Interviews&profile Archives

In Interviews&profile August 25, 2018 By Women of Rubies

“I AM AN UNREPENANT OPTIMIST AND A FIRM BELIEVER THAT OUR DREAMS ARE WORTH FIGHTING FOR” – TOLULOPE BABAJIDE

Tolulope Babajide, the Lead strategist of Ink & Ideas Consulting is a passionate and creative Communications specialist. A 2006 graduate of English and Literary Studies, Tolulope started her career in Advertising as a copywriter and swiftly moved into core journalism at the defunct 234Next as a copy editor, Arts and Culture reporter and a columnist.

Since then she has worked in the Non profit sector as a Communications and Programmes strategist and also consulted with organizations on grants writing, rapporteuring, social enterprise strategy. She is highly committed to using communication in changing human narratives and excited in helping organizations get their writings done more creatively

“Growing up in family where intellectual conversations are held around the dining table helped me to be in constant search for knowledge/”, Tolu says as she shares her story with me in this interview.

Early life
I grew up in Ilesa, Osun State and as a young girl, all I was surrounded with was books and thought-provoking conversations. My dad had this huge library (at least to my eight-year-old mind) and he compelled us to read as many books as we could. He encouraged us to read across all genres, so one minute am reading medical textbooks, the next minute am buried in Wole Soyinka’s books. This has particularly helped me in having a rich imagination which has in turn strengthened my writing skills. My parents made it their priority to consciously train children whose minds are not controlled by their environment and backgrounds. Through the books I read, I went and experienced so many cultures even when I haven’t been there physically.

Meet Me!
My name is Tolulope Babajide. I am a graduate of English and Literary Studies. I am a Communication specialist with the belief that any narrative can be changed with the right approach of communication. I started my career as a copywriter, then as a journalist at the defunct 234Next newspaper and moved into Development Communications (Nonprofits).
I love learning new things, this is what drew me to online learning. I don’t miss out on any opportunity to stimulate my brain. I am an unrepentant optimist and a firm believer that our dreams are worth fighting for unless they remain just dreams.

Inspiration behind my initiative Ink & Ideas Consulting
The inspiration behind Ink & Ideas Consulting is the need to do more and be more, a bespoke content creation agency with services including speech writing, grant writing, rapporteuring and social enterprise strategy. It has always been my side hustle, from helping people to write compelling grant applications to crafting human centered and creative speeches to offering my scribing services to organizations and strategizing with social enterprises. I finally got to the point that I wasn’t comfortable again having it as just a side gig. I believe that there are millions of grants for nonprofits and startups in Nigeria, all they need is a passionate grant writing agency who will go all in. There is also an urgent need for creativity to be infused into speeches; most of the speeches I hear today lacks the passion and not memorable at all.
Rapporteuring/report writing also has become one service that is undervalued in Nigeria. There is a need for every organization to have an objective, accurate record of their retreats and business meetings.

Impact of working in the print media and advertising sector for a while
I am particularly grateful that I started my career in Advertising as a copywriter. It gave expression to my creativity and helped me to receptive to endless possibilities in life. On a lighter note, it helped me discover my very playful side. In the print media, I learnt a lot from the industry’s best, the likes of Molara Wood, Kadaria Ahmed, Dele Olojede, Victor Ehikhamelor etc. My time at 234Next newspaper is still one of my most exciting experiences in life; there I learnt that the world is not just black and white. That I can question status-quos and not be put in a box of conformity.

Helping organisations in the non-profit sector write grant proposals
It was my move to Abuja that exposed me to the Nonprofits industry. There I learnt that living for oneself is selfish and smallminded, there are tons of great causes to advocate for. Having worked on projects including Female Genital Mutilation, Immunization, Adolescents Access to Family Planning Services, Maternal and Newborn Health, I discovered that I enjoyed helping these causes to raise funds through grant writing. There are many great nonprofits who really need a funder so that they can scale up their activities.
There was this Cancer Outreach nonprofit that I worked with on grant writing. They go into very rural areas to screen women for breast and cervical cancers; we can all attest that it is not cheap to get test kits for the screening. Nonprofits like this need donors’ money to be able to continue with their good work.

Challenges
I just moved from Abuja to Lagos. I guess that that is a challenge in terms of building networks and making them see reasons why they need my services. But the prospect of meeting new people, businesses is exciting and am all in for the ride.

What next?
I am presently working on projects that advocate for Adolescents to have a safe, no-judgement access to Sexual Reproductive services in Nigeria. I am also passionate in the fight against Female Genital Mutilation, I believe that no female should be cut. I am blessed to have this bubbling energy that enables me to collaborate with people on projects that are dear to my heart. It is an ongoing journey and am excited about it.

Reward
Getting into the Cherie Blair Foundation Fellowship for Women in Business is one reward that I am so grateful for. I just became a Mentee in the Foundation’s Mentoring Women in Business and it runs for a year. Being peered with my International mentor will redefine my game and belonging to this awesome community will strengthen my networking and business skills.

My view on the advocacy and development sector in Nigeria and access to funding
The advocacy and development sector are doing a lot and they should be commended. I cannot imagine a Nigeria without the tireless input of this sector. Nationwide Immunization success will not have been possible without organizations like Gates Foundation, GAVI, John Hopkins etc.
Still on the immunization angle, I believe that there is an inadequate funding. There are new vaccines that are unaffordable for the common man; vaccines like Rotavirus, Chicken Pox, Typhoid, Meningitis etc. It will be great if these vaccines can be subsidized, there shouldn’t be anything like ‘Special Vaccines’. All vaccines are important.

Women in advocacy not celebrated
They are appreciated majorly in the terms of salary and emoluments but not celebrated.

My Inspiration…
My kids inspire me to be more in life. That might sound so cliché, but it is so true. They are my greatest motivation. Also, the need to touch everyone I meet positively. People need to know they are needed, respected and their opinions are valid even if it disagrees with mine.

Being a woman of Rubies
My refusal to be broken by life’s pitfalls. It doesn’t matter how many times I fall, I keep on standing up. I don’t have the luxury of giving excuses. I am also not shy in blowing the horn of another woman. Rising together as women is the sweetest. What is the essence of living in a castle if you are going to be there alone.

Advice for young women who want to go into the communication sector
Read, Read and Read. It stretches your mind and gives you insights into a variety of subjects. Don’t be that woman that knows only one thing, be all compassing. This will help in dealing with different clients from different sectors. Be flexible, learn how to be a people’s person.

In Inspiration August 18, 2018 By Women of Rubies

“I STARTED MY ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY AT THE AGE OF 10, SELLING FIZZY DRINKS IN TIED NYLONS” – KARIMOT ISIAKA – KARIMOT ISIAKA

Karimot Isiaka is a Certified Life Coach, Two Times Amazon Best Selling Author, a Personal Development strategist. She is the founder of Becoming More Academy, which is an online Academy where people learn different tools that help them improve in their personal development journey

She started her entrepreneurial journey at the age of 10 by selling fizzy drinks in tied nylons. She moved on to trying her hands on other businesses which she stopped after a while. However, as soon as she embarked on self-discovery journey, she discovered her passion for helping others become better and she started consulting on personal development at the age of 19 as Law student of National Open University of Nigeria.

As the founder of Becoming More Academy she has organized personal development programs such as, Becoming More Summit, group coaching sessions, Confidence building masterclasses, Empowering beliefs training. These programs have helped participant become better version of themselves and many are learning to live their life without limits.

She is known for helping individuals build confidence in themselves. She has done this through her coaching programs and also through her Best selling Book, ‘Confidence Within’. She is also known for helping individuals overcome limiting beliefs so that they can utilize their greatest potentials and live a life of inspiration.
She has volunteered for community services with several non-profit organizations because of her passion for humanity, Karimot shares her very inspiring journey with me in this exclusive interview.

Early Life
My childhood prepared me for what I do now. Although, every of my life experience has contributed to this preparation. I started as a confident child; I would say i was fearless. I approached events without fear and i confidently had conversations with people including strangers. However, this confidence and fearlessness began to fade away after a while. I almost got into trouble expressing my opinion on matters sometimes. I was either asked to keep quiet or told that I say things that are beyond my years, in such a way that made it look like it was a taboo for a child to be expressive. Speaking up against wrong done by an adult was turned to rudeness. I was painted too forward and I really began to think something was wrong with me. As a kid, I really was not my wonderful mother’s friend; she made it obvious that I was different in a kind of way she did not like. Truth be told, i did some things i and my siblings were asked not to do. I was just a child who does not follow instructions because they were given but because they were right and reasonable.
My life story is not complete without my childhood. My childhood is like my origin, and when everything changes, the origin remains the same.

