The impact of Western civilisation in Africa is enormous and documented, from culture and religion to political structure. But Africa isn’t a country.
Some societies and tribes, somehow, have remained unaffected by the reach of civilisation and thus making their dressing, custom, traditions and lifestyle uniquely peculiar.
Till date, these tribes in Africa still exist in an uncivilised bubble, maintaining traditions long left behind by the rest of the world and providing a wealth of information for anthropologists seeking to understand the way cultures have developed over the centuries.
Here are the five African tribes unaffected by civilisation:
The Hamer Tribe
Photo The Gridasia
The Hamer are located in south-west Ethiopia and in the Omo valley.
They live in huts and villages and have been able to preserve their unique culture, wherein young men jump over bulls in order to transition into adulthood and women offer themselves to be whipped by men who have recently been initiated.
They are Agro-pastoralists, meaning they grow crops and keep livestock. Many elements of their traditional religion are practised today. For instance, they believe that natural objects such as rocks and trees have spirits.
The Bayaka ‘Pygmy’ Tribe
Photo Magnum Photo
The Bayaka are found in the southwestern Central African Republic and are reported to be constantly dwindling in their numbers.
The reason is that their natural habitat, which is the rainforest, is always under threat from illegal mining, genocide and deforestation.
They call themselves the people of the forest and they are masters at exploiting the resources of their environment. They are hunter-gatherers.
Dogon Tribe
Photo Flickr
The Dogon are an ethnic group living in the central plateau region of Mali. They are believed to be of Egyptian descent who have managed to preserve their culture over the years.
The majority of them live in rocky hills, mountains and plateaus. They are mainly into agriculture, leatherwork and craft.
The Dogon are also famous for their mask dances, wooden sculptures and architecture. Like many African societies, the Dogon are agriculturists, cultivating millet, sorghum, rice, as well as peanuts, onions and tobacco.
The Karo
Photo Behance
With an estimated population of 1,000 to 2,000, the Karo Tribe makes up some of the smallest indigenous groups left in Africa. The ethnic group occupies the Lower Omo Valley in Southern Ethiopia.
The Karo paint their bodies with a mixture of white chalk, yellow mineral rock, iron ore and charcoal to express beauty.
Another symbolic custom practised by this tribe is body scarification, a tradition down to express cultural identity and community status.
The Hadzabe
Photo Idstudio
The Hadza tribe occupy the shores of Tanzania’s Lake Eyasi in the Great Rift Valley, whose way of life has remained the same for more than 10,000 years. One of the intriguing aspects of the Hadza tribe is their language. They speak a distinctive click language which has led to the belief that they are related to the Khoisan of the Kalahari Desert.
This Tanzanian tribe mainly rely on wild fruits, tubers, and roots for food. They are also avid hunters who use bows and arrows to hunt antelope, buffalos and birds.
Last Friday, Oprah Winfrey paid a visit to West Side High School in Newark, New Jersey to not only surprise the students and staff with a pizza party, but to also give a $500,000 donation for its after school program called “Lights On.”
The program, which was started by the school’s principal Akbar Cook, provides students with a safe place to gather on Friday nights where they can play basketball, video games, shoot pool or practice cheers until 11 p.m. throughout the school year, CNN reports. Over the summer, the program runs three times a week.
In addition to implementing the “Lights On” on program, Principal Cook also installed a laundry room in the school after finding out that students with dirty clothes were being bullied by their peers and, in turn, missing class.
Winfrey posted a video about her visit on Facebook, saying, “When I saw what Principal Akbar Cook was doing for his students at West Side High School in Newark, NJ, I had to come see what it was all about and share some delicious O, That’s Good pizza.”
In a video posted by Cook, Winfrey announced her half a million dollar donation to the school, and added that she wants to encourage the community to “keep doing what you’re doing because what you’re doing is moving in the right direction.”
Cook’s work and influence at his school was first shared on a national platform when he appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres show last September. He tells NJ.com that since his appearance, his school has received gifts of detergent, clothing and toiletries from all over the world.
