In Career Gems January 16, 2019 By Women of Rubies

LATE OCHANYA OGBANJE CONFERRED WITH POSTHUMOUS AWARD

Late Ochanya Elizabeth Ogbanje who was allegedly raped to death in Benue State has been conferred with a posthumous award of “Young Person of The Year 2018” by the Daily Asset newspaper.

Ochanya died on October 17, 2018, due to complications arising from the alleged sexual assaults she suffered at the hands of her guardian, Andrew Ogbuja, a lecturer at the Benue State Polytechnic Ugbokolo and his son, Victor Ogbuja, a final year student at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi.

Ochanya love for education made her leave her family in Ogene-Amejo village for the Ogbuja house in Okpokwu local government of Benue State due to the abysmal state of the only government school in the community.

The L.G.E.A Primary school, Ogene-Amejo, where Ochanya should have attended but for government’s failure. (Pulse)

Receiving the award on behalf of the family in Abuja on Tuesday, January 15, 2019, in Abuja, Ochanya’s brother, John Ameh, renewed call for the swift prosecution of the alleged culprits.

Ameh appealed to the new Inspector-General of police, Adamu Mohammed, to take urgent steps to arrest the primary suspect in the matter, Victor, whom he said had been on the run since the news of Ochanya’s untimely passing.

He said Ochanya’s death has left the family heartbroken, due to the sordid circumstances that led to her untimely departure, urging the new police boss to direct the Benue State Police Commissioner, Okon Ene, to declare the suspect wanted.

Late Ochanya Elizabeth Ogbanje’s brother, John Ameh, receiving the award.

“It has been a difficult time for us as a family since the tragic death of our beloved Ochanya in October last year,”Ameh said.

“The circumstances surrounding her painful exit are already in the public domain, but for the sake of emphasis, Ochanya’s aggressors and killers, the paedophilic Andrew Ogbuja and his son, Victor, must be brought to justice. We appeal to the new IGP to declare Victor Ogbuja wanted for the rape and death of Ochanya.

“Our demand for justice is not borne out of vengeance, but the sheer desire to ensure that other girls within the community and Nigeria as a whole, are safe from the pandemic of sexual violence,” he added.

Victor, Ochanya Elizabeth Ogbanje and Andrew Ogbuja

Ameh appreciated the newspaper for raising awareness on the dangers of child sexual abuse, which has assumed epidemic proportions n the country.

The chairman of the occasion and former presidential aspirant, Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher, called on government at all levels to invest in education.

Ochanya Elizabeth Ogbanje, 13-year-old girl allegedly raped by lecturer and son, gets posthumous award in Abuja.

Similarly, the guest lecturer, Prof. Yima Sent, noted that the bedrock for meaningful development in any society must be predicated on quality education from the primary to the tertiary level.

Credit: Pulse News

In Career Gems January 15, 2019 By Women of Rubies

IVANKA TRUMP APPOINTED TO PICK CANDIDATE FOR THE POSITION OF THE PRESIDENT OF WORLD BANK

President Donald Trump’s daughter and Advisor Ivanka will help the United States choose its candidate to lead the World Bank but she will not be the one, the White House said on Monday, January 14, 2019.

Jim Yong Kim abruptly announced last week that he would cut short his tenure as President of the Washington-based global development lender more than three years before his second term was to end.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney “have asked Ivanka Trump to help manage the US nomination process as she’s worked closely with the World Bank’s leadership for the past two years,” said Jessica Ditto, the White House Deputy Director of Communications.

However, Ditto said reports that Ivanka Trump “is under consideration are false.”

London’s The Financial Times reported on Friday that both Ivanka Trump and Washington’s former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley were among possible US candidates to replace Kim.

Other names being floated include Treasury Undersecretary for International Affairs David Malpass and Mark Green, head of the US Agency for International Development, the newspaper reported.

Through an unwritten post-war agreement with Europe, the World Bank has always been led by an American while a European has always been in charge of the IMF.

Developing nations also have been increasing the pressure on the institutions to name a leader from an emerging market country.

Ivanka Trump in 2017 was the driving force behind a $1 billion, Saudi-supported World Bank fund to promote entrepreneurship by women.

The World Bank Board said on Thursday it would start accepting nominations for a new leader early next month and name a replacement for Kim by mid-April.

