“Please sir, I would like to create a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) awareness program for girls. It is an initiative to introduce girls from the junior secondary school to the wonders and possibilities of science, math, technology and engineering …,” the principal read aloud, his eyes widening. Then he glanced up from his letter, pulled off his thin glasses, placed it on the table as he stared at the younger man standing in front of him. “That is my problem with you corpers. You come here thinking you can turn everyone’s head with white people’s nonsense then you go home disappointed when nothing really changed. This is…
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PAN AFRICAN WOMEN’S DAY -JULY 31ST
African Union has made 31st of July to commemorate the Pan African Women’s Day. We know the essence you live and we celebrate the unique woman in you. To all African women who are keeping the African spirit alive; to all women with the spirit of Pan-Africanism; we wish you all a hearty happy Africa Women’s Day. Go mama Africa; Go the mother of pearls; Go and make Africa even better. We really appreciate your effort towards the shaping of the future of the African continent and your commitment towards the advancement of Africa. Keep breaking glass ceilings, breaking through concrete walls, striding on sticky floors and escaping career…
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WHEN THE NORMAL BECOMES ABNORMAL ALL IN THE NAME OF PATRIARCHY
One fine Tuesday morning in January, Dennis walked into his class for early morning lectures. Since he was late, he took one of the vacant seats in the last row, just beside a girl in his class. As the lectures commenced, he scribbled fast and paid rapt attention hanging on to every word the lecturers spoke. After classes, his stomach growled and rumbled so loudly that he picked up his bag, sprang up from his seat and started towards the door a little faster than he should have. Suddenly, all the students started towards the door as well. It was as though someone had rung a bell because they…
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KECTIL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE FOR LEADERS FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Thanks to The Kectil Program for the learning opportunity through the years. I am grateful for this grace to be selected to be part of the Nigerian representatives for the Kectil Leadership Conference for leaders from developing countries at Georgia Tech University. This journey has been an amazing one. It has been particularly helpful for me especially in my leadership journey as a woman. It seeks to develop leaders without gender bias. It is indeed all inclusive. It has been a program that seeks to ensure a safer and more sustainable world for women. My knowledge has been enhanced through this conference through my interaction and learning from other young…
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STOP THE CRUCIFIXION; SOME SKILLS ARE NOT INNATE
Society puts so many ridiculous expectations on women and sometimes experiencing it or thinking about it drives me crazy. One of the those I really hate is how you, as a woman, is expected to know how to handle a baby perfectly even when you have never had one around you all your life. Nobody takes into account your circumstances. All they see is a failure. A woman who is not worthy to be ‘wifed’. My life experience paints a better picture of this situation: I have a twin brother and we have no younger one so I have never known what it’s like to be actively involved in looking…
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WOMEN WITH ONLY DAUGHTERS ARE NOT LESS; CHILD-BEARING NOT A METRIC FOR DETERMINING WOMANHOOD
“Congratulations Mr Jeremiah. It’s a girl.” Jeremiah hissed at his wife turned, walked out of the hospital and drove off leaving mother and his fifth daughter to sort themselves out. Tears ran down Angela’s face. Why was their having girls her fault? Why couldn’t he just accept that children were not hers to give but nature? **** Jeremiah and Angela had been married for seven years. After their fourth daughter, Jeremiah had started withdrawing and becoming distant. When she asked him what was wrong, he didn’t say anything to her. Sometimes, he would get upset at her question and leave the house again. He wasn’t much…
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France 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup: A marker for greater things!
