‘Being in male-dominated field is fun, not challenging’

You are a graduate of Commerce, who specialised in management. What led you to the construction industry?Oyin Oshikanlu: As a child, my father would always take us to his construction site, which was always an exciting expedition for us all. He also had several home and interior magazines around the housedue to his own personal […]

You are a graduate of Commerce, who specialised in management. What led you to the construction industry?
Oyin Oshikanlu: As a child, my father would always take us to his construction site, which was always an exciting expedition for us all. He also had several home and interior magazines around the housedue to his own personal interests in architecture and design. As a result, I have always been fascinated with building, construction and design.
How did you start out in the industry?
Oshikanlu: While studying and living in South Africa, I started a property management company and ran it for about two and a half years. Subsequently, I transitioned into working with real estate developers and selling property. With the little funds I was able to save, I started investing in some developments in South Africa. Upon my moving back to Nigeria, I realised that real estate development was one of the burgeoning industries in Nigeria. As such, I decided to continue the property management company I set up in South Africa here in Nigeria. I started similarly to when I was in South Africa by selling and then re-investing my earnings into other developers’ projects. Eventually, I was able to gather some funds and partnered with my husband-to-be, who is also a driving force in my life, to start up our own development project, Honeyville, which is a block of 22 luxury flats in the Lekki area of Lagos.
Women in the building and remodelling sectors of the construction industry face a unique set of challenges. Tell us some of your challenges.
Oshikanlu: The biggest challenge I would say is sexism. This is the case in any industry in Nigeria because we are a patriarchal society. Many people in the industry assume that because I am a woman they can take advantage or bully me,people sometimes underestimate me. As such, I have to work twice as hard to prove myself and gain the same respect given to a man.
Intimidation comes with every job. Do you ever feel intimidated by your male colleagues?
Oshikanlu: I have to say that I am never really intimidated because as person, I am not easily intimidated. Additionally, because I make it a point to treat people well, I tend to get along with everyone in my line of work.
What accomplishment are you especially proud of?
Oshikanlu: I am especially very proud that I finished my degree with a first class. I have a bachelor’s degree in Commerce with specialisation in management, and finishing with high distinctions. My graduation day was one of the proudest moments of my life because it was a goal I set for myself upon getting into school in South Africa and I worked extremely hard to achieve it.
Tell us about your first job in construction?
Oshikanlu: My first job was assisting in the sale of 40 units of town houses in Fourways, South Africa. I worked with a company called TW properties.
Is there someone in particular in your life that led you to this career?
Oshikanlu: My father was very much into architecture and home design so as a child I was exposed to this.
What has been the most surprising part of being a woman working in construction?
Oshikanlu: One of the most surprising things ironically, is that I actually expected that things would be much more challenging as a woman in this industry. The other unfortunate surprise was the level of people’s dishonesty and the extent some people would go to try to cheat, steal and defraud you.
What is your most valuable certification? What was the most challenging?
Oshikanlu: Honestly, I am very proud of my academic achievement, of finishing with first class. Nothing else to date can match that accomplishment and assuch, it is my most valuable and also most challenging certification.
What is your most memorable moment working in construction?
Oshikanlu: The ground-breaking of my first construction project was the most memorable time in my career in construction.
What is the biggest change you have seen in the field since you started?
Oshikanlu: The fact that developers are now paying attention to the quality of their construction projects. Mortgages are now available and the rates are also getting better making it more affordable for more people to own homes in Nigeria.