Women of Rubies
Stephanie Obi
In Inspiration By

Stephanie Obi, Techpreneur and The Queen of Online Courses

Stephanie Obi is popularly referred to as the Queen of Online Courses. She is an award winning business coach and the founder of TrainQuarters, the first female owned tech platform which provides tech support to thought leaders so that they can create and promote their products with ease.

She is the creator of the Course Launched Delivered program, which helps female thought leaders to earn Six Figures from creating and selling evergreen online courses.

She has helped some of Forbes Africa’s most powerful women and LinkedIn Top Voices to launch their courses and is the author of the Amazon best-selling book, Knowledge Is The New Gold.

Stephanie Obi is a recipient of the Beta Gamma Sigma 2021 Entrepreneurial Achievement Award, the Social Media for Social Good Award and was named one of the “100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria” in 2017 by Leading Ladies Africa.

She has spoken at the Women In Management, Business & Public Service Annual Conference, one of the largest women in leadership conferences in Africa, as well as The Lagos Business School’s Entrepreneurship Expo and Contest.

She’s a First-Class Graduate of Computer Science and holds an MBA from the prestigious Lagos Business School.

Early Life

Growing up, all the women entrepreneurs she saw owned mom and pop shops. They never grew to be CEOs of big companies and so Stephanie didn’t even know that women could be CEOs. It was not on the cards for her and she thought the best she could be was to rise up the career ladder in a good job, get married, have children and be satisfied.

Her perception started to change when she started to see other women who were mothers and wives and had founded successful businesses. She started to see that it was possible for her. What made their stories so profound was that they were just like her. African Women.

Representation matters. If young girls see other women who look and sound like them founding companies, it helps to build a pipeline of women founders.

This for Stephanie, is why she believes that the biggest hindrance to women founding companies is the lack of representation. If women see women who are just like them founding companies, they will be inspired to start.

To empower women to become founders, Stephanie’s company has helped thousands of women to start an online course business using their different training programs.

Bridging the gap

In the course of the trainings, she also noticed that a lot of women were not tech inclined and this stopped them from really growing. In order to resolve this challenge, they built an easy to use online business platform, TrainQuarters which makes it easy for women to create and sell all their training products online.

Stephanie believes that female entrepreneurship will go a long way to alleviate the effect of poverty in African households. With more disposable income in the household, children can be exposed to more opportunities.

Stephanie is particular about women empowerment because she believes that when women are empowered, communities become empowered.

She also believes that there are problems that women are in a better position to solve just because of their feminine nature. If women become founders, they will be able to contribute their innovative ideas to solving problems that society has.

Stephanie obi

Stephanie mentioned practical ways that women can be empowered and in her own words, “One powerful way to empower more women to become women founders is just by showcasing the stories of diverse women entrepreneurs from different backgrounds. Women should be exposed to more female founders as they grow up, and as much as possible, entrepreneurship should be a part of the curriculum in schools.”

“Access to funding will help a lot of women to become founders however a lot of women struggle to access the available funds because they cannot pitch themselves. There should be training programs focused on teaching women how to pitch and to access funds. It will also help if women can become investors because investors tend to invest in people who look like them.”

Stephanie Obi

Through her website, she has reached over 82,000 people in over 10 countries.

She has also been recognized as one of the 100 most inspiring women in Nigeria, and won First prize at the Wimbiz Impact Investment Competition.

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Endometriosis
In Career Gems By

Endometriosis: What Every Woman Should Know (Causes, Diagnosis, Symptoms And Treatment)

Endometriosis is a relatively prevalent female reproductive disease. It is a painful disorder that affects the reproductive system and surrounding organs.

Women are diagnosed with endometriosis when the tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus actually grows outside the uterus. When this happens, the ovaries (and possibly the fallopian tubes and tissue lining of the pelvis) are affected.

It is a gynaecological condition associated with menstruation where tissue similar to the lining of the womb is found in other areas of the body, including the fallopian tubes, pelvis, bowel, vagina, and intestines.

It has been alleged that 30 – 40% of Nigerian women (who live in Nigeria) suffer from endometriosis.

There is also a recent study that claims approximately 11% of women and girls in Nigeria unknowingly live with the disorder, even though they show no symptoms, with diagnosis only occurring years later.

These are important tips every lady should know about Endometriosis.

1. Cause And Risk Factors

The exact cause of endometriosis is not currently fully understood. Any woman can develop endometriosis, but some risk factors increase the risk. Risk factors such as age as it is most common in women in their 30’s.

Other possible risk factors of endometriosis include;

  • Problems with menstrual flow: Menstrual blood enters the fallopian tubes and the pelvis instead of leaving the body in the usual way.
  • Surgical scar: Endometrial cells can move during a procedure such as a hysterectomy or C-section.
  • Genetics: There may be an inherited component. A woman with a close family member who has endometriosis is more likely to develop endometriosis herself.
  • Hormones: Endometriosis is stimulated by the hormone estrogen.
  • Immune system: Problems with the immune system can prevent the destruction of extrauterine endometrial tissue.

2. Symptoms

  • Severe menstrual cramps
  • Long-term lower back and pelvic pain
  • Periods lasting longer than 7 days
  • Heavy menstrual bleeding where the pad or tampon needs changing every 1 to 2 hours
  • Bowel and urinary problems including pain, diarrhea, constipation and bloating
  • Bloody stool or urine
  • Painful intercourse

3. Diagnosis

Diagnosis can be challenging because there is no single test for evaluation. The only way to truly confirm the condition is by undergoing a surgical laparoscopy.

A surgical laparoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure in which a thin, lighted tube with a miniature camera attached, called a laparoscope, is inserted through a small incision in the pelvic area. It can take many years to receive a diagnosis.

Other possible diagnostic strategies include a pelvic exam, radiologic imaging with ultrasound, or magnetic resonance imaging, and the use of certain medications including birth control.

4. Treatments

Surgery is possible, but it is normally considered only if other treatments are not effective. Other options include for treatment may include;

  • Pain medications: Either over-the-counter (OTC) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or prescription drugs for the treatment of painful menses. Some doctors also recommend hot water bottle therapy.
  • Hormones: Treatment may be with hormonal therapies such as hormonal birth control. Placement of an intrauterine device (IUD) may also be recommended.
  • Fertility treatment: Pregnancy may be recommended via in-vitro fertilization (IVF).
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Things That Make A Woman Threatening To Other Women
In Career Gems By

9 Things That Make A Woman Threatening To Other Women

People can dislike someone for a number of good and bad reasons. Sometimes a person will act mean because they’re jealous of someone else. Are you constantly getting picked on or left out? Have friends who were previously cool suddenly become hostile or passive aggressive? Or maybe you just can’t manage to feel welcomed by a group of people no matter how hard you try to befriend them.

There is a difference between feeling threatened and feeling intimidated. The difference is fear.

When a woman feels threatened, she is afraid that you will take (or try to take) something she has (including her man, her confidence, her best friend, the role she has established in her group, etc.) or something she wants (like a promotion, a future boyfriend, etc.). In any case, these threatened feelings usually stem from our own insecurities. People don’t fear losing the things they are secure about.

When a beautiful woman walks in the room, we may feel intimidated or jealous, but we won’t feel threatened unless we are insecure about our own looks. Feeling threatened can bring out the worst in us. We may shut down or lash out when we let insecurity get the best of us.

Overcoming Insecurities and Building Bridges

Don’t be self-righteous or act like you’re better than someone who feels threatened by other women. Everyone has insecurities, and everyone will feel threatened sometimes. The best way to overcome these feelings is to recognize that you feel insecure and examine why you feel that way. When you take an honest look at yourself, you may be less inclined to be hurtful to someone else.

If you’re being ostracized by other women, let me offer my condolences to you. It’s tough being singled out. Even if your positive traits alienate some people, you still have your striking beauty and outstanding I.Q. as consolation prizes.

All jokes aside, I hope that you will move forward with a newfound awareness of your appealing traits, and I hope you will practice humility, kindness, and gentleness with the women around you. If you feel that you’re being unfairly judged for your positive qualities, consider going the extra mile to prove that you are more than a pretty face, and that your life is not as perfect as it seems.

You need and deserve good friends just as much as any other person. Envious, insecure people may pick on you out of fear, and people who act that way probably dislike parts of themselves more than they could ever despise you.

