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MEET THE BRITISH WOMAN CREATING WATERPROOF SCARVES FOR BLACK SWIMMERS

Our hair can be major detractor when it comes to swimming. While swim caps are an option for some, most do not accommodate Afro texture hair which is usually too thick for the cap and doesn’t protect it fully.

For 38-year-old Danielle Obe, living in London, she wanted to find a way to encourage her daughter to learn how to swim. Six-year-old Kayla began to dread going to the pool because of her hair; Obe had given up on swimming for over two decades because she did not want to risk damaging her fragile coils. She told Metro UK that she was tired of the time-consuming routine when it came to her hair.

“The chlorine dries out the hair, causing it to be frizzy, brittle and ‘thirsty,’ which is what causes breakage, hair thinning, and—in some cases for women with processed, delicate hair—it falls off if the hair is not thoroughly washed out, conditioned, and rehydrated,” said Obe. “Getting into any type of aquatic activity then was a huge no-no. I couldn’t go swimming in the evening after work. If I did, how would I turn up for client meetings the next morning? Kayla hates getting soap in and around her face, so when it came time to wash her hair after swimming, she would scream and scream.”

This constant problem led her to create, Nemes, waterproof headscarves specially designed for black women’s hair.

Afro texture hair is more fragile than other types of hair and is specifically more vulnerable to chemicals in the chlorine found in swimming pools that makes hair drier. The time it takes to replace that moisture after swimming and styling can be very off-putting for black women looking to swim on a frequent basis. Obe and her daughter decided to experiment with different swim caps and nothing worked. It was through trial and error that led Obe to create something of her own.

Obe invented her swim caps, based on ancient Egyptian designs, to protect all hair types in the water. Now her entire family uses them. She also created the Black Swimming Association in partnership with Swim England after a recent report from Sport England revealed that 95% of black adults and 80% of black children living in the United Kingdom do not go swimming.

“After I created the design, I began sharing it with people. My aim was to encourage more people to go swimming, but we have also found many people use them in the shower, or to re-hydrate their hair,” she said. “The Nemes can be used by everyone, not just BAME [black, Asian and minority ethnic] people, to swim, steam, spa or shower, and protect color-treated hair in chlorine water so hair color lasts longer, and most especially, designed for Afro-Caribbean hair and hairstyles.’

The headscarves are currently available for pre-order and will go on sale this spring.

 

Source: Black Enterprise

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10 Signs a Relationship isn’t going to last

It’s easy to get swept off your feet in a new relationship. But when the excitement fizzles out and the honeymoon phase is over, you can actually see signs that a relationship will work out for the long term. You can also grow aware of some red flags that a relationship won’t last. The signposts of a future breakup are many, but most people don’t realize what those look like. So, I want to provide you with some things to look out for that signify a broken or ill-fated relationship.

HERE ARE 10 SIGNS A RELATIONSHIP ISN’T GOING TO LAST

1. YOU DON’T TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE TOGETHER.

One of the signs of relationship not working anymore is if you’ve been dating for a while but haven’t talked about your future. For instance, if you’ve been living together for 18 months but your partner refuses to discuss marriage, it could be a big red flag. Does he find it difficult to communicate properly, or does he actually not see any future with you?

2. YOU’VE BEEN IN THE RELATIONSHIP JUST FOR THE PASSION.

Passion has brought you together as a couple but what happens when that mellows down? If you haven’t experienced a strong connection in other areas, then it’s not going to become long-term. For a new relationship to flourish, it needs to go beyond the physical connection. You should be emotionally and mentally connected as well. So, if you feel that you’re in this together for the passion only, it’s probably best to end the relationship because that kind of connection won’t last long.

3. THERE’S NO HONESTY AND OPENNESS.

Mature relationships allow partners to be forthcoming and open with each other because of their level of intimacy. It becomes a big problem, therefore, when you hide stuff from their partner or when you feel you cannot be fully yourself with him. Psychologist Antonio Borrello told Huffington Post that hiding feelings can happen because there is no trust. It’s also possible someone is doing things that are not compatible with their ideas as a couple, so they bury the details. If this is the case, then the relationship doesn’t have a solid, strong foundation.

