Category: Sunday magazine

Aside insurgency and its attending violence, displacement and hunger, a major ill bedeviling communities in Northeast of Nigeria is forced child marriage. Fortunately, this is one major area intense activities of Civil Society Organisations are beginning to record significant success amongst others. Gboyega Alaka who beamed searchlight on their activities in the region, reports.

Until very recently, forced child marriage or marriage of under-age children against their wish was commonplace and a norm in Damara community in Pulka, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State and environs. Parents literally married their girl children off to men of their choice, irrespective of the age difference or whether the young girls have any iota of feeling or affection for the man.

In most cases, it was about what the parents could benefit, directly or indirectly from the man. As a result, young girls have been known to attempt running away or facing a bleak future of loveless marriage. Often, intercourse in such marriages take various shapes of rape upon rape, as the unwilling girls scarcely give their body willingly.  And that is not leaving out other gender-based violence (GBV) such as physical abuse, verbal, even emotional abuse.

However, thanks to Borno Women Development Initiative (BOWDI), a Borno State based Civil Society organisation, this seems to be a thing of the past.

According to Hajia Isa Yagana, wife of Alhaji Isa Yagana, a native of Bama, forced child marriage is fast becoming a thing of the past. According to her, they were made to see reasons, following series of workshops, meetings and enlightenment from members of the Borno Women Development Initiative, who came to the community to speak with them and make them see why such practices are against modern times and hence archaic and should be dropped.

“We are familiar with BOWDI. They worked with us for quite a while in our area. They were very concerned about issues that affect young girls. They made us see reasons why we should protect them from abuse. They also told us to stop girl child marriage or forced marriage of our young girls. They said we should rather allow them to go to school, as that would empower them,” Hajia Yagana said.

“Of course we saw reason with them and took a decision to stop marrying our young underage girls out or marrying them off against their wish.

“They also gave us money, food stuff and seedlings. They move from one place to another. Our community is Bama, but they have also been to Konduga.”

Another member of the community and beneficiary of BOWDI’s activities, Peter Dawa of Bulama Damara, said, “Due to BOWDI’s activities in our community, more of our girls now go to school. Also, we have decided not to force our young girls into marriage anymore. They made us see the wrong sides and the whole community took a decision to drop the habit.”

Both respondents spoke on phone in Hausa.

Executive Director, BOWDI, Umar Grema, said the Damara feat stands out as one of their very significant achievements.

“We went in there, sensitised the people on the inappropriateness and ills of forced or child marriage; we paid advocacy visits; and in the end, the people in the community were enlightened, and they stood up to say, “Okay, from this day, we declare our community to be free from child marriage. I think this is one of our very remarkable achievements. So, we are looking to replicate it in other surrounding communities – because there are several other communities still steeped in the practice. However, this depends on partnership and donor funding.”

Expatiating further on the activities of the organisation, Grema said, BOWDI’s objective is to educate, enlighten and train girls and women, and also expose them to social environment as developing society.

“The fact that we are in the far North (of Nigeria) where these women are being denied their rights, meant we had to create awareness in them and the girls. We educate the girl child on health issues and equip them with skills. We also sensitise them on Gender-based Violence (GBV) threats. We were also able to expand to other activities like peace building. Because the women are more in population, we kind of believe that for us to have a more peaceful environment, we need to engage them in peace building activities. We also do advocacy. We have over the years done food security; we engage in distribution of food items in about four local governments in Borno State. We also distributed food supplements to pregnant and lactating mothers, and to children under the age of two.”

Some of the communities where they have extended food support to the people, include: Konduga, Moshomari Kura, Moshumari Gana, Galtimari, Shiluwari, Kijimatari, Kafaruwa, Mainari, Sabongari 1, Yandandari Gana, Mandrari 1, IDP camp, Sabon Gari 2,  Yandandari Kura, Low-cost, Mandrari 2, and Duwari.

Grema said they implemented the food and nutrition projects in these communities from2018 to 2020 and later moved to Dalori  1 and Dalori 2 IDP camps in 2021 to terminate in December.

He stated that BOWDI also runs safe spaces in Adamawa and Borno States. “We have about five locations in Adamawa State and six locations in Borno State. We sensitise them on GBV issues and provide them with psycho-social support. Our women and girls safe spaces have these skills acquisition component, where women are equipped with skills.”

