From betrayals to victory - My rollercoster life lately

A lot has been going on of recent. I've had to deal with betrayal and disappointment from a staff, and this really shook me. Anyway, as life requires, I had to move on, and move on fast. This required immediate hiring of new staff, temporarily dropping out of the gym and facing business restructuring head on. This is still in the works, as it is a busy period for us at African Naturalistas

We have been preparing for several events at work, Beauty West Africa, Naijabrandchick, and Afro Hair and Culture Festival. For the past few weeks, we had been getting ready for Beauty West Africa. It was three-day exhibition of beauty brands all over the world at Landmark Events Centre.

I had the opportunity of exhibiting and speaking at one of the panel sessions. My own session was on "Developing Global Positioning for African/Ethnic Brands –How Do We Build Strategic Partnerships to fast track our Beauty Business?"

Mama, we made it! Lol.

With my fellow panelists

Introducing African Naturalistas on Day 1

With the Medplus and NAFDAC team

One of the major highlights for me was winning the SME Exhibitors award, organized by Lanre Olusola and Compass Global Consulting. I had been very exhausted the first night of the event, and wrote my pitch with sleepy eyes just as I was about to go to bed. I then took about twenty minutes the next morning to practice it before starting another vigorous day of exhibition, selling and speaking on my panel. I basically didn’t have time to prepare they way the typical me would prepare for any competition. That’s why I was very glad I won.

With The Catalyst himself, Lanre Olusola, Tokubo Chiedu of compass global, Femi Niyi of PTF orchid

The 4 SME Exhibitor winners (African Naturalistas, Afro by Nature, KL's Naturals, Bare Naturals)

All in all Beauty West Africa was a good event for me, and my eyes opened to so many things. I'm glad I was part of it.

Our stand at the event

I will be in Abuja in two weeks time for the Naijabrandchick tradefair. Where are my Abuja people? Please holla at me if you will be in Abuja on December 7, 2019, so we can hook up.

My Husband's name is... (Sisterhood of the World Bloggers)

Wow, I can’t remember when last I did a tag. I normally just dodge or hide. But Lola Oseni specifically called me out on this one, so I guess I have nowhere to run to. She nominated me for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers. And I am really honoured to be nominated. You can check out her blog here

Here are the rules
Thank the blogger who nominated you, linking back to their site;
Put the award logo on your blog;
Answer the ten questions sent to you;
Nominate five blogs;
Make up ten new questions for your nominees to answer.

Now, let’s see if I will rebel against some of these rules.

Done the first and second. Now to Lola’s ten questions

1. What is your biggest pet peeve?
I have so many, but I think it is indiscipline of any form. I just can’t stand undisciplined and unruly behaviour. Why jump queues or drive ‘smart’? Are the other people fools? Why go to an event or church, and not conduct yourself well? If the policy says don’t chew gum in the sanctuary, does it kill you as a teenager not to chew gum? Why step on the head of others to get ahead? As a civil servant, why keep people’s lives on hold just because they refused to bribe you?

2. What does your last text message say?
“SellerHQ by Konga: You have a new order: Order No:………”
But seriously, do people still send SMS these days? Only businesses do that.

3. Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and coke? Which do you prefer?
None. I don’t take soda, and try to avoid processed sugar as much as possible. Flat stomach is non-negotiable for me. Water is the way.

4. Make a confession about anything.
20 minutes later, I am still thinking of an answer to this question. I’m sorry but I have no confession to make, lol.

5. Name one item on your bucket list
My bucket.

6. If you were another person would you make friends with yourself?
I don’t think so, lol. I’m so different from everyone that it is mind-boggling. It is like the whole world goes south, and I just face north. And I can’t even be bothered, lol.

7. What is your secret weapon to lure the oppoiste sex, boyfriend, husband, potential?
If I reveal it, then it won’t be secret again, lol.

8. What do you want to know about the future?
Simple! My husband’s first name. It will reduce the suspence and work by 99.999%. Lol. The toasting will go like…

Toaster: Atilola, I want to marry you. I think you are the woman of my dreams.

