Interviews&profile Archives

In Inspiration April 29, 2020 By Women of Rubies

#WCW | Celebrating Peace Hyde

Hello WORriors, it’s our #WomanCrushWednessday, and our Woman Crush is Peace Hyde!

Peace Hyde is a British Ghanaian education activist, media entrepreneur and motivational speaker. She is the founder of Aim Higher Africa, a non-profit organization. She is also the Head of digital media and partnerships and West African correspondent for leading business magazine Forbes Africa.

Hyde was born and raised in London, where she lived until 2015, before she relocated to Ghana. During her early years in London, she briefly practiced as a child psychologist before embarking on a career as a science teacher specializing in Physics, Chemistry and Biology.

A first class graduate of psychology from Middlesex University she found the time to acquire two masters, an MA in Communication and digital media and Masters in Journalism from the London school of Journalism.

In 2018, she was shortlisted among 200 leaders as part of the Obama Foundation Africa Leaders program and in 2019, was awarded the African Social Impact award at the House of Parliament, House of Commons in the UK.

The Africa most celebrated TV personality is recognized for her talent and skill in broadcasting which has enabled her to work with top brands like EIB, Forbes and others.

Recently, she won the Africa Achievers award, as well as Obama Foundation Leaders Africa Fellowship.

She reportedly came into the media limelight in 2013, and at her age, has continued to shine in making her work recognized in Ghana, Africa and the world at large.

Women of Rubies Celebrates you, Peace Hyde!

In Inspiration April 29, 2020 By Women of Rubies

Tonto Dikeh Unveils New Cooking and Talk Show

Something quite new from what we’ve known her for, Tonto Dikeh has announced that she’s launching a unique culinary and entertainment show soon, and it is titled “Grub & Rub with King Tonto“.

And more to it– The show will be featuring celebrities, discussing life, relationship, politics, religion while eating.

She shared the news on Instagram she wrote:

You all know that I am way to good a foody.. so, I decided to start am a new YouTube show, . J show promises to be mouth watering, exciting and Fun in all the different ways… I want you to see what I see. .
So, The Purpose of this show, is to be a flag bearer to the culinary world in Africa and offshore.
It will be a way to promote different culinary business around the world and also bring you different Food culture ,also make it easy for you to know where Good food are been sold in any part of the world you travel to.

It won’t be just an eating show but we would also we discussing about life, relationship, politics , religion etc mildly while eating…

With a lot of drama
.
As a huge Foodie I have decided to bring food and entertainment together .
.
Guys it’s going to be the best show online I promise you..
.
The Name of My new show is GRUB & RUB WITH KING TONTO.

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In #TheMansPointofview April 29, 2020 By Women of Rubies

Best work from home advice, You need to know from Linkedn Ceo

The system of work is changing right before our eyes. And all these is happening because of Covid-19. Getting advice from LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner with his large insight of how the world of work is, would be just great.

He believes in taking time out in the midst of a large working schedule, what he calls -Buffer time, a time that allow you to catch up on the industry news, take a walk, or simply to think.

He puts it like this:

1. Schedule it.

Working from home, especially if you have kids, can be filled with distraction.

Well, for that to work, you also have to …

2. Keep everyone busy.

Your little kid doesn’t care about your schedule. So make sure to give them something to do: a fun activity, or even a cartoon to watch– so they won’t be coming to you every two minutes.

You can try taking advantage of your child’s nap time. No matter what, make sure to have a hard stop that allows you at least an extra 15 minutes for yourself before you need to check back on the kids or move on to the next task.

3. Know what you want to do.

Somethimes when its your scheduled buffer time, you may get tempted to fill it in with another meeting that’s sprung up, or an extra task that you forgot about.

Don’t do it.

“The most important reason to schedule buffers is to just catch your breath,” wrote Weiner once in a LinkedIn blog post. “There is no faster way to feel as though your day is not your own, and that you are no longer in control, than scheduling meetings back to back from the minute you arrive at the office until the moment you leave. I’ve felt the effects of this and seen it with colleagues. Not only is it not fun to feel this way, it’s not sustainable.”

When you realy know what you want to use your buffer time for, you can get into it right away. Remember, your buffer time is your time. It may be a quick walk around the block, or it may simply be sitting and enjoying the silence.

“Whatever you do,” says Weiner, “just make sure you make that time for yourself–everyday and in a systematic way–and don’t leave unscheduled moments to chance.”

Ofcourse, we know there will always be more to do. But if you understand how important those buffer time moments are for your sanity and mental health, you’ll respect them.

