Blessing Efe Ehibor is a security specialist, investigator, relationship management professional, and sales and business development expert. He is the co-founder and Executive Director of De-Homy Consult Limited. His rich experience spans (Big 5), financial services, oil and gas (Upstream and Downstream), manufacturing, construction and agriculture sectors. With over 11 years of experience in the security industry, he is keen to develop his career path in the space.
Ehibor holds a master’s degree in Security Management from Babcock University and a SHRM-accredited Executive Leadership Development Certificate from IIPM. He also holds a Bachelors Degree in Accounting and Education from the University of Ado-Ekiti. Drive and passion for change and career advancement have made Ehibor bag certification and training for many years. The TEDx trained speaker, in this interview with IJEOMA THOMAS-ODIA, shares her passion for empowering and mentoring women and their career paths.
Take us through the path of a long and famous career.
My journey started when I was growing up. I’ve always had an ‘I can do it’ mindset and it’s taken me this far. I was raised by a disciplined father. They always want the best for their children. I am the first child in a family of five. My father gave me everything I needed to continue my education in a small way. When I lost both my parents, I realized that life is not fair. The spirit of ‘I can do it’ helped me raise my brothers morally and otherwise. I am a father and mother to my brothers and sisters. I gained from this study and also saw the benefits of responsibility, accountability and independence. I took every job opportunity that came my way to pay my bills. My career experience spans many different industries and I constantly have the mindset that there is always something to add to make my journey even better. I started my first job as a sales officer in a medical laboratory, and then moved to a consulting company also as a sales officer. From the role of sales officer, I moved to the largest and leading security company in Nigeria where I started as a credit control officer and then grew to relationship and sales specialist.
During this period, my talent for the security industry increased as I was able to gather more experience, which in turn built peace of mind in client management and engagement and I was able to provide appropriate solutions to clients’ security risks and pain points.
I then moved on to my current job as a business development specialist with the world’s largest private security company headquartered in Canada. During this period, I decided to take a certification course in security management while I continue to develop my skills in the gaps identified to increase my capacity in building networks, intellectual growth and positive influence in any task I am assigned. My career journey thus far has been one of self-discovery and I am still evolving.
You have multiple competencies. What spurred interest in him?
I am a diligent and responsible sales and account management professional with extensive experience in client service satisfaction. An intuitive leader with exceptional interpersonal skills, a skilled and results-oriented professional with excellent analytical and reporting skills, conceptual and creative thinking, acute business acumen and expertise in business development, revenue optimization, and market penetration. My interests are driven by a desire to explore better ways of doing things and a strong passion for change.
How can you clearly define many paths and live your dreams productively?
I have been able to achieve this path based on passion and focus on relevance that can add value and less focus on irrelevance or mundane activities. This further translates into setting periodic goals with a clear measurable matrix to track achievement of milestones.
What inspired your career path in security and investigations, as not many women take that path?
It is interesting that you ask this question because it is in my life ideology that ‘I can do it’. It’s no secret that the lack of gender diversity in the security industry is a global problem. My mind to achieve everything I want is always my driving force. After working for many years in the private security industry, my talent became stronger to grow my career on this path, because it was a natural progression for me to seek the challenges that come from a career in the security and investigation sector. This field is very exciting and challenging, I got my MBA in Security Management from Babcock University. While I am still interested in obtaining another international certification in Security Management, I am currently working as a security consultant to resolve customer pain points and provide appropriate solutions. Also, with few women currently working in the security industry, the gender gap further inspires me to break down barriers. Hopefully, more women will be motivated to take up this challenge in this industry.
With your wealth of experience and expertise over ten years, how would you say you have evolved?
I would say that my experience and skills have made me grow a lot because I have learned, unlearned and re-learned new things that have made me who I am today. I used to tell myself that I was still working. I’ve had a few engagements where people, not just women, walk up to me and say ‘you inspire me a lot.’ This is just a great motivation and motivation for me. But I know that I need to understand and gather more knowledge to be more involved, so my curiosity and search for knowledge with understanding pushes me to learn more and keep growing.
