“You can’t eat beauty, it doesn’t sustain you. What is fundamentally beautiful is compassion, for yourself and those around you. That kind of beauty enflames the heart and enchants the soul”
This is to me, is the best quote ever made by this absolutely stunning actress, Lupita Nyong’O.
The gorgeous ebony who made a breakthrough in her movie career after her role in the movie, “12 years a slave”, is on the cover of Vogue magazine for the 2nd time.
Her beauty is undeniable, i guess that’s why one of our authors can’t and won’t stop drooling over her! She’s a stunner.
A alleged cheating wife reportedly dumped her new born baby on a doorstep after keeping her entire pregnancy secret from her husband.
36 Year old Leigh-Anne Varley, told unsuspecting hubby Simon, 39, and their two children – aged 16 and six – she had ovarian cysts which caused ‘swelling’.
In reality, she was pregnant by a lover and hid his baby boy, named ‘Jack’, right up to the birth. For nine months, she meticulously planned a home delivery, got scissors and towels ready, and worked out where to abandon the baby near her home in Horden, County Durham.
As she went into labour, she did some housework, put her six-year-old to bed then delivered in the bathroom, with her teenage daughter on a night out with friends, and Simon working night-shift.
Sneaking out of the neat modern terrace at the dead of night, she returned within minutes, later booking a ‘dream’ trip to Disney World in Florida for her family, then going to work.
Wrapping the tiny newborn in a dressing gown, she placed him on the doorstep of a flat close to a medical centre, with a note saying:
“Please take care of my baby boy. Please don’t go public as my husband is violent and will kill me.”
She also knocked on a door in a bid to alert a nearby neighbour.The child was found cold, but otherwise unharmed between four and five hours later by a man walking his dog.
The mum-of-three admitted abandoning a child. She said she had an affair and she believed the baby was the result of that affair.
“She was unable to tell her husband because she was fearful of breaking up the family unit.
“This is a very sad case, she is of previous good character and was in a desperate situation which led to the offence occurring.”
Some major throwback though… These dudes back in the day made the P-Square group have a run for their money as they were one of the hottest duos running the game back then.
Five Star music singer, Kcee shared this major throwback photo of himself with his former music partner trying to inspire his followers.
So here’s my tiny little secret; of all the Kardashian/Jenner clan, my favorite is Kendall Jenner. She’s hardly been affiliated with any scandal or questionable acts rather she’s been acknowledged and recognized as an achiever in her field.
She once said though, that she doesn’t want her success to be based on the fact that she is from a very popular family and all. I like her humility and her body of course! Lol.
The super model has been listed among the Forbes Highest Paid models in 2015. Though she’s placed at No 8 on the list, it’s quite an achievement for her cause she’s still at a very young age and is just starting her model career, not like the top on the list, Gisele Bundchen who has been in the business for decades.
These photos of foreign Hip-Hop couple, Meek Mill and Nicki Minaj has got their fans laughing hard as they captioned the photo hilariously.
They said that Meek Mill looks like a child whose mum (Nicki Minaj) just took shopping and he is all excited about what he has just gotten. Lol. It’s actually true though, he’s so excited in all of the photos.
Wonder what’s amusing him though.
The photos were taken when the couple went shopping in Beverly Hills.
You don’t get to see this too often with the super model though. Kim Kardashian, her husband, Kanye West and their adorable daughter who is referred to as the current most fashionable baby, North West were spotted at the New York City Airport as they were set to leave the city after Kanye had his Yeezy Season 2 Fashion Week.
What’s stunning in the images is Kim Kardashian is pictured without make-up… which is something we all know to be unusual. While she went make-up free, her daughter, North West is seen rocking an adorable curly hair.
They look like a normal family though. Oh! And the lady by Kim helping with North’s stuffs, that’s North’s nanny.
Mr. Badejo Adeyinka, a 35-year-old father of two, allegedly hung himself on Tuesday, at his residence in Kubwa, a satellite town in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
It was gathered that until he committed suicide, the deceased was a shop owner at the Kubwa Village Market that deals in Okirika, second-hand clothes.
