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AJIMOBI SIGNS BILL TO PROHIBIT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

 

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Monday in Ibadan signed into laws, the state’s Administration of Criminal Justice Bill, 2016, and Violence Against Women Bill, 2016

The governor signed the two bills after the state executive council m

Ajimobi told newsmen after the assent that the laws would enhance justice administration.

“Our own government is a law-abiding one,” he said.

The bills were presented for assent by the Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Musah Abdulwasi, and the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Seun Abimbola,

The Administration of Criminal Justice Law provides for speedy and efficient administration of criminal justice and other matters related to it.

The Violence Against Women Law prohibits violence against women in public and private lives as well as harmful traditional practices against women and other related matters.

The two bills were passed by the Assembly in October, 2016, and November, 2016, respectively.(NAN)

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YEMISI WADA : IT IS TIME TO REMOVE THE CLOAK OF SHAME!

When the slap landed on her face, even before Abiola could process the pain or feel that her jaw was shaking, the first thing she did as usual was to look around, to see who saw what happened.

The only person she saw was Tosin – their daughter.

Oh, she thought, that’s okay. It’s only our daughter.

Little did she know that years and years after she had died, that was the same thought floating through Tosin’s mind as she was being slapped and pushed out of a moving car by the man she let beat her too. This was before she hit her head on the curb, died.

Chidinna looked at his father with disgust, as he introduced him to yet another business partner. His father, meanwhile, looked at him with pride. His son, the one who has just graduated cum laud from Harvard University. He had ensured that his sons did not go to school in Nigeria. He did this to separate them from their mother’s influence. He did not like the way they, especially Chidinna, went to her defense any time he disciplined her with a few slaps.

He needed them to be men and to see that women need to be disciplined and set right like children.

Chidi glared at this brute of a man, wishing he could strangle him. Just the night before, he had heard his mother scream and the sounds of breaking glass in their bedroom. It took his two brothers and the maid to stop him from going there.

That morning she came out, checking to see who heard, who knew she was being beaten up. What a brute of a man.

Tonight Chidinna cannot understand what’s happened. He’s weeping because Ada his wife is curled into a ball after receiving the beating of a lifetime from him. All because she disgraced him at dinner. She didn’t know the right meals to prepare for his Harvard friends. She was not enlightened like him. She was just very drop deadly beautiful.

He also did not like the way she tantalized the men at the dinner like a common whore. They tore off her clothes and stripped her naked with their eyes he could see. She was taunting them, he could see. Why? Why would she do that? To him, why?

Little did they know then, that beating had ruptured her womb and she would never be able to bear a child.

Little did Ada know that despite several apologies and gifts and beatings later, she would be thrown out as barren and Chidinna would father 4 children from 2 more unfortunate women who see the outside product only, the fine, rich Harvard graduate – not the damaged, dangerous creature he really is.

Sir Shina Peters is on the stage; he’s showering praises on Agbesegbe, the Cocoa magnate who’s showering him with Naira. The money is flowing. The big boys are gathering, the big girls are throwing down. The spoilt under-achieving newly married son of renowned Lawyer and politician is in the crowd.

Due to his drug habit he does not have 2 bundles of Naira to rub together, but he too wants to be noticed. He wants to belong. He looks on to the sweet innocent who is dying to go home to nurse their newborn baby. ‘Do you have any cash he asks?’ ‘For Shina? Hell no. All I have is what I got from my mum this afternoon and it’s for the baby’s pampers and SMA’.

She looks to see, even before the pain sinks into her brain. Who is looking? As he twists her ankle, to wrench her wallet from her. Oyinade cannot help it, tears pour out of her eyes as the pain sinks in. She still checks at whose looking.

As she does, she sees Adewunmi has left the party after his spraying spree- leaving her behind. How does she leave this party and get back to their house?

She sees the catering van packing up. She recognizes their logo, they are based on the Island. She can trust these ones who don’t know her and Adewunmi. She begs for a lift.

