Biography of Opeyemi Awoyemi

Born on 5th August, Opeyemi Awoyemi best describes himself as an entrepreneur and a builder of people and things. He is the Founder of Moneymie, Jobberman, a job website and Whogohost, a domain registration and hosting company. He is also the CIO at Jobberman, one of the companies he founded and is currently used by millions of Nigerians.

 

Growing up, Opeyemi Awoyemi attended the Federal Government College, Ilorin and thereafter proceeded to study Computer Science at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. He further studied Strategy, Innovation and Growth at Wharton Executive Education

 

Opeyemi Awoyemi, a father and God-lover, also runs FastForward Fund, a venture studio committed to unlocking prosperity in Africa. In his spare time, he likes to help talented people who are trying to start their own thing get the encouragement they need.

 

Opeyemi Awoyemi is active on social media. You can connect with him via his official handles on facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Biography of Oba Solomoni Worldwide

Oba Solomoni Worldwide

https://www.tiktok.com/@oba_solomoni_worldwide

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Biography of Abiodun Oyebanji

A ONE-SIDED HEADACHE

People often complain of headache, headache is a child of many parents, it could be a symptom of many things, and it could result from stress. A major characteristic of migraine headache is a pain at just one side of the head.

What is Migraine headache about?

Migraine headache is a disorder characterized by pains on either one or both sides of the head lasting from 48 to 72 hours. Migraine headache could be accompanied with an aura. Physical activities worsen the pain. An individual experiencing migraine headache often seeks for a quiet and dark room.

What causes Migraine Headache?
Migraine headache is often due to some physiological changes in the brain or an irregularities in the blood vessels and nerves. It is majorly caused by environmental and genetic factors. However, the main cause of migraine headache is not fully known. Migraine headaches sometimes are triggered by some factors which may include tiredness, smoking, alcohol, hunger, inadequate sleep, onset of menstrual period, stress and certain foods and drinks. It is more common among females after puberty and its chances decrease during pregnancy.

What are the symptoms of Migraine Headache?

Some individuals get a warning symptom prior to the headache or even after the headache. Symptoms prior to the onset of the headache include altered mood, neck pains, sensitivity to light, smell or noise, constipation or diarrhoea, craving for somekinds of food. The headache is often accompanied with nausea, mood swing and irritability, sensitivity to light and sound.

How is Migraine headache diagnosed?
It is often required to note some important factors such as the onset, the triggers, duration of pain. Most diagnosis are based on signs and symptoms. According to the International Headache Society, diagnosis of migraine headache can be made using the ‘5,4,3,2,1 criteria’ which represents 5 or more attacks
4 hours to 3 days in duration
At least 2 days of unilateral location, pulsating
At least 1 additional symptom such as sensitivity to light, nausea and vomiting

What are the factors that increase the risk of migraines?
FAMILY HISTORY
Migraine headache can been traced to a family history. About 90% of individuals suffering from migraine have a family history of migraines, with both parents being a better marker. GENDER Migraine headache is common among males before puberty and common among females after puberty. Its chances decrease as a woman goes into menopause.
AGE
According to Mayo Clinic, Migraine headache usually improves after age 30.

TYPES OF MIGRAINE

Migraine with aura
This involves migraine headache accompanied with aura, a subjective sensation experienced before the attack. This often serves as a warning preceding the headache.This happens to about 16-30% of migraine patients. The symptoms include flashing of light, blind spots, having difficulty in speaking, stiffness in the shoulder or neck.

Migraine without aura
This is by far the most common type with no usual warning preceding the headache. However, some individuals may experience aura without having the headache.

How is migraine headache managed?

It is often better to engage in preventive mechanism other than its correction. Several drugs have been administered in the management of migraine headache. Pain killers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen can be used for severe migraine headaches, other analgesics such as aspirin with caffeine can also help to stop the headache. Antiemetic drugs can be used to control symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. Antidepressants are also administered to reduce migraine symptoms. Other classes of drugs used in the management of migraine headache include the ergotamines and triptans. However, frequent use of drugs may lead to severe and more frequent headache.

What are the preventive measures to be taken?

One of the heathiest ways of preventing illness is a healthy lifestyle. Other preventive measures include medications, nutritional supplements, and surgery. It is practically impossible to eliminate headache totally but the main aim is to reduce its frequency, duration and pain. Healthy lifestyles are but not limited to regular exercise, adequate drinking of water, sufficient sleep, avoid smoking and drinking of alcohol. Medications often use in the prevention of migraine headache include propranolol, metoprolol, gabapentin and pregabalin.


