Q: Please tell us about yourself
Yes I’m Mrs Grace Fikemi Awe. I’m a public health professional, I specialize in public health after nursing. I got my PhD in public health. I work in various institution in the US and in Nigeria and in Ireland and in Saudi Arabia. So I worked in about 5 countries. But now I think I’m retired.
But I may still go back to work if I feel like.

Q: What are your biggest strengths and what are your biggest weaknesses
My strength, I love people, I love being around people, I appreciate people, I love helping people, I love children, youth in particular
I’m not too much into very young children. But, I love youths. I love to help people, and I’m straightforward.

My weaknesses, God is helping me with it. Oh, I can get angry. But my anger doesn’t last.
When I get angry, before long, I will be thinking, and I just want that person to talk to me again. {Laugs....}

Q: You can’t hold grudge, that’s very good.


No. I don’t grudge for too long. Okay. I may not talk. I may not move closer to you. So if you hurt me before, but deep down in me. I really want you back. {chuckles....}


Q: What is your typical day like now
When I was working, I enjoyed my work. I loved it.
It was challenging but it was okay.

Q: How did you start your day when you first started at work
I have a foundation. I am dealing with youth programs. So I have a lot of youth around me, also in my church, I’m in charge of the youth there. So they keep me occupied. They keep me company. I don't feel lonely. They are always around me.
Q: How was your early life growing up, your days as a teenager
I enjoyed myself. We attended parties, we used to go out a lot, because we were in the hostel then so we used to go out in groups. You never go out alone. We used to go out in groups.

It was very nice. Yes. It was very nice. I had a very pleasant youthful days

Q: What made you choose to be in the career you are in today
Well, I chose nursing first because my mother was a Nurse. But when I got into nursing, I didn’t really like it. I moved into the preventive part of medicine, which is public health. I just felt I can prevent it from happening. It’s better than curing. So I moved to public health. I want to know the pattern of disease, causes of disease. How can you prevent disease? Different types of disease and so on and so forth. Immunization, stages of life, you know all these, care of children, care of old people, care of what do you need to stay healthy? What does a country need to stay healthy? So all these, I prefer it to just Nursing, You know, looking after very sick people. I didn’t enjoy it. I didn’t really enjoy the Nursing side of medicine. It used to make me sad. You know, at times, I feel so bad for days, Nursing was driving me crazy. I mean, you see somebody paralyzed and there’s nothing you can do about it. You see young women dying because of childbirth. So all those you know? As much as I would have loved to help, it’s affecting me as a person, affecting my mood. You know? Then I don’t like the shift. I don’t like shift work. Going to work when others are sleeping, going to work when others are partying. So I knew I wouldn’t last in nursing and I didn’t last.

But I thank God for the knowledge that I gained from it too.
Q: Did the degree you did in school directly help you with your chosen career
Yes. I will say yes. Cause it’s all health related.

Q: What was your first job
A: Teaching. I was teaching in primary school after my school Cert.

***Wow. That was your 1st paid job.+++

Yes. I never worked until after my school Cert. While we were waiting for school cert results, I just did a teaching job in the primary school
Q: What was it like getting your first salary pay cheque
A: I was so happy. I felt good. You know, before then, as a student Nurse we were being paid. Nigeria was good then. We were placed on a salary. So I was earning something every month. But I didn’t really value money then. We were just buying cosmetics, clothes to show off and get dressed, we didn’t really use it prudently. You Understand me. It was when I started working as a teacher. I was a bit more matured. I was able to buy some things for my parents.
Q: Did you have a mentor in your early days at work
A: At work. Not really. Maybe in the Nursing school. Yeah, but as a Teacher, I knew I wouldn’t last as a teacher. I knew I was just using it to pass time. Yes, it was a school cert job. I became a primary school teacher before going into Nursing.
Q: What is your current or your last job
A: My last job, I was a supervisor at a facility, health facility.
Yes. In Texas, in the US
Q: How do your balance your work and your life
A: Well, uh, my reproductive years when I was having children was quite challenging. And don’t forget, in between I was at school, I had to go back for my Masters. I had to go back for my PhD. I had to leave Nursing and jump into Public health, which was a little bit different. Public health is just a little bit different from Nursing. All those were challenging. But I was able to cope because my husband was cooperative, anytime we are in Nigeria, we had nannies and so. And most of the time, most of my marital life, I spent outside Nigeria, and that was quite challenging. There was nobody to help when we were abroad.
I had to it, it was very challenging. Very tough.
Yeah. It’s over, Thank God. {Laughs....}


