Making our choice for our inaugural StyleVitae Mother of the Year in celebration of Women’s Month and Mother’s Day was an easy one. Powede Eniola Awujo’s list of achievements is a long one - winning beauty queen, registered nurse, certified pilot, entrepreneur, influencer, and, most recently, a cybersecurity analyst. This would be plenty for anyone, but she is also a wife and mother of three.
She graciously invited us into her beautiful home to talk about what drives her and how motherhood has impacted her outlook and style. We cleared up how to pronounce her name correctly (Poh-wey-dey), discovered that she can pilot a boat, and learned that having her nails done is non-negotiable.
We asked what drives her to try her hand (and succeed!) at so many things and how her experiences have impacted motherhood. She credits her resilience and childhood growing up with four older brothers for her curiosity and desire to achieve whatever she set her mind to, and says that her experiences and expertise in different spheres make her a better mother. "Balance" is what she strives for when parenting.
On how she balances the demands of motherhood, career and marriage, she reminds us that "you can't pour from an empty cup", and credits her faith, self-care and a strong sense of self for building her confidence and keeping her grounded.
When it comes to fashion, "understated elegance" is how she describes her style. As seen on her Instagram, she loves Nigerian designers for the colours and silhouettes. Preferring minimal accessories, she lets the clothes do the talking and looks great doing it. In fact, she has also recently added fashion influencer to her list of roles, even though she did not deliberately set out to do so.
In front of the camera, wearing a power suit she worked with AMA, a Lagos-based label known for their tailoring, to create, she is a professional, turning on the focus and glamour as if at the flip of a switch. Between shots, she is relaxed and charming, unbothered by delays. She reassures us that it is worth taking the time to get things right.
Truly a pleasure to work with, Powede is the definition of multifaceted. She seemingly effortlessly juggles motherhood, personal ambition and marriage, but clearly is a hard worker with an enviable sense of self that she makes the effort to maintain. We look forward to seeing what she does next!
Enjoy the gorgeous photos, and watch out for clips and the full interview on @stylevitae.
Outfit : @ama_lagos
Styling: @noble_igwe
Creative Direction: @stylevitae
Photography: @jewel_shot_it
Videography: @shotbynobs
