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HerVest: All About The New Funding & Mentoring Platform Designed To Support Women

Gaining startup capital  for a new business can be extremely challenging. Women are often cut out of lucrative venture capitalist funding, leaving them with few options to accumulate the funds they need to launch their new venture. HerVest is here to change the narrative, as it is set to to help  women gain independence with a platform to help fund their dream ventures.

HerVest is a female-focused financial inclusion tech platform that enables women to participate in key financial services such as savings, investment and credit particularly credit for Small Holder Women Farmers. Launched in August 2020,  with about 2000 women currently using HerVest on both demand and supply sides.

According to Solape Akinpelu, founder  and CEO of  HerVest; “We launched the initiative to improve women’s lives by giving them greater access to and use of financial services and technology , our mission is to reduce gender based abuse and violence while strengthening an overlooked demography to feed Africa and the world’.

To know more about HerVest, kindly visit website at www.hervest.ng , the mobile app is available on Android and iOS at www.hervestng.app.link respectively

 

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Practical Ways to Help You Overcome Postpartum Depression

The joy of every mother is to be able to create and establish a bond with their baby. However, if you find yourself withdrawn and unable to bond well with your partner and your baby, rapid mood swings, you find yourself feeling anxious and unable to sleep and eat properly and feelings of guilt or worthlessness overwhelm you and you find yourself preoccupied with the thoughts of death, you are suffering from postpartum depression.

So how do you overcome postpartum depression?
Speak to your doctor.

Speaking to your doctor about how you feel is the first step towards getting well. Your doctor will tell you’re suffering from postpartum depression and help you find a wellness plan such as medications, rest and or a support group of women who have gone through postpartum depression.

Seek the support of others.

Tell your partner exactly how you feel and how you want him to come in.

Let him know you need help and support and as much as you can, tell him the kind of support you need from him. Create a bond with your partner and work it out as a team.

If you have your family around you, let them in and seek their help and support.

Receive the support they are giving when they give it too.
Healthy social contacts and relations have shown to relieve stress faster than any other method of stress reduction.
Don’t keep to yourself. By all means, find a way to express your feelings – the good and the bad – to your friends and family and support group.
Find someone who can listen without being judgmental and talk to them.

Make yourself a priority

No, this is not you being selfish. It is just what it is, making yourself a priority. The more well you are physically and emotionally, the better you feel.
Forget about the house chores for now and focus more on yourself and your baby.

Exercise at least thirty minutes a day, it doesn’t have to be stressful, just a walk or stretch can do just fine. Exercise is just as effective as medications when it comes to treating depression so, work it out. Keep moving.

Get as much sleep as you can.

Yes eight hours sleep might not be feasible if we are to be realistic about the attention newborns deserve but you should also find time to rest and nap in between. Poor sleep only makes the depression worse and leaves you cranky, irritated and yelling at everyone including your baby.

Establish good eating habits as what you eat affects your mood a great deal. Feed on nourishing meals that have positive impacts on your mood and quality of your breast milk.
Avoid soda and caffeinated drinks, replace them with healthy drinks. Drink a lot of water. Eat fruits and vegetables in good amounts. 

Find and make quality time for yourself.

Do the things that make you happy, read a book, stay in the sun for a few minutes daily, get a massage and take a bubble bath.

Pamper yourself because you matter too.

If after doing all of these, you see no improvement, please see a therapist for a more professional help and solution.

 

 

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4 Natural Ways To Treat This Condition

Have you experienced Hairloss ? How did it make you feel?

Just like every other health conditions, hair loss doesn’t happen overnight.

It takes time, coupled with prevalent symptoms.

This is why it is believed that it’s possible to minimize or prevent the chances of going bald. Because taking note of its early signs, and doing the needful, can make the condition better.

That being said, the symptoms of hair loss include hair fall outs on your pillows when you wake up, an excessive breakage of hair when you comb or brush your hair.

And a definite change in hairline and thinning of the hair.

Be that as it may, it is important to note that these changes could mean different things; as it could be a sign of a serious medical condition.

Thus, it is advisable to seek a medical opinion whenever hair loss is experienced in other to be on the safe side.

However, if it is hereditary and you’re looking for a treatment that works without the side-effects of chemicals or medications, there are natural remedies to help reverse the condition.

Here are five natural home remedies for hair loss

1. Onion

Studies have shown that sulfur which is one of the vital components in promoting hair growth and preventing hair loss is richly present in onions.

And eating one to two raw onions every day can help tackle this condition.

Also, the condition can be checked by applying the fresh paste of onion juice on the bald areas, as it will help stimulates blood circulation and new hair growth.

2. Coconut milk

This is a trusted ancient remedy to regrow hair on the bald head. And it can be achieved by combining a mixture of 1/4 cup of coconut milk, two tablespoons of yogurt and one tablespoon of honey.

First, open up the hair follicles by washing the hair with warm water and then apply a thick layer of the paste on the scalp.

Leave for 15 minutes and then rinse off with cool water.

3. Garlic

And to make use of garlic for hair loss treatment, crush a few cloves of garlic and add coconut oil to it. Boil the mixture for a few minutes and let it cool down a bit before applying it to your scalp.

