, financial analysis, and wealth management. And how she has been able to bring her wealth of experience in these diverse areas to bear in positioning KloverHarris as the go-to company for businesses in the country and globally with a touch of professionalism and quality standards is a study in tenacity and focus.

Before her result-driven exploits in the human resources space, Bukola was at some point, a branch manager in United Bank for Africa (UBA). She was also in the Business Banking, Private Clients Services and Branch Management of Stanbic IBTC, as well as a Real Estate Investment Analyst at Zenith Bank Plc. She was also an administrative officer at Baker Hughes, a Houston, Texas-based energy technology company. That was in 2002.

A hugely successful entrepreneur with several certifications under her belt, Bukola, as proof of her game-changing exploits in the entrepreneurial space, was on the prestigious ‘The PowerWoman 100 – 2021 Annual List.’ The PowerWoman Network is a network of female business leaders and professionals birth with a shared mission of enhancing the growth of women in the corporate, political, and business leadership scenes.

The PowerWoman Network believes that in every woman is an arsenal of untapped power, strength, resources and resourcefulness, so, through the Network, it helps ambitious women unleash their inner strength and help them with the resources required to access global opportunities and become global leaders.

Other notable women entrepreneurs on ‘The PowerWoman 100 – 2021 Annual List’ included the founder and CEO of Ebony Life Media, a leading Nigerian media conglomerate, encompassing EbonyLife TV, EbonyLife Films, and EbonyLife Studios, Mosunmola Abudu, popularly known as Mo Abudu; Nigerian-American economist and international development expert and also Director-General of World Trade Organisation (WTO),  Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Others on the list were founder and CEO of House of Tara International, a popular make-up brand, Tara Fela-Durotoye; Co-Founder of Sahel Consulting, Ndidi Nwuneli; motivational speaker, former Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria and founder of SOKOA Chair Centre Limited, Mrs. Ibukunoluwa Awosika etc.

However, Bukola’s successes are not without challenges especially as they relate to her company’s recruitment services. She said, for instance, that Nigeria’s poor education sector was pain in the neck, and as a result of this, most Nigerian graduates are not employable.

Indeed, the quality of graduates churned out every year by most Nigerian graduates has been a source of worry for most employers of labour, with most of them dismissing Nigerian graduates as unemployable, apparently because most of them are said to lack the relevant skills needed in today’s labour market.

Human resource experts including Bukola put the blame on the doorstep of Nigeria’s poor education system, which is said to have, among others, woefully failed to prioritise entrepreneurship in the school curriculum. In other words, the education system placed so much emphasis on theoretical education at the detriment of practical concepts of entrepreneurship.

The thinking, and rightly so, is that had the system adequately prepared Nigerian graduates through entrepreneurship and relevant skills, they would have been able to acquire the requisite knowledge that would have guaranteed them employment. Better still, they would have been creating jobs for themselves, and perhaps, become employers of labour.

Bukola also noted that brain drain where very brilliant professionals in various fields of endeavour travel out of the country for greener pastures have been an issue with recruitment service. According to her, brain drain has left the nation with a deficiency in skilled personnel, a situation that has affected recruitment adversely.

Again, the budding entrepreneur and human resource expert hit the bull’s eye. Nigeria, in recent times, has witnessed an upsurge in the number of trained skilled workers migrating to other countries in search of greener pastures. Many of these emigrants are graduates trained in Nigerian universities, and they take with them years of training and skills to foreign countries.

Expectedly, the huge human capital exports have continued to deprive not a few of Nigeria’s struggling sectors, particularly the health sector, much-needed human capital to thrive and contribute to the country’s growth and development.

For instance, brain drain is largely responsible for the current sorry state of Nigeria’s health sector, where the exit of doctors and nurses in droves appears to have become the fad.

Experts, however, blame Nigeria’s persistent brain drain on the prevailing poor state of the economy, decrepit infrastructure, pervasive insecurity, high unemployment rate, human rights violations etc. And without the needed urgency to address these issues, the mass exodus, mostly of young Nigerians, does not appear to be ending any time soon.

However, in the midst of these challenges, confusion, Bukola has continued to charge on, drawing sufficient strength from, as she said, “the unique ability of KloverHarris to spot the talent of the best fit.”

“…we help our clients spot candidates who are equipped with the knowledge to accelerate their businesses. We also believe that our talents of best fit should thrive in their career paths and it is a win-win situation,” she reiterated.

Eight years to the 2030 target for the attainment of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Nigeria is now here close to achieving the SDGs designed as blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. However, the empowerment of 857 women and youth on waste recycling, under a partnership between RecyclePoints and Mastercard Foundation, may be the template to rev the implementation of the SDGs, at least, from Goal no 17, which highlights the importance of global partnerships and collaborations. Assistant Editor CHIKODI OKEREOCHA reports.

A private sector-led push to re-awaken the consciousness of the authorities in Nigerian to the need to redouble efforts at meeting the 2030 target for the achievement of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is on course.

On the strength of a partnership between waste recycling management company RecyclePoints and Mastercard Foundation, 857 Nigerian women and youth have been empowered on waste recycling through Project DORI.

Project DORI is an initiative that requires making waste recycling easily accessible to more people in underserved communities, by carrying out community recycling programmes and the deployment of DORI Bins to women in some states.

Through Project DORI, women deploy proprietary waste and recycling assets such as the DORI Bin to communities for waste collection and, in return, earn an income.

The 857 women and youth beneficiaries spread across 10 communities in cities such as Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Owerri, among others, were trained and equipped with the requisite skills to earn incomes from the safe collection of recyclable items.

