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Women of Rubies

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Esther Ijewere

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There has always been a stereotype that black people (specifically Africans) don’t like to travel – but thankfully, with the increase in income and education, the rise of social media, and a generation of tech-savvy millennials, all that’s definitely changing.

One of the people promoting travel culture among black people – specifically young Africans – is Sikemi Ifederu with her company, Tambollo.

Originally created as a travel blog for Sikemi to share her experiences from around the world, Tambollo has morphed into a travel company with the aim of inspiring young Africans to travel more and immerse themselves in new cultures – through personalized trips and travel testimonials.

Speaking on her website about the platform and why she created it, Sikemi said:

“Tambollo is a platform where travellers like myself can share their experiences [and book trips].

It is also to encourage young people to travel more, learn about the world, meet people that will challenge them and in the process learn more about themselves.”

Sikemi’s ultimate goal is to expose and encourage people to appreciate the various cultures and destinations around the world rather than limiting themselves to the familiar.

 

Source: Konbini.com

 

When Hadiza Dairet Kasimu was writing her exams in her final year of primary school, she mysteriously fell ill and by the end of that week, she had lost her ability to hear.
Losing her hearing halted Hadiza’s life in a very big way: she dropped out of school and for six years was at home, doing nothing. Thanks to the support of her family, she eventually returned to school and was able to graduate from the university.
Today, Hadiza is an advocate for Nigerians with disabilities – specifically women and girls – fighting for their rights to a fair and inclusive society.

Speaking at the Mandela Washington Fellowship about what inspired her to become an activist, Hadiza said:
“Many people believe that if you have a disability, you have no future. People with disabilites are not given equal opportunities especially in Africa and that needs to change.”
She is currently the state chairperson of the Deaf Women’s Association of Nigeria; the state coordinator of the Voice of Disabilities Initiative; and the women’s coordinator for the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities in Nasarawa.
She also counsels women and girls in her local community on everything from gender equality to financial independence; as well as encouraging Nigerians with disabilities to participate in politics, so they can have their voices heard.

Source: Konbini

When you have to share the screen with comedy and drama heavyweights like Oscar-nominee Queen Latifah, Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish and Jada Pinkett-Smith it’s hard to be remembered once the credits roll.

Well, that’s exactly what Deborah Ayorinde managed to pull off in this year’s most successful and acclaimed comedy, Girls Trip. Playing the major antagonist, Ayorinde brought so much charisma to the role that she made Simone a villain we loved to hate.

A growing career on the small screen
Before her role in Girls Trip (her first major film role), Ayorinde was most known for her roles on a number of popular TV shows – her most notable TV role being Candace Miller on six episodes of Marvel’s Luke Cage (alongside future Girls Trip costar Mike Colter).

Prior to appearing on Luke Cage, she had appeared on a bunch of other shows like BET’s The Game and Starz’s Survivor’s Remorse. Her most recent TV appearance was on the Emmy-nominated Showtime drama, The Affair.


A passionate filmmaker
While Ayorinde is currently focusing on her acting career, she is still very passionate about filmmaking in general, specifically writing and directing.
During her matriculation at Howard University, she won the coveted Paul Robeson ‘Best Actress’ award for her performance in a short film she also wrote and directed. We can’t wait to see what she does next, both behind and in front of the camera.

 

Speaking at a ‘Teens Career Conference’ organized by The Everlasting Arms Parish TEAP of the Redeemed Christian Church of God RCCG, Garki, Abuja, Wife of the Vice President of Nigeria, Mrs Osinbajo said;

“When I became a worker in the church, the first place I worked was the Teenage Church and for 10 years I was in the Children’s Church. .
.
For 10 years, I was under the bridge; under the bridge in Lagos with ‘Area Boys’. So, every kind of drug that there is, I know about it. I have seen it before and I have seen the effects as well and I will like you to know that the ones that use it are not different from you. .

Some of them too have parents in the church. Some of them have parents with very big names. There are some streets in Lagos that the names of the streets are names of people, some of which have their children under the bridge. .

There were people whose parents lived in America and yet their children were under the bridge. So, do not even imagine that it cannot happen to you, but you must be an example in your conduct”.

 

 

Source: Vanguardngr

Mirabel Centre which opened on July 1, 2013, is a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) to provide holistic and high quality medical and psychosocial help to rape victims, has released photos from its 4th anniversary which was held on Aug 1st, 2017.

The Mirabel Centre is a safe, friendly and conducive place where one can get free help after going through the trauma of a rape or sexual assault.

Check out photos from the event;

Hajia Bola Shagaya (MON)is a Nigerian businesswoman and fashion enthusiast. She is one of the richest women in Africa. She was born on the 10th of October, 1959. She is married to Alhaji Shagaya, a Kwara State-based transport mogul, and has four children. She had her secondary school education at Queens School, Ilorin, and her tertiary education at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Armstrong College in California, where she studied economics and accountancy.

She started her career with the audit department of the Central Bank of Nigeria before venturing into commercial activities in 1983. Her business experience started with the importation and distribution of photographic materials and she introduced the Konica brand of photographic materials into the Nigerian market and West Africa and that was the birth of another of her companies – Fotofair (Nigeria) Limited. Today, Fotofair is a leading photo laboratory company in Nigeria with over thirty laboratories spread across the nation.

Hajia Bola Shagaya is also the managing director of Practoil Limited, one of the largest importers and distributors of base oil in Nigeria, serving local lubricant blending plants.

Over the years, her oil and gas companies have operated as dealers and independent marketers of oil, petroleum products and gas, engaged in petroleum product sales, marketing, storage, haulage and transported oil, petroleum, kerosene and cooking gas. They have also acquired licence and engaged in oil and gas prospecting and exploration, acquiring or owning oil fields and also lifting crude oil and associated products.