Ten Traits That Make a Woman Threatening to Other Women

  1. You’re Beautiful

Whether or not you believe you’re beautiful, if other women around you think you’re prettier than them, you may struggle to connect with them. People of any age, body type, or size can be confident or insecure about their appearances. If someone feels that their appearance deviates from societally imposed standards of beauty, they may project their insecurity onto people who fit the standard more closely. It’s possible that other women may feel threatened by your beauty and your mere presence may make them feel inadequate. If they are single, they may see you as competition for romantic partners. If they are married, they might see you as a seductive temptress who is plotting to steal their spouses.

My advice:

Short of bodily mutation (that was a joke, not a suggestion), there is not much you can do to change your appearance. You can try to down-play your attractive features, but ultimately, you shouldn’t have to hide your good qualities to assuage someone else’s insecurities. If people seem threatened by your appearance, it may be helpful to offer sincere compliments about their appearances to help them feel more confident and less threatened by you. Don’t be excessively complimentary or self-deprecating, but be kind and encouraging. If you’ve demonstrated that you don’t consider yourself to be better than others based on appearance and you’re still being treated with hostility, consider distancing yourself from that relationship.

  1. You’re Smart(er Than Them)

It’s okay to be smart, so long as the people around you aren’t reaching for a dictionary to translate your last sentence. The bigger the words you use, the smaller your audience may feel. Until you know the people around you, keep the conversation and the mood light. Most people just want to have fun. Make sure that you’re a fun conversationalist when you communicate with other people.

My Advice:

Brainiacs should be smart enough to know that giving a lecture on some obscure topic can be alienating for the people around you! You don’t have to dumb yourself down when you talk to other women, but if you’re a very smart person, try to refrain from using your intelligence to make other people feel stupid. Don’t show off or act condescending, but don’t hide your intelligence either. Get comfortable with being yourself and let other people know the real you too.

  1. You Work (Too) Hard

Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom who cooks every meal from scratch with organic ingredients grown in your own garden or the professional woman who performs every task above and beyond the call of duty, your hands-on approach to life can make some people feel insecure about their own work ethic. I know you’re probably thinking that lazy, bare-minimum bums need to rise to the occasion or just let it go. Unfortunately, the only thing they will want to see go is you.

My Advice:

If your accomplishments and drive seem to make other people avoid you, try to avoid bragging, and don’t offer unsolicited advice to people about their initiative or lack thereof. Save detailed conversations about your goals for friends who similarly have a lot going on.

  1. You Don’t Fit Into the Pecking Order

There are some women who try to bond with others by creating power imbalances and social hierarchies. One way to maintain a power imbalance is to undermine some people and make them seem inferior. This can be accomplished by putting other women down or by gossiping about them. Other members of the group will follow the lead of the more powerful person in the group so they won’t get ostracized by everyone else. Some people will contribute to and participate in unfair power imbalances because they want to, and some people will participate to avoid being placed at the bottom of the pecking order. These kinds of people are judgmental, critical, and mean.

My Advice:

If a person is willing to engage in petty gossip with you, they will probably also gossip about you. The most critical people are often the ones who have been the most criticized. Take pity on gossips, but don’t get too close to them!

  1. You’re Confident

My grandma used to say, “If you’ve got it, flaunt it!” Well, don’t. It’s okay to know yourself and like who you are as long as you aren’t egotistical about it. When you walk into a room, does your presence say, “Here I am!” or “There you are?” Some under-confident people will feel threatened by another person’s confidence. Make sure that you are being confident and not arrogant when you interact with people.

My Advice:

Learn to like yourself and love others at the same time. You can be confident without being arrogant, and you should encourage your friends to be confident in themselves too. Keep in mind that it’s not your job to make someone else feel good about themselves. You can be the most supportive and encouraging friend and still encounter other people who will treat you as if you’re doing something to undermine them. In addition to unabashedly owning your confidence, seek friends who can sport theirs without expecting you to shine less brightly.

  1. You’re Always Dressed to Impress

To some women, a pair of high heels is the same as sporting a pair of fishnet stockings and a tramp-stamp. Don’t ask me why, but a well-dressed woman can strike fear into the souls of all your flip-flopping, ballet-flatty, tennis-shoe-sporting friends. Maybe you just like to play dress-up, but the insecure women around you won’t care. They will question your motivations until their insecurity eats both them and you alive.

My Advice:

Know the dress code and don’t over-do it. There is a thin line between flashy and trashy. Wear clothes that make you feel comfortable and attractive, but be aware of how you’re presenting yourself and what kind of outfits are appropriate for each occasion. If your friends complain about your clothes, consider what they’re saying and why. Feel free to let them know that they’re welcome to change the way they dress if they want to enhance their style or get a different kind of attention.

  1. You Have a Strong Personality

There’s a difference between being strong and being overbearing. A strong person is usually firm about who they are, their boundaries, and their beliefs. When a woman is strong, she typically doesn’t need obedience or approval from every person she interacts with, and she can accept that she and her friends may disagree on some things. However, an overbearing woman has an opinion about everything, and she usually insists on sharing that opinion. She always has an answer to every question, it just may not be the right one. She could be far left or far right, extremely spiritual or an extreme hippy, but no matter what she believes, she can be extremely annoying when she forces her opinions and perspectives onto other people. Which kind of woman are you?

My Advice:

If you are the sort of person who embraces a black-or-white perspective try to recognize that most of the world operates in shades of grey. It’s okay to have opinions or beliefs, but remember that other people may have different perspectives. Try to respect that other people will have their own ways of viewing the world and don’t force your opinions onto other people.

  1. You’re Competitive

You know that girl who always has to win? The one who views every aspect of social interaction as a competition, and the one who will use your heart as a stepping stool to the top? Well, she may win the game, but she will lose her friends in the process. And what good is victory when you have no one to share it with?

My Advice:

Don’t let a sense of competition cause you to mistreat others and don’t maintain friendships with overly competitive people. Even if you’re a naturally competitive person, try to avoid treating all aspects of your social interactions as competitions. Constantly trying to out-do others will make it hard for people to be vulnerable with you. It might be a good idea to examine why you feel the need to compete with others.

9.You’re Affluent

The wealthier you are, the more out-of-touch you may be with average people and their problems. Women can connect over their weaknesses as much as their strengths. Your mansion and your luxury cars may be overwhelming to the most down-to-earth ladies. Being wealthy may eliminate some types of stress from your life, and some people may resent the fact that you have so much when they have less. Unfortunately, even if you can hide your car in the garage, you can’t hide your Gucci purse, your designer jeans, or your wealthy lifestyle. Money talks, and in this case it may be saying, “I’m too good for you.”

My Advice:

Don’t flaunt your wealth or brag about the financial blessings you enjoy. Nobody likes a braggart, and it is hard to be friends with someone if they use their wealth to make others feel jealous. Try to be discreet about your capital—especially if your friends don’t have the same financial background as you.

What’s your take on the article , share in the comment or tell us your personal experience….

By: Christy Stewart

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Erelu Bisi Fayemi
In Inspiration By

Erelu Bisi Fayemi: Every Woman Deserves A “Wrapper” And Support

Erelu Bisi Fayemi  has many years of experience as a gender specialist, policy advocate, and social change philanthropy practitioner. Asides being the  Wife of the former Governor of Ekiti State, she is also  the co-founder of African Women’s Development Fund, (AWDF) – the first Africa-wide grant-making fund, and served as the first Executive Director from 2001-2010.

The passionate advocate and Author of several bestselling books is currently Principal Partner, Amandla Consulting , specializing in leadership development for women, while she also runs an online community where she lends her voice to issues that affects women and encourage us to rise above whispers and use our voice, resources and position where it matters.

BAF as she is fondly called is also  UN Women Nigeria Senior Advisor, and was recently appointed as a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at King’s College, University of London.

When her husband Dr. Kayode Fayemi took office as Governor of Ekiti State on October 16th 2010-2014, Erelu became actively involved in a range of policy advocacy, grassroots empowerment and social inclusion programs in Ekiti State. She led the campaign to enact a Gender Based Violence Prohibition Law (2011) an Equal Opportunities Bill (2013) and a HIV Anti-Stigma Bill (2014).

She serves on the Executive Boards of the African Women’s Development Fund, and the Global Fund for Women USA. She is Chair of the Advisory Council of the Nigerian Women’s Trust Fund and also serves on the Governing Council of Elizade University, Nigeria.

