In an exclusive interview with Gloria Olufeko, granted Bayo Speaks as a face of the week. She revealed her background, lifestyle, career and achievements.

Gloria Olufeko is the Founder of TGO Media. TGO Media is an outlet bound to take care of media services and media coverage for events and conferences.

She is an award-winning Radio Broadcaster. A Media Personality, an International Event Compere, a Voice – Over Artist, and a Diction Coach.

Background Check;

May we get to meet you; who really is Gloria Olufeko?

Gloria Olufeko is an award-winning Radio Broadcaster. A Media Personality, an International Event Compere, a Voice – Over Artist, and a Diction coach. I am also the founder of TGO Media. TGO Media is an outlet bound to take care of media services and media coverage for events and conferences. Above all, I am an all-round Media perrsonality.

Can you please tell us about your background?

I had a very native traditional background; the mom, the dad and the siblings. It was such a nuclear native traditional kind of upbringing for me. I was brought up in the way of the Lord, I was born into a Christian family and I am the first child of three children and the only girl.

I had a beautiful background with my parents supporting me all the way. So, there’s nothing much about my background, just a beautiful traditional native kind of background.

Briefly tell us about your educational background?

I started my primary school education in Ibadan at Future Foundation Nursery and Primary School, in Ibadan. And then I moved to Concord Preparatory School. Then I moved to Lagos to further my education at Chrystab Nursery and Primary School, where I finished my primary school education. And when I was done at Chrystab, I went to Supreme Hight College at Oyemekun around Ifako Ijaye. I did my Jss1, Jss2 and Jss3. Then from there I moved to Africa Church Model College and that was where I finished my secondary school education. Thereafter, I further to university education at Obafemi Awolowo University and I read English Language. In consideration for Master’s Degree Program, I am looking at running it at the Pan Antlantic University, Lagos. Where I’m going to get a Master’s of Science Degree in Media and Communication. So yeah, that’s my educational background.

Also, I’ve gotten certificate courses from The West African Broadcast Media Academy, that’s WABMA in event hosting and compering. I’m also looking at getting a certificate course in Brand Communication’s at the University of Ravensbourne in London. It’s going to be an online… All of these are still in view but I’m looking forward to getting all of that. So pretty much that has been my educational background so far.

What do you do for a living?

I teach Dictions. I’m currently the head of Media and Communication at one of Nigeria’s finest real estate company. I head the media and comms’ of the real estate company, so I can say I am also into real estate. I also host event in various categories “MC Events, Red Carpet, Seminars, Conferences, and Summits”. So, once you need an MC or you need a Host, I do that excellently both in formal and semiformal event.

What do you enjoy most about being an OAP?

What I love most about being an OAP is people get to hear me. I have such an amazing voice, and I love the fact that my voice can be a channel of support and strength when people listen to my voice, they find succor, they find warmth, they find relief listening to me. So, I love being heard, I guess that’s why I’m in the media.

How do you get to prepare a content before presenting a speech?

Before presenting a speech, you do your research, get to know what exactly the speech is all about. Do your research. Get online, Google it, look up in the dictionary and get your facts right. One mistake you can make when you want to present a speech is to give wrong fact, so get your facts right, get the figures right. If you’re going to be doing statistics, get your facts right. Make sure that you check on google, on YouTube. I use YouTube a lot, and I think just pen down your thoughts. Make sure that you run it by somebody. That’s what I do again before I give out any speech, I make sure I run it by somebody to check. Check for errors, plagiarism, you could look up Grammarly, I use Grammarly a lot to look for my errors, plagiarism when I use to write articles those days. I mean, pretty much just do your research. If you need to get the titles and designation of people, make sure you get them right. Don’t refer to a Prof as a Dr. That’s one big mistake you can ever make when you are referring to somebody, you want to say oh I want to thank Dr., meanwhile that person is a Prof. You are looking for trouble that way. If you know you don’t want to hold paper you can just pen them down into bullet points. As I mean yeah, pretty much. You are good to go.

Can you share a time you were at work and thought “I love doing this, I can’t believe I’m getting paid right now?”

Oh yeah, I do! Radio before now used to be just something I do in passing because I love radio. But when I got my first paid radio job, I was like… It really feels good to do what you love and get paid for it. So, I love the fact that I do what I love and I get paid for it. It’s was an amazing feeling!

Was there a career setback you faced which you later realized was an advantage?

Yes, I think there was a time I was an executive assistant to one of Baba Ijebu’s daughter. I got sacked, that was August 2020. Because she said she needed someone living close to her because it was during the covid period. I felt like God what’s going in this situation where there’s no work, where there’s no money… How can I get sacked like that blah blah blah blah… And then two months after I got a radio job September, October and I resumed for the radio job in November. Many at times in life “Behind every cloud there’s always a silver lining”.

Do you think brands will suffer without Brands Influence?

You cannot underestimate the value of brand influencers because they have the purchasing power. They have people that believe in them. Believe in what they say. And so, if they bring a brand to you, you’re forced to buy from the brand, not because you necessarily like the brand but because the brand influencer brought the brand to you and you love that person.

So, will brand suffer without brand influencer?

No.

Why?

