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In Career Gems By

SEVEN-YEAR-OLD RIHANNA LOOKALIKE LANDS MAJOR MODELING GIG WEEKS AFTER HER PICTURE WENT VIRAL ON INSTAGRAM

Rihanna’s seven-year-old doppelganger has landed her first major modeling contract, just weeks after earning viral fame when the singer posted her picture online.

Ala’a Skyy Baytops, seven, has been signed up by natural hair care company The Mane Choice, less than one month after Rihanna shared her photo with followers on Instagram, where it received a staggering 7.4 million likes.

The job is no doubt the first in a long line of opportunities for the Roanoke, Virgina-based tween, who wowed dozens of A-listers with her remarkable resemblance to the 31-year-old singer – including supermodel Tyra Banks, who launched a search to track Ala’a down, while promising to help her launch her career.

Ala’a was recently announced as an ambassador for The Mane Choice, a hair-care brand focused on natural texture.

The photogenic youngster attended Beauty Con in Los Angeles with the brand over the weekend, where she met fans and posed for selfies while promoting the company’s products.

At the event, she also debuted a knotted bun hair style, referencing a look worn by Rihanna just last week in Barbados.

‘Not only does she have an amazing attitude and work ethic at such a young age, she also loves her hair,’ The Mane Choice CEO and founder Courtney Adeleye told Allure. ‘She understands the benefits of using great products. It’s amazing!’

Sharing the news to Instagram, where she has attracted over 140,000 followers in the blink of an eye thanks to Rihanna’s endorsement, Ala’a thanked the singer for helping launch her modeling career in the first place.

 

 

Credit: dailymail.co.uk

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TANZANIAN GOVERNMENT TO START PUBLISHING NAMES OF MARRIED MEN TO PROTECT SINGLE WOMEN

Tanzanian Government is reportedly considering publishing the names of married men in the country to limit cheating and protect young women from “unnecessary heartbreaks.”

Speaking on Monday August 12, Dar es Salaam regional commissioner, Paul Makonda said the proposal was considered after he received complaints from several young women in the country who claimed they were being preyed on by married men.

 

“Men have been promising to marry them, then later, they ditch the ladies and this is something that is humiliating.

“These cunning men have left many women nursing heartbreaks and emotional bruises. You’ll find a young man successfully wooing a woman, making her leave every other thing that she does, hoping that the man will marry her, not knowing that he is, indeed, conning her.

“If you look at the laws that we have in the country, there is a clause that protects women, who were promised marriages, only to be used and dumped. We want to use that clause to bring sanity in relationships,” the regional commissioner said.

 

The proposal if adopted, will require all married people to register their marital statuses with the region’s database agency. The information will reportedly be accessed by citizens of the country.

 

“I cannot say I am a leader, when the people I look after are hurting. One of the ideas that we have is to have all the married people register their marital statuses with the region’s database agency. This will help young women promised marriages. It would be easy for them to access the database and find out whether the men who have promised to marry them are people’s husbands or not. In that database, all the marriages, including Christian, customary, Muslim, those filed at the registrar of marriages, will be registered.

“We want to reduce the cases of men conning women in the name of love and marriages. We are planning to meet the State agency in charge of the citizens’ database. Once that meeting is done, you, who lied to a woman that you will marry her, but ended up using and dumping her, be prepared, we are coming for you” he said.

 

 

Credit: LIB

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OPRAH WINFREY DEBUTS HER FIRST MAGAZINE COVER WITH HER BEST FRIEND OF 40 YEARS, GAYLE KING

Oprah Winfrey took it all back to where it all began as she posed for her first Oprah magazine cover with her best friend, Gayle King.

The billionaire media mogul said the reason her 40 years friendship with Gayle King has lasted without arguments or fallouts is because they’ve always been happy with their lives. According to Oprah, a true friend can’t be jealous of you or want to take advantage of you in any way.

She wrote as they covered Oprah Magazine September’s friendship issue;

 

I can’t tell you how many times people have introduced me to their best friends as, “She’s my Gayle.” The reason our friendship has worked for over 40 years, without arguments or fallouts, is that we’ve always been happy with our own lives. A true friend can’t be jealous of you, or want to take advantage of you in any way. Ever since we met in 1976, we’ve been doing the same thing. Listening. Talking. Laughing (a lot). Building dreams. Cheering. Being a shoulder to cry on. Speaking the truth. Being the truth. And now? Posing for our FIRST @oprahmagazine cover for September’s friendship issue.

