I was trying to save a friend’s business dream and along the line I found out that I loved the Sleek Brand.

Why did you start your own business?

As project manager at an IT/ICT firm, owning my own business was not something I ever thought about. I never imagined I would be doing this, but God has his own way. I stumbled upon this business when I tried to step in and preserve a friend’s business dream. Along the line, I developed a deep love and passion for the business and for the brand. A year later, I took a walk from my day job and decided to start my own business as a managing partner with Sleek Makeup and Hair franchise in Abuja. It’s over 2 years and God has been faithful.

Why did you choose your line of business?

I was trying to save a friend’s business dream and along the line I found out that I loved the Sleek Brand. Sleek is youthful and fresh, engaging the interest of women from diverse backgrounds. It is extremely trendy and affordable for fashionistas and for those who want to enhance either natural beauty. The feeling my customers get when wowed with their looks from the Sleek Brand is awesome.

What are the challenges?

We are sometimes unable to meet demands of our distributors because of the bottlenecks that have to do with shipping and clearing in Nigeria.

Where do you see your business in the next five years?

I see my business getting to the nooks and crannies of Abuja and beyond. I see us having a database of over 2,000 distributors and empowering young men and women with a Plan B.

Advice to aspiring business owners?

Have passion and acquire business skills for your intending business, be focused determined, and above all  put God first and look up to Him for divine guidance, direction, and favour. Y!

The case of Lagos State Government vs. doctors took a bizarre turn when 788 doctors were summarily dismissed and replaced with 373; the alarming shortfall seemingly papered over.

And, so far, there are at least three factions of reactionaries: those who support the state government, those who support the doctors, and others, like me, who would not take sides.

But, I am sympathetic to the doctors because of my experiences in Lagos public hospitals. In December 2009, I waited nine hours to see a doctor at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja. While waiting, others in the room kept murmuring that if they had money, they would go to a private hospital. My problem was the inverse; I was seeking expertise since the doctor in the private clinic I was using didn’t appear to be up-to-date (I had read more recent research online) and so I had insisted on a referral letter.

By 9pm when I eventually saw the doctor, he skimmed the letter and said, ‘I should admit you but there are no beds. Even the corridors are full. If you can wait for a bed to be vacant, fine. Otherwise, I am sorry.’ He then called the next patient. I should have railed at his evident lack of compassion to me but the manic sight of him was pitiable: His eyes were bloodshot and it was obvious he was tired and needed a nap badly. Earlier in the day, his colleague said something about having worked for 36 hours at a stretch and there was no relief in sight.

So, today, when people complain about the number of casualties of the strike actions, I tell them to spare a thought for those who have died because they were treated by fatigued personnel.

The second time was in 2010 and, this time, at the eye clinic. I went through a friend and, according to one of the nurses, his letter helped me scale a two or three-months’ wait list. I ended up waiting a mere six hours!

The eye clinic that day was like an extension of Balogun market; filled to the brim with a restive crowd. While waiting in the ophthalmologist’s outer office, I overheard her telling someone that they were being overworked and in her position, she has to research, teach, and still see patients. And that she gets so stressed that she herself doesn’t trust any diagnosis she makes after 4pm. I carefully looked at my wristwatch.

Given my jaundiced visits to LASUTH, I don’t know which is worse: whether Lagos, the mega city as it prides itself, has such a paltry number of doctors or the sack of the 788.

Both sides have leveled allegations of illegalities and immorality against the other but, note, the Hippocratic oath may be binding but there is no part that says they should tear their human bodies apart to save lives. Two, the state government too has a binding oath on it not to toy with the lives or welfare of the people. Three, I am against doctors’ strike, anytime, any day but the government’s move is a wrong one. Nigeria is a signatory to the International Labour Organisation’s Decent Work Agenda. The Agenda states that labour is not a commodity that can be disposed at will. As the name implies, DWA ensures decent employment and it includes not throwing people out to prove a point.

I know some people have argued that the state had to resort to mass dismissal as a way of saving the system; I disagree. The system is actually worse off by tearing away people who have been in it for long and replacing them with neophytes. And considering that even the ones you sent packing were overworked, I wonder how those who are a fraction of their number will cope. When ex-governor Bola Tinubu gave the dismissal suggestion to Fashola in February, I thought it was one of those ‘political speak’ things until it actually happened.

