Inspiration Archives

In Inspiration July 17, 2020 By Women of Rubies

15 Perfect Things To Say To ‘Body Shamers’ Who Call You Fat

One of the hardest things about being fat is being fat in public and it sometimes leads to low self-esteem.

Battling the low self-esteem in my own head is one thing, but what to do when someone yells at me on the street is a whole other kettle of awful.

It is not uncommon for me to be minding my own business and hear someone yell “FAT!” as they walk by. “Hey, fat ass!” Is another phrase I’ve had hurled my way more than once.

The truth is it’s dehumanizing. It’s demoralizing. But I learnt not to feel that way anymore. I stopped letting these random insults go.

I don’t pick a fight, and I use common sense, but if the moment feels right, I call out the fat-shamers now.

In the moment it can be too terrifying to try and think of something quippy and smart to say.

That’s why we have collected 15 things to say to the next stranger who thinks it’s socially acceptable to call you fat for no damn reason.

“My body is not your business.”
“So I’m fat. What’s the problem?”
“I may be fat, but at least I’m not rude.”
“Sorry, I’m already in a relationship.”
“Please, please, I know you’re a fan, but no pictures today.”
“I could lose weight if I wanted to. You, however, will always be rude.”
“I’m sorry you’re hurting enough that yelling at a stranger seems acceptable.
“Somebody clearly didn’t get hugged enough.”
“I’m perfect just the way I am.”
“The world is hard enough without adding your own particular brand of dickishness to it
“I’m happy, can you say the same?”
“I’m not fat, I’m abundant.”
“I’m sorry, did you have something to say to me?”
“A woman is so much more than the size of the pants that she wears.”

In Inspiration July 14, 2020 By Esther Ijewere

“I Was Inspired To Start Girlsaide Because Of The Cases I Saw As A Medical Student”- Dr. Abosede Lewu

Dr. Abosede Lewu is an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist(@naijaobgyndoctor), Development Practitioner, Girls and Womens right and education advocate and an aspiring author. She is the founder of Girlsaide Initiative , an NGO focused on girls, women and underserved communities. Girlsaide Initiative is currently implementing several project around sexual and reproductive health and contributing towards achieving the SDGs.

Abosede has over 15 years experience on adolescent based issues with her interest and passion spanning back to her undergraduate years. She was a member, secretary and vice president of Action Group on Adolescent Health (AGAH) under the Campaign Against Unwanted pregnancy during her undergraduate years.

She actively serves as a facilitator, volunteer and mentor to several young people with numerous organizations.

She is a Mandela Washington Fellow (Young African Leadership Initiative) a flagship program by President Barrack Obama recognizing Young Africans showing leadership skill and improving lives and their communities.

She is an alumnus of University of Maiduguri, where she graduated with Honours.

She is continuously learning with various certifications such as Nonprofit Executive Program: Mendoza Business School from University of Notre Dame USA, Community health for all through Primary Health Care from John Hopkins University and Basics of Health Economics from World Bank Institute. She is a Member, West African College of Surgeons and Member, National Postgraduate Medical College.

She is happily married with children.

She shares her inspiring story in this exclusive interview with Esther Ijewere

Growing Up

Yes, my childhood definitely did. We nearly lost our mother during childbirth of one of my younger siblings. As a kid then, I saw the doctors that saved her as angels that gave me back my mother and really wanted to be able to do the same for other families. Growing up was interesting, we are 5 kids, I am the second born and first daughter, my parents were civil servants and we travelled a lot due to my father’s work, this had made me make friends all over the country. I am also one of those lucky girls, my father and mother raised us to be ambitious and fearless, growing up, i never saw myself as someone that could not do anything i set out my mind to do

Inspiration behind Girlsaide Initiative

I was inspired to start girlsaide because of the experiences and cases I saw as a medical student and medical doctor. Young girls and women presenting with life threatening and sometimes, life taking complications that could have been prevented.

I also noticed a disconnect between parents and their adolescent daughters and decided to create a platform that allows the girls, women and the communities they live in to thrive.

The Journey so far

It’s been enlightening and challenging at the same time. I have learned and stretched beyond my greatest imagination. It has also become an amazing platform for me to meet a lot of changemakers nationally and internationally.