City News learnt that Badejo borrowed the sum of N150,000 from a microfinance bank in Kubwa, but his younger brother, Emmanuel Adeyinka had assisted in paying part of the borrowed money, leaving him with just N25,000 to complete the payment.
Emmanuel said things were not going well for his elder brother and was certain the debt was responsible for the brother committing suicide.
“We were very close siblings. He once jokingly told me that he would hang himself because of the pressure he was getting from the bank to return the borrowed money.
“But I always told him everything would be okay. I never knew he meant his words. Maybe if I had known, I would have tried to stop him. I pray his soul rests in peace,”
he added.
The deceased wife, Mrs. Grace Adeyinka said she noticed her husband’s body dangling inside their sitting room when she went to use the toilet in the morning and quickly brought him down and quickly rushed him to the emergency unit of the Kubwa General Hospital where he was declared dead.
“I woke up around 5a.m. to use the toilet and found out that the cloth I used to cover our five- year-old child was missing, and my husband too was not by my side. When I went to the living room, I discovered that it was the cloth he used to hang himself,”
she said amidst tears.
When contacted, the head of accident and emergency unit of the hospital, Paul Olise, confirmed the incident adding that his remains have since been taken to the morgue.
Janet Jackson, American music icon and sister to legendary Pop artiste, Michael Jackson in July was reported to be quitting the entertainment industry because of her new religion, ‘Islam.’
The American singer, who is married to Quatari Muslim Billionaire Wissam Al Mana, disclosed that she almost committed suicide because of the restrictions and burden her new life and religion brought upon her, saying it was not an easy transformation.
According to MTV News, she revealed that she has been deprived of almost everything in life, as she cannot listen to music, drive a car, wear designer clothes only the “Black Abaya” and cannot even move outside her residential home, in Doha as she is always surrounded by heavily armed security men.
Janet further added that, her new song feat J.Cole “No Sleep” says it all from her marriage, to the difficulties involved in adapting to her new life, the stress involved in being a Muslim wife and the regrets she had due to the choices she made.
We just keep falling in love with this couple as their marriage stays strong by the day. Their union is one like no other and they can absolutely be referred to as the Industry’s sweethearts.
Annie Idibia shared this loved up photo of herself with her husband of decades and more to come, 2Face Idibia.
For most people, it takes a while to adjust and get used to a new home after moving in, while it takes some few days/weeks.
But for President Muhammadu Buhari, it looks like it might take a while.
Despite the couple of months he has spent in Aso Villa, Buhari says he sometimes gets lost in his new home.
According to PM News, he revealed this during an interview in Paris.
“…the last time I was there [Aso Villa], I was in the barracks. This time I am in a palace. At times, I can’t find my way around. It is so big so much that it must be expensive to maintain. But it is there, it cannot be removed,” he said.
She definitely has his looks though. The pop singer sure can’t get enough of his few months daughter Royalty, as over the past few days, he’s been all about her.
Her spending much time with him and his mom and all. The singer shared this grid photo of himself and his daughter proving that the both of them are twins.
An alleged fake pastor has been apprehended after he allegedly robbed a widow at her husband’s burial in Akwa Ibom. The pastor, who hails from Akwa Ibom State admitted to have stopped by a burial that he was not invited to at Itung Mbang, Uruan Local Government Area, where he monitored the widow who was receiving gifts from sympathisers.
He confessed that he waited and stole a bag containing the over N600, 000, two cell phones belonging to the widow and her late husband, a cheque book with an ATM pin written at the edge of the cover, an ATM card and a briefcase containing the late husband’s documents, which was handed over to the woman’s son for safe keeping.
Daily Independent tells the story: They reveal that after stealing the bag, the pastor, immediately used the stolen cash to acquire a land in Uyo, emptied his victim’s account with the ATM card and pin number, handed over his victim’s late husband’s phone to his wife, while he made use of the widow’s phone.
The culprit was reportedly tracked down by the Department of State Services (DSS) through the stolen phones and was arrested while conducting a church session at his City of Reality Christian Centre, Ediene Ikot Obio Imo in Uyo.
