Gain international development experience without becoming an unpaid intern
Working in the international development field is the best of many worlds. You have the opportunity to do good and well in life; travel around the world, live on stipends, get tuition reimbursement and student loan forgiveness. There are many incentives to working at places like Save the Children, the World Bank, or your country’s national development agency. This can be a very competitive sector to break into but with a plan of attack and a strategic mind, it’s definitely within your reach. I’ve traveled throughout sub-Saharan Africa due to work, and trust me it’s been a long time coming. I’ve had to work throughout high school, college, and graduate school; I attended expensive private universities and the US Department of Education owns my first born. I didn’t have any hook-ups from parents who knew important people and I didn’t have any high profile professors vouching for me. I’ve had to consistently plan and re-plan every career move every step of the way. Still, it’s possible to get that dream job, and this is what I think can help: Never work for free Seriously, this is a never ending cycle that you don’t want to get into. If you are a freshman or sophomore in college, fine maybe. You are only two years removed from high school and may not have a skillset to take to an employer. But, interning for free well into your 20s is absolutely unnecessary. You have to sell yourself and you can’t sell yourself cheap. By the time you graduate you have a skillset and should be able to express that in a convincing manner. Your language skills, your research abilities, your study abroad stint are all assets worth something! If you think its okay to work for free just for the experience, you are beginning your career backwards. When you end up applying for a job and you need to tell them how much you were last paid, the fact that you worked for free at the UN will overshadow any work that you did there. It devalues your contribution to the organization you worked for, if you made a big enough impact they would have found a way to pay you. Just say no. Begin learning a language It’s so important, particularly if you are interested in working in sub-Saharan Africa. French is a vital tool that will propel your resume to the top of the pile even if you may not have that 3-5 year professional experience. Entering a language institute may even be more valuable than graduate school. Believe me, having a language is a shoe in for many international development agencies. Find an actual niche/focus It’s not good enough to say you want to work in international development, or in Africa. What do you want to change? Public health? Food security? Economic empowerment of women and girls? Reproductive health? There are dozens, if not hundreds of niches within international development, it is important you find yours. Graduate school allows you to learn the different sectors within international development and helps you figure out the hot topics, the institutions working on the ground and where in the world the issue is most pressing. For example, I work in population and health, specifically in reproductive rights and access to contraception for young women. Pretty specific. When you’ve found your niche, do your research, write about it, read about it, tweet about it, enter dialogue online, attend events and listen to webinars. This will get you on the radar and start building you a mini portfolio before you even apply for the job. Apply for work/travel grants To work in international development you must have overseas, on the ground experience. So, you have graduated school, you have a basic understanding of a second language, you have found your niche! This isn’t enough to land your first position. You need real on the ground experience, whether in Southeast Asia, Africa or the Middle East. You need to get your butt over there for at least six months. You’ve got to get creative, start a go fund me campaign, work for a year at some desk job to save up and move overseas. If you are like me and don’t have the money to move overseas for a year. Apply for travel grants ASAP. One of the best is the Christianson Grant, it awards young people under 30 with up to $10,000. All you need to do is find a place to work (and get accepted by the selection committee of course). One of my close friends was awarded the grant and spent a year working at an education NGO in Kigali, Rwanda. The $8,000 she received was enough to pay her housing, her monthly expenses, and her flights there and back. Other grants like Princeton in Africa place you at NGOs across sub-Saharan Africa, along with paying for flights and housing. Take a (very temporary) pay cut So you’ve been denied all the travel grants, and don’t have the money for an overseas stint. Don’t worry, there are other options to getting that overseas experience. Get on idealist.org, UNjobs.org, and devex.org, then study the jobs/paid internships available in developing countries. You’ll find many small local NGOs looking for program managers, site coordinators, capacity building managers, and so on. These jobs pay close to nothing but they will pay for your flight, a small monthly stipend, and housing. These are golden opportunities to getting that experience while still being compensated. For example, I found a job in rural Tanzania in 2013. It was working with women (check), it was based in Africa (check), and it paid $600 per month. Um not check! I was taken aback by the low salary, but knew I had to consider it for on the ground experience. The position also offered me housing, flights, and a “Program Manager” title (check). In the end, my time in rural Tanzania is how I ultimately got my international development career started. I am
