... As Ex- Ekiti LG Boss And CEO A-Z Event Expert, Chief Mrs. (Hon.) Folasade Akinrinmola, Speaks On Her Event Business And 3 Years In The Industry.
In the last 4 years, your political party (PDP) has been out of government. What have you been doing?
Thanks so much, I want to give glory to God Almighty for the opportunity and grace to be able to sustain until now since 2018. I left office in December 2017 as the Executive Chairman, Gboyin Local government area, (My local government). Before I venture into politics years back; I have businesses that I run and am still doing it. I'm a farmer, and I have a gift shop. In other to widen my scope of business, in 2018 I joined the event industry as a professional, though have been doing events before then.
After leaving office in 2018, I saw reasons why I needed to put my house in order and push for a professional course in the event industry; to become an event planner. In April same year, I enroll in a 6-month course at Busy bee Event Academy, Lagos as a sandwich student, it was a combination of both online training and practice aspects that require us to be at the Lagos campus and today am a Certified Event Planner. While at the Busy Bee Academy, I attended an event conference in the United States; and in 2020, I went for another course in balloon decorations. So, my last 4 years had been engaging. Aside from all this I also run a store where I sell wine, gift items, and couriers (3 in 1 Marts) you get everything you need there and our gift is a UK standard. Coming to politics, in 2020 I was appointed the State Woman Leader of the PDP Ekiti state chapter. Aside from being an event planner, I'm an entrepreneur and a politician through am not comfortable when people refer to me or attached politics to what I do. So I will say my last 4 years had been engaging.
Within the space of 3 years, the A-Z event expert has become a household name, how does that make you feel?
Hmmm, it had been grace and those who know me well, know that I pay attention to details and I will always put my best in whatever thing I laid my hands on. I leverage on my weakness, weaknesses in the sense that anything I want to do, either positive or negative, I make sure I push it to a stage where I will get a good result. Most times as a Christian, I put it before God, so I can utilize the positive aspect, more than the negative. So, talking about 3 years of A-Z events becoming a household name, I want to return the glory to God because he had been the one leading our steps and path since the journey started in 2018. Again, I will say passion had lead us to where we are today. At AZ events, we are focusing not only to promote the brand but rather to make our client's dream event come to reality.
What inspired you into events, and how did it all start?
I didn't just gamble into events, it was something I had to have passion for. I have a passion for parties; I organize and coordinate events before attending the training. Back then, I coordinate the activities marking the 100 days in office of former Ekiti state governor, Gov. Ayodele Fayose during his first term in office and the commissioning of all the projects. Then I did the decoration despite not knowing much about it. I coordinated the ladies for ushers and some of them today are big players in the Event industry in Ekiti State, the likes of Chico décor boss, and Cake affairs among others, they all work for me, some as a copper, and some as an undergraduate.
Until 2017 when I attended a friend’s birthday party in the U.S. and the Ogun State PDP Woman Leader; asked me to join her in preparing for her daughter’s wedding and I did. During their church wedding, the pastor that ministered that day, while preaching walked towards me and said, “That thing you are doing for free, put more effort and do it better, to get more money”. It was as if my heaven was open, and I key into the message. Immediately, after I return to Nigeria, I was not comfortable because it was as if God used the pastor to tell me the direction to go. I don’t know the man of God and I can't even remember the name of the church, but that day, he spoke my word and I grab it. So I said to myself, instead of me doing it for free, I will go to school and have proper training. The training prepares me for the challenges ahead in the event business. That was how it all started and in April this year, we clock 3 years in the event business.
What year did you start professionally?
Looking back I will say I started events close to 2 decades ago; I used to plan and coordinate my friend's events because they believe am capable of handling them. But professional 4 years ago.
So far, how many events have you planned?
To the glory of God, I will say plus or minus I have planned well over 30 events, courtesy of A-Z events both in and outside Ekiti state, and we are still counting. I will use this medium to appreciate those who had contributed to the journey so far, thanks for being part of our success story.
How did you come across the name A-Z Event Experts?
Before attending event school, I have a registered name, but I felt my event business needs to bear a different name, so why I was meditating on the name, I seek the face of the Lord. Secondly, while at the event school, I realized that events have various departments like planning, photographers, decoration, ushering, catering, and many more. But I like the planning aspect of it because it allows one to meet and plan with clients in other to achieve their dream party. And in the course of the training at Busy Bee, we were advised to pick more than two departments so that we can be able to diversify because people don’t believe much in event planners rather they will tell you that Mrs. A or Mrs. B will come and assist them in planning because event planner will request for consultation fee. So, I thought to myself that I need a name that will cover everything that has to do with the event, so I decided to use alphabetical means that is A-Z event. For everything you require for your event, ask A-Z Event Expert, our job is to render quality service to our clients through a trusted vendor.
As an Event planner, how will you rate or better say your view on event planners in Ekiti state?
Before I came into the industry fully, I spoke with 2 of my friends who are into the event business in Ekiti and one of them who happens to be my senior colleague, said "Chairman if you know, you want to come into the industry, you need to go to event school because most people call themselves planner, but they don’t have what it takes", she encouraged me as a professional. Yes, give it to Event planners in Ekiti State, we have many professionals who are doing in the industry, but my observation is that the event industry in Ekiti is not lively, there are no events or activities that bring us together compared to Ondo state or Oyo state where they all work as a team. In Ekiti, all brands/vendors go about their normal businesses. There has never been an opportunity whereby vendors come together as a team player since I joined the industry 3 years ago. Our people in Ekiti believe less in teamwork and most time they are the only ones doing all the jobs, for instance, a particular brand will be the planner, the same brand in charge of decoration, catering, ushering, and so on, they want everything to be under them whereas in Ondo state it is not so, Ondo vendors work as a team. Ekiti vendors still need more sensitization to be able to see the needs and why we all need to collaborate rather than compete. We should work together to have better results.
Any plan to celebrate 3 years of A-Z events in the industry?
Yes, by the special grace of God, plans are in place to celebrate our 3 years in the event industry and I will also be using the avenue to celebrate my 20 years in politics and my 54 birthday. It's going to be a 3-in-1 event. To celebrate this milestone achievement, we will officially commission our A-Z Event Mall as we appreciate God for the journey so far. Looking back in politics, I all started in 2002 and I got my first appointment as a supervisor for health in my local government in 2003. I later contested for the House of Assembly to represent my constituency, (Gboyin state constituency) but I was advised by the leaders of our party PDP to step down for former speaker, Rt. Hon. Olatunji Odeyemi who happens to be an elder brother to me. And I was given an appointment as Commissioner, II Ekiti Teaching Service Commission in 2006 under the administration of former Governor, Engr. Segun Oni. In 2015 I contested and won the Chairmanship election for Gboyin Local Government Area. In my capacity as Executive Chairman of my local government (Gboyin), the position I held for 2 years; we were able to achieve lots of laudable projects, and the records are there to show for it. I was also appointed SA on Special Duties and within a space of time, I was appointed commissioner 1 Ekiti state universal Basic Education under the administration of former Governor Ayodele Fayose respectively. My journey in politics had been so fulfilled. This and many reasons are why I felt, I should celebrate and appreciate God for his grace and kindness to me. No battle was lost, 20 years of scandal-free, 20 years of joy, 20 years of achievement. No battle was lost, there were attacks, challenges, and battles in politics but I never have any reason to regret my joining Ekiti politics. None of my followers were lost, I didn’t loss my credibility, and many more. So I will say am grateful to God for the journey so far and March 9th was my 54th birthday. You will agree with me that I have every reason to celebrate God’s faithfulness to me, my brand, and my political voyage.
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