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SHONDA RHIMES TO DEVELOP LUVVIE AJAYI’S BOOK “I’M JUDGNG YOU” AS CABLE SERIES

The Nigerian author has given us countless, cackle-worthy gems via her blog AwesomelyLuvvie.com, and it looks like her humor and candid wisdom will be making its way to television.

Shonda Rhimes‘ production company, Shondaland and ABC Signature Studios have acquired the rights to Luvvie’s New York Time’s Best Seller I’m Judging You: The Do Better Manual with plans to adapt the book into a CABLE comedy series.

Shonda has been a long time fan of Luvvie, and appreciates her wit and insight just as much as the rest of us.

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STAND AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION – BOLANLE AMBODE CHARGES WOMEN

The Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, through the Asst. Director Public Affairs, Folashade Kadiri, on Monday, called on mothers, women groups and high-powered government organizations, increase efforts towards total eradication of female genital mutilation.

She made the call in Alausa, Ikeja, while interacting with newsmen on the occasion of the 2017 International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

 

The first lady of Lagos state said:  “It is surprising that 45 out of every 100 adult women living in Lagos State have undergone FGM at one time or another as reported in the National Demographic Health Survey 2013.

“This is largely due to migration from those states where the prevalence in much higher.”

Speaking further, she disclosed that FGM is mostly carried out on young girls sometimes between infancy and age 15, and this causes much bleeding and health issues which include but not limited to cysts, infections, infertility, as well as complications and even death in some cases.

Mrs. Ambode noted further that it was erroneous and misleading to tie the gruesome procedure to family honour, hygiene, fertility, protection of virginity and prevention of promiscuity.

She called for massive public awareness campaigns and concrete action against the practice.

She contended that only when mothers began to raise their voices against the act and governments initiated strong legislation, could we begin to race toward total eradication of the wicked practice in Africa and the world come 2030.

FGM is inextricably linked with other forms of gender inequality, such as violence against women and girls, and other harmful practices such as early and forced marriages.

February 6 of every year has been set aside by the United Nations as the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation.

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FIERCE! IDIA AISIEN CHANNELS HER INNER WARRIOR PRINCESS FOR ZEN MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2017 COVER

Model/TV presenter is taking 2017 by storm, and she wants the world to know it!

On Zen Magazine’s February 2017 cover, she channels her inner warrior princess.

Here’s a sneak peek into what’s coming in the soon-to-be released mag:

On Zen Magazine’s cover for the month of February is Nigerian-Cameroonian model and TV host, Idia Aisien, who has made an indelible mark in the fashion industry.

From doing commercials for LAN Airlines and campaigns for Black Opal, BMW Nigeria, Nivea and Sway Hair, to gracing the catwalks for the likes of Maki Oh, Ituen Basi, Deola Sagoe, Lanre Da Silva, Danny Nguyen and so many others, she is one model who always brings something new to the table.

Styled in tribal queen attire, the cover model, Idia Aisien, is absolutely glowing on our Feb/Mar cover. Adorned in jewelry from Le Reve Pieces, Idia makes a positively radiant statement with her lightly bronzed, natural face and embolden feminine warrior princess look.

Currently a talk show host on “Style 101” and “You Got Issues”, Idia sits with the editor this month to discuss how she got into modeling and opens up about the life of a Talk show host.

Photo Credits :

Photographer: Emmanuel Oyeleke

Styling: I-the-stylist

Makeup: Anita Brows
J

ewelry: Le Reve Pieces

 

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CANCER SURVIVOR & OAP ADENIKE OYETUNDE LAUNCHES AMPUTEES UNITED

As the world commemorates World Cancer Day, we join hands together with everyone who has felt the blight of this horrible disease. We continue to hope for a cure and pray that this scourge will be eliminated.

As a community, Women of Rubies chooses to join the fight against cancer and its deadly effects. In that light, we are proud to announce that On Air Personality, Adenike Oyetunde is launching Amputees United – an initiative to provide support for amputees.

Adenike is a cancer survivor who continues to live her life like it’s golden. We shared her story in 2016. {Click here if you missed it} Adenike lost her right limb as a result of cancer but she has managed to live a full and wholesome life – inspiring people daily through her story.

