Webinar with Pryse: Breaking into the music industry (Dec. 13)
The Nigerian music industry is booming! While there are a few female artists in the game, there are hardly any female rappers. Pryse is changing all of that around. She has smashed her way into the music industry and is playing no games. Within her relatively short career, she has already done collaborations with people like Burna Boy and has created her own record label, ICON. Join us for a 30-minute webinar with Pryse on December 13th, 2016. We’ll be discussing what it takes to get into the music industry and the Nigerian music industry in particular. If you are an artist, or anyone interested in any aspect of the music industry, you don’t want to miss this. Register below to get the exclusive link to the webinar. Some of the topics we’ll cover: What the music industry is like for solo female artists What it’s like to be a female rapper in Nigeria Staying true to yourself What is takes to create and run a record label What’s next for Pryse and her record label, ICON. Webinar Details: Date: Tuesday December 13, 2016 Time: 8:00am NYC // 2:00pm Lagos // 4:00pm Nairobi Watch this Webinar: About Pryse Princess Esindu, popularly known as Pryse is regarded as one of the best female rappers in Nigeria. Born in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, Pryse is a graduate of media and communications from Nottingham Trent University, UK. She started her career in the Nigerian Music Industry with the release of her debut single, “Eleto” featuring “Kolewerk” singer, Koker in 2013. She later released “Niger Delta Money” and “Kolo” featuring Burna Boy. After the expiration of her recording contract with former label Chocolate City, Pryse launched her own record label ICON in October 2016 and released “Queen Kong” featuring Eva Alordiah as part of her Pryseless Freestyles Series. “Queen Kong” is currently receiving reviews and airplay on major radio stations across Nigeria. Her first official single under ICON, “Her Excellency” will be released later this month.
Achenyo Asimegbe: I wanted to be my own #boss before 30
[bctt tweet=”Achenyo Asimegbe of @Stylemarkmall shares her story from quitting her job to serial entrepreneur” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How many of your friends are dissatisfied with their jobs and are always going on about quitting (even if they never do)? Achenyo Asimegbe is one of the few who have braved the resignation path. As with most things in life, it wasn’t easy. Achenyo had to quit her job when a transfer request was rejected. First, she had to face family and friends who thought she was making a mistake and ruining her life. Then, came those months where the reality of no salary coming in hit home and Achenyo considered going back to the office life. Yet since making the decision to become a #MotherlandMogul, Achenyo has grown to be a serial entrepreneur. She retails children’s clothing and accessories at Stylemark Mall and trains entrepreneurs and start-ups through Stylemark Pro Enterprise. Achenyo Asimegbe is also a mentor with the Cherie Blaire and Tony Elumelu foundations, supporting other women in businesses. Why did you decide to leave banking? I have worked with two commercial banks, Spring Bank PLC & Enterprise Bank Limited, for a total period of 5 years. I had so much passion for the job. However, one day I decided to request for a transfer. I was in Minna, Niger state and wanted to move to Abuja, where my husband just recently found a new job. I had written formally and pleaded with my superior officers to simply transfer me on marital grounds. Yet, the transfer request was not granted. I was told there was no space at all, in any of the numerous branches the bank had in Abuja. Prior to this time, I was gradually getting dissatisfied with the job. I realized that in all the 5 years I had put in, I had not really achieved anything great in life. I had already decided that I wanted to be my boss and set a goal to do so before I turned 30. When my transfer request was not granted, I was 29 years old. After been told all the no’s and that the transfer will not be possible, I made up my mind to quit. And so, I resigned to fully pursue my passion and accomplish that dream of being my own boss before I turn 30. Did you get any support from your friends or family when you made the decision to quit your job? How did you overcome that? When I made up my mind and resigned, not too many people agreed with my decision. Getting friends and family to be on the same page with me was very tough. Everyone felt I was making a mistake that I may regret later. But I kept telling them that I know my strengths, capabilities, and I have great skills. I knew I would be back on my feet very soon. Every day I would get calls from friends/family, telling me about job offers they saw on the net, newspaper and so on. I knew that chapter of my life was over, but they were still tied to the career person I had been in the past. As days and months went by, they began to see the reality that I had moved on. [bctt tweet=”Achenyo Asimegbe: I resigned to accomplish that dream of being my own boss before I turn 30″ username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What happened immediately after you resigned? After resigning from my job, and staying 1-2 months without a salary coming in, I grew worried. Then I began considering going back to a paid job. At this time, I had not really figured what exactly I wanted to do next. So, I began applying for jobs all over. I attended interviews but most of the organizations wrote back informing me that I wasn’t selected. This happened more than five times. Then I had enough and said I wasn’t going to apply for jobs again. I decided to start a small business and become self-employed. So, I took a bold step and started business. I established Stylemark Mall, an enterprise that deals in children’s clothing and accessories. Our target audience ranges from new-born kids to 15-year-old teenagers. I have recently become a serial entrepreneur adding a new line of business, Stylemark ProEnterprise, a capacity development centre. One of our products is the SME Springboard, a platform designed to assist Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MSMEs) realize their growth potentials. What other projects are you currently involved in? I have so much I’m working on. I am working on launching my clothing line for children, which is really exciting for me. Still, I’m taking it one step at a time. I have over the last 3 months, been organizing trainings/skills and acquisition programmes for women, in Abuja. This is just as a way to give back to society and encourage women to start a small business. I am also a mentor on Cherie Blaire Foundation for Women in Business, and Tony Elumelu Foundation for Entrepreneurs. [bctt tweet=”Achenyo Asimegbe: I wouldn’t have spent all those years in banking & started my businesses” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] If you could go back in time and change one thing in your journey, what will it be? I most certainly wouldn’t have spent all those years in banking. I would have established my businesses earlier than now. But in all, I am grateful to God for all the experiences and lessons as along the way. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Tania Omotayo: Watching my father work so hard, I couldn’t imagine doing less
[bctt tweet=”Discover @TaniaOmotayo’s #MotherlandMogul and boss side in this interview” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tania Omotayo is officially our WCW and general #MotherlandMogul goals. The half-Nigerian and half-Austrian beauty is a well-known personality in the Nigerian entertainment scene. Like many enterprising young women, Tania Omotayo does not put her hustle in one basket. On one hand, she is a Senior Creative Analyst at the Temple Management Company (TMC), a leading talent management and events company. On the other, Tania is a model and an entrepreneur. She never stops moving forward and we can thank her dad for that. If you’ve heard of Tania Omotayo and always wanted to know more, or if you’re curious to know the insights of working in the Nigerian entertainment industry, what are you waiting for? Read on! What would you like the world to know about Tania? I would like the world to know that I am a hard-working and focused young woman. I am a Senior Creative Analyst at the Temple Management Company (TMC) which is a leading talent management and events company. Also, I am a model and an entrepreneur. I don’t think I ever stop. If it doesn’t have something to do with my regular 9-5 job then it’s my personal business. I am always up to something. I learnt from my father, watching him work so hard my whole life, I couldn’t imagine doing less. And it is something I am extremely proud of. [bctt tweet=”Tania Omotayo: If it’s not my 9-5 job then it’s my personal business. I am always up to something” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What legacy do you see yourself leaving in this world? It’s weird because it’s not something I spend a great deal of time thinking about. But I do hope to leave my mark on this planet in some way. I hope to be remembered as one of the pioneers at the Temple Management Company, that brought change to the Nigerian entertainment industry. I hope to be remembered for doing amazing things for charity, impacting people’s lives and for genuinely making a difference. Tell us more about the Temple Management Company. How did it come about? The Temple Management Company was founded by Mr. Idris Olorunnimbe at the start of 2016. TMC is a child of necessity, the company was started to bring structure and change to our entertainment industry. We are a 360 full-service talent agency and talent management company. We specialize in the representation of personalities with African heritage from all over the globe in the entertainment, sports, media, public and arts sectors. Also, we specialize in the management of events in the entertainment, sports, media, public and arts sectors. I am proud to say that I am part of the nucleus group that helped build the company from the very beginning. [bctt tweet=”@TaniaOmotayo hopes to be a pioneer that brought change to the Nigerian entertainment industry” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How do you plan to