The Lunch Hour

The Lunch Hour- Angela Emuwa, Chairman, Punch Nigeria Limited

The Lunch Hour- Angela Emuwa, Chairman, Punch Nigeria Limited

Angela Olufunmilayo Emuwa is a seasoned newspaper industry professional. She became Chairman of Punch Nigeria Ltd, publishers of Punch, Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper, in 2018.  She started her career in the industry with Newswatch Communications Limited where she rose to become Corporate Affairs Manager. She joined Africa Today, the London-based publishers of Africa Today magazine in 1995  as Advertising Sales Director and Head of Nigerian operations. In 2000, she joined another news magazine published out of London for the African continent and the African diaspora, News Africa, as Head of Operations, Nigeria. Angela has a passion for charitable activities. She is co-founder of Autism Parents Association International, an NGO for Nigerian parents of autistic children. She is a trustee and immediate past Chairperson of Golden Hearts Touching Lives Initiative, an NGO that caters for persons living with special needs in poor communities. Angela is also a member of the board of trustees of These abilities Foundation, an NGO which promotes the employability of people living with disabilities and Olamma Foundation, a mental health charity. She has a Post graduate diploma in Business Administration and also an MBA in Public Relations & Advertising. She is a member of the Institute of Directors.

And another teacher I remember was one Mrs. Obiageli in my primary school who used to tell us, “when you walk, hold your stomach in”.  I think I was about 8 years old. That has stayed with me since. Even when I was pregnant, more often than not, I held in my stomach and I think that might have helped to get my stomach back into shape after my babies. I have always been very conscious of this”.

University, Science or Arts?

Growing up, my father, the late Olu Aboderin, wanted us to get familiar with the company so he made us work in Punch during our summer holidays. We worked in different departments starting from the printing/production floor. The last department I worked in was the Advertising Department and that was where I developed the interest in advertising. I started with a professional Diploma in Communications, Advertising and Marketing (CAM) at the City College of Management Studies in London and later an HND in Business Administration and an MBA Public Relations and Advertising. I obtained the HND and MBA much later actually. My plans to further my education in the United Kingdom were affected when my father passed away in 1984 and I had to come back home. So I came back to Nigeria and started looking for a job. I joined Newswatch in January 1986 as an advertising executive.

In the light of the recent Black Lives Matter protests, what was the experience like studying in the UK in the early 1980s?

I would say it was actually quite interesting. I never saw myself as inferior to anyone. We were very confident young Nigerians and we carried ourselves with pride and dignity. There might have been subtle discrimination but I didn’t notice it.

What is the biggest lesson you got from studying in the UK?

I learnt the real meaning of independence. Taking my own decisions, taking charge of my life and being fully responsible for the consequences of decisions made especially managing my time and my finances. Early on, I got carried away but I learnt quickly. When you run out of money a few times, you learn how to budget to ensure you don’t have to go through that experience again. Back in Nigeria, during my MBA, I was already working and married with two kids. I learnt to balance my work, taking care of the kids and my home as well as my studies.

Where you in the boarding house in Nigeria before you travelled?

Yes, I was actually. I went to Queens’ School, Ibadan. That was quite a baptism for me. We are from Ibadan so my father wanted us to get familiar with our hometown. So even though I got into Queens College, Yaba, he sent me off to Ibadan. It was tough in a sense back then because we didn’t have running water, so we had to queue to fetch water in our buckets. It was about a 5 minute walk back to the dormitory with a full bucket! We used coal irons to iron our clothes because weren’t allowed to bring anything electrical to school. We had to fan the coals to make them catch fire and make sure we finished ironing before the fire died. In other words, I went from a very comfortable environment to a much less comfortable one. No air conditioner, sleeping in bunk beds, sharing open bathrooms, sweeping, hoeing etc. After my first year, however, I started getting used to it. Looking back it was quite an experience and I learnt so much from the boarding experience. For my children too, even though school was about a 10 minute drive from the house, I wanted them to experience life away from home so that it wouldn’t be completely new to them. They had started learning how to be independent before they eventually went to study abroad.