Asmau Ahmad, Plum Perfect CEO: Lessons on building a business in tech
The She Hive made its way to NYC and it held no punches! Guest speaker Asmau Ahmad, CEO and founder of Plum Perfect, showed us that building a business in tech requires strategy, confidence and persistence. Trained as a chemical engineer, Asmau understands the importance of being both precise and thorough. Asmau’s Plum Perfect is a mobile technology that allows the user to submit a photo selfie, it then analyzes the content of that photo to recommend makeup products that work for your complexion. During She Hive NYC 2016, Asmau shared with us how she navigated her path within the tech industry. Here are some lessons we can take away from Asmau’s journey. Be flexible Your ability to stay alive as a startup is directly correlated to your ability to pivot quickly. This means that you need to learn what is moving very quickly and move directions. Do not get too emotionally invested in something that clearly isn’t working. If you have been working on something that needs to be revamped, just make the necessary changes. You can either grow fast or die slowly, the choice is yours. If your startup does not have the funds to market itself, partner with bigger brands and let them do the marketing. Data is king Use data tracking tools that allow you to see how your users interact with your technology, Google Analytics and Mixpanel are some resources Asmau suggested. Listen to your users, read all of their reviews and make adjustments accordingly. Your most enthusiastic customers and your most angry customers will be the ones who give the most feedback. Feed off the energy of your most enthusiastic customers and give them what they want. Conversely, solve the problem of the angry customers and give them what they want too. You want to get to a happy zone with as many customers as possible. Reach out to investors Asmau said that she focused on mostly women-led investors to help push Plum Perfect forward. It’s important that you find investors that fall in line with your business interests. Choose one revenue model that you want to focus on, state what you want clearly and simply. Investors need to know that you are well informed about the product you’re pitching. Know your numbers when presenting, what has been your ROI thus far? How much do you need to carry out your next endeavor? Get investors who not only give money but also invest time into your project. Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you. You do not always want to be the one with the best ideas in the room. There are some instances where an investor will not take you seriously unless you have an MBA degree, it is validating for them. Asmau’s takeaway is that business school is not mandatory for running a successful business. If you have a viable business model and can think logically you can run a business.
Five essential books on leadership
One of the best ways to become a leader is by soaking up advice from those who got there before you. A plethora of leadership books exist and it can be daunting to decide where to start. You may want to go with popular books like “The 48 Laws of Power” or you may consider this list which spices things up by choosing books with a specific kind of woman in mind. Whether you’re the woman whose family and friends dismiss her anxiety because “Africans don’t deal with that” or you’re struggling to find a balance between being a wife, mother, daughter, aunty, bff and/or businesswoman, we’ve got a book on leadership for you. “#Girlboss” by Sophia Amoruso: For the woman who doesn’t have time for the haters Sophia Amoruso is the founder of Nasty Gal, an online fashion retailer worth over $250 million. When she was 22 years old, she was broke and had spent most of her teens on the road and shoplifting. “#Girlboss” is a book for the a typical CEO, it charts Amoruso’s ascendance into success offering practical life and career advice. This one is for the women who walk the unbeaten path and have to listen to people asking them why they are setting up a puff-puff business when they haven’t yet married. In “#Girlboss” Amoruso reminds us to be loyal to our passions and remain nonconforming. “Flying Without a Net: Turn Fear of Change into Fuel for Success” by Thomas J. DeLong: For the anxious #MotherlandMogul “Flying Without a Net” is a useful guide to anxious professionals. Fear of the unknown is very real for some of us. It holds us back from new challenges and dims our brightness by making us vulnerable. In this book, Thomas J. DeLong, Harvard Business School professor, teaches