The Lagos-Ibadan rail line is a double-track standard gauge rail, the first of its kind in West Africa. It is the first part of a new 2,773km Lagos-Kano standard gauge line. The newly introduced train provides fully air-conditioned train services.
It is important to note that wearing a face mask, and having an identification card – passport, national ID, work ID, or voters’ card – is compulsory to buy a ticket at the counter.
Here are things to note about boarding the train;
1. The train departs from Chief Obafemi Awolowo Station, Moniya, Ibadan at 8:00am and arrives Mobolaji Johnson Station, Ebute Metta, Lagos State at 10:41am.
2. Also, the train departs Mobolaji Johnson Station, Ebute Metta, Lagos State at 4:00pm and arrive Chief Obafemi Awolowo Station, Moniya, Ibadan at 6:41pm.
3. The ticket details are as follows;
Economy Class ticket – N2,500 Business Class ticket – N5,000 First Class ticket – N6,000
4. The train has only one coach for the First Class, there are two coaches available for the Business Class.
5. The new service is operating on a limited schedule with just two trains a day but will expand to 16 daily departures once construction on stations is complete.
6. Currently, there are two stations in operation; the Mobolaji Johnson Station, Ebute Metta, Lagos State and the Chief Obafemi Awolowo Station, Moniya, Ibadan.
7. There is also 5 minutes stopover at Prof. Wole Soyinka Station, Laderin, Abeokuta. Travellers going to Abeokuta will alight and while those going to Ibadan/Lagos will also join the train.
8. In lagos, the place to board the train is the train station at Alagomeji bus stop, Yaba. It is an old building.
Direction: Go on the road from Ojuelegba through Tejuosho to burst out at yaba. Once you get to the end of tejuosho road, turn right and just keep going down like you are going to the end of the road. Keep looking at your right where you have the BRT lane, you would see Alagomeji bus stop. Right next to the bus stop is the entrance to the train station.
9. The train station in Ibadan is at Moniya. It is a 10 minutes drive from Ọjọọ main park in ibadan, and about 20mins to Iwo road park (if there is no traffic).
10. It is also important to arrive at the train station at least 30 minutes before departure time. This is to allow you have time to purchase tickets and register.
While many African leaders successfully completed their tenures, some others died while in office.
There are those whose ‘cause of death’ are known while some others remain ‘undisclosed’ or ‘unknown.’
However checks by THE NATIONrevealed most African Presidents who died in office passed on due to long-term illnesses, heart conditions, and even assassinations.
Here are African leaders who died in office:
· John Magufuli – Tanzania’s President John Magufuli died at 61 on Wednesday from a heart disease that had plagued him for a decade.
Magufuli had not been seen in public since Feb. 27, sparking rumors that he had contracted COVID-19. Officials denied on March 12 that he had fallen ill.
He was Tanzania’s first president to die while in office.
· Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi – (2020) – Pierre had been President of Burundi for 15 years and had no plans of stepping down.
However, he died when his successor, Evariste Ndayishimiye, was about to be sworn into office. He came into office at 40 and bowed out at 55 years. Nkurunzinza suddenly passed of a heart attack in June 2020.
· Michael Sata (2014) – Michael Sata died at 77 of an undisclosed illness in the United Kingdom on October 28th, 2014.
After his election in 2011, rumors about his failing health spread across Zambia. His continuous absence at major state functions raised concerns about his well-being.
· Meles Zenawi (2012) – The former Prime Minister of Ethiopia died in August of 2012 in Belgium at 57 of an undisclosed infection.
He led Ethiopia for a total of 21 years as President from 1991 to 1995 and as Prime Minister from 1995 to 2012. He was known for introducing multi-party democracy.
· John Atta Mills (2012) – Atta Mills died in his home country of stroke and throat cancer at 68. He won the presidential election in 2008 and was in office for only three years.
· Bingu wa Mutharika (2012) – Another President to die in 2012 is Bingu wa Mutharika of Malawi.
He suffered a heart attack in April and died two days later at 78.
His tenure was eight years long and he achieved broad success with his food and agricultural policies.
· Malam Bacai Sanha (2012) Former President of Guinea-Bissau. – In 2012 Malam Bacai Sanha suffered from diabetes and died in Paris after four years as President at 64.
Throughout his time in office, he suffered from several health complications and was continually in and out of the hospital.
