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Former NTA girl, Adesuwa Onyenokwe’s type does not come in twos. She lets CHINYERE FRED-ADEGBULUGBE into her ever exciting life in this chat.
A pure accident. That is the way Adesuwa Onyenokwe will readily describe her career in the media. Maybe. However, accident or not, everyone seems to agree that she has done remarkably well in it.
This former N|TA reporter and currently the publisher and chief executive of Today’s Woman,? a magazine, has indeed come of age.
Recounting the story of her adventure in the world of journalism, she says, “I wanted to go into the world of public relations and advertising. All I wanted to do was condense information that can communicate a sharp message, like I saw in TV commercials. Little did I know that, that is actually what a reporter does, too.”
So, it was more a case of living and enjoying her dream so much that it did not seem like work anymore.
However, it wasn’t a completely challenge-free career.?
She notes: “About 10 years into the job, the issue of, struggling’ for use of facilities to help complete my assignments made it pure drudgery and, therefore, challenging.
“Maybe another challenge earlier in my career was in the area of getting respondents for an interview. It was difficult convincing people to respond, especially civil servants and women. However, with experience and growing confidence, it became a whole lot easier.”
Many of former NTA girls have distinguished yourselves outside the newsroom. After her days at the national television station, she spent 10 years on ‘Today’s Woman’, a TV magazine programme that celebrated women’s contributions to society as well highlight their challenges.
Four years ago, she rested the TV programme and, in its place, started Today’s Woman, which will celebrate its fourth anniversary in September, this year.
She and her team have also concluded plans to re-launch the TV programme next year, which she has called, ‘Today’s Woman Reloaded’.
Flourish is probably the word that best captures her progression since those NTA days. Today, Adesuwa, like a handful ex-NTA girls, stands out as one of several Nigerian women flourishing as entrepreneurs.
Perhaps, there is something about the newsroom that prepared her for today’s challenges.
She explains: “I am inclined to believe it is because of the condition under which we worked. We put in long hard hours even when the tools of our trade became inadequate.
“We worked in an environment where we were each other’s support, regardless of our differences. With an experience such as that, there was no environment that could be too difficult for us to work within.
“Also, I suppose the fact that we were on TV made it easier for our good work to be appreciated and so opened a few more doors of opportunity.”
Recounting the highlights of her career, she reminisces about getting the Cadbury reporter of the year award in 1994, doing a series of reports on the government and people of Israel after a trip there in 1996 or so, and covering Pope John Paul 11’s visit to Nigeria in 1998.
“All this happened as a reporter with the NTA,” Adesuwa notes.
Married to an engineer, Ike, Adesuwa does not hesitate to celebrate her partner of almost a quarter of a century, even as she passionately disagrees with those who believe that great career and blissful marriage cannot go together for women.
“It would be ridiculous if I subscribed to such a view. I have been married for over 23 years and a journalist for 25 years. If it were impossible I wouldn’t still be within my marriage,” she argues.
But how successful is her 23-year-old marriage? She says, “You have to take my word for it: that my marriage is a success by God’s grace because He sent, my way, a man that is conscientious and loyal, who was ready to work at keeping it together.
“You know with a job like ours, where we are exposed to being hit on as it were, you need a man that trusts you to help you flourish; because if he doesn’t, it is going to be quarrel everyday over your long hours and the numerous contacts you have.”
Believe it or not, Adesuwa has six children. This is certainly one aspect of her fairy-tale like life many can’t readily come to terms with. How exactly does a modern- day full-time career woman end up with six children?
Her story is as intriguing as they come.
She states: “I agree it may be a wonder to many, and it was even to me initially because I did not set out to have six children. In the course of my spiritual growth (it happens to everyone at some point in time – God finds you), I realised that it was hypocritical of me to say I trusted God with everything, when I couldn’t trust Him to take care of my fertility, too. While I surely didn’t want a zillion kids, I decided to trust Him to decide how many children I would have and let Him take care of us.
“I did worry about how we would cope, but then even if you had one child, there are no guarantees that you can cope, too. So I just thought it best to trust God and He hasn’t disappointed me.
“Paying for school fees, holidays, clothing, shelter and food is, and may always be, a challenge, but it has only made me more prudent. I do not shop carelessly or acquire material things unnecessarily when I simply can’t afford it, and I thank God for that.”
But doesn’t she at some point wish she had chosen differently? Her ‘NO’ couldn’t? have been more forceful.
“I cannot imagine anything I would rather not have done. Yet when I look at my last three children, I often wonder what would have happened had I not had them, because I had serious reservations, especially with number six.
“ I look and see how beautiful and intelligent they are and I wonder: ‘what if I had not given them life? I am glad I was open to life and wish many more people would be, and worry less about how they will cope. Just cooperate with God, and let Him worry about that,” she points out.
That brings you to her looks. Just a couple years away from 50, Adesuwa can easily be mistaken for a woman in her early 30s. Perhaps, her great looks is also one of those things with which she has had to also just cooperate with the Lord?
Not quite this time. Rather, she notes that though she has always been blessed with great looks, the entire package didn’t exactly come on a platter.
“I have always been body conscious. I have never taken it for granted. Watching my diet had always been my strategy and I would, therefore, seek all the information to help me and stick to it. I am not talking about staying off food, but just eating right.
“After any childbirth, I always made a little more effort, through exercise, to return to my pre-pregnancy size. However, since I crossed 45 years three years ago, the weight has not shifted that easily, hence I recently included a more regular gym activity in my routine. Whatever it is I chose to do I always try to be disciplined,” she states.
When asked about her source of inspiration, Adesuwa, like most people, didn’t hesitate before naming God. But for