Tambari by Daily Trust Tambari

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2019

A PUBLICATION OFF

a r t x E Titi Akinsanmi “I do life despite fear”

Hi there!

elcome to another thrilling edition of Tambari Extra. This week we have arranged an array of superb content for you. From, rules on how to make your relationship blossom, to a Thai dish of

ETIQUETTE Three steps to make your relationship blossom by ABIOLA AMINAT ADEPOJU b

aintaining good relationships with the people you love is very important for your mental and emotional health. So it is important to develop and nurture them to the best of your ability. If you are in love with someone WORTHY you would want to follow OF NOTE: some important etiquette and guidelines. Even if ACCEPT YOUR you feel confident that SHORTCOMINGS the other person will love you, no matter what, AND WORK TO ignoring some of the basic IMPROVE THEM. relationship rules can create a rift between you. Be positive: When you love someone, it is good to maintain a positive energy. Always have a ready smile when necessary. Don’t be constantly rude, snappy or sarcastic, even when they annoy you. Don’t ever say something you can’t take back. Always do your best to be positive; however, don’t fake or overdo it. That can be irritating, and it creates resentment. Be a listener: We all know that technology and social media play a part in making people meet, but it also plays a part in dividing them. Nowadays, a lot of couples are always busy on the phone when their partners are communicating. This is very rude and shows lack of respect. Put aside anything you are doing and listen to your partner. Give the other person a chance to finish what he or she is saying before you interject. Know when to remain silent. Be empathetic: You don’t need to have an answer to everything. Sometimes people just need to vent.Do your best to put yourself in the other person’s position. Empathy is essential to being a good listener. It also helps put the other person at ease. You already know that no one is perfect, so if you want to have strong relationships, you need to learn to accept other people’s flaws. With additional information from the internet

tasty and mouth watering noodles and oven baked fishon the culinary segment. Mean while, beauty on the other hand discusses the dos and don’ts of mascara. On the cover this week we have Titi Akinsanmi, the Government Relations Lead for West and Francophone Africa at Google. She

shares her venture into the technology sector, barriers faced by women and a lot more. Do get inspired by her story. Have a pleasant week! – Amina Alhassan, Editor Tambari CALL: 0818 7703733 EMAIL: tambari@dailytrust.com

C U L I N A R Y CO R N E R

Thai noodles with oven-baked fish by SA’ADATU USAMAAH

ou want that Asian experience when it comes to food? Then, spicy and delicious Thai noodles with oven-baked fish and aromatic flavours can make you crave for more any time. This recipe is perfect and simple when you feel like cooking something healthy and light over the weekend for the family. Follow the cooking instructions below. Ingredients for baked fish • Haddock fillets • Ginger (peel and chop) • Garlic • Red chilli (de-seeded and chopped) • Lemongrass (1 stick, outer layer peeled off, finely chopped) • 4 teaspoons oflight soy sauce • Fish sauce - 1 teaspoon • Lime (squeeze) • Coriander leaves • 2 spring onions (sliced or chopped) • Sweet chili sauce (a teaspoon) Ingredients for Thai noodles • Thai noodles • Coconut oil or sesame oil • 1 clove of garlic, mince or chopped • Scallions or spring onion (sliced) • 1 cup of bagged coleslaw mix • ½ cup shredded carrots • ⅓ cup of chopped cilantro • ¼ cup of chopped green onion

• Chopped honey-roasted peanuts • Soy sauce • 1 tablespoon of honey • Garlic-minced • Red pepper Instruction for baked fish 1. Pre-heat the oven on a medium heat 2. Combine the ginger, garlic, chilli, lemongrass, soy, fish sauce, sweet chilli sauce and lime in a bowl. Then stir well to mix the ingredients together. 3. Place one piece of fish in a foil paperby creating parcel and put the sauce over the top. Sprinkle the spring onion over the top,then seal the parcels so that there are no gaps and place on a baking tray, then place in the oven. 5. Remove from the foil and pour the sauce from the foil on top. Instruction for Thai noodles Drain after parboil. In a pan, pour some olive or sesame oil, add minced onion, pour the drained noodle. Whisk or mix the soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Then pour sauce onto drained noodles and toss together. Add shredded cabbage, carrots and cilantro to noodle and mix. Then gently stir-in half of chopped cilantro, green onions and peanuts. Keep some cilantro leave for garnishing. Serve Thai noodles warm or cold with baked fish, garnished with the remaining cilantro. With additional information from the internet