· Moammar Gadhafi (2011) – A victim of assassination, Gadhafi was killed at 69 by rebel forces in unclear circumstances in Libya after being its leader for 42 years.
He seized power from the Libyan monarchy following a blood less military coup in 1969 but his leadership came to an end in the aftermath of the “Arab spring” revolution.
· Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (2010) – Yar’Adua died at 58 from pericarditis in Nigeria. He had been in office for only three years.
His campaign was punctuated by the absence of the candidate on complete with reports of health-related complications.
After his election in April 2007, Yar’Adua’s health deteriorated quickly.
· Joao Bernardo Vieira (2009) The President of Guinea-Bissau was assassinated in March 2009 at 69. He was the head of state for a combined 31 years.
In 1978, he became Prime Minister and seized power in 1980 and ruled for 19 years. He morphed into a civilian president and led for another four-year period. In 2005, Vieira won another round of presidential elections.
· Omar Bongo (2009) – Advanced intestinal cancer killed Omar Bongo in June 2009 in Barcelona, Spain, after being in office for 42 consecutive years in Gabon. He died at 72 and was one of the longest-serving rulers in history
· Lansana Conte (2008) – After 24 years, Lansana Conte of Guinea died of undisclosed illness at 74. He battled complications from diabetes and heart-related conditions.
From April 1984 until his death in December 2008, he served as second President of the country.
· Levy Mwanawas(2008) – Levy Patrick Mwanawasa was born in Northern Rhodesia (Now Zambia) in 1948. He studied law at the University of Zambia and went on to form his own law firm, Mwanawasa & Company.
He resigned as Vice President in 1994 and retired from politics in 1996. He returned in 2001 when he was elected as the presidential candidate by the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) for the 2001 elections. Mwanawasa won the elections and became Zambia’s third President. He died while serving his second term on 19 August 2008.
· Gnassingbe Eyadema (2005): President Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo was one of Africa’s longest serving heads of state. He died in office after ruling his country continuously for 38 years.
He reportedly suffered a heart attack in his hometown of Piya in southeastern Togo and died on his way to Europe for treatment.
Eyadema, a former army colonel, came to power in a 1967 coup.
· Muhammad Egal (2002) – The President of Somaliland died in 2002. His death was as a result of complications during a medical procedure at a South African military hospital, Somaliland officials said. He was 73. Egal was survived by his wife, Khultun Haji Dahir, and five children.
· Laurent Kabila (2001) – Laurent Desire Kabila, born 1939, Jadotville, Belgian Congo [now Likasi, Democratic Republic of the Congo]—died January 18, 2001).
He was the leader of a rebellion that overthrew President Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire in May 1997.
He subsequently became President and restored the country’s former name, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
On January 16, 2001, Kabila was shot by a bodyguard at his presidential palace in Kinshasa.
· Ibrahim Maniassara (1999) – Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara, born May 9, 1949, Maradi, Niger, French West Africa — died April 9, 1999, Niamey, Niger).
He was a soldier, diplomat, and politician who orchestrated a coup in 1996 that overthrew Niger’s first democratically elected government. He subsequently served as President (1996–99) until his assassination.
In April 1999, however, he was machine-gunned at Niamey’s airport reportedly by members of the Presidential Guard.
· King Hassan II, King of Morocco (1999) – Mawlāy al-Ḥasan Muḥammad ibn Yūsuf, born July 9, 1929, Rabat, Mor, and died July 23, 1999, Rabat. He was King of Morocco from 1961 to 1999. He ruled Morocco for 38 years. Hassan was considered by pious Muslims to be a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad (Ahl al-Bayt).
Hassan was succeeded by his son, Crown Prince Sīdī Muḥammad, whose name was restyled to Muḥammad VI when he ascended to the throne.
1. Kanye Omari West, popularly known as Kanye West, is an America Rapper, record producer, fashion designer and politician.
The 43-year-old is worth a staggering $6.6 Billion making him the richest black person in the US history. This is largely attributed to the partnership of his fashion brand, “Yeezy” with other international fashion brands. With this net worth, he stands miles ahead of other rappers.
2. Shawn Corey Carter, popularly known as Jay Z is an American rapper, songwriter, record executive, businessman and record producer.
The Empire State of Mind rapper was recently overtaken as the number one world’s richest rapper.
The 51-year-old rapper whose wife, Beyonce holds the record of being the female with the most Grammy award wins of all time currently has a net worth of $1.4 billion.