It has evolved to include projects such as ‘Get a Pap Campaign to reduce Cervical Cancer, to Keep All Mothers Alive project to prevent maternal and perinatal deaths and our COVID19 response. Some others focused on parents with adolescent daughters girls and those leaving to obtain higher education. We keep evolving to address issues affecting our niche. It has made me more of a development practitioner

Being an Obstetrician , Gynecologist, Girl child advocate, wife and mom , and managing it all

Sometimes I can’t explain how I juggle all but let me try. Once you realise balance is in constant motion, you do what is most important at each time.

So sometimes you have to prioritise being a mother and a wife above all, then sometimes you have to prioritise your work and your calling.

I also enjoy an amazing support system on the home front and my whole family, we plan together even before rolling out. This gives me confidence that when balance seems to be tilting towards work, they are in good hands. Shout out and thank you to my Hubby and the whole family. I also have an amazing inner circle of friends and team members. The advocacy and community work we do has become a team work and that makes sharing of roles and duties easier and more effective.

There is also my ultimate joker, the God factor, he is my ultimate muscle

Inspiration behind @naijaobgyndoctor platform , and it’s impact since inception

It still boils down to my experiences. People call me everyday on different health challenges, myths, avoidable complications and I am always surprised by how much misinformation that is out there. Also with the mass migration of health workers to outside shores, the number of specialists to people population is getting lesser. How about people that cannot access me directly or other doctors. I decided to give it a try.

The impact in this short time across my social media platform has been amazing. I have been able to provide consultations, referral services to women and families. I am also actively engaging influencers to demystify and educate through healthy conversations around health and well being.

I also noticed a lack of support for women who have had miscarriages, stillbirths or lost a child and launched RAINBOW BLOOMS to support them. The uptake of that has also been phenomenal.

The Society and it’s level of awareness on issues centered around adolescents, and the right of the girl child

Society is not as well informed as it should be on adolescent issues or girl child issues. Most of this results from the underestimation of their minds and capability and not realising that youthfulness is a strength.

Another issue affecting this information is that some people are not willing to embrace the fact that the roles, dreams and aspirations of girls have changed so they will rather keep upcoming girls uninformed so as to maintain status quo.

Things are however changing, it may not be as fast as we hope for but there is a forward movement especially with organisations like yours and ours and other advocates continuously pushing the conversations that engage adolescents and girls.

On young girls who need a listening ear, but scared to open up

A problem shared is a problem half solved. This really frustrates me especially with regards to their reproductive health and cases of drug abuse. When girls get into trouble, only few have the confidence and the kind of relationship it takes to walk up to their parents and guardians to talk to them instead they go to their friends who don’t know so much. I implore them to please speak up. The fear you have is not as big as the trouble you can get into with wrong advice. Deliberately seek out your parents to also build a solid relationship with them, as young girls, they may not believe this, but they are not your enemy, don’t lock them out. If this does not work, look within your family and find a responsible confidant

Challenges of being girl child advocate

Sometimes, you meet people who feel that the girl child issues have been talked about too much and we should all move on. A stronger challenge comes from the gate keepers of culture and tradition who want things to continue as they are, girls not going to school, marrying them off young, ostracizing teenage mothers, not paying attention to their menstrual health etc. This can be frustrating especially when they are women.

The challenge of explaining and defining the real meaning of feminism and gender equity is also there.

3 women who inspire you to be better and why

My mother; She inspires me through her intelligence, resilience, love for God and her forgiving spirit, she is truly a gem

Mrs Amina J Mohammed

Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations. She has been an exemplary Diplomat and politician. I admire her greatly and all she has achieved and represents

Mrs Folorunsho Alakija

She is a ceiling breaker, she has excelled and achieved global recognition in a tough field. She also gives back a lot through her foundations and programs

There are many more women who all inspire me to reach for the stars

Being a Woman of Rubies

I am a woman of rubies because I am innovative, solution oriented, not observing rather I am actively working to provide solutions to problems affecting my gender and community

Nuggets on how Girls can protect themselves during the Pandemic

Protect yourself from COVID19 by practicing all safety measures; stay home, wash your hands, use cloth masks when needed, maintain social distance. Protect yourself from dangers that can arise due to COVID19; don’t succumb to negative peer pressure, don’t experiment with bad stuff just because you are at home and bored. If you feel unwell speak to your parents and guardians, please do not self medicate for any condition you may be experiencing. This too shall pass.

NAIJA OBGYN DOCTOR is a health service provision entity that focuses on women, all health services related to them especially sexual and reproductive health.

CALL TO ACTION

I want to use this opportunity to call on the government at all levels, private sector leaders and philanthropists to make investment in health a top priority and know that only healthy citizens can create and maintain wealth and build the economy.