Karimot!
I am a lady who is passionate about living for a reason. I believe it important we have something to live for. I call this something that gives one’s life meaning. I am the third child of five children. I was born on the 13th of May, 1996. I am Muslim and I am forever grateful to almighty Allah for this privilege. I love to write. I enjoy educating others in such a way that gets them inspired and transformed. I wake up every day with the desire to positively impact someone, even if it means just putting a genuine smile on someone’s face. My mantra is Become More.

Becoming more academy…
Becoming More Academy was inspired by the need to cater to more people on the subject of personal development. I remember I launched the Academy online in 2017 with a free online course on confidence building. This course was inspired by an undergraduate who was introduced to me by her friend and she needed help with building confidence. So I worked with her and I also got to realize that, there are a lot more people who need to fix their confidence and creating an online course for these people which they can take at a time they find convenient.
Apart from this, I also got to realize people want to learn a couple of things I know, so an online academy makes it easier for them to access these things. We have courses on writing, speaking, confidence building, self-discovery and other related subjects.

Starting my entrepreneurial journey at age 10
I think the greatest impact it had on my life journey is having the courage to start something new without knowing how it would unfold.

My book “Confidence within”
Confidence within is book embedded in so much value. It teaches readers how they can overcome low self-esteem and in turn build self-confidence. It is a book that shows how parents influence the self-esteem and confidence of their children. It shows how teachers, schools and the society at large have got a role to play in the self-confidence of every individual. It also opens the eyes of the readers to how I was able to bounce back and take charge of my confidence after going through so many experiences that crushed my confidence. It is even more interesting that it shows us how we can help others develop confidence in themselves. Every reader would be inspired to live with confidence from within, the book guarantees that.

Challenges
Challenges are beautiful if you ask me and they are normal when dealing with humans. Working with people who have given up entirely on themselves is a big challenge. Some people know they need help regarding an aspect of their live but they do not believe the growth they desire is possible. So I have to do a lot of work by convincing these people before getting to work with them.
Another challenge is the issue of trust. When some of the people I have worked with recommend me to other people, sometimes I notice they have doubts about whether to sign up or not for the program they want. Some people also believe I should offer my services for free since I am not selling a physical product.

Other Activities
I like to come up new ideas that i believe can help others make tremendous change in their lives. We have ‘Becoming More Community Stories’ where we invite people from different fields to share their inspiring stories with others, to get them inspired and also rekindle their hopes. This is a project that runs in a Becoming More Community on Facebook. I also hold trainings from time to time on several personal development topics.
I also would be starting a school tour later this year, to educate secondary school students on confidence building, I also look forward to training teachers and parents on how they can help student s and their children build confident. So, if you own a school, feel free to reach out to me.

Adding value
The greatest reward so far is knowing that I am contributing to making lives better. The feedbacks I get from people I have worked with sometimes make me look back from where i used to be and ask if it is really me that is helping people produce great results regarding their lives. I read emails and messages that say; I never thought I would be confident until I met you. Some people say they look forward to reading my posts. I remember a woman who reached out to me saying life is unpleasant; she later got to say she has realized that there is hope and life is beautiful when you choose to see the beauty. On my birthday someone said to me that, she blesses the day she summoned the courage to chat me up on Facebook. Some even pray for me. I mean, what can be more rewarding?

My organisation in 5 years
In five years, I see Becoming More as a bigger movement with footprints across the world. I see us raising leaders. I see us impacting the corporate world also. I see us becoming one of the most sought after human capital development firm.

Never giving up
I know giving up is never an option. However, there have been times I got tired. I have discovered that, being tired is a signal that i need to pay attention to something. It is either I need to take a break, or focus more on things I love to do which are usually work-related. I get tired, but I have to keep going. Giving up is equals failing myself, disappointing my creator who has placed this great desires in my heart. Giving up is not an option, instead I choose to keep going up.

Who and What Inspire me to be better
I would say life as complex as it appears to be, inspires me. I get inspired by people’s stories. The stories of Steve Harvey, Lisa Nichols, Sidiquat Akindele, Tope Fajengbesi , Remi Fagbohun, Chichi Umeseaka and many more have inspired me a whole lot. Remi Owadokun is a very inspiring lady who mentored me and continues to inspire me by the way she projects her greatness. She has impacted me a lot and has taught me to make myself proud. Making myself proud became a desire, and this desire inspires me to be better. My parents and my family inspire me to be better too. You know, wanting to live a better life than the one handed over to me is enough inspiration.

I am a Woman of Rubies
Being me makes me a woman of Rubies. By that, I mean being a product of many experiences. Choosing to be a blessing to others regardless of the circumstance. Choosing to stand even when there are reasons to fall. All of these makes me a woman of rubies.

Final words of advice for women
I advise every woman to be great. You are great when you help others. No matter how bad you think your circumstance is, there is always someone in a worse situation. Be a helper. Be yourself. Live your dreams without holding people’s opinion of you in high esteem than you hold your dreams. When you are afraid of moving, remember that not moving gets you no where. Thank you.

In Editor's Choice August 11, 2018 By Women of Rubies

“TALENT WILL GET YOU TO THE DOOR , BUT THE RIGHT ATTITUDE WILL GET YOU INSIDE”- VICTORIA NKONG

Victoria Nkong (C.E.O Qtaby Events) is a multilingual Entertainment consultant, An Events Producer, Talent Manager, Public Speaker, PR strategist with a strong interest in supporting less privilege children and youth, she has been involved in events production and entertainment for over ten years and has been running charity projects for about five years now. Her break into entertainment was through the prestigious KORA All Africa Music Awards as bilingual presenter.
As a talent Manager and PR strategist, Victoria has worked with most of the big artists and personalities around Africa and the world like.
Besides KORA, she has also successfully produced a number of world-class events like the Opening Ceremony of the International African Athletic Competition, Headies and several others.
As a Philantropist, She is on the board of trustee of Jegede Paul Foundation, she is the Administrator and mother to the children at Life Fountain Orphanage Home. She is also the brain behind the annual “Slum Invasion” outreach to slums and Share your closet for widows.

Childhood Influence
Yes, partly my childhood prepared me for the charity work that I do now, my parents operated an open door policy and at every point in time we had relatives living with us, as a matter of fact, my mum was a school principal and back then even at moments when she did not have a lot because my dad and her were separated for a while and she had to carry all our bills over, she was still the mother to all the youth corps members in her school and she will ensure that all of them are fed on a daily basis in our house. In our family house there was always an average of 20 people, my parents went the extra mile to touch lives and that naturally became part of me .On another note, I realised at a very young age that fixing peoples problems and putting a smile on people’s faces gave me a lot of Joy.
For entertainment and media, I was a part of a dance group in secondary school, I was always the one getting everyone together. I realised that I was entertainment inclined while I was in the university. My HOD was launching a book once and the person to anchor was running late so he asked if any of us could handle it, everyone called my name, maybe because I was also the best student in class at the time so they believed I will be able to handle the switch begin French and English better. I found myself anchoring that book launch with everyone applauding me and telling me how impressed they were. I automatically became the anchor for any of our departmental events in school up to our farewell dinner.

The Victoria Nkong story
My name is Victoria Nkong, I am a Nigerian from Cross River State, I am the CEO of Qtaby Events, we are into Events Production/Content Production, Talent management and PR. I am also a writer and I just unveiled my first book: DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN” it is actually my memoire. I have learnt through life to be the sweetest to the sweet and gal to the bitter, maintaining the balance is unarguably one of the most challenging parts of my job but I have also since realized that I was born to do this, it is my calling, it is the life I chose and somewhat the life that I am stuck with. I am that little girl on the inside that comes out exuding so much confidence and behaving like I have got everything in control and I can look the world in the eye, while in truth I am very shy on the inside and wishing that someone else would take away the responsibility of the front line from me. My life is so full of drama that I sometimes wonder how anyone could live like I do; constantly running between changing diapers and playing loving mother to 23 children on the average, and trying to keep up with the glamour involved in strutting the red-carpet while trying to be the modest Christian woman…no stop button at all. My core objective is to help as many people as possible to find themselves and make a meaning out of their lives

Inspiration behind my foundation
I grew up to a family where all my sisters sang in the choir and I was the only one who did not have a good enough voice to sing, I prayed to know what I could do for Gods kingdom and I realised that I derived fulfilment from putting a smile on people’s faces. I set a goal to start an open kitchen where street children and homeless people will be guaranteed 2 free meals daily, I was working towards that plan before the saddest event of my life took place: I lost my elder sister to a violent marriage, domestic violence and her husband eloped with the kids. That was what finally pushed me to stop work for a period and start the Foundation and Orphanage Home, I needed to heal, I needed to reach out to people, I needed to convert my pain by turning other peoples pain to joy.
I found someone with like-passion who was a lot older and financially stable and we got it going. I am glad I did because it has been very rewarding, my children at the orphanage have been my real source of joy and the reason life really has a meaning. Wealth for me is measured by the number of lives a person touched rather than how much money a person has.