TITI AKINSANMI // CO V E R

“I do life despite fear” Interview Inte In terv rvie iew w by ABIOLA AMINAT ADEPOJU

Titi Akinsanmi is a digital policy expert who currently serves as the Policy and Government Relations Lead for West and Francophone Africa at Google. She says her motto is to inspire, inform, involve and impact the world on issues around global internet and society, digital economy, policy and digital governance. With 19 years of experience, she has directly engaged with global policy development processes and built capacity and strategy. She is also enabling the implementation of strategies as it relates to internet governance and the digital economy. She spoke with Tambari on the most significant barrier to her career, especially as a female leader, what inspires her, and other interesting issues. Educational background am an alumnus of the prestigious Queens College. I am also a graduate of English Language from Obafemi Awolowo University, where I discovered my passion for information and communication technology and travelled across remote communities in Nigeria to connect under-served communities. I have a master’s degree in Management from the University of Witwatersrand and a certificate in Common Law from the University of London. I am also in the process of completing an ongoing master’s degree in Law at the York University. I am currently a PhD fellow at the Berkman Klein Centre for Internet and Society in Harvard University. Career background I started my career quite early. My interest in technology came about because I was perceived as being unable to understand or grasp technology because I’m female and studying English. In a way, I realised they might have a point. It is sometimes out of the moments when you feel most discouraged that you actually identify an opportunity. I was in my final year in the university and a series of occurrences had taken place that helped me realise that I didn’t have enough grasp on the technology space. We are talking about the year 2000 when we had the Y2K bug. We thought “everything is going to change, everything might collapse.” I said to myself, “Wait a minute, if I am so connected and jazzed up, yet feel disconnected, what about folks who are not even aware of this conversations?” And that fired me up. That fire was about being able to take what was then labelled as information and communications technology skills and use. I should be able to use my skill set to train as many people as would be willing to listen to me. In doing that, I increasingly came across a big gap in the preparedness of government in terms of policy and regulations for the digital ecosystem. The policies and regulations that were in place at the time were ill-prepared to take advantage of or harness the opportunities of technology. This very much began to influence a lot of the work I did around helping governments, the civil society etc to organise, understand and rightly place themselves in what is now termed the “digital economy.” I have been working (both paid and unpaid) in the sector for about 19 years now and have reached a point where I would describe myself as a “non-techie techie.” I have continued to grow my knowledge on technology - on the what, why and how and who is developing it, etc, enough to interpret them for the rest of the world to understand. As a female leader, what has been the most significant barrier in your career? Limitations based on perceptions on what my gender is perceived as able to do; access to opportunities (I put

HUMILITY IS KEY: LISTENING IS RARE; COMMUNICATION IS QUEEN OF GROWTH

in 10 times the work) but does not equate the same equitable opportunities - the key things that an increasing number of women pursuing careers are facing.

Who inspires you and why? This is a hard one . I am very deliberate about nonidolisation, but there are many men and women from whom I draw learning and share experiences. From history, I look at Queen Moremi, Amina and Emotan. I draw on the courage the Aba women had to lead the revolt; I recall my fascination with Princess Diana as a child and draw on the oratory prowess of Maja Angelou. So many, including Serena Williams for her grit; the many unsung women who have helped shape the tech space, and a few more that are alive, but I don’t want to name them so that I don’t get into trouble for naming one but not the other. I am of the opinion that I need more re champions in career as I grow. What has been the most rewarding partt of your career? Being eing able to work with different sectors ors of the society, especially governments ernments and the civil society to create an enabling digital environment ironment for internet users and working to create a safe digital environment ironment for everyone, regardless of age, ge, demography, connecting them to digital skills and enabling digital economy. nomy. Hearing my daughters’ say theyy want to be like mummy when theyy grow up, and creating sustainable ainable impact. What leadership lesson on have you learned ned in your career? eer? Humility is key: listening is rare;

