Interviews&profile - Women of Rubies

In Career Gems March 21, 2022 By Editor

Meet Zulfat Suara, The Nigerian Woman Who Is The First Muslim Lawmaker In Nashville, USA

Nigerian-born Suara made history on September 12 , 2019 after becoming the first Muslim in history to be elected to Nashville’s Metro Council.

She was elected to fill one of the five At-Large council seats.

Here are a few things to know about her.

Zuarat Suara attended The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Nigeria from 1985 – 1990 where she obtained an HND in Accountancy.

2. She came to the U.S. in 1993 but settled in Tennessee as her new home in 1998 when the opportunity for her husband to do a fellowship at Vanderbilt presented itself.

3. She founded an accounting firm that has worked with county governments in Hardeman, Haywood, Lake, and McNairy counties.

4. She is currently the Assistant Controller of a local university in Nashville.

5. She started the Hardeman County Chapter of Junior Achievement in 2004 and continues to advocate for children and young people as a board member of the PENCIL Foundation.

6. Suara has served in a number of leadership positions, including the chair of the American Muslim Advisory Council.

7. She has supported women, serving two terms as State President of the Business and Professional Women, a century-old organization promoting equity for all women in the workplace, from 2009-2011.

8. She is active politically as treasurer of the National Women’s Political Caucus and chair of Day on the Hill, a joint legislative day for several women’s organizations on issues affecting Tennessee women and children.

9. She has also been a speaker at the Nashville Women’s March each year since 2017.

10. She has been recognized with the FBI Directors’ Community Leadership Award and featured in the Jackson Sun’s Twenty Most Influential Women in West Tennessee.

11. She was named the 2018 Muslim Policy Advocate of the Year by Islamic Society of North America, and The Tennessee Economic Council on Women inducted her into its Tennessee Women Hall of Fame in 2015.

12. She recently received an award for Outstanding Service to Human Rights from the TN Human Rights Commission and currently serves as a board member of the Nashville Metro Action Commission.

13. Suara has been married for 27 years to Dr. Rahaman Suara and they are blessed with five amazing children.

Credit: fabwoman.ng

In Inspiration January 8, 2023 By Esther Ijewere

Tobore Anne Emorhokpor: I Am Using My Passion To Change And Impact The World

When a Pharmacist has a burning passion for women and children, committed to giving hope to the hopeless, and lending her voice to the voiceless, she deserves to be celebrated. Tobore reflects what humanity should look like.

Tobore Anne Emorhokpor is the founder of Nigerian Child Protection Trust and the convener of the End Child Sexual Group. She is a leading voice in the women and child development sector.

The Cardiff University Alumni also did a virtual leadership principles course at Harvard Business school. Tobore is driven by personal development and self-improvement, and she has emerged as a credible voice armed with a passion for getting justice for the oppressed. She loves to go beyond people’s expectations and delight them.

She is renowned for her unique style of blended mentoring, empathy and speaking up for the oppressed through her various social media channels. Her inspirational leadership, empathy and benevolence makes it easy for women and children to have a connection with her. She wants a Nigeria where women are empowered to look after themselves and their children.

She detests children being used and abused for child labour and wants a great reduction in sexual abuse and rape of women and minors.

The testament to her impact is the media mentions she has gotten for her humanitarian work and her Right Livelihood Award for outstanding role in reducing hunger, inequality and improving sustainability.

Tobore is happily married with kids. She shares her inspiring story in this interview exclusively with Esther Ijewere.

Childhood Influence

Growing up, I witnessed the effects of abuse and cheating around me. Domestic abuse has a negative impact on children. That is why I get really upset when women say they stay for the sake of their children. This is a myth not reality.

They stay for themselves because the children suffer more in such situations. Your children cannot be happy if you are not happy. I love children dearly. I am passionate about children. I love carrying babies and playing with children. They make me so happy. I remember one time our driver beat up his 3-year-old son badly. I was so enraged. I asked my Father to deal with him. I knew I had to fight for these children that could not fight for themselves.