scale up the Temple Management company in the next few years? We have so many big plans and projects we are working on. I think the main thing is we are focused on changing the game, and we do things differently and properly. We have a lot of extension plans which we have already started with South Africa, Kenya, United Kingdom and the United States. So, in a few years I am sure we will be leaving our footprint worldwide. What’s one thing about the industry you work in that you would like to change? If I had to change one thing, it would be to create a platform so that we have the same structure in place as the rest of the world. Nigeria is one of the few countries in which talents do not really get royalties or adequate compensation from our hard work. I think it is unfair and dispiriting. If I only had one thing to change, it would definitely be to improve the welfare of our talents when compared with the rest of the world. [bctt tweet=”If I only had one thing to change, it would definitely be to improve the welfare of our talents @TaniaOmotayo” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What’s a typical day like for you? I actually do not have a typical day. My weekdays are completely different from my weekends. I have crazy weekdays, and more chilled days. On my crazy days, it can be waking up at 5 am and finishing work at 10pm, on days like that I really can’t do anything else. But on my more chilled days, I start work at 9 am and finish between 5 and 7pm. On days like that, I have time to watch a favourite TV show or a movie. On the weekends I like to sleep as much as I can so I am fresh for the week. So I usually spend most of it in bed. What motto(s) do you live by? I have so many, but these are some of my favourites and I’ll explain why: “Someone else is happy with less than what you have” – This helps me to remember to appreciate what I have. “Success is the best revenge”- This is pretty self explanatory when people don’t believe in you or try and water down your dreams, the best way to get them back is to succeed at it. “Happiness is yours to choose or reject. So embrace it.” – This took me a while to fully understand but now I am a pro at choosing to be happy. You should never let other people ruin your happiness. What can we expect from you in 2017? For 2017 you can expect a lot from me. Outside of working for Temple, I am working on a really exciting fashion project that I cannot wait to reveal. It is something that I have been working on for over a year now and I am super excited. I am also working to solidify my brand as a model and I have some projects coming up that I
Habiba Wushishi: Food should not just be eaten but be enjoyed
[bctt tweet=”It has always been my dream to be innovative with my cooking – Habiba Wushishi” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You know a real foodie when she talks about food evoking emotions and cooking being a married of ingredients. We’re talking about Habiba Wushihi here, founder and spice-mixologist (yeah, we just made this up) behind Sydney’s Cuisine. Habiba just loves food and she wants everyone to enjoy the tastiness and variety of Nigerian cuisine. That’s such a dope goal. Through Sydney’s Cuisine, she’s creating a new culture around how we appreciate Nigerian food which she hopes to expand globally through franchising. Read on to discover how Habiba will achieve her goals. She’s got lots of great advice for baby start-ups too. Why are you passionate about delivering good food in Nigeria? As a foodie, I understand that there are people who eat just to fill up, and people that actually love food. I believe that food should not just be eaten but be enjoyed. Nigeria is a country that boasts of so many traditional dishes from a myriad of cultures within it. Each culture has its own blend of flavours and ingredients which makes all of the food unique. Sydney’s Cuisine’s concept is based on an infusion of Nigerian and Intercontinental flavours. To that point, I too have started ‘The Sydney’s Culture’ which aims to continuously entertain my customers with bursts of flavours as they eat. The beauty of the Nigerian food culture is that we all eat and appreciate each other’s food from all parts of the country. One thing that is for certain is that Nigerians love to eat. This is befitting for me as it has always been my dream to be innovative with my cooking and create new and updated dishes that I know will attract a lot of people. When you are running any food business, the main priority is to be able to satisfy a variety of palettes and to enhance customers’ dining experience. Food has the ability to evoke positive emotions. Maybe you are having a stressful day at work, and my food has put a smile on your face. This is immensely rewarding for me knowing that I have provided a good service. Sydney’s Cuisine is dedicated to delivering good food in Nigeria not only to quench hunger and satisfy cravings, but also to create awareness about the next phase of Nigerian cooking. What makes Sydney’s Cuisine different from the other food and catering businesses that exist on the market? Before I started this business, I did research on as many food businesses