When news surfaced the next day, a trailer had flattened a van belonging to a catering outfit killing all on board. Oyinade’s parents do not even give the news a glance. How were they to know their treasure, whom they had trusted into the hands of the renowned lawyer was amongst those flattened in the disaster?

Later on when all checks are done, the renowned lawyer and his wife sort their son out. Oyinade’s parents cannot even get access to their grandchild. Oyinade was their only child.

Whilst you still have life, whilst you are still whole, before you look at who is watching or who knows, LEAVE. It is more honourable to leave than to stay.

You are more valuable to your children both male and female if you leave than to stay. On this 21st day of January as we walk with women for their rights, say NO MORE! Enough is Enough. No more concealers, No more excuses, No more shades #nomoreshades

 

About Yemisi Wada

Yemisi Wada is a Lawyer and a Business woman. She has decided she has reached a stage in life where she likes to do what gives her Joy. She has just produced the Crime Series ‘Lasgidi Cops Serious Crimes Unit’ and last year when she turned 50 decided to start up a Blog where she can mentor younger ones on the realities of relationships and life.
She also loves giving back and has a Foundation for Street Children called the Haven for the Nigerian Child Foundation.
She is married and has 5 children. She blogs at www.namsblog.com.ng

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#PROFILE | MEET DR. AMY JADESIMI, THE WOMAN EXCELLING EVEN IN A MALE DOMINATED INDUSTRY

Dr. Jadesimi received her first degree from Oxford University, where she earned a BA in Physiological Sciences. She then attended Oxford University Medical School, from which she graduated as a medical doctor (MD). After Oxford, Dr. Jadesimi joined Goldman Sachs International in London as part of the Investment Banking Division, specializing in corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions. She then attended Stanford Business School, from which she earned her MBA in Business Administration.

While at Stanford, Amy completed an internship with Brait Private Equity in Johannesburg, South Africa, where she worked as a transaction executive in Private Equity.

The beautiful, intelligent and pacesetting Amy Jadesimi is truly one of Africa’s leading ladies. She is the Managing Director of LADOL, an oil and gas fabrication and multi-logistics services base in Nigeria. Amy graduated as a qualified medical doctor from Oxford University Medical School. She later joined Goldman Sachs International’s investment banking division in London, before attending Stanford Business School, where she earned an MBA.

READ ALSO : MEET THE ARCHITECT WHO IS TOUCHING LIVES

On her return to Nigeria, Amy set up a financial consulting firm on her return to Nigeria before joining the management team of LILE, an oil services company, and then LADOL as the managing director. In an industry dominated by the men, Amy has excelled greatly.

Apart from her work in the corporate world, Amy is also a contributor for Forbes where she writes about business trends in Africa, particularly Nigeria, her home country. She was also on the 2015 Advisory Board for the UN Development Programme’s “Africa Human Development Report.”

Amy has been honoured with many awards and accolades. In 2012, she was named an Archbishop Desmond Tutu Fellow; in 2013, a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and a Rising Talent by the Women’s Forum for Economy and Society. Again, in 2014, Forbes included her in The 20 Youngest Power Women in Africa; and in July 2015, the Financial Times named her one of top 25 Africans To Watch

Keep being amazing amy!

 

Sorce: LeadingLadiesafrica.org

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UWANMA : 5 MISTAKES WOMEN MAKE IN RELATIONSHIPS” IN HER LATEST VLOG

OAP Uwanma in her latest vlog shares with us 5 mistakes women make in relationships.

She says:

“Sometimes, when a relationship gets screwed up, it’s the fault of us ladies. We have all been guilty of incessant nagging, unrealistic expectations, bad cooking and even worse sex skills. But there are less obvious mistakes we make that send our men running for the hills! Most times, not deliberately, but sometimes we intentionally sabotage true love. This is not to say men don’t and can’t screw up; they do. But today, we are focusing on the 5 mistakes women make that end their relationships, and usually on a disappointing and sour note! Save a relationship”

Watch

 

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COOKING WITH KEROSENE DANGEROUS FOR PREGNANT WOMEN —STUDY

A new study conducted in Ibadan, Oyo State, has revealed that the use of clean-burning ethanol stoves, as against kerosene stoves, can reduce hypertension and cardiovascular risk in pregnant women.

