I got married and started a family at 20, but I knew that I also wanted a successful career. I was pregnant with my third child when I started my accounting degree.
It was a long hard road, but in 2005 I got my first job with a consulting firm in Lagos. I then worked as an analyst for a management firm, before starting my internal audit career for an oil and gas company. I have spent most of my career as an internal auditor, working across different sectors in both Nigeria and Canada.
I relocated to Canada with my family in 2017. This move was challenging, but I was able to resume my career with an internal audit role in Canada Life Assurance Company. I currently work as a senior audit and risk analyst at New Flyer Industries (NFI), which makes environmentally-friendly vehicles.
At school I was a pure science student. However, I soon realised that I liked numbers and relating them to business and daily activities.
'Accounting is not just about the numbers, it is about every aspect of the business'
I have always been interested in the relationship between the choices organisations make and their subsequent financial results. Accounting is not just about the numbers, it is about every aspect of the business.
As an internal auditor you are expected to think like a business manager and look out for risks. My role has taught me so much about businesses, as I see both the financial and operational side of things.
Winnipeg is a city of about one million people. The government is investing in capital infrastructure, which is critical to support the growing city. The need to create more jobs is key, and there are government incentives for new businesses.
The growth of the population is mostly driven by immigration from across the world. There is a sustained demand for food items from all over the world. This provides business opportunities for the Canada-wide branding of these food items. This would validate their authenticity and source.
If I had law-making powers, I would find a way to make African leaders accountable to their people. This would apply to both their election promises, and for the time and resources they spend in office.
'We spend a high portion of our lives at work, so it's time that should not be spent being unhappy'
What I enjoy most about my job is the people with whom I work. We spend a high portion of our lives at work, so it's time that should not be spent being unhappy. NFI has a global reach, with different kinds of people from many locations. Every day is a learning opportunity, and I love to learn.
I also really enjoy seeing my recommendations being implemented. It's great knowing that my role has delivered some value to the company.
I am deliberate and purposeful about my life and choices. I always run a self-appraisal, both private and professional, to see if things fit into the bigger picture that I have of my life. I have raised three young adults into their 20s, and am currently raising my youngest son. Watching them work to achieve their dreams makes my heart feel warm.
If I weren’t an accountant, I’d be an actor and a businesswoman. In Nigeria, I acted in a popular series, Tinsel, and a feature called Tunnel. I turned down other offers because the timing was not right. I am currently writing a script, which I would love to produce in the near future.
I read whatever I can lay my hands on, and I enjoy crime investigation TV channels. I love to travel. I also love to listen to and sing worship songs. I swim and plan to try some winter hobbies like snowboarding.
