Oprah Winfrey - Women of Rubies

In Editor's Choice September 2, 2020 By Esther Ijewere

“I Truly Wish We Pay More Attention To Quality Contents”- Elsie Godwin

One of the most powerful communication tools in the world today is “Media”, from print, electronic to social media. We can’t downplay the role of the Media Industry in anyway. It has always been , and will continue to be the major tool of visibility in the world. Elsie Godwin is using her voice as a media girl to add value and contribute to Nation building.

Elsie Godwin is a Versatile Media Personality – Television Presenter/Producer, Social media Strategist, Influencer, Content Creator/Curator, Voice Over artist and Blogger behind the award-winning Literary, Lifestyle and Relationship blog ELSiEiSY.COM.

She is currently a Lead TV Show Anchor & Programs Producer at PlusTV Africa. She has interviewed over 150 successful business men and women in Nigeria and Africa. She is passionate about telling stories of and having conversations with successful people in order to help mentor the younger generation.

She hails from Abia state, a graduate of Computer Science from the Lagos State University (LASU) and an alumnus of FATE Foundation. She was one of the inaugural members and the first welfare Officer of the Digital Media Practitioners of Nigeria (DMPN).

Elsie Godwin has won awards for her personality and her Blog. Her online activity is playful, easy going with principles. She is passionate about blogging, content creation and New Media. As an influencer who is a google partner, She currently works with various agencies to help share stories of great personalities and brands. She lends her voice in raising awareness on the fight against Rape, Domestic Violence, Mental Health Issues, struggles of Orphanages, unnecessary stigma and so much more. She share her inspiring journey with Esther Ijewere in this motivating and insightful Interview.

Growing Up

Yes, it sure did. I believe our life’s journey starts from the second we are birthed. Our decisions and trajectory will be influenced by our surroundings and orientation. My outlook on life and how I relate with people is largely influenced by my upbringing and the relationship I had with my mother. She was that woman who defiled societal standards. She was pretty open to me in a way that helped me draw wisdom from her wealth of experience. Also, I would say life has prepared me for today and is constantly shaping me for a tomorrow.

My blogging Inspiration

My personal journey inspired this. I needed to share my story, innocently. I just wanted to be open to an audience that could learn from me and I from them in return. When this urge to share my ‘heartbreak’ story and my opinions started, I knew nothing about blogging. The blog space at the time drove the conversations on twitter (unlike now) and I wanted to add more to that conversation. I was constantly looking at things from a different angle. I realized that my perspectives weren’t really novel but entertained behind closed doors. I got a lot of – “You cannot talk about this”, either because you are a woman or it just doesn’t sit right on the moral compass of some individuals. I constantly battled the idea of me having to experience something but not having the right to talk about it. From my emotions, to interactions’ with people, my expectations, my dreams and even natural occurrences. There were just too many “can’t say” flying around and I wasn’t ready to conform. So I created my space to offload. This space has however, continued evolving as I do as a person and mirrors areas I am particularly interested in. More of Relationship, General Lifestyle and Opinions.

The Journey so far

Its been rewarding. Starting the blog was all the exposure and push I needed. Regardless of how many people do not fully understand the concept and many layers of blogging, I always tell people I was a blogger first, before radio, television, production, influencer marketing and whatnot. Blogging has helped me learn better than education in Nigeria has helped me. I am aware of the choices that are available to me and the right to making those choices or not. Above all, actively knowing that you own a space on the world wide web that can help shape the life of another is a rewarding responsibility that I do not take for granted.

Being a TV anchor, producer and influencer, and managing it all

Its time consuming but amazing. It is easy for me because I have identified how all that I do connect with my passion. I love helping people foster beautiful relationships and making better decisions through conversations. Know your right, know the facts and choose your poison. And all I do, in one way or the other, help me achieve my passion, albeit in a much broader sense.

My Work at Plus TV Africa

At surface level I am a television anchor. I am the Lead Anchor/Producer for Tea Time -a lifestyle and entertainment news analysis program and the anchor and producer for One on One – a show that features no-holds-barred conversation with notable men and woman in Africa. But beyond the surface, I am actively involved in production and programming at Plus TV Africa. From programs ideation, to ensuring quality conversation and standard control. I am part of the programs review committee and we work closely with the Managing Director, Mr. Kayode Akintemi, to ensure that the vision of Plus TV Africa of being objective, fair and balanced is achieved. Producing is a lot of work and its never about you as a person. It is always about the content. You have to be selfless to be an amazing producer and that’s a journey on its own.