The curtains have been drawn on this year’s edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and the event in France saw numerous gains achieved in Women’s football on a global level. In the spirit of advocacy, I launched the Slay-Ballers campaign to bring more awareness to women playing soccer particularly in the face of an ever-widening gender gap when compared to the men’s game. France 2019 saw a clear upgrade in the hitherto low standard of women’s football. The quality of soccer on display by the ladies this summer in France has been remarkably high, so much that many people have forgotten that two big regional men’s events (the AFCON…
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THE SLAY BALLERS 2019 – FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2019 – USA VS NETHERLANDS
USA vs. Netherlands The big day is finally here! The United States will play the Netherlands in the final of the 2019 Women’s World Cup on Sunday. The reigning World and European champions square off in Lyon on Sunday in what promises to be a thrilling encounter. There couldn’t be any more contrast in the pedigree of these teams going into this match with the USWNT making their third consecutive appearance in the final (winning the last one after losing the last one to Japan) and the Netherlands making only their first and in the process becoming the eighth different country to play in a final and the fourth European…
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THE SLAY BALLERS 2019 – FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2019 – ENGLAND VS SWEDEN
England vs. Sweden The third-place match of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be two teams who fought so hard and would have been just as deserving of playing in the final. England who are aiming to secure the bronze medal for the second consecutive World Cup after seeing off Germany in extra time at this exact stage in 2015 take on Sweden who are no stranger at this stage either having contested and won the bronze-medal match twice previously . This is the first match between these countries at a World Cup. England are expected to have the edge when they face Sweden at the Allianz Riviera. The…
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THE SLAYBALLERS 2019 -FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2019 – SWEDEN VS NETHERLANDS
Netherlands vs. Sweden I would say the match between USA and England yesterday has been one of the most thrilling and dramatic matches I have watched since the beginning of this tournament. From a brilliant header from USA’s Press then an equalizer by Ellen White to Alex Morgan scoring her 6th goal of the tournament on her birthday. We later saw a very dramatic second half as the decision of VAR was very critical. It was indeed intense. From VAR confirming an offside goal by Ellen White for the English team and the controversial penalty that was given but missed and finally to the red card given to…
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MY LOVE FOR SOCCER.
When a friend heard I was writing about soccer and life lessons from playing soccer, he protested. “Your women readers won’t understand the game.” Really? The interest in woman’s soccer is surging. The 2015 Women’s World Cup final was the third most watched football match in history with nearly 23 million viewers in the host country; 750 million viewers were reported to have watched the tournament worldwide. This is a game I have come to love as a kid having played as the only female among boys like Kolawole Balogun, Koleola Balogun, Seyi Omolade, Sunkanmi Olugbamigbe, my twin broter and some boys too here and there as a teenage girl…
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THE SLAYBALLERS 2019 – FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP – ENGLAND VS USA
The FIFA 2019 Women’s World Cup is gradually coming to an end and we are presently at the semi-final stage where we have a couple of mouthwatering fixtures to enjoy. England take on the only non-European team left in the competition and defending champions USA while Sweden take on European champions Netherlands in an all European Showdown. The Lionesses will be looking to go one stage better than they did in Canada as they take on tournament favorites USA while the USWNT will be looking to make a return to the final as they look to successfully defend their title when they take to the field in Lyon. Having knocked…
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THE SLAY BALLERS 2019 – FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2019 – ITALY VS NETHERLANDS
Italy vs. Netherlands Today is the last match day of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and there are two interesting matches billed for today in two all-European showdowns. First, Italy take on European champions Netherland and thereafter, tournament favorites, Germany take on Sweden. Our feature match is Italy vs. Netherlands where both teams will be seeking their first semi-final appearance of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Italy’s impressive campaign at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, their first in two decades, continued as they made relatively light work of China in their last 16 clash to ensure a clash with the Netherlands in the quarter-finals after narrowly topping their…
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THE SLAY BALLERS 2019 – FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP – FRANCE 🇫🇷 VS USA 🇺🇸
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THE SLAY – BALLERS 2019 -FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2019 – NORWAY VS. ENGLAND
Norway take on England in one of the three all-European showdowns in the quarter finals of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France having overcome Australia and Cameroon respectively in the previous round. The Three Lionesses who have four wins out of four go into this game on the back of a bad-tempered win over Cameroon in the last 16; their 3-0 triumph over the African nation was marred by VAR controversy and poor refereeing while Norway came dangerously close to being eliminated, as they required a penalty shootout to see off the Maltidas after being taken all the way by 10-woman Australia. England have played some fairly impressive…
