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Elizabeth Owusua has accomplished her childhood dream of becoming both a nurse and a lawyer as she now serves in both capacities, day and night. Elizabeth notes that during her childhood, she had hopes of becoming a nurse, lawyer as well as a fashion designer but says she never thought her dreams would finally become a reality because of her humble beginning and the hardship she faced.

She was, however, quick to note that her training at Mfantsiman Girls helped shape her entire being greatly.

She narrated:

“I went to the Nursing and Midwifery Training College at Korle Bu where I graduated with a Diploma in Nursing in 2008 and started working as a nurse in 2010 after national service”.

From there, Owusua noted she continued to Central University College to top up for a Bsc Degree in Nursing alongside work and graduated in 2013

In 2014, Owusua applied to Gimpa Law Faculty for an LLB and got admitted which she did along with working night shifts at the hospital and gained admission to the law school in 2017 after graduating from Gimpa and finally was called to the Ghana Bar in October 2019.

Talk about resilience and Grit! We celebrate this leading lady.

 

Nihmatallah Akashat is a Lawyer, Wife , Mom and one of the beautiful faces on popular daytime show “Your View”. The graduate of Law from the Lagos State University; stands out daily with her Hijab on our screen, reflecting the beauty of inclusion and showing us that the hijab is not an hindrance in anyway to women fulfilling their God given purpose.She shares her inspiring story and the challenges of being an influential figure in this interview.

Childhood preparation

Nothing prepared me for this career path. This is because I didn’t plan to be a tv host. However, I had always been opinionated and my expressions accommodated by my dad especially. This gave me an edge at my very first audition. I had something to say about all the topics I was thrown because I had been encouraged to have an opinion about everything. I watched Yourview from the beginning and hoped they will consider having a Muslim co-host. So I will say, I was inspired because I was a Muslim and Islam was not being represented well at the time I joined.

My Hijab Identity

My hijab is my identity. Without it I cannot appear in public among non family members. It is a religious covering yes, but for me it’s about functionality. Also part of the program setting is to have women from different cultures and beliefs on a show. We are glad to reflect that and show the world that every woman regardless of their ethnic background and religions counts.

Still a Lawyer

Yes, I am still practicing law. I am now managing partner cynosure practice barristers and solicitor. A law firm I co founded in 2016

Being  a wife, Mom, TV Host and managing it all

It is the grace of God and setting of the right priorities. Family first and most pressing career need next. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the show or the firm. I have a support system also to help with my children and a very supportive husband.

My Inspiration

The life of the Prophet Muhammed is my inspiration. Even though he was a great leader he related and was touched by the ordinary people. I made it my model and it’s worked for me. I am inspired by the realistic success stories of ordinary people.

Challenges

Yourview has made me very influential but not yet rich however it gives the impression that am both rich and influential. This have made a lot of people come to me for help for every single kind of problem. Infact my pro bono cases are more than I can take. This is a major challenge for me. I am  constantly, trying to say no . It’s very hard to explain to people that your job isn’t proportional to your bank account. sometimes.

On giving up

A few times I have felt like giving up. Especially, when it concerns family. However, I am patient with the situation and find the will to continue again.

Being a Woman of Rubies

I think that will be the fact that I am resilient. I am a fighter. I don’t give up.

Advice to aspiring Muslim TV host

My advice to  aspiring Muslim tv host. Trust yourself and be unapologetically Muslim. You can achieve that by acquiring a balanced knowledge of your religion and any other discipline of your choice. The confidence comes from the knowledge and the acceptance of your way of life which is Islam. Sell your religion wherever you go by being an ambassador of Islam.

Entrepreneurship anywhere is tough, and arguably tougher in a country like Nigeria. There’s the issue of funding, that of trust, and the challenge of surpassing “roadblocks” like power supply, fast internet connection, and access to affordable advisory services, especially for young entrepreneurs.

Nigeria is slowly getting there, and Funke has taken it upon herself to help young entrepreneurs scale the hurdle of legal advisory services and not breaking the bank.

Funkola Odeleye is the co-founder and Director of DIYlaw, a legal technology company which creates access to legal services and information.

Funkola and her friends Bola Olonisakin and Odunoluwa Longe founded the company in 2015 with the aim to make “legal transparent, simple, and affordable”.

DIYlaw helps entrepreneurs and individuals generate legal documents (some of them at no cost), get access to a pool of lawyers across several fields, register their businesses, as well as get access to other resources in a simple way.

Funkola is also the co-founder & Corporate/Commercial Lead at The Longe Practice LP, a startup focused boutique law firm that provides cost-effective services to new businesses.

In 2015, DIYlaw won Hague Institute for the Internalisation of Law (HiiL), SME Empowerment Innovating Justice Challenge, East & West Africa.

Funkola holds a masters degree in Finance and Financial Law from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London.

She’s also one of the 200 emerging leaders from across Africa selected for the 2019 Obama Foundation Leaders: Africa programme.

We celebrate Funkola for contributing her knowledge to the development of entrepreneurship in Nigeria.

Prominent Ethiopian human rights lawyer Meaza Ashenafi has been elected as the first woman to head the country’s federal supreme court.

According to BBC, her name was put forward by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and MPs unanimously approved the appointment.

Photo Credit: Getty Images/snapshot-photography/ullstein bild

 

Credit:Bella Naija

Chief Folake Solanke (born 29 March 1932), SAN, CON, is a Nigerian Lawyer, administrator, and social critic. She is the first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria and the first Nigerian female lawyer to wear the silk gown as Senior Counsel. She is the first Commissioner of Western State, and is a former Chairperson of the Western Nigeria Television Broadcasting Corporation (WNTBC).