Running my events company successfully
Getting Qtaby Events to where it is has been a journey of several phases; rough, tough, exciting, challenging and fulfilling. Being a woman in the industry is not easy, you get to deal with a lot. Firstly there are still a lot of men who do not believe that women should be front liners in the society career wise. Also, for a male dominated industry like ours, I have had to deal with continuous sexual advances, harassment and in some cases refusal of contracts e.t.c due to not giving into some of these advances. If I say all these and not add the brighter side, it will be wrong. So on the brighter side, I get to meet a lot of people, impact lives and earn a living from having fun.

Events production could be very time demanding and also stressful, but once you know what you are doing and have the right team, it’s a wonderful experience. In the end I love to chill and watch people enjoy the experience we created for them. It could also be very financially rewarding when you hit the right production but these do not come every day so you need to know how to manage and create your own events.

I was quite lucky that some of the big brands that we worked with while I was with KORA Awards, noticed my dedication and hard work while I was there and contacted me and started working with me a year later when I opened up that I had left. Gear House South Africa worked out a representation with us and gave us major jobs and referrals. They actually sponsored my trips for a couple of trainings outside Nigeria.
Through it all, I am happy to say that we have been part of some of the biggest Events ever produced in Nigeria. We have produced the Headies Awards twice, Co-produced the AMVCA with uncle Eddie Lawani, the last AFRIMA Awards e.t.c, corporate events like SCB Road show, Bidvest Chairmanship Awards in South Africa. In all, making and maintaining relationships is very important.

My big break in the music industry as a bilingual presenter for Kora awards
For me, my break into KORA All African Music Awards was like my dream job finding me. I was very young when I joined KORA, about 19years old. Initially I was recruited as a bilingual phone operator taking enquiries from artistes from all over the world speaking English, French and Spanish, I remember receiving a call from 2face Idibia, just after African Queen…Lord, I felt I had arrived. I was later trained to present the prestigious Red Carpet for KORA Awards, it was like a dream come through. It was a lot for me at that age as I was quickly introduced to the crème-de-la-crème of the society and the industry. It quickly became life on the fast lane flying from one country to another, flying business class, keeping up appearances, trying to live up to public expectations e.t.c. Of course it was very exciting at the beginning, we were received by presidents in some countries and my official car will have a presidency plate-number driving in a convoy and all…I felt I had blown…lol.
On the other hand, my family was worried about me because I was supposed to go for a 2nd degree in Law, as far as they were concerned, entertainment was a waste of time, it was for unintelligent people and miscreants. I always tried to send gifts home to create an impression that I was on top of money in order for my family to leave me alone, I also had to take up online courses and send my results and certificates home to satisfy my family.

One remarkable lesson I learnt from mixing with celebrities from different cultures and high flying political officials was the fact that “A woman needed to keep herself, respect herself and maintain dignity and self-respect” as I was privy to several conversations where women were explained off in the most disrespectful manner simply because they compromised their integrity for material gifts.
On the other hand, I never lost sight of the fact that I am my mother’s daughter, I doubled up as personal assistant to the KORA president and that was the sour part, I worked so hard behind the scenes, I slept for 3hours at most. so much work keeping the team together and cleaning up the mess behind my boss (I guess that is where I learnt a lot about PR and diplomacy), the irritating part which I have never mentioned all these years was the fact that my boss started making advances at me, at first I was terribly shocked because he paraded himself like a moralist so I could not understand this new discovery…in fact, he attempted to rape me twice & I could not understand why me; because I knew he could get almost any girl he wanted. It is a long story and I opened up about it in my book “Diary of A Mad Black Woman” I think every young girl or boy deserves to read and learn a thing or two about managing sexual harassment at work and knowing when to walk away irrespective of how glamorous the job is.

In all KORA gave me a lot of exposure to the entertainment industry, talent management, events production and most of what I do now. I also made a few enemies as well because a lot of people did not understand that I did not have as much power as they imagined to either make them win a KORA or make certain things happen for them. The entire experience was priceless and I am grateful to have been a part of such greatness irrespective of the challenges.

Challenges
First and foremost being a woman, a lot of people already do not give you a chance, being a woman with high moral standards and principles also worsens the matter, 98% of the men that I have met in the course of work actually made sex the first and most important topic of discussion, I will arrive for meetings and have to waste the first 30mins talking about looks and trying to steer the conversation away from “the other room”..lol. The fact that I am also young and get to look younger than my age is a challenge sometimes though I overcome that as soon as we get into a conversation because you quickly realise that you are not speaking with a child. it is also a challenge when you don’t belong to certain “caucus”, I tried to join initially but my personality doesn’t allow me to keep up appearances or make certain compromises, I don’t mean this in a rigid way but since I lost my sister I have had to look at life from a different angle. I also prefer to feel like I truly merit something rather than feel like I got it because I had to cheat someone else or give kickbacks. I don’t mind appreciating people and all after getting a job but I like the appreciation to be done after proper completion of the job, voluntarily.

Finding the right manpower is also quite challenging as a lot of young people do not understand the concept of “work” & dedication.
The biggest challenge in all these however is finance, there is a lot that one can do but it is easy to get crippled midway because of finance.

Other Projects and Activities

Besides Events Production, I manage talents and we have worked with quite a wide range of artistes around Africa. We also do PR and marketing for brands and SMEs. We produce content for TV, we have a TV show currently running on African Magic, we shot the last GOTV commercial, we just finished producing an educative TV show for children which we are looking to sell to a TV station and we are currently in pre-production for another kiddies reality show. There is a lot of work on going as we continue to innovate to add value and make a difference.
I just unveiled my book Diary of A Mad Black woman and the book will be launched next month. The book is currently available on pre-order on www.victoriankong.com. I also write a series on Talent Management on 360nobs and I am working on starting it on my own website mentioned above.

For charity, I have an annual slum outreach project called Slum Invasion, we take celebrities with inspiring stories to the slum to celebrate with them and motivate them to strive for a better life. We partner with organisations to enrol the youth from the slum to learn different skills as well as providing scholarship and feeding for them.

Managing the “Olajumoke” brand successfully
Yes, when Olajumoke approached me to work with her, I gladly took up the project and informed my team. I knew it will be a challenging project but I had a clear picture of the vision I wanted us to attain with her project, at the time the initial buzz following her discovery had died down totally and my fear was that the society was about to create a problem; take a lady who was harmlessly earning her humble living from selling bread, expose her to a better life, make her popular and unable to continue hawking bread then leave her to her devices. I was glad to be able to attempt to help as I could identify with the attributes that TY Bello saw in her, Ty Bello had done her part alongside her former managers in a bid to change a life, however she now needed a grounded team and the right attitude to move things forward.

As long as Olajumoke is under our management there will always be something new coming from her direction. She is currently shooting her reality show, we plan for her to start a hairline soon since she is skilled in that domain, we also did some work collaborations with some very big brands during our trip to South Africa in June and we will be showing it to the world soon

I plan for Olajumoke to learn as many skills as possible and continue to be a better version of herself. I must confess that she is not an easy brand to manage given the nature of her story and background, there is a lot to handle behind the scenes but it is also a welcome challenge and there is a lot of satisfaction each time I see her move a step forward. By the way, her talk show is currently airing on African Magic Yoruba. People need to go and watch it.

Reward
My greatest reward is actually seeing lives change positively. Money will come and go but a life touched is a seed sown that will outlive you because that life is now armed to touch other lives as well and create a positive chain. My entire work is centred on changing lives and turning lives around, be it through the Foundation, the Orphanage Home, Managing Talents and helping them build a career out of their talents or helping brands get better visibility through PR. Even our delve into content production was out of a need to change the narrative and have dignifying content on TV before the next generation gets convinced by most of the things they watch.

