Leading Without Limits

The Spark | Ignite / Connect / Achieve
www.thesparkng.com
and funding organizations such as
The Tony Elumelu Foundation, LEAP
Africa, Mandela Washington fellowship,
YALI RLC, The United States Consulate
General in Lagos, ACT Foundation,
GEM/AVDD and Union Bank.
I wish I had known earlier not to be
afraid to speak and to share my story. I
read a lot of self-help books, attended
numerous trainings and listened to
many messages, but I was afraid to
speak because I was so shy and timid
as a result of what I had gone through
while growing up. I didn’t want anyone
to know I was a former nanny, and
whenever I met someone that could
help me, I was afraid to speak up.
After a training by the CEO of ACT
Foundation, Osayi Alile during LEAP
Africa’s Social Innovators training, I
became a networking guru. Joining an
online community World Pulse where
a lot of women get to share anything
and everything also helped me to start
sharing my story.
For every fellowship that I have been
part of, the network has been one
of the best things that happened
to me. Most of my friends now are
from the different fellowships I have
participated in. My mentor from TEF,
Mrs Oluwatoyin Sanni, the GCEO
of Emerging Africa Capital PLC has
remained my mentor and board advisor
till date. My best lenders are from The
Tony Elumelu Foundation and Mandela
Washington Fellows from 2017. Tony
Elumelu, Mrs Parminder Vir OBE and
MWF fellows Mrs Ukinebo Dare The
SSA to The Edo State Governor on Job
Creation and Skills, Dr Doris of Maldor
Eye Care Center and many more are
now part of my network. All these
sustained partnerships have helped us
scale our work and impact to different
communities.
The day I got my first award, the
Sisterhood Award from EbonyLIfe TV in
partnership with WIMBIZ in 2016, was
one of the most memorable days in my
journey. I got to the award ceremony
in Eko Hotel and when I saw the other
nominees, I was so sure that someone
else would get it because one of them
was a former minister in Nigeria and
had worked in the World Bank. Imagine
how surprised I was when my name
was called and all the women rose up
to clap! That’s a feeling I can’t forget. It
fuelled my passion to know that people
think what I am doing makes sense.
I’m hoping to soon explore designing
financial products that fit the lifestyle
of low-income women across Africa
to drive financial inclusion. We’re also
aiming to build the capacity of poor
women across Africa through our soon
to be launched Innovation Hub.
For young girls with big dreams, I
would tell them to learn every day,
be diligent, focused and innovative,
learn from your failures and bounce
back, delay gratification, learn from
life’s challenges, these traits build you
up for success in career or business.
If you decide to get married, marry
someone who will help you grow, who
is not afraid to let you fly and who is
a friend to you. Associate with friends
that will add value to your life in all
ramifications.
I think some laws should be passed
to favour women, because our culture
and traditions has really not helped
the African girl child. A scheme I will
like to see work in Nigeria for women
is monthly financial support for women
to take care of at least 3 children from
birth to age 16. For any family that
refuses to send their female children to
school, the girls should be taken from
them and given to foster parents.
28 @the
sp
ark
ng