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Esther Ijewere

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In self development By

#JusticeforSeyitan | Nigerian Women Raise N1.6M As Legal Fees To Support The Cause

Nigerians have once again shown their passion for humanity and affinity for change by donating N1.6M, within 24 hours to cover  legal fees of “Alleged”   Rape Victim; Seyitan Babatayo.

In the past few days, we have seen the turn of events between Music Star; Dban’j and his alleged Victim; Ms. Seyitan, We have also seen how oppression was used in a systemic way In a bid to shut down the young Woman.

While it is okay for an accused person to defend their name , it is not okay to abuse your power and try to alter the Justice system Intentionally to suit your purpose, this is exactly what the Dbanj camp has shown in the past few days, abuse of power, Intimidation and infringement of privacy (Taking over her Twitter account, while she was  at another safe location).

According to reports,Seyitan was arrested and denied access to friends, family, and legal representation in the early hours of yesterday, after the outcry on social media from several activists like; Josephine Chukwuma, Anthonia Ojenagbon, Kiki Mordi and a host of others, she was eventually released.

 

The Plot Twist

Within 24 hours, women on Twitter raised over a million Naira for Seyitan’s legal fees to ensure she gets proper representation.

While this was ongoing, Someone was also tweeting from Seyitan’s Twitter handle ;

The first tweet:

The second tweet:

…and there was a tweet promoting Dbanj’s New song…Foolish much eh or publicity stunt?

 

 

Seyitan just wanted an apology……

 

There’s a hashtag – #SilenceDbanj  also trending 

There is also an ongoing petition to have the United Nations remove D’banj as a Youth Ambassador for Peace. The 2,500 signatures needed for the petition are almost complete. (Culled from Bellanaija)

Some Celebrities like Donjazzy, Tiwa Savage, MI Abaga and a host of others have also taken a stand

Thought provoking view by Elnathan John

This is truly a sad event, but as an organisation we stand against Rape, as we have been doing for years through our sister Organisation; Walk Against Rape. We also spoke with a member of Seyi’s family and she assured us that Seyi is safe.

Esther Ijewere

 

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Temie Giwa-Tubosun Is The Winner Of Cartier Women’s $100,000 Grant for Sub-Saharan Africa

Temie Giwa-Tubosun of Life Bank has been announced as the 2020 Laureate for Sub-Saharan Africa and has won the sum of US$ 100,000 in grant at the 2020 edition of Cartier Women’s Initiative.

Because of Temie’s dedication to Lifebank, they have saved 8,000 lives. As a medical distribution company, Lifebank uses data and technology to discover and deliver essential medical products to hospitals in Nigeria.

Funkola Odeleye of DIYLaw and Temie Giwa-Tubosun were shortlisted as finalists.

The Cartier Women’s Initiative which was founded in 2006, has helped women over the years to reach their full potential by shining a light on their achievements, whilst providing them with the necessary financial, social and human capital support in growing their businesses and leadership skills. This initiative is open to women-run and women-owned businesses across the globe and sector with the aim of ensuring a strong and sustainable social and environmental impact as defined by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

 

Source: Bellanaija

See the announcement here:

 

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“I Want To Be A Ray Of Hope For People Living With Disability”- Jennifer Ibrahim

Someone once said the only disability is a matter of perception, If you can do just one thing right, you’re needed by someone. This what beautiful Jennifer Ibrahim represents. A woman who has not allowed her physical outlook define or limit her greatness.

Jennifer Ibrahim  stopped schooling in Jss3 due to her health issue. She was diagnosed with Sickle Cell Anaemia which led to her inability to walk again. She is into poultry business which caters to the intricate needs of persons which special needs.

Jennifer is very humane, passionate about humanity, widows, orphans and physically challenged.Her interest in this special category of people stems from their inability to meet there basic needs, and because she knows how it feels to be in need and to be caged by the body , She is a ray of hope for them

Her vision is to open a Foundation (Jenny Home of Hope Foundation) to give hope to other physically challenged persons. Jennifer shares her inspiring Journey with me in this Interview

 

Childhood Preparation

No, my childhood did not in anyway prepare me for who i am and what i do now because at my childhood i never thought of been physically disabled or even been an inspiration to people. My childhood was full of life and fun,I was living very healthy and not knowing what a sickle cell person is. I had the the dream of becoming an actress right from childhood, the business minded person i am now started right from childhood. I could buy sweet and biscuits just to sell to my classmates, like i was very free from sickness, far away from hospitals. I could walk distant miles just to get food items because i love to cook and i was very engaged and busy not until age of 13.

