COVER STORY – DTnow

PSALMUEL JOSEPH

PSALMUEL JOSEPH: Aesthetician To The Stars, Saving One Skin At A Time & Putting His Money Where His Mouth Is

Samuel “Psalmuel Josephs” Nwatu has been an aesthetician for nearly eight years. He started his career really young, focusing primarily on facial treatments. It should be noted that aestheticians provide complex treatments that necessitate advanced and frequently updated training, which he has managed to stay abreast of. He recently officially became a cosmetic formulator, launching his own line, 25 Pskyn (25pskyn.com), a bio-active skincare line that formulates products; putting his money bang on where his mouth is. He has worked with a number of celebrities and
skincare enthusiasts, as well as taught at various points, and remains committed to seeing black skin flourish. He is currently on a mission to study the intricate composition of ethnic skin, which has continued to influence his
formulations by infusing unconventional active ingredients paired with botanicals from Africa and harmonizing them with the best grades of scientifically proven active
ingredients. Our cover star is young and definitely blazing the trail in this industry; we caught up with him in between work trips on 25 Pskyn..

Kate Henshaw is called “The Institution”. A name that originated from Nollywood actor Uche Jumbo that she’s also seeking the meaning of, but I think I can take a wild guess… At 51 and with a career spanning 30 years, Kate Henshaw is a force. She’s that and more, alright? Kate Henshaw; Aunty Kate, as we fondly call her, is a delight. Her energy is infectious; it’s unreal how she lights up the space with the sweetest smile. Starting her acting career in the East per chance, thanks to the late JT Tom West, she auditioned rather ‘unseriously’, modeled, and all this with a background in science, but the film industry chose her, and she’s been thriving, making the bank, being fit, and being fabulous. She continues to have an exciting career several years later, an activist who can talk politics all day. In 2011, she was named a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) by the Nigerian federal government. You get to find out all this and more in this delightful, -if I do say so myself- interview.

We know you from way back, and you’re still here. You’re still setting the bar. How did you get here? What are you doing that has kept you relevant to this day?

I don’t know. Na God na abi, what will I say? How would I answer this kind of question? *Laughs*. I guess, being a professional, first and foremost, I’m a professional in anything that I do. I give a hundred percent, the way I feel in my heart. I just move. I don’t know how to
put it in words. – Like, especially this fitness thing that has, you know, taken me to another level, totally unexpected, even for me, that it’s become a huge thing. But one thing I know is that, as a
professional who is committed to your craft, people will always see that and want to work with you. That, for me,
is more lasting than being a flash in the pan. If you’re a professional, you’re good at your job, you try to improve yourself, and all of that will keep you in good stead. Humility, discipline, professionalism—yeah, it goes a long way.

You are called the institution! What’s the gist behind this?

Hey, it’s Uche! Uche Jumbo. You need to call her on the phone and ask her. You know, every time she says, “The institution”, she says, Kate, you need to be studied. I think to answer that
question, you need to call Uche on the phone and ask her why. It would be good to hear why she calls me that. That’s the assignment for you. Please do. It would be nice. *laughs*

We know you have a science background. So why did you choose acting?

It happened to me. I graduated in medical microbiology from the School of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Luth Idi Araba, by the way. I used to model. You know how you meet people; you have interactions, and connections. I used to be a runway model. I used to be a calendar model. I shot my very first TV commercial in 1994 for Shield deodorant. So I met people, and that was when I met the late JT Tom West. May his soul rest in peace. He’s the
one who invited me to my very
first audition. I had no idea what an audition was. I asked him, and when he said, “Let’s go for an audition”, I was like,
“What does that mean? What is it?” but I was inquisitive. Being inquisitive also helps you in life when you venture out and want to find out what’s going
on. Before you know it, it’s
something that you fall in love with. I went for my first audition, and like they say, the rest is history. And here I am, 30 years later. My goodness. It’s scary.
That somebody’s lifetime!

"DON'T COME FOR FAME. DON'T COME AND SAY, I WANT TO BE A STAR. I HATE THOSE WORDS. I MEAN, IT MIGHT HAPPEN; YOU'D BE A STAR, BUT THEN HOW DO YOU SUSTAIN IT? SUSTAINABILITY. MAINTENANCE. IT'S WHERE THE WORK IS"

Aunty Kate You are driven; one can tell from the outside looking in; we see your personality. It definitely cannot be something you just wear because people speak highly of you professionally. We see everything you’ve done in production and all of that. How have you been able to achieve this? How do you balance everything? You being your playful self, “energy goddess”, and then you being professional at what you do

I mean, the popular saying goes, “You can’t give what you don’t have”. This is true. Nothing remains elsewhere. You know, energy is very important to me. Energy. The people I associate myself with—I mean, I’m at that age and stage where I don’t want negative vibes. You know, for the rest of my life, I want to live it the way I want to live it. With joy, happiness, and joie de vivre, like the French people say. Convivial, I want that when I walk into a room,
everyone is like, “Yay! You know, energy. Energy is very, very important. To start your day, and you can’t give what you don’t have. You can’t. And I’m all about laughter. When it’s time to be serious, be serious. I don’t suffer fools gladly.
I’m sorry. I don’t like lateness. I just don’t like people who are disorganized. It messes with my head. That’s it.

"WHATEVER HAS HAPPENED IN MY LIFE, IT'S ALL BEEN TESTS, TESTIMONIES, AND LIFE'S LESSONS. AND I'M RUNNING MY OWN RACE THE WAY I KNOW AND SEE FIT. I'M NOT LOOKING TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT. I'VE DONE VERY WELL".

What keeps you going?

The fact that God wakes me up every day. That’s another chance to just try. I try not to stay down too long. Not that I’m up, up, up all the time. Like yesterday, I was a bit down. A friend lost her husband. But by the time I got home, I just put on some music. In my house, I have speakers from top to bottom. I make sure music is in the air. It does a lot for your mental attitude. You know, for everything. Whether you want to meditate, put on some slow music. You want energy; go, go, go. You know you want some jazz. Just surround yourself with what you surround yourself with. The people you surround yourself with have a huge impact on you as a person. When they say, “Show me your friend, and I’ll tell you who you are”. It’s true. It is so true. What you surround yourself with and what you let yourself breathe in. So important.

You’ve been really active in making
political statements. You’re very vocal.
You’ve been at the fore of very strong
conversations. Are you looking to go into politics?

I already did. In 2014. I’ve already tried. But just let people know that. The office of the citizen is the highest office. Higher than even that of the president. No apologies. Because these are the people who came to you and said they wanted your votes. They want to serve you. How did they turn out to be taskmasters? And you are the ones
serving them. We need to hold public leaders accountable. We ourselves, the followers, the citizens, need to do better. Because when we do better and know better, we can’t ask for better.
If you don’t know what you deserve, you can’t ask for it. Because then you always lessen your worth. But Nigeria is a place where we’ve come to accept the very minimal or the bare
minimum as something to celebrate. No. We have leaders who travel. We travel. We see how other countries are. We are so blessed. So blessed. Our multi-tribal, multi-cultural, multi-religious is a place of strength. Not a
weakness. And not something to be used against us. If we recognize that we are Nigerians first, human beings first, before your tribe, then, I mean, I’ve always grown up in Nigeria. I don’t
hate Igbo. I don’t hate any tribe. I served in Bauchi. My Nollywood career started in the East. You know? So what are we talking about? We ourselves need to be open and just be wise enough to know that this country is all for us. For our children. Now, everybody’s child is away. They’re going to have generations from now who will not know Nigeria as their place of
birth or where they come from. They’re going to claim other countries. Meanwhile, they originated here. You know? So, we just need to do better. I know it’s not too late. We can still
work at it. But we need to work at it ourselves as well.