What challenges have you faced and how did you overcome them?
I’ve been through a lot of hardships when I felt like I couldn’t keep going, but then I realized that life is full of ups and downs. These challenges include not getting results on time from the set goals and having to balance my busy career, life and relationship with God. Sometimes I think I have it all figured out, then boom. But the next moment, I feel confused and frustrated especially when I can’t reach the target that I have set on the timeline. Oprah Winfrey said ‘believe in yourself’ and ‘Challenge is a gift that forces us to search for a new center of gravity’. Learning how to overcome challenges has helped me stay focused and calm under pressure. All I do to overcome these challenges is tell them I’m not the only one, then re-strategize and ask for help. My curious body has also helped me.
You are a trained TedX speaker with strong leadership skills. How has it defined and shaped you?
I decided to take up the TedX training when I felt I needed to participate more publicly and felt the TedX platform could give me the right path and guide me to develop my skills in public speaking. This caused me to be trained.
You also mentor young women who want to grow their careers in the security industry. What are some of the key take home for them, do you tell them to prepare or look out for?
I mentor women not only to grow their careers in security but to improve their careers in general. One key thing they can do is that they can achieve or be anything they want in life. It’s all about ‘believing in yourself’ – Oprah Winfrey. I always prepare my mind that, of course, there will be challenges, but with determination, consistency, and hand work, they will achieve all the goals they have set.
Do you think women can do differently in the security sector?
Women are the foundation of every society. They are involved in food security, economic security and political security. During crises, women and children are most affected. Women are the mothers of the boys who are used to cause disturbances in the society and also the wives of the men who make the boys create disturbances. Creating a ministry led and coordinated by women will go a long way to solving the insecurity problem facing the nation. In Nigeria, history tells us that many women have made a tremendous impact on security because of their desire to provide stability in their respective societies.
Notable among them are; Inkpi, Princess of Igala royal family who buried herself alive to save Igala from Junkuns fortress; Moremi of Ile Ife, who allowed himself to be captured by the Igbo during the clash with the Yoruba and Queen Amina who became the Queen of Zazzau in 1576 was not because there were no strong contenders but she emerged as the most suitable successor for the office. He proved himself to be a good leader both at the front and on the battlefield. But the reality is, women are generally excluded from many formal peace processes. In countries affected by terrorism, women and children constitute the largest number of displaced persons and refugees at the borders.
How can more women step up and live their dreams beyond stereotypes?
One of the factors affecting the relevance of women in governance and security is the fact that most women still believe that they are second fiddle or second best. We have had several incidents where a woman was able to outweigh the achievements of men when compared together. In times like these, which change like places, women must be able to prove their mettle every time. From handling leadership roles to being a voice in society, women must be seen pushing the boundaries that society has created and setting strong examples for a just future.
What drives you?
I’m really driven by self-mastery and growth. This clearly motivates us to develop and grow in life. Though to achieve this, I have taken certain risks and I have stepped out of my comfort zone to ensure that I become a better version of myself.
Do you hope to see Nigerian women doing differently?
I hope to see Nigerian women struggle and find what they want. We can only achieve this by knowing what our passion is and then following it. At times when I speak or mentor women, you get advice like ‘I don’t even know what I want.’ If you don’t know what you want, how can you do it differently? Breaking the barriers of gender bias starts with you and me. Let women be put in strategic positions in the country. Why can’t a woman be the president of a country? We can do that. Let’s go all out to achieve this, starting with us as women. Whatever you instill in a girl growing up shapes who she will be in the future.
What is your life mantra?
I always hold and live from the fruit of the Holy Spirit in the Bible, which is love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. I believe that God will never give me more than I can handle or bear, so whatever comes my way, I believe I can handle it. I also believe that I can do anything through Jesus Christ who strengthens me. This definitely helps me achieve my goals.