The society and appreciation of social media influencers

I think the term ‘social media influencers’ has been watered down in Nigeria. Personally, I loved the idea of what influencers use to be. Influencers never use to set out to become influencers. They just lived their lives and with time you begin to see the impact of their lifestyle and their communication style. But I guess everything evolves and we have to as well. People now deliberately want to be influencers and it makes me wonder what the quality of their influence is. Are you only interested in numbers, thereby being a channel to disseminate information or is your thought process and lifestyle worth emulating and shaping the narrative? I cannot focus on what the society think of influencers without the so called influencers answering the above question for themselves.

Challenges of being a Social Entrepreneur

Attention span for good content keeps reducing daily and its worrisome. Take for example, Big brother Naija reality TV show – I love the show, it is great content and I think its an empowering platform as well. However, compare the attention society gives to platforms like BBNaija and other reality TV shows that can be argued to be more rewarding based on impact on SMEs, employment and the country’s GDP, It’s a far cry. Don’t get me wrong, big brother naija is not Nigeria’s problem and also not the cause of our low attention span but we can be better. And frankly speaking, this is not solely about the youths, its about everybody, old and young. The amount of sponsors a show like The Next Titan can boast of, even in the corporate world, cannot be compared to that of BBNaija and of course, the key decision makers in those organizations cannot be categorized as too youthful. I truly wish we would pay more attention to quality contents and have better conversations.

Women who inspire you to be better and why

I could mention Ava Duverney, Oprah Winfrey, Maupe Ogun, Tope Oshin,…the list is endless for me. These women have got one thing in common, they are using their platforms and influence to change the narrative. They understand they influence they wield and they are dangerously using it. But then, the everyday woman inspires me, women I have encountered and worked with, Kelechi Okoro of the healthertainer brand, Dr. Iyewande Dada of Mentally Aware Nigeria, Fausiat Balogun of DEVCOMS, Tosin Ajibade of Olorisupergal, Esther Ijewere, Jane Egerton Idehen, Ized Uanikhehi, Sally Kenneth Dadzie, women in my circle and so much more

Every woman is worth more than Ruby, but what makes you a woman of rubies and more

I guess responding to your questions makes me one. LOL. But yea, I personalize everything to make sense of life. So for me, I am a woman of rubies because I am still here, I am a survivor, a warrior, a queen among queens, and I am consciously living a life of impact. I am a woman who supports people. Having interviewed about 200 successful individual in the space of 16months, I am helping tell the stories of success in Africa. I am being the voice of the people and I am helping change narratives and mold opinions for better decisions. I am Elsie Godwin and I am leaving my mark.

What advice would you give a young woman who wants to be a social media influencer

Find purpose and live it while documenting your journey on social media.

A lot of negativity has been linked to Twitter in recent times, as a social media influencer, how do you think we can correct this ?

What do we pay attention to? A lot of positivity is also going on as well on twitter. Our media platforms can help amplify positivity. We just need to stop paying attention to irrelevant sources.

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In self development August 3, 2020 By Editor

#MondayMotivation| 4 Secrets To Success According To Oprah Winfrey

In a commencement speech to the graduating student, former anchor, TV show host, and actor Oprah Winfrey urged the students to understand, appreciate, and execute their will to become ‘successful’ in life.
While the speech was tailored to inspire the fresh batch of graduates, looking to enter the world of adults and make their marks, certain aspects of Oprah’s speech hold value for all of us.

Alignment between who you are and what you do

“It is understanding that there is an alignment between who you are and what you do, is what authentic empowerment is.” it is imperative that your work becomes an extended version of who you are—it will push you to do what you do- all the better.

2. Fulfilment, the major definition of success

“…How to be used in the greater service to life. Ask this question and the answer will be returned and rewarded to you with fulfilment, which is the major definition of success, to me.”
To Oprah, fulfilment is directly synonymous with her idea of success. Citing her own experience, she states that one can only understand fulfilment, if they don’t have to approach another for the answer to their questions. It is only when they can fend for themselves, when they become self-reliant, they begin to emerge as the winner in their own stories. While seeking help and recommendations, we often forget that we are our greatest support-system. Next time you need help, look inwards. More often than not, you’ll find that you had the solution all along.