how to deal with fears and to turn vulnerability into strength. “Flying Without a Net” is essential learning on how to confront fears and improve on your courage. “The First-Time Manager” by Loren B. Belker, Jim McCormick and Gary S. Topchik: For the newbie just starting out Called the “ultimate guide for anyone starting his or her career in management”, “The First-Time Manager” is effectively a beginner’s guide. This book is great for newbies venturing into the worlds of management and entrepreneurship. It offers easy advice on diverse topics from discovering your management style and hiring and keeping your staff motivated to dealing with bosses and leading meetings. “Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office: Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers” by Lois P. Frankel: For the good girl ready to go bad Apparently nice girls carry last. You may be making huge mistakes in your career by being overly likeable. “Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office” is a must-have for business women. It shows that being a nice girl may not be the best way to take charge of your career. Lois Frankel coaches us on getting rid of unconscious mistakes such as multi-tasking and not negotiating. “The Emperor’s Handbook: A New Translation of the Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius: For the multitasking woman This list won’t be complete without one from history. Marcus Aurelius ruled Rome from 161 to 180 A.D, he was also a legislator, a parent, a military officer, a political leader and a spouse. No wonder, Aurelius is considered to be one of the most powerful and respectable leaders in history. And where better to learn than from a leader whose name is remembered thousands of years after his death? “The Emperor’s Handbook” brings timeless lesson from a Roman emperor to readers of today. It is a translation of Aurelius’s private personal notes on life, leadership and everyday advice. What kind of leadership books is for a woman like you? Share them with us.
I Quit! How to write a letter of resignation
Hi, I quit! I was too good for this job anyway. Kiss my a** and don’t bother contacting me. P.S. Just to let you know, I was the one who ate the jollof rice you kept in the fridge that time. Let’s be honest. How many of us have imagined sending a message like the one above before heading to your favourite suya spot for a treat yourself episode? When you’re leaving one job for (hopefully) better opportunities, you may want to use the opportunity to air grievances. This may provide temporary relief but you can’t burn bridges. Resignation letters go on file and you won’t want to come back for a reference only to be confronted with an unprofessional resignation letter. Here is a step-by-step guide to writing a letter of resignation. The opening Even before sitting down to write your letter of resignation, you will need to sit down with your boss for a one-on-one session informing them of your resignation. Now, you’re ready to write your letter. The opening of your resignation letter should be friendly but formal. It’s a fine balance to maintain but it can be done. The most important thing is to remain professional at all times. Your letter’s salutation will depend on your relationship with your boss and the level of formality in your place of work. If you’ve been calling your boss Kemi all along, there is no point in writing “Dear Ms. Ade”. Ditto if it’s the other way round. Motherland Mogul Tip: Don’t forget to add the date. It should be aligned left, above your boss’s name and work address. The body Don’t beat around the bush and don’t sugar coat anything. You should state your intention to resign clearly. This way your boss doesn’t think you’re open to being convinced to stay. It’ll be quite uncomfortable having your soon-to-be former boss throwing in a higher salary to an attempt to halt your resignation. Crystal clarity also shows that you are confident in your decision. A simple, “Please accept this notice of my resignation from my position…” will work great. Some advice stating your reasons for leaving but this is a must-do. Give as much details as you’re comfortable with. Motherland Mogul Tip: Don’t forget to state your last date of work. Give your employer as much time as stated in your contract. For most, it’s a month’s notice. The conclusion As you’re being nice and professional, you should offer with helping any transition. This will usually involve training whoever will be replacing your soon-to-be vacant position. Be careful not to promise what you can’t deliver. Round things up neatly, based on how much information you included above. You may want to add in more details about your departure if you’re really close to your boss. Sign out with “warmly” or “king regards” or even “sincerely”. Motherland Mogul Tip: Don’t forget to thank your employer for the opportunity. Finally read through your letter, over and over. You’re looking for grammatical errors and typos. There should be no trace of hostility, remember you’re not burning bridges. Have you written a letter of resignation recently? Did you make any blunders? Let us know your experience by leaving a comment below.
