Women of Rubies
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Esther Ijewere

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“Once I Overcame Fibroids, I Found Myself Again”- Oyinkan Ogundele

One issue women hardly talk about openly is Fibroid, yet 1 in 3 women suffer from  it.
Oyinkan Ogundele is changing the narrative of silence , as she is encouraging women to speak up, seek help and make them understand Fibroid is not a death sentence
She  is Founder, My Gynae Issues Foundation, a Non-profit organization with the aim of Raising Awareness of Gynae Issues And The Effects On Women – Uterine Fibroids, PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Endometriosis, Adenomyosis, Dysmenorrhea, Pelvic Pain, Stress Incontinence, Vesico Vagina Fistula and More. Oyinkan leads the Administration function at Nigeria’s pre-eminent investment bank, Chapel Hill Denham.
She has over 19 years of experience in Client Service Management, Public Relations, Commercial Accounts Administration, Corporate Communications as well as Administrative Management. She started her career as a Customer Service Manager at a UK Multinational. She also worked in Credit Control and managed international corporate accounts with several Telecoms companies.
 Oyinkan is a 3 time Fibroid survivor. She is a Christian believer and a staunch advocate for women’s health; empowering women to know that Fibroids is a Gynecological condition which can be treated; and it is not a death sentence.
Having survived 4 major surgeries, and like the proverbial cat with 9 lives, Oyinkan is passionate about dispelling the myths and removing the stigma associated with fibroids and other reproductive health issues. Oyinkan holds an MA in Creative Media Arts (New Digital Media) from the London South Bank University, UK and an HND in Mass Communication from Ogun State Polytechnic, Abeokuta. 
She shares her inspiring story exclusively in this interview with Esther Ijewere

 