Follow on IG @naijaobgyndoctor

Follow on Twitter @NaijaObgyn

In Inspiration July 14, 2020 By Esther Ijewere

“I Knew Right From Age 15 That I was Going To End Up As A Journalist”- Ify Onyegbule

Someone once said “Setting goals is turning the invisible into the visible”, being totally In love with your goals is one of the most beautiful things any human can do for themselves. Ify Onyegbule is one woman who loves her dream and allow her passion shine through unapologetically.

With a career spanning over 20 years, She’s become an enigma in her Industry, and a voice to reckon with.

Ify trained as an Investigative Journalist at the RNTC, she is a Presentation Coach, Social critic, Publisher, Author and Activist on Women issues. With experience spanning 20 years across different Radio and TV stations in Nigeria, she has worked with 96.9 Cool FM, Lagos, Radio Nigeria’s Metro 97.6 FM, Africa’s largest Radio Network and was extensively involved in News Reading, Programme Production and Music Presentation.

She also had stints with the Network Studio in Abuja on Treasure FM in Port Harcourt, Capital FM, Abuja all under Radio Nigeria. As she left the Government owned stations, she forayed into the private stations again, venturing into and specializing in core Presentation and News reading with Radio Continental’s 102.3FM and Television Continental in Lagos where she presented the Breakfast Shows on Radio and TVC. She created and presented Woman of Substance where she celebrated Nigerian women excelling in their various professions and vocations. She is credited with intellectual programmes like the Gameshow which she anchored to improve the reading culture amongst Nigerians. She also presented for years, Kubanji Direct, an audience participation programme where issues of National and global relevance were discussed with guests discussing the topics.

Ify branched out in 2011 and established her own outfit Trueline Productions, a Media Organization responsible for providing content for both Radio and Television. She continued with packaging content for programmes on Radio Continental and the Breakfast show on Rainbow 94.1FM, Lagos. At the same time she began publishing a magazine Woman of Substance Nigeria, a follow up to the TV programme of the same name, where she interviewed over 1000 Nigerian women professionals. Her book, “Not between my Legs” is targeted at young women, it is a book about Tenacity, Hope and Determination in the course of pursuing a career, particularly in Broadcasting.

In 2014, she was engaged by the management of Rockcity FM. the 1st Independent Radio Station in Ogun state to consult as the Station Manager and during the period, she reorganized, revamped and repositioned the station’s programmes, redefining its status amongst its peers. As Station Manager, she also anchored the Breakfast Show and the Newspaper review. This lasted for a year before she joined the consulting team of Radio Port Harcourt 91.7FM as its General Manager.

The station rebranded and took on a new name WAVE FM in October 3, 2015. As General Manager of Wave FM, she anchored the Breakfast Show and Paper Review, created other programmes, developing talent from amongst her staff who presented these programmes to the satisfaction of the teeming listeners.

Her contract with the station ended December 27th, 2016 following which she relocated to Lagos, returning to her responsibilities at the Women Awareness for Sustainable Empowerment Initiative (WASEI), WOS Magazine/TV and Truespeak Media Academy.
She devotes her spare time to discussions and analysis on Radio and Television stations, talking with young people in higher institutions, giving speeches, Compering Corporate events, attending conferences and seminars aimed at impacting lives. Ify loves spending time also with abandoned children at various orphanages and Widows, through her Yearly Widows Outreach.

Ify Onyegbule currently Hosts The Daily Report on Star 101.5FM, a programme she created with colleague, Charles Kalu and she also contributes to the website www.thedailyreport.ng

He new book, How Did We Get Here, was launched online this year, May 27, 2020 and it’s an Experiential/Instructional book about the 25 mistakes that every radio presenter must avoid.

She shares her Inspiring story with Esther Ijewere in this exclusive Interview.

Childhood Influence

I knew right from age 15 that I was going to end up as a Journalist and I knew that someday I was going to speak into the microphone just like those I watched and listen to while growing up in Surulere, Lagos Nigeria. I come from a family where parents encouraged you to read the newspapers, listen to radio and watch television, especially the news on TV so I got used to watching the likes of Bimbo Oloyede, (Roberts at that time) Sienne Allwell Brown, Ruth Benemasia, Julie Coker and so many others on TV, remember the days when transmission started at 4, my father will make sure that I watched the news at 9 and in my own free time I had this small radio in my room so I was always listening and wondering how these people talked from a small or big box, that piqued my interest and I started to read out to myself and mimic what they were doing and that was it. Yes I had a childhood that was influenced by the things around me and I agree it prepared me for all that I am doing today.

