As a young girl, Kehinde Nwani grew up on the campus of the University of Ife. Little did she know that those early experiences would later sow the seeds for a lifelong passion to actively participate in education across Nigeria.
In an interview with Lagosmums, Kehinde shares how her idyllic childhood and faith in God propelled her journey to becoming the visionary behind Meadow Hall Group. A dynamic collection of educational institutions, resources, and programs which has been a vehicle for positive change, serving a wide range of students, educators, and communities through private schools, teacher training initiatives, and innovative “edutainment” concepts. Kehinde’s story is the reason why she is our mum in the month of June.
Could you share with us a bit about your upbringing, perhaps some pivotal moments that shaped who you are today?
My name is Kehinde Nwani. My friends call me Kenny.
I am the last of 6 children and a twin. I’m currently in my late fifties and grew up in a university environment – the University of Ife (now OAU) to be precise.
Growing up in staff quarters at Unife was special. Then, Unife was known as one of the most beautiful campuses in Nigeria, because we had lots of beautiful flowers, trees and hills. Nowadays however, it’s a whole different ball game as the flowers are gone, sadly. I believe the cost of maintaining a beautiful landscape when funds for research etc are not available, is responsible for this.
I am a lifelong learner, committed to education to the core, which made me pursue a doctorate in my late forties and early fifties. I truly love to learn new things.
Finally, I’ll also say about myself that I believe in excellence in whatever I do. I don’t understand halfhearted attempts in anything. I fully support the adage “Anything worth doing at all, is worth doing well”.
Juggling multiple roles is a significant part of your journey. Can you tell us more about all the roles you play?
I wear several hats as they relate to the different areas of purpose in my life.
Firstly, I am a child of God. This reality and relationship dictates practically everything I do in life and I find nothing more motivating and inspiring, than the fact that my life should always be lived for the glory of God.
Secondly, I am a wife to my husband – Andy Nwani and we’ve been married for 34 years. It’s been a great journey, certainly with its ups and downs, but what has not broken us has only made us stronger.
Thirdly, as a mother to my 3 wonderful children (4 actually, as my first child is married to the love of his life,) a lovely woman who I see as my daughter. Its been a blessing being a mother and custodian of these children (because really, they belong to God). They truly give me the utmost joy.
As a career woman, I am an Education Entrepreneur and the Founder/CEO of the Meadow Hall Group. Meadow Hall Group is made up of several subsidiaries including 2 private schools (Meadow Hall Lekki and Lagos Prep Ikoyi), a College of Education to train teachers, an Edutainment company and an Education Resource Centre.
Finally, I am a Nation Builder and I have set up several NGOs such as the Meadow Hall Foundation, an organization that focuses on capacity development in public and low cost private schools and A Beautiful Life (ABL), a mentorship initiative that helps women (21+) become the very best versions of themselves. I am also on the board of NGOs, namely ERIT (Education Reform and Innovation Team) and TTN (Transformational Teachers Network).
Before we go deeper into the woman behind the Meadow Hall Group, we’d love to hear an unexpected thing about you. Perhaps a surprising quirk?
I love watching Reality Shows – shows like Love is blind, Married at First Sight. I honestly just enjoy such shows. I call it mindless watching. They are shows that require very little brain work and help me relax.
Can you share a bit about your family with us ?
My hubby is an Igbo man from Ezi, in Aniocha Local Govt in Delta State. He’s been a businessman forever and he was the one that modeled good business practices to me, before I cut my own teeth around business. He is a good and kind man.
I have 3 adult children aged 32, 23+, 19+. I could not have wished for better children. All of them are well behaved, but above all, they have a reverential fear for their maker. And of course, I have an amazing daughter in law who incidentally attended Meadow Hall. By the way, my son attended BIS and they never met until they both had passed out, gone to school abroad and relocated back to Nigeria. Then providence brought them together. They are perfect for each other and I thank God always for their union.
We’re curious to hear your romantic story, tell us how you met your husband
I met my husband during my Youth Service. Went to a mutual friend’s birthday party and that’s how we met. This tall, dark and handsome (tdh) guy approached me and that was how the story began. We have been married for 34 years to the glory of God.
Do you and your spouse share a similar approach to parenting, or do you complement each other with contrasting styles?