The initiative, according to the co-founder of RecyclePoints, Chioma Ukonu, is vital in the effort to realise the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No 17.

“Through the partnership between Mastercard Foundation and RecyclePoints, we have empowered women, engaged underserved communities, and created sustainable green jobs for youths – in line with Mastercard Foundation Young Africa Works and RecyclePoints’ core social impacts.

“We are thrilled to have achieved this sustainable development that protects people and the planet, and we are excited about the future,” Ukonu said, last week, while taking stock of the company’s achievements as part of its close-out report with the Mastercard Foundation.

Created in 2006, Mastercard Foundation, which has offices in Canada and Africa, is one of the largest foundations in the world.

It works almost exclusively in Africa, with visionary organisations, to enable youths in Africa and indigenous communities in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work.

The foundation seeks a world where everyone has the opportunity to learn and prosper. And its work is guided by its mission to advance learning and promote financial inclusion in developing countries and to support indigenous youth.

On the other hand, RecyclePoints, located in Ebute–Metta, Lagos, Nigeria, is Nigeria’s foremost waste recycling and social benefit venture that motivates post-consumers to recycle by creating value from their everyday waste.

It has since developed a point-based incentive model with which it collects pure water sachets, pet plastic bottles, used beverage cans, glass bottles, old newspapers and brown corrugated cartons from registered post-consumers.

Post-consumers are, in turn, rewarded with points, which when accrued can be used to redeem household items and cash. Points are allocated based on a Points Earning Chart in which quantity of items are equated to the number of points earned.

According to Ukonu, the partnership has yielded green work for youth, built resilience of older women-led Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and strengthened RecyclePoints’ capacity to aggregate recycling waste that will benefit thousands of disadvantaged persons and communities whom the COVID-19 pandemic hit the hardest.

The Country Head, Mastercard Foundation, Chidinma Lawanson, said the foundation was pleased to be part of the life-changing initiative that has helped to enhance employment opportunities for the youth, especially amid the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the  economy.

Lawanson’s words: “Our partnership with RecyclePoints on Project DORI has contributed a great deal in reducing the impact of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, especially with the creation of dignified jobs in the waste recycling industry.”

Such partnerships which could empower 857 women and youth on waste recycling are crucial in driving SDG 17, that highlights the importance of global partnerships and collaborations.

The partnership as template to drive SDG 17

Goal number 17 of the SDG highlights the importance of global macroeconomic stability and the need to mobilise financial resources for developing countries, including Nigeria, from international sources, as well as through strengthened domestic capacities for revenue collection.

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The UN SDGs consist of 17 goals designed as blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. And the ultimate goal of the SDGs was to end poverty, save the planet and ensure peace and prosperity in the world by 2030.

Recall that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 SDGs were adopted at the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on September 25, 2015. With the adoption, world leaders set bold and ambitious targets for an inclusive, prosperous, equitable, just, and peaceful world.

Sadly, however, eight years to the 2030 target, Nigeria, Africa’s largest and most populous nation, has not made significant progress in achieving the 17 SDGs.

This is despite the commencement of the implementation of SDGs in Nigeria from January 2016 and the launch of the ‘Nigeria Sustainable Development Goals Implementation Plan 2020-2030,’ on June 7, 2021.

Why Nigeria lags behind

While other countries have made significant progress in the implementation of the SDG, and are racing to the meet the 2030 target, Nigeria continues to lag behind.

The country has been weighed down by a plethora of socio-economic and financial challenges, chief of which is pervasive insecurity, which, according to experts, has a direct bearing on most, if not all the SDGs. Nigeria has also not made any appreciable progress in industrialisation, which, according to experts, has the capacity to address a good number of the 17 SDGs for her as it did for the industrialised countries.

This is so because industrialisation is widely acknowledged as the singular most driving force for economic growth and development. There is hardly any developed economy in the world today that achieved enduring growth and development without an advanced manufacturing capability.

In fact, no country can attain the status of being developed without a virile manufacturing base.

Sadly, however, Nigeria’s rate of industrialisation has been slow and unimpressive, evidenced by low industrial capacity utilisation, modest manufacturing activities and constrained export of manufactured products.

With Nigeria’s weak manufacturing base, she hasn’t been able to leverage industrialisation, which has the capacity to address a very good number of the SDGs just as it did for the industrialized nations.  

Also, poor funding, lack of coordination and ineffective implementation are said to be hindering the achievement of most of the goals especially those that emphasize no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, and quality education, which are considered as launch pad to realizing the other goals.

However, by empowering 857 women and youth on waste recycling, the partnership has added a fillip to Goal 17, which is about partnership. The consensus is that strong international partnership and cooperation are needed now more than ever to ensure that countries have the means to recover from the pandemic, build back better and achieve the SDGs.

In other words, the partnership has set the tone for Nigeria to redouble efforts to address the challenges hurting her chances of meeting the 2030 target.

From last-mile deliveries when it started in 2018, Messenger.ng, an on-demand dispatch and logistics company, with operations in Abuja and Lagos, has evolved into order fulfilment services. The company’s co-founder, Amanda Etuk, said the order fulfilment industry is worth $5 billion, as it is connected to e-commerce and trade, and is, therefore, a considerable growth area. She said her target is to capture one per cent of this market in Nigeria, then Africa, and rake in $400, 000 in revenue in few years’ time. The entrepreneur shares the impressive story of Messenger.ng’s organic growth trajectory with Assistant Editor CHIKODI OKEREOCHA.

