Esther Ijewere

In self development June 7, 2017 By Esther Ijewere

#WCW: CELEBRATING ADESUA ETOMI!

Adesua has featured in quite a number of films, including, The Arbitration, The Wedding Party, and Falling. Her performance in Falling earned her the 2016 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award for Best Actress In A Drama. Other notable films she has appeared in include A Soldier’s Story (2015), Out of Luck (2015), and Couple of Days (2016). She also played Shiela in the fourth and fifth seasons of Shuga, a television soap opera about HIV/AIDS, among others.

Adesua Etomi also has lots of awards and nominations to her name.

Women of Rubies celebrates you, sweet Adesua ‘Susu’ Etomi!

In Career Gems June 5, 2017 By Esther Ijewere

I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR EVERY DECISION I MAKE, BUT THAT’S NOT WHY I LOST’ – HILLARY CLINTON

Yesterday, former Democratic presidential nominee, Hilary Clinton was at Recode’s Code Conference in California where she took questions form the panel and made some startling revelations too.

According to her, ‘I take responsibility for every decision I make, but that’s not why I lost’.

She went on to say that when she became her party’s presidential nominee, she inherited “nothing” from the committee. “I’m now the nominee of the Democratic Party. I inherit nothing from the Democratic Party. It was bankrupt, it was on the verge of insolvency, its data was mediocre to poor, non-existent, wrong. I had to inject money into the party to keep it going.”

Then she alleged that former FBI Director James Comey’s decision on October 28, 2016, to send a letter to Congress about her email controversy was simply devastating.

“I can’t look inside the guy’s mind. He dumped that on me on October 28, and I immediately start falling,” she said.

She also specifically called out The New York Times for its coverage of the issue saying ‘they covered it like it was Pearl Harbor’.

Asked whether she will run for president again Clinton quickly answered, “No.”

In self development June 5, 2017 By Esther Ijewere

FRANCISCA OGUNLADE: 3 REASONS WHY CORPORATE EMPLOYEES FAIL AS ENTREPRENEURS

Please hold on, I really don’t mean to scare you. However, 75% of corporate employees fail in business; be it a side business or a full time business after years in corporate employment. Have you ever wondered why it is so?

At a time, I thought it was a jinx, as I could not imagine how a high flying employee could fail woefully in a personal business. I have also had my fair share of failures but now I know better.

Let me share a bit of my failure story.
One beautiful afternoon, I got a call from a colleague and he introduced me to a wonderful health product. The interesting part was that I would get paid for using the product and get commissions from inviting people into the business. It was a networking business.

Being a sales person at work, I saw this as a walk over and I invested in the business immediately. My dear reader, I never smelled any commission as I could not introduce any one to the business. It is over six years now and I still have some of the products in my home. Let’s just say I leant how to fail honourably.

In the last three years, I have invested in three businesses and I am bold to say that I have made considerable success in each of them. This success rate did not just happen, it is because I have learnt from my previous failures and I’d love to share same with you. For the sake of this article, we will call our case study Sunshine.

Order
Sunshine works with a pre-listed job description and role assignment. For 7 years, Sunshine resumes to her job function each day, working through her duties in a breeze and she has imbibed this way of life subconsciously. She sees life in this form of stability and order. This is the mindset that Sunshine takes into the business world. Sunshine does not know that building a successful business requires a level of disruption. Things hardly work out as planned especially for start-ups. Order is her first shocker in the business arena, as there is every cause for alarm.

Research
Sunshine is a very busy hard worker and she hardly has time for social functions except family events. During one of such events, she got talking to a cousin of hers. He cousin invites her to a trending business and voila, her mind is made up. She resumes to the office and tries to contain her excitement till she shares her new found business idea with her colleague at work. Her colleague leapt for joy at the idea and Sunshine went ahead to invest in the business. Sunshine has set herself up for failure as she did not research her market and only got counsel from her busy colleague just like herself.

Capital
Sunshine once failed in a business before she started. This is because Sunshine was waiting for the big lump sum as her initial capital to start. Eventually, sunshine got her huge capital and invested all into her business. She made the huge mistake called OVER CAPITALIZATION. She invested more in finesse instead of founding values. I have been there so I know. The chilling boxes I bought when starting out in my event planning business are presently used as storage boxes in my home.

There are still other factors like Trust and Processes but I will be stopping here for today. I hope this article has helped you think things through, even as you start your business.

Do feel free to comment on other factors you know so as to help that corporate employee venturing into starting a side business.