Through Amputees United, she plans to provide support to amputees. She writes about life has been in the 11 years since her diagnosis and the amputation of her right limb.
***
It has been eleven full years of living without the use of my natural right limb. And I’m wondering what if?

Honestly, I guess you’re wondering if I ever just hoped it all never happened.

I had, earlier on in my journey asked, what if? What if it never happened? What if it was all a dream, a very scary one too.

Yes, I had wished it was a dream. I had prayed to be woken up from that dream, but that hasn’t happened; at least not yet. I’m never shy of stating that. Oh please, don’t come at me with your ‘Christianese’. I miss my leg. I wish they were still together. I wish my hour glass frame *sneezes* was all together coordinated…See shape now!

What if, I never had to undergo the gruesome experience during chemotherapy?

What if my hair never had to fall?

What if my mum didn’t have to be humiliated, because, this one neighbor had made fun of her only child having one leg now?

What if I didn’t have to meet that one scary doctor, who I still believe may have had an interesting fetish, where all his girlfriends have one condition or the other? He clearly wanted to add me to his list.

What if I did I didn’t have to burden my friends to always pick me up, or drop me off after classes?

What if everyone didn’t have to scream at me, the first day I got on a bike?

What if the doctor who told me it was cancer, had been just a little nicer?



What if I didn’t have to watch my dad (my hero) cry, after we were informed?

What if we didn’t have to believe the hospitals weren’t sure with the diagnosis?

What if I didn’t have to waste so much time, and money moving from place to place, hoping the solution will come?

What if we didn’t have to finally see my leg get as large as a basketball, simply because we refused to amputate it?

What if we had the money to fly me abroad? Would my leg have been saved?


What if the government provided subsidized cancer treatments, and we didn’t run out of money as a family?

What if I didn’t need blood transfusion and that ex didn’t say no to donating blood?

What if it didn’t cost so much to have a limb made for me in Nigeria?

What if these limbs were as good as they look, at least, a number of them, now; back when I needed one?

What if I wasn’t denied access into banking halls, because of my prosthetic leg?

What if I didn’t get the stares, I didn’t get the many questions?

What if I didn’t get the – are you sure you will get married like this? Can you get pregnant?

What if I didn’t have to wear an attachment daily – my limb?

What if, after eleven years, I wasn’t just tired of wearing my limb?

What if you or your loved one, have been recently told that the only way out, will be to amputate that limb?

What if I didn’t have to fight the battle for my mental sanity all alone, by myself; for so many years unending?

I wouldn’t want them to go on this mental journey alone. I will love to help them wage through the storm, because honestly, I went through this, that I may help them on their journey.

We at the AMPUTEES UNITED INITIATIVE would love that you allow us hold hands together.

Let’s hold hands till you come to terms with your new reality.

Let’s hold hands, so you don’t have to suffer depression.

Let’s hold hands to inspire one another.

Let’s hold hands, so they know we can, despite our journeys.

And for this, my – what ifs, aren’t as valid, as they once seemed.

Please send us an email if you’ll like to join us on the journey. (Amputees ONLY) Please send your emails with your contact and stories.

Source: Bellanaija

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THE INSPIRING STORY OF SARAH , THE 60-YEAR OLD BRIDE WHO WAITED 30 YEARS FOR “MR. RIGHT”

The inspiring story of a new bride, Sarah, has been trending on social media since Saturday. Sarah is a 60-Year old bride who waited 30 years for “Mr. Right”. She never compromised on what she wanted and two years ago, her Mr. Right walked into her life.He proposed in 2016 and  the couple got married on Saturday.

The bride’s wedding dress vendor had quite an interesting story to share about meeting Sarah.

She wrote:

60 years old and a first time bride, as in she’s never been married…Dang! She looks good at 60!!….#goodgenes #healthyliving…I remember the first time we met and she told me her age…I was like #hollymolly!!! #abasi mbok…..#unbelieveable ……she went on to tell me how she’s been waiting for ‘Mr. right’ since when she was in her 30’s and he never came. And so two years ago, he finally appeared and proposed in 2016 …..#God is good…#delayisnotdenial. My dearest aunty Sarah…I celebrate with you and may God bless your union…. from @bridesnmoreikeja…. #itsnevertoolate….. more pictures of our youngest and latest bride in town coming

See more beautiful photos from the wedding below.

