ADEMILUYI Favour Titilope is currently a 300 level student of the prestigious Faculty of Law, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State.
Growing up as a litterateur and debater, she has had modest achievements, awards and scholarship trip outside the country.
Over time, Favour has held several positions and is currently the Assistant P.R.O & Assistant General Secretary, CLASFON, OOU; the Deputy Information-Technologist, Legal Magnates & Company, OOU; the Financial Secretary and Assistant General Secretary, Infinity Foundation, OOU, among others.
1. Let’s meet you. Who is Favour?
Warm greetings. *ADEMILUYI FAVOUR* is God’s Noble Progeny, who is fully awake to and heading forward, in the actualization and manifestation of her true being and essence.
She is phenomenal, resourceful, and “Excellence-driven.”
2. Who and what inspires you?
1. My purpose, visions which are birthed by the Holy Spirit, a product of God’s will.
2. My Dad – He is an exemplary leader; a perfect description of humility, integrity, service and excellence.
3. You have been outside the country on a scholarship trip on two different occasions for being the best French student in your secondary school. Which countries are these? And how was your experience?
Quite funny! Although I was given a scholarship trip precisely to Togo on 2 different occasions for being the best French Student in Secondary School 2 & 3 respectively, I couldn’t embark on the journey.
For the first scholarship trip, my parents didn’t allow me go, for reasons best known to them.
For the second scholarship trip, although I had my valid passport and yellow card, I couldn’t embark on the journey as the trip clashed with a National Debate Competition at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife. ‘Being the debater that I am’, I chose the competition over the trip.
To God be the glory, I and my team emerged winners. I was the Chief Speaker for my school in the Debate competition, and I was awarded the Most Eloquent Speaker. Consequently, we (I and my team) were to be invited to Botswana for another competition, but this sadly didn’t see the light of the day.
However, my Dad surprisingly arranged another trip for me to Porto-Novo, while I was waiting for OOU’s Post UTME result to be out. It was a 1-3 month(s) study trip alongside some 300 level Nigerian Undergraduates (who were French students).
It was a remarkable experience. I was opportune to visit Le Temple du Python in Ouidah; Le Muséum Nationale, the ‘Sea of No Return’ et. al.
More importantly, I won the First Prize in the “BAIN LINGUISTIQUE EN FRANÇAIS” PROGRAMME (2017), and I was accordingly recognized by Le Président (the Vice Chancellor), INSTITUT UNIVERSITAIRE PANAFRICAIN (IUP), PORTO-NOVO.
4. Your best quote?
“You were born to stand out, stop trying to fit in,”
Roy T. Bennett.
5. How was growing up like for you? Did your upbringing contribute in anyway to who you are today and positions you hold?
I grew up in the soil of unconditional love and selflessness. I was (and is still) surrounded with hugs, motivation and unshakable faith in me from my parents. My Dad has always been my Special Friend, and my mum has always been my Superheroine. They have always been there for me.
Although not without hurdles, my upbringing has been an exclusive mix of grace and bliss. This has had a massive impact on me; I have grown to believe that I can do and achieve anything I set my heart to do and achieve.
Also, my Dad, who happens to be one of my mentors, has groomed and is still grooming me to an enviable stage. I grew up attending meetings with eminent Personalities, dining with Professors & Vice Chancellors, sampling and proof reading Ph.D thesis. I grew up interacting and working with great minds. This has indeed awaken the consciousness of responsibility and invoked the spirit of leadership in me.
6. You have held several positions and have never disappointed in blazing the trail right from childhood. You are currently the Assistant P.R.O & Assistant General Secretary, CLASFON, OOU; the Deputy Information-Technologist, Legal Magnates & Company, OOU; the Financial Secretary and Assistant General Secretary, Infinity Foundation, OOU, among others. How do you juggle all of these offices with the demands of studying Law?
Truthfully, although it has not been so smooth, it has been God all the way.