I don’t think we have the same parenting style. I think being an educationist, I have learnt a lot of more relational ways of parenting, while my husband still sometimes relates with our children the way he was brought up. For example, while I will go to my children and ask if they’re fine or need to talk about anything, my husband believes they would come to him if they want to talk.
We’d love to hear about a particularly amusing moment from your parenting journey that still makes you chuckle to this day. Has your child(ren) ever left you speechless, in stitches, or both?
My children are quite old now and to be honest, I can’t remember any funny things. I’m sure there are several, I just can’t remember right now.
As the visionary behind Meadow Hall Group, you’ve built a legacy in education. But what is it about your work that inspires you every day?
I absolutely love what I do and I think it’s specifically because it’s in the area of my gifting. I love to teach (train) and I love to lead. Being a learner, I can’t wait to share what I’ve learned and being blessed with innate leadership skills, and having then also studied leadership to hone my skills, I am always ready to function in my space.
Your profession in education must extend beyond the walls of the classroom sometimes, so can you tell us what you love most about the role?
As an educationist, I love teaching, especially the transformation and illumination it brings to the learner. I especially like the way teaching is done in the 21st century where it’s active and the learner constructs their own understanding. I love people discovering new knowledge when I teach rather than shoving it down their throats. I find this way of teaching very exciting.
As a Business Coach, What key insights have you gained about helping Mompreneurs excel in their businesses?
I love helping women to be the best versions of themselves. I love motivating women and pulling them up – telling them WE CAN DO IT! WE’VE GOT THIS! As a business and leadership coach, I find out that women are not very clear on how to run successful businesses and to sustain that success. Often times, I see people running businesses as if it’s “pretend play”. They’re more concerned about the optics and looking good as entrepreneurs, rather than the profitability of the ventures.
So I have become that advocate and coach to many MOMprenuers, letting them know “you can build a nest, (build a home and be a good mum to your children) AND still fly (and touch the world, make a change, become everything God has created you to be).
To what extent do you believe a supportive network is necessary for a mother, and who makes up your personal tribe and provides you with the support you need?
Without a strong and solid support system, you can’t be a good mum. Not in this day and age.
I am intentional and deliberate about taking care of my nannies and drivers. I treat them well, so they can in turn treat my children and husband well.
I am intentional about developing my PA so she can manage me effectively and efficiently.
My husband is definitely a huge support for me and we take turns in ensuring that we are there when our children need us.
How do you think parenting and childhood experiences have changed since you were a child?
One definitely will be corporal punishment. My father, being a clergyman, took the bible verse “spare the rod and spoil the child” very literally. He beat us but he didn’t abuse us. As he disciplined, he would explain exactly what warranted the beating and by age 10, he would stop flogging. However these days, flogging is frowned upon because it seems to be more punitive than corrective.
Also, having a very good and close relationship with your children is the order of the day now. It really helps to share experiences, good and bad with your children, unlike the past when we were made to believe all our parents were not only the most brilliant in school, they were also perfect in behaviour.
Now we believe in negotiating with our kids, especially when they become teenagers upwards, we let them have a voice, and a say and this is very key and will teach them responsible decision-making in future but in the past, parents were quite dictatorial. Their word had to be law!
As a parent in Education, how do you approach parenting to prepare your children for a constantly evolving world?
Teaching 21st century global competencies, namely; Critical thinking, Creativity, Communication, Collaboration, Citizenship and Character as well as the important themes relevant to the 21st century which are; Global awareness, Health literacy, Entrepreneurial literacy, Civic literacy and Environmental literacy.
How do you strike a balance between work and parenting, and is this something you even believe is possible?
It can’t be balanced perfectly all the time, but once you see you are getting out of line in one area, you quickly readjust your priorities.
You already have a successful career in education, so what inspired you to pursue a career as a Business Coach?
Its my area of interest
I have proof of concept in the businesses I have started from scratch and which to the glory of God are still thriving.
Many people do not know how to run a successful business and I love to teach that.
As a child, what career did you envision for yourself? How did that dream evolve over time?
Incidentally, it was a teacher, but society made me feel I lacked ambition so I changed my course from education to law. But here I am today – a proud teacher.
When you encounter moments of self-doubt, what do you do to restore your confidence and motivation?