as I could. More often than not, you come up with some idea(s) that someone or several others already have executed. I realised, after conducting my research, that my food concept and brand culture would take-off based on that special component, that makeover, that je ne sais quoi, that is much needed in the Nigerian food and catering market. Not long after, I had an epiphany —cooked food is a marriage of ingredients! In this case, my food concept would be to infuse Intercontinental flavours into the Nigerian cuisine. What sets Sydney’s Cuisine apart from the rest is that there are at least 15 different Nigerian and Intercontinental spices in all of our meals. This achieves a level of flavour that is so desirable, it has proved to be a tad overwhelming (in a good way) for a few of our customers. [bctt tweet=”Sydney’s Cuisine blends at least 15 different Nigerian and foreign spices in all meals” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] One of my goals is for Sydney’s Cuisine to appeal to people around the world, and the best way to achieve that is to provide a sense of familiarity by cooking with ingredients known to people from a specific country. I want the rest of the world to have a taste of the Nigerian cuisine and in turn, I’d like Nigerians to experience other flavours in food. Just like people all over world eat and enjoy the Asian cuisine. Global corporations like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft have their own individual business culture. This culture has played a huge role in the success of these companies. You don’t really hear about food/catering businesses and their cultures. Culture is a substantial part of any business and should be incorporated into every business. I am gradually developing the Sydney’s Cuisine culture that will make it stand out. Since this is your first start-up, what are the hardest parts of getting your venture off the ground and how are you looking to fill in the gaps? With any start-up, you will be faced with tough challenges. Teething problems are to be expected at the start of any food business. At first, when any issue arose, I found myself panicking and even doubting myself and my capabilities. I started this business on my own and without any partners. As a result, I had to juggle several roles and responsibilities to ensure quality control and efficiency. I was a manager, accountant, marketer (via social media platforms), food orders supervisor, packager, just to name a few. Sometimes, I would focus on one or two roles and because of this I would have missed a few orders or endanger the quality of the meals. Each role is just as significant as the other which is why I became very anxious in the beginning. [bctt tweet=”I found myself panicking and even doubting myself and my capabilities – Habiba Wushishi” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] When you are starting a new business, you may not want to hire a manager from the onset because you want to save on costs. So I decided to try out a couple of routines and figure out the best one for me to follow. Since then, I have come up with a system that works perfectly and has enabled me to settle into all those roles comfortably. And as the business grows, I will create a team to fill the roles. Day to day operations will always be a challenge and
4 things to learn from the lady mechanic, Oduwa Agboneni
[bctt tweet=”There is nothing like male-dominated field – Oduwa Agboneni, the lady mechanic” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Oduwa Agboneni is an entrepreneur in a seemingly male-dominated field. By the way, she doesn’t believe that crap of “male dominated” anything. Oh yes, we love that kick-ass spirit. She had her first degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Benin before proceeding to the University of Lagos for a Masters degree in Geoinformatics. She worked previously in the mechanical industry but since she’s always had a flair for business, she knew it was a matter of time before launching hers. Oduwa is the founder of Neni’s Auto Care. Her services range from car wash and detailing (odour removal, polishing, washing, fumigating) to auto-repair (auto diagnosis, body work, panel beating, electrical) and home based repairs. Presently, her employees are 80% male. Although her male staff are fine with her leadership, most times they tell her that she is the first woman they have worked with. They love Oduwa’s leadership skills so much that they no longer see her as a woman. To Oduwa, this shows that success has no gender neither does leadership in the “male-dominated” field. Her goal is to be the richest black woman in Africa. Oduwa would also love to see her business represented in all states in Nigeria and all countries in Africa. She plans to set up an NGO to empower young ladies in STEM, all while being the best wife and mother. Here are four things SLA contributor Ugochi learned after a chat with Oduwa: 1. The most difficult part of being an entrepreneur isn’t funding but coming up with a sustainable idea Motherland Moguls, you need to get in here. Contrary to perception that funding is the major challenge for business owners, Oduwa