womenofrubies Archives

In Interviews&profile April 29, 2017 By Women of Rubies

I’M INSPIRED BY THE FEARLESS WOMAN WHO BELIEVES SO MUCH IN HERSELF AND HER VISION – CHIKA ILANG

Chika Ilang is a Mass Communication graduate from Caritas University, Enugu. She’s the founder of Chika Ilang International, a personal development company, which she launched in 2016, with key focus on helping women gain the clarity to build the life and career they truly love.

She believes everyone has equal opportunity to achieve greatness if you show up for yourself, It’s her earnest desire to teach more women how to live a happier, wealthier and fulfilled life. She shares her inspiring journey and some success nuggets in this interview.

Wanting to start a smoke fish business as a child

Not exactly because I was a very carefree child with no worries whatsoever. I wasn’t the very coordinated child who led other children to live right.

I was rather the love child, who got almost all her little request to the best she knew, so there was really nothing pushing me to focus better as a child.

But on the other hand, I was enterprising at heart as a child. I wanted to earn my own money at a very young age. I remember a time my cousin and I saved up our small allowances to start a smoked fish business. You can tell my parents didn’t allow this idea see the light of the day, else, maybe, just maybe, I would have blown in that area. But why smoked fish though? I truly don’t know *laugh*

The “Evolving” Woman

I’m Chika, I’m the last of my parents 6 children, I’m married to my amazing pillar of support, I’m an ambivert, I’m a dreamer and an achiever,I love colours, music, food, positive people, the good but simple life, and all things in between.

I’m an evolving woman, always open to opportunities that would help me become the best of my version.

Chika Ilang International

In 2014, while in my paid employement, I started my side hustle with fruit art and display, sale of gift items and smart kitchen tools; under the name Ore Services on instagram.

Prior to this, I had so many ideas but I didn’t know what or how exactly to launch any.

So I started this business when I desperately needed to do something with my life, beside my 9 to 5. I needed to occupy myself while I figured out what I truly wanted to do with my life. The beginning was intriguing, as it was my first time making money from any business. I made mistakes here and there and always came back stronger with the lessons.

Few months on, I lost interest in my business. I was still very much hungry for more growth. The business just didn’t fit perfectly into the picture I had in my head. So I closed down the business to seek what would give me the answers I sought for.

This self discovery and harnessing stage led to the birth of Chika Ilang International, a personal development company dedicated to help other women who want to live out their passion, who are in a job they do not like, who are desirous of life above average, but are confused on how to launch out.

They like I was, don’t know the exact WHAT and HOW to achieve their desired

result. Chika Ilang International is focused at helping them define what exactly they want, help them create a map that will guide them to achieving this and actually hold their hands on their journey to success and fulfilment.

Inspires by Success

I am inspired by every person who dares to show up for themselves and get things done.

I’m inspired by the woman who against all odds, chose to raise her standard and chase her greatness. I’m inspired by the fearless woman who believes so much in herself and her vision.

Success of one is my biggest inspiration. It reminds me that if one person can do it, I too can do mine.

Reward

My greatest reward is always the opportunity to do more when I deliver on value promised.

Challenges

When I started out, I had struggle distinguishing myself. You know when you start a new path with little or no experience, with no result to show for your amazing idea and expertise, you could easily be mistaken for a sham. Until I started achieving results, I had to deal with this.

Projects and activities

Presently, I work with clients on different stages, depending on each person’s level on their journey. I also get involved with voluntary work where I can contribute optimally.

Giving Up

Oh yessssss, I have felt like giving up on few occasions when my business was still taking shape. I had done all I thought there was to be done, yet I wasn’t getting the result I wanted.

But somehow, I was able to persevere on the last tiny hope, and today, I’m glad I did.

Being a Woman of Rubies

I believe success is sweeter when we all win. Whenever I’m in the position to lift another woman, I feel a great joy within me.

Final word

Hey Queen, give yourself the permission to succeed. Be inspired by all the amazing women who have gone ahead to live their personal legend. Like I always say, SUCCESS OF ONE, IS AN EVIDENCE THAT IT IS POSSIBLE, BE INSPIRED NOT ENVIOUS!

