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‘The strong Black women who have inspired me’ – Andrea Lawful

Andrea Lawful-Sanders is a wife, mother, writer for the Philadelphia Sunday Sun and founder of A Lawful Truth Enterprises. She loves helping to develop children and adults into the best versions of themselves. 

According to Whyy, she wrote an essay about women who have inspired her journey.

Growing up on the tiny island of Jamaica in the late 1960s, the message I received from observing the adults was this: men have all the power and women are their accessories.

I knew my place as a young girl, which meant speaking only when spoken to. But I was naturally inquisitive, so I didn’t always adhere to that rule. As such, I got in trouble often.

But the trouble was worth it.

I was exerting my independence at a time when every girl my age was afraid to talk back.

My bravado frightened and confused my mother, who believed nothing good could result from me being so fearless.

At the tender age of six, I made a vow to always be myself, no matter the consequences. I then began to identify role models who could inspire my journey. Luckily, I didn’t have to look far.

My no-nonsense mother was my first hero.

She and my father ran the household like a well-oiled machine while also raising four daughters.

I was the daughter who often tested my mother’s patience.

Nonetheless, she remained steadfast in loving me. And she taught me how to embody all the social graces of womanhood.

At age 9, after learning many of the family recipes, my mother guided me in preparing my first full-course meal.

I cook all the time now.

Undoubtedly, my love for cooking is linked to the time spent in the kitchen with my mother.

On my kitchen wall, today hangs pictures of two more of my heroes: Nanny of the Maroons and Harriet Tubman.

Nanny of the Maroons — the spiritual, cultural and military leader of the Windward Maroons whom I learned about in Caribbean History classes — is the only female national hero in Jamaica.

She was a fierce woman who led a group of formerly enslaved Africans through a multi-year war against British colonizers.

Legend has it that Queen Nanny caught bulletswith her bare hands!

The photographs of Queen Nanny and Harriet Tubman, the radical American abolitionist who freed dozens of slaves, serve as a daily reminder of what I am capable of as a woman when I act with bravery.

Click here to read full story.

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Japan’s central bank gets its first woman executive director in 138 years

Japan’s central bank just appointed its first woman executive director in 138 years.

Tokiko Shimizu, a 55-year-old banker, was appointed as part of a sweeping reshuffle at the Bank of Japan, becoming one of a team of six executives responsible for running the central bank’s daily operations.

Women make up 47% of the central bank’s workforce but only 13% of senior managerial posts and just 20% of expert positions dealing with legal affairs, payment systems and bank notes, according to the bank’s own data.
Women have been represented on its policy board — the highest decision-making body responsible for setting monetary policy —since it was established in 1998. But only one of the board’s nine members is a woman, and the bank has never had a woman governor, unlike the Federal Reserve or European Central Bank.
Over the past decade, demographic challenges and the growing number of women in higher education has slowly begun to change Japan’s male-dominated management structures.
But while women account for 51% of the Japanese population, according to 2018 World Bank data, the country is ranked 121 out of 153 countries in the World Economic Forum’s latest global gender gap index.
The country also ranks at the bottom among the G7 countries for gender equality, according to the WEF, despite Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s pledge to empower working women through a policy called “womenomics.”

Shimuzu started working for the Bank of Japan in 1987. She took up roles in the financial markets division and in foreign exchange operations, and was general manager for Europe and chief representative in London between 2016 and 2018.

 

Credit: CNN

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Yes, I Insist That #ChinaMustPay Africa Damages for COVID-19

Oby Ezekwesili is not backing down, and has re-fired her belief that China should pay African countries for the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Click China Must Pay if you missed reading her previous article.

In their prickly reaction to my April 16 Washington Post #ChinaMustPay article (a response published in the Guardian Newspaper of May 3, 2020), the Government of China through their Embassy in Nigeria missed the opportunity to responsibly address the serious issues raised.

I must repeat that Africa deserves to be paid a compensation for the damages COVID-19 pandemic is inflicting on lives and livelihoods.

