Cute Adeola Agoro, author, media consultant, movie producer and life coach, speaks to the Editor, FOLORUNSHO HAMSAT, on her lifestyle, career success and what it means to be a woman. Excerpts…
It is believed that in most professions, women suffer discrimination on account of age and sex, as an experienced female journalist, is it the same with journalism?
Discrimination against women has been an issue the media has fought against all over the world for many years. Female professionals continue to struggle over discrimination in the workplace. Our wages are often times lower and our ability to get to the highest level of our career comes with a lot of frustrations and hardships.
However, female journalists have evolved and we earn our place and respect everywhere we go. I guess that is largely because we fight for the rights of others through our articles and reportage, so our own rights cannot be trampled upon.
Having said that, female journalists face another kind of adversity and that is sexual harassment. No matter how old you are, once you are standing before men and seeking for something from them for your medium, they want to take advantage. There are veiled and even open advances to cope with; this often leads to a waste of precious time in getting your message across that you’re only after the interview or information you need and nothing more.
As a female journalist who has excelled, I can say despite the challenges, once you have the capability to handle your job professionally and you are armed with the ability to handle your tasks dexterously, your profession will speak for you.
What fond memories could you recall of your years in active journalism practice?
My first article was published in P.M News in 2001. What that means is that I have put in 18 years into journalism. As expected, there would be several fond memories. For me, it could be as simple as weaving words together to get a solid story that will make people follow your write-ups regularly or as nice as meeting all those people others can only read about and engaging them in conversations to draw out the strengths and weaknesses in them. You see the laughter, you see the pains in trying to dispel bad press, you see friendship and camaraderie.
The media has opened doors, which would have been difficult to open save for the profession. There are lifelong friendships you would never have found except through the media and there are of course favours.
These are things you take through life. Nothing can take them away from you.
Would you like to share how your journey as a journalist really began?
This is a good one and it is something I love writing about. As a student in secondary school and later ABU, Zaria, I belonged to press clubs. I had one major hobby even as a child – writing.
I started contributing to the Beauty and Fashion column in P.M News at a stage, but I wasn’t the columnist. The lady handling it then was Yetunde Roland.
Things changed after I wrote my very first book, ‘Over 40 Secrets You Should Know About Exclusive Breastfeeding’, I was lucky to find favour with the then First Lady of Lagos State, then addressed as Chief (Mrs.) Oluremi Tinubu. The book was dedicated to her and she gave me all the support I needed for the launch. As First Lady, being at my event attracted a lot of press attendance. She didn’t even know that I was writing for any newspaper and her support was based on her convictions that the book was good and timely. That was when baby-friendly initiatives started, especially as it concerned exclusive breastfeeding.
The then editor of P.M News, Kolade Otitoju (of the famous Journalists Hangout) saw the book and was convinced I could handle the Beauty and Fashion column when Yetunde Roland left and that was how the journey started. I soon joined Hints Magazine, then, I came to work fully for the Tempo Magazine (a sister company of P.M News) and from there, I wrote for This Day (Glitterati), Saturday Tribune and I rose to become Society Editor of The Comet and The Nation newspapers respectively. I have also been correspondent for Radio Canada and contributed to many journals home and in the UK.
As a determined working lady, how do you react to gossips about you?
I hold on firmly to the saying that if you turn back to every dog that bites, you won’t go far. As a human being, it’s natural to feel bad when people say terrible things about you. If it’s the truth but it is twisted to paint you back, you absorb it and exhale. You let it go. If it’s a lie, adopt the same principle but note those who are doing it. If they’re your friends, you already have the answer that they were never your friends in the first place. I don’t fight when I hear things. I don’t even confront people; I just face the next big thing. So, while they’re still talking about me, I’m on to bigger things.
What do you attribute to your career success?
God first. God next. God always. Then add determination and focus to that. Throw in time management and training – endless training to that. Then professionalism, resilience and good communication skills. Those are the ingredients that will always work.
What lessons did you learn from past relationships that help how you now deal with the opposite sex?
The first thing is understanding people. All human beings are different based on their backgrounds, understanding of life and exposure. You learn from those who are not so good, the same way you learn from those who have really advanced in their perception of life. It’s got nothing to do with the opposite sex. In fact, most of my closest friends are men and I get along better with them.
Tell us about your first passion before journalism, if any, and who or what encouraged your love for journalism.
My very first passion was agriculture. I later became the very first Agric Prefect of St. Teresa’s College, Ibadan. I had a team and we sold eggs from the school’s poultry to buy feeds for our various animals. I started an animal husbandry later in life. Today, I’m in charge of the day-to-day running of an oil palm farm. So, it was a first love (call it passion) and it is still a passion.
The emergence of social media, how much would you say it has affected standard practice of journalism, negatively and otherwise?
Social media should actually be said to be a positive development owing to the fact that your stories are all over the world the moment you post them. At the snap of your fingers, your stories are all over the world. However, the incursion of non-media practitioners into the media is a big headache. They don’t investigate stories before they publish, they don’t even write. They just copy and paste and spread all sorts. There are too many fake reports everywhere. #FakeNews.
