Sharing a dawn with Funmi

SHE had been used to celebrating others; that is what she has done with her popular TV talkshow, New Dawn With Funmi Iyanda, which airs on stations around the country. However, last weekend, it was the creme of the society that decided to celebrate her.
She had called them out to teh Silverbird Galleria, on Victoria Island, Lagos, to share in the birthing of her new baby — her new show - Talking With Funmi Iyanda, but she got more than she expected; when guest after guest mounted the stage and rewarded her with generous and warm words recounting her acomplishment since she hit the airwaves a little over 10 years ago; and with many of the speakers giving testimony to how she had touched their own individual life.
A humbled Funmi, however, smiled through it all; showing that occasional flash of innocent surprise that has become the trademark of her on-air presentation.

Anchored by the likeable presenter of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Frank Edoho, the sneak preview was also witnessed by the First Citizen of Lagos, Babatunde Raji Fashola, and his Oyo State counterpart, Adebayo Alao-Akala, as well as industry stalwarts and professionals from various sectors of the corporate world.
Among the priviledged shots saw by the guests include a day out with Charly Boy and the Okada riders in Lagos, playing football with Governor Fashola and the All Stars; standing at the foot of the breathtaking Idanre Hills to mixing music with ID Cabasa and 9ice in their studios.
Said Governor Fashola after the show: “This programme simply shows that we can deploy every medium, not just TV, for good. Let us tell more of our own good stories because nobody will tell it for us. That is the message of this show.”
Another guest, Mrs. Bridget Oyefeso-Odusami stated: “I found the show to be very real in portraying Nigeria from successful people to people on the street. It showed the breath and depth of our people.
To round up the successful evening, guests were treated to a reception at Cubes Bar and Restaurant.

...Multitasking Funmi
Multi-award winning Funmi has produced and hosted the popular talk show New Dawn Funmi, which aired on the national network for over eight years out of herr 10 years professional engagement in the media. Currently the CEO of Ignite Media, a multi-media production company based in Lagos, Funmi has been a strong voice and advocate for women and children. Her career engagement include being at different times: host of New Dawn with Funmi; New Dawn on 10; MITV Live; and as Producer, Good Morning Nigeria. She is co-author, ‘Me My Desert and I’ ; and as a columnist, she anchors ‘Jisting’ (Tempo Magazine); ‘Scores’ (PM News); ‘The Rational Mind’ (Farafina Magazine); she also writes her own blog fiyanda.blogspot.com. She has also reported sports, covering the Olympic finals in Sydney and Athens; FIFA World Cup Finals as well as All African Games in Zimbabwe.
Funmi is engaged in Philanthropy trough such initiatives as Change A Life Project: An intervention and family support scheme that has provided educational scholarships to over 250 youth as well as healthcare support to exceptional yet needy people; Women In Need Program (WIN), which finds support for women who have been cast out of their homes and communities; and the The Chain of Hope Rape crisis network.
She has had Fellowships and being member of among others:Vital Voices Global Leadership Initiative; ASPEN Institute’s Forum for Communications and Society; being participant at the African Leadership Initiative (ALI) West African; a of Fellow African Leadership Institute Tutu; and Fellow Global Women Inventors and Innovators Network
In her list of awards are: Nigerian Media Merit Award recipient Best TV presenter 2005; Global Women Inventors and Innovators Award; Rotary Excellence Awards 2003; Gold Award for Philanthropic Support to Education, Health and Service to Humanity. She is also a member of the Boards of Action Aid International Nigeria Positive Impact Youth Network.