Lilian Abena is a Ghanaian-Canadian, born and raised in Montreal, Canada. She currently lives in Quebec, where she speaks fluent French, English, Twi, and Ga. On SVTV Africa’s Daily Hustle Worldwide Show with DJ Nyaami, she shared her story of resilience, family, career, and personal growth.
Lilian holds a Master’s degree in Accounting as well as a CPA designation, and has over 14 years of professional experience in the field. Despite her strong qualifications, she explained that job hunting has never been much of a challenge for her.
She comes from a close-knit family. Her brother works as a manager at a corporate company, while her parents instilled in her the values of hard work and education. Her father once ran a Ghanaian goods distribution business and her mother was a longtime hairdresser. Unfortunately, both businesses collapsed, forcing them back into the workforce. Watching their struggles and resilience shaped Lilian’s own drive to work hard, diversify her income, and balance her corporate career with side hustles.
Interestingly, her father also became the Aburi Asutrasi Chief, and when he was crowned, many of his business activities were put on hold.
Lilian has strong ties to Ghana. She visited when she was younger and in 2011, and she plans to return again in December. She hopes to own property in Ghana and raise her children with an appreciation of their roots.
As a mother, she noted that life in Canada has become increasingly expensive, with high rent and rising costs of living. Her parents often escape the harsh Canadian winters by spending part of the year in Ghana.
Lilian is also a divorced single mother of two girls. She uses her platform to write and speak about life after divorce, encouraging women to be financially secure both before and during marriage. She recalled how her divorce left her with the full responsibility of paying bills and raising her children alone. At the time, she had a corporate job, but the pay was modest since her ex-husband used to cover most expenses. After the split, she hustled harder, took on side businesses, and eventually secured a better-paying job.
Her ex-husband was South African, whom she met through church. Their marriage came early—she was pregnant at 25, and due to pressure from her church, they married. She admitted that their cultural differences and financial imbalance made things difficult, as he lived under her roof and depended on her for basic needs. Despite the pain, she sees the marriage as a “blessing in disguise” because it gave her two beautiful daughters.
Later, after the divorce, she reconnected with a Ghanaian man she once dated. Although things didn’t work out at first, they reunited years later, reconciled, and are now engaged—he has already performed the traditional “knocking” ceremony.
Reflecting on her journey, Lilian advised people to marry only those they are truly compatible with. For her, Ghana remains a beautiful country she wants her children to embrace. She enjoys Ghanaian food, cooks it often, and hopes to build a life that combines the best of both Ghana and Canada: “Make money, invest, and enjoy life,” she said.
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