She was the 42nd and the first African International President of Zonta International, an international service organization that focus primarily on advancing the status of women. The 43rd International President was also African.

Upon her return to Nigeria in August 1962, Solanke began her law career at the chamber of late Honourable Justice Michael Adeyinka Odesanya (rtd), while teaching Latin and Mathematics at Yejide Girls Grammar School in Ibadan, Oyo State. Her father died in April 1963. In May 1963, after she was called to the Bar in absentia, she moved to the law office of Chief Frederick Rotimi Williams as junior counsel.

In 1972, Solanke was appointed the first Commissioner of Western State and chairperson of the Western Nigeria Television Broadcasting Corporation (WNTBC).

In 1981, Solanke became the first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria and the first Nigerian female lawyer to wear the silk gown.

Solanke rose through the ranks of Zonta International, first serving as the District Governor for Africa and then as International Vice-President. In 1988, 1990, and 1994, Solanke ran for election to the International Presidency of the organization (she did not run in 1992). She lost the first two times, but won the third time, being elected in Hong Kong on July 21, 1994 as the 42nd International President, the first non–caucasian, African president of the organization since its establishment in 1919.

Solanke’s autobiography, Reaching for the stars was published in 2007. The book described her as a “Lady of many firsts” and how she rose to prominence in the legal profession.

Maya Angelou had Adenike Oyetunde in mind when she said: “You will face many defeats in your life, but never let yourself be defeated.”

When you meet Adenike you would think she has it all going well for her till you hear her story. Her zeal and optimism seems to be her secret weapon.

At the age of 20, she had one of her limbs amputated .It was as if her live has been cut short. She rose from the ashes of the adversity and took responsibility for her life. In this interview, Adenike reveals how she survived that dark phase in her life to become the on air -personality everyone listens to on Nigeria Info FM

The beginning

February 4 2006, started me on the life changing journey I have embarked on, these few years. It’s been a roller coaster ride, with its ups and downs. A journey very less traveled, and so, the outcomes are highly uncertain, as with similar trips. A journey where the destination remains unclear, can only be traveled with God. It’s has made me get close to him, been lukewarm, getting back to knowing him; and realizing undoubtedly, the only thing else that makes sense, would be to be on His team. It’s crazy, especially in a society like ours. We don’t even know how many persons living with disabilities we have, and I suggest wonder why some folks are surprised we can’t care for them. We don’t even know the forms of disabilities, how do we care for them? I didn’t have anything handed down to me, so far on this journey. I have had to kneel before God especially for the biggest things men once thought were obviously impossible to get. I have had to wonder if it may have been a little different, only if I didn’t have to lose the use of my right natural limb.

People somehow just expect you to be high and fly, almost at every point in time; and when you’re not, they know it’s most definitely because one has a special need.

It’s been a crazy journey, but an evidently worthwhile one.

Losing her limbs

Nothing ever prepares you for a life of limb loss. I was hardly ever prepared, or so it seemed. In hindsight sometimes, I think I was prepared, but had no idea, it was a training process. I can be so annoying. I hang up the phone so easily, and I have been working on that. I am a trustworthy person, if I do say so myself. Can be very loquacious, but I definitely, know the limits.

My driving force

The reasons I am alive drives me. My visions, purpose of course are embedded in these reasons and it’s systematic and progressive unveiling will only happen through God

State of mind when I was told my leg would be amputated

Amazingly, I wasn’t destabilized this was because from the date of my diagnosis, till the eventual amputation, I knew time was running out, and I had no choice, save to amputate my limb. I was way mentally prepared for the procedure, but of course, not the new realities I was to face. I needed to jump start’ my life, and I knew the amputation was the first step. I needed to go face it.

Passion for broadcasting

Truthfully, I looked for a job as a lawyer, but wasn’t successful, because I hadn’t been pushy about it.Then came the season to re-discover myself, and broadcasting was where my passion also lied. Of course, my dad’s influence wouldn’t be undermined, as I remember growing up around news studios, and on the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria ground. My dad retired from the FRCN, as a manager News and Current Affairs.

Greatest influence on my life

Sometimes when I mention Jesus as my greatest life influence it just gets me emotional. Another person who has continued to impact me is a dear friend, Udy. Udy Ntia is my pastor, mentor and most importantly friend. He has been able to help me to rediscover who I am and my journey of purpose.

Tempted to quit

I have not been tempted to be suicidal .I have only been tempted to give up. A number of times, I get so frustrated at the turn out of events in life, and I begin to ask myself if the story may have changed, only if I had both natural limbs. I hardly ever stay in this sort of mood for so long, so I get back and keep moving.

Greatest Reward

My greatest reward has been the joy that fills my heart when people unbeknownst to me, have gotten inspired by my story and become more appreciative of their own situation.

Compassion and empathy are not the same

Nigerians are compassionate towards amputees. Unfortunately, compassion and empathy are two very distinct, yet closely related terms. It’s fine to show compassion, but there’s a very thin line, and that’s where I usually have an issue. We are amputates, we understand you simply are concerned about our wellbeing, but we need you to let us ‘fall and stand again. One would have thought the compassion would have translated to so much, as better care for we amputees, or persons living with disabilities, but that’s not the case. Those in the position to effect the changes we need, to live a better quality of life, do not do so.

Advise to women living with disabilities

Get up, yes you can. Please get up, move on. You can, and will do it. Your hair will grow again, your love life will re-ignite, your finance will stabilize, and your health will be restored.

Final words

The notion of the Nigerian woman we once had, has evolved. She has grown in leaps and bounds. She has learnt to handle her home, career and God, very well.So, everyone must discover, and as quickly as she can, who she is, what she stands for, what she’s here for, and get to work.