Emi ni akowe

5 Ways to Put Smiles on the Faces of Persons with Disabilities

 

Have you ever thought to yourself: "I'd rather be dead than disabled?" It's a usually reflection to most of us. Disability, in everyday thought, is associated with unhappiness, failure, with dependency and with not being able to do things. We feel sorry for disabled people, because we imagine it must be miserable to be disabled.

But in fact we're wrong. It's sometimes called the "disability paradox". Surveys reveal people with disabilities consistently report a happy life, or sometimes even better than, that of non-disabled people.

Below are 5 Ways to put Smiles on the faces of Persons with Disabilities

1. Helping to be Independent

Doing things on their own can make them immensely happy. Relying on others may be unavoidable, but becoming too dependent, even letting yourself become a wee bit lazy and let others do things for you that you can, can siphon away your happiness very quick. Most time, we should allow Person with Disability to do everything a from start to end without rushing to help, unless incase of emergencies.

2. Helping to Embrace their Individuality

Being disabled can be stressful, even downright embarrassing to always be the odd one out. “Fitting in,” after all, is a base human need. We must make Person with Disability look at their uniqueness differently, and to love every bit of it , doing that can make Person with Disability blissfully happy.

I'm disabled and I love that I’m not everyone else because it makes me more unique in my own way. Life is too short; to be like everyone else and doing the same old thing. Disability can definitely make life harder, but it can also make you a unique survivor worth noticing.

3. Making friends with Persons with Disability

We all need people in our lives we can relate to, someone who really knows our daily struggles because they understand and care. Being able to vent with someone who really knows your struggles is better than any therapist session by far. According to psychiatrists, visiting a person with a disability might look like the least effort. However, it plays a significant role in their mental and social well-being as it makes them feel appreciated. People living with any form of disability are also human beings and have feelings too. Most of them get stigmatized. So, whenever you are free can spend time with persons with a disability. That is enough reason to make them happier.

4. Affordable health care services for Persons with Disability

Creating a rehabilitation and health center with affordable and inclusive health care services requires a lot of support, not only financially. Rehabilitation centers are very instrumental in helping persons living with disabilities. Many times, they face negation from their own families. Their family members tend to feel ashamed and hide them from society, and that is unacceptable. Our brothers and sisters end up being locked indoors under very harsh conditions, especially persons who come from humble backgrounds. When rehabilitation and health centers started being established, it became like safe heaven. Health care and therapy became accessible. Those who needed wheelchairs got them, and life became better. With that, it will leave many people with disability happier.

 

5. Elect Them to Various Political and Government Seats

This is the most meaningful way to make persons with disabilities happy. It is termed as `being inclusive.` People with disabilities need to be represented by leaders who can truly relate to the challenges they face and articulate their grievances. The leaders can also push for reforms that favor persons with disabilities and amend policies that make them look left out. So next time there is an election held, take that responsibility of voting for a person living with a disability and let us give them a voice and power.

Haven listed some point to make Persons with disability happier, our appraisal of life with impairment may have less to do with reality than with fear and ignorance and prejudice. We wrongly assume that difficulties for people result in misery for people.

Biography of Professor Wole Soyinka

 

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Biography of Alex Otti OFR

 Economist, Banker, Investor and Philanthropist. 

In 2023, Alex Otti won the Abia State Governorship elections under the umbrella of the Labour Party

Alex Otti is active on social media. You can connect with him via his official handles on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

5 Sleep Hacks to Help You Get Over Insomnia

 

 

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that is caused by stress, depression, mental health issues  and other factors that disenabled one from having a quality and sound sleep or making it difficult for one to sleep. Insomnia can be long term(primary Insomnia) or long time (secondary insomnia). The symptoms of Insomnia include:

• Stress
• Depression
• Headache
• Change in sleep schedule
• Noise
• Anxiey

Insomnia can be caused by

• Hereditary
• Alcohol
• Unhealthy  life style habit
• Pregnancy  etc.
  

Since the causes of insomnia are  much and it affects women more than men and older people more than younger ones,this article will help with providing sleep hacks that will help you get over Insomnia.

Sleep Hacks To Help You Get Over Insomnia.

1. Nap – Wisely

Taking a nap during the day will make you feel less stressed and will aid you in having a quality sleep  during the night. The best time to have a nap during the day is between 2 and 4. Having a sleep towards bedtime is not encouraged for it causes sleep disorder (insomnia).

 2. Take a hot bath

A warm bath before bed seems to help people fall asleep more quickly, but also get better quality sleep, according to a small 1985 study.

3. Get out of bed if you really can’t sleep

If you are finding it If difficult to sleep, get out of bed. Engange  yourself in what you love doing or in other activities that will make you feel relaxed and stress less.  Then climb back up to bed if you are feeling sleepy and really tired. 

4. Grounding (sleeping on bare floor)
The earth has a calming energy that can be felt throughout your entire body. Sleeping on the earth makes you feel cool and relaxed.

