Iresalewa Muhammed-Bello is a banker, broadcaster, and style influencer. She is also a humanitarian, a social entrepreneur, and the founder of Ni’mah Andre Foundation. In this interview by KINGSLEY ALUMONA, she speaks about her work, how she started her social/humanitarian engagements, the work she is doing with her foundation, among others.
First of all, let us get clarification on your names. You are Iresalewa Muhammed-Bello. You also bear Ni’mah Andre, especially on social media. Could you explain this? Does it have anything to do with brand identity or just for the fun of it?
Officially, my name is Iresalewa Muhammed-Bello. Ni’mah Andre is a pseudonym which I used to write for a magazine back then in the university. Ni’mah is the short form of my Muslim name ‘Ni’motAllah’, and I picked up Andre from my little cousin’s name, Alexandre.
It is impressive you have ventured into many works and arts — fashion, content creating, film making, broadcasting, social/humanitarian engagements, among others. When and how did all these start? And how has juggling all these engagements been for you?
I started my career in broadcasting — I’m a mass communication graduate. So, I spent several years in radio and TV studios, creating visual and audio contents behind the scenes. I also went to a film school and spent some time working as a TV content producer and a video editor.
As for the humanitarian engagements, my charities began at home. I grew up in an extended family that spends a lot of time and resources giving to those who are more in need. Then I began volunteering serially while in the university, and just didn’t stop.
I’m trying to find how best to describe the fact that fashion and content creation were not in my plan of things to do with my life. I just happen to be fashionable, and I don’t call myself a content creator because I honestly do not deliberately plan out what to do content-wise. If this makes sense, I just post and go.
Among these works, which one pays your bills most? And which one gives you more pleasure and fulfillment?
All the jobs I have done paid my bills over the years (laughs). I didn’t mention in my answer to the previous question that I made a career switch, and that I’m a banker now. And, although I sometimes try to juggle one or two freelance gigs here and there, banking pays most of my bills at the moment — and takes most of my time too.
For pleasure and fulfilment, I certainly derive both from my work at the Ni’mah Andre Foundation. It’s not always all pleasant, considering the rigorous process it takes to verify cases and raise funds. But when we end up making a beneficiary happy and healthy again, I feel fulfilment and relief.
As an occasional freelance radio and television broadcaster, which kind of contents do you major in? And which media/stations do you work with in broadcasting your contents?
I haven’t done broadcast in several years, but I think my favorite times were from UNILAG FM when I was a newscaster on one of their magazine shows. I have also worked with Rainbow FM, and LTV. I have also worked briefly with a show that aired on Silverbird TV, and produced several shows that were aired on ONTV.
You pride yourself as a Muslim fashionista and style influencer. Why did you decide to limit your fashion business and statement to Muslims alone? And which media/platforms do you utilise in your style influencing?
I don’t own a fashion business. But my fashion statement is mostly appealing to Muslims alone because I visibly identify as a Muslim, with my hijab. I have better presence on Instagram than anywhere else, I think. But again, my fashion/style influencing is not a deliberate effort. But considering the number of times I’ve been asked similar questions, maybe I should consider it. What do you think?
Let us talk about your social/humanitarian endeavours. Which of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) do you specialise in or promote? And why?
I am passionate about SDGs 1, 2, 3, and 4 the most. But I chose to specialise in SDG 3. For context, SDG 1 – 4 are: No Poverty, Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-Being, and Quality Education respectively. I champion Good Health and Well-Being. This is because I noticed a need to fill that space of healthcare finance, especially in this our part of the world.
I had volunteered in capacities that handled all these listed SDGs and more, and I just knew my ‘calling’ was here, in connecting with sick people, bringing them hope and watching them thrive again.
In your profile, you said Impact Toolbox helped you to find your purpose in the social sector. What is Impact Toolbox about, and in what ways did it impact your life and career?
Impact ToolBox is an initiative of SOZO Networks. It’s an incubation programme that offers trainings, fellowships, and empowerment opportunities to young social entrepreneurs. It was from SOZO I had my first ever social entrepreneur-leadership training.
They equipped me with information and mentorship programmes, connected me with a community of brilliant change-makers like me and helped me see that there was so much potential in the ‘little’ I was doing at the time.
I would never have started the Ni’mah Andre Foundation had it not been for the time I spent as a SOZO Fellow. They also listened to my first ever idea pitches and gave me my first grant for the foundation.
You are the founder of Nimah Andre Foundation (NAF), a medical-focused nonprofit that has raised over $40,000 to cater for the medical needs of indigents. Is there a special reason you decide to focus on health? Did any personal experience inspire this?
Well, yes. A personal experience inspired it. I mentioned during my introduction that I picked up Andre from my little cousin. Well, he died — at the age of nine after about four years of being painfully sick — while I was in the university. I remember very well that his mum, our favorite auntie, went through so much trying to make sure he survived it, and her efforts included them going to India for his surgery. But God is the best of planners.
My family probably doesn’t know this but his death made me wish we had access to the right treatments or all the funds needed to save his life, and I decided to assist anyone who came to me for health-related help as long as it was in my power.
But it didn’t start until a little over a year after. I had already gained some influence on Instagram on account of my media experience, so I started to use the ‘influence’ to crowd-fund. And, here we are now. It’s worthy to mention that as of today, we have raised over $150,000 through crowd-funding.
Tell us about your latest work with NAF, and how the beneficiaries gained from it.
Our latest project is a collective fundraiser we started in the beginning of April. The fundraiser has five beneficiaries, including a week-old baby with birth asphyxia, a fatal accident survivor who has broken limbs, and a woman battling breast cancer. Our goal is to raise 10 million naira to spread across all five patients so they can undergo treatments and surgeries as required.
What kind of qualities do you look out for in men you like? Are you married or in a relationship? And how does your man help with your work and the stress associated with it?
The list is lowkey long: brilliance, faith, honesty, kindness or empathy, respect, attractiveness, affection, vibes.
(Laughs) I’m not married, and I’m not in a relationship. Still waiting for the days when I can curl up in my man’s arms and cry about how stressful my day was or how I just lost a beneficiary because we couldn’t raise the hospital bill fast enough. But, until then, thank God we have pillows to hug and cry into. (Laughs).
How would you advice girls and women who are aspiring to attain the height and success you have attained?
I honestly wouldn’t say I’ve succeeded yet, and this is not from a place of humility.
My advice would be that whatever you choose to become, the best time to start is now. Set realistic goals, and don’t attach an age to it because if you cross that age without attaining the success you mapped out, you will end up feeling like you have failed. Also, be kind to yourself. Lift yourself up in words, thoughts, and actions — its not only others who deserve kindness from you, you do too.
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