Betty Irabor is a media personality, publisher, host, speaker, author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. She is the Editor-in-Chief and founder of Genevieve Magazine, a leading fashion and lifestyle magazine. Aunty Betty as fondly called by many paved ways for other female publishers, young ladies look up to her and believe that if she can do it, they will someday do it as well. In 2011, she was honoured by the Association of Professional Women Bankers as the most accomplished female publisher.
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Betty Irabor Biography
Betty Irabor was born on the 25th of March, 1957, and hails from Edo State. Her father was a Nigerian police officer while her mother was a seamstress. Betty Irabor lost her father early in life and was raised by her mother. She has a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Lagos.
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She married Soni Irabor, a seasoned broadcaster, marketing communication expert and public speaker in 1983. They are blessed with a son and daughter, Omoruyi Irabor and Sonia Irabor. Her daughter, Sonia Irabor is an Editor at Genevieve Magazine.
Entrepreneurial Journey of Betty Irabor
Upon graduation, Betty Irabor practiced Journalism in National Concord for 5 years. While at National Concord, she served as a feature writer and was later promoted to assistant feature editor. She worked with Haisha Investment Company as a Public Relation/Administrative Manager for 2 years. Afterward, she teamed up with her husband as Managing Director of Ruyi Communications Ltd.
While running the family business, Betty Irabor was also a freelance writer for the Guardian, ThisDay, and Vanguard. She contributed a few columns for Black & Beauty magazine in the UK.
Betty Irabor saw a gap in the publishing industry and took a bold step to launch Genevieve Magazine, a Nigerian fashion and lifestyle magazine in 2003. The inspiration to own a magazine came when she was leafing through a lifestyle magazine published in Singapore. Genevieve Magazine tells the success story of Nigerian women and showcase their lifestyle in colourful ways.
She started Genevieve Magazine at the age of 45, this shows that it’s never too late to start building your dream business.
We can say that her vision for the magazine to be a lifestyle guide and inspire women has been achieved, it has become one of the leading Nigerian lifestyle magazine. Genevieve Magazine has featured numerous celebrities including Adesua Etomi-Wellington, Joke Silva, Toolz Oniru-Demerun, and many others.
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Other Interest of Betty Irabor
Betty Irabor is an author and has published two books, ‘Morning Dew’ and ‘Dust to Dew’. Her first book, ‘Morning Dew’ was a clarion call for women to live a purposeful life. Betty Irabor’s latest book, Dust to Dew is a chronicle of her journey through life, her battles, insecurities, and her fights against mental health and depression.
She hosts a talk show, ‘Life’s Lessons with Betty Irabor’ on LITV. Betty Irabor uses the platform to share her life experience with viewers. She also brings guests onboard ‘Life’s Lessons With Betty Irabor’ who share their unique inspiring stories.
The media mogul is also a motivational speaker and advocates for mental health. She has delivered inspiring speeches at numerous events including Women in Microsoft, SLAY festival, and KONGA International Woman of the Year Project.
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Philanthropy
Betty Irabor founded Genevieve Pinkball Foundation (GPF) in 2005. The foundation is a non-profit initiative of Genevieve Magazine to increase breast cancer awareness, prevention, education, screening and treatment in Nigeria.
Genevieve Pinkball which started out as a platform for creating awareness for breast cancer has grown into a foundation that offers treatment to cancer patients that cannot afford it. They hold event annually to raise funds used in providing free surgery, chemotherapy, radio therapy, breast reconstructive surgery to patients.
The foundation donated a mammography machine to Lagos State Teaching Hospital for early diagnosis of breast cancer. In 2014, GPF partnered with Access Bank and other leading brands to stage an annual Run/Walk/Cycle for breast cancer awareness.
Excerpt from Dust to Dew
“Depression is like being trapped between elevator floors. When the elevator finally opens for you to escape, you’re too afraid to step out in the real world. You have the keys to the door, but you’re afraid to unlock it because you’re trapped by your fears. You’re in quicksand, waiting to be swallowed into external darkness. You’re dumb and the only thing you feel is grief. You may feel lost like you have missed your way and you cannot be saved. In the depth of despair, it might help to draw strength from the message of one of my favourite parables, the parable of Lost Sheep. Even if you feel right now like the lost sheep, remember that God is coming right out to look for you”.