Me: Is your name Iyanuoluwalandurode

Toaster: No.

Me: Sorry, you are not my husband because my husband's name is...

Case closed. No time wasting, or unnecessary prayer of “God, if this guy your will for me…”

9. What would you change about your experience in secondary school?
Kai. This one is hard o. Okay. I remember. I won’t have allowed a wicked senior force me into confessing to a theft I didn’t commit. You can read the whole story here.

10. Scary movies or happy endings?
Happy endings. The real world is already filled with a lot of scary things, and we need happy ending movies for some escape.

I nominate
Mobolaji Amusu
Berry Dakara
Okeoghene
Lifetitudes
Naija Single Girl

So for my questions to you, I want to believe my questions are very interesting, lol.
1. What is your biggest pet peeve?
2. Team Whatsapp or Team BBM?
3. Eat healthy, and watch what goes into your body? OR Life is too short, enjoy all the food while you can? Which of these two describes you best?
4. Make a confession about anything.
5. Do you think ladies with natural hair take the “team natural” thing too far?
6. Can you marry a man exactly like your father?
7. What is your opinion about premarital sex?
8. What supernatural power do you wish you had?
9. Tell us something you wish you hadn’t done in the past
10. Books or Movies?

Awards and Hankiddictions... The Entry game continues

Good day people. How was your weekend, hope cool? Mine was really nice. Apart from a little itch when OH lost his car keys late at night in Eko Hotel and we had to go in mine and did not find it until the next morning when we went to church, also at Eko Hotel, things went fine.

My company’s end of the year party was on Saturday, it was an old school affair. As some of you already know, I work for one of the world’s Big 4. You are allowed to speculate which one of them it is cos the day I mention it, that will be the day my blogging activities will end, as long as I am their staff. It is a matter of company policy cos the firm give’s opinion all over the world and I have to be seen as not giving opinions on social network. If by now, you still don’t have a clue, well, all I can say is wait till I am no more their staff.

Niways, guess who won the award of the most unusual and different staff on Saturday. Well, you guessed right... me. This is my second award at work this year. I talked about the first one in this post. Before you assume that i am one performer like that, let me quickly mention that none of these awards are work related. The one of July was the community service award of the year, while that of Saturday was because I am actually always different in everything, the way I make my hair, wear my heel, etc. They called this category the Lady gaga award, so you can imagine. Though I don’t like Lady gaga at all, I don’t even know any of her songs, I like the description of the category. In fact when nomination categories were sent out, I laughed silently, knowing that I was a number one culprit and no one could actually get this award but me. Most human beings are just too normal.



The Community service award. A sane pic of me at the background



Me in my elements

Me rocking the party, old school style

Leaving awards aside, I want to thank God from curing me from an addiction of 11 years. It might not sound serious but I can tell you that it wasn’t funny anymore. It is about handkerchiefs. Since year 2000, I couldn’t do without holding handkerchiefs. In fact, if I did not hold a handkerchief in, my palms will start shaking and sweating, eventually spreading to my face. It later got serious and handkerchiefs were no more enough. I graduated from hanky to face towel. I later realized in 2009 that people thought I did it for spiritual reasons but I had no knowledge of this until someone decided to ask me. Imagine my surprise... I guess it’s because they realized I couldn’t do without it.

OH complained about it when our relationship started getting serious so I decided to step it down to handkerchiefs again. The main issue was that I had to hold on to something, either a handkerchief, phone, etc. If I lost the hanky along the way, I looked for a tissue paper or saviette. One day, I looked at some of my pictures, every single one had an image of face towel or handkerchief in my palms. At this point, I knew the situation was beyond control. I desired to stop but could not.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me announce to you today that my hankiddiction has been cured. One day, I just realized I wasn’t holding it anymore, yet I wasn’t shaking and sweating. It started by me not having to hold it for several hours without even noticing and later I just stopped completely. This is what prayer can do, break 11 years of minor addictions. Thank God

As I said, the entry games continue. What do you want to read next?