Purpose – I concentrate on the fact that I am not here by accident and that he who created me, would help me achieve the purpose for which he created me.
I believe a lot in Affirmations and I use that to silence that inner critic.
Thirdly, I look beyond myself and reach out to help others. There’s nothing more rewarding and the best self-esteem builder ever.
Entrepreneurs face a variety of obstacles on their journey, but what are some of the most pressing you’ve noticed among your clients?
P – People issues – lack of integrity, loyalty, commitment and high standards.
O – Opportunities are not unique to anyone so competition is steep. So fighting for one’s market share can be tough
C – Context, Nigeria is tough – taxes, bank interest rates, harsh economic climate.
D – Deals; everyone is looking out only for themselves and are not particularly interested in fairness.
When you reflect on your journey, both in education and personally, what is your definition of success?
Fulfilling purpose of God in all the areas mentioned earlier.
When you started your entrepreneurial journey, what was your most unexpected lesson? And, if you could go back to advise yourself as a new business owner, what would it be?”
People – disloyalty, mediocre efforts, a sense of entitlement. My advice is while people can be your greatest problems, they are also your greatest asset. You need people, only the right ones.
What is the greatest sacrifice you’ve made? Was it a personal one or a professional one, and how did it impact your life?
Doing a doctorate was a big sacrifice, given the demands of my work, family & other obligations at the time but I knew that being in Education would be relevant to my work.
Motherhood is a journey of self-discovery. So In your case, what has motherhood taught you about yourself?
It’s taught me about love in its purest form, unconditional love.
After a long day at work in education or coaching, what is your favourite way to unwind?
Hangout with my husband if he’s around or watch Netflix if I am home alone
In one word, can you describe one thing that should not be missing from every home?
Your home must be a haven of acceptance, peace and support.
In your journey to becoming a business coach, what areas have been the most enlightening, both in your personal growth and your ability to inspire and guide others?”
Started my present business 22 years ago knowing that my technical know-how is different from the entrepreneurial skills I needed to make the business sustainable. I studied entrepreneurship so I now coach on it.
It’s interesting to see a lot of people still equate the business as the same. So through coaching, I teach business skills.
When it comes to unwinding, what’s your preferred method of self-care?
I draw strength from quite a lot. I travel a lot more these days and I just love the stillness around me, especially wherever there are lots of trees, flowers and nature in general. In this kind of environment, I research and learn and work on my training or chill and watch TV.
Burst one motherhood myth!
Your children are not your friends! I’ve never understood that, especially as they grow older. Why are they not your friends? I tell my children the truth when I have to as I would my friend. My daughter in fact calls me her built in best friend and I love that. I’m close to my sons too. We have a great relationship.
Tell us about someone past or present, who inspires you.
Pastor Nkoyo Rapu – I love her humility, authenticity and calmness.
Ibukun Awosika – This is for her tenacity and drive
As a busy professional, coupled with motherhood, tell us how you maintain your personal style and grace. Any tips for our readers?
I believe in excellence therefore I put an effort into looking good as I would in my cooking or any other thing I do, including my beauty routine. There’s really nothing special about my beauty routine – I double cleanse, tone, and moisturize daily. I love my facials and spas and I try to exercise and eat right. I used to hate water but because it’s good for the skin, I make more effort.
As someone who we can perhaps call a veteran in motherhood, what advice would you give new mothers, based on your own experience?
Be guided by your religion, values in your role as a wife and mum. Don’t use any other standard. What Would Jesus Do?
Before you go, honestly, tell us what you love about LagosMums?
Its focus is on helping mums become the best they can be and keeping them informed as a lot of mums bury their heads in the sand.
Our conversation is almost over, but we can’t let you leave without playing our trivia. Brace yourself for a few good laughs.
Ready?
Yes
Okay, let’s play!
○ N1 Million or more sleep?
N1 Million.
I hate to sleep. Can’t wait for morning every time I go to bed.
○ Would you prefer to go on a shopping spree or an all-expense-paid trip to your dream destination?
It would have been the first in my 20s, 30s, even 40s but now definitely the later.
○ Homeschooling or traditional school
Traditional schooling
○ A spa day or Eat out?
Spa day without a doubt.
It’s been an absolute pleasure chatting with you today and learning more about your fascinating journey as an educationist, business coach, and mother.
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