“The best way to predict your future is to create it”

Adekanla Adegoke is the head of the Oando Foundation, the largest education-focused foundation in Nigeria dedicated to transforming the lives of over 400,000 children.聽

Her career began with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation and she has also worked with WaterAid Nigeria, the聽British Council and has been a consultant for USAID, EU-Micro Pilot Projects, CIDA, GTZ and Catholic Relief Services.

Who inspired you when you were younger? And who inspires you now?

Growing up聽I was greatly inspired by my parents. My father instilled a sense of adventure through reading and travelling and my mother聽combined great entrepreneurial prowess with raising four daughters.聽

In the 1980s I watched聽her build a reputable primary school whilst battling the 国产视频渟tigma国产视频� of a woman who国产视频檇 borne no sons.聽

Her current gratification is her four聽daughters leading in their careers as a doctor, lawyer, accountant and development worker and聽achieving what any male child could.

Right now聽I am inspired by Amina J. Mohammed. I have followed her career closely and I am inspired by her achievements as a Nigerian and African woman.聽

She has shown that there are possibilities to excel and leave a legacy in the development.

What challenges did you have to
overcome to get where you are today?

Trying to be my father’s son,聽I
grew up a tomboy but was also an introvert who聽buried聽her聽head in books,
nature and the cattle on my father国产视频檚 farm.聽

Along the way聽I learned
that in order to make an impact in my field聽I would need to get my
voice heard and speak up.

I was very determined and passionate
about causes that catered to animals聽and vulnerable children.聽

I was
also very environmentally conscious and worked on initiatives that
promoted conservation and the protection of endangered species.聽

I was told by friends and family that a career in the development
sector was noble聽but would not pay the聽bills.聽The fad was for
everyone to join the financial services sector as it聽was聽the highest paying at
the time.聽

I secured internships to learn about the sector and was often聽paid a stipend –聽but for me the reward was the smile on the
faces of beneficiaries.

What国产视频檚 the best advice someone has
ever given you? And what advice do you have for young girls and
women?

The best advice I have ever received is
summed up in this quote: “Winners are not people who never fail聽but
people who never quit.国产视频澛�

This mindset has spurred me to challenge
myself and ensure that I never see quitting as an option and
continually task myself to be better.聽

My advice for young girls is聽simple: 国产视频淭he best way to predict your
future is to create it.国产视频� Success comes to those who prepare for it.

Young women need to understand that
hard work, preparation and dedication are key to success in any chosen
field.

What has been your biggest achievement
in life so far?

My biggest achievement is being
given the opportunity to leave my legacy and frame the next
generation through my child.聽

I am also fortunate to lead Oando
Foundation, the largest education-focused foundation in Nigeria.

What skills or attributes do you think
women bring to the workplace?

Women bring confidence and innovation
to the workplace. We are naturally wired to think, act and聽innovate.聽

We also聽have a strong sense of ethics
and are great at multi-tasking.

We聽have the innate ability to聽see what others don国产视频檛, do what others
won国产视频檛 and push our ideas when prudence says quit.