communication is Queen of growth and harnessing opportunities. Anything is possible. What was growing up like? I am the fifth out of six kids and third of four girls. I grew up in a Christian and conservative environment; teacher and public-speaking expert’s daughter. Evenings ranged from reading D.O. Fagunwa before I was 10, to Tess of the D’Urbervilles. It was an eclectic mix and enough drama as per an Ilaje family. What were your aspirations growing up? I knew I wanted to travel and see the world; my nickname morphed from Voltron to OmobaAjala. I also knew I wanted to help build connections and bridges to solve issues. How do you balance work and life responsibilities? Balance is a myth if you are looking for consistent 50/50. The key is to make the best use of the time - be present in the present - whether it is work, home or otherwise. Key is also having an amazing support system - for the high’s, midpoints and lows. In this vein, technology has made balancing work and life responsibilities better. I spend of the part quality time with my kids daily, regardless regard of the world I am. We practically discuss school lunch and dinner homework, have breakfast, lunc and catch up on together, read bedtime stories an their day. Having a great support suppor system in my partner and husband also makes work and life balance super worth it and easy too. t Have you ever been afraid on the job? Courage is not the absence o of fear; I do life despite fear. Do you experience resistance when you are leading men? Sometimes. It is the norm. It is th the reality of our community and environment. I expect it and it doesn’t come as a shock shoc to me when it happens. There is the passive aggression from some men. Where nothing is being done to you but at the same time, nothing is d done to enable you. It makes mak one put in more efforts. or So c’est la vie! They should bring it on. When you began your career many years ago, did you ever imagine that you would be a leader in a male-dominated ma profession? pro My M focus has

TAMBARI SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2019

TITI AKINSANMI // CO V E R always been and remains the 4 Is: to inspire, inform, involve and impact. Leading comes in many forms. That is what I keep my eyes on. But certainly, I had no template to chart the path I find myself right now while growing up. How did you meet your husband? I met him almost 15 years ago. He was asked to come and see me to help birth a vision he and others had. I was quite resistant to helping him because the person who sent him wasn’t necessarily in good terms, but I went ahead to help him, anyway. I was living in a different country and he was just visiting, so it was with the aid of technology that our relationship developed. We used yahoo messenger, skype and others. What is your most cherished attribute of his? He is not your typical gentleman. He enables me to fulfil my purpose, and vice versa. We are equal partners, he is not afraid to do anything to make me succeed, as long as it is good and right. I call him my non-African Ijesha man; he is not a typical Yoruba man. He doesn’t live within the confines of cultural expectations. More importantly, he is kind, he listens, and he is gifted. He knows how to play the piano well. All of these things draw me, but if I had to pick one thing, it is that I trust him. I trust him with my career, vulnerable, social personas. I can be who I need to be around him. He is my friend, and that, for me, is the core thing. Joys of motherhood Having two beautiful daughters; four and seven years old respectively who look at mummy and say “mummy we will love to be you when we grow up’’ is everything. Having innocent minds being able to ask me why, what and who because they want to learn is interesting. Another joy for me is that I know there is no deceit with them. They are who they are; they come to you with a childlike love. I like wearing the same clothes with my kids; twinning with them. We sync always, and finally, I have someone’s hair to play with. My kids have really good natural hair and I love playing with it. When I finished SS3, I went to learn how to make hair. So the joy of being able to sit with my girls and make their hair is out of this world. They are my safe space; with them I can detach and just be. It is not all a bed of roses though, I believe in ‘wajegba’ (you will be flogged), but they know I love them unconditionally. They bring me so much joy How do you relax? Outdoors – in the water, kickboxing, family and reading. Best travel destination and why? Although I have been to many beautiful cities in the world, I love Mauritius – for the quiet ocean front, Geneva for the mountains, and South Africa for its many options. Favourite fashion items Lipsticks in bold colour and a lovely pair of red heels. What wouldn’t you be caught wearing? I obey the wind. What is your favourite quote or saying? “Dubito, ergo cogito, cogito ergo sum.” That’s Latin for “I doubt, therefore, I think; I think, therefore, I am.” Also, when I think to my high school days, I remember this quote by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.’’ It means whatever great people you see, it’s not by luck or chance. There has been some work put in it. Favourite kind of food Pounded yam and mixed protein okra.