Inspiration behind my Business
 Like it is I’m my first response, I like to do business and so i had to go into it. I had gone into other businesses before this poultry such as “Chin-Chin selling, Aya selling and selling of slippers shoes”. But in all of it, there had not been much gain and i wanted better income so as to be independent financially and to help myself and even people around me.
I sold my laptop at the rate of #15,000 and thought it wise to invest wisely other than spending it causally. Then the idea of the poultry business came in and for a start i had to buy 50 birds.
The Journey so far
 Hmmmm, it’s been tough, heartbreaking and discouraging but i expected all of it though it’s stressful cause you could imagine me in my condition trying to ensure that i meet customers demand especially the dressing of the chicken and delivery.
I started with 50birds but had a lost of 11 birds which was heartbreaking. The second set of chickens was 80 and all survived of course that was very encouraging and the present is 100 birds but still growing up for now,so you see it’s been challenging all the way but for the fact that been a business minded person is part of who i am,I have to keep pushing and considering the fact that the income is better than other business i have been into.
My passion for causes centred around physically challenged persons
 Well for now i have not done something big in that area but as the saying goes “Charity Begins At Home”. I am trying my possible best to make maximum impact in my community, like giving out food items to my few friends here that are physically challenged and sharing Bible passages as well. I am also not too mobile but i have been able to hold a program early this year tagged ” Divine Meals” which was designed for me to eat divinely with physically challenged and less privilege. I intend to do more with the grace of God on me.
My Foundation
The inspiration behind the foundation came October 2018 while i was reading a Christian Motivational book, and then my life began to change for better. I had the name “Jeni Home Of Hope Foundation” of which i believed it was not me but the Holy Spirit. I started picking interest in things that concern physically challenged and their welfare. In as much as i desire to do the needful ,i also need finance to help and is why i really need the business to help work this out
.
Government and provisions for persons with disability 
Considering the fact that i don’t really go out, but for the few persons have heard from and the news i go through,most help comes from Non-Governmental Organization and less from Government. The only Governmental help and assistance i have heard is through the ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development which help both disabled mothers and children. Aside the ministry, it’s difficult to have the Government help or assist the less privilege and vulnerable, but NGOs today are doing greatly in the aspect of assisting physically challenged. We’ve heard of NGOs giving out wheelchairs,taking responsibilities of a person’s medical treatment and even giving out food items to less privilege. Also want to use this medium to thank NGOs all over the world,I appreciate your good works.
My advice to the physically challenged trying to navigate in life 
To never give up even through trials and challenges, Giving up should never be an option. Strive hard because its not easy and as the saying goes “There is always a light at the end of the tunnel”
Build anything you have passion for so it would pay you at the end,in order to avoid been dependent.
Finally,always remember never expect ease from life cause life is a test and you don’t expect test to be easy.
Challenges I experience as an advocate for disabled persons
The primary and main challenge is discouragement from friends and even family.As an advocate one gets to be asked “Can you make it”? Do you have what other warriors that are well known and celebrated have? Do you have the finances?
There are always the discouraging voices i hear as am advocate for the disabled and trust me i always feel down in my spirit and discouraged. But getting to know the story about warriors who are now advocate,i got to understand that i don’t need much to be an advocate, I just need a made up mind.
Women Who Inspire Me to Be Better
Joni Eareckson Tada:
After reading Joni’s story,i woke up from my sleep and had to stand on my feet .I made up my mind to be somebody in life not minding when i will walk. Joni’s story turned my life from been carnal to been spirit filled and now i can say ” I am up to  do the best i am called to do”
Muniba Mazari:
Muniba as the iron lady of Pakistan is one person’s life story that keeps me going. After all medical reports that Muniba  can’t be the artist she wanted to be ,she picked up courage which made her the motivational speaker that she is today.
“Joni’s story woke me up and Muniba’s story has made me a moving train”.
Mummy Folusho:
Mummy is physically fit but I’m inspired by her works,she is one of my inspiration because i have come to realise what been an advocate means. Her advice is inspiring, her help and also concern towards the physically challenged is so much inspiring.
Being a Woman of Rubies
1) In my weakness i find strength
2) I hold myself with a high esteem
3) I am not just a warrior but a  conquerer as well
4) I am special and unique in my own way
5) And lastly God on my side, i am a victorious advocate
Support for Persons with Disability during the Pandemic
Even before the pandemic, Government have not been fair with people living with disability. But in view of the pandemic, the Government have tried so far in reaching the less privilege and i appreciate them for that. Now the question is what then happens after the pandemic? Are the palliatives just for the period of the pandemic or will the aid extend even after all this happening?
I will love the Government to extend  their aid even after the pandemic because a lot out there need their help in terms of medical issues.
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#RubyGirls | “My Upbringing Has Contributed A Whole Lot To Everything I Do Now”- Soyombo Precious