According to the lead study author and professor of medicine and family director of international programmes at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine, Christopher Olopade,  pregnant women who were used to using kerosene stove had lesser chances of developing high blood pressure when they switched to ethanol stoves.

In report titled, ‘Randomised Controlled Ethanol Cookstove Intervention and Blood Pressure in Pregnant Nigerian Women’, researchers stated that the frequency of developing hypertension and diastolic blood pressure were decreased in pregnant women who cooked with ethanol, rather than with traditional cookstoves fueled by wood or kerosene.

They, however, noted that systolic blood pressure levels of the pregnant women that took part in the study did not change significantly.

Olopade stated, “Although previous studies found that exposure to household air pollution increased the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, no randomised, controlled trial had investigated whether clean-burning fuel would reduce the incidence of hypertension in pregnant women,”

According to the report, Olopade and his colleagues enrolled 324 pregnant women living in Ibadan. However, women who smoked or lived with a smoker or who cooked for a living were excluded from the study.

None of the women enrolled were hypertensive when they enrolled and  they were randomised into the study between the 16 and18th weeks of pregnancy.

Half of the participating women who previously cooked with firewood or kerosene were randomly assigned to cook with ethanol. The other half continued to cook with either wood or kerosene. Blood pressure was recorded during six patient visits.

By the end of the study, the researchers found that   6.4 per cent of those cooking with wood or kerosene became hypertensive compared with 1.9 per cent of those cooking with ethanol. The study also showed that 8.8 per cent of those who cooked with kerosene became hypertensive compared to only 1.8 per cent who stopped using from kerosene and switched to ethanol.

It stated, “Mean diastolic blood pressure was 2.8 mmHg higher among those cooking with wood or kerosene than those cooking with ethanol. It stated. The mean diastolic blood pressure was 3.6 mmHg higher among those cooking with kerosene than those cooking with ethanol. “

Olopade said the findings have echoed the call by the World Health Organisation to remove kerosene as a home cooking or heating fuel.

Source: PUNCH

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#PROFILE| MEET SOPHIA IKE-ONU, CEO, THE5KSHOP

Sophia Ike-Onu is the Co-founder of DRYV, and the Founder/CEO of The5kShop. She has a BSc in Architecture and a Masters in International Architectural Regeneration and Development from Oxford Brookes University.

The5kShop is an online retail store, stocking fashion and home solutions all under the price cap of 5000 Naira, and have been in business for over 3 years. She invested all her savings into the business. Their first office was based in her living room- they rented their first office and warehouse 8 months into operation, and move into a bigger space shortly after then.

DRYV.ME is a service that allows users to request for drivers, on demand.

Sophia Onu won the 2016 Enterprise Challenge organised by Virgin Atlantic in partnership with Zenith Bank and Samsung. She has been profiled as one of SME 100’s young entrepreneurs under 25, making socioeconomic impact in Nigeria.

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THE WAITING ROOM; MAKING IT COUNT!

When two love birds get married, naturally, the next phase is parenthood! However, when this doesn’t happen as soon as they expect, the couple begins to experience a whole gamut of emotions including worry, fear, anger, disappointment, frustration, and so on. Some people even begin to develop a negative self-concept. The love that once ran so deep begins to lose its depth, as the couple has to deal with external pressure in addition to the emotional rollercoaster they are experiencing.

The Waiting Room Seminar will provide an emotionally supportive environment for such couples to expressly dialogue about the impact of this struggle on their lives, without feeling judged. The inability to effectively communicate feelings results in negative interactions and sometimes no interaction at all and this further drives a wedge between the couple. Therefore the couples will learn effective communication, as well as effective coping skills to deal with the struggle to conceive.

The couples will also be encouraged by the testimonies of others who were able to navigate this journey successfully as a team against all odds, and where all hope has been lost, there will be a rebirth!

The main essence of this seminar is for each couple to eventually be able to look back on their seemingly tumultuous journey to parenthood and proudly say “We made it and emerged even stronger as a unit!”