4. THERE ARE NO FIGHTS, BUT NO COMMUNICATION EITHER.

You believe you’re in a blissful, stress-free relationship because you don’t fight. But what you might not realize is that fighting is a form of communication. It happens when couples are trying to reach a compromise together. Couples who don’t fight aren’t communicating their feelings. It’s a sign that they don’t want to work their conflicts out, which could signal the end of a relationship.

5. YOU DON’T LIKE YOUR PARTNER’S FRIENDS.

The company you keep defines who you are. People are usually drawn to make friends with folks who like the same things they like or have the same qualities they have. So, if you don’t like his friends, this can be one of the signs of breakup because that relationship won’t last. Why? You’re likely going to discover more things about him that you might not like as well. Remember, friends reflect who you are.

6. YOU’VE DEVELOPED SIMILAR INTERESTS BUT HAVE NOT PURSUED OTHERS.

Partners who love to do similar things ideally live happy together, right? When two people like the same stuff, it’s supposed to be positive, or at least that’s what everyone thinks. But relationship expert Erika Boissiere told Bustle that this isn’t always a good thing. If you’ve been doing the same things together and have stopped pursuing your separate and unique interests, then you could end up with a broken relationship. This implies too much dependency on your partner, which won’t allow you to grow and evolve into your own person.

7. THERE’S NO EMPATHY.

She had a huge fight with her best friend, but you can’t understand why she’s so depressed about it. So, you become dismissive of her feelings. But the lack of empathy for what your partner is going through is another sign that the relationship won’t last. If you’re attuned to each other, you must be able to understand and imagine each other’s struggles since empathy is also a form of connectedness. If this feeling doesn’t exist, you’re in a broken relationship.

8. YOU DON’T HAVE DECISIONS IN THE RELATIONSHIP.

Who always chooses where you eat or what movies you watch? In the beginning, always letting him pick the places might seem fine because it does feel good that he has taken care of these simple choices. But small choices do matter to your relationship if you’re trying to make it last for a long time. If your partner constantly dismisses your choices, that’s a sign that your opinion isn’t valued. This can hurt your connection with each other.

9. THERE’S NO GIVE AND TAKE.

In the same way as giving value to your choices, how often do you compromise? Who is always the first to make up and apologize when you have a misunderstanding? The romance can quickly burn out if there’s no give and take. If you’ve been sacrificing your needs just to “compromise,” then you will be drained and exhausted soon enough. The relationship will quickly meet an end because it is already a broken relationship.

10. YOUR PARTNER TREATS OTHER PEOPLE POORLY.

People always put their best foot forward at the beginning of relationships, but you should always pay attention to your partner’s behavior towards other people. For example, how does he treat waiters? How does he act toward his parents or co-workers? If you’re going to be in a long-term relationship with this person, you will have ups and downs. And when the love and affection aren’t there, how will he treat you? Your relationship might not have much of a shot if he’s this way.

Esther Ijewere™©

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Meet 27 year old Lady Who Shares Her Story On Living With HIV

“If all people living with HIV disclosed their status publicly we would realize that they are truly happy and successful people.There is a beautiful life out there with this HIV.. Believe me when i say this coz i’m a testimony” said 26 years old Doreen Moraa Moracha. She was only 13 when she got to know that she was HIV positive.

“My parents knew about it when I was 8. But they informed me about my status when I was 13,” she opened up in an exclusive interview with TUKO.

“AM A BEAUTIFUL STORY” is her mantra.

How did she contract this deadly disease. She was born with the virus to an HIV discordant couple whereby she is the only child among her siblings to have been diagnosed of HIV. Due to the fear of stigma and rejection, she was asked to remain silent about her condition through her teenage years. A relative of hers once disinfected her utensils after Doreen used it.

