Thinking Aloud Magazine: Apr-Jun 2021

THINKING ALOUD

A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE publication of rehoboth dream solid foundation (rdsf)

ISSUE

14 APR - JUN 2021

CONTENTS

Cover Photo: Mrs Habiba Balogun

Dr. Folasade Hunsu Department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria

Mr. Patrick Edebor Editorial/publishing consultant. Owner, Patrick Edebor and Associates.

Mr. Akin Adejuwon Curator, Institute of Cultural Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

Mr. Rotimi Lawuyi FCA Owner, RAMA Editors.

Dr. Mrs Olayinka Opadiya Senior Pastor, Every Nation Church Sydney Australia.

Mrs. Abimbola Komolafe Founder/Executive Director, Rehoboth Dream Solid Foundation.

Rear Admiral (Rtd) Oladeinde Joseph , Chairman, Board of Trustees Pharm. Samson Igbokwe Mrs Roseline Igbokwe Mrs Ronke Osikoya Ms Ketumi Alasa Pastor (Dr) Joshua Opadiya Dr (Mrs) Yinka Opadiya Mrs Abimbola Komolafe Rear Admiral (Rtd) K O Komolafe

Editor Bimbo Komolafe

Publication & Design Benjamin Eze

Project Manager Tomi Olatunde-Idowu

Project Team Edison Egere

@2021. Thinking Aloud Magazine, a publication of Rehoboth Dream Solid Foundation.

Othniel Komolafe Grace Adoga Celestina Osiki

THINKING ALOUD | APR - JUN 2021

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non -commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

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ISSUE

EDITORIAL

14 APR - JUN 2021

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the Q2, 2021 edition of Thinking Aloud (TA) produced by Rehoboth Dream Solid Foundation (RDSF).

Our cover for this edition is the inspiring and passionate Habiba Balogun, an experienced consultant with specialization in Organizational Effectiveness. She shares with us her story and passion for diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace and the urgent need for employers to focus on harassment and discrimination with the aim to solve this challenge.

This quarter in our ‘RDSF Success Column’, we feature the story of Gabriel Ogunleye who is a product of the mentoring work by the RDSF Trustees. Gabriel holds a Master’s degree in Food Technology from the University of Ibadan. Read his story and see how mentors who make themselves available can influence the direction of a life.

Our guest writer for the parenting column, Bisi Olaye focuses on three words ‘Roots, Wings and Values’ to share tips on how to prepare today’s children for challenges they will face.

Finance coach explains the ‘ESI’ model (EARN more, SAVE better and INVEST well) as a tool for achieving financial fitness.

Our guest in this edition’s Fitness spotlight is the beautiful Mrs. Rukky Tongo who shares her exercise routine and what living healthy means to her. She also introduces us to Amana Retreats, an exclusive wellbeing and lifestyle club for women.

Health is wealth and our health corner focuses attention on Breast Cancer and reminds readers of facts that can help early detection and cure.

Have a delightful reading experience and remember to share the magazine with your loved ones.

On behalf of the TA magazine project team, I wish our readers a beautiful second half of 2021.

Stay safe and stay positive.

Bimbo Komolafe Editor connect with us on social media | thinkingaloudmagazine

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PARENTING OUR CHILDREN FOR THEIR FUTURE

learn values by what we tell them. They learn to disregard what we say, choosing instead to learn from what we do. They are amazing imitators. Professor of Social Psychology at London School of Economics, Sonia Livingstone says, “You (parents) are the big example.

From healthy lifestyle to which way you vote, we parents are the single biggest explanation of our children’s behaviour.”

Who knows what the future holds? We cannot tell what will happen in the future, yet we have a responsibility to prepare our children for it. One thing that we can almost be certain of is that there will be challenges.

Roots are good foundation, an understanding of who they are and where they are from. Roots provide children with a secure base and helps them to be confident in themselves. Wings provide freedom to make decisions, permission to live life as one sees fit. Wings allow children to soar to great heights. Roots and wings will be covered in more detail in a future article. This article focuses on values.

The Cambridge dictionary defines values as “the principles that help you decide what is right or wrong, and how to act in various situations.” They are the principles and qualities that we highly regard and consider very important in the way we live our lives.

They could include qualities such as hard work, honesty, wealth, family, faith, kindness community, gratitude, etc Helping our children to develop and own their values is highly beneficial. It guides them as they make difficult decisions for themselves. It helps them understand themselves more and be confident about themselves.

When they live their lives according to their values, they have a greater sense of contentment and satisfaction.

The reality is that children will pick up values along the way whether or not we are intentional in teaching them.

We however, can be intentional in the values we teach our children.

It would be much easier if as parents, we could sit the children down and teach them our values. As the saying goes, values are caught and not taught. Children do not THINKING ALOUD | APR - JUN 2021

There are certain childhood stages when children are most sensitive to learning values. “Give me a child until he is seven years old and I will show you the man,” goes the famous quote. Depending on whom you ask this quote may be attributed to the Greek philosopher, Aristotle or the Catholic Jesuit order. In any respect, the message is clear: the first seven years of a child’s life is critical in laying a good foundation for life.

At this stage of life, children are like super sponges, soaking up and absorbing from their environment.

Psychologist Tali Sharot said, “(the child’s) early years are the time to focus not on specific skills but on traits.”* Nonetheless, teaching values is ongoing work. It does not stop when the child is aged seven.

I recall a comic strip of a parent scolding a child for stealing pens at school. He asked the child,” if you wanted pens why didn’t you tell me then I would have brought some from my office for you?” Suggesting that it is okay to steal from work but not at school.

We can teach children values by first creating a shortlist of the values we believe in. These are values we believe would be helpful in a future that we cannot predict. For example, Sharot explains that qualities such as grit and optimism will help one succeed wherever they go*. Next, we ought to be mindful about our own behaviours- are we modelling these values?

Finally, we should talk to our children about the values in practical context. For instance, engage them when you are using your values to make decisions or when they face a dilemma and unsure which option to go for. For example, if you were given a gift in error, should you keep it or if a child wants to give up piano lessons because it requires too much practise. | 5 |

We know that children are not duplicates of ourselves. As they grow older, they may challenge or adapt the values that we taught them. They are right to do so. The process of teaching them values helps them as they decide which values are important to them.

The world is changing at a very fast pace. We cannot predict what dilemmas or challenges our children will face. Values will guide our children as they make difficult decisions and help them live with a greater sense of contentment and satisfaction.

Bisi Olaye writes from the UK. She is married and a mother of three children. She is a counsellor in training and on the board of governors for a primary school in Surrey England. She is passionate about educating the whole child.

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UNDERSTANDING THE ‘ESI’ MODEL FOR FINANCIAL FITNESS

INTRODUCTION – THE ‘ESI’ MODEL The ultimate place we all should desire to get to is that place where we have financial independence and financial freedom. Financial freedom has various definitions but let us work with this simple definition: Financial Freedom is the status of having enough income to pay one's living expenses for the rest of one's life without having to be dependent on others. The ‘ESI’ model teaches us to EARN more, SAVE better and INVEST well. When the ‘ESI’ model is properly applied, we succeed in our journey towards financial freedom.

There are 3 main reasons we work/earn money: • To sustain and maintain ourselves – i.e. cover our cost of living.

• To save for the future.

• To have savings which we invest to create and grow our wealth.

What we commonly see is that many people operate at that first level – i.e. where they work and survive. Many struggle at that level and are unable to meet their living expenses. The financial freedom I teach is for every one of us to properly balance these three reasons for working hard. Statistics available show that only about 10% can THINKING ALOUD | APR - JUN 2021

earn an income, save and have capacity to GROW wealth.

The remaining 90% struggle. The essence of this article is to move readers from the 90% bracket to the 10% bracket.

Who is struggling financially?

Persons deemed to be struggling financially are unable to manage their income well, they are not able to meet their needs, are constantly borrowing and of course unable to save or invest. Often you hear them say their salary is inadequate and they are living from ‘hand to mouth’.

They are constantly in debt and cannot save. They are largely dependent on others to make ends meet and to live.

Why save? Why not apply all your earnings to live fat now?

God has created things this way; a time to be born and a time to grow old and time to depart. Your strength varies for each of these seasons of life. The strength you have today will not be the same strength you will have in years to come. That is why you must use every season of life well and sow the right seeds for the right seasons.

Now is the time to save for a comfortable lifestyle during our golden years. You must use your strength well now; | 7 |

take the right decisions which will secure your future.

There will be a future when your bones will resist hard work, no matter how intelligent or hard working you may be. There will be a time when you will be too weak to CREATE or GROW your wealth.

EARN MORE How can I earn more, how can I manage my earnings to make it available for wealth creation?

Here, I want to share two tips to help you earn more income • Create multiple streams of income • Understand the time value of money Create multiple streams of income Multiple streams of income means that you have income from several and different sources. Having multiple streams of income means that a person is receiving income from several, residual or passive income streams at once.

Receiving income from several sources may include taking on more than one paid employment, rendering services in addition to a main employment or having a side business or hustle in addition to your main job.

Residual or passive income is income that a person earns without directly putting in work. Most often income derived from investments such as dividend income from stocks, rental income from property or interest income from fixed term money deposits. All these are often referred to as multiple streams of income.

For those with liquidity and sufficient funds - If you fall in the category of those with financial might, the first rule is to ‘Diversify your portfolio’. Those with funds should diversify their investment portfolio by investing in a variety of income generating assets. Some examples include employment income, capital market, real estate (local & foreign), farming, and partnership in trading.

“Those with funds should diversify their investment portfolio by investing in a variety of income generating assets.”

Look around you and identify a need in your immediate community and find what you can sell, or the service you can render to generate additional income.

Understand the time value of money To successfully work towards financial freedom, you must understand and value money and know that every penny counts. You must work to ensure that you get the best value for your 24 hours. Don’t accept a job if the salary won’t cover your expenses. Know that your time is your seed and once you accept, then you can’t effectively seek for a better job.

Everybody has 24 hours in each day. Time is the most valuable resource to man. It is common to all, rich or poor and is equal for all. The difference between the financially independent and financially dependent person is the utilisation and application of these hours.

Whether you work for yourself or for someone else, you can allocate more time to earning income in addition to your main source of income. What is important is that you do not breach the terms of your paid employment.

Get the best value for your 24 hours. My advice is that you get the best pay out of the utilization of your work hours. Try and avoid inadequate compensation for your time and labour. This means you should seek and commit to the employment that pays you the most out of your available options.

Your time versus money spent. It is often said that time is money, but money is also time. A man on a monthly salary of N90,000 earns N3000/day approximately. If he chooses to dine out and spend N6000, that dinner has cost him 2 days of his labour.

When a man keeps this in mind when spending, he will likely be more careful not to spend his money on frivolous things. Often we hear that ‘rich people are stingy’, NO! They know the value of money.

