Deluge in Lagos

What a day!!!! That's been my constant refrain today.

I woke-up by 6am to get ready for church. That it was raining already was no surprise, afterall it is the rainy season and the last 3 Sundays mornings have seen some fairly heavy rainfall. So how was I to know that today would be different?

Perhaps the first signs were when the rainfall did not relent at anytime during the service. After the first service, I stayed for about an hour and a half of the second service. The plan was to leave when the rain petered out. When my sister and I saw that wasn't happening, we left anyway and got a good soaking in the 10 minutes it took us to walk to the car.

On our way, we encountered a car that had broken down in the middle of the already narrow road. The guy had obviously called a friend to pick him up. As we waited behind his car, he opened the door of his car and clambered into the waiting SUV and without even bothering to lock his door (afterall who's going to bother stealing the car?) they drove off. It was quite funny.

The roads around my church and home were flooded as was expected, but the water levels seemed to be higher than normal.

So despite all this, why did I think it would be a good idea to go to the cinema? LOL!! Well, in my defence I did assume that the rain would stop eventually.

So I made my way there with my aunt. We went in and saw our film - The Adjustment Bureau with Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, which is a good film BTW. When we came out of the Galleria, incredibly it was still raining. For the first time today I was actually stunned.

The guard at the entrance informed us matter-of-factly that we could not leave as the roads were flooded and cars were breaking down left right and center. Either that, or they were falling into gutters.

So what to do? I went back upstairs to the cinema floor to survey the extent of the flooding. And that's when I saw this:

Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island - Taken from Silverbird Galleria (Courtesy: Ore's Notes)

The small cars were almost swimming along on the road with water up to their windows in many cases.

Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island - Taken from Silverbird Galleria (Courtesy: Ore's Notes)

Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island - Taken from Silverbird Galleria (Courtesy: Ore's Notes)

Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island - Opposite Silverbird Galleria (Courtesy: Ore's Notes)

Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island - Taken from my car (Courtesy: Ore's Notes)

Today's weather was for big cars. On a normal day, I complain about the size of my car, but today I really thanked God for it. Although, even with my height from the ground, my heart was sometimes in my mouth.

Lekki Phase 1 (Taken by a friend)

Well, after some deliberation, we left afterall who knew when the rain would stop and driving conditions would only get worse when it got dark. This turned out to be a wise decision, as the rain did not stop for the rest of the day.

And this was in my corner of the Lekki-V/I axis. I've been hearing and reading horrible accounts from all over the state.

I just read that Monday has been declared a public holiday for all public and private schools in Lagos, so that clean-up can be done on the roads. What type of clean-up can be done though? I'm not an expert on the environment, but I believe that this flooding problem is due to a number of factors, including Lagos being below water level, a poor state-wide drainage system and climate changes. I'm also sure that all the sand-filling that has taken place especially along the Lagos lagoon to create space to build fancy new hotels, which has probably pushed water levels up hasn't helped either.

Participate: Action Blogging Campaign—Universal Internet Access

What does "Universal Internet Access and Digital Freedom" mean to YOU?

“[This issue] is about whether we live on a planet with one Internet, one global community, and a common body of knowledge that benefits and unites us all, or a fragmented planet in which access to information and opportunity is dependent on where you live and the whims of censors.”—Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State

World Pulse invites women worldwide to share their personal testimonies on obstacles faced and risks taken in accessing the Internet to seek information, speak freely, and connect globally.

Share your personal testimony on the World Pulse website.

Natural Hair: Turning Your Passion into Profit

As if we didn't know...... natural haired women are still in the minority and getting accurate hair care advice can still be a challenge for many. However, with the growing number of online resources available, if you're fortunate enough to have access to a computer and the Internet, you will find a wealth of information in the form of websites, blogs and video blogs (or vlogs) - there are many of these on YouTube.

This New York Times article highlights some of today's popular go-to sites for natural hair care tips. I am already subscribed to Curly Nikki, however the article has introduced me to Natural Chica and the online store Luv Natural.

Less explored is the financial dimension of owning a popular online space. All three women profiled in the article are making a respectable amount of money from their blogs and websites. Although we don't know how much exactly, Maeling Tapp of Natural Chica makes more than she would in a minimum wage job; Alicia Nicole Walton of Curly Nikki earned the same in gross revenue from advertising on her site as she did from her pyschotherapy practice last year; while Kim Love of Luv Natural saw enough earning potential in a natural hair store to leave her six-figure management consulting job.

Of course, to make any kind of decent money, the sites must be regularly updated - preferably daily - with fresh content. And that, let's face it, is really a full-time job.

I thought that this article showed more than anything else the truth behind the saying "Follow your passion and the money will come." Many naturals already know about some of these hair care online resources, however it's great to know that there is also a possibility of earning a revenue by doing so and doing so well. I thought that the article writer was remiss in not mentioning Black Girl with Long Hair, which was I discovered before Curly Nikki and which I remember was innovative in it's incorporation of the commercial aspect.

Video: Does Tech Need More Women?

Telle Whitney, President of the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology talks about the organisation's efforts to increase the number of women working in the sector.

Direct Link: http://bit.ly/jNkBuE

Finding Your Energy

Nneoma commented that she liked my posts on work-life. I responded that learning to balance my work life (which has gone into overdrive this year) and my ORE time has been a project that I've been ardently working on.

And so true that it. This year, I had some major changes in the NGO which I run. I admit that it initially threw me for a loop, but I got things moving again and I feel that the organisation is much better for it. My sis and I also re-opened a family-owned bookshop, which was a monumental project. You know how they say that setting-up a business is like giving birth to a baby? Well, I've never given birth, but the process of bringing this shop into the world was as ridden with the anxiety and good old grunting (minus the pain, though that was not always true) that I imagine delivering a baby must feel like.

Most days this year, I've woken-up with a furrowed brow as I furiously recount all the items on my never-ending To Do list. Then I drag myself out of bed and push through the day with varying degrees of energy. Most often, I was just flat-out tired and struggled with the creative and problem-solving aspects of my work.

For at least the last 10 years, I've been quite dedicated to my physical health and fitness, working out at least thrice a week. From this January, all that flew out of the window, because I was too swamped with work to even have time to go to the gym.

I promised that when my work let-up just a bit, I would be back at the gym. It would be my treat, my reward to myself for persevering and pushing through the mountain of work.

How could I have gotten it so wrong?

So, my schedule did ease-up a teeny bit and, as planned, I was back to being a bonafide gym member. Since my days tend to end late now, I decided to switch my work-out times from the evenings to mornings.

So, the first day of this new schedule I tentatively got my things together in preparation to hit the gym for 7am - unheard of for me - and worried that I might not be able to hack it.

So you know what it feels like to find out that you couldn't have been further from the truth in your assessment of a particular situation?

That. Was It.

Not only was I able to complete 7am Yoga class, I was able to spend 30 minutes on the elliptical afterward. Not only that. The energy carried me through the rest of the day. Although I had a very busy day, I did not succumb to my usual bouts of fatigue.

So, my conclusion is that exercise really does energise you. I've heard it said for so long that I started to believe it, although I wasn't sure that was the case for me (I think working out in the evenings may produce different results ..... or maybe it's different for individuals).

