From aspiring lawyer to Nigeria’s topmost communications maven

In her debut book, From Clueless to Success, released in 2020, communications specialist Adedoyin Jaiyesimi recounts her manifold experiences that have shaped her stellar career in communications. Through her book and numerous high-profile projects on both national and international stages, Jaiyesimi has cemented her place as a leading voice in the field. However, her journey to prominence began on a very different path.

Raised on the expectation of becoming an exceptional lawyer, Jaiyesimi pursued a degree in law at the prestigious University of Leeds. Despite her academic achievements, her passion lay elsewhere. After graduation, she returned to Nigeria for the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme but deferred it to pursue a childhood passion for writing. This decision led her to begin working for a media company in 2012.

“So I was just an intern writing stories at the time, and then from there, I started editing the magazine, shadowing the copy editor.  I saw how I could shape a narrative or tell positive stories that make an impact and impression on people,” she said.

The young intern quickly rose through the ranks to become an assistant editor for YNaija, a subsidiary of the RED Africa media group. A twist of fate saw Jaiyesimi become interested in communications through her interactions with colleagues at RED, a public relations agency and empowerment marketing firm in Lagos.

After completing her NYSC in 2014, Jaiyesimi accepted a role as a brand communications manager at Global Harvest Church, where she managed the brand of the church’s founder. This first full-time role in communications allowed her to immerse herself in the field. “That’s really where I would say I started to learn the rudiments of communications in every organisation,” she said. 

From 2016 to 2019, Jaiyesimi ran a communication agency she founded, successfully implementing several high-profile projects, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Level One Financial Inclusion Project, which significantly impacted local communities.

Following the agency’s closure, Jaiyesimi turned to digital platforms, particularly LinkedIn, to share her wealth of experience. “I’m not running an agency. I’m not necessarily looking for new clients in that way. So I decided to just share some of the lessons that I had learned from three years of running an agency, mistakes that I made, just behind the scenes, things that people don’t usually talk about. People started asking me lots of questions. I realized that, well, people needed this information,” she explained.

TCA

Driven by her passion for sharing knowledge, Jaiyesimi wrote her first book, From Clueless to Success, a collection of 20 backstories from her professional journey.  After a post on LinkedIn amassed traction from the corporate community, she formed The Comms Avenue (TCA), a Telegram-based community for communications professionals. Although the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown halted an in-person event, it resulted in the creation of TCA with 50 initial members. Today, the community boasts more than 1,500 professionals from 25 African countries, dedicated to professional growth and knowledge-sharing.

Currently, Jaiyesimi works as a communications advisor, facilitating workshops and corporate training on strategic communications, branding, storytelling, and media training for organizations, C-Suite executives, and professionals. She advises organizations on leveraging the power of communications to achieve their objectives and engages with the public sector to enhance the use of communications in public policy processes.

With a solid track record of successful projects for notable organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Specta by Sterling, Fountain of Life Church, and the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Jaiyesimi also lectures occasionally at the University of Nairobi. Her works have been recognized continent-wide, including the adaptation of a Kenyan report for the Nigerian market for Luminates, facilitating stakeholder discussions, and creating a communication toolkit for change-makers across Africa.

In 2023, Vanguard newspaper listed Jaiyesimi as one of the top 10 trailblazers making waves in the marketing and communication industry, celebrating her impact. She attributes her success to continuous self-development and tackling challenges head-on, regardless of gender.

Reflecting on her journey, Jaiyesimi acknowledged the transferable skills from her law degree that have been invaluable in her communications career. “The skills I developed in Law are helpful because they teach you how to think critically. Law helped me to develop my research skills, to be able to probe, and to see the bigger picture,” she noted.

Looking ahead, Jaiyesimi envisions young people holding influential roles across the continent, using their skills to shape a positive narrative for Africa, thanks to the knowledge and mentorship from The Comms Avenue. The 34-year-old also hopes to start virtual schools and systems to reach more young people across and beyond Africa. Personally, she aims to continue making an impact and changing lives wherever God allows her in the next decade.