Q: How do you manage stress
A: I thank God I have a very responsible family. My husband is very good to me. I have somebody to share my problems with. I mean, somebody that dismiss.... Just move on. It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. So once he says that, I just, I go on and you know? And then I’m prayerful, I take every problem to God. Apart from God, then my husband. God and my husband. You know?
Q: What are your hobbies
A: I love dancing.
I love exercise? Can I call exercise a hobby because if I don’t do it in a day, I don’t feel good. Right. I love trekking. You know? Yeah walking all around this place. I love walking all the time. I don’t mind. Then I love shopping if I have money. {both laughed...}
Q: What is your ideal vacation
A: I love to be in the midst of my children. I love to have my children. I love to have my grandchildren around me. My children always tease me. They say, that’s not vacation I say, this is vacation to me. . It is vacation to me. I love my children around me. I love my nieces and nephews. I love my family at large. I love the chats, the jokes, everything about them. You know and I love to party.

***Ma do you still party now?+++
If I’m invited, I will go. This last week, I had two.

Q: Your favorite food, dessert and Snack
A: Do I have any favourite food? I am not a food person.
I eat what I find. Food doesn’t really mean much to me. I’m not a food person. But I love snacks more than I eat. I snack nuts, I love nuts. Any kind of nuts. I love some of the Nigerian snacks. Like, I love spring rolls, but in moderation because I don’t like anything made of flour. I can’t eat it the way I would have loved to eat it because of the flour content. Otherwise, I love nuts.
Q: How about when you were young, have they changed a lot
A: I think I’m still my old self I’m a very sensitive person. Let’s just say, I don’t go to where I’m not wanted. I read people’s faces. I read their gestures. Once I sense that, I’m not really wanted there, it takes maybe the Holy Spirit. I’m sensitive I don’t like to get hurt. So I’m very, very careful of myself. Of when I’m hurt or else I don’t like the sense of rejection. You know? So in that case, I can say I’m an introvert. If I’m an extrovert, although once I sense that rejection anywhere I withdraw totally. I just otherwise, you know, I love people. I love people so much. I want people around me. I make friends easily. That’s me. I make friends but I’m careful. I make friends a lot. Once I sense that you’re likely to be rude or else something, I just crawl back into my shell.
Q: Your favorite place in the world outside Nigeria
A: I think I love Ireland. It was so cold {laughs....}. Ireland.
I would have settled there in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. It would have been the best
But for the snow, I don’t like cold weather.

I would say maybe I love the Saudi Arabia. I love the US too. I love Saudi Arabia.

Q: How did you meet your Spouse
A: He was a medical student at UCH. I was a student and we had a cholera outbreak, and so they brought them to where I was working. I was a student of Nursing and they brought them to that unit, to come and learn about cholera. So the chief consultant called me. That man liked me, one old man. You know? Maybe he’s dead now. He really liked me and he doesn’t hide it. He will call me out. He’s always saying we “have a young, beautiful Nurse”. They are gonna tell you what is happening to this lady. So he called me out, and I presented the case. I was shaking inside. But, I pretended as if nothing was happening. I was so scared of all of them. So when I finished, I went back to my unit. Him and his friend came to look for me. That was how we met.
We courted for about 7 years.
Q: How many children do you have
A: 4
Q: Did you want more
A: More children?
I didn’t even want 4. I wanted 3. {Laughs....}
I wanted 3. Somehow, I got 4. I don’t like a large family because my mother, we were too many. As far as I’m concerned. We were many, so I didn’t want it. I wanted fewer children. Mhmm. But, I thank God that I had the last one. It’s a blessing.
Q: Did any of them follow in your footsteps, career wise
A: Yes. The 2 the in fact, 3 of them are in the medical line.
Only one is an Engineer. {laughs....}
Q: How does that make you feel
A: Oh, well, we love it because with my husband and I we can discuss. Uh, this case in the hospital, this happened, this and that. We can discuss all sorts.
Q: What do you think of people that force their children to do what they want
A: I don’t think it’s necessary, I believe that for every person God made, there’s already a path to be followed. I didn’t even talk to them about it. I didn’t even say do this or else do that. The same thing with marriage. I don’t force you to marry who I want. If you are going the wrong way, I can say no. But it’s not in my place to say this is the person you should marry. This is the job you should do. No. No. No.
What if you say so and something goes wrong. Then you carry the blame. So parents should be careful.