Live, love, laugh, support, dream, and become!

In self development April 28, 2017 By Women of Rubies

INSIDE OUT WITH AGATHA CELEBRATES 20TH ANNIVERSARY WITH NEW TV SHOW “THE SEARCH”

Inside Out with Agatha, Nigeria’s longest running independent television talk show has announced plans to celebrate its 20th anniversary starting with a TV reality show called ‘The Search‘. This was announced at a media parley held at the RAVE TV office in Lagos on Wednesday 26 April 2017.

Activities to mark the anniversary include the 7-week TV reality show, a press conference, and an anniversary dinner to wrap up the program of events.

Call for the audition is currently on till 30th of April, while the audition proper is scheduled for 22nd of May, 2017. The event will come to climax with Agatha Amata’s Farewell Recording as host of “Inside-out with Agatha” themed “Nigeria Beyond Oil: The Future” and an anniversary dinner, both slated for 4th of August, 2017.

Agatha Amata, founder and presenter of Inside Out, disclosed her plans to step aside from presenting the program so as to give younger people an opportunity.

“The purpose of the reality TV show is to call on young Nigerians who are passionate about carrying on with the legacy of the program. I am not concerned if the next person to take the presenter role is either male or female, but the perfect feet to be someone who is passionate about people (in line with the vision of the program: Touching Lives, Changing Society),” Amata said. “As Inside Out celebrates her 20th anniversary, we are excited at the development we have recorded so far and we use this opportunity to appreciate everyone, including corporate bodies who have contributed to the success of our program”.

In Career Gems April 28, 2017 By Women of Rubies

HEARTBREAKING MOMENT WOMAN DISCOVERS HER HUSBAND HAS FIVE FIANCÉES, TWO WIVES AND THIRTEEN KIDS!

A woman who discovered her husband had five fiancées, two wives and thirteen kids has claimed the convicted paedophile will never stop.

Mary Turner Thompson had a six year relationship with William Jordan before finding out he sexually assaulted an underage girl and was leading multiple lives.
Mary has set up an online support group for all of Jordan’s victims 11 years later but fears he will continue to con women because he is a “psychopath”.
Claiming to be a CIA agent, he stole at least £300,000 from 21 women in five countries, and has even pursued another after being released from prison last year.
Viewers shocked as terrified aunt discovered ‘secret plot to KILL her’ as she spied on her niece online William Jordan claimed he was constantly away from home because he was a CIA agent
Mary explained that her husband first asked for money after four years together, having met in November 2000 and telling her he worked in the intelligence service.
Speaking on This Morning, she said: “He said that unsavouries had found out where we lived and were effectively blackmailing us.
“They were saying that if we didn’t come up with money these people would steal the children and rips bits off them and send them through the post unless we came up with the money to pay them off.
“I sold everything I had. Who wouldn’t to look after their children. And living in absolute terror.”
Mary accused Jordan of gradually “brainwashing” her before discovering he was married to another woman and was a convicted sexual predator.
She said: “I got a phone call from the other wife. She said ‘I’m the other Mrs Jordan’.
“She actually dropped everything to meet me. We sat down and spoke for 12 hours and compared our children who looked very similar.”
Jordan was given five years in prison for bigamy, fraud and failing to register as a sex offender, but moved on to his next victim Mischelle Lewis from New Jersey, USA.

In Career Gems April 27, 2017 By Women of Rubies

RADIO QUEEN “LOLO1” RELEASE STUNNING NEW PICTURES TO CELEBRATE HER BIRTHDAY

Award-winning OAP , Radio Queen , comedian and actress Lolo1 (real name Omotunde Adebowale-David) is celebrating her birthday today!

The star entertainer said she took the pictures to create a unique style in her looks and fashion style.

Happy Birthday beautiful Worrior

See photos

In womenofrubies April 27, 2017 By Women of Rubies

STAND TO END RAPE INITIATIVE PRESENTS THE HERE EXHIBITION

Stand to End Rape Initiative in collaboration with The Initiative for Equal Rights and the Revolving Art Incubator present the HERE Exhibition from April 30th to May 12th at the Revolving Art Incubator, 2nd Floor, Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The HERE Exhibition Opening Event holds on 30th of April at 4pm and will feature conversations with guest speakers; Titilope Sonuga and Arit Okpo, and spoken word.