I also feel fulfilled when I see my work getting appreciated somewhere, for example, long after we shot the GOTV commercial, a senior friend who I never told we shot the commercial was seating out with some of his friends who are top executives in Multichoice and the commercial aired, they all started talking about how good the production was and how the lady who produced from Nigeria was very professional and did a fantastic job. In the course of the conversation he found out that it was me and he mentioned it to me later, this for me is worth more than the money paid for the job. It is very rewarding when I watch my content on TV or when I see someone recognising the improvement in the life of one of my talents e.t.c. The person doesn’t even need to know it is my work, I just feel satisfied knowing that the work is making the right impact.

Opinion on Celebrities supporting advocacy causes
Sincerely I do not think so, they try from time to time but as a matter of fact I think that a lot of them are only drawn to causes that give them some sort of financial reward, or rewards them in other ways. I feel that we could do a lot more, the commitment and dedication that we show when it is a business deal that brings in money is different from the lackadaisical attitude that we put up towards causes at times. I am guilty as well even as an advocate I think I could be doing a lot more.
One thing I tell everyone is that simply because the problem hasn’t affected you directly yet, it doesn’t mean that it will not affect you or your relative eventually if it is not curbed. A stitch in time saves nine.
A cause is a cause whether it is championed by the MD of a bank or a market woman, and you are no longer advocating if you want to wait to be paid before you speak up or if you only speak up for the sake of PR. I think it is getting better these days though as more celebrities are coming out but we can definitely do better. Advocacy is a lot of work and it is very time consuming so it takes a strong personality, passion and strength of character to indulge in it.

Opinion on Celebrities supporting advocacy causes
I would only appeal to celebrities to make more effort in using their platforms and the voice that they have been given to speak more and make more positive changes. It is okay to have controversial conversations about butt enhancing surgeries and private jet acquisition, we know that is partly what keeps their social media popularity going, but if they can give the same energy and attention when advocating for causes, then there will be a balance and the world will be a better place.

Giving up

Yes there has been several moments when I have wanted to throw in the socks. Entrepreneurship is a lonely road and sometimes you are no longer sure of what the vision and motivation is exactly. Again, once you have the right foundation and build your business through the ropes, it is easy to pick up the pieces and find a way around it; this has been my case, I did not “blow” suddenly or get lucky, I worked and prayed my way to where I am currently so for every blockade that comes my way, I find the strength, pick myself up, look back at how I resolved situations successfully in the past and do so all over again.

There was a particular time I invested in several projects and while waiting for returns on investment, one of my projects crashed. It was a very tough period for us. Scheduled cash inflows were delayed and operatios became very tough. I gradually fell into depression but still had to show up daily at work seeming confident, with prayers and proper strategy, overhauling my system and pushing forward, things stabilised and business picked up.

Who and what inspire me to be better
Myself in the mirror and my endless list of responsibilities..lol.. My family and my children in the orphanage who believe so much in me and think that I am a heroine or some sort of super human; everyone who has ever believed in me at one time or the other, and the thought of failure.

Being a woman of Rubies
I will rather leave this question for you and your readers to decide if I had my way. I think my ability to be sincere with myself about who I am and make an effort to be better while helping other people become better versions of themselves maybe a plus

Advice for young women who want to go into the advocacy and development sector
Yes. They must be well armed psychologically and spiritually. They must never compromise their principles for material things, your integrity is pretty much all you have got as an advocate, and even more as a woman we are role models and supposed to set the pace for the rest of the world to follow, do not ruin it. Finally, create time for yourself to relax and exhale because passionate advocacy could be very demanding and it is easy to get drowned in your passion and forget to live a little.
In the development sector on the other hand, you need to learn to give up yourself to develop others and this is usually very time demanding. You will be misjudged, trampled, disregarded; your magnanimity will be mistaken for stupidity and you will meet with a high level of ingratitude: through all of these, keep your eyes on the goal because when things begin to fall in place, you will realise that it was worth it all. There is no work that is easy, from brick-laying to General Managers, everyone comes with its pros and cons.

Wisdom nuggets for women
1) Financial independence is a must, never underestimate the importance of financial independence. You have so much to offer the world, do not let anyone convince you that it ends in the kitchen and labour room.
2) Stop trying to put other women down, they are not your competition, they are your support system. Hold each other’s hands and it will be a lot easier to move up.
3) Attitude is everything, talent will get you to the door but the right attitude will get you inside. You can get whatever you want out of anyone in the world with the right attitude.
4) If a man is violent, get away as fast and as far as you can from his life, at times separation helps both parties appreciate each other better. Do not stay there and die, I have lost a sister to an abusive marriage and I know how quickly it can happen.
In all remember: IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING

In Editor's Choice August 4, 2018 By Women of Rubies

#INTERVIEW: “I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT THE STANDARD OF LIVING OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN” – OLUWAFUNMILAYO ONI

Oluwafunmilayo Oni has over 3 years of experience in initiating, developing and executing sustainable strategies for development and poverty eradication in urban slums in Nigeria. She is the founder and team lead of Iranwo Foundation where she focuses on providing economic empowerment opportunities for unemployed women in disadvantaged communities in order to end extreme poverty among women and strategically improve the standard of living of families . She has led her team to provide sustainable interventions for communities such as Oru refugee camp (an abandoned refugee camp in Ogun state), Ifo local government, Mushin by providing empowerment opportunities such as vocational trainings, seed grants, mentorship and support for over 200 women in these communities.

Recently, her team moved to Makoko (the world’s largest floating slum) where her organization has trained over 50 women in vocational skills such as Tie Dye and soap making and employed 20 of these women to generate income for themselves to improve their livelihood. Oluwafunmilayo also works for Kindle Africa in Makoko where she facilitates access to quality education for disadvantaged and vulnerable children in the community. Oluwafunmilayo holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics & Education and she is also a certified project manager. She is a Global Youth Ambassador for Education (GYA) and recently she was selected as Ideation Hub Africa Top 5 under 25 Social Innovators in Nigeria. Oluwafunmilayo is passionate about improving the living conditions of slum dwellers and she is vast in the advocacy for inclusion opportunities for women and children living in slums. She continues to work on creating disruptive and more sustainable intervention in disadvantaged communities, and gradually recommending policies and strategies for organizations and the government to further improve the standard of living in slums dwellers in Nigeria. The beautiful advocate shares her story in this interview.

Childhood Preparation
Yes, my childhood prepared me for this. I grew up in communities where several women are in need of financial empowerment. It wasn’t uncommon in these communities to see women lamenting about where the next meal would come from or how to raise their children’s school fees. My first act of charity was when I shared the notebooks my mother collected from the thrift and credit society at her workplace to some kids in class because their notebooks were not complete (LOL) I continued to do the little I could till I eventually found an opportunity to fully manifest my dream of empowering women and children.

Meet Me!
I am a social entrepreneur who is passionate about building peace in urban slums and disadvantaged communities by equipping women with economic opportunities and providing access to quality education for children. In 2016, I birthed Iranwo Foundation with the aim of bridging the economic gap between both genders, one community at a time through policy advocacy and the provision of business empowerment opportunities to end extreme poverty among women. In 2017, I graduated from Tai Sholarin University of Education in where I studied Economics and Education, I am also a certified project management personnel (PMP).

In 2017- 2018 I did a short stint at Catering For Africans in Need (CAIN) as the Country Director, working to break the vicious cycle of poverty in among families in urban slums by providing access to quality education for children living in slums and healthcare for all . In furtherance of my passion for social change, I also coordinate programmes for Kindle Africa Empowerment Initiative. Kindle Africa is a nonprofit situated at Makoko – The world’s largest floating slum and we provide empowerment programmes for women and access to education for children in this community.

I am most excited when I am opportune to work with woman and children and I continue to seek more opportunities to broaden my horizon.

