BY MOSES NOSIKE
Mrs. Elizabeth Ngozi Ehigiamusoe, popularly known as Ehiliz , her pet name as a gospel artiste. As a gospel artiste cum managing director of a micro-leasing company, has impacted much on the lives of many that come across her particularly with her recently released album titled: “Ndidi” (Patience).

In this interview with Woman In Her Prime, she said, women can achieve a lot if they plan well and work out their plans in the midst of home management. She equally revealed that since women are home makers, every woman should be a role model in her home. Excerpts:

You have worked with former New Nigeria Bank as a chartered banker, now a gospel artist and managing director of a leasing company, Micro Investment Support Services Ltd, how is your experience the environment?

As a matter fact, we have been liberated to some extent because our men now allow women to go to school and as well do other things to support the family. Again, the economic situation of the country is not something a woman should not leave alone family responsibilities for the man to take care.

Ehigiamusoe

So, like other women, I rightly say, I have been contributing to the welfare of my family in my little way to assist my husband take care of our family. Nigerian women are hard working and gone are the days for laziness. Nobody wants to be a liability any more. We are all doing something to make sure that we support our husbands.

With the challenges associated with home management and career building, how can a woman position herself for achievement?

Achievement in life is all about planning and God’s grace. You have to plan your work and work on your plan.  A lot of women are achieving because they are not focused. Some rely fully on their husband.

Personally, I try as much as possible to carry on together, combine my programmes with the way I planned it out. Like I said, going to studio I’m not a full time gospel musician, so I do other things in life. I’m also a student running a part time programme at the University of Benin. And my husband has equally seen that one man can’t really carry everything.

There is need to empower women to help their families so that things would work out fine. So, he assisted by giving me consent to doing what I’m doing today. My music line is a passion I had from time and he was even convinced that I had a passion for music even before he married me I was singing.

I don’t think it will be wise for him to say put a stop for now, especially when I’m singing to praise the name of God, who has kept us till this time. I need to appreciate Him with my song, because I know there are some of my colleagues who are not alive today.

Many women are not achieving like their men counterparts, what is your take on this?

Sometimes illiteracy is one of the causes. Like I told you earlier, women are now liberated these days, unlike before when it’s believed that women are to be seen and not heard. And there are certain professions women should not embark on unlike the men. And those days it was said that women’ education ends in the kitchen and all that. But gradually women are overcoming all that.

Another reason is inferior complex , to the extend that they don’t like to hold positions even in government parastatals or in the public sector. But I think the few ones that out there, we encourage them that it worths doing. I don’t really want to conclude it that what man can do woman can do better. I think there is need for women to wake up. Even in the church, we advise them to hold on what they are doing and given to them. They can even do better.

May be in Nigeria we will only come back to what we are expecting, when a woman becomes a governor of a state or president of this country, it’s possible, because women have power and God gave us wisdom to manage things that are committed into our cares.

How are you coping with the stress of managing a micro leasing outfit, your home and also singing?

Like I said earlier, I’m not playing music to make money. I do that mostly on Sundays in church services because I don’t go to work on Sunday.

Then Saturdays I handle other things because I have made up my mind to become a success despite stress and challenges. On weekly days, as a managing director of a macro leasing outfit, a subsidiary of LAPO, I have been running it for quite sometime now and God is helping us to move from one level to another.

It’s all about making up your mind to plan well and make sure you work on your plans. It’s possible with God’s grace to carry out our human activities. In all, I attribute our success to the grace of God. Women are capable if they make up their mind and remain focused.

In this part of the world, it seems women find it difficult break even in politics, as a woman why is it so?

Even though I’m not a politician, I feel that the system is bad and that is why women are finding it difficult to secure positions. I told my husband that even if I’m asked to become the first lady today, I’m not ready.

I’m satisfied with where I am. The system is corrupt and polluted. And it has got to that level that if you can’t beat them you join them.  Like it’s always said that ‘a tree can’t make a forest’.

Except by the grace of God, there will be somebody that would single himself or herself out and said, this is what I want to do, but even with that if you are agreeing with them, they will get you out of the way.

So, those women who have the got, I praise them and encourage to move forward. I also encourage them to cause a change the world will see and not pitching tents with those who are not doing anything.

At 50, a lot of young women out there would like to learn of your experience in the civil service, as a mother and how you overcame the hurdles as a woman. And more to that, women are often time faced with sexual harassment, what is your advice?

On a more serious note I have not faced that since I got married. I had that experience when I was a single because once you are single you can’t rule that out. Sometimes, your boss will ask you to out with him.

The first thing that would help a woman overcome that is the way and manner you comport yourself. If you are such a loose person you are giving not only your boss but others to say anything they like to say.

There are also some men even when you comport yourself, they will still come to try, in that case maintain your integrity as God has made it; one man and one woman in marriage. Even though your boss might punish you unnecessarily because you don’t want to mess yourself up, maintain your position. After a while he will realise that you are a woman with integrity.

However, women should not give in to such temptation because of fear or love of money, I mean you have sold your birth right and that is how I look at it.

Women, stand on your feet, respect your husband because you saw other men before you decided to settle with him. Whether there is enough food on the table or not, work with your husband, plan together with him, before you know it, God will open a way for you.

What is your definition of womanhood?

In fact, a home that is well made lies in the hand of the woman I must confess. In Proverb 14:1said, a wise woman builds her home with her hand and also a foolish one destroys her home with her hand. In my group Full Gospel where I’m a member, it was taught there woman are home maker while the men are home builder.

The role of women in the home should not be over emphasised because children tend to stay with their mothers often time.

Most time, men are out there looking for what the family would eat even though we women are contributing in little measure. So the woman is expected to be the role model of the children every aspect – training your children not to tell liars.

Let their yes be yes and no be no. And that is the way I’m training my children and anytime they do anything and I asked them, they will tell me the truth. That was the way I was brought up. And my husband knows me that.

The Bible said: “Train up a child in the way he should go and he grows up, he will not depart from it.

A woman should live a life worthy of emulation because your children are watching, that is part of womanhood. Instill truth in the family. Be honest with every human being. Be hardworking at home etc.