5. Consider therapy

Maybe your sleep troubles are a little more serious and could use the insight of a professional. Cognitive behavioral therapy is considered the gold standard when it comes to treating insomnia, and usually involves meeting with a therapist for various sleep assessments, keeping a sleep journal and adjusting some of your bedtime habits.
 

4 Tips to Enhance the longevity of Your perfume

Have you ever applied a perfume in the morning, only to find that you can no longer smell it a few hours later? If you have experienced this, you're not alone and it is not a problem at all. There are many reasons why you stop smelling your perfume after a while but one major cause is popularly known as olfactory fatigue or nose blindness and it can happen with any fragrance, including perfumes, colognes, and even household scents. 

When you apply your perfume, your olfactory receptors become exposed to a concentrated amount of fragrance molecules that makes it easy to detect the scent. Over time, the continuous exposure to the same fragrance overwhelms and get familiar with your receptors, causing them to become less sensitive to the odor and the brain also adapts to it. 

While it's natural for your sense of smell to become less sensitive to a specific fragrance over time, these few tips can help enhance the longevity of perfume:

1.  *Apply fragrance to pulse points*

2.  *Layer your fragrance*

3.  *Avoid rubbing your wrists together*

4.  *Consider reapplication*

Remember, just because you can't smell your perfume doesn't mean others can't. So be mindful of application and enjoy the beauty of perfume, even if you can't experience it constantly yourself!

Biography of Aluko Adetola Gold (Divagold)

Born on 29th September, Aluko Adetola Gold, popularly known as Divagold is a fast rising Nollywood Actress, Instagram public figure, entertainer, model, celebrity and entrepreneur. She is also a Nigerian fashion and Beauty Influencer.

Divagold is an extremely beautiful lady with a evenly toned face and with a polished fashion taste in clothing material and jewelery. She came into limelight after a viral comedy video of a supposed wedding with comedian, Ayomidate.

 

Read: Everything You Should Know about Female Genital Mutilation

As a professional, Divagold has featured in over 100 video comedy skits and movies. She has played interesting roles with popular Nollywood actors and comedians including Debo Adedayo (Mr Macaroni), Kemi Ikuseedun (Mummy wa), IsbaeU, Officer Woos, Ayomidate and a host of others.

Divagold is active on social media. You can connect with Divagold on her official social media handles via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top 10 UniPort Graduates Making Great Moves in the Entertainment Industry

Every university and tertiary institution with great goodwill would want to produce quality graduates that would compete favorably with their counterparts locally and internationally. In many cases, this is why universities create several programmes with a focus to making their institutions of world class standards in academics, research and development, infrastructure, media, entertainment and much more.

1. Andre Blaze Henshaw

Andre Blaze Henshaw is a well-known TV host, hip-hop singer (rapper) and radio personality in Nigeria. He has hosted the popular Nigeria’s Got Talent show and other reality shows on television. He studied Communications and linguistics at UNIPORT

2. Rita Uchenna Nkem Dominic Waturuocha

Fondly called Rita Dominic, Uchenna Nkem is is an amazing actress whose roles are noticeable and loved by many people; she is a recipient of the Africa Movie Academy Award 6 years ago; she studied arts at UNIPORT. You can read Rita Dominic's full biography here

3. Teria Yarhere (M Trill) 

Teria Yarhere is is a notable rapper (singer) from Nigeria who studied at Port Harcourt; his single ‘Bounce’ brought him a respected award ‘Best West African Act’ Gift.

Read: Everything You Should Know about Female Genital Mutilation

4. Iyumame Eke or Muma Gee 

Muma Gee is very notable for what she is doing (she sings, she acts, she designs and owns a business); she studied Arts at the University of Port Harcourt.

5. Agbani Darego

Agbani is not just a beautiful woman but also a beauty queen, she won Miss World in 2001 and has become the first African woman (native) who received this crown; this notable alumnus studied Mathematics and Computers at UNIPORT. 

How to Reduce Maternal Death Rate during Child Birth in Nigeria

The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is defined as The annual number of female deaths from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management (excluding accidental or incidental causes) during pregnancy and childbirth or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, expressed per 100,000 live births, for a specified time period. The leading causes of direct maternal mortality in Nigeria are:

1. Obstetric hemorrhage (18.7%),

2. Eclampsia

3. Sepsis (20.6%)

4. Complications from unsafe abortions

5. Anaemia in pregnancy (3.2%),

6. Hypertension (27.0%),

7. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (3.2%)

8. Sickle Cell Disease (2.4%)

 The current rate of maternal mortality rate in Nigeria from 2000  2019 is 917.00 per 100,000 live births expressed in annual percentage of 0.86%. 