Unfortunately and unfairly, my country, Nigeria, is one of fifty-four countries in Africa that are struggling to respond to the disruptive effects of China’s failure to take responsibility for a pandemic that could have been easily contained and localised to avoid the ruin it has caused our continent and the world at large.

Since Beijing failed to adhere to basic scientific and research transparency in the critical early days of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, it must accept responsibility with humility.

Therefore, a legitimate demand for accountability and payment of penalties by rich and powerful countries for damages their behaviours do to vulnerable people ought not to attract the kind of sour response China released.

There are six points that authorities in Beijing ought to humbly consider.

First, it is now clear to the world that China’s opaque handling of the pandemic is costing my country, our continent and people too much in lost lives and livelihoods. The unjustified suffering of the poor and vulnerable brought on by the actions of a comparatively rich and powerful country demands a new system for addressing global inequities.

I maintain that information in the public domain points to the fact that China suppressed vital information from the rest of the world on COVID-19.

The burden to present convincing counter-factual information lies with China and,so far, it has failed to do so.

Second, I assert again that China owes Africa yet-to-be-estimated compensation.

Its acts of negligence in December and early January resulted in a fast-spreading global pandemic that collapsed the continent’s economic growth from 2.9% in 2019 to negative 5.1% in 2020.

Most importantly, China should, in the interim, take responsibility and ease the severe fiscal pressure on our countries, by announcing a cancellation of over $140bn in loans its government, contractors and banks have advanced to Africa over the last two decades.

Following this debt cancelation, an international consortium made up of the G20, China, Africa Union Commission and global institutions like the United Nations, World Bank and IMF should be constituted to assess the full extent of damages and the compensation due.

Third, Chinese authorities should know that we are Africans who are not lackeys of any power.

Laying a baseless charge of “dancing to the tune of others” to an African reveals an appalling mindset toward our continent. It may in fact be this same sort of attitude that frames the extremely offensive profiling of Africans who are resident in China.

We do not dance to the drumbeat of any country or any continent — our sole tune is the African Beat.

Fourth, the spirit of transparency ought to be in China’s own interest.

It is intriguing that Beijing has so far failed to embrace my suggestion to allow an Independent International Panel of Experts to review and assess China’s handling of the COVID19 pandemic. Why? Is China afraid of full disclosure that can help the world learn vital lessons on how to manage global threats and risks better?

Fifth, this global New Normal requires faster prevention of cross-border risks and threats. The best antidotes to minimize global negative externalities that harm the weak and vulnerable are absolute transparency and removal of information asymmetries by countries.

As part of this New Normal, the global community has a duty to learn and correct past failures to penalize bad behavior. My #ChinaMustPay article is a call therefore to innovate global mechanisms that compel countries to start now to do the right things whenever risks and threats emerge.

Innovation is what China rode on to economic greatness. What then is wrong with asking for such as a legitimate part of our global New Normal?

Sixth, it should be in China’s historic and conscientious national interest to prevent future exploitation of vulnerable countries by economic superpowers. I did acknowledge previous global risks that similarly emanated from other rich and powerful countries and injured Africa’s economic growth and development.

I find it hard to believe that China, given its history and experience with colonial mistreatment, would want this cyclical pattern to continue. Do the authorities in Beijing really want Africans to simply accept harmful actions of rich and powerful countries?

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in an April 2020 report on coronavirus pandemic stated that “over 300,000 Africans may lose their lives due to COVID-19.” According to the Africa Union Commission, the coronavirus is already collapsing many economies in Africa and worsening poverty.

Already, the livelihoods of hundreds of millions on the continent, especially children, young people and women are already lost to the damaging economic disruptions caused by COVID-19.

The IMF calls the impact of the pandemic on Africa as “the worst reading on record”. It went further to state that Africa’s “Fiscal space is limited, and fiscal financing needs to address the crisis are large – at least $114 billion for this year”.