3. Sean John Combs also known as Puff Daddy but more popularly as P. Diddy or Diddy, is an American rapper, record producer/executive and entrepreneur.
The 51-year-old “Bad Boy Entertainment” boss that recently joined several other notable personalities across the globe to celebrate one of Nigeria’s first time Grammy award winner, Burna Boy has an estimated net worth of $1.0 Billion.
4. Andre Romelle Young, popularly known as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper, record producer, audio engineer, record executive and entrepreneur.
The 56-year-old founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics who played a huge role in popularizing gangsta rap has an estimated net worth of $820million.
5. Marshall Bruce Marthers III, popularly known as Eminem is an American rapper, songwriter and record producer.
The 48-year-old rapper who holds a record of being one of the best-selling music artists of all time has a net worth of $230 million.
6. Percy Robert Miller, popularly known as Master P is an American rapper, actor, record producer, film director, screen writer, entrepreneur and former basketball player.
The 50-year-old multitalented Master P who is also known as The Ice Cream Man, the founder of No Limits Forever Records and CEO of P Millers Enterprises has an estimated net worth of $200million.
7. Aubrey Drake Graham popularly known as Drake is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter record producer, actor and entrepreneur.
The rapper, who is also known as Champagne Papi or Drizzy is a prominent figure in popular music. He is the founder of the OVO Sound Record, the global ambassador for the Toronto Raptors and is credited for popularizing their sound, the “Toronto sound”.
The 43-year-old rapper has an estimated net worth of $180 million.
8. O’Shea Jackson Sr., popularly known as Ice Cube is an American rapper, actor and film maker.
The 51-year-old, who also contributed in pioneering the gangsta rap movement, has an estimated net worth of $160 million.
9. Pharrell Lanscilo Williams, popularly known as Pharrell is an American rapper, songster, song writer, record producer, fashion designer and entrepreneur.
The eclectic 47-year-old Pharrell has an estimated net worth of $155 million.
10. Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., popularly known as Snoop Doggy Dog or Snoop Lion but more popularly as Snoop Dogg is an American rapper, songwriter and media personality.
The 49-year-old rapper who announced some time in 2018 to having become a born-again Christian and even released a gospel song to that effect has an estimated net worth of $150 Million.
As long as earth rotates on its axis accidents will happen. The good news is some accidents are avoidable if we know how to handle some driving challenges.
How do you save yourself from an impending accident if you are unaware the vehicle in front of you has a failing brake or you are the one with a failed brake?
If your brake suddenly fails, try not to panic and do the following:
1. Put on your hazard lights or sound your horn to warn other drivers.
2. A bottle or can could be obstructing your brake pedal. Use your other leg to browse through. Never take your eyes off the road while doing so.
3. Downshift to a low range labelled as one in case of automatic transmission and low gear in manual transmission.
4. Pump the brake pedal fast and hard to build brake pressure. You will know in 3-4 pumps if brakes would work.
5. Gradually apply the parking brake but be ready to release it if the car begins to skid.
6. Find an escape route, a safe exit from the highway. If you must, steer into the brushes, gravel or something soft.
7. Never target vehicles in opposite directions because accidents like these are mostly fatal. Target small trees that will help bring your vehicle to a halt with minimal effect.
Sleeping adequately often helps maintain a healthy body balance.
Not getting enough sleep can lower your sex drive, weaken your immune system, cause thinking issues and lead to weight gain.
When you don’t get enough sleep, you may also increase your risk of certain cancers, diabetes, and even car accidents.
Here are the side effects of not sleeping adequately:
· Prone to sickness
Losing sleep can impair your body’s ability to fight off illness. This makes it easier to get sick.
Researchers uncovered a reciprocal relationship between sleep and your immune system. You may lose additional sleep while your body fights off a bug if you get sick and haven’t had enough shut-eye.
· Cancer risk increases
Shortened sleep is associated with higher rates of breast cancer, colorectal cancer and prostate cancer, according to the AASM’s sleep statement.
Overnight shift workers may take the brunt of this burden. The good news is that men and women who slept seven or more hours per night had the best mortality rates in the group.
· Causes serious health problems
Sleep disorders and chronic sleep loss can put you at risk for:
Heart disease
Heart attack
Heart failure
Irregular heartbeat
High blood pressure
Stroke
Diabetes
· Kills sex drive
Sleep specialists say sleep-deprived men and women report lower libidos and less interest in sex. Depleted energy, sleepiness, and increased tension may be largely to blame.