Erelu is the author of ‘Speaking for Myself’: Perspectives on Social, Political and Feminist Activism in Africa (2013), ‘ Speaking above a Whisper’ , (2013) an autobiography and ‘ Loud Whispers’ (2017) She also co-edited ‘ Voice, Power and Soul’, with Jessica Horn (2008) a compilation of images and stories of African Feminists.

During the  #Covid19 Pandemic, Erelu Bisi gave hope to several women across Nigeria through her “A wrapper for Women Initiative” , and supported over 60,000 households in Ekiti.

She shares her Inspiring journey with Esther Ijewere,  In celebration of her 57th birthday today. (Interview was first published on June 11, 2020)

Inspiration behind  ‘A Wrapper for Women Initiative’

In October last year, I gave a brief speech at the annual Arise Women Conference in Lagos, convened by Pastor Siju Iluyomade of the RCCG. In my speech I asked the question, ‘Where is your wrapper’? I told the story of how, years ago, I was attending a meeting in Uganda, where we learnt of how a woman went into labour in one of the local markets. Other women in the market rallied round her and held up their wrappers to give her privacy, while those who knew what to do helped deliver her baby right there in the market’. What those women did can be found in many African communities, including here in Nigeria.

Those wrappers symbolize solidarity, unity, love, protection, care and so on. If we want to be blessed as women in any way, Where is your wrapper? Where is your wrapper for the poor widow who is struggling to pay the fees of her children? Where is your wrapper for your wealthy but very sad friend who is experiencing domestic violence? Where was your wrapper when a woman told you she had been raped but you asked her what she was wearing? After the speech, I wrote one of my weekly Loud Whispers articles and called it ‘Where is your wrapper?’. I did not expect the reaction to it.

It seemed to resonate with so many women and men around the world. Up to that point, I had been planning to start an interactive online forum as an extension of our work on the Above Whispers website. Many young women ask me to mentor them, so the easiest way to do this is taking advantage of social media. In addition, a lot of women need help with modest contributions that could make all the difference.

That is why I decided to start The Wrapper Network, for women who need a wrapper and for women who are prepared to give wrappers to other sisters. I am flagging it off with an initiative for some women entrepreneurs to mark my birthday on June 11th. The Wrapper Network will be able to support up to 40 women with between N50,000-N200,000 for various businesses. I hope that the sisters who will benefit can go on to bless other sisters with a wrapper when things are good for them.

My Impact During This Uncertain Time In The World

It has been a rather strange period, not being able to move around freely, and having to do so with care when restrictions were eased. I travelled to the US and UK early March, and when I came back, I went into self-isolation for 14 days. After that, I started working on our Food Bank in the State, a project I have been running for a number of years now. During this COVID19 period, we have been able to provide support to people during the lockdown period. Over the past two months, we have been able to support up to 60,000 households across the State, and we are still giving out palliatives. I have also been supporting families with donations.

Bisi Fayemi

To Young Women Who Want To Go Into Politics

Women should not cede political space. Women are the ones who keep party machineries running, and they are the ones who get the short end of the stick when there is a victory. Any woman who is thinking of contesting should get involved in community affairs, go home to your community and let them know you. If at first you don’t succeed, try again.

On The Pattern Of The Two Rcent Rape Cases And What We Can Do Collectively

It is such a terrible situation. On the one hand, this is not news to those of us who have been working on these issues for a long time. We have been talking about Sexual Violence for ages but very few people have been paying attention. Now that we have social media and all the attention it commands, information gets around quickly, and it is easier for people to respond to what they see and hear in very passionate terms.

I told a group of friends the other day, the groundswell of survivors’ voices we are hearing now is what breaking the culture of silence looks like.

Now that survivors know they might be heard and justice is not beyond their reach, more people will be willing to come forward. We just need to make sure that we do not fail those who have the courage to do so, and for those for whom it is too late like poor Uwa, we need to make sure that her killers get what they deserve. At a time like this, we need to keep up the momentum, we need to keep being angry and we need to demand action and results.

My Birthday Message To Young Women All Over The World

The late Maya Angelou once said, ‘Be Present in the present’. In my own interpretation of Maya’s words, being present requires you to read as widely as you can, ask questions, raise your voice, be open to learning and relearning. Being present means self-esteem, self-awareness, courage and presence. Be present. Absence is not an option.

Take a look at other related interviews we’ve had in the past:

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Sally Suleiman
In Inspiration By

Sally Suleiman: Community Service Increases Your Social And Relationship Skills

Sally Suleiman is an extraordinary humanitarian. She lends her voice to the voiceless, and disadvantaged persons in the society on and offline.

The   notable  Humanitarian, Strategist, Writer and a Media Personality is also the  founder of The Isolycia Foundation – a Non Governmental organization that focuses on Education for underprivileged children.

She has impacted and put smiles in the lives of many children through her educational outreach.

Sally Suleiman is an Alumna of Middlesex University where she studied International Business and she’s part of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Sally through her social media platforms has become an household name, using her voice and resources where it matters.

She has worked in the oil and gas industry for more than ten years, as well as in the media for ten years. She excels at brand management, project management, sales, marketing, administration, customer service, company development, and content production.

She has received the necessary training and grooming to become a purpose-driven individual with a drive for success and an appetite for excellence, making her well-suited to make a meaningful contribution to any assigned team and the company as a whole.

Sally shares her inspiring journey, and how her mom’s death changed her perception of life in this exclusive interview with Esther Ijewere.

Sally Suleiman

Childhood Influence

I was such a generous and empathetic child. I loved to do things for people, I loved to help the poor. I started helping when I was in primary school, I would give the less privileged my old school items and even share my lunch and lunch money with the underprivileged. So I had that path right from my childhood.

My childhood wasn’t the best. I lost my Mum when I was 5years old. This made me grow up very fast and opened me up to challenges that a 5years old shouldn’t be going through. My Mum was a great woman, she was a teacher, she was my best friend, she was my everything, that was a very painful experience for me and my siblings.

Things changed when my wonderful stepmom came into the home, I am who I am today because of this woman, she made sure that I grew up in the way of the Lord, she taught me almost everything that I know today. I owe my success to her.

Inspiration behind Isolycia Foundation

The Isolycia Foundation was inspired by my love for education especially at the elementary level. I believe that every child should be in school, peculiarly at that tender age. So the Isolycia foundation focuses on education for children in rural areas. We also sensitize parents on the need to send their children to school. I formed the name from my late mum’s name and my step mum’s name.

The Journey So Far

It’s been humbling so far. Every challenge I face teaches me a lesson, so I’m grateful.

Supporting The Less Privileged And Using My Platform For Social Good

I love the fact that I wake up fulfilled doing what I love to do. I love the fact that I’m able to touch lives and inspire people. I get messages everyday from people saying how much I inspire and motivate them, this is enough impact for me knowing that I am touching the world one day at a time.

The Impact Of Being A YALI fellow

It has helped through learning by taking their courses. I’m a professional at what I do because of the available resources YALI provided.

Coordinating A Giveaway Platform Online

Giveaway platform just like the name implies, is a platform where I give out things to people, this is part of my Social responsibility for being a media personality. I also help promote small businesses through this platform, I open them up to their potential clients.

Positive And Negative Side of Being a Social Media Influencer

The positive side is impacting lives and making money (LOL), the negative side is sometimes you get misunderstood and you get attacked. You experience bullying, hate and all sorts. But I have learnt to ignore and focus on the positives and those who love me.

Challenges Of My Work

It could be tasking financially because I do not depend on anyone, I do everything from my pocket. Also managing my time can be challenging. I have so much to do but little time.

3 Women Who Inspire Me To Be better 

HE Toyin Saraki

HE Bisi Fayemi

And the most recent Vice President of America, Kamala Harris.

These women inspire me in different ways. Their passion, their success, the change they bring in their various fields inspires me.

Sally Suleiman

Nuggets on the power of community service

  • Community service connects you to others. It allows you to connect to your community and make it a better place.
  • Community service increases your social and relationship skills
  • Community service also increases your self-confidence. It provides a healthy boost to your self-confidence, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. You are doing good for others and the community, which provides a natural sense of accomplishment.

I’m going to leave a quote by Denzel Washington – “At the end of the day it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished… it’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back.”

Being a Woman of Rubies

I’m a woman of rubies because I stay positive, i inspire and impact lives.

 

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Detorera Obimakinde
In Inspiration By

Detorera Obimakinde: If You Ever Walked Away From An Abusive Relationship,You Won

Detorera  Obimakinde is a banker  with over 10 years work experience.  Her failed marriage, subsequent abuse physically, emotionally, psychologically and verbally in another relationship, having a child out of wedlock, struggle with career and other unpleasant experiences sent her on a quest to find her voice and decided she was going to overcome all the challenges she faced.