5 things all potential business partners must consider
Starting a business can seem very daunting. So, you’re not Chuck Norris. You have a great business idea or project plan and acknowledge that you have limitations. Well, that’s okay because sometimes, bringing in a business partner makes good math. A business partnership is a marriage of sorts. So before you seal that deal, take a moment… In my third year at university, a close friend and I decided to start up an entertainment company together. It seemed like a fantastic idea at the time and we had a lot of fun as well as learned a great deal about the industry. In hindsight however, it would have been preferable to define the parameters of our professional relationship and consider a lot of the points on this list: 1. Look out for someone who brings something different to the table It is important to approach a potential business partner who can complement you by bringing in something different whether it be financial power, business connections or a particular expertise. Be sure to delineate the roles and responsibilities. Speaking from experience, it is never fun when one person feels like they are doing all the work. It is extremely important to draw up a founder’s agreement devoid of personal sentiments early on in the process. There is no point bringing in someone who doesn’t have anything unique to offer. If the value proposition does not add up, ditch the thought. 2. You need to have a shared vision Though your goals may differ to a reasonable extent (not so much that you want different things out of it), your potential business partner must buy into the vision you’re selling. The last thing you want is a scenario where your partner is no longer passionate about the work or decides they have grown bored with the business. This is a risk that can actually happen to any business owner regardless of how pumped they are at the commencement of the venture. However generally speaking, it is less likely that partners part ways if they both solidly believe in the vision behind a business and are committed to making it work. 3. Study them in their work environment Seeing your potential partner in their professional element can help you better understand what it would be like working together. Do they have a good work ethic? Do you speak the same work language? Are you comfortable with their style and pace of work? The answers to these questions can help shape your decision when considering another for a partnership role. Afua and Yasmin, SLA co-founders weigh in on what makes their partnership work: “Since we came from the same company, we have a similar working style which makes being partners very easy. It’s great having someone to collaborate and brainstorm with on new challenges.” 4. How do they handle personal crises? Make the effort to get to know them not just on a professional level but on a personal one as well. How do they get along with friends? Are they petty and vindictive? How do they deal with the tough situations in their lives? The last thing you want on your hands is a partner that’s messy and doesn’t know how to manage stressful situations. 5. What’s their commitment level like? Startups are extremely tasking. In the incubation period, there’s a lot of conceptualization and planning going on. You need someone who is ready to give a 100% of themselves to the heart and soul of the business. Even if you are both unable to meet physically as often as you would like, they must be willing to keep the communication 110% just like you are. Virtual meetings, emails and instant messaging are available to compliment regular meetings. If you notice that this person always has an excuse for not getting work done, calling like they said they would or constantly need motivation to think positively, it’s a definite red flag. After going through this list, hopefully you feel more confident about your decision to take on a business partner. It’s a pretty exciting thing. If you have found however that you need to go back to the drawing board, that’s okay too. Like they say, better safe than sorry!
