International Women's day - Women of Rubies

In Career Gems March 11, 2023 By Esther Ijewere

9 Things That Make A Woman Threatening To Other Women

People can dislike someone for a number of good and bad reasons. Sometimes a person will act mean because they’re jealous of someone else. Are you constantly getting picked on or left out? Have friends who were previously cool suddenly become hostile or passive aggressive? Or maybe you just can’t manage to feel welcomed by a group of people no matter how hard you try to befriend them.

There is a difference between feeling threatened and feeling intimidated. The difference is fear.

When a woman feels threatened, she is afraid that you will take (or try to take) something she has (including her man, her confidence, her best friend, the role she has established in her group, etc.) or something she wants (like a promotion, a future boyfriend, etc.). In any case, these threatened feelings usually stem from our own insecurities. People don’t fear losing the things they are secure about.

When a beautiful woman walks in the room, we may feel intimidated or jealous, but we won’t feel threatened unless we are insecure about our own looks. Feeling threatened can bring out the worst in us. We may shut down or lash out when we let insecurity get the best of us.

Overcoming Insecurities and Building Bridges

Don’t be self-righteous or act like you’re better than someone who feels threatened by other women. Everyone has insecurities, and everyone will feel threatened sometimes. The best way to overcome these feelings is to recognize that you feel insecure and examine why you feel that way. When you take an honest look at yourself, you may be less inclined to be hurtful to someone else.

If you’re being ostracized by other women, let me offer my condolences to you. It’s tough being singled out. Even if your positive traits alienate some people, you still have your striking beauty and outstanding I.Q. as consolation prizes.

All jokes aside, I hope that you will move forward with a newfound awareness of your appealing traits, and I hope you will practice humility, kindness, and gentleness with the women around you. If you feel that you’re being unfairly judged for your positive qualities, consider going the extra mile to prove that you are more than a pretty face, and that your life is not as perfect as it seems.

You need and deserve good friends just as much as any other person. Envious, insecure people may pick on you out of fear, and people who act that way probably dislike parts of themselves more than they could ever despise you.

Ten Traits That Make a Woman Threatening to Other Women

You’re Beautiful

Whether or not you believe you’re beautiful, if other women around you think you’re prettier than them, you may struggle to connect with them. People of any age, body type, or size can be confident or insecure about their appearances. If someone feels that their appearance deviates from societally imposed standards of beauty, they may project their insecurity onto people who fit the standard more closely. It’s possible that other women may feel threatened by your beauty and your mere presence may make them feel inadequate. If they are single, they may see you as competition for romantic partners. If they are married, they might see you as a seductive temptress who is plotting to steal their spouses.

My advice:

Short of bodily mutation (that was a joke, not a suggestion), there is not much you can do to change your appearance. You can try to down-play your attractive features, but ultimately, you shouldn’t have to hide your good qualities to assuage someone else’s insecurities. If people seem threatened by your appearance, it may be helpful to offer sincere compliments about their appearances to help them feel more confident and less threatened by you. Don’t be excessively complimentary or self-deprecating, but be kind and encouraging. If you’ve demonstrated that you don’t consider yourself to be better than others based on appearance and you’re still being treated with hostility, consider distancing yourself from that relationship.

You’re Smart(er Than Them)

It’s okay to be smart, so long as the people around you aren’t reaching for a dictionary to translate your last sentence. The bigger the words you use, the smaller your audience may feel. Until you know the people around you, keep the conversation and the mood light. Most people just want to have fun. Make sure that you’re a fun conversationalist when you communicate with other people.

My Advice:

Brainiacs should be smart enough to know that giving a lecture on some obscure topic can be alienating for the people around you! You don’t have to dumb yourself down when you talk to other women, but if you’re a very smart person, try to refrain from using your intelligence to make other people feel stupid. Don’t show off or act condescending, but don’t hide your intelligence either. Get comfortable with being yourself and let other people know the real you too.

You Work (Too) Hard

Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom who cooks every meal from scratch with organic ingredients grown in your own garden or the professional woman who performs every task above and beyond the call of duty, your hands-on approach to life can make some people feel insecure about their own work ethic. I know you’re probably thinking that lazy, bare-minimum bums need to rise to the occasion or just let it go. Unfortunately, the only thing they will want to see go is you.

My Advice:

If your accomplishments and drive seem to make other people avoid you, try to avoid bragging, and don’t offer unsolicited advice to people about their initiative or lack thereof. Save detailed conversations about your goals for friends who similarly have a lot going on.

You Don’t Fit Into the Pecking Order

There are some women who try to bond with others by creating power imbalances and social hierarchies. One way to maintain a power imbalance is to undermine some people and make them seem inferior. This can be accomplished by putting other women down or by gossiping about them. Other members of the group will follow the lead of the more powerful person in the group so they won’t get ostracized by everyone else. Some people will contribute to and participate in unfair power imbalances because they want to, and some people will participate to avoid being placed at the bottom of the pecking order. These kinds of people are judgmental, critical, and mean.

My Advice:

If a person is willing to engage in petty gossip with you, they will probably also gossip about you. The most critical people are often the ones who have been the most criticized. Take pity on gossips, but don’t get too close to them!

You’re Confident

My grandma used to say, “If you’ve got it, flaunt it!” Well, don’t. It’s okay to know yourself and like who you are as long as you aren’t egotistical about it. When you walk into a room, does your presence say, “Here I am!” or “There you are?” Some under-confident people will feel threatened by another person’s confidence. Make sure that you are being confident and not arrogant when you interact with people.

My Advice:

Learn to like yourself and love others at the same time. You can be confident without being arrogant, and you should encourage your friends to be confident in themselves too. Keep in mind that it’s not your job to make someone else feel good about themselves. You can be the most supportive and encouraging friend and still encounter other people who will treat you as if you’re doing something to undermine them. In addition to unabashedly owning your confidence, seek friends who can sport theirs without expecting you to shine less brightly.