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THE SLAY – BALLERS 2019 -FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2019 – NETHERLANDS VS JAPAN
Spain lost out narrowly to the USWNT earlier today and in another similar clash between an established powerhouse and a fast-rising team, the Netherlands take on Japan. At this exact stage of the 2015 World Cup, Japan beat the Netherlands 2-1 and went on to reach their second consecutive final. The Dutch had qualified for that knockout round as one of the four best third-placed teams; they set up this 2019 re-match – a clear evidence of their improvement– by topping their group through an emphatic win. Former world champions Japan are building a team for the future, while the reigning European champions just like the Spanish side are looking…
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DALAI LAMA FELLOWSHIP – END OF THE JOURNEY
It was a nice experience to be a fellow of the Dalai Lama fellowship. The Dalai Lama Fellowship offers emerging leaders a rigorous, interdisciplinary program on ways to be a different kind of leader, a leader that connects and cares for self, extends genuine compassion to others, and works for the common humanity. Fellows cultivate practices in mind-training for increasing self-awareness, self-care and resilience, for connecting with others and working across differences, and in building solutions for generations to come. Over the course of the year, with the support of mentors and coaches, each fellow designs and implements an original field project addressing a global challenge. Upon graduation, fellows join…
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THE SLAY – BALLERS 2019 -FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2019 – SPAIN VS. USA
The FIFA 2019 Women’s World Cup’s knockout stage continues on tomorrow with Spain taking on the United States in one of the most anticipated round-of-16 showdown, with France or Brazil awaiting the winner in the quarter finals. Spain, playing in their first ever knock-out game in the competition having only made their debut four years ago are a team on the rise and they should provide a far more sterner test of this USWNT’s bid to retain the world title. The USWNT will still be heavily favored to defeat Spain in the last-16 game at Stade Auguste-Delaune in Reims though, despite Spain’s growth in the game since the last time…
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THE SLAY – BALLERS 2019 -FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2019 – FRANCE VS BRAZIL
The FIFA 2019 Women’s World Cup’s knockout stage continues on Sunday with the next batch of round of 16 matches. Earlier today, Germany and Norway secured progress to the quarter finals after eliminating Nigeria and Australia respectively. Tomorrow, England take on Cameroon and in the star match of the day, hosts France take on Brazil. France go into this game with a perfect record in the group stage albeit the last two of those wins were laboured and they had to grind out the victory. Brazil on the other hand finished third behind Italy and Australia and qualified as the best third-placed team despite winning two of three group matches…
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THE SLAY – BALLERS 2019 -FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2019 – GERMANY VS NIGERIA
The FIFA 2019 Women’s World Cup’s knockout stage kicks off on Saturday with the round of 16 as one of the favorites takes on one of the underdogs. Germany faces Nigeria with a spot in the quarterfinals to play for. Germany won Group B with a perfect record and didn’t concede a single goal in the process, joining the United States as the only teams to do that in this tournament. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s fortunes were somewhat mixed coming out from a tough Group A that included France, Norway and South Korea, but they sneaked through as one of the four third-place teams to get to this stage. Two-time World Cup…
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MISCONCEPTIONS OF FEMINISM : THE PROPOUNDERS MEANT WELL.
Many people bash feminism today because they misunderstand it or have a wrong notion about the movement. Some see it as a man-hating marriage-breaking movement. Others see it as a cause championing some values that are not aligned with what they stand for and so are not comfortable with it. While some others see it as a scheme trying to overthrow men. A good number of people, even those who believe in equality, refuse to be associated with the word “feminism” because a good number of key or forefront advocates have ideals or a lifestyle they don’t want to emulate or be associated with. But is a concept or idea…
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THE SLAY – BALLERS 2019 -FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2019 – CAMEROON VS. NEW ZEALAND
The group stage of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup concludes tomorrow as the final round of group matches continues tomorrow in groups E and F. The situations in both groups are somewhat identical with battles for group supremacy and qualification for the knock-out stages set to go down in both groups. Sweden take on USA and the Netherlands take on Canada in the fight for top spot while Cameroon take on New Zealand while Chile tackle Thailand in the battles for survival! Cameroon and New Zealand will both be hoping to secure one of the best third place finishes as they go head-to-head on Thursday evening. Neither team have…
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THE SLAY – BALLERS 2019 -FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2019 – JAPAN VS. ENGLAND