Most wealthy people do not waste funds. They get good value for every penny committed. They understand that money, when properly managed, has the tendency to grow.

SAVE BETTER How can I save BETTER? The answer to this question is in three simple words; Plan, Budget, and Track.

•

Others with limited funds - For those who fall into the category of low income earners with less capital because they are young graduates, the easiest way is to make sure you are doing something in addition to a main employment. Learn a skill and equip yourself to offer a service in addition to your main job.

• • •

Plan – where do you want to end up? Have a financial target and a plan to achieve this target.

Budget – Create a budget; i.e. put monetary values to your financial plan put figures to achieve the plan Tracking – helps you check progress by keeping good financial records of your earnings and expenditure. | 8 |

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TIPS to help you SAVE BETTER No matter what you earn, put something away as savings.

Most people say “how can I save anything when my salary is not enough to meet my immediate needs”.

The truth is if you are earning 90% of your current pay, you will still find a way to survive. Assume your actual take home is 90% of your income and apply the 10% to savings. The trick is to apply the self discipline to spend within the 90%.

If you don’t save when you earn little, you will Struggle to save when you earn a lot. Learn to save from unexpected GIFTS. Many people who struggle to save are in the category of those who spend without a plan.

Don’t leave savings as the last thing after expenses; rather make it the first – that is why we call it ‘pay yourself first’. Every other thing after your savings requires you to pay others (e.g. when you pay your bills).

Plan Many people who struggle to save are in the category of those who spend without a plan. If you fail to plan, then you are planning to fail! Your financial plan is what gives direction to your efforts and provides the needed guidance for your choices.

Your financial plan is the detailed proposal for achieving your financial goals.

If you want a robust plan, you need to start by identifying your financial goals i.e., what you want to achieve, where and how you want to end up.

These are examples of financial goals.

• Pay off a loan or a portion of a loan this year (car/ house loan) • Buy land/lay the foundation of my house • Start a business • Register for a professional examination • Undertake a professional certification • Acquire skills • Buy some assets e.g. a car • Work to ensure my salary covers my immediate needs till the next pay day.

Once you have identified your financial goals, your financial plan will then outline the steps you need to take to achieve them.

Budget What is a budget? – Simple definition says ‘A budget is an estimate of revenue and expenses over a specified future period of time. You can call it your financial plan in monetary terms. Budgeting helps you save. You must budget so you can identify surplus or pressures on your money. Budgeting does not depend on how much you earn. Even the smallest of earnings requires a plan for you to use efficiently. Note that Family budgeting is essential and couples must sit and discuss money matters.

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Some Benefits of budgeting: • Budgeting helps us avoid impulsive decisions.

• You can track how you are spending to identify room for cost savings • Helps you know what you own and what you owe • Relationships thrive better when there is deliberate discussion of the family’s financial plan helping you work better towards savings target.

Simple budgeting ahead of your next pay goes a long way in helping you to save.

Allocating funds to the different classes of bills would be helpful in identifying excesses. Learn to allocate funds to basic expenses like food, rent, transport, utilities, entertainment, and miscellaneous and see the window for possible savings.

For example, you are likely to stay within planned budget for telephone costs if you have a target figure for this than if you buy your phone credit as you exhaust it.

If you have a budget for your telephone bills, you will not engage in frivolous telephone conversations or mischievous forwarding of text messages and video clips.

One area of possible savings for folks in Nigeria is in data costs. Some might say it is not a significant cost, but every kobo counts.

Savings options include the popular “Ajo/esusu”, cooperative savings and target savings schemes. Another way to save is from unexpected financial bonuses and gifts. Instead of applying all of a bonus or gift to longstanding desires, a percentage can be saved.

Tracking In order to be in control of your finances and identify room for increased savings, you must keep good records and track all your income and expenses.

You need good records as they form the basis for good trail for tracking and analysing performance against your budget and financial plan. When you track your expenses, you can see what your money is spent on.

Tracking your money gives you greater awareness of your spending habits and what you are spending on.

Tracking will help you see the result of your financial choices and habits. If you don’t know where your money has been spent, you will not be able to identify your pressure points and make necessary changes.

Tracking can be easily achieved by recording expenses in a dedicated notebook or a simple spreadsheet. Don’t ignore bank statements. Make deliberate efforts to periodically review these statements for accuracy. Don’t fail to TRACK your expenses and keep good financial records. | 9 |

INVEST WELL Understand investments One money mistake many make is to commit to an investment opportunity without fully understanding the investment. Do Not INVEST if you do not understand.

Every business/investment opportunity comes with measured risks which must be well reviewed and checked before investing.

Where an opportunity offers unbelievable returns, it is a red flag, and you must ask enough questions. If you don’t understand, don’t invest! Seek expert advice if required.

Though it is important to take investment decisions promptly to avoid losses, this does not mean you should take decisions without having full information. You must ensure you have answers to all your questions. Only take investment decisions when you have all the answers.

You must invest right if your goal of having financial independence is to be achieved. Ask the right questions when offered an investment option. Make sure you understand all aspects of every investment opportunity.

When unsure, engage a financial advisor. If you need help with taking the right decisions with managing your investment portfolio, be ready to spend some money for expert advice. Even though such payment may initially deplete your finances, in the long run, you will be better off.

Financial freedom isn’t only for your days in active employment but includes the season of life when you can no longer actively work. Everyone will eventually RETIRE. If we live below our means while the going is good, we will be able to live as if we ‘never retired’ even after we have retired. No matter your current level of income, it is essential to begin saving and investing for retirement. If you have not started, begin now, as it is NEVER too late. There are many resources to support you in this area so seek professional advice where unsure.

To have financial independence irrespective of the stage of your life requires that you sow the right seed at the right time. The financial seed sown today will grow and yield fruit down the road.

Conclusion The ‘ESI’ model requires you to apply and adopt many good habits to help you live with financial discipline which in turn will allow you have financial excellence (freedom, financial wellness, and independence).

These habits are applicable to the rich, as well as to those who are struggling financially. They are to be applied by anyone who desires financial freedom and independence.

I know from experience that if you diligently practice the tips shared in this article, your finances will experience a change.

Let me know via e-mail if you need further help and I will be glad to provide FREE support. Remember to act because nothing will change if you do not take action.

Diversify your investments Diversification is very key in creating and growing your wealth. This means spreading your money around and investing in different types of investments. By doing this, you reduce your risks and exposures. This is a good way to help protect your money, as it is unlikely that all your investments will perform badly at the same time.

There are different classes of investments to choose from but four main areas to consider include shares, property, bonds and cash. Be conscious of the fact that you can have variety of options even within an investment option.

E.g. Stocks, what mix of shares should you invest in as a player in the capital market? If investing in Property, be sure to consider different locations and different building projects.

Is your portfolio properly diversified? Are there assets that can be pooled to earn better yield? Spread your investments wisely to enable you to spread your risks and take advantage of various sources of income.

Look ahead & INVEST for the future The major reason to invest well is to secure yourself for the ‘golden’ years and retirement season of your life.

When you retire, savings from your active years should fund your living expenses. It is therefore important that from the date you start working, you set some funds aside for your retirement years.

Bimbo Komolafe FCA, FCIB writes from Lagos and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers.

She teaches financial literacy across FinanceCoachBK platforms.

Follow her handles for daily tips to help you achieve financial freedom and grow your wealth.

Instagram: @Financecoachtoday Twitter: @FinanceCoachBK Website: www.FinanceCoachBK.com | 10 |

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IT IS NOT BY YOUR GRADES...

some advisors, formulate a new life plan. You can still do great things in life! Please don't lose hope!

Please don't give up! This set-back might be painful, but don't allow the pain hinder you. Instead channel it!

All will be well!

As I glance through Social Media, I see several graduation images accompanied with captions like, "I just graduated with a First class...So happy to have obtained my 2:1! Chapter over, on to the next one..."

This is for those that might have failed to attain those coveted end results for one reason or another.

I always say that my life is a testimony and people wonder why...Well, in 2015, I found out that I was awarded a 3rd class degree! Also, even after my resits, I would have to wait until the following year to qualify for graduation. In that period, I didn't get grades that I could proudly post about, neither was I sure what would become of me or how I would navigate on from that point in my life.

Pain & Pleasure Learning a beneficial skill can be painful—especially as we navigate the process of doing something we've never done before; applying ourselves in a manner we previously thought impossible.

In the end though, we are usually grateful for the "new heights", and new possibilities that become attainable, as a result of the new skill. Likewise, pleasure (though good and desirable) in excessive amounts, can weaken one's defense; lead to the unnecessary squander of resources, and establish a platform for long lasting addictions to occur.

Should we therefore, always seek pain, and ignore pleasure?

The answer to that question, is, "Balance and limits".

Life is supposed to be lived to the fullest, but with limits. Sometimes pain is only a harbinger of good things ahead. Pain is NOT always bad. Pleasure is not ALWAYS good.

Fast forward to now, and though I still have a long way to go, I want to use this opportunity to encourage those that might feel like they failed. You haven't! Yes, you find yourself in a position where you might need to go for some extra training, or pass through a different non-traditional route, or change short term plans altogether...because you are still alive, there is HOPE! You might not feel worthy to post or might feel like you've let yourself and family down. But I want to personally encourage you to use this period and what you were able to gain (no matter how small), as a reminder and as part of your drive & motivation going forward.

Your grades can help, but will not determine the final outcome of your life. Take some time out to reflect on areas you could have approached better, list down all the positives that have come out of the process and time spent at university, and then with the help of THINKING ALOUD | APR - JUN 2021

Joshua Komolafe currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer at JFConsult Group; a Performance Improvement Consultancy that specializes in Brand Education. He leads the firm’s drive to teach on the benefits of branding and how the implementation of effective brand strategy can culminate in extensive positive returns. www.joshuakomolafe.com | 11 |

Thinking Aloud magazine reaches a diverse readership around the world including Nigeria, Zambia, United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Canada and the Philippines. Advertise in the magazine today and experience Growth in your enterprise.

Send your advert enquiries to: thinkingaloudpublication@gmail.com

MRS HABIBA BALOGUN

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INTERVIEW WITH MRS HABIBA BALOGUN Thank you for accepting to share your story with our readers.

Q1. Tell us a little about your childhood- family, educational background etc. What impact did your upbringing have on your career achievements and successes?

I grew up in a large family with parents who were in the diplomatic service so I moved home and changed school and friends every 3-4 years. The advantage of that upbringing is that I am multilingual and consider myself a global citizen. The downside of a peripatetic childhood is that even though I identify as a Nigerian, there is no single place I could point to as ‘home’ and I grew up without that group of stalwart childhood school friends that most of my peers have.

One major impact that my upbringing has had on my career achievements is the absence of gender discrimination by my parents. They had the same expectations of all their children, both girls and boys, in terms of contributions inside the home, at school, responsibility for junior siblings, and self sufficiency in adulthood.