You’re Always Dressed to Impress

To some women, a pair of high heels is the same as sporting a pair of fishnet stockings and a tramp-stamp. Don’t ask me why, but a well-dressed woman can strike fear into the souls of all your flip-flopping, ballet-flatty, tennis-shoe-sporting friends. Maybe you just like to play dress-up, but the insecure women around you won’t care. They will question your motivations until their insecurity eats both them and you alive.

My Advice:

Know the dress code and don’t over-do it. There is a thin line between flashy and trashy. Wear clothes that make you feel comfortable and attractive, but be aware of how you’re presenting yourself and what kind of outfits are appropriate for each occasion. If your friends complain about your clothes, consider what they’re saying and why. Feel free to let them know that they’re welcome to change the way they dress if they want to enhance their style or get a different kind of attention.

You Have a Strong Personality

There’s a difference between being strong and being overbearing. A strong person is usually firm about who they are, their boundaries, and their beliefs. When a woman is strong, she typically doesn’t need obedience or approval from every person she interacts with, and she can accept that she and her friends may disagree on some things. However, an overbearing woman has an opinion about everything, and she usually insists on sharing that opinion. She always has an answer to every question, it just may not be the right one. She could be far left or far right, extremely spiritual or an extreme hippy, but no matter what she believes, she can be extremely annoying when she forces her opinions and perspectives onto other people. Which kind of woman are you?

My Advice:

If you are the sort of person who embraces a black-or-white perspective try to recognize that most of the world operates in shades of grey. It’s okay to have opinions or beliefs, but remember that other people may have different perspectives. Try to respect that other people will have their own ways of viewing the world and don’t force your opinions onto other people.

You’re Competitive

You know that girl who always has to win? The one who views every aspect of social interaction as a competition, and the one who will use your heart as a stepping stool to the top? Well, she may win the game, but she will lose her friends in the process. And what good is victory when you have no one to share it with?

My Advice:

Don’t let a sense of competition cause you to mistreat others and don’t maintain friendships with overly competitive people. Even if you’re a naturally competitive person, try to avoid treating all aspects of your social interactions as competitions. Constantly trying to out-do others will make it hard for people to be vulnerable with you. It might be a good idea to examine why you feel the need to compete with others.

9.You’re Affluent

The wealthier you are, the more out-of-touch you may be with average people and their problems. Women can connect over their weaknesses as much as their strengths. Your mansion and your luxury cars may be overwhelming to the most down-to-earth ladies. Being wealthy may eliminate some types of stress from your life, and some people may resent the fact that you have so much when they have less. Unfortunately, even if you can hide your car in the garage, you can’t hide your Gucci purse, your designer jeans, or your wealthy lifestyle. Money talks, and in this case it may be saying, “I’m too good for you.”

My Advice:

Don’t flaunt your wealth or brag about the financial blessings you enjoy. Nobody likes a braggart, and it is hard to be friends with someone if they use their wealth to make others feel jealous. Try to be discreet about your capital—especially if your friends don’t have the same financial background as you.

What’s your take on the article , share in the comment or tell us your personal experience….

By: Christy Stewart

In Inspiration March 8, 2023 By Women of Rubies

ABCD Africa 50 Most Impactful Voices List Released To Mark 2023 International Women’s Day

ABCD Africa is proud to announce the release of the 50 Most Impactful Voices List to mark 2023 International Women’s Day. This list recognizes African female coaches, content creators, and community builders who leverage their voices and digital content as tools for impact.

Women all over Africa have made significant strides in breaking barriers and challenging norms. Despite this progress, women still face numerous challenges that hinder their voices from being heard as much as they should be.

The ABCD Africa 50 Most Impactful Voices List features

Thought leaders, change-makers and bold storytellers who have engaged their audiences, and inspired others with their unique stories, perspectives, and skills across various digital platforms, including Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok, Netflix, Podcasts and Blogs.

“We are thrilled to unveil the 50 Most Impactful Voices in Africa and amplify their contribution. We hope that this list inspires other women to use their voices, create impactful content, and shape conversations that contribute to the development of a more equitable society,’’ says Joké Pearl Oyebamiji, Founder of ABCD Africa

The selection process was rigorous and thorough, with nominations received from digital experts and the general public. The finalists were evaluated based on their creativity, impact, authenticity, and engagement.

Here they are:

Jumoke Adenowo

Polymath, Founder, AD Consulting

Olajumoke Adenowo is an award-winning Architect, Academic Laureate, Philanthropist, Entrepreneur, Arbitrator, Author and Radio Show Host. She is the founder of AD Consulting, a leading Nigerian-based architecture and design firm.

A renowned passion-driven polymath with several media of expressions – she shares insightful content via her books, global publications, social media platforms, radio show, and global events.

In 2020, Jumoke was awarded the Forbes woman African Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Bodam Taiwo

Marketing Executive, Change Catalyst

Bodam Taiwo is a Change Catalyst and a Master Manifestor for women. Through her coaching programs, book (titled Be-You-Ti-Ful), masterclasses and YouTube Series – The Refined Lady’s Conversations, she helps women get unstuck by inspiring and organizing them to dream bigger, see clearer and live brighter so they can create the life they really desire.

She is a Seasoned Business Leader and Marketing Executive with 15+ years of cross-functional experience.

Modupe Ehirim

Marriage Coach

Married for thirty-four years, Modupe Ehirim is passionate about helping people get marriage right. She has worked as a Marriage Educator since 2014.

She talks about marriage, Building Understanding among couples, Building Communication Skills, Building through Conflict, and Building a Covenant Relationship.

Ehirim is the current National President of the Association SYMBIS (Save Your Marriage Before It Starts)

4.Tricia Olufemi-Olumide (TriciaBiz)

Marketing & Sales Strategist

Tricia equips entrepreneurs and experts with marketing strategies, funnels, growth strategies and systems to scale their revenue significantly to 9 figures and beyond. Through her social media platforms, newsletters, and YouTube Series – ‘How They Did It’, she is fueling the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Africa and beyond.

In 2020, she was recognized as one of The Top 10 Marketing Coaches To Follow by Yahoo.

Udo Okonjo

Global CEO/VC of Fine & Country WA

Udo Maryanne Okonjo is the Global CEO/VC of Fine & Country West Africa, an official member of the Forbes Business Council, a sought after global transformative speaker and possibilities igniter.

