Nihinlola Latona: Using childhood experience to empower the next generation

Nihinlola Latona

Nihinlola Latona emerged from a family line where girls were relegated to the background. Her father did not buy that narrative, he fought tooth and nail to ensure she and her sister( his only two daughters) rose past any limitation to stay educated and empowered. Not wanting other girls in similar situations to feel less of themselves, Nihinlola used that experience to give back to her society with her empowerment projects.        

Women empowerment might sound cliche but what really matters is the action behind it. Nihinlola is not just a noisy gong or clanging cymbal. She is the Founder of The Prepared Women Global Institute and The Prepared Girls Academy dedicated to helping girls fulfil their purpose excellently and exceptionally. We all get to that stage in life where we become unclear of our purpose but with the right people, resources and information, it begins to make sense.

In a chat with Omote Ro Dhe, Nihinlola takes a dive into her early years as a girl-child, her passion for empowering the next generation, her different projects, why she is committed to nation-building, books she authored and more. 

Read the excerpts below:

You have a diverse background in business administration and leadership. What inspired your journey into women and youth empowerment?

That's an inspiring question. #smiles. My Father had 2 daughters ONLY and the family emerged from a community and environment where female children are referred to as second-class citizens. Despite all the negative insinuation about raising girl children, my father (of blessed memory) made it a point of dedication to ensure that I and my sister are educated and empowered. What if I didn't have such a Father? This question prompted my passion and purpose to pay it forward to my generation to empower women and even everyone desiring empowerment (youth).

What inspired the creation of The Prepared Women Global Institute and The Prepared Girls Academy?

I love to teach. In every one of my conversations, I'm always out for opportunities to enlighten women and girls based on my childhood experiences about the biased insinuation about girl children. So, I thought I would be a lecturer or an educator in an academic setting. It wasn't clear initially which made me defer an admission at some points because I was sure it was about teaching a subject in some conventional ways.

Later on, I got clarity and I found that I love to teach personal development and life skills to women. My love for teaching is on non-conventional topics such as Leadership, Purpose, Identity realization, Authenticity, etc. I started developing my curriculum and it was in the process that The Prepared Women Global Institute and The Prepared Girls Academy were birthed.

Can you share a defining moment in your career that solidified your commitment to community and nation-building?  

I grew up in a family that believes in Giving. My family gives to people individually, to families and to the community. When I married. My husband too loves giving. So I would say, no defining moment, per se. The best way to answer this is to say, that I lived among people who believe in what I have is not given to me only to enjoy. In fact, the surplus of anything you have left, after savings and investment, is actually to be shared with those who do not have it.

What are the biggest challenges you see women and girls facing today, and how do you think they can be overcome?

The biggest challenges that women and girls face today are access to empowerment opportunities and the courage to seek these opportunities. When someone has too many bad experiences, the zeal to seek opportunities gradually wanes. These are the reasons why some people think that education is restricted to conventional ways. There are skills to be built and developed. However, when the situation surrounding education is not appealing, the desire to seek empowerment dies off. This is not only an African problem but a global phenomenon.

The best way to overcome this is to establish empowerment hubs in universities and higher institutions of learning or even at community levels where women and girls learn non-conventional skills and topics. It instils a sense of belonging and embeds in them the passion of becoming.

You’ve received multiple leadership and community awards. What do these recognitions mean to you, and how do they shape your vision for the future? 
 
Recognition is an energy booster. It excites you to appreciate your efforts in impact-making and also energizes you to thrive for more. It helps to put a spring of creativity and innovation into your legs with the encouragement to never settle for the lesser that you've ever become.

You have authored 14 books—each addressing different societal issues. Which book resonates with you the most, and why?

Oh yes, I'm glad you recognized that. The book that resonated with me most is Queenly Expressions. This book is like my sibling. This book taught me resilience. It taught me patience. I wrote this book and because of the high demands of traditional publishing, I couldn't publish it until COVID-19 struck. The realization that it appeared the world might stand still made me consult for e-book publishing. The publisher I consulted was the one who made me realize that the efforts I had put into writing and rewriting the book have made me a PUBLISHER.

Without knowing, I had edited, proofread and even possessed the skills to publish. This was how I published it and published 13 others, professionally. The book is in both e-books and hard copy. It's available on both Amazon and Selar.

As a Certified Professional Life Coach, what’s the most common struggle women bring to coaching, and how do you help them navigate it?

The common struggle I've heard from women is Lack of Identity. Most women lack clarity. And when you are not clear, you will begin to develop lack of confidence and competence in the vision. Therefore, they mistake movement for motion. Most of them thought they were moving, yes they were, but they were moving like, on a barber's chair. How I help them navigate it? I allow them to share their stories. The foundation matters a whole lot when building anything, even lives. If you don't know whose you are, anyone and anything can define it. After this. My coaching or teaching is rooted in what I call - REBUILDING REVELATION where you rebuild based on a high degree of information.

Success is relative. What does it mean to you? Who are some women that are your yardstick of being successful?

Yes, success is relative. I agree with this because what is success to me might not be success to others. I love the relativity of success because it doesn't allow competition. Also, success is personal. I love it when women are fulfilling their purpose and there are testimonials of impacted lives from what they do. There are many of them whom I celebrate so much but no one is a yardstick, for now. I learn from afar as it relates to me, but their books, attend their events and honour the gift of access to them.

As a leader and mentor, what advice would you give to young women aspiring to lead in their communities?

I would say, have a mindset that believes that impossible situations can become possible. Be focused - keep your eyes straight. The reason your eyes are at the front is so that you can concentrate. Stop comparing yourself or your journey. It breeds discontentment and signifies a lack of vision. Joyfully see others' success as an inspiration to succeed. Find ways to collaborate and uproot the spirit of bitterness that suggests you compete. You will always win uniquely if you believe you can.