This and the thirst for her own personal healing gave birth to her NGO, The Renewed Woman Foundation (The RWF) ,a place of hope and strength for women of all background where they can draw strength and inspiration.

The NGO is poised to help other women gain back their voices, see life from positive perspective regardless of whatever challenges they’re going through. The foundation is helping them heal, gain strength to forgive themselves and others who hurt them.

Detorera ObimakindeShe believes there are people in the same or worse situation she was years ago but are unable to find help. Adetorera is actively committed to mentoring several young girls in her community.

The amazing amazon graduated from Moshood  Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Ogun state, proceeded for her BSc in International Relations from Lead City University and went on to get her MBA in Marketing Management from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, Oyo State.

She is also an entrepreneur and a mother to a lovely boy. She shares her story with Esther Ijewere in this interview. (First published in 2019).

Childhood Influence

I never had a childhood that prepared me for all these. My parents have been married for about 40years now and I have never seen my dad raise his hands against my mom.  Yes the quarrel and argue but I never saw them confront each other. Growing up I never lacked anything , all I saw around me was love and care. My 2 siblings and I are also neatly-closed . As a matter of fact, for me before my marriage in 2013, life was beautiful. I never encountered any challenge until then. I made my papers once, got into school once, didn’t struggle to get a job, you understand. So I never thought I would be here.

Detorera Obimakinde

Meet Me!

I had my primary, secondary and tertiary education in Abeokuta too. Before proceeding to Ibadan for my B.Sc. at Lead City University and NYSC at NTA.

I got a job with Coolfm/Wazobia FM shortly after and spent a few years there before joining the banking industry since over 7 years now. Currently I’m a service leader in one of the branches of keystone bank. I’m passionate about anything concerning the welfare of girls and women. I believe every woman deserves to be heard and deserves an opportunity. I love to travel, watch movies and make friends

Failed Marriage And Finding My Voice Again

I guess I married for the wrong reasons. I didn’t know why I did and what I wanted out of marriage, I ended up marrying wrongly. Although at 26 I wouldn’t say I was young but I was naive , and I also think the man I married wasn’t sure he loved me because he never stood up for me, he never struggled to be better and never took responsibilities for his actions.

And then while trying to get out of it, I got trapped in the hands of a self-acclaimed prophet. And that was where the real lesson began. I was battered, suppressed, oppressed, humiliated, trampled upon, and lied against, manipulated. Infact, I totally lost all the self-esteem I had.

I was obviously affected at work and people who wanted to take advantage of me took it well, so in was demoted.

I got depressed, developed high BP, wasn’t sleeping and could barely take care of my child( thank God I had a very supportive mother and maid).

But a friend whom I’m grateful to , linked me up with a woman of God who helped me get back myself and of course my mother who prayed and fasted for me to be able to escape the dungeon I was. And so that’s how the journey to rediscovering and finding my purpose started.

Touching Lives Through RWF

Through Renewed Woman Foundation, over 100 women have found a place to share their experiences, connect with others who have gone through the same, thereby understanding that they aren’t alone after all. Collectively we’ve built an haven of support, hope and strength for women of all background, thereby drawing strength and inspiration from each other.

In this place, women are able to reach out without fear of being judged and assured that they will find whatever help they seek, physically, spiritually, emotionally and sometimes financially. At the end, we have testimonies of women who have gone on to heal, be better women and chase their dreams once again.

Challenges

The challenges basically is finances and getting the right people to support the vision. One tree cannot make a forest. Yes there are alot of people out there but are they the right people. One needs God to choose partners in a journey like this.

Time is also a major challenge, especially because of my kind of job. The RWF would have done more work if I had a more flexible schedule.

Being A Mom, Banker And voice for Women

Ummmmm… What’s that quote again? ‘You never know how strong you are, until being strong is the only option you have’. For me it’s been dedication, commitment, tenacity, purpose and perseverance. Being a Mom taught me dedication and commitment (chuckles, I bet a lot of Mom out there will nod to that). I know that my darling son is my utmost responsibility and biggest commitment so it keeps me going even in the darkest days. Being a banker taught me tenacity. Any banker will tell you that.

From meetings to targets and everything it comes with. And finally being a voice first for myself and then other women taught me first purpose, because before coming into that space I was lost. Like a ship without a sail. I found purpose and then developed perseverance to stop at nothing until my dreams are realized while helping other women achieve the same regardless of their stories. And that’s basically how I manage it all. And above all, I can say I’m utterly blessed with the most amazing family and friends. And they sure make my journey through it all memorable.

Reward

The greatest reward so far is the positive feedbacks that I have gotten from people who have attended our conferences, meet me one on one and who have been impacted by what we do. Alot of lives have become better through the RWF. And that’s an absolute joy to me.

5 Years From Now

In the next 5 years. I hope we are able to reach out to more women in south west and then move beyond the shores of this country. I look forward to patterning with both government and private organizations to organize various skill acquisition trainings for various survivors of DV. Because I’ve long discovered one of the major thing that keeps a lot of women in abuse is lack of financial capacity. So if they know help is ready available, perhaps more women will be encouraged to leave to live. So in 5 years I hope to have train hundreds of women in various skills and organized at least 20 conferences across 5 states.

Government Has To Do More For Victims Of Domestic Violence

Yes, I do believing in recent times and in such State as Lagos, the government has been of immense help towards helping DV survivors. But I strongly believe the government need to do more. The seemingly rise of DV in recent times isn’t necessarily because it’s just happening, rather I will say it is due to the emergence of social media. Social media brings everything to light these days and we are able to see clearer the plight of most women and men alike. So the government need to do more.

Pass stricter laws that keep abusers behind bars and for long too. There is a strong need for a physical safe havens, where women in DV can run to for refuge and know they are safe there until they figure out what to do with their lives (I’ve seen too many DV victims who ran away from their abusers but couldn’t find any safe place only to end up back at the abusers place).

The government need to provide schemes that not only provide skills but also basic finances to begin with. There are major roles our parents need to play too. I believe I am able to easily get back up and be where I am today because I had a good support system from my family.

Enough of parents insisting that their children in abusive marriages just so the society and their churches can see them as good people. If your child comes to you about being abused, as a good parent, your first response ought to be leave to live. There is no trophy given in heaven to anyone for dying in abusive relationship or marriages.

Detorera Obimakinde

I am Precious, I am a Woman of Rubies

My strength , the acknowledgment of my state and the desires to help other women come out better makes me a woman of Rubies. Rubies although are precious, they undergo hard and tough process to become a precious gem and that is my story.

For Women I Abusive Relationships

Death is inevitable after all, one day we all will be called home. But please make sure you aren’t leaving that decision in the hands of an abuser to make for you. Do not lay your life on the altar of anyone’s anger and madness. God created us for purpose and to make His name glorious, you must never let anyone deprive you of that.

Stop focusing on what people will say, do not be fooled by a lot of people’s hypocritical ways. You will be shocked to find out what goes on behind closed doors. It is easier for people to come on social media and project whatever they want you to see about them and their marriages. And if care isn’t taken, you’d be swallowed into that lie and begin to live a make believe.

Know and own your truth. You aren’t alone, and because you chose to walk out of an abusive marriage doesn’t make you a failure, instead it makes you a conqueror. And like a dear friend use to say ‘If you ever walk away from a no good, manipulative, demeaning and abusive relationship or marriage, you WON’!

Choose your own life, you come first. Leave to Live.

by
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50 Impactful women voices
In Inspiration By

ABCD Africa 50 Most Impactful Voices List Released To Mark 2023 International Women’s Day

ABCD Africa is proud to announce the release of the 50 Most Impactful Voices List to mark 2023 International Women’s Day. This list recognizes African female coaches, content creators, and community builders who leverage their voices and digital content as tools for impact.

Women all over Africa have made significant strides in breaking barriers and challenging norms. Despite this progress, women still face numerous challenges that hinder their voices from being heard as much as they should be. 

The ABCD Africa 50 Most Impactful Voices List features 

Thought leaders, change-makers and bold storytellers who have engaged their audiences, and inspired others with their unique stories, perspectives, and skills across various digital platforms, including Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok, Netflix, Podcasts and Blogs.