Let it rest on the hair for 30 minutes before washing off with warm water.

4. Egg

Studies have shown that egg has several ingredients that can help prevent or control hair loss. It is a rich source of sulphur and ahs phosphorous, selenium, iodine, zinc and protein.

The combination of these help promote hair growth.

However, to tackle hair loss with egg, take the white of one egg and mix in a teaspoon of olive oil. Then beat to give a paste-like consistency and apply to the entire scalp and hair.

Keep it on for about 15 to 20 minutes and then rinse with cool water and a mild shampoo.

Lastly, Nourish hair with protein

Unknown to most people, hair is made of a tough protein called keratin, which goes to say that our hair needs an adequate protein for hair growth and to strengthening the hair follicles as well.

You can nourish your hair with protein by combining one egg yolk with two tablespoons of lemon juice and a tablespoon of olive oil.

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Seunfunmi Toluwalase: Intersting Facts And Notable Places In Ibadan

Bower Memorial Tower

This amazing and extremely fascinating edifice was built in the honor of Captain Robert Lister Bower who was appointed as the minister for Ibadan city between 1893 and 1897 by the British Government. The tower building itself is 60 feet high and 11 feet square. Two entrances leads into it and in the inside is a spiral staircase that leads to the top of the tower. It is strategically located on the summit of Oke-Are, the highest hill in Ibadan, and from this tower, you can get a great view of Ibadan City.

The University of Ibadan Zoological Gardens

Established in 1948 initially with the purpose of serving as a menagerie supporting teaching and research, The University of Ibadan Zoological Gardens became a full fledged zoo in 1974. Home to a wide array of animals comprising mammmals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, the zoological garden is open seven days a week, all year round from 8 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. Many guided tours take place in the zoo, mostly by schools for educational purposes.

Agodi Gardens

You can choose to call it Agodi Botanical Gardens, it still does justice to this beautiful scenery. Agodi Gardens is an exquisite flora enclave in the center of Ibadan. The serene and calm garden has a mini zoo, lush gardens with different types of vegetation, and water parks and a lake. It also provides facilities such as swimming pool and play areas for children and spaces for picnics. The garden is open to visitors throughout the week. You can decide to chill at one of the several ‘huts’ where you get served ’emu’- a local wine tapped from the palm tree- and ‘asun’

If you’re a lover of nature, serenity and solitude, you’ll fall in love with this garden as quickly as you can’t imagine.

Mapo Hall

Built beside one of the prolific palaces of the old Olubadans, in between Oja Oba (the King’s Market) and Beere, the Mapo Hall is located on the Mapo Hill and it was built to serve as the main town hall for Ibadan. It was commissioned during the colonial era in 1929, The hall is renowned for its seven columns, probably depicting the seven hills upon which the ancient city was built on (who knows?). The hall was the venue of the coronation of some Ibadan kings, and it is also quite famous for being the site of political campaigns of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Mapo Hall has a mini-museum where visitors can see chains which were used on tax evaders.

The Ventura

Located at Old Aerodrome Road, Along Sango-UI Road, Samonda, GRA, Ventura mall is one of the shopping malls in Ibadan, the others being Jericho Mall (along Jericho GRA), Palms Mall (Ring Road), Heritage Mall and Cocoa Mall (both located in Dugbe).

The Ventura is a place to enjoy many fun filled activities, if you’re one that loves bubbly activities. It has a children’s game arcade, cinema, food courts and shopping malls. Recreational activities including watching movies, games such as bowling, and shopping can be enjoyed at the mall too. Standing regally and strategically at the main entrance to the mall is an artificial fountain that you’ll not but fall in love with.

Enjoy amala

Your visit to Ibadan is not complete if you leave this beautiful town without eating amala, a popular Yoruba food and the main dish of Ibadan people. You can have amala in places such as Iya Adijat at Adeoyo State Hospital Road (Popular Nigerian Hip Hop Artiste Davido visited this place on his tour of Ibadan and he attested to the savoury taste of the local delicacy) Ose Olohun on Bodija Road, Inastraight on Cultural Centre Road in Mokola, the legendary Àmàlà Skye at Agodi and Iya Dunni Food Canteen at Challenge Roundabout Oluyole, Ibadan.

Enjoy the nightlife

Whether you love noisy and bubbly atmosphere or a cool and serene environment, Ibadan conveniently combines these so that you can have all the fun you choose. Apart from sights to see and places to visit, there are several night clubs in Ibadan to enjoy the nightlife. You can have a relaxing evening with friends and enjoy drinks and music in places like Kokodome, close to Cocoa House, Apollo’s at Palms Mall, Switch on Ring Road, GQ Lounge, Option 24/7 at Ikolaba, Platinum nightclub at Awolowo junction, Bodija amongst several others.

‘Seunfunmi Toluwalase

Facebook : Seunfunmi TO

Twitter: @the_Seunfunmi

Instagram: @the_seunfunmi

Mail : multiseun@gmail.com

Photo credit: Yahoo Images

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Amanda Gorman Covers TIME’s “The Black Renaissance” Issue

American poet and activist Amanda Gorman captured the hearts of not just Americans, but the whole world, at President Joe Biden‘s recent Inauguration ceremony when she performed a stirring poem. And so, it’s no surprise that she’s gracing the cover of TIME’s latest Issue: “The Black Renaissance”, a special project created in collaboration with Ibram X. Kendi.