“It’s crazy man,” said Cook, who also serves as the school’s varsity basketball coach. “I never thought anything like this would happen.”
In March, DeGeneres invited the principal back on her show to further praise the work he’s doing and to give him a $50,000 check for his school.
This past February, after sending Cook a personal letter, Newark’s former mayor and current presidential candidate Sen. Cory Book praised the principal on Twitter, saying, “His tireless work is an inspiration to us all.”
Principal Cook, thank you for making a difference!
A number of people are plagued with mouth odor and they might not be fully aware to what extent it makes people around them uncomfortable.
Bad breath typically originates in the mouth, where bacteria are ever present. When you eat, bits of food get caught in your teeth. Bacteria grow on these bits of food, releasing foul-smelling sulfur compounds.
The most common cause of bad breath is poor dental hygiene. If you don’t brush and floss often, the bacteria in your mouth continue to grow, and a thin film of bacteria known as plaque builds up on your teeth.
Here are a few ways to get rid of bad breath naturally;
1. Parsley
Parsley has a fresh scent and high chlorophyll content which suggests that it can have a deodorizing effect. To use parsley for bad breath, chew on fresh leaves after each meal or buy a parsley dietary supplement
2. Green Tea
Green tea is an effective home remedy for bad breath because it has disinfectant and deodorizing properties that can temporarily freshen the breath. Mint has similar effects, so a cup of green mint tea may be an ideal breath freshener.
3. Fennel and Anise Seeds
Fennel and anise seeds have been used to freshen breath. In parts of India, roasted fennel seeds are still used as mouth fresheners, to cleanse after-dinner breath. They taste sweet and contain aromatic essential oils that give the breath a fresh scent. Fennel and anise seeds can be eaten plain, roasted, or coated with sugar.
4. Yogurt
Yogurt contains healthy bacteria called lactobacillus and these healthy bacteria can help combat bad bacteria in various parts of your body, like your gut. To use yogurt to fight bad breath, have one serving per day of plain, nonfat yogurt.
The number of women of color who own their own businesses rose by 8% last year. This increase is largely due to “poor treatment and the perception of being undervalued in the workplace,” according to a 2017 report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. In fact, “a much greater gender and racial pay gap have led women of color to start businesses at a higher rate out of necessity and the need to survive,” the 2018 State of Women-Owned Business Report found.
This is not surprising to me.
If I had to find one word to describe my journey of management and leadership as a black woman, I’d go with “lonely” ― not your typical sad lonely, but more of an alienated lonely. An “I’m literally the only person in the room with this hair texture and this skin color” lonely. An “I’m representing an entire race of people” lonely. How I am perceived matters.
Growing up, I watched the sitcom “Martin” religiously and admired the role that actor Tisha Campbell-Martin played as Gina, who worked as a top marketing executive. As clever and on point as that show was, what it didn’t portray was that, in real life, black female leaders are often one-of-one ― especially in meetings.
It’s really difficult to articulate how it feels to continually be the “only”in a meeting.
I’ve been a black “white-collar” professional since I graduated college in the mid-2000s. I remember the first day of my first real job. My boss walked me around the office and introduced me to my new team and the other employees. Everyone seemed really nice, but what I noticed after returning to my desk was that I hadn’t met a single minority in a leadership role. I knew I wouldn’t stay there long, and I was right. I was out the door and on to the next opportunity in under a year.
I moved into management early on in my career, and by the age of 24, I had staff reporting to me. I was the youngest middle manager at my company. That role opened me up to a bevy of opportunities, including global travel and board meetings — and that’s when it began. I was the “only.” I was not just the only woman, but 98% of the time, I was the only black woman. You know what I learned from those experiences? I learned that discrimination isn’t usually outright or blatant. In fact, it’s often very subtle.
I’ve had people enter conference rooms where I’m sitting, and when they see me, they say, “Maybe I’m in the wrong room,” as if to suggest that if I’m a part of the meeting, it must not be a leadership meeting.
