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Flower is a delicate story intricately interwoven around the lives of 6 characters. Funny, edgy and thought provoking, it touches on the obvious, the ridiculous, and the unspoken that lurk in the secret fibers of our societies. Stories about self-esteem, infidelity, child abuse, mental health and tragic loss are told in ballads, monologues and dance.

The story showcases the often overlooked impact past choices have on present decisions and actions, it calls to question the choices we make every day and the influence they have on the future.

It celebrates the incredible ability of the human spirit to overcome adversity, to find humor in the mundane, to rise above the dirt…… to grow, to bloom, to flourish, to flower.

In the wake of another Nollywood actress’ marriage breaking on the grounds of domestic violence, actor/filmmaker John Njamah advices ladies to wake up. According to him;

“Women!.. why can’t our women learn!?.. it seems the more you advise them the more difficult it becomes for them to comprehend.. Gosh!!.. we need to introduce social media classes so that these women nd the younger women to come will understand how not to throw their entire lives out there… now all they want to do is SLAY and splash photos on insta when the home front is not so rossy… and when the STUPID women beater do their thing, you come crying to us.. THE HAND WRITING HAS BEEN ON THE WALL FOR YOU TO SEE GIRL… but no!! U must marry that man that has plenty money, or that footballer that can splash u with ur greedy needs.. or that politician that takes u on trips around the world.. and Batters you in the process. But you will rather stay in the marriage becos of the shame it mite bring you when the rest of the world knows how it is for you , with all the lies you hav told in the past. Honesty!!.. this false life is getting too much on our women..( especially my sisters in the entertainment industry)..live you life!.. work hard!!. Be a proud woman and don’t allow these stupid men to use you!.
NOW YOU WANT US TO PITY YOU!.. YOU BROUGHT THIS UPON URSELF GIRL!.. there is a strong need for us to talk to our women.. over the past 2 years, domestic violence cases has risen to 65%. YOU ALL NED TO BE CAREFUL.. and to those IDIOTS!.. those women beaters that call themselves men, those MEN that don’t have shame, those “men” that are heartless enuff to raise their hands and beat a woman to pulp remember that you hav daughters, sisters and mothers too.. its a vicious cycle nd it will come back to you.. WAKE UP GIRLS!!… WAKE UP!! #domesticViolence”

In an interview with new magazine, Schick, owned Dr Sid’s wife, Simi Esiri, multiple award-winning actress Rita Dominic, 41, revealed when asked why she was still single that she could have been married a long time ago, but things didn’t work out with the person.

“I believe that God is in charge of my life and will present the right man to me at the right time,” she said.

Asked whether social pressure to settle down get to her, Rita replied,

“I am a human being and I would be lying to say that it doesn’t sometimes. More so because it’s something I sincerely want to do but the feeling passes when I remember that society will not live with the person. I will live with the man, so it is very important that I do it because I want to, not because society wants it for me.”

Speaking about sex and if it gets better with age, Rita said;

“If you ordinarily don’t enjoy it, age won’t make a difference. I find that when a woman embraces her sexuality, many Nigerians equate it to being Ashewo , as if we should act like sex is not pleasurable,”

Speaking about dating, Rita said she dates when someone special comes around but finds it generally as a nightmare

“especially in this days of social media where with one click you are all over the internet.”

She also admits that she loves being in a relationship;

“I love being totally drawn to someone and doing all those loving things couples do, but I am also wary of liars and bullies”

Ajani Damilola narrated what sadly happened via his Facebook account. According to him, Ariyibi Ayomide, a 100 level Student of Unilag, Faculty of Business Administration – department of Employee Relations and Human Resources Management (ER & HRM), committed suicide after being disgraced by her roommates for allegedly stealing in her hostel.

“An incident happened in her room (Amina Hostel) which involved the missing of belongings (which includes make up and clothes) of another girl in d same room.

On Thursday, some of the belongings of d fellow room mate was found in Ayomide’s bag ( scattered in three different bags – make up in one of of her bag, clothes in another bag and clothes in another bag making 3 of Ayomide’s bag).
“As a result the roommates disgraced Ayo and called her many names( relating to a thief) and disgraced her publicly. Ayomide called her mum and her mum came down next day( Friday) to settle d issue. The make up was valued at #2000 in which Her mum paid. After that, her mum told her to pack her bags and follow her home which she did but as she was going d room mates shouted on her and called her so many names.
“Her mum took her home and went back to work (her mum is a unilag staff). Ayomide was d only one left at home when she took sniper in the afternoon. Her mum came back in d evening and saw her child in a critical state. So she asked what happened to her; Ayomide just stretched her hand to do bottle of d sniper she took. Immediately her mum gave her palm oil( epo in yoruba) but results were not forthcoming. So she rushed her to a medical centre at ebute metta, still results were not favourable, she was then taken to Luth ( Medilag). Ayo gave up in LUTH around after 7 yesterday. REST IN PEACE AYOMIDE!!!!”