Q: What is your favorite time of the day
A: I’m a morning person
Q: What experiences have you had in your life that you’d say have shaped you to be the person you are today
A: The biggest one was when I had my first child.
You know, with the 1st child it was a bit difficult. Although it ended well. Mhmm. It was prolonged I was tired. I became quite resentful.
Another thing was losing my siblings. I lost one and then I lost another. Losing those 2 people the agony never left me. They never left me. I tried to move on, when I remember I feel bad. I first lost my sister, then I lost my brother. So.....

Q: What one thing do wish you could go back in time and do all over again
A: That I would love to. If I have my choice, I would love to go back to Saudi Arabia. I don’t think it will be possible
Q: What are the best qualities you look for in people
A: Honesty
I love clean people, people that are neat. I don’t like dirty people. I don’t like people that are loud. I like people that can comport themselves. I don’t like people that are too forward. I don’t like too forward people, and I don’t like people taking me for granted, who assume they’re entitled to something from me.
I like people that are clean. I like people that are decent. I love people that are honest. I love people that I think are kind. I don’t like wicked people. I don’t like people who pretend. I love integrity.

Q: How is your relationship with God
A: Well, I believe where I am now, I never thought I’d be there if not because of God. I believe He’s my everything. God means everything to me. Please I don’t do anything without God. If I even forget to tell Him, I will remember I just do. God has been everything to me. He’s my bedrock. He’s in my pillar. I’ve prayed about things and they have come through. I’ve prayed about so many things, I’ve passed through so many things that it was only God. It’s been God. So I believe in God. I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour.
Q: If you could pick 3 people to have a conversation with either living or dead, who would they be
A: Uh, my brother. He died in a plane crash.
My late sister
Definitely my husband {laughs....}. I enjoy his conversation. And that’s to the glory of God.
Q: What are your 3 greatest achievements thus far
A: To the glory of God, I have a very happy marriage.
Second I have successful children.
Third I got my PhD.
Those are the three.
And if I can say it, I thank God I know Christ.

Q: Beef or Chicken or Fish
A: Chicken. I don’t eat beef.
Q: Hot or Cold weather
A: I prefer cold weather here. This hot weather is killing o.
I prefer cold weather in Nigeria because it won’t be too cold.
Q: Morning, Afternoon or Night
A: I say morning. I’m a morning person.
Q: Sweet or spicy foods
A: I don’t like spicy food.
Q: Read, Watch TV or Listen to music to relax
A: I prefer to read.
I can read anything, I have no favorite. I read anything. I just love reading. Even on my phone. I love music, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to listen. When I find a good music, I know and I appreciate it but I love reading.
Q: Iphone or Android
A: I use iPhone in the US. I use Android in Nigeria.
Q: Native, Formal or Casual clothes
A: Casual
Q: Window seat or aisle on a plane
A: Aisle
Q: Europe, Asia or North America to visit
A: I love America. I live there {chuckles....}. America is a land of opportunities
Q: Going out or staying home
A: I love to stay in my house. I’m a home person. Although I go out when there is need for it. But I love my home.

Q: Please can you give us 3 people that we can interviews as well
A: Okay. Let me text it to you
Q: Please can you give some advice to the young people coming behind you
A: You should be honest to yourself, be focused and know your God. If you are focused, you can do anything. If you are honest with yourself, don’t deceive yourself. What you cannot do, don’t pretend as if you can do it. Be honest. If nobody is honest with you, be honest with yourself. And then know your God. Know your God.