3. Listen to your inner-self

“Everybody has what I call this instinct, this inner voice. Every decision I’ve ever made that led me to the right space and place in my life, I got there because I relied on that inner voice.”
When Oprah made the decision of leaving the network to go launch her own show, she knew that she was taking a huge risk. She knew that she might fall flat on her face. However, as she said in her speech, she had this inner-voice urging her on, telling her that this was the right thing to do. And so she listened to it, and as a result, she is now one of the richest women in the world. All of us wrestle with making the ‘correct decisions’, no matter how big or small. There is always the possibility that we could make a huge mistake. However, we all have that voice in our head, telling us what we need to do. And more often than not, it helps us make some of the best decisions of our lives.

4. What is your intention?
“I decided that the notion of intention, knowing why you want to do something, not just doing it but understanding the why behind the doing, could also change the paradigm for every show.” Adding to this in a different speech, she said: “The reason we were number one for 25 solid years is because we intended to be.”
Inspired by the works of Gary Zukav, one of the greatest influences in her life, Oprah says that without intention, life never picks up and success becomes a far-off dream. However, when you intend to make something of your work, your ambitions, and your dreams, it pays off and you get where you need to be.
Oprah passionately believes that listening to her own desires and acting upon them with great intention got her where she is today. Maybe it’s time, you try the same.

In Interviews&profile November 15, 2019 By Esther Ijewere

OPRAH SAYS SHE HAS ‘NO REGRETS’ FOR CHOOSING NOT TO MARRY OR HAVE CHILDREN

Oprah Winfrey says she does not have any regrets over deciding to not marry or have children.

The 65-year-old talk show host has been in a relationship with long-time partner Stedman Graham for 33 years.

And, despite getting engaged in 1992, the couple have never tied the knot or expanded their family.

Speaking to People magazine, Winfrey revealed that while she did consider becoming a mother following Graham’s proposal, she felt it was the one job she might not be cut out for.

“At one point in Chicago I had bought an additional apartment because I was thinking, ‘Well, if we get married, I’m going to need room for children,’” Winfrey said.

The philanthropist added that much of the reason she decided against having children was because she witnessed “the depth of responsibility and sacrifice that is actually required to be a mother” during her years on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

“I realised, ‘Whoa, I’m talking to a lot of messed-up people, and they are messed up because they had mothers and fathers who were not aware of how serious that job is,’” Winfrey said.

“I don’t have the ability to compartmentalise the way I see other women do. It is why, throughout my years, I have had the highest regard for women who choose to be at home [with] their kids, because I don’t know how you do that all day long.

“Nobody gives women the credit they deserve.”

Winfrey continued by explaining why she and Graham decided to remain engaged for so long, admitting that she believes things “would have changed” if they had got married.

“I used to think about this all the time, that I was working these 17-hour days, and so were my producers, and then I go home and I have my two dogs and I have Stedman, who’s letting me be who I need to be in the world,” she said.

“He’s never demanding anything from me like, ‘Where’s my breakfast? Where’s my dinner?’ Never any of that, which I believed would have changed had we married.”

Winfrey adds: “Both he and I now say, ‘If we had married, we would not be together’.

“No question about it — we would not stay married, because of what that would have meant to him, and I would have had my own ideas about it.”

Winfrey’s decisions to not marry or have children are ones she still stands by today, explaining that she has “filled that maternal fold” with charitable work.

“I have not had one regret about that,” Winfrey explained.

“I also believe that part of the reason why I don’t have regrets is because I got to fulfill it in the way that was best for me: the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa,” she says.

“Those girls fill that maternal fold that I perhaps would have had. In fact, they overfill — I’m overflowed with maternal.”

In self development October 21, 2019 By Esther Ijewere

OPRAH WINFREY REPLACES CRACKED PHONE OF A NIGERIAN BOY WITH AN iPHONE 11

A Nigerian model, Olu, with the Instagram Handle, @Kxng.Olu has been ‘blessed’ with a brand new iPhone 11 from Oprah Winfrey after he met with her, and made a video, ‘With his cracked mobile phone.

Apparently, he had a sit down conversation with Oprah, and immediately after the event, he quickly stepped out to cattch up with her in her car, to have another, “one-on-one” conversation with her.

After the conversation, he quickly brought out his phone, to make a video, and Oprah made a comment about his cracked phone.