But then, what makes this action of ‘dismiss and replace them all’ dangerous is that it wields power; the power to subdue. The way power works – especially when the system reposes it in the hands of one man – is that it is powerful when it is not used. We know it is there and that is enough. It is not about being weak because it is strength on its own to not use power to quell those who are, in a sense, weaker. Power becomes diminished when it is used that way and to restore some mystique to it, you keep using it to suppress. It is a process that breeds tyranny. When personal ego gets intermeshed with it, it takes another face.

I once spoke to somebody about the case of the University of Ilorin lecturers and asked why he didn’t speak to former President Olusegun Obasanjo about it on a personal level. He said, “Once you mention that topic to Obasanjo, he will abuse you, abuse your father and the rest of your lineage”. We all saw how that story ended. It is a similar path I wish Lagos State would not tread.

Just a year ago, the Action Congress of Nigeria used Lagos State as its poster boy for good governance. Other South-West state governors, more or less, rode on the strength of Fashola’s popularity to power.

There is no point engaging in unalloyed propaganda about the ‘state-of-the-art’ facilities in Lagos State hospitals or that the governor goes there to check his blood pressure once in a year. The truth is, the health care system needs to be humanised and both the state and doctors are not exempt from this responsibility. There are better ways to resolve issues than showing power pass power. The already bad situation will become worse if the call for a solidarity strike by doctors in the employ of the Federal Government takes effect tomorrow.

In the long run, strikes can be avoided in the essential services sector if we devise a mechanism, one independent of both parties, that’ll govern the standard workings of the system and which will guide all parties as to what their responsibilities are. Such a mechanism, periodically reviewed, can critically and fairly examine working conditions and other aspects to preempt and prevent disputes and strikes. In the meantime, they should be less recalcitrant and seek arbitration. After all, it is lives we are talking about.

Source: The Punch

Editor’s note: Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

The rapper known as David McCleary “Mac Lethal” Sheldon first made a splash rapping to Chris Brown’s ‘Look at Me Now’ and making pancakes at the same time. His skills were sure to bring the haters crawling out the closet, and it did. He takes them to school over spelling (your vs you’re).

But is he the fastest? Do you think he beats down Busta Rhymes?

NB: NSFW due to lyrical content (so plug your earphones in or turn the speakers way down!)

The Lyrics:

2 BRAIIIIINZ

IDIOTS. THERE”S LOTS OF EM.
I WISH THAT I COULD OPEN UP THEIR BRAIN AND PRESS THE STOP BUTTON.
THEY’RE ALL DUMMIES MAN THE S*** ISN’T COOL
I SWEAR TO GOD, THEY’RE STUPID AS F*** AND DIDN’T LISTEN IN SCHOOL
THEY’RE ALWAYS SO OBNOXIOUS,
WHEN THEY ARGUE ON THE INTERNET
BUT TRYING TO DEBATE WITH THEM IS HARMFUL LIKE A CIGARETTE.
YOU TRY TO OUTSMART THESE STUPID JERKS BUT YOU NEVER WIN
CUZ LATELY THEIR IDIOCY IS WORSE THAN IT’S EVER BEEN
YOU BETTER GET YOUR BAND-AIDS YOUR B****RD
MY TONGUE IS LIKE A FAN-BLADE BUT FASTER
I’M KICKIN A DEVILISH MAN-MADE DISASTER
I P**S ON MY FINGERS THEN GIVIN YOU ALL A HANDSHAKE AFTER
FOR THINKIN IM JUST A PANCAKE RAPPER
NOPE, I KICK THROUGH THE DOOR
GAY MARRIAGE GETS MY SUPPORT
AND I COME SMART WHEN I ARGUE OVER MAJOR ISSUES LIKE WAR
BUT ALL THESE STUPID IDIOTS KEEP MISUSING YOU’RE
LOOK. I DONT WANNA BE A BITTER, ARROGANT, AMERICAN, ELITIST
BUT I THINK YOU BETTER GO AND READ A BOOK.
R I P TO M C A IM MAKIN YOU ALL STUDY ENGLISH COMPREHENSION YOU AINT SLEEPIN TIL WE GET TO BROOK-LYN
LOOK FRIEND, I COULD UNDERSTAND IF YOU’RE JUST A KID
BUT IF YOU’RE OLDER THAN 13 YEARS OLD YOU BETTER SEE THESE WORDS
AND KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS
THIS ONE IS A CONTRACTION, LIKE YOU,
APOSTROPHE, ARE, READY FOR ACTION
YOU’RE AT RISK WHEN THE GEM STAR SLASH YOUR SKIN
YOU’RE AN IDIOT LIKE KIM KARDASHIAN
THIS ONE’S YOUR. POSSESSIVE. YOUR’S
YOUR BEER, YOUR GUN, YOUR MOM’S A W***E
IM TAKING IT KINDA EASY ON YA SPITTIN A COUPLE SAMPLES
F*** IT THOUGH IM GONNA GIVE ANOTHER EXAMPLE
LOOK SEE I DONT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT YOU INSOLENT IDIOTS
IN A MINUTE I’LL ADMINISTER VENOM; DEFINITIVE WISDOM
SO TAKE ANOTHER GLANCE AND GET A VISION TRY TO LISTEN
COMPREHEND AND YOU’LL NO LONGER BE CONSIDERED SUCH A SIMPLETON
BUT LOOK. THIS ONE BELONGS TO YOU.
AND THIS ONE IS SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE, IT’S TRUE!
SO THERE, FF*** GREED, F*** SKINNY BAGS OF WEED,
AND F*** YOU IF YOU’RE A FAN OF EITHER NICKLEBACK OR CREED!

