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In self development November 13, 2017 By Esther Ijewere

SISTERHOOD GLOBAL TO TACKLE WOMEN PLIGHT

A social media platform for women across the continents named, Sisterhood Global, has been launched. The platform is aimed at tackling global problems associated with women through effective use of the media.

Its universal approach to solving the plights of women in the world has continued to receive positive responses globally.

At a media briefing the visioner and founder of the group, Nonnie Roberson, explained that the group had kick-started the global project three months ago under the name Sisterhood Africa, but had to rebrand after it had gathered over three million active members and facebook decided to shut the page down.

She said no explanation was given by facebook for doing so, but expressed optimism that the group will continually rise above gender issues by progressively rebranding and refocusing their targets.

She said: “Having tested the popularity of the group, it decided to expand its scope from Africa in order to accommodate more women globally, hence the new name – Sisterhood Global.”

Expressing her joy over the responses so far, Roberson said, “about three months ago, it was impressed in my heart to set up a platform, where women can come together, pray together, love each other, receive counsels, express how they feel inside, encourage each other and get solutions to their problems with abounding testimonies.”

She continued, “within a short while, it grew to over three million active members, but for reasons best known to Facebook, and without any prior notice, the group was taken down. Indeed, Sisterhood Africa, now Sisterhood Global was a house of solutions and testimonies. It was a place of solace for many women in Africa, and round the world, great testimonies were also shared.”

Giving assurance on the unyielding zeal of the group, Roberson said, “going forward, with full assurance that this move of God cannot be stopped, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against the church of God, we have launched Sisterhood Global. This is going to be the first time that women of faith would be building their own social network.”

Source: Guardian

In Career Gems November 13, 2017 By Esther Ijewere

SEYE AINA BECOMES FIRST FEMALE CHAIRMAN OF BRITISH NIGERIA LAW FORUM

On June5, 2017, Seye Aina became the first woman to be appointed chair of the British Nigeria Law Forum since its inception in 2001.

BNLF was set up following the ‘African Law Week’ Conference, organised by the British Council in Nigeria. Prof Oba Nsugbe QC, SAN is one of the founding members and past chair of BNLF. The organisation based in London, is now recognised as an influential professional membership organisation for British and Nigerian legal professionals.

Seye is dual qualified, called to the Nigerian Bar in 1985 and also admitted as a Solicitor in England & Wales in 1994. She has senior management/legal experience in local government with expertise in professional regulation and investigating fitness to practise in the Healthcare professions. Her public appointments include an Independent Member of the Professional Conduct Committee of the UK Council of Psychotherapy and also an Independent Member of the Standards Committee of the Greater London Authority. Seye is the founder of Paceworking, a professional network organizing business events. She has also used this platform to support charities such as the Down Syndrome.

Foundation, Nigeria and has organised several events for International Women’s Day. She is also the organising partner of the Nigeria Development and Finance Forum Conferences which are held in the UK, Nigeria and the USA.

Seye is extremely honoured to be elected as the new chair of BNLF, she is a longstanding member of BNLF and served as an executive committee member from 2008 – 2014. During that period the committee organised several events and training programmes in London, Abuja and Lagos. This included a courtesy visit to the then Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN and BNLF also hosted a dinner at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.

She is already in contact with the President of the Nigerian Bar Association Mr A.B Mahmood, SAN who congratulated her on her new appointment. BNLF has been working with a committee of the NBA headed by Chief Idigbe, SAN working on proposals for reforms in the legal profession in Nigeria. In addition to this BNLF committee members were also at the NBA’s Section on Business Law Conference, ‘Law and changing the face of legal practice’. Seye will continue the tradition of working closely with stakeholders in the UK, Nigeria and Africa. As part of a new initiative to set up specialist working groups and a skills database, BNLF is conducting a survey of members. The new chair has also been active with other BME law organisations responding to the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy in London. Seye has a great record of community engagement and working with professionals.

