‘The BOND awards will reshape narrative for Nigerians in the diaspora’ 

Modupe Ehinlaiye is a dual-qualified legal professional with diverse background in banking and entrepreneurship. Originally from Nigeria, she moved to Canada in 2006 and ran an educational franchise before pursuing a career in family law, advocating for women experiencing separation and divorce. In February 2023, Ehinlaiye launched the “Talk with Mo” show to inspire and motivate audiences through storytelling. She founded “Women of Destiny,” a support group for widows and their children, and the Bond Awards, celebrating the achievements of Nigerians in the Canadian diaspora. She holds a law degree, an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business, and various certifications. In this interview with ESTHER IJEWERE, she shares her story.

Immigrating to Canada
We decided to relocate to Canada in 2001. However, by the time we got our visas to travel as permanent residents in early 2006, I was no longer sure I wanted to leave Nigeria at that time. My husband and I were doing well in our careers. I had just been promoted and flagged to head a new branch of the bank. I was done having kids and it was an exciting period in our lives. So, leaving Nigeria seemed senseless. By September 2006, we woke to the sound of gunshots and chaos. We later learned that there had been a robbery in the estate next to ours and a woman and her three daughters had been robbed and raped. We decided it was time to leave for Canada. We left Nigeria on December 25 and arrived in Canada on December 26, 2006. The environment in Nigeria builds resilience, patience and tenacity in many of us. Having to study with kerosine lamps and candles in secondary school and university helped prepare me to face the challenges of living in a new environment. The resilience and can-do spirit become a transferrable skill in everything else you do and that has greatly influenced the trajectory of my career and vocations. I believe there is an indomitable spirit in every Nigerian that makes us believe in ourselves despite the odds against us. That certainly has been my own experience.

Transition to Family Law 
For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to be a lawyer. During the Court Attachment programme while at the Nigerian Law school, I witnessed firsthand the challenges many young lawyers faced in Nigeria and some of the unorthodox culture that had been normalised by the legal system and decided that I would not pursue a career in law. I transitioned into banking after being retained to work in the bank where I was fortunate to have served the mandatory Youth Service Corps and spent a little over a decade in banking. Funny thing is that the banking industry prepared me for what I do today as a family law lawyer and a talk show host. Banking is all about excellent customer service and integrity. Without these attributes, clients will not trust me to represent them as a lawyer. No service can be excellent without empathy and that’s what being a lawyer is all about. Empathy and integrity are the hallmarks of legal advocacy.

Advocating for Women 
When I started my law practice in 2014, there were not a lot of black female lawyers in the courthouse serving my municipality at the time. Due to the location of my office, my clients were mainly Caucasians and other nationalities. I didn’t have any black clients for several years. With no track record, I had to find creative ways to put myself and my name out there. I visited several shelters and offered free consultations and seminars. This was well received by the community as no lawyer had ever provided free consultations. I got several referrals and was soon inundated with work. There will always be challenges, it is how we address them that defines how successful we will be in those circumstances.

Motivation Behind “Talk with Mo”             
Being a family lawyer, I am in a privileged position to hear and know a lot about a lot of things, especially issues affecting families. As Nigerians in the Canadian diaspora, I believe we are a community and what affects one should affect all. Many of the unfortunate situations I have been called to mediate on or those I hear about could have been averted if people shared their stories as a caveat to others of what not to do. Also, the success stories of others can lead to the success of many others. Relocating to a new country and having to deal with all the changes is huge for anyone. Talk with Mo aims to use the power of storytelling to inspire and motivate everyday people who can relate to the stories shared on Talk With Mo. If only one person is inspired to do better, to rise above their challenges, to believe in themselves and to know they are not alone in this new country or in their challenges, then we would have achieved our aim.

Women of Destiny 
Women of Destiny (WOD) was founded as a support group for widows in Ontario. Nobody can feel your pain like somebody who has walked in your shoes. The WOD is simply widows supporting widows. In Ontario, there are very few resources available to widows. I strongly believe that as with disabilities, the sudden loss of a spouse can render the surviving spouse disabled. The involvement of the (provincial) government would go a long way in alleviating the plight of widows and widowers.

Bond Awards
The Bond awards is the only award in Canada that aims to celebrate the achievements of Nigerians across Canada. Through the Bond awards, we aim to change the negative narrative about Nigerians in the diaspora, but more importantly, a beacon of hope to the next generation to inspire greatness in them as they participate in celebrating the extraordinary achievements of fellow compatriots and can look forward to one day being celebrated. The event is slated for September 13th.

Integrating diverse skillset
Educational, career and people skills all come into play in our everyday situations and particularly as an adjudicator. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how many skills we acquire as individuals. What matters is how those skills are used to bring about positive outcomes for humanity.

Women Who Inspire Modupe 
Ajoke Silva- you can differentiate yourself from the pack and excel brilliantly; I also admire her loyalty to her husband. Michelle Obama- When they go low, you go high. Patience Jonathan – She taught me to be authentic and confident despite our inadequacies.

Balancing Responsibilities 
I believe there’s always going to be ‘too much’ on our plates to give us excuses to not do the next thing. We can’t grow if we are not willing to extend ourselves but extending ourselves must be done within reason, our support systems and resources. It is also important to understand the season of life you are in. Our children are all adults in their 30’s and 20’s and I am better able to balance my commitments in this season unlike when they were younger and needier. I am driven by my desire to see better changes. I realise I’m better able to effect changes when I’m at the table than on the sidelines.

Being a Woman of Rubies
As a Woman of Rubies, I exemplify resilience, empathy, and dedication. My journey from Nigeria to Canada, along with my work in family law, “Women of Destiny,” and the Bond Awards, reflects my commitment to empowering others and creating positive change.