Favourite kind of music on replay Piano’s keys – with no words. I love music though, so it is a hard choice. Favourite fashion designer, perfume, bags and shoes I am on the constant hunt for Nigeria/Africainspired designers. I wear bespoke. Makeup routine Except there is an occasion, I am not a makeup kind of girl. I wash my face, do a simple cleansing and a very light makeup, if anything at all. I have always loved eyeliners, although I don’t typically wear them these days. When there is a good outing I pull out the makeup and people are shocked. These days, I am experimenting with colours: red, purple lipsticks, etc. Beauty secrets I have been committed to doing facials every six weeks for the last 18 years or thereabouts. I am very deliberate about taking care of myself. If I don’t have time to go and do it externally, I do it by myself. I also love baths. I turn off the lights, put on some candles and just relax. Favourite colour I love red and black. Always, you will find something red or black on me. I look in the wardrobe sometimes and tell myself, ‘Girl, seriously you need to get colours.’ Mum’s advice that stuck with you over the years Ma gbagbeomoeniti o je, meaning, ‘Do not forget the child of whom you are.’ However, I am a daddy’s girl, so my dad’s advice that continues to stick with me is, “Pick up your bag of courage.’’ He always said I should be consistently courageous in the face of fear or whatever. Role models I am very wary of having any individual as a role model because they are very far from perfect. They are humans before anything else. However, there are characteristics I look to in individuals. I like Sade Adu for her style, chill. I love Lady Diana for her willingness to stand up and break tradition. I admire the strength of the former Minister of Communication Technology, Omobola Johnson. She completed a PhD while she was a minister. That’s admirable. I love Maya Angelou for her creativity and Winnie Mandela for standing up for what she believed in. I like Obama for his sense of leadership, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya and his wife. I don’t like to be disappointed by people, so I just hold on to parts of them I admire, not the person. If I think in terms of my career, I can’t pinpoint a certain woman I looked up to, which is why I am now deliberate about putting myself out there so that young ladies who are now in the position I was then would see someone to look up to. Looking back, what would you tell a younger you? To be fearless, believe more in myself and know that I am remarkable What are some strategies you have learned that can help women achieve prominent roles in their organisations? Be confident about your expertise - communicate your achievements, share your failures. Don’t let anyone keep you down because you are female. Also, be wise. Don’t be good, be wise. What piece of advice do you share with young women entering a male-dominated profession? Your gender is no limitation; follow your skillfuelled heart

DON’T LET ANYONE KEEP YOU DOWN BECAUSE YOU ARE FEMALE. ALSO, BE WISE. DON’T BE GOOD, BE WISE

TAMBARI SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2019

SOCIETY NEWS

Compiled by ABIOLA AMINAT ADEPOJU

Yemi Alade signs deal with Universal music

019 is proving to be year of Nigerian Musician, Yemi Alade. Apart from recently being featured on Beyonce’s Lion King album which is arguably the biggest album of the year. The energetic performer just signed on with one of the biggest Music Record labels in the world this week. The deal is a licensing agreement with Universal Music Africa and Universal Music France. The deal states that Universal Music Africa would serve as the exclusive worldwide record music partner for the singer with her label Effyzzie Music Group. The deal also states that Universal Music France will serve as the international roll-out partner for the project and the agreement would take effect immediately. The announcement was made by Moussa Soumbounou, the MD of Universal Music Africa, “We at Universal Music Africa are all huge fans of Yemi Alade and her music and with what she has already accomplished with Effyzzie Music Group, we believe that our new partnership will only further elevate her superstar status globally. We are excited and proud to support her in this new phase of her career and help her reach even greater heights.” He expressed.