During her tenure she seeks to work hard to enhance the reputation of BNLF, encourage experienced lawyers to share good practise and
knowledge and to improve the opportunities for all members especially women, students and young lawyers.

In Career Gems November 11, 2017 By Esther Ijewere

NIKE BECOMES FIRST MAJOR BRAND TO LAUNCH HIJAB FOR WOMEN

Nike’s new hijab is designed to make sport more comfortable for Muslim women and goes on sale in 2018.

The light fabric has tiny holes for breathability and the length has also been designed to stop it coming untucked during activity.

Nike said it had been developing the new sporting hijab for a year.

Sporting hijabs have been around for several years, but Nike is the first major international company to embrace the sports needs of Muslim women.

Small sporting brands such as Capsters and ResportOn have previously been seen as leading brands of sporting hijabs.

In fashion&style November 11, 2017 By Women of Rubies

#OWAMBESATURDAY: THE MANY TIMES KATE HENSHAW LOOKED AMAZING IN ASO EBI

Happy weekend, WORriors! On today’s edition of #OwambeSaturday, we bring to you lovely photos of the many times Kate Henshaw looked so amazing in Aso Ebi! Enjoy!

In Career Gems November 11, 2017 By Women of Rubies

SERENA WILLIAMS HANGS OUT WITH HER GIRLS AS SHE SETS TO TIE THE KNOT

Serena Williams enjoyed a girls weekend getaway in New York City with her family and pals as she prepares to walk down the aisle with her fiancé Alexis Ohanian. The 23-time Grand Slam Tennis champion who had some fun time with her celebrity friends and family, hosted them at the opulent Baccarat Hotel & Residences. The new mom who got engaged to her Reddit co-founder beau, Ohanian in December 2016, was joined by sister Venus Williams and her friends Lala Anthony and Ciara, among others.

See photos below;

credit: fashionpheeva.com

In Interviews&profile November 11, 2017 By Women of Rubies

#INTERVIEW: “LOSING MY HUSBAND TO CANCER INSPIRED ME TO START MY FOUNDATION” -ENIOLA SALU AKINTUNDE

Eniola Salu Akintunde is a native of Agbede town, Etsako west of Edo state, Nigeria. Second child in a family of seven children, single handedly brought up by her mother a primary school teacher.

She attended Fazil-Omar Ahmadiya Primary School Onike-Iwaya. She then proceeded to Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Yaba, Lagos, where she got her O’levels. Eniola worked briefly at the University of Lagos Medical Center, and later gained admission as a student into the same university, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Relations and Personnel management.

Eniola lost her hubby to colorectal cancer, her in laws blamed her for her husband’s death and she was accused of giving him Cancer, the physical and psychological abuse she faced from them before and after his death informed her decision to kick off her NGO; Niola Cancer Foundation , an organization that advocates for better cancer care and accurate diagnosis. She also campaigns against rape and child sexual abuse because of her experience of being a sex slave at the age of 5 till age 6 before she was rescued by her mother.

She is also a multiple award winning Gemstone designer, Head Creative Director & CEO of Styles By Saennys – a company founded over 11 years ago , which deals in rough Natural stones and designing ,situated in the heart of Lagos. She is a member of NECA – Network of Entrepreneurial Women, the Nigeria Association of small scale Industrialist(NASSI) , a member of the NDLEA Celebrity Drug Free Club and also a member Fashion Designer Association Of Nigeria (FADAN ).

She shares her life journey in this interview.

Childhood Influence

While growing up ,l never knew lm going to be a gemstone designer or go into cancer advocacy,working in an NGO

Meet Eniola

Eniola Salu Akintunde is a native of Agbede Town Etsako west of Edo State, attends Our Lady of Apostle Secondary School Yaba for my O Level, worked for a few years at The University of Lagos, Medical Center Akoka,Studied Industrial Relations and Personnel Management in the same University .