Social media has to be regulated. The media professionals have to rise up to the occasion of checkmating the situation and get the unscrupulous writers out of the way or counter the effect of their unholy activities.
Are you inclined to share your love life with us?
Like everything in life, it’s not perfect. I’m however lucky and happy in it. I put my feet down when I have to, I soak the atmosphere of love as it is regularly served and I balance it up with the right attitude.
Please, share one funny experience you had had with an adventurous male friend.
A male friend (Mr. X) obviously needed help from one of my highly placed friends and without telling me, he went to introduce himself as my husband. He didn’t know that the person he went to meet was one of my closet friends who knew me and my family. I was embarrassed when he called to find out when I married Mr. X.
You are also into private business; at what point did you think of this photography idea, and did you have the training?
As journalists, we all handle cameras. Photography is an integral part of telling a story.
I have been working as media consultant with specialization in radio and TV jingles since 2013. We write scripts and bring them to life. Sometimes, we use still pictures to pass our message across. It wasn’t long before clients started asking us to do documentaries for them. From documentaries, event management followed and of course, with events, you need photographs.
We have been working and with professionals since inception and we have all had trainings and retraining along the way. We keep learning.
Tell us more about your photography outfit; what difference are you making considering your background as a journalist?
At DeoAgoz Fotography, we see photo sessions as a therapeutic exploration. We don’t say ‘pose’, we allow you to flow. We don’t ever take pictures without your favourite music on. We don’t also rush to shoot. We love watching you relax as you listen to your choice of music and then, we take every expression of yours and flow with you.
We have taken people from very low moments to very excited moments. You leave our doors with great self-esteem about yourself. We talk to you, we encourage you, we make you feel important.
I guess the ability to make people feel at home and be themselves is something I took from journalism.
Would you consider going into active politics if the coast is clear?
Of course, I’m open to active politics. In whatever way it presents itself, I’ll serve. Let me use your exact words – when the coast is clear.
What are the obstacles you had faced raising the kids and working, and how did you overcome them?
Like every working mother, I had a few challenges with hiring child minders when my children were very young but I was very lucky to a very large extent. With male minders, you really had no problems. They always came to work whole heartedly. They were always with you to work and save towards their education or to save for a trade or vocation. With the girls… Ahhh… That’s a long story. They would always follow stupid boys and okada men and steal your jewelry. You could never say if you’d meet them in the house after a long working day.
My children went to boarding school immediately after primary school, so that settled it. I would just occasional employ a part-time person to cook for them. When they began to cook for themselves, the whole problem disappeared.
What do you think are some of the most important things that lead to business success for women in Nigeria, given the obvious challenges?
Determination. If you’re determined, you will face all hurdles. Life does not offer you cakes and cream, it offers knots that you have to untangle, it offers thorns that you have to break and smoothen out. As you go higher in life, you will meet obstacles but at a particular time in life, you should be fully equipped emotionally and professionally to handle them.
Women in business should always plan well before venturing into any business. They should know where people have failed so you don’t fail there and how others are making it. You should have your business plans and take it like an important examination. Above all, know the exact amount you would need to experiment and start small, have extra funds for any eventuality and have some funds for your personal needs. Never mix the three together, if not, you will start digging your hands into profits before you even begin to make it.
Never allow your business environment to be a meeting point for friends who have no work, friends who have closed and need a place to relax and converge and family members who don’t have any business there. They will only come to distract you. Even your free time should be used to advance your knowledge and network. You can create time for friends and family outside your business environment.
Tell us about your beauty routine.
Beauty starts from within. I stretch a lot as a way of relaxation. When your muscles are relaxed, you feel good. I dance a lot. That clears my body, mind and soul of negative energy. It is after that, that I can even look at any beauty routine. I do what most women do – wash my face everyday but I hardly cleanse in order not to stripe my face of its natural oil. I hardly exfoliate but I do once in a while. I steam my face when I can. I, however, have a facial massager to allow blood flow easily for collage production. I prefer organic and natural fruits as facemasks. It could be as simple as banana mash to coconut oil to even sugarcane juice.
How do you think the issue of rape can be best tackled?
Rape is a very wide topic. There are very many reasons for rape – from sheer wickedness to insanity to peer pressure. So, it’s not something we can cover here. However, it is good to note that rape is a criminal offence and as far as I know about it in Nigeria, there is no known defence for it. Even if it is the girl that challenges your manhood and you tried to prove it, so far consent is not taken from her, you’re in for it.
By and by, I think one of the ways to prevent our women from being raped is not to be alone with a guy for too long. Most men or boys who rape are friends or trusted family members of the victims. Nobody should be trusted when rape is what we’re talking about.
Tell us about your personal blog and your ultimate goal blogging.
I’m more of a Facebook person, I have presence on a few major social media platforms where I express myself but time wouldn’t permit me to manage a blog. I’m working on an online TV programme.
How would you advise younger women who look up to you as a model?
A lot of younger women already look up to me as a role model. I’ve done this and that and where I failed, I’m always sincere to tell them not to toe and where I have succeeded, I give them hints and tips to try.
My life at this age and stage should instruct positively. That’s why it’s difficult to slow down because you have to keep working to show them the possibilities that are available in this space we all occupy.