Growing up
 My childhood was very memorable and fun. I grew up as a very loving, warm and compassionate child. Having lost my father when I was about 4 years old, (that’s a little over 36 years ago now), I heard so many wonderful stories about him. Everyday, I am reminded of how kind and benevolent he was. You know how it feels when random people hear my surname and ask if I am related to the late Dr. OluFunmilayo Osisanya and I would proudly reply: “oh, that’s my father.” What usually followed was praises of my Dad and how kind he was. This truly inspires me to live an impactful life. I remember on one occasion, someone informed me that my father helped restore his eyesight; and this was one of my father’s kind gestures towards him. The man was very excited to tell me about how my Dad had fixed his glaucoma and cataract for free. For some others, my father paid their children’s school fees, etc. He was always rendering acts of  kindness, especially to strangers. Because of my father’s legacy, I am inspired to help other people. I am also fortunate to have the most loving mother anyone can pray for. My mother is always helping others. My grandparents also had a house full of children whom they raised; many of whom were not their biological children. For these reasons, and with the combination of traits inherited from my closely knit family, helping others comes naturally to me.
Inspiration behind My Gynae Issues Foundation
I am a 3 time fibroid survivor. As a result of my experience in dealing with very aggressive fibroids, I developed a penchant for researching into women’s health. I am very passionate about advocating for women’s health matters as well as patients’ rights. I was initially reluctant to talk about my experience. This reluctance was borne out of fear – fear that I would keep growing them, fear that the fibroids may return, especially if they were an ‘affliction’ as this is one myth that is very commonly heard. However, after my 2nd year of finally becoming fibroid free, I summoned up courage to share my story with my friends and family via Instagram.
Subsequently, I started getting responses from people who had received my posts. Soon enough, I started getting referrals – people who wanted me to encourage their friends who had fibroids and had no support whatsoever.
In November 2019, I got invited to a fibroid awareness seminar where I shared my story with a room full of women. The number of ladies who connected with me, who took my number and also reached out to me after the seminar was phenomenal. I couldn’t believe the number of women who like I once did, were battling fibroids and its debilitating effects, but did not have the necessary support system which they desperately needed. Every fibroid sufferer deserves all the support they can get. You can not imagine my ordeal; whilst I did not have anyone to talk to about my symptoms, apart from the doctors who always seemed in a hurry to rush me out of their office/ consultation room. I was a very sorry sight.
July is recognized as the Fibroid awareness month and to commemorate this year’s celebration, I decided to formalize my desire to ensure that our collective voices are amplified louder than fibroids. According to Angela Garbes, in her Heavy Flow Podcast #59, “We have never valued female reproductive health financially, culturally, scientifically… So we do not actually know a whole lot and we fill that void with moralizing theories and value-driven opinions.
On July 1st, 2020, I birthed My Gynae Issues Foundation – a platform dedicated to Raising Awareness of various Gynaecology Conditions and their Impact on Women’s Health. Some of these conditions include: Uterine Fibroids, PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Endometriosis, Adenomyosis, Pelvic Pain, Pelvic Inflammation, Dysmenorrhea, Pre-menstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), Pre-Exacerbation, Period Stigma/Period Poverty, Vesico Vagina Fistula and many more.
For me, the month of July started on a very good note. Apart from it being the Fibroid awareness month, I am especially grateful for many reasons. Let’s just say in summary that I am happy about my present status. I am 💯% Fibroid Free and also can now wear whites. Do you know how exciting that is for me? If you don’t, I will share some insight on this.
For over 12 years (2005 to 2017), I did not own a single white clothing; not one underwear, towel, bedsheet, or you name it. This was not because I was too lazy to wash my whites; rather, I thought it was just pointless wearing white coloured clothes which oftentimes got soiled with patches of red. No matter how white the fabric was when I purchased it, it soon changed colour. I was constantly seeing red as a result of excessive bleeding during my monthly period that I actually developed a special dislike cum phobia for the colour red.
Thankfully, that era is now over and I now gladly/boldly buy and wear whites even during my periods. I do this without the fear of spilling blood all over the place. I also do not mind wearing red items of clothing, etc. In fact, I own a few white as well as red dresses and I have been rocking them well since I got rid of the horrible fibroids. I am indeed thankful that I can wear white. I implore you to raise your glasses for a toast
The Journey so Far
 The journey to becoming fibroid free was long, painful and tiring. Having suffered from the severe effects of having multiple fibroids, I sometimes feel like I am qualified to liken myself to the woman who the Bible in Luke 8:43-48 describes as the woman with the issue of blood. She was one whose name was unknown, rather, she was defined by her condition.
Of course, there was a huge difference between my story and that of the woman with the issue of blood. I do not know the cause of her condition; all we know is that she bled every day continuously for 12 years. However, she had the determination of a survivor. In my case, I had fibroids which caused me excessive/heavy bleeding a few days every month for about 12 years; but unlike the woman with the issue of blood, I did not bleed everyday.
Can you imagine this woman’s plight. Her ordeal was quite pathetic. The Bible said she spent all she had, visiting many physicians yet she didn’t find a cure for her ailment.
She must have been ostracized because of her condition. She may have lost her friends/family. Clearly, there would have been no sexual intimacy with her husband if she was married. Also, because it happened in the time of Jesus Christ, we know that she lived in the era of the old testament.This means, she would not have been allowed into Church because of her bleeding. At the time, women who had a period were considered unclean during their periods. This means that she must have lacked spiritual mentorship and fellowship. If she could not go to Church, how did she strengthen her Christian faith?
How do you think this woman coped? She was a real survivor. She meditated with strong belief in her heart that if she could touch the hem of Jesus’ garment, she would be made whole. Thank God for the healing Jesus who eventually set her free from her affliction! This is my story and I share it, so that other women do not have to go through what I went through.
Once I overcame fibroids, I found myself again. I now boldly share my story to help other women. I speak up because every woman deserves the right to good quality medical treatment of their Gynae conditions. No longer can we bear for our symptoms to be gaslighted. Our voices must be heard and I know that we can only be loud enough if we raise our voices in unison. I stand for fibroid awareness and patients’ advocacy. July is Fibroid awareness month, and my goal is to reach 30,000 women, encouraging them to share their stories and get the right treatment option. I ask you to please stand with me. Together, we will stand tall against fibroids.
19 years in the corporate world, and managing Fibroid too
Fibroids negatively impacted my physical emotional and mental well-being. With fibroids, it was often very difficult for me to concentrate at work. I was always taking time off work to attend hospital appointments and subsequently was away from work for about 2 months each time I had a surgery. With fibroids, I had excessive bleeding which often made me severely anaemic with attendant consequences, including tiredness, low self esteem, mental/ emotional stress, depression and I was a shadow of my former healthy self.
I was not able to perform optimally at work because it seemed like my life revolved around my periods. I could have  built up my blood the month before and as soon as I had my next period, the quality of my blood would deplete so quickly (in less than 30 minutes) and it was like a the vicious cycle. I was just so grateful to have been able to at least hold down a job. If I did not have fibroids, I would probably be in senior management in my career by now. Be that as it may, I want to say a special thanks to the management of my current employment. My CEO was very supportive and made it possible for me to manage my health and maintain work life balance as much as possible. Thanks to Mr. Bolaji Balogun, CEO, Chapel Hill Denham. His support meant a lot to me.
My 3 times survivor journey with fibroids