· Ages your skin
Most people have experienced sallow skin and puffy eyes after a few nights of missed sleep. But it turns out that chronic sleep loss can lead to lackluster skin, fine lines, and dark circles under the eyes.
When you don’t get enough sleep, your body releases more of the stress hormone cortisol. In excess amounts, cortisol can break down skin collagen, the protein that keeps skin smooth and elastic.
· Makes you forgetful
Trying to keep your memory sharp? Try to get plenty of sleep.
In 2009, American and French researchers determined that brain events called “sharp wave ripples” are responsible for consolidating memory. The ripples also transfer learned information from the hippocampus to the neocortex of the brain, where long-term memories are stored. Sharp wave ripples occur mostly during the deepest levels of sleep.
· Sleeplessness is depressing
Over time, lack of sleep and sleep disorders can contribute to the symptoms of depression. In a 2005 Sleep in America poll, people who were diagnosed with depression or anxiety were more likely to sleep less than six hours at night.
· Sleeplessness causes accidents
Studies show that sleep loss and poor-quality sleep also lead to accidents and injuries on the job. In one study, workers who complained about excessive daytime sleepiness had significantly more work accidents, particularly repeated work accidents. They also had more sick days per accident.
The human brain is the most important organ of our body and we all fail to think it also requires exercise or training and nutrition to function well. Thus, forming good habits and avoiding the following bad habits will prevent brain damage and keep it healthy.
Here are 10 brain-damaging activities that you must stop doing for better functioning of the brain:
1. Skipping breakfast
Our brain needs appropriate nutrients at the appropriate time to function at its best. Due to a fast paced lifestyle, most of us avoid or end up skipping breakfast to save some time. This leads to low sugar supply and poor nutrient supply to the brain. The brain needs pure glucose to function. Poor nutrition can have long term harmful effects on the brain like degeneration of the brain cells.
2. Lack of sleep
Sleep deprivation hinders the brain’s ability to perform normally. If you have ever lost your way home or forgotten your keys somewhere and cannot recollect where, then lack of sleep has probably been behind this temporary memory loss. Sleep deprivation leads to cognitive issues. Without enough sleep, certain brain cells die and it then becomes harder for you to remember things. Psychological issues can also crop up due to bad sleep or sleep disturbances. So make sure you get your daily dose of 7 hours of beauty, as well brain-friendly sleep.
3. Over-eating
It’s said that, “too much of anything is bad”. The same applies to our brain too. We tend to overeat, if the brain is not functioning normally and vice versa, over-eating leads to brain damage. Over-eating leads to deposition of cholesterol plaques and thickening of blood vessels of the brain causing reduced blood supply to brain cells. This can cause serious damage to the normal functioning of the brain. It is found that overeating leads to Alzheimer’s disease. Over-eating leads to obesity which in turn damages our self-image and self-confidence and can lead to depression and other psychological problems.
Knowingly or sometimes unknowingly, we all consume sugar in most of our food and beverages. High consumption of refined sugar is known to destroy the ability of the brain and body to absorb proteins and nutrients. Poor nutrition will lead to malnourishment and brain disorders like poor memory, learning disorders, hyperactivity and depression. So, the next time you add a large coke to your happy meal, think again because it’s loaded with nearly 20 spoonfuls of sugar!
5. Smoking
This is probably one of the most harmful habits that we indulge in, as smoking not only causes lung diseases or heart diseases, it also leads to shrinkage of multiple cells in the brain and can lead to problems like dementia, Alzheimer’s and maybe even death. Excessive smoking indirectly causes neuro-inflammation which can cause an autoimmune disorder called Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
6. Covering the head while sleeping
Sleeping with the head covered leads to increase in concentration of carbon dioxide and it further reduces the oxygen concentration in the blood. If the oxygen supply is poor, the brain functioning capacity reduces. You may feel suffocated and sleep deprived leading to fatigue and drowsiness.
7. No exercise
Exercise makes you more flexible and increases mobility. Without enough exercise the mobility and brain’s power of movement reduces, and decreases stability and motor skills. Studies have shown exercise help to keep us younger by releasing happy hormones called endorphins. Not just the brain, but exercise strengthens your heart and lungs too. Do you need more reason to exercise?
8. Consuming alcohol
The greater the percentage of alcohol, higher is the number of cells that die in the brain. Alcohol leads to chemical imbalances when continued for longer durations and large quantities. Brain volume decreases due to chronic alcohol intake. Anything more than 2 units/ day for men and 1 unit/ day for women is excess alcohol.
