A Nigerian lady on twitter, @zynnnie, has won the hearts of many after she revealed that she is currently training as a cardiologist after she bagged a degree in law.
Many Nigerians are applauding her for doing what many think is unthinkiable which is to pursue a career in different fields that are ”very tough”.
Credit: LIB
Captain Abimbola Jaiyeola, a helicopter pilot.
Abimbola, in December 2014, became the first female helicopter captain in Nigeria, flying the Sikorsky S76 for Bristow Helicopters Nigeria.
A little over a year later, in 2016, Abimbola was in the news again, this time, for saving 13 lives by “ditching” the helicopter she was flying.
Ditching is knowingly making a controlled emergency landing on water.
Although some of the passengers suffered some injuries, no life was lost.
Abimbola, an Ogun state indigene, graduated from the Bristow Academy in 2008 and then moved to Florida to continue her training.
In 2017, she was named in Leading Ladies Africa (LLA)’s 100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria list.
Roheemah Arogundade and Kehinde Lawal broke 21-yr-old record in Obafemi Awolowo University.
Both Kehinde Lawal and Roheemah Arogundade graduated with 4.56 CGPA, something no student has been able achieve in the last 21 years.
Since 1997, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) did not produce first class graduates in its English Department. In fact, the last distinction graduate of the department, Akinmade Akande is now a professor of English.
In OAU, the English and Geology Departments have a reputation for not producing first class graduates. However, on Wednesday, December 12, 2018, the university at its 43rd joint convocation ceremony announced Roheemah Arogundade and Kehinde Lawal as the first graduates of the University to bag first class from the English Department.
In this interview with Pulse, the two outstanding graduates talked about their lives on campus and their academic achievements.
Pulse: Did you determine to break the jinx when you realized there’s been no first class graduate since 1997 in your department?
Roheemah: Growing up, the thirst for excellence was instilled in me by my parents. So I always aspire to excellence wherever I find myself and upon my entry into the university. That’s what I worked towards achieving.
Kehinde: I strongly desired it but it was hard at the same time to dispel the thought of the long-believed “impossibility.” From the onset, I was determined to try and make a stride for goods grades (maybe not for a first class but to be the best in a class of about 400 students). The desperate zeal to really finish with a first class grew when I made a 5.0 CGPA in my 200 level 2nd semester result. At that point, I was wowed and I made up my mind to try all I could to have first class. So, from that time, I was working towards it.
Pulse: What did you do differently that made it easy for you to break the record?
Roheemah: I wouldn’t know if I had done something different, only that I decided to work not only hard but smart too. I had a plan for every semester. I had a senior colleague who I would meet at the end of every semester to make copies of her notes and materials in order to prepare for the next semester in advance. I also ensured that I attended every class, attended discussions and tutorials, met with lecturers and fellow students when I needed to understand some topics. Also, I ensured that I read all the topics treated in class in a day. And most importantly, I never neglected my prayers.
Kehinde: Well, I can not state specifically what I did differently from others because I do not know how much effort some other people pumped towards having a first class in the department. But, on a general note, what I noticed that I did differently from many of my colleagues was to study every night ( even if it was just for an hour). Many students failed to cultivate the habit of consistent revision or studying until it’s time for assessments. “Crash reading” never works for me. So, I tried to prepare for exams from the beginning of the semester.
Pulse: What were your campus days like?
Roheemah: They were quite interesting. Apart from academics, I was involved in other activities. I was a member of the drug-free club and also a member of Association of Nigerian Authors. I participated in volunteering activities such as Nigerian cleanups and some others. I took a course in project management. I was engaged in freelance writing and editing and also tutoring.
Kehinde: Campus life was quite stressful for me. I had too many extracurricular activities I delved into. From my 200 level, I was committed to being a member of different committees in the department. I was a member of the Audit committee, Trip and Excursion Committee, Award Dinner Committee, Class party committee and others. In my 2nd year also, I started as a member of NASELS’ Communication Bureau (the press outfit of the department). Gradually, I rose in rank to become the assistant managing editor, the managing editor and the Editor-in-Chief in my final year. I was actively involved in the publication of the departmental magazine (FOUNT) in 2015 too.
Pulse: Were you aware there was another student in the department with record-breaking CGPA and did you see her as competition?
Roheemah: No, I didn’t know earlier on but when I did, I was quite happy when I realised that a friend was also doing excellently well. There was no competition of any kind, instead, we always met to discuss difficult topics and explain them to one another.
Kehinde: Yes, there were rumours. Same way mine was a rumour until I finally graduated. But I didn’t see her as competition. During exams, we had group discussions and revised past questions together. I was very happy we made it but we were surprised that we finished with the same point- 4.56.
Pulse: What do you think is responsible for the lack of first class graduates for 21 years in the department?
Roheemah: I believe every student works hard or tries their best to be excellent too. So I just believe it wasn’t time.