Etim who admitted to his crime during the interrogation said he was into photo and video media before he received his calling. He blamed the devil for his crime and promised to hand over the land acquired to the widow.
“Please don’t send me to jail. The devil is trying to rubbish my ministry. Please do not involve my wife in this, she is innocent, I did not tell her where I got the phone from. I don’t want our child to grow up without a father, please have mercy upon me”. He pleaded.
Former President Jonathan Showing Buhari His Way Around The Aso Villa
Head of States,President Muhammed Buhari stunned his audience in France when he revealed that he sometimes misses his way in the Presidential Aso Villa.
PM News revealed that when Buhari was asked by one of the interviewers on France 24, whether Aso Rock was like the Government house he left in 1985.
It was not the same place. The last time I was there, I was in the barracks. This time I am in a palace. At times, I can’t find my way around. It is so big so much that it must be expensive to maintain. But it is there, it cannot be removed.”
Asked whether he is now a different man, he answered:
“I don’t think basically, I am a different man. I came back to power under a different system.”
Buhari moved into the Villa on 21 June, more than three weeks after he was sworn-in.His predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, had approved some renovation work on the Villa, which stretched far beyond his tenure.
She has one of the most hottest bodies in the Nollywood movie industry, not only her body but also her face! Nollywood actress, Oge Okoye slays in this new photo of hers.
It’s no doubt that the actress, is looking like a professional model. You can tell that if she weren’t into acting, she’d have become a highly placed model in the fashion industry.
Omotola also talked about some personal things about her family and marriage. Not forgetting the part where she revealed to us her Favorite kisser in the Movie scene.
Here’s the time stamp of the interview.
Read excerpts below:
On facing temptations:
You mean like ‘This dude is not bad?’, yes I have. I am human. But you have to think of the odds…you’re like ‘What do you stand to lose?’ I think of the things I really would lose and I just feel it’s not worth it.
On making her marriage work while in the movie industry:
For me I will say, first and foremost I think my faith has been very good and has been very helpful in my relationship because my husband and I have the same belief system. So we understand that we’re human. I know he can’t tell me he hasn’t seen girls that he likes. I’m not the most beautiful – even if I’m the most beautiful person in the world – you will still see one or two persons in life that would just tickle your fancy. It’s human, it’s a human thing.
On not getting enough international movie roles:
I have gotten a few calls and it’s been a very difficult decision to make in my career. I keep hearing this all the time and it’s almost like the elephant in the room. So twice I’ve had the opportunity to relocate and I’ll say the reason why I haven’t relocated is because it would break my family. My husband doesn’t want to relocate; he doesn’t want to live abroad. He doesn’t like to live abroad. It will be very difficult for him to get a good job abroad because there are so many good pilots in America. So it would mean me moving and him staying here and that was a very big reason.
On her endorsements:
I got a lot of endorsements last year. Like Knorr. My daughter actually made 2.4 million on that endorsement.
This is most likely something that happens seldom with the Kardashian clan. Mother and genesis of very popular celebrities making rounds on Social Media and the internet, Kris Jenner, has just revealed that she was upset when she got news that her daughter, Kylie Jenner had done a surgery to get lips size bigger.
Speaking to Access Hollywood, the 59 year old revealed that the 18 year old went beneath the needles behind her back.
‘I got really upset, and then it was done, and I had to let it go.’ Once that was done, it’s just my kid. I love my kid. We make mistakes.’
Kris hinted that at times it’s been difficult to parent Kylie, she said:
‘I get a little crazy – and I think that is what no one sees – and I do have definite thoughts and ideas or [ideas on] what she should do, you know, at a really young age,’
Kris also insists she didn’t begin having work done on herself until the last 10 years.
‘I am from the generation that in my day, I mean, some of this stuff did not exist for sure but, I don’t think I did one thing physically to myself until I was in my 50’s. A good 50 years old. So I am thinking…why, why? Why do you need to do that? ‘
I quite agree with the RnB singer though. Barbarian sultry RnB singer, Rihanna has just revealed yet again that she isn’t seen as a role model unlike her counterpart, Taylor Swift, who she says is.