“Whatever you do,” says Weiner, “just make sure you make that time for yourself–everyday and in a systematic way–and don’t leave unscheduled moments to chance.”

In Inspiration April 28, 2020 By Women of Rubies

COVID-19: Seyi Shay reveals her concerns

The pandemic has left many casualties since it broke out last December in Wuhan, China. Economies, social lives, human lives, have been Affected as things aren’t practically how they used to be. Every sector has been touched, politicians, entertainers, health specialist, schools, and lots more have had to bare the effects

Music artiste, Seyi Shay, has revealed how the pandemic has affected her privately

The singer whose real names Deborah Oluwaseyi Joshua, said “I don’t even want to talk about how much money I have lost because of this global lockdown. Shows, endorsement deals and all. I pray Almighty restores everything that my fellow artistes and you have lost,” she says on her Twitter handle.

Seyi Shay is known for songs like Yolo Yolo, Gimme Love, Right Now, Koma Roll and many others.

In Inspiration April 28, 2020 By Women of Rubies

Meet Tiffany Aliche Financial Expert who believes in finding success by helping others

Debt is bondage — emotional and financial bondage,” Tiffany Aliche

Award-winning finance expert and financial educator is the amazing Tiffany Aliche.

She has made it her mission to empower women in america and across, by providing them with access, tools and resources needed to create a better life for themselves and their families.

With her company, the Budgetnista, she has created a financial movement that has helped over 800, 000 women worldwide collectively to save more than $100 million, and pay off over $75 million in debt, purchase homes and transform the way they think about their finances.

Aliche says that she also bought two homes in cash last year, paid off her parent’s house, and paid off her student loans in one lump sum.

“I don’t have any debt now. My car is paid off and my credit card is paid each month in full,” she says. “It still feels a little strange going food shopping and not adding up my cart before I got to check out. Strange, but good

“It’s my greatest desire to see people live richer lives and I truly believe that one of the most effective ways to do so is to provide access to the tools and resources they need.”

“At its core, teaching is unlocking access. I was inspired to serve and teach by the many women in my life that I know struggle with money,” says Tiffany. “My motto, Live Richer, is really a play on words, it’s not just about the money, it’s about growth. It’s a movement forward.”

Aliche has created and teaches numerous free, financial classes both online and in person.

“I’m grateful for the work I do. It’s what wakes me up in the morning and give me purpose. I’m passionate about the people I serve and I can’t believe I get to make living transforming lives. If nothing else, I know I’ve tried my best to make the world a better place than how I entered it, and that’s all anyone is called to do.

In Inspiration April 27, 2020 By Women of Rubies

Stella Damasus launches her woman magazine, shows her two daughters

Stella Damasus has announced the launch of her women magazine tittled “Adiva Magazine” which featured she and her two lovely daughters Angelica and Isabel Aboderin as the cover stars.

The nollywood actress is proving herself as ambitious, and has taken the opportunity to unveil her girls to the public

While doing this on her birthday, she wrote:

As I express my gratitude to God for the gift of celebrating another birthday, my joy today is three-fold. Yes, it is my birthday, but it is also the release of the maiden edition of ADIVA MAGAZINE. This passion project of mine has been in the pipeline for many years, and I am so thrilled to share ADIVA MAGAZINE with the world. Adiva magazine is for women, by women.Above all, I am super excited to be gracing the cover of this maiden edition with my daughters ISABEL @izzybelleimages and ANGELICA @angelicatooni. This is the very first time the world will see who my darling babies have grown into. They were gracious enough to be on the cover, and I cannot wait for you to grab copies and read their remarkable, jaw-dropping, and quite revealing interviews inside. This is the best birthday gift I could ever hope for.

I want to say a very big thank you to everyone who worked tirelessly to make this dream come true. To all the contributors, photographers, writers, etc., I say a massive THANK YOU from the depth of my heart.

Photo Credit: @StellaDamasus

In Inspiration April 27, 2020 By Women of Rubies

Okonjo-Iweala gets new appointment with WHO

Former finance minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been named by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as its Special Envoy for the newly inaugurated Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator.

This would be her 4th international appointment in about 2 months.

She will rserve alongside British business executive, Sir Andrew Witty in the same capacity, to mobilise international commitment to the initiative, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). The Director-General of WHO, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, made the announcement during the launch of the ACT Accelerator via webinar from Geneva.

“I would especially like to thank Sir Andrew Witty and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for agreeing to act as Special Envoys for the ACT Accelerator,” Ghebreyesus said in his remarks.