What can be done to reduce maternal mortality in Nigeria?

Strategies that could prevent 4 out of 5 maternal deaths included an integrated and stepwise approach that includes 

1. Increased Skilled Deliveries

The skilled attendant is an accredited health professional who possesses the knowledge and a defined set of cognitive and practical skills that enable the individual to provide safe and effective health care during childbirth to women and their infants in the home, health center, and hospital settings. Skilled attendants include midwives, doctors, and nurses with midwifery and life-saving skills. This definition excludes traditional birth attendants whether trained or not.

 

2. Facility Births

Maternal and prenatal mortality are still unacceptably high in many countries especially in Nigeria, despite steep increases in facility birth. The evidence that childbirth in facilities reduces mortality is weak, mainly because of the scarcity of robust study designs and data. 

 

3.  Access to Antenatal/Postpartum Care

Access to antenatal care (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC) services has a great deal of impacts on major causes of infant death and significantly affects trends of mortality in a population. Antenatal care may play an indirect role in reducing maternal mortality by encouraging women to deliver with assistance of a skilled birth attendant or in a health facility. 

 

4. Improved Recognition of Referral  Need

Referrals are the second easiest way to increase patient volumes, next to making sure that you retain existing patients. People are more likely to trust their primary care physician's opinion over a Google search, after all.

5.  Transport

Emergency transport alone had been demonstrated to reduce maternal mortality by as much as 50 per cent. 

6. Availability Quality of EMOC In Addition To Family Planning and Safe Abortion

Access to quality emergency obstetrics care (EMOC) is fundamental to reducing maternal and newborn deaths and is a possible way of achieving the target of the fifth millennium development goal.

In Conclusion, early intensive efforts to improve family planning and control of fertility choices, accompanied by a stepwise effort to scale-up capacity for integrated maternal health services over several years, will save lives and provide equal or greater value than many public health interventions we consider among the most cost-effective (e.g., childhood immunization).

Shifting the Base of Nigeria's Mono-Product Economy by Adeyeye Eyitayo

In 1958, Nigeria  joined the league of oil producing states in the world. Thereafter, production of crude oil became the major source of government  revenue with average production of 2.5million barrels daily. The economy of Nigeria has since then been moulded around  proceeds from crude oil to maintain about 65 -70% of  government revenue. It generates about 90 per cent of the country's foreign exchange earnings. Thus, the  discovery and production  of oil  pushed agriculture, the traditional mainstay of the economy, right from the early fifties  to the backstage. Alas, Nigeria neglected agriculture because of overnight money gotten from crude oil.

Several years down the line, the oil market  has suffered notable  setbacks, to wit, fall in oil price, fluctuating demand,poor regulatory regime and other market phenomena. It is safe to say that the instability  of oil price has been persistent  for a long while. Recently, the US Energy information Administration (EIA), recorded that Crude oil prices were generally lower in 2018 than in 2019. But with the outbreak of corona virus in 2020, the price of oil hit its lowest level in 17 years, declining from $59 to $28 per barrel within a month. As it stands presently, oil companies globally can no longer produce in full capacity. Nigeria is currently trading below the Federal Government's  benchmark in the oil market. Oil vessels are floating on the sea with no buyer, supply is now more than demand.

It is a public knowledge that the outbreak of Covid19 is such that is crumbling  economies of the world and Nigeria  is not an exception. As a matter of reality, the mono-product economy of Nigeria even makes it worse. Since the spread of the pandemic in Nigeria, the Government  has become restless and short of revenue options. The stay-at-home orders imposed by the government is leading the economy on a slippery-slope as informal businesses and companies have been shut down for weeks. Meanwhile, the most recent estimate puts Nigeria's  debt profile at N33 Trillion, still likely to worsen amid the steep decline in revenue associated with falling oil prices. Foreign Investors are now reluctant to hold naira-dominated assets as Naira would not stop falling against the dollar like the wall of Jericho. It was recorded that the  Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) lost ₦2.3 trillion in two weeks after Nigeria's index case. Little wonder the Federal Government had to cut down the 2020 budget from N10.594 trillion to N10.276 trillion.

The failure to diversify the economy  of Nigeria  will forever be a serious indictment on successive governments. It is the major reason why the economy remains so fragile and vulnerable to changes in external conditions, especially oil price fluctuations. Each of the past governments  deserves to be blamed for this. Nigeria is  endowed with several mineral resources and to think that her economy hinges solely on crude oil simply embarrasses logic. Given the present realities, diversifying Nigeria's mono-product economy is the only express way out of the looming recession. Creating several avenues and channels  of income generation for the government  is now a matter of national emergency and not just mere campaign manifesto. It is time, if not before now, to focus on mining and  agriculture. Needful to say that, through agriculture, the three necessities of life – food, clothing and shelter – are made available to man. China, Netherlands and USA remain the  largest producers and exporters of agricultural produce in the world. The truth is, demand for agricultural produce is much stable in the world market, given the ever increasing population of the world. There is a dire need for expand in production to meet this global demand.