You’re a fitness buff, obviously; we saw a lot of what you did today (at the photoshoot). What tips can you share with us lazy people?

First and foremost, your mindset has to be ready. I always say your body won’t go where your mind doesn’t take it. If you’re not mentally ready, forget it. If you’re not ready, forget it. I would say start slowly. Start with something
you love. Don’t go in all like, “Oh, I have three months to lose this weight”. You will fall flat on your face. Because when you do it, it will be hard to get up. Make it a progression. Make it something you can sustain. And please do not starve yourself. You need food. You need energy. There’s nothing wrong with
intermittent fasting. There’s nothing wrong with dieting. But you have to back it up with exercise. With stretches, yoga, and pilates. Not only gym. Walking, squats. There’s so much
you can do. There is so much information out there. That if you do and truly want, you can have a fit lifestyle. Which will help you when
you’re older. Like me. I’m telling you. It will help you.

So when you’re not acting and actively
participating in giving back activities, like being at fitness places, encouraging people and individuals, and being a role model, what else do you do? How do you unwind?

I hang with my friend Rita Reedee (Rita
Dominic-Anosike). Sometimes when she’s around, but she’s almost never around. I hang out with her. I also like spa treats a lot. I can do massage every week. I love massages. I love going out to lounges to relax and dance. Anywhere

there’s music, I must dance. I’m not one of those who goes out and is seated on a chair. No. I’ll be the only one on the floor since the rest of you don’t like good music. I’ll be the only one on the dance floor. And then I relax. I watch TV
and movies. Listen to music. Read a book or
two. That’s it. That’s how I unwind.

So with everything so far—your career, your business, your life, everything in between—do you have regrets?

It’s good you asked this question. You know, as I woke up yesterday and this morning, I said to myself, Kate, you’ve done well. You’ve done well. You’ve not done badly for yourself at all. You are not going to measure yourself by other
people’s standards. Some people have big corporations. Some are gunning for different things. But we all have different directions and different paths in life. And I have no regrets whatsoever. Whatever has happened in my life,
it’s all been tests, testimonies, and life’s lessons. And I’m running my own race the way I know and see fit. I’m not looking to the left or the right. I’ve done very well. And if anything should happen now, I’m going to nod my head and
say, Kate, I was here. You were here.

I skipped the question. To anyone looking to make a name in the movie industry and stay for a while. I mean, just like you’ve shown everybody that it’s possible, do you have tips
for them?

Don’t come for fame. Don’tcome and say, I want to be a star. I hate those words. I mean, it might happen; you’d be a star, but then how do you sustain it? Sustainability. Maintenance. It’s where the work is. You come with your shoulders in the air; you don’t have respect for those who come before you; that’s a pet peeve of mine. I’m sorry. You don’t have
respect for those that come before you; you don’t greet; you are not willing to be taught. It’s not going to last, and it’s not a curse. You need to watch those who came before you who are still in the game and still relevant. I don’t need to mention names; you can check. Come for the love of the craft; come to learn; even I learn every day. I remember
Uncle Olu saying to me, “ Be willing to learn and to better yourself”. See what is being done out there—the practices. I’ve done stage, TV, and film. Sorry, I’m calling Rita’s (Rita Domninic Anosike) name; she has done stage, TV, and
films as well. And so many other people that I can call. That’s why I watch movies. I watch other actors in Hollywood, and Bollywood; I want to see how they’re doing it. I love Viola
Davis so much. I love her. She’s someone I love. Lately, JLo, I am seeing her comic side; you know, there are two movies of hers I’ve watched; this woman is actually very funny. She’s a strong woman. I love Tracee Ellis Ross, and I love Charlize Theron. She’s got a long, lean look. I love it. There are so many of them like that that I really like. Top of my list is Angela Bassett at 60-something. You see, we are following her. You know, these are people who have been in the game. They’re still there. There’s something that they’re doing right. They are conscientious about their work. They don’t mess around with their job. They don’t feel as if they have a right
that everybody should kowtow and bow to them. No. Have a teachable spirit. Being able to learn is, for me, the best thing ever.

So away from the industry now, although you may not realize it, many of us look up to you as a role model. What tips do you have for us?

I know this is old school, but please learn to keep some parts of yourself private. It’s important. You know, there’s so much peer pressure now. So, I can sort of understand what’s going on, especially on the internet, with putting all of your life out there. Choose what you put out. Because at the end of
the day, that’s what they’re going to use to judge you. Learn to separate the private from the public. You know? It’s extremely important. And be yourself. Don’t be afraid to be different. Don’t follow trends or the crowd. Stay in your lane!
People don’t like to mind their own lane. Don’t be afraid to be yourself. To be authentic. Because everyone else is taken. Be you. If you are the black speck of rice inside the white rice,
you will stand out. If you’re looking the same, what’s different about you? How do you separate yourself from the rest? How? How am I going to see you? Unless you’re doing something different, scream if you want to. Come in with
your bald, shaved head. Stand out. Simple.Stand out. Be yourself. People are so fake. Social media encourages you to do more than you can sustain. I can never do that. I dance to encourage myself. That’s how I am in the gym and everything. I am so glad that I grew up in a time when there
was no pressure. There were no phones. OG before IG. And you can do it now. You can filter. Phones are like drugs;
studies have shown that people spend more time on their phones. Even on the road. It’s addictive. you forget. You don’t even know. You spend three hours on your phone. Time has gone by. So for me, I do my post. I answer comments. Then I move on to other things. In the evening, when I have time, I come back to it. I time my posts and my responses. No, I have to do all that. I’m here for this shoot. Have you seen me
press the phone? This is important.

THE SPECIAL AMVCAs EDITION

BY DANIELLE ANENE

The 9th edition of the African Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs) concluded on Saturday, May 20, 2023 at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, with the stars arriving on the red carpet in show-stopping fashion. The AMVCA is an annual ceremony hosted by Multichoice Africa in Nigeria. It first held in March 2013 to recognise the many talents in the African entertainment industry. Since the inception of this incredible award ceremony, it has become a medium for unifying the African entertainment industries, as various stars from various segments of entertainment from all over Africa gather in Nigeria to not only be recognised, but also to socialise and catch up. Awards are usually given for entries about films, short films, and series that aired the previous year, and there are nominees for different categories listed, with only one winner.