Credit: Pulse News

In Career Gems January 15, 2019 By Women of Rubies

8-YEAR-OLD NIGERIAN PHOTOGRAPHER, ARIYIKE OLUWASEUN GETS FEATURED IN REUTERS NEWS

Ariyike Moyinoluwa Oluwaseun is an 8-year old Nigerian photographer who was featured in Reuters News. She won the award for ‘Arts and Creative Personality of 2018’.

Reuters reports:

“A young photographer won ‘Arts and Creative Personality of the Year 2018’ at the Nigerian Child Summit Awards and she’s just 8 years old”

Ariyike started her career at the age of 5, and she inspires young creatives with her passion for photography as she says in an interview:

“When I grow up, I don’t want to be an Engineer or Doctor, I just want to be a photographer. I won’t like anyone stop me from what I’m doing”

Her parents who are also photographers help her in editing the pictures that she takes, and they are in full support of her ambition.

For the full interview, watch the video below:

In Career Gems January 14, 2019 By Women of Rubies

CHINESE WOMAN DEVELOPS MEDICAL CONDITION THAT MAKES HER UNABLE TO HEAR MEN’S VOICES BUT HEARS WOMEN’S VOICES

A Chinese woman developed a sudden hearing loss that makes her unable to hear the voice of men.

The patient, who has only been identified by her surname, Chen, went to sleep with nausea and ringing in her ears but woke up to find she was unable to hear her boyfriend. Ms Chen, from the city Xiamen, on the east coast of China, went straight to the hospital when she woke up and her condition left doctors confused.

Doctors tried to figure out her bizarre symptoms, which were the opposite to more common forms of hearing loss, according to local reports. What was more surprising was that she could hear the voice of women, but not that of men.

A specialist diagnosed her with reverse-slope hearing loss, in which she could only hear high frequencies.

The condition is believed to affect only one in nearly 13,000 patients with hearing problems, according to figures.

It was possible that stress may have contributed to the condition, the doctors said.

Reports state she was able to hear every word the female ENT who treated her spoke to her.

Dr Xiaoqing, who treated Ms Chen said: ‘She was able to hear me when I spoke to her, but when a young male patient walked in, she couldn’t hear him at all.’

She diagnosed her with ‘low-frequency hearing loss’, or reverse-slope hearing loss, explaining why she was unable to hear deeper sounds.

This condition is normally difficult to diagnose because both medics and patients may be unaware it exists. It can be caused by genetics, meaning people have never been able to hear lower sounds – such as the hum of a fridge.

The patient revealed she had been working late recently, putting her body under a lot of stress and not getting enough sleep.

Dr Xiaoqing believes fatigue and the added stress of long days may have contributed to the condition. The ENT specialist revealed it is important to treat such symptoms quickly, and said that she expected Ms Chen to make a full recovery.

Credit: LIB

In Career Gems January 14, 2019 By Women of Rubies

OAP CHINONSO OPARA TO REPRESENT NIGERIA AT THE 47TH MISS INTERCONTINENTAL WORLD PAGEANT

On-Air personality and Beauty Queen, Chinonso Ibinabo Opara, popularly known as @KimOprah is set to represent Nigeria, alongside other contestants from 90 countries across the globe, at the 47th edition of the Miss Intercontinental World Pageant taking place from the 7th to the 27th of January, 2019 at Prestigious Mall of Asia, Manila, Philippines.

Chinonso was born in Lagos, Nigeria and holds a degree in psychology from the University of Port Harcourt in Rivers state.

According to her team, Chinonso has always loved beauty pageants and has partaken in four competitions both locally and internationally, representing Nigeria in Malaysia as Miss Tourism World in which she has come out as the first runner up in three of these and also as a Winner in one.

The 22-year-old Chinonso currently works for Spice TV as the host for Red Carpet special and All Access TV shows.

See her photos below.

Photo Credit: Anuel Modebe @anuelmodebe

Credit: Bella Naija

In Career Gems January 12, 2019 By Women of Rubies

ARESE UGWU SIGNS DEAL WITH FIRST BANK TO TURN HER BOOK ‘THE SMART MONEY WOMAN’ INTO A TV SERIES

Financial Expert, Arese Ugwu has announced that her book “The Smart Money Woman” is going to be made into a television series.