Watch the video below, where she says, “That’s me with in your cracked phone”

He then shared the video on his Instagram page, captioning it; “Today I was blessed with the opportunity to sit down and have a conversation with @Oprah Winfrey. After the assembly, my brother @zcs_5 and I caught her car and had another conversation with her. We hope to see her again soon and thank her for making this possible. #oprah #morehousecollege @morehouse1867”

A Few days Later, Oprah sent him a note with a brand new iPhone 11.

The signed note reads; “Dear Olufemi. We can’t have you out here viewing the world through a cracked screen or a cracked cover. The new camera you’re gonna love for sure”

In self development October 13, 2019 By Esther Ijewere

OPRAH WINFREY OPENS UP ON NOT GETTING MARRIED OR HAVING KIDS

Oprah Winfrey has opened up about why she never got married or had children.

In an interview with People Magazine for its Women Changing the World issue, Oprah Winfrey says although marriage and motherhood weren’t exactly in her cards, she did consider it at one time.

“At one point in Chicago I had bought an additional apartment because I was thinking, Well, if we get married, I’m going to need room for children,” Oprah said.

However, due to the demands of her talk show, “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” Oprah said she started to think of the depth of responsibility and sacrifice that is actually required to be a mother.

“I realized, ‘Whoa, I’m talking to a lot of messed-up people, and they are messed up because they had mothers and fathers who were not aware of how serious that job is.”

Oprah’s longtime boyfriend, Stedman Graham, 68, also agrees that being married would have changed their relationship.

“Both he and I now say, ‘If we had married, we would not be together, no question about it.” she said.

Looking back, she says she made the right decision.

“I believe that part of the reason why I don’t have regrets is because I got to fulfill it in the way that was best for me: the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa,” she said. “Those girls fill that maternal fold that I perhaps would have had. In fact, they overfill I’m overflowed with maternal,” she added.

In self development October 7, 2019 By Esther Ijewere

OPRAH WINFREY DONATES $1.15 MILLION TO UNCF TO HELP LOCAL NORTH CAROLINA STUDENTS ATTEND COLLEGE

This past Saturday, media mogul Oprah Winfrey surprised attendees at the 17th annual Maya Angelou Women Who Lead Luncheon with a major donation that will help minority students in the North Carolina area attend college.

The event, which was held in Charlotte, North Carolina and put on by the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), honored women who are making a positive difference in the community and who are helping to keep the late Maya Angelou’s legacy alive.

When Winfrey, who served as the keynote speaker for the luncheon, found out that UNCF had raised $1.15 million at the event for local deserving students to attend college, she announced that she would match the donation and help bring the total amount raised to $2.3 million.

“I believe in the power of education,” The Charlotte Observer reports Winfrey telling the audience. “There is nothing better than to open the door for someone.”

In 2007, Winfrey opened her leadership academy for young girls in South Africa and told the crowd that three of her girls had graduated from Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte. She continued by recalling a conversation she had with the late Angelou where she told her that she believed her academy in South Africa would be her greatest legacy.

“You have no idea what your legacy is going to be because your legacy will be every life you touch,” Winfrey said Angelou told her.

Winfrey then challenged the crowd to think about their own legacy by understanding that “your legacy is how you treat everybody.”

Next year, Winfrey will return to Charlotte to campaign for healthier living as part of her “Oprah’s 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus” tour. The wellness event is scheduled to hit the Spectrum Center in Charlotte on January 18, 2020.

In self development September 28, 2019 By Esther Ijewere

IYANLA VANZANT SPEAKS ON LEARNING TO FORGIVE HER EX HUSBAND

When we take a look around us, we find many instances of separated relationships around us at random. It could be a father or a son, two friends, a boy or a girl, two cousins, and very often a husband or a wife who have strangled the relationship between them for one reason or the other. This separated relationship between a married couple is a very common instance of separated relationship.

It is not that after the relationship is separated then the life becomes smooth for either of the husband or the wife but it has been noticed in majority of the cases. Life turns out to be a fearful nightmare.

It is a very common thought that we will be very happy once we get rid of a particular person but no, this is not the case at least in the married couplesThey are completely heavy hearted after the separation from each other and are left in the life like a rudderless boat in a storm.

For the initial few years you do not understand me what to do until and unless you have a proper plan in advance for the future In this story of LyanlaVanzant, it is very sad to note that not only did her husband leave her for good but he did so, so that someone else could come in her life and use her.