Soyombo Precious Iyanuoluwapo who is a secondary school student in her final class is a singer and writer. She is a young spoken word artist dedicated to spreading the love of God through words and poetry.

She is currently establishing online presence, writing poems, partnering with other poets and also working on a book.

Precious is currently the Teens President at Turning point center RCCG. She is a provincial executive for Lagos province 77. She is a host. An upcoming makeup artist. She also does some little hand crafts.

She shares her inspiring story with the Coordinator of Ruby Girls;  Aduragbemi Akintepede

1. Let’s meet you. Who is Precious?

I am the fifth of seven children. I am a girl. I’m a Christian. I am a poet, a singer, writer. I am an ambivert that is an extrovert and an introvert. I like being with people but I also like to be alone. I love to read. Reading is like my life force. I can read at any point in time anywhere. I am very positive, I love easily and I’m very joyful. I am a worker at Mine Teenage Ministry and also a member of Ladies with Radiance.

2. What are your hobbies?

My hobbies are reading, singing, writing, talking to people, learning new things and worshipping.

3. Where do you draw your inspirations from?

I draw inspiration from a lot of places. From God, people, random discussions, random thoughts. Just from anything.

4. You started early . At what age or class exactly did you discover your gifts? What motivated you to take them up?

I discovered my gifts over time, I’ve always known I could sing but I didn’t know I could write poems until 2016. I was 13 then. At first it was all just for the fun of it but it grew into passion and I know that my life is taking these paths.


5. Most memorable moment on stage?

My most memorable moment on stage was my first big ministration at Mine Teenage Ministry Worship Fiesta. I was supposed to do a poem with an older friend but he wasn’t able to get there on time so I had to do it alone facing rows of over 1000 people. I was scared but it worked out fine.

6. If you were given the chance to be the President of Nigeria for a day, what will change?

Well there is only so much I can do in a day. But I would at least try to start the process of cleaning up the media. At least what is available to the youths because there are a lot of unfavorable contents that are provided to them and it’s destroying their minds.

7. This is a period where the world in its entirety is yet to bounce back from the rage of a global pandemic. How has coronavirus (Covid-19) affected you as an individual and teen? Any message you will like to share concerning it?

As a teenager the Covid-19 pandemic has affected a huge part of my life. There are a lot of things that I should have done but I haven’t been able to do due to the pandemic. But on the flip side it has also given me a lot of time to grow mentally and spiritually. I’ve been able to learn a lot of new things, read a lot of new books and try a lot of new things.

As an individual, it has been time to reflect on things and become a better person.

8. Did your upbringing in anyway contribute to everything you do now?

My upbringing has contributed a whole lot to everything I do now. I know a lot of things due to the fact that I used to stay home a lot so I had time to read as much as I liked. I have parents that support me and even push me to be better. My siblings are my pillars of strength. The moment they discover that I can do something they push me to be better and do more. I’ve been brought up to always strive to be the best in all that I do and that is what brought about my drive for Excellence.

9. Any major challenge for young artists in Nigeria? Any tips on how you scaled through these challenges?

I think that the main challenge young artists have is being true to their source. They think that they have to do drugs or join groups. Personally I haven’t really gone through these challenges because the people I have in my circle are people who have the same ideals as I do. But I would say that they just have to be true to their source. Build a circle of people who think like you and be yourself. Don’t try to be like any other person. Be your own brand.


10. You are in your final class in secondary school. You are a spoken word artist, a writer, poet, host and also learn other skills. How do you juggle your academics with these other activities? What is your study routine as a student and as an artist who constantly needs to be better?