International rating agencies have massively downgraded the credit ratings of African countries making investors more skittish.

I proposed a penalty system in the form of a Global Risk Burden Tax that will from now be payable to weaker and more vulnerable countries and their people whenever forced to bear a disproportionate burden from preventable global risks that emanate from rich and powerful countries.

Such a penalty tax would also serve as a disincentive to prevent the kind of unbecoming actions and decisions that escalated the spread of the deadly virus out of Wuhan.

China must know that where our lives and livelihoods are concerned, no country, regardless of how powerful it may be, can intimidate us Africans ever again.

Beijing should do the right thing now and accept the debt it owes Africa as a result of its failures on COVID-19. That is how responsible world powers should behave in the 21st Century if they are to be taken seriously.

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Regina Askia, A mother and a healthcare heroine

Regina Askia is a woman who has proven herself to be diversely talented. From been a Nigerian beauty model, to an actress and now a health worker as well as a mother.

In the Genevieve Magazine’s latest Digital Issue, which is focusing on celebrating healthcare heroes around the world, the spotlight turned on Regina , who is one of the medical professionals at the epicenter of the COVID-19 virus in New York.

Regina revealed her experiences on the frontlines, how she has coped with the surge in patient deaths, how she and her family have had to adjust to the new normal, and the mental health challenges that have come with it.

When asked about her experience, she said:

We are often in an enclosed space with [sick] patients, who are coughing, [with] oxygen levels dropping. You turn them on their stomachs, you put them on 100 percent non-rebreather. When that doesn’t work you call for high flow; when that doesn’t work you consult for ICU. With those who sign a DNI/DNR, you start a morphine drip and organise a Zoom-meet with the family, so they can say their goodbyes. The Covid patient dies the loneliest death. No family, no loved ones by their side. You hold your patient’s hands and comfort them as they pass. Then you go to the bathroom and cry. The nurses are going to need therapy sessions to deal with their PTSD after this.

The gorgeous mother of three, actress and former beauty queen also took to her Instagram page on Friday, May 8, 2020, to share a photo she took with beautiful daughters. The photo that has gotten quite some attention.

 

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How to keep up a good health as a woman

To live a prolonged and happy life, getting healthy habits should be the goal. These habits are the best way to avoid disease, and complications in a woman. A woman’s daily life as we know is very busy, filled with tasks, house chores and on.

However, these simple steps below, would help anyone acheive a longer and healthier life.

Move(Exercise)

This is a good way to have your bones remain strong as a woman. Your mental health also needs this. Get about 30 minutes of movement at least four days per week. Aerobic or cardio, which could be

  • walking
  • jogging
  • dancing
  • swimming

Make it fun, it can mean taking a long walk with a friend instead of using a car. Train your muscle, you need them as a woman because you loose muscles and bone mass as you get older.

Eat a balanced diet

This is so important to your over all health. A good food provide vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that are important for growth, well-being, and development.

Avoid unhealthy foods like packaged and processed foods that are often full of sugar, salt, unhealthy fats, and calories.

Go for living foods like

  • fresh fruits and vegetables
  • Freshly cooked fish
  • whole grains
  • fiber-rich foods such as beans and leafy greens
  • lean cuts of meat and poultry
  • healthy fats

Take Women’s vitamins

You can take a daily multivitamin but eating vitamin-rich foods serves up the extra benefits of healthy fiber and minerals. Eat a variety of foods in a variety of colors and you should meet your vitamin, mineral, and fiber requirements without the need for a supplement.

Age with grace

Getting older is a blessing, so embrace all that comes with it by been positive. With healthy aging, there are things you shouldn’t do, such as using tobacco products and drinking excess alcohol. To slow aging, You can learn to manage stress and cope with mental and difficult issues that will naturally arise throughout life. Slather on sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. All this can only slow the process of aging though, so enjoy it getting older.