 

Oprah Winfrey poses for her first magazine cover with her best friend Gayle King, reveals why their friendship has lasted since 1976

Credit: LIB
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YVONNE NELSON OPENS UP ON HOW SHE LOST A TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEAL JUST BECAUSE SHE WAS PREGNANT

Ghanaian actress and movie producer, Ynonne Nelson has shared the story of how she lost a telecommunications deal when she opened up to the company that she was few months pregnant. The mum of one shared the story while reacting to news of Kenyan Lawmaker, Zuleikha Hassan, who was thrown out of the Chambers for bringing her sick baby to work.

She wrote:

I’ll tell you mine, a telecommunication company dropped me because i came clean and told them i was pregnant, they wanted me to shoot an ad, told them i had 3 months more to go and assured them i could come to work right after! Guess what, the lady who called didn’t even say congrats she said ‘ sorry yvonne, the dynamics will change’ i was hurt! I was broken! All these and more made me stronger!! IM PROUD TO BE A MOTHER!!!! Best decision ever! I will forever WIN!!!!! #proudmum #woman #africa

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ZIMBABWEAN BORN, VIMBAI CHAPUNGUHE BECOMES FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO WIN MISS LONDON TITLE

Zimbabwean born Vimbai Chapungu has been crowned Miss London 2019 and is noted to be the first black woman to hold the title.

A Masters student at a top university in London, Vimbai has a passion for learning about the world and the people in it.

She hopes to use her platform to raise awareness about development issues and hopes to empower communities.

Vimbai, aged 24, recently took part in the Miss England Final held in Newcastle where the contestants underwent everything from a Sports Round and Talent Round to an eco-wear round and even a general knowledge quiz.

She qualified as one of the 50 finalists out of other 20,000 women that entered this year’s competition.

The winner was Bhasha Mukherjee, a 23-year-old junior doctor from Derby, who will now go on to compete at Miss World which is this year being held in London on Dec. 14.

As the first Black woman to have the Miss London title, Vimbai took advantage of this by wearing her natural hair during the Miss England finals to highlight natural beauty to the audience, where she was placed in the top 3 of 55 for the bare-faced model title.

Her Master’s thesis is about the Natural Hair Movement, which is a social phenomenon that seeks to empower Black women to wear their hair in its natural state, as opposed to chemically processing/relaxing their hair which has adverse health issues.

She also highlights in her dissertation, the negative connotations regarding natural hair in institutions, stating “Black hair is still being policed in today’s society, and it is only now that people are talking about it, thanks to the few women who have fought for the normalization of natural hair”.

Vimbai is also a co-director of a charity known as Blessed to ReachOut – which is currently working on a school-feeding programme and dormitory building project here in Zimbabwe. She hopes the children around the world have better access to education as “the most important thing is to provide a better chance for every child to make a difference in the world in his or her own way”.

 

 

 

