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“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!

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FIRST LADY, AISHA BUHARI CAMPAIGNS FOR WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN NEUROSURGICAL SERVICES

Mrs Buhari made the appeal on Thursday at a dinner marking the end of the third congress of the Association of African Neurosurgical Societies (CAANS) in Abuja.

She was represented by the wife of the Vice-President Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo.

She urged the neurosurgical societies to expedite action towards the establishment of additional centres across Nigeria, to tackle the emerging cases of children born with deformity.

She commended the association urged increased women participation in the profession.

“When you think of neurosurgery, what comes to mind are the stories of the difficult hours that the practice requires.

“ This not withstanding, women are increasingly choosing to practice the profession all over the continent because neurosurgeons play a major role in ensuring that children born with abnormalities receive special attention.”

Mrs Buhari advised practitioners to partner with relevant stakeholders to ensure affordable treatment of children with abnormalities.

“ I am passionate about the health of and well-being of our children and I know the crucial role that neurosurgeons play in addressing the needs of children born with abnormalities of the nervous system.”

She, therefore, emphasised the need to assist in addressing the plight of families with neurosurgical patients.

On her part, a member of the global body of the association, Prof. Gail Rosseau, said diseases do not show any preference for colour of any ethnic group.

Rosseau said that the disease is a healthcare challenge that unites people to stand against it.

He, therefore, requested for partnership with the Future Assured Programme, the pet project of Mrs Buhari to address problems confronting children born with abnormalities in Nigeria.

Source: Pulse News

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10 THINGS TO LEARN FROM BETTY IRABOR’S BOOK, ‘DUST TO DEW’

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CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE TO RECEIVE HONORARY DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON

Nigerian writer and activist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is to receive an Honorary Doctor of Literature (DLit) degree during the July 2018 graduation ceremonies of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.

According to the school’s website:
‘Chimamanda’s books have challenged perceptions around issues such as identity and race, and her internationally renowned TED talk ‘We should all be feminists’ had a global impact on conversations about gender equality.’

The author is to be honored alongside Academy Award winning actor Forest Whitaker, author Dr Jung Chang, film curator June Givanni and human rights activist Vrinda Grover.

Source:Bellanaija

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PAKISTAN ELECTION: SOME PAKISTANI WOMEN YET TO EXERCISE THEIR VOTING RIGHT SINCE 1947

This year many had vowed to cast a ballot following changes to Pakistan’s election laws and amid shifting attitudes towards women in parts of the deeply patriarchal South Asian country.

Some 3,200 women were listed on the electoral register in Mohri Pur — but not one voted, according to election officials and an AFP journalist at the village’s sole polling station.

“We have threats from our husbands that they will divorce us if we cast our vote,” 25-year-old Tanya Bibi told AFP as she walked past the polling station, without going in.

Around 8,000 men were registered to vote in the village. Large queues of them — each clutching identity cards — formed at the polling station, located in a school.

“We are here to cast our ballots, but our women didn’t cast their votes because it is our old tradition which we have been preserving,” Muhammad Shamsher told AFP.

Even Qasir Abbas, a lawyer who campaigned for the women’s vote, said in the end he did not bring his wife to the polling station, explaining: “I was afraid … the villagers might boycott my family.”

Bismillah Iram, from a local NGO, said announcements were made from the village mosque warning that women should not come to the polling station.

Elders in Mohri Pur, which is located in Punjab province, banned women from voting decades ago, claiming that visiting a public polling booth would “dishonour” them.

So-called “honour” describes a patriarchal code across South Asia that often seeks to justify the murder and oppression of women who defy conservative traditions by acts such as choosing their own husband, or working outside the home.

Women in Mohri Pur told AFP recently that they had tried to vote in previous elections but had been prevented.

In 2015, one woman, Fouzia Talib, became the only one in the village to vote in local elections. She was ostracised.

Hopes were raised this time after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) declared that at least 10 percent of voters in each constituency must be women, otherwise its results will be voided.

Nearly 20 million new voters were registered in the rapidly growing country of some 207 million people, including 9.13 million women, the commission said.