The “FourFiveSeconds” singer revealed when on an interview with NME magazine, that she can’t join the country turned pop singer on tour because, apparently, their fans varies. She said she “just don’t think it makes sense”
SEE ALSO:
‘I don’t think I would. I just don’t think it makes sense. ‘I don’t think our brands are the same: I don’t think they match, I don’t think our audiences are the same. In my mind she’s(Taylor) a role model, I’m not.
Mzwanele Kompolo, a South African fighter has died after he was knocked out in the first round of a fight in Frere.
Kompolo collapsed in the ring after being beaten by Siphenathi Qampi in the Eastern Cape and went into a coma.
Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula said: “It is indeed sad to hear of this news involving the passing of this young upcoming athlete.”
He further stated that the sports ministry is still investigating the death of female boxer Phindile Mwelase late last year. Mwelase died after being in a coma for two weeks following a fight in the capital, Pretoria.
Another boxer, Australian David Browne died on Tuesday after being knocked unconscious in a fight.
This brings to the fore concerns about the safety of the sport with boxers dying or battling with various illnesses later in life, and it is expected that a review of the boxing articles shouldn’t be far away.
So, a Channels TV cameraman captured a major blooper fail on live television involving their news anchor.
The TV Station were covering the Jos Building Collapse, But midway through the coverage, they returned on air without prompting the anchors and in that moment, on live TV, the female anchor was captured blowing her male colleague a kiss.
Apparently, this is a serious fail for the producer/prompter whose job it is to alert staff at each point in time.
Take a look at the sequence — from the playful face, to the kiss, and the shock after realising she is live!
President Muhammadu Buhari is reportedly uncomfortable with having the Aso Rock Chapel close to his room window and is planning to relocate it.
According to Daily Times, the president is not comfortable with the noise that originates from the chapel when worship is going on.
The Chapel was built by former president, Olusegun Obasanjo who is said to have strategically located the chapel so he can “enjoy worship and prayers from the comfort of his bedroom”.
President Buhari is a Muslim and has reportedly complained about the noise from the chapel. Some aides of the president had already made efforts to stop the use of the facility by Christian worshippers on August 30.
As a prelude, security agents prevented the Villa Chapel choristers from entering the building for their weekly rehearsal on Saturday, August 29, 2015.
However, uproar over the development ensued, which caused Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, a Christian who also worships at the chapel, to contact Buhari before the security men gave way for service to be conducted that day.
In a move that suggests the Presidency is not giving up in its bid to relocate the chapel, the children’s church section of the chapel has been shut and some rooms have been converted to shops for storing food items.
“We had to beg them to allow us to remove our property,” said an official of the church who did not want to be named. “The children’s church has been turned into a store.
Ahmed Mohamed, 14 is an innovative and creative young lad as he crafted a homemade clock and excitedly brought it to his school in Texas to show his engineering teacher.
Unfortunately for him, his teachers at MacArthur High School did not buy into his invention as the school officials alerted police because they thought the device was a “Hoax Bomb” after it made a beep noise.
When the clock was discovered, he was removed from his class, interviewed by teachers and then placed in juvenile detention. The Police was also called to intervene.
When the Men in Black arrived, they immediately arrested 14 year old Ahmed while handcuffs were placed on him and fingerprinted.
His arrest has been criticized by people all around the world using the Hashtag – #IstandwithAhmed
During a press conference, Ahmed explained that he plans to transfer to a new school and tells the story in his own words
“I built a clock to impress my teacher but when I showed it to her she thought it was a threat to her. I’m very sad that she got the wrong impression of it.”
Ahmed’s father who is originally from Sudan had this to say:
“He’s a very smart, brilliant boy and he said he just wanted to show himself to the world.”
Other family members are claiming Ahmed was arrested because of his name. An accusation which has been denied by the Police.
While the story is certainly appalling , there’s a bright side, Ahmed has been invited to the White House by President Obama!
Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It's what makes America great.
Actress Doris Simeon sat down with Yes International! Magazine and She’s Discussed her job as an actress and producer + Nollywood in General.