A prolific writer, she has authored several books, and regularly shares content around female leadership development, financial freedom for women, real estate, entrepreneurship, business development, and wealth mastery.

Wendy Prince-Amahdi

Founder, Women In Portharcourt

Wenenda Ndu-Ajikeru is the Founder of WomeninPortharcourt, the largest Online Business Community in South-South Nigeria, creating visibility for growing businesses, and connecting entrepreneurs with potential customers via social media. Through corporate partnerships, business masterclasses and events, she provides learning, networking and business growth opportunities for her audience.

Dr Ola Brown

Founder of Health Cap Africa

She is a Director at Flying Doctors Nigeria, and Founder of Health Cap Africa, an Africa-focused investment firm.

An international speaker, she has spoken at the TED global conference, the UN, the World Bank, the World Economic Forum, the World Health Organisation, amongst several others. Dr. Ola and her work have been featured by CNN, the BBC, Forbes and Al-Jazeera.

Her prolific tweets on Business, Innovation and Tech have garnered a following of over 209,000 on Twitter.

Follow her here 👉 CLICK

Brenda Okorogba

Founder, MomentsWithBren

Brenda Okorogba is a multi-award-winning service and learning experience designer and a facilitator. She has a gift for creating targeted learning solutions that address relevant classroom, workplace, community, career, and business needs in advancing opportunities for equity-deserving groups in particular.

Brenda has provided college and career readiness coaching to diverse students and professionals in Canada and across the world who have successfully secured $80.4M in college funding, transitioned into dynamic career paths, learned specialized skills, built positive personal identities, increased their social and emotional learning skills, and improved their leadership abilities.

Brenda is the Founder of Momentswithbren Consulting, a professional training and coaching company based in Canada that supports a variety of clients, organizations and institutions through professional and leadership development training, strategic advisory, and outcomes-based programming to help them better accelerate their successes. Brenda currently serves on the Board of Directors of social-impact driven Canadian Charitable organizations like the Students Commission of Canada, Canadian Council for Youth Prosperity, and the Immigrant Women Services Ottawa (IWSO).

Her insightful tweets have garnered a 177,000+ following on Twitter.

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9.Temitope Olagbegi

Life Coach, Entrepreneur

Temitope Olagbegi is a Life Coach passionate at helping women find purpose. A multipotentialite, she shares her unique stories and perspective to help her audience rediscover their true authentic selves, fulfill purpose, and balance life on different levels.

She is a recipient of over 50 awards and recognitions for business and enterprise development in Nigeria, including the Bank of Industry Recognition Award in 2015 amongst numerous others.

Roseanne Kamau

Founder, Treasure Fitness

Roseanne is the Founder and Managing Director of Treasure Fitness, a weight loss and healthy lifestyle service firm.

A Kenya-based ardent advocate for healthy living, she shares content around holistic approaches to help women live sustainably wholesome lives.

Roseanne and her work have been featured on National and global media such as BBC

Audrey Joe-Ezigbo

Impactonaire, DMD, Falcon Corporation

Audrey Joe-Ezigbo is a multiple award-winning Impactonaire, business leader, life and business transformation coach, speaker, and author. Her digital content helps people discover their life’s purpose, build sustainable businesses, and unleash the most profitable expressions of themselves in all areas of life.

She is the Co-Founder of Falcon Corporation Limited, an industry-leading company in the middle and downstream Energy, Natural Gas distribution sector in Africa.

She was recognised among the 100 Outstanding Female Executives in the African Oil & gas Industry in 2021.

Nkem Onwudiwe

Founder, HerNetwork

Nkem Onwudiwe is a Public Relations professional, Marketing Consultant and founder of Her Network – a global inspiration and lifestyle platform for women.

Through Her Network, she has impacted over 50 thousand women through the network’s impact events and experiences, including the annual Her Network Woman of the Year Award Ceremony.

She was previously the Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications at the Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Confidence Stavely (SisiNerd)

Cybersecurity Leader

Confidence Staveley is a Cybersecurity Awareness Evangelist and Inclusion Advocate.

Her superpower is a deep understanding of cyber security fused with great communication skills; enabling her to communicate cyber security best practices in a relatable and engaging way with no jargon, to audiences of all types. Little wonder she has been nicknamed “The Relatable CyberSecurity Leader”

She was listed among the 45 Most Influential Women in Digital Transformation 2021-2022. She was also Featured on the 40 under 40 in cybersecurity List in 2023

Omotolani Tayo-Osikoya (Diaryofakitchenlover)

Certified Culinary Expert

Popularly known as Diaryofakitchenlover, Tolani is a Nigerian Food Blogger/Recipe developer, Food tutor, and entrepreneur.

Tolani shares amazing food pictures and curates detailed recipes from regular home ingredients to the delight of her over 1 million followers.

Funto Ibuoye

Marketplace Apostle, Entrepreneur

Through her several expressions across her books, courses, events, business and speaking engagements, Funto Ibuoye is propelling and equipping individuals to launch a higher version of their purposes and businesses.

She was listed among the Ynaija & Leading Ladies Africa 100 most inspiring women in Nigeria in 2017, Mogulettes Africa 100 Most Inspiring Moguls in 2020 and 100 Most Impactful Women in 2022 by The Richer Woman Inc.

Crystal Chigbu

Executive Director, IREDE Foundation

She is a Nigerian social entrepreneur and a development consultant. She founded IREDE Foundation, which provides prosthetics and other walking aids to children 18 and under. Through her foundation, Crystal has provided over 120 prosthetic limbs to over 82 children across 17 states in Nigeria.

She leverages her social media platforms, book and speaking engagements to advocate for Child Amputees and NGO Corporate Governance.

Ife Olarinde

Founder, CoolHouse

Ife Olarinde is a serial entrepreneur, doctoral researcher, and graduate of the Imperial College London.

She is the founder of Cool House, the largest African/Black community on Clubhouse with over 70,000 members.

