Elsie Godwin: The term ‘social media influencers’ has been watered down in Nigeria

One of the most powerful communication tools in the world today is media; from print, electronic to social media. We can’t downplay the role of the Media Industry in any way; it has always been and will continue to be the major tool of visibility in the world.

Elsie Godwin is using her voice as a media girl to add value and contribute to Nation building. A versatile television presenter/producer, social media strategist, influencer, content creator/curator, voiceover artist, and blogger, she’s behind the award-winning literary, lifestyle, and relationship blog, ELSiEiSY.COM.

Elsie Godwin has won awards for her personality and her Blog. Her online activity is playful, easy going with principles. She is passionate about blogging, content creation, and New Media. As an influencer and google partner, she currently works with various agencies to help share stories of great personalities and brands.

She lends her voice in raising awareness on the fight against rape, domestic violence, mental health issues, struggles of orphanages, unnecessary stigma and so much more. She shares her inspiring journey with Esther Ijewere in this motivating and insightful Interview.
 
Growing Up
YES, it sure did; I believe our life’s journey starts from the second we are birthed. Our decisions and trajectory will be influenced by our surroundings and orientation. My outlook on life and how I relate with people is largely influenced by my upbringing and the relationship I had with my mother; she was that woman who defiled societal standards. She was pretty open to me in a way that helped me draw wisdom from her wealth of experience. Also, I would say life has prepared me for today and is constantly shaping me for a tomorrow.

My Blogging Inspiration
My personal journey inspired this; I needed to share my story innocently. I just wanted to be open to an audience that could learn from me and me from them in return. When this urge to share my ‘heartbreak’ story and my opinions started, I knew nothing about blogging. The blog space at the time drove the conversations on Twitter (unlike now) and I wanted to add more to that conversation.

I was constantly looking at things from a different angle. I realised that my perspectives weren’t really novel, but entertained behind closed doors. I got a lot of – “You cannot talk about this”, either because you are a woman or it just doesn’t sit right on the moral compass of some individuals. I constantly battled the idea of me having to experience something but not having the right to talk about it; from my emotions to interactions’ with people, my expectations, my dreams, and even natural occurrences. There were just too many “can’t say” flying around and I wasn’t ready to conform. So, I created my space to offload. This space has, however, continued evolving as I do as a person and mirrors areas I am particularly interested in; more of a relationship, general lifestyle, and opinions.

The Journey So Far
It’s been rewarding; starting the blog was all the exposure and push I needed. Regardless of how many people do not fully understand the concept and many layers of blogging, I always tell people I was a blogger first, before radio, television, production, influencer marketing, and whatnot.

Blogging has helped me learn better than education in Nigeria has helped me. I am aware of the choices that are available to me and the right to make those choices. Above all, actively knowing that you own space on the world wide web that can help shape the life of another is a rewarding responsibility that I do not take for granted.

Being A TV Anchor, Producer, And Influencer, And Managing It All
Its time consuming, but amazing too. It is easy for me because I have identified how all that I do connect with my passion. I love helping people foster beautiful relationships and making better decisions through conversations. Know your right, know the facts, and choose your poison. And all I do, in one way or the other, help me achieve my passion, albeit in a much broader sense.

My Work At Plus TV Africa
At surface level, I am a television anchor. I am the lead anchor/producer for Tea Time  -a lifestyle and entertainment news analysis programme and the anchor and producer for One on One – a show that features a no-holds-barred conversation with notable men and women in Africa. But beyond the surface, I am actively involved in production and programming at Plus TV Africa; from programme ideation to ensuring quality conversation and standard control. I am part of the programmes review committee and we work closely with the Managing Director, Mr. Kayode Akintemi, to ensure that the vision of Plus TV Africa of being objective, fair, and balanced is achieved.

Producing is a lot of work and it’s never about you as a person; it’s always about the content. You have to be selfless to be an amazing producer and that’s a journey entirely.

The Society And Appreciation Of Social Media Influencers
I think the term ‘social media influencers’ has been watered down in Nigeria. Personally, I loved the idea of what influencers use to be; influencers never use to set out to become influencers. They just lived their lives and with time, you begin to see the impact of their lifestyle and their communication style. But I guess everything evolves and we have to as well.

People now deliberately want to be influencers and it makes me wonder what the quality of their influence is. Are you only interested in numbers, thereby being a channel to disseminate information, or is your thought process and lifestyle worth emulating and shaping the narrative? I cannot focus on what society think of influencers without the so-called influencers answering the above question for themselves.
Challenges Of Being A Social Entrepreneur
Attention span for good content keeps reducing daily and it’s worrisome. Take, for example, Big brother Naija reality TV show – I love the show, it is great content and I think it’s an empowering platform as well. However, compare the attention society gives to platforms like BBNaija and other reality TV shows that can be argued to be more rewarding based on impact on SMEs, employment, and the country’s GDP, It’s a far cry. Don’t get me wrong, Big Brother Naija is not Nigeria’s problem and also not the cause of our low attention span, but we can be better.

And frankly speaking, this is not solely about the youths; it’s about everybody, old and young. The number of sponsors a show like The Next Titan can boast of, even in the corporate world, cannot be compared to that of BBNaija and of course, the key decision-makers in those organisations cannot be categorised as too youthful. I truly wish we would pay more attention to quality content and have better conversations.

Women Who Inspire Me To Be Better And Why
I could mention Ava Duverney, Oprah Winfrey, Maupe Ogun, Tope Oshin… the list is endless for me. These women have got one thing in common; they are using their platforms and influence to change the narrative. They understand the influence they wield and they are dangerously using it. But then, the everyday woman inspires me; women I have encountered and worked with. Kelechi Okoro of the Healthertainer brand, Dr. Iyewande Dada of Mentally Aware Nigeria, Fausiat Balogun of DEVCOMS, Tosin Ajibade of Olorisupergal, Esther Ijewere, Jane Egerton Idehen, Ized Uanikhehi, Sally Kenneth Dadzie, women in my circle and so much more

What Makes You A Woman Of Rubies And More
I guess responding to your questions makes me one. But yes, I personalise everything to make sense of life. So, for me, I am a woman of rubies because I am still here, I am a survivor; a warrior, a queen among queens. I am consciously living a life of impact; I am a woman who supports people. Having interviewed about 200 successful individuals in the space of 16 months, I am helping tell the stories of success in Africa. I am being the voice of the people and I am helping change narratives and mold opinions for better decisions. I am Elsie Godwin and I am leaving my mark.
Advice To Young Woman Who Wants To Be A Social Media influencer

Find purpose and live it while documenting your journey on social media.

How To Correct Challenges Of Social Media
What do we pay attention to? A lot of positivity is also going on as well on Twitter. Our media platforms can help amplify positivity. We just need to stop paying attention to irrelevant sources.