This meant that I grew up without any limiting beliefs about what it meant to be a woman or a man which resulted in self-confidence, having a sense of responsibility, and being assertive when interacting with colleagues and superiors at work.

Q2. Can you walk us through your career journey?

My career started in Commercial Bank (Credit Lyonnais Nigeria) where I spent my National Youth Service Corps year after graduating from University of London with a BA Honours in French and Italian. I was employed by the bank because of my language skills and my ability to successfully work with a senior manager who many colleagues found difficult.

I worked there for five years and left as Head of Corporate Affairs. When my husband and I started our family, I worked with him managing a manufacturing and sales company called Waxtall, producing, importing and selling logomats for two years. I then started consulting for some clients on sales and marketing based on my experience in the bank, and even took on a role to modernise Ikoyi Nursery School, the oldest international nursery school in Nigeria.

I was 30 when I decided on what I wanted to specialise in and enrolled in George Washington University in the US to earn a master’s degree in organisational management. I took evening classes so that I could look after my children and do a part time job in my faculty office during the day.

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“In 2008 I established my own Organisation Effectiveness and HR consultancy that I have been running to date.”

I also became certified in Leadership Coaching and Team Facilitation. Upon my return home, I entered a partnership to set up and run Newman conference center in Lagos and became an external transformation adviser for SNEPCO (Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited).

At the end of the partnership three years later, I was recruited by SNEPCO as Head, Change Management, Diversity & Inclusiveness, then promoted a year later to Shell Exploration and Production Africa as Regional Human Resources Change and Strategy Adviser responsible for Nigeria, Cameroon and Gabon.

In 2008 I established my own Organisation Effectiveness and HR consultancy that I have been running to date. My clients include Public Sector Ministries Departments and Agencies at Federal and State levels, financial institutions, oil & gas companies, telecom companies, manufacturers, professional firms, International Development Partners, NGOs, CSOs, and business associations in West Africa and all over Nigeria, who I support in performance improvement, strategic planning, organisation development, competence development, teambuilding, recruitment, advocacy, fundraising, and executive coaching.

Q3. What motivated you to start your company Habiba Balogun Consulting (HBC)?

I started my own company for several reasons. I was unhappy with the direction my career was taking. I was very passionate about being a change agent, an organisation development and transformation consultant, either as an external or internal consultant and did not want to pursue core human resource practice which was the next step where I was.

Throughout my working life, right from inception, I offered my professional services free of charge to NGOs at weekends and when I was on leave. I also found myself at a point in my life when I needed more flexibility to balance my work and family obligations as well as to manage my health, so I decided to branch out on my own.

The first set of contacts I reached out to knew me either by experience or reputation and told me that they would give me work as long as I personally carried it out. | 14 |

That was why I gave my company my name. It was an assurance that I would bring my personal expertise to every assignment I undertook. Within two months of establishing my practice I had lined up enough work for one calendar year, that was in 2008 and I have not looked back since then. My work comes from referrals and retained clients.

Volunteering with NGOs has also led to invitations to serve on the boards of several NGOs and social enterprises.

Q4. How would you say your Entrepreneurial Journey has been so far?

Entrepreneurs exist to solve problems, and the problems exist because there are challenges to overcome. The nature of entrepreneurship is hard, so anyone going into it with the expectation that it will be easy will be disappointed. My journey has not been more difficult than anticipated mostly because I took a risk management approach from inception.

I only take on work that I am capable of performing, and that I have the resources to deliver on time. I turn down jobs with unrealistic deadlines or refer the client to someone else who may be able to do it. When I am confronted with an unfamiliar request I do not commit to the client until I have done the necessary research and/or partnered to bring in the required expertise.

I am very clear about what I can expect from who I partner with and I adjust accordingly. If I have learners on staff, I expect errors, a lot of handholding, and a drive to learn and improve. If I don’t have time to supervise or cross-check work, I do the work myself or rely on experts.

It is important not to compromise on delivering high quality work and a professional client experience. I make it a practice to refer work to others when I can and they tend to reciprocate.

This is especially true in my executive coaching practice.

Q5. Can you tell us one of the major challenges you faced on this journey and how you were able to overcome it?

Business administration and meeting regulatory requirements have been the hardest aspect of the entrepreneurial journey because there is a gap in our education about the administrative side of running a business.

I overcame this weakness though continuous learning. I took courses on financial literacy and entrepreneurship and have applied myself to using management systems that reduce the administrative burden and allow me to focus on my clients and the work.

Q6. How were you able to successfully build a solid team that shares in the vision you have for HBC? Luckily for me, I have been doing the same kind of work for over 20 years and have built a positive reputation. I receive a lot of unsolicited applications from people who want to learn organisation development and become HR consultants.

I also routinely attend a lot of courses, seminars and conferences with an eye to identifying talented professionals who can become part of my network of professionals. The key is to work with people who are motivated by passion for their profession, who take pride in the quality of their work, and who are interested in making a difference, not only in making money.

We also look for culture fit before who are hungry for challenge and open to learning and correction, respectful, yet have the courage to challenge when necessary.

hiring, people improvement, who will be speak up and

Q7. HBC offers a number of services from Organisation Development & Training to HR Consulting and many other services but one thing that stands out is your work in the area of Harassment and Discrimination in the workplace. How and when did this particular niche begin?

Peter Drucker, the business management expert, famously said that "culture eats strategy for breakfast" and this is so true.

As an organisation effectiveness consultant, the first step in any performance improvement intervention is diagnosis - an investigation into why the person or the system is not performing as well as it should or could.

A recurring decimal in my findings over 20 years is that the culture is toxic, and that performance is hampered by the hostile work environment characterised by harassment and discrimination.

As a result good strategies do not get implemented, people do not work as a team, in fact they can sabotage each other; there is high attrition with the best people leaving, and low morale among the staff who remain.

I came across harassment and discrimination for the first time when I was transferred into a role responsible for diversity and inclusion in 2004 and was building my competence as a diversity specialist.

I was part of the global team training leadership teams, reviewing HR policies with a diversity lens for equal opportunity, and rolling out antiharassment policies. | 15 |

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Q8. How would you define harassment and discrimination in the workplace?

Harassment and discrimination are behaviours and actions that are unwanted, unwelcome, offensive, and unlawful usually on the basis of a whole range of personal characteristics that include, but are not restricted to, a person's race, skin colour, national or ethnic origin, gender, age, religion or other belief, disability status, health status, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, personality type, body shape or size, economic status etc.

These inappropriate behaviours include all forms of bullying including threatening, humiliating, coercive, or intimidating conduct that harm, interfere with, or sabotage work performance, careers, mental health and can even lead to suicide.

Harassment and discrimination create a hostile work environment that reduces the quality, integrity, and pace of work by marginalizing individuals and groups. It also damages productivity and career advancement, and prevents the healthy exchange of ideas, early identification of mistakes, and safe operating practices.

It extends to unequal or unfair treatment in professional opportunities, education, benefits, evaluation, and employment (such as hiring, termination, promotion, compensation).

Nigeria. one in two women has experienced sexual harassment compared to one in three women globally, and two out of five men in Nigeria compared to one in ten globally.

Also in Nigeria, bullying and intimidation is much higher than internationally with two out of three men and one in two women experiencing it.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated an already bad situation by increasing the challenges of work, making it harder to manage family burdens, creating high unemployment, and more economic pressure.

Q10. Harassment and discrimination in the workplace in Nigeria may or may not be different from what it looks like in another country. Can you highlight the various forms it plays out in the Nigerian context?

I compared our 2020 research report on Harassment & Discrimination in the Nigerian Workplace with similar reports published by the International Bar Association and the International Labour Organisation. Globally gender discrimination is the major factor whereas in Nigeria ethnicity (tribalism) comes first.

Other local differentiators in Nigeria are age, especially against young people and people with low economic status. Surprisingly, in Nigeria religion is not a significant factor in workplace discrimination even though there is an increase in sentiments of mutual disdain and discrimination between religious faithful.

Unsurprisingly the prevalence of sexual harassment is much higher in Nigeria than globally although protections are beginning to be put in place.

Q11. What would you say is the major reason why incidents are not reported in the workplace?

Incidents are not reported due to very real fears of making the situation worse or losing employment.

Usually the perpetrator has a higher status or is in a position of power and can retaliate or victimise the person who reports.

Q9. From your research and experience, how would you rate harassment and discrimination in the workplace in Nigeria? Is it on the rise or decline?

Workplace harassment is a global issue. We have very high rates of bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination in Nigeria, that are compounded by the lack of adequate legal protections against it and cultural practices that tolerate abuse or oppression by people in authority. It is definitely on the rise in THINKING ALOUD | APR - JUN 2021

A person could be labelled as a troublemaker for reporting and causing a respected leader to lose their job, so they may find it hard to continue to work in that industry.

Also, where those kinds of behaviours are part of the culture of that workplace, or a case has been reported before and nothing was done, staff may feel that there is no point in reporting.

Male victims of sexual harassment are often too embarrassed to report so they suffer in silence. | 16 |

Q12. What measures can HR Departments put in place to ensure harassment and discrimination does not happen within their various organizations?

From our research harassment and discrimination is present in all organisations.

The first measure for management or the HR is to have an anti-harassment policy put in place and for senior leadership to address staff endorsing the policy and promising to take action against any fellow senior leader or other staff found guilty of such behaviours.

HR also needs to create anonymous reporting channels and report back to staff on actions taken as a result of reports made.

Periodic awareness training on what behaviours are unacceptable, creating a respectful workplace, and how staff can intervene when there are incidents make a big difference.

Q13. Everyone from management to the employees and the society at large has a role to play in curbing harassment and discrimination in the workplace.

What can the Government do to ensure that the workplace in Nigeria is a safe place for all?

The single most impactful step that government can take is to update the Labour Act to explicitly provide protection against harassment and discrimination for employees and other stakeholders associated with organisations.

Q14. Is there a regulatory body in Nigeria that deals with cases of harassment and discrimination in the workplace?

Not to my knowledge. Ideally it would fall under the purview of the Ministry of Labour, however, right now employees who are victimised as a result of reporting incidents can seek recourse from the National Industrial Court and, if successful, they will be reinstated or compensated.

Employees with the means to do so could take their employer to court on the basis of their constitutional rights against discrimination, or under the law of tort if they can prove that the hostile work environment caused them harm.

“...right now employees who are victimised as a result of reporting incidents can seek recourse from the National Industrial Court and if successful, they will be reinstated and compensated.”

Q15. The work you have done in this area is highly commendable especially with the Harassment and Discrimination Report HBC put out in December 2020. In a country where there is inadequate data to work with, how were you able to come up with detailed statistics and analysis for the report?

Thank you.