Inspiration behind Iranwo Foundation
I was inspired to launch Iranwo Foundation because I saw a need. Prior to founding Iranwo, I was an active member of ENACTUS TASUED. ENACTUS is a campus based organization that provides support for students to solve community problems using sustainable models. In the cause of these outreaches, I was able to deduce why women are at a disadvantage when it comes to harnessing economic opportunities and the need for inclusion in all sectors for women in Nigeria. .
Supporting refugee camps and slums with empowerment opportunities
In refugee camps and slums, women are saddled with more problems than men. Women and girls are trafficked to other states to work as house maids and prostituted while the meager sums they earn is sent to their families. In these communities too, young girls are given away as child brides to lessen the burden on the family and her wedding cum marriage also serves as a source of income for her family .Women in refugee camps and slums also have higher chances of being raped and abused and they are always extremely poor, missing out on important and beneficial information. All this and more are the reasons why Iranwo Foundation continues to empower women in these communities

Training over 50 women in vocational skills and the feedback
The feedback has been amazing. First, women at Oru refugee camp has started producing tie dye shirts, generating income for themselves, leading to an increase in the standard of living of their families. Another instance is the entrepreneurship boot camp held at Ifo Local government last year, we challenged women to come up with new business opportunities in their community. Mrs. Adeyemi and Mrs. Folashade came up with the idea of producing soap for schools in the community at a subsidized price, they produced the soaps, located schools and pitched their idea to them. Within 3 weeks, Mrs Adeyemi and Mrs Folashade have partnered with 24 schools and sold made a profit of 105,000.
Iranwo Foundation in collaboration with Kindle Africa Empowerment Initiative trained 56 women on Tye Dye production and soap making Makoko- the world’s largest floating slum . We also provided beneficiaries with business advisory and leadership sessions that bring them together in a group, sharing best practices to integrate ideas on marketing strategies, pitching, pricing, business plans and other strategies for scaling their individual business interest in. To improve the standard of living of women in this community, Iranwo foundation has employed some of these women to produce trendy adire wears and leveraged social media to sell the produce. Recently, we launched ‘the liberated women’ collection, it is a collection of adire shirts and jackets designed by women of Makoko.

So far, our beneficiaries have been cooperative and very appreciative of our efforts. Some of them have set up mini soap making stores at their respective houses, some of them produce adire independently while some of them are employed by Iranwo Foundation. In all, the journey has been worthwhile.

Work Challenges
The biggest challenge the team faces constantly is raising enough funds to empower as many beneficiaries that as we would love to. Eventually, we always had to select women who show a very high level of dedication for our empowerment programmes. Another challenge we face is the issue of trust, several nonprofits have abused the privileged given to them by God to help a community, most times nonprofit do very little in a community and blow it out of proportion to the world. Members of these communities are often wary of the cameras and video and sometimes uncooperative .Thankfully, the team has been able to build formidable relationships with these communities.

Being recognized by Ideation Hub Africa top 5 under 25 social innovators in Nigeria
It feels great to be recognized for my consistent efforts in ending extreme poverty among women and bridging the financial gap. I am honoured. It was an affirmation that my dream for every woman is valid.

Reward
For me the greatest reward for what I do is the significant increase in the standard of living of the women and children that I have worked with. My joy comes from meeting with them and seeing how well they are doing. For example, because of Iranwo Foundation’s intervention at Oru refugee camp, there was a significant decrease in child labour at the camp due to increased income of their mothers. Girls from the refugee camp reach out to me from time to time to intimate me of their progress in terms of schooling, work, relationship and life in general. This for me is enough gratification.

Advocacy in Nigeria
Advocacy has always been and will continue to be crucial to the growth of Nigeria. It is such a good time to be a Nigerian as we have several people advocating for different things such as good governance, human rights, women rights, children rights etc.
I believe that more work needs to be done to improve advocacy in Nigeria, Individuals and organizations should collaborate more and embrace partnerships rather than compete, this way advocates will have a stronger voice and a wider reach .

Never giving up
No, I have never felt like giving up. I have been depressed, I have received several rejection mails but it has never occurred to me to give up.

Who and what inspire you me to be better
First, my mum has been a constant source of inspiration, her life and her achievements considering that all odds were against her has continued to fuel my desire to be better. Oby Ezekwesili’s resilience, most especially how she handles the Bring Back Our Girls Movement continues to challenge me and I am inspired.

I also draw inspiration from the kindness of Olorunfunmi Adebajo and the soothing calmness of Fisayo Aransiola.

Being a Woman of Rubies
Oh yes, I am precious. Overtime, I have come to realize that I am a force, I effect change in my capacity and I go out of my way to make lives better. I have keyed into the words of God which are ‘yes’ and ‘Amen’ and through him I have manifested and help people manifest. I have also felt fulfilled at all my encounters with the beneficiaries of Iranwo Foundation knowing fully well that if I do not create an opportunity for empowerment for them, nobody will.
I shine bright, shinning my light to brighten the lives of others

Advice for young women who want to go into the advocacy and development sector
Advocacy and development sector is quite an interesting one and I will like to encourage every woman who is interested in the sector to embrace collaboration rather than competition. Since our ultimate goal is to make the world better, advocates should work hand in hand.

In Editor's Choice July 30, 2018 By Women of Rubies

PROFILE| MEET CHITA ZULU, THE ENTREPRENEUR PROVIDING LUXURIOUS BUT AFFORDABLE ENGAGEMENT AND WEDDING RINGS FOR COUPLES IN ZAMBIA

Chita Mumba Zulu is an entrepreneur and the Founder of Eternal Jewellery Zambia. Eternal Jewellery Zambia is a jewelry company that provides luxurious, unique, and beautiful engagement and wedding rings at an affordable price for couples.

Chita Mumba Zulu has a Bachelors degree from London School of Theology and is currently doing her Masters in Town Planning from Birmingham City University.

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The Eternal Jewellery Zambia team is made up of Chita Mumba Zulu who is the Founder, and Mapesho who is the Co-Founder, and Bwalya Mumba who is the Shop Manager.

Mapesho Masonga has a Bachelors of Arts in Human resource management and development from Mulungushi University.

Bwalya Mumba is a songstress who performs in a nationally recognised choir.

Chita Zulu reveals that they named their company “Eternal Jewellery Zambia” because they believe in a lasting and eternal kind of love that can be expressed and seen through jewellery.

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While talking about future plans for the company, she said :

“In the next five years, we see ourselves growing the business into a sought-after jewellery store providing jewellery on both a retail and wholesale level. We see ourselves expanding into the Local and International Market. We also see ourselves providing over 50 jobs which will reduce the high rates of unemployment in the African Continent.”

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She also revealed that the company’s mission is “to make it possible for people with different income levels to have access to jewellery that can be used as a symbol of love towards their loved ones.”

In Interviews&profile July 28, 2018 By Women of Rubies

“WHAT YOU EARN ISN’T WHAT MAKES YOU WEALTHY; IT IS HOW YOU MANAGE WHAT YOU EARN” – SOLA ADESAKIN

Sola Adesakin is the Lead Coach and CEO of Smart Stewards. She is an experienced and versatile Chartered Accountant with about 17 years hands-on experience on Personal and SMEs finance. She is a Personal Finance Coach, Trainer and Conference/Seminar Speaker. Through her blog and The Smart Stewards Academy, (www.smartstewards.com), She has helped many men and women bounce back from stress to rest and from debt to wealth. Sola is the managing Partner of BookSmart financial Solutions; an SME friendly Accounting firm, She is the Convener of Smart Stewards Initiative; a Platform for teaching sound principles on personal finance management especially for women. Sola has authored 5 books; her latest being the “40 Frugal Rules For Your Journey To Financial Freedom”; A Practical and Pragmatic Guide For Wealth Management and the “Smart Financial Organizer”; A One year Money Diary to help people gain control of every area of their personal and Family Finances.

She holds a BSC in Applied Accounting from Oxford Brookes University, United Kingdom. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and also a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants of The United Kingdom (ACCA). She is a Member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA) and she also holds an MBA from the Edinburgh Business School (Heriot-Watt University) Scotland.

Sola is also a recipient of the Women X Scholarship; An Initiative of the World Bank and Pan Atlantic University for Female Entrepreneurs. The “Save money” expert shares her inspiring story in this interview.

Childhood Preparation
I had always loved figures and dared to tell anyone I would become a Chartered Accountant. When I was in Secondary school, JSS3 to be precise, I did so well in the Junior WAEC; amongst the best results in my set that I was instantly posted to a science class. My Dad thought I was brilliant enough to be a Medical Doctor; perhaps the first in our family, but Physics, Chemistry and the likes weren’t sinking in at all, so I asked to be allowed where I wanted to be; Commercial class where I would study courses like Commerce, etc. I am glad I stood my ground. Nothing brings more fulfillment for me than helping people solve money issues.