believes this is not the case. A good idea will always bring in the money eventually. So dream big, start small and grow steadily. She started from a car wash to developing a garage and now Neni’s Auto Care has evolved to perform other services. Good ideas would eventually attract funds as Oduwa is a 2015 recipient of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP) grant. [bctt tweet=”A good idea will always bring in the money eventually – Oduwa Agboneni” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 2. There is nothing like “male-dominated” field Oduwa believes that this is a thing of the mind in this part of the world. So, know what you want and go for it. Motherland Moguls, what are you waiting for? 3. It’s a fallacy that you can’t be feminine in a “male dominated” field Now, there’s that phrase again “male-dominated” but this line of thought is absolutely bullocks. According to Oduwa, it’s all about time management. You can still look good, make your hair and be girly irrespective of the industry you operate in. 4. You can ace marriage and career Even though she has always been a career person, Oduwa knew she had to blend it with her marriage. She has learned to create a balance between her work and her home. Ugochi and Oduwa are currently undergoing a training programme together and Oduwa brought her baby along. But you’d never know there is a baby there because Oduwa is so coordinated and still contributes meaningfully in class. Talk about doing well in all areas. [bctt tweet=”#MotherlandMoguls need to dream big and be open to partnerships” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Final words to the Motherland Mogul You need to dream big and be open to partnerships. Pay attention to your customers and your employees because you need them to grow your business. Be focused, hard-working, determined and prepared at all times. Live your dreams. Want to see women you know featured on SLA? Tell us what amazing things women are doing in your communities here.
Arit Okpo: I call myself a socially adept introvert
[bctt tweet=”@menoword presenter/producer of @TheCrunch_EL is a socially adept introvert” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You may have seen Arit Okpo on TV and marveled at her grace and poise. Arit currently produces and presents The Crunch, the flagship news show for Ebonylife TV. On The Crunch, she discusses and analyses current affairs issues and stories. When she’s not producing content or presenting shows, Arit writes prose, opinion pieces and discussions on current affairs. And she doesn’t stop there, Arit has also functioned as facilitator and event MC for a number of public functions. With all this, it’s kinda hard to believe that Arit is an introvert. For someone who is constantly in front of the camera (whether at work or on her very active Snapchat), Arit has found a way to make her shyness work for her as she forges her path in Nigeria’s media industry. How did you come to be a presenter and producer? I had been thinking about going into media for a while, but thought it was going to be purely behind the scenes as a Producer and Director. One day in 2013 however, I got a call from my now CEO Mo Abudu, informing me that she was launching a new show and that she thought I would be great for it. I had participated in her reality show The Debaters in 2010 and she had remembered me. Even though it was totally unexpected, I knew immediately that this was the opportunity I needed and I said yes to the job! As someone who is shy and an introvert, how do you appear so comfortable in front of the camera? I call myself a socially adept introvert, meaning I have learned how to engage actively in social settings. I bring this to my work in front of the camera, I try to chat and engage as if the people I am talking to are friends sitting right there in the studio with me. When I’m in front of the camera, I talk and act in the very same way I act in my everyday life. In a nutshell, instead of stepping out of my comfort zone, I take my comfort zone to work with me. [bctt tweet=”Instead of stepping out of my comfort zone, I take my comfort zone to work with me – @menoword” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What is the typical day in the life of a producer like? I produce a daily news show and so my day usually consists of; previewing the episode going to air that day, then checking that all the other inserts of the show are ready or being prepared (we produce these ahead of time). I check invitations to events and say yes to the ones that align most closely with our direction as a show and send these off for scheduling. Then, I review the work we have to shoot and try to craft a direction for it. I check the news for the next day and send it off for recording and finally, I scour the web for possible stories and guests that we can feature. This is aside from the meetings, budget preparations, planning and general craziness that is all in a day’s work. What do you think other young women can learn from you career path? There is no one way to achieve your goals. My career path is very varied but each time a new opportunity came up, no matter how out of the way it