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At its 318th graduation ceremony, Yale University presented honorary degreesto 11 individuals who have achieved distinction in their fields. Among them is Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Zimbabwean entrepreneur and philanthropist Strive Masiyiwa.

Chimamanda was conferred a Doctor of Letters degree from the university, while Strive received a Doctor of Humane Letters degree.

This is Chimamanda’s second degree from the university. In 2008, she received a Master of Arts degree in African studies from Yale.

The degree from Yale is coming days after Chimamanda got two Doctor of Humane Letters honorary degrees from American University and Georgetown University.

On Chimamanda, Yale wrote:

Your stories of war, migration, home, and heartbreak bring the great richness and multiplicity of human experience to life. With courage and clarity, you call us to “do better” for women and girls, for ourselves and future generations around the globe.

In appreciation for your superb talent and leadership in literature and the public sphere, we are honored to present your second Yale degree, Doctor of Letters.

On Strive, Yale wrote:

You see opportunities others miss and demonstrate the courage of your convictions at every turn. Brave visionary, bold business leader, and devoted humanitarian, your innovation and generosity have transformed a continent and improved countless lives.

For inspiring us to tackle great challenges, lead with honor, and serve others, Yale is privileged to confer on you this Doctor of Humane Letters degree.

See the full list of honorands here.

Credit: Bella Naija

Antonella Bundu is the woman who’s running to become Mayor of Florence in Italy, becoming the first black woman to do so.

Born to a Florentine mother and a Sierra Leonean father, Bundu was chosen by a coalition of anti-fascist leftist parties.

She shares why she’s running and the changes she hopes to make with Al Jazeera.

Watch:

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Al Jazeera English@AJEnglish

Meet Antonella Bundu – the first black woman to run for mayor in Italy’s Florence.3,5191:00 PM – May 21, 20191,483 people are talking about this

Credit: Bella Naija

A Nigerian woman, identified as Patience Ifediora has made history in Nottingham, United Kingdom.

Ifediora emerged as the first female of African heritage to become a Sheriff in the United Kingdom. She was a councilor of Aspley police station before she became the Sheriff of Nottingham.

Dr. Olusegun Oluwole shared her story on Twitter on Tuesday morning saying:

“History made today in #Nottingham, UK. As Patience Ifediora, Councillor of #Aspley emerges as the first female Sheriff of Nottingham of African heritage. Congrats Ma’am,” he said.

View image on Twitter
View image on Twitter
View image on Twitter

Dr. Olusegun Oluwole@Obalufon1

History made today in #Nottingham, UK. As Patience Ifediora, Councillor of #Aspley emerges as the first female Sheriff of Nottingham of African heritage. Congrats Ma’am @NGRPresident, @AsoRock, @NigeriaEmbassy, @GuardianNigeria, @nottslive, @NottinghamPost, @BBCNottingham.1,1967:50 PM – May 20, 2019 · Nottingham, England553 people are talking about thisTwitter Ads info and privacy

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The first woman to read the news on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), has died at the age of 93.


The broadcaster, Nancy ‘Nan Winton’ Wigginton, was taken to the hospital on May 8 following a fall at her home in Bridport, Dorset. Her condition worsened and she passed away at Dorchester County Hospital on Saturday, May 11. 

An inquest into her death was opened and closed at the coroner’s court in Bournemouth on Thursday. 

Winton who started reading the 6pm news in 1960 also read the weekly news bulletins on a Sunday evening.   

BBC

She also worked as a BBC TV continuity announcer and her other work included Panorama and Town and Around, a nightly magazine show.

After stepping down from reading the news, Winton remained a television and news reporter. She was also a regular panelist on the radio panel game show Treble Chance. 

According to Dailymail, on the day Winton was taken to hospital, aged 93, it was found she had fractured her femur. Surgery was carried out the next day.  She later suffered failure of the heart, respiratory system and kidneys. She was taken to critical care, but died in the ward.

A cause of death was given as congestive heart failure, hypertension and frailty of old age. 

A full inquest is scheduled to take place on January 29 next year.

Credit: LIB

Victoria Obaze, a Nigerian from Imo state made history on Wednesday, May 15, after she was sworn into office as Civic Mayor of London Borough of Tower Hamlets, United Kingdom (UK).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Obaze’s inauguration on Wednesday, May 15, is the latest in turn of events that have seen Nigerians emerge as Mayors in their area councils of residence in the UK.