As I said, I have specialised in diversity, inclusion, harassment and discrimination since 2004 based on international data and best practices.

When I decided to develop local context specific training materials in 2016 I could only find anecdotal data, nothing evidence-based, so I launched a national survey and used my network to get as much coverage across different regions and sectors as possible.

We are working on increasing the breadth and depth of the data in the coming years. We have also conducted focus groups with diverse individuals to gain more insights into the results.

Q16. What groups of people would you say experience harassment and discrimination in the workplace more?

Generally groups who are in the minority in their workplace, under-represented groups, women, people living with disabilities, and people with low economic status.

Q17. Can you vaguely highlight one example each of harassment and discrimination that was properly handled and one that was mismanaged in the workplace?

I have two common examples of employment discrimination that were initially mismanaged but later rectified, and one example of an inconclusive sexual harassment complaint.

A male nurse was shortlisted but not interviewed when they realised he was a man because the recruiter felt that nursing is for women. He protested, was recalled, interviewed and got the job.

A woman who emerged the top candidate in interviews for an airport logistics role was not offered the job because the panel felt that working late hours would be dangerous for women. She lodged a formal complaint and she was hired.

A woman complained that she was sexually harassed by her supervisor via verbal comments, electronic messages, threats and grabbing parts of her body.

There were no witnesses. She reported it and HR appointed an independent investigator.

The investigation was not conclusive however the investigator felt that the report was true. | 17 |

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The CEO called the supervisor for an informal chat, informing him that the complaint was made, reiterating the behaviours that were unacceptable in the organization, expressing his disappointment that such an accusation could be made about a respected leader like him, and asked him to take care to ensure that future words or actions could not be misconstrued as harassment.

The CEO also met with the lady, informed her of the inconclusive results, that he had spoken to the man, assured her that she was right to report, and asked her if she wanted to be moved to work with a different supervisor.

HR made a note of the process that was followed and placed a copy in the files of both parties for 12 months. They also ‘flagged’ the lady’s file to monitor that she did not suffer from any retaliation or victimisation for reporting, such as downgrade in performance ratings, denial of leave or opportunities for training etc.

Q18. What advice do you have for someone who may be experiencing harassment and discrimination in the workplace?

A lot of harassment and discrimination is unintentional so it is important to find a way to let the harasser know that you find their behaviour unwelcome or offensive, and also let them know the impact their behaviour is having on you and on your work. Once they are made aware, they have the opportunity to moderate their behaviour themselves.

If you cannot safely communicate with that person, it is best to report it, either informally or officially.

Remember that the purpose of the report is to stop the behaviour, not necessarily to punish the offender. Informal reports could be to someone the harasser respects or must listen to.

Formal reports would be through your line manager (if s/he is not the perpetrator, HR, or the internal audit function). Harassment does not stop when it is ignored; it usually escalates, so take some action.

Don’t leave your job, which many people do, without seeking to address the issue in your current workplace first.

Q19. Would you consider yourself an advocate for this cause? And why?

Absolutely!

I am definitely an advocate for respectful workplaces. I have found that issues of harassment and discrimination are also social justice issues. It is inherently unfair, and in my opinion wicked, that a person is made miserable or cheated of their opportunity to earn an income and prosper because someone at work dislikes some characteristic that has nothing to do with their THINKING ALOUD | APR - JUN 2021

“We deserve to live and work with dignity and equal opportunity.”

ability to do the work they have been employed to do; an attribute that they were probably born with, or cannot change about themselves, or because that person is in a position to exploit them. We deserve to live and work with dignity and equal opportunity.

Q20. The rate of unemployment in Nigeria is rather high and there are lots of young graduates looking for jobs. Securing a 9-5 job is a dream for many and young people have a higher tendency to stick it out or be mute about whatever harassment and discrimination they may be experiencing in the workplace out of fear of losing their jobs/source of income. What would you tell any young graduate currently experiencing this?

It is unlikely that they will prosper in a hostile environment. In those sorts of environments, there is no job security. People do not rise based on merit and their mental health can be affected. I reiterate that the objective of reporting is to stop unwelcome and offensive behaviours from continuing.

I would advise young graduates who are fearful of speaking up to master their work, learn quickly, avoid making the same mistakes twice, have a good attitude to work, be respectful, and become invaluable. When they have proved their worth, they should raise the issue with a sympathetic ear, or practice what to say to their abusive boss and when to say it, in such a way that s/he will actually take their feelings into consideration and not take offence.

They can also encourage their employer to organise anti-harassment training to raise awareness and change the culture.

Q21. In your opinion, what areas do you think youths need to work on to be more effective and efficient in the workplace?

Youths need to realise that the workplace in a new world that unfortunately they have been illequipped to thrive in.

Once they recognise that, they should seek role models to study, seek mentors, go for employability training, or read books that will prepare them to be effective. | 18 |

Major mindset changes they need to make are: flagging or escalating mistakes instead of hiding mistakes. Showing ignorance and openly seeking to learn from those who know, instead of hiding ignorance and being jealous of the advanced skills of others.

want from a position of strength, confess when I am overwhelmed and ask for help, build a network of supportive family, friends and colleagues and draw on that support when you need to; and being ready and willing to reciprocate the support when others need it.

Expecting work to be hard and taking it seriously, instead of being lackadaisical and expecting forgiveness for carelessness. Work is hard, so work hard and you will be rewarded for either your effort or for your results.

25. What do you get up to when you are not working? (What do you do for fun?)

I read science fiction and fantasy novels to relax. I engage my curiosity via the Quora app. I develop myself professionally via courses, seminars or reading.

Q22. In the area of employability, how can young graduates prepare themselves better/be competent enough to secure good jobs?

They need to give their natural curiosity free reign.

Read, explore, ask questions, listen to the news and current affairs, expand their general knowledge and worldview, develop their digital skills even if only on their phones, explore new trending productivity apps (not just games), consciously work to improve their spoken and written English, sign up for free work-readiness programmes. The first step is to do a self-assessment of their employability skills. https://www.skillsyouneed.com/general/ employability-skills.html Q23. What soft skills would you say is a ‘must to have’ for entering the workplace and why?

The essential soft skills, that I heard Mrs Ibukun Awosika, former Chairperson of First Bank, rename strategic leadership skills, are teamwork, giving feedback, business writing and reporting, use of technology, time management, financial literacy, networking skills and presentation skills.

Q24. How do you maintain a good work-life balance?

It is a question of prioritisation. It is a truism that whatever is important to us, we prioritise. So consciously and deliberately decide what your priorities are at any moment in time, and WHY they are your priority.

You will then find it very easy to make choices to balance or integrate those priorities with other important aspects of your life. My winning strategy has been to work SMART rather than hard, deliver what is important, negotiate for what I need or

“So consciously and deliberately decide what your priorities are at the moment in time, and WHY they are your priority.”

I engage in wellness and recreational activities. I spend time with people who make me laugh or uplift me like my family and close friends. I watch talent shows, interesting documentaries and entertaining movies.

Q26. If you could have a superpower what would it be and why?

Analysing situations. The ability to break down and communicate complex situations to others in simple terms or easy to understand structured illustrations Q27. What impact did your faith have on your achievements/successes thus far? What is the place of God in your life’s experience?

I have a close and convivial relationship with God. At a very young age, I developed the conviction that God put me on earth to be happy.

As a result, when I find myself in difficulty or in distress I actively work or fight to return to a state of happiness, and maintain a positive outlook irrespective of the situation.

When I am at a loss, I have faith that, with patience, God will give me the inspiration to see the way forward, so I put my requests in prayer and reflect, and usually I know what next step to take even if it is who to speak to or ask for help.

Neither my career, my health nor my relationships have been uneventful, yet looking back, I cannot regret the low points or trials, because without them, I would not be where I am now, or have the expertise, personal experiences to relate to others, or the resilience I have developed.

So, in all things and in all situations, we need to be thankful to the Almighty and to have faith.

To read and download the Harassment and Discrimination report 2020 produced by Habiba Balogun Consulting, kindly visit https://hbalogunconsult.com/harassment-anddiscrimination/ | 19 |

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RDSF PROJECTS & PARTNERS

Update on the 2021 Scholarship Application On 1st of April 2021, the Foundation opened its online scholarship application portal for indigent students in public tertiary institutions. Overall, while the quality of candidates was high the ability of the applicants to express their plight in their statements of intent was generally poor.

In view of this, our team is strategically looking to organize relevant soft-skills training that will address this weakness in the future. All applications were screened by the Foundation using the specified eligibility criteria as stated on its website and interviews were conducted virtually.

Aside from the successful applicants who will be joining our existing beneficiaries, we have supported a total of thirty-one (31) students this year.

Q1 Webinar As an organization committed towards the social and economic wellbeing of young Nigerians, we do not underestimate the impact that the possession of relevant skills would play in their development.

Therefore, we ensure that our mentees are THINKING ALOUD | APR - JUN 2021

periodically exposed to various ICT and soft skills trainings.

On the 8th of April 2021, we organized a webinar on the Fundamentals of Digital Marketing. This course was chosen out of the desire to assist young entrepreneurs to establish their presence online through bespoke marketing strategies and also skill -up young people to take up freelancing roles/jobs while schooling.

After the webinar, as it has been our practice, a ten -session follow-on practical online class was organized to ensure that participants were able to optimally use major social media platforms in meeting their publicity objectives.

Fifty people were sponsored to take the underlisted follow-on classes and courses: 1. Introduction to Digital Marketing 2. Social Media Marketing 3. Email Marketing 4. Google Ads (Search Engine Marketing) 5. SMS Marketing 6. Graphic Design 7. Information Marketing via PDF 8. Search Engine Optimisation 9. Blogging | 21 |

The facilitator was Babatunde Ogunnowo, an award winning Digital & Social Media Strategist, Publicist, Blogger and Online Perception manager with over 7 years professional experience. He has worked with several brands, individuals, small and medium scale businesses, helping these businesses achieve their organizational and business goals through the use of digital media.

The Digital Marketing Skills class was indeed a blessing. The programme impacted my life and has helped improve my marketing skills that would be useful as I progress in my career.

Oyedepo Kehinde Adam Hebroux Consulting UK, partners with RDSF to train young graduates to become functional Consultants Hebroux Consulting, a UK based technology and management consultancy consortium that provides digital solutions and bespoke business applications to its clients is partnering with RDSF to train young adults who are mentees of the Foundation to become functional business consultants.

• • •

Hands on training environment and platform will be provided Their exam fees will be paid Finally, if they demonstrate sufficient competence, they will be employed by Hebroux Consulting to work on some of its projects.

During the selection process, a two-week boot camp was organized by the company for some of our mentees to aid their selection. Participants at the boot camp were exposed to an array of ICT and soft skills, which include interview and presentation etiquettes, web design and an introduction to cyber security.