seemed, I always looked for (and found) a thread tying it to the past and leading to my future. Don’t be afraid to say yes to unexpected opportunities and don’t be afraid to try things you’ve never tried before. [bctt tweet=”Don’t be afraid to say yes to unexpected opportunities @menoword’s advice on career paths” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Do you have a career development plan? If so, can you share it with us? I am very excited about curating and sharing the everyday stories of the continent. Whether it’s our food, our habits, our people or our politics, Africa is a very interesting continent. I look forward to creating content that celebrates the very fabric of who we are –our similarities, differences, hopes, failures and successes. You’re very active on Snapchat. Do you use this medium to actively build your brand or is it something you do for fun? It’s pure fun for me. It’s a chance to share my everyday life, my thoughts and my activities. I enjoy the chance to share with people a little bit more about who I am away from the camera. Your hairstyles and clothing choices on The Crunch are always on fleek, what’s your favourite clothing item? I have a fantastic styling team that does such an awesome job of making me look good and they’ve given me some incredible looks. For my every day look, I’m crazy about my ankara pants of which I have quite a number; they’re comfortable, versatile and made in Nigeria! Do you always have a good night’s sleep? Nope! I only get a full night about 2 nights a week. I am very nocturnal and so my brain starts to wake up around 10pm at night and goes strong till 2–3am. Sadly, this lifestyle is not very compatible with a 9 to 5 job, meaning that on average, I get about 5 hours during the work week. [bctt tweet=”I look forward to creating content that celebrates who we are – @menoword” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How do you find time to write while working full-time on The Crunch? I have to say that it is not always easy. Sometimes I am tired, other times I am simply not in the mood, especially because my job makes me associate writing with work. Deadlines help though, once I have a submission deadline I make it happen. I’m going to work on writing more next year though (I say this every year). If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more
SLA Accelerator Demo Day
Join us on November 20 in Lagos, Nigeria for the Demo Day of our 2016 SLA Accelerator. Demo Day is a public viewing for investors, corporates senior executives and the press to view our most recent accelerator startups. The SLA Accelerator is a 3-month program designed to identify, support and fund the next generation of Nigeria’s brightest female entrepreneurs. The selected businesses are: Art Splash Studio – A virtual art studio offering a social art experience through our Paint Nite painting classes hosted at different venues in Abuja. BathKandy Co. – Creates sumptuous dessert-inspired beauty treats for women who crave the finer things. Bubble Tii – Bringing the Bubble Tea phenomena to Africa. DeliveryBros – Helps you save time and stress through pickup and drops from the market to your house or office. Fresh Direct Produce and Agro-Allied Services – An eco-friendly social enterprise that produces premium organic produce through hydroponics and community action. Keek’s – Designs tailored weight loss packages for busy women who want a plan that is both effective and simple to implement. Koko’s Kitchen – An indigenous brand of confectionary dry mixes specially tailored to suit the taste buds and pocketbook of the quintessential person on the go. Independent Personal Assistant (iPA) – Provides strategic virtual assistance to high-level executives across Africa. We take care of the mundane while you focus on what matters. Medsaf.com – Solves the medical industry’s procurement problem, by providing a technology enabled distribution solution resulting in transparency and simplicity. Shuttlers – Enables professionals to access comfortable and efficient transportation to and from work using seat matching technology. SLA Accelerator is in partnership with the Work in Progress! Alliance and Guaranty Trust Bank The Work in Progress! Alliance is focused on unlocking the economic potential of young women and men in Egypt, Nigeria and Somalia. The project aims to enable them to generate sustainable and living incomes – by finding regular employment or starting enterprises. Alliance partners include Oxfam, VC4Africa and Butterfly Works Guaranty Trust Bank is recognized as one of the most profitable and well managed financial institutions in Africa for providing quality service, ethics, professionalism, integrity, innovation and internationally accepted corporate governance standards. SLA Accelerator is also one of 16 global incubators and accelerators selected as a Village Capital Community VilCap Communities enables anyone, anywhere to use peer-selected investment to support entrepreneurs within their communities. In 2016, each VilCap Community will be running its own entrepreneur training program and investing in two ventures using Village Capital’s peer selection methodology.