It was not immediately clear how many had voted once polls closed, but queues of women voters could be seen in major cities such as Lahore and Karachi.

Not so in Mohri Pur, where “not a single female voted,” said Asia Bibi, an assistant presiding officer, adding that she was “surprised and upset”.

Women reported better experiences in conservative rural areas elsewhere, however, notably in parts of Lower Dir, in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where they were allowed to vote for the first time.

Bakht Sania Bibi, a 46-year-old mother-of-three from Samarbagh town, said village elders had previously stopped women from voting. Announcements used to be made through mosques’ loudspeakers saying women would not be allowed to vote.

“I have voted today and feel elated to get my basic right,” she told AFP.

Sajida Haleem, 27, a first-time voter from Lower Dir’s Koto town said she had been prevented from voting in elections in 2013 and 2015.

“I had always thought, ‘Why do men decide for us? Can we as women decide for them?'” Haleem, who has a Masters degree in social work, told AFP.

“Today I feel I’m a complete Pakistani. I have got my right which had been denied to me since I was 18,” she added.

strs-mmg-pdh/st/amz

Culled from pulse.ng

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WENDY WILLIAMS TALKS 10 YEARS ON TV, CRITICISM & HOT TOPICS

TV host Wendy Williams recently sat down with Cosmopolitan for a candid conversation in honor of her show’s 10th anniversary and the launch of her Hunter Foundation’s Give Back Gala.

When asked if anything  was off-limits on her Hot Topics, she said:
‘I don’t do my show from a place of mean. I’m not a mean woman. I’m lovely. [Laughs.] However, I’m a straight shooter—there’s only 24 hours in a day and you’ve got five seconds to say something. I’m going to get straight to the point’.

On how her show has changed Daytime TV

I’ve been a broadcaster for over 30 years. And how I think I really made my stamp [on radio] was by talking, innocently talking, about what I saw on the streets. It became a thing like, Oh my god Wendy’s talking. But I don’t like to use the word gossip—that’s a weird word to me.
Next thing you know, the 12 songs an hour that I was required to play turned into six songs because I’m gabbing. Next it’s two songs. Now it’s no music and all talk. I love it. [And now] I find a lot more people doing “Hot Topics,” doing what I’ve been doing for the better part of my career.

On striking a balance as a celebrity herself

It’s not easy doing what I do because…you can’t play two sides. You can’t do what I do and be a ‘celebrity person’ and be socializing with celebrities all the time—it taints “Hot Topics.” The more celebrities I meet, the more disappointed I get in celebrity culture.
And you also can’t do what I do and be out with your friends all the time. I only have one absolute best friend, and she lives in California. We talk every day, but she’s not here [on the East Coast], and I’m almost glad she’s not because she’d be occupying my time. I have to be up at 5:30 a.m. every morning. [After my shows], I’ve got to get home—I’ve got a household to take care of, and myself to take care of. I’ve got to moisturize. I am very serious about my moisturization.

On racism
‘I’m not lying to you—every day when I get home and pull in my driveway, I always squint extra at our mailbox and at our front door [looking out for] vandalism, a cross burned, poop thrown at the door, or something like that. And you know what people commented on my own site? Wendy, why are you complaining? Why don’t you just move?’

On her son’s struggle with drugs
‘My son smoked K2—they take that grass and they spray it with rat poison or whatever. It’s not weed, it’s not coke. Kids are out there smoking that mess. It’ll turn you into a different person’.
‘I saw it for myself—this affected [my family] very deeply. I didn’t know whether my kid would ever return to school. The whole time we’re nursing him through [recovery], I’m supposed to make fun on the show like, “Hi! Here’s Wendy! Hahaha!” But I’m dying inside. [Withdrawal] was a slow process and, for us, it didn’t involve psychiatric drugs or a psychiatrist. We cleaned him out—anything for my boy’.

On her legacy
‘That I made you smile no matter what. [Crying] I can’t stand that bitch, but she is funny as hell–like that, you know? And I do want people to remember me for my race relations, because on the down-low I do a lot for race relations’.