I have great passion and desire for the cancer cause ,l’m committed to it, working so hard in my own little way with our NGO (Niola Cancer Care Foundation )to reduce death rate from cancer in Nigeria.an award winning gemstone designer the CEO and chief head designer at Styles By Saennys, we design jewellery using well polished and high grade gemstones.

Losing my husband to cancer inspired me to kick off Niola Cancer care foundation?

The year 2012-2013 The life threatening and bitter experience l had when my late husband had colorectal cancer, his final transition in Indian at a young age of 39 and I brought back his corpse for final burial.

How he was managed in Indian was different especially when it comes to latest development to his deteriorating health, His Doctors in lndia do not hoard information from me, l was carried along,l asked all sorts of questions,they answer and replied with empathy and compassion,compared with some of the Doctors that first managed him in Nigeria, also there was NO COLORECTAL NGO IN NIGERIA then, apart from his oncology Dr nobody to talk to ,how we handle health lssues and cancer management here in Nigeria is sadden, l understand and know better now , why most doctors and nurses in our public health institutions are sometimes hostile towards their patients and their relatives,Nigeria health worker are under utilized, the workload on them is too much with low income, Nigeria has very brilliant and qualified doctors and nurses but no tools and equipments to work with,their take-home pay does not quantify their workload.

Battle from In-laws

My other strange and personal experience was from some of my in-laws, especially my sister-in -law during the periods he was ill and after his death, despite l was the sole care-giver to my late husband, l was responsible and l solely looked for funds from friends, from our church and one of my late husband’s uncle to pay for his treatment, every 10 days he will need N350,000 for his chemo,he was on this for a year, and the cancer came back , then l took him to India after doing all this , l was accused of given my husband cancer, that l killed him and my Sister-in-Law abused and attacked me physically and emotionally, while still mourning his death, she beat me up, l was under treatment too , no strength ,l was trying to recover too, because taking care of last stage cancer patient is draining, l wish death could come and take me, l was tired of life, l questioned my existence, whats happening ? Death of a child after waiting on the Lord for years, with several miscarriages and now the death of my husband, my classmate in University ,one of the best hubby in the world, the odds from my childhood….but God stepped in, He restored me and gives me hope of a new dawn…for God to have kept me, I do not have any choice than to serve humanity .HE KEPT ME FOR A PURPOSE….we birth NIOLA CANCER CARE FOUNDATION, The first colorectal cancer NGO in West Africa, from my personal experience.

Venturing into gemstone design

From childhood l got fascinated to colors, l love art, now as an adult ,l’m fashionable, love looking good, l never knew l’m going to end up been a gemstone designer, also an award winner, l started like every other beads designer in 2004,l went into research on natural stone, l got hooked, l travelled to other countries to know more on stones, on those journey l got to know Africa as a continent is the most blessed in the world with natural stone and diamond, Nigeria is one of the countries in Africa with large deposit of gold and natural minerals. our designs can compete with any other designs in the world, my outfit Styles by Saennys started using Chains and mounting gemstones on precious metals way back 2006, our designs are timeless, l represent our company annually in one of the biggest gemstones and diamond Exhibition in the world with over 70,000 visitors and over 2,000 Exhibitors from all over the world, The Hongkong Gem Fair. l pray Nigeria will have something similar someday. Our government needs to look into our mines make review and build standards lapidary, make power supply stable ,this will create more jobs and takes people off the streets, Zambia runs their economy on natural minerals and gemstone mined from their country, South Africa too we all know they are blessed with diamond, their mines is managed by their government and their economy is stable to some extent.

My experience as the official accessories designer of the MBGN 2010

Well it was really another experience for me as a designer taking part in MBGN 2010,Styles By Saennys been the official jewellery designer that year…No monetary compensation from the organizers,we struggled with the organizers at some point before they could mention our outfit in their brochures after providing and designing Jewellery for 36 contestants, my late husband was my manager then ,he represented us in the meeting with the organizers,we were determined to make best out of the situation,we count it all joy today…

What and who inspires you?