Kehinde: I can’t say precisely. However, I feel the orientation fresh students get on admission into the department is quite discouraging. So, even without making an effort to make the first class, students in the department just naturally feel comfortable having average grades because everyone believes the first class grade is impossible.
I hope that the achievement Roheemah and I have made would further encourage students and prospective students of the department to do better. Now it is established that it is possible, I hope to see more people graduating with first class in years to come. Although it’s not by default, hard work is highly recommended too.
Pulse: Apart from studying what would you say helped to achieve this academic feat?
Roheemah: God and my support system i.e. my family and friends
Kehinde: God, Prayers and support from my mother, family and my best friend.
Pulse: Did the school management reward you for breaking the record?
Roheemah: At this moment, no.
Kehinde: There are not many awards in the department and the single one that exists was not awarded to anyone.
This is something that also needs to be changed to encourage students. The school should make provisions for awards and Alumni too should do the same.
Pulse: With your first class degree in English what career path do you intend to follow?
Roheemah: I’m passionate about academics, so I’ll be getting involved one way or another in that but I also love writing. So definitely that’s something I will be pursuing too. I’m open to anything really, as long as it is something that contributes positively to the society and gives room for self-growth.
Kehinde: Good grades aren’t guarantees for a secured career path but they open doors of life-changing opportunities for those that seek it.
With a first class from OAU and in a department where it was previously considered impossible, I have a certain level of confidence that it would be relatively easy to study further anywhere in the world.
I would love to explore opportunities in the communication field like corporate communications, marketing, advertising, media relations, brand management, and public relations. All these are interrelated fields that my degree in English would help me with immensely.
Credit: Pulse News
Top beauty YouTuber, Jackie Aina who is known for constantly advocating for visibility of black women in the cosmetic industry, has won the “Beauty Influencer of The Year” award at the Women’s Wear Daily’s Beauty Inc Awards.
Prior to this award, Jackie also took home the “YouTuber of the Year” award at the 2018 NAACP Image Awards in January.
Jackie Aina was born and raised in Los Angeles by a Nigerian father and an American mother.
Creating her YouTube channel one year after joining the US military, provided a source of escape from her then unhappy marriage.
Jackie Aina shared the exciting news on the Instagram page. See her Instagram post below.
Pop icon, Janet Jackson has been named as one of the stars that will be inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for 2019
The 52-year-old singer will be inducted alongside Radiohead, Stevie Nicks, Def Leppard, The Cure, Roxy Music and the Zombies, who all will become class of 2019.
“Janet Jackson has built a career so groundbreaking that she’s immediately identifiable on a first-name basis,” the organization wrote on its site. “She explored social issues, themes of empowerment and self-confidence, and influenced generations with her stylized music videos with innovative choreography.”
Jackson celebrated the news on Twitter. “We did it u guys,” the music icon wrote. “Thank U for all your love and support.”
We did it u guys ? Thank U for all your love and support. #RockHall2019pic.twitter.com/1APrRJdmTv
— Janet Jackson (@JanetJackson) December 13, 2018
The induction ceremony will be held at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Friday, March 29, 2019
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame recognizes inductees for “having contributed over 25 years of musical excellence.”
Credit: LIB
37-year-old Tennis champion, Serena Williams is the cover star for Teen Vogue’s December issue.
Serena Williams and Naomi Wadler who sat down for an interview with Lindsay Peoples Wagner, the editor-in-chief of the magazine spoke on Activism, Power and other sensitive issues.
Read below.
Lindsay Peoples Wagner: There are so many things I want to ask both of you, but one of the immediate things that comes to mind is how you’ve both taken a lot of risks in your personal and professional lives. Why have you been so willing to take risks and speak out, whether about activism or being a woman of color?
Naomi Wadler: Okay, so I want to do all of the events that I do right until I am about to go onstage, because that is when I am like —
Lindsay Peoples Wagner: You nervous?
Naomi Wadler: It’s just great to be able to have the platform that I have, and that Serena has, and that you have, because not everybody has those platforms, and so part of that is being able to lift up other voices, and so that it’s not just somebody who is famous, or well known, or just a public figure.
Serena Williams: You put that really well. We’re in a position where we have the opportunity to use our status and our social network, and to use different platforms that we are on and that we can talk about it, ’cause a lot of people see what we post and see the things that we write. And although it’s so fun to have the opportunity to post lots of fun things, I also find it really important to post and talk about real items that affect us on a day-to-day basis.
Lindsay Peoples Wagner: Serena, how do you handle it all? Your training, your beautiful baby, business. How do you handle it day to day?
Serena Williams: Honestly, I don’t know. I go to bed every night thinking, How did I get through this day? I’m sure a lot of people out there can relate, right? It’s like, this day is over, it’s 10 o’clock, I got through it. How did that happen? That’s kind of how I am. Between… I just started training. Yes, I’m still playing.
Serena Williams speaks on Power and Activism as she graces the cover of Teen Vogue (Photos)
Lindsay Peoples Wagner: We’re ready.