HERE IS A LIST OF THIS EDITION’S WINNERS:
1. Best Actor in a Comedy – (Movie/TV Series)– Samuel Perry as Broda Shaggi
2. Best Actress in a Comedy – (Movie/TV Series) – Bimbo Ademoye as Selina
3. Best Actor in a Drama – (Movie/TV Series)– Tobi Bakre – Brotherhood
4. Best Actress in a Drama – (Movie/TV Series)– Osas Ighodaro – Man of God
5. Best Supporting Actor (Movie/TV Series)– Abdisattar Ahmed – Gacal
6. Best Supporting Actress (Movie/TV Series)– Efe Irele – Four Four Forty Four
7. Best Short Film– Adeoye Adetunji – Pa Aromire.
8. Best Online Social Content Creator– Elozonam and Kie Kie – Back From The Future
9. Best Original Telenovela – Mpali
10. Best Unscripted Original – King Bugar
11. Best Original Comedy Series – Njoro Wa Uba
12. Best Original Drama Series – Ricordi
13. Best Art Director – Wale Adeleke – King Of Thieves (Agesinkole)
14. Best Costume Designer (Movie/TV Series) –Adeola Art-Alade – The Real Housewives of Lagos (Reunion Episode)
15. Best Lighting Designer (Movie/TV Series)– Mathew Yusuf – Brotherhood
16. Best Picture Editor (Movie/TV Series)– Holmes Awa & Daniel Tom – Crime & Justice
17. Best Sound Editor (Movie/TV Series)– Anu Afolayan – Anikulapo
18. Best Soundtrack (Movie/TV Series)– Kent Edunjobi – Anikulapo
19. Best Writer (Movie/TV Series)– Sola Dada – Anikulapo
20. Best Cinematographer (Movie/TV Series) –Loukman Ali – Brotherhood
21. Best Movie (Southern Africa)– Jewel – Elvis Chucks
22. Best Movie (East Africa)– Click Click Bang – Philip Karanja Njenga
23. Best Movie (West Africa)– Brotherhood – Jade Osiberu
24. Best Television Series (Crime & Justice)– Yinka Edward
25. Best Documentary-Nigeria-the Debut – Nora Awolowo
26. Best Director– Loukman Ali – Brotherhood
27. The Multichoice Talent Factory Film– Leaked

OLA WILLIAMS

Is Empowering Women In Leadership Positions In Technology

BY OLAMIDE OLAREWAJU

Olatomiwa Williams (Ola Williams) is who you want to be when you grow up. She is a mentor, a leader, a tech
enthusiast. This business leader who has over 20 years of experience in the information technology industry, where she has assisted organisations in leveraging the power of technology to achieve their business goals is setting her sights on empowering women in tech. Ola is passionate about seeing more women succeed in tech. She leads
female-focused initiatives to support and encourage women and girls to pursue careers in information technology. She is a mentor to aspiring female leaders among other things. It is refreshing to see and it’s even more exciting that she’s leaving room for women to join her at the top.

You’re currently the country manager for Microsoft in Nigeria and Ghana. That is a huge feat. How did you get here?

My IT career journey started over 23 years ago. I joined Microsoft over 12 years ago, and the journey continues. I did not arrive here alone. I have had great mentors who have provided the needed guidance, strong support, and tons of learning opportunities to help me get to where I am. That does not mean that I haven’t had moments where I felt I was at my breaking point, but I have learnt to look at the remaining flicker of light and focus on it. There have been some important personal learnings along this journey. I have learned to be consistent and show up every day—showing up not just for the sake of it but showing up with solutions. I have developed a listening ear to hear and absorb various perspectives while crafting my own uniqueness from them. I have improved my discipline levels to ensure that I am able to manage the responsibility that comes with this place I am at. I have learned to build, develop, and maintain solid relationships because no man is an island, and good relationships simply make this journey a lot easier.

“BEING THE FIRST NIGERIAN EMPLOYEE TO GET THE MICROSOFT PLATINUM AWARD WAS QUITE AN EXCITING AND INSPIRING EXPERIENCE FOR ME. THE PLATINUM CLUB AWARD IS THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS AWARD FOR TOPPERFORMING EMPLOYEES IN THE ORGANIZATION. I AM GLAD THAT I WON THE AWARD TWICE“.

The tech industry has experienced tremendous changes since I started my career 23 years ago. It is important
to keep transforming and embracing innovation. I have learnt to embrace change. The process of change is an
opportunity to grow and develop, or one becomes irrelevant before one knows it. I can say that I had a slow start in terms of career advancement. However, because I
remained consistent and kept developing myself when the growth started, it has been progressive, and I am
thankful.

Why tech?
During my secondary school days, I overheard a passionate conversation between two men who were convinced that computers were going to change the world for good. I developed a keen interest and wanted to be part of this revolution. This interest shaped the choices I made in my life. These choices and decisions have brought me to where I am in the technology field today.

It’s 2023, and we are seeing a rise in the number of women in tech. What is a good place to start for a young lady seeking a career in tech?

This is something I feel so passionate about. It is beautiful to see that more women are thriving in technology. It is a positive trend that I hope to also make significant contributions to as time goes on. The more women we have
contributing to technology innovation and its application, the more inclusive and usable the technology innovation is for all. It is crucial that more women are encouraged to come into tech. We are making positive progress in this
regard, but a lot still needs to be done. For a young lady considering pursuing a tech career, a good place to start is simply asking yourself: Why tech? I say this because it is significantly easier to start a career in tech than it was 10 years ago. There is almost no end to the number of free
resources available to start off a journey in tech. By the time you include the paid resources and certifications available, it becomes almost a chaotic world of information. This is why that first question—Why tech?—is so important. If that first question is not answered, you could arrive at a point of frustration that exists between the time you feel you have learned enough to earn from tech and the time the opportunity to earn from it presents itself. The “why” is
what fuels your journey and makes it sustainable. Some people transition quickly, and some don’t. You will hear great and nspiring stories of those who broke into tech,
and there are also some strenuous ones. Your motivation must be clear. The next point would be, “What exactly in
tech should I tend towards?” I generally think people should know themselves well enough to explore fields that they are enthusiastic about, so it is easy to find a reason to keep
going when the grind gets tougher. It is important to get a mentor. Though we are seeing more and more women
embrace careers in the technology field, we still have a low representation of women at the leadership level. According to a study by the African Development Bank, only 10% of senior management positions in technology companies in Africa are held by women. Mentoring is incredibly beneficial
for all parties to grow and develop from the experience. A report by the National Center for Women & Information Technology found that mentorship can lead to increased representation of women in leadership positions in technology. The tech industry is one of the most inclusive industries that I know of. Anyone can transition into a tech career, irrespective of their discipline. You just need to get the right training. At Microsoft, we are providing pathways for women who want to start a career in tech because we believe that empowering women in tech-related fields on the African continent will spur more women pursuing economic growth, equality, and innovation. We have different programs to support women in building the capabilities they need to thrive in the tech industry. We are supporting the Women Techsters initiative of one of our Not-For-Profit partners, Tech4Dev. The initiative is aimed at bridging the digital and technology knowledge divide between men and women as well as ensuring equal access to opportunities for all. I encourage every young woman to get on the Woman Techsters program.