Here is the registration link :  bit.ly/2jvwwtd

Powered By : The Family Place

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#PROFILES | TOP FIVE FEMALE VOCALISTS IN NIGERIA

All vocalists can be singers but all singers cannot be vocalists. This is because of the weight in classical music. Singers that are adept in light music often find it difficult to sing in the classical mode. On the other hand, singers who sing in classical mode can sing in the light mode very easily. These are the main differences between the words, singer and vocalist. Here is our list of top five vocalist in Nigeria:

1. Omawumi

Omawunmi, the original Warri queen, came into limelight in 2007 when she became the first runner-up on West African Idol. She has since taken the Nigeria Music Industry by storm with her powerful soprano voice. Her music ranges from Jazz to R&B to Reggae, creating music that anyone can relate to. Her vocal prowess sets her aside and puts her on top of our list

2. Tiwa Savage

A vocalist per excellence, Tiwa has lent her sonorous voice to international music legends Mary J Blige, Chaka Khan, George Michael, Whitney Houston and Andrea Bocelli just to mention a few. After she had accumulated an exhaustive amount of vocal and lyrical credit, she returned  to Nigerian shores. Tiwa blessed us with sound goodies that showed her keenness in the vocal department.

3. Waje

The beautiful voice that made Psquare’s Do Me even more pleasant, Waje is another vocalist with a voice so powerful, you find yourself enamored. Her vocal range covers over 3 octaves. Her top notch vocals with her high energy is one of the many reasons why we believe she will be in the music scene for a very long time.

4. Simi

The ‘Ara ile’ crooner ventured into the music scene some years back, giving us a taste of her sonorous voice and giving us something to look forward to. She came back with full force, dominating 2015/2016 with her singles and melodious voice, making us want some more.

5. Chidinma

The winner of 2010 edition of MTN Project Fame dazzled us with her voice while still in the competition, that it was almost not surprising when she won. She then stepped into the music industry, giving us full serve of her rich and beautiful voice. Whether it’s a duet or a feature or her own song, Ms Kedike’s warm and sweet voice is a force to reckon with.

 

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#INTERVIEW | EVERY HOUR IN NIGERIA, WOMEN ARE DYING FROM CERVICAL CANCER, TEWA ONASANYA, FOUNDER, EMACC

13 years ago Tewa Onasanya took the bold step to start a fashion magazine to celebrate and profile the achievement of women , a medium she has also been using to create awareness for cervical cancer hence the reason why started the EMACC project . The pharmacologist turned publisher tells us her plan to help wage war against Cervical cancer in Nigeria and why she is passionate about the cause.

Me, Myself & My Work

I am a daughter, sister, wife, mother and a Pharmacologist turned Publisher / Entrepreneur. I am very passionate about what I do and I believe anything worth doing is worth doing very well. I have two great children (13 and 10), who I have to set great examples for about being the true and better version of yourself every day. I believe in everyone abilities and it makes me so happy when I see people succeed at what they do and being able to help people the best way I can.

Transitioning from Pharmacology to Publishing

The Transition was great from Pharmacology to Publishing. I must say it was challenging at first but after a while I got used to it, learning on the job. Luckily as you know, there are transferable skills you learn in life and as a student, which could be applied to any profession (to an extent). I have to also say that I was led by my conviction that instead of complaining about something, you do something about it and if I wanted to be good at it, I need to keep learning, take the good with the bad to make a great product.

The Beginning

Yes, I did start Exquisite Magazine when I was still living in England. I used to live in an area where we couldn’t readily buy a magazine that was for the Black British woman and to crown it, then, we only had two or three magazines for women of colour with majority of that two or three being just about hair and beauty. I needed a magazine for us that would also cater to our fashion, beauty and lifestyle needs and that’s how Exquisite magazine was birth. After a few years, we decided to launch in Nigeria and we were well received. There weren’t that many fashion magazines when we started, so the land was still (and still is ) virgin.