Picture credit : Bellanaija

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“THE BOOK IS STILL HERE AND I’M STILL PROMOTING” – TOKE MAKINWA , TALKS ABOUT WRITING OTHER BOOKS

Toke Makinwa was recently in Ghana to promote her book “On Becoming” and she had a chat with MyJoyOnline TV’s presenter as she talked about the need to write a book, helping other vulnerable women with her book, the fact that she was still promoting the book even with a pending lawsuit and more.

The media personality also talked about possibly writing other books, the difficulties of dating again and much more.

Watch below.

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MORE CHILDREN ARE GETTING INVOLVED IN ONLINE PORNOGRAPHY, SURVEY REVEALS

Greatly concerned with the safety of children and their use of social media, a group of people, Project Open Eyes, came together recently and conducted a survey of over 2000 children in select secondary schools in Lagos State, to understand how they make use of digital devices to access social media.The survey, the first of its kind in Nigeria in terms of content and scale, targeted children between the ages of 13 to16 and was conducted in the light of the fact that children are increasingly owning mobile devices, using the Internet and joining several social networks that might be harmful to them. The goal of the survey was to have relevant facts relating to what children are exposed to online and how they react to it.

At the end of the survey, nine out of every 10 of the teenagers sampled said that they own mobile phones that can access the Internet and said phones were bought for them by their parents. Others got theirs from friends or boyfriends and girlfriends.

Enquiries into what they use the Internet for showed that academics/research and entertainment are the main reasons children go online. Other reasons include playing games, watching videos and movies, listening to music, and downloading content. Many of them also say that they go online to read news, read biographies of individuals that interest them, and some of them blog.

The children were found to also be heavy social media users. Altogether, they use over 70 social media networks, chat apps and even dangerous dating sites. Facebook is the most used social network among the children surveyed followed by WhatsApp, then Instagram. 34% have a Twitter account and 35% use BBM.

Interestingly, while Facebook’s policy is that only people 13 years and above could join, most of the children surveyed had joined the network by 8-9 years. This simply means that they lied about their ages in order to join. Furthermore, nine out of every 10 that have Facebook accounts say their parents are aware.

More worrisome is the fact that 77% of the children say that they do not know all their Facebook friends but were willing to hook up. Not surprisingly, 68% of the girls surveyed said that a male stranger had tried to start a conversation with them online. When asked what they do when strangers contact them online, at least one in two girls say that they first discuss with the strangers to find out what they want, 30% of them say that they sometimes block the strangers and just 12% of the girls say that they always block or ignore such advances.

At least one in two girls surveyed say that they have received an offer to date from someone they have only met online. One in every five girls that have received such offer has said ‘Yes’. The implication is that 13, 14, 15 and 16-year-old girls are dating persons that they have never seen face-to-face and their parents don’t know and seven out of every 10 of them say that they would not allow an adult read their chats or messages.

It was also found that many of these young ones are exposed to pornography. While 72% of the girls have seen pornography online without looking for it, 67% of the girls have experienced same. However, 46% of the boys and 24% of the girls surveyed have intentionally visited a pornographic site or accessed pornography online.

One out of every two of the girls surveyed say that someone online had tried to have a sexually explicit conversation with them. One out of every eight of the boys surveyed say that they have been asked online to send a nude picture of themselves while one out of every four girls said same. 7% of the girls who had received such requests admitted that they had sent a nude picture of themselves to someone online they do not physically know.

One in two of the teenagers surveyed say that they use social media daily while one in five claim they spend over seven hours online daily. Only one in four children say that their parents place some form of restriction on their mobile phone use. 92% say that their parents are on social media and 8% of the children whose parents use social media, say that their parents’ use of social media affects time that they should devote to them.

One out of every three of all the children surveyed think that social media negatively affects time they should spend studying. 12% of the boys and 2% of the girls report that they have been involved in online betting and dubious deals online that their parents do not know of.