Once, during a leadership retreat abroad, a chief executive pulled me to the side before the committee discussions began and said, “You know, you don’t need to talk during the retreat. You can just listen. Yeah, actively listen. No need for you to contribute.” Mind you, I was the person responsible for setting the strategic direction of the initiative. I was also the person solely responsible for the company’s recent massive growth. And yet, I thought, you don’t want me to talk?
When we’re the only person of our race at a certain level, we feel accomplished — but we also feel alone. It’s kind of like “yay me,” but at the same time, “why just me?”
Years of being the only black woman in the room made me feel visibly invisible. It didn’t matter that I broke sales and revenue records year after year, and it didn’t matter that my performance evaluations read “outstanding” across the board.
There is an unconscious bias that exists in business culture, whether people want to admit it or not. Companies can have all the diversity and inclusion trainings they want, but that doesn’t change the fact that black women (and men) are continually overlooked and discriminated against.
Companies need to realize that relatability is a real thing. Representation is a real thing. So when we’re the only person of our race at a certain level, we feel accomplished — but we also feel alone. It’s kind of like “yay me,” but at the same time, “why just me?”
People don’t really like to talk about race. But it’s there — hovering, always. I’ve sat in meetings where people dismissed my feedback or ideas as not being valuable or worthwhile, only to have someone of another race repeat the same messages or ideas five minutes later to ahas! and applause.
There’s a reason why black women are turning to entrepreneurship, and it’s not because we’re not qualified for management positions in the corporate world. It’s because we’re not seen.
What I’ve learned over the past 15 years is that mentors are vital. It can be a real challenge to go into a workplace day in and day out when you feel ignored or overlooked. Mentors are an invaluable support system for everyone, but especially for women and minorities. We need people to help us navigate our careers and help guide us as we continue to grow. There is a void of African Americans in leadership, and it can be very demoralizing to watch other people who do less advance quicker than we do.
I met my mentor, who was also a black female executive, at a professional development conference. She had turned an idea into a seven-figure business venture after walking away from corporate America five years prior. I’ll never forget the first thing she told me when we met for coffee.
“You will have to work 10 times harder than your white counterparts for recognition,” she said. “You will often question yourself and your worth. You will not receive the same pay. You will get frequent stares and looks. You will be disrespected, both blatantly and subtly. But never let it make you question yourself. Never. Go after every opportunity that presents itself. It will teach you resilience, and as a black woman, you’ll need that a lot.”
I now know to command my seat at the table. Even if they’re given a seat, women of color still need to command our place. Unfortunately, we have to do so diplomatically because minorities, specifically African Americans, are often viewed as hostile or aggressive when we speak up, whereas people of other races are seen as passionate and committed.
“There’s a reason why black women are turning to entrepreneurship, and it’s not because we’re not qualified for management positions in the corporate world. It’s because we’re not seen,” Keli Hammond writes.
I have also learned to create my own support system. Everyone needs allies they can trust, confide in and connect with on a personal level. Because black women are often unfairly stereotyped, it’s important for us to keep positive and supportive energy in our circles.
There’s no getting around the fact that race is going to be an underlying factor in business, and there are some very real barriers to advancement in traditional workforces for women of color. Thankfully, I discovered this early on, and with the help of my mentors, I learned how to advance despite the unfair challenges and stereotypes I’ve faced. Every morning, I remind myself of the most important lesson I’ve learned throughout my career: Although we may feel like others devalue our contributions, we must never devalue ourselves.
Keli Hammond is the author of “Craved: The Secret Sauce to Building a Highly-Successful, Standout Brand” and the CEO of B Classic Marketing & Communications. Learn more about her at KeliHammond.com.
Last weekend Ashley Williams was in full Black Girl Magic mode when she graduated with her Master’s Degree and Law Degree in the same week from two separate universities, in two separate states. On May 18th she received her Master’s degree in Political Management from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and on May 20th she received her JD from the University of Pennsylvania. And it wasn’t a dual degree program.
She began her Master’s degree at George Washington University in 2015 while working at the State Department as Special Advisor and Director of Special Projects to the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues.
