A Gem At 50 - Eugenia Abu

For this TV icon, nothing can be more rewarding than making a positive impact on others, especially the youth, who look up to her as a role model. Eugenia Abu is one of Nigeria’s most recognisable faces. She is an ace broadcaster, prize winning essayist, poet, short story writer, motivational speaker, multimedia strategist, mentor, wife and mother.

She has several awards tucked into her beltand is a member of several national and international bodies, including the Human Rights Commission and Lagos State Grant Management Council, Abuja Green Society among others.

Early Years
As a young child, Eugenia was already focussed, knew what she wanted and already knew where she was heading- for greatness. She attended Queen Amina College in Kaduna and graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1981 with a degree in English.Ten years later, she acquired a Masters in Communication Studies from City University in London and is working on another Masters in Creative writing from Keele University, Staffordshire, England.

Golden Girl of NTA
For someone whose dream was to become a lawyer, she found herself in TV by sheer providence. She has contributed so much in the world of art and journalism for the past 27 years;seventeen of them spent gracing the TV screen, anchoring the 9:00 pm News on NTA. Not stopping there and even with her already busy schedule, she delved into writing, one of her passions and her first love.

Her first book, In the Blink of An Eye, a collection of essays was published in 2007, winning her the ANA/NDDC Flora Nwapa Prize for best female writing in 2008. Don’t Look at Me Like That, her first collection of poems, was to follow two years later. A third book, a novel, is in the works and she also holds down two weekly columns, Five Favourite Books with Eugenia in Sunday Trust and Tales from the Main Road with Business Day.

She is presently Director, Training at the Nigeria Television Authority and such an energetic and passionate ambassador for Nigeria. She has moderated high profile events.                                                              

A family- oriented person, Eugenia got married to her husband Mr Thompson Abu in 1983 and they are blessed with lovely children who she calls, ‘‘the most adorable children in the world and a blessing.’’ Shebelieves all her strength and success comes from her family because, "Family is the single most important unit in every society.

Everything I have become, it is because they were there for me. No one must sacrifice career for family.It is always better to give up the career if you are not coping, but balance is the key. It is doable.” She encouraged. Her love for children and women issues has been overwhelming to Nigerians. Her strong spiritual values as a Catholic have seen her striving hard to be a better person as well as showing appreciation and respect for other faiths. Incidentally, she comes from a long line of Muslims and Christians.

As an Educationist, she believes in mentoring the young to become great leaders of tomorrow and fast track Africa’s development. She has used her skills to mentor students at the NTA TV College in Jos as a guest lecturer between 2002 and 2007.

She is also the founder and Lead Facilitator of The Treasured Writers(TTW) a summer writing workshop for children between the ages of seven and fourteen yearsto hone their writing skills. Asked why she decided to set up the workshop, she replied, “There is nothing that compares with working with children. It’s a heavenly experience. They are honest and unpretentious. It’s a good thing to be childlike.”

On how she feels to be a star, she replied, “I don’t consider myself a star; I am a public figure and a role model. A star does not believe anyone shines brighter or better and this is not always true. A role model is an exemplary figure,” she said in an interview once.

Recently the beautiful and ever-youthful Eugenia celebrated her 50th birthday on 19th October, 2012.  As part of activities to mark the event, she invited family, friends and well-wishers to share a private and interesting moments of her life and career. It was a thrilling experience, hosting guests at the exhibition, giving people an insight of her early years growing up, her career and family life-all in pictures.

As somebody who many would want to be identified with, a public lecture was delivered the next day by Attorney General of the Federation and Honorable Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke and later, an evening of fun as well-wishers came in their hundreds to dine, dance and make merry to their heart’s content.

Eugenia Abu is a public figure whose life’s journey will continue toinspire those who strive for humility and integrity in service.