However, she could not continue to do this. In 2015, Doreen decided to go public about her status, a move aimed at offering encouragement and for others living with HIV. She also wanted to use her story to raise awareness about the virus and to help the fight against the stigma HIV still has in her community. She got protest from her dad on this.

“I was doing my attachment at TSC and most of the times we would go out to learning institutions for outreaches and HIV testing and while at the field, that is when I learnt that there was need for more information about HIV out there. My boss then, also pushed me that I should come out and try make a change with my story,” she recalls.

She, however, disclosed that this was certainly not an easy process and that disclosure took a lot of courage. “I was afraid considering the stigma associated with HIV. The first time my story came out and NTV shared it on their Facebook page and my friends were commenting how they know me and all that, I got scared and deactivated my Facebook account temporarily,” she said.

Emboldened, Doreen has been unstoppable at this ever since. She has been able to share her story at  conferences, talk shows, and the very latest – the internet. Shee has turned to Facebook to share her 25-year journey with HIV. In a Facebook post, Doreen shared how she, and her mother traveled over 500km from Kenya to the remote village of Loliondo in Arusha, Tanzania to get a cure for the virus.

This village had shot to fame with the notion they have a herbal concoction purported to cure HIV/Aids, cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, hypertension and any other ailment. “I wanted to get well so bad that I convinced my mum that we head to Loliondo for a cup of the herbal medicine. She agreed, but I didn’t get better and this led me to defaulting from taking my ARVs for 2 years which most definitely affected my health,” she narrates. “The journey has not been easy but I finally accepted my status and i’m using my story to end stigma related to HIV and to encourage people infected that they shouldn’t let a small virus that cant talk to control their lives,” she contends.

Her posts have since been gaining so much traction, commending her for being bold enough to share her story. Despite her condition, her photos have still attracted potential suitors who would love to get into a relationship with her. “I use my social media mostly Facebook for advocacy and motivational purposes and yes, I do get men sliding into my inbox, some even promising to take Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) dr*gs as long as I agree to date them,” she recounts. Her greatest piece of advice to the young people is : abstinence or use protection.

 

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Google celebrates International Women’s Day with a new doodle

This Google doodle made for International Women’s day celebrates the achievements of various women all over the world.

By clicking the play button on the doodle, a multi-layered, a paler mandala animation video comes up created by two females: Julie Wilkinson and Joyanne Horscroft of Makerie Studio and animators Marion Willam and Daphne Abderhalden, according to a news release.

What exactly is International Women's Day?
International Women’s Day?

The mandala’s black-and-white inner layer depicts women around the world from the late 1800s to the 1930s. The middle layer reflects women from the 1950s to the 1980s, which Google describes as “a landmark era in the wake of pushes for gender equality and rapid changes to the status quo.”

The outer layer symbolizes women from the 1990s to the modern day, documenting what Google says are the results of progress made over more than 100 years of women’s rights movements.

“It pays tribute to breaking barriers from former cultural and gender roles, as women continue to question, reclaim and redefine ideas about the roles women take on in society,” Google says.

The doodle portrays women, from various such as educators and gymnasts to pilots and homemakers.

article video

“There was so much thought put into each of the 35 characters and how they were placed within the mandala,” said Abderhalden, who works at DRASTIK GmbH in Zurich, in a Q&A on Google’s site. “Starting from the center, it walks us through different time periods and depicts the issues women were facing in these times. Our biggest takeaway from the artwork is that we were reminded of how women fought and evolved through history so we can live the free life we live today.”

The heroines in STEM: 10 women in science you should know

The first International Women’s Day was celebrated by members of the women’s movement in Russia on March 8, 1913, to peacefully protest World War I.

International Women’s Day is given a theme every year by the United Nations — with this year been “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights,” which focuses on equality and human rights for all women and girls.

Melinda Gates: The women who showed me the way forward

“Without these women, the world would look much different,” Abderhalden said.

Click for full article

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Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala Gets New South African Appointment

Mrs Okonjo-Iweala, who is an international development expert, had served two terms as finance minister of Nigeria (2003-2006, 2011-2015) under former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Jonathan respectively.