 

Read: OAU Final Year Student Sentenced to Jail for Cybercrime

 

Nigeria is Africa's leading consumer of rice, one of the largest producers of rice in the continent and simultaneously one of the largest rice importers in the world. Nigeria ranks the largest producer of cassava in the world, with cassava production of up to 20% of the world. Nigeria also boasts of large scale cultivation of cocoa, peanuts, cotton, palm oil, corn, sorghum, millet,yams, rubber, just to mention a few.

 

Read also: Making a Computer Virus is not against the Law - Surya Aezowie

 

I strongly believe with purposeful  leadership, Nigeria can become the food basket of the world. We have the capacity, we have the population, we have all the resources that is required, which is the human capital and that is  the best that is needed. Only by so doing we can become an economic powerhouse in the coming years.



Adeyeye Eyitayo is a public interests enthusiast and lawyer. You can reach him at [email protected]

Editorial: A Paradigm Shift in the Right Direction?

Editorial: A Paradigm Shift in the Right Direction?

Procrastination and the Flourishing Tree of Difficulties

'I'll write to the clients later, there's no rush', Bassey replies to Sam who stares at him frustrated, angry. Sam isn't so surprised because that has always been Bassey's song anthem right from their school days. He had however thought that Bassey will turn a new leaf after he had shown some remorse towards his poor grades at the University which had been as a result of his laziness and procrastination. He had hoped for a change when they started working but hopes indeed have been dashed as Bassey has thrown caution into the wind. Right now, Sam is contemplating on how to end the toxic friendship.

💫 Procrastination is a willfull/intentional act of postponing, delaying or putting off, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness because you feel you still have time.

Major causes of procrastination include the fear/anxiety of failure, the quest for excessive perfectionism, lack of focus, forgetfulness, confusion, setting of abstract goals and lack of self confidence. Others have found relation with depression, guilt and stress.

A Procrastinator cannot avoid its attendant consequences. Just like Christopher Parker states that, 'Procrastination is like a credit card: It's a lot of fun until you get the bill'
Its consequences include;
Poor performance, low productivity and shattered dreams. Negative feelings of self defeat and loss of self worth.

 Adding to the work load of others
Remember, even your creator detests Procrastination - it's a killer of destiny! A slothful man is a great waster and he cannot stand before great men.

 Have you been procrastinating? Glad to inform you that there's a way out. Try to practice these tips, it works;

💥 Get organized: Try to know what you want for yourself.

💥 Set simple and achievable/practiceable goals.

💥 Create a timetable or schedule and set a deadline.

💥 Get rid of distractions and try your hardest to focus. Lay your hands on daily motivational quotes.

💥 Get the hard stuff done first: attack the mountains before digressing to the molehill.

💥 Inform someone reliable about your goal, so that they can observe and check you.

💥 Learn to take reasonable breaks and reward yourself with incentives such as going for a walk, eating a healthy snack, watching a movie or hanging out with friends.

🥀With these, grab at your work! Get things done.🌺

3 Reasons Why Customer feedback Is Necessary for Your Business

Customer feedback guides and informs your decision making and influences your product roadmap. It’s also essential for measuring customer satisfaction among your current customers.

Getting an idea about on how customers view your product, support, and company is invaluable. So it is necessary that we look at the best ways you can gather insights from current and prospective customers who visit your site, page or space online or offline.

1. Customer Surveys
Crafting a useful customer survey is no easy task. There are so many potential questions you could be asking customers, but you have to be careful in your approach.

Ask only questions that fulfill your end goal, construct smart and open-ended questions, ask one question at a time, make rating scales consistent, avoid leading questions.

Surveys can be created through google forms, type form or survey monkey.

2. Email and customer contact forms
Email is one of the most valuable ways to gather candid customer feedback.

However, you can improve the way customers reach out to you via email and maximize this channel’s effectiveness — all of these changes will create a better experience for customers, too.

Assuring customers of a speedy response, creating an organized customer feedback system, sending candid follow-up emails.

3. Social Media
There are various apps that could help in getting feedbacks. In fact, its the most comfortable platform to interact with customers.

Social media platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter makes it more interactive and friendly.

Advocacy for Youth Involvement in Governance puts much Emphasis on Age, not Capacity - Ekpa Stanley Ekpa

Ekpa, Stanley, Ekpa a practising lawyer and Director of the Development Watch Initiative shares in this interview, his thoughts on youths, governance and leadership
 

NNI: Can we meet you?