First My inspiration comes from God ,for grace and strength to do great exploits, From people around me and great mentors,some l have mention in the past,and some are my secret mentors and they inspire me a lot

Greatest Reward

The greatest reward For our NGO was when an older friend of mine was surprised that we run Niola Cancer Care Foundation from my jewellery showroom, she paid for Niola Cancer Care Foundation present office that Reward for me, also people who smile when they see you even in pain the cancer patients and their family

Those that was screened and the disease was picked early,They are saved -that’s reward for me

For my jewellery outfit Styles By Saennys clients that are happy for making them look gorgeous and appreciating our creativity ,that’s rewarding

For those that has given up on life and they come to meet me and tell them my story, l tell them they Shouldn’t, they got inspired and get back on their feet and face life head on-That’s rewarding.

Challenges of running my NGO

On The Cancer NGO our religion believes is not helping matters at all, Nigerians won’t allow you talk about cancer before they shot you down and tell you ‘it’s not my portion’ l asked WHOSE PORTION IS CANCER ? We are still in denial ,but we still go ahead with preaching and creating the awareness, Or when they notice something is wrong with their body ,they keep quiet,till when it’s bad, eventually when they know ,they run to churches or mosques ,even shrine instead of seeking medical help first,and take to instruction from their doctor,when the case is beyond the churches they push them out, by the time they get to hospital it’s late ,please Tell your pastor or lmam about your health and seek medical help immediately,their prayer with God on your side will make it easy for the doctor to found solution. When the cancer patients are in their final stage nearing ,End-to life , the society, the system even families and friends disappear ,they gives up on them before the patient died,this is so so wrong, they have a right to treatment,lots of love, support, care and they should be comfortable.That is the reason Niola Cancer Care Foundation visit Cancer Patients on admission in the hospital Twice a year, where we pray with them ,donate gift and show them love. We do this On Niola Founder’s Day which is my birthday every 18th of June Tagged ‘Celebrating With The Victors’ and on Christmas Day ‘Spending Christmas With Champions

-Another major challenge is Funding ,but we don’t allow that to affect us, we are doing our bit, with the little we get from few people, who really appreciate what we doing

Giving up

Giving up is not in my dictionary …not at all, when Nigeria has the highest death rate from cancer, over 300,000 newly cases every year and over 200,000 death annually from cancer this are recorded case , statistic from WHO, we are in country where people died and Autopsy are not carried out on most of the corpses, so the figure above is far more than that, with all this put together Cancer is an Epidemic , No Cancer Machines, No Radiotherapy machine working in Nigeria, A country with population of over 180m people, no cancer centers, it’s scaring …of course no cure as they make Us to believe but l know early Detection Saves. Get Screened , Go for check up, Nigeria buys aso Ebi, goes to party, that money should be put aside and use it for medical check up, not all checks up are expensive, they should pay attention to their body.

I am a rare gem, a woman of Rubies

Well…. even the bible says ‘the price of a virtuous woman is far above Ruby. Ruby is a gem with high value

Advice to women

We women are powerful,compassionate, resilient and strong, we should always support each other, my sister-in -law is a fellow woman, no competition at all, we should lift ourselves up.

In Career Gems November 10, 2017 By Women of Rubies

LUPITA NYONG’O CALLS OUT WOMEN MAGAZINE, GRAZIA, FOR EDITING OFF HER NATURAL HAIR

Lupita Nyong’o is not happy with women magazine, Grazia for editing her photo without her permission on their cover.

The beautiful actress who took to her Instagram page on Friday, November 10, 2017, to speak on what she calls an unconscious prejudice against black women, feels she should have been consulted before taking off her natural hair from the cover.

” As I have made clear so often in the past with every fiber of my being, I embrace my natural heritage and despite having grown up thinking light skin and straight, silky hair were the standards of beauty, I now know that my dark skin and kinky, coily hair are beautiful too. Being featured on the cover of a magazine fulfills me as it is an opportunity to show other dark, kinky-haired people, and particularly our children, that they are beautiful just the way they are.

lupitanyongo Verified

culled from pulse.ng

In self development November 9, 2017 By Women of Rubies

#TBT: THROWBACK PHOTOS OF FATHIA BALOGUN

Hello WORriors, It is #ThrowbackThursday and we are throwing back these old photos of Fathia Balogun. Enjoy!