She shapes conversations around topics that impact people of African descent. Her key areas of interest are Human Capital Development, Entrepreneurship, Politics, Health Care Systems, Poverty Alleviation and Wealth creation.

Yolanda Cuba

Regional VP, Southern and East Africa, MTN

Yolanda Cuba is the Regional VP, Southern and East Africa, MTN

She was once the youngest CEO of a company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange,and has been blazing a trail through corporate South Africa since she was in her mid-20s.

With years of experience as a business leader, Cuba shares tips and lessons on leadership and entrepreneurship, as well as insights into Africa’s business landscape.

Tobi Ayeni (misstechy)

Video Creator

She is a Digital Strategist and the founder of MissTechy, a tech oriented blog that has gained prominence due to her innovative VFX Videos.

She talks about tech and technological gadgets on her social media platforms and has grown her following to over 130,000.

Yetty Williams Founder, Lagos Mums

Yetty Williams is a Digital Media Marketing Consultant

passionate about helping businesses, particularly women owned enterprises, leverage technology to thrive and scale up.

She is also the founder of Nigeria’s premier and first parenting blog, Lagos Mums which convenes annual parenting conferences bringing together thousands of parents, experts and vendors and holds a community of nearly 55 thousand people.

In 2020, she was listed on the YNaija Top Media 100; recognized for curating culture and driving conversations.

Tonye Briggs

Founder, Port Harcourt In Pictures

Tonye Briggs is the current curator of Portharcourt Global Shapers Hub, an initiative of the World Economic Forum.

Passionate about Human capacity development, she curates insightful content via her social media blog @portharcourtinpictures which has garnered an audience of over 70,000 on Instagram.

Follow her here 👉 CLICK

Peace Hyde

Head of Digital Media and Partnerships, Forbes Africa

Peace Hyde is the head of digital media and partnerships as well as the West African correspondent at Forbes Africa. Passionate about shaping the African narrative, she co-created Netflix’s first African reality series in 2022, which won the Best Reality TV Show at the African Entertainment Awards USA.

Through her content, Hyde aims to inspire younger Africans to own their stories. She shares her personal journey, unique perspective, and ‘random dumps’ that we find ever so inspiring.

Sinikiwe Kademaunga

Disability Activist

Sinikiwe Kademaunga is a disability activist and a member of the African Women Leaders Network, Zimbabwe Chapter.

Through her social media platforms, she advocates for the rights of people with disabilities, especially women.

As an advocate for gender equality in Zimbabwe, she believes that as women, it is time to rise, and to create the generation that we’ve always wished for.

Debola Deji-Kurunmi

Transformational Coach

She is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, ministry gift, public policy advisor and transformational coach for visionary leaders. Through her coaching, consulting, capacity building, and digital content, Debola deploys her extraordinary gift of unlocking potential in people, institutions and nations.

She is the Founder of IMMERSE Coaching Company (a professional coaching practice), Executive Director at Ideation Hub Africa (a public policy and impact advisory firm) and President at Kingdom Leaders Global Alliance (a non-denominational Christian Ministry).

Malama Maryam Wahid Ahmed

Skincare Coach, Entrepreneur

Malama Maryam Wahida Ahmed is a multi-faceted educator at the Federal College of Nigeria, Kano.

She is also a safe skincare evangelist, championing ‘stop-bleaching’ campaigns on social media, and offering insightful skincare advice to African women.

Tolulope Adejumo (Tolulope solutions)

Lifestyle Content Creator

She creates wholesome lifestyle content around her Christian faith, Marriage and Motherhood.

From inception, her social media platforms have been more than numbers but a way to share the big and little moments of her dynamic life. Her YouTube channel and Instagram profile have a combined following of over 250,000

Rinu Oduala

Human Rights Advocate

Rinu Oduala is a Human Rights advocate, Influencer and community organizer focused primarily on issues of equity, justice, humanity and community advancement.

Leveraging social media, she advocates against police brutality in Nigeria and beyond. Rinu has become a key player in the work to confront the systems and structures that have led to mass incarceration and police killings of Nigerians.

She has been nominated for CAHR Aminu Kano award for Leadership, 2020, and one of NBCWashington 31 Women creating a positive impact in Africa.

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28.Kobe Campbell

Trauma Therapist

Kobe Campbell is an award-winning licensed trauma therapist, author, media expert, and speaker.

Kobe shares content around healing from trauma on TikTok and Instagram, where she has garnered a combined following of over 150,000.

She is currently preparing to release her first book titled Why Am I Like This?: How to Break Cycles, Heal From Trauma, and Restore Your Faith.

She is Named one of Charlotte’s Most Influential Women by Charlotte Lately Magazine and awarded as the Rising Star Under 30 by WILMA magazine.

29.Blessing Abeng

Branding & Communications Expert

Blessing Abeng is the Co-founder and Director of Communications at Ingressive for Good, a non-profit organization through which actively connects African youths to tech training, scholarships and resources for the growth of the African startup ecosystem.

She regularly shares content on her social media platforms and email newsletter around branding, communications and tech.

In 2022, she was recognized as one of the United Nation’s 100 under 40 most influential People of African Descent.

Bolaji Bolu-David

ESL Instructor

Bolaji Bolu David is a professional editor, ESL Instructor, and Founder of Eliz Pro.

She is passionate about helping people gain correctness, precision and confidence with the English Language and regularly shares pronunciation lessons on her Instagram profile which has garnered over 71,000 followers.

Oluwatosin Olaseinde

Founder, Money Africa

Tosin Olaseinde is the founder of three leading African tech financial brands – Money Africa (a personal finance & investment literacy edtech platform), Ladda.ng (an investment fintech platform) and Money Africakids (a finance and investment literacy platform for kids and teenagers).

Through her social media platforms and podcast, she shares lessons on financial literacy and connects her audience to investment opportunities

Tosin was named a LinkedIn Top Voice, Finance & Economy in 2020 and is also a member of The Mandela Washington Fellowship.

Glory Edozien (Phd.)

LinkedIn Visibility Expert

Glory Edozien is passionate about helping African female executives build visibility and gain global recognition using LinkedIn & Personal Branding.

