DAMILOLA ONIFADE

Damilola was born in Ogbomoso, a town in southwestern Nigeria. She holds a bachelor degree in chemical engineering from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology and also a master degree in chemical engineering from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. Her goal is to work in a multinational company in the field of technology and/or consulting, developing strategies for achieving goals that positively impact the company as well as society.

“Don’t wait for others to cheer you on, instead cheer yourself on, encourage yourself.”

Q: Tell us a few things about your country, and also your life's story!

I am from Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa. Nigeria has about 270 ethnic groups and this raises cause for concern, especially when it comes to politics, leadership and communism. Although we all claim the same nationality, our beliefs, values and national expectations couldn’t be more different. The authentic unity of Nigeria is still a work in progress.

I was born in this country over two decades ago and like most Nigerian children born in that time, my parents wanted me to be a medical doctor. I entertained the thought in my naivety, but I soon came to realize that the field of biological sciences wasn’t for me. I decided to become an engineer because of my love for mathematics, and I ended up studying chemical engineering and currently have two degrees in the subject. Although this course is great, the prospect within my country is very low since industrialization is not improving. Studying chemical engineering however increased my capacity for versatility since the course has a very wide scope. I am currently expanding my knowledge by learning digital skills. Since digitalisation is said to be the future of work, it would help to be prepared.

Q: What was your experience of the global pandemic crisis? Did it change your life and/or your views about the world? If so, how?

Before the pandemic, I had been on the search for a job, and just as the pandemic started I got a job offer. However, I was not called back due to the lockdown. After the pandemic, the company put a hold on the recruitment process and never got back to me. I lived through the lockdown with the hope of resuming a job afterwards but that never happened.

However, the pandemic opened me up to the possibilities and opportunities associated with working from home, and I realised I didn't have most of the skills that could land me a remote job. So I took courses on LinkedIn and Coursera, and registered myself on Upwork so I could see the requirements for freelance jobs and prepare myself accordingly.

After the pandemic, I had a renewed passion for online learning and I haven’t stopped since. Also, the pandemic has changed my worldview on what is relevant and I have come to understand that having a great relationship with your family and loved ones is important. The pandemic revealed a lot of failed relationships since people had to stay together for an extended period of time. In all, the pandemic has taught me to be prepared for anything.

Q: What are some of the key challenges in your society currently?

Insecurity; Corruption; Political Instability; Nepotism; Tribalism.

Q: Can you share with us some of the hurdles that you have had to overcome in your life so far? How did you handle them? 

Unemployment is one of the biggest hurdles I am having to face. The search for gainful employment is tiring and has yielded very little fruit for me. I'm having to face this challenge by keeping myself engaged, learning new things and reading a lot. I also haven't stopped looking for opportunities to improve myself even if they are not paid. This resilience is what led me to discover Global Thinkers Forum and now I am a mentee.

No matter what happens, I tell myself to never give up and keep improving myself, giving me a knack for personal development.

Q: If you were to ask one thing from our current leaders, what would it be?

How do you keep going when things are not going according to your plan and your goals seem unachievable? How do you never give up in light of that?

Q: Why is the role of a mentor important for you?

The role of a mentor is important in communicating ideas, plans and goals. It allows me to first hear myself, which helps me to further assess the viability of my idea. Having a mentor is also important to keep me accountable in working according to my goals and plan. It will also help me build self confidence in order for me not to depend on assurance from others.

I need to make the right decisions so as to effectively reach my goals, and having a mentor will make that easier and better.

Q: Do you have a lesson that life has taught you and you would like to share? 

Life has taught me to be self-reliant. Don’t wait for others to cheer you on, instead cheer yourself on, encourage yourself. If and when others cheer you on, it will have a more positive effect, because you have already encouraged yourself.

Q: Name a project, a foundation or a person in your country that you think is doing great work in helping improve other people's lives!

Women Techsters Fellowship powered by Tech4Dev is a project geared towards empowering women with digital skills so they can be economically independent.

In addition, a person I think is also doing great work is Debola Deji-Kurunmi, commonly known as DDK. She is a transformation coach and the founder of Immerse coaching company. She helps both men and women build lives of influence.

Q: What are some of the challenges that women in your country face and what efforts are being made towards gender equality?

Some of the challenges faced by women in my country include: female child marriage; gender-based violence; discrimination in the workplace and in the employment process; economic inequality; sexual harassment and political exclusion, among others.

However, there are several non-profit organisations that have been set up to combat some of these challenges. I currently volunteer for a non-profit (Girls Just Want To Run) that exists to promote the inclusion of young women in leadership, good governance and politics. Some others include Gender Development Initiative (GENDI) which addresses gender-based violence and Whitefield Foundation which addresses the issue of economic inequality. Although the laws of the country can be unfavourable, I believe every effort counts and will result in a better future.

Q: Share with us a phrase, a poem or a story that you love or you find interesting!

Be careful of people who genuinely love you but don't know or understand your plans for your life.

Q: Can you share with us a project that you would like to make happen for your country or a cause that you are passionate about? 

One thing I would really like to make happen for my country is the right education of boys and young men. There are several programs available for the training of girls and young women, but so little is available for the male gender. If men are well-trained then most of the challenges associated with women would be non-existent since the male gender is the reason for most of them.