In Career Gems November 9, 2017 By Women of Rubies

”THERE IS SO MUCH DOMESTIC ABUSE GOING OUT THERE AND PEOPLE DON’T CONFRONT IT” -DJ CUPPY

DJ Cuppy was a guest at the Pulse studio on Tuesday, November 8, 2017, where she spoke about being successful in a male-dominated industry, relationships with other female artist and sexual harassment in the Nigeria entertainment industry.

When asked about the new revelations of sexual harassment scandals rocking the Hollywood industry and if there are incidents like that in the Nigeria entertainment industry, DJ Cuppy gave her own account which she feels was a very horrible experience.

“This is such a sensitive thing over here, it’s more like a taboo, even outside the entertainment industry there is so much domestic abuse going out there and people don’t confront it. I definitely can imagine if that goes on for entertainment, it must be really horrible to go through I can’t imagine how painful it is to go through that”

“Imagine feeling trapped like they aren’t going to play my music anymore or I’m not going to get bookings or shows anymore just because I’m exposing that person, that must be horrible. Its tough but I feel like things are changing, we are really modernizing slowly as a society and I feel like anyone going through this might get more support than they think”

Speaking of how she is able to succeed in a male dominated industry, DJ Cuppy said

“Not to put down all the men watching on Pulse, I feel like men just have too much ego and I feel like realizing this just helps you. I have deejayed for gigs and have had male DJs perform before me or after me, I let them do their thing, I’m not trying to be the biggest person there. It a bit like dating someone, you just kinda pretend to make them feel more important or more valued.

“It’s really difficult being a woman because a lot of times we have to work twice hard to achieve half. I have seen this happen every day, all my managers are females, my interns are females, we have to kick down doors to make things happen so, I have learned to kind of accept and I think like Tiwa Savage said something along the line about how it is.”

She also explained

“I met people as a strong confident, young female DJ, it really put people off as a young and black, it was really scaring people. So, I have learned to make people feel comfortable because most times its like people don’t like confident women, it’s almost like it scares them,” she explained.

DJ Cuppy shed more light on the relationship Nigeria female artists have between themselves which she explained isn’t so cordial but that she is working hard to bring everybody together.

“I do have female fans and I call them cupcakes and a lot of them are very young and they look at me like someone, I went through my education, I haven’t had any scandals and I’m still following my dreams, I’m still in entertainment but I’m living a balanced lifestyle. Having moved back to Nigeria, I’m really seeing the issues between a lot of female artists that’s why I really really really want to be the one to bring back together. I’m friends and cordial with a lot of the female artist even with the female DJs, I’m cool with Nana and super cool with Lambo. I feel like I really don’t know what the issue is, maybe I am different, she revealed.

culled from pulse.ng

In Career Gems November 9, 2017 By Women of Rubies

DAKORE EGBUSON AKANDE PLEDGES TO DONATE HER CORNEA TO THE BLIND WHEN SHE DIES

Popular Nigerian actress, Dakore Egbuson-Akande, has said she is willing to donate her cornea to the blind when she dies.

The mother of two announced this yesterday via her Instagram page.

She wrote:

“I pledged my cornea to Eye bank of Nigeria, and what that means is when I leave this earth I willingly donate my cornea to help give the gift of sight especially as I would no longer be needing it…”
Then she proceeded to ask fans about their opinions. “What are your views on this and becoming a donor in general?
“I would really appreciate your kind feedback so we can start the conversation…will you be willing to do it for a loved one or a stranger?
“How do you SEE it? Factors that prevent most people from doing this is fear but of what exactly?” she asked.

See her IG post below:

dakoreea