Credit: fabwoman.ng

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In Interviews&profile By

“MANY PEOPLE THINK THE MEAT INDUSTRY IS A DIRTY JOB” – DERIN ELERAN

Derinsola, popular known as ‘Deerin Eleran” runs a meat shop named Deerin Meat And Food Product, a business she started after her sales girl ran off with all her savings. According to Derin, alot of people felt she was crazy to think she could thrive in a male dominated field, but Derin focused on her goal.
Before venturing into the meat business,  she had worked as a cabin crew,  customer service officer/Account Maintenance officer in First bank, and a Para-legal in a Law firm, and she is used the experience she gained from these sectors to run her company and become a successful Entrepreneur.
In this interview with Women of Rubies, she talks about her passion for making money and the plot twist moment that changed her narrative.
Childhood
I will say my childhood prepared me for what I do now. I have been surviving on my own since i was 9. I was not born with a silver spoon so I did any legitimate job in order to survive.
How I started the meat business
About two years ago, I was running a restaurant business and I usually got meat for some of my customers. One day I was at the abbatior and i told my goat meat vendor that I wanted to cut the meat by myself. He was shocked and he asked me if I had done it before and I said no but I was willing to learn, and that was it. Starting the meat business was not easy though. I just plunged into the business. My kids always inspire me also. I can’t afford to let them them to go through what I have gone through in life.
Inspiration
I can say my kids inspire me. They are very important to me. After l left my banking job, I got an offer with Access Bank but I was posted to the Head office while I was staying on the Mainland. I ended up not taking the offer because my kids would suffer for it. I chose my kids over my career. And also, the meat industry is a lucrative one, though people think it is a dirty job,  but like the saying “inu egbin lowo wa”😆.
Balancing my career and home front
Managing my business and single-handedly taking care of the kids hasn’t been easy but God has been faithful. I make sure my business doesn’t affect my kids and the home front.
Inspiration
Few years back, I left the banking industry and went into plaintain chips production. I wrote a post on Greenland asking to get a cutting machine at reasonable price. Sis Olu Bunmi and Sis Defunke Adewumi might remember this. God used three women to bless me. I was able to train about 50 people on how to make plantain chips, for free in other to give back to the society.
This act of kindness by women who didn’t know me from Adam  impacted my thinking and made me to want to do more. They encouraged me to be better.

Challenges
Part of the challenges I am currently experiencing as an entrepreneur is funding. The meat industry is a very big one and ROI is amazing. If there is capital for me to do this,  people will be amazed by how I will turn it over. Secondly, getting trustworthy staff is very challenging. Once bitten twice shy. In terms of manpower, I am facing some challenges too.
On giving up
I have never felt like giving up. I am my greatest critics and irrespective of the situation, I have never felt like giving up.
I Am a Woman Of Rubies
I am vigorous and confident because God is behind me. Because my calling is unique. And i am also an inspiration to a lot of youth,  both male and female. I have had several people mailing me for advice and guardian. I feel i have a pact to play.
Words of advice to women
My advice to young women out there is,  whatever you set out to do,  do it diligently. Do not pay attention to naysayers. Opinions will not pay your bills, nor feed you. Stop procrastinating,  just plunge in. If you have to go dirty,  go dirty! I mean dirty in accordance to God will. If it is akara (bean cake) you set out to sell,  sell it with pride. But please be distinct,  be unique,  be different from your contemporaries who are doing same thing as you.
Be shameless about your pursuit of greatness and God will crown your efforts. So plunge in now and do not procrastinate,  start NOW!!
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“GROWING UP, I FELT MEN WERE MONSTERS” – IFU ENNADA

Ennada pleaded for redemption as she narrated a scenario that played out in her head after she saw a ‘shirtless hot guy’ from her balcony.

The reality show star revealed that she suffered a variety of abuse in the hands of relatives, a former employer, people she trusted and also grew up in an environment where men beat their wives for no reason just to prove a point. All these took a toll on her and left thinking that men were monsters while growing up.

Ifu Ennada also revealed that sometimes she imagines herself having kids through a surrogate just so she won’t disrupt her life and future with the problems that come with being in a relationship with a man.

She wrote;

 

My people I think I legit need redemption. So this just happened – From my balcony I saw a shirtless hot guy and went “oh my goodness, this guy is sweet…” I started thinking of the things that could be, but in that same breath I quickly said “abeg nothing dey there jare, dis one go be like the rest.”
—
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When I went back inside I reflected on my actions and just marveled at how far I’ve come in blocking men out of my life. Do you know that sometimes I imagine myself having kids through a surrogate just so that I don’t disrupt my life and future with the problems that come with being in a relationship with a man?
—
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But can anyone really blame me? I grew to watching and hearing countless news of 72 year old men raping 3yrs old girls and getting away with it. Sadly, this is still a norm in my country. I grew up in an environment where men beat their wives for no reason just to prove a point – I still can’t tell what the point is. I have suffered a variety of abuse in the hands of relatives, a former employer and even people I trusted. As a young child everywhere I looked, the society made it seem like only men had the power to make wealth and even the women didn’t help… So how can anyone even blame me for the way that I am? —
—
Growing up I felt men were monsters, it also didn’t help that the government was/is run by mostly men who have eveything but good thoughts for Nigeria, so I was a very f*cked up kid even though I was/am a bright Star. I was a Rebel. —
—
I have been trying to make adjustments but I don’t think my redemption will happen in one day.