Thousands of young women gathered last weekend at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island to witness the maiden edition of Linda Ikeji’s self-made conference an off-shoot of the “I’d rather be self made” project. The event, which targeted aspiring and established female entrepreneurs, was organized by Africa’s famous blogger, Linda Ikeji.

Addressing over 2000 young women during her opening speech, Linda Ikeji stressed on the importance for older and accomplished women to share their stories, experience and lessons learned on their journey with those who are on their way up. This, she added, will give a boost to young people’s choice of career while helping them work towards their goal.

Speakers at the event include, founder Flying Doctors Nigeria, Dr. Ola Brown, On-Air personality and comedian Omotunde Adebowale David (Lolo 1 of Wazobia), filmmaker, television and video director, Kemi Adetiba, Nollywood actress and producer, Omoni Oboli, IT professional Foluso Gbadamosi, TV personality and media entrepreneur, Peace Hyde, founder House of Tara, Tara Fela Durotoye and former Lagos State Police Command, Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmus.

The speakers were generous in the way they shared their experiences and charged up the women to dream big, plan wisely and be assertive in taking opportunities. They charged the young women to accept themselves the way they are, building on their various personalities.

While some shared lessons they had learnt on their journey to the top, encouraging these aspiring entrepreneurs to focus on the trade and not the tricks of the trade, other speakers encouraged all to live purposefully and ensure they empower themselves because within each one of them is the capability and the talent needed for success.

Chika Ilang is a Mass Communication graduate from Caritas University, Enugu. She’s the founder of Chika Ilang International, a personal development company, which she launched in 2016, with key focus on helping women gain the clarity to build the life and career they truly love.

She believes everyone has equal opportunity to achieve greatness if you show up for yourself, It’s her earnest desire to teach more women how to live a happier, wealthier and fulfilled life. She shares her inspiring journey and some success nuggets in this interview.

Wanting to start a smoke fish business as a child

Not exactly because I was a very carefree child with no worries whatsoever. I wasn’t the very coordinated child who led other children to live right.

I was rather the love child, who got almost all her little request to the best she knew, so there was really nothing pushing me to focus better as a child.

But on the other hand, I was enterprising at heart as a child. I wanted to earn my own money at a very young age. I remember a time my cousin and I saved up our small allowances to start a smoked fish business. You can tell my parents didn’t allow this idea see the light of the day, else, maybe, just maybe, I would have blown in that area. But why smoked fish though? I truly don’t know *laugh*

 

The “Evolving” Woman

I’m Chika, I’m the last of my parents 6 children, I’m married to my amazing pillar of support, I’m an ambivert, I’m a dreamer and an achiever,I love colours, music, food, positive people, the good but simple life, and all things in between.

I’m an evolving woman, always open to opportunities that would help me become the best of my version.

Chika Ilang International

In 2014, while in my paid employement, I started my side hustle with fruit art and display, sale of gift items and smart kitchen tools; under the name Ore Services on instagram.

Prior to this, I had so many ideas but I didn’t know what or how exactly to launch any.

So I started this business when I desperately needed to do something with my life, beside my 9 to 5. I needed to occupy myself while I figured out what I truly wanted to do with my life. The beginning was intriguing, as it was my first time making money from any business. I made mistakes here and there and always came back stronger with the lessons.

Few months on, I lost interest in my business. I was still very much hungry for more growth. The business just didn’t fit perfectly into the picture I had in my head. So I closed down the business to seek what would give me the answers I sought for.

This self discovery and harnessing stage  led to the birth of Chika Ilang International, a personal development company dedicated to help other women who want to live out their passion, who are  in a job they do not like, who are desirous of life above average, but are confused on how to launch out.

They like I was, don’t know the exact WHAT and HOW to achieve their desired

result. Chika Ilang International is focused at helping them define what exactly they want, help them create a map that will guide them to achieving this and actually hold their hands on their journey to success and fulfilment.

 

Inspires by Success

I am inspired by every person who dares to show up for themselves and get things done.

I’m inspired by the woman who against all odds, chose to raise her standard and chase her greatness. I’m inspired by the fearless woman who believes so much in herself and her vision.

Success of one is my biggest inspiration. It reminds me that if one person can do it, I too can do mine.

Reward

My greatest reward is always the opportunity to do more when I deliver on value promised.

Challenges

When I started out, I had struggle distinguishing myself. You know when you start a new path with little or no experience, with no result to show for your amazing idea and expertise, you could easily be mistaken for a sham. Until I started achieving results, I had to deal with this.