The key is discipline, as it requires a big sacrifice on my part. I endeavour to prioritize, set and stick to routines.
I have no doubt that there are more responsibilities coming my way. This will definitely require more balance; I’m always trusting God to perfect this delicate balance.
7. Mention 3 Women who inspire you and why
The world is full of inspiring women, and I consider myself so lucky to be inspired by the following women:
1. My invaluable mother – Victoria O. Ademiluyi
2.Mother-in-Israel, RCCG – Pst Mrs Foluke A. Adeboye
3. Former First Lady, United States of America – Michelle Obama
1. I grew up watching a live superheroine, whose unique nature constantly inspires me. My invaluable mother is a beacon of resilience, who has overtime instilled in me and my siblings a hard work ethic, and has motivated us to grow without barriers.
Leading by example, my mother repeatedly emphasizes the need to uphold the values of dignity, integrity and service. Victoria O. Ademiluyi is a blessing to me and the world at large; she is exceptional and phenomenal in every aspect.
2. Being a woman of virtue, Pastor Mrs Foluke Adenike Adeboye has continually inspired me and many others. Her calm and warm personality, alongside her sterling leadership qualities even as a real spiritual mother, who has the love of God, is indeed at the heart of some really inspiring lessons for all.
3. The graceful personality of Michelle Obama often leaves me completely enamoured. She is an iconic fashionista whose intelligence, grace, values, beliefs and leadership qualities infuse lives and set an example of how an ideal lady should be.
Her contagious positivity constantly inspires me and many others to prioritize self-care, use our voices for change, and be ourselves – unapologetically.
8. One thing you will like to change about yourself.
Honestly, I don’t want to change myself. I have grown to embrace who I am and to love myself unconditionally.
I simply want to grow and improve myself, even in my originality. I simply want to change my flawed actions, even in my originality.
Just like Mark Manson said, “Trying to change yourself—that is, who you are—will inevitably lead you to fail and feel hopeless. But if you instead focus on changing your actions without worrying about how it changes you as a person, real change becomes much simpler.”
9. If given the chance to be the President of Nigeria for a day, what will you change?
I most humbly will adopt the recommendation given by my Dad during his Inaugural Lecture on 10th March, 2020.
I will ensure to establish a National Planning agency which will redirect Nigeria’s development agenda from a ‘project basket approach’ to development. This will create something more comprehensive which will focus on correcting the social and spatial imbalances/inequalities that have sunk the majority of Nigerians into poverty.
The idea is to redesign Nigeria to amplify the linkages within the political and economic structures, as well as redesigning the polity to dismantle the colonial heritage of inequalities which have hitherto negatively affected the development of Nigeria (Ademiluyi, 2020).
10. What keeps you up at night?
The zeal to make landmark impacts, reform lives and transform the world positively. The zeal to fully live, express and manifest my true being and essence. The zeal to implement and fulfil my visions, my purpose; all these keep me up at night.
11. You have a great penchant for research, writing, public speaking and linguistics. You also represent OOU’S Literary and Debating Society in competitions and events. How do you prepare and develop yourself for these activities?
I simply toil upward in the night.
Just like Henry Wadsworth Longfellow POET said, “The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.”
12. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
By God’s grace, if He tarries, in the next 5 years, I see myself as a Ph.D student.
I also see myself fulfilling purpose and making the world a better place.
I see myself maintaining a stronger bond with God.
13. If you were given the opportunity to address a group of girls five years younger than you, what will be your advice to them?
If I was opportune to address a group of girls five years younger than I am, my advice will go thus:
“You are who you are, and there is no one else like you. Each person is a unique magnificent being. Do not be your illusory self. Accept yourself for who you truly are, and truly connect with your individual authentic self. Celebrate your essence. With sheer openness and in genuineness of your authentic expression, work from within – that is, from inside-out. To compromise the integrity of your individual authentic self is to falter in the face of mediocrity and conformity.”
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