Guest: My name is Ekpa, Stanley Ekpa. I am a lawyer and a Master’s in Leadership Studies student at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna. I specialize in Development Law. I am currently the Editor-in-Chief, Nigerian Corruption Cases Law Report, and Nigerian Democracy and Development Report. I serve as the Executive Director, Development Watch Initiative. I have peculiar interest in Good Governance, Leadership, Development Law, Social Inclusion and  Nation building.

NNI: What defines social development and impactful leadership for you?

Guest: Social development is achieved when people become the primary factor in a society or a nation’s development processes. The promotion of the inclusion of all components of the society – empowering  the poor, vulnerable, minorities and giving hope and opportunities to the  voiceless citizens. While impactful leadership is the ability to translate collective aspirations and priorities into significant and sustainable solutions for the development of our  community, people and the world.


NNI: In building a society where the quality of things we do defines us, how responsible is leadership?

Guest: Everything revolves around leadership, from building strong and efficient institutions to building infrastructures, leadership is the undercurrent that provides the water of hope and opportunities for creating the equilibrium for the quality of things that define us both as a people and as individuals. Unfortunately, you cannot get quality leadership unless you have quality citizenship. Good citizenship that works through the entire circles of development of the nation – upholding the right value system, ensuring that the right leaders are elected, and holding the leaders accountable. This is the easiest way to prompt responsible leadership and ensure social development.

NNI: How have you managed leadership positions with other duties?

Guest: Leadership, or rather taking responsibility for my immediate communities has always been everything about me. Yes I have. Though in most cases it is very tough, but in all the cases, it gives me a unique opportunity to understand the diversities that the two tasks presents in proffering personal and social solutions from two dimensions.


NNI: It is usually said that a leader must be a follower. Is this realistic?

Guest: It is a truism that has it’s realistic result in practice. A good follower is passionately committed and deeply involved, giving him the chance to develop empathy,  compassion and keen interest in the common situation and need of the people, community or organization. When such follower transcends to leadership position, it becomes easy to make significant impact given his or her understanding of the need of the community and his or her imbued leadership savvy. More importantly, such leader leads sometimes from behind, by positioning and delegating responsibility to others and supervising their works, results and impact.

Read also: Biography of Actress Kehinde Bankole

NNI: Is leadership a mix of different skills? What exactly makes up complete leadership?

Guest: Leadership is a mix of infused skills and discipline for impact. Great leadership is about the creative balance between visions, strategic planning, collaboration and inclusion, performance and results, accountability, disciplined character of excellence, tolerance, and communication.

 

NNI: What inspired your book, Youthocracy, ''Leadershift'' for Development?

Guest: The advocacy for youth involvement in socio-political governance and cultural revolution was taking  an unnecessary emphasis on age and not the capacity of the emerging leaders to proffer creative and sustainable solutions for the world’s complex challenges, particularly in Africa, hence, I felt the need to champion a new thinking in the desire to usher in a new generation of leaders.

For the past three decades, African leaders have failed to build a continent that provides the opportunities for inclusive prosperity and security.  If the Africa Agenda 2063 would be actualized, it means that it is the young people whose future the agenda seeks to protect that can build it, not the generation that failed the continent for the last sixty years.

Hence, the crux of the discourse and philosophy of the book is on how to identify, build, galvanize and leverage a new generation of leaders for the development of their communities. How to get involved, win elections and do the work you elected to do right other critical issues that the book addressed.

NNI: By global trends, there is a call for youths to take leadership. How best can a youth position himself to be worthy of leadership?

Guest: First, leadership is not a tea party particularly if you are out to solve problems and make impact through leadership. But positioning yourself as a worthy option for for leadership consideration is even more challenging in developing electoral climes like Nigeria. However, to every problem there is always myriads of available solutions.

To me, building capacity either by learning or participation starts by  building your personal leadership brand, building creative values of social solutions, building a strong network of like minds,  being a problem solver no matter how small the solution, and working through the ladder to strategically position for great leadership.

On a more practical note, one can either position for leadership by leaning on the shoulders of great leaders through positive god-fatherism, or disrupt the political space to make a way for himself. The latter is more difficult a means, for it requires working beyond the limit line.

NNI: What is the measure of good leadership? Do you think social impact  can be measured?

Guest: Good governance is measured on the scale of social impact. The aggregate dividends of your leadership as enjoyed by the people. It is easy to measure  leadership impact because it is about the people and the community. The result of your leadership can be felt either negatively or positively by the people. Though social impact takes time to materialize sometimes but it is never hidden when it finally arrives.

By measuring good leadership I do not mean state sponsored billboards and media propaganda, no, I mean an impactful result that can be felt by the deaf, and seen even by the blind.  I would have loved to use such economic indicators like GDP, inflation among others but in the end analysis, when the people are hungry and  left behind without social security, we have failed the society.

