On Tuesday 7th, 2020, Morayo Afolabi-Brown, the Co-ordinator of Your View, celebrated her 40th birthday in style. Social media was agog on this day as many of her lovers and followers celebrated her big, on all the platforms.
Morayo Afolabi-Brown needs little introduction. Her good work and contribution in the media world Speak for her. She’s one of the successful female journalists in Nigeria today. She is a presenter per excellence, a TV Host and daughter of the late Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Chief, Alao Aka-Bashorun. She was the Deputy Director of programmes at TVC before she resigned in May 2019 She co-hosts the popular breakfast show ‘Your View’ with other ladies.
Morayo Afolabi-Brown studied Political Science at Rutgers University, the State University of New Jersey. Growing up, Morayo modelled herself after her mother before she was inspired by the books she read about Abike Dabiri, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Ibukun Awosika, Oprah Winfrey and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, whom she really admires especially after reading their books and watching their speeches.
Morayo started her career in the media in 2005 as a Client Service Manager at CMC Connect (a PR Company) before she moved to CUE Media, a content development company as the Head of Content, and Development, and later became Senior Executive, Marketing, and Research. She is behind many concepts like “Girlfriends” (TV drama series), “Changing Lives” (Talk Show), and “Shop Easy”. She once worked as Business Development Manager and later became Head of Content and Channels Acquisition at HiTV, Nigeria’s first indigenous cable station provider before she was hired as Deputy Director of Programmes at TVC.
As part of her ways of appreciating God for giving her the grace to witness her 40th birthday, she posted on her page the experience she had 21 years ago when she had an accident that almost claimed her life. “Twenty-one years ago, I got in a car accident on my way to see my Dad in the US. The car flipped 4 times and hung on a tree. They got a chopper to cut me loose and flew me to Rutgers University Teaching Hospital, New Jersey. I was in a coma for 4 days. My mother immediately flew in to sit by my hospital bed. I was discharged after 2 weeks of recovery in the hospital. Then, therapy started. I lost part of my memory. I had to go through speech therapy to speak again. I lost 6 inches of my right thigh. They had to insert a 12-inch rod (still in my thigh) and four long screws, 2 in my hips and 2 in my knee. My ankle also crushed. I was confined to a wheelchair, later crutches and then booths for 8 months before I could finally walk. I was deformed and defaced with scars. I also had a skull fracture that left my head split. Didn’t think I would walk again or finish my education. I didn’t even think anyone would marry me with all these scars. I was a Christian and people started praying for me. Churches came from all over my local county to pray for me because the news made the local papers. My mother couldn’t believe the free love and support from the church during that time. It moved her to become a Christian when she returned to Nigeria. My Dad also converted when he got home. God saved me and gave me another chance of life. Today, I celebrate my scars, as I turn 40 yrs. Please help me to praise Jesus for saving my life”.
The following day, Wed, 8th of July, 2020 we had the privilege of hosting her on City People Instagram Live chat with the Publisher, SEYE KEHINDE and she revealed what many people don’t know about her and her TVC program “Your View.” Enjoy the conversation.
How did you celebrate your 40th birthday?
It was nice, I actually just wanted something like Worship and Praise. So we asked Tope Alabi to come. I would have loved her to come to the house but we were on Instagram Live, and I’m so happy lots of people joined us. Also, it’s my mother’s birthday. She came around also. I celebrated it with lots of calls, messages and I really appreciate the love I got from people out there.
How does it feel sharing the same day with your mum?
It’s great. I’ve known her all my life. When she was 70 I was 36. Our big day is slightly different. This year was my turn and I got all the shine (laughs).
On that day what went through your mind?
Honestly, I was looking forward to just going to “Your View” I knew my guys in the office might plan to something, so I was excited about that. Then, when I got home, I had already told my husband that I want to go for dinner and he said “don’t worry I will order Chinese food for you in the house, so I was expecting to come home and eat Chinese food, but when I was through with “Your View” The ladies didn’t allow me to go, they said “Your husband said you should stay here” I called my husband and he said they were decorating the house. After 2 or 3 hours I got home, saw all the decoration. They turned my house to the event centre. They brought a Japanese Chef that made so much food for us. It was really fun and that made my day.
You have remained the very simple Morayo, that you have always been, how easy has that been for you?
Very easy, I don’t let all the influence from outside affect who I am. I am true to who I am. I do tell people that I have lived a bit of life, I have partied, I have done fashion, I have done the bad things, I have had alcohol. I have lived the best of life back in the US as a person and I came home: I wanted to settle down as a wife and a mother, and I think that is the role I am in now and I am playing that role well. I am a very simple person to the core.
Let’s talk about your career in the media, how are you enjoying the role you are playing now at TVC?
My career has been great. I started off many years ago with Hitv. I started working in TVC back in 2012. I was working as Deputy Director of Programmes and I had the opportunity to set up an entertainment channel. I am proud of what I left behind because I resigned last year May. I am proud of what the channel has become. The station is going from strength to strength. And my career as “Your View”. I thank Mr. Lemmy Olalemi, he was the one that gave me the opportunity. I told him I wanted to do my show, he was a bit reluctant but later gave me the opportunity and he gave me the solid support I needed because people were not happy about the show but he stood behind us. In fact, he was our defender of the Universe, he stood by us and today, he is proud of what we have become.
So my career on TV has been great so far, I give glory to God.
How much of what you set out to achieve with “Your View” have you been able to achieve?
One of the things we wanted to do is to give the average regular woman an opportunity to express themselves about governance, about social issues, about fashion, lifestyle and everything, I didn’t want professional journalists, I wanted regular women who can opinion about everything, and can speak their mind, and the objective was to let the government hear it from the horse’s mouth, to hear women explain to us where we are getting it wrong.
When we are getting it right celebrate us. I think we have been able to show that women have an opinion. No 2, we have been able to show that our opinions do matter, because when we say things government listens and it has actually changed policies. People trust us. They see us as being true, not being influenced by the government. “Your View” has been able to build up equity with Nigerians and we don’t take that for granted.
What next after this point what are we expecting from Your View?
Like I said we have trust in people and we need to take it a notch higher and that’s what we are working out with TVC when we need to engage the government at a better higher level, to help more women have a voice.
I am not too keen getting into politics but I would love to support any woman out there, that want to go into politics, now that we have enough equity. So we are working together to ensure and achieve that.
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