Davido proposes to Chioma

igerian music super star, David Adeleke popularly known as Davido proposed to his girlfriend on Thursday, September 12, 2019. The proposal happened in London and his beautiful girlfriend turned fiancée, Chioma Rowland said ‘Yes’. The two are expecting a baby and Davido has come out to say the wedding will be happening in 2020. The artist who is also the son of billionaire businessman, Adedeji Adeleke posted pictures from the event to his social media and wrote, “She said yes. Big rock.” #Assurance2020 The wedding hashtag is named after his 2018 hit song, ‘Assurance’ which he wrote for her. The proposal is coming a week after they had their introduction in Lagos with the two families meeting. Social media has been agog at the prospect of an Adeleke’s wedding. The Adeleke dynasty has not had any wedding ceremony for some time now and people are eagerly anticipating this one.

Sir Shina Peters celebrates daughter’s wedding

eteran Nigerian musician, Sir Shina Peter celebrated his daughter’s wedding in Bristol UK last weekend. The proud father was apparently overjoyed at the event and was seen dancing hilariously in a video that has now gone viral on social media. In the video, the Afro juju icon was captured as he fell down while trying to do the popular “gbese” dance step and was helped to his feet by the father of the groom who was his partner in the dance. The video was posted by his step daughter and celebrity stylist, Toyin Lawani on Instagram. “I know a lot of people have this video from my sister’s wedding in UK yesterday (Saturday), so I will post it here. We cool like that, you can’t mock us. Fall or no fall, you are a living legend, dad @sirshinapeters. You came through for my sister, your child, our last born from my mom To those asking, so he’s my stepdad and for that, I will (be) forevermore grateful. You are the best dad ever. All I wish was for mom to be here to see her little girl get married. We had a blast. We brought our A-game to the wedding.”

TRENDS STYLE FASHION

by ABIOLA AMINAT ADEPOJU

lot of women love the magic a little dark ink and brush can do on the face, but mascara can be a pain in the rear to apply. You have to try and avoid getting it on your eyes, clothes etc, which is why we are here to help make things easier with a list of dos and don’ts for you. Do a check: When you are done applying your mascara, check for smudging. It is almost next to impossible not to get mascara on yourself during application, unless you are a pro. After checking and you have a smudge, wait till it dries, then gently swipe it away with a cotton swab. If necessary, touch up any makeup you might have messed up. Do other eye makeup: It is important to apply your eye-shadow and eyeliner before using your mascara. Trying to apply mascara before any other eye makeup will lead to flaking and smearing. So, please wait till you are done with other eye stuffs. Don’t waste money: A lot of people think expensive mascara translates to quality mascara. However, that’s a lie; don’t waste money on buying expensive eyeshadow. Drug store mascaras can be just as good, if not better than some of those in a department store. Don’t pump: Many people make the mistake of pushing their mascara wand in and out, but the in-and-

B E AU T Y The dos and don’ts of mascara out motion from pumping

forces air i iinto the tube, causing mascara to dry out more quickly. So, avoid the temptation to pump, instead, dip

once and d dab d b the h excess with i h tissue i or wipes. With additional information from the internet

DID YOU KNOW... THAT WATERPROOF MASCARA SHOULD BE WORN ONLY IN A WARMER WEATHER OR WHEN YOU THINK YOUR EYE MAKEUP MIGHT GET WET, NOT EVERY DAY?

Why cotton swabs are bad for ear cleaning

What do you advice?

Good day Doc. What is your opinion of a scan done for an 8 weeks gestation with empty sac to be repeated in two weeks? The doctor says, the scan has to be repeated before a decision can be taken. Motunrayo, Ekiti By eight weeks the fetal pole and fetal heart rate should be visible especially since is the gestational sac not by date. It’s most likely anembryonic sac. Evacuation may be necessary.