The 4 minute guide to SME marketing: Much ado about big budget
“Jennifer our business only has #xxxx and I can show you our account statement if you don’t believe me. I really would love to do marketing o, but If I spend that kind of money now, I would have nothing left to run my business.” This was a real statement from a friend of mine during a conversation we had about his recently launched platform. At some point during the conversation, I had to subtly remind him that if he does not market his platform, he wouldn’t have a business to run in another few months. I cannot say this enough, when it comes to getting your business out there, marketing is a big deal. As you think of your product you also have to think about how you will go to market with that product. Having worked with/and for startups and small businesses, I am all too familiar with the budget constraints. There is usually too little cash competing with too many business priorities. This, coupled with the fact that for a long time small business owners have been told that marketing (and subsequently advertising) is for the big players with big budgets, have made them shy away from it until it becomes an absolute necessity. The real questions are: Can you create buzz around your product or service without a killer budget? Yes! Can you get people to care about your brand and actually want to engage with your brand without having to dole out a shit load of money? A big yes! These things are very possible as long as you are committed to going through the marketing process in a creative and deliberate way. As we go further in this series, we will explore multiple strategies and tactics that you as a small business owner can deploy in growing your customer or client base. However, today, I would like to speak to 2 things that I consider very essential at the early/launch stage of your business that will cost you little or nothing to implement: Be approachable One of my favorite IG luxury fashion retailers once did a PSA that encouraged people to come into her store and window shop even though they might not be able to buy any of the items at that particular time. I thought that was really warm and inviting and it inspired my first interaction with her business. Truth is, your brand essence notwithstanding, if your business projects an image of being aloof or arrogant, people will probably have a difficult time connecting and interacting with it. Give something back Earlier this year I bought a pair of shoes from one of these online stores and inside the box was a voucher with a discount code for 20% off my next purchase. This was to thank me for choosing them and to encourage me to choose them again. I was quite pleased with both my purchase and the incentive and let’s just say before the end of the day I had redeemed my voucher. Make people feel appreciated for spending money on your business and you give them a powerful reason to want to spend more. More often than not superior marketing can beat a superior product. Coca Cola and Pepsi are fantastic in illustrating this because despite the fact that Pepsi typically wins in blind taste tests, Coca Cola still controls a huge chunk of the carbonated soft drinks market. However, superior marketing does not always imply superior marketing spend/budget. With a healthy dose of creativity, strategic marketing and sometimes just plain hustle you, with your little or no marketing budget, can achieve results that would rival that of an FMCG with their seeming infinite marketing spend.
Begin with the end in mind
I am sure we have all heard the saying ‘begin with the end in mind’ more times than we care to remember. Most times this is said in the context of our own lives and how we should be approaching the goal realization process. Perhaps the best-known individual on this is Steven Covey in his ‘The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People’, where habit 2 speaks to this directly. I was reminded of this very saying a week ago when I had a one-on-one meeting with my mentor. In conversation my mentor asked me what my end goal is. I asked him what he meant and at that very moment I realized that in so much as I understand where I see the business going, I have not actively put together my business end goal. A business end goal is all about where you see yourself as a businessperson in seven to ten years. Unlike a typical business mission and vision statement, this is about you the person in as much as it is about the business. Take for example a person who wants their business to be the leader in providing information communication technology (ICT) on the African continent; the key question is how will this person know when the milestone has been reached? What are they using as a yardstick for success? More than that, what is the ultimate role you would like to play in business? You may want your company to be a regional leader in its area of work, but your personal ambition may be to have multiple business interests without you being necessarily involved in each business on a day-today basis. It may be that your passion is unrelated to the daily grind of deal making and operations management, but rather in advocating for a particular cause that gives meaning to your life. In this particular case, what drives you is the ability to derive income while not being bogged down by the minutia of managing a business or multiple business interests. Your end goal is thus to create businesses that allow you to spend your energies on things that bring you meaning. Thus, by year x, you want to be in a position to have built businesses that run independently of your daily input so that that you can focus your time on what your care most about. When you begin with the end in mind, you are letting your imagination guide you. As Steven Covey puts it, the exercise of imagination is based on the principle that all things are created twice: first mentally and then the actual physical creation, with the physical following the mental in the same way a building follows a blueprint. The world of business is challenging and often times we are stretched beyond our limits. It is during those times that our bigger goal/end needs to carry us through. Taking the ICT company example, say now an opportunity comes to take the business to other markets, your end goal enables