Serena Williams: So, that has been… OK, now I’m training on top of running this fashion company, on top of being a full-time mom. I’m super hands-on as a mom. I just take it as it is and realize that everyone goes through the same thing.
Lindsay Peoples Wagner: I want to talk about confidence. You both are so public, I’m sure you have days where you either get nervous or don’t feel great. How do you pick it back up on those days when you don’t feel so confident that you’re doing the right things or you don’t feel like things are going in that direction?
Serena Williams: I think it’s really important to realize that no day is going to be perfect. For me, that’s really hard because I strive for perfection, and I feel like everything I do has to be great and has to be perfect, because I am a true perfectionist. But that’s impossible. That’s not reasonable. Then I realize that, OK, I had a rough day today, let’s do something to make it better tomorrow. I think it’s important to expect to have some really rough times when you’re going through something, but always know that you can overcome it.
Media personality and founder of Amputees United, Adenike Oyetunde is set to release a new book named after her.
She’s sharing her inspiring story in the new book. Adenike was 20 when she got the news that would change her life. She was in her sophomore year in the university and was at home one weekend when she slipped and landed on her right knee while doing chores. This caused a pain that defied painkillers. She was eventually taken to the hospital and was told she had a blood clot due to the fall and the limb had to be drained out.
After this, she went back to school but her condition kept deteriorating. Another x-ray revealed that the clot was still there. This was when she was referred to the National Orthopedic Hospital, Igbobi. She was later diagnosed with Osteogenic Sarcoma (a malignant bone tumor) and was told her right leg had to be amputated to save her life.
Congratulations, Adenike!
On December 3rd, Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie moderated an on-stage conversation with former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama about Obama’s new memoir, “Becoming”.
The conversation covered Obama’s early life and career, her reinvention of the role of First Lady, and her ongoing activities since leaving the White House.
The event held at The Royal Festival Hall on December 03, 2018 in London, England.
The former First Lady’s memoir titled ‘Becoming’ has become the best selling book in the US for 2018 according to figures released by her publisher Penguin Random House.
See photos below.
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 03: Former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama speaks with Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie at The Royal Festival Hall on December 03, 2018 in London, England. The former First Lady’s memoir titled ‘Becoming’ has become the best selling book in the US for 2018 according to figures released by her publisher Penguin Random House. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 03: Former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama speaks with Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie at The Royal Festival Hall on December 03, 2018 in London, England. The former First Lady’s memoir titled ‘Becoming’ has become the best selling book in the US for 2018 according to figures released by her publisher Penguin Random House. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 03: Former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama speaks with Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie at The Royal Festival Hall on December 03, 2018 in London, England. The former First Lady’s memoir titled ‘Becoming’ has become the best selling book in the US for 2018 according to figures released by her publisher Penguin Random House. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 03: Former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama speaks at The Royal Festival Hall on December 03, 2018 in London, England. The former First Lady’s memoir titled ‘Becoming’ has become the best selling book in the US for 2018 according to figures released by her publisher Penguin Random House. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 03: Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie speaks with Former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama (not pictured) at The Royal Festival Hall on December 03, 2018 in London, England. The former First Lady’s memoir titled ‘Becoming’ has become the best selling book in the US of 2018 according to figures released by her publisher Penguin Random House. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)
Photo Credit: Jack Taylor/Getty Images
Credit: Bella Naija
Nigerian-Jamaican photographer, Nadine Ijewere, has become the first black woman to shoot a Vogue cover.
(Photo: Instagram/Nadine Ijewere)
Most known for her Stella McCartney editorial, she recently photographed Rihanna for the cover of Allure. For British Vogue, she shot global pop star, Dua Lipa for the magazine’s first issue of 2019.
Announcing this on Instagram, Ijewere said:
“If you had told me last year I would have photographed for British Vogue, I would have said not possible.
If you had told me a cover, I would have thought perhaps in a parallel universe. I am so grateful for this opportunity I have been given to shoot for a publication where I once felt perhaps I didn’t.”
(Photo: Instagram/Nadine Ijewere)
ARISE TV News Anchor, model, and philanthropist, Idia Aisien, has officially launched an NGO that is especially close to her heart – the International Development Initiative in Africa (IDIA).
The International Development Initiative in Africa seeks to attract
increased investment, capital flow and funding; by instilling hope and a
renewed faith in Africa through providing an Africa-owned framework and narrative for development. Standing as the continent’s media partner and platform to showcase its progress at regional and international levels through our reports.
IDIA’s mission is to eradicate poverty, promote sustainable growth and development, integrate Africa in the world economy, and accelerate the empowerment of women, men and children by telling the other half of the story.
To this end, they will showcase Africa’s commitment to good governance, democracy, human rights and conflict resolution; and the recognition of bodies that are creating exemplary platforms that will increase employment, attract investment and long-term economic growth.
Watch trailer about the initiative:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGu46BwIPEU&feature=youtu.be
Stay tuned for more updates on The IDIA Project.
Visit: theidiaproject.com
Social Media: @theidiaproject