Sex tapes, exploitation and public shaming: The case of Chidinma Okeke
[bctt tweet=”How do we end the sexual exploitation of young ambitious women? @MercedesAlfa asks” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] A sex tape was leaked online recently involving Chidinma Okeke, Miss Anambra 2015 and another woman. The Internet has been awash with comments and criticisms. You know Nigerians love a good scandal, even more they love to play judge and jury. Chidinma has been crucified, as some have called for her to be prosecuted. Remember under Jonathan’s government, homosexuality was rendered a criminal offence under the law. This Ventures Africa article points out that we need to be asking the right questions and I agree completely. What exactly was the motive for posting the controversial video online? Who actually leaked the video? Often times, when nude photos or a sex tape is leaked, people focus on condemning the participants especially if they’re women. But the pertinent questions are rarely asked. If we are able to step out of our hypocritical stances for a second, we would ask why the item was posted online in the first place. Well, congratulations to those who fell for the bait. Chidinma Okeke is reportedly only 18 years old. Have we considered that she was very likely exploited by the pageant organisers, or someone with a close link to them? The number of young women and girls who are sexually and economically exploited cannot actually be estimated according to this BBC piece. [bctt tweet=”The number of young women who are sexually and economically exploited cannot be estimated” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] The numbers may be even higher in the pageant industry. It’s alleged that the other woman in the video is also a beauty queen. Shouldn’t we be talking about how to solve the problem of shadowy figures sexually exploiting ambitious women? Exploitation comes in different forms and shades. For Chidinma, it seems to be in the form of revenge porn. Yes, revenge porn really is a thing. Simply put, revenge porn is what it means when a sex tape is leaked without consent. It is, “sexually explicit portrayal of one or more people distributed without their consent”. More and more women are now speaking out about their experiences in a world where women are made to feel ashamed for being exposed online. We should encourage women speaking up and accord them the necessary support to move on from it. If anyone should be shamed, it should be whoever was behind the camera and whoever sent the video out. I’m also side-eyeing anyone who downloaded the video and watched it. I came across a particular comment in which the person asserted that Chidinma Okeke has degraded and lowered the standard of womanhood. Another one claimed that this is one of the direct results of feminism. Sigh! I don’t even know what the standard of womanhood means and how one person’s actions can lower it. The somewhat good news to come out of this is, Chidinma will be receiving an award for her tenacity. I truly hope she’s receiving the support she needs and that this doesn’t spell the end of her career. I’d like to see Chidinma bounce back. Outside the context of sexual exploitation, women have sex. Deal with it. Some women have lesbian or bisexual relations. Gasp! Stop putting women on a pedestal. We aren’t sacred beings. We are human, period. [bctt tweet=”Stop putting women on a pedestal. We aren’t sacred beings. We are human, period. ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Some of us are quirky, loud, rambunctious, braggadocious, flirtatious, and more. Sorry if we don’t conform to your ideals. Most African countries don’t have laws protecting women from revenge porn and other forms of exploitation. Here are some resources you should consider reading for your safety.