Meet Me!
I am in my late 30s, the first daughter of my Mum, but the 5th of my dad. Born in Lagos Nigeria, I grew up in a polygamous home; howbeit amongst siblings who have strong ties and love for one another. I started my educational exploits with an HND from the Federal Polytechnic Ilaro in the year 2000 and got a BSc degree from Oxford Brookes University (United Kingdom) in the year 2006. I am a Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Accountants of the United Kingdom (ACCA). I hold an MBA from the Edinburgh Business School in Scotland and I am also an Associate Member of Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada. (CGA CPA). Happily married and a mother of 3 amazing boys. I am a born again Christian. I have a passion for people, for their finances, their businesses; small and large businesses alike: building structures for them, developing leadership and enabling a business to maximize the essence of its existence. I have built structures for businesses, trained people; see such businesses grow by leaps and bounds. I have taught people at different levels and cadres the importance of appropriate structures in their businesses and endeavors. All these have further instilled a passion in me to harness my desires and taking it to higher dimensions

Inspiration behind “Smart Stewards”

I qualified as a Chartered Accountant in the year 2002; about 16 years ago and started out working in managerial roles. After a while I got a relatively good job and started to earn well. Unfortunately, all the things I learnt in school as an Accounting student and in my professional certifications did not impact the way I spent money. Being a Chartered Accountant didn’t amount to good personal finance management for me as I probably fared worse than people who had little or no theoretical knowledge of Finances. My Finances were scattered.

My Finances were always out of shape; I was regularly in debt, My salary would not last beyond 3 days after receiving it, I was a spendthrift , I would draw down on my savings less than a week of keeping the money aside and I felt totally helpless! When it dawned on me I couldn’t continue that way, I made a commitment to making a change and things turned around for me. Coupled with the necessary knowledge and appropriate certifications, I embarked on that rewarding journey of helping and teaching people about managing their personal finances! The testimonials have been overwhelming!

Being a Chartered accountant, Author, personal finance coach and motivational speaker

First and foremost, I would say “ A man can receive nothing , except it be given him from above” Grateful for the opportunity to be multi-gifted and multi-dimensional as I have come to realize not everyone can juggle a lot of things as I do. Smart Stewards was borne out of years of study of the biblical story of the Biblical Parable of the 3 stewards that got 5,2 and1 talents respectively. I believe everyone has been gifted with different capacities and abilities to fulfill purpose( everyone has at least 1 gift) and for me, I think it’s an innate wiring for me to be able to juggle a lot of things. Being a Chartered Accountant is a profession, being an Author is an expression of my love for writing (yes I love to write and I can tell stories from any and everything I see around me). Coaching on Personal Finance is a Passion borne out of my personal experiences and speaking is a platform of expression for all of these sides of m

Decision to publish “40 frugal rules for your journey to financial freedom”
Like I earlier mentioned, I was clueless on managing money as I struggled year in, year out trying to make sense of my finances. Yes I was knowledgeable on money issues, but I couldn’t practise those things for unexplainable reasons. I really hit bad times as I made very wrong money decisions with grave consequences. I lost money by investing in get-rich-schemes, I couldn’t meet up with the important needs in life because I focused on the nice-to-have; neglecting the need-t-have. I was a miserable and incurable spender.

A few years ago, part of my New Year resolution was to get things right; particularly because I knew I had so much to offer and teach from my experiences. I committed to changing and becoming a Smarter Steward of my resources; which included my time and of course finances and the rest is history. I developed short term courses and there is this particular one which is known as the 6-Month Accountability Program; an accountability program for those who are really ready to take their journey to financial freedom a notch higher; those who would like to work towards and experience a positive change in their finances . The course entails a 26-week curriculum delivered by emails and telephone calls( and physical meetings when necessary) where I “walk” the financial freedom journey with enrollees, teaching them everything they need to know about Making, Managing and Multiplying Money. The 40 Frugal Rules was borne out of that curriculum.

On a daily basis, I get calls and messages from women and men who would love to maximize their finances, break loose from the hold of debt and live a financially fulfilling life. So far, I have consulted for loads of people on their personal and by extension their business finance and this book summarizes what everyone needs to know about their personal finance.

Work challenges

A great man once said, “The best way to hide something from Black people is to put it in a book. A lot of people are too lazy to read, learn, make proper inquiries on what to do with their money, where to put it and what to expect. It’s sometimes difficult getting people to learn and understand the power of consistency in practicing the right money principles. People hardly follow through with reading, acquiring and applying relevant knowledge. Those who do have great stories to tell however.

Secondly, Consumerism, lack of proper planning and inability to prioritize are issues contending with the wealth building abilities of people and sometimes, it is difficult getting people to realize the need to plan for the future; Retirement and all. People naturally want to make more money; with little or no thoughts about saving or investing, People would rather buy the next ceremonial attire with no plans for paying their children’s school fees. Keeping up with the Jones’ is a menace that needs to be eradicated. A lot of awareness of the importance of financial planning needs to be created.

Other projects

I teach financial planning and the benefits not just in corporate settings, but also in churches, schools and NGOs.Through the Smart Stewards Platform, we organize programs that aim to sensitize and teach women on wealth building and management.

Through the FRUIT (Female relationship Unveiling inspired Truth) Foundation, we mentor young girls; especially in secondary school in order to prepare them for the world of entrepreneurship ahead. We also sponsor women to learn vocational skills in order to empower them financially.

Being a recipient of the Women X scholarship

I was in New York two years ago; 2016 precisely when a friend shared on a facebook group the details about the Womenx scholarship. The World Bank was sponsoring 500 women to obtain a Certificate in Entrepreneurial Management from the prestigious Enterprise Development Centre of the Pan Atlantic University. I applied for it and it was a very transparent process. I probably was among the last set of people admitted into the program.

We were taught the basics of entrepreneurship and what it takes to build a successful business. Strategy, Leadership, Accounting, branding, Human resources Management and other important subject matters were considered. It was a worthwhile experience and through the alumni programs, the knowledge keeps flowing to us. We have been equipped to build world class businesses.

Balancing my home and work effectively

I am extremely grateful for a supportive spouse who allows me to thrive and for my amazing children. I work from home many times, I find time to be with the children and sometimes, I do not go out at all. I make sure to do school runs once a day; either in the morning or in the evening and that is to encourage more bonding moments. Some weekends are for staying at home and I look forward to having at least 2 of such in a month.

Reward
That’s a very ambiguous question if I must say( laughing), but I cherish the everyday feedback from people on how what I teach them makes a lot of difference in their finances and families. Finance-related family stress is doused; some marriages on the verge of divorce are restored, people experience paradigm shift regarding their finances; chronic spenders are healed; they are able to save, invest and build wealth. These and more are pleasantly rewarding.

The Nigerian woman being informed on budgeting and money management

Gratefully, a lot of Finance experts are putting out the information out there and the sensitization on personal finance is on the increase. Radio programs, TV shows, Social Media, Women groups have made it a lot easier for people to learn on a daily basis. Learning is on one part, applying what they learn is equally and perhaps more important. Prior to now, maybe the Nigerian woman was not adequately informed; but there are channels and platforms to learn from; free and paid-for. Every woman owes themselves that responsibility to learn and implement what they learn.

Who and what inspire me to be better

The Holy Spirit is my greatest source of Inspiration. He paints pictures in my heart and many of those have become my reality. He helps me dream big and achieve things my ordinary mind couldn’t have comprehended.

Grateful for my husband Gboyega Adesakin also. He is my number one cheerleader. When I share my ideas( and fears), he patiently listens and helps to strategize on how to implement. He allays my fears and helps me soar.

My Smart Stewards community looks up to me to provide solid leadership and show them the way to go. They keep me on my toes; helping me to learn more and more. It’s one thing to know, it’s another to practice and it’s another thing entirely to teach and practice what you preach. They make me Accountable

I am surrounded by a strong network of friends who inspire me to do better and mentors who show the way to go always.

Being a woman of Rubies
I actually love that word “Rubies” and I have a book titled “Rubies Of Wisdom” which is a 40 day Journey For Women regarding their finances; drawing from biblical stories of about 40 women mentioned in the bible and how they handled money issues.
I am thankful for the gifts and talents God has given me and the ability to express them in various ways. My price is definitely far above rubies and I am glad to be entrusted with this assignment.

Advice for women on managing their finances and savings culture
If you save money, money will save you. What you earn isn’t what makes you wealthy; it is how you manage what you earn. Think money, think long term, thing about the future.

