Episode Transcript
Hello, my name is Aziz and I'm the son of a divorce mother.
She's really my superhero.
That's why it's important for me to support women, to share their uniqueness, their personalities,
perspectives and emotions about this world.
In these difficult times in human history, we need to bring the people of the world together.
And when we hear the voices of women, when we listen to real lives of women from other countries,
we connect our cultures without differences or stereotypes, and we get inspired by their stories
to live a better life. That's what this podcast is all about.
My guest today is Ene Ogaba.
Ene is a creative girl from Nigeria who loves to socialize and is working in real estate,
pursuing her dream life in Abu Dhabi, the UAE.
Ene, how are you today?
Thank you for having me here. I'm very well. Thank you. How are you?
I'm feeling lucky to be alive, excited about our episode today,
and very curious about you as a person, so I will begin it with this nice first question,
which is Ene. If your friends could describe your personality, what would they say about you?
Okay, so if my friends would describe me, I think they would describe me as a giver,
because love to give, they would describe me as a mother, because I take care of people around me.
I don't care who you are. I mean, I just have love in me to, you know, give and to
care for people. I mean, it doesn't matter who. So I think my friends would describe me as a mother
and as a giver. That's wonderful. It makes me a bit like worry a little bit when I hear that,
because usually such a person who is so kind and open-hearted gets taken advantage of,
sometimes in life, some people abuse your kindness and you feel disappointed. Is this something
that happened to you? If so, how did you keep yourself positive and not close yourself to people
because of that? Or do you enjoy giving so much that even if people are not grateful,
you don't really care. Well, I'll tell you a story one time. I mean, I was so nice to this
lady. I mean, for no reason and then she was like, why are you being so nice? I mean,
don't people take advantage of you. And I'm like, I mean, I don't know. It's just me, right? So
and then she was like, whatever you do, don't let anyone change you. So I don't think
me helping someone and, you know, definitely they're going to take advantage and it's not going to
stop me. It's not going to stop me from being helpful or if I see someone in needs or whatever.
I mean, that I can do to make that person feel better. It's not going to stop me. So no matter how much
advantage you want to take or whatever you want to do, I just keep doing the good in me.
I love that answer and I agree with it 100%. And to ask you even more,
because you're working in real estate and people are an important part. So being someone who loves
people, loves socializing, loves giving. It's a great skill. I will ask you in a different way.
Let's say there is a girl, for example, from Nigeria, who wants to go to Abu Dhabi and work,
but she's introverted and wants to know your advice, secrets and methods in order to make new
friends, to be social, to find connections and conversations with people. What would you tell her?
So, okay, I'm still going to give you a thought example. I have friends back home who are like,
oh, any of you live in such a soft life? I want to come and I want to do them like,
I mean, I just let them like, look, it's not easy. It's not easy anyway. So if you think you want
to come here and live a soft life, you have to start from somewhere. So if I have someone who wants
to come here and I'm not going to discourage anyone, you want to come. Okay, come. I'm sure everyone
can handle any pressure or whatever in life. So yeah, if I'm to give an advice or a friend who
wants to come here and you know and socialize and I can help the little way I can, but I have to let
you know, it's not as easy as you see in the pictures of video, whatever we post on social media.