Most of BOWDI’s activities, he said, are inspired by the fact that they operate in places with displaced communities

“We have heard serious cases of GVB being reported within those communities and other extremely hard-to-reach communities. However, I would say that due to our activities, it has subsided to some extent.”

Reviving culture, fostering peace

Another CSO making its impact felt tremendously in Borno State is Smiling Hearts Initiative (SHI).

According to SHI’s Project Manager, Framni Babayo, Smiling Hearts Initiatives International is a humanitarian non-government, non-profit organisation founded in Borno State, Nigeria, which started operation in Nigeria in 2016 as Zumunchi Hearts Initiatives International before officially registering under its current name in 2018.

The organisation’s principal mission is to deliver services to humanity in all areas of the world without sentiment of any kind, while its vision is to create a society where the least in the society have access to social amenities, facilities and fair protection as citizens, even in emergencies (working with refugees and in IDP camps).

The organisation has implemented several projects in Song, Mubi North and South, Girei, Damboa, Shani, Biu, Hawul, KwayaKusar, Potiskum, Gaidam, Yunusari, Gashua, and Jakusko, Damaraturu Jere, Kaga, MMC, Monguno in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States funded by IOM, NHF, FAO and Self- Fund.

“All these projects,” according to Babayo, “were implemented within the context of the Nigerian North East Humanitarian Crisis.”

According to Aisha Abubakar, who partnered with the organisation in one of its numerous activities in the region, said the organisation, along with her own CSO, Engagement for Better Citizens Initiatives (EBCI) undertook a major project in Culture Healing, which she described as very timely and impactful.

Abubakar, who is currently studying for her PhD in Peace Studies, said she was glad to join up with SHI for that project, since they had the fund and she didn’t.

“I suggested Culture Healing because I have a background in Peace Studies. I thought going by the insurgency that had ravaged the region, something about helping the people rediscover their culture would go a long way.

“With the insurgency and the accompanying displacement of the people from their original communities, people, especially the young ones had lost touch with their culture, and some were actually running away from their culture. Some who were born  within the time of the insurgency didn’t even know what their culture was. But of course, culture is your identity. The more we do away with it, the danger for us. So we organised a day training or workshop, where we invited people from the 15 wards of the LGA. During the training, we had a kind of drama on peace building, and lectures. How do we interact? How do we promote and advocate for our culture? Here in Borno, there is this inferiority and superiority complex. We had to make them understand and admit that even if I am Babur, I cannot change that fact and I have to work with my neighbour who is Shuwa or Kanuri. The Shuwa feels that they are superior because of their complexion and beauty but they cannot do with me coming from Northern Borno or Southern Borno. So it’s all about promoting cultural heritage of the people. The programme also went a long way in promoting peace in the region.”

Abubakar, who is based in Maiduguri, testified that the programme impacted positively on the people. A lot of people began to have a rethink and a redirection. You see a young man from Northern Borno whose trousers is sagged, his hairstyle is rubbish and he practically does not know the implication of what he is doing. He doesn’t realise that this is somebody else’s culture he is pushing. Oh yes, we need to interact with other people but our culture should be held supreme.

“So with this kind of programme, they began to say, ‘Okay, we need to accommodate each other.’ But if you don’t promote your culture, who will? And it really went a long way because  the Kanuri girls we brought to the programme who were so shy and couldn’t say a word, especially on the first day, suddenly became courageous on the second day and started speaking up and saying, “Yes, we are Kanuri, a lot of people thought we cannot do it, but we’d do it this time around.”

Asked to testify if she witnessed SHI execute any other projects, especially in the area of food security, Abubakar said, ‘I honestly don’t know.”

But Ochei Sunday does.

Aside testifying to SHI’s role in the mission to foster peace in the Northeast region, Sunday, who is based in Maiduguri township and is one of the about 50 CBOs (Community Based Organisations) trained by Smiling Hearts Initiative, said, “Smiling Hearths Initiative has been carrying out food security activities in the area with the support of the FAO (Food And Agricultural Organisation). They gave out seedlings and fresh food vouchers, which the people used to collect food items from designated food vendors.”