“We are thrilled to unveil the 50 Most Impactful Voices in Africa and amplify their contribution. We hope that this list inspires other women to use their voices, create impactful content, and shape conversations that contribute to the development of a more equitable society,’’ says Joké Pearl Oyebamiji, Founder of  ABCD Africa

The selection process was rigorous and thorough, with nominations received from digital experts and the general public. The finalists were evaluated based on their creativity, impact, authenticity, and engagement.

Here they are:

  • Jumoke Adenowo

Polymath, Founder, AD Consulting

Olajumoke Adenowo is an award-winning Architect, Academic Laureate, Philanthropist, Entrepreneur, Arbitrator, Author and Radio Show Host. She is the founder of AD Consulting, a leading Nigerian-based architecture and design firm.

A renowned passion-driven polymath with several media of expressions – she shares insightful content via her books, global publications, social media platforms, radio show, and global events.

In 2020, Jumoke was awarded the Forbes woman African Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

  1. Bodam Taiwo

Marketing Executive, Change Catalyst

Bodam Taiwo is a Change Catalyst and a Master Manifestor for women. Through her coaching programs, book (titled Be-You-Ti-Ful), masterclasses and YouTube Series – The Refined Lady’s Conversations, she helps women get unstuck by inspiring and organizing them to dream bigger, see clearer and live brighter so they can create the life they really desire. 

She is a Seasoned Business Leader and Marketing Executive with 15+ years of cross-functional experience.

  1. Modupe Ehirim

Marriage Coach

Married for thirty-four years, Modupe Ehirim is passionate about helping people get marriage right. She has worked as a Marriage Educator since 2014. 

She talks about marriage, Building Understanding among couples, Building Communication Skills, Building through Conflict, and Building a Covenant Relationship. 

Ehirim is the current National President of the Association SYMBIS (Save Your Marriage Before It Starts)

 

4.Tricia Olufemi-Olumide (TriciaBiz)

Marketing & Sales Strategist

Tricia equips entrepreneurs and experts with marketing strategies, funnels, growth strategies and systems to scale their revenue significantly to 9 figures and beyond. Through her social media platforms, newsletters, and YouTube Series – ‘How They Did It’, she is fueling the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Africa and beyond.

In 2020, she was recognized as one of The Top 10 Marketing Coaches To Follow by Yahoo.

  1. Udo Okonjo

Global CEO/VC of Fine & Country WA

Udo Maryanne Okonjo is the Global CEO/VC of Fine & Country West Africa, an official member of the Forbes Business Council, a sought after global transformative speaker and possibilities igniter.

A prolific writer, she has authored several books, and regularly shares content around female leadership development, financial freedom for women, real estate, entrepreneurship, business development, and wealth mastery.

  1. Wendy Prince-Amahdi

Founder, Women In Portharcourt 

Wenenda Ndu-Ajikeru is the Founder of WomeninPortharcourt, the largest Online Business Community in South-South Nigeria, creating visibility for growing businesses, and connecting entrepreneurs with potential customers via social media. Through corporate partnerships, business  masterclasses and events, she provides learning, networking and business growth opportunities for her audience. 

  1. Dr Ola Brown

Founder of Health Cap Africa

She is a Director at Flying Doctors Nigeria, and Founder of Health Cap Africa, an Africa-focused investment firm. 

An international speaker, she has spoken at the TED global conference, the UN, the World Bank, the World Economic Forum, the World Health Organisation, amongst several others. Dr. Ola and her work have been featured by CNN, the BBC, Forbes and Al-Jazeera.

Her prolific tweets on Business, Innovation and Tech have garnered a following of over 209,000 on Twitter.

Follow her here 👉 CLICK

  1. Brenda Okorogba

Founder, MomentsWithBren

Brenda Okorogba is a multi-award-winning service and learning experience designer and a facilitator. She has a gift for creating targeted learning solutions that address relevant classroom, workplace, community, career, and business needs in advancing opportunities for equity-deserving groups in particular.
Brenda has provided college and career readiness coaching to diverse students and professionals in Canada and across the world who have successfully secured $80.4M in college funding, transitioned into dynamic career paths, learned specialized skills, built positive personal identities, increased their social and emotional learning skills, and improved their leadership abilities.
Brenda is the Founder of Momentswithbren Consulting, a professional training and coaching company based in Canada that supports a variety of clients, organizations and institutions through professional and leadership development training, strategic advisory, and outcomes-based programming to help them better accelerate their successes. Brenda currently serves on the Board of Directors of social-impact driven Canadian Charitable organizations like the Students Commission of Canada, Canadian Council for Youth Prosperity, and the Immigrant Women Services Ottawa (IWSO).

Her insightful tweets have garnered a 177,000+ following on Twitter.

Follow her here 👉 CLICK

9.Temitope Olagbegi 

Life Coach, Entrepreneur 

Temitope Olagbegi is a Life Coach passionate at helping women find purpose. A multipotentialite, she shares her unique stories and perspective to help her audience rediscover their true authentic selves, fulfill purpose, and balance life on different levels.

She is a recipient of over 50 awards and recognitions for business and enterprise development in Nigeria, including the Bank of Industry Recognition Award in 2015 amongst numerous others. 

  1. Roseanne Kamau

Founder, Treasure Fitness

Roseanne is the Founder and Managing Director of Treasure Fitness, a weight loss and healthy lifestyle service firm.

A Kenya-based ardent advocate for healthy living, she shares content around holistic approaches to help women live sustainably wholesome lives.

Roseanne and her work have been featured on National and global media such as BBC

  1. Audrey Joe-Ezigbo

Impactonaire, DMD, Falcon Corporation

Audrey Joe-Ezigbo is a multiple award-winning Impactonaire, business leader, life and business transformation coach, speaker, and author. Her digital content helps people discover their life’s purpose, build sustainable businesses, and unleash the most profitable expressions of themselves in all areas of life. 

She is the Co-Founder of Falcon Corporation Limited, an industry-leading company in the middle and downstream Energy, Natural Gas distribution sector in Africa. 

She was recognised among the 100 Outstanding Female Executives in the African Oil & gas Industry in 2021.

  1. Nkem Onwudiwe

Founder, HerNetwork

Nkem Onwudiwe is a Public Relations professional, Marketing Consultant and founder of Her Network – a global inspiration and lifestyle platform for women.

Through Her Network, she has impacted over 50 thousand women through the network’s impact events and experiences, including the annual Her Network Woman of the Year Award Ceremony. 

She was previously the Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications at the Tony Elumelu Foundation.

  1. Confidence Stavely (SisiNerd)

Cybersecurity Leader

Confidence Staveley is a Cybersecurity Awareness Evangelist and Inclusion Advocate.

Her superpower is a deep understanding of cyber security fused with great communication skills; enabling her to communicate cyber security best practices in a relatable and engaging way with no jargon, to audiences of all types. Little wonder she has been nicknamed “The Relatable CyberSecurity Leader”

She was listed among the 45 Most Influential Women in Digital Transformation 2021-2022. She was also Featured on the 40 under 40 in cybersecurity List in 2023

  1. Omotolani Tayo-Osikoya (Diaryofakitchenlover)

Certified Culinary Expert

Popularly known as Diaryofakitchenlover, Tolani is a Nigerian Food Blogger/Recipe developer, Food tutor, and entrepreneur. 

Tolani shares amazing food pictures and curates detailed recipes from regular home ingredients to the delight of her over 1 million followers. 

  1. Funto Ibuoye

Marketplace Apostle, Entrepreneur 

Through her several expressions across her books, courses, events, business and speaking engagements, Funto Ibuoye is propelling and equipping individuals to launch a higher version of their purposes and businesses.

She was listed among the Ynaija & Leading Ladies Africa 100 most inspiring women in Nigeria in 2017, Mogulettes Africa 100 Most Inspiring Moguls in 2020 and 100 Most Impactful Women in 2022 by The Richer Woman Inc.  

  1. Crystal Chigbu

Executive Director, IREDE Foundation

She is a Nigerian social entrepreneur and a development consultant. She founded IREDE Foundation, which provides prosthetics and other walking aids to children 18 and under. Through her foundation, Crystal has provided over 120 prosthetic limbs to over 82 children across 17 states in Nigeria.

She leverages her social media platforms, book and speaking engagements to advocate for Child Amputees and NGO Corporate Governance.

  1. Ife Olarinde

Founder, CoolHouse

Ife Olarinde is a serial entrepreneur, doctoral researcher, and graduate of the Imperial College London.

She is the founder of Cool House, the largest African/Black community on Clubhouse with over 70,000 members. 

