The more women are helped, the better our society — Abimbola Ogundeji

Abimbola Ogundeji is a woman of many parts; she is a certified nurse, a philanthropist and founder of AOV music and films international and Solace Television, an online television station with focus on programming that can improve the society. In this interview with YEJIDE GBENGA-OGUNDARE, she speaks on her advocacy for women, music production, entrepreneurship in Nigeria, empowerment for women and women in leadership.

You are the chairman of Solace Online television and also a music producer. How do you manage to join this with  the other things you do?

Well, women are strong and generally blessed with the ability to multi-task. I think I can say that my multi-tasking skills are top notch. I am highly active and I utilise the energy in productive pursuits. Also, I have, over time, learnt to judiciously manage my time and effectively plan my activities because time is the most essential commodity.

Yes, I do run different businesses with the skills I have, and some even include working in establishments, but I enjoy all I do and this makes it easy to balance everything together. Underneath all my activities is the desire to help others grow, so it doesn’t look like work. It is more like empowering others to attain their potential. The interwoven nature of my business and passion creates a kind of natural synergy and equilibrium. I don’t get overwhelmed because I know when to delegate and I plan my activities well.

You seem passionate about women empowerment. Why and how does this connect with what you do?

At the base of everything I do is empowerment; I empower women, young people and entertainment creative, especially musicians. Aside from using my platform to help them achieve their objectives, I also ensure that I show great interest in what they do and lend a helping hand to pave the way. I am passionate about the matters of women and youths because as a woman, I understand how life can make things difficult for women without their own making and the situations that women may sometimes find themselves. I also understand some practical steps that can offer them lasting solutions and make a meaningful positive impact on their lives. Women are the pillars of the homes. When we have emotional balance and solid mental health, we will have stable homes and ultimately, a stable community and a healthy nation. This is my belief, that the more women are helped, the better our society will be because there will be stable homes raising responsible citizens.

And for youths, I observed that there are many youths that need just a little aid to help them succeed and realise their vision. This is the reason I am so passionate about helping as many youths as I can, to be able to live an economically sustainable live above poverty level. I also believe helping the underprivileged will reduce crime in our societies.

What are your thoughts on women striving for financial independence?

I think it is important for women to be financially independent. Being financially independent is a step in the right direction. when women are financially independent, the country as a whole is more financially uplifted bearing in mind that women are the heartbeat of the nation; they are the ones raising the citizens of the nation in the family setup. This is important to being an asset and not a liability. You might be married or single but you are also a woman; a person, meaning you have your own needs and wants and you should be able to fulfill some of these without having to rely on anybody. Your intent to being financially independent is also crucial to whether your independence would be a nuisance or something we can celebrate and rejoice about. So, yes, make money while adding value without losing focus of God’s purpose for your existence.

What services do you offer in your production company?

We offer a wide range of services; we are a music production company where we not only produce your music, we also market and when I say production, I am talking about every step of the process, including the video. For our television, we have a wide range of programmes meant to educate, entertain and inform. We also cover shows, awards and all forms of events; we stream shows live, we manage red carpet for shows, engage in jingles, commercial and film production. We are a one-stop shop for all your production needs.

How long have you been into this and how easy is it to manage a production company and a television station?

I have been in this for over a decade. And I can tell you that the challenges of managing a production company in Nigeria is not much different from what other entrepreneurs are facing; the challenge of power, security, and staff. You spend so much and nothing comes into the company because many people put their interests before that of the organisation. Generally, staffing is a big challenge most entrepreneurs face and in looking for jobs, it is either people find the work but are not willing to work or people  do not have what it takes to do the job. Many on the other hand just want to be paid for doing nothing; but as an entrepreneur, you just have to work with what is available to move your business. Some workers are not being productive or end up not having the basic skill needed to function to add value and some don’t have any form of teachable spirit and are not willing to learn. So, as a manager, you just work with what you have to bring out the best you can. Then, media and production is capital-intensive and you don’t get returns on your investment immediately.