In the area of promoting peace, Sunday said, “One of the major activities they carried out here in Borno was on how to sensitise each community leader – whether Muslim, Christian or traditional rulers on creating awareness on peace building. They facilitated a peaceful gathering, where the people were imparted with peace messages and at the end of the day, everybody was happy. They also facilitated a kind of peaceful gathering between the Christians and Muslims during the Ramadan fasting, where they had dinner together – all in a bid to promote peace within the society.”

Additionally, SHI also extended its activities to secondary schools, where its officers preached the importance of peace to the young people.

“We also encouraged them to form Peace Clubs within the schools and appointed Peace Ambassadors amongst them. You would begin to appreciate what we’ve done here if you consider the fact that in most of these communities, most of the young people don’t really know what peace looks like, having been born into the insurgency.”

The outcome of this whole effort, according to Sunday, is that there is less suspicion among the people and less likelihood of violent conflicts.

Relief Response Mission battling hunger

Another CSO contributing to the fostering of peace and helping to battle hunger in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, Northeast Nigeria, is Relief Rescue Mission.

Ibrahim Filimon, who spoke on behalf of the organisation, said its thematic focus include livelihood, food security, area of nutrition, general protection, child protection, as well as WASH – Water-Hygiene and Sanitation and Mental health and education.

At the moment, he said the organisation’s targets are people or host communities of people that are disabled and most vulnerable people who are in need.

“We give them food and nutritional foods such as sorghum, millet, vegetable oil, salt, beans and super cereal for sustenance. Between January and December of 2021, we have been able to feed 78,000 beneficiaries for food security and nutrition. For children, we have been able to feed about 6,000; and for pregnant and lactating mothers, we have been able to feed about 4000.”

Filimon, however, said beneficiaries have to fall under the vulnerability criteria.

So far, the organisation has carried out interventions in Magumeri LGA, which comprises about 12 wards and several communities such as Chinguwa, Furma, , Magumeri and Kareram.

“These are mostly victims of the insurgency whose communities have been ravaged, displaced and are just coming back to pick up the pieces of their lives. We also take our interventions to IDP camps and to townships of their LGAs where they are taking refuge under security watch.”

For funding, Filimon said, “We get funding from the United Nations agencies or the International body of humanitarian organisation.”

•This report is supported by Agents for Citizen-driven Transformation (ACT) and the British Council

The Whole Bible Believer Church, popularly known as Ondo Church, was a relatively unknown church until last week when about 77 members kept in its basement were forcibly removed by security agents. The 77 members, including 23 kids and 54 male and female teenagers and adults, were in the basement awaiting purported second coming of Jesus Christ in September.

It was a chaotic situation as the church members resisted the move by a combined team of Amotekun operatives, policemen and vigilance group to remove them.

With the demise of the original founder of the church, events had taken a different turn as a new head, Pastor David Anifowose, took over. The teachings of the new head focused on rapture (the second coming of Jesus Christ) and the need for children and youths to defer to their spiritual fathers rather than their biological ones.

Many members of the church who sensed danger in the new order had left the church, but many of their wives and children had already been indoctrinated. Hence they opted to abandon their husbands and fathers in preference for the teachings of the church and its leader. Many of the youths abandoned their education.

The efforts made by some parents to withdraw their children from the church were said to have been rebuffed by the pastor and his assistants while several interventions made by the police in that respect also came to naught. Some husbands were said to have been beaten for daring to ask their wives to leave the church. Many parents who attempted to stop their children and wives from attending the church have sordid tales to tell.

For instance, a former member of the church, Oluwaferanmi Kehinde Aderonke, revealed that her children abandoned their studies to stick to the church.

She said: “It was just a few years ago that things changed as the pastors in charge of the church brought some new doctrines. Some men who disagreed with the new ways of the church abandoned their wives and left while the wives and their children opted to stay with the church.

“My daughter stays in Ibadan, but they said I should tell the girl to come and serve God here in Ondo to the point that they did not allow her to finish her HND programme in Ibadan. She abandoned her education and came to Ondo.

“The church later said that there is a deity in my family and that I should go to my family house to do some spiritual things in order to destroy the deity. We felt that it was God that said so, not knowing that it was a lie.

“The reason why I finally left the church was that my 15-year-old girl, Rhoda Oluwaferanmi, said she would not go to school again. She claimed to have had a vision that she should not go to school again. For almost one month, she did not go to school.