A LinkedIn 2022 Top Voice, she shares thought leadership content on LinkedIn and Instagram to enable her audience to become visible.

Glory Edozien is a Forbes Coaches Council Member

Ifeoma Nwobu

COO, Sendstack

Once the face of Vogue online, Ifeoma Nwobu is now the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Sendstack, a mobility tech startup in Lagos, Nigeria focused on achieving next-day delivery infrastructure for African businesses.

Through her social media platforms, she shares her thoughts around entrepreneurship, building a tech startup, and living purposefully.

Ifeyinwa Omesiete

Co-Founder, Nutrition4Kids

Ifeyinwa Omesiete is a pediatric nutritionist and co-founder of Nutrition4Kids – where she is helping to provide effective feeding techniques and assisting parents with curial information for proper child development.

In 2019, she co-founded the first pediatric Nutrition Challenge in Nigeria. This quarterly online programme provides materials in different learning styles to reorient the minds of parents on the importance of feeding children healthy homemade meals.

Through her website, burgeoning telegram community, and Instagram page, she shares valuable content that provide nutritional support, education and advocacy.

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Foluso Gbadamosi

Coach, Author

Foluso Gbadamosi is a global speaker, author, and trainer who is vocal about helping people unleash their superpowers and gain mastery of their talents towards achieving maximum growth in all areas of life

A Gallups Certified Strength Coach, she regularly shares insightful content that helps individuals and organizations live out their purpose.

She is on the Board of Directors of Swift Networks, Croissant Technologies, and Intense NG.

Adaora Mbelu

Founder, Lumination Global

Adaora Mbelu is the founder of Lumination Global – an Afrocentric transformational learning organization, and the co-founder of Socially Africa – focused on teaching people to Be Good, Do Good and Inspire Good.

A multipotentialite, she leverages her Book (This Thing Called Purpose), Music, Podcast, Social media platforms, Newsletters, and social enterprises to shift mindsets and transform lives.

Adaora was named one of the 100 Most Influential People of African Descent in 2020.

Aisha Yesufu

Activist

Aisha Yesufu is a political and social activist, influencer educator, public speaker and advocate of African women’s rights.

Using social media and physical means of protest, she has played key roles in social -political movements such as the #BringBackOurGirlsCampaign, which served to draw attention and action to the kidnapped schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno, Nigeria in 2013.

She is a recipient of the Martin Luther King Award and was named on the BBC top 100 Women List of 2020.

Bunmi George (Jbums)

CEO, Shredder Gang

Bunmi George is the Founder, and CEO of Shredder Gang – a health and wellness consultancy where she has helped over 70,000 women achieve their body goals through the right nutrition plan.

An avid storyteller, she inspires and educates her 120,000 + followers on Instagram with her unique faith-based perspectives and experiences.

Bunmi is a brand ambassador for Carex Soap.

Bolaji ‘Billions’Ajibare

Social Media Coach

Bolaji ‘Billions”Ajibare is a social media coach and content creator with experience in public relations, digital marketing and communications.

Bolaji has trained over 240 students to start careers in social media management and curates one of the largest social media managers communities in Nigeria.

A seasoned content creator, she creates explainer videos to improve the content creation skills of her over 60,000 followers on Instagram.

Olere Odior

Style Expert

Olere Odior is a leading style expert and personal stylist who is focused on helping African women differentiate and showcase their value by creating an authentic personal style.

Leveraging her social media platforms, she helps African women find their confidence, rediscover their style and build executive presence.

She has built a community on Instagram and TikTok with a combined following of over 35,000.

Niven Postma

Leadership Expert

Niven Postma is a South African leadership, personal career growth and business politics expert with an audience of over 19,000 on LinkedIn.

She helps her clients build beneficial business networks, foster leadership, navigate the murky waters of office politics, drive leadership change across organizations and build sustainable work culture.

Niven is an author and visiting lecturer at Henley Business School; contributes to Harvard Business Review and Inc. Africa, and is currently pursuing her PhD.\

Ifedayo Agoro

Founder, DANG!

Ifedayo Agoro is an avid community builder, creative storyteller and founder of Diary Of a Naija Girl – a vibrant community of over 630,000 women where she shapes conversations around topics that impact women professionally and personally.

She is also the founder and CEO of Dang Lifestyle, a premium Skincare, Home and Body Fragrance and Gifts brand.

Jola Ayeye

Co-host, ISWIS Podcast

Jola Ayeye is a creative writer, storyteller and strategist with an unwavering interest in contemporary African culture and its global representation.

She is the co-host of the famous pop culture podcast “I Said What I Said” (Number one podcast on Apple podcast, 2022).

She is also a co-host on “Cash Madam Collective”, a work, money and leadership women-centric podcast.

Jola is currently the Head of Development at Salt & Truth, a Nigerian and African entertainment provider focusing on indigenous story content for film, television, and global features

Stephanie Busari

Senior Editor, Africa, CNN

Stephanie Busari is a multi-award winning journalist, notable for exclusively obtaining the “proof of life” video for the missing Chibok schoolgirls in the wake of the Bring Back Our Girls advocacy which led to negotiations with Boko Haram that resulted in the release of over 100 of the kidnapped schoolgirls.

She is the pioneer and head of CNN’s first digital and multi-platform bureau in Nigeria. In May 2020, she was listed among 25 of the most powerful female journalists in Africa by Women in Journalism Africa.

Anita M.V Erskine

Entrepreneur, TV Host

Anita M.V. Erskin is a TV Host and Producer, Event Moderator, Actress, Keynote Speaker, and Entrepreneur.

Anita employs storytelling to showcase African cultures, traditional and social pillars that hold up our communities and how tech Innovation, entrepreneurship and education are creating African solutions for African problems.

Anita Erskine’s Sheroes show garners over 15 million global viewers.

She has been named among the top 500 most influential Africans around the world, and one of the top 100 Women CEO’s in Africa

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Founder, Every Na Art

Amin Ameen is the founder of Every Na Art and a Monetization Product Professional who pivoted from Engineering & Projects.