We are grateful to Mr Ayo Oni and his team for this kind gesture towards the RDSF family. Your robust contribution towards the career growth of our mentees is well appreciated and we pray that Almighty God will continue to bless and support you in your future endeavours.

I am one of the beneficiaries of the digital marketing training and bootcamp for intending functional consultants. The trainings have opened my eyes to new things, introduced me to new tools at the office, expanded my capacity and has helped improve my performance in all areas. I am eternally grateful for this opportunity”.

Adeola Adediran

A functional consultant is someone involved in the planning, design and overseeing of the building of a software system by taking the requirements from his/her client and using his knowledge to deliver timely needed solutions. The training is for six months and the domain is Microsoft.

Benefits to the Trainees • They will be trained as Business & Support Analyst.

• They will skill up to functional Consultants once they obtain necessary qualifications.

• They will develop skill set in maximum of two Microsoft technical areas • They will also be prepared for Microsoft Certification exams

Partner With Us The Foundation has awarded scholarships to over 250 students across Nigeria since 2011, and also supported over 400 young people in acquiring relevant ICT and soft skills trainings since 2015.

Despite the efforts of the Foundation and other similar organisations, there are still many young people who are unable to accomplish their career goals due to a lack of funds and other vital resources. You can support the Foundation to give as many indigent Nigerians as possible the opportunities that would have been out of their reach by simply collaborating with the Foundation.

You will be amazed to realise the great impact your little drops can make.

Ways to Partner with the Foundation Adopt a student | Donations | Sponsor a training or programme | Volunteer to mentor or train | 22 |

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HOW RDSF SCHOLARSHIP CHANGED MY LIFE

Even though I had a strong academic ability, my family was financially overstressed and handicapped.

My parents would have to pay school fees for five of us at that time. They already had male children but were determined to also have a girl, so our number became large.

Everybody needs help at one point or the other in life to go higher or move further. While some people get their help at the right time, others may lament because it is already late. With Rehoboth Dream Solid Foundation (RDSF), HELP is always ON POINT!

There were times my brothers and I would be sent away from school due to non-payment of school fees.

As a young boy who hated embarrassment, I would threaten not to go to school if my school fee was not given to me to pay or demanded that either of my parents come and sort it out with my class teacher.

My name is Gabriel Adeola Ogunleye and I am a past recipient of the RDSF’s scholarship 2010 – 2014. I hail from Odo-Noforija, Epe, Lagos State, Nigeria. I hold a Master of Science degree from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria and I currently work as an Administrator in one of the mega parishes of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Lagos Nigeria.

I was very afraid of being flogged and the teachers seldom used cane on me except on school fee matters. This school fees payment struggle continued until I completed my secondary school education.

With my exploits in primary and secondary schools, one would think I would pass WAEC examination in a sitting and proceed to the University at a go but I am also into digital marketing where I help SMEs that was not the case. I liked Chemistry as a subject transform their offline businesses into online very much but I always failed it! I wrote GCE twice empires, reach more customers, drive sales and before finally having my complete set of results. increase profits. This could not have been possible without the much needed help from RDSF. I am This period was a learning curve for me. I learnt passionate about information technology and never to give up. I also learnt that persistence can continuous improvement. break any resistance. Those who we least expected, gained admission to higher institutions, while the Once upon a time, I was in Primary Three when one supposed intelligent ones like me were fighting hard of the class teachers in Primary Six sent for me. He with GCE and JAMB. What an irony of life! had asked all the pupils in Primary Six a multiplication question but none got the answer. And my class While I was going through this life lesson of teacher had previously boasted about me, they patience, I was encouraged by my Pastor and his therefore sent for me, just like prophet Samuel sent wife who are both on the board of trustees of the for David in the bush.

Rehoboth Dream Solid Foundation (RDSF) and coordinators of the Teenage Church at that time.

Luckily I answered the questioned correctly. I was then asked to flog all the senior pupils (I was afraid Before the establishment of RDSF, my Pastor and they would gang up and beat me after school hour). his wife had been giving funds to indigent teenagers Anyway, that was how I was nicknamed Professor by to buy either GCE or JAMB forms and had made my class teacher. themselves available to mentor the youths.

THINKING ALOUD | APR - JUN 2021

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I remember when I had completed my Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Lagos State Polytechnic, graduating with Distinction, my Head of Department advised me to go to the University and not come back to study for Higher National Diploma (HND).

I was however, very much focused on graduating as quickly as possible. I thought to myself that after staying at home for three years and spending another two for my OND, why would I consider a university where I would spend another four - five years.

I therefore sought for advice that would align with my desire to complete my education quickly via a two year HND programme. Fortunately, and unfortunately, I went to meet my pastor and requested for his counsel as to my next course of action.

In less than five seconds, he replied, “go to university”. That broke all my resistance as he is someone I really regard. Today, I am very grateful for such counsel and many others he had given to me. Coincidentally, it was in the year I gained admission into the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) that RSDF was established. I was one of the pioneer beneficiaries of the foundation.

This scholarship practically changed my life, as I would have had difficulty paying my school fees and other essential payments during the course of my study. I was able to focus more on my studies instead of running helter-skelter to pay for my school fees or accommodation fee.

I graduated with one of the best results in my Department. The RDSF scholarship has paved the way for me to better myself and the people around me. I am motivated to work harder to excel in life.

If you are an indigent student who needs help, kindly follow RDSF on Facebook and Instagram. If God has blessed you and you want to contribute to helping an indigent but intelligent student, please contact RSDF. It is my sincere prayer that God will continue to bless, strengthen and empower all the board of trustees and sponsors of this noble foundation. I am always grateful for your assistance.

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IT’S OK TO WANT SOMEONE

It’s okay to want someone We all want to feel accepted We all want to feel loved Feel like we belong somewhere Feel like we have someone we can rely on We want to feel appreciated We want to feel supported through our endeavours It’s ingrained in us We know we can’t go through life alone and we are not meant to Yes, it’s okay to want someone.

There may be moments where we have tried Moments when our ego has made us think… We are fine on our own.

But at the end we can’t deny that we need…

Connection Community Relationship You want to share the highs and the lows with someone.

It’s in those moments that we grow.

We praise individualistic ideas but we as humans are not formed to function that way.

Sometimes it’s our situations that have forced this idea upon us and we take it on like it’s normal.

But we aren’t put on this earth to walk alone No matter what you may hear or feel You, yes you are made for relationship with others, with that someone…

And I hope that in your lifetime you experience the joy of having someone to call a friend.

I hope we all know that…

It’s okay to need someone

Angelique Opadiya is a graduate of both Arts and Psychological Science with a passion for the Media & Entertainment industry. She is a motivated and vivacious young woman who has a love for music, writing and using her creativity to formulate a story and connections with people. Her love for writing started when she was 11 years old.

She loves using writing as an outlet to talk about personal life experiences and issues she believes need to be expressed and she does this through story writing or poetry. She uses her social media platforms to share her many talents. And she looks forward to sharing more through larger platforms in the future.

THINKING ALOUD | APR - JUN 2021

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ENJOYING YOUR SEASON

too hot, it provided some shade from the burning heat of the sun.

The first time I became a mum was also the first time I heard about having to "enjoy your season". That must have been the advice every well meaning and experienced mum gave me. I heard it so much that I also said it a lot to new mums and I still actually do.

Looking back now, I am not really sure if I understood it then.

I talk about seasons now, because having lived here in New South Wales for ten months, I can officially say I've been through all the four seasons of Australia.

Being the absolute observer that I am, I found interesting things about the weather I thought I’d quickly write about here.

Autumn came and we looked forward for the leaves to turn yellow, orange then eventually a dark red. When they finally did, we wondered at its beauty, took countless photos and saved some leaves for our scrapbook. But it didn't last very long, soon the leaves fell on the ground and the tree was left empty. I still remember Emilio missing the leaves so much; it was funny and so cute.

Now, winter. We all know what winter can be like.

Although it doesn't snow in Sydney, it can get pretty cold and gloomy sometimes. It is when the days are shorter and the nights long. If the sun stayed until 8pm in the summer, in winter the sun was setting by half past four in the afternoon. So this tree, it stayed empty, almost lifeless in the cold.

Well, it was nearly spring when we moved to our house and this tree behind the big window of ours was a regular normal looking tree with green leaves. No flowers, no fruits, just green leaves and brown branches. Nothing special, really, just a regular tree.

Not until recently, when I noticed tiny buds coming out of the branches. I thought it was its way of adapting to the cold.

Just a few days ago however, as I went out to hang up some laundry, I noticed what seemed like fuchsia flowers sprouting quietly and beautifully among the branches, out of the buds. I had to stop and take a closer look.

From spring, it quickly became summer and in the summer the tree had more leaves and bore tiny berrylooking fruits we weren't sure we could eat, but ate anyway! Whenever the kids played outdoors and it got

All this time I thought it would just grow leaves again after winter. I didn't imagine it would bloom pretty flowers, even after all those cold nights! You see spring won't start until September. So they were not spring flowers, they were definitely winter flowers. | 26 |

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SLOW DOWN and enjoy the LITTLE THINGS. Seasons don't last forever. In fact, it's always changing. Your season now may be too hot, too cold, probably a bit boring, yes. But soon it will be over.

Take time to really enjoy it and develop the habit of seeing the positive things about it rather than the ones that are not. Don't neglect the little things because the little things could be the big things, after all.

I realised then how quickly seasons pass and how each one has its own beautiful thing; that if we don't take time to fully enjoy each one, we might just end up missing it all.

So I think it matters to KNOW your "season".

Knowing the season you are in somehow gives you a certain peace amidst the countless why's you find yourself asking sometimes. I mean really KNOW it. I once read in a book that in the summer, one of the reasons trees have leaves is so that they can serve as shade from the heat of the sun.

Pretty basic, but so profound in light of why leaves fall starting from autumn to winter. It's because as the air gets cooler, the leaves fall for more sunlight to pass through the branches spreading more heat. If you know your season, purpose easily follows.

THINKING ALOUD | APR - JUN 2021

So, rather than trying to alter your season LET IT CHANGE YOU instead. I think we will find more contentment and peace when we actually flow with the seasons and let them change us, and not try to change them. When circumstances in a season seem to suck the life out of you and you try to find ways to end it sooner than it should, find the courage to stick through it because when you actually do, after everything, you realise you've been changed for the better.

"But in all this, it is still God who makes all growth ever possible and remains faithful in every season."

Iris loves Jesus and is a wife to Dan and mum to three wonderful children, Helena, Emilio and Tobias who keep her on her knees everyday. She is fond of the beach, fireplaces and Asian food.

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HEALING THE PLANET: OUR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

Ecosystems are defined as the interaction between living organisms - plants, animals, people - with their surroundings. This includes nature and human-made systems such as cities and farmlands. Ecosystems provide us with stable climate and breathable air; water, food and materials of all kinds; and protection from disaster and disease. They are home to precious wildlife and important for human health.

