How Jumoke Akin-Taylor juggles her many roles

She is a very brilliant lady. She is hardworking also and full of ideas. Adejumoke Akin-Taylor is a beautiful lady of many parts. She is very active and passionate about making Nigeria work.
Though born in Nigeria, she is based in Brentwood, a city outside San Francisco, California. But she frequents Lagos.
Recently, CityPeople got her to talk about her success story. It is very revealing.

Kindly introduce yourself and what you do…

My name is AdeJumoke Ibilola Akin-Taylor. I also go by Emmanuella OriAde mostly for my Christian Ministry and Publication. I’ve been in Construction for over 35 years, managing the design and construction of capital projects for both the public and private sectors.
Now for my real work, where I wear many crowns! – I am the Second Vice President of the *Africa Leadership Group, an organization born out of a passion for good governance, accountability, equitable and judicious use of both human and natural resources created to address the leadership dilemma on the African continent”
We produce a weekly Thursday virtual town hall called the Nigeria Leadership Series(NLS) where we engage different thought leaders and participants on Nation Building.
I am also the Executive Director of Rebuild Nigeria Initiative (RNI) focused on peace and reconciliation as a crucial components to nation building. RNI’s vision is for ”A new Nigeria, United, Equitable, Just and Inclusive – A Nation at peace”.

I co-host Grit and Grace– a biweekly Empowering Virtual gathering. And a Christian blogger under “The Father’s Jewel”. I serve on the Board/Committees of a couple of Professional Organizations and as an adjunct faculty for my Alma-mater School of Engineering.

I know you juggle several roles, how do you cope?
“I honestly can’t tell you how I cope or manage all the things I’m involved in. And I sometimes ask myself the same question.
I strongly believe in doing only what God wants me to do, with the conviction that God equips me with the grace and resources to do all He wants me to. So that fuels me.
Once I get the vision, I keep it in view, seeing the end from the beginning, so it’s easy to develop or map out the process of achieving the end result. I stay on it and give it my all. My managerial skills come in very handy in organizing and setting priorities for deliverables. It sounds very simple. It works well for me.
I also enjoy doing every bit of what I do. It’s almost effortless. I get a lot of joy and fulfillment from what I do, and I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to do what I love. I don’t take it lightly or for granted. it is a privilege to serve.

I also noticed that you show great passion and commitment to the things you believe in. What explains this?

I believe it’s a gift I have a responsibility and moral obligation to use. So, I see everything I do as an assignment that I’m accountable for. Especially when it comes to advocacy or ministry work. I’ve always hated injustice and found myself from a very young age standing against bullies. My childhood best friend tells the story of how I always faced bullies telling them “You’ll have to come through me first” to get to their target. I was this tiny person facing big boys in elementary school! I hate the mistreatment or oppression of the less privileged.
We all have a responsibility to make the world a better place. It is so much bigger than us as individuals.

On Nigeria matters, we are all so quick to point out all that’s wrong, but very few want to inconvenience ourselves in any way to do the needful. About 20 years ago, after another heated debate with some of my friends on everything that was wrong with Nigeria, I coined the phrase “I am Nigeria, the change begins with me” I think that partly explains why I do what I do. Be a part of the solution, not just stating the problems. I haven’t looked back, and I probably won’t, until we see that Nigeria we envision or God calls me home. I have mentors in the space, and I admire and respect. I’m also fortunate to have recently met some of our Shero Mothers and Aunties who have been in this struggle for a better nation and are still contributing to the struggle in their 70s and 80s. So I’m invigorated by their resilience, courage, and persistence. I have absolutely no excuse!

You will also find me in the construction industry advocating for equity and inclusion in an industry dominated by white men.

I noticed that you do a lot about getting experts to discuss public policy issues. Why your interest?

I really can’t take credit for that. It’s mostly the President and Executive Secretary of our organization that does the heavy lifting. I work very closely with the Exec. Secretary, and I chip in here and there with suggestions, and sometimes it works out. Sometimes it doesn’t. Our management team also suggests speakers or topics.

Where are you based?

I am based in Brentwood, a city outside San Francisco, California. I also like to claim a base in Lagos as well!

I can see you are passionate about Nigeria. What drives you? What’s the goal?

So many things drive the passion to see the Nigeria it’s purposed and destined to be! First, I was born in Nigeria, I am a bonafide Nigerian! After 40 years away, I kept my accent and ate my Nigerian food! I visit Nigeria every year, sometimes 3 times a year.
I left Nigeria around 1981, so I had the opportunity to live and grow in the Nigeria that worked. I remember a Nigeria that blessed me with good education and moral and cultural values that shaped me into the person I am growing to be. I grew up playing outside under the illumination of streetlights! We had storm drains and sidewalks! Good roads! I remember Riding my bicycle or walking. God knows how many street blocks with absolutely any fear of being kidnapped or assaulted. As young as age 12, I’ll queue at the bank with other school kids to pay our fees. My cousins and I rode the Greyhound bus from Benin City to Ibadan unaccompanied at a very young age. I was 8 years old the first time I flew to Lagos from Benin unaccompanied! I can go on and on about the glory of Nigeria in time past, so maybe I’m stuck in time. Nigeria that gave so much! I also remember the Biafra war, that’s probably one of one my earliest memories that drives me to push for peace and reconciliation. These are some factors that drive me, as well as my detest of injustice and oppression of any kind.
The goal is that Nigeria takes its rightful place as the giant of Africa and is home to the most brilliant and beautiful black people in the world.

Tell me a bit about you. Where were you born? Where did you grow up and schools attended?

I was born in Benin City and grew up there with my maternal grandparents. Was one of those fortunate kids to be born into a large and very close-knit family. I was surrounded by my aunties and uncles and tons of cousins. I lived up to my name because I was a real community child!
I spent my holidays in Lagos and Ibadan with my parents and some of my siblings.

For my elementary education, I attended Emotan Prep School and Idia College for my secondary school. Both are in Benin City. I then left for the US to attend university. Got my bachelor’s and Masters. I did have a very brief stint at FFS Ondo for a couple of months of A-level! I guess it was too much trouble to send me water from Ibadan every week! So I was sent to the US.