She shapes conversations around topics that impact people of African descent. Her key areas of interest are Human Capital Development, Entrepreneurship, Politics, Health Care Systems, Poverty Alleviation and Wealth creation. 

  1. Yolanda Cuba

Regional VP, Southern and East Africa, MTN

Yolanda Cuba is the Regional VP, Southern and East Africa, MTN

She was once the youngest CEO of a company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange,and has been blazing a trail through corporate South Africa since she was in her mid-20s. 

With years of experience as a business leader, Cuba shares tips and lessons on leadership and entrepreneurship, as well as insights into Africa’s business landscape.

  1. Tobi Ayeni (misstechy)

Video Creator

She is a Digital Strategist and the founder of MissTechy, a tech oriented blog that has gained prominence due to her innovative VFX Videos. 

She talks about tech and technological gadgets on her social media platforms and has grown her following to over 130,000.

  1. Yetty Williams Founder, Lagos Mums

Yetty Williams is a Digital Media Marketing Consultant

passionate about helping businesses, particularly women owned enterprises, leverage technology to thrive and scale up. 

She is also the founder of Nigeria’s premier and first parenting blog, Lagos Mums which convenes annual parenting conferences bringing together thousands of parents, experts and vendors and holds a community of nearly 55 thousand people.

In 2020, she was listed on the YNaija Top Media 100; recognized for curating culture and driving conversations.

  1. Tonye Briggs

Founder, Port Harcourt In Pictures

Tonye Briggs is the current curator of Portharcourt Global Shapers Hub, an initiative of the World Economic Forum.

Passionate about Human capacity development, she curates insightful content via her social media blog @portharcourtinpictures which has garnered an audience of over 70,000 on Instagram.

Follow her here 👉 CLICK

  1. Peace Hyde

Head of Digital Media and Partnerships, Forbes Africa

Peace Hyde is the head of digital media and partnerships as well as the West African correspondent at Forbes Africa. Passionate about shaping the African narrative, she co-created Netflix’s first African reality series in 2022, which won the Best Reality TV Show at the African Entertainment Awards USA.

Through her content, Hyde aims to inspire younger Africans to own their stories. She shares her personal journey, unique perspective, and ‘random dumps’ that we find ever so inspiring.

  1. Sinikiwe Kademaunga

Disability Activist

Sinikiwe Kademaunga is a disability activist and a member of the African Women Leaders Network, Zimbabwe Chapter.

Through her social media platforms, she advocates for the rights of people with disabilities, especially women.

As an advocate for gender equality in Zimbabwe, she believes that as women, it is time to rise, and to create the generation that we’ve always wished for.

  1. Debola Deji-Kurunmi

Transformational Coach

She is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, ministry gift, public policy advisor and transformational coach for visionary leaders. Through her coaching, consulting, capacity building, and digital content, Debola deploys her extraordinary gift of unlocking potential in people, institutions and nations.

She is the Founder of IMMERSE Coaching Company (a professional coaching practice), Executive Director at Ideation Hub Africa (a public policy and impact advisory firm) and President at Kingdom Leaders Global Alliance (a non-denominational Christian Ministry).

  1. Malama Maryam Wahid Ahmed

Skincare Coach, Entrepreneur

Malama Maryam Wahida Ahmed is a multi-faceted educator at the Federal College of Nigeria, Kano.

She is also a safe skincare evangelist, championing ‘stop-bleaching’ campaigns on social media, and offering insightful skincare advice to African women.

  1. Tolulope Adejumo (Tolulope solutions)

Lifestyle Content Creator

She creates wholesome lifestyle content around her Christian faith, Marriage and Motherhood.

From inception, her social media platforms have been more than numbers but a way to share the big and little moments of her dynamic life. Her YouTube channel and Instagram profile have a combined following of over 250,000

  1. Rinu Oduala 

Human Rights Advocate

Rinu Oduala is a Human Rights advocate, Influencer and community organizer focused primarily on issues of equity, justice, humanity and community advancement. 

Leveraging social media, she advocates against police brutality in Nigeria and beyond. Rinu has become a key player in the work to confront the systems and structures that have led to mass incarceration and police killings of Nigerians.

She has been nominated for CAHR Aminu Kano award for Leadership, 2020, and one of NBCWashington 31 Women creating a positive impact in Africa.

Follow her here 👉 CLICK

28.Kobe Campbell 

Trauma Therapist

Kobe Campbell is an award-winning licensed trauma therapist, author, media expert, and speaker.

Kobe shares content around healing from trauma on TikTok and Instagram, where she has garnered a combined following of over 150,000.

She is currently preparing to release her first book titled Why Am I Like This?: How to Break Cycles, Heal From Trauma, and Restore Your Faith.

She is Named one of Charlotte’s Most Influential Women by Charlotte Lately Magazine and awarded as the Rising Star Under 30 by WILMA magazine.

29.Blessing Abeng

Branding & Communications Expert

Blessing Abeng is the Co-founder and Director of Communications at Ingressive for Good, a non-profit organization through which actively connects African youths to tech training, scholarships and resources for the growth of the African startup ecosystem.

She regularly shares content on her social media platforms and email newsletter around branding, communications and tech.

In 2022, she was recognized as one of the United Nation’s 100 under 40 most influential People of African Descent.

  1. Bolaji Bolu-David

ESL Instructor

Bolaji Bolu David is a professional editor, ESL Instructor, and Founder of Eliz Pro.

She is passionate about helping people gain correctness, precision and confidence with the English Language and regularly shares pronunciation lessons on her Instagram profile which has garnered over 71,000 followers.

  1. Oluwatosin Olaseinde

Founder, Money Africa

Tosin Olaseinde is the founder of three leading African tech financial brands – Money Africa (a personal finance & investment literacy edtech platform), Ladda.ng (an investment fintech platform) and Money Africakids (a finance and investment literacy platform for kids and teenagers). 

Through her social media platforms and podcast, she shares lessons on financial literacy and connects her audience to investment opportunities 

Tosin was named a LinkedIn Top Voice, Finance & Economy in 2020 and is also a member of The Mandela Washington Fellowship. 

  1. Glory Edozien (Phd.)

LinkedIn Visibility Expert

Glory Edozien is passionate about helping African female executives build visibility and gain global recognition using LinkedIn & Personal Branding. 

A LinkedIn 2022 Top Voice, she shares thought leadership content on LinkedIn and Instagram to enable her audience to become visible.

Glory Edozien is a Forbes Coaches Council Member

  1. Ifeoma Nwobu

COO, Sendstack

Once the face of Vogue online, Ifeoma Nwobu is now the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Sendstack, a mobility tech startup in Lagos, Nigeria focused on achieving next-day delivery infrastructure for African businesses. 

Through her social media platforms, she shares her thoughts around entrepreneurship, building a tech startup, and living purposefully.

  1. Ifeyinwa Omesiete

Co-Founder, Nutrition4Kids

Ifeyinwa Omesiete is a pediatric nutritionist and co-founder of Nutrition4Kids – where she is helping to provide effective feeding techniques and assisting parents with curial information for proper child development.  

In 2019, she co-founded the first pediatric Nutrition Challenge in Nigeria. This quarterly online programme provides materials in different learning styles to reorient the minds of parents on the importance of feeding children healthy homemade meals.

Through her website, burgeoning telegram community, and Instagram page, she shares valuable content that provide nutritional support, education and advocacy. 

Follow her here 👉 CLICK

  1. Foluso Gbadamosi 

Coach, Author

Foluso Gbadamosi is a global speaker, author, and trainer who is vocal about helping people unleash their superpowers and gain mastery of their talents towards achieving maximum growth in all areas of life 

A Gallups Certified Strength Coach, she regularly shares insightful content that helps individuals and organizations live out their purpose.

She is on the Board of Directors of Swift Networks, Croissant Technologies, and Intense NG. 

  1. Adaora Mbelu

Founder, Lumination Global

Adaora Mbelu is the founder of Lumination Global – an Afrocentric transformational learning organization, and the co-founder of Socially Africa – focused on teaching people to Be Good, Do Good and Inspire Good. 

A multipotentialite, she leverages her Book (This Thing Called Purpose), Music, Podcast, Social media platforms, Newsletters, and social enterprises to shift mindsets and transform lives.

Adaora was named one of the 100 Most Influential People of African Descent in 2020. 

  1. Aisha Yesufu

Activist

Aisha Yesufu is a political and social activist, influencer educator, public speaker and advocate of African women’s rights. 