quit being such an IDIOT
all you gotta do is use some proper grammar its easy
quit being such an imbecile
I hope to god your IQ is over 13

cuz you were in the 8th grade once
and even then your teacher got mad when you’d get this wrong
possessives and contractions are
apparently just something that you USED TO KNOW

Source: Gawker

Even the drivers cheat

An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Wednesday sentenced a 27-year-old Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver to three months imprisonment, with an option of a N5,000 fine, over the re-sale of used tickets.

Lasisi Ismaila, had earlier pleaded guilty to the charge of re-selling of used BRT tickets when he was arraigned on May 10. Ismaila, who was an employee of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), sold  N70 and N120 denominations of the tickets and skimming anywhere between N4,000 and N6,000 daily.

His method for scamming was pretty easy. Instead of tearing tickets and returning it to the passenger, the driver held on to the ticket to sell later on in the day.

Source: ionigeria.com

by Tolu Orekoya

Jennifer Lopez a.k.a. J-Lo a.k.a Jenny on the Block, the soon-to-be ex-Mrs Marc Anthony, a.k.a the lady that managed to get the whole world fixated on her rear end has done it again by unseating former talk show queen, Orpah Winfrey as Forbes most powerful celebrity in the world.

Thanks to J-Lo’s new TV presence which includes a judging role on American Idol, and two reality TV shows of her own, a deal with Fox Network, and a revived music career, she’s made it to the top of the Forbes list.

It also seems that last year was a good year for female celebrities in general: 7 of the top 10 celebrities were female. Tyler Perry makes an appearance at No. 20, which is a bit disappointing, coming on the fact that he was named as the highest earner in Hollywood last year.

What’s also very surprising is that Rihanna beat Beyoncé by a stunningly large margin (8 places) even with the arrival or “Beyby” Blue Ivy, the pregnancy is-she-or-isn’t-she debate. I guess a lackluster album showing can never beat cavorting around half-naked in a field.

Tiger Woods can keep his head up, even though he hasn’t won a single thing (okay, so he’s won one), in the last year. Still, Nike holds on to him for dear life and he made a fairly decent showing on a couple of occasions.

And finally Kim Kardashian at number 7? What horror has Ryan Seacrest wrought on the world?!

That, however is the least of it – J-Lo’s more powerful than Oprah (who has more money, more social media numbers and more influence still)?

Do you agree with the list?

Source: Forbes.com (Click for complete list)

by Segun Dada

“Except there is justice in the conduct of the elections, blood will flow because there will be bloodshed between the dogs and the baboons.” This is the statement reportedly made by General Buhari on Monday, the very words that is causing a lot of commotion and chaos.

General Muhammad Buhari was also reported to have stated, that, “There is a storm of awareness and God willing, by 2015, something will happen. They either conduct free and fair elections or they go a very disgraceful way.”

