You see how I always hammer on about doing what you’re passionate about excellently well and how it pays off? This post is an example of that.
Quick backstory – I’m a sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) enthusiast – I’ve got a track record in speaking at and organizing events in this field of health over years, right from my university days (lol that sounds so ancient to say). So naturally when given a topic to speak about from this field, it’s a walk in the park, as I am naturally drawn to the latest information in the field, I have email updates from different organizations working on the field of SRHR and I follow a lot of them on social media – thus I am kept in the loop; it’s something I’m really interested in after all.
So when a representative of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (Lagos Chapter) and I were talking last week and I mentioned a few of my recent activities to her, just in passing, she was impressed and asked me to come on board with MWAN Lagos Activities this month – which I gladly accepted.
When I first learnt about MWAN Lagos back in 2015; pictured with the then President, Dr. Abiola
On Monday evening, well after close of work (but I was still at work, Doctor life) I got a call from MWAN Lagos asking if I could represent the body in a TV interview on the TVC Breakfast Show – the very next morning.
“The topic is menstrual hygiene – can you do it?”
In that very moment I had to think fast:
Do I have work tomorrow – yes.
Do I know enough about menstrual hygiene – also yes.
Do I want to pass on this amazing opportunity – of course not.
So I said yes I’ll be there (was to be at the station at 7am the next morning, and I hadn’t finished ward round by 6.00pm or even eaten a thing that day lol, but I knew it was gonna work out because I was determined lol.)
Lo and behold, I got there in good time the next morning, was given a yummy cup of hot chocolate by a friendly intern, and ran through how I wanted to be introduced. The intern asked if I wanted make up to which I politely declined, which immediately followed with questions regarding what church I attend lol, the usual.
Up until this point, no one has mentioned what exactly I was going to be asked by the TV Hosts! I literally found out my questions whilst I was live on television – so this goes back to my point in the first paragraph, it’s important to be diligent about your passions! Imagine if I didn’t know the answers to the questions whilst on live TV? Would have been horrendous.
Thankfully everything I was asked was within my scope of knowledge and was readily available at my fingertips, and the two times I went on air went excellently well! Got to talking to my co-panelist Mrs. Betty Abah, founder of CEEHOPE, and a women and child’s rights activist and we exchanged contact information – I look forward to working with her in the near future.
The whole experience was amazing, I felt like I was living the scripture “a man’s gift makes way for him” (Proverbs 18:16a) and I give God all the glory for it!
To watch the interview for yourself – pls click below – start from around 10:00 for my section 🙂
Till next time,
Dr. ETP xo
