Extraordinary women: Celebrating Aduke Onafowokan

A bright multi-coloured butterfly, spreading spurts of sunshine every where she goes. Always up in the air, positive, cheerful, always laughing even in the face of challenges, determined to make an impact. Determined to transform just as she once was a cocoon that was determined to grow… Always evolving.

That’s exactly what comes to my mind when I remember the first time I met Aduke some years back and right as rain, she has been evolving into that beautiful butterfly that she is today ever since.

NEKITA:   Who are you?

ADUKE:   My name is Aduke Onafowokan. I am a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend and a lover of life.

NEKITA:   Describe yourself in two words.

ADUKE:   Funny and determined.

NEKITA:   What is your best quality?

ADUKE:   My ability to see the solutions in problems.

NEKITA:   What is your worst quality?

ADUKE:   My inability to accept that sometimes there is no solution.

NEKITA:   What do you do and what do you hope to be doing in the next 5 years?

ADUKE:   I run the Sister Sister Network – A network of women from divers cultures and backgrounds in the UK. Down the line, in the next five years I hope to have at least 1 million members of the Sister Sister Network from all around the world.

I also own Thrive Consulting Limited – A project management consultancy in the UK. My aspiration is that in 5 years from now we would have expanded our services to more blue chip organisations in Europe and Africa.

I also help run Women in Worship UK – A religious gathering of women focused on creating an atmosphere of worship for a diverse group of women. My hope is that in 5 years we would have established concerts in all the cities across the UK and possibly in America.

NEKITA:   How on earth do you get the time to juggle all 3 careers at once and also find time to be a loving wife and mother?

ADUKE:   To be honest, I have no clue! But like I said earlier, there is always a way!

NEKITA:   What inspired you to start the Sister Sister network?

ADUKE:   Sister Sister is for all women. The Sister Sister Network was founded in 2015 to bring women from different backgrounds at varying stages in their individual journeys together with other inspirational women in order to discuss ideas that facilitate individual development and collective empowerment.

Through our events we aim to continue to build bridges to connect women and shatter barriers of communication.

We hope to touch lives, empower dreams and motivate women from all over the world to simply be better.

I started the network to bring women of diverse cultures, religions and backgrounds together.

NEKITA: The Sister Sister network aims to empower dreams and motivate women. When you were a little girl, what did you dream you would become as an adult? And are you living that dream right now?

ADUKE:   Yes and no. I dreamt of being a lawyer as a young girl. I did study law, I just do not practice law so in that respect I am not exactly living my dream.However I also dreamt I’d be a wife, mother and music minister. I am all of that now, and I would definitely encourage every little girl to dream and to keep on working to realize that dream.

Dreams do come true.

NEKITA: What has been your major career milestone?

ADUKE:   I think being tasked with leading the end to end delivery planning of a very high profile and high impacting UK Government programme.

NEKITA:   Which female inspires you the most?

ADUKE:   My mother. You give that woman anything, she turns it into gold.

NEKITA:   What is the greatest lesson you have learnt in life?

ADUKE:   That I am who I have been waiting for.

NEKITA:   What has been your biggest accomplishment in life?

ADUKE:   Being the mother of two beautiful children who I have no doubt will change the world for good.

NEKITA:   What has been the most trying obstacle you have had to overcome in life and how did you overcome this?

ADUKE:   I suffered a very painful miscarriage a couple of years ago, by far my darkest days – I overcame through faith and the belief that God always has a plan for our lives. I have not been proven wrong.

NEKITA:   Everyone has a sense of fashion and personal style. What’s yours?

ADUKE:   I love classic pieces, but I also have a sense of adventure – I like understated but unique fashion.

 

NEKITA:   What is unique about you?

ADUKE:   I think my outlook is very unique, I rarely get flustered. I focus on the options, the opportunities and I never stay down for long.

NEKITA:   Tell us a secret about yourself that no other person knows.

ADUKE:   They know but possibly don’t believe – ‘Half of the time I am shy or nervous.’

NEKITA:   Tell us what you think of sex, love and marriage.

ADUKE:   Sex is perhaps God’s best gift to humans, love is the reason we are alive. Marriage ties the two together and is amazing – imperfect but an amazing journey.

NEKITA:   Which movie inspired you the most?

ADUKE:   Not sure I have any – maybe The Count of Monte Cristo.

NEKITA:   Which popular personality inspires you the most?

ADUKE:   Barack Obama. He stays cool even when surrounded by fire.

NEKITA:   What’s your life slogan?

ADUKE:    ‘THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY’

NEKITA:   If you had the power to change the world in one way what would you do?

ADUKE:   Touch hearts – change hatred to love.

For more information about The Sister Sister network and how to join it please visit http://www.sistersisters.co.uk

Also listen to Aduke’s inspiring interview by Business radio UK on this link – https://www.mixcloud.com/discover/elaine-sullivan/