I believe we are in a league of our own with our own vision and mission. We are different because before anything else, we are a fashion magazine, then beauty and Lifestyle. We thrive on being able to empower, inspire and motivate people with the information required to get them excited about themselves. We also use our platform to create awareness for a form of cancer that is 100% preventable and a lot of women are dying from (cervical cancer). The ELOY awards which is our biggest baby at Exquisite magazine. After a few years of being in Nigeria, I noticed that almost all the awards ceremonies that were held were to honour men and maybe, maybe one or two females. We wanted to change that, as there are so many women doing exceptionally well in different fields and are not being recognised. These women need to be honoured, recognised and celebrated, so other women especially the younger ones would be encouraged to be the best at anything they want to do even if its male dominated. With the vision and mission of exquisite magazine being to celebrate, inspire, motivate and empower women, we started an event which brings women together to network and communicate. In 2009, we started the only female awards in Nigeria called the ELOY awards. ELOY is acronym for EXQUISITE LADIES OF THE YEAR, which uses its platform to celebrate women of excellence in different fields to inspire and motivate other women.

The EMACC project and its Spread

The focus of the Exquisite Magazine Annual Cervical Cancer (EMACC) project is on all things to do with cervical cancer including information about symptoms and causes of the disease, ways to prevent it and ways people and companies can support us. Every hour in Nigeria, women are dying with cervical cancer, which is preventable thanks to cervical screening and the HPV vaccination programme. However people are still not going in for their yearly screenings. Early detection is also key in increasing survival rates and so educating everyone on the disease, its symptoms and ways to prevent it is key. The reception has been ok but could be great. We are gradually getting there. We are on a mission to make people realise early detection is key, they need to get screened and spread the word. Not all cancers are pink!

To an extent, we are attaining our goals, but not attaining it enough. We want to be able to screen thousands of women monthly and vaccinate children so that deaths associated with cervical cancer can be minimised but we are still trying to get there.

We have already expanded into different states. Aside from Lagos, we have been to cities in Abuja for free screening session and to villages in Rivers state. More states are currently being explored as well

Reason for Focusing On Cervical Cancer

Our focus on cancer especially cervical cancer is a little personal. Too many women have died from a form of cancer that is preventable and for me that is totally unacceptable. Women are the solid foundation of any society, if we keep losing our women what going to be left of us? You hear of different illness that just happen to people in the cause of their lifetime and we hear of preventative medicine for some of these illnesses. I think it is wise to prevent cervical cancer than to have to treat full blown cancer and eventually die from it. Cancer is real, yes it can be beaten but we need to be wise. One death every hour from a preventable cancer is not acceptable.

Balancing it all

God. God is the one helping me day in day out as I even don’t know how I do it. I know what my responsibilities are and I work to make sure one doesn’t suffer for the other. I’m still work in progress though.

My Drive and Passion Won’t Let Me Give Up

As a publisher, the challenges come in different packages. Lol. There is the need for great editorial staff, the need to be able to share your vision with people who are passionate enough about that vision to go on the mission to fulfilling it with you. There is the economic challenge as well but with the different challenges, we are able to raise above them and still churn out great magazine with great content every issue and great events.

What inspired me not to give up is the drive and passion that I have for my work. I love what I do and every day, I believe I can be better at it to bring out the best in me. Plus I love it when people give us the compliments and constructive criticism. It drives me to be better.

Women, Believe in Yourself

My advice would be to believe in yourself. Don’t mind the naySayers or what the statistics say, if you can visualise your vision and are prepared to work on that vision, it has no choice but to be a reality. Notice I said believe and work. It’s not enough to believe alone, you must put in the required work to achieve anything.

Celebrating Other People’s Success Makes Me a Woman of Rubies

I am a woman who has grown into herself, who believes in herself and knows her worth. I am an exquisite woman of rubies who doesn’t let life happen to her but is a go-getter and takes life on with the mind set of being able to do anything I set my mind to. I am beautiful on the inside and outside and I desire that all women and men are a success. I celebrate another person’s success because I believe life is not a competition. I am not afraid to ask for help when I need it.

 

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