Case for change Human activities have been exploiting and destroying our planet’s ecosystems. Waste and emissions from industry, traffic and homes pollutes waterways, soils and the air. Globally, over 4.7 million hectares of forests are lost every year, wetlands and peat lands drained; coasts and oceans degraded and overfished; soils eroded; grass-lands overexploited, up to 90% of coral reefs could be lost by 2050, even if global warming is limited to an increase of 1.5°C. By shrinking the natural habitat for animals, humans have created ideal conditions for zoonotic infections including coronaviruses to spread. Municipal waste management in most of Africa’s cities is a huge

environmental problem, as per UN estimates, only 10% of it reaches the dumps. Going by the current recycling technology, 80% of plastics, including single -use products like earbuds, sweet wrappers, straws and coffee cup lids, have little or no value at the end of life.

Oceans are the lungs of the planet and a major source of food and medicine. Today, the ocean contains 50 – 80% of life on earth. It is connected to every element of human life. It is our greatest life support system and we cannot survive without it. Over 3 billion people worldwide rely on the ocean for their livelihoods.

According to the United Nations, only 13% of the ocean is said to remain untouched by humans, 80% of all marine pollution is caused by land- based activities.

A major cause of water pollution in Africa is the throwing of general waste into local water bodies.

Marine debris is a potential threat to fishing that employs over 12 million Africans, food security and the blue economy in Africa. Contaminants such as heavy metals from water can spread into the soil and food supplies, causing public health challenges. | 29 |

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Journey to revive ecosystems Without reviving ecosystems, we cannot achieve the Sustainable Development Goals or the Paris Climate Agreement. The United Nations Decades of Ecosystem Restoration and Ocean Science for Sustainable Development,2021-2030 has therefore been launched. This decade aims to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems on every continent and in the ocean.

Ecosystem restoration means repairing billions of hectares of land, bringing back plants and animals from the brink of extinction, from the peaks of mountains to the depths of the sea. It includes the everyday actions that individuals can take such as planting trees, greening our cities, reducing/recycling wastes or cleaning up riverbanks. It can help to reduce poverty, combat climate change and prevent mass extinction.

Be a part of #GenerationRestoration We can promote functioning ecosystems and safeguard them for future generations through the following: •

Make daily green choices: Limit your consumption, generate less waste and recycle materials to keep them out of landfill. Avoid single use plastics and unnecessary plastic products. Buy sustainable products. Plant trees

•

Start or take part in restoration projects: Clean up river banks and lakes, protect and restore coastal ecosystems including saltmarshes, mangroves, etc. Plant more indigenous trees and revitalize forests

•

Sustainable farming to reduce pressure on forests: grow more variety of crops and integrate them with livestock; use natural pest control and organic fertilizer; plant flowers on borders of farmlands for bees (pollinators)

•

Support policies to carry out development projects in a way that provide positive synergies with ecosystem services of food production, climate regulation and recreational value.

Take part in ecosystem restoration for a healthy Planet and People!

This clarion call in commemoration of the 2021 World Environment Day and World Oceans Day is produced by: Adetoun Mustapha PhD, DIC, MPH. E-mail: adetoun.mustapha03@alumni.imperial.ac.uk

Dr Adetoun Mustapha is a multi-talented leader who can shape agendas from complex inputs and sustain alignment with multi stakeholders. She has over 26 years work experience in the energy industry spanning Health, Safety and Environment, Technical Planning, Petroleum Economics, Continuous Improvement, Transformation, Strategy and Leadership. In her career, she has demonstrated effectiveness at leading change agendas and delivery though others with track record of exceptional performance and personal integrity.

She is also a global player in environmental epidemiology research with strong expertise in global health, research ethics and sustainable development. She is a recipient of numerous professional awards including the University of Lagos Scholarship, British Chevening Scholarship, Commonwealth Scholarship and the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) Rebecca James Baker Prize. She is the Chair of ISEE Africa Chapter and Vice President of Chevening Alumni Association of Nigeria. She is a graduate of University of Lagos, Cardiff University and Imperial College London.

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FITNESS SPOTLIGHT

the strength of your blood pressure medications or you begin to exercise for an hour each day’. My son then encouraged me to take up Lawn tennis and that began my sojourn into the world of physical activities.

Now I have settled on dancing to keep fit.

Q4: How often do you work out and what is your workout routine like?

Q1: Thank you for accepting to share your fitness story with our readers. We would like to start by asking you to tell us a bit about yourself.

A: Thanks to you for the invite, I feel honoured to be called upon to share my fitness story. Well, by way of saying a bit about myself, I am a 57year old mother of 2 children (29 &27), an architect turned homemaker, I am a northerner from Adamawa state with a mother from Anambra, married to an Ishan man, a true Nigerian if I may say.

Q2: What does ‘living healthy’ mean to you? How do you stay fit and healthy?

A: Living healthy to me means taking deliberate steps and putting actions in place that help me achieve optimum health. So I stay fit and healthy by taking responsibility for my decisions and making smart health choices daily- eating right, partaking in a beneficial exercise and ensuring I rest adequately. I have mastered the art of eating intelligently- intuitive eating; eating only when I am hungry and ingesting just enough to quench my hunger.

I have also realised that physical exercise is a very important component of keeping healthy so have engaged in various forms of exercises in the past but have now singled out dance because I leave each class feeling happy, feeling confident and feeling very capable. I also noticed it improves my flexibility.

Q3: When did exercise become a routine for you?

A: I was forced to take an interest in physical exercise 9years ago after I visited my GP for my annual medicals. He looked at me and said, ‘either I increase THINKING ALOUD | APR - JUN 2021

A: Just to further elucidate, I endeavour to engage every part of my body whilst dancing with an Ignite Groove Dance Fitness (IGDF) instructor every morning for at least an hour and sometimes more, depending upon my schedule for the day just to ensure that the routine is beneficial to me.

Q5: How important are food choices in your fitness journey? How do you balance eating healthy and working out?

A: I am very watchful over my food choices because I have realised that I am prone to obesity- even water would make me fat! So I stick to chicken, fish, cruciferous vegetables like Cauliflower, Broccoli, Kale etc., lots of beans- moi- moi especially and seeds like almonds. Rice and other starchy foods are no go areas for me, I substitute those with either Bulgar Wheat or Quinoa.

I go for fruits that are low in fructose such as blueberries, strawberries, carrots, avocados etc. And lots of water- a minimum of 2litres a day. With this eating structure and my regular dance classes i find myself fitting comfortably into clothes i could only wear 10 years ago with the aid of body trimmers!

Q6: Many people struggle to stay motivated and keep to their fitness routine. How do you motivate yourself on days when you do not feel like working out?

A: My primary motivation every morning is the thought of an IGDF instructor waiting for me at the other end of the spectrum, I jump out of my bed! That probably stems from my innate desire not to disappoint people, anyways, I find that it keeps me motivated. | 31 |

Q7: What advice or tips do you have for busy executives struggling to juggle fitness with their busy schedule?

A: My honest advice to busy business executives is to make time for an exercise regimen, even if it is for just 20minutes each day. This simple action would; apart from control weight, minimise the risk of heart failure, manage blood sugar and insulin levels, improve mental health and keep your judgment skill sharp as you age.

It could be early before your day starts or after work in the evening. A 20minute consistency is all there is to it. It takes a lot of will power, but trust me, it is doable.

Q8: Can you share three essential tips that make your workout routine effective?

A: Three tips that I would say make my workout routine effective are•

ensuring all my muscles are engaged whilst doing the routines

•

maintaining a fast for about 5hours after each routine

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drinking lots of water.

Q9: What was the inspiration behind setting up Amana Retreats? Why the name Amana?

A: Now to Amana- Amana retreats is the brainchild of my daughter who had to resign from her place at an oil and gas company due to extreme bullying and abuse

from her boss. Fortunately, the family owned the property and since she was gifted in hospitality and recreation in addition to her vast exposure, we handed it over to her. Being an Architect myself, i was sucked into the project and today we have what is standing in Lekki.

We wanted a name with the connotation ‘covenant with God’ and Amana not only described that but also sounded good to the hearing as well so we choose the name.

Q10: Who is Amana Retreats for/what group of people are the services tailored towards?

A: Amana is an exclusive wellbeing and lifestyle club for like-minded women. Truly a unique and bespoke experience, creating a blueprint for a well rounded lifestyle. It would provide an escape from city life and is renowned for its space, privacy and luxury.

Q11: What kinds of services can people look forward to at Amana Retreats?

A: It offers the best in fitness, wellness spa therapies, a nail boutique and nourishing food. Our well tended lawn and garden, lounge and meeting room are available for hire by members and non-members alike. Our aim is to create memorable moments with like-minded women.

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BREAST CANCER

Though women are mostly affected, breast cancer also occurs in men with the cancer in men accounting for less than 1% of breast cancers. Fortunately, the treatment in both genders is the same. Women in their 5th and 6th decades are the worst hit as it is uncommon in women below 40 years except in Black people where breast cancer is common below the age of forty.

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer develops when normal breast cells undergo transformation to malignant tumor (mass) which grows without obeying the body’s control mechanism. This is different from breast masses which are benign. The benign swellings do not spread to other parts of the body unlike the cancers which can spread to other parts of the body, a process called metastasis. It is the most dreaded of all breast diseases. Cancer of the breast is a major health problem worldwide especially in developing countries where certain challenges peculiar to us make the management quite difficult with high mortality. It kills slowly but surely if not properly managed or when discovered at a late stage.

PRESENTATION: the commonest way breast cancer presents is a painless lump or thickening in the breast.

In most cases, breast cancer is not painful until it is advanced beyond cure. This makes many patients in developing countries to seek medical attention at a very advanced stage when little or nothing can be done. Other ways breast cancer can present include: •

Nipple discharge

•

Alteration in the shape, size or appearance of the breast

•

Dimpling, redness or other alterations in the skin of the breast

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Change in the nipple or skin surrounding the nipple (areola)

•

Swelling in the axilla (armpit)

EPIDEMIOLOGY: breast cancer is common, in fact, the commonest of all cancers as at today and available evidence shows that it is on the increase. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 2.3 million cases of breast cancer were diagnosed and 685,000 deaths recorded globally in 2020. At the end of 2020, out of the women diagnosed with breast cancer in the last five years, 7.8 million survived. Available statistics makes breast cancer the most prevalent cancer in the world.

AETIOLOGY: What causes cancer is a question commonly asked by patients with breast cancer. Unfortunately the cause of breast cancer is largely unknown.

It is not a disease of sinners as some men commonly think. They think that their wives got the cancer because she has committed one sin or the other. Breast cancer affects both sinners and saints. It is not an infectious or contagious disease, hence caring for a patient with breast cancer does not increase your chances of developing breast cancer.