Full interview here  Cosmopolitan.Com below:

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CEEC SIGNS ENDORSEMENT DEAL WITH NAIRABET

Big Brother Naija Double Wahala housemate, CeeC Nwadiora has added another endorsement deal to her already growing list and this time, it’s with sports betting brand, NairaBET.

The sports betting platform took to their social media platform to unveil their latest ambassadorial addition alongside pictures from the contract signing event.

CeeC also confirmed the endorsement deal with a post shared on her Instagram page with caption;

The most powerful thing you can do right now is to be patient while things are unfolding for you. Another one in the bag, I love my new family!! Thanks @officialnairabet , looking forward to an amazing relationship.

 

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CHUKWUNETA OBY: UNDESERVING OF YOU….

Sometimes, what hurts when a relationship goes south isn’t really the end of the relationship but the emotions and resources invested!

As one grows older, you become aware of people who are undeserving of your presence in their lives and those whose absence (from your emotional space) is rather a relief.

This maAs you ‘feel’ your way through life, you will also begin to understand that real CARE is never in grandiose displays (a.k.a ‘assurance’) but in the little but consistent gestures of another towards you.

If whoever you are prioritizing in your life falls below the category before…he/she belongs to the category of PEOPLE WHO DON’T DESERVE YOU.

If all you have tried doing is ‘be a friend’ but what greets your efforts from someone who hasn’t even lifted a finger towards you, is being treated like a nuisance…he/she doesn’t deserve you.kes life a lot easy!

You are single-parenting but all your “love interest” seems to care about is YOU. Nobody who hasn’t shown sufficient interest in your “baggage” deserves you.

If the love is genuine, it should take all of you into perspective.
“Love me…love my dog,’’ remember?

When a relationship is strained, only a true friend would NOT wait for words to read the reconciliatory tone of your body language. But the one who would always want you to grovel for ‘peace’ doesn’t deserve you.
The spouse, to whom nothing (marital commitment, respect for your- person/feelings, concern for your health/family, etc) is enough to make him/her hold back from certain “misdemeanour” has long stopped deserving you.

The sanctity of marriage is expressed in the temptations out there that we hold back from yielding to.
Listen…
Everyone gets tempted to ‘misbehave,’ especially in marriage, but the one who has upheld his or her own side of the bargain simply chose to respect what he/she has with you.

And such disposition is NOT exactly borne out of weakness.
The ‘family’ that will rather resent your loving gesture, which has not come in monetary form, does not deserve you-frankly.
Of all the places where ‘money should talk’…the family should be the LEAST of such.

A family is where everyone should come as he/she is bringing along their vulnerability.

But when a family begins to carry on as if the only thing that can confer ‘worthiness’ on their own is some economic worth, such a family has become toxic to the selfless soul.

I had this conversation with a young man, recently. He feels so unworthy because he is not as comfortable economically as his siblings.
I pointed out to him that what (compassion) he is blessed with is even greater than any material worth.

Also, compared to most of them, his health is excellent and he’s been the one that is always there to help care for the ailing.

I am surprised that he has not seen how life has chosen to reward him. The combination of good health and a caring heart is a huge blessing!
If a supposed friend treats you any differently than how he treats any other-based on a social class…you are not safe with such a person.
“The worst custodians of LOYALTY are social climbers’’…says a friend.

They are the types who are constantly editing their life stories to ‘belong’.
Anybody who is incapable of cherishing the memories of little beginnings and the various actors in such settings isn’t trustworthy.

Don’t invest your emotions in that person who is all ‘caring’ only when they have a need for you.

You see that friend who makes efforts to keep in touch when he or she can conveniently look the other way?

That’s a friend to treasure for life! The age we live in has turned most of us to ‘users’ in one way or the other.

Any ‘close’ friend whose vulnerability (low moments, etc) you have never experienced isn’t on the same ‘emotional page’ with you and is most likely not as close as you think.

Sometimes, those that make you feel ‘not good enough’ are actually those that you do not belong with.
“If they don’t see anything wrong with their action…they will never stop the madness.

A toxic person, group or entity usually cannot see the fault in their actions.

When you bring it up to them, do not be alarmed if they hit you with manipulations and tactics to avoid accountability.

