For a few mornings after relocating to Kent, that town of Shakespearean lore for her Masters degree, Temitope Senbanjo would remember that there would be no amala or pounded yam for lunch that day and let out a sigh of frustration. “Waking up and craving pounded yam and getting sandwiches instead was quite annoying”, she reminisces, “but I settled in just right and within the first week of my stay in Canterbury, I was able to find a local African grocery shop to stock up for the month!”
Since joining Heirs Holdings, she has applied the same determination in finding solutions and quickly dismissing the blues of new beginnings. Even though her initial job description was to be Client Relations Officer, she has also become part of the group’s MCC unit and currently handles its Instagram account.
“Working at Heirs Holdings has been a rewarding experience in general”, Temitope confesses. “I have met amazing people within my short stay and everyone is cheerful and helpful. Fitting in culturally has not been difficult at all as I also strive for excellence in all I do. I have had to learn about the intricacies of my role and I believe I am doing just fine even though there’s always room for improvement). I’m learning a lot supporting the MCC department in addition to the Clients Relations role.
A few hours after the post-announcement cocktail for the second cycle of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP), she was swaying to Robin Thicke’s Lost Without You in the foyer, beaming without a care in the world. Earlier on that day, she had been in a different mode, sorting out birthday cakes for the Chairman as they arrived and helping plan the event.
Temitope admits she has drawn a lot from her background – having studied Mass Communication at Redeemer’s University for her first degree – in working within the unit. “It has been an amazing experience because I was the advert manager for the school newspaper, RUN Chronicle newspaper which was very challenging at the time because I had to balance my academics with the new responsibilities but I was able to achieve all set targets. I intend to juggle my roles just as well.”
During her undergraduate days, she represented her school at a UNESCO conference for female students in journalism, joining a pool of equally-minded young people from different universities. When she was 18, she was one of the finalists in the Face Of Sylvia’s Hair Season 1 (FOSH) at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, a reality show organized by MGBN 2011 winner, Sylvia Nduka.
Back in England, she also continued to balance her school and social life, travelling all round the country and Europe but nevertheless graduating with a distinction. And to curb her homesickness, she would regularly stream Afrobeats music via YouTube and patronize the grocery store she discovered. “It was like having the best of both worlds.”
For one who is seen as very prim and proper, does her addiction to music by Davido, Olamide, Tiwa Savage – and like most young ladies these days – Kiss Daniels signify a wild unorthodox life a la Jekyll and Hyde, under wraps?
Her hearty laughter is one of disagreement, rather than an affirmation. “Hahahaha. Prim and proper? I eat at White House and regularly look for local bukas to eat amala with gbegiri, ewedu and goat meat! I guess this disqualifies me from being prim and proper.”
“I know how to have a good time but in my natural state I love to go to the movies and also love to hang out with my friends at home and have a good laugh. I’m not really a party animal except I chose to go all out.”
When she isn’t having a good laugh, Miss Not-So-Prim-and-Proper is being experimental with colours (I don’t really have a favourite colour but I love red, white and black!) or singing or dancing or blogging.
Some would say that she’s the perfect poster girl for The Young and The Restless or a Jill of many trades.
Lol! Thank you for this write up! Very well written! I enjoyed reading about myself! It made me smile