It’s a very long story, but I will provide a summary. Shortly after I had my 2nd open myomectomy surgery, to remove Uterine Fibroids, I realized that the treatment method which both of my doctors had used was not at all sustainable.
I had been placed on an injection in the family of the Gnrh Analogue medication (Zoladex/Lupron injection). The aim of the injection was to shrink the fibroid tumors. After 3 injections, I noticed that my stomach became very flat, thereby giving me a false belief that the fibroids had disappeared, but the excitement was soon short-lived. As soon as I stopped taking the injections, the fibroids which had been successfully shrunk would then grow back to their original size. The Doctors still scheduled me for surgery despite my seemingly flat stomach and extracted mostly the big/visible fibroids.
At the time of surgery, some of the fibroids were either too tiny to be noticed; they were negligible, because of their small size. The disadvantage of leaving some tiny fibroids behind was that they potentially grew back to the original size which they were before the drug was asministered. This was what happened to me. After a successful surgery, the Doctor closed me up and sent me home only for the fibroids to grow back within 6 weeks post surgery.
This experience was quite painful. I also recall having a regrowth of fibroids after an incidence of self medication with the drug clomid. In my opinion, the fibroids grew because I took the drug without the supervision of my Gynaecologist. The leaflet made reference to the need for a gynae doctor’s supervision, especially for anyone who had a history with fibroids. I share this point in order to highlight the dangers of self medication. Apparently, the drug is capable of fuelling fibroid growth and like I mentioned, this point was stated in the leaflet contained in the medication, which I dismissed. I thought: what were the odds that I would experience that effect?!
After this particular experience, I realized that it was extremely expedient that I got actively involved in my own care. I decided that I would have a good understanding of the condition which had plagued me for so long. I was no longer willing to be the Doctor’s Guinea pig. I could not bear to be their experimental one so started researching on fibroids to understand the trend of its regrowth. I also put an ear out to find the most experienced fibroid specialist as I only wanted the best hands to look after me. I encourage everyone out there, do not choose a doctor at random, rather, research and due diligence should be employed to find a qualified doctor.
Once I found my doctor, (I chose a Nigerian Doctor who was trained in the UK, but practices in Nigeria. I think that the fact that a Doctor has seen many women with large fibroids is a prerequisite for understanding the dynamics of the condition. Please note that doctors who practice medicine in African countries are better with treating fibroids as they tend to see and treat more indigenous women who present with fibroids. They have this advantage over Doctors who practice in other parts of the World, especially in the West. We know that women of black origin are more likely to have and grow bigger/multiple fibroids.
 Highlighting  the high incidence of maternal mortality & Supporting Families In need
I am not a Catholic but I was born at Sacred Heart Hospital in Lantoro, Abeokuta. I have heard many good testimonies about that hospital and I thank God for the initiative and the continued ideals by the Management. But for the expertise and dedication of the nurses and midwives in this hospital, my Mother could have become a victim of maternal mortality when I was born in 1979. My Mother had pre-eclampsia (a condition that affects many pregnant women). I was told that but for the timely intervention of competent midwives at that hospital, she would have died and my fate may have been unlikely as well.
It saddens me to note that almost 41 years after, in 2020, Nigerian women are still dying like chickens as a result of what should otherwise have been seen as ‘minor’ ailments like pre-eclampsia, oedema in pregnancy, high & low blood pressure, placenta previa, to name a few but the list goes on!
Why would a woman scheduled for a Caesarean Section (CS) not wake up after having anaesthetics administered to put her to sleep? Why can’t Doctors offer women an elective CS when they see that the mother or child is in danger? Women do not die needlessly in the UK. Even Libya had a fantastic health care system before Ghadaffi’s exit. Why can’t we get our priorities right in Nigeria?
Why can’t Churches begin to stand up and declare war against maternal mortality in Nigeria? The high incidence of maternal mortality & morbidity in Nigeria is unacceptable and I stand to challenge Pentecostal Churches who are more interested in buying private jets and building Churches at every nook and cranny of Nigeria. Why can’t these Churches be proactive to extend their benevolence into building one Maternity Centre for every 10 branches of the Church (I will not mention any denomination, but there are many of them out there).
We all know that more than half of the congregants of these Churches are Women; majority of whom are there in search of solution to their ‘childless’ status. If the Church can pray for Women to become blessed with the fruit of the womb, why can’t the same Church be interested in the care of the pregnant woman and ensure her safe delivery. Afterall, the miracles of Jesus Christ as seen in the Bible were sustainable miracles, they were not short lived.
Permit me to say that not all cases of maternal mortality is as a result of lack of prayer, but as a result of lack of adequate care or its neglect. I want to declare WAR on maternal mortality in Nigeria and I am looking for like minded people to stand up with me to fight this good cause. Are you willing to stand for this cause too?  Together, I hope that we can stop the trend of sad/avoidable deaths of pregnant women in Nigeria. I know that Maternal mortality is not the only issue we have in Nigeria but it is one that needs to be addressed ASAP. This is a CALL FOR ACTION! The International Day of Maternal Health and Rights is celebrated on April 11th. Every time I see a reminder on this date, a desire to make a change (no matter how little) is stirred within me. Eradicating Maternal mortality is indeed a cause after my heart. I will not stop speaking until something is done. So help me God!
Advocating for a cause women are silent about
ANSWER: According to Angela Garbes, in her Heavy Flow Podcast #59, “We have never valued female reproductive health financially, culturally, scientifically… So we do not actually know a whole lot and we fill that void with moralising theories and value-driven opinions.
Because fibroids are rarely talked about, there are a lot of misconceptions, myths, and stigma associated with it and other related gynnae issues.
For instance, women have been conditioned to think that pain which is often associated with many gynae conditions should be endured. We have been taught that painful periods are normal but to be honest, it is not. African women are of the belief that painful periods will subside when women start bearing children, but that is far from true. Painful periods may be signs of a condition called endometriosis which studies have shown that 1 in 10 women suffer from, globally.
In the same vein, doctors have not been able to tell us the exact causes of fibroids; yet, we hear all sorts of old wives tales about the causes of fibroids. Some school of thought say the womb is designed to carry a child and if a child is not put in the womb during a woman’s active reproductive years, the womb automatically fills the vacuum with fibroids and other unusual growths.
 3 women who inspire you to be better and why
Late Mrs. May Ellen Ezekiel Mofe Damijo. She inspired me to study Mass Communication and like her, I wanted to be a TV presenter, talk show host and seasoned journalist. Unfortunately, she was cut short in her prime. She died as a result of complications from a fibroid surgery.
Late Ms. Kathryn Khulman – She inspires me to continue to desire a deep fellowship with the person of the Holy Spirit.
Mrs. Ibukun Awosika is a Christian and a high flying business mogul/executive. She is a godly example of a family oriented as well as a career woman. She is a woman of rubies.
Please, permit me to add my mother to this list. She will be the 4th woman who inspires me to be selfless and a strong one irrespective of life’s challenges.
Being a Woman of Rubies
My passion, tenacity and strong desire to be a positive change agent in my generation makes me a woman of immense worth. Women of rubies rock!
Objectives of  My Gynae Issues Foundation are:
1. Creating awareness for various gynaecology/health conditions which affects women.
2. Providing support for women as they walk through their gynae issues.
3. Partnership with organisations who have a CSR budget, in order to get subsidised hospital/health care costs for women’s gynaecology conditions.
4. Provision of funding for patients who have a life threatening gynae related condition, but cannot afford to pay for their treatment options.
5. Advocacy for Patients’ rights.
Contact us via:
Instagram: @MyGynaeIssues, @LadyOyinO
Facebook: My Gynae Issues

