From Intern to CEO: My Brila FM story — Debbie Izamoje-Okolie

Debbie Izamoje-Okolie

By Ebunoluwa Sessou

Last week, we started a series on female CEOs who inherited the businesses of their fathers or families. They form the second generation of people who took over family businesses. They have challenged the stereotype of cultural or traditional beliefs of relegating the female gender to the background.

They have become innovators, impacting their worlds. One of the female second generation CEO who has taken over the family business successfully is Debbie Izamoje Okolie. She is the daughter of veteran Nigerian sports journalist and Brila Media Group founder, Larry Izamoje, a pioneer of sports radio in Africa. She became the CEO of Brila Media Group, continuing her father’s legacy in sports broadcasting.

Speaking with Vanguard, Debbie said: “Taking over leadership in Brila was not just a professional transition; it was deeply personal. Brila is something my father built over decades. I grew up watching the discipline, the sacrifice, the pressure that came with building Nigeria’s first sports radio station. So stepping in as CEO after nine years within the business was not about “inheriting”; it was about earning my place and honouring what had already been built.

Succession

“Succession, especially as a woman and a daughter, comes with noise. Some people see you as lucky. Some assume you did not work for it. But leadership requires focus. Opinions are distractions. What mattered were competence, clarity, and results. I knew very early that maintaining the status quo would not be enough. Legacy is not preserved by standing still. It is protected by courage.

“I had to be bold enough to evolve Brila from a traditional radio station into a forward-thinking sports media company. Protecting the foundation while being brave enough to build the next chapter, has been the real assignment.

Challenges

“There were challenges. In a family business, change is personal. You are not just adjusting systems; you are touching history. And that requires emotional intelligence. I knew there would be resistance to evolution especially when introducing technology, new leadership structures, and a fresh managerial team. What I didn’t fully anticipate was how deeply people attach identity to “how things have always been done.

“What helped me was staying anchored to the long-term. I constantly asked myself, ‘Will this make Brila stronger in five or 10 years? That question guided every difficult decision.

“We tightened our systems and accountability. We became more strategic with partnerships. We invested deliberately in digital transformation. And most importantly, we put structure around innovation. Change without structure creates chaos. So we were intentional. It wasn’t about moving fast for optics; it was about moving clearly for sustainability.

“Sports media is male-dominated. That is simply the reality. I have walked into rooms where I was the only woman and sometimes the youngest person there. You can feel the assumptions before you even introduce yourself. There is often a quiet questioning: Is she ready? Does she really understand this space?

“What I have learned is that preparation changes the temperature of a room. When you know your numbers, your strategy, your market, your vision, it shows. And especially in a succession role, you cannot rely on title alone. You must rely on competence.

Being a woman

“Being a woman has not held me back. If anything, it has sharpened me. It has made me more observant, more emotionally intelligent, and more strategic in how I build and lead teams. I lead calmly. I lead clearly. I lead with results. Gender does not define my leadership. Competence does.

“We stopped seeing ourselves as just a radio station and started building a full sports media ecosystem. That changed everything. Digital was no longer an add-on; it became central to our strategy. We strengthened our streaming capabilities, invested intentionally in multi-platform content distribution, and ensured our stories could travel seamlessly across broadcast, social, and on-ground experiences.

“We also expanded into out-of-home and events because influence cannot exist in only one dimension. It has to be felt physically as well. By integrating broadcast, digital, and OOH, we reshaped how audiences experience Brila and how brands partner with us.

“For us, innovation is not about chasing trends. It is about disciplined evolution; staying relevant, strengthening structure, and building something that will outlast the moment. I know where I work best, at the intersection of sports, media, and culture. I didn’t try to do everything. I focused on building one ecosystem properly and being intentional about how African sports stories are told and positioned.

Discipline

“Discipline also mattered. It would have been easy to just preserve what Brila was before I stepped into leadership. But I chose to evolve it, slowly, structurally, and with purpose. I didn’t rush growth or dim myself to make people comfortable. Over time, consistency speaks for you.

“When I was younger, I felt like I had to manage how “big” I was allowed to be. Do not be too loud. Do not want too much. Do not make people uncomfortable. But at some point, I realised something important: shrinking does not protect you. It just delays you.

“Ambition is not arrogance. It is awareness. It is recognising what you are capable of. But ambition alone is not enough. You have to prepare.

“There were long seasons when no one saw the work I was doing. I was learning quietly. Observing. Asking questions. Building skill. It didn’t look impressive from the outside, but it built something more importantly, which is confidence rooted in competence.

“So when opportunities came, I was still nervous. I still had doubts. But I wasn’t unprepared.

“Whether you are inheriting something or starting from nothing, the responsibility is the same: build it better than you found it.

“You will walk into rooms where you are underestimated. You will question yourself. You will wonder if you belong,” she said.

Other female children who have taken over their families businesses include, Unoma Okorafor, is a serial and social entrepreneur, Okorafor is also the founder and CEO of Herbal Goodness, health and wellness company that manufactures organic health beverages and supplements. She is also the co-founder and Principal at Fairview Data Technologies Inc.

She is the daughter of Frank Nwachukwu Ndili, a prominent Nigerian nuclear physicist and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, making her part of a distinguished family in Nigerian science and academia.

Jennifer Obayuwana is the Executive Director at Polo Luxury Group. She plays a key role in the family business, which is a major player in the luxury goods market in Nigeria. She is the daughter of John Obayuwana, a prominent Nigerian business mogul and the founder and managing director of Polo Luxury Group.

Ada Udechukwu: is a successful entrepreneur in her own right, her background includes experience that positions her within the network of influential business families, and she has been listed among inspiring women in Nigerian business who could be involved in legacy businesses.

Adesua Dozie: She serves as the Vice-Chairman of ExxonMobil affiliate companies in Nigeria, a significant position within the oil and gas sector.

Uchenna Ezenna is a Director at the Orange Group, a manufacturing conglomerate. She represents the second generation in the company founded by her father, Sir Tony Ezenna.

Bukola Adubi, Chief Operating Officer, COO of MicCom Cables is the daughter of the founders of MicCom Cables & Wires Ltd., both of whom were engineers. Her father managed sales and marketing, while her mother was in charge of the technical and factory side of the business.

She is also the CEO of the company and the President of the Cable Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, CAMAN.

Nkiru Anumudu is the Chairperson and CEO of Globe Motors, a prominent automobile dealership company, continuing the legacy established by her father, Willie Anumudu.