 

Projects and activities

Presently, I work with clients on different stages, depending on each person’s level on their journey. I also get involved with voluntary work where I can contribute optimally.

Giving Up

Oh yessssss, I have felt like giving up on few occasions when my business was still taking shape. I had done all I thought there was to be done, yet I wasn’t getting the result I wanted.

But somehow, I was able to persevere on the last tiny hope, and today, I’m glad I did.

Being a Woman of Rubies

I believe success is sweeter when we all win. Whenever I’m in the position to lift another woman, I feel a great joy within me.

 

Final word

Hey Queen, give yourself the permission to succeed. Be inspired by all the amazing women who have gone ahead to live their personal legend. Like I always say, SUCCESS OF ONE, IS AN EVIDENCE THAT IT IS POSSIBLE, BE INSPIRED NOT ENVIOUS!

Live, love, laugh, support, dream, and become!

Inside Out with Agatha, Nigeria’s longest running independent television talk show has announced plans to celebrate its 20th anniversary starting with a TV reality show called ‘The Search‘. This was announced at a media parley held at the RAVE TV office in Lagos on Wednesday 26 April 2017.

Activities to mark the anniversary include the 7-week TV reality show, a press conference, and an anniversary dinner to wrap up the program of events.

Call for the audition is currently on till 30th of April, while the audition proper is scheduled for 22nd of May, 2017.  The event will come to climax with Agatha Amata’s Farewell Recording as host of “Inside-out with Agatha” themed “Nigeria Beyond Oil: The Future” and an anniversary dinner, both slated for 4th of August, 2017.

Agatha Amata, founder and presenter of Inside Out, disclosed her plans to step aside from presenting the program so as to give younger people an opportunity.

“The purpose of the reality TV show is to call on young Nigerians who are passionate about carrying on with the legacy of the program. I am not concerned if the next person to take the presenter role is either male or female, but the perfect feet to be someone who is passionate about people (in line with the vision of the program: Touching Lives, Changing Society),” Amata said. “As Inside Out celebrates her 20th anniversary, we are excited at the development we have recorded so far and we use this opportunity to appreciate everyone, including corporate bodies who have contributed to the success of our program”.

A woman who discovered her husband had five fiancées, two wives and thirteen kids has claimed the convicted paedophile will never stop.

Mary Turner Thompson had a six year relationship with William Jordan before finding out he sexually assaulted an underage girl and was leading multiple lives.
Mary has set up an online support group for all of Jordan’s victims 11 years later but fears he will continue to con women because he is a “psychopath”.
Claiming to be a CIA agent, he stole at least £300,000 from 21 women in five countries, and has even pursued another after being released from prison last year.
Viewers shocked as terrified aunt discovered ‘secret plot to KILL her’ as she spied on her niece online William Jordan claimed he was constantly away from home because he was a CIA agent
Mary explained that her husband first asked for money after four years together, having met in November 2000 and telling her he worked in the intelligence service.
Speaking on This Morning, she said: “He said that unsavouries had found out where we lived and were effectively blackmailing us.
“They were saying that if we didn’t come up with money these people would steal the children and rips bits off them and send them through the post unless we came up with the money to pay them off.
“I sold everything I had. Who wouldn’t to look after their children. And living in absolute terror.”
Mary accused Jordan of gradually “brainwashing” her before discovering he was married to another woman and was a convicted sexual predator.
She said: “I got a phone call from the other wife. She said ‘I’m the other Mrs Jordan’.
“She actually dropped everything to meet me. We sat down and spoke for 12 hours and compared our children who looked very similar.”
Jordan was given five years in prison for bigamy, fraud and failing to register as a sex offender, but moved on to his next victim Mischelle Lewis from New Jersey, USA.

Stand to End Rape Initiative in collaboration with The Initiative for Equal Rights and the Revolving Art Incubator present the HERE Exhibition from April 30th to May 12th at the Revolving Art Incubator, 2nd Floor, Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The HERE Exhibition Opening Event holds on 30th of April at 4pm and will feature conversations with guest speakers; Titilope Sonuga and Arit Okpo, and spoken word.

The HERE Exhibition is a platform for sharing the stories of survivors. The goal of the exhibition is to empower survivors of sexual violence to break the silence and regain their freedom. The photos in the exhibition highlights places where rape occurs, thereby disrupting the stigmatization that people who are violated in such locations face.

The use of imagery (photography) is strategic as it creates a body of work that literally hits close to home; reflecting the reality of how close survivors often are to their abusers.

The exhibition also serves as a fundraiser for a rehabilitation center where women and girls will be sheltered, while we are helping them to reintegrate into the society. While at the center, they will be empowered with life skills to enable them become economically independent of their abuser in cases where this occurs at the home front