In my opinion, Buhari’s statement was a conditional statement, he said IF PDP attempts to rig the 2015 elections. ‘If’ here makes it a conditional statement. I think someone is panicking here. Is there a plan to rig in 2015? If not, why fret over a conditional statement? I don’t understand.

Mr president once said if leaders do not behave there will be a revolution. Buhari said if the PDP attempts to rig the elections in 2015 there will be bloodshed. So they agree, right? I can’t understand what the hot air is all about, GEJ said his government has been infiltrated by Boko Haram, Buhari said GEJ’s government is the biggest Boko Haram. So they agree on this also?

I don’t know when it became a crime for an elder statesman to state the obvious, the general is simply stating the minds of millions of Nigerians, whether one chooses to believe it or not, come 2015, Nigerians will rise against all forms of manipulations at the polls, they will guard their votes with everything they have and when the manipulators attempt to snatch it from them, there will be bloodshed!

Instead of castigating Buhari for saying the obvious,  Nigerians should thank him for sounding the alarm early. Yes, the general has spoken my mind and that of millions of Nigerians, Nigerians are tired of bad governance!

They government should know that what we want to see is a strong statement condemning the fuel subsidy cabal not a storm in a teacup, the president should also concentrate on stopping the bombings by Boko Haram, go after the oil thieves, stop the corruption around him that is dividing the country.

We are not as clueless as they are and we refuse to be distracted.

Follow the writer on twitter @Dolusegun

Editor’s note: Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

by Rachel Ogbu

The last two designers to join the line-up of 10 designers showcasing their diverse work at Tribes of Africa fashion show scheduled for Saturday 26 May have been confirmed.

Fashion designers, Ayo Van Elmar and Adama Paris join the other eight lending their support to iROCK! UK – Adebayo Jones, Anita Quansah, Nkwo, Kutowa Designs from Zambia, VIP Designs, Chichia London, Tina Lobondi, and Shivani Chavda. Vienna-based Ayo Elizabeth Olaogun with her label Ayo Van Elmar is revered for showcasing her powerful Autumn/Winter 12-13 collection which drew attention to the atrocities in Nigeria’s northern states at the London Fashion Week and Adama Amanda Ndiaye is known for her gorgeous African print swimwear.

Tribes of Africa (TOA) fashion fundraiser will hold at the prestigious Grange Tower Bridge Hotel will boast some of Africa’s finest in fashion to showcase in front of an elite audience including some of Africa’s internationally recognised icons such as Nigerian media mogul Ben Murray-Bruce (who is flying in from Nigeria specifically for the night), CNN 2009 Hero Betty Makoni, UK-based Zambian property tycoon Caroline March, footballers John Shittu, and the Sodjoe brothers is set to be one of the most memorable black tie fundraisers for Africans in the diaspora and fans of African fashion.  

 “We are absolutely delighted with the final line up of designers who come from not only different states and tribes of Africa but also lend their support for iROCK! from far and wide geographically and we hope to put on a fashion show which reflects the diversity of African fashion,” said Sinem Bilen-Onabanjo of FAB Magazine who is in charge of the fashion show along with some of the industry’s greatest talents, wardrobe stylist and creative director Crystal Deroche, hair stylist Angela Plummer, make-up artists MINK, and catwalk choreographer Julius Reuben.

Tribes of Africa event is set to be a fashionable black tie fundraiser which will give the guests on the night an opportunity to celebrate not only iROCK’s charitable work but also Africa’s talent and diversity in fabulously ROCKing style. 

For further information on iROCK! UK and to purchase tickets, please visit www.irockuk.org

 My relationship with Cindy generated emotional swings in me - from moments of joy when Cindy took steps toward healing to heavy disappointment or raging anger when she went back to her drugs.

Several years ago I met a young single mother with an infant son in my neighbourhood.  (I’ll call them Cindy and Joey to protect their identities).  In the first conversation we had, the woman opened up.  She had grown up in a home where both parents were drug addicts. She was abused as a child. At 20, the girl was herself an addict – hard core. She asked me for help.  She wanted to break free.