9. Playing loud music with earphones or headphones
Listening to music at a very high volume with your earphones or headphones might damage your hearing abilities permanently. It can result in some brain problems such as loss of memory and damage to your brain tissue in the coming future. This is because brain is the one, which takes efforts to comprehend what is being said around you. If you apply excess pressure on your brain, it’s sure to get damaged.
10. Premature stress
Stress is part of everyone’s life. Certain amount of stress related to work or family is a part and parcel of life. Stress of completing work on time or winning a competition is a healthy expression of stress. But when stress goes beyond your capacity to cope, it hinders the normal functioning of the brain and makes you feel low, depressed, angry, irritable, and sleepless. If you feel one or more of these emotions too often, it is time to seek help with a counselor or move away from things that are causing stress.
Star singer, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu famously known as Burna Boy, will attempt to win the Grammy award in his category today. He is nominated with other great musical artists in the 63nd Annual Grammy awards holding at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, United States.
Burna Boy is nominated in the Best World Music Album category where he will be competing with Altin Gun (Gece), Bokanté & Metropole Orkest Conducted By Jules Buckley (What Heat), Nathalie Joachim With Spektral Quartet (Fanm D’ayiti) and Angelique Kidjo (Celia).If he wins, he won’t be the first Nigerian to record the feat. These are other Nigerians who won the awards in the past that you may not know about:
* Sade Adu
Four- time Grammy Award winner, Helen Folasade Adu, professionally known as Sade Adu, was born in Ibadan on January 16, 1959. Sade grew up in Essex, England and became a Nigerian-British singer, songwriter, and actress, who was the lead singer of her eponymous band.
She gained recognition as a fashion designer and part-time model, not long after she joined the band Pride in the early 1980s. After gaining attention as a performer, she formed the band Sade, and secured a recording contract with Epic Records in 1983.
As a Nigerian, Sade has won numerous awards which include:
*American Music Awards 2002
*Brit Awards 1985
*Grammy Awards 1986, 1994, 2002, 2011
*Porin Awards 2011.
* Chamillionaire
Hakeem Seriki famously known as Chamillionaire is a Nigerian-American rapper, entrepreneur and investor who resides in Houston, Texas. He was born on November 28, 1979 in Washington, D.C., United States. He started his musical career as a solo artist with local releases in 2002, which includes the collaborative album “Get Ya Mind Correct” with fellow Houston rapper and childhood friend Paul Wall.
He was signed to Universal Records in 2005 and released The Sound of Revenge under Universal. It included hit singles “Turn It Up” featuring Lil’ Flip and the number-one, Grammy-winning hit “Ridin’” featuring Krayzie Bone of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.
Chamillionaire has won one Grammy award from two nominations in 2007 with his song “Ridin”.
* Cynthia Erivo
Cynthia Onyedinmanasu Chinasaokwu Erivo is an English actress, singer, and songwriter who was born on January 8, 1987. She is known for her performance as Celie in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple, for which she won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical, the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, and the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program, the latter two she shared with the rest of the cast. She won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 2017.
Cynthia is announced as part of the presenters in the 2020 Grammy award.
* Seal
Henry Olusegun Adeola Samuel, famously known as Seal, was born on February 19, 1963. Seal is a Nigerian-British musician, singer, and songwriter. He sold over 20 million records worldwide, with his first international hit song, “Crazy”, released in 1991.Seal’s most celebrated song, “Kiss from a Rose”, was released in 1994.He won the Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in1996.
* Sikiru Adepoju
Sikiru Adepoju is a Nigerian percussionist and recording artist, he is primarily in the genres of traditional African music and world music. He plays a variety of instruments and styles.
In 1985, Adepoju migrated to America to play with O. J. Ekemode’s Nigerian All-Stars, and three months later met Babatunde Olatunji who was a Nigerian drummer, educator, social activist, and recording artist.
Adepoju won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album at the 51st Grammy Awards in Los Angeles in 2009.
* Olalekan Babalola
Olalekan Babalola is a Nigerian jazz percussionist and musician, who was Born in Lagos State, in 1960. He began playing the conga at a young age, he has released seven albums and jointly won two Grammy Awards.
He won two Grammy Awards in 2006 and 2009.