Read the interview below:
Why are many actors and actresses going into producing movies? Is it because they are not getting roles or is producing more rewarding?
Maybe the English actors or actresses are the ones you would say just ventured into producing, because the Yoruba actresses had been producing way back. As practitioners, we criticize some works that we do, so we decided to set an example and show how it is done. That’s it; not getting any role.
Some actress in the industry have NGOs or pet projects as a means of giving back to the society, do you have or intend to have any?
I have a group, I will not call it a foundation and my passion is young widows and street kids who are victims of rape. I have my friends. Sometimes, maybe on my birthday, we try to do something to touch lives. I don’t make noise about it so that tomorrow people will not be like, what happened to that your foundation?
What can you say about the promiscuous impression the society has about actress and female entertainers?
I will say that the impression is wrong and it’s a big lie. But it’s a free world and if you want to, you will. It’s a thing of choice. But that doesn’t mean that the whole women in the industry sleep around, and that’s why they are not getting married.
There are so many people out there who live their lives the way they want. How many do you hear about? But because we are the faces out there, everybody believes that we don’t have a private life anymore and everything that happens in our lives, they have to know about it. As if they knew when you were born. It’s just one of the things we face for being actresses.
An actress told me that actresses don’t make so much money and that contradicts what they depict on the social media. What can you say about that?
I would say maybe because of piracy, that is why she said that. We don’t have a fixed price. When you are contracted for a job, you negotiate, if you agree, you do it. You don’t have people competing in the industry.
Delectable Nollywood Actress, Bimbo Akintola in an interview with Global Excellence said she’s not an easy catch!
“I simply tell them to go away and live their lives. I’ve got no time for them. See, I’m not the type of lady that you can call on the phone and I will come and meet you or send a message on the Facebook or other social media platforms and I will come and meet you. I don’t do it.”
“I explain to people that it’s not done, it’s ridiculous and it’s not allowed. I don’t do it, except you want to jump in front of my car (laughs), you are not going to catch me to tell me nonsense.” she added.
Award winning Act, Davido is a proud dad who would not stop gushing about his five month old daughter, Imade Adeleke.
The artist who is set to go for NYSC come November, 2015 shared a new picture of his daughter and captioned it “AURORA DABBIN ON EM!!! #BILLIONAIREBABY”
The beautiful singer who recently released a track – ‘Lorry’ featuring Chocolate City’s M.I Abaga is one of the most sought after females in the industry today and the reason can not be far-fetched, her great looks is what brings all the male celebs to the yard.
We’re going to take a look at some popular male celebs who’ve openly crushed on Chidinma.
Without further ado, take a plate of popcorn and read along the pages.
Wizkid
Star boy records CEO, Ayo Balogun popularly known as Wizkid revealed in an interview sometime in November 2014 that he’s had a crush on Chidinma for a long time.
“I’ve had a huge crush on Chidinma for a long time… she doesn’t know it but it’s true,” the singer said during an interview on MTV Base.
As Don Jazzy don knack new multi million naira endorsement deal with Johnnie Walker… na GODWIN!
Johnnie Walker is a brand of Scotch whisky owned by Diageo that originated in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland.
It is the most widely distributed brand of blended Scotch whisky in the world, sold in almost every country, with annual sales of over 130 million bottles.
Mavin’s Boss and iconic African Music producer took to Instagram to share his blessing. See the picture and caption below…
IT’S WITH JOY I JOIN THE LEAGUE EXTRAORDINARY GLOBAL AMBASSADORS OF JOHNNIE WALKER #JOYWILLTAKEYOUFURTTHER
Facebook Founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg has made an interesting via his Facebook account.
The 31 year old made the announcement, yesterday in a question and answer session. According to him, the social media site will be getting a dislike button.
“I think people have asked about the dislike button for many years. Today is a special day because today is the day I can say we’re working on it and shipping it”.
Looks like he changed his mind from last year when he said “Some people have asked for a dislike button because they want to say, ‘That thing isn’t good.’ And that’s not something that we think is good for the world. So we’re not going to build that.”