“I was really interested in beginning a program that would allow me to build upon my undergraduate degree, love for politics, and allow me to continue working. I knew I needed to grow. The Political Management degree at GW was perfect,“ Williams told Because of Them We Can.
She was able to attend the program online with the option to attend classes in person when her schedule permitted. Not long after starting the program she applied to law school in pursuit of a life long dream.
“That fall I also applied to law school, which had been a part of my plan since high school. Both of my parents are lawyers, and I admired them and wanted to follow in their footsteps.”
Williams says her law school journey wasn’t easy.
“I faced rejections from schools during two separate admissions cycles—once while I was working at the White House and once while I was at the State Department—but I was determined to go.”
She received a favorable letter from the University of Pennsylvania in January of 2016 and started in the Fall of 2016, exactly one year after beginning her master’s program.
“During my first year of school, I stopped my Master’s program so I could focus on law full time. The summer following my first year, I resumed my Master’s program and simultaneously did law and my Master’s until I completed my Master’s in December of 2018—which I did while I was studying abroad in Tokyo.”
Williams was in Tokyo for three months where she was focused on the Japanese Supreme Court. She completed her JD requirements five months later in May 2019.
A lot of people wondered why I continued with my Master’s after starting law school, but both stimulated my mind in different ways. I was incredibly fortunate to be able to do both, but it did require sacrifice and discipline.”
Williams, who attended Georgetown for undergrad, said that she hopes her journey inspires others.
“No matter what, never give up and never feel like you aren’t enough. I hope my story inspires others to keep striving and remember that all of our possibilities are endless.”
There are endless articles and even a book about how often men try to teach women things we already know. Despite being a raft and adventure guide in the outdoor industry for most of my 20s, I often get approached by men half my age trying to teach me how to do things like setting an anchor. It both infuriates and cracks me up that they assume I need to be taught because I’m a woman. Especially when I started climbing before they were even born.
But I’ve recently realized there’s an even more annoying kind of mansplainer. He’s not the “teacher” type, but rather a seemingly curious man who wants to be “taught.” I call him the Faux Student.REAL LIFE. REAL NEWS. REAL VOICES.Help us tell more of the stories that matter from voices that too often remain unheard.Become a founding member
Every woman knows this kind of dude. He’s the mansplainer in disguise. Instead of teaching you something you already know, he wants you to spend your time and emotional labor educating him, often on the finer points of feminism. Only, spoiler alert: These dudes aren’t here to learn jack shit.
I hit my breaking point a couple of months ago when I wrote a super-personal post on Facebook about how I don’t trust male doctors anymore. Well, Faux Student had questions about this. That is, after he pointed out that this is a HUMAN ISSUE (all caps!), not a feminist one. Why do I “have to make everything about sexism!!!!!!!!!!” he asked.
A friend of mine jumped in, posted links to this article to back me up and answered all his patronizing questions. She finally got sick of it and blocked him, but I spent a good 20 minutes tap-dancing around his fragile male ego trying to explain that women in the U.S. die all the time because male doctors don’t listen to us. I even gave a dissertation-level argument backed up with hard facts. But Faux Student wouldn’t drop it. He just didn’t understand, OK?
“Dude, STOP,” I wrote. “I’m not explaining feminism to you.” The empathetic (sorry — codependent) part of me that gives people way too many chances finally said that if he was genuinely interested, I could send him links to articles that explain what I and all the women were talking about on my Facebook post.
The next day, he messaged me a sorry-not-sorry apology. But you know what he didn’t do?
Ask for any of those links.
Not a single one.
Because he doesn’t actually care about this issue. He never did.
Every woman knows this kind of dude. He’s the mansplainer in disguise. Instead of teaching you something you already know, he wants you to spend your time and emotional labor educating him.
I used to be willing to enlighten any man who asked me about feminism. But in recent years, I’ve learned a much healthier approach from being in Facebook writing groups with women of color.
Like clockwork, every week or so, an ignorant white lady will say something insensitive or blatantly racist. A woman of color will call her out, and the white lady will invariably play the “That wasn’t my intent but please teach me” card, which then requires long, thoughtful responses from the WOC. These women do so with more compassion and patience than the lady deserves. But white lady usually tries to shut them down with the same gaslighting techniques men use to shut women down. The lesson usually ends with the white lady crying her fragile white tears and calling the WOC bullies.
