Sarah Sanni is an inspiring young woman, a computer science graduate who quitted her job to chase her dreams.
âI wasnât happy at my job, so I resigned thinking I needed a change of organization but in the process of applying to other companies and going for interviews- one day, I painted my room and my friend saw it and wanted something for her room. After designing hers, she posted it online and a couple of her friends saw it and requested wall paintings too. I did it and got paid even though it was peanut at the time but I felt overwhelming happiness and that was when I knew that this was what I wanted to do.â
She was born in the northern part of the country, grew partly in Ibadan before moving to Lagos much later. Her family are currently in support of her career,
“My mom was in total support from day one. My dad got into it after one or two of his friends called him from abroad that theyâve seen his daughterâs works at one place or the other. Some other family members did not think it was a viable business but everyone just went along with the dream and now itâs all full time support from everyone”
Her inspiration came from the northern tattoo used to adorn brides called Laali. While growing up as a child, she admired these designs and draw them on paper.. The Laali is a temporary henna tattoo used to adorn brides in the Northern part of Nigeria, particularly popular in the Hausa and Fulani ethnic groups across West Africa.
She went on from Laali sketching to drawing cartoon characters, making comic books ancient artworks from the Old Bini Kingdom, as her appetite for drawing and art
To upgrade her skills, she got some books on arts. Now her core inspiration comes from anything around her,such as beautiful people, plants, lines and geometry, abstract patterns and cartoon characters for kids (Ben 10, Disney Princesses, Dora, Angry Birds, etc.).
She has worked with some notable brands and celebrity like, the Ice Cream, Molfix, Toke Makinwa and others.
“I would advice an artist who is just starting to be ready to work hard, to be strong emotionally because there could be some setbacks, to be persistent and consistent because itâs also very easy to give up. To be prayerful (I know they say Nigerians are too religious but prayer helps and it works). Lastly, to be passionate about the art â except, of course, itâs a hobby then you donât have to take it too seriously” she advised.
Someone once said women are the best multi-taskers, that is exactly what Mosopefoluwa represents, a woman who can manage and joggle more than one task and excel in all.
The experienced event planner is the Creative Director at Mode Seven Events and  doubles as the Head Chef at Iyameto’s kitchen, a catering company she founded about 3 years ago. She has a diploma in Mass Communication from Olabisi Onabanjo University. Ago Iwoye. Lagos & also a basic presentation certificate from Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria. Lagos.
She has worked as a co-host on two different shows on radio and also worked as a production manager at a movie production company. Â Â Mosopefoluwa is often called a philanthropist & has volunteered for a number of organisations which include Mich Consulting, Inspiro Consulting, The Pamilerin Company, Christmas on The Streetz, an organisation that caters for the less privileged, specifically at Christmas and many more.
She is the event planner for the Australian Education Exhibition annual event where her company provides 50 stand assistants for delegates yearly and also the event planner for BTDT Hub, Lagos and coordinates the annual Leadership Legendary Lessons and the masterclasses. She currently serves as the service coordinator at her church and supervises all departments at church amongst many other events.
She has a genuine interest in young men and women who are interested in business & generally need a push in life to start up new things & move from where they are to where they want to  and she has been privileged to speak with and inspire undergraduates, graduates and entrepreneurs across Nigeria.
In her words; “The world may not accept you immediately, but be consistent”.
She shares her inspiring story with Esther Ijewere in this interview.
Childhood Influence
Yes, my childhood influenced me. However, I had no idea I’d be doing this. I never learnt how to cook from any catering service, but my mum is a professional caterer and I’ve practically watched her cook every other day. She had also worked at a hotel, in charge of hospitality, worked at some other, organisations as a caterer. I’d visit her at work during school breaks.
Inspiration behind âIyametoâ
I had a conversation with an older friend a few years ago & they talked about not being able to eat as much as they needed to. I mentioned I could make soups for them regularly that they’d stock up in their refrigerator & pick up whenever they needed to eat. I made the first set of soups, they picked up & they were impressed. So, I thought “why not make this into a business for busy parents, bachelors& more?”
Being a certified event planner and mass communicator but pitching my tent catering services
I picked interest in catering because I observed a pattern during events, especially parties at the caterer’s stand & I wanted to make a change.
Reception of my widely delivered local snacks
The reception has been fantastic & gets me super excited every single time! The catering business started less than 5 years ago but it feels like I’ve been in it for so long. People easily relate with the business & most importantly are amazed by business name. The “widely delivered local snacks” has received fabulous reception & folks recommend us over & over again after they’ve had a feel of it. Someone once mentioned on social media that i (Iyameto’s kitchen) invented it. That felt good even though I didn’t invent it. It shows I’m doing it right!