For TIME’s new cover, Amanda Gorman who was the first person to be named National Youth Poet Laureate joins former US First Lady Michelle Obama in a conversation about creativity, art, identity, optimism, the recent Inauguration among other things.

“We’re living in an important moment in Black art because we’re living in an important moment in Black life,” Gorman says. “What’s been exciting for me is I get to absorb and to live in that creation I see from other African-American artists that I look up to. But then I also get to create art and participate in that historical record,” Amanda says.

Read excerpts from their conversation below:

We’re here to talk about the current renaissance in Black art—this surge of creativity we’ve seen over the past six years or so. What do you make of calling this period a “renaissance”? And where do you see yourself within it?

We’re living in an important moment in Black art because we’re living in an important moment in Black life. Whether that’s looking at what it means politically to have an African-American President before Trump, or looking at what it means to have the Black Lives movement become the largest social movement in the United States. What’s been exciting for me is I get to absorb and to live in that creation I see from other African-American artists that I look up to. But then I also get to create art and participate in that historical record. We’re seeing it in fashion, we’re seeing it in the visual arts. We’re seeing it in dance, we’re seeing it in music. In all the forms of expression of human life, we’re seeing that artistry be informed by the Black experience. I can’t imagine anything more exciting than that.

You are part of a rising generation that isn’t afraid to call out racism and injustice when you see it. Your generation was out front at the Black Lives Matter protests last summer, and you were using your voices long before that to demand change. How do you think art fits into these larger social movements? Do you think about these things as you write?

Absolutely. Poetry and language are often at the heartbeat of movements for change. If we look to the Black Lives Matter protests, you see banners that say, They buried us but they didn’t know we were seeds. That’s poetry being marshaled to speak of racial justice. If you analyze Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, it’s a great document of rhetoric that’s also a great document of poetry, of imagery, of song. Never underestimate the power of art as the language of the people.

“The Hill We Climb” mentions your being a descendant of slaves. What role does poetry have to play in helping you make sense of our history?

I wanted to give the American people some access to myself. A lot of the inspiration for that came from your speech at the DNC in which you said, “I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves.” Poetry is the lens we use to interrogate the history we stand on and the future we stand for. It’s no coincidence that at the base of the Statue of Liberty, there is a poem. Our instinct is to turn to poetry when we’re looking to communicate a spirit that is larger than ourselves. Whenever I’m writing, I’m looking at the history of words. The specific history of words in the Inaugural poem was: We have seen the ways in which language has been violated and used to dehumanize. How can I reclaim English so we can see it as a source of hope, purification and consciousness?

What was your experience of the Inauguration itself? Were you able to listen to the performances and speeches, or were you just focused on what you came to do?

I was living in two spheres of my mind. There was the “Wow: Joe Biden’s speech was amazing. Lady Gaga just killed it.” But at the same time, 66% of my brain was dedicated to questions: “How am I going to get up to the podium without tripping? My hands are cold. Am I going to be able to flip these pages because my fingers are going numb?”

Do you have any advice for young girls, and Black girls in particular, who earn their way into the spotlight?

My question is do they have any advice for me. I’m new to this, so I’m still learning. I would say anyone who finds themselves suddenly visible and suddenly famous, think about the big picture. Especially for girls of color, we’re treated as lightning or gold in the pan—we’re not treated as things that are going to last. You really have to crown yourself with the belief that what I’m about and what I’m here for is way beyond this moment. I’m learning that I am not lightning that strikes once. I am the hurricane that comes every single year, and you can expect to see me again soon.

Excited about her cover, Amanda shared the news on social media to thank TIME for letting her grace the cover of its special issue. She wrote, “Wow, thank you @time for letting me grace the cover of your new special issue, “The Black Renaissance.”

Created in collaboration with @ibramxk , the issue includes a conversation between me and former First Lady @michelleobama (read our discussion at the link in bio). So proud to be part of an issue that highlights so many Black artists I’ve looked up to for years. As the edition says: “THE RENAISSANCE IS BLACK.”

Credits:

Photograph by @awolerizku for TIME. Fashion styling by @jasonbolden

Makeup by @autumnmoultriebeauty—@thewallgroup

Dress by @gretaconstantine

Jewellery by @khiryofficial

Read the full conversation on TIME.com.

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Temi Olajide: How To Help Your Kids Stop Fighting & Get Along Better

Siblings bickering and arguing can be frustrating and mentally exhausting for parents. Although disagreements between siblings may drive parents crazy, it teaches our kids how to deal with and resolve conflict at an early age. This will, in turn, help them handle conflicts in relationships outside of their immediate family as they become adults. Nevertheless, when it seems like your children can’t get along even for a minute, then you can try these tips:

Look after each child’s needs

Children feel valued if you make it clear that it’s not okay for younger children to mess up older children’s activities, and vice versa. Also, take time out to bond individually with each child, and, most importantly, try not to compare children with each other.

Praise their good behaviour

Notice and give positive feedback to your kids when they’re well behaved. When you tell children clearly and specifically what they’re doing well, you’re likely to see more of that behaviour.