Around 2005, she became the managing director of  Practoil Limited and in 2011 she founded another exploration company, Voyage Oil and Gas Limited.

Her businesses also includes huge investment in real estate, spanning across major cities in the country with over three hundred employees.

She is currently on the board of Unity Bank plc (formerly Intercity Bank) and has been for over eight years. She is also a member of the recently inaugurated Nepad Business Group – Nigeria. Hajia Bola Shagaya is a patron of the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN), and a fashion and art enthusiast who supports and encourages the fashion and art industry. She also loves sports, especially polo.

On 22 July 2010, she was awarded by the then President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR), the title of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON).

 

 

Nollywood actress, Juliana Olayode better known as Toyo Baby of Jenifa’s Diary, in her book, “Rebirth” stated that she gave away her virginity to her married music teacher at 17.

This revelation came as a shock to fans because she had in different interviews claimed she was a virgin. Her fans on social media have since the latest revelation called her several names, because everyone believed she was a virgin as she had said on several occasions.

But in the same book, she explained why she lied that she was a virgin and also explained how she confessed to her foster father, Timi Adigun and his wife after they all thought she was a Virgin.

She wrote,

“However, the fact that I had confessed to Timi Adigun did not mean the world now knew. People had assumed I was a virgin. I had never said I was but I had never corrected their assumptions either. So, I was still in that fix.

“Shortly after my confession, Ebony Life TV called me for an interview. I went and for the first time in my several interviews, I was asked point blank if I was a virgin. I tried to evade the question, but my interviewer was not having it. She demanded for a yes or no. I did not see the question coming and I lied. I said, ‘Yes, I am a virgin.’

“Immediately the interview was over, I hurried to the bathroom in the studio and cried. I felt terrible for lying and told God I was sorry. I called Dee on my way home and confessed my wrong. I explained further when I got home.

“The next thing he said shocked me. He said, ‘Call her and confess the truth. Ask for a rescheduling of the interview; do it again and undo your mistake.’

“I was not going to do that. I felt it was my secret and the whole world need not know about it. I was upset with myself, however, for answering her. I could have insisted I could not tell. So, I proposed never to answer such again. Easier said than done, right?

“Shortly after, I was on another TV interview, Crux Of The Matter, with Elsie. I was invited to talk for sexual purity while the other guest spoke against. In the process of the discussion, around the time when it was heated, I was asked out of the blues again if I was a virgin. And before I knew it, I heard myself lying again. I was mad at myself.

“I was on another TV interview that trended for a while. It was On The Couch, with Lady Ariyike. I talked about sexual purity, but thankfully I was not asked if I was virgin.
“After that one, I decided to stop interviews altogether. I was tired of lying or having to dread lying if I was asked straight up.”

American singer, song writer and actress, Mariah Carey has admitted she still struggles with her self-esteem.

She revealed this during an interview with the New York Post. She revealed she suffers from ‘low self-esteem.’

“I just feel like I am a regular human being and i deserve the same respect as anybody else. I have always had low self-esteem, and people do not recognize that”

“Growing up different, being biracial, having the whole thing where I did not know if I fit in…

“That is why music became such a big part of my life, because it helped me overcome those issues,
Sometimes it is hard to let your guard down” she said

Mariah also has doubt about the people around her.

“I do think to myself, did they mean this? Or do they not really mean it? And that is with everybody – it is not just with three people or just one. I can’t measure what type of respect I deserve – I really can’t,” she added.

Actress, Beverly Naya, has taken to her IG page to narrate how she struggled with her physical appearance and low self esteem while growing up. She went ahead to celebrate herself and admonish her followers to learn to love themselves for who they are.

Read her emotional post below;

I’ve come a long way from the little girl who was bullied for having really bad eczema, crooked teeth, a ‘lightbulb head’ and ‘football legs’. I never thought I was beautiful as a child and once I hit my early teens, I found myself overcompensating for my lack of self-esteem. I wanted to please in every way to the detriment of my own happiness…this carried on into my early twenties when after two years of living in Nigeria, I nearly completely lost myself trying to fit in and be understood/liked. I guess growing up as an only child has partly attributed to my reserved nature. I’m an introvert when you first meet me but an extrovert when comfortable, most times socially awkward on first encounters (first few encounters in some cases lol) but my heart is always in the right place…I’m not perfect. 

I think I only truly found myself last year, I stopped trying to make people like me, stopped trying to force people to see the real me…the funny me, the happy and bubbly me, the caring me. I realised that only those who are genuinely supposed to be in my life would always be the ones who get to see this. I only realised last year that you can’t force people to like you, neither can you dumb down/change who you are to be accepted. I’m not perfect but God thinks I am and He knows it’s been an emotional battle to get my mind to where it is today, but I am so incredibly grateful and proud of myself for the woman I am becoming…I say becoming because I don’t believe any of us are there yet, I don’t think we ever stop growing into our purpose, but the journey (if you allow it to happen without manipulating it) truly is beautiful. If I could speak to my younger self, I would tell her: Dear Beverly, I love you so much. You are beautiful, you are worthy, you are a gift from God and you are enough.

The very words my mum has told me since I was a young child, the very words that went in one ear and out the other…the very words that with time, experience and growth; I wholeheartedly understand and accept today. 

Signed BN

Written at 02:35am on June 12th 2017

Moral of the story: I hope you overcome all your challenges, I hope you look beyond the opinions of others and remember the fact that God and your soul are always rooting for you…you owe it to yourself to not only be the best version of you, but to give yourself the very best treatment because no one can love you better than you can. Be your own kind of beautiful, love always.”