What challenges did you face as a woman in tech, rising through the ranks? It is first of all important to note that life itself
is a challenge. This foundation helps me approach everything with a willingness to improve and do better. I embrace a growth mindset. While the intensity of the challenge varies from person to person and gender to gender, I am indeed grateful to be at Microsoft, where diversity and inclusion are integrated into our DNA. But one of the major challenges I often experience is unconscious bias and stereotypes. Some people just believe that women can’t do certain things, and as such, they don’t even give you the opportunity to prove yourself. Research indicates that many women struggle to advance to leadership positions in the tech industry because of bias. When I started off in a core technical role, I was usually the only woman in the team, but I did not allow that fact to deter me. In every role I take on, I apply myself to my job, and my male colleagues come to respect me for the value I bring to the table. It takes a lot of hard work. And when you think about the challenges of being a woman in tech and the demands of raising a family, I must be honest – it is quite
challenging because of the nature and demands of the job. I am grateful that I have a strong support structure at home, so it is easier to manage.

What is your typical day like as a busy woman
in tech?
I like to start my day by planning the physical, spiritual, emotional, and psychological areas of my day. I often review any pending items from the previous day while also keeping an eye out for issues. In the absence of any urgent issues, I tackle pending issues and update my task list and
timeframes for the current day. I prioritize productivity by being disciplined. Having Office 365, an intelligent productivity solution, is quite helpful. I delegate things to people around me and build my network through these delegations. I try to utilize my time of rest judiciously.

What are the highlights of your career, so far?

I am grateful that my career journey has been quite eventful. There are a number of positive moments in my career journey, but I would like to mention that being the first Nigerian employee to get the Microsoft Platinum award was quite an exciting and inspiring experience for me. The Platinum Club Award is the most prestigious award for top-performing employees in the organization. I am glad that I won the award twice. The fact that I rose through the ranks within the organization to become the first female country manager in Nigeria is also a fulfilling experience for me. It was such a delight to see that my career journey has been an inspiration for many young women.

You are passionate about empowering women. How do you see yourself going about this in 2023?

The simple answer to how I would hope to empower women in 2023 is by scaling mentorship and providing a platform to support women’s career growth in the tech field. I am working on getting other women and men who have deeply contributed to the development of programs that have facilitated the growth of women in tech and

creating a forum where we can scale mentorship to other young women who are intending to grow in tech. I am focused especially on those who have started the journey but now need to take the step forward to mid-level or C-suite roles. The program will hopefully help these women develop and maintain a trained eye for opportunities to optimize their career lifespan and arrive at what they define as a zenith for themselves. We will continue to see low participation of women in the tech field if we don’t spark the passion in girl learners early in their education journey. We will work in partnership with like-minded entities to empower young girls to reach their full potential through access to the educational skills they need to thrive in a digital world.

How do you unwind when you’re not working? How do you “balance” it all? Family? Work? Life?
I love to dance, which I do at any chance I get. Achieving balance also requires work and discipline. I try to maximize the time I have to get as much done as I can. It is important to prioritize and invest in relationships that can help when required, because the fact is it is not possible to get everything done by oneself.

"I WOULD HOPE TO EMPOWER WOMEN IN 2023 BY SCALING MENTORSHIP AND PROVIDING A PLATFORM TO SUPPORT WOMEN'S CAREER GROWTH IN THE TECH FIELD".

Career tips for ladies who want to build a career in tech?
I know that everyone’s life circumstances are different, but the common thing is that everyone wants to succeed in
their career. I would not say we have one-size-fits-all tips to be successful, but here is a list of tips I suggest for ladies pursuing a career in tech to embrace:

1. Embrace continuous learning
– the tech industry is everevolving and requires continuous learning.
2. Set a goal for yourself – setting audacious personal goals keeps you focused and motivated as you have things you are working towards.
3. Get a mentor – mentoring is critical to a successful career journey, and much more important in the tech industry. But, ensure you get a mentor in line with your set objectives.
4. Network – join tech communities related to your career aspirations, but don’t just be a passive member. Make it a point of duty to contribute to any community you are part of, as this helps you grow and gives you an opportunity to be visible.
5. Stay current — ensure you are up to date on trends and future opportunities in the industry. Subscribe to and follow
tech organizations that are relevant to your career objectives on social media. Subscribe to newsletters and journals on technology.
6. Participate in industry events – make sure to attend industry events to get more insight and keep up to date on emerging events in the industry. Industry events are also a great opportunity to grow your professional network.
7. Celebrate your successes – every step towards achieving your goal is worth celebrating. Learn to give yourself a pat on the back for every significant achievement and learn to tell your story.
8. Don’t be afraid to fail but seek to learn from your failure.
9. Be patient – be mindful that it takes time for you to achieve your career growth. Run your race, draw inspiration from other people’s success but refrain from measuring your success by the success of others. With focus, commitment, and tenacity, you will get to your God-given destiny.
10. Be grateful – being grateful and having a positive attitude helps to manage stress during challenging situations, and can help increase creative ability and problemsolving skills.
11. Speak up – it does not matter if you are the only woman in the room, if you have an idea, share your views. Your view is as important as that of any other person in the room.
12. Embrace constructive criticism – do not dwell on negative feedback in a manner that will hinder you from taking risks in the future but build on it and let it propel you to overcome your next challenge.

Mai Atafo, a disruptor of conventional fashion shows, has set his sights on presenting his new collections to his
customers with his standalone
show, which he launched in 2022,
seating 400 invitees front row. He has come a long way, building ATAFO from Mai Atafo Inspired to Mai Atafo. This charismatic sartorial fashion designer who aspired to be a musician started
off in marketing, but his passion for fashion won out, and he decided to give it a shot. Years and years later, after showing impressive collections,
putting on a show to remember,
constantly improving and expanding, and creating constantly sold-out signature pieces, Mai Atafo will not stop until he is THE designer brand out
of Africa.

Let’s talk about the brand Atafo. It went from Mai Atafo Inspired to Mai Atafo. Now, Atafo, describe this “journey.”

It was inspired by my love of clothes. Just things about me really liking to wear clothes and always looking good. And
almost like every Nigerian fashion story, you wear things that people like, and they ask you where you got them from. You tell them you made them, and the next thing you know, you’re making them for everyone. That’s pretty much what it was. It wasn’t what I dreamt of doing when I was a little child, or like I had an epiphany one night and the clouds came down; no, it wasn’t as sexy as that.

Speaking of childhood, what did you think you would be as an adult?
I thought I would be a musician. I wanted to be a musician. That’s all I wanted to do growing up. I love music, and it is still my first love.

After leaving the UK and working through the ranks, notably at British American Tobacco and Guinness Nigeria (leaving as a senior brand manager), why did you choose fashion design? How did you go from core brand/creative marketing to a Savile Row Academy-trained fashion designer? Why did you make the move?

I was already doing fashion while working at Diageo; I had started my fashion line and had been doing it for three years before I left. I decided to go into it full-time because I figured if I didn’t do it now, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to do it later. I did it because my fashion brand was already happening while I was working at Diageo doing brand marketing, and I discovered that I was thinking about it because if I got a promotion at Diageo, I wouldn’t be able to focus on my brand anymore, so it was at this point that I had to make a decision before my career progressed one step further and I wouldn’t be able to do this, and I didn’t want to live a life of regret, saying, “What would I have been if I had tried this?” So I took the plunge to just go and try out fashion, so as I was trying it out, I gave myself a year to try it out, and if it worked great, I would go back and look for a job, so that was exactly why I decided to leave and try fashion out full time.

