I can attest to the power of female friendships. When I was younger though, I thought that other girls were not worth my time. I didn´t think that I could find myself in them. I wasn´t a girly girl, didn´t have manicures or tweeze my eyebrows. How wrong was I! As I get older I appreciate and try and hold onto…
I came across this video of feminist Gloria Steinem talking a bit about her childhood and why she doesn’t drive. I don’t, won’t and can’t drive. I related immediately. However what made me post this was the bit where she talks about how she kept on saying that she would settle down “but just not right now.” She kept putting it…
The Gist President Buhari, at a a dinner he hosted in honor of the visiting Alumni Association of the Indian Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), stated that 60% of Nigerian Youths are unemployed. Youths make up more than half of our population, 64% to be precise. Idle Hands are the Devil’s Workshop President Buhari didn’t say that but he might as well…
I love Roxane Gay. She’s an awesome writer. She uses words in ways that make me feel like I just ate pounded yam with okro and pocho – filled and a little teary. In May this year, she spoke at the TED Women conference. It’s Roxane’s (yes first name basis) work in verbal form: witty, insightful and fearless. Here’s a snippet from…
On Tuesday last week, I had the opportunity to be at the launch of the Friends of Mirabelevent organised by the Mirabel Centre. Established in 2013, The Mirabel Centre is the only rape support centre in Lagos. Since the centre opened its doors, they have welcomed 1074 rape survivors so far. The centre was largely unknown until a moving AlJazeera report about the challenges the centre…
You don’t have to sound smart. You should just trust that you are smart and that your ideas are important enough -Dr Denise Comer I got this piece of advice from one of the most unexpected places: a Coursera course. Dr Denise Comer (not pictured) is an assistant professor ofWriting Studies at Duke University. She also teaches the Coursera course English Composition I which I completed in…
Did your hymen break the first time you had sex? I’m asking the ladies here. Did you ever wonder why the sheets weren’t blood stained the first time you did the deed, and you wondered if your partner wondered that you lied about your virginity (yes I’m talking about me here)? Well, wonder no more. This short video from Adam Ruins Everything explains…
The Gist Governor Muhammadu Jibrilla of Adamawa state swore in 49 newly-appointed Development Area Administrators. The lone woman is Esther Pius. Why’s this important? Back in September, the Governor appointed a man, Aliyu Tola, as the Commissioner of Women Affairs. His chief press secretary, Yohannna Mathias, defended the governor’s actions by stating: “It’s a normal practice as it happened in Bauchi and…
As the people in charge of the education of our children (UBEC to you and I) meet in Abuja to state the bleeding obvious -basic education is important- developed countries are asking a more pertinent question: should children learn to code? Gaby Hinsliff of the Guardian did a comprehensive report here. It’s a long read but worth it. She asks if kids will be left…
Back in October during a courtesy visit to the Governor of Katsina State, Dr Mohammed Alkali the National Programme Advisor on Education for UNESCO quoted a WTF statistic: 65 million Nigerians are illiterate. The figure, gotten from a survey which tracked illiteracy, is so mind boggling that it still resonates with me today. We all know how important education is to our well being and…