Career Gems Archives

In Career Gems February 18, 2019 By Women of Rubies

CONSTELLATION GROUP’S LEAD COACH, JOKE COKER ADMITTED INTO THE FORBES COACHES COUNCIL

Joke Coker (JC) was on January 11th 2019 listed as an official member of Forbes Coaches Council, which is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches.

Mrs Coker was vetted and selected by a review committee based on the depth and diversity of her experience. Criteria for acceptance include a track record of successfully impacting business growth metrics, as well as personal and professional achievements and honours.

“We are honoured to welcome Joké Coker(JC) into the community,” said Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, the collective that includes Forbes Coaches Council.

“Our mission with Forbes Councils is to bring together proven leaders from every industry, creating a curated, social capital-driven network that helps every member grow professionally and make an even greater impact on the business world.”

As an accepted member of the Council, Joké has access to a variety of exclusive opportunities designed to help her and her organization maintain peak professional influence.

She will connect and collaborate with other respected local leaders in a private forum. Joké will also be invited to work with a professional editorial team to share her expert insights in original business articles on Forbes.com, and to contribute to published Q&A panels alongside other experts.

Additionally, Mrs Coker will benefit from exclusive access to vetted business service partners, membership ranked marketing collateral, and the high touch support of the Forbes Councils member concierge team.

In response, Joke Coker said “I am grateful to have been invited to such an exclusive group of global leaders in the coaching community.

In representing my organization Constellation Coaching Group LLC and indeed the crop of excellent Coaches in West Africa and around the world, my aim is to propel continued growth in the impact and appreciation of the life-changing work being done by the coaching community in general and further cement Constellation Coaching Group’s Leadership position in propelling people and organizations to being their very best – through Executive Coaching, Team Coaching and Coach Training.

At Constellation, we truly believe in the human propensity for excellence – that there is brilliance in everyone and it is our privilege to work (both in the USA and Africa) with our clients to help them excel sustainably.”

Forbes Councils is a collective of invitation-only communities created in partnership with Forbes and the expert community builders who founded Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC). In Forbes Councils, exceptional business owners and leaders come together with the people and resources that help them thrive.

Credit: Guardian Woman

In Career Gems February 15, 2019 By Women of Rubies

JAPANESE WOMEN REBEL AGAINST OLD VALENTINE’S DAY TRADITION THAT MANDATES THEM TO GIVE CHOCOLATES TO MEN

Japanese women are rebelling against a decades-old Valentine’s Day tradition that mandates them to give chocolates to men.

According to the tradition, on February 14, the nation’s female workers are expected to give “giri choco,” or obligation chocolates, to their male colleagues. Women are also expected to buy heartfelt chocolates, “honmei choco,” for their crushes or loved one.

“Valentine’s Day (in Japan) got turned upside down to become a symbol of the Japanese patriarchy,” said Jeff Kingston, a Japan expert at Temple University in Tokyo. But this year, women are calling time on the financially draining practice.

A recent survey by a Tokyo department store found about 60 per cent of women will instead buy chocolates for themselves on Valentine’s Day. Only 35 per cent planned to offer chocolates to their male colleagues.

Japan began celebrating Valentine’s Day in 1958, after Japanese confectionery firm Mary Chocolate ran a campaign suggesting that women give men chocolates. In the 1980s, chocolate companies attempted to redress the chocolate buying balance.

Women in Japan are rebelling against a decades-old Valentine

White Day was introduced on March 14 as a date for men to return the favor although Kingston says that women often ended up gifting more chocolates than they received. Both dates turned out to be a boon for the chocolate industry. Valentine’s Day now accounts for a quarter of Japan’s yearly chocolate sales, according to the Nagoya International Center.

Last Saturday, the Revolutionary Alliance of Unpopular People (RAUP) staged its 12th annual protest against “romantic capitalism” in Tokyo.

“We’re against companies exploiting events like Valentine’s Day to push excessive consumer culture and guilt-trip people who aren’t in relationships,” said Takeshi Akimoto, a member of the tiny fringe group, comprised of nine students and workers. One of the group’s complaints is that Valentine’s Day chocolates in the workplace can make some employees feel that their value is determined by how much confectionery they receive.

Credit: LIB

In Career Gems February 14, 2019 By Women of Rubies

RARE LEOPARD – ‘BLACK PANTHER’ – SPOTTED IN AFRICA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 100 YEARS

A team of biologists have released photos of a rare melanistic leopard, also called the Black Panther, which was shot in the bushlands of Loisaba Conservancy in Laikipia County in Kenya.

Nick Pilfold and his team, after hearing that there’s a black wildcat lurking in the are, deployed remote cameras to capture the big cat.