* Kevin Olusola
Kevin Olusola is a Nigerian-American musician, who was born on October 5, 1988. Olusola is a beat boxer, cellist, rapper, record producer, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the beatboxer of the vocal band Pentatonix. After the group won NBC’s The Sing-Off in 2011, they released five albums, which all charted in the top 5 of the Billboard 200 charts, have sold over 2 million records, and have amassed more than two billion views on their YouTube channel.
Olusola’s musical group Pentatonix won the Grammy Award three different times, in 2015, 2016, 2017.
The introduction of reality shows in Nigeria has been one of the most entertaining and fast-rising pace for artists, media personalities, among others, who seek to showcase their talent and skills.
Reality shows have proven to be a great platforms that give you fame but you must have mental intelligence to be successful
Popular reality shows like Project Fame West Africa, Nigeria’s Got Talent, Gulder Ultimate Search, Big Brother Naija have served as platforms for Nigeria’s budding talents.
Africa Magic has several reality shows that capture different aspects of Naija culture with the biggest of them all arguably being the blockbuster Big Brother Naija.
Here are five reality stars who have launched their TV shows:
1. Laycon
Laycon
Big Brother Naija season 5 winner, Lekan Agbeleshe a.k.a Laycon, has begun thrilling his fans with an exciting show titled: “I Am Laycon”.
The show powered by Showmax was premiered in February and reveals his activities after emerging winner of the BBnaija show.
ShowMax is an online video streaming service similar to Netflix offered across Africa by MultiChoice the owners of DSTV and GoTV.
“I am Laycon,” which was shot in Nigeria, is Showmax’s first-ever Nigerian original series.
Millions of Laycon’s fans and Showmax subscribers in the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Australia, and 23 other countries were thrilled to have access to different sides of the sensational artist on screen.
2. Mercy and Ike
Mercy and Ike
Video vixen and actress, Mercy Eke was the winner of Big Brother Naija season 4.
She started a TV show with her BBNaija lover boy, Ike Onyema, immediately she left the house.
However, in late 2020, both parties came out to officially announce their breakup.
3. Tonto Dikeh
Tonto Dikeh
You may not know this but the popular Tonto Dikeh is a product of a reality show.
She was among the contestants in a show called “The Next Movie Star” dated 2005.
Dikeh has her own show titled “King Tonto”.
Meanwhile, her estranged husband, Olakunle Churchill who recently had a baby boy with his former PA, Rosy Meurer, kicked against the casting of their son in the project.
4 Ebuka Obi-Uchendu
Ebuka Obi-Uchendu
Popular BBNaija Host, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu has unveiled his legal theme TV show ‘Judging Matters’.
The trained lawyer, who turned an award-winning media personality, recently shared photos to unveil the show.
The show showcases real courtroom cases with all the drama attached to the Nigerian real life experiences.
Ebuka is known for his trendy style and fashion was a housemate in the first season of the Big Brother Naija reality show.
Although he finished in the eighth position, he is one of the most successful products of the reality show.
The media personality from Anambra State is popularly known for hosting the reality show Big Brother Naija, the long running Rubbin’ Minds talk show on Channels TV as well as co-hosting The Spot and Men’s Corner on Ebonylife Television.
5. Mike Edwards and Perri
Mike Edwards and Perri
Former Big Brother Naija housemate, Mike Edwards and his wife, Perri are set to launch a reality TV series on MTV UK and BET Digital tagged “Celebrity Bumps”.
The couple shared the big announcement on their joint YouTube channel.
Fans can finally get to see how the couple was able to prepare for the arrival of their little bundle of joy and the challenges encountered along the line.
These female tech leaders have become faces of change in the industry, trying to rule out sexism from within and encouraging higher visibility and responsibility for everyone.
Such prominent and powerful women innovators continue to build and invest in future technologies and have set an example for others.
Here are the 10 dynamic women leaders as recognised by Coven Works in her efforts to celebrate #IWD.
The list is in no particular order:
Seun Runsewe
Seun Runsewe
She is the Vice President of Growth at Softcom where she is leading efforts to deliver growth to entrepreneurs through their digital bank, Eyowo. Prior to Softcom, she was the Director of Product at Opera-backed payments startup OPay. OPay has raised ~USD170m in funding in the last year and has over 300,000 agents in Nigeria — the largest agent network in the country — who process over $2 bn in monthly transactions.
