This has been so predominant among beekeepers and it has been a great pain. We were well kitted-up but I was sweating inside the bee suit so, I left the hive I was working on to get some fresh air and then I forgot that the bees were still around and I removed my veil to get some fresh air and the next thing I saw was bees bombarding me and I was having braids on then, it was not a funny sight, but thank God for my husband who came to my rescue, else something terrible would have happened and this is one of the risks involved, though it was due to my carelessness.Challenges on the job The major challenges that are peculiar to beekeeping are bush burning and pilfering by honey robbers. It happened that I was working with the bees one hot sunny day with my husband in the apiary. Also I was selected to be among the first set of entrepreneurs to be mentored by the entrepreneurship unit of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and industries (LCCI)Memorable moments as a beekeeperThere have been so many but this particular one, when I look back, I always thank God. This was exactly a month into my resignation and the third one was when I was given a space at the Technology Incubation Centre (TIC), Abeokuta where I am now. After the training, I was empowered with some funds as loan which I paid back to start my business and that was when the confidence came and I started planning my exit from the Federal University of Agriculture to go into my own business.The second one was when I won the Goldman Sach scholarship for Women Entrepreneurs in July 2011 to study at the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of Pan-Atlantic University. I later discovered that this is the business Im cut out for and when I heard that NDE (National Directorate of Employment) was having a training for graduates that want to start their own business, I applied and was selected. First and foremost, after I started out, I intended keeping bees as a hobby but as God would have it, it has become a big business today.
I will share three of these achievements that I hold so dear to my heart. I started out with three hives and these have increased with time.Milestones recorded thus farToday, what started out as a hobby has been a blessing to me. I told the consultant about it and he told me that whenever Im ready, I should get in touch. It was also at that time that the Consult organised a three-day workshop on beekeeping which I was opportune to be part of, and that was where the passion for beekeeping was unlocked and I longed to have a hive of my own. I had no option than to assist the boy who was assisting him then. It was the week I resumed that the staff in charge of the honey unit resigned. My journey into beekeeping started when I got employed at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta Consult, as the marketing officer to market all their products including honey which they produce and processed. I was so fascinated and I desired that one day I will learn about it. At a point, I learnt from a friend that there is a way one can keep bees to get honey. Many a time when I was growing up I had a little garden at the back of our house and every morning I will sit and imagine how the plants grow and I always appreciate God for His works. I was also discovered by Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND) empowering women entrepreneurs who handed us over to Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), where I happened to be among the first set of mentees of the LCCI.Inspiration for beekeepingI have always loved nature and agriculture was something I loved so much. I was on scholarship from Goldman Sach Corporations in the USA to study entrepreneurship at the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos. I had my entrepreneurial training with the National Directorate of Employment, programme Start Your own Business (SYOB). I had my beekeeping training at the Bee-craft Vocational Institute, Abeokuta. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, she speaks on the prospects and challenges of beekeeping among others.Im a graduate of Marketing from The Polytechnic Ibadan. Victoria Folasade Ojebiyi is Chief Executive Officer, Alpha-Cedar Corporate Company, which is involved in beekeeping and honey processing.
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