 

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Black Single Mom Harassed And Threatened By Neighbors, Gets Support From Community

Jennifer McLeggan, a single mom and registered nurse, has been facing harassment and threats from her neighbors since she moved into her home in Valley Stream on Long Island in New York. She says she has done everything in her power to be a good neighbor and believes she has been targeted because she is Black.

McLeggan has taken video of a man throwing feces and dead squirrels into her yard, and she says that he threatened her, saying she can “be erased,” according to ABC 7. She has put up a detailed sign that covers her entire front door and details the harassment in case anything should happen to her.

“My neighbors have been racially harassing me since I purchased my home,” the sign reads. After detailing the things they’ve done, like wandering around in her yard with guns, spitting on her property, and threatening to “get rid” of her and her cameras, McLeggan writes, “The police have said I need to be harmed for them to make an arrest. I live in FEAR for my life at home.”

McLeggan has lived in the home for over two years. Since the beginning, her white neighbors have made it clear to her that she is not welcome in the neighborhood. She admits the property was in “bad shape” when she bought it, but she’s worked hard to clean it up and keep it clean.

But she kept noticing dog feces and ticket ordinances on her property. So, she installed a camera. “I caught my neighbor throwing dog feces in front of my property,” she said. “I took that video to court, and I won a judgment.”

But the harassment hasn’t stopped. So she made the sign in front of her house, and her other neighbors have gathered around her to make sure she isn’t driven out of the neighborhood.

“In case something happens to me here, then somebody would know I’m in the house with a baby,” she said. “If I die in here, at least cops would see the sign.”

Although some neighbors have rallied around her, the police haven’t been able to do much. To make sure McLeggan’s voice is heard and her mistreatment doesn’t go unnoticed, there’s now an Instagram account, @standwithjennifer, to document what’s going on and organize in order to keep her safe.

There  was a peaceful protest scheduled in Valley Stream for Thursday, July 16 in support of Jennifer McLeggan and others like her. Erica Coreas said she was also harassed when she first moved to the neighborhood, though not to the same extent.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said in a statement, “Nassau County will not tolerate any resident being harassed or intimidated because of who they are or what they look like. We take these allegations seriously, and Nassau County PD is conducting a thorough investigation into the matter.”

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Why Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala ls The Best candidate To Head World Trade Organization

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on Wednesday, July 15, in Geneva stressed the need for the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to elect a credible candidate based on merit for the position of Director-General.

Mrs Okonjo-Iweala, who is one of the eight candidates vying for the position, was interviewed by reporters at a press conference held shortly after her presentation to the WTO General Council.

She stated that the best candidate should be chosen for the position, irrespective of their gender, race, or country of origin.

She said: “Choosing a Director-General for WTO should be on merit. The best person should be chosen to lead an institution that’s having challenges.

“If it happens to be a woman, great. If it happens to be an African it’s also great. It should be based on merit.”

Extolling the qualities which make her well suited for the job, she said: “The WTO needs leadership and I’m someone with a strong managerial capability with the ability to forge consensus and reforms.

“These bundles of qualities in addition to my leadership quality is what I’m bringing to the WTO.”

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Gabon Appoints First Female Prime Minister, Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda

Gabon President Ali Bongo on Thursday July 16, promoted his defence minister, Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda to prime minister, making her the first woman in the country to hold the office of Prime Minister.

Her appointment was announced by the Secretary-General of the Presidency, Jean-Yves Teal.

Ossouka Raponda, 56, who has served as defence minister since February 2019,
is the sixth prime minister appointed since Bongo succeeded his father in 2009.

According to reports, her first job is to form a new government after her predecessor, Julien Nkoghe Bekale stepped down earlier in the day. She will also take on two major challenges: declining oil production and prices,which have weighed on growth in recent years, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ossouka Raponda, who has a degree in Economics (Public Finance) from the Gabonese Institute of Economy and Finance was named budget minister eight years ago before being elected mayor of the capital Libreville in 2014, becoming the first woman to hold that position.

She also served as Director-General of the Economy as well as Deputy Director-General, the Housing Bank of Gabon.

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Zainab Aliyu, The Nigerian Lady Who Was Rescued After Being Wrongly Jailed In Saudi Arabia, Completes NYSC

Zainab Aliyu, the Nigerian lady who was wrongly jailed in Saudi Arabia for carrying drugs she had no knowledge of, and rescued with the intervention of ?President Muhammadu Buhari, has completed the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC.

Shortly after she was released and returned to Nigeria, Zainab began the mandatory 1-year NYSC exercise and she just passed out with the latest batch.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NiDCOM, celebrated Zainab after she completed her NYSC.

Dabiri-Erewa shared a picture showing Zainab flaunting her NYSC certificate and wrote: “Remember Zainab Aliyu, wrongly jailed in Saudi for carrying drugs she had no knowledge of, and rescued with the intervention of ?@MBuhari? She just completed her NYSC. We wish Zainab the best as she moves on to great success in life ?@Hajarahhh”, she tweeted.