Source: Bellanaija

In Career Gems June 1, 2017 By Esther Ijewere

UNFPA AMBASSADOR STEPHANIE LINUS VISITS DRC ON INTERNATIONAL DAY TO CREATE AWARENESS ON OBSTETRIC FISTULA

As part of her commitment to raising awareness on maternal health issues, the UNFPA Regional Ambassador for West and Central Africa Stephanie Linus visited the Democratic Republic of Congo in commemoration of the International Day to End Obstetrical Fistula.

The theme of this year’s commemoration was tagged “hope, healing and dignity for all”, and it featured several activities aimed at giving hope to girls and women around Africa. From 23rd to 25th May, Stephanie participated in a span of activities which included the screening of her award-winning movie ‘DRY’, a private luncheon with African Ambassadors in the DRC and a visit to women repaired of fistula at the Biamba Marie Motombo Hospital in Kinshasa.

While speaking to the Ambassadors, she requested them to work through their governments to do more for the girl child with an emphasis on education, ending child marriage, ending obstetric fistula, improving access to health care.

The over 300-persons audience at the private viewing of DRY consisted of African Ambassadors in the DRC, Donors, Regional Director of UNFPA for the East and Southern Africa Region, UN heads of Agencies and Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Ministers and High Ranking Government Officials, Young parliamentarians of DRC, Representatives of International and National NGOs, Members of the Civil Society and various media representatives.

During her address, she declared that the theme of the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula “hope, healing and dignity for all” is food for thought and that it is time to act and actively seek ways to do more to change unhealthy behaviors, to improve health systems, and improve human rights for all.

“Women should not die while giving life. Girls have rights that need to be respected-education, decent jobs, choose who to marry and when to have children and how many of them. Every woman and girl have a right to be treated with respect and dignity”, she stated.

She challenged the audience to constantly ask themselves the question – What is it that I can do more and do better?

Stephanie also met young artists in the National Institute of Arts in Kinshasa whom she encouraged to look around, pick up the issues that are affecting the society and pass messages to end those ills through arts, music, movie and drama.

Stephanie Linus was named the UNFPA Regional Ambassador in March 2017 in recognition of her far-reaching advocacy for the rights of girls and women. As Regional Ambassador, she will help advocate and raise awareness on maternal health issues across Africa, whilst encouraging policies and laws that protect the rights and dignity of the girl child.

See more photos

Stephanie Linus flanked by Dr. Julitta Onabanjo, UNFPA Regional Director East and Southern Africa & other Special Guests

Stephanie Linus & Amb. Abdou Abarry, African Union Representative

Private Luncheon with African Ambassadors in the DRC

Stephanie Linus & Diene Keita, UNFPA DRC Representative

In Interviews&profile May 29, 2017 By Esther Ijewere

#PROFILE | MEET MILDRED JEFFERSON, THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO GRADUATE FROM HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL

After graduating from medical school, she did a surgical internship at Boston City Hospital, becoming the first woman to do so. She was also the first female doctor at the former Boston University Medical Center. She would later become the first woman to become a member of the Boston Surgical Society.

In 1970, Jefferson became one of the founders of Massachusetts Citizens for Life. She later helped found the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC). In 1971, she became a member of the NRLC board of directors. She became the vice president of the National Right to Life Committee in 1973 and then was elected as chairman of the board the following year. Mildred then was elected as president of NRLC in 1975 until 1978.

In 1980, she helped NRLC start a political action committee because she believed it was important to lobby and support pro-Life candidates for office. While a Republican, she helped democrat Ellen McCormack run for the Democratic Party presidential nomination in 1976. Apart from NRLC, she served on boards of directors of more than 30 pro-life organizations.

She is also noted for changing Ronald Reagan’s stance on abortion from pro-choice to pro-life. He wrote to her in a letter, “You have made it irrefutably clear that an abortion is the taking of a human life, I am grateful to you.”

Jefferson was a self-described “Lincoln Republican” and served on the 1980 Massachusetts Reagan for President Campaign.

Mildred Fay Jefferson died on October 15, 2010.

In self development May 24, 2017 By Esther Ijewere

KEMI AMUSHAN : STOP YOUR MAN FROM WITHDRAWING

It is very easy for a guy to start getting distant somewhere along the line in your relationship. If you are suffering in your relationship because your man is pulling away and becoming distant, I know how painful it feels because I have actually been there myself! It could be that he has stopped making plans in advance, or he is telling you he is confused, or he has stopped initiating affection and now he is telling you how busy and stressed out he is with work.

It is very easy for us women to feel a shift in his energy and it instinctively makes us feel worried, anxious and insecure, no matter how much we want to appear cool and confident. It feels so frustrating and devastating when the love we once felt from him feels like it is just drifting away and then we start asking ourselves, “How could this be happening?”