Because we’ve seen brand that have done very well without influencing. They literally do not need to go to any brand influencer to say come and talk about our product and they sell. They, like they literally sell. But then again, when they grow big, they sign brand ambassadors, yeah… They sign brand ambassadors who will help push the business forward.

So, will I say that will they not do well? They will do well, but maybe not as much as if they had a brand influencer. There are many businesses today would have not thrived if nobody influences for them. But again, there are many businesses that are doing well irrespective of the fact that nobody is influencing for them. So, the answer is yes, and no. It’s such a dicey answer.

What do you like doing in your spare time?

I used to read but I don’t like reading anymore. I watch movies in my spare time. I sleep! I love to sleep in my spare time because I do not have time to sleep when I’m busy. Once I’m busy like this, I don’t sleep. So, when I have a little time to nap, I quickly nap. Then watch movies, then read.

Describe yourself in one word?

Excellent

Can you share with us an embarrassing moment where you were able to laugh at yourself?

It really happened to me this morning on Instagram during this election period, I posted something on Instagram and i usually call my Instagram followers tribe members. I mean, when I hit 20,000 followers, I started calling them tribe members because I currently have about 25k+ followers right now. So, I started calling them tribe members, because I’ve found my tribe. I’ve found people that believe in me, they love what I do, they accept me. So, I call them my tribe. Back to my embarrassing moment, 1^st of March on my Instagram saying congratulations to the President elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, but irrespective of what’s happening in this country, it’s going to be good for my tribe members and myself… You know I just prayed as per it’s a new month and irrespective of whoever is the president, it’s going to be well with us. Because we cannot deny the fact that they’ve announced this man as the president. We’re not happy about it, yeah, but what has come be has come to be. You understand, we’re so sad, we are angry. But he’s the president elect, even if we sleep and wake up, he’s still the president elect. It’s so sad. But that’s what has just happened in our country. So, I was just saying that irrespective of whoever is on the throne, it’s going to be well with me and my tribe members. And so, people got it so bad, they said I’m tribalistic, why will I use the word tribe. And I was trying to explain to everybody that I call my Instagram followers tribe. I’m not talking of tribe members of ethnicity; I’m talking about tribe members of my followers. People that followed me from when I was at 0 followers, that no I call my followers tribe members. So, it was really an embarrassing moment. I kept laughing and laughing to myself all day. I scolded myself yeah, but then again, I was laughing and I’m like Gloria who sent you a message, you just say you should greet people in peace o. Look at… I voted for Peter Obi, and I’m not happy that this guy is on the throne. But what do I do about it? I just quickly have to accept my fate and start confessing positive things for myself and my tribe members. But arguable it looks like some people that are just new to my following do not understand and took it another way. And it was really an embarrassing moment… I have the achieve my post, went offline for some days. It was really an embarrassing moment for me. But then again, we learn, we learn from these things.

Which five companions dead or alive, would you like to invite to a dinner party?

Tomike Adeoye, Mojibade Sosanya, Olive Emodi, Ayo Mario Ese and Temi Badru. If I can have these five women surround me on a table, “Sope it’s gone”. I love and adore them.

In what ways are people from your industry making a difference in the world?

The Media and Communication Industry is such a vast industry because it’s the voice of the people. The social media, traditional media, new media, the print media, television and radio. It’s such a powerful tool that can either make or mar an entire nation. So, I mean people in the media are doing amazing and fantastic. They are changing the cause of the world using the media as a tool to cause change.

What are some of your achievements?

I don’t like this part because it looks like… I don’t want to blow my horns. Sometimes I sit back and I’m like, hmmm… Many a times when I look at the things that I’ve not achieved, I take a pause and I go back to the things that I’ve achieved and I’m so grateful.

So, what have you achieved?
I won Nigeria’s 25 under 25 Category under Media and Communications in 2021, I am the CEO of TGO MEDIA. It’s a media company that’s about to be launched very soon, watch out. I am an accomplished growing, fast-growing event compere in Nigeria, I have been featured on the career body website as the career lady of the week. I have been featured by several blogs and up and coming blog. I’ve spoken at several Conferences, Hosted several Events. I’m also the founder of What Is Radio. What Is Radio is an online conference for up-and-coming radio presenters, but it’s on hold for now. I’m just there doing my things, fulfilling my dreams, living my purpose and obeying God.

So, I really do not have the achievements written down somewhere, but I know once in a while I need to sit down and gather all of my achievements and awards together and then just praise myself and say well done, very well done.

Where do you hope to be in the next four years?

In the next four years I hope to have my own location for TGO MEDIA. TGO MEDIA is The Gloria Olufeko Media. I hope to have a high land Website catering for media services and related services. I also hope to start my own shoe line because I love shoes a lot. So, I hope to have my own shoe line, where I produce my own shoes at House of Staglom. I hope to be a well-travelled Event MC, host events outside of Nigeria, Africa and other Continent of the world. I hope to get all of the laurels. I hope to be happily married with my kids in four years from now. In four years from now I also hope to be a major voice in the media industry. Like when you want to count 1-10 media personalities in Nigeria. Not just radio, TV, but media all round bound media personality.

How can our readers connect with you?

You can connect with me on Instagram @ Thegloriaolufeko, LinkedIn @gloriaolufeko, Twitter at Golufeko and on Facebook OlufekoKikegloria. You can also connect with me via email for bookings only gloriaolufeko@gmail.com