Well at first it was really hard to juggle everything because sometimes I have ministrations on school days or I had a poem to write or memorise. But with time I have learnt to give time to everything. I don’t mind reducing my sleep or my rest so that I can do all that I have to do. I do lots of my school work at night because I can concentrate more at that time. Many times I’m reading and preparing for a ministration at the same time. I have learnt to multitask and work under pressure. As a student, I create time to read which nothing disturbs then there is also time for being an artist. It’s like being two people. But I separate my life as a student from my life as an artist.

11. Mention 3 women who inspire you and why?

Firstly my mum ( Mrs Clementina Soyombo).
She has always been one of my sources of support. That woman pushes me to be the very best. She supports my decisions and trusts me. She provides to the best of her abilities everything that I need to grow. She defends me and prays for me.

• Mrs Titilope Adigun. She is a pharmacist, a mother and Wife to Timilehin Adigun. She is an hardworker and an encourager. She helps people to discover themselves and is a person of love

* Adenike Soyombo. She is an entrepreneur, she is a teacher, a friend and mentor. She is a Christian. She is the founder of Ladies With Radiance and a worker at Mine teenage ministry. She is also a source of inspiration to me because she pushes me to be better and criticizes constructively. She is also my older sister.

12. Where do you see yourself and your brand in the next 5 years?

In the next five years I’ll be done with University, I would have written over 200 poems and at least one book. I would be working and preparing to open a Fashion company too.


13. If you were given the opportunity to address a gathering of secondary school students like you, what will be your advice to them?

My advice to secondary school students like myself would be to work hard and find their passions. They shouldn’t have to be stereotypes but they can be everything that they want to be through hardwork and prayers. Life is not a bed of roses but it’s not a bed of nails either.

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Wuraola Ademola-Shanu: The Ultimate Guide To Guest Posting For Beginners

If your pitch is accepted, the next thing to do is write your guest post. Especially if it’s the first time you’re writing for a site, you want to make it better than your best.

Do you want to guest blog on your favourite sites or become a guest blogger and don’t know where to start from or what to do?

Guest blogging is a strategy where you write for other blogs that could help you get enhanced traffic, quality backlinks, and increased brand exposure.

To become a guest blogger, you need to do the following:

Know Your Objectives

An effective guest blogging strategy starts with knowing your objectives.  You have to know where you’re headed and what you intend to achieve before becoming a guest contributor. Examples of objectives might include:

  • Driving traffic to a specific landing page (or to your site in general) to get more leads and sales.
  • Building awareness of your brand, products, and services
  • Improving SEO by attracting inbound links.
  • Positioning yourself as an authority in your field to command premium prices and get speaking engagements.
  • To land a job or consultancy role.
  • Increasing email subscriber numbers or your social media audience.

It’s extremely important that you have a goal in mind. This will help you know what type of content to post and the type of bio to craft.

Find Blogs/Websites You Want to Guest Post For

Before you start writing your guest post, you need to find the right blogs to target. Below are several methods you can take to find potential guest posting blogs:

  • Conduct a search on Google

Performing a focused Google search can help you find the right blogs. To search for a blog on Google, you must bear ‘Search Term’ + ‘Search value parameter’ in mind. E.g:

Keyword + ‘guest post’

Keyword + ‘write for us’

Keyword + ‘guest article’

Keyword + ‘guest post opportunities’

Keyword + ‘this is a guest post by’

Keyword + ‘guest contributor’

Keyword + ‘want to write for’

Keyword + ‘submit blog post’

Keyword + ‘guest column’

Keyword + ‘submit content’

Keyword + ‘submit post’

Keyword + ‘suggest a post’

Keyword + ‘submit an article’

Keyword + ‘contributor guidelines’

Keyword + ‘become a guest blogger’

Keyword + ‘guest blogger’

Keyword + ‘become a contributor’

Keyword + ‘submit guest post’

Keyword + ‘submit article’

  •  Check out the websites influencers in your niche are guest posting for

Some influencers in your niche disclose the other blogs that they write for. This can ultimately lead you to an exclusive list of quality blogs you can also guest-post for.

Form a Connection with the Site Owner

If the site you intend to contribute for is owned by someone you can directly pitch to, it’s important that you establish a connection with them first.

Unless the topic you’re pitching is extremely relevant and the content is mind-blowing, I’d precommend that you do not copy and paste guest post pitch templates you see online, as most of them are generic and do not tell the site owners that you’ve done our homework or make the effort to personalize your pitch.