Inspiration behind my organisation; Nigerian child protection trust and End child sexual group

I was coming across a lot of sad posts on Facebook about children being defiled and nothing being done about it. I eventually decided to do something. I wasn’t sure how or what I was going to do as I currently live in the UK, but I wanted to start with what I had, so I started a group on Facebook. I asked friends if they would like to join, and they did. That is how we started ‘End child sexual abuse in Nigeria’.

I would post stories of cases, some educational posts on how to protect your child and other requests for help. I also used my personal wall to ask for help. I then decided that I could act as a signpost for people.

Wherever there is a problem in Nigeria, I will find the closest Human rights officer, NGO, or Government Organisation to help. I was not going to change the world and make as much change as I could. I wanted to become the voice for these children.

Being a Pharmacist by profession, and the impact on my advocacy for women and children

I started off as a pharmacist and practised in the UK and Nigeria, then I decided to branch into Human Resources. I currently work as a Workforce Planning Lead. I enjoy planning and putting in processes. This helps me in how I deal with the cases that I work on. I speak with each person to find out what they currently do, how they got into the situation they are in, and how they can get out. It’s not a pity party but a way to plan their way out of their problems. I feel very proud when women I have helped turn around and help others up. I am very proud of the women I have helped.

The journey since I started my Organisation

The journey has been tough but very rewarding. When women come to me for help, I would ask what they can do and try to start up small businesses for them so they can be self-sufficient. Some people just want someone to talk to. I spend time chatting with them to understand the situation and give the best advice I can. I am so happy with what we have achieved together in such a short time. I didn’t know what I would really be doing but my social media pages have brought succour to many and I thank God for that.

The spike in cases of domestic violence and rape since the beginning of the pandemic

In the past, abusers would go to work or to school and leave the home environment and return at the end of the day. Due to the lockdown, there was no room for escape. Emotions were heightened. People lost jobs and hardship increased. This added stress to an already burning pot and resulted in a huge increase in the number of cases of violence. Poverty breeds ignorance.

Challenges of being a women’s advocate

The people I am trying to help sometimes lie and try to scam me. One of these women showed me a prescription and lied that she needed to buy the medications on it for 3 weeks for her baby.

Unfortunately for her, I know how to read a prescription and I told her no Doctor would tell her to do that. She started stuttering and saying it’s the hospital. I was scammed by another lady who got people to act and do videos requesting help as a trick to get money from me and other unsuspecting kind-hearted people.

We also have the Police who sometimes take bribes and let culprits go. We then have to use social media to call them out to get them to do the right thing. Victims and their families are sometimes scared about reporting crimes and refuse for us to help them seek justice when they have been harmed or wronged.

I have had a few cases where people tell me about situations of abuse then grow cold feet and refuse to go further. No matter how I try to encourage them to tell the truth and speak out, fear of being known as the whistle blower does not allow them to help victims.

There is a man who lures boys with gifts and passes them about in a paedophile ring. The sister of one of the boys approached me for help then later recanted because her parents told her to ‘leave it to God’. Another person contacted me about a school in Lagos where the Principal rapes young girls in his care but then refused to give me proof when they realised the school might be involved in the case.

Other projects and activities

When covid first struck, there were a lot of families that were left without any food and money. The first post I made was to ask ‘who has 5k to spare for a family in need’. People responded and I paired givers with recipients. Others saw what I was doing, and the finances poured in.

We bought bags of rice and shared them out to people in Warri, Port Harcourt and Ilorin. I used my Facebook wall to raise money to pay rent, start up small businesses for the women so they can renew the next year’s rent. We paid for surgeries, medicines, school fees and everything else in between.

I have posted job adverts so people can get jobs and a few kind people have offered free sewing courses and other types of training for people on my wall for free or for a little sum.

We paid for a few caesarean sections and have helped pay the bills for women who have ended up as hostages in hospitals as they were unable to pay their huge medical bills. I remember when I was called about a woman whose baby had died inside her and was rotting and there was no money to pay a deposit to do the emergency c-section. I put it on my wall and within half an hour we had raised the deposit to start the surgery.

We ended up raising over 500,000 Naira for her medical treatment which lasted a while.

