Chioma Favour Uzoma is a fifth year Pharmacy student of the University of Benin. She is the first of three girls.
She is passionate about the future of Nigeria and improving its health sector which made her start a Health and Wellness website (MedBlogNigeria) where she is a content creator. She advocates for healthy living through her organization named The Medvocacy Initiative Africa (TMI Africa).
She is an entrepreneur at Dainty Cakes and Event. She is also a fashion and beauty enthusiast.
Let’s meet you. Who is Chioma?
Chioma is a fifth year pharmacy student of the University of Benin, the first of three girls. I am a Christian, content creator at MedblogNigeria, an entrepreneur at Dainty Cakes and Event, Founder TMI Africa @t.m.i_africa and Member of JCI.
I am very passionate about the future of Nigeria, everything that goes on wrongly in this country affects me in a very strange way and I intend to contribute to scalable and sustainable impact in this nation, and in Africa at large.
Who and what inspires you?
The persons who inspire me the most are young Nigerian women who are doing exploits in their various fields. The likes of Toby Lordwilliams,founder of girlhub Africa, Dr Chioma,Cassie Akide, Pharm Onyekachi etc., and older women who have conquered their spheres such as Mrs Ibukun Awosika, Bukky George and of course my Mum, She inspires me a lot.
I love these women so much, and whenever I feel discouraged, I simply look at their pages on Instagram, see what they are up to and sincerely, I’m pumped back up.
The desire to be successful in life also drives me.
One accessory you can’t leave home without?
My small bag of course.
Because I get to put all my tiny stuffs in it.
What is your biggest fear?
This Girl is fearless.
I believe God has not given me the Spirit of fear and this has kept me going.
You own a Health and wellness website (MedBlogNigeria) with pages on Instagram and Facebook (Medblog_ng) where you help inform people’s health decisions. What prompted you to start this? And what do you plan to do differently in the health sector through your website and other platforms?
Well, I actually started them because I love writing and I love searching for information (My friends literally ask me for details to any gist circulating online and I always have the details). I have been writing since my secondary school days and it has become part of me. Also, being a Pharmacy student, people naturally assume you know the answers to all their health problems, so they bombard you with questions.
It was only natural for me to incorporate my writing skills which is also a passion for me into my profession, hence the birth of MedBlogNigeria.
I also found it as a way to bridge the communication gap between health personnels and the general public. Now you don’t have to go to a Pharmacy or a Hospital to get certain health information, just turn on your data, ask a question, drop a comment and your questions are answered. We simply inform the health decisions of the general public which I think is a great idea.
Your best quote?
Do it afraid, do it unsure, do it uncertain but do it anyway!
You are a versatile young lady with so many things on your hands. You are also an entrepreneur who bakes and sells cakes also. How do you balance the demands of all of these with your academics?*
The truth is, it is not an easy task but I am someone who is very passionate about anything I do. Passion drives any human.
I’ve also learnt to manage my time, to do the right things at the right time, maximize my holidays, have the right support system and these have helped me thus far.
Which city/ country will you love to visit soonest?
That would be Paris. I studied French all through my six years in secondary school, I would love to practice my French speaking skills.
If given the chance to be the President of Nigeria for a day, what will you change?
Inasmuch as I think a day is quite too short to make any meaningful changes in a country like Nigeria, I guess I will quickly rewrite the national budget and present a more inclusive one where the basic needs of every Nigerian is prioritized, I would allocate more funds to the health sector which I think is at a pathetic state currently.
As a pharmacy student, you advocate for healthy living for individuals through an organization you run “The Medvocacy Initiative for Africa (TMI Africa).” Can you shed more light on TMI Africa? Its activities, aims and achievements so far?
TMI Africa is an organization of young medical advocates and volunteers. We encourage youths especially those who are medically inclined to actively promote health within their immediate environment and to the general public.
We engage in online health campaigns, dissemination of health information, health outreaches in schools through collaborations and partnerships.
Although we are just starting out, we engaged fully and effectively in the cervical cancer campaign online and it was very helpful to many as a lot of people became aware of the disease and tips for prevention.
We hope to achieve more in coming months.
What was growing up in a Nigerian home like and how did it contribute to the path you have chosen?
(Laughs) I think we all know what growing in a Nigerian home is like.
My home was a special case because my parents were really strict on my sisters and i due to fact that we were girls, they didn’t want us to “spoil.”
But we thank God because it is part of what has made me the woman I am today and I’m grateful.
Where do you see yourself/your brand in the next 5 years?
I am passionate about entrepreneurship because I believe that every economy that we admire has a viable private sector to boast of. If we are going to see sustainable changes in the Nigerian economy, the private sector has a huge role to play and I want to be at the forefront of that in the health and beauty space.
If you were given the opportunity to address a group of girls five years younger than you, what will be your advice to them?
I would advice them to maximise their social media. I say this everyday that this social media thing we see is way under utilised.
My social media is one of my biggest influences. I follow smart, intelligent, purpose driven individuals who inform my everyday life. My Instagram account is really boring to an average youth because i follow more content than glam.
I would advice them to Cherish their relationship with God because ,he is the ultimate giver of Life, wisdom and prosperity.
Lastly, I will advise them to be focused. Most of the things we care so much about currently are so irrelevant. Focus on things that matter to your future.
Thanks alot, Rubygirls for this interview, I’m truly honored!
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