Using social media and physical means of protest, she has played key roles in social -political movements such as the #BringBackOurGirlsCampaign, which served to draw attention and action to the kidnapped schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno, Nigeria in 2013.

She is a recipient of the Martin Luther King Award and was named on the BBC top 100 Women List of 2020.

  1. Bunmi George (Jbums)

CEO, Shredder Gang

Bunmi George is the Founder, and CEO of Shredder Gang – a health and wellness consultancy where she has helped over 70,000 women achieve their body goals through the right nutrition plan.

An avid storyteller, she inspires and educates her 120,000 + followers on Instagram with her unique faith-based perspectives and experiences.

Bunmi is a brand ambassador for Carex Soap. 

ABCD Africa

  1. Bolaji ‘Billions’Ajibare

Social Media Coach

Bolaji ‘Billions”Ajibare is a social media coach and content creator with experience in public relations, digital marketing and communications.

Bolaji has trained over 240 students to start careers in social media management and curates one of the largest social media managers communities in Nigeria.

A seasoned content creator, she creates explainer videos to improve the content creation skills of her over 60,000 followers on Instagram.

  1. Olere Odior

Style Expert

Olere Odior is a leading style expert and personal stylist who is focused on helping African women differentiate and showcase their value by creating an authentic personal style. 

Leveraging her social media platforms, she helps African women find their confidence, rediscover their style and build executive presence.

She has built a community on Instagram and TikTok with a combined following of over 35,000. 

  1. Niven Postma

Leadership Expert

Niven Postma is a South African leadership, personal career growth and business politics expert with an audience of over 19,000 on LinkedIn. 

She helps her clients build beneficial business networks, foster leadership, navigate the murky waters of office politics, drive leadership change across organizations and build sustainable work culture.

Niven is an author and visiting lecturer at Henley Business School; contributes to Harvard Business Review and Inc. Africa, and is currently pursuing her PhD.\

  1. Ifedayo Agoro

Founder, DANG!

Ifedayo Agoro is an avid community builder, creative storyteller and founder of Diary Of a Naija Girl – a vibrant community of over 630,000 women where she shapes conversations around topics that impact women professionally and personally.

She is also the founder and CEO of Dang Lifestyle, a premium Skincare, Home and Body Fragrance and Gifts brand.

  1. Jola Ayeye

Co-host, ISWIS Podcast

Jola Ayeye is a creative writer, storyteller and strategist with an unwavering interest in contemporary African culture and its global representation. 

She is the co-host of the famous pop culture podcast  “I Said What I Said” (Number one podcast on Apple podcast, 2022). 

She is also a co-host on “Cash Madam Collective”, a work, money and leadership women-centric podcast.

Jola is currently the Head of Development at Salt & Truth, a Nigerian and African entertainment provider focusing on indigenous story content for film, television, and global features

  1. Stephanie Busari

Senior Editor, Africa, CNN

Stephanie Busari is a multi-award winning journalist,  notable for exclusively obtaining the “proof of life” video for the missing Chibok schoolgirls in the wake of the Bring Back Our Girls advocacy which led to negotiations with Boko Haram that resulted in the release of over 100 of the kidnapped schoolgirls.

She is the pioneer and head of CNN’s first digital and multi-platform bureau in Nigeria. In May 2020, she was listed among 25 of the most powerful female journalists in Africa by Women in Journalism Africa.

  1. Anita M.V Erskine

Entrepreneur, TV Host

Anita M.V. Erskin is a TV Host and Producer, Event Moderator, Actress, Keynote Speaker, and Entrepreneur. 

Anita employs storytelling to showcase African cultures, traditional and social pillars that hold up our communities and how tech Innovation, entrepreneurship and education are creating African solutions for African problems. 

Anita Erskine’s Sheroes show garners over 15 million global viewers.

She has been named among the top 500 most influential Africans around the world, and one of the top 100 Women CEO’s in Africa

  1. Amin Ameen

Founder, Every Na Art 

Amin Ameen is the founder of Every Na Art and a Monetization Product Professional who pivoted from Engineering & Projects.

Driven by her passion for teaching, she shares knowledge that produces access (from a social-economic standpoint); especially to those who are underserved via her social media platforms. 

In 2022, she launched the #LinkedUp Series which connected thousands of young professionals to  practical tips on how to navigate Tech Interviews.

Through her digital content, she continues to connect young people to global opportunities.

  1. Folashade Daini

Brand & Content Strategist

Folashade Daini is a brand & content strategist.

She shares wholesome relatable content around navigating life, family, and faith on her YouTube and Instagram channels where she has garnered a combined audience of over 100,000 followers.

  1. Abena Brigidi

Founding Partner and the CEO, Nimed Capital Limited

Abena B. Brigidi is a Founding Partner and the Chief Executive Officer of Nimed Capital Limited; a leading investment banking firm in Accra.

Through her blog and social media platforms, she shares insightful content on investing and finance.

  1. Patricia Murugami

Group CEO, Breakthrough Leadership Transformation Group

Patricia Murugami is the Group CEO of Breakthrough Leadership Transformation Group – a leadership growth advisory solution group.

An award winning global leadership coach- she inspires her audience to evolve into their next best selves through her academy, books, podcasts, and other digital content. 

She is an accredited certified executive coach with The Performance Solution UK.

  1. Dr Nkechi Harry Ngonadi (NHN Couture)

Entrepreneur, Founder, NHN War Room

Dr Nkechi Harry Ngonadi is a multi-award winning entrepreneur. In 2018, she was recognized as the Designer of the Year award at the Runway Dubai Fashion show.

An ardent community builder, she established the NHN War room, a faith-based global community of women, and continues to touch lives across her social media platforms which has a combined following of over 430,000.

Follow her here 👉 CLICK

ABOUT ABCD AFRICA

Abcd Africa is a growth marketing and education company that offers world-class online education programs, coaching, and agency services to growth-focused coaches and experts. We are on a mission to help our clients sell high ticket offers with ease, using our signature ABCD methodology

Special Thanks to Our Media Partners

Exquisite Magazine

Olorisupergal 

Working Mums Diary

Women of Rubies

Port Harcourt In Pictures

 

by
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Black Canadian Feminists
In Editor's Choice By

12 Black Canadian Pacesetters And Feminists Who Inspire Us

We recognize and celebrate the equality movement and trail-blazing Canadian women whose resilience, hard work, creativity, and sacrifices continue to set the pace for all women around the globe in honor of Black History Month.

1. Jean Augustine

The Honorable Jean Augustine became the first Black woman in a federal Cabinet as well as the first African Canadian woman appointed to Parliament. She was appointed Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Secretary of State, and went on a victorious campaign for legislation to acknowledge of Black History Month in Canada in February 2002.

She was re-elected to the new Cabinet as Minister of State in 2003. Also, she was elected Assistant Deputy Chair of Committees, ranking her as the first Black woman to be the Speaker’s Chair in the House of Commons in 2004.

Black Canadian Feminists
Honorable Jean Augustine

2. Zanana Akande

In 1990, Zanana became  the first woman of color to be appointed as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and the first woman from the African Diaspora to serve as a cabinet minister in Canada. Zanana Akande channeled her energy on community schemes like the Chair of Black Legal Action, a non-profit in Toronto, after leaving politics.

Black Canadian Feminists
Zanana Akande | Image- Lawrence Kerr Photography

3. Angela James

Angela helped Canada win gold at four Women’s World Championships and was known as one of the top players in women’s hockey. In 2000, she quit her skates but embarked on coaching and later became second Black athlete to be enlisted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010.

Black Canadian Feminists
Angela James

4. Emily Mills

Emily Mills dedicate her life to connecting Black Canadian women. In 2010, Mills launched her network ‘How She Hustles,’ a platform for black women to connect online and via organized events. She founded HERstory,  a creative digital series turned CBC documentary starting over 150 women of color that attracted the attention of the prime minister and were awarded by the CBC’s President.

Canadian Feminists
Emily Mills | Image – Julia Park Photography

5. Dr. Wanda Thomas

In 2016,  Dr. Wanda became  the first Black Nova Scotian to be elected to the Senate. She is the first Black Canadian to have an academic term, emerging fill professor at Dalhousie University with a research centered on diversity and oppression. Dr. Wanda is the President and founding member of the Association of Black Social Workers. In 2005 she was given the Order of Canada and in 2014 the Order of Nova Scotia.