However, I can see that when you're busy - especially when you're so busy that you scarcely have time to sit and think - it's crucial to make time to work out. It'll do so much good for your mind and body.

This concept is discussed in How Remarkable Women Lead, a book I referred to in an earlier post, as a strategy to re-energise yourself and manage stress.

- In one chapter of the book, one of the women leaders interviewed stated that when things got especially hot in the office, she headed for the gym. After that, she was sufficiently calm and able to see the problem through fresh eyes.

- Another woman spoke of the therapeutic effects of long walks when she's faced with a crisis situation. By the time, she's done with her walk, she's figured out how to solve the problem.

- Another lady spoke about how her martial arts training since she was a girl had helped her learn to celebrate victories and accept defeats - a quality which was invaluable to her in the boardroom because the reality of work is that you win some, you lose some but you need to keep moving despite what comes your way.


So, as much as possible, I won't be putting myself last - easier said than done, right? Ah well, I can try very hard.

Women in Science

This New York times article Women Atop Their Fields Dissect the Scientific Life does just that. A group of women scientists share the joys and the challenges of life as a scientist - particularly life as a female scientist. They talk about the struggles of doing research and their dreams for their daughters.

I am experiencing the challenges of research right now. I have a research report (draft!!!! I keep reminding myself to somewhat alleviate the tension I am feeling) and amidst the plethora of other tasks that I have manage daily, some things that require time and concentration kind of get pushed to the back of my pile. And you know how it is, the more you push something away, the bigger it looms in your mind's eye, and more more terrifying it starts to feel.

The best way to deal with it is to push aside all the other less important or urgent things and get stuck in working on it. That usually does the trick for me and then when I'm able to truly focus and get into a zone, I start to feel the love for that aspect of my work.

I like what Dr. Hirsch, one of the scientists interviewed said:

The great discovery for me was the middle of the night. It’s all done, and everybody has gone to bed. You can go to your computer and sit down and work. The middle of the night has been what saved my life as a scientist.

And don't I know this so well. What time is again?

Apply: Pass-It-On Awards Program

The Anita Borg Systers Pass-It-On (PIO) Awards honor Anita Borg’s desire to create a network of technical women helping one another. The cash awards, funded by donations from the Systers Online Community, are intended as means for women established in technological fields to support women seeking their place in the fields of technology. The program is called “Pass-It-On” because it comes with the moral obligation to “pass on” the benefits gained from the award.

Pass-it-on Award applications are open to any woman over 18 years old in or aspiring to be in the fields of computing. Awards are open to women in all countries and range from $500.00 to $1000.00 USD. Applications covering a wide variety of needs and projects are encouraged, such as:

* Small amount to help with studies, job transfers or other transitions in life.
* A broader project that benefits girls and women.
* Projects that seek to inspire more girls and women to go into the computing field.
* Assistance with educational fees and materials.
* Partial funding source for larger scholarship.
* Mentoring and other supportive groups for women in technology or computing.

Spring 2011 PIO Award Cycle

* Applications open Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 12:00 noon PST (UT-8).
* Applications close Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 12:00 noon PST (UT-8).
* Reference letters due Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at 5:00 PM PST (UT-8). Send letters by email to: passiton-2011spring at systers dot org or passiton-2011spring@systers.org

Get more information on the ABI website.

'Dream Big' - Sheryl Sandberg (Facebook)

In this commencement speech by Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook given at Barnard College this year, she urges women to be more ambitious and to think bigger.

In a speech peppered with statistics and results of studies, she states that although much progress has been made by women professionally, "... we are nowhere close to 50% of the jobs at the top. That means that when the big decisions are made, the decisions that affect all of our worlds, we do not have an equal voice at that table.”

Other key things she mentions are:
- Men are more ambitious that women. Of course, she does not speak specifically of every woman, but in her opinion, men (whether by nature or nurture) think bigger and bolder than women. While this might mean big risks, it might also mean big rewards.

- Women need to believe in themselves more. If a man succeeds at something, he's more likely to attribute it to his natural excellence while a woman in a similar position might downplay her success or chalk it up to other factors like luck or assistance from others.

- Men make fewer compromises in their work-life balance. This is because women generally carry at least twice as much housework and three times as much child-rearing duties.

Although these certainly do not apply to all men and women out there, I do realise that women are expected to be more modest about their desires and achievements, which might make it harder to push for what we *really* want.

I just finished reading a wonderful book about many of the same issues called How Remarkable Women Lead by Joanna Barsh and Susie Cranston. This book deserves it's own blog post and even then, I would not be able to do it justice (you'd just have to read the book). However, work-life balance (among the myriad issues often peculiar to women in their journey up the career ladder) was discussed and many women believe this to be unattainable, because being effective both at home and at work require constant negotiation. To say that there is an equilibrium point at which full harmony is achieved is a fantasy. I am inclined to believe that. Although I do not have children or a husband yet, I know the immense effort it takes to ensure that giving my best to work does not deprive me of my personal time.

And because in most parts of the world - even in the most liberal - men are still typically considered to be the head of the household and women the primary homemakers, women will always find themselves with more to do.

That is why Sheryl presciently states that although it sounds counter-intuitive, "the most important career decision you’re going to make is whether or not you have a life partner and who that partner is. If you pick someone who’s willing to share the burdens and the joys of your personal life, you’re going to go further.”

Another thing that helps makes success and happiness come that much easier is marrying your work with something you care about and which contributes to society.

And now...

A full month since my last post!! Well, things will be changing around here. I've been plagued with a full plate this year and on top of that internet access issues. The ISP I was using has had some challenges, which were passed to their unfortunate customers. I suffered for that for most of this year, because I was simply too busy to do anything about it.

Well, I've changed ISPs as last and it's such a relief to have high-speed internet at home again. I look forward to writing more.

Learning to Do Business as a Woman

I attended a wonderful program last week for female entrepreneurs. It was especially fortuitous for me because my sister and I recently took over a family-owned bookshop and just the week before I had wished out loud that there was a program somewhere that could give us some guidance on this whole ‘managing a business thing.’

Then, Viola! It happened.

The Corporate Governance & Leadership Training was organized by Women in Management and Business (WIMBIZ) and the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) and delivered all it promised to be and more.

Going in, I wasn’t quite sure what ‘corporate governance’ meant exactly, but figured that based on the course outline provide, the program would help us with some of the foundations of running a business.

The 3-day training sought to help small businesses and organizations build their capacity for successful growth by covering areas such as Institutional Frameworks; Leadership; Internal Control and Audit; Business Image Building and Ethics; Information Technology for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); Human Resource Management; and Accounting and Financial Management.

Aside from the amazing facilitators, it was an amazing opportunity to meet other women who run their own businesses (some of them also family-owned) and explore opportunities for partnership.

Some key things that I learnt were:
- Pay yourself first: Many business owners don’t do this and pay their staff, while failing to make themselves priority as they should - because if there was no you, there would be no business to start with). In addition, by not paying themselves, they under-estimating the true expenses of the business.
- Give your self a job description: Again, many (not all) entrepreneurs write out expectations for their staff, but fail to do the same for themselves.
- Know your business: For some women, their business is something to do, to pass time, to make a pretence of having a career. And these motivations come through in the way they manage their companies i.e. they are mostly absent and when they are there, they do not ask questions about the performance of the business, sales, customer trends and revenue earned. Even among women for who this business is their source of livelihood, they might not know their products or the ins and out of their operation as well as they should and so do not know the right questions to ask.
- Having good staff starts with recruiting right: This means knowing what type of person with what type of skills you need. Very often we focus more on the skills and the brilliant CV and less on the personality that might be best suited for the position we are recruiting for.