Show children how to get along

You are your children’s number one role model. Your children will notice if you iron out differences without fighting. If you would like your children to figure things out calmly and respectfully, they have to see you doing this. If you would like them to be ready to apologize to others, they have to see you apologising too.

Coach your children

You are your children’s problem-solving coach. You should teach them the way to handle disagreements and guide them toward skills for managing angry feelings, negotiating, and playing fair. This is much better than having to step in when they’re brewing or even worse, being a referee who breaks up fights.

You can also try these tips whenever they start fighting:

Hold hands

Whenever you notice your kids fighting, call them to sit together and hold hands till they solve their issues. Before you know it, they’ll laugh and forget that they were fighting.

T-shirt co-operation

The idea is that you simply have an extra-large men’s t-shirt that the kids must wear together until they stop bickering. Older kids can even be made to do chores while crammed within the t-shirt together. While the shirt is on, speak to them about how things work better once they agree to work together (trust me, if they need to try to do anything while wearing one shirt, they have no choice but to work together.)

Job bottle

Think of about a dozen chores. Write them on small strips of paper. Laminate them or cover with tape so that it can’t get mangled. Explain to your kids that each time a fight breaks out they all have to pick a job out from the job bottle. They don’t get to choose, they only grab one. When the squabbling starts, just calmly say, “job bottle.”

Hug it out

One time, I made my kids hug and told them they had to continue to hug each other until they stopped being mad at one another. I found them laughing at their situation because they were physically locked together. After that, ‘I love you’ and ‘I’m sorry’ would follow.

Give them a problem to solve together

You can try giving your kids a puzzle to solve together to stop them from arguing. When they finish that, give them a harder one. Solving puzzles together encourages them to get along, rely on each other, and help one another.

Finally, it may help to remember that a certain amount of bickering and fighting is normal and even healthy in your children’s relationships with each other. Try some of these ideas and see if one works for you.

Remember, consistency is key. When you find a solution that works for your kids, continue with it. I’m confident that you’ll see a marked improvement in how your children get along.

Do you have any tips to ensure your kids get along? Feel free to share.

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6 Ways To Deal With Sexual Urges In A Celibate Relationship

Self-discipline is one of the biggest test in every relationship, especially one void of intimacy. The truth is Celibacy goes against the grain of bodily desires.As a [young] adult, your body is wired to crave sexual release and the fact that your mind becomes tuned to celibacy does not mean your body will be.

There will be times when it will be nearly impossible to keep the sexual urges under control.

So when you find yourself in situations like this, what doe you do? Here are seven useful tips that could help you out.

1. Don’t dwell on it

It’s impossible to not have flashes of sexual desire every now and then but because you do not want to have sex, you need ways to drown out the thoughts. It’s easier to abstain from what you are not thinking about. So try to not dwell too much on it.

It probably won’t be easy. But it’s what you signed up for.

2. Get busy

Invest yourself into something that requires your time, dedication, energy and all. The busier you are, the easier it will be to get lost in activities and forget about yourself and the urges, even if momentarily.

There’s a reason why they say an idle mind is the devil’s workshop, remember? You have to always use your sense.

3. Guard your space

Keep to the barest minimum anything that will lessen your inhibitions and trigger the desire for sexual contact. Movies, clips, photos, people, etc.

Mind you, spending time with your partner will also sometimes trigger this desire. Your discipline will especially be most tested in these periods.

4. Know when to run

Never trust yourself with dangerous situations. Better avoid the situations than try to stop the action midway through it.

You know what they say; na from clap dance dey start.

Women chatting [Credit: Black New Zone]Women chatting [Credit: Black New Zone]

5. Talk to someone

Yeah, it could be quite awkward to ask one or two married people you know if they waited for sex before marriage.

But then, if you somehow know someone who managed to abstain from sex before tying the knot, talk to him or her. It’d require some kind of close relationship to get to the point of speaking about something as intimate as this but if you’re lucky to have such person, ask them how they did it.

Their solutions could come in handy for you.

6. Discipline

The truth is that none of these things mentioned above will completely, absolutely take away the urges. There can be nothing to take that away as it is a natural phenomenon which, to an extent, even confirms your healthiness.

At some periods it could be quite a real struggle to rein it all in; but then again, putting these urges under control is the very underpinning idea of celibacy and you must have known that before embarking on this kind of relationship. This is why the need for sexual discipline cannot be overemphasized.

Waiting while dating is wholly an exercise in self-discipline and above all other things, this is what you need most. Restraint, discipline, a mental fortitude to keep your eyes on the goal is the most supreme here. Foreplay is very important

7. Will it be worth it in the end?

Never forget to keep asking yourself this question, and reminding yourself of the real reason why you decided to abstain from sex before marriage.

Constantly reminding yourself of this reason will also help keep your urges at bay. It’s like setting a personal target and meeting it.

You’ll be happy with yourself, and feel a sense of pride and satisfaction if you see it through. And again, all struggles you overcome make you stronger, right?