“I’m trying to understand!” she’ll say right before swearing she’s not racist. This despite the fact that all white people have racism to unlearn.
Over time, I’ve witnessed that a lot of the women of color who had been doing all this free labor stop responding with comments and instead just link to articles that explain the topic at hand. Some have gotten so fed up that they’ve started to list their PayPal account info in the comments. After all, they’re saving these white women hours by providing resources they could and should have researched their damn selves.
Some women refuse to engage at all and instead just say, “Google it.”
I’ve since taken this wisdom into my life as a feminist, and boy, has it been a game-changer. Because honestly, I’m too exhausted to spend my time educating the Faux Student.
For decades now, I’ve been reading numerous articles online about women’s issues, taking feminism classes, talking about feminism with women and men, protesting sexism on the streets, watching TED Talks, and straight up living it. I recently spent my whole Saturday with 5,000 women protesting sexual assault here in France while my guy friends slept in and enjoyed a leisurely weekend. I rarely meet men who actively educate themselves about feminism, read books or articles by women, or watch our TV shows and movies.
Think about all the things I could do if learning about feminism (and all forms of social injustice) didn’t consume so much of my time! It’s an endless, exhausting but necessary time suck for us. And that’s just the beginning of our firewall!
I rarely meet men who actively educate themselves about feminism, read books or articles by women, or watch our TV shows and movies.
Then there’s all the unpaid labor women do at home, all the efforts we make keeping ourselves safe, the money and time we spend trying to recover from small or big doses of trauma we’ve already experienced. It’s a full-time job just existing as a woman.
In fact, just the other day, a man followed me home from the gym and harassed me the entire way until I stopped at the wrong apartment building and pretended to be going home (more mental energy wasted trying to outsmart the bad guys!). Once I did get home, I was shaking and livid for a good two hours afterward and couldn’t get any work done. He reminded me of all the other men who’ve followed me, sexually assaulted or harassed me, or simply scared the living shit out of me.
See why we’re so tired, guys? And why we don’t have time to educate your asses?
I find it insulting when men who’ve put zero effort into learning about women’s rights, much less fighting for them, ask me to take even more of my time and energy to explain it to them.
These exhausting men have made me realize just how much emotional labor it requires for a marginalized group to educate people outside said group, making me appreciate all the more the many people of color who’ve taken the time and effort to educate me over the years. Like them, I am willing to teach men who are open and respectful enough to have these sometimes hard conversations (I mean, we’re fighting for men too, duh). But I’m too tired, busy, and honestly, have zero fucks left to give those who don’t.
For the Faux Student, I now say “Google it.”
Unless they want to PayPal me. Then I’m totally game.
While the intent of students at Oak Park and River Forest High School remains unclear, the photos were jarring enough that administrators withheld the books.
A high school in a Chicago suburb is spending more than $53,000 to reprint its 2018-2019 yearbook after staff discovered photos inside in which students were flashing the white supremacist “OK” hand sign.
Administrators at Oak Park and River Forest High School released a statement last week notifying parents that they were withholding the yearbooks from distribution after they discovered the photos, according to CBS Chicago.
This week, the Chicago Tribune reported that the high school will pay Jostens $53,794 to reprint the books and that the new versions are expected to be delivered to students by mid-June.
The racist adaptation of the “OK” hand sign began on 4chan ― an anonymous message board frequented by racists, trolls and extremists ― and has since been co-opted by prominent white supremacists who often use it to signal their presence to like-minded extremists. It’s prominent enough that those who use it have been fired from their jobs or faced other consequences ― recently, a Chicago Cubs fan was banned indefinitely from Wrigley Field after flashing the hand sign behind a black reporter during a live broadcast.
While the students’ intent was unclear and the photos weren’t made available, the content was apparently jarring enough that staff felt it necessary to reprint the yearbooks.
