Toke Makinwa, with her confident voice, and wonderful stage presence, has wormed her way into the hearts of her audience earning her an enviable reputation as an on-air personality, TV presenter and event host. Considered as one of most influential media personalities in Nigeria, she shares her success and challenging story with Adetutu Audu
EFORE you got married, you tried to deceive us about break-ups and finally the marriage is over. How do you feel?
But I tell you there was no deceit. We are two people trying to find our way around life. Some days you are happy, some you are not. And because I am in the eyes of the public it was a bit more difficult to handle. This is what a lot of people go through. Boyfriends and girlfriends fight, couples break-up and make-up. There were just so much of both of us out there. The Bible says all things work together for all those that trust God. So at that point, for me, I could have broken up and living my life and I was ready to be single again and I woke up one morning again here I am, I am married. It happened the way it was supposed to happen.
I have no regrets because I feel like everything happened the way it was supposed to happen for me to get to where I am now because if I did not get married, perhaps I’d be that girl who will always wonder what it felt like to be married to him. He is a great guy; we are just not great people for each other.
You are a woman of many parts. Where do you draw your inspiration from?
God. Prayer has been what has been able to give me balance in this industry.
What was the inspiration behind your book ‘On Becoming’?
It is important to tell your story or else the world will tell it for you. There was a lot of mystery around the Toke Makinwa brand. I had my life thrown into a storm that shook my very core. My journey to healing and getting my life back in order was not an easy one. In my pain, I found purpose and the message of ‘On Becoming’ was conceived. My faith was questioned but looking back now I see that it has all worked out the way God ordained that it would.
In the fire, I had a peace I could not explain and that could only come from God. I knew somehow that there was a message in all of the mess and when the word came to write a book, I was weary, confused, unsure, scared but I thought about the million and one women out there and men who are currently or at some point have dealt with a setback of some sort and it made me feel like I had a mission to spread the word, to share their pain and make them see reason to get up and fight the urge to give up! It is very easy to let go; there is a lot of pain in the world today, we need more successful stories of survival to encourage everyone who reads ‘On Becoming’.
How would you describe the feedback from the book tour?
The feedbacks and love are beyond measures. I never imagined the book to be this successful. I am thankful to God for the vision and, also, the strength to go through it, because, to whom much is given, much is expected. Seeing the finished product, it was very emotional for me knowing that I committed myself to it. We have been getting offers to adapt the book into a film; we are just taking our time. ‘On Becoming’ is an open ending title, so it’s definitely going to be a series of many books to come. My next book could be ‘On Becoming a media mogul’, ‘On Becoming a wife’, ‘On Becoming a mother’. I am really excited at the way my career is going and the events happening around. I am putting pen to paper, so you never know what next I might be sharing with the world.
Will it be right to say you court controversy?
Everyone at some point in their lives has been or will be misunderstood. I think it is what you do with that information or what you do with that being aware that people might misunderstand you. I find out I’m a person who likes to focus on her goals. I don’t dwell too much on the noise out there or the things that are being said. I feel like I’m also focused on where I want to be and it’s important I share that with the world. I have no issues with people misunderstanding me because you can’t take the good alone. It doesn’t put any pressure on me. I’m more pressured by my own goals.
How will you describe your journey so far as a brand?
My journey has been from broken to glory, from grass to greener pastures, from weak to strength, from unbelief to countless testimonies, from victim to victor, from being the butt of jokes to influence. From broke to smiling to the bank. I remember when I first charged half a million to attend an event and Swanky Jerry and I laughed because we didn’t think the client would pay. But they did and now let’s just say it’s been all the way up. I was called “everywhereyougo”, laughed at but somehow we built with every rock thrown at us.
You were interviewed on CNN African voices, what was the experience like?
I remember sitting up in bed a couple of years ago watching African Voices on CNN. It was Tiwa Savage’s episode and I was intrigued just watching her talk about her craft. I just kept thinking to myself, ‘one day, one day CNN will interview me too and it will be ever so inspiring.’ God heard me, he has taken me on such a journey that words can’t explain.
Watching my CNN African Voices feature brought tears to my eyes; seeing my parents’ pictures up on CNN made me feel tremendous joy as they left this earth before they could become, I hope they are proud of me. Watching my journey humbled me. It’s easy for us to focus on what we haven’t achieved yet without taking stock and giving ourselves credit for how far we have come.
Share your beauty secrets with us
I don’t sleep with my make-up. I exfoliate my skin once in three weeks. No matter how busy you are, try and take a lot of water. I stop taking fizzy drinks. I have been taking water.
What is the monthly average cost you spend on your make up?
I feel really blessed and fortunate enough to have met some amazing people who took a chance with my brand from Day one. It goes beyond a cheque relationship and I try to tell a lot of upcoming people in this business; you have got to climb the tree not from the top but from the bottom. Find people with similar goals who want nothing more than to succeed and form a partnership where everyone grows together and it is beneficial. That way we would all work when no money is coming in and then work some more when we are all made. Everyone on my team is now on a retainer and we started from the bottom.
It seems you love to always with designers too. I’d have to give it to them, Nigerian designers work really hard but sometimes the stylist who puts clothes together gets more recognition than the designer. I use Tianah’s Place, Lucy Love, Bolaji Animashaun and the designers that over the years I have become good friends with – April by Kunbi, I really love her; Phunk Afrique, Moofa.
Would you rather not have a stylist and just have the freedom to pick out your clothes yourself?
Because of the nature of my job, I would, because sometimes I might think this is right but a professional’s eye would look at it and say this is not appropriate for that event. Of course I cannot say I would not use a stylist, I would always use a stylist. Even when you get clothes off designers, it’s always good to have someone that you can run it by.
I have listened to you talk about God. How spiritual are you?
As an individual, I do nothing without talking to God. So there’s always this dialogue with my Creator. I do that at the start of the year. Because in the nature of our business, you find yourself doing so much and not having the time to take proper stock of what you have done. That happens to me at the end of the year when I analyse the year in view. I see the weakness and the strength, things I could have done better and things I can work out in the next year. At the beginning of this year, I had asked myself what we were going to do.
You once talked about suffering depression. How did you cope?
I like to think I’m strong, I like to think my mind is positive and I’m out here focused on me, building to have a better life than I’ve had and just trying to leave this world a better place. The devil targeted my mind. He tried to make me lose my mind. Somehow, strong TM started to live in a lot of fear and doubt and the fear quickly turned to depression. The devil started planting words of uncertainty in my heart and I started to drift. I started to feel unworthy and it was a strange feeling. Once you lose the battle over your mind, once you accept the negativity and let the doubt in and begin to listen to those words, you let the devil win and he will take it all.
You have revealed the writer part of you and you have high fashion brand. Who influenced you while growing up and lessons life has taught you?
Growing up was fun-tastic as I like to say .I can remember all I have been through in life. Moments that changed one’s life and wonderful moments with my family. And the main lesson is that there is no impossibility with God.
Share with us your ‘On Becoming Empowered Initiative
It seeks to tackle different issues within our societies. And it’s part of my small way of giving back to society. Each year we will try and meet the needs of people in a particular sector. The first one, 30 young entrepreneurs were selected by panellists, they had brunch with me and other influential business people like Adebola Williams, Kelechi Amadi-Obi, Tallulah Doherty, Stephanie Coker-Aderinokun, Anita Brows Adetoye, Gbubemi Fregene and Bolanle Olukanni. They shared their success stories with these young entrepreneurs. At the end, N1million naira was awarded to three young entrepreneurs and N500, 000 to one lucky winner.
