household name in Nigeria over the years,
but stepped on the world stage when Forbes
Magazine named her the richest woman in
Africa. Today she is the Executive Vice
Chairman of Famfa Oil and Executive Vice
Chairman of Dayspring Property
Development Company. In addition to this,
she is the Founder of Rose of Sharon
Foundation, a non governmental
organization that caters for widows and
orphans across the country. At any
empowerment program she organizes for
tless privileged, she does it with modesty
and humility as she danced and ate with
them. She is down to earth and has deep
passion for God's work hence the
establishment of Rose of Sharon Ministries,
a place of praise and worship to bring back
dancing and eating lost souls to the
kingdom of God. In this interview she tells
her story. Excerpts:
You have authored Growing with the hands
that gives the rose, University of Marriage
and now The cry of widows and orphans. How
did you make out time for these with your
busy schedule?
It's the grace of God. It's not just me. Many
years ago, God told me that I will author books
and it's not that I didn't believe it, I did, but I
just didn't know how or when it would happen.
Now, the rest is history. So I give Him the
praise. It has been through His grace. When He
calls you to do something, He gives you grace to
achieve it.
With your most recent book, what do you
intend to achieve?
I basically want the world to be aware of the
plight and challenges of widows and orphans.
The world should rise up and show concern by
doing something about their situation. Enough
of lip service, it's about time that we took the
bull by the horns and began to do something.
These are human beings who are supposed to be
our mothers and sisters. Let's be our brothers
keepers. Let's do something about their
situation. It's really about advocacy. We want to
use the book to knock on doors, to wake people
up from their slumber, to make them realize that
there are some human beings in our world that
are going through traumatic experience.
Your Rose of Sharon Foundation recently
marked its fifth anniversary. Tell us your
motivation for the foundation and how it
has fared?
Our focus is the alleviation of the suffering of
widows and orphans, just as the scripture says.
We do so through the design and execution of
programs that give financial independence and
educational opportunities to widows, their
children and orphans. A journey that started
with three widows on 23rd May, 2008, has
blossomed into a network of almost a thousand
widows today. Since inception, the foundation
has empowered 970 widows, 11 of whom are in
the university; awarded scholarships to 1, 366
widows' children and 72 orphans. The loans
given to widows are interest free and the
scholarships have no conditions attached. It has
also provided accommodation for business
purposes for 82 widows. Moreover, we have
provided some free healthcare check-ups and
free legal services to our widows with the
support of other agencies.
What have been your challenges in your
efforts to better the lot of widows?
Funding has always been a challenge. We've
never had enough funds to be able to attend to
the needs of all those who require assistance
because their number is alarming. It's when you
get involved in it that you realize the number of
widows in the country. Already, in Lagos State,
we are overwhelmed . They seem to know one
another and where to find each other. They are
each other's friends. As a result of the
empowerment that we provide, they go back and
advertise Rose of Sharon Foundation to their
friends. We always find that we are empowering
more. We will need to hire more hands for
counseling and verification.
What's your typical day like ?
I thank God for the staff God has given me, who
give me maximum support. I give the
instructions, they do a lot of groundwork and I
do the supervision. They support me in every
way. The foundation members and the trustees
are working and they are supportive. I'm not
working as a loner. God is kind; He is bringing
the right people at the right time.
Aside your business, you also run The Rose
of Sharon Ministry, coupled with the widows
and orphans foundation and you are also
one of the front liners in your local church .
How do you cope with all these
assignments?
I have told you it's by God's grace. There is
nothing you cannot achieve with God and with
God there is nothing you won't achieve. So, it's a
matter of holding to that pillar, praying, letting
Him know that you cannot do any of these
without Him. That is when He steps in and
makes things easier for you.
Your spiritual life is so intriguing; coming
from a Muslim background, you preach the
gospel even more than those nurtured in
Christian homes. How did you become a
preacher?
I'm not competing with anyone. I don't know I'm
even there yet. I just believe that I will continue
to answer Him and do His bidding, His will. I set
my time to please Him. I want to make heaven
and I want my family and my friends to make
heaven.
What's your advice to women who are
determined to improve themselves?
As you start, ask God to help you stick to your
plan and He will because when you are
spiritually at peace, you will, have peace of
mind, which will help you attain and maintain a
physical and emotional balance. It's essential to
draw up a "things to do" list on a daily basis and
set priorities in executing them, making sure
that any unfinished task get posted to the next
day's list. Remove what is bad for you. As you
do, consider what would give you more time for
yourself, your health, rest and recreation, and
more time for and with your family. Learning to
say "no" as it's also a practical way to re-
organize your life. We do not have to keep saying
"yes" to every request just because we want to
be nice.
Can you tell us how you met your husband?
I returned from England in December 1972 and
within 2 weeks of my arrival in Nigeria, I met
Mr. Modupe Alakija, a dashing young lawyer, at
a party in Surulere. Though I was in the
company of my elder brother, he insisted on
driving me home and from that point on, we
dated regularly for three and half years and we
got married on November12th 1976. During our
courtship, we partied, dined, visited friends,
combed streets, markets and generally had a
swell time in each other's company. We went out
frequently for lunch and dinner visiting suya
and decent mama put joints. I also have fond
memories of many times we drove to Badagry
and Epe just to buy fresh fish.
You dress beautifully, what inspired your
style?
I derive a lot of pleasure from dressing
beautifully and appropriately for every occasion.
My embroidered headties are my signature
accessory and have become synonymous with
me. Nobody looking for me has any difficulty in
fishing me out in a crowdwhen I am in my native
attire. I receive even more compliments for my
head ties abroad. My long skirts and blouses,
day suits, evening wears and casuals must
always be impeccably fitted, as I would never
wear anything less. My colours must be bright
as the African weather. I love to look beautiful
and have beautiful people and things around me.
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN
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