An email to parents, from school district Superintendent Joylynn Pruitt-Adams, notes that while the hand gestures could have been in reference to the classic schoolyard made-you-look “circle game,” its use by hateful people and ideologies led to the decision:
We’ve been made aware that this year’s ‘Tabula’ yearbook, which has not yet been distributed, contains several photos of students making a hand gesture that has different meanings. In some cases it’s used in what is known as the circle game. However, the gesture has more recently become associated with white nationalism. Regardless of intent, the potential negative impact of this gesture has led us to decide that we cannot distribute the yearbook as is. We are looking at alternative options, and in the coming days we will share further details about distribution plans. In the meantime, we appreciate your patience and support as we work through this situation.
Apart from finding a way to be financially productive yourself, even if it is through opening an investment portfolio that your husband can give you initial money for, start by letting your husband know that you are concerned about what could happen to you and his dependents if anything happens to him, particularly as you are not gainfully employed and are totally dependent on him financially.
Hello Shade, I am a full-time housewife married to an international businessman. It is his choice that I stay home to tend to the home front, which I’ve come to embrace as my role. The problem is that as an educated wife, I think I’m supposed to know all my husband’s assets and properties, but he doesn’t tell me anything about them. I often feel he thinks I’m useless because I don’t work. Am I being unnecessarily paranoid? – Bisi, Ogun State
***
Dear Bisi,
Thank you for reaching out to me.
I understand that you feel under-appreciated by your husband, despite the fact that at your husband’s request, you have assumed the role of a full-time housewife.
In my opinion, your concerns are justifiable, because as a full-time homemaker who is completely financially dependent on your husband, such thoughts would pervade your mind. Perhaps this mental nudge is what you require to confirm if your husband has an estate plan in place. However, you must tread with caution to avoid being misunderstood.
Apart from finding a way to be financially productive yourself, even if it is through opening an investment portfolio that your husband can give you initial money for, start by letting your husband know that you are concerned about what could happen to you and his dependents if anything happens to him, particularly as you are not gainfully employed and are totally dependent on him financially. I believe this will set the tone for your husband to re-evaluate your current position as a full-time housewife. It would also prompt him to consider the options open to him toward planning his estate, including putting his will in place to determine how his assets will be distributed at the end of his life, and/or setting up a trust to cater for your welfare and that of other dependents.
I hope I have been able to help you out in some way.
The U.S State Department has announced that applicants for U.S visas will have to submit their social media names and five years’ worth of email addresses and phone numbers as part of the application process.
BBCreports that the proposal would affect about 14.7 million people annually.
Some diplomatic and official visa applicants will be exempt from the new rules.
“We are constantly working to find mechanisms to improve our screening processes to protect US citizens, while supporting legitimate travel to the United States,” the department reportedly said.
Gulf News reports that the U.S Embassy in Abu Dhabi confirmed the news. It quoted the embassy as saying:
This update — which we initially announced last year in the Federal Register — is a result of the President’s March 6, 2017, Memorandum on Implementing Heightened Screening and Vetting of Applications for Visas and other Immigration Benefits and Section 5 of Executive Order 13780 regarding implementing uniform screening and vetting standards for visa applications.
We already request certain contact information, travel history, family member information and previous addresses from all visa applicants. Collecting this additional information from visa applicants will strengthen our process for vetting these applicants and confirming their identity.
In that past, only people who needed additional scrutiny are requested to submit their social media names.
Mariam Momodu Is an international trade lawyer, Ph.D. candidate, education advocate and CEO of Get In Education Consulting. She obtained her degree in law from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria in 2012 and went on to become the first female president of the law faculty students’ association in over 30 years of the association’s existence. In addition, she also graduated with the best result ever recorded from the law faculty in Ibadan in 35 years and won about 10 prizes upon graduation. To date, her academic record has not been beaten. However, the law students association has had another female president since my tenure. In 2015, Mariam obtained a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree from the University of Cambridge, where she was awarded the prestigious Commonwealth Shared Scholarship and the Cambridge Trust Scholarship. She is now a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. Where she specialize in international trade law. Last year, she was awarded the most prestigious scholarship for doctorate candidates in Canada, the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship., making her the only black person from the University of Toronto to be awarded that honour and one of the 6 scholars of African descent in the whole of Canada that was given this award.