Thus began a roller coaster ride of learning.  This was my first experience of knowing and interacting intimately with an addict.  In our first few weeks of friendship, I learned that wanting to change and actually taking steps to change are very different things.  Initially I spent tremendous energy and time on Cindy.  I admit, even to the point of personal exhaustion on my part.  I willingly went many extra miles in hopes she would change.  I was emotionally invested in her recovery.

A month after I met her, a police officer knocked on my door.  He said that a young lady had overdosed and was in the emergency room at the local hospital.  I drove down there expecting to be told she was dead.  Cindy had survived once again.  This was the first of many dramatic situations into which I was drawn.

My relationship with Cindy generated emotional swings in me – from moments of joy when Cindy took steps toward healing to heavy disappointment or raging anger when she went back to her drugs.  I soon realized that what I did for her was NOT going to cause her to recover.  In fact, at times my “help” was actually enabling to continue her addiction.  She would have to hit a point of surrender.  She would have to reach the place of total willingness to seek professional help to break free from her addiction.

I began to create more boundaries, to interact with her on healthy terms – when it fits my schedule and when I had energy to share.  With firmness and in love, I let her know that I could not be close to her unless she decided to make some radical changes.  I expressed that when she was finally committed to change, she could count on me to help facilitate her path toward healing.

Cindy’s drug addiction eventually landed in her in jail. I clearly wasn’t able to and still can’t save her.  Her life is her choice.

Because almost all of us know someone struggling with addiction (whether drugs, alcohol, pornography, gambling, food, shopping, work etc.), I felt compelled to share insights that I gained from this experience.

1.         You can’t “fix” an addict.  Until the person becomes determined to break the addiction they will not stop. Deep within every addict is unbearable pain mingled with self-loathing.  What you can do is believe for them that they are a valuable creation of God.  You can know that if and when they are ready, they can find the power to transform. ”Helping, fixing and serving represent three different ways of seeing life. When you help, you see life as weak. When you fix, you see life as broken. When you serve, you see life as whole. Fixing and helping may be the work of the ego, and service the work of the soul” (Rachel Naomi Remen, Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCSF School of Medicine).

2.         Opt-out of enabling. Don’t sacrifice for an addict, allow them to do things for themselves.  Don’t bend over backwards to rescue them; allow them to experience the natural consequences of their behaviors even if they face embarrassment or imprisonment. See that addicts continually create financial crisis.  Refuse to pour your resources into a bottomless pit.  It is essential that addicts bottom out and feel the full force of the destructiveness of their addiction.  Don’t desert them.  Show love but allow them to face their addiction head on.

3.         Beware of manipulation and deception.  Pay close attention.  Addicts will say one thing but do something else.  They will blatantly lie to cover their tracks and get money to feed their addiction.  Their tricks may make you feel crazy.  You are not insane; their behavior is.

4.         Don’t preach.  Lectures lead to resistance, conflict and power struggles.  They will get you nowhere.  Offer tough love and honesty.  Be honest.  Tell them firmly and clearly what you are seeing and experiencing.  Let them know, “You have an addiction.  It is ruining your life.  Only you can change.  You can do so when you are ready.”

5.         Make practical suggestions.   Encourage them to seek a spiritual counselor or support group.  Introduce them to healthy activities and environments that you think might interest them.  Then let go.  You have done your best.  In the last analysis, they will make their own choices.

6.         Establish clear boundaries. Realize that becoming involved with an addict can become all consuming.  Practice detachment.  As author Byron Katie says, “There are three kinds of business.  My business, your business and God’s business.”  Take care of your own business.  Your life must be your priority.  As the airlines remind us, “In case of emergency, put on your oxygen mask first BEFORE helping someone else put on theirs.”

7.         Find local solutions.  If you get to a point of needing to intervene, have a plan in mind.  Is there a church, non-profit or other group in their area where you can take your friend or family member for help?  If you live in an area where none of these organizations exist, go online and do some research.  Unless you are a trained professional with a deep understanding of overcoming addictions, you do not have the expertise to help addicts break their addiction.

Food For Thought

“If you know someone who tries to drown their sorrows, you might tell them sorrows know how to swim.”

Quoted in P.S. I Love You, by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Editor’s note: Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

by Seyi Lawal

Ruggedman features Myro in the part 2 of his ‘Ruggedy Baba’ single … from the good ol’ days.

This version of the song is produced by Blaze Beatz.

Click here to listen: