You don’t see her often at social functions but she’s there in her
own corner doing great things. Ekua Abudu is a Lawyer, Educationist
and Chairman of Interior Designers Association as well as Trustee of
International Women’s Society(IWS). Recently, she ventured into
publishing. Speaking with Sunday Sun at the launching of Essential
Woman Magazine, she says she’s a woman of many parts who was greatly
influenced her mum, a business tycoon known across the world by her
Sego gele brand.
Could you tell us more about yourself?
I’m the Editor of Essential Woman Magazine, and Proprietor and Director of Administration at Greenwoodhouse School in Ikoyi. We’ve existed for 21 years, but I started as a lawyer. I’m a woman of many parts. I’m currently the Chairman of Interior Designers Association and a Trustee of International Women’s Society, which is the oldest women’s group. Aside these, I’m on the board of the Association of International Schools and I was their president. I love music, the arts and I multi-task. My personal mantra is Philippians 4vs 13, I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. That’s why I decided to try my hands at publishing. I won’t be a journalist. (Laughs)
I’m the Editor of Essential Woman Magazine, and Proprietor and Director of Administration at Greenwoodhouse School in Ikoyi. We’ve existed for 21 years, but I started as a lawyer. I’m a woman of many parts. I’m currently the Chairman of Interior Designers Association and a Trustee of International Women’s Society, which is the oldest women’s group. Aside these, I’m on the board of the Association of International Schools and I was their president. I love music, the arts and I multi-task. My personal mantra is Philippians 4vs 13, I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. That’s why I decided to try my hands at publishing. I won’t be a journalist. (Laughs)
What motivated you into publishing a woman’s magazine?
We discovered there was a space in the society for women. A lot of magazines are focused on lifestyle and beauty. We are thinking about women empowerment and the Proverbs 31 woman inspires us. If you read it, she’s a homemaker, hard working and can multi-task. She makes clothes, invests in property, looks after her family and does a lot of charity work. The bible says “Who can find her, how do you aspire to be her, how do we encourage other women to be the best they can be?” Then we came up with Essential Woman Magazine because a woman of integrity is essentially interested in everything that is happening in the community, the country and the world at large. Essential Woman Magazine aims to encourage women to grow personally, professionally and to identify real role models. We tell stories of real women. They don’t have to be celebrities; there are so many hardworking women who are unsung, there are many women pushing frontiers of ingenuity that no one knows about and they don’t have to be perfect. We’re interested in how she started her journey, her inspiration, challenges and who helped her along the way. Her story can help another young lady.
We discovered there was a space in the society for women. A lot of magazines are focused on lifestyle and beauty. We are thinking about women empowerment and the Proverbs 31 woman inspires us. If you read it, she’s a homemaker, hard working and can multi-task. She makes clothes, invests in property, looks after her family and does a lot of charity work. The bible says “Who can find her, how do you aspire to be her, how do we encourage other women to be the best they can be?” Then we came up with Essential Woman Magazine because a woman of integrity is essentially interested in everything that is happening in the community, the country and the world at large. Essential Woman Magazine aims to encourage women to grow personally, professionally and to identify real role models. We tell stories of real women. They don’t have to be celebrities; there are so many hardworking women who are unsung, there are many women pushing frontiers of ingenuity that no one knows about and they don’t have to be perfect. We’re interested in how she started her journey, her inspiration, challenges and who helped her along the way. Her story can help another young lady.
How long did it take you to put up this magazine?
We have been working on this, off and on for about a year, and we are happy that it has finally come to pass. It’s a bi-monthly magazine but we are going to have a very strong online presence and a blog people will contribute to. We’re interested in people who have stories about those we don’t know about and we’ve been told of women doing marvelous things, not just the big names but small women that are actually getting results. The community at large is our source.
We have been working on this, off and on for about a year, and we are happy that it has finally come to pass. It’s a bi-monthly magazine but we are going to have a very strong online presence and a blog people will contribute to. We’re interested in people who have stories about those we don’t know about and we’ve been told of women doing marvelous things, not just the big names but small women that are actually getting results. The community at large is our source.
What’s style to you?
I think with style, you either have it or you don’t. I like being well groomed and tuned.
I think with style, you either have it or you don’t. I like being well groomed and tuned.
What has life taught you?
Like I said, I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. Well, challenges come along the way, I think for anybody to go through life and think that there won’t be challenges is very unrealistic. But as they say, you try to clean your feet and you move on to the next feat basically and hopefully you would have learned from what happened and you won’t make the same mistake again.
Like I said, I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. Well, challenges come along the way, I think for anybody to go through life and think that there won’t be challenges is very unrealistic. But as they say, you try to clean your feet and you move on to the next feat basically and hopefully you would have learned from what happened and you won’t make the same mistake again.
Who influenced you more; was it your dad or your mum?
My dad, in terms of value, but both of them actually. My mum was an astute businesswoman and she works from home. They always advised me to be moderate, be the best I can, depend on God and I found out that these have helped me. My dad has passed on but my mum continues to be a great inspiration. If you talk about Sego gele, that’s my mum. She’s known in different parts of the world and she never left her home. She’s a big inspiration.
My dad, in terms of value, but both of them actually. My mum was an astute businesswoman and she works from home. They always advised me to be moderate, be the best I can, depend on God and I found out that these have helped me. My dad has passed on but my mum continues to be a great inspiration. If you talk about Sego gele, that’s my mum. She’s known in different parts of the world and she never left her home. She’s a big inspiration.
Sego gele is a big brand, why don’t you pick up from her?
Well, we are working on that. I think one of my siblings is better in that area than I am.
Well, we are working on that. I think one of my siblings is better in that area than I am.
Could you tell us about your experience as a lawyer?
Yes, I started as a lawyer. I worked for eight years and an aunt of mine suggested I delve into education, that I should incorporate a school and we did. I run the administration and she’s in charge of academics of the school. With life, there’s continuous training and continuous development. That’s another thing that people have to know. You don’t know the opportunity life is going to throw at you; just be ready to be trained. Even though I’m a lawyer, once I started with the school, I went for a Montessori course and did a postgraduate in education. Anything you want to be, you can be, you just need to tune your mind to it; that life is just a bit of education at anytime and you continue to educate yourself.
Yes, I started as a lawyer. I worked for eight years and an aunt of mine suggested I delve into education, that I should incorporate a school and we did. I run the administration and she’s in charge of academics of the school. With life, there’s continuous training and continuous development. That’s another thing that people have to know. You don’t know the opportunity life is going to throw at you; just be ready to be trained. Even though I’m a lawyer, once I started with the school, I went for a Montessori course and did a postgraduate in education. Anything you want to be, you can be, you just need to tune your mind to it; that life is just a bit of education at anytime and you continue to educate yourself.
How do you relax?
I like music and I laugh a lot. I like to crack jokes and around people that make me laugh. Also I like nutritious food. I’m actually one of those that eat everything, but I want what I eat to be very well cooked.
I like music and I laugh a lot. I like to crack jokes and around people that make me laugh. Also I like nutritious food. I’m actually one of those that eat everything, but I want what I eat to be very well cooked.
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