Dear Nigeria, we really need to do better for the girl child
Sometimes I disconnect from current issues because I feel powerless at all the debauchery going on, especially in Nigeria. It was the International day of the girl child only a few days ago but the truth is that we have such a long way to go in according the right value to girls and women. Going through my Twitter feed, I came across the link to a Bella Naija story currently making the rounds. Apparently, the Emir of Katsina state is alleged to have abducted a fourteen year old girl and forced her into marriage. The Emir is at least fifty years her senior. Please let’s process that for a second. It doesn’t matter if he was eighteen or twenty because it would still be wrong. But, for someone who is old enough to be her grandfather, it makes it even more appalling. And yet, he is supposed to be a leader who should set precedence helping his people to do better. Just like in Ese Oruru‘s case, it is alleged that the girl Habiba Isiyaku was abducted and forced to convert to another religion, Islam. Apparently, the Katsina Emirate Council considers the marriage irreversible. It was reported that the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has tried to intervene in this case after the girl’s parents cried foul. He condemned the action and appealed to the Emir also stating that in his own religion, a girl could not be given out in marriage without her parents’ consent. But can we not make this about religion? Because that would be problematic. This is not a Christian or Muslim polity. We are governed by constitutional laws, no? The legal framework I believe comes from a humanitarian perspective. At fourteen years, she is considered a minor and CANNOT consent to marriage. Child marriages must be abolished and the Nigerian senate needs to take a stronger stance towards this. What’s more, the judiciary must begin to enforce the law in this regard. This should be an imprisonable offence. No one should be above the law either. We need to send a strong message throughout our great nation that we as the Nigerian state, do not condone child marriages. In many constitutions, this is regarded to as statutory rape. Let’s also recognise the fact that several crimes have allegedly been committed here. Abduction, domestic violence (because emotional abuse), statutory rape (assuming the ‘marriage’ has been consummated). Let’s outlaw this societal scourge and demand the highest penalty for the offender. If we continue to shout tradition or religion, we will go nowhere. Nigeria please, we really need to do better for the girl child. Every one of us is Ese Oruru, and Habiba Isiyaku, and the Chibok girls. We want unfettered access to education, right to adulthood, right to healthcare, right to economic opportunities.
4 lessons we can learn from DJ Cuppy and Rona Wigs
Well, everyone knows or should know Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola aka DJ Cuppy. If you also do not know Sharon Adeleke aka Rona Wigs, then you should know the Adelekes, that is Davido’s family. So what do these two women have in common? Daddy is stinking rich, yes, but that not withstanding, they work and they are really good at what they do. Now, these ladies have a couple of things to teach us about business and life in general. 1. Daddy’s money is not necessarily mine When asked why she was making wigs, Sharon replied; “Yes my daddy has his money but it is not my money. My daddy has his own money, Davido has his, I want to make mine.” It is quite accepted to see a rich kid live off trust funds and have an enormous social life. They do not necessarily have to work, I mean who has to work when the money is there, right? No. Here are two women, daughters of some of the richest men on the continent slugging it out. Well not really slugging it out, but the hustle is real baby. Sharon and Cuppy do it normal way, starting something sustaining the drive, making a name and creating a global brand. 2. Passion drives Anybody who knows Cuppy personally, knows she loves her music production. She is crazy about what she does and takes time to do it right. No half-bakes for the eclectic DJ. Sharon gushes over her wigs like they are the new definition of bae. It is evident that she enjoys what she does and she has turned it into a business. They work their passion and make money from it like no (wo)man’s business. Their businesses show the depth of their dreams. This is not just mere working to show that they can work, no, this is a dream. You see this in the hands-on way Sharon handles Rona wigs. She uses social media to advertise herself and is fully involved in the entire wig-making process. And well, it’s not like Cuppy can give out the spin table to someone else to “help” her spin. 3. Know what you do Cuppy can hold a crowd’s rapt attention with her music. She remixes almost everything and puts the “DJ Cuppy” spin on it. You see her right there on stage making new sounds out of old songs. This is not just someone who can DJ, this is a lady who can spin. Sharon said “I love making wigs and I am good at it”. Nuff said! These are not rich kids pretending to work , nah, these are Motherland Moguls who work! And there is no stopping them. 4. Playing the daddy card Well, it might not be your daddy, but if someone around you has the fame and the money, make it count. We are not all children with rich dads even though we may know some. We cannot deny the massive boost that being Otedola’s daughter has given to DJ Cuppy or how being an Adeleke has and will influence Rona wigs. Sharon openly admits to having had a privileged life. Still, both women have something that could be watered. Yes, some people will get away with daddy’s money and position. But if Sharon and DJ Cuppy use “daddy’s” card, it’s to rake up the market, connect and build their brands.