Imagine this scenario;
Your grandchildren and children actually love to come see Grandma, because Grandma is such a delight to visit; you can’t leave her without getting a fat cheque or gift. She even gives out cars and landed properties as gifts. She needs not depend on anyone for her sustenance because she has prepared adequately for her future post retirement.
Do you like to be that person? You have to work towards it by planning your finances and living deliberately. Planning for the future starts now!

In Interviews&profile July 14, 2018 By Women of Rubies

“THE BACKBONE FOR AFRICAN AGRICULTURE REMAINS WOMEN WHO ACCOUNT FOR 50% OF THE HUMAN RESORCES REQUIRED FOR PRODUCTION” – ATINUKE LEBILE

Atinuke Lebile, a vibrant lady with utmost interest in Agriculture and its value chain, A graduate of Agricultural Science from University of Ilorin, who also works with rural communities to mentor young out-of-school girls on various entrepreneurial leadership skills through her initiative called MAGIC (mentor A Girl Child) and “SheAgric” Initiative where she raises intending female farmers, empower and motivate women and youth into Agriculture and its value chain to ensure Food security, Poverty reduction and curbing unemployment in Africa. Atinuke also earn a certificate in Business and Entrepreneurship from Purdue University West Lafayette, Indiana USA

Atinuke who is also fondly called a “ Cutefarmer” is a global ambassador for A world at School, 2015 Global Alliance for youth Leadership Fellow, 2016 YALI(RLC)West Africa Fellow and 2017 Mandela Washington fellow under the flagship of Young African Leaders initiative of former USA president, Barrack Obama, 2017/2018 Leap Africa fellow. She is presently the Program and Membership Mobilization Officer for Youths Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD), Nigeria. Her organization has benefitted from several funding including YOUWIN, USADF, OVATION/ESTHER AJAYI FOUNDATION among others.
Atinuke shares her story in this interview, In her words; “Agriculture comes with a lot of risk, patience, dedication, passion, Prayers and determination”.

Childhood Preparation
I grew up in a family that allows for free expression of oneself once you are determined and legal. An environment that allows you to always think of how to make life better and easier not just for yourself but for others around you.

Meet Me!
My name is Atinuke Lebile, I have utmost interest in Agriculture and its value chain, I’m passionate about feeding the nation and ensuring Food security, I’m the Strategist Officer for Ogunmod Farms and Farmers’ Academy and the Co-founder/ COO of Cato Foods and Agro-allied Global Concepts. A graduate of Agricultural Science from University of Ilorin, who also works with rural communities to mentor young out-of-school girls on various entrepreneurial leadership skills through her initiative called MAGIC (mentor A Girl Child) and SheAgric Initiative where we empower intending female farmers, empower and motivate women and youth into Agriculture and its value chain to ensure Food security, Poverty reduction and curbing unemployment in Africa. I also earn a certificate in Business and Entrepreneurship from Purdue University West Lafayette, Indiana USA and being able to undergo training on Building a Sustainable Business with the Enterprise development centre at the Lagos Business School
We collaborate with Harvestplus, Nigeria (harvestplus.org) to also cultivate Vitamin A biofortified Cassava and Orange Maize to curb the ever-increasing rate of Vitamin A deficiency in Nigeria, which is the Major micronutrient we lack, especially in pregnant women and children below the age of 5 and presently the first producer of Vitamin A cassava custard in Africa.
I’m opportune to be global ambassador for A world at School, 2015 Global Alliance for youth Leadership Fellow, 2016 YALI(RLC)West Africa Fellow and 2017 Mandela Washington fellow under the flagship of Young African Leaders initiative of former USA president, Barrack Obama, 2017/2018 Leap Africa fellow.
I love to be called a Cutefarmer, cos it reminds me of the great work I have to with my small petite pretty stature. I’m also presently the Program and Membership Mobilization Officer for Youths Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD), Nigeria.

Inspiration behind “SheAgric”
The backbone for African agriculture remains women who account for more than 50% of the human resources required for production. However, these women have over the years been disenfranchised when it comes to opportunities available in the agricultural sector. Women do not get the same access to factors of production like capital and land. Worse still is the fact that young women don’t consider agriculture as a first choice profession as the sector has been considered to be men’s world. I want to use my story to inspire women especially young women that agric sector is not a men’s world, it is only dominated by men. You can be beautiful and still be involved, even if you don’t want to soil your beautiful nails in soil just like some of us who can and are happy we can, you can still be involved in the various Value chain of production.
SheAgric also is a platform to let the world know that women stand a better chance to excel in the sector as we are the gateways to household nutrition, good and healthy feeding. I want to see a situation where we have more women in agriculture than what it used to be.
Being a fellow with several notable organizations locally and internationally

This gives me more sense of responsibility. I have to even exceed expectations so as to open ways for other young African females. See the most important thing here is that there are still lot of grounds to cover and this scare me most times but I won’t relent or give up.

Giving hope to pregnant women and children with Harvestplus
HarvestPlus is doing a lot of work using biofortified staple foods to combat hidden hunger (micronutrient deficiency) and malnutrition. My company, CATO FOODS is a private partnering organisation with HarvestPlus. With support from HarvestPlus, we are using biofortified crops such as vitamin A cassava, vitamin A maize and Orange flesh sweet potato to develop value added products especially for children under 5years and pregnant women. Statistics show that 33% of children below 5 years in Nigeria are vitamin A deficient. 145 pregnant women die daily in Nigeria that is about 28% of pregnant women, with half of the deaths attributed to malnutrition. We work with HarvestPlus to achieve a global mandate of reaching 1billion households in Africa with biofortified crops by 2030. Currently over 1million households have been reached in Nigeria and a lot is going on to reach more.

Challenges
Just like many startups, the major challenge is finance. There is need to scaleup, hence the need to invest in infrastructures that can help scaleup my work as we need to reach more children and women. Another challenge is access to raw materials which still comes down to finance which can help us empower farmers and farming households. Bottlenecks around policy implementation and regulation are also experienced.

Other project and activities
We have an outgrower farmers scheme to empower rural farming households. We have a project called MAGIC (Mentor a Girl Child) through this project we also work with out of school children especially girls by empowering them with skill training to become self-sufficient. I have a back to school project which provides educational support for rural school children annually. We desire more supports, sponsorship and Volunteers so as to reach more rural children.

Reward
My greatest reward is seeing that my daily little efforts makes positive impact in people’s lives.

Our organisation in 5 years
I look forward to seeing us creating massive impact across Africa by making more nutritious food available, accessible and affordable. Helping more children attain optimum development through access to essential micronutrients. We want to influence policies that can help give people a better life through healthy feeding because you are what you eat.

Giving up
Sure. There has been time I felt like giving up, However, when you look at the lives of children and pregnant women at stake due to the scourge of malnutrition, post-harvest waste and losses that we experience in Nigeria (Imagine about 60% of what ordinary farmers cultivated) and the only direction for me is forward and upward in a better way.

Who and what inspire you to be better
My greatest Inspiration Of all time has been GOD, who never get tired until he feeds the 5000 people with that small boy little resources. When you look at the lives of Great Women like, of blessed memory Dr Dora Akunyili and Mrs Ibukun Awosika, women of virtue, integrity and honour, Mummy Awosika started career as a carpenter and succeeded in men dominated world, then I know I can be better.
Also looking those wonderful future leaders (Children) dying due to Malnutrition you can’t but do more.

Government and the Agricultural sector
I appreciate what government is doing, nevertheless there is a lot that needs attention and government should pay real time attention better than lip service.

What makes you me woman of Rubies?
Having the heart to touch lives beyond me.
Final word for young women who want to go into Agriculture
Agriculture comes with a lot of risk, patience, dedication, passion, Prayers and determination. However, inside everyone resides the capacity to overcome any form of challenge. Be determined to see it through once you start and in the end it will be worth it. You can have the bigger picture, so dream big, aim high, Infact Dream Global but please start small wit proper planning and mentoring

Advice for women all over the world
Women are high performers, we conceive and deliver better, hence it is imperative for women to get involve in the national affairs. Don’t sit back. Get involved!. If you feel you can been at women is good for you or that you are a weaker vessel, yo. are still the only one in that dream, we have left you behind. So please get involved, go out and make difference in your little way. If you don’t know how to go about it seek for mentorship, we all learn and start small. Don’t be shy or proud to do that

In Interviews&profile July 13, 2018 By Women of Rubies

MEET NKEMDELIM BEGHO, THE WOMAN SETTING TRENDS IN THE TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY

ICT Champion Nkemdilim Begho of Future Software

Nkemdilim, a Bioinformatics graduate from the Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU), Germany, has been in the tech space for over 15 years, working in the Nigerian tech industry for over 10 of those years.
Growing up, Nkemdilim was surrounded by computers and she had a growing interest in them. She hails her father, Chris Uwaje, one of Nigeria’s foremost ICT policy makers, as a huge influence on her success today.
Uwaje actually incorporated Future Software and envisioned Nkemdilim to take over, which she did in 2008, and has since grown the company from a stand-alone IT solutions provider to a web-based educational, enterprise and business solutions firm focusing on online solutions, e-learning and IT-security.
Nkemdilim started her career as an application developer at Max Planck Institute for Psychiatric Research, Munich, Germany, in 2002, developing software tools to aid genetic research and plugins for Micro-array database (Java).