Driven by her passion for teaching, she shares knowledge that produces access (from a social-economic standpoint); especially to those who are underserved via her social media platforms.

In 2022, she launched the #LinkedUp Series which connected thousands of young professionals to practical tips on how to navigate Tech Interviews.

Through her digital content, she continues to connect young people to global opportunities.

Folashade Daini

Brand & Content Strategist

Folashade Daini is a brand & content strategist.

She shares wholesome relatable content around navigating life, family, and faith on her YouTube and Instagram channels where she has garnered a combined audience of over 100,000 followers.

Abena Brigidi

Founding Partner and the CEO, Nimed Capital Limited

Abena B. Brigidi is a Founding Partner and the Chief Executive Officer of Nimed Capital Limited; a leading investment banking firm in Accra.

Through her blog and social media platforms, she shares insightful content on investing and finance.

Patricia Murugami

Group CEO, Breakthrough Leadership Transformation Group

Patricia Murugami is the Group CEO of Breakthrough Leadership Transformation Group – a leadership growth advisory solution group.

An award winning global leadership coach- she inspires her audience to evolve into their next best selves through her academy, books, podcasts, and other digital content.

She is an accredited certified executive coach with The Performance Solution UK.

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Entrepreneur, Founder, NHN War Room

Dr Nkechi Harry Ngonadi is a multi-award winning entrepreneur. In 2018, she was recognized as the Designer of the Year award at the Runway Dubai Fashion show.

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In Inspiration March 9, 2020 By Editor

Google celebrates International Women’s Day with a new doodle

This Google doodle made for International Women’s day celebrates the achievements of various women all over the world.

By clicking the play button on the doodle, a multi-layered, a paler mandala animation video comes up created by two females: Julie Wilkinson and Joyanne Horscroft of Makerie Studio and animators Marion Willam and Daphne Abderhalden, according to a news release.

International Women’s Day?

The mandala’s black-and-white inner layer depicts women around the world from the late 1800s to the 1930s. The middle layer reflects women from the 1950s to the 1980s, which Google describes as “a landmark era in the wake of pushes for gender equality and rapid changes to the status quo.”

The outer layer symbolizes women from the 1990s to the modern day, documenting what Google says are the results of progress made over more than 100 years of women’s rights movements.

“It pays tribute to breaking barriers from former cultural and gender roles, as women continue to question, reclaim and redefine ideas about the roles women take on in society,” Google says.

The doodle portrays women, from various such as educators and gymnasts to pilots and homemakers.

“There was so much thought put into each of the 35 characters and how they were placed within the mandala,” said Abderhalden, who works at DRASTIK GmbH in Zurich, in a Q&A on Google’s site. “Starting from the center, it walks us through different time periods and depicts the issues women were facing in these times. Our biggest takeaway from the artwork is that we were reminded of how women fought and evolved through history so we can live the free life we live today.”

The heroines in STEM: 10 women in science you should know

The first International Women’s Day was celebrated by members of the women’s movement in Russia on March 8, 1913, to peacefully protest World War I.

International Women’s Day is given a theme every year by the United Nations — with this year been “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights,” which focuses on equality and human rights for all women and girls.

Melinda Gates: The women who showed me the way forward

“Without these women, the world would look much different,” Abderhalden said.

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In Inspiration March 3, 2020 By Editor

International Women’s day why and how did it start

An Equal World is an Enabled World #IWD2020 #EachforEqual

International Women’s day is set up to celebrate women. A day to project women achievements, raise awareness against bias and take action for equality and fair treatments.

A believe that an equal world is an enabled world is blooming.

How it all began

A day came in New york 1909, when the Socialist Party of America celebrated 15,000 women who protested over long work hours, low pay, and the lack of voting rights in New York City.

Originally called National Woman’s Day, the annual celebration spread across the world (officially celebrated in 1911).

The Set Date

According to TIMES, Russia unknowingly set the March 8 trend.

March 8th (23 February in the Julian calendar) the Bourgeois Democratic Revolution, was the first of the two revolutions in Russia in 1917. Fototeca Storica Nazionale—Getty Images

In 1913, women experienced difficulties caused by WWI while men were at war. These women dealt with food shortages and a government who wouldn’t listen to them. Therefore, on March 8 tens of thousands of Russian women took to the streets demanding change. This cry for help paved the way for Russian women to be granted voting rights soon after.

The theme for this year 2020, is titled ” Each for Equal”

Anna Friedman set it better.

When you meet a woman who is intimidatingly witty, stylish, beautiful, and professionally accomplished, befriend her. Surrounding yourself with the best people doesn’t make you look worse by comparison. It makes you better.

Anna Friedman

As a woman you need to challenge yourself to be better, make a list of everything you are most proud of accomplishing. Then, think about introducing Shine into your life, whether it’s bringing it to your best friends. Watch how much trust you build when you are able to support another woman and be supported.

In Editor's Choice October 6, 2022 By Esther Ijewere

“When Others See Problems, I Search For Solutions To Fix The Problem”- Adebola Kupoluyi

Adebola Kupoluyi is a seasoned professional with over nine (9) years of valuable experience garnered in diverse challenging roles. She possesses general management experience overseeing key functions of Finance Operations, Quality Assurance, Health& Safety, and Network Operations.

Burdened by the number of street kids, she started Mantle of Mordecai (MOM) foundation many years ago, a registered non-profit organization with the mission to reduce the population of out-of-school children in Nigeria and by extension Africa. Adebola Kupoluyi also champions the Culture Preservation Initiative with the mandate of ensuring that the culture of her home country Nigeria is preserved all over the world. As part of impacting her world she is a volunteer mentor of The Tony Elumelu Foundation tasked with empowering young entrepreneurs in Africa.

Adebola Kupoluyi was recently appointed Country Ambassador, Nigeria for Rise & Lead Netherlands; a global knowledge sharing, education and advocacy platform that connects leaders, emerging leaders, NGOs and change-makers to promote the inclusion of women in leadership in the workplace, marketplace and society to foster peace and prosperity in society. Adebola’s mandate in life is to impact all lives she encounters; she shares her Inspiring journey with me in this Interview.