you to make an informed decision on what you need to do. For instance, will the time requirements of moving beyond conquered markets square up with your personal end goal? Perhaps you may end up concluding that the potential revenue does not justify sacrificing these goals, or that your team requirements must support this ambition to the largest extent possible. You can only square up your personal vs. business interests once you have made an honest determination of what is important to you and where you see yourself at your predetermined timeframe. Lack of such a determination may leave you drifting and following others’ priorities/ambitions without the gratification that your journey should bring you. While waiting to reach your pinnacle point, you can still do something towards achieving your personal ambitions by doing small tasks towards that very end. How do you start you may be wondering? Below are three actions you can start with you to ensure you are continuously working towards the end in mind: Develop a business and personal goal statement This statement should answer the questions of what and who you want to be. Aligned to that is what you would like your business end to look like at point x; in other words, what is your ultimate business objective? Be sure to be as clear as daylight when you work through this- the clearer and specific you are, the better will be your ability to continuously measure your progress. This statement should be an articulation of that mental picture which will form the beginning to the physical realization. Take it one day at a time When you begin with the end in mind, your days will never be the same again. Each task, or project will be a clear fit into the bigger end. Only then are you able to make things happen for your personal and business ambitions. Your decision-making improves, as you know instinctively what makes sense and in what way this makes sense. Conflicts between personal and business goals are clearly identifiable and can be resolved in a more systematic way. It’s not cast in stone In as much as your business plan is a fluid document, so is your personal plan. Just because you have a desire to advocate for children’s’ rights in your 20s does not mean that’s what you ultimately want to do. Be open minded to the changes you need to make as you go along, review your timeframes, and reassess your priorities from time to time. When you are true to yourself, irrespective of what your goal statement looks like today- the values you hold and your passions stay with you. When you begin with the end in mind, you put yourself in a better position to succeed. You do not make haphazard decisions around your business and personal life. It is only then that you can have a better grip of you in your entirety.
Nengi Omuku: They are surprised I’m a small girl showing large canvases
Nengi Omuku is an emerging Nigerian artist making her mark in the contemporary art world. After attending the Slade School of Fine Art, University College London, she’s gone on to showcase her work in exhibitions across the globe including the prestigious annual Armory Show in New York as part of the 7th edition of the 2016 Armory Focus: African Perspectives, an invitational section on Pier 94. She has received multiple awards for her work including the British Council CHOGM Art Award, which was presented to her by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2003. Nengi shares with us her favorite artists, proudest moment in her career and her hopes for the future of African art. Who are some of the artists you admire most? Who did you look up to when studying art in school? Ben Enwonwu was an inspiration for me at art school. He was a role model and an alumnus of the Slade School of Fine Art, which inspired my decision to also study at the Slade. I admire Wangechi Mutu’s work, which highlights themes related to women. Yinka Shonibare has an incredible body of work, which flawlessly captures his sense of humour. Then there’s Chris Ofili; there’s a simplicity and sensuality about his recent paintings that I relate to. When do you feel like you create your best work? What setting is it? Are you at home or in a studio? Painting at home has never really worked for me, because a lot of my paintings are quite large. I work best in a dedicated studio space, surrounded by paint and pigments. Alternatively, a garden would work just fine. When it comes to a geographical location, I could be dropped anywhere in the world and I will be inspired to make. All the work that I make comes directly from experiences that I have had and every space offers new experiences. How is it being a woman in the art world, would you say that there’s some gender inequality or are there some challenges that you would say only female artists face or is it not as bad as other industries? A gentleman came to the first solo show I had in Nigeria and was genuinely surprised that I was a ‘small girl’ showing large canvases. He expected to meet a man! There are lots of articles being written about gender inequality in the global art world about how female makers aren’t as recognized as their male counterparts. There’s no doubt that men have dominated the art scene in Nigeria and elsewhere, but at the same time I don’t find that daunting. We are all just players in the same game. So I’ve thrown myself into the pond like everyone else, because our limits are only imagined. What has been your proudest moment in your career? Winning an art competition and getting to meet the Queen of England was an amazing experience. She encouraged me to continue with art and as a young person, that’s just something you don’t forget. The other awards that I have received as a result of my work have also been very encouraging. There’s no better feeling than being rewarded when you push for more from something that you’re passionate about. What are your hopes for the future of African art? I look forward to increased visibility for artists that live on the continent alongside the proliferation of art spaces. Another hope is that the concept of ‘African Art’ grows and expands to reflect the dynamic and diverse work of artists who live and create on the continent and its diaspora. You can follow Nengi on Instagram @nengiomuku to learn more about her work and travels through the art world.