“One day, Pastor Peter told my girl that she should listen to what God had told her. I frowned at it and said that I would not tolerate that at all. I also came to the conclusion that their visions in that church were fake.

“I stopped going to the church, but my children were still attending. Then suddenly, these children started disobeying me at home. If I cooked food for them, they would not eat it.

“I was fed up to the extent that I went to the police station to report. The police invited the pastor that he should sign an undertaken that he would release the girl for her to further her education. After so many issues, we eventually landed in court on the matter.

“I went to the pastor again to complain that what they were preaching in the church was destroying my home, but since then, my children stopped listening to me.

“The founder of the church is dead and things changed when new pastors took over the administration of the church. They started preaching that rapture would soon come and whoever did not attend the church would not go to heaven. They even said that no child in the church should take immunization, that it is a sign of Satan.”

 

How the bubble burst

Mrs. Elizabeth Reuben whose four children were indoctrinated by the church said the pastor surrounded himself with the book of Eden and other contraband documents.

“The pastor was the main problem of the church. He is surrounded by people he has brainwashed like he did to my children. He did not cater well for those he camped in the church. He made it a law that they must not eat any processed food,” she said.

She said she left the church when she became uncomfortable with its doctrines. She said the teachings of the pastor made the children not to believe in their parents but him alone.

Mrs Reuben added: “My problem started when I stopped attending “Ondo Church” about two months ago because of the dangerous doctrines that I noticed were practised in the church.

“The sermons of the pastor were the cause of the problem. He made sure that the bonds between children and their parents were broken.

“Parents are rendered useless by him and children are taught not to reckon with their parents. What they were preaching and practising in the church is against the word of God. So, I asked my children to stop attending the church too but they refused.

“When I realised that they were determined to keep going to the church, I went to the Civil Defense office at Sabo to ask for help.

“They were able to help counsel my children about the dangers of going to the church. My children promised that they would stop going to the church and even wrote undertakings, which made me happy.

“We went back to our house and everything was normal for a few days. To my surprise, on Monday, June 22, 2022, I returned from work to find that my children had gone back to the church.

“I called my daughter’s phone but she did not pick the call. She later called to tell me that they had gone back to the church and would be spending the next seven days there. I knew very well that once they are inside that church, nobody can get them out and they will not be allowed to go to school.

“That was how Gideon was forced to stay in the church when he was supposed to write his Mathematics examination because they told him that God did not want him to write the examination.

“I went back to the Civil Defence office and reported what had happened. A letter was drafted to explain to the church why my children should be released to me.

“The Civil Defence officers took the letter there but they were not allowed into the church. They knocked the gate for a long time but they were not allowed in and had to leave.

“The officers went back there again but they were still not allowed in. So, they pasted the letter on the gate of the church on Wednesday.

“On Thursday, my husband and his siblings went to the church but they were not allowed in. So, I went back to the Civil Defence office to inform them that I would be going to the church to get my children.

“They advised me not to go to the church for my own safety but I did not listen. I did not want what happened to Gideon with his Mathematics examination to repeat itself with Blessing in her Common Entrance examination.

“On my way to the church, I stopped at Fagun Police Station to inform them about my mission to Ondo Church to get my children.

“When I got to the church, I started begging them to open the gate for me. I saw brother “Ayenbo” through the fence and begged him to at least release my daughter who was to write the Common Entrance examination.

“He had called me on Tuesday and told me to leave my children for God. He even promised to return the money I paid for the Common Entrance to me just to leave my children in the church but I refused. So, he just stood there and did not respond to my request.

“So, I went to a nearby house and took a stool which I took to a side of the church. With it, I was able to jump over the fence into the church.

“A member of the church named George came to where I was and started beating me. Other members of the church like Stephen, Precious and Clement joined George to beat me up.

“Stephen then asked them how I got into the church and they told him that I jumped over the fence. They beat me till I was tired, threw me out over the fence and I landed in another compound. The people in that compound came out to help me.

“I was injured in the neck and other parts of my body. It was God who did not allow me to die right there.

“I called my family members to tell them what had happened and went back home that day to take care of myself.

“The next morning, a woman I had known for some time sent for me. She told me that she would be taking me to the CAN Chairman to report the issue. So, I was taken to the CAN chairman’s office and that was how the journey began.

