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In this rich and wide ranging conversation on Pepper Soup Stories, hosts Patrenia and Ejemen welcome Ifeoma Idigbe, finance executive, social entrepreneur, chair of Remitta Payment Services, cofounder of WIMBIZ and Green Hub Africa, founder of the Boys to Men Foundation and author of Sounds from Silence Musings, About Men and Melodies of My Mind.
Grounded in decades of leadership across Nigeria’s public and private sectors, Ifeoma shares how serendipity and mindset have guided her path from the boardroom to the classroom to community advocacy.
We unpack why she believes every challenge carries a hidden opportunity, how integrity is the backbone of financial efficiency, and why the Boys to Men Foundation is tackling entrenched gender expectations by reframing what strength and partnership mean for today’s young men.
Together we reflect on the dangers of soft parenting, the necessity of boundaries and tough love, the pressures Gen Z boys feel to conform to outdated scripts, and the quiet depression many hide beneath cultural expectations.
Ifeoma’s stories from parenting her own sons to writing monologues that give voice to men’s vulnerability offer an honest look at how values are modeled, not merely taught.
We explore the courage it takes to live authentically when society demands conformity, the leadership philosophy of shaping lives through example rather than applause, and the belief that impact often has a gestation period before it is visible.
Threaded throughout is her reminder that you cannot teach what you do not have, urging parents, mentors and leaders alike to invest in their own growth so they can pass on something lasting.
Whether you are navigating career shifts, raising children or simply trying to live a good life on your own terms, this episode is an invitation to turn life’s pepper into nourishing soup, one mindful and value driven choice at a time.