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala said on her Twitter handle @NOIweala yesterday that felt “Honoured and humble to serve with Sir Andrew on this challenging and vital global endeavour.”

This initiative will aid the development, production, and equitable distribution of COVID-19 drugs, tests kits, and vaccines around the world.

Congratulations to her

In Inspiration April 27, 2020 By Women of Rubies

Here are 6 Qualities of a resilient woman

With the current pandemic sweeping the globe, you may be experiencing several tough times, physically, emotionally, or financially (or all the above).

As woman who needs to overcome there are certain traits to hold out on, to see how resilient you are, they are:

Not giving up easily

This is a common trait in a resilient woman. They bounce back from pain and failure. “Resilient people are like trees bending in the wind,” says a professor at Yale University School of Medicine. “They bounce back.”

You accept

Been resilient means you accept what has happened, you understand that those perfect lives portrayed on Instagram aren’t reality. This isn’t about feeling defeated that you can’t change things. It’s about confronting emotions and trusting that we will bounce back.

You change perspectives

You need to learn how to look at things in different ways. Like I’ve been seeing this one way; let me change to a different way of thinking about it.” For example, if you’ve just lost your job, now may be the perfect time to consider a career change. If the relationship did not work out a better one is on the way, how do I prepare for it ? This helps you get better result from your past failures.

Focus on what you can change

Resilient people focus on what they can change and ignore what they can’t. Ask yourself, “What can I take responsibility for?” “can i change this” if you can you move to change it or otherwise focus on something better. Accepting circumstances that can’t be changed can help you focus on conditions that you can change.

Take advantage of opportunities

A resilient woman is open to opportunities, therefore they recognise one quickly. When you look for opportunities to empower yourself, you’re less likely to feel stuck and helpless.

Ask yourself questions

They ask themselves this question, “Is what I’m doing helping or or making things worse?” This practice puts you in control of your decision making—turning you into a survivor rather than a victim.

As Dean Becker, the president and CEO of a company that develops and delivers programs about resilience training, puts it, “More than education, more than experience, more than training, a person’s level of resilience will determine who succeeds and who fails. That’s true in the cancer ward, it’s true in the Olympics, and it’s true in the boardroom.” By practicing and learning these habits of resilient people, you’ll be able to adapt to any life-changing situation and emerge stronger than before.

In Inspiration April 26, 2020 By Women of Rubies

6 Ways you can be joyful in this tough moment in history

Living joyfully is so important if you want a truly productive life. And it takes with appreciating the little things – which are often overlooked.

Some ways to bring out the joy in your life can be;

1. Stop the worry habit

There a so many things to be concerned about now, but you can pause and understand that life goes on whether you worry on not. Breathe. Take your mind off the news, or any thing that is causing you anxiety and just live in the moment. watch little kids around you how they take life easy. Even if you lack money or food just stop and take your mind of the situations.

2. Appreciate the little things

Its the little things we have often overlooked. Look at the image below

Cutting an avocado and its perfect is something to appreciate. Stop taking things for granted. We may not be having everything portrayed in the image above, but it just shows how special they are.

3. Surround yourself with people who are positive.

Negativity is contagious. Connect with people who are moving on with life positively. Some, have kept their life on hold with stress and worry over money, not been able to go out or just plain boredom. Keep in touch with people who are trying new things and learning how to be content with creating a better life after now.

4. Appreciate Nature

Nature is rich and beautiful and should be appreciated. Get to love and enjoy how it works, the evening cool air, chirping birds in the morning and the mountains. Well not every neighborhood has this, but there is something natural around you.

4. Self Care

This is a time Care for your self. Spend time with yourself, eat healthy, exercise, make some DIY’s for your skins and hair. If you are stressed it will reflect in so many things you do, and your relationship with others will be affected. But hen you are sound you can be able to think rightly, love rightly and do rightly .

5. Faith

As living beings we would have to believe in something. And what you believe is what controls the outcome of your life. If you believe strongly in God it will show by how you worry less because He is in charge. You allow so much joy inside of you to come out. Strengthen your believe in God and his word. With now worries you have a joyful living.

If you don’t believe in God, that would mean you depend on something else to help take your cares away.

