Be humble with your success to keep your home —Dr Bolanle Otegbayo

Dr Bolanle Otegbayo is a lecturer and researcher at the Department of Food Science and Technology, the vice provost of Post Graduate School and the immediate past Director of Research and Strategy Partnership of BOWEN University, Iwo, Osun State. In this interview by TAYO GESINDE, she speaks about how she has been maintaining work/ life balance and the need for women to develop themselves so their husbands won’t relegate them.

What informed your choice of career?

I actually wanted to study pharmacy at the university but didn’t get up to the cut off mark. When I wanted to change my course of study, my sister went to the University of Ibadan to make inquiries on the course that I could change to.

There, somebody mentioned Food Technology to her.  She went to the department but was told I could not be admitted there despite scoring above the cut off mark because I didn’t do Mathematics in my JAMB examination. She came back and told me Food and Science Technology was a good course and that one of our uncles studied it. My dad too said it was a good course and that awakened my interest in the course.

Though I was admitted for Animal Science but the thought of Food Science never left my mind so, after my 100 level, I tried to change but was told that the only option I had was to rewrite JAMB which I did then got admission to study Food and Science Technology in another institution. I must say that I enjoyed the course. I always tell my student, that Food Science is about knowing what others don’t know.

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We talk about the science of the food itself. For instance, when I see an okro that is green I  know what is happening. Others might think it is chlorophyll but I know it is not just chlorophyll but the structure of the chemical in it. Actually, my area of specialisation is Food Chemistry. I did B.Sc, M.SC, PhD In Food Science.

Why academics and not a food processing or beverage company where you are likely to earn more money?

My father was a teacher. I am from a family of six with five PhD holders, in fact, let me say with five professors. Maybe because my father was a teacher, once you finished your B.SC the next thing would be to go for your master’s degree. It could also be because I had been seeing some lecturers I liked as my role model that I was interested in academics. Also, we finished during the era of MKO Abiola/ Abacha and it was difficult to find a job then.

Many of my course mates were discouraged because many of our seniors then would say they had hung their certificates and had gone to learn tailoring. I could remember a particular day we were talking in class and I said I would use my own certificate to work and would get a good job, others said the same thing. I served at IAR&T and that aroused my interest in research work. Then I saw there would be an opportunity for me to work there but the starting point was to have a Masters.

So I went to do my master’s and by the time I was rounding off my master’s. I got a job at IITA. I was in the Crop Utilisation Unit in  IAR & T and was doing research and developing food products for my indigenous crops and I got a job at Biochemistry Food Technology Unit at IITA. Over there, I was involved in a lot of chemical analysis and I enjoyed it. From there I went for my PhD. I am still involved in research work.

What were the challenges you faced at the beginning of your career?

I was lucky to serve in a research institute as I said but after the service, my supervisor was interested in retaining us but there was a bottleneck. So when I finished service, because I didn’t just want to sit at home, I went to a nursery school and was teaching there.

While teaching in the nursery school, I felt I was doing less than I should be doing and there was a time a classmate of mine came with her sister to pick her children. She saw me teaching and I was ashamed. She greeted me and told me she was going to London that night.

You can imagine how I would feel but later I sat down and psyched myself up that there was dignity in labour and started enjoying myself. I discovered that my little students like me. I made myself enjoy that place until I left and went for my master’s. After my master’s, I went for my PhD. I was lucky I got a fellowship for my PhD so money was not a challenge.

How were you able to combine your career with the home front?

Well,  my husband is in the academics so, we were able to balance it. When I was doing my master’s and PhD, my children were still young. I joined Bowen while still doing my PhD. I am a pioneer staff in Bowen, we were just two in the department. The other person was facing the administrative aspect while I was facing the academic, so I was virtually teaching almost all the courses.

I would finish teaching and with determination face IITA and work overnight. My husband was very supportive, once I left, he would be at home and I also had somebody who was helping to take care of the home. By the time I finished, we had more lecturers so the work was easier but we had to write papers and attend conferences.

I am lucky because my husband was not competitive so he gave me opportunities to develop myself. Even when I went for my post-doctorate in France and my son was seriously ill. I had to cut it short but thank God the funding agency and my host understood. I came home, took care of him and continued later.

Then, my husband had taken up a higher appointment so he was very busy. There was a particular time my son was ill in school and they asked him, ‘where is your mum? He said she was in France and they asked for his dad and he said he was in the US and they had to call a church member who took him to a clinic.

I felt bad and thought deep inside me that I won’t be a success if my children are not successful. So at that point in time, I decided I had to strike a balance. I decided it was not every opportunity that comes that one should take. I decided that my home must work and my children must be successful.  I decided that in their formative years I must be with them.

I made up my mind not to take up any opportunity that will affect my family.  Even before that time, when I closed from BOWEN, I would go straight home and help them with their assignment before I got a lesson teacher for them. I try as much as possible to bond with them and up till now, we are very close. I was able to get grants, travel abroad and made a lot of connections and collaborations but God has helped me to set my priorities right. My baby is in 500 level now.

Looking back, what will you say was the most defining moment of your career?

It was when I got my postdoctoral award in 2009. After that fellowship, my life has not remained the same. It made me very visible. It helped me a lot.  That was when I went to France. But in 2011, I decided my home and family must come first.

What will you say is the secret of your success?

It is God. He is the one that gives you favour. When you apply for a grant, it is God that inspires you to write the proposal. Apart from God, my husband is a great inspiration to me, he motivates me. When he sees me slowing down, he encourages me to do more and keep me on my feet. Determination and the fact that I attended a lot of training gave me an edge over my peers. I have been exposed to a lot of things but I have learnt to be humble with my success.

What advice do you have for career women?

My advice to women is that as their husbands progress, they should progress too. If not, their husbands would relegate them. That is why so many politicians don’t parade their first wives, they parade the “appointment wives.”  So, as your husband is developing, develop too. Make up your mind that as you grow in your career, you won’t lose your home. When a woman is growing in her career, she must be humble. Your humility can make a way for you. Be submissive and wise.  Finally, a woman does not jump at every opportunity if she wants to keep her home.

Nigerian Tribune