And how has that been so far?

It’s been quite fulfilling and also very challenging—not as easy as I thought. Moreover, I didn’t go there with any thoughts; I didn’t go there to start this business; I just went there to start fashion, so I didn’t have all my I’s dotted and my t’s crossed, even till now I do not. I had no idea what I was getting into. Nobody ever tells you that this is a business; it’s not about how you like things to be, how you like to put colours together, or that kind of fairytale stuff that people talk about; it’s a lot more than that, and I didn’t know all that, so the struggle has always been, “Now that you know it, how do you make it work?” and I’ve been trying to make it work to the best of my knowledge since then, and that’s where the Savile Row training came in. He was a traveling lecturer, and I asked him if he could come to Nigeria, and he said if I paid him he would come, so I brought him in here to train for two weeks, and we did that twice: once, I think, in 2014, and the second time was in 2015.

You are arguably one of the most desired bridal designers around. How did you get here? How and why did you delve into bridal fashion?

I think the whole thing with bridal is something I grew into, to be honest, and it came from a strategic standpoint. We had reviewed where we were generating revenue for the business, and things came from things that had to do with
weddings, so either you’re making the suit for the wedding or making the bride fitting, you know, and we started doing this thing as tailors where we would make bridesmaids dresses. It’s quite interesting that I didn’t even start fashion by making suits; suits came in as I proceeded with it, so we did something and we checked back, and we realized that most of our revenue and costs were coming from people that had anything to do with weddings. So when we looked at it properly, we were doing bridal, bridal dress, groom, and some bridal dress at the time, and we were like, “Why not just make this your thing and let people know that you do it?” Because the only way people know you do something is to tell them, so I told them that I was doing it, and the best way to do it is to do it properly, so that’s why we said, “Let’s do bridal; let’s have a formal event for religious grooms.” We had an event at the incubator; Uti and Muna were the headliners of the launch, and we did it, and at that point in time, if you ask me how my dressmaking skills were, I’ll probably tell you 20 out of 100 at that time when we started. As they say, do not let perfection slow down progress, so we didn’t have to wait to be perfect; we just had to juggle, so literally, we just started like that, and here we are today.

What inspires your creativity? How do you get back-to-back inspiration to create collection after collection?

Anything inspires my creativity. I don’t think it’s one thing or the other; I don’t think it’s my life travels and experiences and stuff; everything that I do has a core, which is sartorial craftsmanship like tailoring. That’s what the core of everything that I do is at the end of the day, so you would always see a suit in my collection somehow. The world around me inspires me—what I see, what I watch, my travels, everything around me.

Let’s talk about the raved-about “Tradxedo.” What’s the inspiration behind this unique piece from Atafo?

To be honest, we started it for men’s wear, and we did that in 2017. It was a long time ago, and it came from the idea when we started doing traditional outfits, kaftans as we call them now, or trad as we call it more. We started doing
that, but I felt like trad was very flat; it felt like you were doing tailoring from Obalende. The trad was inspired by a typical traditional outfit that we wear and a tuxedo shirt. That’s why it’s called a trad-xedo,” because it’s a traditional
outfit and a tuxedo shirt. If you notice there are beads on it and the front is like a shirt because it unbuttons all the way down, then we took the idea of a traditional outfit, which is pretty much the length, and the way we tailor our traditional outfits, and traditional outfits are shirts; they are just elaborate shirts; kaftans are elaborate shirts; so we did that, so we started trying to do that. The first ones we did were textured bibs, just like you have the tuxedo ones; they are called the masala shirts. So we did something that was inspired by the masala tuxedo shirt, and as we moved on, we changed it to a velvet bib, so they had a textured fabric on the velvet bib. Then we moved on to having the bib beaded, and once the bib was beaded, we looked at it and thought, “Wow! “Girls will like this, and moreover, most of the things we do are androgynous,” so we got a big satin one, we made it a bit more oversized with a bit of edge, wider pants, and we beaded the bib, and it was like a totally different thing! We actually have some stylish men preferring the female one to the ones we made for them, so that was where the whole thing with the tradxedo came from. The truth about it, like you said, cuts across everything: you can be casual, you can be dressed up to be serious, you can wear your shorts and wear the top like a jacket. It has many lives, pretty much, and these are the kinds of things we like to do to make it feel like we have actually created a signature for the house. So a tradxedo is definitely a signature for the house, and that’s how we came about it. It’s definitely one of our best sellers.

You’re quite the showman when presenting your collections; what inspires your unique runway presentations?
I think you do fashion, and when it’s time to make it a fashion show, you should not neglect the part that says “show.” That’s what people forget. When you say something is showbusiness, that means it’s a show that’s going to give you money; it’s a fashion show; it’s fashion now make it a show; and it’s not unique to me; around the world you have designers doing things like that, like Karl Lagerfeld doing the supermarket or the Louis Vuitton one that was at a train station and people come around the train station; someone has done an airport before; someone has done a whole beach; it’s a fashion show; there was water, there was sand, everything. So people do that, and I think it helps tell the story of what you’re trying to do, and that’s what I’ve tried to do with the limitations you have of platforms, but I also try to tell that story because I feel like even if you forget the clothes, you don’t forget the show, and when you
remember the show, there’s a possibility that you remember one or two of the pieces, so it’s like it’s something to just keep you hooked on the whole story you’re telling, which is the fashion show story. Coming up with those ideas, sometimes they’re very organic; it’s like when people always say, “Oh my God, you did that,” it was a two-minute thought and execution. It was like, “Let’s do this and call somebody and call the other person, and it’s done.” Get a choir. I saw this choir at the Basketmouth show, and I was like, “Oh, I could use these guys in my fashion show.” I got their name, called their manager, and said, “I want them to come to my fashion show.” “I want them to perform at this segment.” One time I thought it would be great to have a violin at the fashion show, which is to make your own music called “What the Strings.” I like live music during the show I think it just helps that energy, in my own fashion show we did basically the same thing we got a live
drummer to perform, even the music that we did was original music by ‘Bigfoot’ for the show and it was quite good, so I always feel there should be an element of excitement because fashion shows could be boring and the way we do it in Nigeria where you sit down and watch maybe 10 designers in one day you get fashion fatigue if something doesn’t bring you up then you don’t appreciate the clothes anymore so for me not to get the chance where you don’t appreciate my garments anymore let me give you a show and it’s my turn so you remember my show and my garments.

"I THOUGHT I WOULD BE A MUSICIAN. I WANTED TO BE A MUSICIAN. THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO DO GROWING UP. I LOVE MUSIC, AND IT IS STILL MY FIRST LOVE".

What goes on behind the scenes at Atafo? Describe a typical busy day for Mai.