 

Zainab Aliyu, the Nigerian lady who was rescued after being wrongly jailed in Saudi Arabia for carrying drugs, completes NYSC

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“We Are Not convinced Tolu Died In A Freak Accident, We Demand An Investigation”- Sister of Late Nigeria’s first combat Pilot speaks

Damilola Adegboye, the immediate elder sister of Tolulope Arotile, the first female combat helicopter pilot in the history of Nigerian Air Force who died on Tuesday, July 14, says the family isn’t convinced she died in a freak accident and is demanding a full-scale investigation into the cause of the accident.

The Nigeria Air Force had released a statement saying Tolulope, 25, died when she was inadvertently hit by the reversing vehicle of an excited former Air Force Secondary School classmate while trying to greet her. Tolulope allegedly sustained head injuries that led to her death.

Adegboye who spoke with Punch, wondered how the reverse of a vehicle could kill a person in such a manner.

“We in the family are not convinced that Tolu can just die like that in a freak accident. I know that the military is well trained in the art of investigation, we want them to carry out a thorough investigation that can convince us beyond all doubts that the incident that led to her death was real.”

She said on the day of the incident, she and Arotile were sleeping in a room before she received a call.

“A call came into her phone which she picked but from the way they spoke, I knew the caller must be a senior officer calling her to come to Airforce base. She felt reluctant and I offered to drop her off.

One hour later, I read online that something serious had happened to her. I couldn’t believe that somebody I just dropped off is dead,” she explained.

Also speaking, the mother of Arotile went down memory lane about how she gave birth to her describing her as a special child adding that fasting and prayer was her hobby.

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#PrayersUp: Tamar Braxton In Critical Condition After Alleged Suicide Attempt 

Tamar Braxton was reportedly rushed to a hospital in Los Angeles after she was found unresponsive in her hotel room on Thursday, July 16.

According to The Blast, the 43-year-old reality star was staying with her Nigerian boyfriend David Adefeso at the Ritz Carlton in downtown LA when he found her ‘unresponsive’.

The publication said her boyfriend called 911 to report his girlfriend had been drinking before she took an unknown amount of prescription pills following a possible suicide attempt.

The site adds: ‘Ambulances then arrived at the hotel and took her to the hospital. Sources have claimed that David believes that it was possible suicide attempt.’

LAPD confirmed to The Blast that they received a call around 9:45 P.M. in regard to a 43-year-old female who had a medical emergency listed as a “possible overdose.” Officers are following the woman to the hospital for further investigation.

Tamar’s condition is unclear at the moment, but The Blast claims that Tamar has been extremely emotional due to an ongoing contract dispute with We TV.

A spokesperson for Tamar said: ‘Tamar has had a very tough and emotional day — more information will be coming in the next few days. Please pray for her.’

 

Her YouTube show with her boyfriend, Coupled & Quarantined ad had been scheduled to air on Thursday night. But a message read: ‘Hello Ya’ll Unfortunately, Your girl Tamar is under the weather today and not feeling well so we need to postpone today’s show (Don’t worry it’s not COVID).

 

‘We’re sad because we had a great show lined up for you today, but next week’s show is going to be even bigger and better.

 

‘So sorry for the inconvenience, we know many of you look forward to the show every week. we’ll make it up to you next week.’

 

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“I Was Inspired To Start Girlsaide Because Of The Cases I Saw As A Medical Student”- Dr. Abosede Lewu

Dr. Abosede Lewu is an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist(@naijaobgyndoctor), Development Practitioner, Girls and Womens right and education advocate and an aspiring author. She is the founder of Girlsaide Initiative , an NGO focused on girls, women and underserved communities. Girlsaide Initiative is currently implementing several project around sexual and reproductive health and contributing towards achieving the SDGs.
Abosede has over 15 years experience on adolescent based issues with her interest and passion spanning back to her undergraduate years. She was a member, secretary and vice president of Action Group on Adolescent Health (AGAH) under the Campaign Against Unwanted pregnancy during her undergraduate years.
She actively serves as a facilitator, volunteer and mentor to several young people with numerous organizations.
She is a Mandela Washington Fellow (Young African Leadership Initiative) a flagship program by President Barrack Obama recognizing Young Africans showing leadership skill and improving lives and their communities.
She is an alumnus of University of Maiduguri, where she graduated with Honours.
She is continuously learning with various certifications such as Nonprofit Executive Program: Mendoza Business School from University of Notre Dame USA, Community health for all through Primary Health Care from John Hopkins University and Basics of Health Economics from World Bank Institute. She is a Member, West African College of Surgeons and Member, National Postgraduate Medical College.
She is happily married with children.
She shares her inspiring story in this exclusive interview with Esther Ijewere

Growing Up

Yes, my childhood definitely did. We nearly lost our mother during childbirth of one of my younger siblings. As a kid then, I saw the doctors that saved her as angels that gave me back my mother and really wanted to be able to do the same for other families. Growing up was interesting, we are 5 kids, I am the second born and first daughter, my parents were civil servants and we travelled a lot due to my father’s work, this had made me make friends all over the country. I am also one of those lucky girls, my father and mother raised us to be ambitious and fearless, growing up, i never saw myself as someone that could not do anything i set out my mind to do

Inspiration behind Girlsaide Initiative

I was inspired to start girlsaide because of the experiences and cases I saw as a medical student and  medical doctor. Young girls and women presenting with life threatening and sometimes, life taking complications that could have been prevented.

I also noticed a disconnect between parents and their adolescent daughters and decided to create a platform that allows the girls, women and the communities they live in to thrive.

The Journey so far

It’s been enlightening  and challenging at the same time. I have learned and stretched beyond my greatest imagination. It has also become an amazing platform for me to meet a lot of changemakers nationally and internationally.

