Interview with La Mode Magazine March cover personality Clara Chizoba Kronborg
La Mode: Tell us about yourself and background.
Clara: My Name is Clara Chizoba Kronborg , am from Okija in Ihiala local government of Anambra State Nigeria. I came from a family of 8 and am the last child among my siblings. I grew up in the one of the economic city of Nigeria Onitsha in Anambra state. My life journey maybe just like many girls from a poor home with hope of surviving but mine became unique the moment I figured out I needed to be seen and heard.
I grew up from a very strong Christian family, which I must say was part of what molded me to the woman I am today or maybe out of respect for my parents or fear of my elder brothers hahahaha… I spent my childhood teaching my fellow young children meaning of life with bible references. Honestly am not sure the things I was saying then made sense then but the truth is that I was very good with interpreting bible or any book to real life situations and I still am.
La Mode: How did the interest to be a Tv host all start?
Clara: Even though I was good at the interpreting, standing in front of crowd, using the mic etc. as a young girl, I never knew I wanted to be a presenter. In fact in secondary school, I was a science student and I was terrible at it, I use to say I want to be a doctor and now thinking back at then and now, I can’t stand blood, not even mine but then being a doctor was trending in my area, every child want to be a doctor, I guess that’s why I struggled through the science classes, just to belong. I juggled around different educational title but the path of which I actually am, became clearer when I was working as a marketing assistant in a sector that 70% clients were women. The gossips, the stories, the lies, the deceit in their different whales of life. Having grown up where women lives in shallow and shadows of men with zero Voice. I knew I wanted to be a part of paradigm shift, I knew I wanted to make a different ,to be a VOICE of the voiceless but before that could be achieved , I had to learn to listen to my own inner voice .
It all remained in my thought, until 2009, I became restless, nothing I earned satisfied me, so, I fired my boss…I quit my job because I knew it was time to birth something greater, to give life to a vision, a desire, a passion.Hence,the birth of Women’s World Television Talk Show in Nigeria in 2010.Ohhhh you may not have heard of it because my voice wasn’t loud enough.
La Mode: What motivates you?
Clara: First of all, my motivation was my mother; she was a selfless, hardworking woman. She had none but she cease to extend her hand a little to the widows in my village annually, I guess that’s where my constant need to be there for other people especially women came from. I remember also we sitting down at the terrace of our face me, I face you yard, she always said to me and my siblings, “gbaba nikiri zoba owe gi “, which means work hard and safe yourself.
My second motivation was women of hard work, success stories spins my head and keep me active. Oprah Winfred a woman whose story inspired me, she was once surviving but she learnt to live through hard work. Jennifer Obayuwana, the under Boss of POLO avenue, is my mind mentor in my head. A lot of people might think it all came easy to her, but if there is one thing I have learnt over years, is that to sustain wealth and remain successful comes with constant hard work.
And of course my husband, he motivates me, his believe and support in my dream, his unconditional love and continuous push and encouragement. Our Daughter gives me this drive that most mom will relate to. I want her to know STRENGTH, PERVERANCE, SELFLESS, SELF BELIEVE AND SELFLOVE. It all motivates me and keeps me going even at my weakest days.
La Mode: What is your daily routine?
Clara: I don’t always have constant routine because I and my life partner (husband) are impulsive with decisions most times. But here is what my recent week day routine looks like ; my alarm goes off, I pray and drink my glass of water by my bed side, then I go and make a good cup of coffee while I read my mails and check my social media. Then is time to prepare breakfast and wake up Olivia( our daughter) and prepare her for school. We love to eat together as family, and once that is done, I deliver Olivia to school and drive straight to the gym, after the gym I take a few minutes to some spa time and get myself ready for the day. I have my favorite place to work , I sit down and do my work if there is no meeting, once is lunch time , I head out and meet my life partner (husband) for lunch and we pick up Olivia after US time. We do family stuffs and errand together and head back home. We all make dinner together and eat together (my favorite time of the day ). Before I end my day , I never cease to drink my home made detox tea which has a lot of benefits. More of it I have detail in my new book SEXYFITYOU a guide to a healthy and positive lifestyle.