Could you mention one or two things that you have learnt while managing people that you couldn’t have been taught on any MBA programme?

I would say empathy for one. I always try to put myself in other people’s shoes. And I never look down on people. I am so passionate about this. Just because I have the opportunity to be in a certain place doesn’t mean I am better than others. Life is often about the opportunities we have. I try to encourage people and look at things from their point of view. So as a leader, it is my job to create an enabling environment to bring out the best in people. But one must also be alert to circumstances that may be affecting employees’ productivity and try and see how you can help them to be more effective at work. If they have less to worry about, they can focus more on the job they have to do which, in the end would be more profitable for the company.

Who was the bigger influence on you, mom or dad?

My mom. I come from a polygamous background. My father had other children so he wasn’t 100 percent with us after a while. So I was very close to her and I learnt from her experience. She was a career woman, a successful mortgage banker with the Lagos Building Society (LBS) which later became known as the Federal Mortgage Bank. When she was transferred to Kaduna to manage the LBS branch there, I admired the fact that she managed to make it work. My late brother and I were in boarding school in Ibadan already, so the younger ones went with her and we went to Kaduna for our holidays. I had three younger siblings. She also found time to teach me how to bake, knit, play monopoly, chess, and draughts among other things. That is not to say my dad did not influence me. But I was closer to my mother. But one thing I can say about my dad is that he was really passionate about all his children and that was one thing I loved about him.

Also Read: The Lunch Hour – Olu Akpata, Partner, Templars Law Firm

Was your dad into other businesses apart from Punch?

Yes he was. He had a property company, a travel agency, a TV rental company, two Record Labels. There was also Skyway Press which printed packaging and labels for other companies and printed the newspaper, Punch. And toilet paper production. He also had a football club and the Skylark dancers.

What is your favourite type of music?

Well, that depends on what I am doing. For instance, right now Afropop (Nigerian music) plays a big role in my life because I am into dance fitness and that is the kind of music that is best suited for it. I attend Safari dance fitness classes everyday (either zoom or physical) This is something I am quite passionate about. I get a fantastic fun workout and it also clears my mind when I am stressed. Plus it keeps me in shape. I had a session this morning and I do the evening class in the evening when I have the time.

Thank God for Zoom. Apart from this, I love jazz, RnB and classical music depending on my mood.

What kind of books do you like to read?

I like to read books on self development and leadership. Right now I am reading The Fish Rots From The Head by Bob Garrett which is about leadership and how if you don’t have strong leadership that would affect the fortunes of the company negatively. Also I have a 19-year-old son who is autistic, so I try to stay up to date on the latest strategies for managing autism as well as learning from other peoples’ experiences.

Who is your best boss ever and why?

When I was at Newswatch, my direct boss was Mr. Adeoye Roluga and I liked him because he had this positive vibe. He treated staff with dignity and was always eager to share his experiences and encourage us. His attitude was quite pleasant, he had a wonderful sense of humour and he was a great team leader.

Is there any teacher you remember that had some impact on you?

I remember my Biology teacher, Mrs. Fajola in Queens’ School, Ibadan. I really liked the way she taught the subject as well as her personality. That was the only science subject that I was able to pass and I passed with an A. She made me love biology. And another teacher I remember was one Mrs. Obiageli in my primary school who used to tell us, “when you walk, hold your stomach in”.  I think I was about 8 years old. That has stayed with me since. Even when I was pregnant, more often than not, I held in my stomach and I think that might have helped to get my stomach back into shape after my babies. I have always been very conscious of this.

What has it been like chairing the board of Nigeria’s largest newspaper?

Well, it’s been quite an experience. The appointment came with very little notice after my brother passed away suddenly in May 2018. Before then, my life was centred mainly around my son, autism and special needs advocacy. I was already on the board of Punch before the appointment but it was the last thing I was expecting. My first thoughts were reach out to women that I knew chairing boards who could share their experiences.

