BY JOY OFASIA
A mother of two from Western Province, Lilly Mali has transformed her life through baking, sewing, and a determination to thrive even when circumstances were against her.
“I am a mother of two wonderful adult teenagers, a secondary school teacher, a home-based baker, and a seamstress and fashion designer. My life has been a journey of endurance, faith, and rediscovery: a story of rising through challenges that at times felt insurmountable,” Nifty Cakes & Poise’s founder and local business owner, Lilly told SOLOMON WOMEN.
Her journey began in 2014. “During a season of uncertainty, I began baking and sewing out of passion and necessity. With my husband studying abroad and no steady income, I had to find a way to care for our children. Baking became my lifeline, my refuge, and the foundation of Nifty Cakes & Poise,” she said.
With encouragement from her father’s close friend, Junior Adifaka, Lilly received her first orders. “By 2016, it had flourished into a thriving venture that brought joy to others and hope to me,” she said.
Lilly is the daughter of the late Ian Ronnie, a local singer and musician. Though she achieved much early on, life presented challenges that tested her spirit. “The strain of a long-distance marriage, the loss of my aunty and mentor Lois, a miscarriage, and repeated moments of rejection and emotional absence threatened to dim my spirit. I faced seasons where my dreams were paused, and my passion felt out of reach. But through every trial, I held onto prayer, faith, and the quiet determination to keep moving forward,” she explained.
In 2022, Lilly returned to baking in Vura Community, rebuilding her business while grieving her father’s passing. She discovered that resilience grows in the soil of struggle. “Even when life seems heavy, purpose can be reclaimed,” she says.
By 2025, Lilly made the bold choice to fully reclaim her freedom and her life. “For months, the spark that had once fueled my baking felt lost. Miraculously, one November afternoon, it returned in full force. In that moment, I remembered: I had never truly lost myself. Baking is part of who I am and it has always lived within me.”
Today, Lilly continues to grow personally and professionally. She is preparing to complete her studies in 2027 and is launching a cake cream class to share her skills with women seeking growth, empowerment, and purpose. “Nifty Cakes & Poise is rising once more, stronger, brighter, and filled with promise,” she said.
Looking back, Lilly reflects on her journey with a sense of triumph. “My journey has been one of heartbreak, perseverance, and triumph. I have endured seasons of pain, loss, and setbacks, yet I stand stronger, resilient, and unshakable. I am living proof that faith, courage, and self-belief can transform struggle into purpose and setbacks into strength. All glory belongs to God, who has shaped me into the woman I am today—now free, thriving, and unstoppable.”