Avoid stress

With a career, kids, family and friends a lot of responsibilities are left in a woman’s hands which can manifest more than just gray hairs. Excessive stress can translate to:

  • high blood pressure
  • upset stomach or other gastrointestinal issues
  • conflicts in relationships
  • sleeping difficulties
  • abdominal weight gain
  • Waist and back pain

You can manage stress with relaxation techniques like, prayer, mediation and exercise. Plan and share duties to your kids at home, organise your activities.

 

 

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#RubyGirls | “People tend to look at young models as sex objects sometimes and that has to stop.” -Adesola Adebayo Chioma

Adesola Adebayo Chioma is a second year Botany student in the University of Lagos. She is 5’9 model, brand ambassador and influencer.

Adesola is an only child of Yoruba and Igbo parents. She loves online shopping, watching movies, surfing the internet and trying out new foods at restaurants.

*1. Let’s meet you. Who is Adesola?*

My name is Adesola Adebayo Chioma. I’m a 200 level student studying Botany in the University of Lagos. My mom is Igbo while my dad is Yoruba which explains the combination of my names. I’m also the only child of my parents.

I love to watch movies, shop online, surf the internet and go out to restaurants to try out new foods.

 

*2. One accessory you can’t leave home without?*

My phone.

*3. You recreate pictures of female icons almost perfectly. What inspires and informs the styles you work with?*

The recreation of female icons isn’t usually planned. Mostly happens that after the pictures, I look like them.

Nothing actually informs my style. Once the photographer sends the mood board and it’s something I’m comfortable with and something I know I can do I just go ahead with it.

*4. One thing you’ll like to change about yourself?*

Nothing

*5. Modelling for you started when? What inspired you to be a model?*

Modeling for me started in 2016. My aunt was a makeup artist while I was in Js3, she’d always take me to her makeup training as her model until one day I met the CEO of MUD (Makeup designatory) who told me I had a very great skin, nice facial features and also told me I had the height to become a model. Ever since, I had always had the thought and the passion of being a model.

*6. You are a model. Bolt ambassador. Social media influencer yet a Botany student. How do you juggle the demands of your academics with other areas?*

To be very honest, it has not been easy, but my only motivation has been success. Sometimes you want to give up, but the hope for success won’t let you so I make sure I balance everything.

*7. Any major challenge for young Nigerian female models?*

There’s a lot of pressure on young models nowadays. School, social media influences, plus people sometimes tend to look at young models as sex objects and these things have to stop.

 

*8. You are passionate about fashion and modelling. What other creative fashion business ideas do you have and may want to venture into in the nearest future?*

I have always wanted to start up my own bag business but let’s see how that goes.

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

Everything wrong with the present state of the country, definitely.

*10. What was growing up like for you? Did your upbringing in any way prepare you for everything you do now?*

Growing up was a bit boring! Lol but my mum was the typical African parent, and yes my upbringing did prepare me for most of the things I do now.

*11. Mention 3 women who inspire you and why?*

Hmm three women, to be honest, my biggest inspiration is my mum because she’s the strongest woman I’ve ever known.

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

I don’t think I’d be a model in the next 5years. I have other plans to go into Tech and few other things.

*13. If you were given the opportunity to address a group of girls five years younger than you, what will be your advice to them?*

Do what makes you happy, but do not damn the consequences and also pray.

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Coronavirus Updates: Nigeria

Nigeria Covid-19 update: 07:00 WAT, Friday 8 May (08:00 CEST).

According to the latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University, 3,847,047 cases have been detected worldwide, with 269,594 deaths and 1,285,946 people now recovered.

In Nigeria: 3,526 cases / 107 deaths

Currently, South Africa now has: 8,232 cases / 161 deaths, Ghana: 3,091 cases / 18 deaths and Kenya: 607 cases / 29 deaths.

Here are some high lights from the Nigerian NCDC.