“The chairman was worried that such a thing was happening in the community and promised to help me get my children. He immediately sent some people to accompany me to the church to get the children but they still did not open the gate for us.

“We went back to the church and continue knocking the gate but they did not open it for us despite the presence of the police.

“One of the human rights defenders who accompanied us jumped into the church and was immediately attacked by George. Other members of the church soon joined him as they beat up the human rights defender. They then threw the man against the fence, leading to the collapse of a part of the fence and the man fell outside. One of the police officers who accompanied us was wounded in the process.

“Police officers were mobilised to the church. But despite the presence of the police officers and other groups around the church, the members continued with their programme. They did not show any remorse for their actions.

“When the DPO arrived, he ordered the police to go into the church and they did that with the other mobilised groups. My elder brother joined us in searching for my children.

“Members of the church violently resisted the attempt by the police and other groups to enter into the building.

“When I saw my children, I called them to come to me but they told me that they would follow their people. As I was dragging them, one of them bit me while the other who was defending himself with a chair hit me on my forehead with the chair. I was beaten up by members of the church.

“At the end of the day, the police were able to arrest the members of the church. They also arrested the pastor and his wife. My children were taken to the station by the police together with the other children and adults rescued from the church.

“In Akure, my children refused to follow me home. I had to beg people to help me catch my son when he tried to escape. This also happened to other parents who came to pick their children in Akure. We had to bring them home by force.”

Engr. Omoseebi James Oluwole, whose child was among those detained, said he was still in shock. Oluwole stated that his son, a student of Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) claimed that God called him and told him to leave his parents.

He said: “Around February last year, during the COVID 19 lockdown, we didn’t see him at home. I called my brother and he said I should come to Akure. I started suspecting that something was wrong.

“I went to his school and called his school guardian and our search for Moses Ayobami led us to Ondo town.

“When we got there, we saw the man who called himself the General Overseer, Pastor Anifowose. We told him we were looking for my son who was supposed to be in school in Akure. He said he was helping my son.

“He was violent together with one of his sons. They wanted to beat us. We later took our son home.

“When we got to Ilorin, he went back to school and we told him not to go back to the church. During last Christmas, my son said he was going to Ondo to attend a prophetic service. I said he should not go.

“When my daughter was about to wed in April, I called my son, he said he had to obey his spiritual father more than his own biological father. He said God had called him just like He called Abraham in the bible. He said God had told him to leave his parents like Abraham did.

“He said I worship idols in Deeper Life. He is in 400 Level and one of the most brilliant students, but this pastor told them not to go to any school again or do any work. I want to take him back home.

A teacher, Olaniyan Patrick, said his pregnant wife refused to leave the church when he left alongside three of his children. He said the wife gave birth in the church and refused to return home. He said that all the entreaties he made, including involving the police, failed. He said the wife’s parents went to the church but were driven away.

“I have not seen my wife and my four-month-old baby since then. She said she was going to follow the lord and not her parents or husband,” he said.

 

 

Neighbourhood residents rejoice

Residents of the neighbourhood said they were happy that the authorities have sealed the church. They said the church was notorious for warding off strange faces from its premises.

The Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ondo West Local Government Chapter, Rev Sunday Olowoniyi, described the incident as one of the challenges faced from churches not registered under any of the body’s five blocs.

At the Ondo State Police Command Headquarters where the supposed victims were taken to, it was a dramatic situation as the children and youths refused to follow their parents’ homes. What shocked the police officers the most was that they also refused to eat any of the foods offered them. Even after they were released, they refused to go home in solidarity with their detained pastor.

Olasunkami Olafisoye, who claimed to be a graduate from Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife, said she joined the church because her parents were not doing the will of God.

She said: “My parents are not in that church. When we left our former church, they usually stayed at home, and before then, I was not comfortable with the Bible teaching of their church.

“I later decided to join this church because my parents were leading me away from God and I want to make heaven. I love the way the church follows Jesus and the way they hold on to Christ.

“I disowned my parents because they are leading me away from Jesus and I found the way to heaven from this church. I cannot because of the parents leading me away from God and obey them.”

Ondo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr Bunmi Osadahun, said the children were already hardened from the manner they spoke during interaction with them.