The scholar whose Inspiring story went viral weeks back shares her journey with me in this mind blowing interview.
Growing Up
I was very fortunate to be raised in a family that valued education. My father died when I was very young, but my mother was determined to provide the best education that she could afford. My siblings were also my mentors as they encouraged me to excel in my chosen endeavours and always provided the necessary resources.
I would read my sister’s novels, read books I found in my brother’s rooms and devour books that my mother would borrow weekly from the British Council Library. I remember when I turned 10 years old, I was asked what gift I wanted… I asked for more novels and books and I got them. Apart from being very academic, I have always been interested in looking for ways to improve my community.
In addition, I have been blessed to have encouraging teachers who took an interest in my education and always went beyond the average to ensure I succeeded. From Mrs. Obajimi of Sonbeam Preparatory School, to my teachers at the International School Ibadan, teachers at the Educational Advancement Centre, Ibadan as well as the lecturers at the faculty of law, University of Ibadan and the Nigerian law school. My teachers always encouraged me to be inquisitive and achieve my dreams, so I credit them for a lot of the success I have achieved today.
Mariam Momodu at the Arab and African Youth Forum
Breaking 30 years record at the University of Ibadan
When I graduated from the University of Ibadan in 2012, I graduated with a 6.7/7 which is the highest CGPA ever recorded from the law faculty in over 30 years. I am eagerly waiting to meet the student who will break the record, as it is long overdue!
In reality when I entered UI, my goal was to graduate with a 7.0, a perfect score from the law faculty. I remember confiding in two senior students about my goals and they laughed at me! They told me it was impossible and if I was going to make a first class from the law faculty, the best I would obtain was a grade close to 6/7. Once I got that negative feedback, I realised I was being like Joseph in the Bible who was sharing his dreams with the wrong people. I decided to keep this dream in my head and continue to work.
I eventually did not finish with a 7.0 largely because I was involved in politics in my 4th year (and that took a lot of time from my studies) but I am proud to say that in my 3rd year, my CGPA was 6.96/7 and in my 5th year, my CGPA was also 6.9/7. So even though I aimed for the moon and did not hit it, at least, I fell among the stars and was able to break the existing record. My academic record in the University of Ibadan opened the door for me to obtain a masters in law from the University of Cambridge on a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship. I would also argue that my grades from university continue to open doors for me today.
I really love that I went to the University of Ibadan. I am the first to admit that the education sector in Nigeria needs a lot of work (and the change needs to start from the government) but I must admit that despite difficulty with funding and so on, University of Ibadan is one of the schools in Nigeria that continues to uphold a very high standard of education. I knew the current vice-chancellor while I was a student and he was one of the people who, in my experience would listen to students’ concerns. I have maintained a relationship with him and my professors in the law school and from time to time I communicate with them to give feedback on my progress or to ask for advice.
I was happy that the school administration shared my story and more importantly, I was very humbled when I read messages from people who were inspired by my story.
Canadian Scholarship & it’s impact as a black woman in a foreign land
I was ecstatic when I received the Vanier last year. We could not announce the award for a while, so I was just sitting on good news! When I applied for the scholarship, I hoped I would win because winning the scholarship will send a signal to other people like me that they too can succeed in academia no matter who or where they were.
The Vanier is a very competitive scholarship that ranks students based on their leadership potential, academic record as well as the potential of their doctorate research. Candidates go through several rounds of application starting from the faculty level to the university level and then national level. I am very thankful that I was nominated by my faculty as this started the process. Apart from my research potential, I really believe my application stood out because of my academic record as well as my leadership experience.
As a student and even after I graduated from University, I always pushed myself to make improvements no matter where I was. In primary and secondary school, I was selected as the head-girl because of my leadership potential and in University I was also elected as the President of the Law Students’ Society, the first woman to be so elected in over 30 years.