In 2005, Nkemdilim was the Channel Manager for Leapsoft Nigeria Limited.

Between 2004 and 2009, she worked as a bioinformatics consultant and software developer for Affectics Pharmaceuticals.
Nkemdilim is a board member of the World Summit Youth Award who has experience in business development and marketing following years of working in Nigeria.

Nkemdilim became the MD/CEO of Future Software in 2008.
Nkemdilim also heads technology operations for Compare IN – a technology-based solution provider for the insurance industry in Nigeria, and Fucaire Lifestyle – a luxury lifestyle company in Nigeria

She is also the executive creative director for a babies and kids accessories and clothes brand Always Me by Anne Li.
Nkemdilim also gives back to the society, volunteering as a facilitator at Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC), Ajegunle.org, an initiative of the Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN) which addresses the gap in economic empowerment in the country “by providing demand-driven Information and Communication Technologies, entrepreneurship and life skills training”.

We celebrate Nkemdilim for being a trailblazer, and for her volunteer work in ensuring social justice.

About Future Software

Future Software is “a turnkey website design & web-solution provider located in Lagos, Nigeria. We offer website development, web hosting & web portal development.”

The company also specialises in “online marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), content management system development, online recruitment, graphic design, brand development (logo design and branding), workflow, business and educational software development and IT consultancy services for Nigerian corporates and start-up businesses, as well as the public sector.”

In Interviews&profile July 10, 2018 By Women of Rubies

MEET 19-YEAR-OLD JOY UDO-GABRIEL, THE FASTEST GIRL IN WEST AFRICA

According to Making of Champions, Udo-Gabriel won the 100 and 200 metres titles at the recently concluded ECOWAS Under-20 Athletics Championships in Cape Coast, Ghana. During the race, the 19-year-old held her ground against one of West Africa’s fiercest competitors, Halutie Hor from Ghana.

Making of Champions@MakingOfChamps

The fastest girl in all of West Africa.

What. A. Year Joy Udo-Gabriel is having. #MakingOfChamps #mondaymotivation

12:37 PM – Jun 25, 2018

In April, she made her first outing for Nigeria at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and won a bronze medal with her teammates in the women’s 4×100 metres final.

Last month, she qualified for the ECOWAS championships after winning the women’s 100 metres final at the National Under-20 and Under-18 Trials. She recorded the overall fastest time on Day 1 of the trials.

Source: konbini.com

In Interviews&profile July 9, 2018 By Women of Rubies

“I DIDN’T PLAN TO BECOME A FEMINIST ICON”, CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE BARES IT ALL IN RECENT INTERVIEW

Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, in an interview with VULTURE in New York, gave a detailed perspective into a lot of issues going on in today’s world. The author opened up on rape, raising children, Melania Trump, empathy and a lot of other topics.

Read excerpts below.

On wanting to tell the truth: I want to tell the truth. That’s where my storytelling comes from. My feminism comes from somewhere else: acute dissatisfaction. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t want to tell stories. Sadly, I also don’t remember a time when I wasn’t telling people what I think about the world.

On thoughts about raising a boy: If I had a boy, one of the things I would do is not just say it’s okay to be vulnerable, but also to expect him to respect vulnerability. Actually, shaming him into vulnerability is a good idea, because there’s so much about the way that masculinity is constructed that’s about shame. What if we switch that shame around? Instead of shaming boys for being vulnerable, why don’t we shame them for not being vulnerable? I kind of feel — I was going to say I feel sorry for men, but I don’t want to say that.

On #MeToo changing gender and power dynamics in meaningful ways: I hope it does, but it hasn’t. What I like about #MeToo is the idea that now women’s stories have the possibility of being believed, which is almost revolutionary. Now a woman can tell her story and she might still get castigated, but there’s the possibility that she gets public support and that there are consequences for whoever harassed or assaulted her. That’s not happened before. But the shape of the narratives around #MeToo can still be troubling. It’s the idea that a woman doesn’t deserve sympathy unless she’s “good.” I’m sorry to get into race, but it’s similar to what happens with black men, where in this country it seems that they are not deserving of sympathy unless they are pure. If a young boy is murdered because he was going off to buy Skittles but we learn that he smoked marijuana, then that somehow makes him not deserving of sympathy. He shouldn’t have to be perfect to deserve sympathy and that applies to women as well. And, also, the way women are cast as innocent or blameless or helpless undercuts the idea of female agency. Often we’ll say things like, “She was coerced into going to the guy’s apartment.”

On raising her daughter: I wrote that [Dear Ijeawele] when I wasn’t a mother and it’s easier to write about a hypothetical child than to write about a real one. The child that book was addressed to is sort of an idea of a child. But having my own — you don’t realize how difficult it is day-to-day to combat negative ideas. Sometimes when you’re raising a child it’s like the universe is in a conspiracy against you. You go to the toy store looking for something not necessarily “girly” and you’re overwhelmed by the pink and the dolls. Even the prayers my daughter got from family members: They’re like, “We hope she finds a good husband.” I’m optimistic that those kinds of things will change but I think about how women are socialized — even the most resistant women still get things under our skin.

On male and female literary differences: There are many things that a famous male writer can do without worrying about the risk of not being taken seriously — if you’re interested in fashion, for example. Very often women writers have to tread much more carefully because their grip on being considered as serious — which has nothing to do with how the world is — is more tenuous. When a woman says something controversial, she’s much more likely to be criticized about her personality and even about how she looks. Not that men don’t get that, but women get it more quickly and more often. And to be specific to writing, a man can write about a subject like marriage and immediately it can be seen as an insightful take on society. But a woman writes about marriage and it’s seen as this smaller, more intimate thing. We’ve gone past the point where women are directly criticized for their subject matter, but the language used about their writing hasn’t really changed. When men and women write about similar things, what the women write is often cast in less lofty terms.

On her short story about Melania Trump: There’s a sense in which her characterization in the story still holds true for me. There’s something I feel about her and it lives in the same emotional space as compassion and pity — and that feeling has increased. Actually, when I wrote that story I thought it was about Trump’s daughter [Ivanka]. I saw the story as making a case for how he [President Trump] is unstable but is surrounded by people who are stable and reasonable, such as his daughter and his wife. There was also a very feminist take to the story’s premise, which was that the women around him know what they’re dealing with. There’s a kind of knowingness in dealing with somebody they care about but understand is crazy. I’ve since changed my mind about his daughter.
On Melania Trump: I look at pictures of her and I see great sadness. I don’t want anyone to be sad, but the idea that she might be sad about her situation is almost comforting because it reminds you that there’s still some sort of humane presence in the private space of the White House.

On being seen as a “feminist icon”: When I started, all I wanted was to write books that somebody would read. I didn’t plan to become this “feminist icon, which is something I feel uncomfortable with. People say, “This is what you’re known for.” But that’s not what I know myself for.

On motherhood and her art: I used to think I wouldn’t be a good mother because I was so dedicated to my art. I said to myself, I have nephews and nieces who I adore, and I helped raise them, so those will be my children. That’s what I thought for a long time, because I felt that I couldn’t be true to both my art and my child. Getting older [changed that]. I like to joke and say that you’re ready [to have a child] when your body isn’t ready, and when your body is ready, you’re not mentally ready. I guess you have the best eggs when you’re, like, 22, but at 22 you don’t even know yourself. Then when you’re 38 and know yourself, your eggs are not the best quality. Anyway, we’ll talk about eggs another time. But my baby happened, and it’s important to talk honestly about this, because having her changed a lot. Having a child gets in the way of writing. It does. You can’t own your time the way you used to. But the other thing that motherhood does — and I kind of feel sorry for men that they can’t have this — is open up a new emotional plane that can feed your art.

Source: http://www.vulture.com/2018/07/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-in-conversation.html