Growing Up

I had a relatively tough childhood because I was diagnosed of chronic asthma before I turned five. I lived most of my life on admission in the hospital and sometimes I wrote my exams in the confines of my hospital bed. I was a very frail child and all I found comfort in was my books, so I guess that made me appreciate the importance of education.

However, I know that seed of what I do now was sown at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp of Yobe state in Fika town in April 2009. While in camp I had two “adopted” sons Musa and Mohammed whom I connected to immediately I met them. They were part of the group of kids that came to camp for menial jobs daily. Once they came into the camp it was always straight to my hostel; my roommates knew them already so they would call out to me that my kids were outside. Off we would go to the canteen together once it was time for any meal to eat.

During our last week, my friends and I put funds together and we bought necessities such as slippers (they were always bare footed) and clothes. Seeing the way their faces lit up because of this seemingly insignificant gesture made me realize there was so much more that could be done. Although, I did not know how to go about it then but the desire to help kids had been sown in my heart and it kept germinating.

Mantle of Mordecai Foundation and Its impact since Inception

Mantle of Mordecai foundation popularly known as MOM foundation is an inspiration from God and our mandate is simply to reduce the number of out -of -school children in Nigeria and by extension Africa . Every time I see a kid that should be in school hawking during school hours my heart breaks knowing the kind of potential that is being wasted.

MOM is a registered non-profit organisation in Nigeria and our primary aim is to seek funds to enable out- of -school children have access to quality education. MOM has children from different parts of Nigeria, but currently focuses on the children in Dustbin Estate, a slum in Lagos State, Nigeria where families literally live on refuse dump.

Our success stories have been what has kept us going. As at December 2019, we had our first university graduate Olatunji Benedict from Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa. He studied B.Tech Applied Geophysics . I met Latunji Korede about 5 years ago petty trading on Lagos streets, because his father lost his only source of income and became bed ridden, hence Korede had to step up to cater for the family. Another beneficiary Solomon Aare, who is currently in his final year at the university, after graduating from the polytechnic with a distinction, has also become a serial entrepreneur even while still in school. He runs Point of Sales (POS) agency shops in three different locations in Lagos. This is a boy that lived in dustbin estate prior to MOM sponsorship.

How my Strong Background in the Corporate World Impacted me

I will say I have been privileged to have an interesting and positively challenging career that has spanned over nine years now. Valuable experience has been garnered in diverse roles and sectors. I am currently the Senior Manager, Finance Operations at American Towers, a New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) quoted company. This is a general management capacity role which sees me managing key functions and team members working within the Finance Operations, Health & Safety and Network Operations. At the early stage of my career I gained four(4) years consulting experience in KPMG with specialty in Enterprise Risk Management (ERM). I have also had the privilege of mentoring at the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP), coaching four promising women in their chosen field of entrepreneurship. I am also a New Leader for tomorrow at the Crans Montana forum, Monaco. Advancing in my career despite all odds shaped my thought process; made me realise that I am here for a time such as now and that beyond my success in career there is more I should be doing to impact my world.

My appointment as Country Ambassador for Nigeria rise and Leads Netherlands

The Rise and Lead is an education and social impact organization founded in the Netherlands in 2018, providing skills, knowledge and thought leadership to individuals, entrepreneurs and

organizations. Our mission is to support women to achieve their personal and professional goals while leading the change towards closing the gender leadership gap.

As Country Ambassador that is leading a new Country Forum from scratch, I have the opportunity to grow my leadership and impact and develop more leaders in my circle of influence. Some of the expectations are to create, manage and lead all local events, meetups and training programs as well as planning and execution of all major summits and local meetups.

Challenges of being an Advocate

The major challenge I face as an advocate is the resistant to change on all fronts. As human beings, we seem to be quite set in our ways and find it difficult to embrace another way of doing things.

An example is changing the mindsets of the parents of our beneficiaries at the MOM Foundation. Specifically, some parents do not believe that education should be prioritised therefore they are not usually very supportive of the beneficiaries. Asides, providing funds to the beneficiaries, there is usually a need for an orientation of the other stakeholders involved in the process. This ensures that the entire programme is not frustrated and our mission is accomplished.

Our International Women’s Day Summit

Rise and Lead team decided it is the best time for us to have the inaugural African summit, after two successful summits in the Hague, Netherlands in 2018 and 2019.

The summit is called the Rising Leaders’ African Summit, taking place on 27^th March 2020 at Four Points by Sheraton, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

Theme is: Leadership. Women. Inclusion

The Summit will host progressive panel conversations, keynote speeches and impact workshops which will focus on Digital Transformation, Entrepreneurship, and advancing more women into leadership positions”. High-level business leaders, policymakers and international keynote speakers will attend to share their experience and best practices in innovation and leadership while addressing the significant potential of Women and Youth to transform the African Societies.

As part of the summit we are also gifting 25 women with free entrepreneurial training under our Inclusive Founders program to enable them grow and expand their businesses.

Registration is currently ongoing at https://riseandleadsummit.com/summit-african/ and we have discounts for corporate bodies and group registrations. Attendance of the summit is a perfect gift organizations can give their women in celebration of the International Women’s month.

The Nigerian Government and it’s impact on Women and Children

According to Edmund Burke, “the only condition necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”. This is my summation of the way the Nigerian government has prioritized issues regarding women and children. I do not see any visible or targeted effort to alleviate the peculiar issues faced by women and children.

To buttress my point, according to UNICEF data in 2014 Nigeria had the highest number of out of school children in the world ( 10.5 million). Despite all the promise made by the Nigerian government to correct this anomaly, UNICEF declared that the number had gone up by 25% to 13.2 million in 2018. This shows a complete neglect for the cause of children and lack of focus on the future of the country. My question is if education is a priority for developed countries why isn’t it a priority for a country like Nigeria contributing the highest quota to the pool of uneducated kids?

Same concerns are valid for women, in a country with such diverse and talented women, it shouldn’t be out of place to have a quota system that ensures that women are able to compete on the same levelled playing field as their male counterparts.