Her pristine beauty and calm disposition belie her inner restlessness and resolve to succeed as an entrepreneur despite the odds. But, by bringing that resolve and her rare personal attributes of hard work, focus and tenacity to bear in improving the logistics ecosystem in Nigeria, the Co-founder of Messenger.ng, an on-demand dispatch and logistics company, Amanda Etuk, has carved a niche for herself in the competitive and challenging supply and logistics industry.

Already, Messenger.ng, which Amanda co-founded with her brother, Essien Etuk, in February 2018, has become a reference point in offering end-to-end logistics and supply chain services, including on-demand delivery/pickup, third-party logistics and order fulfilment for entrepreneurs and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across Nigeria.

At the last count, Messenger.ng, which has operations in Abuja and Lagos, has served more than 50, 000 individuals and more than 40 corporate clients. Some of its diverse clients, drawn by its flexible, efficient and bespoke services, include Jumia, Glovo, Thrive Agric, Kuda Bank, Medbury Medicals, Bottleking, First Blends/Zaika, Clinton Health Access Initiative etc.

Currently employing over 70 workers, most of who are riders/drivers for its dispatch motorcycles and mini vans, Amanda told The Nation that plans are underway to expand the company’s footprint beyond its current locations.

“We are planning to expand North wards. The focus is on Abuja to Kano, Kaduna. Then, other underserved markets in Enugu, Onitsha and Aba. We want to replicate our unparalleled order fulfilment service in these cities,” she revealed.

While Amanda is in charge of growth, business development and partnerships for Messenger.ng, her brother, Essien, manages the company’s operations. Essien is also President of the Association of Abuja Logistics Operators.

However, Messenger.ng owes its meteoric rise and dominant position in Nigeria’s logistics and delivery space to Amanda whose other specialties include General Business Management, Sales & Marketing, Logistics and Supply Chain Management Operations and Performance Optimisation.

For instance, in her capacity as growth and business development manager, she was able to spot order fulfilment as a considerable growth area for Messenger.ng. “We started with last mile deliveries, and then we got a number of corporate partnerships where we support their logistics processes and now where we have seen considerable growth is in order fulfilment,” the entrepreneur said.

According to Amanda, “Order fulfilment is currently a $5 billion industry, as it is largely connected to e-commerce and trade, and we are hoping in the next coming years to capture at least one per cent of this market in Nigeria, then Africa. At our current capacity, we expect $400, 000 in revenue within the coming year.”

Narrating how it all started, Amanda said Messenger.ng was birthed in February 2018, starting with last mile-delivery services i.e., the usual pick and drop deliveries, around Valentine’s Day. She said the aim was to meet up with the demands of the season, and the strategy was to pick up excess demand from logistics companies around Abuja at the time. And the start-up did.

The budding entrepreneur added that the company later grew to become a premier logistics partner for e-commerce giants Jumia and DHL Express. Not long after that, Messenger.ng, she said, evolved to providing order fulfilment services, where it now eyes a chunk of that market estimated at $5 billion.

“With our order fulfilment service, we have been able to assist businesses to serve cities outside of their major locations with reduced setup costs. For instance, with one of our anchor clients, Shopex, a teleshopping platform, we warehouse their goods in Abuja, we are connected to their Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, once an order comes in for the city, we sort and deliver within 24 hours,” Amanda told The Nation.

How did a company that started from scratch, doing the usual pick and drop deliveries, without receiving any institutional funding, according to Amanda, manage to make a name for itself and also partner with some of the most credible corporations in the logistics industry? How come a barely five-year old start-up now serve more than 50, 000 individuals and 40 corporate clients to the extent of becoming a crucial part of their order fulfilment strategy?

For one, Amanda, apart from earning a Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of Lagos, in 2014, came into the logistics space armed with requisite experience and skills. For instance, she holds a Master’s in Global Supply Chain and Logistics Management, obtained from the University of Sussex, United Kingdom (UK) in 2017.

Amanda’s story: “My background is in Pharmacy. After my post graduate in Supply Chain and logistics Management, I had the opportunity to work in health insurance where I was part of the team piloting nationwide delivery of chronic medication to enrolees.

“After this experience, I was fortunate to be given a chance to head a modern trade logistics company, Zippy Logistics, where I served for two and a half years handling modern trade distribution for the most popular household brand. The company has now evolved to become Loft Africa.”

The company’s prioritisation of flexibility, efficiency and quality service delivery under Amanda’s watch, also played a role. “You can patronise one of the more popular or established brands, the Pharmacist-turned supply chain and logistics management professional said, asking, “But which company can give an extensive turnkey solution that fits your business model?”

Born in Makurdi, Benue State, Amanda whose father and mother are from Akwa Ibom and Kogi states, but grew up in Lagos and Abuja, also said Messenger.ng’s very low customer attrition rate contributed to its emergence as a full-service logistics and dispatch company with key operations cutting across package delivery, cold chain solutions, warehousing and haulage.

Ambitious and courageous, Amanda, who said she likes to think of herself as a true Nigerian, said she is not intimidated by her male counterparts in the industry, which is largely perceived as male-dominated. “No, I don’t get intimidated,” she affirmed, adding, “It has, instead, worked out well for me. My Co-founder and I leverage each other’s strengths.”

Nigeria’s difficult business terrain has also not deterred her. “Logistics on its own is a quagmire due to infrastructural challenges, from our road networks, fuelling costs, manpower issues to mention a few. Being in the logistics space and having so many of these challenges outside of your control is an uphill battle to guarantee excellent or high-quality services,” she admitted.