La Mode: What is the role of the media in the making of the youth.
Clara: I think the media is a good platform for the youth to excel in their different career and profession especially the new media. Youth should focus more on the positive impact of the new media and use to their own advantage. I mean information is now at our finger tips but the question is as a youth what kind of information and knowledge are you sourcing for in your social media and other traditional media. Some people after scrolling through their social media pages become depressed instead of elevated because they believe everything they see on the media. So my advice is that youth should be themselves and use the information they gather on media to improve on their own ability and shake off all the negative influence and distraction.
For example in ‘’making of entrepreneurs’’ in Women’s World Show ,we sent out the information on how to participate through social media and the serious young women that needed the empowerment contacted us and participated, so I think that media is contributing so much in making of the youth but we should be mindful of the negative vibe. That’s why I always ask people what do your social media do for you?
La Mode: How do you balance family and work?
Clara: I do that by prioritizing and for me family is everything so no matter how passionate I am towards my job and dreams I always put my family first. And I am able to work and do a lot that I am doing today because I have a very supportive husband who understands my goals, vision and he is on the same page with me. In some days when I have to take the next available flight to say Frankfurt or Paris or UK and our daughter has to stay home, he understand that my job needs my attention. So actually it boils down to prioritizing and having a supportive husband and this is why in women world show we discuss all of these to help women be the best wives best mother and still be successful.
La Mode:Tell us about the Women’s World Show?
Clara:In 2010”I WAS DRIVEN BY ZEAL BUT HAD ZERO KNOWLEGDE OF WHAT I WAS GETTING INTO, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT I STARTED ANYWAYS”.
However, eight years has passed, we are in a better place now, Women’s World Show has been reborn, same concept, same passion, same goal and better knowledge. Women’s World Show has evolved, I am mentally, physically and academically equipped, and haven travelled around the globe I have a better knowledge of the world beyond Nigeria and Africa and the knowledge has GIVEN me greater insight on issues that affect African women and children and put me in a better position to discuss and confront them.
Women’s World Show is a television talk show that uses the breakthrough moment and the experiences of successful women to inspire, elevate and motive other women. We do not measure success by the amount of money in one’s pocket but by the story behind the glory and the daily efforts at sustaining it. We believe that every woman’s story matters because every woman have a story.
Clara said, “After I moved to Europe (8) eighty years ago (Denmark), I could only see black women on television when they were being projected as low life, prostitutes and the sorts, this is inspite of the many black women in Denmark and other parts of Europe that are successful and have worked hard to be where they are in their chosen careers “.
That is why in Women’s World Show, we interview women from different ethnic, cultural and religious leaning with the end goal of creating a platform where women’s voices are heard
La Mode: What is the aim of the show?
Clara: This is a platform created to lend a strong voice and support to every woman irrespective of color, ethnicity and culture. A place where women get the right they deserve, some called it feminism we call it making our voice heard. Our vision is to make women’s world show an emblem of Unity among women, a platform where women support women, women uplift women and simply where we teach you how to fish rather than giving you fish. Yes! Women’s World Show is going global on television and online platforms starting from my home country, Nigeria (where it all started)and Denmark (my country of residence)
Talking about teaching women how to fish rather than giving them fish. we have so many life changing job opportunities as we are collaborating with lots of female entrepreneurs’, organizations and companies, who believe in our mission to HELP WOMEN ACTUALISE THEIR DREAMS. This we do in making in making of entrepreneurs in women’s world show and also through Clara Chizoba Kronborg Foundation(CCK Foundation)
La Mode: What is your fashion statement?
Clara: Confidence and self-love because when you love YOUR body you emit what you feel, BEAUTY.
La Mode: What is your advice to people who look up to you?
Clara: The truth? Is difficult and sometimes you just want to give up. But trust me; once you pass through the rough bumps, the path becomes clearer than ever. So it all comes down for you to PERCEIVER, BE CONSISTENCE, and WORK HARD, OPEN YOUR MIND TO SEE AND CRAB THE OPPORTUNITIES AROUND YOU.