I don’t think there’s a routine, but I know you try to come in early every day just to get work done. The most important thing to me is customer satisfaction, so I always try to check
on them to see what’s going on with the customer’s work, what the status is, and other kinds of stuff. If the customer walks in, even though it is not my job to see them or do any
consultation, sometimes I just like to go and sit in on the consultation just to add a little bit more value. By the time you sit through four consultations and fittings, your day
is already over. I also manage the ordering of stock for garment production, so that’s it for me with the vendors, both local and international. I deal with that to a large extent. In my free time, I’m just trying to make sure
every other part of the business gels together. I think that’s the part that people forget: you’re not doing it in fashion; you’re doing admin; the cars are running; the inverter is on standby; the place looks presentable at every point in
time; if anything is wrong, try to get it fixed; you know, all those things can be quite annoying, but they are things that you must do, and you do those things on a daily basis; but everything is just geared towards getting great customer satisfaction and making sure that the
customers are happy, so to speak. That’s pretty much how I do things like designing every now and then. When I’m focusing on a fashion show, that’s when I actually get settled down. Let’s create stuff, but I’m always creating. When it’s something I like, I either sketch it down, write it
down, stick it down, or screen grab it and move on with it.

How does Mai Atafo unwind? How do you unplug from all these busy, luxe lifestyles? What would you be caught doing in your downtime?

I don’t think that time exists, which is quite sad. I don’t know what “me time” for me looks like. I think as part of my life, I would go back home and watch TV shows I like to watch, but it’s not necessarily me vacating and living. Vacation hasn’t happened in a long time..

So your travel is just work?

It’s pretty much work; we find time to see family and friends while we are out to eat and try to enjoy a good meal somewhere or catch up with someone somewhere, but it’s never really like, “I’m on vacation; let me put my feet up and
watch the skies for 10 days.” It hasn’t happened in a long time. I think the closest I had to doing that was when I went to Canada sometime last year, but it wasn’t a vacation more than anything. I think I rested, so I look forward to resting. Maybe that’s my me time, when I can sleep beyond 6 hours. I’m always very happy that I can sleep a bit longer. When I can take walks, whether I’m in a shopping district and I’m
walking around and looking through different shops and just getting inspiration, I enjoy that a lot, but that is also not my me time because that is low-key work. I don’t know what my time is, but I enjoy my past time. I enjoyed
watching TV. I am now into interior design, so I like to watch interior design shows and home makeover shows. I absolutely love them, and I would say my office is my first because I redesign it every year.

Why am I not surprised?

I redesign my office every year; then I moved in October, and I redesigned the house that I moved to. I pretty much rearranged the whole structure design from the bottom to the top, made the whole ground floor my kitchen, which
is against the living room to the kitchen, the living room to the first floor, squeezed in a den somewhere, and made the living room open plan with a lot of air. I redesigned it, and people come and look at it and go, “Oh my God, this is amazing,” so interior design makes me very happy, and music makes me very happy too. I have a vinyl collection and a turntable, so sometimes after work I just relax in my studio, play my vinyl, and just enjoy that moment. It could

last for 30 minutes, but I enjoy it, so I think I just steal time within the madness to do that rather than take out the whole period. I want to do it, but I don’t think it will work for me. Thankfully, we try to manage with family around that
time, so I think my daughter is just happy to see me when she sees me, but we have our own groove. She has a phone that only has my number and her mom’s number, so she
video calls me any time of the day, and I must answer because she doesn’t get that I’m busy and I can’t answer her, so I think we have worked family around that, but I don’t think I have that time to relax. I have a PS5 that I have
not unboxed; I’ve not had the time. I also have a TV, just to remove it from the box and play FIFA. I bought it when it was FIFA 23, now it’s FIFA 24. I’ve not had that time to play, but I’m not complaining because I love what I do and I’m
really enjoying it. Yeah, I could do something else for money, but in terms of what I’m doing, that’s keeping me fulfilled, and what I’m doing right now is doing that.

You started your solo show last year, and that was something. It was different. Why did you start? What inspired that?

Sometimes we say things like, “If you went to Tom Ford, would you behave like this?” If you went to Gucci, would you behave like this? They don’t respect us as Nigerian designers, but the truth is that we do not do what those guys do, in all honesty, so first things first, part of telling your brand story is doing your own shows and doing it the way you want to do it
without compromise. The reason why many designers do not do their own standalone shows is because they can’t afford it. It’s a lot of money; you’re spending N30 million easily, and that doesn’t even cover everything, but it gives you the avenue to do what you want to do. No one tells you who should model for you; no one tells you how long your
show can be or how short it should be; no one tells you how many pieces you should showcase; no one tells you how to present your garments on the runway; it’s all left to you, and when you have that full control, it means you are telling your own brand story. Most of all, you get to invite people that matter to the brand to the show. You’re not assigned tickets for your own show. So moving from where I get 25 tickets for people to come and watch my show to where I have 400 people
sitting front row at a show just makes a whole lot of difference, and for many of those guys, my show was the first time they were coming to a fashion show in their lives, so my customers never even had the opportunity to actually experience the brand to that level, so that’s what triggered the show. We’re trying to give the full experience to our customers and friends of the brand. So the starting point is that it’s a big venture, but we’re going to do it again this year, and we’re going
to do it bigger because the sad part of it is that last year we got a venue and we thought it was big, but once we were set, we realized that it was actually very small. It didn’t let us do what we wanted to do, and it was a bit of a struggle. So this year we want to start with the things that mean the most to us and get a very big venue that will contain the people that we want to contain comfortably. That will be a tradition at the Atafo shows until we can’t accommodate it anymore because everybody is important. There are also some people who will want to attend the show but will not have access. You want them to also attend the show even if they can’t afford the garments now, but they should just come and enjoy the show. So that’s what we’re trying to do again, and you know, by God’s grace, God being on our side, he’s always on our side, we will do it, and we will set the standard in the industry.

What’s next for the Atafo brand?

I don’t think it’s a particular milestone we’re trying to achieve next, but there’s a journey, and it’s trying to be THE designer brand out of Africa. So when people are calling the Pradas and the Guccis, they will call Atafo. I think that’s the ultimate goal at the end of the day, and that’s a journey; that’s the next step. The reason someone wants to buy a Birkin bag from Hermes for millions of Naira is because they’ve sold something to them, so I want that to be the case for Atafo, where we do something and people want to buy. When you buy a designer bag, you’re proud of it; it’s almost a boastful thing, and that’s what I want it to be for Atafo. So it’s a journey; it’s not there. We’ve started it quite well, but it’s not there yet. We still have to justify it to some people, but we want to leave the case open, so we do not have to justify it. That’s the ultimate goal.