Despite the challenges, Amanda has continued to charge on. “It sounds cliche when people say it’s not easy. It really isn’t and you need to be tenacious. Keep trying; there is more than one way to succeed,” she said.

She added: “At the heart of everything, I believe my calling is to serve, to be the person that supports someone or a business to achieve their goals and objectives. That’s who I am really in my family, friendships, career and business.”

Accordingly, Amanda has her eyes set on realising her vision to transform Messenger.ng to a globally recognised logistics and dispatch company reputable for package delivery and haulage in Nigeria. This, according to her, will enable her clients and brand owners achieve optimal business operations as regards logistics and delivery without stress.

Expectedly, her game-changing exploits in the industry have not gone unrecognised and rewarded. For instance, Messenger.ng recently made it to the Top 50 at the Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH), the Chinese billionaire Jack Ma Foundation’s flagship philanthropic program to support entrepreneurs in Africa.

Amanda is still in the running to reach Top 10 for a share of $1.5 million in grant money promised by the Foundation, which is aimed at identifying, supporting and inspiring the next generation of African entrepreneurs. She also stands the chance of receiving mentorship, training and networking opportunities.

Amanda attributed her selection for this coveted ABH award to her company’s organic growth and traction over the years. “We have not received any institutional funding and we have been able to make a name for ourselves and partner with some very credible corporations,” she reiterated.

Effortlessly beautiful and passionate, Amanda, who is also a published author, with two books under her belt, added that the background and experience of the company’s co-founding team also contributed.

Although the co-founding duo of Amanda and Essien are on Messenger.ng alone right now, they are not averse to having partners on-board. “We are not discriminating local or foreign partnerships, but we are looking for a long-term tenure and an individual or institution that is committed to going the distance with us,” Amanda averred.

While expressing appreciation for the strides that have been made in the financial services sector, particularly by banks, in the area of funding start-ups, Amanda, however, said essential businesses such as logistics are crucial to be funded.

She said apart from the economic impact of adequate funding in keeping essential businesses like logistics vibrant, there is the social impact of employing individuals, even the semi-skilled who account for a high percentage of the population.

“With every client we on-board, there is a cost to serve and this greatly limits our operations, cash flow and expansion. Supporting businesses is not a function of the banks alone, the buck stops at the government to create an enabling environment for businesses to grow and thrive.

“The interest rates alone from banks can eat up most businesses. You have start-ups looking to international Venture Capital (VC) firms for foreign investment and that pool is drying up with the FX devaluations,” the amazon in the logistics space told The Nation.

Memo Africa co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Darlyn Okojie is passionate about finding and implementing solutions to create values in people’s lives and, ultimately, boost business productivity. The Edo State-born shared her plans to transform the firm into a go-to platform for people’s welfare across Africa and the world with KELVIN OSA-OKUNBOR.

Her ultimate goal is to boost business productivity. But the unique and innovative way the co-founder & Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Memo Africa, a tech start-up, Darlyn Okojie, leverages the technology space to deliver on that mandate is, perhaps, what sets her apart from others jostling to claim a spot on the entrepreneurial landscape.

Already, Memo Africa, a child of Okojie’s resourceful brain, has become a reference point in offering technology solution that people and managers can deploy to automate welfare packages to be delivered to both remote and on-site teams across the world.

“Memo Africa’s future is tech!” she declared.

Noting that “the world is evolving to become digital and automated,” the Edo State-born budding tech entrepreneur, accordingly, said: “It is important to ensure that regardless of where people work from, they are treated with the same respect and dignity as they would be if they were working from a traditional office space.”

Okojie, who studied Accounting, at the University of Benin, told The Nation that Memo Africa was the technology solution born to connect the people in an organisation through its automated management system of celebrating them.

“Staying connected to and creating memorable moments for your team is the best way to keep them motivated while working,” she stated.

Evidently ambitious and aggressive, Memo Africa, under Okojie’s result-driven management, boasts clients from Nigeria and Ghana, and has also signed three firms into its system.

Also, the tech start-up, as part of its large vision, is poised to take steps to grow and scale up.

“We expect to become the go-to platform for people’s welfare across Africa and in the world. Our tentacles are set to expand into many African countries. We are open to acquiring more clients, partners and investors,” Okojie, said, exuding the confidence of an entrepreneur ready to conquer the global tech space.

Perhaps as proof of’s remarkable resolve to rule the tech world using Memo Africa as launch pad, the company’s most viable product, which is its website, has since been up and running.

“But we are planning to develop the mobile app version to increase the accessibility and personalisation of the system,” she added.

Okojie pointed out that the company draws strength from its belief that its technology solution will boost business productivity. According to her, this is so because organisations’ team members feel motivated and cared for while saving people managers time to focus on more critical issues.

The Nation learnt that as co-founder of Memo Africa, Okojie is responsible for the daily operation while building a team to create a tech solution to people’s management.

Other co-founders of the thriving tech start-up that has carved a niche for itself in creating memorable moments across the world include Ademola Koledoye and Chibueze Opeta. In  fact, Memo Africa was birthed by various challenges faced by the trio throughout their work life.

Okojie, particularly, said in her case, from her first job to her ventures, she has seen how people managers handle welfare-related issues in organisations and it inspired her to create a solution that makes their work seamless.

Her words: “We notice that people struggle to remember important dates when it comes to the lives of their employees and it is key because it makes the employees feel valued and appreciated. But dates like birthdays, on-boarding and orientation processes, send forth, and many others are lost in transition.”