Now when you come to know that your life partner has left you for someone else, you feel very heavy-hearted and you are left with nowhere to goAnd over and above that you are sure about your innocence in this case. You get thoughts that why in the first place you did fall into a relationship with this type of a person.

In Career Gems September 24, 2019 By Esther Ijewere

AVA DUVERNAY’S “WHEN THEY SEE US” WINS CREATIVE ARTS EMMY

Over the weekend the riveting Netflix series When They See Us, took home their first Emmy at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards for Outstanding Movie/Limited Series Casting.

The series tells the story of The Exonerated Five, formerly known as The Central Park Five, a group of teenage boys wrongly convicted for sexually assaulting a woman who was jogging in Central Park in 1989. When They See Us is based on the true story of Antron McCray (Caleel Harris/Jovan Adepo), Kevin Richardson (Asante Blackk/Justin Cunningham), Korey Wise (Jharrel Jerome), Raymond Santana Jr. (Marquis Rodriguez/Freddy Miyares) and Yusef Salaam (Ethan Herisse/Chris Chalk).

Ava DuVernay, who directed the series congratulated Aisha Coley, the film’s casting director on Instagram saying “So happy for this wonderful woman! First nomination. First win. Aisha Coley has won the Emmy for her work in casting WHEN THEY SEE US, along with the great Billy Hopkins and Ashley Ingram. Overjoyed! BTW: She hates taking pictures so this is the best I have. A humble lady. Shy. And spectacular in her talent.”

The series earned 16 Emmy nominations in total. We’ll be tuning in to the Primetime Emmys to root for everyone on September 22nd at 8pm on FOX!

In Career Gems September 9, 2019 By Editor

OPRAH WINFREY ANNOUNCES WELLNESS TOUR FOCUSED ON ‘STRONGER, HEALTHIER, MORE ABUNDANT’ LIVES

Oprah Winfrey announced the tour on Facebook saying it would be done in coordination with Weight Watchers Reimagined. They will have a full day of exercises, and Winfrey will hold discussions with notable celebrities during the nine-city tour.

“What I know for sure is we can all come together to support a stronger, healthier, more abundant life — focused on what makes us feel energized, connected and empowered. As I travel the country, my hope for this experience is to motivate others to let 2020 be the year of transformation and triumph — beginning first and foremost with what makes us well,” Winfrey said in a statement to the Associated Press.

“This is the year to move forward, let’s make it happen in 2020,” Oprah continued.

The tour will conclude in Denver on March 7. She will also make stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Dallas, Charlotte, New York and St. Paul.

This will be Winfrey’s first national tour in five years. She has done a few small tours internationally but none matching the size of her previous tours, which often sold-out arenas.

Winfrey said more than $1 million from the tour’s revenue will be donated to Weight Watchers’ philanthropic arm that brings healthy food to underserved communities.

“This is an extraordinary opportunity for [Weight Watchers] to do what we do best: bring communities of people together with a shared goal of health and wellness,” said Mindy Grossman, president and CEO of Weight Watchers.

In her video announcement, Winfrey said she wanted to speak with people across the country about the latest research done in the wellness field and develop concrete plans for people to manage their lives in 2020.

Credit: blavity.com

In lifestyle August 10, 2019 By Editor

OPRAH WINFREY DEBUTS HER FIRST MAGAZINE COVER WITH HER BEST FRIEND OF 40 YEARS, GAYLE KING

Oprah Winfrey took it all back to where it all began as she posed for her first Oprah magazine cover with her best friend, Gayle King.

The billionaire media mogul said the reason her 40 years friendship with Gayle King has lasted without arguments or fallouts is because they’ve always been happy with their lives. According to Oprah, a true friend can’t be jealous of you or want to take advantage of you in any way.

She wrote as they covered Oprah Magazine September’s friendship issue;

I can’t tell you how many times people have introduced me to their best friends as, “She’s my Gayle.” The reason our friendship has worked for over 40 years, without arguments or fallouts, is that we’ve always been happy with our own lives. A true friend can’t be jealous of you, or want to take advantage of you in any way. Ever since we met in 1976, we’ve been doing the same thing. Listening. Talking. Laughing (a lot). Building dreams. Cheering. Being a shoulder to cry on. Speaking the truth. Being the truth. And now? Posing for our FIRST @oprahmagazine cover for September’s friendship issue.

Credit: LIB