PCO and infertility at 43 years

H E A LT H Y L I V I N G

ow d do you clean l your ears?? The majority of people will reach for a cotton swab, dab it in some water, and then insert it into their ear to help get rid of the wax. It feels like you’re doing a great job, and then you see how much wax is on the cotton bud - so you must have given them a good clean! Unfortunately, if you use cotton swabs for ear cleaning, then you’re making a vital mistake. Contrary to what you’ve been led to believe, they’re awful for cleaning your ears. Why? Well, here are just a few reasons that show you what can happen when you use cotton swabs: They push earwax further back When you insert a cotton swab into your ear, you’re basically just pushing against your earwax. It might appear that you’ve removed a lot, but you’ve really just pushed the wax further back down the canal. All this does is make the wax much harder to remove, while also causing blockages that impact your ability to hear correctly. This is especially bad if you’re a regular wearer of hearing protection like earplugs as they already push wax back into your ear.

Dr. Nathaniel Adewole, MOBILE: 0803 8039182 EMAIL: nadewole2013@gmail.com

You actually Y t ll need d your earwax It might surprise you to know that earwax isn’t a bad thing. Yes, it looks gross, but it serves a critical purpose. It’s in your ear to stop infections by killing any harmful bacteria that gets into your ear canal. Not only that, but it prevents things from getting into your ears like bugs and dirt. To add to this, it works as a natural lubricant in your ear canal to stop dryness from occurring. Earwax is designed to basically remove itself from your ear too. Daily activities, like talking and eating, will push the wax out towards the exterior part of your ear. Then, this is cleaned when you wash in the shower. So, by using cotton swabs, you’re potentially getting rid of something your ears need to stay healthy. It can slow down earwax production, which puts your ears at eardrum. This is a huge problem as risk! your eardrum is highly sensitive. Do you even need to clean your Speak to an audiologist, and they’ll ears if the wax is naturally removed? tell you that it only takes the slightest The answer is yes, but only if you contact with your eardrum to rupture have a severe build-up of dry wax it. This leaves you with a perforated that’s causing a blockage or pain. eardrum, which will eventually When this happens, you should use heal, but it will also cause pain and things like oil drops to help lubricate discomfort. Plus, if you clean your the ear and get rid of the wax, or even ears with a cotton swab - and there’s a professional ear cleaning treatment no earwax blocking your path - the from your audiologist. swab itself can quickly hit your Culled from: www.berkshearing. eardrum and cause the same issues. com/blog

SSo, you end d up making ki the th problem bl worse with cotton swabs. You can cause damage to your eardrums Similarly, pushing all that wax down your ear canal will eventually drive it into contact with your

TAMBARI SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER15, 2019

I am 43 years old and my doctor says my eggs are not forming well. I have irregular periods usually unduly prolonged for three months. Can someone who has polycystic ovaries still have a child at this age? Saratu from Kano For you to be having irregular period at 43years means you are either a known polycystic ovaries (PCOs) case or around the premenopausal periods. The ovarian reserve is low. If one is sure it’s PCOs then ovulation induction with tablets or injection and even a combination of the two may give a chance. The chance of natural conception is very low. Assisted conception therapy may be preferred option in this case. In case of assisted conception it may be better to use donor eggs.

Non-ulcer stomach pains

I’m suffering from non-ulcer stomach pain. Please advise on what to do. Busayo, Kwara state How do you know that the stomach pain is not due to ulcer? Where is the location of the pain? Is it more at night or in the day? Does it radiate or move towards the back? The causes of stomach pains apart from peptic ulcer are numerous, these include: inflammation of gall bladder(cholecystitis), indigestion after eating, gallstones, inflammatory bowel disease appendicitis, ulcers, gastritis, pancreatitis among others. It’s difficult to say which one. I will suggest you see a general surgeon.

Irregular periods and contraception

I think the family planning method I’m on is making me have irregular flow. I started 24thJuly and not too heavy, stopped after a day or so. After 7 days, it started again but this time heavy on 9th August 2019. What do I do? Chizoba Which type of family planning are you on? How long have you been on it? Actually some family planning have the side effects of irregular bleeding or breakthrough bleeding especially hormonal injectables and intrauterine devices (IUD). If it’s not continuous you can continue the same method otherwise you may have to change the Contraceptive method to another one. I will encourage readers to send more details about their condition for better advise and analysis.