It was 2017, and I was attending a vibrant wedding reception in Lagos.
As is customary with our rich owambe culture, the hall was filled with colorful asoebi, delicious food, and lively music. I was seated at a table alongside several fathers, nannies, and their cranky infants and toddlers.
Right next to our table was a massive loudspeaker blaring loud juju music. The babies were visibly distressed, their small ears overwhelmed by the volume. The fathers looked exhausted and uncomfortable, stuck at the table to oversee the nannies while their wives were away performing hosting duties and managing guests across the hall. When it was time for me to join the traditional dance with the representative of the mother of the bride, I stepped away. But when I returned to my seat half an hour later, the atmosphere at the table had completely transformed.
The fathers, who had looked so stressed moments earlier, were laughing, relaxing, and enjoying the party. But the children and their nannies were nowhere to be found. Puzzled, I walked over to one of the mothers who was bustling around checking on guests.
“Bimbo, awon omo da?” I asked in Yoruba (“Bimbo, where are the children?”).
She smiled with relief and answered, “Ha, Aunty Funmi, won ti lo si party omo ore wa kan!” (“Oh, Aunty Funmi, they’ve gone to a friend’s child’s birthday party nearby!”).
Her response sent a wave of anxiety through me. They had sent toddlers away with nannies and drivers to an unplanned event in a different location, simply to free themselves up to entertain guests. At a time when stories of security threats and domestic staff collusion were common news, sending young children off without a prior plan was a massive risk.
I couldn’t stop thinking about that moment. Why should parents have to choose between celebrating safely and keeping their children comfortable? What if every event venue had a secure, dedicated, and joyful space where children were professionally nurtured while their parents celebrated in peace?
That single thought birthed The Event Nanny, built on our founding promise: Fun for Kids,
Peace for Parents.
Over the past nine years, that vision has touched more lives than I could have imagined:
- We have catered to over 10,000 families across corporate galas, weddings, and
major social gatherings. - We have convened conversations in partnership with UN Women, advocating for the
critical link between childcare infrastructure, gender equity, and economic
productivity. - We have trained professional caregivers and provided technical support across the
care industry.
As corporate leaders attend the events we safeguard, they have realized that this care gap doesn’t end when the weekend party is over, it follows their employees to work every single Monday. Built on nine years of operational expertise, safety compliance, and deep care management, forward-thinking organizations are now actively seeking us out to quote and design turnkey onsite corporate crèches and lactation rooms.
For event organizers and hosts, integrating professional event childcare transforms the entire experience. It ensures seamless event flow, keeps guests engaged longer without early departures, elevates the prestige of the event, and guarantees that host families can celebrate without constant disruption or security anxieties.
Nothing brings me more joy than walking through a hall and having a child run up to say,
“Aunty, you took care of me!”
Lifting the care burden is about so much more than keeping children safe, it directly protects the mental well-being and emotional state of mothers, allowing them to truly enjoy the moments they’ve planned for. It gives working parents their productivity back, keeps families united and stress-free during celebrations, and empowers organizations to build workplaces where people truly thrive.
Join Us in Transforming the Care Culture
Whether you are planning a landmark celebration, hosting an international corporate conference, or building an inclusive corporate environment, childcare is no longer an afterthought; it is an essential pillar of excellence.
Partner with The Event Nanny today. Let us bring safety to your children, peace to your parents, and unprecedented success to your events and workplaces.
Contact us today to book event childcare services or request a consultation for corporate crèche and lactation room setups.