You know the adage “opportunity comes only once”? Well, mine came twice! I first met Olorisupergal.com, otherwise known as Tosin Ajibade, at a media conference hosted by TheZone, sometime in June 2017, the second time was at a travel exhibition at Eko Hotel, this September. Just as the first time I met her- she was warm, humble and really cool. Seeing her again, on this particular day was a pleasant surprise to me, especially because I have been trying to track her down ever since I first met her so I could have a live interview with her.
According to the rankings, after Linda Ikeji and Bella Naija, Olorisupergal is one of the most visited site in Nigeria, her blog centers on the “latest news” about anything. I had an interview with her the second time I saw her, read and enjoy 🙂
Question: What inspired your name?
Answer: While I was working, I used to get my work done on time, so my colleagues called me “super cat”, and because I do not like cats, I told them to call me “super girl” instead. Olori means queen, and “supergal” is another part of what I believe, it means I’m super, it means I’m strong, unique and different. I came up with the name myself, and I am proud that God gave me the vision.
I just wanted something different, and unique. There was a lot of back and forth, in fact, I used the dictionary to find meaning to what I wanted. It happens that I love royalty, I love the color purple which represents royalty, and so that explains my name and my logo.
Question: What were you doing before you started blogging?
Answer: I had a part time job at a magazine firm while I was still in school.
Question: When did you start blogging?
Answer: 2008. It has been 9 years since I started blogging, and it has been challenging. When I started, it was never interesting, it was challenging and frustrating. This was majorly because I was always sitting in front of my laptop, engaging people that I couldn’t see because they were online, and I was putting smiles on people’s faces but hardly mine. If you notice, people that put smiles on people’s faces, hardly know how to put smiles on theirs.
Question: Why did you start blogging?
Answer: It wasn’t planned, I just decided to move with the flow. I was this young fun person that just wanted to do something, not that I researched on “how to be a blogger”, “ten ways to be a blogger”, or anything like that, it just happened.
Question: What motivates you?
Answer: I encourage myself to get better, to be the best at what I do, and also strive for excellence in all I do. Now that I have a team, we ensure we push for and deliver excellence.
Question: Where do you get inspiration from?
Answer: I just try to stay happy. Music and movies helps me a lot, and my favorite genres of music are: Jazz, R & B, which all depends on my mood. But I love jazz.
Question: What is your message to women?
Answer: What I usually tell people is “be yourself, and love yourself for who you are”, you cannot take that away. The only thing you owe yourself is to get better at what you do and improve on yourself. Be the best you can be.
Question: Describe your job in one word.
Answer: I love my job, walahii, seriously, I love my job. I love the fact that it is so flexible, and it also gives you room to create things every day. The new media conference was an idea I got from a car park, and today it is a reality. So this job gives me the room to create as much as I can. I LOVE my job.
Question: Is this your retirement plan?
Answer: Aside from blogging, I have other things I’m doing, Ona-kan-O wo-ja (there isn’t just one road to the market). So I’m doing different things my sister.
Question: Who is your biggest fan?
Answer: My younger sister Olamipo is my biggest fan, I call her my PA. At a very young age, she has always been interested in media, and there was a day she called me with my mum’s number and she told me “I inspire her”, saying that she looks up to me and other people in the industry. She is still a young girl, and she’s now trying to find herself, but from the onset, she has always been my “G!” and she has always been there for me, even at a very young age. We have been going out for works- like protests & campaigns since when she was “5” and she’s currently 12 years old. So, she’s my biggest fan as far as I’m concerned.
Question: What food do you like best?
Answer: Well I’m not supposed to be eating too much of rice and anything carbohydrate, but I think rice comes first LOL!
Question: Who is your favorite food blogger?
Answer: I haven’t tasted Dunni’s (Dooneyskitchen.com) meal, but I love her work. I also love “Freesia foods” (Freesia Food’s Instagram) .I met Bukky online, and she sent me food twice, she was so sweet. She sent me Iyan (pounded yam), although I am yet to meet Bukky in person. There are a lot of food bloggers out there, everyone is coming up with different ways to improve their skills.
Question: What is your encouragement to bloggers and other media persons?
Answer: Make sure you do your work well because that is what will speak for you.
Question: Do you have a mentor-ship program for upcoming bloggers?
Answer: No I don’t.
Question: Will you start one?
Answer: I do not know, I am not sure.
Question: Where do you see Olorisupergal in 5years?
Answer: 5 years ago, 2012, Olorisupergal changed from “.blogspot.com” to “.com”, and so far it has been awesome, so in next five years, God is in control, because we keep moving.
So, I think the lesson to learn here is be open to ideas, do not limit yourself, and try something new. In some ways, Tosin and I share kinda the same values. I particularly liked it when she said she seeks to deliver “excellence”, and when she said “do your work well, because your work will speak for you”. You can tell from the architecture of her site that she practices what she says.
That will be all for now lovelies. xx
Please leave your thoughts concerning this interview in the comment box below.
Contacts:
Instagram: @Olorisupergal
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