 

Growing up I felt men were monsters - Ifu Ennada

Credit: LIB
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“I WAS FORCED TO SIGN LETTER COUNTERING RAPE CASE AT GUNPOINT” — BUSOLA DAKOLO

Celebrity photographer, Busola Dakolo in a new report has revealed that the police forced her to sign their invitation letter at gunpoint.

While speaking in an interview with UK Guardian, Dakolo narrated how she was forced into a van by some armed men who mandated her to speak with their superior officer in Pidgin language.

She also recounted how she was handed a document containing allegations of “criminal conspiracy, falsehood, mischief and threat to life” to sign.

According to her, the contents of the letter were not levelled against Fatoyinbo but against her and her husband.

“One was holding a gun and the second, a letter. They told me they were from IG’s (inspector general of police) office in Abuja and that I needed to sign this letter and acknowledge it,” Dakolo said.

The incident, she said, occurred after a tinted mini bus followed her while she was driving into her home in Lagos.

“Our culture doesn’t allow speaking of these sorts of things against anointed men of God. They’d rather hide it, and the party that is being victimized tends to live with that self-blame,” she said.

“The damage on the survivor is extremely terrible but the society, the church, keeps sweeping things under the carpet.”

 

Credit: fabwoman.ng

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NIGERIAN DESIGNER, MOWALOLA OGUNLESI COMMISSIONED TO DRESS THE ICONIC BARBIE DOLL FOR 60TH ANNIVERSARY

Anyone who had a Barbie doll growing up was rightfully obsessed with dressing them up in different ways.

Now, Vogue has commissioned six young fashion designers to dress the icon in their signature style, with one of them being Nigerian designer, Mowalola Ogunlesi. 

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A post shared by Mowalola (@mowalola) on 

Mowalola launched her eponymous brand nearly two years ago, and has since styled Solange for Dazed Magazine; Skepta’s hazy “Pure Water” video; Nike’s Naija World Cup kit launch; and Grammy-winning rapper, Drake, who was spotted wearing a custom Mowalola jacket.

Now, for the brand’s latest dose of international acclaim, Mowalola got to dress Barbie in her signature style, which is best described as free-spirited. This certainly translates to Barbie’s latest look – a neon green tie-dye co-ord, which is a part of her S/S20 collection.

Speaking about her designs and her Barbie to Vogue, Mowalola said:

“Mine is a world where everyone is free in terms of what they wear, in terms of how they think, and my women aren’t threatened by anyone – they are taking back their power.”

She is a Mowalola superhero – strong, captivating and ready to have a really good time. I want to be wherever she’s going.”

Here’s a photo of the original Mowalola piece:

(Photo: Vogue/Mowalola)

 

Credit: konbini.com

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KAY OYEGUN TO SCRIPT MOVIE ADAPTION OF ‘CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE’

Last year, Nigerian-American author, Tomi Adeyemi‘s bestselling debut novel, Children of Blood and Bone had its film rights acquired by Fox/Disney, with award-winning Nigerian-American filmmaker, Rick Famuyiwa chosen to direct.

Well, the rather impressive streak of hiring Nigerian-American talent for the film continues, as Deadline reports that Nigerian-American writer, Kay Oyegun (This Is Us) has been tapped to pen the script for the upcoming movie.

(Photo: AWFJ)

The report goes on to say that the studio is looking at making this the first feature property to be produced by Lucasfilm since the Disney acquisition that isn’t part of the Star Wars or Indiana Jones franchise.

Children of Blood and Bone follows Zélie Adebola, who at six years old watched her mother get murdered. Ten years after the raid that made her an orphan and banished magic from her people, Zélie finally has a chance to make things right.

As for Oyegun, her star is certainly on the rise. Earlier this year, her feature spec, Assisted Living, was the subject of a bidding battle that was won by Paramount Pictures. Her work on This Is Usalso nabbed her the award for ‘Best Writing in a Dramatic Series’ at this year’s the NAACP awards.

The sequel, Children of Virtue and Vengeance, comes out on December 3.

(Photo: Fiercereads)

 

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