Success they say is not achieved by a sudden flight. That is, those who have achieved success genuinely did so by the grace of God and a dint of hardwork. However, beyond deploying spiritual, mental and physical efforts to achieving such feat, the place of attitude cannot be ignored.
And for Mother Osaretin Afusat Demurin, toning down her social engagements was a pattern she adopted while she pursued her career.
Mother Demurin who recently stepped down as the first female chairman of Guaranty Trust Bank is a member of The Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim (ESOCS). Having carved a niche for herself in the banking sector, with experience spanning over three decades at the Central Bank of Nigeria, she is now reputed as a force to reckon with in the nation’s financial industry.
Meanwhile, to have her speak about her background in the media is uncommon, as she rarely grants interview.
But recently, the boardroom juggernaut did the unusual, as she shared her experience in a meeting facilitated by the coordinator of AEGIS, Seraph Cynthia Olajuwon, with the publisher of Acts of Seraphs also in attendance. She revealed that attaining the level she is today was a function of God’s grace and extra efforts on her part.
What stems from a question posed to her on how she was able to strike a balance between her career and the home would have her disclose that: “As a female, trying to keep up with the demands at the workplace wasn’t easy. Some people would say, ‘Oh! She’s a woman.’ But it’s not because I’m a woman. I had to work late and spend extra time in order to achieve my goal. And I have to make up for that time somewhere and that is what the social aspect paid for. When you work late, the house also should not suffer.”
“Being a woman in that environment was tough. Because it meant I had to work for longer hours. You have to put in extra hours. And those are the things your bosses will notice. ‘Is this man or woman rushing home or ensuring that success is achieved at work?’ However, work and family life would need to be balanced. It is just that it’s tougher for a woman,” she added.
Mother Demuren noted that her husband was not only supportive but also the understanding type in such regard. Of course, this is no other than a former Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority who is also an accomplished aeronautical engineer, Dr. Harold Demuren.
As the inquirer seeks to have her motivate the younger ones through her responses, Mother Demuren won’t hesitate to follow suit, as she averred that there are a lot of problems that abound on the way to success. But it is necessary to arrange them according to their relative importance. She stressed that getting one’s priorities right would do well.
The septuagenarian who is known for her disciplined nature also revealed that it took a long time before she started responding to social life. “Something has to go,” she quipped.
“My social life suffered all that time, I must tell you. My social life was zero. Something has to go. There’s no way I’ll be doing all these and still want to go to social event on Saturday. It wasn’t possible. So, that Early time, my social life was down. There was no how you would say you’re doing something – I won’t attend. The best I can do is to put something in the envelope, buy a card and send to you.”
According to her, “You have to decide at that time which aspect of your life has to go. But for me, it was my social life.” As making such a choice leaves her with no option, Mother Demuren would not let it take a toll on her spiritual life, as well as her commitment to God’s work.
She further disclosed that, “the church could not go because I was in charge of the Children Sunday school unit. That was completely untouchable. Something has to give way for the other to excel.”
While admonishing Seraphs, she said, “Get your priorities right. Request for God’s assistance and guidance. He, the Alpha and Omega, knows your end from the beginning. God has a beautiful plan for the destiny He has given us.”
Seraph Dayo Oyewo. A Journalist/Social Entrepreneur. He loves meeting new people. Favourite Hymn: Ji Okan mi dide layo