What I enjoy about my job

I enjoy helping people. That is what makes me happy. I like seeing everyone around me happy and smiling. In every job I have done, that is what has kept me satisfied and motivated.

3 women who inspire me and why

First, my Mum; She has worked hard and tirelessly to give us a good life. She is the most hard working and innovative woman I know. She is dogged and never gives up.

Defunke Adewumi – She has a heart for women and children. I saw the love, care and humility in her post and knew I must be her friend. She has supported me in many ways and continues to be a beacon for women and children in Nigeria.

Michelle Obama – A Queen!

The Nigerian Government and it’s support for the Gender Based Violence sector

So far, I have seen that Lagos state has taken the fight against rape seriously. I believe all other states need to follow suit. There should be special Police Officers trained on how to handle such cases and special courts to fast track such cases through.

There needs to be adequate shelters to house victims and survivors. There should also be programmes put together to help them recover psychologically and help them start up business or get jobs and reintegrate into society. All states need to adopt the Child Rights Act and make sure children are protected from exploitation either sexually or via labour. Every child has a right to good education and a good life free from abuse.

Work life balance

It is quite difficult, and I have to keep reminding myself I cannot do it all. The requests for help are more than I can handle, and each one rips through the heart chords. It is especially sad for me each time I turn some people away, but I have to do so. I try to get some time to myself, and I also work on spending lots of time with my children. They are quite young and need a lot of my time right now. I try to maintain a good balance.

One thing I wish I could change in the Gender Based Violence Sector

There needs to be a budget to support women and children who are victims of all forms of abuse. Shelters should be built to house them while working on helping them to integrate back into society. Children who are found to be child labourers in homes, can be taken away and given better lives rather than waiting for them to be abused and degraded by their mean bosses. Their only crime is being born into poverty.

Receiving the right livelihood award in 2021 for reducing hunger

I was excited and grateful for being recognized. The work is done out of love, but it is nice to know my peers see it as something commendable.

Being a woman of Rubies

I am a woman using my abilities to help make a change and impact the world around me.

In Inspiration February 26, 2022 By Esther Ijewere

Ayodele Olaniregun Shares Gain And Pain Of Being An Online Vendor

Olaniregun Ayodele is the CEO of STUNGBYBEAUTY, a Nigerian based business focused on selling quality shoes, bags and other beauty items. The LAUTECH graduate share some lessons she’s learnt from being an online vendor and how she has continuously scale up, despite the challenges.

Meet Ayo

I am a graduate of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) . Though I had the vision to become an entrepreneur. I have worked customer service executive for a short period of time. I also went through training as a call center agent for one of the telecommunications company in Nigeria before I finally decided to pursue my dream as an entrepreneur in the year 2016. I started off as a makeup artist, selling makeup products, jewelleries and underwear. But i had the desire for more so I decided to try out some other business, so I decided to go into fashion (shoes,bags,clothing and lots more)

The journey so far

Since I started in 2018, the business has made tremendous progress even though it has not been smooth sailing all the way, we have survived against all odds. We have grown our customer based by satisfying our old customers and referrals from both our customers and well meaning friends of the business (social media influencers, friends and well wishers)

Challenges

The business has faced some challenges over the years, for instance;

– we have had our Instagram account taken down

– difficulty gaining customers trust due to lots of scammers on social media platforms especially for business that is predominantly online

-putting up with difficult customers for example use of fake transaction alert to buy product from our store

-and some challenges we face everyday like difficult dispatch riders, customers not picking up calls even when expecting delivery and the likes

Staying positive

Despite all the challenges businesses face in Nigeria, I will say there is still great potential for entrepreneurs in the business atmosphere in Nigeria. Thank you for the wonderful opportunity to feature in your article. It’s an honor well appreciated.

Connect with Ayo

Instagram handle – @stung_by_beauty

Twitter- @stungbybeauty

Tiktok- @stungbybeauty

Business line – 08065071914

In Editor's Choice February 26, 2022 By Esther Ijewere

#Interview|”I Enjoy Helping People Find Love Through Matchmaking”- Chiddie Anyasodo

Many singles are seeking true love, love that is pure, safe and whole. Love that allows them to connect to their highest self, because they know that true love doesn’t need to be perfect, It just has to be true. Dating apps are fast becoming the “one stop centre” and go-to places to find companionship these days.