How can you get things back to the way they felt in the beginning, when you knew he was so into you? He was doing and saying all the right things, everything to make you feel so happy. We believe if we can just talk to him and let him know how we feel and specifically how we feel about him, he would instinctively want to “fix” things to make us feel better and be compelled to come closer. Wrong.

I have learnt that this is exactly what does not work to inspire a man to want to get close again. In fact, it has the opposite effect on him! It makes him feel pressure and the ONLY thing he wants to do is run as far away as possible – as fast as possible!

What we instinctively want to do actually pushes our man further away. When you learn how men and relationships really work you will get all the time, love, attention, affection, fun, passion and romance you have been longing for. You will get amazing results with your man.

If you do not learn how men and relationships really work and you keep doing what you have been doing, you will keep finding yourself in the same painful situations over and over again, wondering what went wrong, analyzing everything your man does and spending your precious time trying to figure out what he is thinking and how to bring him back.

If you want to get everything you want from your relationship,

Imagine Your Man is Right In Front Of You.
What do you want to do? If you are anything like me, you want to reach out and touch him and talk to him – move closer. Stop Yourself From Moving Towards Him In Any Way.

Imagine making eye contact and smiling softly at him. Let him move towards you first and close the “gap”. This looks like him physically moving towards you, calling you, texting you, making plans, and initiating affection.

When we allow there to be space between us, if he is the man for you, he will instinctively and automatically come close. He will sense you are a woman who values herself enough to not chase any man and simply requires a man to pursue her (without saying a word) – it creates a magnetic pull on him he cannot resist!

Use Specific Words And Phrases To Compel Him To Come Even Closer.
When he starts coming close again, you can “give back” by letting him know it feels good to hear from him, or you feel happy to see him, or his soft kisses make you feel soft and warm and he will feel a connection he has never felt with another woman. All it takes is practice talking in this new love language. (When we stop moving towards our man, we begin to worry he will think we are not interested, we do not care or we do not love him – we can eliminate these fears by being soft, warm and inviting when he comes close.)

To bring him closer today, just try and relax. Relaxing gets you into the present moment where your man can connect with you. (A man cannot connect with us when we are up in our heads, worrying, analyzing and trying to figure him out.) By doing this, you begin to lighten up. For me, I began feeling better immediately. I felt the tension leaving my body.

By just relaxing and acting like everything is okay and you are in control, your vibes will instantly shift, making you more magnetic to your man. Commit to seeing yourself as a woman who easily inspires her man to want to get as close as he possibly can by not doing anything or working hard to make it happen.

Simply being a woman is magnetic to a masculine man. Your only job is to receive the love he has to give.
Let’s Recap: Anything we do or say that looks like moving towards our man – calling, texting, initiating, advising, asking him how he feels, being super sweet and understanding, or making things easy for him in any way, actually kills his attraction for us.

What draws him towards us is allowing there to be space between us. Allowing, trusting, receiving and responding to your man is what creates and builds attraction for a man.

Try this, it could really work for you, I promise and i would love to hear how this goes for you.

To our happiness. Cheers.

Source: Guardian

In Career Gems May 24, 2017 By Esther Ijewere

SOUTH AFRICAN MEDIA QUEEN BONANG MATHEBA COVERS DESTINY MAGAZINE’S JUNE 2017 ISSUE

Bonang Matheba stays working her magic with new major deals everywhere – book deals, TV show deals and beauty brand deals.

The South African star is the cover girl for Destiny magazine’s June 2017 issue and in the magazine she talks about how she’s changing gears and making exclusive new deals this year.

Destiny mag writes:

Bonang Matheba made a reported seven figures off her first Revlon deal as a global brand ambassador in 2014. So while it’s certainly a big deal to be getting her own Revlon range later this year, “Brand Bonang” is less about money and more about confidence and honesty with which she’s finally sharing her story, in the June issue of DESTINY!

See more photos from the cover shoot below.

Photo Credit: Twitter – @destinyconnect

In Career Gems May 23, 2017 By Esther Ijewere

RIHANNA AND LUPITA NYONG’O TO CO-STAR IN NEW MOVIE FOLLOWING SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN

Last month, Twitter users started a campaign to have Grammy winner Rihanna co-star in a movie with Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o after a photo of the both of them was posted by one Twitter user. Another user quoted the tweet and said:

That comment caught the eye of the Oscar winning Kenyan star and she tagged Rihanna to the comment saying, “I’m down if you are @rihanna”. Rihanna replied her saying “I’m in Pit’z” (Lupita’s nickname).

Another fan mentioned the idea to Insecure producer Issa Rae and she instantly replied with a meme indicating that she’s down for it.