The Drive

I was a spontaneous kid, I was inquisitive, I had deep thinking about issues, I knew how to talk and exposure to the reading materials, radio and TV just spurred me on and ignited the passion. The rest they say is History.

The Journey so far

It’s been a wonderful ride for me even with the ups and downs of the profession. My journey stared in a place called DBN, those days on Awolowo Road as a reporter. I was very excited with this job not because I was going to earn some stipend for doing my work but because I was open to learning something new after my training at Alliance Francaise in Ikoyi and fresh from NYSC in Jos Plateau State.

I did the job for 3 months and moved on to what was then and still known as Cool FM also as a correspondent. I moved from Cool FM to Metro FM at the Broadcasting House Ikoyi, Lagos where I will say I cut my teeth in broadcasting that was the place that taught me most of what I know today on the job.

From Metro I had stints in Treasure FM Port Harcourt, Capital FM Abuja and the Network Service of Radio Nigeria also in Abuja. When I left Radio Nigeria, I pitched my tent with Radio and TV Continental where I anchored a number of A-list programmes before resigning from my job in 2011 to set up my Trueline Productions which is also into the production and packaging of content for radio and TV.

In the course of this, there were short stints with a couple of Radio and TV stations in Lagos where we provided content for the Morning show on these platforms. I got a call from to come run a Radio Station as its Station manager and the experience with Rockcity FM was a vista, away from what I had always known, so it set the stage for me in a managerial capacity and gave me an insight into the management of Human and Material resources. A higher responsibility came when I was contracted again to move over as General Manager of Wave FM in Port Harcourt, a very worthwhile experience for me because it was a different ball game altogether, working in South South Nigeria. So generally, I would say I have had a wonderful ride in Broadcast Journalism or the Media as it is.

20 Years In the Media Industry and It’s Impact on My Personal Growth

In simple terms, it’s not about the number of years but the events that characterize these years, I have grown organically from stage 1 all the way to where I am now so I have learned Patience, Perseverance, tolerance, Loyalty, Office Politics and these have positively affected my approach to life.

Inspiration behind my fast-selling book; “How did we get here”?

How Did We Get Here is simply an experiential and instructional material with Broadcast Journalists and especially Radio Presenters as the primary target. every day we are confronted with various challenges on the job as Duty Continuity Announcers, Presenters or On Air Personalities (as they are called today), sometimes we are confused about what to do in various circumstances and when we take that step or make that move, it may be that something has gone wrong with that 1 move then we find out that we have flouted a rule or the station’s regulations and we incur the wrath of our employers and sometimes it’s a SACK.

So I reckoned that young presenters of today need guidance, they need mentoring and these can only happen for those willing to seek help through reading and training. I know that mistakes are a part of learning but having a fore knowledge about something can help position these personalities for a better outing on their jobs.

The book contains some of the Mistakes I made as a regular presenter at the various places I have worked and some others mistakes I saw people make in the course of their jobs so basically it is just a guide to help presenters avoid the mines in the field as they settle into the game of Presentation or Production.

My Initiative for Widows; Women Awareness for Sustainable Empowerment Initiative (WASEI)

I recently started to focus a lot of attention on widows because I became a widow in 2018 but my NGO, Women Awareness for Sustainable Empowerment Initiative (WASEI) was born in 2008 and we were mostly about creating Awareness and providing Empowerment for women, yes we had some activities for widows but it was not a major thing for the NGO but as the years progressed, I found that this group of women were amongst the vulnerable groups so we started to pay measurable attention but things changed and became specific when I found myself in that category of persons and I felt there was the need to use my voice and my platform to project the issues and engineer change no matter how small it is.

Challenges of being a Presenter and Philantropist

There are challenges in different professions and as a Presenter, I had my fair share of challenges and I chose to step over them and not allow these to draw me back. Our kind of job is something that takes all of you so those around you must be willing to not be a stumbling block in your career. I was out of the house most of the time, I remember there was a time I didn’t go to church for close to 4years because I was running the Sunday shift at the radio station and that was the job so I had to do it and I loved it because I could share scriptures with my audience in the course of the programme. Even when I became a manager, it had its own challenge also, working in a place that runs a 24hour schedule so I had my staff calling me at any time for one thing or the other and my husband just couldn’t understand why I couldn’t switch off my phone and I had to make him understand that there were persons who could want to reach me even when I am not at work.

