Nigeria: My Only Regret is My Broken Marriage -Mrs. Ify Akerele
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She lost her medical doctor, father to the cold hands of death when she was just 13. this marked a turning point for her and her mother. She had to face the challenge of growing up without the succour and material support of her loving father. Her mother, then a teacher was undaunted by any challenges which life threw at her direction. Instead of wailing over what she didn’t have control over, she abandoned her teaching profession, relocated to England where she enrolled for a degree in law and graduated. This experience, Mrs. Ify Akerele said, toughened her desire to excel in life. After her A. levels in England, Ify relocated to Nigeria and proceeded to attend the University of Ife, Obafemi Awolowo University, to study law. She later abandoned law and moved to the University of Lagos where she studied Sociology, graduating in 1979. She later got her masters in International Relations. Ever since, she has worked with corporate establishments until 2002 when she was appointed the first female Director-General of the Nigerian Chambers of Shipping. She spoke to FUNKE OLAODE To say she is pretty at 52, could very well be an understatement. She holds no preferences for western taste like most present wannabes. Mrs. Ify Ifeyinwa Anazonwu Akerele is one of the few people who won’t easily be carried away by western fashion. At every opportunity, she likes mixing African fabrics with English wears and everything will still look trendy. She is in love with traditional African clothes, “I love African clothes and if you gave me the chance, I will go and sit in Ivory Coast for two weeks and make all my clothes. I can pick adire (local fabrics) and make a suit out them because it is cooler. I don’t like buying corporate clothes from Europe because they are always too hot. The younger generation can wear it and be comfortable. The older I get the less I want on my body. I find that those African prints are comfortable”. With a dignified self carriage, she comes across as an African queen. Her day usually starts early, “I wake up around 5.30AM, say a prayer by saying good morning Daddy after which I put on my jogging outfit and go for one hour walk. I come in and try to do a sit-up. I take a shower and listen to a 15 minutes maritime programme on radio called ship/ports. I also listen to Channel news. I dress up and come to the office where I get the work started. I have a meeting with my staff every morning. I am almost like a micro manager but I am slowly letting it go because I have credible managers who seem to understand the rhythm of things”. More : allafrica.com |