Source: Pulse Ng

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AWP Network Selects Women Entrepreneurs To Supply ShopRite Nigeria

The AWP Network Initiative has unveiled Patience Salifu of CondimentPlus, Ogola Lois Kange of Smiley’z Mobile Kitchen, Olufunmilola Shelika of Gef’s Smoked Edibles, Ebun Feludu of JAM – The Coconut Food Company, Chigozie Bashua of The Nutplace Ventures, Patrick Karunwi of Kalos Agro Homes, Boma Whyte of Kringle Cookies, and Chidimma Uzoma-Mba of Zayith Yogurt as selected vendors to supply ShopRite Nigeria.

The competitive AWP Network Vendor programme, which launced last year on July 15, 2020, received over 2,500 vendor applications. Only 100 vendors were accepted into the programme, while 61 vendors were certified to complete the programme and received the opportunity to pitch their products to ShopRite Nigeria. The programme in collaboration with ShopRite provides a real life opportunity for women entrepreneurs in Nigeria to get their products out into the marketplace.

The AWP Network Vendor programme will continue to work with small business owners who are interested in operating as suppliers, by working to recruit additional retailers as partners. The AWP Network also plans to invest more in food manufacturing and innovative programs.

Mary Olushoga, Founder of the AWP Network states, “Clearly, we see that this is a competitive program however, we need to do more to improve and increase a healthy food supply chain pipeline. Congratulations to the vendors accepted and approved to supply to ShopRite.”

In addition to pitching to ShopRite Nigeria’s Head of Procurement, Dawid Moelich; program participants also got the opportunity to pitch to Shimite Bello, Executive Assistant on Export Initiatives and Coordinator at the Delta State Government Unido Center, and Adaorie Udechukwu, Gender Specialist at the IFC.

The AWP Network vendor programme aims to increase the number of women entrepreneurs who supply to large retailers in a strategic manner. The AWP network Vendor program is a capacity building program for local vendors seeking professional guidance regarding best practices and guidelines to become vendor suppliers.

To date, the programme has hosted several expert speakers to include Habeeb Gbenle, Investment Association at Lofty Inc. Capital Management, Ini Abimbola, founder of ThistlePraxis Consulting Limited, Funkola Odeleye, co-founder of DIY Law Nigeria, Jessica Pinard, Raw Materials Specialist, Chinedu Enekwe, founder of Aux21 Capital, Annabel Kamuche, Managing Director at Nicert Limited, Jessica Hope, founder of Wimbart PR, Jola Ayeye, Screenwriter and Producer, Tobi Oreoluwa, Founder and Creative Director of Alaga Collections, Lisa Ebere, Founder of The Digitalist, Stephanie Anyamele, Managing Director of Charles Ardor & Co, Oluwatosin Olaseinde, Co-founder of Money Africa, Dr. Stella Ejiofoh-Alli, Organic Farmer and Gbemisola Oni, Performance Coach.

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Gbonjubola Abiri :‘Don’t Be Pressured By Other Women Who Seem To Have It All Together’

Dr. Gbonjubola Abiri is a Consultant Psychiatrist, Managerial Psychologist, Professional Speaker and the Medical Director of Tranquil and Quest Behavioral health, Lagos. She is co-author of the book Mental Health in the Workplace. A Fellow of the West Africa College of Physicians (WACP), member of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), the Employee Assistance Professional Association (EAPA) and the American Psychiatric Association (APA), she has received trainings from the King’s College London, the University of Washington and the prestigious Harvard University, Boston USA. Passionate about research in child and adolescent forensic, women’s mental health, and occupational mental health, Abiri is driven by the holistic view to health. She also uses her knowledge in Psychiatry and Psychology to influence and maximize effectiveness and productivity in the workplace via the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). A Director of Women’s Mental Health at the ASIDO Foundation, she currently volunteers with the Lagos State COVID-19 Psychosocial Response Team in the fight against the pandemic. She also works with the THR media, as a Consultant Psychiatrist, as well as Sexual and Gender Based Violence Advocate. In this interview with IJEOMA THOMAS-ODIA, she shares her drive for mental health and advocacy.

What endeared you to psychiatry?
The vulnerability of the young was the first source of fascination that spurred my interest in Psychiatry. As a child, I had suffered from Asthma; I had many attacks resulting from my frailty as a child and my inability to properly care for myself.

When I presented to Doctors, they barely had the patience to allow me express my symptoms or how exactly I felt. I was challenged to bridge that divide by becoming a ‘listening Doctor.’ I also noticed that as I grew older, people found it comfortable to speak and discuss with me concerning the issues that bothered them. They often expressed their relief after having such conversations.

You currently champion the cause of mental health, what led to this passion?
My passion for mental health was inspired by the need to fill the gap of lack of care for mentally ill persons. Mental health is clearly not given the attention that it deserves, in spite of the associated mortality, morbidity and reduced quality of life. The general perception, attitudes, language and behaviour towards persons with mental health conditions are often those of shame, stigma and discrimination. These attitudes impact negatively on the patient’s perception of themselves and their help-seeking behaviour.

Mental health is extremely important as it has impact on all aspects of our health; our ability to engage in productive activities, cope with the normal stresses of life, contribute our quota to the environment we live in and engage in thriving relationships. We all have a role to play in ensuring mental health for all.

