Our Comms Spotlight for this week is Lolade Ajekigbe-Dina, Manager, Media, Content Development and Digital Management at BDC Communications. Ololade’s love and passion for writing has been a beacon of light through her career journey. While building her career in Communications, she has also worn the hats of writer and blogger, proving that you can balance career development and personal interests.
Tell us about how you began your career in Communications and the deliberate steps you took to grow professionally.
Looking back, my career has always somewhat revolved around Communications even when I did not think it did. However, I would say my career in comms officially kicked off when I secured a role as a senior copywriter and content developer in a consulting firm several years ago.
Before then, I had discovered my love for writing and attended a Brand Communications school where I honed my skills in strategy development and copywriting.
Over the years, and as I took on bigger roles, I have been deliberate about learning on the job, seeking knowledge through independent study, taking courses, attending trainings, and paying rapt attention when I find myself in rooms with peers and more experienced comms professionals. It also helps that I have always considered myself a lifelong learner so there’s an innate desire to learn and improve at what I do.
Can you tell us what you do as the Manager, Media, Content Development and Digital Management at BDC Communications?
I play an oversight function as a team lead to ensure quality service delivery to the clients my organisation services. A typical day involves attending to client requests, reviewing documents including press releases, articles, scripts, social media posts, copy, media plans and budgets, and other forms of content.
I am also responsible for developing strategy documents, coordinating brainstorming sessions, managing stakeholders, engaging the media, making presentations, and generally ensuring that I am on top of the accounts I manage.
Tell us about some highlights or moments that have made your career journey more colourful.
A recent personal highlight would be receiving an open commendation from a client who had never met me before yet was impressed about my presentation skills. It was a virtual pitch and the client was sold immediately on the strength of that presentation. The third-party validation meant a lot to me.
Another moment would be seeing a PR campaign my team and I worked on being nominated for the Cannes Lions Awards in faraway France. We had developed the communication for the Trophy Stout Reclaim Your DNA campaign which focused on galvanising stakeholders to demand the return of Nigeria’s stolen artefacts from foreign museums.
I still remember how excited I was to learn that we had been nominated for the prestigious award. The campaign also went on to win several international awards. Aside from these, every “job well done” from a client, successful campaign, and quelled crisis are moments that have coloured my career so far.
You’ve written and blogged consistently over the years. How have you been able to balance your personal interests with work while avoiding burnout?
I think my love for writing and generally expressing myself in written words trumps the fatigue I feel sometimes. With blogging, I haven’t been as consistent as I was some years ago, but I have also evolved into other forms of written expression that focus on sharing my knowledge of writing, PR and communication.
I am no superhuman, I have taken breaks a few times when I was overwhelmed. At those times, I remind myself that it’s okay to pause and catch my breath either because of the demands of family life, other important engagements or projects I have to attend to.
How has your experience in Communications helped you advocate for women’s voices?
I have volunteered my writing skills to a few Non-Governmental Organisations and fora that seek the advancement of women. As a communications professional, I am able to articulate the demands and benefits of supporting women to attain economic independence to stakeholders in a way that speaks to the heart of the matter, while also employing the “language” or form of expression that appeals to the different categories of stakeholders.
What advice will you give to young professionals who want to follow your path?
Love writing. Develop a love for writing until you become good at it. Develop your public speaking and presentation skills too. It is practically impossible to be a successful communications professional without honing the core skills of writing and speaking.
Be open to learning. Seek knowledge at all times and deliberately attend sessions and events where you can learn from other professionals. Read – never stop reading. Also, be diligent: diligence makes all the difference on the long run.