Prior to OPay, she built and beta-launched Switch by Sterling Bank, a multi-currency digital bank with integrations to interest savings, health insurance products for the Nigerian middle class and Nigerians in the Diaspora to address multiple financial needs in one place, making her the youngest banking CEO in Africa at the time. Before building Switch, she was an early member and the Business Lead at Paystack, a Y-Combinator backed online payments company that got acquired by Stripe for $200m.
Temitope Omotolani
Temitope Omotolani
Temitope Omotolani is the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Crowdyvest, an impact-driven tech company that creates financial solutions for a community of individuals and organizations that are committed to long-term growth and financial freedom in alignment with the 17 SDGs.
The main focus of Crowdyvest is to provide all-in-one financial solutions for individuals and businesses to achieve short or long-term goals while facilitating impactful growth in line with the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Tope was listed as one of the top female founders in Africa who raised $2.5 million for the Nigerian agric-tech startup Farmcrowdy.
Damilola Solesi
Damilola Solesi
Damilola Solesi is the CEO and creative director at SMIDS animation studios, a company she founded in 2010.
SMIDS animation studios is one of the leading animation companies in Africa and also rated by the PWC (Price Water Coopers) industry report 2019 as being in the top 2 animation companies in Nigeria.
They have handled several 3D animation projects for several clients and are busy working on children’s content for TV and the web. Their first TV series ‘The Makerbolts’ was a finalist at this year’s Annecy (the largest animation festival in the world) ‘Animation du Monde’. After qualifying through the regional and continental stages, one of their top projects is the BOXED series now showing on YouTube. Dami is also selected as a Juror for the 2020 International Emmy Awards by the prestigious International Academy of Television, Arts & Sciences.
Dami’s work in leading and managing the day-to-day strategic and operations of the business has been critical to the success of SMIDS.
Ire Aderinokun
Ire Aderinokun
Ire Aderinokun is a self-taught Frontend Developer and User Interface Designer from Lagos, Nigeria.
She is the co-founder, COO and VP Engineering of Buycoins (YC S2018), a cryptocurrency exchange for Africa and previously worked with eyeo, the company behind products like Adblock Plus and Flattr Plus, building open source software to make a better internet.
Ire is a Google Expert, specialising in the core frontend technologies HTML, CSS and Javascript, but is passionate about all aspects of technology.
She has written over 100 articles on these topics on her blog, bitsofco.de and regularly shares her knowledge through speaking at conferences around Africa and the world.
Ife Durosinmi-Etti
Ife Durosinmi-Etti
Ifedayo Durosinmi – Etti is an author, entrepreneur and young global leader with over 10 years of management and leadership experience working in the fashion, marketing and manufacturing Industries. She holds a first degree in Biochemistry and an MBA in Global Business.
Prior to moving back to Nigeria in 2012, she worked with Arcadia Group Plc, a British multinational retailing company headquartered in London and Aspire Acquisitions. She later joined Nigerian Breweries (Heineken Operating Company in Nigeria) as a Young African Talent (YAT) and transitioned to their Corporate Communications Department as Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Support Manager where she successfully managed various corporate social responsibility and sustainability projects. Ifedayo is also an associate member of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON).
She is the Managing Partner for AGS Tribe, a social enterprise created to democratise opportunities for entrepreneurs and non- profits in Africa. It is also a platform that brings female entrepreneurs together to form cross boarder relationships with the aim of transforming Africa.
She is very passionate about women and youth contributing to national development and has been able to empower female entrepreneurs through the AGS Enterprise Challenge, a program that empowers female entrepreneurs through funding, mentorship and training amongst other projects. Recently, she launched a $1,000,000 women empowerment fund to fund female businesses in Nigeria.
Confidence Staveley
Confidence Staveley
Confidence Staveley is a Cybersecurity Professional, Cybersecurity Awareness Advocate, Global Shaper, Author and Entrepreneur with over a decade’s worth of experience in technology.
Her wealth of experience garnered across diverse sectors including Consulting, Education, Banking and Government, has distinguished her as a leading female voice in the African technological space. Confidence is a top 50 women in Cybersecurity Africa 2020 finalist, Young CISO of the Year Award 2021 Nominee, BBC Biz 100 expert, and an external faculty of The FINTECH Institute (Lagos| London| Toronto), an acknowledgment of her professionalism, influence, and expertise within the African tech ecosystem.