The final round of group matches continues tomorrow in group D with Japan taking on England and Scotland locking horns with Argentina. With both sides likely to progress to the next round with only a draw, the clash at Stade de Nice has less riding on it than many of the other group stage finales in France, but the title of group winners, and with it a lower-ranked knockout stage opponent, remains an attractive prize. While Japan lie second in the group standings on four points, England have earned a perfect six after registering narrow wins over Scotland and Argentina but the Lioness’ performances in the competition thus far have…
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: THE SLAY – BALLERS 2019 -FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2019 – ITALY vs. BRAZIL
The final round of group matches continues tomorrow in group C with Italy taking on Brazil and Jamaica locking horns with Australia. Italy may have already secured their place in the next round, but their final Group C encounter with Brazil in Valenciennes still promises to be an intriguing clash as the Seleção will also be harboring hopes of advancing to the knock-out rounds. The Seleção will need to better Australia’s result against Jamaica to guarantee they remain in the competition, no small challenge given Italy’s sparkling form in the tournament till date. Having reached the World Cup for the first time in 20 years, Italy have been one of…
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THE SLAY – BALLERS 2019 -FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2019 – NIGERIA Vs. FRANCE
We are gradually drawing closer to the business end of the FIFA Women’s World Cup as the final round of group stage matches kicks off tomorrow and the genuine contenders are gradually setting themselves apart from the others. Groups A and B will be decided tomorrow and with both matches in a group taking place simultaneously to nullify any advantage that might be gained by a team having prior knowledge of the result of their rivals’ fixture. In Group A, the Super Falcons of Nigeria take on hosts France while Norway tackle Korea republic and in Group B, China and South Africa take on Spain and Germany respectively. Nigeria…
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THE SLAY – BALLERS 2019 -FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2019 – USA Vs. CHILE
The USWNT continue in their quest for a fourth overall FIFA Women’s World Cup title and consecutive titles as the take on tournament debutant Chile in the second round of matches in Group F on Sunday. Jill Ellis’ side set a couple of records tumbling in their first match where they thrashed Thailand. In that match, USA set a record for most goals in a game, most goals in a half and biggest winning margin, and they also had seven different names on the score sheet. Alex Morgan also tied the record for most goals by a single player in a World cup game by plundering five and is presently…
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THE SLAY BALLERS 2019 – FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP – CANADA VS NEW ZEALAND
Canada Vs. New Zealand Canada will be looking to book their place in the last 16 of the FIFA Women’s World Cup when they take on New Zealand at Stade des Alpes after a victory in their opening game and the Canadians will guarantee a place in the second round with victory in this match. Canada and New Zealand go into this encounter on the back of a narrow victory and heartbreak respectively. Canada managed victory against Cameroon by only a lone goal margin while New Zealand suffered a heart-wrenching experience when Netherlands score in injury time to take all three points. These two teams last met at the 2015…
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THE SLAY-BALLERS 2019 – FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP- ENGLAND VS ARGENTINA
England Vs. Argentina England will be looking to run riot against Argentina on Friday after edging out victory against auld rivals Scotland by a single goal margin in their Group D opener. The Lioness are one of the better teams in the competition and will fancy their chances of remaining involved deep into the competition. This should literally be a walk in the park. England are ranked 3rd in the world while the Albicelestes are ranked a staggering 34 places below them in 37th. To put the disparity into contest, Thailand who were victims of a record 13-0 thrashing at the hands of the USWNT are ranked three places above…
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THE SLAY BALLERS 2019 – FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP – BRAZIL VS AUSTRALIA
Australia Vs. Brazil Two familiar foes will set out against each other again today at the Stade de la Mosson in Montpellier as we look forward to the latest chapter in a match up that can be viewed as a derby. This is incredibly the fourth successive FIFA Women’s World Cup in which Australia and Brazil have met, and of course their most memorable recent meeting was at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in Rio de Janeiro where hosts Brazil just about edged victory following a tense penalty shoot-out. Sadly, we won’t be afforded the luxury of another shoot-out in this particular encounter but it once again promises to…
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THE SLAY BALLERS 2019 -FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2019- NIGERIA VS SOUTH KOREA
Nigeria vs. Korea Republic Nigeria and South Korea will be the first teams to play their second games at the 2019 Women’s World Cup when they meet on Wednesday in Group A play. Both teams will be looking to bounce back after heavy defeats in their respective group openers although Korea remain slight favorites. Neither of them is likely to finish among the top two in the group and that makes this encounter a must win for both sides to stand a chance to reach the second round as one of the third-placed teams. Both teams are yet to register any goal yet in the competition and are going to…