 

By: Tobi Awodipe for Guardian.ng

 

 

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“I WANT TO REDEFINE FILM” – KEMI ADETIBA , AS SHE COVERS TODAY’S WOMAN’S NEW ISSUE

It’s 2017 and TW’s cover girl is talking and dreaming BIG just like they are, as their tenth-year dawns!

A real game changer with impeccable pedigree, Oluwakemi shares on getting the gig for ‘The Wedding Party’, the monster hit movie she recently directed; the awesome inspiration of a life long experience of positive feminine power within her family; and her desire to inspire many women to BE, through her project The King Women.

She says “It is a passion project about very strong women…They are accomplished, but there’s a back story to it.”

With an inborn knack for storytelling recognised by her NY film school professor, Kemi showed Nigerians and the rest of the world a taste of it, in her last feature film.

Read all about why this is just the beginning for her, as well as the emotional story of her personal insecurities and battle with fibroids…

Today’s Woman is out on the streets NOW at newsstands & vendors nationwide!

Source: Bellanaija

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TITO IDAKULA IS PROVIDING WOMEN WITH A PLACE OF REFUGE AFTER A TRAGIC LOSS

Bolatito ‘Tito’ Bez-Idakula’s story is a perfect example of turning a mess into a message, a test into a testimony. Tito got married in 2014 to her musician husband, Bez Idakula.

In  July 2015, they lost their daughter after a full-term pregnancy.

After the tragic loss, she launched her website MyLightHouse.com.ng to help spread the message of God’s love through a tragic loss. The website says it is aimed at “Providing Women With A Place Of Refuge And Light When The Storms And Darkness Of The World Become Overwhelming.”

As if that was not enough, on September 7th of the same year, she suffered a miscarriage after 10 weeks of pregnancy.

That was enough to break anyone down, but not Tito, she picked herself up and continued to run the ‘MyLightHouse’ platform, sharing messages of faith, hope, and love of God.

Fast-forward to July 2016, the family welcomed their bundle of Joy.

Tito continues to be such a major inspiration. Her and her husband’s story of hope and faith after loss and also Tito’s website has impacted many since it launched last year.

Here are some few facts about Tito :

  1. She is the daughter of former Oyo state governor, Rasheed Ladoja.
  2. She holds a B.Sc in Political and International studies from University of Warwick.
  3. She also has a Masters degree in Management from the Imperial College, London.
  4. She once worked as a banker.
  5. She is a pastor and functions as a youth minister at the Guiding Light Assembly Church in Ikoyi where she got married to Bez.
  6. She is a writer and motivational speaker.
  7. Tito is also the founder of My Lighthouse, an interactive platform where women share their life experiences.
  8. She is also an OAP at Nigeria’s first women radio station, WFM.

 

 

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AUGUSTSECRETS GIVES BACK TO RURAL MOTHERS

Augustsecrets is a growing baby and toddler food solutions company with the goal of helping Nigerian mothers to feed their children healthier food options, rather than junk foods. It provides recipes online and runs a homemade food range of paps, locally-made cereals from everyday home-grown foodstuffs like vegetables, fruits, and grains. Its major strength is busy mothers with fussy eaters and children who are malnourished due to poverty and displacement.  Augustsecrets reaches more than 50,000 young mothers all over the world on social media with its recipes and cooking tips.

The AugustSecrets community “Give back” project is one of the activities leading to the  official launch of the “AugustSecrets Sample Meal plan book that will be unveiled soon, the aim is to sensitize women at the grassroots the importance of healthier complimentary foods for their babies and toddlers. The workshop kicked off in the riverine area of Makoko community where over 100  rural women were educated and encouraged to serve more varieties to their children like proteins and fibre-rich locally available foods and given free Augustsecrets guinea corn and maize mix.

 

According to Oluwatoyin Onigbanjo , the founder of AugustSecrets; Nigerian and even African mothers at the grassroots should be encouraged to make homemade meals for their babies from locally available food items  ; beans, grains and fish, this will lead to better nutrition for the children and Augustsecrets makes this range of food affordable.

The educative give back  workshop will spread to other parts of Lagos before the official launch of the AugustSecrets Sample Meal Plan book in a bid to sensitize more mothers.

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