Today Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija is the
Executive Vice Chairman of Famfa Oil and Executive Vice Chairman of Dayspring
Property Development Company. Furthermore, she is the Founder, Rose of Sharon
Foundation, an NGO that provides for widows and orphans throughout the country.
At any sort of empowerment program she
arranges for the less privileged, she does it with discreetness and humility as
she danced and ate with them. She is down-to-earth and has deep interest for
God’s work. Below is how she tells her story and the
secrets:
You
Have Authored Growing With The Hand 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 crowd when 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.
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