Thank you. And now that you mentioned social media, that's a perfect segue to ask you,
a lot of women and girls don't feel so confident because they compare themselves to girls in
the social media, live in the luxury lifestyle. And they look like they're fully decked out or
whatever, just off the plastic surgeon or menstrual duty or whatever it is. What do you do or
what's your perspective that might help you take care of your mental health and use social media
in a way where you keep your confidence and self esteem? I'm still going to give you a full exam
though. I think I think it's all about, for example tonight. So I have a car in my chest which was a
result to, I mean, a stupid idea that I made, but and then there was one time like I was really,
really like, I mean, I wasn't confident in myself. And then I was at the beach and I would just,
you know, like with my bikini on and then the lady walked towards me and then she said, oh,
that's a big scar in your chest. I'm like, yeah. And then she was just there looking at me like,
okay, so what? And then she was like, you should be confident. I mean, wearing a skull like that
because most people are like, you know, get discouraged and everything. And then I have a friend
also, like whenever she wants to post on Instagram on like literally whatever, if I tell her,
hey, look, I don't like that dress and then she just go like, you know, she, she just go like,
should delete the picture of video immediately. I mean, and there's one time I told her like,
listen, if you like it, if you're wearing a dress, if you're wearing this or if you're doing this
and you feel it's comfortable for you. I mean, don't care about my opinion. It's my, I mean,
everyone in this, I mean, everyone in the world has an opinion or whatsoever. But if you feel
that you're comfortable or if you feel it's right, okay, go ahead. You do it. So people who are
insecure or people who are, well, that's not for me. That's not for me. I don't know. I don't
see who or I don't see. I've never seen anything on social media that would make me feel insecure
about me. No, that's not for me. Sorry. I love that. And that's really the right attitude. And
since we're having a for example today, I'm curious because a lot of people prefer to go to Dubai
because there are a lot more foreigners, for example, compared to Abu Dhabi, what brought you to
Abu Dhabi? What did you like about it? Why not Dubai? Okay. What brought me to Abu Dhabi? First of all,
I have an aunt who lives here. She's here. I mean, she's lived here for over six years and she lived
in Abu Dhabi and then she was, she was the one who brought the idea to me. She was like, you should
live in Nigeria. I mean, there is nothing there for you. I mean, I mean, in terms of opportunities
and you know, and so on. And then I'm like, okay, I'm going to give it a try. And then I came here.
For the past like three months, at the time that I arrived, I mean, it was great. I mean, based on
the people I meet, the opportunities and the opportunities and so on. And then it was, you know,
much, much better for me. And then I'm like, okay, I think this is where I'm going to stay. And
I mean, Abu Dhabi is the like the best place for me. And that's it. That's how I made my decision
about staying here. Thank you. It's always interesting the lives and experiences and stories
of people and you as someone who describes herself as a motherly kind of person. I want to know
even or a bit more about that. Did that help you? Or did you have stories that maybe gave you
new opportunities in life? Because you help someone who spoke to someone and then something new
happened? Or does it make you like always the winner at your job of the best employee? Because
you're so kind and everybody loves you? Or even further, is it like realistic to think if you're
kind and like a mother to everyone, everyone will love you? Or do you still have haters? Even if
you're a positive, nice person? Because that can help a lot of girls to understand that sometimes
in life, you can be a perfect angel human beings and the same. But haters will hate and all that.
Well, in my own case, I mean, it doesn't matter how much good you do that it's going to catch.
I mean, I'm not doing this good for someone to like me or to like, oh, I know this girl,
and she's so nice. And I should, I mean, she should fit in this position. I mean, I'm talking about
work wise and all of that. But it just, it just leaves this, this thing in you like when you
walk into a place and then the first thing someone is going to say about you, oh, I know
Anna, she's a nice girl, you know, so that's for me. That's my, I don't care about, oh,
and maybe Anna is a nice person. She deserved this position. She deserved this. No, don't address me
like that. Oh, I don't want someone to know me as Anna. Oh, because of a niceness or whatever,
she got this position. No, I want people to address me as this is Anna. This is who she is.
