Change is an integral part of life, but accepting change and helping people gravitate towards the direction of change is never easy. I realised this in my leadership experience as the treasurer of my department's student association, Forestry and Wildlife Student Association (FOWISA), during my undergraduate program in 2017. I had to change the existing pattern of improper financial management, which left the department in a severe financial crisis. I decided to take up the responsibility to organise a fundraising campaign tagged "Fund FOWISA, Save the ecosystem" project, which was targeted at the department's staff and Alumni. In the end, this experience taught me that taking the leap off the status quo requires sacrifices, self-discipline and focus. The hard work, team spirit, and commitment to the fundraising campaign helped us execute other projects centred on impacting the lives of students academically, socially, and financially, saving money for the subsequent administrations.
The art of leadership means helping others realise their potentials. I saw this come to light in 2020 after I carried out a survey on petite ladies (5'4 or less). Through this survey, I realised a strong need for a community, as 80% of women in this category were undergoing self-harm, self-abuse and physical condescending. As a petite lady who has fitted their shoes, the drive to make a social impact led me into creating the Petite Girl Magic online (PGM Community) platform in Nigeria with over 600 registered participants. Through this platform, I developed resources from personal experiences to enhance their self-love and confidence. This experience helped me understand what it means to be the torchbearer, optimising my critical thinking skills, interpersonal relationship skills and teamwork. Over the last few months, we have recorded more petite women taking up spaces in careers, building valuable relationships and positivity around self-love and self-care.
Earlier this year (2021), I got a job with Farmsby Limited, Nigeria, as a Business Development Officer. This role gave me a better insight into the company's modes of operation. I realised that the company's business approach was not diversified as it focused only on selling farm produce and providing investment options for investors. So, I decided to come up with an initiative where we provide farm management/setup services to two segments of clients: those who are in possession of lands but lack the expertise to set up farms and those who had farms but can't manage them properly. My team named the initiative "Farmsby Green". My experience working on this project has taught me precision, time management and focus. The hard work and collaborations from the Farmsby green project have increased my company's revenue by 45%; they have also helped us impact farmers and agricultural enthusiasts' lives with knowledge and expertise.
An opportunity by the Chevening community in the UK will set me on the pedestal for a great learning experience that will help me become the best version of myself. This way, I will be fully equipped as a leader to raise other leaders in Nigeria.