Joyce Daniels: The more we see successful women, the easier it is to know it’s possible
Joyce Daniels is a social engineering practitioner, thought leader, nation builder, speaker, and event host master of ceremony in the corporate space, with about 15 years of experience. The graduate of Anatomy from the University of Port Harcourt is an advocate of social justice, political and economic reforms. She is an associate at Women in Business, Management and Public Service (WIMBIZ), a mentor at Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR) and member of Women in Energy, Oil & Gas (WEOG). She is a fellow, pioneer cohort of the ElectHER Future Lawmakers Programme, an intensive five-month legislative and leadership development initiative for aspiring female lawmakers where she served as class governor.
Daniels has authored two books in her field of speaking and event hosting and has trained over 12,000 individuals in speaking and MC job combined, across eight countries. She hails from Idunwele-Ewu community in Esan Central Local Council of Edo State where she aspired to serve as chairman of the local government on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). She speaks to IJEOMA THOMAS-ODIA in this interview on her passion for grassroots politics despite building a successful career as an event host.
Share with us your growing up and how it informed your career path?
GROWING UP, I was the restless talkative child who was always willing, ready and able to express herself to almost anyone and on almost any subject. Through primary school up till secondary school, I was always in a debate or press club. The first time I held the microphone to serve as MC at an event I was 10 years old. It was the First Lady’s children’s concert in Abuja organised by Maryam Babangida, the then First Lady of Nigeria. I loved and enjoyed the experience. After that came the opportunity to serve as MC at parties for friends, birthdays, weddings, church events and so on. I did it out of love and enjoyment for it until I understood that it could be a profession, a well paying profession that would expose me to amazing networks of people. Thus, the decision was not difficult to make to become a speaker full time. I realised that what came very naturally and easily to me was a big deal for a lot of people. Hence, training people also to speak and organise their thoughts and desires in the way they can communicate in public was not a tough choice for me. My parents and siblings allowed me express myself. I am number seven of nine children and, as much as they would always want me to speak with respect and empathy, nobody ever stopped me from speaking. They allowed me to express myself. I think this really helped shape how and why I chose to be a speaker. As a politician and a woman in governance and leadership, I will always speak on my thought process, on behalf of my people. I speak on growth and development and so much more. So, I believe the atmosphere in which I grew up greatly informed my career path, which has all culminated in me being in the leadership space, where I have to use my voice for the good of my country.
You have built a career path as one of the most sought female event hosts in the corporate space. How would you describe your journey?
My journey has been interesting. I remain ever grateful to my clients from all sectors of the economy that have given me the privilege to express my craft and earn very good money. It has been an eye opening and very fulfilling, this is because I chose the line of career that I wanted. I could have done different things, but I chose this. Also, I knew that there would be many men and women like me who are what I describe as ‘restless talkatives’ that would want to be useful and make their voices useful in the space of event hosting. So, I have ensured that I always leave a path that others can follow by way of seminars, webinars, YouTube videos, and trainings.
I have spoken at several events over the years. I have trained over 2,000 MCs directly and indirectly through paid and free events, and of course, a book titled ‘Mastery’ to do what I do. My journey has been one of ‘learning to become’ and ‘learning to teach’.
You are an advocate of social justice, political and economic reform. How are you championing your cause?
I speak up. I speak up wherever I need to speak up, be it in small groups, in my immediate space, within larger groups via webinars, workshops and so on. I ensure that my voice is heard. I also make commentaries on media platforms from time to time. So I would say ‘advocacy’ really is about what is said and where it is said. At the School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG) class of 2022 where I graduated as the female class valedictorian, our capstone project was or should I say is ‘Reform Our Constitution’. To this end, we have had conversations to enlighten people about the gaps in the constitution and why we need to have them addressed. This is a part of the political reform that would lead to better social justice and economic development.
You have gone into politics. What prepared you for it?
I would say everything. Everything has prepared me for politics because I have always been of the opinion that politics is a daily way of life for everyone. Politics is required in business, education and life in general. How we marry, choose our careers and so on. We take charge and control of things via politics everyday. Even determining how you choose what you wear to work could be political. So life, everything in life has prepared me for it. Coming into the political space, I read books by people who have served in different spheres in governance, policymaking and politics and I learnt from their stories. I was a fellow of the ElectHer Future Lawmakers Programme, pioneer cohort to prepare us for governance. I have attended the School of Politics Policy and Governance (SPPG). I have political mentors, people I seek counsel from. I am constantly learning, as I don’t know that there is ever a 100 per cent state of being prepared for anything, including politics. I’m am work in progress.
What are the challenges you may encounter and how will you surmount them?