I WAS ALREADY DOING FASHION WHILE WORKING AT DIAGEO; I HAD STARTED MY FASHION LINE AND HAD BEEN DOING IT FOR THREE YEARS BEFORE I LEFT. I DECIDED TO GO INTO "IT FULL-TIME BECAUSE I FIGURED IF I DIDN'T DO IT NOW, I WOULDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT LATER"

BY NKECHINYERE ANELE

Conceiving an idea is only the first and easiest step of any business. Most successful businessmen and women will tell you that real work starts when you have to implement those ideas to become a reality. This is where most people give up, but not our cover personality for this issue. Paul Onwuanibe, CEO of Landmark who was Born in the UK to diplomat parents conceived his idea and did not back down from that moment. What’s interesting about his interview is that he agrees that Nigeria is not the only country with many problems, yet all of those did not deter him at the beginning stages, and to date, he is going strong. Armed with his education, experience and some investors, he forged ahead with his dream of creating a live, work, play community that wasn’t just for Nigerians but the world as a whole; The LandmarkVillage. Onwuanibe is also known for his work in the real estate sector, juggling over five hundred clients in five countries, and what’s fascinating is he is not afraid to give credit to his team. This much he did in this interview, ”I have a team of incredible people around me that deserve the same if not more praise than I receive. They’re the people that keep the lights on at the end of each day…” But it’s not only formal work for Paul Onwuanibe. The company also plays their part in community development by fixing roads, mentorship programs, etc. Delve into this awe-inspiring interview, or what you might end up calling the ultimate guide to run a successful tourism and real estate business anywhere in the world.

Tell us briefly about your background. How did you imagine with your experience you could pull off a “Landmark” project.

My name is Paul Onwuanibe, I was born in the UK to diplomat Nigerian parents. My real-life journey began when I was sent off to boarding school in Lagos at age 10. While I gained my closest friends there, I also developed a strong passion for drawing, particularly drawing buildings and further honed my skills in UNN while studying architecture. I went back to Europe for further professional studies and gained valid life and business lessons working with Mark Dixon at Regus. These experiences have all led to the results that you see today. Seasoned Entrepreneurs are not born, they’re made.

“

LANDMARK IS IN AFRICA, FOR AFRICA, BY AFRICANS AND THAT IS NOT BY CHANCE. THE GOAL IS TO CREATE AN
ECOSYSTEM WITH BEST-INCLASS EXPERIENCES THAT CAN MATCH UP ON A GLOBAL SCALE AND TO REPLICATE THAT MODEL IN OTHER
AFRICAN CITIES, STARTING
FROM LAGOS- NIGERIA.

Let’s talk about how you started this huge project. What inspired it?

I was young, designing serviced offices in Europe, I wanted to make a huge mark, solve a problem and create something revolutionary that mattered. That’s when I decided that the serviced office business would have an important impact in Africa. On a visit however, I noticed that Nigeria had its own set of issues like every other country, such as lack of infrastructure, insecurity, among other things. You can say the greatest threat to our society is thinking someone else will save it. So I embraced the challenge and took a helicopter trip across Lagos and discovered this site where Landmark now provides a premium one-stop destination for all who require such a haven in the midst of the city’s hustle & bustle.

It’s a community of its own; work,
play, live. Has it lived up to your
expectations?
Yes, our mixed-use development model works. It meets not just mine, but the expectations of all the people who visit our ecosystem. Our goal has always
been to get people into the ecosystem, to spend as much time having a great time here as they want, and leave with the desire to tell a friend about their
experience. That is how it’s become the fastest growing business leisure lifestyle destination in Africa. And still growing with many legacy projects in the pipeline.

Nigerians don’t necessarily take time to save for a holiday. This could be positive or negative in terms of spontaneity. Do you find people booking staycations more than vacations?

The pandemic presented an opportunity where people had started to look at staycations more which is essentially domestic tourism. Furthermore, as lockdown conditions have eased up, we are seeing a return to pre-covid desires to experiences. Landmark is a platform where Nigerians and international travellers can and have had memorable experiences and we aim to keep delivering innovative experiences over time. For many who come through
our ecosystem on holidays; the service, the ambience, the people, the experiences make them feel like spending just one more day, one
more hour, or just one more minute… That is real spontaneity, and for us, it is positive.

How do you hope to promote Nigeria as a tourist attraction with Landmark? Nigerians would rather go out of the country on holidays…

Most people travel for the purpose of having new experiences. At Landmark we are constantly pushing boundaries of the norm, providing new and innovative experiences for all. You cannot visit Landmark today and meet it exactly the same after one year. We are constantly growing, constantly developing. Excellence is a continuous journey, and we are going through every bit of it, with and for our citizens.

Do you spend more time vacationing here than abroad?
Landmark is in Africa, For Africa, by Africans and that is not by chance. The goal is to create an ecosystem with best-in-class experiences that can match up on a global scale and to replicate that model in other African cities, starting from Lagos- Nigeria. Someday we want to hear people say, “Home or abroad, Landmark is the best”. Investing in this must have cost a fortune. How were you able to secure the capital? Real estate business is not cheap and its important to get a team of people who believe in the vision to make it happen. Real estate is a long term gain which means the investors that come together have to have the stomach to put huge sums
down for a project that might take 3, 5, even 10 years to deliver. Luckily we have been able to find those people and we have proved our success through our development track record which speaks for itself.

” SO I EMBRACED THE
CHALLENGE AND TOOK A
HELICOPTER TRIP ACROSS
LAGOS AND DISCOVERED
THIS SITE WHERE LANDMARK
NOW PROVIDES A PREMIUM
ONE-STOP DESTINATION FOR
ALL WHO REQUIRE SUCH A
HAVEN IN THE MIDST OF THE
CITY’S HUSTLE & BUSTLE

Managing over 500 clients across 5
continents is no mean feat. How do you juggle this and still stay ‘productive’?

I Believe passion is the most important
ingredient for success. The dream is now much larger than any one person. Daily I do my part but I have a team of incredible people around me that deserve the same if not more praise than I receive. They’re the people that keep the lights on at the end of each day. Teamwork makes the Dreamwork.

You’ve made owning properties and managing them really cool, how did you conceive this big idea?

Great ideas are common. What’s uncommon are the people who will work hard enough to bring them to be. Luckily I have those people. They understand that all the easy things have been done, and put in the effort to do small things in a great way consistently. All this wasn’t built in a day
What CSR activities does Landmark engage in?

Youth mentorships programs, including scholarships and internships, Medical support during covid and with routine health checks within our ecosystem, Community Road repairs, School excursions/field trips, reduction in carbon footprint to mention a few.

What tips can you share for people looking up to you… looking up to your level of success?

1. Think solvability, scalability and sustainability; The best businesses solve a problem for the masses.
2. Underestimate intelligence, overestimate experience; The best source of knowledge is experience
3. Invest in relationships; that’s how you build unquantifiable wealth
4. Change is inevitable, so constantly evolve your business; Complacency is the killer of dreams.
5. Maximally utilize opportunities; The opportunity of a lifetime can only be realized within the lifetime of that
opportunity.

SELLING AFRICAN STORIES TO THE WORLD.

BY OLAMIDE OLAREWAJU

BY OLA

“
If you can think it, you can do it…”!
I remember those were Mo Abudu’s payoff lines on her show “Moments With Mo.” She probably had no idea how those powerful words would come to shape a lot of people’s lives when she signed out. I remember thinking to myself while watching her interview with Hilary Clinton, “wow, she’s so cool.” I wasn’t wrong! The Hollywood Reporter named Mo Abudu one of the “25 Most Powerful Women in Global Television,” and she has been dubbed “Africa’s Most
Successful Woman” by Forbes.