The financial expert shared the news on her Instagram, revealing the project has been in the works for 8 months.

She wrote:

8 months!!! Eight months of meetings, phone calls, back and forth with lawyers, tears, frustration.. I wanted to give up many times but this moment was everything!!! .
.
My book The Smart Money Woman is officially being turned into a Tv series and First Bank is the Lead sponsor… 💃💃💃 Im super grateful to F.A.M, Abimbola and the First bank Team for believing in this project .
.
Super excited to begin this journey, bringing my characters to life..I already know its going to be tough 😂but I’m grateful to God for the small wins in between… My watch words for 2019 Execution and resilience!!! No matter how hard it gets…We Move… @firstbanknigeria

Abeg! Spin me make e sweet😂

View this post on Instagram

8 months!!! Eight months of meetings, phone calls, back and forth with lawyers, tears, frustration.. I wanted to give up many times but this moment was everything!!! . . My book The Smart Money Woman is officially being turned into a Tv series and First Bank is the Lead sponsor… 💃💃💃 Im super grateful to F.A.M, Abimbola and the First bank Team for believing in this project . . Super excited to begin this journey, bringing my characters to life..I already know its going to be tough 😂but I’m grateful to God for the small wins in between… My watch words for 2019 Execution and resilience!!! No matter how hard it gets…We Move… @firstbanknigeria Abeg! Spin me make e sweet😂

A post shared by Arese (@smartmoneyarese) on Jan 10, 2019 at 12:26am PST

Credit: Bella Naija

In Career Gems January 12, 2019 By Women of Rubies

#SURVIVINGRKELLY: R. KELLY’S DAUGHTER SPEAKS OUT, SAYS “I KNOW WHO AND WHAT HE IS. I GREW UP IN THAT HOUSE”

R. Kelly’s estranged daughter has broken her silence about the controversy surrounding her father.

Joann Kelly, who goes by the name Buku Abi, posted a lengthy statement on her Instagram stories Thursday which began “Buku here. I just want to say a few things…”

“Before I start I just want it to be known that I am speaking from the heart, nothing I say or do not say is to hurt ANY party reading this or affected by this,” the statement read.

“To the people that feel I should be speaking up/against everything that is going on right now. I just want you all to understand that devastated is an understatement for all that I feel currently.”

R. Kelly has come under fire in the wake of the recent Lifetime docuseries “Surviving R. Kelly” which chronicles allegations of abuse, predatory behavior and pedophilia against the singer.

Kelly has consistently denied the allegations and has never been convicted of any crime tied to them.

Abi is one of three children born to Kelly and his ex-wife, Andrea Kelly, who also appeared in the docuseries and shared her allegations of having been abused by him.

Abi apologized, saying:

“if my silence to all that is happening comes off as careless.”

“That is my last intention,” she wrote.

“I pray for all the families & women who have been affected by my father’s actions. Trust, I have been deeply affected by all of this.”

She said she’s been struggling to process it all and find the right words to say.

According to Abi, she has been estranged from her father for a while.

“Anyone that knows me personally or has been following me throughout the years knows that I do not have a relationship with my father,” Abi said in her statement.

“Nor do I speak on him or on his behalf. I also am not fond of dealing with my personal issues or personal life through social media but, I feel things are starting to get out of hand.”

She then went on to discuss how “Reminders of how terrible my father is, and how we should be speaking up against him, rude comments about my family, fabricating me, my siblings & our mothers ‘part’ etc. Does not help my family (Me, my sister, my brother, and my mother) in our healing process.”

“The same monster you all confronting me about is my father,” Abi wrote.

“I am well aware of who and what he is. I grew up in that house.”

She ended her statement by thanking her family’s supporters for helping them through what she said has been a difficult time.

“Family, friends, followers, fans, etc… I love you guys to pieces,” Abi wrote. “Your love is appreciated & always will be.”

Credit: CNN

In Career Gems January 11, 2019 By Women of Rubies

GENEVIEVE NNAJI BECOMES FIRST NOLLYWOOD BILLIONAIRE

Veteran Nollywood actress, Genevieve Nnaji has become Nollywood’s first billionaire as Netflix buys Lionheart for N1,385,100,000($3.8 million).