The older you get, the less stress you accept in your life.
You keep your circle small and you just overlook things you would have flipped out on- in the past.

When people want to leave your life, you just say “OK.’’ Ultimately, you are more peaceful and family oriented.

You just care less about the scene, fitting in and meaningless connections.

“You level up and really care about enjoying life every single day.’’ -Sylvester Mc.Nutt

Source: Guardian

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NINE-YEAR-OLD EMMANUELLA OZIOFU DEVELOPS APP AND WEBSITE TO EMPOWER NIGERIAN CHILDREN

Nine-year-old Emmanuella Oziofu has successfully developed an app and website to empower Nigerian children. Her website, www.emmas academy.com, aims to empower young Nigerians with skills in area of coding, web development and graphic design. Her mobile app, Emma’s ICT Academy which is available on google playstore, is aimed at encouraging both fellow kids and even parents to imbibe a culture of eating healthy local and international dishes.

Emmanuella who is a fifth Grade student of Skycrest Schools enrolled at Mikon Institute of Information Technology, where she bagged a Certificate in Basic Training – Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and later, a Diploma in Desktop Publishing in 2016. She also has certificate in Web Design from Complete Computer Technology Institute (CCT), in 2017,

Her journey into Information Communication Technology started when she was just seven years old, and at nine, she already has a diploma in Desktop Publishing, Advance Excel, Adobe Page Maker, Advance Power Point and Corel Draw. In 2018, despite her routine class work she also enrolled to study Web Development and Graphic Design at NIIT.

Emmanuella went ahead to enrol for Mobile App development at Tech24 and developed her personal mobile app, as well as  designed and hosted her own website, known as Emma’s ICT Academy. She claims to have mastered operations in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, JQuery, WordPress, PHP, Mysql and Graphic Design after successfully completing online courses at SOLOLEARN, California and acquired Certificates in HTML Fundamentals Course; Certificate in PHP Tutorial Course; Certificate in CSS Fundamentals Course; Certificate in SQL Fundamentals Course; Certificate in JavaScript Tutorial Course and Certificate in JQuery Tutorial Course.

Emmanuella reveals that she would like to help teach young children about ICT and also broaden her knowledge about the field in future. Speaking with Hi-Tech at the unveiling of her mobile app and website, she said that her passion to impact lives meaningfully informed her decision to acquire knowledge in ICT.

She said:

“My target was to become a professional web designer and analyst at age nine, and I have accomplished it. I have developed over 12 websites, static and dynamic for my school. I also want to project my skills, among which is a web agency (www.emmas academy. com) to teach people how to build a website. “Another is to teach young ones how to prepare healthy Nigerian food.”

She had previously created a chat site, a personal website and had at the age of eight, created three websites for her former school, Fortune Schools in Benin, Edo.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/07/incredible-tech-feat-nine-year-old-girl-develops-app-website-to-empower-fellow-kids/

 

Source: Vanguard

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DR. EZINNE MERIBE: FAT IS NOT YOUR ENEMY

In recent times, thanks to the increased awareness for healthy eating and largely due to increased efforts to combat the ‘obesity epidemic’ and heart disease in the West, low fat foods flooded the market. You may ask what has West got to do with how we all eat? We are largely influenced by Western media and since in the world of science, we always look up to them for new frontiers in research, we swallowed the low-fat evangelism – hook, line and sinker. Note that the rise in obesity and heart disease may have had more to do with the increasing sedentary lifestyle.
The argument against fat was that fat was making us fat and we needed to replace all that fat with carbohydrates. Fat was kicked out from food production, food manufacturers had to come up with a better way to make the foods more palatable – what did we get? Processed low-fat foods high in sugar.

This led to a lot of misconceptions and sadly an increase in the same diseases that we set out to prevent. (please note that carbs are not the enemy either. Good nutrition basically entails having a sizable amount of all classes of food during meal times). Contrary to what the manufacturers say, “low fat” foods contain as much calories as the ones that contain regular fat (if not more). The low-fat label was simply a guise to sell more products.

