The Lead Pastor of Foundation of Truth Assembly, Abuja, Adefunke Sharon Kasali, is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria as well as a US-certified Public Accountant. In this interview, she tells the role of women in good governance and other issues. SEGUN KASALI brings the excerpts
Tell us about your experience studying in the United States
I studied in the United States because I left Nigeria not long after I turned 17. The first two years were quite normal, but from the third year, money became an issue for me. Like so many others, I had to work to support myself through school and lost two years before I eventually graduated. If there were indelible moments, they would be the tough times of not having much. Times of being kicked out of my apartment because of not having money to pay for rent. There was also a period of about four months when I couldn’t afford to pay my light bill and lived in the apartment without electricity, heat and gas for cooking. I have very vivid memories of studying for my exams using the light from candles.
What stood you out?
Not sure if I stood out. However, those experiences formed my mindset and outlook on life in so many ways. They gave me the inner strength to go through challenges with the firm belief that all will be well.
You were working with Exxon Mobil and you rose to an enviable level, how did you achieve this?
After school, the struggle continued pretty much for about two years. I sat for and passed all parts of the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) examination just four months after graduation. That was quite a feat in those days, yet I continued to work as a waitress. What’s interesting about this was that I would sometimes serve young Americans who came into the restaurant and overhear them discussing about how they had failed the same exam that I had cleared without much of a hassle. Times were different then. Opportunities for minorities were quite limited, but eventually I did get the professional jobs I desired, thank God. I would say grace and grit. Grace because of God’s favour shown to me. Grit because it took a lot of hard work and sacrifice. You don’t get to the top without working hard and sacrificing a lot of comforts.
Can you recall some of the indelible experiences you had?
My most striking and without a doubt, joyous experiences in life would be the birth of my children, especially the birth of our second child. I reacted negatively to the epidural injection I received to prepare me for the Caesarian section I was to undergo and refused to be taken into the operating room for close to one hour. It took the effort of several doctors to calm me down before agreeing to go ahead with the procedure. Thank God all went well.
How you have been combining your role as a wife and mother?
It’s quite challenging. You work long hours, come home and then have to see to feeding the household and going over children’s homework. In my case, God helped me because I had good people around me, at least when I was here in Nigeria. It was a different situation when I was transferred out of the country for work and took my one year-old child along.
How would you define leadership?
I would define leadership as the ability to influence a group of people to rally around a common purpose until it is achieved.
What are the attributes of transformational leadership?
Generally speaking, transformational leaders will influence their team members but they seek a higher good beyond just achieving the common purpose. They will try to bring about positive changes within the group and its members. I think we tend to see more transactional leaders around whose main aim is to achieve the purposes they are after.
Not enough women are in leadership positions in the country, what do you think are the factors responsible for this?
I guess it’s fair to say we can improve on the number of females in leadership positions in Nigeria. As for the reason for this situation, beyond traditional and cultural issues from the past, women must step out from the shadows and put themselves out there for leadership opportunities. For example, if a lady is working for a multinational company and can’t go on a foreign assignment, there is already a limit to how high she can advance within the organisation.
How do you think these problems can be mitigated?
For problems of diversity and inclusion, the way to mitigate them is for governments and companies to be intentional about bringing women into leadership roles. However, that’s only possible when they make effort to understand the peculiarities of being a working woman in the corporate world. We need more deliberate and determined effort.
Do you think having a female president in Nigeria will solve our insecurity issues in the country?
I don’t know if a female president will be able to solve Nigeria’s security challenge, but I’m sure having a competent female president will be a game-changer. Women have different perspectives and a female president will likely deal with issues in different ways that may provide solutions to problems from their root causes.
Tell us how you have been helping the needy through the non-governmental organisation the Lord has committed into your hands
I run a non-governmental organisation known as Diamond Lights Initiative, which I started in 2005. Through this NGO, we have been able to support the education of hundreds of young women from low-income families by paying their tuition, boarding and books. Many of those young ladies are now doctors, lawyers, accountants, scientists, IT professionals, etc. Our work here is one of the achievements that I am most proud of and thankful to God for. It is very empowering to know you’re empowering the next generation of leaders.
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