According to her, “the way they are speaking showed they have been hypnotised. They are speaking boldly. They are speaking with confidence that God will soon come. They had not eaten for seven days and they are ready to do more fasting.

“They said they only eat fruits. They said the basement was a camp. What we are witnessing from the interviews indicated that the children are already hardened. They are ready for any interview.

“We have found out that the pastor who does not believe in education has two children who are graduates and are now members of the church.

“Some of the parents said their children refused to take immunization. The children said it is evil for them to be immunised. We want to have correct information about what is happening; the database of the children and how these children became hypnotised.

“Some of the children need to be taken for rehabilitation.”

An Assistant pastor of the church, Pastor Peter Josiah, said they only taught pure Bible in the church.

“I teach them what the Bible says about the second coming of Jesus Christ. The prophesies that are being fulfilled at this time show that the rapture is close. I never even mentioned years to the church. I never taught them to run from their parents. I only teach them gospel. I only tell them to obey their parents in the Lord.”

Pastor Anifowose, who denied hypnotising or abducting the victims, said he only preached the undiluted words of God to members but not for the children to disobey or abandon their parents.

Adesola Adeyemi is an international supermodel. She rose from obscurity to become one of the first Nigerian models to work with world-renowned brands. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, she opens up on the relentless pursuit of her dreams, participating in modeling shows, working with agents and more.

What has been your experience on the international runway?

My experience on the international runway has been like a fantasy come true. I get very emotional, as it reminds me of when I used to model in Lagos, and I would say to myself: One day I will walk on the runway during New York fashion week.  And to be honest, being a model doesn’t guarantee you a free pass to walk in the international shows. It takes a lot of hard work, discipline, dedication, and mental care.

You get to cast with different casting directors, which is usually one of the most draining periods for models, as you become very conscious of your looks and body. Sometimes you get to face lots of rejection which can lead to you being insecure regardless of how beautiful or confident.

Take us into your world and how you were discovered by a model scout on campus?

I find it as a funny story. I was a first-year student at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) studying Accounting, and I had a funny way of dressing. I was always dressed in colors especially pink or purple, and would always wear high heels everywhere I go, because in my mind I was a model, even though I had no background exposure to modeling.

Prior to meeting this scout, I had come across people who pretended to be helping me get a modeling contract but I never stopped telling people my interest in modeling.

I was walking to the gate with my high heels from Makama hostel to the UNILAG gate one day, and then this guy stops me saying “are you a model?” And my response was “yes.” And he said, “what agency are you with?” and I responded “none, I am trying to find one.” And then he said he would introduce me to a modeling agent named Erigks. I was excited but at the same time nervous, as a young lady who didn’t want to fall prey to predators. I questioned him and decided to give a call to the agent who told me to come see him, and I remember going with a friend just to feel safe. When the agent saw me, he immediately said I should audition for the Nigeria’s Next Super Model. I wasn’t actually prepared, and didn’t know about the contest. Thankfully, I got selected, participated and was first runner-up in the competition.

Afterwards, my agent approached me to participate in Ghana Fashion Week. I did the shows and was awarded Best Model Ghana fashion week 2013.

My zeal for modeling increased but I was barely making money. In 2014, I contested in Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN), and represented Katsina state, unfortunately the pageant clashed with my 300 levels exam, which made me miss the MBGN camp. My little participation in the MBGN contest gave me the opportunity to meet a scout from Elite Model Look Nigeria, who encouraged me to participate in the competition.

Let’s talk about the designers and brands that you have worked with?

I have worked with a lot of designers and brands ranging from fashion, editorials, beauty brands and advertisements.

I have worked with amazing designers like Burberry, Pamela Roland, Nicole miller, Sherri Hill, Chiara Boni la petite, Christian Cowan, Am sale, Carolina Herera, Patbo, Alice and Olivia, and too many others to mention.

I have also worked with most beauty brands in the USA and abroad, including Loreal, Maybelline, Clea de peau, Kjaer Weis, Mac, Nars Cosmetics, Laurer Mercier, Shisheido, Bare Minerals, Glam Glow, and so many more.

I have also done major advertisements with major brands like Saks Fifth Avenue, Macys, TJ Maxx, Nautica and many more. It’s so much fun knowing you can work with a diverse range of clients rather than feeling like you are put in a box.