I learnt so much more and I am willing to share for a small fee. Alternatively, I recommend that you attend the next iteration.

Run/Walk for the Cure 2011

The 2011 edition of the breast cancer run and walk comes up on Saturday, March 19 2011 at 7 am sharp, rain or shine. Registration forms can be downloaded off the American International School of Lagos (AISL) website at www.aislagos.org.

Download the info sheet.

I've participated in the run for the last 2 years, though I walked. It was wonderful to be part of such a worthy initiative, which seeks to address a disease that affects countless women (and men) the world over. Research shows that cases of breast cancer in women of African descent can be particularly vicious, so it's definitely important to get involved.

Conversations about CSW55

Follow some conversations on GenderIT and on Twitter about the on-going Commission for the Status for Women annual summit.

Blogger Jac SM Kee writes about her challenges getting connected:

“It's been a real challenge with this non-connectivity! I am still using my phone as main point for connection, but it's really intermittent and slow, driving me up the wall. I cannot imagine how we can talk about science and technology as a theme and have so little access to the internet at the same time. Urgh!”

TEDWomen Talk: Liza Donnelly 'Drawing Upon Humour for Change'

At the recent TED Women conference, cartoonist Liza Donnelly talks about humour as a tool for social change.

Inspiring Woman: Tosin Ototoju

Photo Credit: Jide Odukoya for BellaNaija

I just read this interview with Tosin Otitoju on BellaNaija. Tosin is an incredibly accomplished woman whose story is very inspiring.

She graduated from Queens College, Lagos in 1996 with the best SSCE results in the entire country, graduated top of her Electrical Engineering class at Howard University in the U.S and was accepted to a PhD program at CalTech. On top of that, she was awarded a national honour in 2004.

Despite achieving immense academic success, she had the courage to take a break from her PhD program to explore other interests. So many of us get caught up by the trappings of success and stick with life choices which we no longer find fulfilling.

GenderIT.org CSW Newsletter: Can Technology Transform Women's Reality?

As the next United Nation's annual Commission on the Status of Women starts on February 22, the gender and ICT website genderIT.org releases its special CSW newsletter.

This GenderIT.org's special CSW edition brings together some of the work that
the Association for Progressive Communications is doing on these issues - including the latest recommendations on science and technology from the experiences of women and girls on the ground, how girls in the Congo are using SMS to stop teacher abuse and if are Simputers in rural women´s hands are empowering or generating e-waste.

The 55th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will be held in New York from 22nd February to 4 March 2011. The theme for this year's session is Access and participation of women and girls in education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of women's equal access to full employment and decent work.

The National Stadium

Image credit: http://www.skyscrapercity.com

I paid a visit to the National Stadium today. My previous visits had been to attend Sunday services organised by God Bless Nigeria.

Today’s visit was actually sports-related. Following my recent decision to start a swim club, my love for the sport bubbled-up afresh within me and I decided to buy a kick board. A kick board is a rectangular board that swimmers (typically learners) hold on to while they practice their kicks. More experienced and competitive swimmers also use it for exercise and to improve their leg movements.

I’d been scouring Lagos’ sports shops (at Silverbird, the Palms, City Mall, the various Nike stores) looking for one to no avail. On a chance suggestion to try to stadium, I decided to give it a shot.

As I entered the complex, I looked around for the sports SHOP and instead I saw a square of several sports SHOPS. I was spoilt for choice. My sister and I parked and went into the first shop. They had a kick board … a child-sized board. We went into the next shop. The same story. Don’t adults use kick boards? Maybe they can all swim. Or more realistically – from my experience – maybe they can’t and can’t be bothered to learn.

Since we had a lot of options, I eventually found what I was looking for in one of the shops. I also met an acquaintance looking for tennis whites. The most amazing discovery for me was that this gem for sports people exists in Lagos. Each shop stocked a plethora of sports accouterments from equipment like punching bags, weights, balls, rackets, to machinery like treadmills to clothing to accessories like trophies and medals. Not only that, for the large part, the sales staff also seemed knowledgeable about their products. Then, of course the prices beat those I’d seen in island shops hands down!

The stadium has certainly fallen into quite a state of disrepair. Nevertheless, it was vibrant with activity as people abounded rollerblading, playing football, taking tennis lessons and running around the complex. It was heartening to see these activities even though institutional sports in Nigeria is much neglected and under-funded. One simple contribution that we can make – location permitting – is to check out and use the stadium facilities and to support the shops.

Swimming Blogs

I found a list of top 50 swimming blogs as ranked by Guide to Online Schools.

The Swim Club

Photo Credit

After my swimming lessons ended last November, quite unbelievably, I have not swum a single stroke. How that happened is rather like a mirage to me, but the hard fact is that it’s due to work (an incredibly busy schedule, not enough hours in the day – that kind of thing …).

My sole form of exercise these days is walking, which I do for 1 to 2 hours every Saturday morning. A friend joined my sister and I today and we discussed the local running/walking club, which meets unfailingly every Saturday to sprint/amble/crawl (it’s open to different levels of ability) around our estate.

I mentioned that I wished for a similar association for swimmers. My sister – ever practical – retorted “Well, why don’t you start one?”

Hmmm. Now, why didn’t I think of that?

So, I started to mull over the idea. Well, why not? The lack of a readily available (and let’s be honest, cheap) pool might be an obstacle. Then another potential problem could be that I know far more people who cannot swim than who can. What else? Well, among the few women I know who can swim, most don’t because they’re averse to ruining their carefully coiffed hair dos and often monstrously expensive weaves. On top of that, Thursday’s surprise and very heavy downpour reminded us that the rainy season is on its way.

However, once I’m sold on an idea I tend to look beyond the challenges and trust that God will make a way.

So, the long and short of this is that I’ve decided to start a swimming club. What will we do, one might wonder? You mean, aside from swimming?

Swimming is a wonderful activity, but one that can get boring when done alone and frequently. Often once I find my rhythm, I enjoy the routine of the strokes, however some days I swim a lap or two and then can’t get out of the pool fast enough.

Swimming with other people would certainly be a lot more fun – especially when you’re there to swim and not just chit-chat. Though if you want to chit-chat too, there could be time for that. Structured routines and healthy competition could improve swimming performance. Then, we could share techniques too. The benefits are endless …..

So, now all we need are people who love to swim and somewhere to swim. I suppose an idea of how to go about this would help too.

I follow several swimming blogs and some mention swimming groups. My favourite blogs are:

www.swimwellblog.com
rorylbuck.wordpress.com
swimmingiseasy.blogspot.com
www.goldmedalmel.typepad.com

If anyone has ideas, resources and favourite blogs/sites to check out, I would certainly love to hear them.

What's Reading?

I recently finished No Country For Old Men, which I really enjoyed. It was a taut, fast read - just the way I like them. It was my first Cormac McCarthy book and a good introduction to his writing. However, from what I gather, it's different from the rest of his books which meander their way through telling a story - or sometimes not, from one of the book reviews I read.

Then, I started Lionel Shriver's So Much for That, which I could not wait to read. Unfortunately, that experience was not what I expected. It was evident from the pages I read, that Ms. Shriver was passionate about the provision of quality, affordable health-care, which many would say is not available in the United States (where the book is set). However, her disdain for the American health-care system, which disenfranchises people with no money (unlike the U.K's National Health Service) was sharply evident in some of the characters' lengthy, impassioned rants. It was a bit too much for me and I've since put the book aside for now. I enjoy it when points are made a bit more subtly through the plot, as opposed through the dialogue.

Since I love Lionel Shriver's writing, I will go back to it at some point. I have since started what's her most famous book, We Need to Talk About Kevin. I am also reading Marian Christy's Conversations: Famous Women Speak Out.

I particularly want to highlight the new book by Nigerian writer Teju Cole. His first book Every Day For the Thief was published a few years ago in Nigeria by Cassava Republic. Now, he has his big international outing, Open City coming out this month, published by global publishing giant Random House. Read an interview with him on the literature social networking site Goodreads.

Contest: Blogging on Development Policy

The Communication Initiative (The CI) and the BBC World Service Trust (WST) invite entries for their first contest for blogging on development policy, soliciting persuasive critiques and encouraging discussion on development policy issues. CI Network members from around the world (as well as those who wish to become CI Network members) are requested to submit their opinion pieces to the collaborative blog at Communication, Media, and Development Policy.

THE CONTEST: OVERVIEW

The principal audience for the blogs is development policy makers and those interested in engaging with them. These include people working in donor and multilateral organisations, "mainstream" development non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society organisations, governments, and others who inform development policy. The aim of this contest is to highlight the relevance of media and communication to wider development policy concerns, and particularly governance concerns.

Bloggers must be/become registered members of The CI Networks in order to participate in this contest and process. If you are not registered please do so at www.comminit.com/user/register.

The top 10 outstanding bloggers from the network, as judged by The CI/BBC WST, will receive a stipend of 240 UK pounds each to support them writing 3 additional blog posts between March 15th and June 15th 2011.

The top 2 controversial bloggers from the network, as judged by The CI/BBC WST, will receive a stipend of 50 UK pounds to acknowledge their skill in inspiring dialogue.

For more information, please see www.comminit.com/en/node/328581/36 or contact Deborah at dheimann@comminit.com.

Find Your Polling Unit on the Nigerian Map

Voter registration for the upcoming Nigerian elections start on January 15th.


Visit the Enough is Enough Nigeria website to find the nearest polling unit to you. The polling units are shown on a Google map with information provided by INEC. To find your polling unit, zoom in by using the + sign and zoom out with the -. You can navigate up, down, left and right with the buttons above the +/-. Please note that the INEC map is work in progress, so all polling units have not been included.

Check the EiE site for more information.

Women and Mobiles

Watch interviews with some of the presenters from MobileActive.org's Women and Mobiles Tech Salon. How can mobile phones help women around the world improve their lives? And who are some of the women working in this amazing field? The tech salon looked at both questions, bringing together women in the M4D field to present their work.

Lessons from a Radio Competition

What a great start to the new year (from December 1, I'm already living in the new year)! I entered a radio competition on Thursday on Smooth FM for free memberships to a gym. My current gym subscription ends in January and I have been thinking about whether to renew or go somewhere else.

After answering a ridiculously easy question, I knew that the winner would be selected randomly from a pool of people who got the right answer.

So much for that, I thought. Afterall some people seem to have all the luck with raffle draws and the such; and some (like myself) hardly do.

So it was a huge surprise to get a call today from the station saying that I had been shortlisted for the prize and to stay glued to the station, as the winner would be announced in 5 minutes.

That was excitement enough for me, but then as the minutes ticked by, I started to think that maybe the joy would end there.

Until my phone rang and it was the station again!! And then I was on air screaming like an unsophisticated loon. I had won a free membership to Eko Sauna - I don't know how long for as the line was crackling and of course I had to turn down my radio volume. But it doesn't really matter. It's exciting to win something, especially when it's an unexpected win. And, best of all, it meets a need that I have now. It's perhaps silly to take so much away from winning a radio competition, but it makes me feel that when we truly desire something and are open enough to go after it (in this case, entering the competition), something wonderful could happen.

Sheryl Sandberg (Facebook COO) on the Lack of Women in Leadership Positions

Sheryl Sandberg (Facebook COO) talks about why there are so few women in leadership psoitions and what needs to be done to address the situation.

The Options of a Woman

Thanks, O, for the link to this beautiful article by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie that neatly captures the dilemma of the modern Nigerian woman. Or rather the modern Nigerian woman who is frustrated by the pervasive system of gender inequality that typically relegates her several places behind her menfolk.

Do you react angrily to every attempt to 'put you in your place' or do you demurely defer to others?

Notes from the 3rd African Feminist Forum

The 3rd African Feminist Forum took place in Dakar, Senegal in October 2010. Here are some reflections from the meeting.

MUSON Jazz Festival

Imole Africa

It’s was a wonderfully artsy weekend for me. There was so much for me to feed my senses on.

First off, there were 2 big jazz events taking place this week: the Lagos Jazz Series and the MUSON Jazz Festival.

I would have loved to attend both, but there’s only so much time so I opted for the MUSON Jazz Festival. I had heard of none of the acts, but that was no deterrent to me. Together with a friend we went to take in the best of the scene.

The evening started off with Yemi Sax playing the national anthem. Then OluJazz, a saxophonist, covered some popular songs including hits by Asa and TuFace.


My friend asked me if that was jazz, which made me wonder what makes music jazz. Obviously, I believe I know what jazz sounds like and can quite confidently pull it out of a line-up of close affiliates.

However, I remember when the lounge Jazz Sessions was open in Lagos. For the few months that it was in operation it drew huge crows – especially considering the deplorable state of that stretch of Ozumba Mbadiwe Way at the time. The name of the lounge would suggest that the music played there was jazz. However, what I heard whenever I was there were live covers of popular songs, which made me wonder if it’s jazz when the music is played by a live band. (Obviously I know this is not true, but it feels sometimes like that’s a big criterion around here). But I digress.

OluJazz did a great job warming-up the audience and so I felt quite indignant on his behalf when the MC for the evening kept calling him “YemiJazz.”


Pure and Simple

The guitar duo, Pure and Simple, were up next and I was endeared to them almost immediately, because they both appeared nervous. Their playing was fantastic and their “short” pieces were actually not, but rather lengthy but accomplished renditions.

There were a lot of artistes on the line-up and I guess all the acts must have been given a time limit, so I wondered about the need for the MC to move onto the stage and almost drag some of the acts off the stage. It was quite distracting to see him wandering amidst the playing artistes and it did not make for a very dignified exit for many of the acts. However, it did keep things moving along quite nicely without that prolonged wait period that you often get at concerts with multiple artistes as they move their staff on and off the stage.

Mike Osadolo was a musician whom I recognized from my church and from an evening at Motherland. He confidently took charge of the audience with his dynamic playing.

I couldn’t really describe Imole Africa’s music well enough, except to say that it sounded simultaneously deeply Yoruba and avant guard. I especially loved the first piece they played, which sounded like claps of thunder set to music.

Biodun & Batik

Then came Biodun & Batik, which was probably my favourite act of the evening. It was amazing, but somehow I loved all the songs they played. Biodun is the band leader and Batik is the band and together they played both covers and original compositions. I felt I had to run out and buy their CD (alas I wasn’t able to, but I have a birthday coming up so that’s a gift idea. ☺).

Herbert Kunle Ajayi (HKA) was maybe my next favourite act. Both he and B&B played what sounded the most like traditional jazz, but with a freshness that kept them from sounding boring.

Ayinke Martins

There was a lot of anticipation built-up for the final two acts of the evening: Ayinke Martins and Lekan Babalola. Ayinke Martins was the big jazz vocalist of the night and had a voice like velvet; while Lekan Babalola had the biggest band of the night with correspondingly majestic melodies. Unfortunately, I could not stay until the end of the concert. At 11.30pm, Lekan Babalola was outlining his repertoire and it sounded like he planned on being there until 1am. I had an early start the next morning and regretfully took my leave.

It was an extremely satisfying evening for the humble sum of N2,000, however the program notes showed that due to the difficulty in raising money for the event, it very nearly didn’t take place. I felt sad about that, because the big companies appear to be stumbling over themselves to sponsor comedy and reality shows. So kudos go to the companies who did support the jazz festival. I look forward to next year being even better.

Omenka Gallery presents: Reconstruction in Reverse

Omenka Gallery presents Reconstruction in Reverse, a photographic exhibition.

Reconstruction in Reverse is an exciting and challenging exhibition analyzing the role and impact each individual Nigerian has on our collective identity as a nation and how we define ourselves in an increasingly contemporary world.

RECONSTRUCTION in REVERSE or deconstruction brings together portraits of the famous, infamous and non famous, but just as important! The intimacy of portraiture will enable the audience to gain an increased perspective and understanding on issues relating to self discovery and awareness.

The exhibition employs deconstruction as a strategy of critical analysis and seeks to challenge the displaced and misinterpreted Nigerian identity forced on us by addressing commonly held social stereotyping and assumptions. In constructing the photographic identities of the subject many of the portraits on view are taken in various environments and situations which provide a graphic beauty and simplicity as well as a distinctive narrative content in the theatricality of human action.

The exhibition will feature thirteen of Nigeria’s prominent contemporary photographers including Adolphus Okpara, Ebikware Okiy, Isaac Emokpae, Jide Adeniyi-Jones, Jide Alakija, Kelechi Amadi-Obi, Lolade Cameron-Cole, Mudi Yahaya, Nnamdi Ijiomah, Tam Fiofori, TY Bello, Uche James-Iroha and Yetunde Ayeni-Babaeko.

Exhibition started on November 6 and ends on November 12 at Omenka Gallery, 24, Ikoyi Crescent, Ikoyi, Lagos. RSVP: +234 (0)803.312.9276, (0)808.366.1101

Apply: Davis Scholars Program (U.S.) for JSS 3 - SSS 1 students

The Emma Willard School for girls in the United States and the Shelby Cullom Davis family have established a program to attract highly motivated, potential future leaders.

For the 2011-2012 year, the Davis family has arranged to provide two $20,000 scholarships to qualified international candidates. Grants are needs based and, if a student qualifies, she may be eligible for financial assistance up to an additional $25,000. Students may be enrolled in the 10th and 11th grades (equivalent to SSS 1 and SSS 2).

Upon graduation from Emma Willard School, Davis Scholars are eligible for continued scholarship support at any of the 89 Davis United World Scholars colleges and universities in the United States.

Emma Willard is one of the U.S' preeminent girls' schools, grades 9-12 (JSS 3 - SSS 3), fostering in each young woman a love of learning, the habits of an intellectual life, and the character, moral strength, and qualities of leadership to serve and shape her world.

Find out more about the Emma Willard School: www.emmawillard.org. Contact Jeffrey Pilgrim, the director of admissions (jpilgrim@emmawillard.org) for more information.

Ghana Internet and Mobiles Entrepreneurs Forum‏

The PearlRichards Foundation and the University of Ghana Business School, Ghana , are organizing a one day forum on Internet and mobile entrepreneurship in Ghana. The forum seeks to showcase the innovative use of new media – internet and mobiles – by entrepreneurs to address the socio-economic and development challenges in Ghana. This year’s theme is Building Ghana through Internet Enterprises and Mobile Innovations.

The forum has two interrelated objectives, namely:
1. To offer participants an opportunity to share, discuss and learn from individual career experiences and profiles of Ghanaian Internet and Mobile entrepreneurs.
2. To educate participants on how to use Internet and mobile resources and applications to support and promote their creative ventures.

The forum will take place on November 5, 2010 at the University of Ghana Business School. GIMEF 2010 will encourage open minds, critical thinking, self-examination, creativity, and sharing ideas.

Technology entrepreneurs presenting at the forum include: Excelle Ghana, Silky Productions, Mobile Content Ghana, Txt Ghana, Funeralsinghana and Esoko Ghana. Visit TESS Africa, www.tessafrica.org to read more.

The forum is a pre-conference towards the Africa Internet and Mobile Entrepreneurs Conference in Uganda, December 10 (www.afiec.com). GIMEF and AFRIEC are both events organized by the Technology Entrepreneurs Seminar Series (TESS Africa www.tessafrica.org). TESS aims at inspiring African Youth and Graduates into Technology Entrepreneurship and it is supported by the PearlRichards Foundation (www.pearlrichards.org), PC Tech Magazine (www.pctechmagazine.com) and Uganda Telecom.

We look forward to your participation.

Richard Boateng, PhD and Longe Olumide, PhD
Forum Conveners

Click here to read online.

The Group by Mary McCarthy

I finished reading Mary McCarthy’s The Group over the weekend and I have to say that it is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time to come.

It follows eight graduates of the exclusive American college for women – Vassar – as they find their places in life. Except for the fact that The Group is set in the 1930s (and written in the ‘60s), you could almost be mistaken into thinking that it is set in modern day New York, which just goes to show that the issues that women face has changed very little (careers, relationships, marriage).

Kay, Dottie, Pokey, Polly, Libby, Priss, Lakey and Helen are very different women and although most of them share a solid friendship with the others, some relationships are rather more tenuous and their very existence speaks more to university’s ability to bring together people from very different economic and social classes, who might not otherwise meet or become friends.

The book doesn’t pull any punches at all and deals quite frankly with issues of sex, marriage, infidelity, motherhood, ambition, rape, mental illness, death and even sexual orientation. It might seem too much for one book, but with each chapter focusing on aspects of each woman’s life, it never feels overwhelming or less than believable, because you get pulled into the character’s life and worldview.

The book starts off with Kay’s wedding and ends seven years later at a funeral and during that time, the friends have matured and lost some of their post-college shiny-eyed idealism. In her foreword, Candace Bushnell writes: “As Vassar graduates, the women of The Group believe they will change the world. What they discover is that not only can they not change the world, but their survival still depends on their acceptance of being ‘the second sex.’” To put it concisely – reality bites!

I liked this book because it explored many issues that are dominant in my life – and every other woman. I also enjoyed it, because I could see myself in one or more of the characters (I identified most with Polly).

It wasn’t a quick read for me, because it was dense with description, which did not lend itself to reading within the odd 10 or 15 minutes that I could snatch during my days and nights. Rather, The Group is the type of book that you want to devote a few hours to, settled in a comfortable chair.

I Whip My Hair Mash-up

There seem to be no end to the number of hair-related videos in the news this week. This one is a mash-up of Sesame Street's "I Love My Hair" and Willow Smith's "I Whip My Hair."

Strategic Bloggers Meeting

A roundtable discussion was organised yesterday (coordinated by Adeolu Akinyemi and sponsored by MTN Nigeria). The objective was ultimately to "develop a framework for the Nigerian blogging industry." To this end, a selection of Nigerian bloggers - myself included - were invited to share their experiences, especially related to income generation (adverts and content marketing).

This was the first time I had heard bloggers referred to as an "industry." Before yesterday, I had thought of us as a loose group of people who happened to share one activity in common - blogging. So, the use of the word "industry" obviously connotes "making money", which appears to distinguish the professional blogger from the hobbyist.

Our discussions yesterday showed how this grouping by blogging intent is not even a clear demarcation as most bloggers who are now making money from their blogs started off as casual bloggers.

Anyway, I digress.

The discussions touched on the difficulty in selling online marketing to corporate Nigeria; the majority of whom tend to be more comfortable with more traditional forms of advertising.

I don't make any sort of money from my blog, so while I shared some of my thoughts, the experience for me was very much a peek into the possibilities. A few weeks ago - or was that only last week(?) - I realised how much more I want to do with this blog. Well, after yesterday my brain was ringing with thoughts of "To infinity and beyond!"

Read Web Trends for a more detailed write-up.

Tales of Lionesses: Reflections on African Feminism

As the 3rd edition of the African Feminist Forum opens, founding member Jessica Horn reflects on where feminism fits in our narrative of African experience.

I Love My Hair: An Ode to Natural Hair

This video has been making the rounds on the natural hair blogs in the last couple of weeks.

In it, a little Muppet girl (of African descent) sings a love song to her hair. She talks about all the different ways she can style her car.

"I Love My Hair" debuted on the Oct. 4 episode of Sesame Street. It was posted on the show's YouTube page — and since then the video has been shared the world over.

On NPR, Joey Mazzarino, the head writer of Sesame Street, is also a Muppeteer who wrote the song for his daughter. Mazzarino is Italian. He and his wife adopted their 5-year-old daughter, Segi, from Ethiopia when she was a year old. Listen to the interview here.

In the interview, Mazzarino references how the Chris Rock documentary Good Hair brought to his attention the pressures that black women face to wear their hair in straighter styles.

Keeping Up with the Jones

My newest TV love is Keeping Up with the Jones, the BET reality show.

The show follows Tracey Ferguson, the editor in chief of Jones magazine, a Houston-based shopping guide for women.

I stumbled on it quite by accident, as I hardly ever watch BET. However, I was almost instantly hooked after the first episode I watched. The series follows Tracey as she seeks to build-up the Jones brand and expand the reach of the magazine. In the first episode I watched, we see her moving into her new office space after years of working our of her home. One of her staff is not terribly excited about the office space as it's on the small side. That staff had a stinky attitude and I think eventually Tracey fired her or she left.

In a later episode, Tracey explores a partnership with Source magazine, which would provide a much-needed national distribution link for Jones magazine. Her potential partners share their opinions of the magazine with Tracey including the layout, choice of cover models, size and content. And they basically wanted to change everything.

I can relate to this show on so many levels, even though I don't run a magazine. Many of the issues that Tracey has to deal with on a daily basis are the same that most business owners have to - such as figuring out the best way to bring your dream to life; staying true to your vision in the face of set-backs, criticism and 'helpful' suggestions; managing her staff; taking her organisation to that next level; and most importantly balancing her work and her family life.

Tracey doesn't know it all, but I like that she is clear on what she wants for Jones. She is willing to listen to suggestions, but will draw the line if it appears to take the magazine in the opposite direction of where it needs to go. The same goes with caring for teenage son and daughter, who both have equally clearly-defined plans for their lives.

Sometimes I can feel her brain cells whirring and asking "So what do I do in this situation?" She doesn't always have the answers by the end of each episode, but she's also confident enough to let somethings work themselves out.

A Blogging Resolution

When I think about how I have neglected my blog, I become wracked with guilt. Well, not always. Most times I am. I used to be such a dedicated blogger, sometimes blogging several times in 1 day.

Many people I know have moved on from their blogs - sometimes to other social networking tools and sometimes offline.

However, I still spend a lot of time online, though most of that time is dedicated to work. And of course, I have my daily blog reads. I just don't dedicate that much time to my own blog.

Reading Ree's post on Ten Important Things She's Learnt about Blogging, I am struck that I hardly do any one of them consistently - be it writing often, being myself or pushing through my writer's block.

A few moments later, I stumbled upon 101 Cookbooks (I love food blogs, though I don't cook all that often) and discovered that Heidi Swanson, the creator of 101 Cookbooks, was the co-founder of ChickClicks an early online community targeted at young women, which among many things encouraged an interest in technology. The fact that I used to visit this site in 2000 (10 whole years ago) blew me away that I've been hanging out online for so long.

I am really going to try to post more frequently. I really will try...

Uche Eze of Bella Naija on CNN

Young Nigerians are doing big things and Uche Eze of the Bella Naija entertainment and style website is certainly one of them.

As part of CNN's coverage of Nigeria's 50th anniversary, they interviewed and profiled many individuals and organisations who are leading important social and economic changes in the country.

J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere Photo Exhibition

@ the Center for Contemporary Art in Yaba. It starts this weekend.

Oprah & Hair

The Oprah.com website has a few links related to hair; not surprising considering how Oprah's changing styles have been one of the things that we have loved to watch over the years.

On the site now, you can see a slideshow of Oprah's styles.

There's also a clip of Solange Knowles talking about her decision to wear her hair naturally.

Swimming - A Love Story

Photo Credit: Protea Kuramo Waters

So, how was your long weekend? Mine was fabulous. I intended on reading, watching movies, sleeping and swimming. And I did all of the above.

I love swimming and started swimming when I was about 8 or 9. However, years of barely catching glimpse of a pool (much less dipping into one) left me with very rusty techniques. Or so I think. Some others would beg to disagree. But I know how breathless I am after a lap and how I feel like I am expending so much energy only to crawl from one end of the pool to the other.

So, it was with great joy that I found a flier in my gym for swimming lessons. It's been great! So far, I have learnt that I need to put more power into my breaststroke. On Thursday, I learnt that I'm not kicking my legs enough in my freestyle and need to be more graceful. However, learning what I need to do and being able to do it have been two very different things for me.

So, what have I actually been able to do? Well, I can now swim near the bottom of the pool, which is something that I never could before. Hitherto, my body refused to leave its comfortable proximity to the surface of the water - which for my sake is probably a good thing. I can hold my breathe for longer and so can swim underwater for longer.