My multiple certification and personal growth
It has given me more experience & also help me feel more confident that I can fit into different fields if and when I find myself there. It also makes me more versatile & it has been what I had interest in from childhood, so I intentionally went a step further to train for them. It is also what I thought I’d be practicing at the moment & I like doing.
Other projects and activities
I consult for start ups, I speak at seminars and trainings package, I also help busy mums & families shop for groceries, some monthly, some quarterly. I volunteer for NGO’s as often as I have the opportunity to. I package & sell food items to folks within & outside the country.
Challenges of being a Caterer
Deliveries! Deliveries!! Deliveries!!!! The dispatch (courier) companies. Logistics & transportation is basically one of the major challenges. Managing humans is also not as easy but we keep building & getting better at it.
Unexpected increase in price of goods as is also one. In a case where you have given cost to your customers/clients, you meet a different price at the local market but you have to deliver anyway!
My community service and itâs impact
Christmas On the Streetz (an annual giveaway/hangout) I discovered in 2018 on Twitter. Pamilerin foundation, Inspiro consulting & a few others I had volunteered for over the years. Giving to needy individuals & reminding myself that everyone out there needs a lifting at some point in life. Basically trusting myself to do better and do more & believing that others can have Hope based on how I inspire them to do more & be better people, generally!
Being a Woman of Rubies
I am exceptional! I am hardworking! I am a humanitarian! I am a philanthropist! I have failed many times but I never give up! I didn’t have it all rosy growing up but I am becoming! I treat everyone I meet well & I do not look down on anyone! I am focused! I make the best of every situation I find myself!
To young women who want to go into catering business
To every young woman out there who aspires to go into the catering business! Believe in yourself, you can do it if you really want to! Start from where you are! Build up! Don’t expect the world to accept you the first day you kick off!! Also, be sure you can handle all that comes with it. Some days are high, some days are low! Take feedback from those who patronize you or eat freely from you & be a better caterer! Sometimes, cook for people around you & ask that they rate your cooking, the real but firm ones! Be confident! The “world” may not accept you immediately but be persistent! I’d also like to say, be sure you have passion for it before you go into it! Don’t give up when the results don’t look like it. Be consistent!!!
Chioma Favour Uzoma is a fifth year Pharmacy student of the University of Benin. She is the first of three girls.
She is passionate about the future of Nigeria and improving its health sector which made her start a Health and Wellness website (MedBlogNigeria) where she is a content creator. She advocates for healthy living through her organization named The Medvocacy Initiative Africa (TMI Africa).
She is an entrepreneur at Dainty Cakes and Event. She is also a fashion and beauty enthusiast.
Let’s meet you. Who is Chioma?
Chioma is a fifth year pharmacy student of the University of Benin, the first of three girls. I am a Christian, content creator at MedblogNigeria, an entrepreneur at Dainty Cakes and Event, Founder TMI Africa @t.m.i_africa and Member of JCI.
Made by chioma
I am very passionate about the future of Nigeria, everything that goes on wrongly in this country affects me in a very strange way and I intend to contribute to scalable and sustainable impact in this nation, and in Africa at large.
Who and what inspires you?
The persons who inspire me the most are young Nigerian women who are doing exploits in their various fields. The likes of Toby Lordwilliams,founder of girlhub Africa, Dr Chioma,Cassie Akide, PharmOnyekachi etc., and older women who have conquered their spheres such as Mrs Ibukun Awosika, Bukky George and of course my Mum, She inspires me a lot.
I love these women so much, and whenever I feel discouraged, I simply look at their pages on Instagram, see what they are up to and sincerely, I’m pumped back up.
The desire to be successful in life also drives me.
One accessory you can’t leave home without?
My small bag of course.
Because I get to put all my tiny stuffs in it.
What is your biggest fear?
This Girl is fearless.
I believe God has not given me the Spirit of fear and this has kept me going.
You own a Health and wellness website (MedBlogNigeria) with pages on Instagram and Facebook (Medblog_ng) where you help inform people’s health decisions. What prompted you to start this? And what do you plan to do differently in the health sector through your website and other platforms?
Well, I actually started them because I love writing and I love searching for information (My friends literally ask me for details to any gist circulating online and I always have the details). I have been writing since my secondary school days and it has become part of me. Also, being a Pharmacy student, people naturally assume you know the answers to all their health problems, so they bombard you with questions.
It was only natural for me to incorporate my writing skills which is also a passion for me into my profession, hence the birth of MedBlogNigeria.