I like to be very clear that there is nothing new under the sun and no challenge that only pertains to politics. Challenges include not knowing enough, so I continue to ask questions. It could also be funding, or the drive to mobilise and reach people, which is also one of the challenges involved in business. So, it is not peculiar to politics. I surmount that with personal savings and also reach out to family, friends and partners, people who believe in the cause, and are willing, able and ready to support the cause through not only finance, but other types of interventions. There are people who are willing to carry campaign needs beyond money. Somebody might support mobilisation by giving a vehicle or a place to work out of. So, those are the challenges. There are many people who are afraid to come into politics because they think the challenges in politics are unique to politics. In my humble opinion, they are not. Other challenges that I might encounter would be dealing and working with people who have different interests. That, again, is not peculiar to politics. I get around this by constantly seeking the right counsel and advising and knowing who I am, what my values are, what I stand for, where I am headed and knowing where to draw the line with respect to those parties involved and ultimately just trusting God for His protection and His guidance. That I think is a go-to because God will always show us the way to surmount any challenge we encounter, but, of course, I must be prepared with the right knowledge and wisdom to take action.
What drives you?
Be fruitful, multiply, replenish, subdue the earth, have dominion. This drives me every single day. To be fruitful where I am and in my chosen line, I have, whether as a master of ceremonies, a mindset coach or a nation builder and politician, been fruitful and multiply. Be fruitful, give attention to the work at hand, get other people who can do the same, multiply, replenish. It drives me every single day.
How do you combine your many sides and still be at your best?
There is time for everything. When it is time to speak as a master of ceremony, I get all the relevant information and put on the best performance possible. When it is time to be quiet and learn from mentors and take counsel, then be quiet and learn. When it is time to speak up as a burdened politician or nation builder, then I get the right knowledge and right information and speak up. So, combining different sides is about being aware on every side where I need to be fruitful and multiply. That’s how I thrive. Of course there is family support from my husband, our children, parents, friends and even well wishers. I think being my best all round is a combination of self-will, drive and support from those who love and care for me.
How can we get more women to become successful and rise to the top as you have done; what tips do you have for younger women?
First, I believe it is being aware that we can. Helping to spread the awareness that we can. This process has been on for several years and it continues to grow. The more we see successful women in business, management, public service, politics, the easier it is to know that it is possible. There is need for constant, consistent and intentional reaching out to other women to say we can. So, I reach out to women to say ‘this is what I am doing, you can do it too’. Being in their faces as best as we can to say ‘we can’ is a great step, and we can never undermine or underestimate it. We can let them know that they can. We can also show how. It is not only women who would teach women how to be successful, it is also men, it is everybody. The stories of success are everywhere and we need to encourage women to see themselves in the success and do the work that success requires because success is not gender-based, neither is it gender-sensitive. Success comes to the people who apply the principles of success. We know that there may be or there are some peculiar challenges facing women, we talk about these challenges, we proffer the solutions and we continue to grind.
For younger women, I will say, be true to self. Just like the popular saying of ‘Man know thyself’. I say ‘woman know thyself’. Be aware of who you are, what you want, what you can handle, what you cannot handle, what you are willing and not willing to do and then ‘go for it’. Secondly, get the right knowledge to run with your dream and then develop the courage and confidence to do it.
What key lessons have you learnt in your years of practice and impacting?
First lesson is to be authentic. Be true to yourself. Know what it is that you really want, and put your entire life into getting it. Know what is most important to you. Do not try to be someone else. ‘Borrow belief’ from other people, learn success factors from books and people, but let it only add to the truth of who you really are. I think this is the greatest lesson that I have learnt in practice. In impacting, my greatest lesson is being a student and not just a follower, asking questions. Do not accept any information hook, line and sinker because someone you believe in who is a mentor or role model to you said so. Take everything in context. Some advice will only work in certain context. Some pieces of advice will work at certain times and places, but not everywhere. So, know where what works. Be very context aware.
What do you hope to see Nigerian women do differently?
I hope that we stop seeing ourselves as victims only and start seeing ourselves as solution providers. Solution providers to the challenges in every sphere of life, be it business, politics, governance, science, technology, education, entertainment, arts, Maths, everything. We must see ourselves as solution providers always. I would love us to understand our place as different types of leaders. I personally do not believe that women are better leaders, I believe that women are different leaders and the combination of the difference between how we lead and how men lead is necessary. This is where the balance comes in. Then again, it is not only Nigerian women I will want to see do these things differently, I would also like to see Nigerian men not being threatened by the difference in the leadership style of women, but rather to embrace it for the betterment of the community and the entire society.