For me, leadership has always been about service and trying to make my immediate environment better and it was quite interesting to see that my past leadership experience played a huge role in getting the scholarship.
This is actually the first time I am thinking of it as a viral story! I would say the reception has been very positive. Many people have asked how they can achieve the same or similar goals and I am inspired to continue to provide support to other people through my company Get In Education Consulting (www.getineduconsulting.com) as well as on a personal basis.
My Inspiration
I think I am inspired by problems. I describe myself as an “extra” person because I am always thinking of the next problem to solve. Any Nigerian that is immune to the problems of the country needs to wake up! My core areas of interest are international trade (particularly intra-African trade and improving connectivity in Africa) ,which is the core of my PhD Thesis , as well as education, which is the core of the business I run at GetIn Education Consulting.So, I am inspired to act when I see problems as my interests are driven by the problems that need to be solved in these areas.
Apart from my family, I am also inspired by people who have overcome adversity and are giving back. Dr. Deola Olubamiji is one of my mentors and people like her inspire me to do more.
Reward
I think the greatest reward is seeing someone say “you inspired me to pursue XYZ”. A lot of people reach out to me online, particularly on Instagram @mariammomodu_ and they tell me how I inspired them to pursue their dreams, study hard or achieve a goal and this is very rewarding.I was also very happy when another woman was elected as the president of the law students’ society in UI, because it showed that the glass ceiling had been broken there.
Challenges of being a female scholar trying to break boundaries both home and abroad
I have faced several challenges and I am still facing several! One of the biggest challenges has been adjusting to a new environment with new expectations. Academia is a constant learning curve for me. So, I need to really know how to conduct myself as an academic and ensure I am ticking the right boxes that will make me competitive after school. Funding is also a big challenge for many people, but thankfully, the Vanier came through!
On Giving up
There have been so many moments! January this year I had to prepare for an examination that would determine whether I progressed to the next level of the PhD. It was very intense and there were many days I questioned if I was doing the right thing, but in the end, I came out successful. Also, during the PhD, you have to apply for grants, submit papers and apply for workshops. I am successful with many applications, but I also face rejection. Initially, I used to be bothered by rejection, but now, I know the path to success is filled with rejection, so I have to persevere no matter how I feel.
Being a Woman of Rubies
I am a woman of rubies because I am not defined by what I own or what you can see. I am so much more. I am a woman who keeps striving to make an impact on her environment by touching one life at a time with the hope of making my corner of the world better.
Advice for women who are scared to break boundaries and be more
If the voice in your head is not encouraging you, then don’t listen to it! A lot of times, we are holding ourselves back because we think we are inadequate when we are actually more than enough. Research has shown that black women are more likely to have feelings of inadequacy compared to many other groups of people and these feelings of inadequacy have has been described more technically as imposter phenomenon.
I know fear can be crippling, but you have to find a way to overcome it. What I do is to keep myself accountable by sharing my dreams with those who understand my vision. I have mentors that encourage me and chastise me as needed. I am also learning to live “uncomfortable”. This means that I am constantly reaching for things that I think are difficult to achieve no matter how I feel.
Appreciation of Black Women
I think black women need to stop waiting to be appreciated. Instead we need to just be who we are “boss babes!” You don’t need anyone’s permission to excel. Neither do you need permission to be proud of your achievements. Where you need to, demand your accolades, demand that promotion and so on, but do not wait for external validation before you appreciate yourself.
If I could change one thing in the Education Sector
Education should be fun. Students should be excited to go to school because there is something for them; something that can relate to. If I could change one thing, I would change the kind of syllabus we have in many universities in Nigeria. I would work to decolonise our syllabus and make it contextual to Africa and the 21st century. Oh, I would also ensure that 30% of Nigeria’s budget for the next 30 years is dedicated to education.
How to reach me
I enourage readers to visit www.getineduconsulting.com and read all the free resources we have available, as well as inspiring stories that can get you started on your journey to using education as a tool to change your life. Also follow @getinedu on Instagram and Twitter as well as @mariammomodu_ on Instagram