Former president Jonathan, in a post via his Facebook page, expressed delight in her new appointment.

He said, “I congratulate Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who served as the coordinating minister for the economy/finance minister in my cabinet, on her appointment as a member of South Africa’s Presidential Economic Advisory Council.”

“As a two-time minister in Nigeria, you left indelible marks as an astute manager of the nation’s economy and resources. I am delighted that you have continued to place your substantial wealth of experience as a development economist at the service of many nations and international organisations to aid global growth and progress.

“I have no doubt in my mind that you will excel in the new assignment,” Mr Jonathan said.

Congratulations to her!

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Forbes 50 Most Powerful Women In Africa -The List

Forbes compiled list of African’s leading women 2020, gets us excited. Why?  because its the first of its kind or maybe it only reminds us of the shift gradually sweeping through reminding us just how powerful women can be. We can never fully tell.

Women in business, politics, media, science, sports and public life,  challenging the status quo and creating a trail, name it! They are reshaping history, closing inequalities and pioneering new avenues of wealth creation and leading other women to do same.

Check it out again below.

To read the full feature, subscribe to Forbes Africa or download the issue here.

NAME COUNTRY TITLE SECTOR
GRACA MACHEL SOUTH AFRICA FOUNDER, GRACA MACHEL TRUST SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
CLARE AKAMANZI RWANDA CEO, RWANDA DEVELOPMENT BOARD SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT/GOVERNANCE
FOLORUNSO ALAKIJA NIGERIA EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIR, FAMFA OIL OIL SECTOR
JENNIFER RIRIA KENYA GROUP CEO, ECHO NETWORK AFRICA (ENA); FOUNDING MEMBER, KENYA WOMEN FINANCE TRUST FINANCE
LOUISE MUSHIKIWABO RWANDA SECRETARY GENERAL, ORGANISATION INTERNATIONALE DE LA FRANCOPHONIE (OIF)
AYA CHEBBI TUNISIA BLOGGER AND AFRICA UNION YOUTH ENVOY MEDIA
ELSIE KANZA TANZANIA HEAD OF AFRICA AND MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM FINANCE
IBUKUN AWOSIKA NIGERIA FOUNDER AND CEO, THE CHAIR CENTRE GROUP MANUFACTURING
DR JUDY DLAMINI SOUTH AFRICA FOUNDER, MBEKANI GROUP SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
CHARLIZE THERON SOUTH AFRICA HOLLYWOOD ACTRESS ENTERTAINMENT
CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE NIGERIA AUTHOR, PUBLIC SPEAKER PUBLISHING
PHUTI MAHANYELE-DABENGWA SOUTH AFRICA CEO, NASPERS SOUTH AFRICA TECHNOLOGY
OBIAGELI ‘OBY’ EZEKWESILI NIGERIA SENIOR ECONOMIC ADVISOR, AFRICA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY INITIATIVE (AEDPI) SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
GLENDA GRAY SOUTH AFRICA PRESIDENT AND CEO, SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (SAMRC) HEALTHCARE
THULI MADONSELA SOUTH AFRICA LAW TRUST CHAIR, SOCIAL JUSTICE RESEARCH AT STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY LAW
WENDY LUHABE SOUTH AFRICA SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR & CO-FOUNDER, WIPHOLD FINANCE
ANGÉLIQUE KIDJO BENIN FOUR-TIME GRAMMY AWARD WINNER ENTERTAINMENT
MANAL ROSTOM EGYPT FOUNDER, SURVIVING HIJAB AND FACE OF NIKE PRO HIJAB HEALTH AND FITNESS
LYDIA NSEKERA BURUNDI PRESIDENT, NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (NOC) OF BURUNDI AND MEMBER OF FIFA COUNCIL SPORT/GOVERNANCE