 

Read: Family Plays a Great Role in Language Appreciation - Olagunju Modupe

NNI: What do you do at the Development Watch Initiative?

Guest: We are a citizen sector initiative that is committed to engaging the citizens to make inputs in the development processes of their constituencies and holding their leaders accountable. We promote citizens’ participation in monitoring the implementation of Nigeria’s developmental projects, budgets and policies from the local government level to the national level. Currently we are working on the COVID-19 REPORT, which is a comprehensive insight and report on Nigeria’s response, policies, palliatives and impact.

We have other programmes running, like our  ”Enterprise Clinic” which exposes students across Nigerian academic institutions to job, entrepreneurial and leadership skills and opportunities. Our next training circle is slated for Sokoto, Oyo, Lagos, Kano, Anamabra, Rivers, Abuja and Cross River. We also have the Get Involved Challenge, Constituency Development Town Halls, among other projects.


NNI: What is your view on Global Youth Development and growth? Do you think we are making progress?

Guest: Yes, we are making progress. The United Nations has continued to create broad opportunities for the involvement of young people in actualizing the SDGs 2030. Domestically, the Not Too Young To Run Act 2018 has given much impetus and limited  opportunity for young people to participate in the political space, as the huge financial requirements and commercialization of our politics continue to hinder their chances. Notwithstanding this, the 2019 general elections witnessed an increase in the number of elected young people to local governments, state assemblies and federal Parliament. Many young people have been given appointive positions both in the political and corporate sectors.

So, to me I think we are making progress, it is now within our arms as young people to get strategic and position ourselves through creative common council of like minds, support ourselves and collectively make our societies work for the next generation.

NNI: How did you achieve the fusion of your  personal brand name ''Ekpa Stanley, Ekpa'' into your love for promising leadership and sustainable development?

Guest: I realized early in life that there is an inseparable relationship between law, leadership and sustainable development. This prompted my interest to study law even when I didn’t understand the proper places of these concepts and factors in social development. It was however my late mother that taught me the value of a man’s name. Ever since, I have tried my best to approach everyday of my life with sincere commitment to how my work (law, community organizing and leadership) would significantly impact my community, country and humanity.

I cherish my brand “Ekpa, Stanley Ekpa” so much that I work everyday to grow, improve and leverage it as a reliable source and Centre for national inclusivity, development solutions, cultural revolution and an ideological stand point for Nigeria’s future generations.


NNI: What is your advice to fellow young individuals?

Guest: My advice is very simple – young people must have the sense of ownership of their communities, be creative, resilient, and resolved to succeed against all odds and challenges. It is a tough and difficult world, but if you remain on your lane and timeline without comparing yourself to other people’s standards for success, your chances are high that you will become even more the person you aspire to be.


 

NNI: What should we expect from you in the near future? Any intention to go into full time politics? Any bigger plans?

Guest: (Laughs) Well, I am a very intentional person. I know that the only way to build the kind of country we aspire for is to get involved politically, and I know for certain that I will go into politics. And if by full time you mean committing and applying myself to my constituency and humanity without compromise, then I can assure you that I will do that full time without regret.

I believe this is my time to prepare myself for competence, leadership savvy and excellence in statecraft. I am confident our generation will turn things around but we must be prepared for the great task, for we must not fail Nigeria and the next generation of Nigerians. We are called to fix and provide hope, opportunities and direction for the new Nigeria.

12 Things to help you Grow Your Business in 2023

These 12 things, If followed holistically, would put you on a scale of growth and upspring in your business. 

Here is a list of 12 things for your business this year.

1. Be Consistent

I realized that when you are consistent at what you do, you get better and people get to know you more— your brand.

2. Cheer Yourself

There are ups and downs in business too but you cannot keep staying on your problems. You have to stand up and move on when things don’t go the way you planned.

3. Choose Collaboration Over Competition

The reason for the success of a lot of businesses has been because they have chosen to collaborate more than they have competed. It’s great to have a healthy competition— it drives sales. Collaboration on the other hands does two things— drives sales and also gets your publicity on two different networks— your own and the other company.

Read also: Biography of Actress Kehinde Bankole

4. Take up new skills for your business: it’s not enough to run a business, you should also take up new skills that your business would need like video marketing, content development, graphics designs, etc.

5. Hire more staff if you can: As the CEO, you cannot do everything yourself. You have to delegate sometimes so you don’t run down or so your consistent and you don’t affect your business.

6. Start working on taking your business bigger: You honestly should start planning how you want your business to be in the next years to come and start working towards it. In dreaming big, don’t leave dreaming big about your business out.

