On Strong Strides of Sisterhood – THISDAYLIVE

Everyone knows that Olatowun Candide-Johnson is an introvert. She has said so herself in interviews, even as life and leadership have required her to step beyond her natural reserve.

Soft-spoken and reflective, she prefers quiet spaces to crowded rooms. Yet, from this calm disposition has emerged one of Africa’s most influential platforms for women. As the founder of GAIA Africa, Candide-Johnson has built a thriving community of female founders, C-suite executives, senior-level professionals, and trailblazers redefining leadership on their own terms. More than a network, GAIA is a sisterhood, one where powerful women find belonging, connection, and the rare privilege of being truly supported by those who understand their journey.

Founded nearly eight years ago, GAIA Africa opened applications for its 2025/2026 season last December with the Unbowed series, an intimate storytelling project that spotlights members who have found not just belonging, but also meaningful social and business connections within the community. For Candide-Johnson, these connections remain the club’s most powerful currency.

During a virtual conversation, she recalled the observation that first sparked the idea.

“One of the things I noticed before I started the club was that we, as women, naturally bonded. We met, talked, and chatted about all kinds of things—social or otherwise—but we were not really talking about business,” she said. “I realised we were leaving a lot of money on the table.”

GAIA Africa became her response to the business-connection gap experienced by many leading women. The platform, she explained, helps members expand their networks, strengthen their enterprises, and ultimately improve their bottom lines.

“I find that when women are in an environment that’s warm, that’s welcoming, that’s encouraging and genuinely invested in their growth, they will give it a shot.”

Her words echo the experiences of women featured in the Unbowed series. Omon Odike, CEO of U-Connect Human Resources Limited, admitted that she never imagined herself joining a women’s group until she became part of GAIA Africa. From her first encounter, she discovered a shared vision and an uncommon sense of solidarity.

“That sisterhood is what I recognise,” she said.  “GAIA gives you that conscious sense that you are not alone in this leadership journey, that there are other women who are doing the same and are doing extremely well.”

It’s the same for the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Miannaya Essien, who described GAIA as a community built on mutual support. And for the Special Advisor on Climate Change Circular Economy to the Governor of Lagos State, Titilayo Oshodi, it’s an environment where women are empowered to define themselves.

At the heart of this ecosystem, Candide-Johnson insisted, is trust.

“I always talk about the fact that we live in a trust deficit environment, and because of that, it’s important that women build relationships. So it’s a two-way street. It’s not that you see somebody, and the only thing you do is ask,” she explained. “You connect, you build that relationship, you give, and then begin to build trust. Once trust is there, that’s when the magic happens.”

Many members, like Candide-Johnson herself, are introverts who initially resisted joining the club. Some feared time constraints; others were wary of the stereotypes surrounding women’s spaces. But rather than reinforcing isolation, she positioned GAIA Africa as a warm, inclusive environment where members could thrive at their own pace.

“We encourage members to speak up about what they want and what they’re looking for,” she said. “Somebody in the room might be able to help immediately. Nobody can read your mind.”

She recalled being warned against sharing her idea openly when she was starting out, for fear it would be copied.

“What I found was that the more I shared, the more the world opened up to me, the more people wanted me to meet or talk to somebody,” she said.

“The point is that,” she continued, “if you don’t say what you’re doing, then nobody can help you at all.”

“If you want help,” she added softly, “then you’re better off talking about it to as many people as possible. And honestly, I used to say then that I would take a meeting with a cow if I had to, because you just never know where those conversations are going to go. You never know whether it’s going to be that person that can help you, or whether there’s somebody that they know, or whether they’ll come up with some sort of bright idea that you haven’t thought of.”

With members drawn from diverse industries, she believes it is almost impossible for anyone within GAIA Africa to lack access to opportunity.

“That, for me, is the power of connection.”

Beyond networking, the Club empowers women through digital workshops and sponsorships. To date, member collaborations have generated nearly $10 million in business deals. She believes that conversations about sponsorships should be amplified.

“We talk a lot about mentorship all the time, which is great, but honestly it’s sponsorship that makes the difference. That’s what can change a life. And it’s not limited by gender.”

If she were to name the woman who shaped her most, Candide-Johnson did not hesitate: her mother.

“My mother never accepted no for an answer,” she said. “If she wanted something, she pursued it. Her work ethic was exemplary.”

She recalled her mother’s generosity with fondness.

“She had a heart of gold. My mother was the type of person who would literally find somebody in the market and decide that she was going to bring them home to live with us.”

Both her parents, she added, were humble and hardworking, values they passed on early.

“From the age of 15, I always had a job, whether as a salesperson or some sort. Every summer and every long holiday, I worked.  The discipline that comes from that is that you understand what it means to earn and manage your own money.”

Following her father’s footsteps, Candide-Johnson built a distinguished career in corporate and commercial law, spanning over three decades across industries including shipping, oil and gas, and business development. Her tenure at Total Group’s headquarters in Paris marked a turning point, exposing her to the strategic and financial dimensions of corporate leadership.

“I was surprised, to be honest, that I could even understand the concepts,” she admitted with a smile.

While it wasn’t easy stepping out of her comfort zone, it proved transformative. It is a lesson she now shares with other women.

“Take a risk,” she advised. “You cannot remain in the same place doing the same thing forever.”

In 2016, she earned a TRIUM Global Executive MBA jointly awarded by LSE, NYU Stern, and HEC Paris—a demanding programme she completed while maintaining a high-pressure career.

“I will not lie. It is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do, because I still had my very, very demanding job but I managed to get it done.”

Today, she sits on the boards of several organisations, including the Nigerian-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce, and runs multiple businesses.

Away from work, Candide-Johnson is an avid lover of books, films, music, art, and wine—a passion she traces to her heritage. She is WSET Level 2 certified and a Dame Chevalier de l’Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne.

As GAIA Africa approaches its eighth anniversary in March, she is focused on expansion across the continent. The membership at the time of this report is 250. She hopes that more African female leaders will join the Club.

Currently headquartered in Lagos, the Club operates a GAIA House offering services such as wellness, lounge, and collaborative spaces. More locations are planned for other African cities.

The anniversary, however, represents more than longevity for Candide-Johnson. It is validation.

“It’s seeing members become friends. It’s seeing businesses thrive,” she reflected. “Honestly, what’s not to like about GAIA?”