My second thoughts were to do with training – attending relevant courses in a bid to acquire more knowledge about chairing the board of a company effectively. I also had meetings with the managing director, Mr. Ademola Osinubi, who was very supportive. I started networking actively and it was at a GAIA dinning club dinner for business women and that I met some wonderful women who offered their support and suggested excellent board leadership training programs. It was a wonderful example of women supporting women.

I value greatly the acquisition of knowledge and the need to be fully prepared for any situation I may encounter as chairman of the board. One of my favourite phrases is ‘Knowledge is power’ so I am on a mission of continuous learning.

Being chairman of the board of Punch is also a thing of pride for me because Punch has made a name for itself over the years. Punch is known for integrity. This word means so much to me personally. The importance of integrity runs through the fabric of the whole company. There are many things Punch just won’t do. You can’t pay us to write a story in your favour. Nobody can dictate to us because we don’t take bribes or ‘brown envelopes’. Sometimes they say we are arrogant – I would say we are just very protective of our reputation. We have lost friends in high places because of our position. Punch is not against anybody; we just stand for the truth. Our mission statement is “To promote and defend the values of democracy and free enterprise and foster the principle of equal opportunities for all”.

Do you think that the coronavirus pandemic will change permanently the way people work?

Most definitely. It has actually been quite an interesting experience. Our board meetings are now done virtually and this has been very effective. I prefer to go to the office for meetings while most of the other members join virtually. But there have been instances when I could not get to the office on time so I just join the meeting wherever I am. I don’t see this changing – virtual meetings have come to stay. Editorial staff for instance don’t have to come to the office to work on or file their stories. The stories are out there and instead of wasting time in traffic trying to get back to the office, they can work from home. Interviews can also be done remotely. I don’t see us going back to the old way. In some instances, we have reduced transport allowance and increased data allowance. There are savings to be made here. Obviously, there are checks and balances to make sure everybody is doing their job.

Also Read: The Lunch Hour – Leye Falade, General Manager, Production, NLNG

What are the two things you value the most when you hire people?

Well, apart from the person having the knowledge of the job, ability to think outside the box and be creative is important. The second thing would be the ability to use one’s initiative to come up with suggestions or solutions to a problem when required.

What are your favourite places to holiday in Nigeria and abroad?

To be quite honest, I haven’t really explored holiday places in Nigeria but I would love to. I would love to go to a beach house in Lagos and just relax and unwind. Abroad, one of my favourite places is Cape Town. I love Cape Town. I used to take my son there for therapy for his autism about three times a year for about 15 years, so that place is like a second home to me – lots of beaches, green spaces and mountains. I also have quite a few friends there. Other places I would love to visit again are Santorini, St Kitt’s & Nevis and Mauritius.

What is the best use of money to you?

Making sure my children have the best start in life, education especially because that is their springboard for the future. Then I look around me to see who needs help-e.g. school fees for children from a needy family and/or for their parents, financial support for starting a business. I do what I can when I can. What gives me joy is having a positive impact on people’s lives and knowing that I made a difference. This to me is the best use of money. 

Someone you would like to spend a holiday with?

My husband and my family. Otherwise it would be my girlfriends – we would just go out there, relax, have fun and be ourselves.

What is the number one thing you would like the Lagos State Government to deliver on?

I think the state of infrastructure, especially the roads. I know that a lot is being done but I think they need to speed it up. Life is hard enough for Lagosians. Commuting in Lagos is tough, so the sooner it is done the better. It’s also urgent that Lagos delivers a mixed transportation system integrating use of rail and waterways. I know that some things were going on in this direction but they seem to have stopped.

Would you accept that Punch has a responsibility to enhance the masses’ understanding of economic policy?

Yes, we do, and we believe that when the masses have a better understanding of economic policies, it will increase their participation and their ability to take advantage of these policies for their benefit thus reducing poverty in the society.

Already, we have pages in the newspaper for this purpose; Daily AM Business page, Money, Personal Banking and Agro Punch. The PUNCH will continue with these pages and even create new ones for this purpose.

The Lunch Hour will be conducted over Zoom till further notice due to new coronavirus pandemic.

Abimbola Agboluaje

Abimbola is Managing Director of WNT Capitas . He consults on strategic communications and investment risk.

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