WINNIE BYANYIMA UGANDA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNAIDS SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA NIGERIA CHAIR, BOARD OF THE GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR VACCINES AND IMMUNISATION (GAVI) HEALTHCARE
PHUMZILE MLAMBO-NGCUKA SOUTH AFRICA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNITED NATIONS (UN) WOMEN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
WARIS DIRIE SOMALIA PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER, DESERT FLOWER FOUNDATION SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF LIBERIA FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA, NOBEL PEACE LAUREATE GOVERNANCE
YVONNE CHAKA CHAKA SOUTH AFRICA AWARD-WINNING MUSICIAN ENTERTAINMENT
SAHLE-WORK ZEWDE ETHIOPIA PRESIDENT OF ETHIOPIA GOVERNANCE
MAMOKGETHI (KGETHI) PHAKENG SOUTH AFRICA VICE-CHANCELLOR, UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN (UCT) EDUCATION
REBECCA ENONCHONG CAMEROON FOUNDER & CEO, APPSTECH TECHNOLOGY
BONANG MATHEBA SOUTH AFRICA MEDIA PERSONALITY, ENTREPRENEUR ENTERTAINMENT
FATMA SAMOURA SENEGAL SECRETARY-GENERAL, FIFA SPORT
IRENE CHARNLEY SOUTH AFRICA FOUNDER, SMILE COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
UCHENNA ‘UCHE’ PEDRO NIGERIA FOUNDER AND CEO, BELLANAIJA MEDIA
ILWAD ELMAN SOMALIA FOUNDER, ELMAN PEACE CENTRE ACTIVISM
WENDY APPELBAUM SOUTH AFRICA FOUNDER AND CHAIRPERSON, DE MORGENZON WINE ESTATE ENTREPRENEUR
OLAJUMOKE ADENOWO NIGERIA FOUNDER, AD CONSULTING ADVERTISING
BETHLEHEM TILAHUN ALEMU ETHIOPIA FOUNDER AND CEO, SOLEREBELS FOOTWEAR, GARDEN OF COFFEE, TEFFTASTIC ENTREPRENEUR
NKOSAZANA DLAMINI-ZUMA SOUTH AFRICA MINISTER OF COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS, SOUTH AFRICA GOVERNANCE
WENDY ACKERMAN SOUTH AFRICA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PICK ‘N PAY RETAIL
CASTER SEMENYA SOUTH AFRICA OLYMPIC CHAMPION SPORT
RAWYA MANSOUR EGYPT FOUNDER AND CEO, RAMSCO AGRICULTURE
ARUNMA OTEH NIGERIA ACADEMIC SCHOLAR, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD FORMER TREASURER AND VICE PRESIDENT, WORLD BANK LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE AFRICA ADVISORY GROUP MEMBER FINANCE
FATOU BENSOUDA GAMBIA PROSECUTOR, INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC) LAW
HAJER SHARIEF LIBYA HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE ACTIVISM
AMINA J. MOHAMMED NIGERIA DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL, UNITED NATIONS SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
PRECIOUS MOTSEPE SOUTH AFRICA FOUNDER, AFRICAN FASHION INTERNATIONAL FASHION
LUPITA NYONG’O KENYA OSCAR-WINNING ACTOR ENTERTAINMENT
VERA SONGWE CAMEROON EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
MAGDA WIERZYCKA SOUTH AFRICA FOUNDER, SYGNIA FINANCE
TARA FELA-DUROTOYE NIGERIA FOUNDER, HOUSE OF TARA INTERNATIONAL BEAUTY
THERESA KACHINDAMOTO MALAWI CHIEF OF DEDZA DISTRICT SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

To read the full feature, subscribe to Forbes Africa or download the issue here.

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Miss Universe – “Dont be afraid to bend the rules”

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Kadijah Amoah Becomes the first woman to lead an oil firm

More women are taking the and one such example is the Ghanaian Kadijah Amoah who was appointed as Country Director of Aker Energy Ghana Ltd making her the first Ghanaian women to head an oil company. The appointment,took effect on February 1.

A trained lawyer, Khadija Amoah holds a B.A. in Political Science and Sociology, LLB and an M.Sc. in International Business from the University of Ghana.