Obaze who contested three previous councillorship elections in 2010, 2014 as well as 2016 and failed, eventually succeeded in an election conducted on May 5, 2018 in Whitechapel Ward. She later became the council’s deputy speaker following her nomination by her Councillor Colleagues from where she took over the mantle as Mayor of London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

A statement containing brief history of Obaze obtained by NAN from her close associate and UK Chapter Coordinator, Ugonwanne Social Club Nigeria Int’l, a Nigerian socio-cultural group in UK, Ms Blessing Chijekwu, revealed that the newly sworn-in Mayor had lived in Borough for over 30 years.

“For Councillor (Cllr) Obaze life is all about service to humanity with diligence. Her political experience started when she was elected as one of the board of directors to oversee the regeneration of her area, the Ocean Estate, in the 1980s.

“The move motivated her to get into politics having noticed that there were no black women in the council chambers and this led her to open a project named Healthy Life Style for Stepney Women, East London.

“The project was funded by local authority through Ocean African Caribbean Association which she and her late husband Chief Evangelist Charles Obaze, co-founded.

“She also established Ocean Saturday School aimed at ensuring school attainment for children, as well as Ocean Football Club through which young boys were able to have residential football experiences with Chelsea football Club.

“Above all, Cllr Obaze loves God with a passion; she is a member of Parochial Church Council (PCC), as well as an Executive Council member at St Dunstan’s Church of England Parish in Stepney. “She is also a Secondary School governor in Tower Hamlets and a habitual visitor to the elderly and physically challenged in the community,” the statement quoted Chijekwu as saying.

The statement also quoted Lolo Ngozi Nwanze, President, Ugonwanne Social Club Nigeria Int’l as saying that Obaze was chosen as life matron of the club because of her meekness and morality. “These are the virtues that have brought her to where she (Obaze) is today.”

Credit: legitamp

Nollywood actress, Adesua Etomi-Wellington will voice the lead character in the long awaited animation, Malika: Warrior Queen. 

Adesua Etomi stars as Malika in this animated film written by Roye Okupe, founder of Youneek Studios. The film is about a warrior queen and a military commander in the pre-colonial Africa.

The brilliant film also has Niyi Akinmolayan as its director and Roye Okupe as its writer. Roye Okupe says about the film:

“I have to give credit again to Niyi, who’s also the director of the highest grossing movie in Lagos - The Wedding Party Two…. So we discussed about who we would like to bring to this, and Adesua was the first person I had on my mind to voice it. Not only is she a huge star, she’s super talented. After the both of us went through the proper channels to present the idea to her, she basically said it would be a dream for her to do it. It was in October when she came on board after the right terms were established. A lot of credit also goes to the material because she was able to see some of the stuff we’ve done with Malika and the track record we’ve built with the graphic novels. And I can’t wait for people to actually hear her performance because it’s just so amazing what she’s done with the character in this short pilot. It’s an amazing 14 minutes. You basically get to see how an African queen lived her life back then.”

adesua etomi malika animation

The film which started as a 150-page book came out in 2017 (set in the present day), and its synopsis read:

“Growing up as a prodigy, Malika inherited the crown from her father in the most unusual of circumstances, splitting the kingdom of Azzaz in half. After years of civil war, Malika was able to unite all of Azzaz, expanding it into one of the largest empires in all of West Africa. But expansion would not come without its costs. Enemies begin to rise within her council, and Azzaz grabbed the attention of one of the most feared superpowers the world has ever known: the Ming Dynasty. As Malika fights to win the clandestine war within the walls of her empire, she must now turn her attention to an indomitable and treacherous foe with plans to vanquish her entire people.”

In 2018, the part two of the story came out as a 15th century epic, and with the animated pilot, Okupe continues the saga. Youneek studios announced Adesua’s lead role in the animation:

Credit: stargist.com

Amazon announced on Monday, its plan to deliver packages faster for its customers.

The company made an offer to its employees, telling them to quit their jobs and it’ll help them start a business delivering Amazon packages.

Amazon says it’ll cover up to $10,000 in startup costs for interested employees, adding that it will also pay them three months’ worth of their salary.

TIME reports that the program started last year and it’s part of the company’s plan to launch an independent Amazon delivery business.