I remember years ago while working with TVC, I put my phones on silent mode and went to sleep unfortunately there was a fire incident 3 streets away from me and the fire billowed I reckoned people tried reaching me cos some knew where I worked and some felt I could have the numbers of the fire service but I didn’t pick, I woke up to see so many missed calls and when I got there pushing through the crowd, lives had been lost. So our job is very peculiar with its fair share of challenges but I have been able to manage. I will not consider myself a Philanthropist per-se because I don’t even have the money to reach out to people as I would love to but from the little that I have, I try to meet a need or two from time to time but I have also found out that people reach out to me to help give money out to people who need it so yes from time to time, I raise requests on my social media handles and well meaning individuals send in their little token that is shared amongst persons in need. Through this, I have met many persons who really need help to get by in life. It gives me joy to touch the lives of those in need.

3 women who inspire you to be better and why

Reverend Dele George of the Little Saints Orphanage has always been an Inspiration for me and the admiration started from the day I went to interview her and she told me her story about how she started taking care of motherless babies, it blew me away because it simply opened my eyes to the fact that even with your own biological children, it takes nothing away from you to look after other children who don’t have a home or parents of their own so I had to follow her work and I am still following.

Another woman is Mrs. Bimbo Oloyede, the Veteran Broadcaster, there is something about her, she is very professional, calm and always ready to listen to you and act if she has to do anything about your matter or request. This is a woman I have followed over time and she has inspired me in the area of my career.

My greatest inspiration is my Mother, Kind, Tolerant, full of Wisdom, Patient, Loving and very intelligent in her thinking, sometimes I wish I was half of what my mother is and I love her to bits!

Key nuggets for aspiring OAP’s who are still trying to find their voice in the Industry

These are some of the things I share with young and aspiring Presenters just so they prepare their minds for the job.

“If you mess up, your fans may lose respect for you in a heartbeat; you may not get the roles you want anymore and someone can replace you”

“Self-branding, like fame, just doesn’t happen overnight; it is a well-calculated, well-planned effort”

“Seek knowledge because it helps you to blend-in during conversations with other people”

“If you want to grow on the job, you have to keep an open mind and remain green so that you can continue to grow”

“Mentoring is key for any young presenter who wants to go far on the job”

“As a young presenter you have to grow on the job and your station is the platform you need to carve a niche for yourself”

“To stay afloat, presenters had to be creative and come up with original content”

“Getting angry and becoming flippant or rude won’t earn you any respect”

Being a Woman of Rubies

Now this is a tricky one, I know Ruby is a very precious Gem so I am thinking it is left for people who have had dealings with you or interacted with you to determine how precious you are or why you should be a Woman of Rubies but I know I have been an inspiration to many but I always prefer that my work or actions speak for me.

How to get my Book

They can get the book by ordering copies. It is N4,000 per copy and payment can be made to 1002133134 Zenith Bank (Ify Onyegbule) thereafter they have to send a delivery address by text to 08026265478.

In Inspiration July 12, 2020 By Esther Ijewere

4 Things To Remember When You Don’t Believe In Yourself

When I picture life, I picture us all walking down our own winding path, pulling a wagon behind us. Each person’s wagon is filled with their self-belief and self-worth. Walking down the path of life, carrying our inner beliefs, we happily trundle along the path toward whatever our own goal is, but sometimes life isn’t so breezy.

When you’re having a hard time seeing the good in yourself, remember these 5 important things.

1. Opinions Aren’t Facts

At some point in your life, you believed in yourself, and you were feeling great. Then, someone came along and made you doubt yourself. They gave their opinion of you, and it hurt. You believed in yourself less and carried the hurt with you.

You need to understand that the comment was someone’s opinion, not a fact. Just because someone doesn’t see your worth doesn’t mean no one will. You can’t please everyone, so don’t even try.

Someone had an opinion, and that’s okay. We are all entitled to opinions. But it wasn’t a fact. Don’t let that person’s negativity get absorbed into your estimation of yourself. Let it wash over you and float away.

Learn to take feedback critically and consider where there something you can use in the comment to change and grow as a person.

2. Growth Takes Time

Give yourself a break. This is so important if you don’t believe in yourself. You are still growing, and you are learning, failing, and learning again. No one has all the answers, and there is no right way to do something. You are just growing, and you are going to make mistakes, and that doesn’t make you a bad person or a failure. It makes you a human who is growing.

Let go of perfectionism and the idea that you have to have it all together and be right all the time. That pressure is slowing you down and causing you to doubt yourself. Just breathe. You are where you are on your journey, and that is beautiful and it is enough.

