Yetunde Lawal is the Chief Executive Officer of Likas Food, a food production, food processing and food preservation company in Ibadan, Oyo State. She is also a golfer and a lover of sports. In this interview by KANGMWA GOFWEN, she speaks about the participation of women in the game of golf, the growth of women and what inspired her to go into business.
Golf seems like a game women rarely engage in. Why do you play and how interesting do you find it?
I honestly wouldn’t say golf is a game that women rarely play. In my five years’ experience as a member of Ibadan Golf Club I would say that I have come across quite a number of women that are deeply rooted in the game, they are passionate about it and I must confess that they give it their all. Personally, I started playing golf because of the health benefits; it’s a good platform to exercise asides from the fact that it brings you closer to nature, you naturally just fall in love with the game overtime when you get to understand it better. I wouldn’t put aside other benefits and advantages of playing golf like making new friends, to family bonding because I play with my husband and it is always a wonderful bonding session and also a good platform for networking. You will be able to build business relationships and of course you’re able to relax when you play the game. The benefits are enormous and I just love the game of golf.
How do you joggle being a wife, a mother and a business woman with your personal life and the political activities of your husband?
I am a wife to a wonderful man, Yemi Lawal, and a mother to three wonderful children and also run my business. I would say there is no certain definition to say this is the direction I take or this is the formula I use, I would say I am still learning on the job. Nothing prepares you for all these roles at the same time, there is no background education or counseling that would say this is how you would probably do it but it is a matter of understanding and learning to be positive through the journey. It’s a journey and it comes in different faces and it takes you just trying to embrace every challenge that comes with it, trying to create a work balance in the best possible ways you can and above all, being prayerful. Prayer is something I prioritise and it has always been the key to making it worth the while. So I’ll say I’m also on the journey of becoming a better person at it all.
The last election saw a decline in women’s participation, how do you think women can be encouraged to join politics and what are some factors you think caused the decline?
It is true that women are underrepresented and marginalised in politics because many of us have failed to stand up. But I’ll rather look at the silver lining, I’ll rather make reference to the likes of Senator Aishatu Binani, if she could stand up, follow through and push herself, I think then we should have a better perception of what election and what political representation is in Nigeria. According to her, I read an interview she granted; she applauded the contribution of women to her political victory. She said going by the guidelines of her party, every ward must have five delegates and two must be women. That, according to her favoured her, she said this was the first time women are uniting and speaking together in one voice. So her victory serves as an encouragement to all other women out there. It certainly would give a boost to the confidence of the girl-child and also an inspiration to women in the nation at large. I’ll also reference Rukaiyat Shittu, the 26-year-old house of assembly member elect in Kwara State. Even though women are underrepresented, I believe with this few women that we have at the moment we have a better understanding that we can do it. We have a silver lining and it can get better over time. For me I’d rather focus on the positive side and encourage women to try to push themselves further and do our homework, educate ourselves on political issues, create awareness and do all that it takes to be consistent.
Golf is a male dominated sport, how can women be encouraged to take interest in the sport?
It’s very simple I think, I’d say introduce them and encourage them by showing them what they need to play the game, enlighten them about the benefits of being a golfer and what you they would gain and how much growth and development it can bring to them. Also, if you’re a business woman, the benefit of socialising and networking is there and the ability to expand your business relationship overtime. And asides that, the health benefits that comes with the game and getting closer to nature, that is one thing I always emphasis about playing golf. It’s a friendly game that gives you calmness, it brings you peace and trust me, when you play about 18 holes in the morning and return home after a long work, you’d have a really good sleep.
How has life been as a woman in sports over the years?
As woman who engages in sport I’d say life has been nothing but pleasant and interesting. For me, sports is my relaxation time, it’s like therapy to me, it helps me relax, helps me sleep and also helps me stay in shape and keeps me active and so many other benefits that personally I may not even realise that it’s even adding to me. Sport is nothing but amazing and I’ll encourage more women to come out to participate and be active. I don’t only engage in golf, I also play tennis, I swim as well and many other activities. I just find sports interesting on all platforms and it has been a wonderful experience.
In a competitive industry as business, what comes to your mind when you are taking a new task?
The first thing that comes to my mind is creativity, innovation and innovative imitation. For me, I believe business nowadays is beyond “I’m a business person or I’m into business,” for me I see it as being able to do something new. I try my best to be open minded and see possibilities where there is none. I usually don’t want to do what everyone is doing I find myself always trying to think of how to change my perspective about a particular thing and still make something good out of it and that is how I see business. However, I believe in a competitive industry we all have our challenges but being able to identify the loopholes where we can make rational difference I think that would take us farther than we can imagine.
Does it bother you that women are yet to fulfill their potential despite successes recorded by a large number of them?
It doesn’t bother me because all I can see is the silver lining that is tailoring us towards our destination as women. It is only showing the strength within. We have a huge number of successes about women in businesses, in politics and so many other fields. We have women standing up now trying to show that they are doing better and are making a difference and it is an encouragement and a push for other women out there to say yes we can also do it. So I don’t see any reason to be bothered rather a wakeup call to do more.
What do you think is the main challenge to the growth and expansion of the women folk in Africa?
I’ll begin by saying the culture and traditional mindset of our people is one of the major challenges. Economic exclusion, access to education, child marriage, limited participation in politics and public life and so much are reasons why you will realise that a lot of women are still lagging behind in our society. But I do have hope that despite all these hindrances and challenges women are making hays and it is amazing how these challenges are building grit within us and we are pushing boundaries and I believe that over time we are going to be able to have a wonderful record of growth among women in Africa.
What would you say prepared you for this journey you’re on?
I would attribute it to my parents and my background. Whenever any person came around, my mom would always make us quickly prepare food for the person and make him feel at home and that influenced a lot in me. We also had a family bakery which was able to cater for a good number of people in my neighbourhood and that was what awakened the idea of me wanting to go into food business perhaps, in a different and unique way. I think CNN also played a part too. I used to watch a documentary on companies that have lived for over 100 years and are still standing together with my dad and that encouraged me as well and awaken the passion in me. Then, I hoped that one day we will be to have companies like that in Nigeria that will be able to provide food for 100s of years. So yes, I’d say my background prepared me for the journey I am on today, my father and my mom, their way of life and what they exposed me to at a very young age.
How fulfilled are you as a business woman?
I am fulfilled, I have always been a fulfilled person even with little. Being fulfilled comes from within because I am able to do things I am passionate about and things that I feel will have positive impact on other people which makes me happy and contented with everything I have. Every time people use my product both within and outside Nigeria their feedbacks is more than enough to give me satisfaction and joy of going into the business.
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