I also found it as a way to bridge the communication gap between health personnels and the general public. Now you don’t have to go to a Pharmacy or a Hospital to get certain health information, just turn on your data, ask a question, drop a comment and your questions are answered. We simply inform the health decisions of the general public which I think is a great idea.
Your best quote?
Do it afraid, do it unsure, do it uncertain but do it anyway!
You are a versatile young lady with so many things on your hands. You are also an entrepreneur who bakes and sells cakes also. How do you balance the demands of all of these with your academics?*
The truth is, it is not an easy task but I am someone who is very passionate about anything I do. Passion drives any human.
I’ve also learnt to manage my time, to do the right things at the right time, maximize my holidays, have the right support system and these have helped me thus far.
Which city/ country will you love to visit soonest?
That would be Paris. I studied French all through my six years in secondary school, I would love to practice my French speaking skills.
If given the chance to be the President of Nigeria for a day, what will you change?
Inasmuch as I think a day is quite too short to make any meaningful changes in a country like Nigeria, I guess I will quickly rewrite the national budget and present a more inclusive one where the basic needs of every Nigerian is prioritized, I would allocate more funds to the health sector which I think is at a pathetic state currently.
As a pharmacy student, you advocate for healthy living for individuals through an organization you run “The Medvocacy Initiative for Africa (TMI Africa).” Can you shed more light on TMI Africa? Its activities, aims and achievements so far?
TMI Africa is an organization of young medical advocates and volunteers. We encourage youths especially those who are medically inclined to actively promote health within their immediate environment and to the general public.
We engage in online health campaigns, dissemination of health information, health outreaches in schools through collaborations and partnerships.
Although we are just starting out, we engaged fully and effectively in the cervical cancer campaign online and it was very helpful to many as a lot of people became aware of the disease and tips for prevention.
We hope to achieve more in coming months.
What was growing up in a Nigerian home like and how did it contribute to the path you have chosen?
(Laughs) I think we all know what growing in a Nigerian home is like.
My home was a special case because my parents were really strict on my sisters and i due to fact that we were girls, they didn’t want us to “spoil.”
But we thank God because it is part of what has made me the woman I am today and I’m grateful.
Where do you see yourself/your brand in the next 5 years?
I am passionate about entrepreneurship because I believe that every economy that we admire has a viable private sector to boast of. If we are going to see sustainable changes in the Nigerian economy, the private sector has a huge role to play and I want to be at the forefront of that in the health and beauty space.
If you were given the opportunity to address a group of girls five years younger than you, what will be your advice to them?
I would advice them to maximise their social media. I say this everyday that this social media thing we see is way under utilised.
My social media is one of my biggest influences. I follow smart, intelligent, purpose driven individuals who inform my everyday life. My Instagram account is really boring to an average youth because i follow more content than glam.
I would advice them to Cherish their relationship with God because ,he is the ultimate giver of Life, wisdom and prosperity.
Lastly, I will advise them to be focused. Most of the things we care so much about currently are so irrelevant. Focus on things that matter to your future.
Thanks alot, Rubygirls for this interview, I’m truly honored!
Eniola Aluko has accomplished a lot in her life so far â both on and off the pitch.
A successful playing career saw her win 102 caps for England and four league titles, while taking her to World Cups, European Championships and an Olympic Games.
But far from being defined by her achievements in the game, Aluko is a published author, a qualified lawyer and a respected pundit.
Here we take a look at her journey to Aston VillaâŠ
Taking the honours
Success has followed Aluko throughout her career since she broke through at city rivals Birmingham City in 2001.
Eight years across two stints as a Chelsea player provided the bulk of her honours, with Alukoâs goals firing the Blues to three Womenâs Super League titles and two FA Cups.
The 32-year-oldâs record of 68 goals in 158 appearances for the West London side means she remains their all-time top scorer.
A move to Turin to join Juventus in 2018 was the last stop in Alukoâs glittering playing career, and she duly finished with a flourish by winning Serie A and the Coppa Italia.
An England centurion
Born in Nigeria, Aluko had a choice to make when it came to her international allegiance.
Having moved to Birmingham at the age of one, she opted to become a Lioness, making her senior debut for England at the age of 17 against the Netherlands in 2004.
A year later, Aluko was selected to play for her country at UEFA Euro 2005. As the tournament clashed with her A Levels, she sat a history exam on the morning of one of Englandâs matches. Appearances at three World Cups resulted in two quarter-final exits and one third place finish, while she picked up a runners-up medal at UEFA Euro 2009.
Aluko finished her international career with a record of 33 goals in 102 appearances.
Football intelligence
Coming through at a time when turning professional was not a viable option for female footballers in England, Aluko has pursued interests outside of the game.
She graduated Brunel University with a first class degree in Law 2008 and worked as a trainee solicitor alongside her playing career until 2015 when she qualified as a sports and entertainment lawyer.
A successful broadcasting career, which began when she became the first female pundit on Match of the Day, has seen her work as a pundit at both menâs and womenâs World Cups.
Aluko is also became a published author when she released her book âThey Donât Teach Thisâ
Instagram has become a great place to get current news, latest celebrity updates and lifestyle hacks almost about anything. More people are willing to share about their personal lives daily.
As a mom, here are 8 amazing platforms on Instagram in no particular order, to get information about parenting, and to help you navigate the task of motherhood while seeking work life balance:
1.LagosMums
This an online community of moms, sharing parenting tips on how to raise your child. Yetty Williams a parenting coach, is the founder. They hold events and also have a review section for parents. They have broad contents from parenting to capacity building, events and workshops and networking. You can follow them @lagosmums
2. AugustSecrets
This amazing platform shares colourful meal plans and nutrition for your kids. It is owned by Toyin Onigbanji an award winning entrepreneur. Foods high in nutrient density are displayed in ways to spark creativity in mothers. Nutrition tips are also shared. You can follow them @augustsecrets.ng
3. Mummyclinicc
This platform is managed by child psychologist and certified child sleep expert and potty trainer; Temi Olajide, who shares tips on how to effectively interact with your kids and teaching them proper ways to behave. It helps moms to understand how children behave while sharing parenting tips. You can follow them @mummyclinicc
3. Mamalette.
The reality of pregnancy, and everyday parenting is shared here, most times using quotes a mother can relate with. Little babies and toddlers are the focus in this platforms. It was created by Anike Lawal who has over 7 years experience in Business Development and Management. You can follow them @mamaletteng
5. Motherhood Nigeria
This community shares resources for getting pregnant, when pregnant and how to nurture your children. It was founded by Abiodun Alabi a HR Pro and entrepreneur. Myths and facts are shared here and they are quite versatile. You can follow them @motherhoodnigeria
6.Pregnancy and Beyond
This is a fun, fact and tips sharing platform. They share personal experiences of other moms for motivation. It is filled with interesting contents on the journey of pregnancy and the beauty of motherhood. You can follow them @pregnnancybeyond
7. Lagos Housewives
This platform shares meal recipes, for moms to try, owned by Rayo Abe, a writer and a cook. There are also engaging contents displaying current happenings and activities.You can follow them @lagoshousewives
8.Imumzone
Real mom stories and baby issues are shared here. It was founded by Modupe Enyinla, a beauty entrepreneur. Pregnancy tips and all a mom needs for her motherhood journey are talked about. Products are also reviewed creating brand awareness. You can follow them @imumzone
Jewel Burks Solomon, an Atlanta based tech entrepreneur, just became the first African-American to be named head of Google for Startups in the United States, Hypepotamus reports.
The newly created role at Google will help empower startup founders with products, connections and best practices, while also helping to diversify the startup landscape. In 2013, Solomon created PartPic, a company that utilizes visual recognition software to identify maintenance and repair supplies. From 2014-2016 Solomon worked for Google as an entrepreneur-in-residence for diversity markets, âhelping underserved business owners grow their businesses online using Google tools.â In 2016, Amazon purchased PartPic, solidifying Solomon in the tech arena. Her new role will require her to put all of her expertise to use and continue to push the envelope on diversity in the startup community.Â
The Howard alumna spoke about her new position saying, âI am thrilled about the opportunity to do work Iâm deeply passionate about, to help level the playing field in the startup ecosystem. I have a great opportunity to highlight the work of incredible startups here and in other markets that have historically been underresourced.âÂ
Solomon, a Nashville native, is also a managing partner at Collab Capital, an investment fund group that connects African-Americans to the capital needed to launch successful businesses.Â
âJewelâs background as an entrepreneur and investor gives her a deep amount of empathy for the founder journey and insight into what founders need to build successful businesses. Her experience allows the team to ensure our work is meaningful to startups and that the metrics of success are closely aligned with the startups we work with,â a Google rep told Hypepotamus.Â
With Solomon being located in Atlanta, the tech giant also sees opportunity for expansion outside Silicon Valley. âGoogle has been fortunate to call Georgia home for the last eighteen years. Thereâs amazing local talent in the area and a strong spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, which continues to attract companies, big and small to the area, and weâre proud to be a part of the thriving tech ecosystem,â they said.Â
Solomon said she is also excited to shake things up in the peach state. âThe opportunity to bring the best of Google to startups in Atlanta and other key markets is incredibly exciting. Access to the right resources and people is critical to startup success, so Iâm excited to be able to share these things with startups that need them,â she said.Â
Amina Mohammed is a renowned female leader in the world today. She is the current Deputy Secretary-General, of the United Nations, and has previously being the special advisor to Ban ki-moon the previous leader.
She is a wife and a mother, with a passion for service to humanity. Last year she won the Global Citizensâ World Leader award for her work on the Sustainable Development Goals and was listed in Forbes 100most powerful women 2019.
Ms Amina J. Mohammed was Minister of Environment of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from November 2015 to December 2016, where she steered the countryâs efforts on climate action, protecting the natural environment and conserving resources for sustainable development.
She posed with the new class of UN female officers.
She posses with the new class of UN female security
“I have no doubt that this class of new
female Security Officers will diligently & admiringly perform their duties to the highest standards. I look forward to their service & protection,” she said.
Ms Mohammed has worked for three administrations in Nigeria, serving as Special Advisor on the Millennium Development Goals.
Sheila Ruffin is the owner of a new boutique travel agency, Soca Caribbean Yacht Charters (SCYC), Black Enterprise reports.
The Hampton University and Howard Law School graduate first thought of the idea to open a yacht charter company after landing a job on the island of St. Thomas. While practicing law, she decided she wanted to get into the travel business. âI googled yacht agencies that were one-stop-shops, but I couldnât find any. This gave me an idea of what I could do. Plus, I couldnât find any people of color within the industry. Therefore, I set out to start my own company,â Ruffin said.Â
The yacht charter company partners with other yacht companies in the Bahamas, Grenada, St. Lucia, the British Virgin Islands, St. Vincent and St. Martin to provide immersive yacht experiences complete with private chefs and captains. âWe offer a door to dock-to-door service. The minute you step out of your home, there is a luxury car waiting to take you to the airport. Once you arrive in your Caribbean destination, we provide transfers to the dock where you board your yacht. After your trip, we also provide all services in reverse,â said Ruffin.Â
Ruffin grew up on the eastern shore of Virginia, gaining her love for boats from her grandfather. While not originally apart of her plans, this new venture seems almost like fate. She hopes that her place in the yachting industry can encourage other young people of color to experience luxury yachting.
âTo be the anchor between the yacht industry and millenials and people of color is amazing. Itâs not easy. Iâm entering into space where Black women arenât normally present. Itâs an amazing feeling,â said Ruffin.Â
According to Black Enterprise, in 2018, African Americans contributed $63 billion to the U.S. travel and tourism industry. Now itâs time to put some of those dollars back into the pockets of one of our own.Â
Padita exposes some dangerous things to look out for in men. With her experiences gathered from her marriage which lasted only 3 years, she certainly has first hand idea about what a bad relationship and marriage looks like, and she is out to help ladies.
She calls them tricks men use to get their victims when it comes to dating and marriage.
On her YouTube channel, with the episode âLearning Lifeâs Ropesâ she lists four harmful habits ladies need to watch out for, listed below
Dimma Umeh is on the cover of Accelerate Tv’s The Cover. She shares her experiences as a vlogger, influencer and talks about and how she deals with critics.
On when she started, â First of all, I thought this whole thing was a joke, like I just started putting out videos for the sake of it, I thought it was fun, I loved the way others looked doing it. But I think that two years in, I started figuring out at that point that this could be so much more. Now I live off of Youtube, I pay my rent off Youtube. I never thought when I first started that I could live off of it.” she said.
On when her ideas are stuck and she’s having a creative block, âthe easiest thing for me is that I go and watch other creators and I just start out from there. You start out just wanting to watch, but then ideas start popping and before you know it, you want to do something. â
She continues âIt is so funny because a lot of people think that I am this organized person; my creative process is actually not the most organized, however, I do have a process now. So it mostly just always involves coming up with an idea, making notes of points that Iâd want to highlight in that video from that idea, filming, then after filming, editing. Editing takes a lot of time, so sometimes itâs either me, cause I do the bulk of the editing, but sometimes if I have a lot to do at a particular point in time, I hire an editor who works with me. Then I upload, and after that, I figure out a good thumbnail to use, because I feel like the videos can be great but if your thumbnails donât have a call to action then youâve done all of that in vain âÂ
She shares how she deals lightly with haters âwhen it comes to negative comments, the best thing Iâd say is to know that all the things theyâve said have nothing whatsoever to do with you. Itâs them, and theyâre just saying it because they feel like they can say it to you, the moment you begin to look at it like that you know that theyâre not really worth your time, you can pray for them as I pray for themâ.
