Ẹnitan Kẹhinde

In 1980, Vigdis Finnbogadottir of Iceland, became the world’s first democratically elected female president. 10 years after, Madeha Al Ajroush paved the way for women to drive in Saudi Arabia in 1990. In 2005, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected President of Liberia, effectively making her Africa’s first female president. More than a decade after, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala became the first woman and the first African to serve as Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2021.

These women sparked a revolt and reinforced in many of us the confidence and belief that we could achieve whatever we conceived – the “If she can, I can” confidence. Sometimes, all it takes is a platform to amplify our voices, a push to remind us of the future, or a nudge from those around us that it is indeed possible.

This is why women like WE Communications’ Melissa Waggener Zorkin who is working with PRovoke Media to give young women a platform and creating more equity and opportunities for those in marginalized groups are important and should be celebrated. Mubashira Farooqi, Sofiat Kolawole, and myself – all winners of the Young Changemakers Award – are beneficiaries of that powerful platform.

We stand on the backs of millions of women who have dared to push. From Sarah Jakes Roberts, New York Times bestselling author and pastor; Bozoma Saint John, Hall of Fame Marketer; Viola Davis, Golden Globe and Academy Award-winning actress and producer; to Indra Nooyi, former CEO and chairperson of PepsiCo; Cicely Tyson, the late legendary Hollywood actress, and Michelle Obama, the former First Lady of the United States of America, one thing I have always admired about these women is how they have mastered the art of chipping at and breaking down walls, barring their paths. They don’t just walk around these walls, they take a wrecking ball to them!

Studying these women and their awe-inspiring stories, it is clear that there are certain things we must muster the courage to maneuver, as young women in the evolving world of communications. We must break through:

• Walls of fear – I remember the first time I had to present a proposal to a brand manager at the largest brewing company in Nigeria. I was terrified. I was fresh out of school in my early 20s trying to explain to an older accomplished marketeer why he had to go with an unorthodox idea, and approve us stepping out of the norm to execute a project we just might be chastised for should it fail.
  
  I embraced the “Do It Afraid” mentality, helping him understand that we were either going to break the mould or fade into obscurity and I’m glad he decided on the former. That encounter alone led to a fantastic working relationship because we not only excelled on the project but have executed some pretty successful campaigns since then.

• Walls of trauma and insecurity – According to the WHO, one in every three women (roughly 736 million across the world) in their lifetime are subjected to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner or sexual violence from a non-partner – a number that has remained largely unchanged over the past decade.
  
  That is a shockingly devastating number as it means that a lot of women are carrying around traumas or insecurities that are slowly eat at our self-confidence leaving one feeling inadequate or unworthy of a position, job or honor. This is where psychological occurences like impostor syndrome, feelings of self-doubt and personal incompetence rear their ugly heads and we have to work to make sure we don’t drown in them. 

One thing that has helped me here is cultivating a habit of self-compassion and letting go of perfectionism. Earlier this year, experienced PR and management consultant, Sarah Waddington said to me, “Even if you think it’s out of reach, still go for it. Half of the guys out there are just winging it. All you have to do is show up every day, work hard and do your best.”  And as former White House Press Secretary, Jen Psakin put it, at the PRovoke Global Summit, “always put in a 150% in everything you do”.

• Walls of bias, racism, and sexism – It is said that every woman has in one way or the other been  undermined as a result of a bias. At the intersection of key biases like racism and sexism, women face multifaceted mortification as members of marginalized groups. And that’s where tight-knit communities, professional networks, mentors, and connections play important roles to aid advancement.
  
  It is one of the reasons why I started WIM Connect in 2020 to help and support young women in Marketing Communications. The close-knit group which started off as a safe virtual space for young Nigerian women between the ages of 21-35 to share and get support on the many challenges faced in the workplace during the pandemic has now grown to become a lifeline and resource bank to help women survive and excel in the workplace.

• Walls of depression and mental disorders – A few weeks ago, we hosted the Founder of Ibi Ayo, Funmto Ogunbanwo, a Clinical Mental Health Therapist with a demonstrated history of providing trauma-informed care at WIM Connect, and she helped us understand that vulnerability is a key strength. “It’s okay to admit you need help”. If you ever feel drained or overwhelmed, it’s okay to ask for help and use it when offered.
  
  Rest and self-care are also not luxuries. They are priorities that must be built into your schedule like your work meetings and brainstorming sessions.

And where you feel you’ve hit mental, emotional and/or psychological brick walls, work towards fixing them. Seek help and don’t be afraid to do the work.

• Walls of societal stigmas – I am presently reading Indra Nooyi’s book, “My Life In Full” and one thing I’ve learnt from her is to never feel bad if you don’t meet up to the world’s expectations of you at certain times. 

Work on enjoying the moments and making decisions for you and not based on society’s definition of who you should be.

Don’t let all these fool you, I do not have it all figured out yet. My story has just begun and there is still a lot to learn.

Being recognized across the Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East regions with the PRovoke Young Changemakers award helps me see that while we’re busy breaking those glass ceilings, there’s still so much to be done to enable and show exceptional young ladies across the world that women who look exactly like them can get into the rooms of their dreams.

And that’s why this award is important not just for me, or for the 35 other women I work with at BHM Group; but for every young woman from Abuja to Kinshasa, Cairo, Nairobi, Singapore, Mumbai, and Doha. It is evident that we can do anything we set our minds to.

It’s time to welcome healthy destruction and break through those walls. Be unapologetic, take wrecking balls to the walls and stand confidently and victoriously on the rubble!