Don’t let the pressure of expectation take away from your self-belief. You are not a list of all your successes and failures; you are so much more than that.

Failure is an event, not a personal characteristic.

Learn, grow, and let yourself fail. Don’t beat yourself up for not being perfect as that has never done anyone any good. Embrace your failure and know that you learned something and are moving forward. There is comfort in having faith that everything will be all right in the future. Your self-belief will thrive when you release these unrealistic expectations.

3. Fear Can’t Stop You

Let’s chat about your fear. When you don’t believe in yourself, it is most likely that you are afraid to. To be yourself and put yourself out there, you risk being criticized for who you are. That is scary, and as we learned from opinions, it can really damage your self-belief.

Believing in yourself takes bravery; you have to be the one who pushes you forward and believes in you. If you don’t, you just stand still. You have to believe in yourself to move forward, and fear holds you back.

Fear holds you back from trying in case you fail.
Fear stops you letting go of opinions in case they are right and you will have to go through this again.
Fear stops you moving forward.

Let go of fear. Adventure forward with careless abandon. Face your fears one by one and say “I see you fear, and I know everything I want is on the other side of you. I see you, and I am afraid, but I am going to face you and move past you anyway and face the consequences of my actions because I believe in myself, and I can handle anything.”.

Never fear failure; failure is just another opportunity to try again, except this time more wisely. It is the best teacher and the fastest way to succeed. Have a healthy relationship with failure and you will have a better relationship with your inner courage.

4. You Are Unique

You are unique, and I say this with all the passion in the world. You are different; you walk down your own unique and wonderful path. Not everyone is going to understand it, but that is how history is made. It is made by people who no one believed in, who stood up, defied fear and doubt and said what they believed.

You don’t have to have support to believe in yourself. You can connect with what you believe in, and if you believe it strongly enough, you can achieve anything. When you don’t believe in yourself, just remember, you are still important and unique, and you still matter.

Don’t give up on your journey because not everyone understands it. Keep connected to the knowledge that you are important and you matter.

Final Thoughts

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. When your self esteem is low, it can be really hard to nurture it all by yourself. Sometimes you need a confidence boost from someone who does believe in you. Don’t be afraid to reach out and talk to someone you trust about how you are feeling and ask for support.

Something to always remember is that your self-belief comes from you, and no one can take it away without your consent. You have the power to validate yourself and your self-esteem and the power to ignore the negativity in the pursuit of your own goals.

Source: Lifehack

In Inspiration July 11, 2020 By Esther Ijewere

Celebrating Abimbola Balogun, The Co-Founder Of So Fresh NG

Abimbola Balogun, is the co-founder of SoFresh, a healthy food chain, providing fresh delicious, nutrient-rich healthy meals and committed to promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Abimbola, together with her husband, Goke, founded the company in a little corner shop in the Ogba area of Lagos after moving to Lagos from Kwara state, a year prior.

So Fresh was originally founded as Fruitivegies Limited in 2010 – a modernised Farmer’s Market. It was conceived to be a departure from our traditional way of shopping for fresh produce in Nigeria, by providing a clean serene and hygienic environment for Nigerians to buy fresh produce.

In a few weeks of opening the store, Abimbola and Goke discovered the market wanted something more and they started to shift focus to freshly prepared meals, in order to tap into the increasing health consciousness and culture shift in the ‘what’, ‘how’ and ‘where’ people shop for food.

Reality soon hit 2 months later and sales were dropping. They decided to take to the streets, engaging in door-to-door advertising and distribution of flyers. Sales began to go up again. But by the end of 2012, they encountered a bigger issue – sales kept going up, but there was no profit.

Early 2013 was a defining point for the company – to stop the business or keep going, with a different strategy. Abimbola and Goke took the latter, invested almost x5 of their initial capital, and moved to the Ikoyi area of Lagos, to a bigger market yet to mature, to set up another store. This was round the time the name was changed to SoFresh.

Two years after that move, SoFresh opened a second outlet at Opebi in 2015, then a third at MMA2 Airport, Ikeja in 2017. SoFresh currently has 9 locations across Lagos and Abuja.

Abimbola is a Law graduate from the University of Ilorin and apart from running SoFresh, she’s also an HR professional, focusing on capacity building for organisational growth.

Abimbola and Goke’s story is one of determination, passion and partnership that works, and we hope it’s something you can learn from.