It has evolved to include projects such as ‘Get a Pap Campaign to reduce Cervical Cancer, to Keep All Mothers Alive project to prevent maternal and perinatal deaths and our COVID19 response. Some others focused on parents with adolescent daughters girls and those leaving to obtain higher education.  We keep evolving  to address issues affecting our niche. It has made me more of a  development practitioner

Being an Obstetrician , Gynecologist, Girl child advocate, wife and mom , and managing it all

Sometimes I can’t explain how I juggle all but let me try. Once you realise balance is in constant motion, you do what is most important at each time.

So sometimes you have to prioritise being a mother and a wife above all, then sometimes you have to prioritise your work and your calling.

I also enjoy an amazing support system on the home front and my whole family, we plan together even before rolling out. This gives me confidence that when balance seems to be tilting towards work, they are in good hands. Shout out and thank you to my Hubby and the whole family. I also have an amazing inner circle of friends and team members. The advocacy and community work we do has become a team work and that makes sharing of roles and duties easier and more effective.

There is also my ultimate joker, the God factor, he is my ultimate muscle

Inspiration behind  @naijaobgyndoctor  platform , and it’s impact since inception

It still boils down to my experiences. People call me everyday on different health challenges, myths, avoidable complications and I am always surprised by how much misinformation that is out there. Also with the mass migration of health workers to outside shores, the number of specialists to people population is getting lesser. How about people that cannot access me directly or other doctors. I decided to give it a try.

The impact in this short time across my social media platform has been amazing. I have been able to provide consultations, referral services to women and families. I am also actively engaging influencers to demystify and educate  through healthy conversations around health and well being.

I also noticed a lack of support for women who have had miscarriages, stillbirths or lost a child and launched RAINBOW BLOOMS to support them. The uptake of that has also been phenomenal.

The Society  and it’s level of awareness  on issues centered around adolescents, and the right of the girl child

Society is not as well informed as it should be on adolescent issues or girl child issues. Most of this  results from the underestimation of their minds and capability and not realising that youthfulness is a strength.

Another issue affecting this information is that some people are not willing to embrace the fact that the roles, dreams and aspirations of girls have changed so they will rather keep upcoming girls uninformed so as to maintain status quo.

Things are however changing, it may not be as fast as we hope for but there is a forward movement especially with organisations like yours and ours and other advocates continuously pushing the conversations that engage adolescents and girls.

On young girls who need a listening ear, but scared to open up 

A problem shared is a problem half solved. This really frustrates me especially with regards to their reproductive health and cases of drug abuse. When girls get into trouble, only few have the confidence and the kind of relationship it takes to walk up to their parents and guardians to talk to them instead they  go to their friends who don’t know so much.  I implore them to please speak up. The fear you have is not as big as the trouble you can get into with wrong advice. Deliberately seek out your parents to also build a solid relationship with them, as  young girls, they may not believe this, but they are not your enemy, don’t lock them out. If this does not work, look within your family and find a responsible confidant

Challenges of being girl child advocate

Sometimes, you meet people who feel that the girl child issues have been talked about too much and we should all move on. A stronger challenge comes from the gate keepers of culture and tradition who want things to continue as they are, girls not going to school, marrying them off young, ostracizing teenage mothers, not paying attention to their menstrual health etc. This can be frustrating especially when they are women.

The challenge of explaining and defining the real meaning of feminism and gender equity is also there.

 3 women who inspire you to be better and why

My mother; She inspires me through her intelligence, resilience, love for God and her forgiving spirit, she is truly a gem

Mrs Amina J Mohammed

Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations. She has been an exemplary Diplomat and politician. I admire her  greatly and all she has achieved and represents

Mrs Folorunsho  Alakija

She is a ceiling breaker, she has excelled and achieved global recognition in a tough field. She also  gives back a lot through her foundations and programs

There are many more women who all inspire me to reach for the stars

Being a Woman of Rubies

I am a woman of rubies because I am innovative, solution oriented,  not observing rather I am actively working to provide solutions to problems affecting my gender and community

Nuggets on how Girls can protect themselves during the Pandemic

Protect yourself from COVID19 by practicing all safety measures; stay home, wash your hands, use cloth masks when needed, maintain social distance. Protect yourself from dangers that can arise due to COVID19; don’t succumb to negative peer pressure, don’t experiment with bad stuff just because you are at home and bored. If you feel unwell speak to your parents and guardians, please do not self medicate for any condition you may be experiencing. This too shall pass.

NAIJA OBGYN DOCTOR is a health service provision entity that focuses on women, all health services related to them especially sexual and reproductive health.

CALL TO ACTION

I want to use this opportunity to call on the government at all levels, private sector leaders and philanthropists to make  investment in health a top priority and know that only healthy citizens can create and maintain wealth and build the economy.

 

Follow on IG @naijaobgyndoctor

Follow on Twitter @NaijaObgyn

 

 

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In Inspiration By

“I Knew Right From Age 15 That I was Going To End Up As A Journalist”- Ify Onyegbule

Someone once said “Setting goals is turning the invisible into the visible”, being totally In love with your goals is one of the most beautiful things any human can do for themselves. Ify Onyegbule is one woman who loves her dream and allow her passion shine through unapologetically.

With a career spanning over 20 years, She’s become an enigma in her Industry, and a voice to reckon with.

Ify  trained as an Investigative Journalist at the RNTC, she is a Presentation Coach, Social critic, Publisher, Author and Activist on Women issues. With experience spanning 20 years across different Radio and TV stations in Nigeria, she has worked with 96.9 Cool FM, Lagos, Radio Nigeria’s Metro 97.6 FM, Africa’s largest Radio Network and was extensively involved in News Reading, Programme Production and Music Presentation.