So, how do you establish a relationship with these site owners?

First, get to know their site and the type of content they publish by following them on social media or by subscribing to their newsletters. This will help you get updated on the latest new happenings in their lives or business.

Also, read their content consistently for a few weeks, or longer, so you understand what matters to them and their audience. If they list their top-performing or featured content on their site, check that out, too.

Connect with site owners on social media so you can tag them when you share their site content. Share anything you really love and include a comment so it’s not just a plain link.

Comment on their blogs, sign up for their email marketing newsletter and respond to their emails. You need to form a genuine relationship with these people. Don’t fake it; they’ll figure it out and then you won’t achieve your goals.

Choose a Winning Topic

Once you have a good understanding of your target site, and what matters to the site owner, it’s time to find a topic to pitch.

You should already know what’s popular on the site. Now, think about how you can add value by:

  • Responding to what’s on the site
  • Providing additional information on a popular topic
  • Writing something new on a topic that’s likely to be popular with the audience

If the site has guidelines for pitching and writing, read them. If you don’t, site owners might just reject your pitch before even reading it.

Send Your Pitch

For your guest blogging strategy to succeed, it’s important to avoid generic guest posting pitches. Like I said above, most people can spot a generic message from afar. That is why you need to do your homework, so that you’ll be able to craft a winning pitch that’s personal to each site owner with very little effort.

What are the rules for sending pitches?

The first rule is to keep the pitch short and to the point. Site owners, especially those with authoritative sites, get a lot of pitches, so don’t waste their time.

Second, use their name. Most site owners won’t read pitches from people who can’t be bothered to research this basic contact detail. So, if the site owner’s name is Wuraola, your email should start with “Hi Wuraola” or “Dear Wuraola.”

Third, include the post title. In fact, some successful pitches use this in the email subject line and as a secondary heading within the body of the email. For instance, if I wanted to pitch this topic to a site owner, my email subject line would be ‘The Ultimate Guide To Guest Posting For Beginners’ instead of ‘Guest post pitch – XYZ site’.

If the person you’re pitching loves your title, you’re halfway to a successful pitch.

The next thing to do is to describe the post briefly. Say what it will cover in a couple of sentences or a few bullet points. Tell them how your post will help their readers.

Finally, show them why you’re the right person to write the post. You don’t have to send in your resume, just drop in some badass points on why you’ll make a great contributor.

P.S. Here’s a sample of a guest post pitch you can use or tweak to suit you.

Email subject line: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO GUEST POSTING FOR BEGINNERS

Address site owner by name: Dear Wuraola or Hi Wuraola

Familiarity with the site’s content: I noticed that you’ve been publishing a lot of content around blogging and can’t help but create a blog post that would be beneficial to your readers. I know they love blogging tips (looking at the comments after every post you publish and the number of reshares)

Qualifications for writing/why you’ll make a great guest blogger: and since I’m a content creator, I’d love to create a topic that aligns with your readers’ needs.

Brief post synopsis/outline: Over the years, there’s been plenty of speculation about the death of guest blogging, but the tactic remains one of the most effective ways to promote yourself and your business. From freelancers like Elna Cain who used a guest blogging strategy to make a full-time income from freelance writing and Buffer used guest blogging to attract 100,000 customers; guest blogging is indeed a powerful content marketing tool.

Last paragraph: Wuraola, would The Ultimate Guide To Guest Posting For Beginners be of interest to you?

Salutation: Sincerely, Linda Jones

(Optional): I love The Copywriting Chick Blog. Thanks for being an amazing resource!

So, here’s the pitch:

Dear Wuraola,

I noticed that you’ve been publishing a lot of content around blogging and can’t help but create a blog post that would be beneficial to your readers. I know they love blogging tips (looking at the comments after every post you publish and the number of reshares) and since I’m a content creator, I’d love to create a topic that aligns with your readers’ needs.

Over the years, there’s been plenty of speculation about the death of guest blogging, but the tactic remains one of the most effective ways to promote yourself and your business. From freelancers like Elna Cain who used a guest blogging strategy to make a full-time income from freelance writing and Buffer used guest blogging to attract 100,000 customers; guest blogging is indeed a powerful content marketing tool.

Wuraola, would The Ultimate Guide to Guest Posting for Beginners be of interest to you?