In the past, it was thought to be predominantly the disease of the West with low incidence in Africans and Asians. But in the last few decades, the incidence has been rising steadily in these regions. This increase in breast cancer among the Africans and other people of low incidence of breast cancer is believed to be due to adoption of western lifestyle by these people. More unfortunately, while the mortality is on the decrease in the developed countries, the mortality is on the increase in developing countries as a result of certain peculiar challenges.

Though the aetiolology (cause) is not known, there are some risk factors that increase a person’s chances of developing breast cancer. Some of these risk factors are modifiable (you can alter it) while others are non modifiable (there is nothing you do about it). Some of the non modifiable risk factors are age, gender, family history of breast or ovarian cancer and genetic mutation. Some of the modifiable risk factors are physical inactivity, obesity, not breast feeding, alcohol intake, cigarette smoking.

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Behavioural choices that reduce the risk of breast cancer include: •

Regular physical activities

•

Weight control

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Prolonged breast feeding

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Avoidance of alcohol and smoking

•

Reduction of radiation exposure

Unfortunately, almost half of the patients with breast cancer have no identifiable risk factors apart from age and sex and most breast cancer patients have no family history of cancer, leaving us with many unanswered questions about the cause of breast cancer.

TREATMENT: Treatment of breast cancer is effective if the disease is identified early and appropriate therapy instituted. Survival probability is high in the developed countries but very low in developing countries because of certain peculiarities in developing countries. Treatment modalities include surgery, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and targeted therapy.

CHALLENGES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: certain challenges make breast cancer prognosis very poor in developing countries. Among them are: Late presentation: Breast cancer is curable when it is identified early and treated appropriately. In many developing countries including ours, up to 80% of patients with breast cancers present at advanced stage. Most times little or nothing can be done for the patients except few palliative treatments. This is unlike some developed countries where more than 90% of patients present with early stage.

Denial state: Even among the few that present with early stage diseases, it is difficult to make them accept the diagnosis especially on the basis of their faith. It is a common thing in our clinics that after a detailed explanation /counsel on the diagnosis and options of treatment, the patient only said “I reject it”. She leaves only to come after one or two years when the disease is advanced and only little can be done.

Financial constraint: this is also a very serious challenge in developing countries. Most of our patients cannot afford the treatment as many of them pay out of pocket.

More than half of our patients on chemotherapy for breast cancer cannot get it as scheduled because of financial constraint.

Non-availability of treatment modalities: Many communities in developing countries do not have access to specialist health care where breast cancers

are better treated. Only about 5% of Radiotherapy is in the developing countries, others are in the developed countries. Currently, there are only eight Radiotherapy centers in Nigerian Teaching Hospitals and up to half of them may not be functional at a time.

Breast cancer in the young: for reason not fully understood, breast cancer occurs in younger people among negros than among Caucasians. It is also found to be more aggressive and the worst type (triple negatives) commoner in negros than Caucasians.

WAY FORWARD Breast cancer is real and the burden is much. Our women die from this avoidable death almost every day.

What should we do?

•

Enlightenment campaign: Our people need to be educated to identify the disease early and seek medical attention on time. Women should selfexamine their breasts and report any lump or abnormality to professionals. Women above 50 years should routinely screen for breast cancer with mammography and those with strong family history should screen with breast ultrasound before the age of 40.

•

Advocacy: The war against cancer should be taken seriously by leaders at every level. Strong appeals to religious leaders because most of these patients trust them (Pastors and Imams) even more than they trust medical personnel. Government policies to encourage wider coverage of NHIS (more patients and cancer treatment) and if possible make cancer treatment free. If HIV treatment can be free, there is no justifiable reason why cancer treatment should not be free. Nongovernmental organizations should be encouraged to develop interest in cancer treatment.

Conclusion: Breast cancer is a major health problem affecting both the rich and the poor. The treatment is effective if identified and treated early. Peculiarities in developing countries keep the mortality high while the mortality is on the decrease in the developed world.

We can do our best to reduce the mortality.

Dr S.A. Onjefu is presently a Senior Registrar in General Surgery at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin Nigeria. He is currently working on chemotherapy – induced nausea and vomiting (the most dreaded side effects of chemotherapy) in patients with breast cancer. | 34 |

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LEADERSHIP SKILLS IN WOMEN

Everybody defines leadership differently but I really like the way John C Maxwell defines leadership, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” Irrespective of how you define a leader, he or she can prove to be a difference maker between success and failure. A good leader has a futuristic vision and knows how to turn his ideas into real-world success stories. In this article, we take an in -depth look at some important leadership qualities that separate good leaders from the bad.

ingredients which make a good leader. How can you expect your followers to be honest when you lack these qualities yourself? Leaders succeed when they stick to their values and core beliefs and without ethics, this will not be possible.

2. Confidence

1. Honesty and Integrity

The 34th President of United States, Dwight. D. Eisenhower once said, “The supreme quality of leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is a group, in a marriage, a football field, in an army, or in an office.” Honesty and integrity are two important THINKING ALOUD | APR - JUN 2021

To be an effective leader, you should be confident enough to ensure that others follow your commands. If you are unsure about your own decisions and qualities, then your subordinates will never follow you. As a leader, you have to be oozing confidence, show some swagger and assertiveness to gain the respect of your subordinates.

This does not mean that you should be overconfident, but you should at least reflect the degree of confidence required to ensure that your followers trust you as a leader. | 35 |

3. Inspire Others

will be very difficult for you to get the results you want. Simply put it, if you are unable to communicate your message effectively to your team, you can never be a good leader. A good communicator can be a good leader. Words have the power to motivate people and make them do the unthinkable. If you use them effectively, you can also achieve better results.

6. Decision-Making Capabilities

Probably the most difficult job for a leader is to persuade others to follow. It can only be possible if you inspire your followers by setting a good example.

When the going gets tough, they look up to you and see how you react to the situation. If you handle it well, they will follow you. As a leader, should think positive and this positive approach should be visible through your actions. Stay calm under pressure and keep the motivation level up. As John Quincy Adams puts it, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” If you are successful in inspiring your subordinates, you can easily overcome any current and future challenge easily.

4. Commitment and Passion

Apart from having a futuristic vision, a leader should have the ability to take the right decision at the right time. Decisions taken by leaders have a profound impact on masses. A leader should think long and hard before taking a decision but once the decision is taken, stand by it. Although, most leaders take decisions on their own, but it is highly recommended that you consult key stakeholders before taking a decision.

After all, they are the ones who will benefit or suffer from your decisions.

7. Accountability

Your team look up to you and if you want them to give them their all, you will have to be passionate about it too. When your teammates see you getting your hands dirty, they will also give their best shot. It will also help you to gain the respect of your subordinates and infuse new energy in your team members, which helps them to perform better. If they feel that you are not fully committed or lack passion, then it would be an uphill task as the leader to motivate your followers to achieve the goal.

5. Good Communicator

When it comes to accountability, you need to follow the approach highlighted by Arnold H. Glasow when he said, “A good leader takes little more than his share of the blame and little less than his share of the credit.”

Make sure that every one of your subordinates is accountable for what they are doing. If they do well, give them a pat on the back but if they struggle, make them realize their mistakes and work together to improve. Holding them accountable for their actions will create a sense of responsibility among your subordinates and they will go about the business more seriously.

8. Delegation and Empowerment

Until you clearly communicate your vision to your team and tell them the strategy to achieve the goal, it

You cannot do everything, right. It is important for a leader to focus on key responsibilities while leaving the rest to others. By that, I mean empowering your followers and delegating tasks to them. | 36 |

A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE

If you continue to micromanage your subordinates, it will develop a lack of trust and more important, you will not be able to focus on significant matters, as you should be. Delegate tasks to your subordinates and see how they perform. Provide them with all the resources and support they need to achieve the objective and give them a chance to bear the responsibility.

9. Creativity and Innovation What separates a leader from a follower? Steve Jobs, the greatest visionary of our time answers this question this way, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” In order to get ahead in today’s fast-paced world, a leader must be creative and innovative at the same time. Creative thinking and constant innovation is what makes you and your team stand out from the crowd. Think out of the box to come up with unique ideas and turn those ideas and goals into reality.

10. Empathy Last but certainly not the least, is empathy. Leaders should develop empathy with their followers. Unfortunately, most leaders follow a dictatorial style and neglect empathy altogether. Due to this, they fail to have a close connection with their followers. Understanding the problems of your followers and feeling their pain is the first step to become an effective leader. Even that is not enough until you work hard and provide your followers with the suitable solution to their problems.

Conclusion To become a good leader, you must have all these qualities but if you lack some of these qualities, then you might struggle to make the mark in the world of leadership. You will have to set a good example for others to follow.

That is where your commitment, passion, empathy, honesty and integrity come into play. Good communication skills and decision-making capabilities also play a vital role in success and failure of a leader. Lastly, innovation and creative thinking, as well as the futuristic vision, are a couple of key traits which make a leader stand out.

Mrs. O.O Ajayi is the MD of Florencejohn Health affiliated to Narayana Health India. A highly experienced Nursing Professional with over 35 years working experience. She previously worked in the medical unit of a reputable Oil and Gas company for 31 years with quality experience as the Matron/Director of Nursing Services.

THINKING ALOUD | APR - JUN 2021

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DREAMS SEEM SO FAR AWAY

I was very innocent, wanting to live peacefully But each time I shut down in bed, I had some drama displayed.

Growing up, I heard about it It sounded nice but wasn’t sure how it works.

Sometimes, it appears to be so real and tragic While some other times I just don’t want to wake Dream dream!!! Why were you made and what’s your purpose?

I see a lot of stars descending down the sky Now the cloud is so dark When is the good dream coming forth?

Will I be alive when it’s fulfilled?

Dreams seem so far away But surely will come forth We will keep all hopes high Though it may seem so far away Our happiness, our life, our future This battle I see, we are winning Let’s all reject fear to embrace victory For the world will hear of our story.

Eunice Olatunji AKA Poetess Da Grace has a B.Tech degree (Geology) from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Oyo state. She writes poems, articles and stories to improve the value system of her readers.

Her poems have been published in Thinking Aloud magazines and ‘www.youthandsingles.com’

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the rehoboth dream solid foundation board of trustees Rear Admiral Oladeinde (‘Deinde) Olusoga Joseph was born at AraMoko, Ekiti State into the humble family of late Mr. Joseph Owolabi and late Mrs. Ajibabi Owolabi on the 9th of May 1948.

He enlisted into the Nigerian Navy in July 1967 and later graduated from the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna and was commissioned as a Sub -Lieutenant in July 1971 in India. He received professional training as a naval officer in India, United Kingdom and the United States of America. Rear Admiral Joseph is a graduate of the Nigeria Command and Staff College Jaji and the prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies Kuru.