Black Canadian Feminists
Dr. Wanda Thomas

6. Portia White

Portia White became the first black Canadian singer to acquire International recognition at age 30. Despite the severe racism and inequality treatment she became the first Canadian to perform at New York City’s prestigious Town Hall in 1944 and thrived in the classical music space, a genre with a little number of Black people. Portia embarked on a world tour where she sang for Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth.

Several scholarships were awarded to her name like the ‘Portia White Prize, awarded by the Nova Scotia Arts Council to an exceptional Nova Scotian in the arts.

Canadian Trailblazer
Late Portia White

7. Dr. Afua Cooper

Dr. Afua is an Associate Professor at Dalhousie University, with research centered and expertise in African Canadian Studies. Dr. Afua is acknowledged as a leading authority on the Black Diasporic experience in Canada. She created exhibitions on Black slavery and history. Between the 2018-2020 , she performed as Poet Laureate of the Halifax Regional Municipality. She has a local connection, as the SFU Ruth Wynn Woodward Endowed Chair, between 2008-2009.

Canadian Female Trailblazer
Afua Cooper

8. Kathleen Kay Livingstone

Kathleen Kay Livingstone made a life commitment to empowering and networking with women of color. In the 1940s Kay moved, from being one of Canada’s top Black actresses to emerging as a famous broadcaster, community organizer, and humanitarian. Kay put in the effort to see Black students obtain scholarships in the 1950s and after relocating to Toronto from Ontario, London she became part of a social network of Black middle-class women enjoying their best life but soon discovered a better purpose for the club so she changed the name to Canadian Negro Women’s Association for educating black youths and working for the welfare of the minorities.

Canadian female broadcaster
Kathleen Kay Livingstone

9. Mary Ann Shadd

Mary founded a racially integrated school and opened Provincial Freeman in 1853, an anti-slavery newspaper that highlighted the stories of leading Black people in Canada to promote settlement. She is the first Black woman to land a law degree in 1893 and the first woman to release a newspaper.

Black people who made history in Canada
Mary Ann Shadd

10. Viola Desmond

Viola is a pacesetter and beautician to young Black women. She is popularly known for declining to sit in the appointed Color section of a Nova Scotia movie theatre in 1946. Viola was charged with extorting the government for the one-cent difference in tax between the two tickets and was arrested. She disputed this charge but her conviction stood until 2010 when she was finally exonerated.

Black Canadian who made history
Viola Desmond

11. Rosemary Brown

Rosemary was a notable politician, social activist, and educator, who fought for gender and racial equality. Rosemary launched the British Columbia Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1956, to assist people to obtain access to employment, housing, and legislation resources. She was the first Black woman appointed to political office in Canada in 1972.

After a few years, she advocated under ‘Brown is Beautiful’ and campaigned to be the leader of the NDP, winning second place. She was recognized as a recipient of a YWCA award in 1989.

Canadian Trailblazer
Rosemary Brown, a feminist and NDP member of the British Columbia legislature, was keynote speaker at the opening of the first national conference of Women of Political Action in Toronto June 16, 1973. She said women elected in the past contributed little to the struggle for the liberation of women. (CP PHOTO/John Goddard)

12. Violet King

Violet King as a young girl had the dream of becoming a criminal lawyer which came with gender and racial opposition in the 1940s. In 1948, She enrolled in the University of Alberta and became the only Black female student in her class. When Violet graduated, she became the first Black person to graduate from law school and to be called to the bar in Alberta. With that accomplishment, she became the first Black female lawyer in Canadian history; Her dream came true.

Canadian feminists
Violet King

Violet utilized her influence as a lawyer to fight for the less privileged, immigrants, and workplace rights for women. She worked for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship in Ottawa before proceeding to New York. She is the first woman named to a senior executive position with the YMCA.

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Remi Osifo Abuja City Tourist
In Inspiration By

Meet Remi Osifo,The Hospitality Consultant Behind Abuja City Tourist

Remi Osifo is  the Lead Curator for Abuja City Tourist. With over 8 years managerial experience, she has navigated the media, management consulting and the hospitality sector. She is also a seasoned professional in Human Resources Management, local tourism promoter and brand storyteller.

Remi Osifo
Remi Osifo, Lead Curator, Abuja city tourist

She began Abuja City Tourist in 2018 as a means to change the mainstream media narrative of Nigeria and drive investment in the hospitality sector.

She has effectively done this using visual storytelling with Abuja as the focal point. This has grown and birthed an experience company for intending tourists known as ACT experience @act_experience.

Abuja City Tourist

In celebration of women’s month, we celebrate Remi for putting Nigeria on the map, and showing the beauty of Nigeria’s rich culture and heritage.

 

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Social media addiction
In lifestyle By

Dammy Facos: 5 Ways To Get Rid Of Social Media Addiction

Nowadays, if you’re not on social media, you feel like you’re not truly living in the 21st century. Everything from businesses to personal and professional relationships, social media has a strong presence—and with that, a luring temptation to spend even more time using its features.

So, how do you take back the reins of your life and curb your time on social media (and stop social media addiction)? Here are some steps to get started.

1. Think About Why You’d Like to Be on Social Media

Everything we do in life is about intention: why do you want to do something? What will it bring you? The same goes for social media use. It may be silly to ask this question when thinking about a Facebook or Instagram account, but if you want to truly control your social media (instead of the other way around), asking this question may truly be eye-opening.

Do you want to just keep in touch with friends, or do you want to promote your business? Getting to the crux of why you’re online will help you clearly mark your time on social media effectively and eliminate everything else.

2. Be Meticulous About Who You Follow and what you post and share

Attention is your greatest currency. Read that again.

Everything that you click on or “like” becomes a thread in the tapestry of what comes back to you on social media newsfeeds. You want to create the kind of information spread that works for you, your needs, and your time. So, often, we impulsively follow people who may not be serving our best interests.

Give yourself permission to clean those contacts out every once in a while! It’s okay to disagree with someone. Instead of plummeting into a rabbit hole of social media thread arguments, unfollow anyone who you don’t connect with. It’s much better for your mental health and helps you get rid of social media addiction.

Likewise, be meticulous about what you share. Are you posting misinformation yourself? Just like you are planning on cleaning up your contacts list, someone who follows you may be thinking of doing the same. Make it a priority to share and post things that not only have significance to you but also serve others.

3. Curb the Time You Spend Online

If you have a laundry list of things to get done but have spent the last three hours scrolling your newsfeed, it’s time to close the app or the computer. Set a timer on your phone, if that’s what it takes to solve your social media addiction.

Once you begin the practice of detaching from being online so much, you’ll notice that you get so much time back! This time has always existed, but you were just using it poorly. It’s not that you don’t have enough time—it’s just that you spend too much time scrolling online instead of being productive.

4. Change Your Notification Settings

If your productivity is suffering because you’re constantly distracted by the pings from your notifications, there are ways to turn those notifications off in your settings. Better yet, you can always delete the apps from your phone and devices and resolve to check your social media notifications on your desktop. This way, you can get back to finishing your work without facing the temptation of checking your messages.

5. Not Everything Has to Be Posted and Shared

It often feels like we’re in a perpetual case of “FOMO” when it comes to posting on social media. If the Superbowl came and went and you didn’t post anything at all, will the world continue to spin? Of course.

We don’t have any social obligation to our followers to keep them abreast of every single event that happens in our life. These are choices that we must make consciously and in alignment with our desires.

Think about the last concert (in the pre-COVID world) you went to—did you immediately post bits of the concert to social media or snapped and uploaded a selfie of you and your friends?

These are habitual things that we don’t even think about, which brings me to the final point…

6. It’s Okay to Put Your Phone Down and Enjoy Life

In fact, this one very simple point could truly help you cut that social media addiction! Precious moments of your life are one in a million—like seeing a shooting star or catching the smile of your favorite person. These moments are so fragile, and they never happen the same way twice in your lifetime.

Don’t run towards your phone to capture that moment. Capture it instead with your eyes and with your heart. Let it become a sweet memory. Enjoy the moment  you’re so keen on sharing with others and instead, prioritize sharing it with yourself.

Final Thoughts

Social media addiction, when left unchecked, can lead us to depression and lack of self-worth and authenticity. If we “follow the flock” in search of creating a perfect online life, we’re stepping further away from being ourselves. This brings about a slew of consequences, which can snowball over time and lead to worse obstacles in our lives.

When we finally learn how to use social media, to what extent, and with what intention in mind, we can take control over it before it takes control over us.

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