However, there is a more direct way to connect with your life partner, one that avails you the opportunity to have first hand information on your love interest, with zero stress. Chiddie Anyasodo and her husband Ben, are making this possible through their matchmaking platform “Chotayah”.

Chiddie’s career path evolved from engineering into full entrepreneurship over the years. She has worked in different phases of the Upstream Oil and Gas industry – initially as an International Mobile Field Engineer with Schlumberger, working in different countries. She also worked as Business Development Manager, she then joined another company as the Global Vice President for Commercial, before moving on to build her own businesses. The Electrical / Electronic Engineering graduate has been described as an eclectic love for developing ideas.

She is the other half of Chotayah, a high-end executive Matchmaking service for professional Africans all over the world. Chiddie and Ben have helped many African singles discover and route out the obstacles preventing them from being in a healthy relationship. Through Chotayah , they are transforming how the most elite African entrepreneurs and high networth individuals on the planet connect with their dream partners.

The amazing mom of 2,, Relationship Coah, and Professional Matchmaker shares her inspiring journey with Esther Ijewere in this exclusive interview.

Childhood Influence

Well, thinking about this, I saw my mom find wives for my uncles and I found it fascinating. I also set up friends and family for fun. I grew up in Owerri, a beautiful city in Eastern Nigeria. I am the first child and only daughter of my parents. I have 3 younger brothers. I have always been very independent, ambitious and strong-willed since I was a child. I was also a voracious reader. I was called a tomboy. I grew up shielded by my parents. I studied Electrical Engineering in the University. However, what really prepared me for this was my early 20’s when I started dating, I had so many bad experiences and I had no one really to guide me. Such topics were a taboo in my house. My mom was very prim and proper and you do not discuss boys and love. If a man admires you, he is expected to come and meet my parents and ask for my hand in my marriage. The times I tried to tell her I was in a relationship, she got very upset, told me it was disgraceful and sinful. It was also ironic that the same mom who didn’t think I should be in the same room with a man was also going to church and prayer houses, sowing seeds and praying for me to get married. lol

Inspiration behind Chotayah

Both hubby and I had challenges in finding the right person. There were so many myths about love and relationships which we practised then separately but were all wrong. On my side, my dating experience was quite sad and filled with heartbreaks after heartbreaks. My genotype was an issue. And for some people the fact that my mom died of cancer scared them away.

I got rejected many times with excuses like – you earn too much – a woman shouldn’t earn more than a man. You are too boyish, too ambitious. Your job exposes you and makes you travel too much and you won’t make a good wife. A successful woman will never respect a man. At one point, I was told by some pastors and relatives that I had a spiritual problem. You can imagine. After praying so much and the cycle kept repeating, I decided to try alternative methods. First, I tried to use some Western dating sites like E-harmony and Match.com but they always rejected my application as I was Nigerian. I also tried to hire a matchmaker in the USA then, but she didn’t work with people outside the USA. So, I decided to go on my own. That experience made me start reading and exploring what makes relationships work. I also got a relationship coach, started studying serial men and women who always seemed to have lots of attention from their love interest. I took everything I learnt and crafted my own strategy to find my man. It took me about 8/9 months to find my man and no more heart breaks. My friends who knew about all my negative experiences started using the same formula and it worked for them. And everyday, I see so many people like me going through the same challenges that I went through. Successful high-flying people who have succeeded everywhere but seem they are not able to succeed in the love department. I then decided to go study Matchmaking in the UK and Relationship Coaching in New York. My husband is a Behavioral Change Expert & Therapist. We decided to join our passion and expertise to give birth to Chotayah.