Sincerely,

Linda Jones

P.S: I love The Copywriting Chick Blog. Thanks for being an amazing resource!

Write Great Content

If your pitch is accepted, the next thing to do is write your guest post. Especially if it’s the first time you’re writing for a site, you want to make it better than your best.

Here’s what you need to do:

  • Craft an Amazing Headline

Start by taking a look at the headline in your pitch again. Even if the site owner loved it, it won’t hurt to come up with some alternatives. A great headline includes the benefit(s) for the reader, uses action words and taps into emotion.

  • Link Appropriately

Ideally, your guest post will have a great link profile, which helps with SEO and building authority. That means you should include relevant internal and external links in the guest post you’re writing. Within the content, link to great content from the site you’re writing for, and useful resources on external sites. This helps give the content a good link profile, which is also good for SEO and building authority.

  • Include Images

Finding images can be tasking, especially if the site owners have a lot on their hands. So, except they tell you that they’d rather insert the images themselves, you should add them. You can get free images from Pixabay, Unsplash and Canva.

  • Format the Post Correctly

Finally, format the post so it matches others on the site. Observe how and where they use subheadings, capitalization, bold text, lists, etc. The less work you give site owners to do, the more of an asset you are.

Craft A Bio That’ll Blow Their Minds

You need to work that bio because it’s where you get to link back to your own site/social media page and resources. Options commonly offered include:

  • A single link to your home page
  • A link to any page/resource on your site
  • A link to your site plus a social media link
  • A couple of web and social media links

Be Responsive

You wanted to be in the limelight and now, you’ve got the opportunity. Leverage it and do not put it to waste. Respond to comments on and mentions of your post.

Why? Apart from the fact that it’s good manners, it’s also a great way to connect with your new audience and achieve some of your set goals. Who knows? You could land a client or clients. Or even a beneficial partnership/collaboration deal.

Blog owners will also be happy if you’re responsive, making it more likely they’ll be receptive to new pitches, or will suggest ways you can contribute further. This moves you even closer to achieving your goals for your guest blogging strategy. And if you aren’t able to respond to posts on their sites, you can get traffic or DMs on your social media pages, email or websites. Be sure to respond to them.

Promote Your Content

Content promotion is a key part of your guest blogging strategy so more people read your content and follow it back to your site. You can promote your guest posts via email, on your social media pages or website. Also, encourage your subscribers and followers to visit, comment and share.

Write More Guest Posts

Don’t stop at one guest post and call it a day. The more posts you write, the more online presence you have, and the more people think of you as an authority. That leads to more invitations to write and participate in events, more traffic to your site, and more leads and sales.

Of course, if you’re writing a lot of guest posts, you’ll need a way to keep track of them. That’s why it makes sense to have a guest blogging calendar.

An easy way to do this is to create a new calendar in Google Calendar and add the titles and due dates of any guest blogging commitments.

Source: Bellanaija

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Meet Neijae Graham-Henries, The “World’s Youngest Female Barber” (See Video)

At age seven, Neijae Graham-Henries also known as the world’s youngest barber, found her passion when her brother chose to discontinue the Junior Barber Academy in North Philadelphia.

Now, the 9-year-old spends her time going to school and giving free haircuts to those in need and at the same time mastering her skills from Philadelphia barbers. Young Graham-Henries is confident about her career in a male-dominated profession and her resolve to pursue her passion has won her the World Record Academy title of “World’s Youngest Barber’.

Neijae says she didn’t think much about giving haircuts before she heard of the academy. “I would braid my own hair and my doll’s hair, but I wasn’t really interested in barbering. I thought only boys could do it” she told TIME for Kids.

Graham-Henries received national attention from outlets like BuzzFeed and Inside Edition when a video of her working went viral on social media. She also got invited to speak at the Essence Beauty Carnival in New York City.

Watch the video below:

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Woman Who Called Michelle Obama An Ape is Going To Prison For Fraud

Pamela Taylor, the 57-year old white woman who made a racist comment about former first lady Michelle Obama on Facebook two years ago, is now going to prison for embezzling more than $18,000 in FEMA disaster benefits.

Taylor, the former Clay County development director, has recently been sentenced to 10 months in federal prison and to pay $10,000 fine. After serving her sentence in jail, she also has to undergo home confinement for the first 2 months and supervised release for 3 years.