The Nigerian actress, film producer and director took to Instagram to appreciate the support for Lion Heart :

View this post on Instagram

Thank you everyone for accepting @lionheartthemovie into your homes and your hearts. Worldwide. ❤️ This is how we change the narrative. Together. Let us continue to bridge the gap. 🌍

A post shared by Genevieve Nnaji (@genevievennaji) on Jan 8, 2019 at 3:59am PST

Lion Heart movie is Genevieve Nnaji’s directorial debut. Stars like Phyno, Nkem Owoh, Peter Okoye(Psquare), Pete Edochie and Onyeka Onwenu featured in the acclaimed movie.

Credit: stargist.com

In Career Gems January 11, 2019 By Women of Rubies

LAUREN UNDERWOOD BECOMES THE YOUNGEST BLACK WOMAN TO BE ELECTED TO US CONGRESS

When the 116th Congress was sworn into office on Thursday, January 10, 2019, the class made history as the most diverse group ever with a record 127 women.

Among those women was 32-year-old Democrat Lauren Underwood, who etched her name in the history book as the youngest black woman to be elected to Congress.

Underwood, who graduated from the University of Michigan and John Hopkins University, is a registered nurse who now represents Illinois’ 14th Congressional District. Her transition into politics began in 2010, when she joined the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

According to her website, she played a crucial role in implementing the Affordable Care Act. In 2014, she was appointed by the Obama administration to help with public health emergencies and disasters across the nation, including the water crisis in Flint, Michigan.

Chicago Tribune | Tribune News Service | Getty Images

Lauren Underwood, Democratic Congresswoman-elect of the 14th Congressional District, pauses before stepping on stage to give her victory speech at her Election Night party at the Kane County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in St. Charles, Ill.

Born in Ohio but raised in Chicago-suburb Naperville, Illinois, Underwood says her inspiration to work in healthcare came from the doctors and nurses who helped her fight a heart condition she was diagnosed with at age 8. As someone with a pre-existing health condition, she says she knows first-hand how important it is to enact laws and policies that preserve and expand healthcare for Illinois families.

“I have a two-year opportunity to make a real difference and represent the people of the 14th, and they have placed their faith in me,” The Chicago Tribunereports Underwood saying at a recent Congressional Black Caucus event. “They’ve given us a chance. I have to prove myself, and we will, beginning on day one, where I’m leading an effort to reform this government.”

In addition to Underwood, several other Congressional newcomers are making history, including Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, the first Muslim women in Congress; Sharice Davids and Deb Haaland, the first Native American women in Congress; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman in Congress; and Jahana Hayes, Connecticut’s first black woman in Congress.

When asked by a reporter if she was excited to make history, Underwood said she was excited to be part of “a moment in history.” She explained at a CBC event that this new class of Congress “is what [she] always hoped the United States Congress could always look like.”

“Diversity of thought, geographic diversity, age, race, gender, life experience are all great things that we each bring to this Congress of the United States,” The Chicago Tribune reports her saying. “I’m really proud to be part of a caucus where I’m not ‘the only.'”

Source: cnbc.com

In Career Gems January 10, 2019 By Women of Rubies

RWANDAN GOVERNMENT BANS BLEACHING CREAMS AND SOAPS

The Rwandan government has placed a ban on cosmetic products used for lightening the skin.

“Love the skin you’re in”, is the message from Rwanda’s government in the fight against skin lightening products, reports eNCA.

Francois Uwinkindi of Rwanda’s Ministry of Health Cancer Unit said, “We are now putting more effort into educating people, going around and seizing those illegal products. We are joining those countries who are also in this fight against the use of those illegal skin-lightening cosmetics”.

Rwandan president, Paul Kagame, had earlier raised concerns about the growing use of skin-lightening products on social media.

On his verified Twitter handle last year, Rwanda had reacted to a call for the banning of the skin lightening products by tweeting, “Quite unhealthy among other things. Includes use of prohibited chemicals. MoH and RNP need to reign this in very quickly!”

It was reported that police in the country have already started confiscating thousands of products since the closing weeks of 2018.

But many users are not happy with this move. They say they have every right to choose the way they wish to look.

Many African countries have banned skin lightening products, but laws aren’t enforced and skin-whitening creams and soaps flood the markets in several African countries like Ghana, South Africa, Mali, Nigeria, etc.

Credit: yabaleft

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