Leaving engineering for Entrepreneurship

I think it’s genetic LOL. My grandfather was a successful businessman – he sold palm oil to the Portuguese and imported – canons, tea sets, and textiles. My grandma was a textile wholesaler in Onitsha. She also came from a family of businessmen and women. My Dad is a doctor who owns his own hospital. I grew up seeing all these and hearing their stories, I guess that influenced me. I started my first business in SS1 (at 14yr) selling earrings to my classmates in the boarding house. I just did it for fun to see my money multiply.

How the matchmaking process on Chotayah works

We use a scientific process; psychology and tech, we always put into consideration their traditional African culture which is unique to everyone that comes to us as you know African culture is rich and diverse. Finally we use our intuition. When a client contacts us that he is seeking a spouse. We then have a 1- 2 hours session to know his relationship history and background to understand him properly and come up with the best Strategy that will give him results. It’s also in this session that we can figure out if he is a good fit for us, we are not able to help everyone unfortunately. We do a bit of background checks and if everything comes out fine, we then take him on as a client. Our matchmaking always goes with Relationship Coaching and Behavioural Therapy. We first work on him/her as a person to find out what is stopping this person from finding love – is it just that he is too busy, not positioned properly or is it something from the inside? We remove those blockers and help him develop a unique personal plan for him/her… And we go searching . As we search, we do a lot of data analysis using proven scientist methods combined with emotional intelligence to see if they are a match. We then go through every match with our client till we both agree on The ONE. We coach them, guide and provide emotional support while dating and sometimes till they get married. Some still come back after marriage and we keep helping them navigate early married life.

What kind of person will hire a Matchmaker

Matchmaking is not for everyone. The most common being they are very busy: they are highly selective and have certain criteria they are not able to find ordinarily around them; they love their privacy – many of clients do not even have a social media account. Some are highly placed people in the society or very busy highflying professionals who want to protect their confidentiality. They come to us because they need an expert to handle their dating life. They are the sort of people who will hire a personal trainer, personal stylist and personal chef. They always want bespoke and personalised services with someone they can trust to deliver excellence while being extremely discrete. Some have tried so many times to find love, gotten disappointed several times and then decided to use us. We love the diversity of our clients. We have people from 28 to 70+ years old. While we cater to a mainly african niche, we also get requests from people of other races who want to marry africans. When it comes to the kind of thing they do, we get approached by them – The Top CEOs, Royalty, Politician, Sport Stars, Celebrities,highly Celebrated and sought after Professions – We have people in Research, Oil & Gas, Tech CEOs, Specialist Medical doctors. These people are usually the best of the best in their fields but seem to have a challenge finding love. One thing they all say is that they are busy .. Most ambitious professionals don’t have the time or resources to commit to finding the kind of person that they want but the Chotayah team does . This I understand as I have been their shoes

Challenges of being a Matchmaker

Trying to find if a person is being honest and truthful about whom they claim to be. And depending on the client, this costs a lot of money as we work the best hands in background checks and they don’t come cheap. In the beginning, We have met all types of people and you know human management isn’t so smooth LOL… The journey taking people from the life they are used to a new transformed life that will enhance them for success was challenging in the beginning as humans will usually reject change, but with time, I devised means to make the transformation process easier for them.

What I enjoy most about my job

My greatest joy has been helping people who felt their case was hopeless find happiness. I love seeing people transform and become better versions of themselves.

3 women who inspire me and why

My mum, she was a very peaceful person who loved helping people and seeing them succeed. Her influence made me develop the kind of mindset I have towards helping others. Oprah Winfrey – She is iconic . I admire her doggedness in accomplishing her dreams and also helping others do the same. I love Indra Nooyi, former CEO of Pepsico – She is showing how a woman can be powerful, successful and balance family life.

On If people understand the meaning of true love

I think many people confuse Infatuation for Love.. Infatuation usually happens earlier on in the relationship is driven by strong emotions. That period when you have all those hormones running through your head and colouring everything you see about the other person. You have those intense feelings, the butterflies, you only want to be with them 247 neglecting every other thing in your life, and they can do no wrong.The good thing is that infatuation doesn’t last and if you are patient, the hormones will stabilize, and you can then see if you truly love this person and they love you back – which is True Love. Emotions are not enough to keep a relationship for the long term. On the other hand, True Love is more stable, more like deep friendship -where you have seen each other’s negative and positive sides and truly decide to stay together in mutual respect and deep admiration of each other. True love always has good intentions, is trusting, honest, accessible, responsive, loyal, consistent, and always growing. And you can always feel some of the passionate feelings characteristic of infatuation in a true love relation but its healthier and infatuation will always wear off. Expert psychologists say it can take 2-3 years to wear off.