7 history lessons to keep the modern African woman motivated
History is such a fascinating subject. It is very enlightening to be able to study people, places and events which occurred before you because they help shape modern thought and explain the current status quo. We often hear about great heroes and heroines throughout history who have impacted on our world but African women in particular have not received as much spotlight. As Motherland Moguls, we acknowledge and pay our respects to those who have paved the way before us. You’ll notice these women had different methods of achieving their goals but for us what stands out is what we can take away from their stories. This is by no means an exhaustive list, we hope you enjoy our selection nonetheless. Let’s delve into important lessons from our African heroines who remind us that the struggle is not a new one, but indeed we can come out on top as game changers: Yaa Asantewaa Lesson #1: Bravery Yaa Asantewaa was the gatekeeper of the golden stool a symbol of Ashanti supremacy. When her father and brother were exiled by the British colonialists in the 19th century, she charged the Ashanti people to fight for their freedom. Whilst many were afraid to fight, she demonstrated immense bravery even calling on her fellow women to fight if the men would not. She was instrumental in the independence fight leading an army of 5,000 in battle against the British. Margaret Ekpo Lesson #2: Be ingenious Being a woman was not an excuse for Margaret Ekpo. In the early days of her political activism, she found herself being the only woman at a political rally she attended. Unimpressed by this, she tried to get other women to become more involved in political matters. Unfortunately, most men would not permit their wives to do so. She later invested heavily in the salt business during a period of scarcity. Having the upper hand, she refused to sell salt to women who would not join the Aba Market Women Association. As you can guess, she soon had the turnout she was looking for and was able to promote economic empowerment for women through the association. Ahebe Ugbabe Lesson #3: Your pitfalls can become your crowning glory Ahebe Ugbabe is a woman who doesn’t get as much shine as she should in African history. She is hailed as the first female KING of Igboland. Yeah, I wrote that right…king, not queen. What’s most remarkable about her story is that she was able to turn lemons hurled at her into some good ol’ lemonade. Sacrificed to be married to a village deity as penance for her father’s sins, she managed to escape to another community and later returned to be installed as a warrant chief, eventually becoming king! Queen Nzinga Lesson #4: Re-invent yourself where necessary Queen Nzinga of Angola is remembered for her brilliant political prowess. She ruled over the Mbundu people through the aid of the Portuguese colonialists. Prior to her ascension to the throne, women were not allowed to do so. She thus adopted the name Dona Ana de Sousa which had Christian and Portuguese affiliations to ring in their support. At some other point, she is reported to have taken on the title Rainha de Andogo meaning ‘Queen of Andongo’. This queen had so much kickass, we have outlined not one but two lessons from her story. Lesson #5: Elevate yourself when others try to put you down At a conference with the Portuguese authorities, an attempt to humiliate Nzinga was thwarted when she made a conscious effort not to be put down. Offered a seat on a mat as a sign of disrespect, Queen Nzinga sat on her servant’s back to negotiate the peace discussions. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti Lesson #6: Raise a new generation of thinkers A phenomenal woman, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was an influencer, activist for women’s rights and human rights campaigner. Founder of the Abeokuta Women’s Union, she has been immortalised in history as one of the delegates who negotiated Nigeria’s independence from Britain. She dropped her Christian name ‘Frances Abigail’ in response to the racism she personally encountered in Britain. There is no doubt that she influenced her offspring with her revolutionary ideas as several of them went on to become radical voices against different forms of injustice. Queen Amina of Zaria Lesson #7: Be badass! Queen Amina is hailed as a brilliant military strategist and warrior who performed incredible feats leading her troops into battle, conquering new territory and fortifying the kingdom of Zaria. Referred to as a legend, Queen Amina’s badassery also extended to the control of trade and the erecting of walls surrounding Zaria city. We hope you’ve been doubly inspired and motivated to perform great feats in your chosen professions and the world around you. So, adjust your crowns and let’s get to writing our own amazing stories that will remain ingrained in the sands of time!