In 2016, Taylor also made national headlines after comparing then-first lady Michelle Obama to an ape. In a Facebook post after Trump’s election, she said, “It will be refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady in the White House. I’m tired of seeing a Ape in heels.”

She was then suspended from her position as Clay County development director but returned to work about a month after.

In the FEMA embezzlement case, Taylor reportedly claimed her primary residence was damaged by the flooding in West Virginia that damaged other homes and buildings and killed at least 23 people in June 2016. She also said that she stayed in a rental unit after that.

However, it turned out that her home was not damaged and that she was still living there, not in any rental unit as she have initially claimed to receive more than $18,000 in FEMA disaster benefits.

“The flood was a natural disaster. Stealing from FEMA is a man-made disaster,” U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart said in a news release. “The floods of June 2016 were historic and devastating to thousands of West Virginians. Lives were lost. Too many of our brothers and sisters lost everything. FEMA dollars are critical but limited. Stealing critical FEMA dollars is a crime — literally and figuratively. Taylor’s fraud scheme diverted disaster benefits from our most desperate and vulnerable, those most in need of help.

Source: blacknews.com

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Twin Sisters Graduate With Highest Honors, Pay Tribute To Their Mom Who Died Last Year

Khaliyah and Aaliyah White, twin sisters from Philadelphia, have graduated as the number 1 and 2 students of their class at GAMP High School.

Despite the hardships they faced, Khaliyah graduated valedictorian and Aaliyah graduated salutatorian with their drive and motivation.

The twins dedicate their success most especially to their mother who passed away last year. “She was proud of us for everything that we were doing,” the twins told NBC News about their mother.

Aside from their academics, the two sisters were also occupied with participating in track and field and theater plays.

Due to the pandemic, they will be having their graduation virtually wherein they are set to address their fellow graduates.

“We’re still doing everything even though it is not the same as before. We’re going through this and we will be stronger and more prepared for anything that comes in the future.”

Both of them are pursuing premed but Khaliyah is heading to Delaware State University, while Aaliyah is going to the University of Pennsylvania. It will be the first time they will be separated for long and they are excited about what is ahead of them.

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How Tinuola Okenimkpe Is Helping Women Find The Courage To Live Their Best Lives After Divorce Or Separation

Ending a marriage you have spent years nurturing can be very hard. On one hand, you are happy you have made a good decision for yourself, on the other hand, you feel an overwhelming feeling of loss.

It can be particularly hard for women who don’t have the right support or who live in a society where divorced women are stigmatized.

For these reasons and more, Tinuola Okenimkpe is sharing her personal experience to help divorced and separated women move on and live their best lives after divorce.

ABOUT TINUOLA OKENIMKPE

Tinuola Okenimkpe, popularly known as Tinu-Ola-Onipekun, was born in Kaduna, Nigeria. She studied Computer science at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, Nigeria.

She started her journey as an entrepreneur at the age of 19 and currently owns and runs a cake store known as Dreamtreats Cakes.

A divorced mother of 2 children and an adopted cousin, Tinuola, who has a can-do attitude towards life, loves to inspire others to pick up their dead dreams once again, dust them and run with it. She derives fulfilment from helping women get back on their feet especially after experiencing a loss.

BEAUTIFUL BEGINNINGS

Beautiful Beginnings is an organization she founded to provide support for women who have experienced a loss. She has gone ahead to release her debut book also titled Beautiful Beginnings, focused on helping others find the courage to move on just like she did.

She has another soon to be released book titled Now That You Are Divorced, a step by step guide to finding your groove back.

WHY SHE STARTED BEAUTIFUL BEGINNINGS AND WROTE A BOOK

My marriage ended after 10 years. From my experience, I found out that society has defined the way a divorced woman should look and how she should carry herself. It was considered a thing of shame and you were literally labeled a failure.

After divorce, one was expected to be silent, and talking about it only made it worse. Due to lack of support both from the community, religious organizations and sometimes even family, most women considered divorce an end to their lives and their dreams.

And many others remained in marriages that should never have been because of the fear of stigmatization. I also found that many divorced people had a sense of overwhelming loneliness during this process and for many, it was literally impossible to pull through.

Over the last 9 years, I discovered a lot of things I wish I had known earlier on. While that knowledge may not have eased the pain, it would definitely have made a lot of things easier and helped me get my groove back earlier.

I am very passionate about helping other divorced women through that season and that is why I started a support system known as Beautiful Beginnings.

