ADEROJU OPE-AJAYI is fostering sports advancement in Africa

Aderoju Ope-ajayi is an innovative entrepreneur and professional who is highly focused, dynamic, and motivated with over 20years’ experience in sales, channel strategy and management, business development in the telecommunications (GSM) and Pay TV industry, with a flair for business strategy, sales, key account, management and customer care relations.

She is currently the Founder & Lead Instructor at Dolphin Swim School and Dolphin Aquatic Centre. She is a sports development advocate with a passion for fostering positive change in the sports industry in Africa.

Her mission is to help develop the sports industry in Nigeria by partnering with the right stakeholders, helping to build sustainable sports businesses, and providing knowledge to new entries in the industry. She has made her mark in the corporate world before transitioning into entrepreneurship and setting up her businesses.

Aderoju serves in various board capacities locally and internationally as follows. She is the Vice Chairman and Board Member at Lagos State Swimming Association. An advisory Board Member of the International Swim Schools Association, a Charter Board Member of the Global Water Safety & Drowning Prevention Rotary Club and also a member of the United States Swim Schools Association.

She is a certified water safety instructor and trainer, certified lifeguard and equally certified to administer first aid, CPR and AED. This is alongside her various degrees obtained from the prestigious Lagos Business School & the Metropolitan School of Business UK.

She has received multiple awards that are a testament to her skill and tenacity in breaking new grounds.

TAKE us back memory lane and influences

I am a true Lagosian, born and grew up in Lagos island, where I’m the baby of the Amodu family. My family is very close knit despite the age differences among my siblings. My parents brought us up knowing that family is number 1, and we had to be there for each other. It is always your family you can fall back on.

My greatest influence definitely came from my parents, especially my dad who was very pivotal to the development of swimming and sports in Lagos state and Nigeria as a whole. My parents instilled in me the love of people, teaching me that everyone deserves a chance to experience good things in life and if you can, be a facilitator of the good experience.

Tell us about being founder and lead instructor at Dolphin Swim School and Dolphin Aquatic Centre

Setting up my businesses was one of the greatest achievements of my life. Dolphin Swim School and Dolphin Aquatic Centre were forged from a period of uncertainty, and they prove to me that nothing is wasted in life.

Dolphin Swim School started as a hobby as far back as my university days at the University of Lagos. I come from a background of aquatics i.e. I’m a 2nd generation swim instructor after my dad. My Father, (Late) Y.A Amodu was popularly known as Ejalonibu. He was the Head Coach of The Nigerian National Swim Team, served as a sports administrator in Lagos State; served on various Boards and a very avid swimmer. I had little choice but to be a ‘fish’ as well from an early age. I swam competitively through age group swimi ming, and this culminated with me swimming at the Nigerian University Games & West African University Games for my school, University of Lagos.

During this time, it was just natural to teach friends how to swim and then friends’ friends approached me. This went on throughout university until graduated and then went on for NYSC.

While working and starting off my career, I could find some time to still teach swimming on the side. It was something I was extremely passionate about, and I loved teaching people a new life skill, meeting new clients, encouraging those with aqua phobia and just passing on knowledge of water safety. Then life happened, and I completely moved on from this side business to focus on my career and growth.

Fast forward to 2017, when I had to unexpectedly leave my job. I was at odds on what next to do. A few no, a lot of people who knew me and my business then reminded of Dolphin Swim School and how it is so very much needed. Reluctantly, I decided to give it a shot during this period of transition pending when I find what next to do. This seeming stop gap business from the very first launch date on

April 17, 2017, surpassed all expectations. It grew so quickly I had to formally set up a business structure i.e., an LCC on July 10th, 2017, to carry the business.

The main reason for founding this business apart from being a stop gap, was to address the rate of deaths by drowning of children. I had friends who wanted their children to learn how to swim, however, they wanted a female instructor, and most, especially one they can trust. I had past students who wanted refresher courses and had tried other swim instructors and realized that they were not being taught properly. All these gaps needed to be filled, and who better to do it than me.

My love for swimming and all things aquatics was re-ignited, my passion for people and making difference was triggered and Dolphin Swim School was birthed. By December 2017, I had received formal trainings and certifications as a water safety instructor, lifeguard trainer and first aid responder from the United States of America. These certifications gave me the edge to better serve our clients and make a much-needed difference in the art of teaching swimming. This was also quickly followed by my first grant from WIMBIZ in recognition of the business idea and the progress made.

By the end of 2017, the business had grown quite significantly that I had to recruit an additional instructor to help manage the flow of customers. We have now trained over 3,000 women and children from then till now with our team growing to 12 female Instructors: 3 female admins and 1 male instructor.

There have been 3 major reported pool mishaps with children involved, what are the safety tips for those who own swimming pools in their houses?

These have been very heartbreaking to read about.

Our heartfelt prayers and condolences to the affected families. Here are some safety tips for pools at home or any aquatic environment that children have access to:

1, Create safe areas around the pool. This basically means blocking access to the. Pool using fences, gates and doors that can be securely locked. This also means investing in installing pool covers that can be put in place when the pool is not in use.

2, Install Alarms: As we have burglar alarms, we should also have pool alarms that would be on always. This is another layer of safety that can be triggered when a child falls into the pool i.e., wave alarm or an alarm on the fence or gate that goes off when the fence or gate is opened.

3, Life Saving Equipment on hand: Have lifesaving equipment on hand for quick rescue efforts i.e., Pool buoys, rings, and pols. This can come in handy for quick rescues when needed.

4, Constant Supervision: this means that during pool activities, there must be a designated water watcher to ensure adequate supervision of the people in the pool at every moment. This means the designated water watcher cannot be distracted by their phonier conversation.

5, Make Pool Safety a whole family habit: this simply means, get everyone involved, including the domestic staff and security. Get everyone trained on first aid and CPR so they can offer lifesaving help. Teach everyone how to swim or be water safe. Create list of pool rules that everyone would be held accountable for. Always check the pool first before a child goes missing in the home.

There are safety tips for pools at home or any aquatic environment that children have access to

Read the concluding part of our interview with ADEROJU

OPE-AJAYI on our website www.businessday.ng as she graces the cover of Women’s Hub for this week