Do you think the dislike button is a good upgrade?
Ruth Idi Okpoto, Now Mrs. Rith Omopariola-Bolarinwa is a deaf lady and she’s University of Ilorin’s Best Graduating student from the Faculty of Education in 2009.
Ruth has cried out for help after searching for a good and well paying job six years after she graduated from school.
In an email she sent to Education Review & obtained by The Sun, Ruth who is now a married mother of one, narrated her fruitless efforts in searching for a well paying job.
She shared on how tribalism, nepotism and her deafness have militated against her getting a job that will tally with her educational qualification.
She says she currently works at a school in Ogun state where she coordinates the PTA group. She called on her alma mata, Exxon Mobil and others to help her with a job.
Excerpts of the email below:
“To set the record straight I am not a deaf-mute. Not all deaf people are dummies. I am a bilingual deaf person with a mild hearing loss. I became deaf in 1997 at the age of 15 while in SS 1 at Dairy Farm Secondary School, Lagos.
I have already acquired language proficiency before the sickness that caused my hearing loss started then. After the illness, I discovered I couldn’t hear very well whenever people talk to me unless I read their lips. Despite this hearing difficulty, I continued my education at the school.
“At a point, I confided in the Vice Principal (Academic) Deaconess Afolabi but she didn’t believe me because according to her I could speak and hear her. She decided to check my academic records but was surprised to realize how brilliant I was as a deaf person. From there, she showed interest in me and adopted me.
She later introduced me to her husband – Pastor Toye Afolabi. They supported me to further my education at Kwara State College of Education, Oro, in 1999, after the completion of my SSCE. I lived and grew up under their loving care for more than 15 years till I got married in 2011.
“When I got admissions into University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), they encouraged and supported me. I did not even know sign language then but I excelled at the College where I studied Agriculture. I did my IT at the Lagos State Agriculture Development Authority without the help of any interpreter. I have a good rapport with people.
Some people think I am pretending to be deaf whenever I tell them about it because of the way I relate with them. I didn’t attend any special school but I learnt the skill of sign language while teaching at Christian Mission School for the Deaf at Ibadan in 2003.
“I am physically, mentally, emotionally and morally sound, and very assertive. I love interacting with people but I don’t like to be taken for granted. Intellectually, I like reading and researching. I also love playing football. Mind you, I am still playing football even now as a nursing mother.
My friend used to call me Tomboy in those days because I like doing what boys do. I love tasks that challenge my intellect. My husband and I have similar condition.
He is deaf but he can speak English fluently. We are both qualified graduates from University of Ilorin. He is, at present, working with Ogun State Teachers Service Commission.
“I scored a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.45. That was the score I saw on the result sheet in the first semester of my final year. After the completion of my study I graduated with a second class honour (Upper Division).
“On the efforts made so far to get a good job, I had wanted to work with the University of Ilorin. There is a lecturer at the Faculty of Education, I was so fond of her even till today.
Leaving her was, indeed, a difficult challenge for me. The affection I have for her made my desire to work in the university stronger and that was what motivated me to do my NYSC in the institution. The lecturer is now a professor. I was then lucky to serve at the newly established Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies (CPSS) headed by her (Prof. Olasehinde Williams). Before the completion of my NYSC, I wrote a letter requesting to be retained but got no response then.
“After the completion of my one mandatory youth service, I continued to apply for job whenever the university released vacancies. I think I have done so thrice. The former Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, was making attempt to employ me based on my application which was submitted to him in 2012/2013.
I later learnt that he was about to do that before his tenure expired. I wrote a letter explaining the situation to the new Vice Chancellor (Prof. Ambali) in 2013 and, in fact, re-applied last year but the vacancy was put on hold.
“Another opportunity came when ex-President Goodluck Jonathan gave disabled people employment opportunity in 2013. I joined others to apply and traveled with my husband to Abuja for the interview in November. My daughter was just seven months old when I embarked on the journey with her.