In Inspiration July 9, 2020 By Esther Ijewere

Ife Durosinmi-Etti – The Amazon Helping Women Win At Life

Ife Durosinmi-Etti is an author, entrepreneur and a sales and marketing expert with over a decade experience across fashion, marketing and manufacturing industries.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Covenant University, Nigeria, and an MBA in Global Business from Coventry University.

Ife started her career as an operations analyst in a bank in Nigeria during her mandatory one-year National Youth Service.

She volunteered with the British Red Cross at the time she was completing her MBA and joined a British multinational retailing company headquartered in London.

She moved back to Nigeria in 2012 and joined Nigerian Breweries (Heineken Operating Company in Nigeria) as a Young African Talent (YAT) and transitioned to their Corporate Communications Department as Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Support Manager.

In 2015, Ife decided to bridge a gap in the furniture market for newborns and together with Olamide Olatunbosun, founded Parliamo Bambini, a baby and child furniture company with products manufactured locally.

In 2016, Parliamo Bambini was selected by the Tony Elumelu Foundation for its Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program as one of the companies whose idea can transform Africa.

Parliamo Bambini is also the winner of the Jumia Super Startup Competition in 2017 In the same year, Ife was also selected as a Global Shaper of the World Economic Forum.

She has been selected as a mentor on one of Young African Leaderships Initiative (YALI)’s programmes and has been a panelist at Harvard University’s African Development Conference discussing the role of women in democracy and how it impacts on business in Africa.

Ife is the author of “Accessing Grants for Startups,” a book that shows the opportunities available locally and internationally for entrepreneurs in Africa that can help take their businesses to the next level.

Ife is also an associate member of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON).

Ife is also one of the Leading Ladies Africa’s 100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria for 2019.

Ife, alongside her AGS tribe also raised N22M for Late Olamide Alli Kid’s.

We celebrate her for giving women a voice and helping them win at life.

In Inspiration July 10, 2020 By Esther Ijewere

Meet Omotade Alalade, The Woman Supporting Families Through Their Fertility Journey

Omotola Alalade is the founder of Beibei Haven Foundation – a non-profit supporting women and couples through their fertility journey. The organisation focuses on providing support to couples dealing with infertility, pregnancy/baby loss and genotype challenges.

A lot of families, especially young couples battle with fertility issues, and sometimes, the journey can feel very lonely. Omotade experienced this too in the early years of her marriage: infertility, genotype challenges, miscarriages and a complicated pregnancy. She was devastated, overwhelmed and isolated as she went through numerous fertility challenges. She was living in fear of being judged by what she was going through and unable to find adequate support to help her through.

In addition to her fertility challenges, financial difficulties also played a major role as they could not afford the necessary treatments and had to get a loan. For the first 2 years of her marriage, she was constantly working to pay for fertility treatments.

She decided to do something by founding Beibei Haven Foundation to stand by married women in similar situations, giving them assurance that they are not alone and all hope is not lost.

Beibei Haven provides free fertility treatment grants to low income earners (these treatments include In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and surgical operations; provides support, information and education; creates awareness on fertility challenges through its fertility walks and pregnancy/baby loss summits; and promotes equal access to fertility treatments.

Through Beibei Haven, Omotade raises funds from private individuals and organizations to enable the foundation give free fertility treatments to those who cannot afford it.

Omotade is also the co-founder of Elev8 Media, an outdoor advertising company in Lagos, Nigeria, and was director in the company up until 2016 when she started Beibei Haven.

In 2016, Omotade was named in BBC’s “100 Women List” and in 2017, she was named one of the 100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria in celebration of International Women’s Day by Y! Naija and Leading Ladies Africa.

We celebrate Omotade for rising above her challenges and setting up a platform to help other women and families do same.

Source: Bellanaija

In Inspiration July 7, 2020 By Esther Ijewere

American Express Names First Black Woman To Executive Committee In 170 Year History

Another win for Black women!

Corporate finance giant American Express just appointed the first Black woman to its executive committee in the company’s 170 year history, Black Enterprise reports.

Glenda McNeal is an AMEX veteran who has been with the company for more than 30 years. Currently, McNeal serves as President of Strategic Partnerships for the financial giant, leading strategy and negotiations for various partnerships that span the e-commerce, travel, technology, and retail sectors. Prior to that she worked in a number of capacities including sales and client management, business development, and marketing and strategy, spearheading efforts with key clients for AMEX including Delta, Marriott, Hilton, PayPal and Amazon.