Entertainment Weekly is reporting that after dramatic negotiation session at the Cannes Film Festival, Netflix has nabbed the film project which is expected to be directed by Selma director Ava DuVernay, and Issa Rae is also said to be in talks for the screenplay.

Quoting sources, EW said Issa Rae is already working on the script and the studio is eyeing a production start of 2018 after DuVernay completes her current film.

Source: Bellanaija

In Career Gems May 23, 2017 By Esther Ijewere

KADUNA HOLDS WOMEN EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT, FLAGS OFF HEALTH CAMP

In order to better the lot of women in Kaduna State as well as improve upon healthcare and access to resources, the governor of Kaduna, Mallam Nasir El- Rufa’i and his wife Hadiza Isma El- Rufa’i held an empowerment summit during the week. The Kaduna Women Economic Empowerment Summit, in its second edition, had the theme, “Enabling Access & Participation: Linking Women to Resources”, and was held at Arewa House in Kaduna.

The event which drew the movers and shakers of the state focused on how to empower women so that they gain adequate financial independence as well as protecting the girl-child, whom is highly vulnerable and suspect to abuse.

The Honorable Commissioner, Kaduna State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Hafsat Mohammed Baba, stated that a healthy and empowered woman is the key to a prosperous future for the state and the society at large, which is why the state is working towards the agenda of gender and social inclusion policy to protect women and female children in the state with the support of the governor.

Partnering with the Kaduna State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development through its medical outreach project, the Power Oil Health Camp Project was on hand to provide free basic medical health check up for the indigenes. The collaboration was officially flagged off by Power Oil Health Team which is already active in 13 locations across the country, offering free basic medical health check up to communities in the area of BMI check, Blood pressure, free medical consultation and would be moving from one local government to the other in Kaduna together with a team of medical experts deployed by the Kaduna State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development to conduct HIV & Malaria tests.

Commenting on the partnership, Amisha Chawla, Brand Manager, Power Oil said it meant a lot to the brand, as the long term plan is to cover the entire nation, especially the rural areas, promoting good eating habits and a healthy lifestyle amongst Nigerians.

The Honourable commissioner would join the team for mobilisation and to encourage women to take advantage of the opportunity of the free health checks so as to guard against avoidable diseases like hypertension and other heart related issues.

The Power Oil health camp is also in partnership with the Ogun State Ministry of Health and the State’s Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation as well as Edo Women for Agriculture.

In Career Gems May 19, 2017 By Esther Ijewere

IT WASN’T MY DECISION TO GET MARRIED AT 19, MY PARENTS FORCED ME INTO IT” PATIENCE OZOKWO REVEALS

Veteran actress, Patience Ozokwor has opened up on her marriage to her late husband.

Speaking to RTV, Patience Ozokwor revealed that she was forced into marraige by her parents at age 19, and wasn’t giving any choice as she couldn’t disobey them because she wasn’t brought up in that manner.

“It was not my decision. And if it’s not my decision then I was forced into it. I did not see any reason my parents were forcing me as I was still young. And even at that age I had so many suitors and they just wanted me to get married. You know when you come from a polygamous family and your mother is struggling for her own daughters to get married and this other one is also struggling for her own daughters to get married and when this one came around and I said no I should make a choice. but I was not allowed to make that choice. They didn’t give me that choice and at the end, I had to obey my parents. I was not brought up to disobey them at all.”

When asked if she enjoyed the marriage, she replied saying

“Sincerely speaking as a Christian I did not.”

Adding that he was once married to girl who was arranged for him but the marriage didn’t work out.

“The girl was sent to London to meet him but she got there and found out she didn’t like him so she decided to move on with her life. So they didn’t leave together as husband and wife. He waited till after he came back after the war to come and marry me and there was no reason for that.”

Speaking further on her marriage, she revealed that it wasn’t easy at all for her as a young girl

“The marriage was not easy at all for me as a young girl, it was not easy but when you have two children and it is also not in the culture of my parents for you to jump from one man to another. I lost it sometimes and I had make due with the children God gave me that is why I am very close to my parents.

When asked her view on marriage she said;

” It is an ordained thing by God and it should be honoured. When a man and woman are declared man and wife that is final, your plate of food is out of your parents’ house.

She further said that there are only two reasons a person should leave their spouse according to the bible, life and infidelity.

“If life is involved, God did not say don’t separate. God has standards and christians must adhere to the standards of God concerning marriage because there are one or two things that a husband and wife divorce otherwise it is not coming from God. So it didn’t come. I didn’t catch my husband cheating on me and he didn’t catch me so we had to stay together until death parted us. When he died, I became free, people started coming for my hand in marriage but I said no, it’s already late”

Patience Ozokwor also said she couldn’t remarry because of the foundation she had, the kind of home training and because of her stand in christianity.

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