Indeed, Okojie is not new in the entrepreneurial space, having had her past experience in building a business spanning three countries, raising capital and ensuring that the word about service reaches the right audience. Her first business, Rugs and Floors Africa, operates in three countries, namely Nigeria, Ghana and Rwanda.

Before Rugs and Floors Africa, Okojie had her first ever job at Lamudi (popularly known as Jumia House) in 2015. This was upon the completion of her higher education in 2014. While at Lamudi, she worked as a key account manager in an online marketplace firm.

A year later, she moved to Cars45 to spearhead the company’s efforts in building and maintaining relationships with strategic partners. She said throughout her career, she has been involved in various aspects of people management, even running Rugs and Floors from January 2020. “At the moment, I’m focused on building Memo Africa,” she stated.

Okojie said her father played a big role in her career path and represents a role model for her success. “An impactful model to me is my father. I didn’t realise he had that effect on my entrepreneurship life until I looked back on how much I have been able to achieve career-wise.

“He showed me the only way to gain success is through hard work and dedication. His tenacity and energy in delivering is extraordinary.There has been countless times where I’ve found myself wondering how he gets the energy to go even through obstacles,” the tech entrepreneur said.

Okojie has had her fair share of obstacles and challenges in her entrepreneurial journey.

“We have faced various economic challenges such as soaring inflation and exchange rates, cross-border payment issues,” she said, for instance, pointing out, however, that she also noticed that small business owners and other entrepreneurs face these challenges.’’

Despite the challenges, Okojie refused to be discouraged, drawing strength, as it were, from her role model, her father, and of course, her belief that quitters never win. “The life of an entrepreneur is quite fast-paced, there’s no time for breaks and no option to quit; you just have to keep going,” she said.

According to her, the situation reminds her of something her mum always says: ‘Person, nor dey live life go back,’ which, simply translated, means ‘forward ever, backward never.’ “Good or bad, we need to keep moving forward in life or in business. I believe my motivation stems from the ability to keep going and building,” Okojie emphasised.

But how does this burgeoning tech entrepreneur find time to relax outside her busy schedule? Aside from the rush of the non-stop cycle of developing businesses, in which she said she finds herself passionate about finding and implementing solutions to create value in people’s lives, “You can find me locked on Netflix to unwind after a busy day or exploring the different countries in the world.”

She also finds time to encourage other young and up-coming women entrepreneurs, occasionally dishing out pieces of advice and success nuggets to them. “My number one advice to young women who are launching or building their business is that your key to success lies within you. Everything you need to succeed is in you, your thoughts and action shape your future,” she said, in one of such engagements.

As Okojie further pointed out, “As long as you can think it, you can absolutely do it. You need to study and understand your potential, strength, weaknesses and limits. I believe self-awareness is the most powerful tool to achieve anything in the world.

“I would also say you shouldn’t believe you can only grow and scale up alone, it’s okay to have mentors and role models. These people have walked the mile. All you need to do is find someone who has crossed the path you are hoping to pass. You would be surprised by the number of people ready to guide you or refer you to the next life challenger.”

Certified Nutritionist Ebunoluwa Akinwale is the Chief Executive Officer/founder, Natures Treats Cafe and Bistro, a pioneer wellness restaurant and café in Ibadan, Oyo State. A crusader for intentional living, the lawyer-turned entrepreneur became a diet coach and a nutrition consultant by default, turning her personal battle with weight loss to a money-making machine, literally. She shares the inspiring story of how she successfully built a flourishing business empire in the health and wellness sector with Assistant Editor CHIKODI OKEREOCHA.

Her trim and youthful look is an open advertisement of the intentional healthy living she so passionately promotes. However, the seemingly effortless beauty and poise that have made the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/founder, Natures Treats Cafe and Bistro, a pioneer wellness restaurant and café, Ebunoluwa Akinwale, the dream of not a few health and wellness-conscious women and youths, did not come easy.

Rather, it was the result of Akinwale’s deliberate and painstaking efforts to shade some weight. Her efforts paid off, as, according to her, she lost almost 40 kilogramme (kg). And it all started in 2009 when she noticed that her weight had become a challenge of sort to her. But rather than allow the situation weigh her down and hurt her self-confidence, she decided to take the bull by the horn.

Akinwale’s story: “Back in 2009 I realised I was weighing 104.8kg. I was not comfortable with this. It was a challenge for me. I decided to take the bull by the horn and lose weight. I went on the Internet to research and discovered I could not achieve much by just going to the gym and staying off food. I eventually discovered and achieved my goal through eating right.”

Exuding so much confidence in her sudden and remarkable transformation, Akinwale told The Nation that her weight dropped to about 72kg, which she described as a healthy weight. “I was able to achieve this by eating healthy, I mean organic foods. It was truly a turning point for me,” she gleefully emphasised, asking, “Who would not notice an almost 40 kg weight loss?”

Akinwale, who earned a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from University of Ibadan in 2005, said since then, her youthful look and sudden burst of self-esteem endeared her to many women who have been approaching her for free counsel on the right nutrition hence, she started helping people for free by creating meal plans and helping them understand what nutrition is all about.

However, what started as Akinwale’s passion to help women get their health rhythm right soon transformed into a flourishing business.

“I decided to turn that passion into business, helping people lose weight, find their desired body and live life with confidence. This was what inspired the birth of the brand, Natures Treats Cafe and Bistro, which began from home. That was in 2017,” she said.

Located at The Palms Ring Road in Ibadan, Oyo State, Natures Treats Cafe and Bistro is the pioneer wellness restaurant and café renowned for offering a wide range of totally healthy, organic and sumptuous meals and treats. The business caters to the needs of individuals and corporates, making their healthy eating a more delicious and achievable experience.