How did you get the big break and what are some of the lessons learnt on the job?

I would say my drive and dedication have played a major role, as most people see the glamorous side that models portray, but behind this glamour have been lots of tears and disappointments.

One thing I have learnt on the job is that what is meant for you will be for you. There is really no set way on getting a breakthrough. What works for others might not necessarily work of you. Always keep a positive outlook even when rejected.

I remember my first beauty campaign casting. There were hundreds of girls and I saw beautiful girls of different races, and it felt like I didn’t even stand a chance. But I was able to win the casting directors over because of my positive approach and how I sold myself. I was told to crack a joke and I made fun of myself about how I brought an Ankara gele to the casting, as I misunderstood the instruction of “bring a hair tie” to mean “a scarf head tie.” And when the models were told to show their hair tie, every one brought out hair bands and I got so confused and felt like I messed up. Instead of backing out, I made a joke about the situation, got people to laugh, and guess what? I booked my first beauty campaign.

You started Professional modeling in your mid-teens; let’s compare the experience when you started and now. What has changed?

A whole lot has changed. I feel more respected as a model now because I am in a society where it’s actually seen as a real job rather than then where I was in a society where models were not respected or were seen as immoral.

The income difference between then and now is quite significant. I remember my first beauty campaign. I finished within 15 minutes on set and was told I was done.  I was so scared and begged them asking if I did anything wrong, because in my mind if you are paying a decent amount of money, I expected to work for long hours. So when they said to me, “the job is done, your pictures are amazing, we don’t have to hold you here for so long after achieving what we want,” I was amazed.

Now, you are defending model’s rights, what inspired you to do this and what are some of the achievements?

Right from my teenage years, I have always been outspoken about model rights, and also spoke up for other young girls, because I had been a victim as well as watched other young girls fall victim. Especially as a young model who is actually modeling to make ends meet, you come across predators in the industry.

I am a very passionate person and never scared to speak up for what is right, regardless of the situation.

I have come a long way and have helped young girls better understand and stand for their rights. Now that I am based in the USA, I spoke up during a Black Lives Matter live event organized by One Management, exposing the prejudice going on against people of color in the industry. The industry is not really a glamorous one and has affected a lot of models’ mental health in different ways, which made me speak up about mental health in the fashion industry at the Cornell Fashion Collective, organized by Cornell University.

Tell us about the search for your biological mother, depression and now life as a mental health advocate?

This is a tough one for me.  I was hidden from my mum, so I didn’t grow up knowing who my mother was, which this took a toll on my mental health. But I was that child that even though I felt broken within me, I knew how to create a facade to cover my sadness. I was always jovial and kept it a secret.

I had always hoped that one day I would know who my mother was and this also pushed my drive in wanting to be in the showbiz that maybe one day she would hear of my name through a media outlet.

When I graduated university and was planning on ways to model abroad, I always thought to myself “is this how I have grown, can I decide to marry and have kids and still not know who my mother is?”

These thoughts would come to my mind sometimes, and would break me, causing me meltdowns, and I still wouldn’t tell people what was wrong.

One day I was at Alpha beach with some friends, and suddenly I became very emotional again, so I left my friends and decided to be alone by the water, they all thought I was weird, but I knew it was time to communicate with my creator.

I am a very spiritual person and love to bond with nature.

I got deep into my thoughts while connecting with the water and decided to use some spoken words – which is my strength. I remember it was December 24, and I said before the year runs out I want my mother revealed to me if not I will not believe in any supernatural being and would become an atheist. I knew the year would be over in few days but that was my challenge to my God.

And you know what? God listened and answered. Through a series of divinely-inspired events, I found my mother.

What are some of the challenges encountered?

My first entry into the United States in the process of scouting for agencies wasn’t a smooth one. I didn’t have the best experience with immigration officers at the airport. It was later that I realized I had probably been racially profiled. The officer who attended to me lied against me, saying I had stated that I came to America to work for some people – and this was not true, as I had never said anything along those lines.

How has working in the International scene influenced your career?

It has given me so much exposure, and the opportunity to work with international clients – clients with big names. Also making a reasonable income through my career to be able to afford a place for myself in the heart of Manhattan. It has also given me the opportunity to be able to fend for myself, and still pamper myself occasionally, while still being able to provide for families and other people.