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

Nigeria is a wonderful country, with good and bad sides as all countries have. But what I think sets Nigeria apart is its people. Nigeria is a melting pot of over 180 million people speaking over 500 languages and we have managed to stay united despite all odds. What makes me really excited is that Nigeria is proof enough that global unity is achievable despite all our differences in opinion and identity. I am the third born out of four. My parents are missionaries and I hail from the south-western part of the country; Ibadan to be precise. I graduated from Kings College, Lagos and went on to study Electrical & Electronics Engineering at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.

During my final year in the university, I and two of my friends applied for a business competition by Unilever Nigeria where we won the chance to represent Nigeria at the African finals in Johannesburg. There we also won the chance to represent Africa at the Unilever Future Leaders League in London and won the opportunity to intern in one of the biggest FMCG companies in the world.

Q: What is your view of the world as it is today? And how do you define the concept of a better world?

I am optimistic in nature and therefore think that the world is on its way to something better. But I currently think a lot should definitely be improved upon among which is the sense of mutual respect between individuals. We as humans are very quick to criticize those who don’t share our opinions and denigrate them for their views. There will always be differences in opinions between people but that should not be the reason for the millions of deaths being recorded daily.

A better world for me is a world where individuals acknowledge each other’s differences and find a way to move forward regardless. A world where everyone; both male and female is accorded the rights and respect due a human being.

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

A key challenge faced is Corruption. It is sad to see that corruption has eaten deep into the very fabric of our nation at all levels. Officials aim for self-aggrandizement rather than communal aggrandizement. We have a lot of leaders who are out to line their pockets with looted funds rather than using these funds to transform the polity. Nepotism at various administrative levels has become the norm. The penetration of this malady is so widespread that it has become the infamy of the country in the global space.

The second challenge I want to highlight is Illiteracy. Lack of education drives ignorant people to irrational actions. A good number of Nigerians are still yet to receive basic education and therefore are not aware of the opportunities available to them through the wide lens of education. The effects of Illiteracy in Nigeria include but are not limited to terrorism, begging, poverty, bad hygiene etc.

Q: As a young individual what are a few of the hurdles that you had to overcome up until today?

As a product of the Nigerian Public education sector, I can say that the state of the educational sector in Nigeria is nothing to write home about. Learning was not made easy and we usually had to study under extreme and adverse conditions just so that we could stand a chance in the real world. On getting to the real world, the rules change. You have to struggle with the millions of annual graduates in the country for the few opportunities available. Life in Nigeria is hard and grows increasingly so, which is why I set for myself standards of success and strive to achieve them regardless and this has helped me stand out from the crowd.

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

When you come from a system like the one I just described, it is very easy to just give up and blame the system. A mentor is therefore really very key to retaining your resolve. He or She will show you that what you seek is attainable and he will give you the motivation you need to press on and stay focused.

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

I have learnt from my experiences in life that You must “Be so good that they cannot ignore you”

Every competition or opportunity will always have selectors or judges that are predisposed and unconsciously biased towards certain specifications that you may not meet or do not fit into. This is why You must strive to make your performance so good that they have no choice but to take you seriously and consider you.

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!

The Wellbeing Foundation Africa launched by Mrs Tosin Saraki focuses on improving the wellbeing of girls, women, mothers and children in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

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

I am going to highlight 3 challenges that women in my country face.

The first one is the issue of Child marriage. Nigeria ranks 13th in the countries with the highest child marriage rates. This issue is rooted deeply in cultural and religious beliefs and is somewhat a tinderbox. Amidst public outcry, steps were taken by the government to curb this through the Childs Rights Act and the child marriage campaign in 2016. Eradicating child marriage completely is a job that can only be achieved through sensitization and education. Parents must be educated on the advantages of keeping their girl children in school. The second challenge is that of Equal Opportunities. A clear picture to depict this is that of the parliamentary diversity. Women constitute only 6% of the lawmakers in Nigeria. The current system is one that is obviously biased towards male employment and better pay for male employees and this is simply not acceptable. This is the reason why the equal opportunities bill was proposed and it recently passed its second reading at the senate and will soon become law. The bill will enable women whose right to decent work are infringed upon to seek redress and be adequately remedied.

Last but not least is the issue of domestic violence. This menace cuts across all classes of society. The stigma and shame it elicits makes most women keep silent about their abuse. To this end, many have died or are being help in bondages they cannot escape from. Regulations preventing these occurrences have also been put in place by the government in the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act passed into law. But as with other challenges involving women, sensitization is key to eradicating this monster. This is why various Sensitization programs have also been launched in the country to curb this terror.

Q: Athena40 is the first ever global selection of the top 40 women forward thinkers, commentators, activists, authors, academics, entrepreneurs, executives, innovators. Can you think of a truly innovative and forward-thinking woman from your country that you wish to nominate for the Athena40 global ranking?

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

She is a woman who suffered abuse as a girl in Nigeria but has overcome the stigma and the scarring to become one of the most respected and renowned writers and activists in the world. She will be a very good role model for girls going through similar situations

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

“Excellence is never an accident. It is the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, skillful execution and the vision to see obstacles as opportunities”

Q: Tell us one thing that you have learned from your mentor.

I have learnt persistence and diligence from my mentor. Mr. Akin is a very resilient person and he has taught me that when you really believe in something, you should do everything in your power to achieve it. “Success doesn’t come easy; you need to keep working at it”.