I cringe when I see people promote low fat foods as part of a healthy diet or for weight loss. Thanks to this trend, it is common to have clients tell me on our first coaching call ‘oh I have been eating low-fat A or low-fat B’. My advice is always, ‘throw it away, you don’t need it’. You are better off eating your full fat in moderation, getting all the amazing benefits of good quality fat and ditching all that over-processed sugar (too many chemical bonds) that your body has to struggle to digest.
The fat you want to avoid are the fats that raise cholesterol levels, clog the arteries and cause overall problems to the heart and organs. These are the trans fats usually on the ingredients list as partially hydrogenated oil.

Most foods labelled low fat contain trans-fat. This fat is gotten by adding hydrogen to the natural fats to make it solid that way, it can stay longer on the shelves. Trans fat increases risks of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.

Again, low fat foods contain stunning amounts of sugar which keeps the consumer hooked on the product – think food addiction & cravings. These sugars also come from refined carbs. Our bodies digest refined carbs more quickly. As a result, this will cause a spike in the blood sugar, increasing the risk of diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol levels.
They are also laden with salt/MSG to enhance taste. High salt content can cause high blood pressure. (Also note, not your regular table salt).
The good news is fat is essential for blood clotting, muscle movement, maintaining healthy blood vessels and the correct functioning of the nervous system. It helps the body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K and minerals. It is also a great source of energy.
Did you know your hormones are made from fat? Eliminating good quality fat from our meals will result in deficiency of these vitamins and that can impact your immunity and limit the body’s ability to heal itself.
Here are some foods that contain the healthy fats your body will be grateful for.

Seeds and nuts – walnuts, flax seeds, chia etc.
Fish – Salmon, mackerel, sardines, cord, are great sources of healthy fat. They are rich in Omega 3 which is essential to maintain optimum health.
Avocado – Full of healthy fats, they’re also abundant in vitamin K, B vitamins, potassium and much more. If you cannot stand eating it alone, there are so many ways to incorporate it into your meal daily – using it as a spread on your toast, adding it to your smoothie blend (powers up your smoothie and keeps you fuller for longer), adding it to a salad or having it as a side dish.

Eggs: Rich in protein and healthy fats. Be sure to always include the yolk as well as the egg whites, to get the best of both worlds. In the past we were made to believe the yolk was full of cholesterol and not good for the body. Just in case you haven’t read the latest news/research, egg yolks are good for you. I mean what is an egg without the yolk?
Don’t forget your oils too. Oils like extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil and palm oil.

And if you love a warm glass of milk like me (except you are lactose intolerant), please say goodbye to skimmed milk, that is the height of punishment.

In summary, there is a lot of evidence to show that healthy sources of fat improve heart health. There is no long-term benefit of low-fat diets with regards to weight loss and disease reduction.

Eating your fats from whole food options is your best bet, but if you must get it in packed foods, ditch the low-fat labels in front and inspect the food label at the back closely. Reading your food label is a great way to ensure that the food actually contains the promises on the packet. Most importantly, get active. Make it a habit to take ‘walking breaks’ while at work. Find an activity you love and get in your feeling with it.
The problem is not that we are eating fat, the real problem is – we are not using it for fuel.

About Ezinne Meribe
Dr. Ezinne Meribe is the host of Beyond A Dress Size podcast; a podcast series that creates stimulating conversations to pull down misconceptions on nutrition, weight loss, health and body diversity while empowering women to live life beyond the numbers on the dress label, scale or tape.She is the Lead Wellness Coach/Founder at Zinnyslifestyle, where she leverages her professional qualifications and personal experience to teach women how to OWN & LOVE their bodies and LIVE in it fabulously; having successfully won the struggle with being overweight and loving her body. A UK certified Wellness Professional with a Bachelors in Medicine and Surgery (MBBS), she completed her postgraduate training in Public Health at Kumamoto University, Japan. As a Medical Doctor and Public Health Specialist, she continues to promote preventive medicine as the number one way to combat the severe health system constraints in developing countries.

You can connect with her on
Instagram @zinnyslifestyle
Facebook @zinnyslifestyle
Read more on Medium @ezinnemeribe

 

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