She also had stints with the Network Studio in Abuja on Treasure FM in Port Harcourt, Capital FM, Abuja all under Radio Nigeria. As she left the Government owned stations, she forayed into the private stations again, venturing into and specializing in core Presentation and News reading with Radio Continental’s 102.3FM and Television Continental in Lagos where she presented the Breakfast Shows on Radio and TVC. She created and presented Woman of Substance where she celebrated Nigerian women excelling in their various professions and vocations. She is credited with intellectual programmes like the Gameshow which she anchored to improve the reading culture amongst Nigerians. She also presented for years, Kubanji Direct, an audience participation programme where issues of National and global relevance were discussed with guests discussing the topics.

Ify branched out in 2011 and established her own outfit Trueline Productions, a Media Organization responsible for providing content for both Radio and Television. She continued with packaging content for programmes on Radio Continental and the Breakfast show on Rainbow 94.1FM, Lagos. At the same time she began publishing a magazine Woman of Substance Nigeria, a follow up to the TV programme of the same name, where she interviewed over 1000 Nigerian women professionals. Her book, “Not between my Legs” is targeted at young women, it is a book about Tenacity, Hope and Determination in the course of pursuing a career, particularly in Broadcasting.

In 2014, she was engaged by the management of Rockcity FM. the 1st Independent Radio Station in Ogun state to consult as the Station Manager and during the period, she reorganized, revamped and repositioned the station’s programmes, redefining its status amongst its peers. As Station Manager, she also anchored the Breakfast Show and the Newspaper review. This lasted for a year before she joined the consulting team of Radio Port Harcourt 91.7FM as its General Manager.

The station rebranded and took on a new name WAVE FM in October 3, 2015. As General Manager of Wave FM, she anchored the Breakfast Show and Paper Review, created other programmes, developing talent from amongst her staff who presented these programmes to the satisfaction of the teeming listeners.

Her contract with the station ended December 27th, 2016 following which she relocated to Lagos, returning to her responsibilities at the Women Awareness for Sustainable Empowerment Initiative (WASEI), WOS Magazine/TV and Truespeak Media Academy.
She devotes her spare time to discussions and analysis on Radio and Television stations, talking with young people in higher institutions, giving speeches, Compering Corporate events, attending conferences and seminars aimed at impacting lives. Ify loves spending time also with abandoned children at various orphanages and Widows, through her Yearly Widows Outreach.

Ify Onyegbule currently Hosts The Daily Report on Star 101.5FM, a programme she created with colleague, Charles Kalu and she also contributes to the website www.thedailyreport.ng

He new book, How Did We Get Here, was launched online this year, May 27, 2020 and it’s an Experiential/Instructional book about the 25 mistakes that every radio presenter must avoid.

She shares her Inspiring story with Esther Ijewere in this exclusive Interview.

Childhood Influence

I knew right from age 15 that I was going to end up as a Journalist and I knew that someday I was going to speak into the microphone just like those I watched and listen to while growing up in Surulere, Lagos Nigeria. I come from a family where parents encouraged you to read the newspapers, listen to radio and watch television, especially the news on TV so I got used to watching the likes of Bimbo Oloyede, (Roberts at that time) Sienne Allwell Brown, Ruth Benemasia, Julie Coker and so many others on TV, remember the days when transmission started at 4, my father will make sure that I watched the news at 9 and in my own free time I had this small radio in my room so I was always listening and wondering how these people talked from a small or big box, that piqued my interest and I started to read out to myself and mimic what they were doing and that was it. Yes I had a childhood that was influenced by the things around me and I agree it prepared me for all that I am doing today.

The Drive

I was a spontaneous kid, I was inquisitive, I had deep thinking about issues, I knew how to talk and exposure to the reading materials, radio and TV just spurred me on and ignited the passion. The rest they say is History.

The Journey so far

It’s been a wonderful ride for me even with the ups and downs of the profession. My journey stared in a place called DBN, those days on Awolowo Road as a reporter. I was very excited with this job not because I was going to earn some stipend for doing my work but because I was open to learning something new after my training at Alliance Francaise in Ikoyi and fresh from NYSC in Jos Plateau State.

I did the job for 3 months and moved on to what was then and still known as Cool FM also as a correspondent. I moved from Cool FM to Metro FM at the Broadcasting House Ikoyi, Lagos where I will say I cut my teeth in broadcasting that was the place that taught me most of what I know today on the job.

From Metro I had stints in Treasure FM Port Harcourt, Capital FM Abuja and the Network Service of Radio Nigeria also in Abuja. When I left Radio Nigeria, I pitched my tent with Radio and TV Continental where I anchored a number of A-list programmes before resigning from my job in 2011 to set up my Trueline Productions which is also into the production and packaging of content for radio and TV.

In the course of this, there were short stints with a couple of Radio and TV stations in Lagos where we provided content for the Morning show on these platforms. I got a call from to come run a Radio Station as its Station manager and the experience with Rockcity FM was a vista, away from what I had always known, so it set the stage for me in a managerial capacity and gave me an insight into the management of Human and Material resources. A higher responsibility came when I was contracted again to move over as General Manager of Wave FM in Port Harcourt, a very worthwhile experience for me because it was a different ball game altogether, working in South South Nigeria. So generally, I would say I have had a wonderful ride in Broadcast Journalism or the Media as it is.