In Editor's Choice April 25, 2020 By Esther Ijewere

“I aspire to be a role model as an artist” – Fagbenro Christiana Boluwatife

Fagbenro Christiana Boluwatife, best known as Tife Chris, is a young creative studying Geology at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State. She hails from Ado Odo-Ota, Ogun State. Tife started making art at a very early age of 5, but she developed deep interest at the age of 18 when she learnt how to draw using pencils and started using oil colours. Her passion for Art went deeper when she discovered the beauty in it and not just beauty, but also a way of expressing oneself. She’s a Christian, a lover of science and very active in sports in the likes of swimming and basketball. She shares her Art to the world through stage painting, writing, music and poetry, she is also an active volunteer and a member of few NGOs that aim at making positive impact to the lives of others. Tife reminds me of my years as an undergraduate, her passion and tenacity is unwithered and it’s very reflective in her work and ambience. She shares her journey with me in this exclusive Interview.

Childhood Preparation
MY childhood didn’t prepare me for what I do now, although it played a huge role due to the fact that I was very creative at that stage. I started painting and using watercolours at a very young age but I never for once saw myself doing what I’m doing today. I did those things for fun and never expected them to be a huge part of my life. Growing up was quite interesting and, as a normal child, I have both good and bad memories. I grew up in a strict and competitive environment where everyone had to meet certain standards. There was no one to share my thoughts or emotions with, so I learned to develop myself even when there was no one to talk to. This has made me active in few NGOs so I could give to the society what I couldn’t get. It wasn’t always easy and I got to learn from challenges.

My passion for Art
I wasn’t directly inspired to go into Art, truly, science has been my passion since childhood. I’ve always wanted to be a medical doctor, to help people, that’s where my passion came from. I loved to see people heal, get better. And I never for once thought of going into Art, so nothing could inspire me to venture down the world of Art.

I can only say God made a turn of events to make me see what I was completely oblivious to. At a stage in my life where science wasn’t responding, I was forced to look at the bright side of Art. And since then I’ve been falling deeper in love with Art, all dimensions of it.

My Artistic Journey
I thank God for the journey so far, it’s been wonderful, even though there have been lots of challenges especially due to the fact that I studies a different field from Art, finances as a student and the fact that I ultimately have to balance up my academics first before anything else. I’ve had experiences with lessons I know would be very useful even after I graduate.

Balancing School with Art
That dexterity has been a natural part of me, human beings are very dynamic and when we put our minds to something, no matter how diverse or colossal it may be, you’ll be done with it before you know it. Timing is also very important even though I find it hard sometimes to meet up within the appropriate time, going for lectures at the right time, going to church, creating time for art and writing, meeting up with basketball practice and guitar lessons, time to study, taking few hours to swim and sacrificing time for rehearsals. As long as I have a mental timetable and I try not to overwork myself while creating a compulsory time to rest, by God’s grace I’m able to do just fine.

My Aspiration
The first is to be a successful Artist. Let the world realise your talents can make you stand out. I would also love to travel the world and explore all forms of Art. I really have a lot to learn, I go on the internet and discover lots of amazing works from different artists. I would love to learn as many forms of Art as I can.

I also hope to own an Art firm with a gallery where everyone can be who they want to be and create ideas, use the beauty of Art to make people’s lives better, to make them heal.

Lastly, I aspire to be a role model as an artist, someone who inspires, an artist people can look up to. I want to be happy both in the outside world and with my family and home.

Three women who inspire me to be better and why
Ms. Esther Ijewere, convener of Women of Rubies, Ruby Girls, Rubies Ink and Walk Against Rape and Benita Nnarchortam, personal photographer /SA to the former governor of Ogun state and co-founder, Kuta Nigeria. And my mother, CEO k2cut fashion. These women have inspired me to be better no matter where you’re starting from, they’ve taught me to sacrifice and I’ve felt the love of a woman from them especially on the Ruby Girls page. I love people who break limits and create new ideas and Benita has really inspired me in that area.

Challenges of being an Artist
Time is my major challenge, meeting up with schedule is very hard and sometimes I have to cancel some events and I’m grateful to HRM, my friends because they help me when they can and cheer me to move on when I seem tired. Managing my craft and handling school has indeed been stressful and sometimes I realise I have just little time to myself.

Funding and equipment has also been a challenge, what’s the use of time without money? Getting school materials and Art materials too. Thank God for my parents, my sister and close friends and the fact that I get commissioned works to support myself with. Also, the environment where I’m based as a student doesn’t give enough exposure and insight into Art, they rarely appreciate Art and sometimes volunteering would be depreciated.

Being a Woman of Rubies
I believe I’m special in my own way. Everyone has that hidden talent in them that makes them stand out and unfolding these talents has made me realise I’m a Woman of Ruby. I can achieve whatever I put my mind to.

Dear Young Women,
It’s never too early to start trying, now is best. Don’t let your present state limit you. The only thing you should be afraid of is not to have a dream. If you have a vision, pursue it!