According to the budding entrepreneur and wellness coach, “We came into the scene when nobody believed healthy food will be accepted in a city like Ibadan. We literally took the bull by the horn. We offer authentic Greek yoghurt, made from fresh raw grass-fed cow milk (dubbed the absolute best in the city), granola, baked coconut etc.”

She also said the Café offers parfaits, wraps in different forms, salads, smoothies, sandwiches, breakfast meals, grills, platters; healthy tea muffins are also not left out. ”We also have a compulsive habit of wowing your loved ones if you order our surprise trays or boxes. We are ‘No Sugar Brand’ and pride ourselves in being passionate about flavour, customer service and YOU,” Akinwale added.

The certified nutritionist and ardent crusader on healthy eating, who has been recognised as one of the most influential women in Ibadan today, told The Nation that her dream was to create an ambience for families, friends and lovers basically to bond. She said she has been able to achieve this, attributing her success to hard work, resilience, constant learning, innovation and intentional living.

Indeed, the budding entrepreneur and mother of three has never hidden her strong belief that life must be lived intentionally. At various fora, she never stopped reminding her numerous clients and admirers that one of the ways to express intentionality is maintaining a healthy life style, urging them to draw from her personal experience with weight loss.

Intelligent and creative, Akinwale’s exploits in the wellness space has been an inspiration to many women and youths. She believes in empowering the younger generation hence, honours invitations to speak at many fora. She also does not shy away from trainings employees as regards wellness in general, but most especially healthy living and lifestyle.

At Natures Treats Cafe and Bistro where Akinwale calls the shot in the wellness space, she has been able to carve a niche for herself by personalising meal plans based on clients’ metabolic type and personality. She also boasts personalised exercise routines that won’t make it feel like an herculean task for clients.

That is not all. The wellness coach, who said she does not believe in only telling clients and customers what to do, but equipping them as they start their new life, also avails them with starter packs to help guide them in their wellness journey. Besides, her weekly write ups on her blog have been helping to inspire people worldwide.

“Our cafe has created recipes for health conscious individuals without necessarily losing out on savoring meals that they crave,” she reiterated, insisting, “The truth is that a healthy body begins with a healthy mind. The woman is at the focal point of it all. Meaning, we can only have healthy families, healthy communities when women are healthy in body, soul and in mind.”

Although Akinwale did not divulge how much she rakes in from the business, the daily throng of customers to Natures Treats Cafe and Bistro in Ibadan clearly attests to her commercial success as an entrepreneur in the burgeoning health and wellness sector.

That the award winning entrepreneur has never stopped encouraging women and youths in general not to relent in the pursuit of their dreams, but always ready to take advantage of opportunities as they come, is also a confirmation of her financial success in the field as well as her towering profile in the health wellness sector.

Expectedly, her exploits in the field have never gone unnoticed. For instance, Akinwale is a recipient of numerous awards such as the Oyo State Lounge and Restaurant Award, City People Awards, among others. Her several teachings on how to eat and exercise without breaking the bank or ones back have also made her one of the most sought-after public speakers on health and wellness-related matters.

Akinwale, who reiterated that she loves to write, said she initially began to blog on the knowledge of organic weight loss, but felt she could do more. According to her, the yearnings of her mentees and other women on where to get the right foods made her create healthy recipes that scaled into a restaurant.

From a one-room head office in Onitsha, Anambra State, Ich-Dien Group, a company specialising in audit and financial services, taxation and management consulting, now boasts an office in Abuja. Its Partner, Lady Ifeoma Obieri, also says plans are afoot to float another branch in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital. With 23 staff on its payroll (17 in Onitsha; six in Abuja) as well as several partners, the Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Consultant, who co-manages the business with her husband, shares the story of a business that personifies the entrepreneurial mantra of ‘start small, grow big’ with TOFUNMI SANUSI.

The grew through the ranks and became the fulcrum upon which Ich-Dien Group now lays claim to being one of Nigeria most preferred destinations for audit and financial services, taxation and management consulting. Before Lady Ifeoma Obieri became a Partner at Ich-Dien Group, which she joined in 1996, she first served as its Secretary. She progressed to being the company’s Team Lead and later, a manager, before, ultimately, becoming a Partner, co-managing the firm with her husband, Kevin Obieri, who is the Managing Partner.

“Our firm started operations in 1994, but I joined in 1996. The business started on a very small scale. We started basically in a one-room office where I happened to be the Secretary and my husband was the one bringing in clients. By that time, I was yet to bag my degrees. I was still in the polytechnic; we didn’t have lectures everyday; so, I used the free days to assist my husband in the office. Within a year plus, we were able to transit from a one-room office to a flat office and later having our own structure. So, within these years of operation, it has been gradual progress,” Lady Ifeoma narrated.

Indeed, under her charge, Lady Ifeoma has been able to bring her wealth of experience as a Chartered Accountant and a Chartered Tax Consultant and Practitioner, overseeing Ich-Dien Group’s tax matters, to bear in positioning the company as one to beat in audit and financial services, taxation and management consulting. It was on the strength of her resilience and result-driven management that the firm, which hitherto had its headquarters in a one-room apartment in Onitsha, Anambra State, now has a befitting office in Abuja.

Ich-Dien Group has also concluded arrangements to open another branch in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital. This, according to Lady Ifeoma, who earned a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Accounting from Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, was to serve the growing needs of the company’s expanding clientele, especially those in Lagos and other states in the Southwest. Also, from a husband and wife business, the company has since expanded, boasting 23 workers on its payroll  (17 in Onitsha; six in Abuja). There are also several partners working with it.