My work-life balance routine and support system

My husband is my support system. He is highly organized and helps me organize my projects. Most times when I am down, he takes up the wheel 100%. When it comes to everyday work, I also delegate a lot.

If I could change one thing in the matchmaking and dating world

I will change the process and mindset. I feel its shouldn’t be first about connecting people but about them finding real, healthy, lasting love. Focus should be more on people having the right mindset for love, understanding how to have a happy and fulfilling relationship. If all businesses put this first, then they will change their business models.

To the woman who has given up on love

I will ask her why. Is she giving up because she has a new vision and direction for her life and she genuinely thinks that a loving relationship isn’t what she wants? If yes, that’s fine and I wish her Goodluck Or is she giving up because of endless disappointments? If yes, then she has to examine herself to know why the kind of love she wants isn’t coming. And NO, it’s not because all men are bad or that all the good men are taken. They are there. And she can definitely find and attract them, if she can change her mindset and strategy.

Matchmaking nuggets, and red flags

Matchmaking: Always be clear on what you want in a relationship. Make sure you are willing to give your best to the person you are seeking to love. Be open-minded and positive. Red flags: Always listen to your intuition, if it says something isn’t right, investigate it.

Being a woman of Rubies

I am a very compassionate person who loves people and loves to see them succeed. I believe in using my talent, knowledge, and time to empower people around me so that they can improve their lives.

In Inspiration February 21, 2022 By Women of Rubies

Gbemi Elekula Is Tackling Period Poverty Through HUMANx

Gbemi Elekula is a multi-disciplinary creative entrepreneur. She is the founder of DreamHome, a full-service interior design and styling company, as well as HUMANx—a fashion brand that is committed to tackling period poverty.

Prior to these enterprises, Gbemi had a stint in the construction and banking sectors, where she developed skills and competencies relevant to her current vocation. As a quantity surveyor with Gimba & Partners, she worked on several construction projects and built

proficiency in project design and management. Her five years experience as a retail banking and customer care executive with Oceanic and Ecobank helped hone her networking and communication skills.

From early childhood, Gbemi had a strong fascination for colours and a deep love for design of all forms. So, it was no surprise when she quit her job at the bank to pursue her passion for design and creative services. Leveraging natural-born artistic talent, strategic vision, business acumen and an extensive network, she has advised many-a client on interior styling for residential and commercial buildings, and created myriad designs of décor and fashion items.

Gbemi not only champions the vision for DreamHome and HUMANx, but also oversees the creative design and production processes, directing and supervising the functions of internal teams and external suppliers, and ensuring adherence to timelines and quality standards. Each space, decorative piece or fashion item designed by Gbemi feels cozy, eclectic, and unique. Her works are elegant and timeless—the kind you will want to keep for the long run.

For Gbemi, design should always be about people and their deeply-rooted desires. She has a remarkable ability to bring clients’ ideas to life, creating beautiful, functional spaces and pieces that are tailored to their personal style and practical needs. Gbemi prides herself as being an artistic visionary who is not afraid to push the boundaries of creative expression—building consensus and ensuring projects meet all milestones, deadlines, and budget requirements.

Beyond personal gratification and commercial gain, Gbemi sees her creative ventures as a medium for addressing social issues. Through DreamHome, she has organised a number of cultural initiatives—the most recent being an art exhibition themed “United in a Pandemic & United as a Nation”, which was aimed at building solidarity and promoting joint action to stop the spread of COVID-19. Her fashion brand, HUMANx, strives to tackle period poverty, each sale unlocking access to better sanitary products for females in rural Nigeria.