7. When you get an idea, do it: of course after praying about it and you’re sure you want to do it, please do it. You never can tell how well it’d grow. Also, start as small as you can or as big as you can. You don’t need to start with a billion dollars funds.

 8. Don’t just market, make sales: there’s a clear difference between sales and marketing. While the former takes in money immediately, the latter just lets people know about your business and gives them the information they need.

 9. Shake off fear: I know your dreams might be big sometimes or maybe many times but you have to go for them and shake our disbelief in yourself. It’s not from God. It’s a state of mind that restricts your productivity.


10. Maximize your network: Don’t just keep up contacts to call and chat for nothing. They should be able to help you publicize, talk to people about your business and positively help you build your brand by also patronizing.

11. Work harder: Work longer hours for your business and do the things that’d help your business grow bigger. As earlier said, get more skills, higher more staff, through out more sales driving campaigns.

12. Read more business books: No man is an island of knowledge. There are books that’d help you expand your horizon, teach you more and prepare you in that skill you have or you’re trying to improve in.


 

What You Should Know About Black Friday

Black Friday is a famous sales weekend that evolved from the Thanksgiving day just after summer. Usually, a significant number of individuals get to purchase items placed on the best deals and at extremely affordable prices. Many retailers and businesses overtime, like the popular Amazon, Konga, Jumia and other e-commerce websites put a cut to their prices over a range of products to allow users to purchase them.

The term "Black Friday" was first associated with financial crisis and not sales shopping. By history, two Wall Street financiers Jim Fisk and Jay Gould, together bought a significant amount of US gold in the hope of the overall price soaring and in turn being able to sell it for huge profits. On Friday, September 24, 1869, in what became referred to as "Black Friday", the US gold market crashed and their actions left Wall Street barons bankrupt.  It was not until later years that the post -Thanksgiving period became associated with the name.

Also, when shops in the US recorded their accounting details by hand, they noted profits in black and losses in red. It is believed that many shops had their accounts read "red" throughout most of the year but they later "went into black" the day after Thanksgiving, when people bought a large amount of discounted goods and products. In more recent years, an inaccurate rumour circulated, suggesting that Southern plantation owners could buy slaves at a discounted price following Thanksgiving in the 1800s.

Police officers in Philadelphia were first to link Black Friday to the post-Thanksgiving period in the 1950s. Many tourists and buyers came to the city after Thanksgiving for the Army-Navy football game, thus creating chaos, traffic jams and shoplifting opportunities. The Police officers in the city were not able to take the day off work and had to work long shifts to control the traffic of people. As such, they used the term "Black Friday" to refer to it. The name soon spread throughout Philadelphia but some city's merchants and boosters disliked the negative connotations and unsuccessfully tried to change it to "Big Friday".

Black Friday later became known in print, after an advertisement was published in The American Philatelist magazine in 1966. By the late 1980s, the term was commonly known across the nation and retailers soon linked it to their post-Thanksgiving sales.

Black Friday today is recognised world over as the biggest shopping event of the year, when many shops cut their prices on a range of products, in order to boost profits and officially kick off the festive season.  Retailers often continue sales throughout the weekend, concluding with online-only offers on Cyber Monday.

By Adobe Analysis, 80 of the top 100 US online retailers, found online spending on Black Friday 2018 at $6.2 billion, with two billion generated from smartphones. Also, in the records of the year 2013, Asda, owned by American retailer Walmart, held its own Black Friday sale which resulted in chaos as customers physically fought for televisions and other gadgets. Following this, Black Friday grew significantly with more retailers choosing to hold sale events.

Black Friday is an important period for many retailers worldwide it is hoprd that offering discounts will boost profits. However, the increase in consumer demand and competition between retailers has led to an overwhelming amount of visitors to online retail sites and chaos in shops. To improve sales and online deliveries, deal with competition and satisfy customers' needs, retailers now choose to run their sales across an extended period, rather than the traditional 24 hours. Many promotions and offers have started in the days building up to Black Friday, a move which has been dubbed "Black Fiveday". Some online retailers nowbstart their sales as early as the first day of November, continuing across the Black Friday weekend, and concluding on Cyber Monday, the first Monday after Thanksgiving which usually falls in December.

Biography of Foluke Daramola Salako

Foluke Daramola Salako is a Nigerian actress, movie director and producer born on February 15, 1978. Foluke was born to a family from Ekiti State. She obtained a bachelor's degree in International Relations from Obafemi Awolowo University. Foluke joined the Nigerian movie industry in 1998 with her debut in the TV series, "Palace". She is well known for her roles in movies such as: Above love, Durodola, Iyawo Mi, Fallen Angel, Official Romance and so on. Her marriage to Kayode Salako in 2013 is blessed with two children. Daramola was nominated for Best Supporting actress at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2013.