I Left Dominion TV Because My Standards Were Not Respected — Ronke Giwa Onafuwa

By Nifemi Peters

Renowned Ibadan-based broadcaster and media entrepreneur, Ronke Giwa Onafuwa, has opened up on her decision to leave Dominion Television, saying she would not remain in an environment where her authority and professional standards were not respected.

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Ronke made this known during an interview with media personality, Morayo Afolabi-Brown, on The Morayo Show, where she spoke about her broadcasting career, personal brand, entrepreneurship, mentorship, family and the need for professionals in the media industry to create opportunities beyond conventional radio and television jobs.

Speaking on her departure from Dominion Television, Ronke Giwa Onafuwa said her decision was based on her commitment to maintaining high professional standards.

According to her, she would not compromise her values or reduce herself to accommodate an environment where she felt her professional standards were not being respected.

“I don't believe in staying where my authority or my standards will not be respected. Anyone who knows me knows I have standards, high standards, especially as a broadcaster,” she said.

Ronke Giwa added that she had reached a point in her career where she understood the importance of protecting her personal brand and professional identity.

“When I'm in a space where it feels like my light is blinding you, no matter how much I shine, I'm not going to stop shining for anybody. I'm not going to reduce myself for anybody. I'm not going to edit myself for anybody,” she said.

Reflecting on her journey in broadcasting, Ronke Giwa Onafuwa recalled how she started her career at Splash FM in Ibadan and gradually worked her way up in the industry.

She said her growth was driven largely by her willingness to take initiatives and contribute beyond the responsibilities assigned to her.

According to her, she was instrumental in creating the digital media department at Splash FM and also contributed to the station's digital growth at a time when social media was still developing as an important part of broadcasting.

Ronke  said she eventually realised that broadcasters needed to build identities independent of their employers if they wanted to have sustainable careers.

“The thing with a lot of broadcasters is they make the mistake of tying their brand to that organisation,” she said.

She explained that her decision to build a personal brand enabled her to continue attracting an audience and creating opportunities even after leaving previous media organisations.

Speaking about her experience in the Ibadan media industry, Giwa Onafuwa said she did not rely on a godfather to establish herself.

“For me, there's no godfather. I started this all on my own,” she said.

She explained that she deliberately built relationships across different media organisations instead of restricting herself to colleagues within her workplace.

She also recalled facing questions about whether she could succeed in Ibadan because of her background and accent. She said she refused to change her identity merely to satisfy other people's expectations.

“I decided that I was not going to edit myself. People said I had to start doing this whole Jennifer English thing to be comedic. And I said, that's not me. I'm a professional to the core,” she said.

The broadcaster also spoke about the changing nature of content creation, urging aspiring creators not to believe that expensive equipment or elaborate production is required before they can start.

According to her, content creation is primarily about identifying one's value, presenting it authentically and sharing it with an audience.

“Content creation is generally just showing yourself, showing your authentic self. You don't have to look a certain way,” she said.

Ronke Giwa Onafuwa further encouraged young professionals to recognise the value of the knowledge and experience they already possess.

She said broadcasters should not depend entirely on salaries from radio and television stations but should explore other opportunities within the media industry.

“Nobody will pay you what you're worth. You have to diversify. There's so many opportunities beyond just sitting behind a mic,” she said.

She identified consulting, writing, blogging, event hosting and other media-related activities as possible avenues through which professionals could generate additional income.

Speaking about her own experience, Ronke Giwa Onafuwa disclosed that she had developed herself as a media consultant and had worked with media organisations in that capacity.

“You know a lot more than you think. Use that knowledge, brand yourself and let people have that knowledge and let them pay premium for it,” she said.

Ronke Giwa Onafuwa also spoke about marriage, motherhood and the role of family support in her career, saying the support of her husband had helped her maintain her professional commitments after becoming a mother.

She advised young professionals, particularly women, to pay attention to the kind of partner they choose.

“Who you marry is so important in your life,” she said, adding that a supportive partner could make it easier for a woman to pursue her professional ambitions while managing family responsibilities.

Beyond broadcasting, Ronks Giwa Onafuwa said she was passionate about mentoring young people and developing confident speakers.

She disclosed that some of her initiatives, including Who's That Girl, Talk Mommy, Speaker Circle and The Big Conversation, were created to provide mentorship, encourage meaningful conversations and create platforms through which people could share knowledge and experiences.

She explained that Who's That Girl began as an initiative aimed at mentoring teenage girls, while her later projects expanded to address issues affecting mothers, women, broadcasters and young professionals.

Ronke Giwa Onafuwa, who is also an author, spoke about her books, Lara's Lessons and Lulu Learns, saying they were written to pass important lessons and encourage confidence among young people.

According to her, her various projects are driven by a desire to create lasting impact.

“For me, it's all about impact. I want to impact. I want to share value with people because I have so much value to give,” she said.

She also called for increased participation of broadcasters in media ownership, arguing that professionals who understand the industry should be encouraged to establish and operate media organisations.

“We need to own media houses so that we can do things the proper way,” she said.

Ronke Giwa Onafuwa further disclosed her intention to continue mentoring younger broadcasters through her Speaker Circle initiative, saying she wanted to contribute to developing a new generation of confident and competent speakers.

During the programme, she also announced plans to support participants through the initiative and offered financial assistance to selected members of the audience.

The interview provided an extensive insight into Ronke Giwa Onafuwa's career journey, her decision to establish herself beyond conventional broadcasting structures and her continuing efforts to contribute to the development of young professionals in Nigeria's media industry.