A Wharton School alum, McNeal has an extensive resume which includes serving on several boards including Nordstrom Inc., RLJ Lodging Trust, the World Travel and Tourism Council, and the United Negro College Fund. She also recently led the “Stand for Small coalition,” an initiative focused on helping small businesses navigating the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a new member of the executive committee, McNeal will bring all of her expertise to the table to help push the company forward.

Stephen J. Squeri, AMEX Chairman and CEO spoke about McNeal’s appointment, saying, “Having Glenda’s expertise and experience on the Executive Committee will be a huge asset for us. [The current economic challenges are] making it even more important to adapt our leadership structure to the challenges we face so that we can emerge in a stronger position. We must ensure we have the right expertise at the table.”

McNeal joins fellow appointees Andres Espinosa, Chief Credit Officer for American Express, and Pierric Beckert, President of Global Network Services. “[The appointees will] bring to the Executive Committee invaluable knowledge and experience which are particularly relevant for the times we are in. We will benefit from their diverse perspectives as we navigate through the challenges we face and position our company to win going forward,” Squeri said.

Congratulations Glenda!!

In Inspiration July 7, 2020 By Women of Rubies

Read The Inspiring Story Of This Young Single Mum!

A young single mum who goes by the name Gina Fatale, has took to Twitter to share inspiring story of how she had her baby girl when she didn’t even have any baby stuffs, or any clue has to where her next meal would come from.

Read her tweets below;

In Inspiration July 7, 2020 By Esther Ijewere

Esther Ijewere :12 Things Mentally Strong Women Don’t Do

Mentally strong women have healthy habits. They manage their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in ways that set them up for success in life. Check out these things that mentally strong people don’t do…

1. They Don’t Waste Time Feeling Sorry for Themselves

Mentally strong people don’t sit around feeling sorry about their circumstances or how others have treated them. Instead, they take responsibility for their role in life and understand that life isn’t always easy or fair.

2. They Don’t Resent Other People’s Success

Mentally strong people can appreciate and celebrate other people’s success in life. They don’t grow jealous or feel cheated when others surpass them. Instead, they recognize that success comes with hard work, and they are willing to work hard for their own chance at success.

3. They Don’t Shy Away from Change

Mentally strong people don’t try to avoid change. Instead, they welcome positive change and are willing to be flexible. They understand that change is inevitable and believe in their abilities to adapt.

4. They Don’t Waste Energy on Things They Can’t Control

You won’t hear a mentally strong person complaining over lost luggage or traffic jams. Instead, they focus on what they can control in their lives. They recognize that sometimes, the only thing they can control is their attitude.

5. They Don’t Worry About Pleasing Everyone

Mentally strong people recognize that they don’t need to please everyone all the time. They’re not afraid to say no or speak up when necessary. They strive to be kind and fair, but can handle other people being upset if they didn’t make them happy.

6. They Don’t Fear Taking Calculated Risks

They don’t take reckless or foolish risks, but don’t mind taking calculated risks. Mentally strong people spend time weighing the risks and benefits before making a big decision, and they’re fully informed of the potential downsides before they take action.

7. They Don’t Dwell on the Past

Mentally strong people don’t waste time dwelling on the past and wishing things could be different. They acknowledge their past and can say what they’ve learned from it. However, they don’t constantly relive bad experiences or fantasize about the glory days. Instead, they live for the present and plan for the future.

8.They Don’t Make the Same Mistakes Over and Over

Mentally strong people accept responsibility for their behavior and learn from their past mistakes. As a result, they don’t keep repeating those mistakes over and over. Instead, they move on and make better decisions in the future.

9. They Don’t Give Away Their Power

They don’t allow others to control them, and they don’t give someone else power over them. They don’t say things like, “My boss makes me feel bad,” because they understand that they are in control over their own emotions and they have a choice in how they respond.

10. They Don’t Give Up After the First Failure

Mentally strong people don’t view failure as a reason to give up. Instead, they use failure as an opportunity to grow and improve. They are willing to keep trying until they get it right.

11. They Don’t Fear Alone Time

Mentally strong people can tolerate being alone and they don’t fear silence. They aren’t afraid to be alone with their thoughts and they can use downtime to be productive. They enjoy their own company and aren’t dependent on others for companionship and entertainment all the time but instead can be happy alone.

12. They Don’t Feel the World Owes Them Anything

Mentally strong people don’t feel entitled to things in life. They weren’t born with a mentality that others would take care of them or that the world must give them something. Instead, they look for opportunities based on their own merits.

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