A Peek Into the Life Of… Chinedu Anarado – Communications Lead

We made a call for BellaNaija readers to be a part of a new exciting feature, titled ‘A Peek Into The Life Of‘ which the Features Team has been working on. {Click here if you missed it} We’ve been very excited by the feedback we’ve received and we’re happy with the submissions we’ve been receiving. It feels so good to get to know our readers better – what they do, and what makes them going in their individual careers. Our first feature was an actor,{click here if you missed it} but today, we’re bringing it even closer home. 

*ding ding ding*

Meet Chinedu Anarado, a communications lead in the development sector!

At an Internally Displaced Persons Camp in the FCT – the story of these people brought me to tears

Job title Communications Lead on a development programme. I am based in Abuja

What you do specifically? My role is to give my organisation maximum exposure, communicate our impact and ensure we avoid bad press and also keep employees and funders constantly update through identified channels

Core responsibilities – Manage internal and external communication channels and platform, including providing key stakeholder message and information needs. – Synthesize programme impacts stories into media and communications content – Manage programme social media handles and website – Plan and deploy PR and communications campaign plans – Disseminate programme research products – Support the design and development of knowledge management products; case studies, documentary production, success stories etc – Media relations

How long have you been at this job? 30 months

with some participants of our Peace Club in Bichi Community, Kano State

Office Retreat in Enugu

Highlights of your job My organisation works to improve conflict management mechanisms in Nigeria and reduce violence and its impact on vulnerable persons, and teach people how to better manage conflict to prevent escalation into violence. We do this in four ways; working with government agencies to improve security governance, addressing economic drivers of conflict, address violence against women and girls, and then research, media and advocacy.

We work in 8 states including Borno and Yobe States (yes, we go to war zones), and my role cuts across all four work areas in the eight states and we also work a lot with civil society groups.

I have to do this to be able to adequately extend communication support to the programme components and to be able to generate the information that I convert to content. I travel quite often and this brings me face to face with the poorest poor of the country. You will be amazed at the level of poverty and illiteracy in this country.

But you will also drool at how BEAUTIFUL this country is. If only we can overcome our challenges and harness our diversity effectively. I come face to face with the division and disunity among security agencies, the reality of unemployment and the destruction of livelihoods as a result of conflict stares me in the face, the grim reality of violence against women, girls and disabled persons and how traditional practises harm teenage girls and subdue women.

But I have also met people who are doing amazing stuff. It encourages me. It gives me the belief that we will get something. But people need to travel more, especially up North; this country is damn beautiful and amazing. Sadly the security situation doesn’t encourage travel.

Downsides of your job The security risk I am exposed to; the fact that communications is not always appreciated or given priority. People don’t really think you job is important until they need information or want exposure, the pay isn’t too wonderful compared to my counterparts in the private sector. Working with civil society groups and community based organisations can be downright FRUSTRATING. Also, the fact that my job is on a fixed terms basis, which means no job security

If you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing? Brand management and marketing and I still hope to cross over. I love branding

On a scale of 1-10, how would you grade your skill set at this job? 7.5

I’m living my career dream. Yes? No? Yes (partly, there are other stuff I do still love to do)

If No… please share your career dream I do still love to do this job in other parts of Africa and the world. Loads of expatriates come here to work, because their governments fund the work we do. It is job opportunities for their nationals. I am making efforts towards to get an opportunity to work outside Nigeria someday soonest and I do also hope to go into marketing and business at some point in life. – I love cars. So I help people buy from the US and import into Nigeria. So when I am not doing my work, I am on US auction sites bidding on cars or negotiating deals.

Wow! Chinedu touches lives at his day job and his side hustle is so cool! We love it! So let’s take a closer look into his daily schedule. Ready?

At a Community mediation platform meeting between farmers and herdsmen in Ciromawa Community, Kano State

Going on air for a radio programme

• Typical Busy Work Day

4.30am – 7.30am: Wake up, say my prayers, sleep back again (early morning nap to dey sweet), wake up again and boil water, Watch CNN and then Channels TV Sunrise daily and then bathe.

7.30am – 9.30am: Off to work, may or may not have breakfast, check up mails and things I left from previous day, weekly briefing or Monday meetings. (8.30 – 9.30 on Mondays only), draw up a to-do list for the day/week.

9.30am – 11.30am – Review web contents, review online newspapers for any mentions, review programme activity calendar to see if any event if happening.

12noon – 3pm: Light Brunch, social media updates, respond to emails requiring attention, where able, I prefer fixing external meetings at this time, chase consultants or vendors working on any materials, do reviews and send in for high level approval.

4pm – 5pm: Do web content updates, draft short blog news, get approval and post online, share on social media, other routine functions like monthly/quarterly reports, chasing invoices and media houses/journalists also happen here.

5pm – 7pm: Depending on work load, I could leave office at this time; head straight to the gym, some light workout, head home or church, depending or hangout on Friday evenings.

7.30pm – 11pm: Light dinner or fruits, go on LIB, Bella Naija, Nairaland (if I don’t have time to skim thru them during the day, IAAI and Copart for the car deals. BBM chats and phone calls, try to read a book, play candy crush, watch football (like tonight) and sleep off. I also do my writings at this time too.

This is typical routine when there is no travel or meetings are light. I love the travel because the hotel stay gives the needed change of environment and a quiet places to think and write. It is almost impossible to do something cerebral at work; the intrusion can kill. Colleagues, phone calls (I can’t afford not to answer most of them and what not. But I love the team I work with, jovial and playful and yet we get stuff done. Check out our website to see what we do; www.nsrp-nigeria.org ***

Awww! Reading BellaNaija is part of Chinedu’s daily routine and we love it! Thank you for giving us a peek into your life. We wish you all the best in your endeavours.