She's this and she's nice. It doesn't kill whatever, whatever you are, you know,
I agree. And I love what you said right there. And to ask you about Abu Dhabi,
when you're not working, how do you enjoy your day? What do you do so that you forget all
troubles and you take care of your mental health? Some people might think, and it's true,
Abu Dhabi is probably even more expensive than Dubai. So going to places to have fun could
add up over time. So what do you do? Maybe I don't know. You go for some mall that is called
there while listening to Nigerian music or invite friends over or how do you keep your soul alive
while working abroad in Abu Dhabi? So when I'm not working, I mean during the weekend,
it's a must. I always go to the beach. I mean, I prefer when no one is there. Like, it's just,
it gives me this calmness, this peacefulness. And I'm always at the beach during the
morning to like about two or three years. And I'm just there by by myself, I don't need the
company because I myself, I mean, I'm good enough for me. So I just go with my book and sit
at the beach and, you know, read and fix some vitamins, some sun. And then when I feel like,
I mean, the more to party, I just, you know, cause some friends and I have like, like a good,
good like sport. Like when I, when I want to feel like I'm back home, like when I mean, back on
like the music, the, the energy, the crowd, there's a place I always go and it's called Atlon
in Abu Dhabi. Thank you. That's really interesting. And to ask you about your future dreams and goals,
what do you see for yourself and the future? Are there things you're looking forward to create
and add to your life? Or is it more about maintaining this lifestyle with good people, with your
relative who lives there and be okay in this way? Or what are your future ambitions and goals
and dreams? In the future, I mean, I see myself owning a foundation. When I'm in a foundation,
a foundation of where people are being taken care of kids. I mean, that's, that's literally
anyone, I mean, it doesn't matter your age, by the way. So in the future, I really want to own
a foundation and I'm also working on being a model and I also want to be a fashion model because
I love fashion. So those are my top, top things in the list that I really, really want to achieve in
the future. One is owning a foundation and the second is being a fashion model. Thank you. And I
will ask you about modeling because it's a very difficult place and, you know, industry to break
into. Are you making contacts with people in the industry? Did you plan to go volunteer
or visit modeling shows to meet the people or taking classes for model walks and all that stuff?
Or how are you progressing or making even a little bit of steps towards that goal?
Well, sometime I did my, sometime last year, I did my own research. When I'm in research,
I mean, I visited some agencies in Dubai and I also, I mean, they put me through, you know,
and then when I did visit this agency, they were kind of like, oh, you need to pay some
setting of amount for blah, blah, blah in this. So I have like, we're not really like friends,
we're just like Instagram friends, which are models in Dubai. So, you know, I, I mean, I was
talking to one and then she was like, never you pay a money to be a model. Okay, you can enroll
for a fashion training or class. Okay, that is reasonable. And then she said, never you pay
a monthly, so a model agency to become a model that they are the ones supposed to pay me,
not me paying them. So yeah, so I did my research. And I think what I'm going to do, what I'm
looking forward to do is in the training, I, I'm really, really looking forward to doing that,
hopefully next month. Thank you. And what attracts you to the lifestyle and the industry of
modeling? Is it because you love to feel the confidence? Is it because you want to try
all the fashion items first? Is it because maybe it will help you somehow meet the right people
who will donate to your foundation? Or what is really the most fascinating and interesting thing
for you about choosing modeling? For me, the most interesting thing is creating your own style.
I mean, I love to create. I mean, I love to mix colors. So when I look at, when I watch some
runway and I'm like, oh my God, I wish I was the one. So I love to create style. I love literally
anything about fashion. So yeah. Thank you. So it's about creating style. It's about design.
And you spoke earlier about your confidence with your scar and now about the confidence,
you will display as a model. What would be your advice for girls or women who did not find
their confidence? How do you see the world that allows you to be confident in it? Do you think
we only live once? So let me be confident or you think I'm sharing good karma and being positive.
So I am protected and good things come to me or you think there is only one of me in this world
of course, I'm confident or you're like, I try not being confident. It's depressing. I want to be
happy. So I choose to be confident. Or what about your perspective and mindset allows you to be
confident? I mean, like you said, we only live once. Like I said earlier, if you feel what you are
wearing or what you are doing, it's right for you. Don't let anyone come tell you. I don't think
that is nice. You should stop doing that. Or I don't think this suits you. Honey, if it's suitable
for you, why do you need someone else's opinion? Tell me why? I mean, if I want to be dressed this way
and I want to do this and then I have someone telling me, oh, it's not right. And inside of me,
I feel, oh, I really want to do it. So why should I be holding myself back?
Because of that one person that is saying, oh, I shouldn't do this. So we only live once. So enjoy
life to what you feel. It's right. Or to what you feel. It's best. Yeah. 100%. Well,
anything you saw much for participating in this podcast, it was my privilege and my honor to
have you here to share your voice and your perspective. I wish you success in Abu Dhabi and growth
in your work. I wish you success in modeling and building your foundation and that you will always
be blessed with positivity and good results. Thank you again. Thank you. Thank you so much for
having me. I really appreciate thank you so much and I wish you the best. Thank you.