More than 200 Amazon delivery businesses have been created since the program was launched, according to Amazon’s vice president of global delivery services, John Felton.

Photo Credit: Ali Balikci/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Abike Dabiri-Erewa for appointment as Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission.

The Senate made the confirmation and subsequent announcement on Thursday via its verified Twitter handle @NGRSenate.

Dabiri-Erewa who is currently the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora was a three-term member of the House of Representatives representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency in Lagos between 2003 and 2015.

As a Reps member, she was chairman of House Committee on Diaspora Affairs; and had sponsored the bill seeking the establishment of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission.

Senate confirms Abike Dabiri-Erewa as Chairman of Nigerian Diaspora Commission

by Linda Ikeji at 09/05/2019 3:42 PM|23 Comments

Blessing Egbe has revealed that her new film, ‘The Ten Virgins’ featuring Thin Tall Tony is cost effective and has gulped almost N50 million.

The producer and director made this known in a recent statement while speaking on the film. She also said the project can be likened to an ambitious side.

This project has gulped nearly 50 million Naira. It is both a feature and a limited series and is indeed an ambitious stride,” she began. “We paid attention to technical details and all the elements that make a movie great, and I believe the audience will feel its pulse,” Egbe dropped.

Blessing Egbe says she intentionally made an ambitious move with ehr nee film, 'The Ten Virgins.' [YouTube/BConcept Network]

The woman behind Nollywood blockbusters, ‘Lekki Wives’ and ‘Two Brides and a baby’ said the move to dare to make an ambition movie was intentional. She further said Nollywood is in dire need of content.

In her words,

Going into this, my intention was to tell a story so relatable, interesting and entertaining, and I believe we have achieved that aim. It is a movie driven on the strength of the story, its style and the execution of it.

A scene from Blessing Egbe's new film, 'The Ten Virgins.' [YouTube/BConcept Network]

Pulse NigeriaA scene from Blessing Egbe’s new film, ‘The Ten Virgins.’ [YouTube/BConcept Network]

“Nollywood is in dire need of content with substance and that substance starts from the depth of the stories we tell. For ‘The Ten Virgins, we told a familiar story in a dated’ stage like and musical format, it is simple yet so captivating. I am excited and can’t wait to share it with the audience.”

‘The Ten Virgins’ is a musical drama about 10 maidens who amidst many temptations must remain faithful in their commitment to the greatest prince in the land. The movie is scheduled for cinema release on August 2.

The feature film parades Honey Adum, Damilare Kuku, Blessed Effiong, Bukky Okorodus, Leelee Byoma, Jade Dunni, Osareme Inegbenebor, Chidera Makata, Oge Aniegboka, Ola Taiwo, Degri Emmanuel, Chinonso Young, Tunbosun Aiyedehin, and late Priye George.

Credit: pulse.ng

Juliet Ehimuan, Google Nigeria’s Country Director has been named as one of 30 People Who Are Changing the World by London Business School Review.

LBS Review says about her:

Juliet Ehimuan wants to raise human dignity by helping to develop human capacity and create opportunities for growth. But Ehimuan is not a charity boss or a UN chief. As Country Director of Google Nigeria, she’s a global tech leader whose contributions to technology and entrepreneurship have won her multiple awards and recognition, including being named one of Forbes’ 20 Youngest Power Women in Africa and featuring in the third series of the BBC Women of Africa strand, Power Women.

Ehimuan runs “Beyond Limits” initiative where she coaches young people to become self-leaders.

“I tell them to always apply themselves and make the best of every circumstance. Every situation offers an opportunity to learn, grow and define who you are. Always do your best, always expand your horizon. You never know what is around the corner,” she told LBS Review.

In 2017, she worked with thirteen young women from the disadvantaged area of Kiri Kiri, Lagos on an intensive boot camp to transform the lives forever.

Meeting every weekend over a three month period, she worked with them on self-development, leadership skills, personal and organisational effectiveness, and business skills – transferable competencies all required for any leader, whether in the field of STEM, fashion, catering or the creative arts.

Today, under her helm, Google is transforming lives and placing Africa at the forefront of the future of technology. Free digital training is being offered to ten million Africans in five years with three million already trained so far. This will give digital skills and certifications to young people, giving them an edge in an over-saturated job market.

Credit: Bella Naija