“I am extremely pleased to join Aker Energy at such an important stage of the company’s history. Building on the Aker group’s 180 years’ industrial heritage, Aker Energy will, together with AGM and AGIC, take the lead to develop Ghana’s oil and gas resources and related industries,” Amoah said of her appointment. “It all starts with the Pecan project operated by Aker Energy, but this is just the beginning. AGM’s plans to explore and appraise the SDWT block and AGIC’s plans to pursue development opportunities stand as testaments to Aker’s commitment to industry development in Ghana beyond the upcoming project,” she added.

The CEO of Aker Energy es expressed satisfaction with Amoah’s presence saying: “With Kadijah’s experience, I am confident that she will lead with success as we move towards the development phase of the Pecan project offshore Ghana.”

Her appointment comes as calls are heightening for firms within the oil and gas sector to deliberately design gender policies to boost women’s participation and presence within the industry.

Congratulations to her!

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“Motherhood is such an incredible and beautiful gift, but it requires preparation”- Ibukun Omololu

 Being a mother is learning about strength you didn’t know you had, Motherhood is one of the most beautiful jobs in the world. Ibukun Omololu is not just a Mother, but one who is helping other Moms navigate through life life and helping them create work life balance.

A seasoned banker with over 11 years of professional experience. With expertise across critical areas such as Customer Service, Relationship Management, Strategic Sales and Marketing, Treasury Management and Compliance

At Sterling Bank Plc., Ibukun currently heads the One Woman proposition team, providing strategic oversight on the Women Banking Desk of the bank. She functions in adequate capacity, designing solutions tailored to the needs of the women customer segment, enabling access to financial services.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, Ibukun is launching a book to address some wrong beliefs about motherhood and parenting in general. A book she considers a gift to every Mother.

The beautiful banker and gender specialist who  holds a B.A in Linguistics from the University of Ilorin is happily married to Adedayo Omololu, and they are blessed with two beautiful boys.

Ibukun shares her Inspiring journey, challenges of being a gender specialist in a society that is yet to fully recognise the role of women and why her book “Behind the little bundles of Joy” is a must have for every Mom in this insightful interview, in Celebration of International Women’s Day.

 

 Childhood Influence

I was a happy free spirited and inquisitive child and the last in a family of 7. I often struggled with being the “girlchild” doing chores at home. It often baffled me when I saw my immediate elder brother relax in front of the TV while I had to go cook or wash plates. I often wondered what made him different from me. I think this sort of made me more inquisitive as I had lots of questions and would not follow the norm. It made me more open to challenge the status quo most times.

Impact of being a gender specialist on my Daytime Job

Being a gender specialist has exposed me to the challenges women face in Nigeria and by extension Africa. This is because we share similar cultures on gender bias. The impact has been negative and our aim at my organisation is to greatly change the narrative by supporting women in any way that we can. Women have been continually told to downplay their potential because they can’t have it all which is largely untrue. Being the Head of Sterling Bank “One woman” Initiative, I have been able push financial education, credit and other financial services that efficiently helps them get ahead. This is a huge way to serve their families and promote economic development especially through entrepreneurship.

My Book; Behind the Little bundles of Joy 

I believe motherhood is such an incredible and beautiful gift, but it requires preparation. I have discovered that a lot of women are truly not prepared for it, and It’s easy to take the impact of childbirth for granted as it was in my case which caused a lot of conflict and challenges in my own marriage. The conflict was one part, I also struggled with postpartum depression, a period of infertility amongst other things. These are timely conversations with learning points that we should be having with more younger women. Writing this book is my own way of sharing my mistakes and lessons from my experience. I want single ladies/men, expecting parents and new parents to be able to put some thought into how they can make pregnancy or birth plan more enjoyable through inspiring, real and positive birth narratives. It is important that what is ordinarily a beautiful memorable experience does not become a dark and traumatic one for anybody.