The selection process was based on our qualification and I had the faith that I would be selected since I was the only applicant with second class honour (Upper Division) among the deaf applicants from Ondo State. I was disappointed when my name did not appear on the list of those shortlisted due to what I will call “connection, godfatherism and tribalism syndrome” which has become a social norm in Nigeria as far as employment is concerned.
If the Ondo Commissioner had selected us based on merit, there is no way I would not be qualified since there was no written test or oral interview.
“My surname, Okpoto, must have affected me because that was the name on my credentials but having married a man from that state the Commissioner should have considered me qualified.
I regretted not applying through the Delta State Commission as I would have been given the job then. The most painful aspect of this experience was the refusal by the Commissioner to give my husband, an indigene of the state, his posting/appointment letter.
Initially, his name was on the list but was later short-changed with someone else known to the Commissioner.
“Another instance where tribalism and connection really affected me was at the Lagos State Scholarship Board exam in 2004/2005. The then governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu had forwarded my application for oversea scholarship to the board for immediate action.
The Director of the board (Mr. Badmus) told me that I was not born in Lagos because of my surname (Okpoto). I told him I was born and bred in Lagos but he refused to treat the letter. The institution abroad (Rochester Institute of Technology), had awarded me scholarship for only tuition fee but I could not raise funds to cover other expenses. Life is indeed full of experiences but I will never give up.
“As noted above, a situation where political connection, godfatherism and tribalism are used as yardsticks for recruitment is psychologically and emotionally disturbing. Imagine the stress I passed through traveling to Abuja from Ibadan with a seven-month old baby for the civil service interview.
This is too bad! But I believe that life goes on! Things will change for the better now that President Muhammad Buhari is making effort to sanitize the system. The Disability Rights Bill is long overdue. The President should, please, assent to the bill to protect the employment and fundamental rights of persons with disabilities.
“At the moment I am living with my husband and managing to work as employee of Parent Teachers Association in a school in Ogun State. The monthly take-home pay is meagre. But what more can I do? I have tried so many places without any result. Everywhere I go, some people would ask some funny questions like “you are from where?” “You do not look like a Yoruba”, “Your father’s name is an Igbo name.”
Deafness is another barrier as the society does not want to employ deaf and disabled people. They usually experience employment discriminations due to their disability. But disability is not inability! There is nothing the deaf cannot do. The only difference between us and our hearing counterparts is our inability to hear which in my own case is partial. The society especially employers of labour should know that deafness is not an insurmountable barrier to success. I can teach. I can lead. I can do mathematical calculations etc. What is more? Let the society try us first and see what we can do.
“I can work in government ministries, agencies and parastatals as well as private companies in administrative capacity. My computer skill is also an added advantage. As a holder of first degree in Educational Guidance and Counseling, I can provide counseling service for young people. Apart from the university job, I can work in oil companies like ExxonMobil or in telecommunication companies like GLO, MTN, Etisalat or Airtel, in the area of computer operation, data processing and network or in any other administrative duty that may be assigned to me.
“I am still searching for a good job and I am pleading with the University of Ilorin management to help me. I don’t think the University has abandoned me. I guess the new Vice Chancellor is not aware of the fact that I served at the university and I am not sure if he received my appeal letter.
The former Vice Chancellor was working on my application before his tenure ended in 2013, so I think the new Vice Chancellor in the person of Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali should reopen my case as regarding employment. I appreciate my parent/pastor Deacon Toye Afolabi, Prof Alasehinde Williams, Prof. Omotosho, Prof Adegoke, Dr. Esere etc for their efforts in assisting me.
“To be honest with you, having good job will make it possible for me to achieve my goals and give back to society. It is my dream to become a lecturer so with good job I will be able to save money to further my education. I need to go back to school for my masters and PHD. I also want to set up an NGO that will empower disabled people especially young ones that are not educable to acquire vocational skills that will make them self-reliant and to contribute meaningfully to the growth of their fatherland rather than roaming the streets and begging for money. An adage says: “if you give a child a fish, you feed him for a day. But if you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime. I want to assist young people to have the financial muscles to feed themselves for a lifetime. I also have a business plan in mind but there is no money to get started. I believe with good job I can achieve all these.”