How would you describe your journey so far?
My journey has been a beautifully challenging and rewarding one. My father, who is a Medical Doctor himself, inspired me early enough in life to toe the path of saving lives. In medical school, I took an elective course in 500 Level in Psychiatry at the University College Hospital, Ibadan. It was not commonplace at the time to leave school to go for such a course, but I insisted on having that exposure.

While there, I met one of my greatest influences in person of Prof Olayinka Omigbodun. Working with patients has been extremely rewarding as lives are impacted. My work ensures that patients live their best lives in spite of their illnesses. My work has ensured that mental health is spotlighted, and that mental health conversations are normalised. It has ensured that suicides are prevented; mental illnesses are well managed, and that parental, familial and marital relationships are restored. It has indeed been so fulfilling seeing this turn around. The success stories make the journey worthwhile and fulfilling; this of course makes me want to do more.

Could you share with us some of your activities in your cause for stable mental health?
I am involved and engaged in creating mental health awareness, advocacy and education via my social media platforms and on various print and electronic media. I make use of cartoons, animations and illustrations in indigenous languages to discuss pertinent mental health issues.

In May last year, which is the Mental Health month, I embarked on a 31-for-31 day campaign where distinguished personalities across different walks of life discussed mental health issues in order to enlighten others based on their experiences and expertise. I utilise my expertise and serve as member of the advisory council of Joy Inc, Director of Women’s Mental Health at Asido Foundation and co-founder of the THR media, which focuses on survivors of Sexual and Gender Based violence. I also give mental health talks to a diverse population including children, adolescents, women, men, religious and cooperate organisations on mental health and wellbeing. I currently run a social media series called the ‘#waitaminutewithDrG’ where I deliver pertinent mental health tips in a minute. I also serve as Consultant Psychiatrist and Medical Director at Tranquil and Quest Behavioral Health, a premier mental health and substance abuse facility.

In your years of practice, what do you consider issues women face that affect their mental health?
Quite a number of factors impact on women and their mental health causing pressures. Some of these include women’s multiple roles, personal and societal expectations regarding marriage, childbirth, parenting and career, exposure to trauma in childhood, domestic violence, body image issues, issues of self-esteem, self perception and self doubt as well as severe life events that cause a sense of loss, inferiority and humiliation. These factors increase the risk of mental health problems such as mood disorders, anxiety disorders, sleep, eating and sexual problems, psychosis, personality disorders as well as substance use disorders.

What is your view about the appreciation of psychiatry in Nigeria especially as it relates to mental health and mental illness?
Mental health and mental health conditions are not given the attention they deserve as they are looked at largely through the lens of religion and culture, which have continued to cloud our judgment with ignorance, stigma and discrimination. In Nigeria and even in 2021, individuals are unlikely to visit healthcare professionals for care at the first instance of a mental illness. Instead, they would visit religious organisations, as the belief is that mental illnesses are as a result of spiritual attacks.

Science has however dispelled most of these myths and misconceptions, as there is more awareness and understanding of the pathophysiology of mental health conditions with causation being linked to biological, psychological and social sources. This is why I have continued to engage in enlightenment, as it is necessary to dispel the myths surrounding mental health and mental health care, as well as change the health seeking behaviour.

Share with us your activities as a volunteer with the Lagos state COVID-19 psychosocial response team?
I have always enjoyed volunteering for causes I am passionate about. It’s such as altruistic act and a way to give back. I have always been motivated by John Bunyan’s saying that ‘you have not lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you’ and so when the call to volunteer for the COVID-19 psychosocial team came, I heeded it.

Our work in the psychosocial team was largely to provide emotional and psychological support via the telephone for patients from the point of testing positive, to isolating at home or being treated at the hospital, to when they were discharged and continued to need psychological support. We also provided psychological support and training to frontline healthcare workers who were in charge of the patients.

What is your advice to women trying to find a balance in their lives?
Harmony is the new balance. Trying to put too much effort into ‘balancing’ their lives such that work, career, managing relationships and other interests and hobbies get equal parts is not realistic. While work-life balance sees work and life as equally distinct parts, that co-exist and thrive separately, work-life harmony encourages that you look at all areas as part of a whole. It also encourages that you work at synergising all the parts.

It is important for women to identify the areas of their lives and find what work-life harmony means to them personally. Don’t be pressured by other women who seem to have it all together. Be encouraged by them, but not feel inadequate Just ensure that you are a continuous work in progress and that you also make efforts to outsource and ask for help when needed.

How do you balance family and career fronts?
Creating a harmony between family and career, especially in a field that is highly demanding, and lacking in professionals can be indeed tough. The occurrence of the COVID-19 increased rates of mental health conditions and domestic violence. It also led to an increment in virtual meetings, and working from home (WFH) creating a work-hour blur.

Interestingly, my work didn’t reduce and so while everyone was at home during the quarantine period, my team and I worked everyday to ensure our patients got the best care. We also had the added work of doing online sessions. This of course had its effects on personal and family life.

It takes a deliberate decision, effort and action to ensure that I am able to spend time engaging in fun activities and creating memories with my family. There is a lot of dedication to ensure that they also get quality time and attention from me. Learning to outsource certain duties and not feeling like I am superwoman and have to do everything also helps. Plus I carry my family along with my work and decisions as this ensures they are in the loop about my decisions. And of course, sometimes, I shut out the world, by turning off my devices so that I can be mindful and enjoy the seemingly little things and the joy they bring.