As a professional naval officer, he went through all the ranks in the Navy until he was promoted to the full Rear Admiral rank in 1998. While in the Navy, he had 4 sea commands, which included that of NNS Aradu (the Navy’s flag ship), 2 Training bases and 2 Operational bases. He had 2 tours at Jaji Staff College as Chief Instructor and Director of the Naval Faculty. He was also the Military Governor of Ogun State between 1990 and 1992. His last job was Chief of Navy Personnel at Naval Headquarters until he retired in June 1999.

Married to Mrs. Katherine Lolade Joseph since April 1975, Rear Admiral ‘Deinde Joseph is blessed with 3 children; Toyin (now Mrs. Borisade), and the boys Seyi and Jide, all University graduates.

His hobbies are photography, reading and he is a handicap 9 golfer. A practicing Christian of Methodist Church of the Trinity, Tinubu since 1967, he has a passion to help the less privileged in the society. Rear Admiral Joseph is a recipient of the National Honour of the Commander of the Order Of the Niger (CON), and brings his experience and goodwill to the Foundation as the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Rehoboth Dream Solid Foundation.

Ms. Ketumi Alasa was born on 12th February 1956 and hails from the Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State. She had her tertiary education (HND Computer Science) from the Sheffield City Polytechnic, England. Her work life commenced with her NYSC, during which she served with The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd. in Lagos between 1979 and 1980.

Thereafter, she worked for Royal Exchange Assurance as a Computer Programmer from 1980 to 1981. She was also employed by Delta Steel Company Aladja as a Computer Programmer/ Analyst developing and maintaining computer applications from 1981-1984.

In 1984, she was employed by The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd as a Computer Programmer Analyst in the Information Technology department. She worked with Shell until 2008 when she retired after a successful and rewarding career.

Since retirement, with her strong entrepreneurial skills, she has been running a business of furniture, household and home decorative items. She has 5 kids, 4 of whom have successfully completed their university education. In her leisure time, she enjoys gospel music and playing golf, for which she has won numerous awards. She is a devoted Christian with a deep passion for missionaries and their families. She loves to extend help and support to the less privileged. Ms. Ketumi Alasa is a Trustee of the Rehoboth Dream Solid Foundation.

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Deacon Samson Madu Igbokwe is a 1983 B.Pharm Graduate of Pharmacy from the former University of Ife (Unife), now known as Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU). In addition, he gained a Masters in Business Administration Degree (MBA) from the University of Lagos (Unilag) in 2000. He also acquired a Certificate of Proficiency in Information Systems Management (CPISM).

Shortly after his Youth Service Corp at Military Hospital Lagos, he set up his own pharmacy business at S.W. Ikoyi, Lagos in 1985 which he has been running as Chairman/Managing Director till date. This is a company that supplies and distributes pharmaceuticals to its community and hospitals in Lagos State.

A devout and practicing Christian, he gave his life to Christ on March 31, 1991 in The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Akoka. Since then, he has served in various capacities in TREM as House Fellowship Centre Leader, Zonal Leader, Assistant Area Co -coordinator and Financial Secretary/Treasurer of Caleb Group of the Christian Men Fellowship.

He is currently serving as the Chairman Hospital Visitation Ministry in TREM. He is a member of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and a Treasurer at Ikoyi Pharmacy Community Zone. He has passion for contributing to his community, and often assists in reaching out to orphans, the fatherless and widows in the community.

Periodically, he visits in a group and prays for the sick in hospitals in Lagos, ministering to their spiritual, physical and material needs. He is happily married to his amiable wife Mrs. Roseline Igbokwe and they have 5 children. Deacon Samson Igbokwe is a Trustee of the Rehoboth Dream Solid Foundation.

Deaconess Roseline Igbokwe was born on November 2, 1965 in Ikoyi, Lagos, and is married to Pharmacist Samson M. Igbokwe.

She is an alumna of Sikkim Manipal University (SMU), Gangtok, India and the University of Lagos (UNILAG); Bsc. in Applied Information Technology, Business Administration and Masters in Business Administration(MBA) from the same institution.

She holds a Certificate of Proficiency in Information Systems Management (CPISM), Advanced Diploma in Systems Engineering (ADSE), Certificate in Strategies for Managing and Collecting Data (LBS) and Certificate in Core Sales Skills (LCT). She worked with Texaco Nigeria Plc as well as Chevron Oil Nigeria Plc as Food Mart Supervisor, Senior Retail Business Consultant, South, and then MRS Oil Nigeria Plc as District Sales Manager, Southwest Nigeria, Credit Control Manager for Nigeria, Aviation Commercial, Retail Sales Manager for Southeast/Southwest Nigeria and Head, Sales & Marketing. Nigeria.

A hard worker with enthusiasm for excellence, in 2006 she won the ‘African Pakistan Global Downstream 2006 Cultural Award, of Customer Facing and Market Focused ’ in Chevron, having executed superior and consistent execution and sales implementation of all programs, processes and systems. She had focused the department’s organization around achieving the best business financial targets through an agreed set of Profit & Loss control measures in all MRS Oil Nigeria Plc service stations in Nigeria.

She is an ordained minister with The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM): and at various times has held the following positions: Assistant Secretary, Young Women Fellowship; Assistant Secretary, Christian Women Fellowship and Chairman Disciplinary Committee of the Evangel Voices Choir and Team Lead with the Christian Women Fellowship. Deaconess Roseline Igbokwe is also a Trustee of the Rehoboth Dream Solid Foundation. She is blessed with (5) five children.

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Pastor (Dr.) Joshua Gbadebo Opadiya is the Senior Pastor of Every Nation Church Sydney, Australia, a worldwide family of churches and ministries.

He is currently serving as the Hub Leader of the Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, Papa New Guinea and Fiji) overseeing the ‘Every Nation churches and ministries in the Oceania region.

Pastor (Dr.) Opadiya previously lectured in the Lagos State University, Nigeria for 6 years, before moving with his family to Innsbruck in Austria where he lived for almost 6 years. Thereafter, the family moved to Sydney Australia in 1999 where together with his wife, Dr. Mrs. Opadiya started the ‘Every Nation Church.

He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the reputable University of Ibadan in Nigeria and holds a doctorate degree in Ecotoxicology from the Technical University, Innsbruck, Austria.

Pastor (Dr.) Opadiya has a burden to raise godly leaders and see the nations return to Jesus Christ.

He has travelled and ministered in several nations worldwide.

Pastor (Dr.) Opadiya's passion is to connect with young adults and adults alike who are leaders, peacemakers and bridge builders in their colleges, universities and in their communities. His life has been dedicated to this cause, reaching out, equipping, counseling and mentoring. He is also the dean of Every Nation Leadership Institute, a part-time program that is purposefully designed to provide discipleship training and biblical teaching for people from all walks of life. Pastor (Dr.) Opadiya and his wife have been married for 31 years. They are blessed with children. He is a Trustee of the Rehoboth Dream Solid Foundation.

Dr. (Mrs.) Yinka Opadiya is a senior pastor with Every Nation Churches and Ministries. Alongside her husband Pastor (Dr) Joshua Opadiya, she oversees the multi-congregational Church organization in Sydney, Australia – a church with members from diverse cultures, age groups and professions.

She is a teacher and motivational speaker with a passion for teaching about God's love and His purpose for humanity. She is also passionate about women and youth ministry; and is committed to mentoring women and young girls.

Her heart-cry is to see ‘the Church’ respond to the Great Commission of ‘making disciples’ and transforming nations. A graduate of the prestigious Universities of Ife and Ibadan in Nigeria, she also holds a Doctorate degree in French (Women Literature) from the University of Innsbruck in Austria. She had worked as a French Lecturer in the Lagos State University and in various schools in Sydney Australia. Dr. (Mrs.) Yinka Opadiya been married for 31 years. They are blessed with children. She is a Trustee of the Rehoboth Dream Solid Foundation.

Mrs. Ronke Osikoya holds a law degree (LLB) from the University of Lagos and an MBA (1988) from the same University. She is a Certified Trainer for the Commonwealth Association on Corporate Governance and has facilitated on the Directors course on Corporate Governance. She is a Management Consultant that co-runs a management consulting firm, Pedion Partnership Limited.

Her values are strongly shaped by her Christian faith and she believes very passionately in supporting the under-privileged, particularly children, which accounts for her involvement with the Foundation.

Mrs. Osikoya is a Trustee of the Rehoboth Dream Solid Foundation and lives with her husband and 2 sons in Lagos, Nigeria.

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Mrs. Abimbola Komolafe is a devout Christian who was ordained as a Deaconess of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in the year 2000 and as an Assistant Pastor in August 2013. She served as a Coordinator in the Teens ministry of the Resurrection Parish of the RCCG in Lagos where her passion for supporting the education of the less privileged was birthed .

She is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Banker and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria. Mrs. Bimbo Komolafe has taken various management, Leadership and professional courses, within and outside Nigeria and is an Alumna of the Lagos Business School. She worked for 9 years in a reputable Merchant Bank in Nigeria and thereafter worked for 20 years with one of the leading Oil and Gas companies in Nigeria. She currently works as a Principal Consultant for Threshold of Trust Nigeria Limited.

Married to Rear Admiral Kehinde Komolafe (Rtd) who is also an Ordained Pastor of the RCCG Nigeria, they are blessed with 3 children. Together with her husband, they are committed to providing financial support to as many less privileged students as they can accommodate. Mrs Bimbo Komolafe is the founder and Executive Secretary of the Rehoboth Dream Solid Foundation.

Rear Admiral Kehinde Komolafe (Rtd), is a highly revered and distinguished military officer who served meritoriously with impeccable records in the Nigerian Navy. He graduated from the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1980 and was commissioned as a Naval Officer a year after. Due to his quest for knowledge and passion for competence, he proceeded to study at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he graduated in 1985 with a B.Sc. Degree in Accountancy. He attended several courses nationally and overseas and witnessed consistent career growth during his active years in the military.

Rear Admiral Komolafe is a change agent with a commitment to providing transformational leadership and ensuring realignment of processes, operations, resource and people on various integrated fronts for optimum value creation. He held various sensitive positions in the Navy before his voluntarily retirement from the Service after 35 years of meritorious service. He presently sits on the Board of many prestigious organizations. Beyond his Military career, Rear Admiral Kehinde Komolafe (Rtd.) is a lover of God and a Pastor. He is married to Mrs. Abimbola Komolafe and they are blessed with 3 children.

Charity to the less priviledged

Skills Acquisition programmes

THINKING ALOUD | APR - JUN 2021

Raise funds for the needy

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Supporting the poor

We appreciate every support over the years and your continued support and commitment that has made it possible for us to continue to provide succor to the less privileged in our society. We pray that God will bless you and grant you success in all your endeavors.

Donations: You can make your donations online at: https://www.rehobothdreamsolidfoundation.org/donations