States Affected No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) No. of Cases (on admission) No. Discharged No. of Deaths
Lagos 1,491 1,052 406 33
Kano 482 450 19 13
FCT 316 272 40 4
Borno 125 111 0 14
Gombe 109 109 0 0
Katsina 106 89 9 8
Bauchi 102 96 6 0
Ogun 100 80 18 2
Kaduna 92 77 14 1
Sokoto 89 80 1 8
Jigawa 83 82 0 1
Edo 65 51 10 4
Zamfara 65 62 0 3
Oyo 55 42 11 2
Osun 37 3 30 4
Kwara 24 16 8 0
Kebbi 18 18 0 0
Rivers 17 13 2 2
Akwa Ibom 17 5 10 2
Delta 17 12 2 3
Taraba 15 15 0 0
Adamawa 15 15 0 0
Yobe 13 12 0 1
Ondo 13 7 6 0
Ekiti 12 9 2 1
Nasarawa 11 10 0 1
Enugu 9 7 2 0
Niger 6 5 1 0
Plateau 5 4 1 0
Bayelsa 5 5 0 0
Ebonyi 5 5 0 0
Benue 2 2 0 0
Imo 2 1 1 0
Abia 2 1 1 0
Anambra 1 0 1 0
  • On the 7th of May 2020, 381 new confirmed cases and 4 deaths were recorded in Nigeria
  • No new state has reported a case in the last 24 hours.
  • Till date, 3526 cases have been confirmed, 601 cases have been discharged and 107 deaths have been recorded in 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory
  • The 381 new cases are reported from 18 states- Lagos(183), Kano(55), Jigawa(44), Zamfara(19), Borno(9), Bauchi(19), Katsina(11), Kwara(8), Kaduna(7), Gombe(6), Ogun(5),Sokoto(4), Oyo(3), Rivers(3), Niger(2), Akwa Ibom(1), Enugu(1), Plateau(1)
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“Women are better leaders, The pandemic proves it” – Michelle P King

Michelle P. King is the director of Inclusion at Netflix and the author of The Fix: Overcome the Invisible Barriers That Are Holding Women Back at Work.

She is a leading global expert in gender and organizations. A keynote speaker, researcher, writer and advocate, she has significant international experience advancing women in innovation and technology, leading global diversity and inclusion programs and advocating for women at work.

She believes women are better leaders while expressing her opinion to CNN, she wrote “As the entire world works to contain the spread of the coronavirus, the role of effective leadership has been brought into razor sharp focus. What people need now are leaders with empathy, compassion and an ability to show support — skills that women leaders tend to exhibit more than men. While it may take a global pandemic to finally acknowledge the unique talents and capabilities women leaders offer, companies shouldn’t wait until there is a crisis to afford women an opportunity to lead.”

She continued, “While there is insufficient data to conclude that women world leaders are managing the Covid-19 pandemic more effectively, the emerging trends are hard to ignore. New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, has been widely praised for her clear, bold and supportive approach to flattening the curve. The results of her clear communication — 20 deaths in a country of nearly 5 million people — speak for themselves. Or consider German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has called for and established unity in the nation’s response to the virus. Taiwan and Norway’s national responses to this crisis have also proved to be effective to date, and they all have one thing in common — women leaders.
It’s a trend we’ve seen before.
Research examining risk-taking behavior finds that men are more prone to taking higher risks. Increased collective risk-taking behavior contributed to the crisis, which was an outcome of male-dominated workplaces that valued individual achievement and competition rather than collective well-being. Subsequent research found that women tend to adopt a more relational approach to leadership, which is more effective in a crisis compared to the more traditional command-and-control style of leadership typically adopted by men. Overall, women leaders adopt a relational style when leading through a crisis, which is highly effective as they focus on building trust, alleviating fears and managing the crisis at hand.”
Michelle currently leads UN Women’s Global Innovation Coalition for Change.
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Gospel artiste Sinach, becomes first black person, and first african to rank no 1 on USA billboard chart

Award-winning gospel artist and songwriter, Sinach has become the first African and amazingly the first black person to rank at number one on the Christian Songwriters’ category of the USA Billboard, for her song ‘Way Maker’.