Gbemi holds a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) in Quantity Surveying, an MBA in Strategic and Project Management from the Paris Graduate School of Management, as well as a Professional Diploma in Interior Design from the British College of Interior Design, Oxford, United Kingdom.

Source: Leadingladiesafrica.org

In Inspiration February 16, 2022 By Women of Rubies

Meet Ory Okolloh, The Kenyan Activist Using Her Skills To Increase Government Transparency

Tech-savvy lawyer and activist Ory Okolloh Mwangi combines her skills and passion to increase government transparency and accountability.

She is known as the “Kenyan pundit” for good reason: not only does she have strong opinions about government transparency, the role of entrepreneurship and African storytelling – she has also always been committed to helping others share their voices.

Until recently, Ory was the Managing Director, Omidyar Network and Luminate Group in Africa – both part of The Omidyar Group – a diverse collection of companies, organizations and initiatives united by a common desire to catalyse positive social impact.

She serves on the board of several organisations including the Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company, Stanbic Holdings Plc and Stanbic Bank Kenya, and is the Chair of the Stanbic Foundation.

She is also an Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN) Fellow and has in the past served as advisory board member to Twiga Foods, Amnesty International Africa and Endeavor Kenya among several other organisations.

Ory has a Juris Doctor (the equivalent of a master’s degree) from Harvard Law School and a B.A in Political Science (summa cum laude) from the University of Pittsburgh.

Her current role as a non-executive director at East African Breweries Ltd (EABL) saw her picked as a member of the Covid-19 ICT Advisory Committee which is tasked with integrating ICT in the fight against the pandemic.

A gazette notice issued by Cabinet Secretary for ICT Joe Mucheru stated the role of the newly established committee would be to assess how ICT can support efforts to combat the virus, including to develop and implement a framework for identifying, supporting and scaling local technology.

Prior to her new frontline role, Ory was Google’s Policy and Strategy Manager for Africa. She was at the forefront of developing technology innovation as a founding member of Ushahidi.

She is also the co-founder of Mzalendo, a website that tracks the performance of Kenyan MPs. Ory Okolloh spearheaded the founding of Ushahidi, a revolutionary crowd sourcing utility that enables citizen journalists and eyewitnesses all over the world to report incidents of violence through the web, mobile E-mail, SMS, and Twitter.

In 2011 Ory was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, and one of Africa’s most Powerful Women by Forbes Magazine.

In 2014 she was featured in the prestigious list of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.

Source: leadingladiesafrica.org

In Career Gems February 16, 2022 By Women of Rubies

Bunmi Adeniba Has Been Appointed As Marketing Director Of Coca-Cola.

Bunmi Adeniba, an experienced marketing professional and commercial operator with a strong bias for using consumer insights and her understanding of an end-to-end manufacturing process to harness value for multiple stakeholders, has been appointed as the new Marketing Director of Coca-Cola Nigeria Plc.

Prior to her current appointment, Mrs. Adeniba, the Acting President of Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN), was the Marketing Director of Unilever Nigeria. She is also the Vice-President of the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA). The WFA Executive Committee brings together senior marketers and public affairs executives to reflect the dual mission of helping marketers be more effective and efficient in terms of their marketing spend, while helping brand owners protect and future-proof their license to operate through advocacy and effective advertising self-regulation.

Mrs. Adeniba has worked in several other FMCG companies in her career trajectory. She is a customer focused professional with broad spectrum, cross functional work experience spanning brand building, new products and category development, supply chain/quality management and quality systems set up.

Her ability to quickly understand, interpret and apply strategic directions is believed to be highly remarkable and commendable. She has a great disposition and is always willing to learn and share knowledge.

Mrs. Adeniba’s over two decades experience spans across brand building, innovation design, and quality management systems.

She has an MBA from Hult Business School, Boston and a certificate of Strategic Marketing Management from Harvard Business School, Massachusetts, USA.

She is a 2018 CSC Leader, a global programme for exceptional senior leaders selected from government, businesses and NGOs across the 53 countries of the commonwealth

Mrs. Adeniba is passionate about women empowerment and raising phenomenal leaders in the marketplace.

