ENTREPRENEUR OF THE WEEK - FEMALE

Stage Voice: Good day ,It is a pleasure to have you here. Can you please introduce yourself?

Sovereign: It's a pleasure to be here. I'm Garba Oyindamola Esther, 'Sovereign of Nine Realms'. A part 1 student of Dramatic Arts department of Obafemi Awolowo University.

Stage Voice: It is a pleasure to have you here Esther.So. Can you tell me a little bit about your life outside school? What does it look like?

Sovereign: Thank you, I prefer sovereign.Pretty boring stuff actually. I'm more of an indoor person.

Stage Voice: My bad, Sovereign. Introvert things 😅. Can you tell us a bit about your business?

Sovereign: Yeah, I'm not much of an introvert though. I enjoy outings sometimes 🥲. Okay, I'm basically a freelance writer, I focus mainly on LitRPG genre and Wuxia. I love to write about sci-fi related stories including horror.I'm also a professional voice over artist, and a part-time caterer.

Stage Voice: It is a pleasure to have you here.

Sovereign: Thanks.

Stage Voice: All this must require a lot of commitment and dedication 

How do you do it?

Sovereign: It's fun for me. I enjoy doing it, it's where I find peace so it doesn't feel too much.

Also, due to the dept I'm in it can sometimes be tough due to time but that makes me love it all the more. 

Stage Voice: How do you balance it with school?

Sovereign: 🤷🏽♀️ you make time for what's important. This also is the prime of my life, I should do everything I want to do, even with the pain and the tears and all the joys as well. I do not ever want to regret anything, ever! I read when it's time to read, socialize when I should and seek peace when I need it. My school work is my number one priority and I give it the attention it deserves, because without the admission I wouldn't be here. 

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Stage Voice: You sound like a very disciplined person

Did you take after any family member or mentor?

Sovereign: Yeah I'd say my mom. She's the most disciplined person I know.

Stage Voice: There are a lot of digital skills to acquire 

Why did you choose writing?

Sovereign: I've always used writing to express myself, from as far back as I can remember. It's not much of a choice, it's the only way I can keep from going insane actually.

Stage Voice: Well now we have no doubt in what you will major in 🙈.  On a scale of 1-10, How well will you rate your social skills?

Sovereign: I'd say 5.  I'm not always open to socializing. It's a time thing. I guess 🥲. Although I'm always polite and open to everyone. I'm sweet like that sha.

Stage Voice: Awwwnnn! Can you say that your work has help boost your financial capabilities?

Sovereign: A bit yeah not as much as I'd like though.

Stage Voice: It’s a gradual process. As a writer, you must meet different types of people every day

Has your work influenced the way you view people?

Sovereign: It's more the other way around. The people I meet have helped me grow up a lot and it reflects in my work.

Stage Voice: Meeting the right people does matter.

Sovereign: Yeah.

Stage Voice: Who has been your motivation?

Sovereign: My mother firstly. I've also had a lot of people (authors) along the way whose works have inspired and motivated me.

Stage Voice: Can you name a few of those authors?

Sovereign:Yes.Tolkien,Robert Jordan,Brandon Sanderson,Jez Cajiao,Terry Brooks,Terry Goodkind,Nora Roberts,Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Dean Koontz,Steven Erikson (Malazan) an absolutely fantastic work! David Baldacci and so on. There's too many people who's works have opened new horizons for me. So, I'll stop with the most notable ones.

Stage Voice: They are quite notable people. Earlier you said something about doing what you want even with the pain and tears and joy .Can you explain more what you meant by that ?

Sovereign: Well nothing good comes easy, and life is a series of twists and turns. Especially Nigeria today, it's tough out there, there is so much to do, so little time. Not enough resources, (the right people, funds, audience) etc. 

Also, the dept here is not as easy as people think. It's been a little hard adjusting to the scheduling around here. It's dirty and gritty but it's worthwhile and I'm learning so much. So as tough as it can really be, I'm better for it. Yes, I'm very glad that I got introduced to some of them as a child. It's really opened up the world for me. Shaped some of my experiences and enlarged my horizons, dreams and aspirations.

Stage Voice: I’m learning so much from you. Last question of the day .What are your thoughts on sex before marriage?

Sovereign: I don't subscribe to it. I'm not nosey and believe people should make their own choices but I personally don't subscribe to it

Stage Voice: Can you expanciate  more on you mean by that.

Sovereign: Okay, what I'm trying to say is that I was raised in a conservative Christian home. I grew up learning that fornication is a sin to God and to your body.  So I basically was raised in the kind of seemingly old-fashioned environment and I have very strong feelings about it entrenched in my heart as well. So it may be seen by some as being pretty old school but I guess I don't mind. 

I subscribe to being conservative in my own personal life but for other people? I don't really have much of a say because the most you can do at the end of the day is advice someone, everyone is free and open to make their own choices basically.

Stage Voice: Thank you very much for that intuitive response. It was a pleasure having you here.

Sovereign: The pleasure is all mine.