Interview By Ijeoma Thomas-Odia for Guardian

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I’m Determined To Stop The Practice Of Female Genital Mutilation – Ikanna Okim

There are many emerging female leaders in Nigeria, young women who are breaking boundaries, against all odd, to make their voices count. Ikanna Okim is one of them. A phenomenal woman, she believes she is equipped with everything needed to make a difference in the world. Ikanna is the movement leader of the No-FGM campaign against female genital mutilation in Akwa Ibom State communities where the practice is rampant. A student leader, she is currently the President of the LAWSAN Bar Association, University of Uyo Chapter. Teennation Country Lead for Nigeria and Head of Legals, Ikanna is a prolific writer and has authored five books, which have reached over 1,400 young people in Nigeria. As a result of her commitment to correcting social ills, she was conferred the honour of a Fellow of the African Young Leadership Fellowship in 2018 and in 2020, she made it to the nominee list of Community servants in Akwa Ibom State. She also acquired certifications from different institutions around the world, including University of Sheffield, United Kingdom, Negotiation studies certificates from University of California, Irvine Extension, and Yale University. A child of God and a preacher of the gospel of Jesus, her life principles are integrity, responsibility, and transparency. She shares her inspiring journey in this interview.

Growing Up

I tell people that if everyone was raised in my home, they may never get to see the sad realities of gender inequality existent in the world today. I was brought up in an African home of average social class. My dad is an ace journalist and my mum is a civil servant. We live in Lagos, Nigeria. I have a sister and a brother and my parents never made us feel like we were different – I mean the girls from the boy. I grew up with confidence, more confidence than my peers in school and church. My dad, especially, made me know that I could be anything at all that I wanted to be. My brother could wash plates and I would be trying to fix a bulb. No gender roles. I always came out first right from nursery school as much as I can remember. I never was intimidated by the boys in my class. I could argue with my dad on an issue. I was allowed to have a different opinion.
This is to say that my upbringing gave me zero preparation for the realities outside. Imagine the shock I had to see that the world thinks I’m a second-class human because I am a woman. I was shocked. I once got into a public bus when I went to Uyo for my tertiary education and I came down for a man to enter inside because my bustop was close by – just the next actually. The man became furious. He made a statement I can never forget. When people were begging him to just enter so we could move. He said “God forbid that I would sit inside for a woman, a small girl for that matter”. Wow. You can imagine. I have had many more sad experiences like that.

I can however say that my upbringing helped me develop an unshakeable confidence in myself and I gladly pass it on to other women who did not have the opportunity to grow up with the confidence I grew up with. This makes me feel like a woman on a mission. Other women have to come out of their shells and show the world the stuff they’re made of.

Inspiration behind NO-FGM campaign

I generally started having detestation for violence against girls from 2016 when I founded Fingerprints Group to engage my peers and help them build capacity to fight social issues. We evolved into doing projects concerning the girl child in secondary schools. We went from teaching girls confidence to teaching them how to defend themselves against rape through our #SheDefence series in 3 states in Nigeria. While interacting with these girls, I met girls who were circumcised in cities like Lagos! I could not sleep! The whole genitalia area off! In this time and age! Ha.

I felt heartbroken. Those conversations drove me to make more inquiries and to my shock, people in Uyo local government of Akwa Ibom state, where I am from and where I school, still mutilate their girls. I also discovered that it is still being practised in Oron, Uruan and Itu local governments of the same state in Nigeria.

It is true that the rate of female genital mutilation has reduced in Africa as compared to the situation in ancient times but that is not enough. That it is still being practised, despite laws prohibiting it, is a problem.
I needed people to first come to the realisation that this practice of female circumcision is still going on. By my research, it is prevalent among illiterates in Nigeria and the illiterate population in Nigeria is about 40%. So, you can imagine what these people do to their daughters.
I saw a need to get words out there to those people who do not read or write English, in the languages they understand that Female Genital Mutilation is evil.
Yes, we have many laws which prohibit female circumcision but how can one implement the laws? It is impossible to go round from house to house to tell girls “open your legs, let’s see whether you have been mutilated”. If you’re waiting for the victims to report, that’s far from possible because they don’t even realise that they’re victims in the first place. The custodians of a culture cannot report it. Also, the effect of the laws would only punish offenders and do little to prevent it. I saw that the solution to this problem is a mindset shift. I needed to help people think and see for themselves that they were killing their daughters.

That’s how I formed a team and took to the streets and market places to preach the No-FGM gospel. I also wrote and published a prose fiction to keep driving this conversation around the world and make people know that girls in Nigeria are still being mutilated. This is how I get people to join their voices with mine to save the girl-child.

Impact of My Work In the  Communities I Serve 

My work against Female Genital Mutilation has gone beyond what I saw, even though this is a long-term project. Changing people’s mindset is not drastic. It takes time, especially if they feel they can get away with whatever they do with their own families. Afterall, it’s their daughter, not yours.