The pool is gorgeous too. Not an Olympic-sized pool by any means, but it's the average size for a Lagos pool. It's right by the Atlantic Ocean, which almost (almost, not quite) leaves you feeling that you're about to leap into the wide blue yonder.

I always thought that it would be fun to be part of a regular swimming group, alas it feels like many Nigerians (women especially) do not share this my love. Well, I'm a water-baby and am happy to be reconnected with my love and learning how to do it better.

Bodyworks Fitness Studio

Those who know me know that I am quite the health and fitness nut(!?!)

A few years ago when I moved back, finding a good-quality gym and fitness centre was quite the headache as the options were limited and expensive. Today it's a rather different story. There are several new places to complement the few old faithfuls.

One of such services is Bodyworks Fitness Studio. I love Pilates for it's strengthening and toning benefits, but I could not find it offered anywhere.

Then I heard about Bodyworks and of course I had to check it out immediately. This was October 2006. I spoke to Oyinkan Talabi the founder and CEO of Bodyworks and I started working out with her in her rented facility in Ikoyi.

About 2 year later, Bodyworks moved to its Lekki studio, which is where it can still be found. Classes on offer range from Pilates, Dance Aerobics, Salsa, Hip Hop and TaeBo. There is also a gym and personal training services offered.

Check it out: Bodyworks, 3 Obafemi Anibaba Street (Behind Biscourt Apartments on Admiralty Way), Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

UPDATE: The building is not sign-posted. If you turned into the road from Admiralty Way (by Ebeano Supermarket), Bodyworks is, I believe, the 3rd building on your right. It's a small creamish-coloured bungalow with a black gate. The building is set-back from the gate with a little parking space in front.

They are open from Monday to Saturday.

Phone: 0806.778.4977

Apply: Pass-it-on Awards supporting Women in Information Technology

The Anita Borg Systers Pass-It-On (PIO) Awards honor Anita Borg’s desire to create a network of technical women helping one another. The cash awards, funded by donations from the Systers Online Community, are intended as means for women established in technological fields to support women seeking their place in the fields of technology. The program is called “Pass-It-On” because it comes with the moral obligation to “pass on” the benefits gained from the award.

Pass-it-on Award applications are open to any woman over 18 years old in or aspiring to be in the fields of computing. Awards are open to women in all countries and range from $500.00 to $1000.00 USD. Applications covering a wide variety of needs and projects are encouraged, such as:

* Small amount to help with studies, job transfers or other transitions in life.
* A broader project that benefits girls and women.
* Projects that seek to inspire more girls and women to go into the computing field.
* Assistance with educational fees and materials.
* Partial funding source for larger scholarship.
* Mentoring and other supportive groups for women in technology or computing.

Learn more about Pass-it-on awards.

Apply: 2010 Voices of Our Future

Apply for the Voices of Our Future training program. Voices of Our Future is an online training program in Web 2.0, citizen journalism and empowerment for emerging grassroots women leaders. Thirty applicants will be selected to become Correspondents (the title we give to program participants) and take part in the full five-month long program. They will gain the tools and knowledge to amplify their voices and speak to the world; overcome barriers and challenges to achieving their dreams through empowerment coaching; and raise awareness about the real issues they, their families and communities face through opportunities for publication on the World Pulse website, magazine and through partner media organizations.

The deadline for this fabulous opportunity is October 13, 2010.

Learn more: www.worldpulse.com/pulsewire/groups/21780

Natural Hair Meet Up: Champagne, Cupcakes and Curltalk 2

The second edition of Champagne, Cupcakes and Curltalk organised by Kinky Apothecary took place last week Saturday.

I didn't attend the first one and was quite curious to see what it was all about. Plus, how could I pass up the chance to meet and mingle with other fabulous natural-haired ladies?

I met the lovely Nibi who runs Kinky Apothecary, where you can buy healthy hair products. Nibi has been natural since 1999, which is when I also moved to the nappy side. It was heartening to meet another Nigerian woman who has embraced her natural hair.

The event kicked off proper with a Natural Hair 101 talk by Nibi, in which she gave an intro to the basics of natural hair care, types of products to use, and styling natural hair.

The women in attendance were all at various stages of their natural journeys - from some in transition to longer-term naturals. One interesting observation I made was that most of us did not wear out our own hair, instead opting for some form of hair extensions. Not that there is anything wrong with this, but it showed perhaps how we had yet to fully explore our natural styling options.

I came away from CCC thinking that I need to experiment more with my styling options. I've definitely fallen into a rut with my hair. I also need to stop wearing extensions so often and I definitely need to stop blow drying my hair when I do decide to braid or wear extensions.

I learnt about a new online hair resource: Curly Nikki, which I'm checking out as we speak. I'm excited again about playing with my hair, which I think is one of the benefits of meetings like this.

Nibi said she's thinking of organising a nappy party at the end of the year, where we all wear our hair out. That's definitely something to look forward to.

Water Colour, Pastel & Drawing Exhibition - Omenka Gallery

The Omenka Gallery cordially invites you to a Water Colour, Pastel & Drawing Exhibition 2010.

The exhibition is scheduled as follows:

Date: It opens at 4pm on Saturday, August 14 and runs till Saturday August 21, 2010
Venue: Omenka Gallery, 24, Ikoyi Crescent, Ikoyi, Lagos
Time: 10:00am to 6:00pm daily

Book Review - Thank God I'm Natural: : The Ultimate Guide to Caring for and Maintaining Natural Hair

I’m excited to review the book Thank God I’m Natural: The Ultimate Guide to Caring for and Maintaining Natural Hair by Chris-Tia Donaldson.

Let me start off by saying that I have been natural since 1999 and in this decade, I have sought out as much information as I could that would help me better understand and care for my natural hair. I have scoured nappy hair websites, discussion groups and blogs. I have hunted down books about natural hair. I have eagerly picked up magazines featuring natural celebrities or models. In short, I have been an ardent seeker of information.

And in return, I have been rewarded with an abundance of valuable hair care tips, personal stories of journeying down the nappy road, styling and product advice and photos to feast my eyes on.

With all that, my reaction to learning about a new book about natural hair was “What do I need another book for?” However, as it turned out, there was a lot to learn.

Thank God I’m Natural (TGIN) covers key topics like the anatomy of the hair, hair types and texture, products and styling, which you would expect to find in any hair care book. What sets it apart is the highly personal style of this book. It starts of with Chris-Tia’s story of how she journeyed down the natural hair path. After years of struggling to fit in with what she felt was society’s beauty ideal, she eventually finds freedom and happiness in wearing her hair in its natural texture.

From the introduction, she launches into dispelling misconceptions about natural hair, such as natural hair being only workable for women with ‘good’ hair, natural hair being unprofessional, hard, dry, unmanageable and please …… how men are not attracted to women with natural hair (though the last one has some truth for many Nigerian men).

We get a peek at the historical significance of natural hair starting from the era of the North Atlantic slave trade, where African still celebrated the ‘richness and beauty of their natural hair.’ However, this is a speedy overview of the history of natural hair in the United States and for a more in-depth look, you’d probably want to check out “Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America” by Ayanna Byrd and Lori Tharps.

