By CHARLES KUMOLU
Jumoke Adenowo is the founder of Awesome Treasures Foundation(ATF)- a faith based non-governmental organisation that identifies and develops transformational leaders to positively help in achieving the Millennium Developmental Goals (MDGs).

In this interview, this seasoned architect discloses that ATF has empowered over 6,000 women through the provision of entrepreneurial and skills acquisition. She also speaks on other issues.

What is your main aim for establishing ATF? What are you trying to accomplish?

*Jumoke Adenowo.... We should be the sun of the black race, the role model for every black nation

National Transformation, as ambitious as it may seem, is our aim. So we raise transformational leaders who will birth a national renaissance. Our aim is to see a new Nigeria emerge in our lifetime. Thus, ATF membership is open to all- men women and youths who consider themselves youthful and ready to make a difference.

In your work so far, what do you think urgently needs to be done in Nigeria to help women and youths?

It is obvious that any intervention, no matter how huge and spectacular, is long overdue. The main problem with the youth is hopelessness and disillusionment. It goes beyond the tangibles of a poor educational system and unemployment. The youths need to recover faith in the nation, love for the nation and see themselves as stakeholders in Nigeria.

No matter how many females we have in leadership positions today, the fundamental problems of the Nigerian female are yet to be addressed. Nigerian women are not even safe! We are not secure in a country where a young girl is bathed with acid for daring to say “No” to a man’s advances and the government does not see the crime for what it is – a crime against the state, and the perpetrator walks free as the victim lives in daily mental and physical anguish.

It’s worse than slavery! No woman, no matter how personally comfortable, should be apathetic about such outrageous incidents. What happens to one sister can happen to any. So in essence, we are being told that even our bodies do not belong to us and random “admirers” can lay claim to our bodies?

They can even upload their crimes on Youtube while the victim is told by law enforcement officials: “You caused it!” This is the worst sort of human rights abuse possible!!

Do you think that the global community has a responsibility to address these issues in Nigeria?

I believe if you thought you could exist as an independent nation, then you have declared that you are primarily responsible and competent enough to solve your own problems. I believe that Nigeria is a peculiar black nation. We are too endowed especially with human capital to fail.

We should be the sun of the black race, the role model for every black nation. There have been many situations Nigeria has stepped in to assist other countries and I am proud of the role we played in those instances. We as a nation can’t go begging others to help us! What problems do we have that we don’t have the intellectual capacity to solve? What we lack is the will to solve them because of compromised interests.

How serious is our predicament presently as a nation?

We are at a point where the cords of nationhood are more fragile than a spiders’ web. Until we find a national identity and everyone of us can state clearly what it means to be a Nigerian, the ship of state will drift and our haven is not in sight.

Until we have a corporate national vision we don’t have a true nation. The problems we bemoan – the corruption, lack of focus, waste, lack of meritocracy are mere symptoms of a more deep rooted malaise- lack of vision.

On a personal level, why is it so important to you that you invest a great deal of your time and other resources in ATF?

I have always been unusually passionate about Nigeria, even as a child. I abhorred and mourned the obvious waste of potentials. By the time I was in university, I was actively involved in a group praying for Nigeria every month.

Faith without works is dead so the next logical step was to give expression to my passion by mobilizing women and youths with a clear and strong sense of purpose who possess the faith and commitment for the desired change.

You’ve just held a National Women’s Prayer Summit in Lagos with the theme ‘Women against Violence’. What was it about and what informed the event?

That was the third annual National Women’s Prayer Summit organized by ATF. Last year when kidnapping had become a raging epidemic and women lived in constant fear over their children’s safety, our theme was ‘Women against Kidnapping’.

We prayed and we saw a definite change. This year we decided to come against violence with the theme ‘Women against Violence’ because we believe it is time for women to register their total opposition to all forms of violence, from that of the terrorist groups to domestic violence against women which has become a silent killer. We felt we should go straight to God who has said the government will be on our shoulders and enforcing spiritually what we desire to see physically.

What kind of organisational structure do you currently have in place at ATF? Can the NGO run successfully without you?

There is no success without succession. We have key people in key positions, and we also have plans to always stay on course. Just to name a few -some of our Trustees are Sam Adeyemi, Wale Adefarasin, Funke Felix-Adejumo, Yetunde Holloway amongst other spirit- filled individuals.

Our Advisory Board is chaired by Idy Enang (MD Samsung West Africa) supported by other excellent minds and persons of proven integrity like Yinka Sanni (DMD Stanbic IBTC), Justice Sola Williams (Lagos State Judiciary), Mary Akpobome, Tara Fela-Durotoye, amongst others.

Ou Strategy Team has bright young minds like Lanre Da Silva -Ajayi, Chiadi Ndu, TY Bello, Funke Bucknor-Obruthe, Conrad Adigwe.. Our various community impact groups are led by seasoned and passionate women and youth. For instance we have three Judges on our Legal Resource Group.

Apart from being the founder of ATF you have been described by the media as “Nigeria’s most prolific female architect “ and “The face of Architecture”, is there any relationship between Architecture and ATF?

There is a definite synergy. AD Consulting actively supports Awesome Treasures Foundation. It still is the sole corporate sponsor sponsoring some of ATF outreaches like Voice of Change radio program focused on leadership. AD is not just an architectural firm, it is also a centre for personal development. We give young people a chance to show their skills and talents here.