She contributes to social responsibility through CyberSafe Foundation; its flagship initiative #NoGoFallMaga, is combating digital fraud perpetrated through social engineering, by delivering simple, relatable cybersecurity education across Nigeria and beyond. She’s also authored Africa’s first storified cybersecurity awareness book, NoGoFallMaga-The Handbook. Cybersafe Foundation also recently became a cybersecurity partner of the UK Government in Nigeria.
Damilola Olokesus
Damilola Olokesus
Damilola is the Co-founder and CEO of a Transport & Tech Company called Shuttlers, a startup currently revolutionizing the way professionals and organisations commute in Lagos metropolis. She has a Bachelors’ Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Lagos with experience in Process Engineering and Investment Management. Damilola’s passion to solve social and economic problems in her community birthed Shuttlers.
Shuttlers platform enables professionals and organizations to share rides incorporate buses to and from work. With Shuttlers, users book trips along fixed-routes at 60-80 percent lower fees than ride-hailing services and without surge or peak pricings which is the first of its kind in Nigeria. This solution is contributing to a decline in the menace of traffic in Lagos as young professionals can now join comfortable air-conditioned buses with other professionals.
Raquel Kasham Daniel
Raquel Kasham Daniel
Raquel Kasham Daniel is a community mobiliser, social entrepreneur and educator working in low-income communities in Nigeria focusing on education for children and sexual & reproductive health for adolescent girls through Beyond the Classroom Foundation.
She is also the co-founder of Nzuriaiki.com, a transformational web platform that helps nonprofits organizations showcase their volunteer opportunities in Nigeria. Nzuriaiki.com provides an opportunity for people to improve their skills through volunteering for a project contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals while helping organizations to grow larger pools of supporters.
In 2015, she joined the Lagos Global Shaper of the World Economic and received the LEAP Africa Social Innovator Program fellowship. She is a Climate Reality Leader, a Walter Carrington Fellow and a two-time Mentor of the Queen’s Young Leaders Program.
Raquel has received several awards, including the 2021 Luther King Heroes Award, the 2019 Young Achievers Award, the 2016 Honour Nigeria Community Development Award, and the 2014 La Roche Exemplary Leadership Award.
Tosin Faniro-Dada
Tosin Faniro-Dada
Tosin Faniro-Dada is the Managing Director & CEO of Endeavor in Nigeria. Tosin is passionate about supporting entrepreneurs and helping them scale, not just for the immediate impact this has on their organization but more for the multiplier effect, this confers on the larger society and economy. She has worked with entrepreneurs in various life-cycle stages, supporting them with interventions and resources to help them thrive.
A Certified Public Accountant licensed in Massachusetts USA, Tosin graduated Summa Cum Laude (highest honors) with a B.sc in Accounting from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, and an M.sc in Accounting from Boston College. She is participating in an Advanced Management and Advanced Leadership program at INSEAD.
Tosin was the Director, Programmes & Coordination, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) where she led the fund’s intervention programs; providing access to finance to MSMEs, facilitating training and job placements for young people, and supporting entrepreneurs in Lagos State, under the Lagos Innovates program.
Sefunmi Fadahunsi
Sefunmi Fadahunsi
Sefunmi is a Management Consultant, Project Management Professional and CSR professional with vast Multi-Industry knowledge, Africa Wide She currently serves as the Country Programme Manager, Oracle Academy Sub-Sahara Africa; executing strategic initiatives and Government relations around Education & Technology.
She holds a B.A in Linguistics from Obafemi Awolowo University and a couple of certifications in Project Management, Social Enterprise, Operations Management & Sustainability.
Outside of her current work, Sefunmi’s passion for Community Development and Capacity Building evolve around her volunteering hours for mentoring sessions, speaking engagements and workshops. She is also an EduTech Advocate.
Sikiru Adepoju is a Nigerian percussionist and recording artist, he is primarily in the genres of traditional African music and world music. He plays a variety of instruments and styles.
Olalekan Babalola is a Nigerian jazz percussionist and musician, who was Born in Lagos State, in 1960. He began playing the conga at a young age, he has released seven albums and jointly won two Grammy Awards.
Kevin Olusola is a Nigerian-American musician, who was born on October 5, 1988. Olusola is a beat boxer, cellist, rapper, record producer, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the beatboxer of the vocal band Pentatonix. After the group won NBC’s The Sing-Off in 2011, they released five albums, which all charted in the top 5 of the Billboard 200 charts, have sold over 2 million records, and have amassed more than two billion views on their YouTube channel.