She chaired the 47th international Emmy Awards gala, which took place in New York on 25 November 2019. She went on to build EbonyLife TV, Africa’s first global black entertainment and lifestyle network. A refreshing take on TV like I call it. It wasa game-changing moment for lifestyle television.

EL TV aired in many countries across Africa, as well as in the UK and the Carribean to a pan-African audience. It was an impressive feat. She founded EbonyLife Films and served as executive producer on her debut feature, Fifty. She also produced The Wedding Party, which became the highest-grossing title of all time in the Nigerian film industry!

She’s partnered with Sony Pictures Television, AMC Networks, Lagos State Government, Netflix and more. She launched Ebonylife Place, a lifestyle and entertainment resort in the heart of Victoria Island, Lagos. She has gone on to do many things, the most notable of which is changing the face of TV and film production in Africa, where she continues to tell African stories.

There’s no stopping this Amazon, and I’m thrilled to share her interview with you in this first edition. From what I can tell, she’s just getting started. One thing I learned from this is that anyone can be unstoppable if they dare to dream and put in the work… Remember, if you can think it, you can do it!

As “Africa’s most successful woman” and “one of the most powerful women in global TV” what drives you?
As a media professional, I have a strong passion for storytelling and an unwavering commitment to showcasing
the rich and diverse narratives of Africa on the global stage. My drive to succeed has been fueled by a deep desire to break down barriers and pave the way for other women, particularly women of colour, to excel in the industry. I have faced numerous challenges in my career, but these challenges have only strengthened my resolve to succeed
and make a lasting impact in the global TV industry. Ultimately, my motivation comes from a belief in the power of storytelling to connect people, inspire change, and drive social progress.

“

UNFAILINGLY, WHEREVER I AM IN THE WORLD I START MY DAY WITH GOD BECAUSE WITHOUT HIM I WOULDN’T HAVE COME THIS FAR, I GIVE HIM ALL THE GLORY.

Some have compared you to Oprah. We know Oprah has severally spoken about her challenges as a woman in the industry. What would you say have been your challenges while rising in the industry? What challenges did you face as a woman building a media business of this magnitude?
I respect Oprah and everything she has done. I can acknowledge that women in various industries have faced challenges related to gender bias, unequal pay, and
limited opportunities for advancement. These challenges can make it difficult for women to break through barriers and achieve success. It’s essential to create an environment that values and supports diversity and inclusion, where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential.

EbonyLife TV was a refreshing take on TV… What was the dream behind EbonyLife? Why did you finally decide to morph this into a production company?

The dream behind EbonyLife TV was to be the preferred global network for premium African entertainment by creating original, premium and inspiring content with an African soul that showcases the best of Africa for a global black audience. My vision for EbonyLife TV has always been to create content that speaks to the continent’s most
important demographic –the youth, the custodians of the present and the future. We became a full-time production
company in order to tell Authentic African stories as opposed to the image of Africa that was being represented.
It started as a quest to change the global perception of Africa, but now it has turned into a passion. But as you know EbonyLife TV has morphed into EbonyLife Media which encompasses EbonyLife Studios and EbonyLife Films. We currently have the largest slate as an African production company with some of the most respected production companies in the world including Sony
Pictures Television, Lionsgate, Starz, The BBC, AMC, Will Smith’s Westbrook Studios, Will Pack Productions and most recently we just announced our partnership with the super talented Idris Elba and his production company Green Door Pictures. We are very excited about the future.

When you’re not working, what’s a normal day like for you, sunrise to sunset?

There is no such thing as a normal day for me. My days vary so much. But unfailingly, wherever I am in the world I start my day with God because without Him I wouldn’t have come this far, I give Him all the glory. I am pretty much addicted to my laptop, so next are my emails. I catch up with the HODS of EbonyLife Media, The Creative Academy and EbonyLife Place should I need to. I always have a mountain of scripts to read, stories and projects to develop. Meetings to attend, events, speaking engagements, and travelling the world based on my itinerary. I do my best to get a bit of exercise in my day. Some days I spend with my grandkids playing Nana. As I said, no two days are the same.

Holiday. Can you tell us 3 of you favourite holiday destinations and why?
The Maldives, Spain, Cape town. When I’m able to get away, these are some of the destinations I am partial to. Anywhere beautiful with great laughs, great restaurants,
and great people. There is just something about being in a place that makes you feel relaxed and at peace while there and rejuvenates you to focus on your plans.

“

I HAVE FACED
NUMEROUS CHALLENGES
IN MY CAREER, BUT
THESE CHALLENGES HAVE
ONLY STRENGTHENED MY
RESOLVE TO SUCCEED
AND MAKE A LASTING
IMPACT IN THE GLOBAL
TV INDUSTRY

There are those who believe at some point, Mo Abudu will go into active politics, and there are those who believe she should. Should we be expecting to see or hear more of you in politics sometime soon?

I love my country, I have from time to time toyed with the idea of getting into politics, but I have never really taken any active steps towards achieving this goal, simply because I give whatever I am doing 100%. I have not been able to successfully drag myself away from EbonyLife, and before then it was Inspire Africa and before then it was Vic Lawrence. Right now, I am really enjoying what I do, but who knows, an opportunity may present itself. Never say Never as they say!

What inspired creating projects like the free creative academy? What is the big picture? What other projects are in the offing?

Setting up a creative academy has been
an obsession of mine for a very long time. I have over the years pitched the idea to every federal and Lagos State government. But the only Governor that truly bought
into the idea and the dream was and is His Excellency, Governor Babajide SanwoOlu. He understood the importance of empowering our youth and investing
in our creative economy. So I pitched the idea to him, and he bought into the idea. We are now in our third year of operation. We run 8 courses over 4 semesters every year. Our courses include directing, acting, screenwriting,
cinematography, post-production, art direction, and sound design. We graduate 480 students a year who are all going on to do great work in the industry. The big picture is to roll out more academies across Nigeria and the continent, and this we will do in partnership with Idris Elba based on a new agreement and partnership that was recently announced.

Words for the girl child? And every woman/anyone who looks up to you professionally and in other ways?
My 8-Point Guide for Girls and Women:

1. Believe in yourself: Always remember that you are capable of achieving anything you set your mind to. Believe in yourself and your abilities.

2. Embrace your uniqueness: Don’t try to be like anyone else. Embrace your individuality and celebrate what makes you unique.

3. Stand up for yourself: Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself and your beliefs. Speak your mind and be confident in your opinions.

4. Never stop learning: Keep learning and growing as a person. Take advantage of every opportunity to gain new knowledge and skills.

5. Build strong relationships: Build strong relationships with people who support and encourage you. Surround
yourself with positive influences.

6. Take care of yourself: Make sure to take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. Prioritize self-care and make it a part of your daily routine.

7. Follow your passions: Pursue your passions and interests. Find something you love and make it a part of your life.

8. Be kind and compassionate: Treat others with kindness and compassion. Practice empathy and put yourself in others’ shoes. Remember that you are valuable and have a unique contribution to make in this world. Stay strong, confident, and true to yourself, and you can achieve anything you set your mind to. Remember – “If you can think it you can do it”