According to National Geographic, the juvenile female was spotted traveling with a larger, normally coloured leopard, presumed to be her mother.

There is a mild controversy as to whether it’s the first time the cat is being seen since a 1909 photograph taken in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper said a similar photograph was taken in 2013 byPhoebe Okall, but Pilfold and his team say otherwise.

These new photos were captured by wildlife photographer Will Burrard Lucas.

Pilford told CNN that he’s “aware of a few different photos taken over the years, but most of them are taken from a distance and could not be used as confirmatory evidence.”

According to Pilford, Okall’s photo “is a captive black leopard that was brought from America as a kitten to Kenya, not wild.”

The photos were published in January in the African Journal of Ecology.

Speaking on why the leopard is black, Lucas told BBC:

The term that makes them black is called melanism and it’s the same thing that makes a house cat black, or any other cat species.

It’s kind of like albino but the other way.

A black panther is basically a melanistic big cat. Typically in Africa and Asia that would mean a melanistic leopard – a black leopard.

In South America it would be a melanistic jaguar – a black jaguar.

Black panther is a looser term.

See more photos below:

Photo Credit: San Diego Zoo

Credit: Bella Naija

In Career Gems February 13, 2019 By Women of Rubies

VETERAN NOLLYWOOD ACTRESS, JOKE SILVA TO ATTEND THE 2019 CANNES FILM FESTIVAL TO DISCUSS WOMEN IN FILM

Veteran Nollywood actress, Joke Silva will be joining a long list of Nollywood practitioners at the Cannes International film festival 2019.

The veteran actress will be attending the film festival as a Nigerian ambassador and panellist. She made the announcement via her Instagram page.

57-year-old Silva will be joining panellists at the film festival for two sessions to discuss women in the business of film and introduce herself to the world as one of the legends from the African cinema.

The veteran actress will be attending the festival in association with Pavillon Afriques, a business platform dedicated to Pan-African film industry professionals & financiers@ Marché du Film at the Cannes International Film Festival 2019.

Credit: fabwoman.ng

In Career Gems February 13, 2019 By Esther Ijewere

BET APOLOGISES TO NICKI MINAJ AFTER “LACE FRONT” SHADE

TV network, BET has apologised to Nicki Minaj following the network’s inappropriate shade at her after Cardi B won at the Grammys.

“Meanwhile, Nicki Minaj is being dragged by her lace front,” the station had reportedly tweeted alongside a post about Cardi’s win.

However, BET has taken down the tweet and issued an apology on all their platforms.

“The respect we have for Nicki was violated by a post that should never have been written,” a statement by BET spokesperson reads.

“The post does not reflect how we feel about Nicki. And further does not reflect our company values.

“We deeply apologise for the hurt, disappointment and confusion that this post has caused. We are committed to doing everything we can to address the situation.

“We are also conducting an internal audit to assure these types of posts are not published again.

“We have apologised to Nicki and her team. The post has been removed and we have taken additional appropriate action.

”We understand Nicki’s position and look forward to continuing our dialogue with her. Finally, we apologise to all of her fans. This should have never happened.”

Meanwhile, Nicki Minaj will no longer perform at the BET Concert in April. She announced the decision Monday, following the network’s attempt to ‘shade’ her in the aftermath of the Grammys.

The singer announced the decision on Twitter saying: “Young Money will no longer be part of the BET Experience or award show.”

Nicki Minaj then thanked her fans for supporting her.

In Career Gems February 12, 2019 By Women of Rubies

CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE HONORED WITH 2019 EVERETT M. ROGERS AWARD FOR REFRAMING THE DISCOURSE ON RACE, GENDER & IDENTITY

It was announced in 2018 that Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie had been named the winner of the 2019 Everett M. Rogers Award. She was honored for reframing the discourse on race, gender & identity.

The award has been presented every year since 2005 in honor of Everett M. Rogers, whose “Diffusion of Innovation” is the second-most cited book in the social sciences.

The event was held on the 7th of February and the writer repped Nigerian design brands by wearing a piece from Fia Factory.

Dean Willow Bay and Marty Kaplan of the Norman Lear Center provide opening remarks, followed by Danai Gurira, actor on Walking Dead and Black Panther.

Watch the award show below.

See photos below.

Credit: Bella Naija

In Career Gems February 12, 2019 By Women of Rubies

CARDI B MAKES HISTORY AS THE FIRST SOLO FEMALE TO WIN BEST RAP ALBUM AT THE GRAMMYS

Cardi B made history as she became the first solo female artist to win best rap album at the Grammys after being honoured for her debut album ‘Invasion Of Privacy.’