Despite the company’s remarkable progress in nearly three decades of operations, Lady Ifeoma still regards it as “a micro business” hence she said she “looks forward to growing Ich-Dien Group into a medium scale business in the next five years.” While her claim may have given her out as a modest and humble entrepreneur who is determined to hold her own in the services industry where she operates, the mother of three told The Nation that she owes her success  to her search for knowledge and, of course, the robust support by her husband.

“My husband owns the firm. He’s a Chartered Accountant too. And he’s the Managing Partner of the company. He saw the potential in me and advised me to join the firm, that instead of working for another person, we should join hands and build a firm. It wasn’t easy because we started from the scratch, but because we had a vision of where we are going and God being on our side, we were able to overcome all the storms to the extent that we have up to 23 staff. And after 20 years of being together, we have been able to admit some partners into the firm,” she said.

Part of the potential Lady Ifeoma’s husband spotted in her, The Nation learnt, was her knack for innovation and her problem-solving disposition.  “After I was admitted as a partner, I found out that this is actually where I’m supposed to be, because it’s a job that gives me full satisfaction. And what I do is find where we have a little issue and look for innovative ways to close the gaps. Once I identify a problem, I don’t hesitate in searching for a solution,” she said, adding that as part of her search for solution to identified problems, “I always visit people who are in the same business to check what and how they do theirs that differs from the way we are doing our own, so I kept on bringing innovations.”

Lady Ifeoma, who also obtained a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Accounting, from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, has also leveraged her excellent inter-personal relationship to ensure a steady stream of clients for Ich-Dien Group. She confirmed this much, saying: “If you understand how to relate with people, especially customers, you will excel. Most times, people don’t know how to talk to a client. The adage that says customers are always kings can never be over emphasised because clients are also kings. So, in practice, one should know how to tolerate some clients, because some of them will end up not paying you and they are even eager to insult you at the same time, but you shouldn’t react.”

For the Imo State-born entrepreneur and top business executive, knowledge is key, which was why she went a notch higher, acquiring a Masters in the same university where she majored in Finance. According to her, acquiring requisite knowledge in one’s area of endeavour, particularly in the service sector, is more important than the search for start-up capital which many people pay attention to. “When you talk of investing in a business, most times people always have this notion that money is everything, that if you don’t have money, business cannot commence. This, I feel is wrong,” she argued.

Lady Ifeoma justified her position thus: “There’s a huge difference between service and trading. If you’re into a service-oriented business, which is called service sector, what we basically sell is our knowledge, and that is why it is good for one to really understand the profession he or she is into because people will come to you with full assurance that you are going to solve their problems because they feel that you know it all, being a professional.

“So, when you talk about how much was invested in our business, I don’t think we invested all that much money in starting the business. It was just that we rented a space, bought one chair and table, then with time as work came in, we made some more little cash. We equipped the place more. The office has been in existence for a decade and I’m still looking forward to turning my firm to a large one.”

Justifying her seemingly insatiable quest for knowledge further, Lady Ifeoma said she always wanted something different, something that will be very beneficial to her and also useful in the discharge of her duties, especially since she found herself in the services space. She added that because she is someone who doesn’t like to be left out in whatever positive things her peers engage in, her marriage immediately after her secondary school education, has never been a barrier in her entrepreneurial journey.

While admitting that it is not easy to manage work and the home together, she, however, said women are really trying. “Most of the time, I just look at myself and do some self appraisal. Although I chose the part from the earlier stage, I’ve endured through it all,” she stated, pointing out, however, that “work and family issues should not be mixed with business.”

Interestingly, before Lady Ifeoma joined her husband’s company, she had already caught her entrepreneurial teeth back in her school days, doing small businesses. “Back then in school, I baked cake and meat pie, and sell in school and used the proceeds to purchase my handouts just to assist the family,” she told The Nation, adding that since joining her husband’s company, she has trained and mentored a lot of men and women who are doing well in various sectors.

Having come this far, Lady Ifeoma advised young and aspiring women entrepreneurs to remain submissive. Her words: “There is something I noticed in this environment. Most of our young girls don’t want to be submissive to people or their husbands. I’m not saying being independent is bad, but it’s important to get a mentor.

“Our young girls should try to humble themselves. They should also ensure that whatever they decide to go into, it should be something they love and are passionate about. By so doing, whatever obstacles that might come, it will be easy to conquer them and when you keep conquering problems, you become an expert.”

The tax expert also has some pieces of advice for the tax authorities. “The economic situation in Nigeria is dire. The government should, therefore, try as much as possible to widen the tax net, because statistics show that only six per cent of Nigerians pay taxes. It shows that the government has not done their work. The government has continued to introduce one tax or the other; so, the people that have been paying taxes before are still the ones paying now and it’s eating deep into their incomes,” she said.

She reiterated that the government should try to widen the tax net and bring more people into it. “When you bring yourself or your business out, the government wants to suck you dry, which is not supposed to be. So, the government should encourage business owners who pay tax by doing what they are supposed to do: give to the citizen what they have promised them,” Lady Ifeoma stated.

 

Certified Nutritionist Ebunoluwa Akinwale is the Chief Executive Officer/founder, Natures Treats Cafe and Bistro, a pioneer wellness restaurant and café in Ibadan, Oyo State. A crusader for intentional living, the lawyer-turned entrepreneur became a diet coach and a nutrition consultant by default, turning her personal battle with weight loss to a money-making machine, literally. She shares the inspiring story of how she successfully built a flourishing business empire in the health and wellness sector with Assistant Editor CHIKODI OKEREOCHA.