20 Years In the Media Industry and It’s Impact on My Personal Growth

In simple terms, it’s not about the number of years but the events that characterize these years, I have grown organically from stage 1 all the way to where I am now so I have learned Patience, Perseverance, tolerance, Loyalty, Office Politics and these have positively affected my approach to life.

Inspiration behind my fast-selling book;   “How did we get here”?

How Did We Get Here is simply an experiential and instructional material with Broadcast Journalists and especially Radio Presenters as the primary target. every day we are confronted with various challenges on the job as Duty Continuity Announcers, Presenters or On Air Personalities (as they are called today), sometimes we are confused about what to do in various circumstances and when we take that step or make that move, it may be that something has gone wrong with that 1 move then we find out that we have flouted a rule or the station’s regulations and we incur the wrath of our employers and sometimes it’s a SACK.

So I reckoned that young presenters of today need guidance, they need mentoring and these can only happen for those willing to seek help through reading and training. I know that mistakes are a part of learning but having a fore knowledge about something can help position these personalities for a better outing on their jobs.

The book contains some of the Mistakes I made as a regular presenter at the various places I have worked and some others mistakes I saw people make in the course of their jobs so basically it is just a guide to help presenters avoid the mines in the field as they settle into the game of Presentation or Production.

My Initiative for Widows; Women Awareness for Sustainable Empowerment Initiative (WASEI)

I recently started to focus a lot of attention on widows because I became a widow in 2018 but my NGO, Women Awareness for Sustainable Empowerment Initiative (WASEI) was born in 2008 and we were mostly about creating Awareness and providing Empowerment for women, yes we had some activities for widows but it was not a major thing for the NGO but as the years progressed, I found that this group of women were amongst the vulnerable groups so we started to pay measurable attention but things changed and became specific when I found myself in that category of persons and I felt there was the need to use my voice and my platform to project the issues and engineer change no matter how small it is.

Challenges of being a Presenter and Philantropist

There are challenges in different professions and as a Presenter, I had my fair share of challenges and I chose to step over them and not allow these to draw me back. Our kind of job is something that takes all of you so those around you must be willing to not be a stumbling block in your career. I was out of the house most of the time, I remember there was a time I didn’t go to church for close to 4years because I was running the Sunday shift at the radio station and that was the job so I had to do it and I loved it because I could share scriptures with my audience in the course of the programme. Even when I became a manager, it had its own challenge also, working in a place that runs a 24hour schedule so I had my staff calling me at any time for one thing or the other and my husband just couldn’t understand why I couldn’t switch off my phone and I had to make him understand that there were persons who could want to reach me even when I am not at work.

I remember years ago while working with TVC, I put my phones on silent mode and went to sleep unfortunately there was a fire incident 3 streets away from me and the fire billowed I reckoned people tried reaching me cos some knew where I worked and some felt I could have the numbers of the fire service but I didn’t pick, I woke up to see so many missed calls and when I got there pushing through the crowd, lives had been lost. So our job is very peculiar with its fair share of challenges but I have been able to manage. I will not consider myself a Philanthropist per-se because I don’t even have the money to reach out to people as I would love to but from the little that I have, I try to meet a need or two from time to time but I have also found out that people reach out to me to help give money out to people who need it so yes from time to time, I raise requests on my social media handles and well meaning individuals send in their little token that is shared amongst persons in need. Through this, I have met many persons who really need help to get by in life. It gives me joy to touch the lives of those in need.

 3 women who inspire you to be better and why

Reverend Dele George of the Little Saints Orphanage has always been an Inspiration for me and the admiration started from the day I went to interview her and she told me her story about how she started taking care of motherless babies, it blew me away because it simply opened my eyes to the fact that even with your own biological children, it takes nothing away from you to look after other children who don’t have a home or parents of their own so I had to follow her work and I am still following.

Another woman is Mrs. Bimbo Oloyede, the Veteran Broadcaster, there is something about her, she is very professional, calm and always ready to listen to you and act if she has to do anything about your matter or request. This is a woman I have followed over time and she has inspired me in the area of my career.

My greatest inspiration is my Mother, Kind, Tolerant, full of Wisdom, Patient, Loving and very intelligent in her thinking, sometimes I wish I was half of what my mother is and I love her to bits!

Key nuggets for aspiring OAP’s who are still trying to find their voice in the Industry

These are some of the things I share with young and aspiring Presenters just so they prepare their minds for the job.

“If you mess up, your fans may lose respect for you in a heartbeat; you may not get the roles you want anymore and someone can replace you”

“Self-branding, like fame, just doesn’t happen overnight; it is a well-calculated, well-planned effort”

“Seek knowledge because it helps you to blend-in during conversations with other people”

“If you want to grow on the job, you have to keep an open mind and remain green so that you can continue to grow”

 “Mentoring is key for any young presenter who wants to go far on the job”

“As a young presenter you have to grow on the job and your station is the platform you need to carve a niche for yourself”

 “To stay afloat, presenters had to be creative and come up with original content”

“Getting angry and becoming flippant or rude won’t earn you any respect”

Being a Woman of Rubies

Now this is a tricky one, I know Ruby is a very precious Gem so I am thinking it is left for people who have had dealings with you or interacted with you to determine how precious you are or why you should be a Woman of Rubies but I know I have been an inspiration to many but I always prefer that my work or actions speak for me.

How to get my Book

They can get the book by ordering copies. It is N4,000 per copy and payment can be made to 1002133134 Zenith Bank (Ify Onyegbule) thereafter they have to send a delivery address by text to 08026265478.

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