The HERE Exhibition is a platform for sharing the stories of survivors. The goal of the exhibition is to empower survivors of sexual violence to break the silence and regain their freedom. The photos in the exhibition highlights places where rape occurs, thereby disrupting the stigmatization that people who are violated in such locations face.

The use of imagery (photography) is strategic as it creates a body of work that literally hits close to home; reflecting the reality of how close survivors often are to their abusers.

The exhibition also serves as a fundraiser for a rehabilitation center where women and girls will be sheltered, while we are helping them to reintegrate into the society. While at the center, they will be empowered with life skills to enable them become economically independent of their abuser in cases where this occurs at the home front

In self development April 27, 2017 By Women of Rubies

5 WAYS FEMALE FOOTBALLER ASISAT “SUPERZEE” OSHOALA INSPIRE US TO SUCCEED

Asisat “Superzee” Oshoala is the first African footballer to join the FA Women’s Super League. Signed to Liverpool Ladies, Asisat Oshoala has continued to do Nigeria and indeed Africa proud as she garners accolades and awards from around the world.

Apart from playing with a prestigious team- Liverpool Ladies, a few awards to her name include the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year: 2015, Queen of The Pitch Award: 2014 African Women’s Footballer of the Year: 2014. African Women’s Youth Player of the Year: 2014. African Women’s Championship Golden Ball: 2014, FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Golden Boot: 2014 and many others.

The question that usually comes to mind in the face of such resounding success is – what is the secret?

Let’s take a look.

JOIN A TEAM YOU LIKE

In an interview with Goal.com, Asisat says “I like my team. It has always been my dream to play for Liverpool Ladies.” The result is that her team members “enabled me score those goals that gave me the award”

HANG OUT WITH PEOPLE WITH A SIMILAR VISION AS YOURS

In an interview with theguardian.com, Asisat talks about her how her goals affected her choice of friends.
According to her; “I love football and I can’t be moving with people who maybe only want to talk about clothes and bags. I love football and that’s why I mingled with the boys, I didn’t really walk with the girls.”

FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS NO MATTER THE OPPOSITION

Asisat’s parents never supported her dreams to be a footballer. They insisted that she follows the traditional route of completing her academics. However, Asisat had a better pan and she stuck with it.
In an interview with supersport.com, she tells us about it, “my parents never supported me at the initial stage because I was exceptionally good in my academics.I had to drop out of school to the chagrin of my parents.It was not an easy decision but with the benefit of hindsight, I think it was the right one”

ALWAYS KEEP A HAPPY DISPOSITION

Asisat, in an interview with FIFA.com spoke on her philosophy; “It’s my life philosophy. I consider myself a happy girl, because whatever situation I find myself in, I try to be happy. I like to see people smiling, to make my friends laugh and smile. That’s what I’m like!”

NEVER STOP DREAMING

When speaking with Naij.com, Asisat insisted that her dreams have not yet being achieved besides all the accolades she has already, “I see myself at the very echelon of female sports in the world “ she said.

Some content curled from woman.ng

In Career Gems April 26, 2017 By Women of Rubies

BEYONCÉ TO GIVE SCHOLARSHIPS TO 4 YOUNG WOMEN WHO ARE “UNAFRAID TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX”

As part of the one-year anniversary celebration for her Lemonade album, Beyoncé has announced via her official website that she will be giving four scholarships – tagged ‘Formation Scholars’ – to four young college women for the 2017-2018 academic year.

According to the 35-year-old star, the scholarship is to “encourage and support young women who are unafraid to think outside the box and are bold, creative, conscious and confident.”

Her website states that Women who are interested in studying creative arts, music, literature, or African-American studies are welcome to apply, and the schools participating include Berklee College of Music, Howard University, Parsons School of Design, and Spelman College.