Being a Woman of Rubies

I have decided to dedicate my lifetime to impacting my world in every sphere I find myself. When others see problems, I search for solutions to fix the problem. I will love to die empty one day, knowing that the world knew I was here because of the lives I would have touched just like the lyrics of the song “ I was here”

I want to nurture kids, put as many of them in school, I want to mentor teenagers especially the ones that have gone through some form of molestation because I am also a sexual abuse survivor. I want to coach young women in career and also empower the currently disempowered women. I just want to give my ALL to my world, because I have realised that waking up every morning is actually a gift that should be maximized and not taken for granted.

To Female Change-makers who are trying to find their Voice in the World

Be the light the world is desperately looking for. Have an audacious goal that is greater than you on your journey to changing the world; divide that goal into smaller subsets, tackle it daily, celebrate small wins and learn from your failures. Never forget to thank God for the doors that are being shut currently, because not every opportunity is a good opportunity. Be very deliberate about self-leadership and self-development, be yourself always and never doubt your ability to change the world. Although your sphere of influence may look small, you are actually a critical and crucial part of a greater battalion of army whose common goal is to make the world a better place; however, the tasks have been apportioned to us all in different dimensions .

You can and you will change the world in your own sphere of influence. Keep at it!!

Mention 5 women who inspire me and why

Olajumoke Adenowo – we fondly call her Mrs A. She has been of huge influence in my life since I started listening to her and eventually getting to know her. One thing she stands for which unfortunately has taken the back burner these days is excellence in the marketplace. She has shown in all her endeavors that she is on earth for a purpose and has taught us that; purpose should be fulfilled on any pillar of life we stand on.
Ibukun Awosika– she epitomizes integrity as a woman in business. I have learnt from her that though taking an ethical stand may be unpopular at the time you are taking that decision, it speaks for you behind closed doors years later and takes you to places your certificate or experience couldn’t have.
Debola Deji- Kurunmi – we fondly call her General DDK! Meeting her healed me of a small mindset. She is my Coach and one thing she has done for me is open my eyes to see that I can be multi-influential and productive at it. She debunked the “jack of all trade and master of none” theory. This has brought me to where I am today and all I am doing and the more that is still coming.
My Mum– Mrs. Bolanle Salako- seeing her struggles and limitation as a woman who innately had it in her to be successful, who did all the hard work but just couldn’t break even. toughened me up. Unknowingly, I just wanted to be a way better version of her. I decided that apart from no one stealing my joy; I was going to be the light that is desperately needed in this world.
My late Grandma -we fondly called her “Abby”. I say to myself that I am who I am because I had a praying grandmother. She was a warrior who fought wars on her knees for us. She took care of me as a sickly child and nurtured me for year(s). I am eternally grateful I got to spend time with her before she passed on 8 yeas ago.

Please reach out to the Rise and Lead team and Adebola Kupoluyi on adebola@riseandleadwomen.com or support@riseandleadwomen.com

You can also follow our conversations on social media with the hashtags #RiseandLeadWomen #RisingLeadersSummit, #RLSummit2020 #drivethechange #leadtheconversation #togetherweriseandle

In Interviews&profile March 9, 2019 By Esther Ijewere

AFRICAN WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE COMES TO LAGOS

The African Women in Technology (AWIT) Conference is making its debut in Nigeria this month.

The African Women in Technology (AWIT) is a network of African women who are creatively redefining the technology space in Africa and becoming key players and trendsetters in the World’s creative and innovative industries.

Founded by Anie Akpe, it has become a platform for technological advancement in Africa and beyond. The AWIT conference is scheduled to hold at Zone Tech Park in Lagos on March 29 and 30, 2019.

It is a yearly conference that brings together stakeholders and trendsetters in technological advancement around the world, with the spotlight on African women in technology both at home and in Diaspora.

The platform serves as a vehicle to push forward innovative ideas and encourage African women to step forward and get involved in the technological development of the continent, while providing support to propel their careers. It is a space to learn, unlearn and relearn relevant practices and acceptable business tools that will ensure success in their chosen professions.

Serving as a platform of inclusivity for all women in the African Technology Space, this two-day conference will provide an opportunity for extensive networking among women at diverse stages of their careers. Participants will learn, exchange ideas, interact with industry experts, and have the opportunity to speak with representatives of various tech companies, synergize, get insight on problems in African technology, and propose applicable solutions to these problems.

Heralding the launch of the third industrial revolution and the evolution of technology, digitisation has become a prominent part of our daily lives, thereby making technology indispensible. This conference will serve as a landmark event for recognising the available opportunities and mapping out strategies on how to grow as African women in technology.

Aptly themed: The Techazon Within You, the conference conveyers have expressed excitement about how much the AWIT network has positively impacted the lives of African women who are getting involved in the advancement of their technology sector and promoting growth in their communities, while advancing their career growth in the process.

This is why to further aid this developmental process, the conference boasts of insightful sessions like Tech Trends, Upgrade Your Skills, Cyber Security, Internet of Things, and other creative sessions that will serve to awaken the techazon within the participants and spur them unto greater professional breakthroughs.

As part of the networking session at the conference, participants will stand the chance to get group mentoring that will be sustained even after the conference, find internships and employment opportunities, meet people in their local communities who share the same interests and take advantage of the fast, affordable and reliable financing available at the conference.

Application to attend the conference is totally free of charge as all intending participants can now apply and reserve their seats by registering on the AWIT website.

Zone Tech Park is a Technology Park located in Gbagada Industrial Scheme, Lagos, which serves as a free co-working space for start-ups with an in-house engineering team of over 20 software developers and designers, legal, finance, marketing and fundraising teams. It was established by The Workforce Group, which is rated as Nigeria’s leading Human Resource Company, according to Business Insider Sub-Saharan Africa.

Since 2016, the African Women in Technology conference has held in Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique and the United States, and has impacted the lives of over 1000 participating women. Since its inception, the conference has also received notable partnerships and sponsorship from Google, Flutterwave, Renmoney, Ibom LLC, Innov8tiv, ABAN Angels and other private bodies.

Source: Guardian