Her trim and youthful look is an open advertisement of the intentional healthy living she so passionately promotes. However, the seemingly effortless beauty and poise that have made the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/founder, Natures Treats Cafe and Bistro, a pioneer wellness restaurant and café, Ebunoluwa Akinwale, the dream of not a few health and wellness-conscious women and youths, did not come easy.

Rather, it was the result of Akinwale’s deliberate and painstaking efforts to shade some weight. Her efforts paid off, as, according to her, she lost almost 40 kilogramme (kg). And it all started in 2009 when she noticed that her weight had become a challenge of sort to her. But rather than allow the situation weigh her down and hurt her self-confidence, she decided to take the bull by the horn.

Akinwale’s story: “Back in 2009 I realised I was weighing 104.8kg. I was not comfortable with this. It was a challenge for me. I decided to take the bull by the horn and lose weight. I went on the Internet to research and discovered I could not achieve much by just going to the gym and staying off food. I eventually discovered and achieved my goal through eating right.”

Exuding so much confidence in her sudden and remarkable transformation, Akinwale told The Nation that her weight dropped to about 72kg, which she described as a healthy weight. “I was able to achieve this by eating healthy, I mean organic foods. It was truly a turning point for me,” she gleefully emphasised, asking, “Who would not notice an almost 40 kg weight loss?”

Akinwale, who earned a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from University of Ibadan in 2005, said since then, her youthful look and sudden burst of self-esteem endeared her to many women who have been approaching her for free counsel on the right nutrition hence, she started helping people for free by creating meal plans and helping them understand what nutrition is all about.

However, what started as Akinwale’s passion to help women get their health rhythm right soon transformed into a flourishing business.

“I decided to turn that passion into business, helping people lose weight, find their desired body and live life with confidence. This was what inspired the birth of the brand, Natures Treats Cafe and Bistro, which began from home. That was in 2017,” she said.

Located at The Palms Ring Road in Ibadan, Oyo State, Natures Treats Cafe and Bistro is the pioneer wellness restaurant and café renowned for offering a wide range of totally healthy, organic and sumptuous meals and treats. The business caters to the needs of individuals and corporates, making their healthy eating a more delicious and achievable experience.

According to the budding entrepreneur and wellness coach, “We came into the scene when nobody believed healthy food will be accepted in a city like Ibadan. We literally took the bull by the horn. We offer authentic Greek yoghurt, made from fresh raw grass-fed cow milk (dubbed the absolute best in the city), granola, baked coconut etc.”

She also said the Café offers parfaits, wraps in different forms, salads, smoothies, sandwiches, breakfast meals, grills, platters; healthy tea muffins are also not left out. ”We also have a compulsive habit of wowing your loved ones if you order our surprise trays or boxes. We are ‘No Sugar Brand’ and pride ourselves in being passionate about flavour, customer service and YOU,” Akinwale added.

The certified nutritionist and ardent crusader on healthy eating, who has been recognised as one of the most influential women in Ibadan today, told The Nation that her dream was to create an ambience for families, friends and lovers basically to bond. She said she has been able to achieve this, attributing her success to hard work, resilience, constant learning, innovation and intentional living.

Indeed, the budding entrepreneur and mother of three has never hidden her strong belief that life must be lived intentionally. At various fora, she never stopped reminding her numerous clients and admirers that one of the ways to express intentionality is maintaining a healthy life style, urging them to draw from her personal experience with weight loss.

Intelligent and creative, Akinwale’s exploits in the wellness space has been an inspiration to many women and youths. She believes in empowering the younger generation hence, honours invitations to speak at many fora. She also does not shy away from trainings employees as regards wellness in general, but most especially healthy living and lifestyle.

At Natures Treats Cafe and Bistro where Akinwale calls the shot in the wellness space, she has been able to carve a niche for herself by personalising meal plans based on clients’ metabolic type and personality. She also boasts personalised exercise routines that won’t make it feel like an herculean task for clients.

That is not all. The wellness coach, who said she does not believe in only telling clients and customers what to do, but equipping them as they start their new life, also avails them with starter packs to help guide them in their wellness journey. Besides, her weekly write ups on her blog have been helping to inspire people worldwide.

“Our cafe has created recipes for health conscious individuals without necessarily losing out on savoring meals that they crave,” she reiterated, insisting, “The truth is that a healthy body begins with a healthy mind. The woman is at the focal point of it all. Meaning, we can only have healthy families, healthy communities when women are healthy in body, soul and in mind.”

Although Akinwale did not divulge how much she rakes in from the business, the daily throng of customers to Natures Treats Cafe and Bistro in Ibadan clearly attests to her commercial success as an entrepreneur in the burgeoning health and wellness sector.

That the award winning entrepreneur has never stopped encouraging women and youths in general not to relent in the pursuit of their dreams, but always ready to take advantage of opportunities as they come, is also a confirmation of her financial success in the field as well as her towering profile in the health wellness sector.

Expectedly, her exploits in the field have never gone unnoticed. For instance, Akinwale is a recipient of numerous awards such as the Oyo State Lounge and Restaurant Award, City People Awards, among others. Her several teachings on how to eat and exercise without breaking the bank or ones back have also made her one of the most sought-after public speakers on health and wellness-related matters.

Akinwale, who reiterated that she loves to write, said she initially began to blog on the knowledge of organic weight loss, but felt she could do more. According to her, the yearnings of her mentees and other women on where to get the right foods made her create healthy recipes that scaled into a restaurant.