She has been recognised as one of the fifty Ladies in corporate Nigeria by Leading Ladies Africa and Brand communicator’s top 50 women in marketing and communication in Nigeria.

Mrs. Adeniba holds membership with the Institute of Directors (IOD), National institute of Marketing (NIMN), Chartered institute of Marketing UK (MCIM), Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), and American Society of Quality (ASQ). She is a Certified Digital Marketing Professional (CDMP) from the Digital Marketing Institute.

This article was culled from Marketingedge.com.

In Inspiration February 16, 2022 By Women of Rubies

Aisha Gumel Is Helping Teenagers Overcome Peer Pressure

Aisha Gumel Farouq is the teen educator and Pre-marital coach. Aisha understands peer pressure and it’s diverse effect on teenagers. She provides them with the necessary guidance and the answers they need.

She is the founder of Playhouse Daycare, a successful and most sought-after early childhood centre focused on educating young children in a safe, nurturing, and innovative environment. She believes every child deserves a good foundation in education and should be given one.

She is also a partner in a consultancy firm (The Playhouse Mini Co.) that helps individuals start up their early childhood centres and organisations to set up daycare pods.

The educator is also known as “Coaching with Mrs F” where she guides intended couples and young adults based on her experiences and skills.

Additionally, Aisha is a member of the technical sub-committee, a part of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) member tasked with curating the conversation around the annual high-level summit from 2019 to date.

She enjoys learning about innovative education and hopes to be a catalyst for change in the educational sector.

We celebrate her for helping teenagers make the right choice and live a purposeful life.

In Interviews&profile February 16, 2022 By Women of Rubies

Elizabeth Ovwigho Is Teaching Women How To Succeed In The Jewellery Business

Elizabeth Ovwigho, popularly known as Aunty Muse, is a seasoned Entrepreneur and brand influencer. She has a Masters (M. Ed) in Early childhood and educational foundations and a first degree [B.A(Ed)] in Educational Administration.

She is a serial Ring and Jewelry merchant with an affinity for creative accessorizing. This birthed the MUSE brand in 2019, which is fast becoming a household name on Twitter and other social media platforms.

Elizabeth values customer relationship and Consumer feedback. This has definitely given her a leverage in the Jewelry business. She is also teaching other women how to succeed in the business, sharing daily tips and educating them on the need to prioritize customer satisfaction.

Her vision is to own one of the biggest Jewelry e-commerce store in Africa as well as become a voice to reckon with as an Accessory Consultant. She can be reached via: Lizzybovwigho@gmail.com

In Inspiration February 10, 2022 By Women of Rubies

#WCW | Meet Tobore Anne Emorhokpor, Pharmacist With A Burning Passion For Women And Children

Tobore Anne Emorhokpor is the founder of Nigerian Child Protection Trust and the convener of the End Child Sexual Group. Tobore is a leading voice in the women and child development sector.

Tobore Anne started her educational journey at Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Ojo. She then relocated to the UK for her A levels. She attended Cardiff University where she obtained a Masters degree in Pharmacy.

Driven by personal development and self-improvement, Tobore obtained additional qualifications CIPD level 5 course in Human Resources. She also did a virtual Leadership Principles Course at Harvard Business School.

Tobore has emerged as a credible voice armed with a passion for getting justice for the oppressed. She loves to go beyond people’s expectations and delight them.

At the core of her heart, Tobore defines herself as a woman driven by love, whose vision is that of a world where children are well taken care of. She wants a Nigeria where women are empowered to look after themselves and their children.

Tobore has been at the forefront of the movement for women to be treated with kindness by their spouses. She desires for children to live good lives and have a quality education. She detests children being used and abused for child labour and wants a great reduction in sexual abuse and rape of women and minors.

The testament to her impact is the media mentions she has gotten for her humanitarian works and advocacy.

Tobore is the recipient of the Right Livelihood Award for outstanding role in reducing hunger, inequality and improving sustainability. She has also clinched the Drum Majors for Peace award for her giant strides and contributions to women and child development.

We celebrate Tobore’s passion for humanity, and her contribution towards the safety of women in the society