She has dominated the chart for the past seven weeks. At 148 million views, ‘Way Maker’ is currently the third most-streamed song in the world on YouTube.

Since the release of the song, ‘Way Maker’ on 30 December 2015, it has been covered by a number of globally acclaimed Christian music artists such as Michael W. Smith, Leeland; and others.

While speaking on the ranking, Osinachi Joseph also known as Sinach, said, “It’s truly exciting to know from Nigeria, we are reaching far and dominating in the West. It basically chronicles what God can do when you yield to Him. Just thinking of it is really humbling and to know it’s a song of hope, faith in God, and trusting in Him that has brought us thus far. I’m sure you’ve seen the videos of ‘Way Maker’ being sung in many hospitals, car parks, garages – everywhere this period! God has used it to strengthen many around the world, not to give up, but believe that He is the rewarder of those that diligently seek Him. So I’m truly happy, excited, and glad Jesus is glorified once more.”

Sinach who is a senior worship leader at Loveworld Incorporated,has an overflowing catalogue of 9 studio albums with a very special Worship EP in the works. Her unrecorded songs but written, are in thousands.

‘Way Maker’ is her first song to gain global critical acclaim and peak on the Billboard.

She also expressed gratitude to God, for being the first black person and first African to achieve this.

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Naomi Campbell Makes History takes shoots Herself with an iphone for essence 50th Anniversary Issue

The Essence magazine in a wake of a new era is putting a mile stone to celebrate the 50thAnniversary of the ESSENCE brand

While halfway through their production, they unexpectedly finds themselves in the middle of a worldwide crisis, which prompts an indefinite work-from-home mandate.

Well, like Naomi Campbell, you rise to the occasion like never before—and make history.

“It was a very special honor and unusual experience for me to be able to shoot and style my own cover for ESSENCE’s 50th anniversary issue,” Campbell says. “While it was a sad reminder for me of all the people in media and production who are not able to work due to the coronavirus, it also brought me hope and encouragement to know that our people and our infrastructures are resilient.”

Against all odds these women chose to improvise working as a team.

For ESSENCE Chief Content & Creative Officer MoAna Luu “Bringing this issue to life in the midst of a global pandemic represents everything that Black women are and illustrates how we will continue to show up for them in the best and worst of times, as we have done for the past five decades,” she said. “We are resilient and we wanted to show that resilience. The same resilience that motivated our team to make this cover happen. The same resilience that resulted in Naomi and I relying on FaceTime to talk through how this shoot would be brought to life because I couldn’t be there with her in person. The same resilience that allowed us to close this issue while working entirely remote for the first time in our brand’s history.”

Impressively, ESSENSE Deputy Editor Allison McGevna was home navigating new motherhood while simultaneously working.

PHOTO BY NAOMI CAMPBELL

“It was a challenge to have our major shoots canceled, all showrooms closed and not be able to physically produce such a historic issue in the traditional sense,” McGevna said. “We spent the weeks leading up in a sea of shoots and late nights editing copy for the biggest issue in our history. But just a few days before our shoot with Naomi, the world as we knew it, quite literally, stopped. Everything closed down and people in the office and our communities started getting sick as COVID-19 began to wreak havoc around the world. But we knew we had a responsibility to our audience, maybe more than ever, to inform her and bring her joy. So, we put our heads together.

Nigerian Lola Ogunnaike, an ESSENCE alum was also a part of the success.

Connecting her with TV host and writer, Lola, who’s presently in Nigeria, became a juggling act of time zones and WhatsApp chats. Lola, conducted the interview.

“This cover is the epitome of a full circle moment for me.  My very first internship was at ESSENCE Magazine,” she said. “I was a junior in college with dreams of making it big as a writer in New York City and landing at ESSENCE felt as if I’d won the publishing world lottery.  All these years later, I feel deeply honored to have penned this historical cover. Many models have come and gone. Many magazines too,” said Lola.

Click here to read full issue

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