Cardi won the award ahead of other nominees Pusha T, Travis Scott and the late Mac Miller.

Accompanied to the stage by her husband, Migos rapper Offset, the 26-year-old thanked the couple’s daughter,Kulture, who was born in July last year.

She said:

“I’m not just saying thank you because she’s my daughter. It’s because, you know, when I found out I was pregnant, my album was not complete, like three songs that I was for sure having.

“And then you know, you know how it was, we was like, we have to get this album done so I could still do videos while I’m still not showing. And it was very long nights.”
Credit: LIB

In Career Gems February 11, 2019 By Women of Rubies

OPRAH WINFREY SIGNS MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP DEAL WITH APPLE

Oprah Winfrey has signed a new partnership with Apple.

Credit: xonecole.com

In Career Gems February 9, 2019 By Women of Rubies

82 WOMEN ARE CONTESTING FOR VARIOUS POLITICAL POSITIONS IN KWARA STATE

Eighty-two women are contesting for various elective posts in Kwara in the forthcoming polls.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Administrative Secretary in Kwara, Mr Martins Boris Chiroma said this on Friday in Ilorin.

He spoke at a Town Hall meeting with Women Groups and Gender Focus Civil Society Organisations.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the town hall meeting was organised by International Women Communication Center (IWCC) in collaboration with INEC.

According to the Administrative Secretary, a total of 528 candidates are jostling for 34 positions in the state.

He said out of 35 candidates contesting for the governorship post, only two are women, and out of the 57 Senatorial candidates, seven are female.

On the House of Representatives list, out of 83 candidates, only 10 are female, he said.

Chiroma said out of 353 House of Assembly candidates, only 63 are female.

The Administrative Secretary expressed concern over the low level of participation of women in politics in the state.

With this statistics, you will all agree with me that our womenfolk will have to buckle up, Chiroma said.

According to him, the town hall was to give an up-date of the Commissions state of preparedness towards the 2019 elections and the need for women to actively participate.

It is important at this juncture to re-assure this august gathering and through you to the generality of Kwarans that the Commission is set to conduct free and credible elections, the Administrative Secretary said.

Chiroma told the women that a total of 1,130, 266 PVCs have been collected by their owners, remaining 277, 134 to be collected.

The Executive Director, IWCC, Dr Limota Goroso Giwa, in her paper: Women participation and the 2019 General Election: Rationale and Challenges said the challenge of women in the state is fear of unknown.

The challenge we have in Kwara State towards this 2019 general election is the fear of unknown.

We are also afraid of thuggery, hooliganism, vote buying, vote apathy, insecurity of life and property and inability to vote for political candidates of your choice, Goroso said.

She appealed to women as mothers and wives to advice their children and husbands against any act of thuggery and violence during the elections.

Goroso added that IWCC was committed to peaceful elections in the country.

We recognise the fact that violence against women during elections is a threat to the integrity of the electoral process.

It can affect womens participation as voters and as candidates seeking for elective positions, the IWCC boss said.

Another resource person, Hajia Salmat-Iyabode Muhammad appealed to women to vote according to their conscience.

Presenting her paper titled:Issues and priorities for the 2019 General Elections, Muhammad said women should vote for candidates of their choice without intimidation.

Muhammad, a lawyer and chairperson of Federation of International Women Lawyers (FIDA), also advised women to look at the manifesto of political parties to know the best party to vote for.

She also advised women to look at the antecedent of candidates before voting for them.

Credit: Pulse News

In Career Gems February 8, 2019 By Women of Rubies

“IT’S BECOMING NORMAL FOR FATHERS TO IMPREGNATE THEIR OWN DAUGHTERS IN EDO STATE” -HON. MAGDALENE OHENHEN, COMM FOR WOMEN AFFAIRS

Edo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Magdalene Ohenhen has revealed that it is becoming a normal thing in the state for fathers to impregnate their daughters.

She described the situation as very sad, saying the earlier the state stopped it, the better. She made the disclosure, yesterday, during a protest by the Brave Heart Initiative for Youth and Women (BHI) led by Lady Grace Osakue.

The group was seeking justice for 17-year-old Gift Alonge who was said to have been impregnated by her father. The victim was alleged to have been first impregnated in 2017 by her biological father, Jacob Alonge, and later in 2018.

“It’s a very sad situation. Edo State is becoming something else, and the earlier we stop it, the better for us. It is becoming a normal thing in Edo State for men to impregnate their own daughters,” the commissioner said.

Ohenhen cited another case of a man who slept with her daughter for over 10 years before the case was reported to the police. She said: “It is time we stopped all these. Edo State forbids it, it is a taboo. We are begging Edo men to stop sleeping with their daughters, it is an abomination.”