The first time I came in contact with Eventful Limited, the leading events planning company in Nigeria, I was involved in preparations for my father-in-law’s funeral in April 2009. I was based in Accra, Ghana, at the time, and before then I was living in London. This made my knowledge of social trends in Nigeria and who did what quite minimal.
The timing of the passing of my father-in-law was rather problematic. He was an old man of 87, so his age was not the problem. We were in the middle of a political campaign and we had a gubernatorial election rerun planned for May 2009. We thought of postponing the funeral till after the election, but the Catholic Church would not have allowed it. Some of our political supporters also felt a grand funeral for an old man would not be a bad idea, since it would provide an opportunity for ‘mobilising people.’
My late friend, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka, who was my husband’s running-mate at the time, arranged a meeting with Mrs. Yewande Zaccheaus, the managing director of Eventful, and that was how we started a wonderful professional and personal relationship.
Papa Fayemi’s funeral was well organized, and whatever challenges we had with the weather and the crowd were not the fault of the event planners.
Our political friends had arranged for Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde (KWAM 1) to perform at the reception, which was held on a large field. We had organized for a lesser-known musician from Ibadan, Gbenga Odusote (Treasures), to perform in the VIP and family tent. When we got to the reception after the interment, I found Gbenga on the field, where KWAM 1 was supposed to be performing, crying in frustration and shivering from the rain. What happened? KWAM1 had ‘bounced’ him out of the VIP tent and declared that he was not in Isan-Ekiti to play for the general public, he was there to play for Dr. Kayode Fayemi and his party leaders. To make matters worse, Gbenga did not have much of an audience because it had been raining.
If KWAM 1 had been there, the crowd would have stayed, but not for an unknown performer from Ibadan. I did not know Gbenga and that was the first time I would set eyes on him, but I felt sorry for him. I tried to console him, and I said we would invite him to play at our residence that night at Isan-Ekiti. He seemed to like the idea and he calmed down. What he did not know was that there had been no plan whatsoever for a party at the house. Everything was supposed to end on the field. I huddled with the Eventful team, all of them young people, and they said, “Don’t worry Auntie, we will sort it out.”
It turned out that we had many guests who would have had nothing else to do that night. So, an after-party was a great idea. As for Gbenga Odusote, he insists that was the night he was launched into stardom. Treasures is now way up there with the big bands such as Ebony, Faith, Aristo and so on.
When my mother-in-law passed on in 2012, I did not have the sense of panic I had three years before because I knew my friend Yewande and her team would have my back. Again, what would have been a terribly stressful series of activities spread over a week was managed with calm and grace.
Over the years Eventful has supported me and my family in more ways than I can count. They were there to help with major events throughout my husband’s first term in office 2010 to 2014. Yewande was the first person I called when it was time to plan the inauguration ceremony for my husband’s second term in October 2018. Eventful has helped me and my friends organize weddings, funerals, birthdays, inaugurations, premieres and conferences. Sometimes, I joke with Yewande that she needs to pay me a commission for the number of times I have urged people to choose Eventful. When I am asked, “Aren’t they expensive?” my response is, “They will work with whatever your budget is.” And they really do.
Mrs. Yewande Zaccheus has built a formidable business in an area that many would have scoffed at in the early days. Her contribution to the events management industry in Nigeria is second to none. She has earned a place for herself as someone who made events planning the serious business it is in Nigeria today. Mrs. Zaccheus has succeeded so much with Eventful not just because they are good at what they do (they truly are), not because she is very well connected (she definitely is) and not because Nigeria has such a huge appetite for events (Naija does not carry last!) but because she has made Eventful a family to so many people.
A family that knows who you are and what you need, even before you ask. A family that is there to celebrate the good times in a glorious way, and a family who knows how to discreetly manage your pain when the milestones are sad ones. The kind of family who values your friendship, treats you with respect and keeps your confidences. I will be forever grateful to this great company, and I can only pray that even as we all face the challenges of living and celebrating differently due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, they will continue to do well because they are simply the best.
A few weeks ago, Yewande reached out to inform me that she was stepping down from the company to pursue other interests. She asked me to contribute towards a publication she was putting together, ‘An Eventful Life: Lessons in Life, Leadership and Entrepreneurship.” This essay is an expanded version of my contribution to the book.
One day, I was at an event and one of my assistants commented on the shoddy arrangements and said, “I trust Eventful, this would never happen on their watch!” I smiled and nodded. Trust. That is a very important word.
Eventful has built itself into a brand that can be trusted to deliver, regardless of the challenges and obstacles of operating in a complex environment such as Nigeria. We spend so much time lamenting how things never work in our country, and we hardly pause to celebrate the models of good practice and transformative leadership that we do have in our midst.
There are many lessons younger (and older) entrepreneurs can learn from Mrs. Yewande Zaccheaus. Know what you are doing. Study your environment. Build a competent, youthful and reliable team. Learn from what you do well and from what has gone wrong. Lead by example. Have a succession plan and review regularly. Don’t make the business about you but about the value you add. Value relationships. Be discreet. Earn respect, don’t demand it. Earn trust, don’t just expect it.
I have never been disappointed in Eventful. I wish the company under the leadership of the new managing director, Mr. Fisayo Beecroft, all the very best in the years to come. I thank my dear sister and friend Yewande Zaccheaus for her friendship over the years, her kindness, generosity of spirit, creativity, innovation and unwavering dedication to excellence. I wish Eventful many more eventful years!
•Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi is a gender specialist, social entrepreneur and writer. She is the founder of Abovewhispers.com, an online
community for women. She is the First Lady of Ekiti State and can be reached at [email protected]