3 things to do when your academic background and your career are worlds apart
There is an indescribable joy that is experienced by a Nigerian who has just graduated from an institution of higher education – what a delightful feeling! No more paying of exorbitant school fees. No more buying of handouts from lecturers under duress. No more dodging from sleazy lecturers. No more coping with below-par study situations. Surely, things can only get better from then onward. However, when the time comes to seek out and secure gainful employment, the graduate would soon realize that she has jumped from the fabled frying pan into the fire of reality. If one was disillusioned by the undergraduate experience, a greater disillusionment awaits such an individual when faced with the task of finding a job which matches their actual field of study. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria’s unemployment rate rose to 7.5% from 6.4% in the first three months of 2015. There are therefore too few jobs for too many graduates, and so graduates often have to grab any job they are able to get with both hands. A lot of my contemporaries who work in the Nigerian banking sector, for instance, did not study anything remotely related to banking or finance in their various tertiary institutions. They studied courses like Microbiology and Applied Chemistry; they took banking jobs because those were the jobs available, not necessarily because they had a deep love for finance. So, what do you do if you find yourself in such a situation? Here are 3 ways to make the most out of it. Adapt your learned knowledge to your current job For instance, if you are a Political Science graduate who has, after a long job search, gotten a job in a Bank as a Marketing Executive. You should try to think about the aspects of studying Political Science which you could adapt to your current situation. These would include things like Being able to undertake thorough research (in this situation, research on your target market). Being apt at writing reports. The ability to analyze situations from different points of view. When you approach the situation in this manner, you would perform well at your job, and you may even start to see it as a long-term career, rather than a temporary situation. There is an added bonus if it turns out that your personality happens to match your job; so if it just so happens that you’re very charming and persuasive, your job as a marketer would be more tolerable for you. Sell yourself For this step to work very well for you, you must first ensure that you put in your best in any job situation in which you find yourself for the duration of time you are there. Then, if you decide that you want to move on from the job, you have to pitch yourself as an expert in your current job, who just happens to also be an expert in your academic field of study. If I was the hiring manager of an organization, I would be very intrigued by a candidate who is a trained microbiologist who currently works as a marketer at a bank. It is now up to you, as a job applicant, to really demonstrate how those experiences would make you a very desirable candidate for the advertised role. So, you must always ensure that you are excellent at your job, even if it isn’t where you thought you would end up; that excellence would most likely be your stepping stone to future success. Don’t give up It is very easy to get disillusioned when, after months or years of searching for a job, you end up with a job that is unrelated to your field of study. Some graduates end up seeing the job they have gotten as one which they are okay with doing on a long-term basis. If this is not the case for you, please do not fret or get discouraged. Keep applying for the job which you desire, while making sure that your skills in your field of study are up to date. Take online courses if possible. Read up on new trends in that area of expertise. Try to get a mentor to guide you on your journey. If it is possible, try to volunteer in some way to keep your knowledge in that area up to date. Whatever you do, try not to be sad about the situation. While you do all this, you must strive to maintain optimal professionalism at your current job. Having a job which doesn’t have anything to do with your field of study might be source of irritation, but not having a job at all is an even worse situation. Have you experienced such a situation on your quest to become a #MotherlandMogul? Kindly share your experiences in the comments section below. Don’t give up!