She-EO's on Air 2026 3
Motherhood: The Stories We Carry
Saturday, September 19, 2026 | 5:00–6:00 p.m. WAT | 12:00–1:00 p.m. ET
Motherhood is one of life's most beautiful journeys — but it is rarely a simple one. Behind the joy are stories of sacrifice, identity, ambition, uncertainty, resilience, and the quiet moments when women wonder how to care for everyone else without losing themselves.
This September on She-EO's On Air, we're opening up an honest conversation about Motherhood — the realities, expectations, joys, challenges, and the many ways motherhood continues to shape who we are.
Join Tope Fajingbesi, Dr. Bilikis Oladimeji, Aizat Oladapo, and Toyin Bashir for a thoughtful and heartfelt conversation that explores:
The realities and changing seasons of motherhood
Balancing motherhood, identity, career, and purpose
The expectations and pressures placed on mothers
What women wish they had known before becoming mothers
Finding yourself while caring for others
The wisdom, resilience, and beauty that motherhood can bring
We'll begin with our much-loved Africa 101 segment before moving into the conversation. Whether you are a mother, daughter, grandmother, aspiring mother, or simply a woman navigating the many ways we nurture and care for others, this conversation is for you.
Because motherhood deserves more than a highlight reel. It deserves honest stories, understanding, laughter, support, and sisterhood.
Join us live on YouTube or She-EO's Website.
Come as you are. Bring your story. Bring your questions. Let's talk about motherhood — honestly.
HOST
Tope Fajingbesi is a respected thought leader, transformative executive, and social impact entrepreneur. She serves as the Finance Director of a U.S.-headquartered global nonprofit organization, where she oversees financial operations across 3 continents and strengthens the organization’s financial sustainability. Driven by a passion for community empowerment and African development, Tope founded The She-EO (thesheeo.org), a global platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of women of African descent, and United for Kids Foundation (u4kids.org), which has transformed the lives of thousands of children in Nigeria.
Her commitment to African development was further amplified through Impact Africa, a podcast she hosted to inspire Africans in the diaspora to actively contribute to the continent’s growth. Tope’s professional journey includes roles at top firms such as Arthur Andersen and PwC and a tenure as a Lecturer at the University of Maryland, where she taught Agricultural Business Management courses and mentored future leaders in the field.
She and her husband, Niyi Balogun, co-own Dodo Farms, a certified naturally grown produce farm in Maryland, which they have grown into a thriving, mission-driven enterprise. An accomplished speaker and author, Tope has written several books, including Love in Cancun, Soulful Whispers, and A Mile in My Shoes—a deeply personal and inspiring memoir that takes readers on a journey through faith, love, heartbreak, and restoration.
CO-HOST
Dr. Bilikis Oladimeji is an internationally trained physician-Informaticist and women’s health advocate. A Fellow of the American Medical Informatics Association, with a career spanning clinical medicine, genomics, life sciences, pharma, and digital health. She is the Founder of SheriBell Global LLC, a hub for her portfolio career as a consultant, speaker, author, and general thought leadership.
Her past employers include Progyny, Optum/UHG, GSK, Duke Health, a Personalized Medicine Startup, and Lagos University Teaching Hospital. She has been recognized as an inventor and for leading innovation in clinical research, clinical decision-making, healthcare models, AI/ML adoption & governance, and digital health.
She obtained her medical degree (MBBS equivalent of a US MD) from the University of Lagos and her Master of Management in Clinical Informatics degree from Fuqua School of Business, Duke University. She also completed an executive education certificate course in health care strategy at Stanford and Harvard Medical School, and was a medical exchange student at the University of Oxford Medical Sciences Division.
She has spoken on various stages, including at ESSENCE Festival of Culture and at MIT Hacking Medicine. She loves traveling, chess, poetry, and writing.
GUESTS
Aizat Oladapo is a dedicated community leader with a rich background in public service, having retired from the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, where she focused on empowering low-income residents to achieve self-sufficiency through effective government programs.
Her commitment to community development shines through her volunteer efforts with several nonprofit boards, including the Montgomery County Food Council, the American Muslim Seniors Society, Concern Muslims of America and STEM initiative for Girls. Aizat is passionate about social service initiatives and advocates for disadvantaged communities while actively participating in multiple mosques throughout the DMV area. Currently, she is inspiring young women by coaching them to realize their full potential.
When she’s not giving back, Aizat relishes the joys of cooking and traveling, often visiting family and friends in Nigeria and in England.
Toyin Bashir is a Partner at Banwo & Ighodalo, a top- tier commercial law firm with offices in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. She heads the Firm’s corporate office in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Toyin Bashir is one of the pioneer members of the PEBEC Secretariat where she has provided pro bono services on the ease of doing business initiatives for about 6 years.
She has also acted for the last 9 months as the Chief of Staff to the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole. Toyin is the Founder of WeSupportHer, a non-governmental organisation advocating for menstrual rights of girls and women. We support Her also advocates for greater participation of women in governance and politics.
PRODUCERS
Joy Okoronkwo is an Executive Assistant, Community Manager, and Operations Professional with over seven years of experience supporting executives, managing strategic projects, and building impact-driven communities. She has worked across the nonprofit, healthcare, and entrepreneurship sectors with organizations including Lakeshore Cancer Center, Dennis Ashley Medical Clinic, and WEVO.
Passionate about leadership, women's empowerment, and organizational excellence, Joy is committed to creating systems, fostering partnerships, and developing initiatives that drive sustainable social and economic impact across Africa. Her work is rooted in service and structure
Rianat Ayinla is a social media manager, graphic designer, soft skills trainer, and UI/UX enthusiast passionate about technology, female empowerment, and sustainable development. She volunteered as a Soft Skills Facilitator at Jobberman Nigeria, helping to train over 400,000 Nigerian youths and earning the 2020 Award of Exceptional Performance for her outstanding contributions.
As the Ogun State Champion of the Nigeria Youth SDGs Network, Rianat contributed to the development of the SDGs Playbook and the Nigeria Youth Employment Action Plan (NIYEAP), supporting youth employment and entrepreneurship initiatives.
In 2020, she co-founded the GEAD Foundation, a nonprofit organization empowering girls and women through entrepreneurship, innovation, and digital, and soft skills development.