I liked the chapters on transitioning, which explains the process in simple steps, suggests hair styles and even discusses dealing with reactions from friends and family (which earlier books on natural hair often didn’t). One of my favourite parts of the book was Caring for Your Hair, which explains the rudiments of hair care from shampooing, conditioning to the role of diet. This is one of the rare hair care books that recommends specific brands for different hair brands. That was useful to me, though of course, it’s important to note that products work differently on people.

Later on, we learn how to mix up some healthy products in our kitchens, which are both cheap and nourishing for our hair.

The glossary of natural hair terms and the list of resources (websites, books) at the end point readers to sources of additional information and thus makes this book a handy guide for naturals.

The highlight of TGIN for me was undoubtedly the Natural Beware chapter, which walks readers through the ingredient list of typical hair products pointing out which to avoid and which to look out for. Knowing what the various chemicals has long been a source of confusion for me and this chapter explained what to avoid and why. For this alone section, I would buy this book.

Overall, I think that this book gives a fairly good introduction to managing natural hair and where the reader requires more information, the book provides a list of additional resources. As a long-time natural, with a solid collection of natural hair books, there’s very little that would move me to buy another book, however I think TGIN is a useful compendium of hair care, product and styling information. I think for the guide on reading and interpreting product labels alone, this book is worth owning.

It's also worth noting that the TGIN movement goes beyond the book, but also aims to build and support a community of naturals through the blog and Twitter account.

To learn more about the book, visit www.thankgodimnatural.com.

For Naturals: Champagne, Cupcakes and Curltalk

For the naturals living in Lagos, the Kinky Apothecary is holding the 2nd edition of Champagne, Cupcakes and Curltalk on Saturday, July 31 2010 from 3 to 7PM.

I wasn't at the last event, but apparently it was a great time of sharing tips and advice on how to care for natural hair. This upcoming session promises to be just as good.

Get more details from the Kinky Apothecary blog.

Literature's Newest Star

I read I Do Not Come to You By Chance several months ago and it was the wittiest book I had read in a long while. Here's an interview with the writer Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani on BellaNaija.

Global Social Benefit Incubator

For those in the California area:

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Santa Clara University's Center for Science, Technology, and Society is inviting people to see business plan presentations by its 2010 Global Social Benefit Incubator Entrepreneurs from around the world.

When: Thursday, August 26, 2010

Where: Locatelli Center at Santa Clara University

Agenda:
7:15 - 8:00 a.m. Continental Breakfast
8:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. Business Plan Presentations
12:00 - 1:15 p.m. Lunch
1:15 - 6:15 p.m. Business Plan Presentations
6:15 - 7:45 p.m. Reception

The Global Social Benefit Incubator (GSBITM) program at Santa Clara University enables proof of concept social ventures that serve the base of the pyramid to become sustainable at scale. It combines classroom instruction in finance, marketing creation, organizational development, and business planning with case studies, best practices and, most importantly, carefully matched Silicon Valley mentors. The invited entrepreneurs have demonstrated that their innovations can have a significant impact on alleviating poverty and empowering human development in the most adverse circumstances around the world.

In 2010, the STS Center launched a three-year initiative to focus on “Renewable Energy for the Underserved.” This initiative will explore several segments of the clean energy field including off-grid power and light and related value chain organizations such as technology providers. This year, we have 12 social entrepreneurs that are representing the Renewable Energy Sector in the GSBI class of 2010.

At the August 26th summary business plan presentations, you will see how the unique GSBI learning environment contribute to the innovative adaptation of technology and models of social change, in combination with validated business plans, to accelerate the potential for social entrepreneurship to benefit all of humanity.

RSVP at the event page or email gsbi2010@scu.edu.

For further information call +1.408.551.6027 or email sdale@scu.edu. If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation, please call the Center or 1-800-735-2929 (TTY-California Relay) at least 48 hours prior to the event.

Video: What is good black hair?

Seen on NaijaBlog: A video on the Guardian website about black women (in the U.K.)'s hair choices.

Natural Hair Section on BellaNaija

BellaNaija has introduced a column on natural hair called The Cotton Crown. It's great to see. I've seen more attention paid to nappy hair over the last year, including an article in Next, a feature in (shock! horror) This Day Style, a section in the UK beauty magazine Black Hair & Beauty (this was quite vast).

I don't believe that this has translated into a wider acceptance of natural hair, although I do see more nappies around. I guess those who have been natural all along feel more comfortable wearing their hair out and those who would never dream of wearing their hair this way still feel the same way.

Betsy in Spite of Herself

This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.

The words of William Shakespeare as quoted in the book I just finished Betsy in Spite of Herself.

I'm so glad that I stumbled serendipitously on this series last year. How can it be that a book about a young women written just over a century ago can feel so modern? Betsy Ray has ambitions that I did not expect a lady living in the early 20th century to have (not prioritising marriage above her writing career, her disinterest in acquiring domestic skills, her strong desire to see the 'great world' and her wish to live a varied and rich life).

Now this has me turned onto exploring the works of Louisa May Alcott and Jane Austen to read more about women's lives 'back then.' Other recommendations welcome.

And the quote above? Betsy finds out in the most interesting way that it's not worth anything pretending to be anything other than who you really are.

JG on Facebook

So our president is moving with the times and now has a presence on Facebook.

Syster's Pass-it-on Grants for Women in Computing

If you are a woman in computing, who is building-up other women's technical skills and awareness, then you should take a look at the Syster's Pass-it-on grants.

This is an initiative of Systers - the online community of the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology.

You can learn more about the grant and see past winners.

FATE Foundation Programme for Aspiring Women Entrepreneurs

FYI for budding business women.

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Fate Foundation in partnership with Citi Foundation presents to you the 2nd batch of the women's programme titled The Leading Female Entrepreneur coming up on the 9th and 10th of August 2010. This program is targeted at aspiring and budding Nigerian women between the ages of 18 -45 that are posed for leadership and entrepreneurship achievement.

The programme will take place in Fate Foundations Lagos office and would run for 2
days. The programme would involve successful and prominent Nigerian entrepreneurs
facilitating, budding and equipping entrepreneurs with the skills, tools, techniques
and necessary networking methods required to maintain successful businesses in the
Nigerian business environment.

Registration for the programme is on and ends on the 4th of August 2010. Registration
fee cost N5000 only. Breakfast, lunch, materials for the program and certificates will be provided.

Interested participants are to download and fill the application form, pay the
registration fee into our Guaranty Trust Bank Account number 201/110752/3/110. The
filled application form attached with a copy of bank teller MUST be sent in hard copy
to our office 1st floor, Lagos State Water Corporation Building, Ijora Lagos or in soft
copy to mojieleso@fatefoundation.com. Please note that any application recieved after the 4th of August will not be considered.

For further inquiries please call Moji on 01-8797074 or send me a mail via
mojieleso@fatefoundation.com. Please endeavor to register promptly as we have limited seats for the programme.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Moji
Coordinator, Short Entrepreneurial Courses
Fate Foundation
+234.1.879.7074

Unleash the 80s

I LOVED the Unleash the 80s show when it used to come on Silverbird TV. Sadly, it disappeared just after I had become well and truly hooked. my fix for old school music has since been filled by Classic FM, but I just saw the link to the Unleash the 80s website via Linda Ikeji's blog. Here you can listen to old school music ALL DAY LONG!! I'm in 1980s heaven right now. LOL!!