Speaking of impact, let me begin from the 5-hour street/market campaign we did to begin the campaign in 2019. We printed fliers in pictures, Ibibio language, English language, pidgin English and every language an average person in Uyo can understand. We also made use of public address systems and aids.

The first thing which made me realise that our work counted was when a woman in the market told me that she was going to circumcise her daughter the following day but she would not because she had changed her mind because of the campaign. She didn’t know that there were dangers to FGM. I shed tears after she said so. One girl was saved. From that day, we had the fire to go on. We have had some positive reponses too. Many people told us that they never knew that FGM had long term effects so they promised never to mutilate their children (again).

I published Black Syrma and kept conversations going on online. I recently republished Black Syrma to push it to a wider audience. When it comes to awareness work, you cannot really match numbers to impact because not everyone provides feedback on what your campaign did to change their minds but that one woman at the market on the first day and the other feedbacks we had proved to me that something is changing in people’s minds.

I recently saw a United Nations report of the elders of a village in Ebonyi state renouncing the practice of female genital mutilation. That’s a stride. Ebonyi state has always had anti-FGM laws but that renouncement by the elders had much weight. That’s the voice of the people saying “No more FGM”.
We are working towards having that in Akwa Ibom. People threatened to pour water on us to send us away for preaching No FGM but things like that don’t deter us. They make us stronger.

Being The President Of A Bar Association In My University, And Managing Everything I Do

I have always been multitasker. At a point, I thought it was a problem because it was difficult to face one thing and do it. When I was younger, when people said they wanted to be a this or that, I couldn’t say it because I had about 10 things in mind that I wanted to be and could be. I recently learnt that it’s not a defect. It’s a super power and super powers should be managed. I cut down on some things according to priority so anything I do now is because I consider it highly important. So, I don’t spread myself too thin but I do everything that I manage to do and do them excellently too.

By God’s grace and without being immodest, I can say that I am an excellent student. I have won 4 major academic excellence awards while in school, even with all the non-academic work that I do.

Something that has helped me which I cannot fail to mention is my journalling life. I am in love with my journals. I have about 3 journals now which I run at the same time. They serve different purposes. In my journals, I write my goals, tick the ones I’ve achieved; I write my fears and my challenges; I write my daily to-do lists. This makes me the boss of my time and life. When I complained to a friend about losing control of my time and I said I don’t have my time any more, he said, “24 hours are enough, Ikanna. Time is a gift from God. You don’t squander gifts”. That has stayed with me. That was how I developed my journal culture. I am in charge of my time. Even my friends know that they cannot barge into my schedules and distort my day’s plans. I live a highly organised life.

Challenges of my work

I do a lot of work – leading LAWSAN Bar, Teenagers at Teennation, No-FGM campaign, Authoring, Mentorship, School work, helping women and girls and so on; but I would like to talk about my work with girls. This is because my major challenge falls in here.

Working to help and protect girls involves a lot of emotions. By research, reaching out or following up a case, I get to interact with victims of abuse. Their stories cut through my heart. Imagine carrying the baggages of many helpless girls at a time. It could hurt and be so destabilizing. Sometimes, I just cry to relieve myself of some hurt. I also pray a lot. That has helped me. I’m a very spiritual person. I am born again in Christ. So I pray and receive the assurances that all will be well and that God has made me a solution provider.

My  view of the legal system in Nigeria

We have a long way to go. I acknowledge how far we have come and the improvements made. I celebrate laws like the Discrimination Against Persons With Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act and other ground-breaking laws which I have come to find useful in the course of my work.

However, the archaic nature of some procedures is worrisome. We need to be able to allow lawyers to start filing cases online from the lowest courts to the highest. My senior friends in other countries tell me how easy this is over there. There is a pandemic. This is enough reason to start putting those structures in place. Also, laws like the Evidence Act should be amended to reflect our present day digital realities.

Furthermore, many times in Nigeria, we have experienced sheer neglect of our laws. Why do we have laws if they would not be kept? We were taught that law is blind and so does not look at the person or his social class. But this is not true of the justice system in Nigeria today.

There’s a lot to complain about in the Nigerian legal system but I believe that there will be a change and the change has started.

3 Women Who Inspire Me To Be Better and Why

My three super women remain the same. I talk about them everywhere:

Dr. Utibe Alex-okoro. A medic and my big sister. She’s my only sister actually. I love the way she sets standards for me without speaking. She shows me how to live by doing it. My sister is not one to talk on and on about being strong. What she does is to be strong. I watch and learn.

Mmanti Umoh. I met her when I could not find my way around my long term goals. She came in and helped me through and has been my friend since then. Her life is a great example of walking on hot water to get to wherever you want to go. She inspires me to never give up.

Indra Nooyi, former CEO of Pepsi Co. I started following her last year and I’ve been a great follower since then. She represents the reality of women at the work place and succeeding nonetheless. I see her as the ideal woman in Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead. That’s a book that changed my mind about many things. I want to meet Indra one day.

Being a  Woman of Rubies

I am an outstanding woman. I can go on and on about what I have and what I have achieved but what makes me a woman of rubies is not all of that. It is the fact that there is no other person like me in this world. I am unique, with all my weaknesses too. My weaknesses are beautiful.

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