Which aspect of what you do is most enjoyable to you?

In everything I do, I like to touch lives. So,any action that puts a smile on the faces of people is enjoyable to me. Seeing people happy is priceless and this is what I find enjoyable.

Do you think women are exploring their potential for leadership?

I do not think women are exploring their potential  to the maximum. We are built to make things happen, but for many reasons, a lot of women have been conditioned to embrace mediocrity. When we consider the fact that the women make up 49 per cent of Nigeria’s total population, according to the 2006 census, then one would wonder why women are less visible in most leadership positions. It would have been better to involve more women as women are the ones that can fully understand the plights of fellow women and can champion their cause. As  such, women deserve to be there on the table when decisions are being taken, especially concerning women and even other matters. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Any decision that doesn’t involve contribution of women will not achieve meaningful result.

If government is not making deliberate efforts to involve qualified women in their governance in accordance to the national gender policy, it would be difficult for women who have the capacity for leadership to be able to explore a platform to do so. The government should also endeavour to involve women in the agencies and parastatals, also in accordance to the National Gender Policy. The Gender Policy inclusion has to be a deliberate action of the state and federal government, otherwise it may continue to be difficult for women to be able to explore their potential even when they would have wished to.

What would you say is the problem facing women entrepreneurs in Nigeria?

One of the problems facing women entrepreneurs today is that they do not know how to acquire the necessary and important information that is needed to help boost their businesses. Things have changed now.  We are now in the era of packaging and “emotional appeals.” No matter what you know or put on the table today, you need to be able to convince your targeted audience or customer about why your product is better than others’, even when it is very obvious. Also, the harsh economic climate and the fact that some men still feel it is abnormal for women to be in leadership position makes life difficult for female entrepreneurs.

There are so many challenges. There are periods when nothing you do works and one struggles to make ends meet. There are times when investments hit the rock and you don’t know where to run to. Some other times you have goods but no sales. Still glory to God because in times like this, all you can do is to look up to God who alone can manage such serious situations for you until good times are back again. Patience and tenacity is usually the only option sometimes.

What in your background prepared you for this?

I was born into a family of teachers; my parents were teachers and  they were strict in bringing me up to be focused and enterprising. My father, Emiola Ogundeji, and my mother, Wasilat Abike, were determined to ensure I had the right values. As an only child of my mother, my grandparents did everything within their power to give me the best, which includes sending me to get educated abroad. I faced so many challenges during my academic career as I went through several studies for A Levels at City and Islington College in London and University of Bedfordshire where I obtained my diploma certificate in nursing. All my experiences from childhood brought me here. They prepared me well for life.

What inspires you?

The desire to see more people succeed and live a reasonable quality of life. I am inspired by women that impact other women by teaching them ways to evolve to relevant positions in the society through God and hard work.

What is your guiding principle?

My guiding principle is simple; fairness and excellence in all I do. Also, I am guided by Psalm 144:1 which says “Blessed be the Lord who teach my hands to war and my fingers to fight.” I believe so, much that it is the work of your hands that God blesses. So don’t stay idle, even if it takes you to work free, don’t be found idle.

What advice do you have for other women with similar vision?

I want to sincerely encourage other women with similar vision not to be weary; we should remember that as women, we play a vital role in human progresses and long term development of nations right from the nurturing of the kids in the family nucleus which plays a very vital role in shaping our societies. Whatever positive vision that any woman can extend to their communities should please be extended and do not feel that you have to start big to be able to make an impact, every help; little or big matters. Reach out to someone today. I also advice young women not to live their lives in isolation because a life lived in isolation can lead to loneliness and depression. They should network, reach out to other women of like minds and see how they can be of help to one another. Praying and solving problems together helps better than doing it all alone as long as the person is operating on the same level of understanding with you.

Be deliberate and committed to being a better version of you, for yourself, in your home and people around you.

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