Source: Bellanaija

In Interviews&profile April 26, 2017 By Women of Rubies

MEET MISIMI ISIMI, THE 9-YEAR-OLD ENVIRONMENTALIST AND GENDER EQUALITY ADVOCATE

This impressive nine-year-old, Misimi Isimi, is one of Nigeria’s youngest environmentalists and gender equality advocates. Her passions include teaching other children about the importance of gender equality, personal hygiene and protecting our environment.

Misimi is currently the president of Eco-kids green club – a club designed to inspire children to become lifelong environmental stewards.

Not even 10 years old yet, Misimi has already led awareness programmes on World Environment Day and Earth Day about environmental protection. She’s also led sensitization programmes in primary schools: educating other kids on the importance of healthy-living habits.

Her biggest vision is to partner with organizations that’ll help her achieve her aim of promoting Global Goals 4 and 5 (gender equality and quality education) for all kids – especially underprivileged kids.

On the International Day of the Girl Child, Misimi celebrated the strength and resilience of girls, using martial arts as her campaign to stop the violence and discrimination girls face on a daily basis.

As if that wasn’t amazing enough, she was then recently honoured as the first child environmentalist in Nigeria at the Africa Clean-up Awards thanks to her tireless efforts.

Not showing any signs of slowing down, Misimi is now working on her very own environmental documentary and a magazine called Ade and the Wheelie Bin.

In Interviews&profile April 25, 2017 By Women of Rubies

IFEOMA CHUKWUOGO PROVES SHE IS A DIRECTOR TO WATCH WITH HER FANTASTIC SHORT FILM, ‘BARIGA SUGAR’

In a sea of all the impressive Nigerian short films we’ve been getting this past year, we may have just gotten the best one yet: Ifeoma Chukwuogo‘s incredibly moving Bariga Sugar – which first premiered at the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) last year.

(Photo: Fizzy K Pictures)

Directed, co-produced and co-written by Ifeoma (and Ikenna Edmund Okah), the 21-minute short film is set in the 90s and follows Ese (Halimat Olarewaju), an 8-year-old who lives in Bariga Sugar – a brothel in Lagos – with her mother, Tina, one of Bariga Sugar’s working women.

Often lonely with dreams of one day ruling the brothel, she forms an unlikely friendship with Jamil (Tunde Azeez), a new child in the brothel.

(Photo: Fizzy K Pictures)

While speaking with Konbini about what inspired her film, Ifeoma said:

“I was inspired by Ikenna’s premise – and the Oscar-winning documentary, Born In Brothels, inspired us to write the screenplay the way we did.

Ikenna wanted to tell a story about true and pure friendship in (or against) a bleak situation.”

When you actually take the film apart, it’s kind of a miracle that Bariga Sugar works at all. It’s a period piece led by child actors – but Ifeoma shows what a skilled director is capable of: bringing so many moving parts together flawlessly.

What’s even more impressive, is that this is only Ifeoma’s first short film out of film school – and she already shows so much promise, we are already impatiently waiting to see what she does next.

Source: Konbini

In Career Gems April 25, 2017 By Women of Rubies

ZURIEL ODUWOLE SPEAKS ALONGSIDE BILL GATES & NDABA MANDELA IN PARIS

Girl-child education advocate and filmmaker Zuriel Oduwole spoke alongside Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Ndaba Mandela at an event organised by one of France’s largest social development NGO’s Printemps Solidaire.

The event brought more than 500,000 youths to the Champs Elysees, in celebrating the power of youths in changing the perception of social issues across the globe.

Zuriel shared her experiences as head of Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up (DUSUSU) Foundation. She spoke about balancing being a youth, with her interests such as Girl Education advocacy and Filmmaking. Ndaba Mandela, the Grandson of the South African icon Nelson Mandela and head of Africa Rising Foundation, spoke about the importance of a good Legacy, having come from one himself – Mandela.

Melinda Gates commended Zuriel for finding her passion early, and working to make a difference in the lives of girls across the globe. Zuriel shared her idea of building an e-school platform for girls in the rural parts of Africa.

Zuriel Oduwole in a chat with Melinda Gates

L-R: Zuriel Oduwole, Bill Gates and Ndaba Mandela