Insightful nuggets from my book

I had to address some cultural myths and societal expectations like the following;

Do not have a child because society or parents place a demand on you for it.

Vaginal delivery and C-section are perfectly normal birth methods, and none is inferior to another.

Support structures starts first from your spouse and it is not demeaning for a man to take care of his baby

A house maid is different from a nanny and what to look out for when picking a nanny or creche.

Other Projects and Activities

Other projects include the financial literacy initiative for all women owned businesses and the fact that women need to know the importance of money and how to keep and save money for emergency, self-care and actualizing their dreams. Not spending their resources all the time even though most times, their expenses is for the family. A significant part of the “One-woman” proposition is about financial freedom for women and how they can be relevant for themselves and the community

Challenges of being a Social Entrepreneur

One of the main challenges is the fact that women have been told too many lies all in the name of culture and tradition so it’s sometimes difficult to help them see that their dreams are worth chasing. Women are not secondary or inferior and have the capacity to achieve so much more especially when the men are our advocates and supporters. We honestly need each other as we are utterly inter-dependent and complement one another. We need to find better ways to live, grow and work together because when the strengths of both women and men are harnessed, the results are better.

Being a busy banker with a very busy portfolio, an author, gender specialist and above all a wife and mom, and managing it all

Juggling my career with a family while trying to build a brand amidst other things has stretched me but I am grateful for solid support structures from my family especially my husband who is one of my biggest cheerleaders, I have a fantastic nanny who helps me with the kids on the home front and a great driver so I am not pulling my hair outrage when Lagos Danfo infuriates you. I also work with some of the best bosses and colleagues on the face of the earth, chief of all would be Toyin Bolajoko who is a big asset to my team and offers me reverse mentoring as well. Lastly nothing good comes easy, so I remain resilient in the midst of challenges.

Being a Woman of Rubies

Let’s just say I love God, I also love to see the best in people, so I have an open mind and I am never judgemental about anybody. I am an urbane person who value people and relationships

 3 women who inspire me, In celebration of the Intl Women’s Day

My mother;She is an enigma of elegance, calmness, selflessness and love. I have watched her pour her life into us, her 5 children and every other child she gets a chance to love or nurture. She is the epitome of motherhood and I learnt how to love and value people from her. I can’t go anywhere and people who know my mum won’t stop asking after her.

Remi Owadokun;I don’t know how I can explain the amazon called Remi. She is selfless and genuinely wants to help people develop to be their best versions. She has inspired me, encouraged me, pushed me at some of my lowest moments and has refused to give up on me. This right here is the type of help every woman needs to do the impossible.

Temi Dalley; She is the Head of Human capital in my bank and one of the women who has given me my big break to lead the One Woman proposition. Temi is really passionate about raising more women leaders in the organisation. She encourages me to make the most of work without losing sight of what is important, getting ahead on the business, feeling good and not losing myself in the challenges on the job.

To new moms who need support to navigate motherhood and still thrive.

I guess congratulations are in order, I believe you are at your wits ends wondering how you got yourself into this. I believe you are doing an amazing job despite the fact that you are new to this, hang in there, you can do it. Please remember that your state of mind is also really important so get as much help and rest as possible.  You also know that your little one is counting on your help and support to grow with your nurture, your  love and your milk too, so take time to bond with your baby through it all, they grow up so fast so enjoy every moment you can and live a day at a time.

Lastly, go get a copy of my book even if it’s only because I asked you to, trust me it would be worth your while and just may save your marriage too.

 

 

 

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The 19-year-old medicine and surgery student who speaks 6 foreign languages fluently Read more:

A certain 19-year-old student of the University of Nigeria has been noted as a genius. It was disclosed that the teenager can speak Korean, Swahili, Shona, Filipino, Spanish, and Indonesian fluently without stepping out of Nigeria.

The disclosure was made by a Twitter user named  Maazi Ogbonnaya, who also said the teenager could write, teach and translate the aforementioned languages.

The news have sparked the interest of  social media users where she was displayed, with so many talking about their language speaking ability.

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