HER BOOK – BEAUTIFUL BEGINNINGS

Reading the book Beautiful Beginnings will give you a fresh perspective and help you find the courage to move on.

You can also sign up for Walk With Me, a 30 days session.

Benefits include:

– Discover the truth about who you really are
–  Get tips for going through a divorce with less drama
–  Pick up your dreams again…. they are valid and possible.
–  Learn to raise outstanding kids despite and in spite of what you are going through
–  Find the courage to move on with your career or start a business
–  Build a support system
–  Get your groove back

 

GET IN TOUCH WITH TINUOLA OKENIMKPE

Instagram: instagram.com/tinuolaonipekun

Facebook: Tinu Ola-Onipekun

Phone call: 09079006877

WhatsApp: 09079006877

Email: mybbeginnings@gmail.com

 

This article was culled from Woman.ng, In support of the Author’s work as it relates to marriage and separation. It is not our original content , neither did we conduct this interview.

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Debbie Larry-Izamoje: How To Spot Emotionally Intelligent People In The Workplace

How a customer is treated when things go wrong has an impact on whether or not the person continues to be your customer; an emotionally intelligent leader understands this and makes adjustments for customers where possible

I was with my friends recently, and we  reminisced over secondary school days. We considered the students who were rude to teachers, aggressive and communicated poorly and how they were deemed as brave; those who cried or worried about anything were most times seen as weak.

Subconsciously, what we saw as childhood jokes have become a lifestyle for many. People think emotional intelligence is showing no emotion at all or being overly transparent with your feelings. And who can blame them really? How many courses did they teach in school about emotional intelligence?

When I started doing my research, I found that a good number of young professionals rarely possess all three pillars of success, which are IQ, EQ, and AQ. Budding entrepreneurs are said to be fast learners and resilient, but they unfortunately often fail to understand and regulate their own emotions, especially in business environments. Business environments are usually unpredictable and fast-paced; you must be self-aware to succeed. Self-awareness leads to self-regulation, which is often shown in people with a high EQ.

Are you self-aware? Are you open about how you feel? Are you able to control your tone and pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses easily? Well, you can easily be described as an emotionally intelligent person.  Here are a few more tips for spotting emotional intelligence.

No Tolerance for Negative Thinking
As humans, it is very normal to let our thoughts guide us. In short, internal monologues are very important. But a key thing done by emotionally intelligent people is halting negative thoughts. The minute that doubt, fear, or low self-esteem appears, they stop it in its tracks. They understand the power of thoughts and know that a thought is not necessarily a fact. These people are usually at peace with their past and forgive themselves for mistakes easily. Now, this is very important because in business, mistakes are bound to happen, and you must be your own cheerleader. You must ensure that you have a positive outlook at all times and that you believe in yourself.

Great Listeners & Great Social Skills
Have you ever noticed that you somehow make every conversation about you? That you listen to reply and not necessarily understand? This might mean that you’re not very emotionally intelligent. Emotionally intelligent people know that “hearing” and “listening” are two different things. They rephrase a person’s statements in the form of a question to make sure nothing got lost in translation. They understand the importance of communication, and allow room for the other person to speak before they reply. Have you heard people say they don’t talk much to strangers? Or people who say go overboard and become a totally different person in front of strangers? Well, that’s a sign of low emotional intelligence. Emotionally intelligent people are usually great at networking and people tend to be drawn to them.

Accepting & Tolerant of Diverse & Varied Opinions
They understand that there is power in diversity. You can never catch an emotionally intelligent person who is racist or tribalistic. They also tend to trust people, and this makes for great leadership. Business decisions are usually team decisions, not a one-man decision. How a customer is treated when things go wrong has an impact on whether or not the person continues to be your customer; an emotionally intelligent leader understands this and makes adjustments for customers where possible.

Perceptive & Aware
I smile every time I talk or write about this, because this is one of my gifts. It is so useful as a business person. People with high EQ sense body language and expressions more than words. This, however, does not mean that you try to please people based on body language. People with high EQ are willing to say no where they have to. They don’t have a problem setting boundaries and are very self-aware in tough or heated situations. They always evaluate their emotions and regulate how these emotions are being projected.

The way you are brought up can have an effect on the level of EQ you possess, but you have the power to improve your emotional intelligence and ensure that it does not affect the growth of your business.

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