1. A letter to undo- It is a letter about a girl who regrets the decisions she made writing a letter to her past, trying to tell her past what not to do. She is basically wishing the letter could automatically change her past

2. In my pocket- This involves short skits of drama eclipsed with a poem. It is about chief shokolokobangoshe and how he has all the sectors of Nigeria in his pocket, how he abuses power and uses it for his selfish needs. He is very boastful about this fact

3. Professor Greed- This is a poem about a man whose whole being has been consumed by greed since he was a child. He is basically asking greed to leave him alone but he is trapped.

So, which one do you want to read? Remember, the one with the highest vote gets published. Also, it will only be on my blog for a minimum of one month and a maximum of two months, before it finds it permanent place in the book.

P.S: No one got the answer to the question in my last post. I get to hold on to my gift and also I will keep the answer to myself.

One lovely blog award

 I have gotten three different awards/tags in the past four days. I just have to find a way to doing all of them in the order which I was tagged. The first is One lovely blog award, I was awarded this by The relentless builder. I want to thank you so much for the recognition

Here goes the rules


Link back to the person who gave you the award
Complete the form below
Tell seven random things about yourself
Nominate 15 bloggers


Name your favorite color

I don't have favourites. No favourite anything. Sorry

Name your favorite song

No favourite

Name your favorite dessert

No favourite

What pisses you off?

Shallow people and shallow discussions

When you are upset you

I hardly get angry but if that ever happens, I like to sleep. I feel better when I wake up

Your favorite pet

None, I don't do pets

 Black or white?

Black o, white gets dirty easily. The dust in Lagos is not fun at all

Your biggest fear

Fear of death. I know I shouldn't have this phobia cos I am a Christian. I guess I still have more work to do on myself

Everyday attitude

Achieve all I can achieve for the day. Maximise it to the fullest

Your best feature

My hips.

What is perfection?

Perfection is having a flawless relationship with God

Guilty pleasure

Thinking about the day I will get married and have the legally spiritual right to have sex. What will it be like? etc.. Please, don't yap me ooo

7 Random things about myself:

• I am 5'5 in height 
• I am a British size 6, American size 2
• I work three jobs. 
• I can listen to sermons from morning till night, I never get tired of hearing people preach
• I spend more money on my hair care than food or anything else. And I don't even use extensions. smh
• I enjoy watching cartoons. I don’t think I will ever outgrow them. 
• I have a strong personality, which can work against me at tmes

Tags

Please, let me twist it a bit. I tag the first 15 commenters, excluding me. Thanks a lot for reading


P.S: I don't like watching cartoons. It was a copy and paste error from the person that tagged me. Sorry, Relentless Builder. 
I kept wondering where cartoon comments came from till I checked the post again.

Sunshine Award

Yayyy, I was given the Sunshine Award by four lovely bloggers. Rhapsody, Naijamum, Ibhade and P.E.T Projects. They claim that my blog has brought sunshine to their lives. I really appreciate this from you guys. Thanks so much.

I am now supposed to tag ten other bloggers in this and inform them, I won't be tagging the four bloggers that tagged me for obvious reasons. Before I do this, I just want to let you all know that you have your blog posts have brought sunshine to my life. I have learnt so much from you all and I am now addicted to all your posts. I am officially in love... with blogsville. I really don't know why but I can hardly go a day without blogsville.

So here we go,

Kitkat- Addicted blogger that has gone on a little break. Lovely posts that remind me of my teenage days

Sisi Yemmie- OMG! Comedian Number 1. Blogsville won't be the same without you.

H: Best personal blog!

Maid of Heart: You inspire me so much, and you are a lovely writer

Le Dynamique Professor: My best motivational blog. One has no reason to fail after entering a mind like yours

Prism of an Immigrant: A bundle of raw talents, you are. Keep it coming

9jaFOODie: No wife has an excuse to fail in the kitchen if she follows you.

Naijalines: You have something I want, HER SON!

Unveiling Gold: I am still learning from your experiences.

Beautiful: You know I know you and I know your school. You better come back, else I'll fish you out.


Thank you all for bringing sunshine to my life

I am out

One Lovely Blog Award

As a response to the ‘One Lovely Blog Award’ kitkat awarded me this weekend, I am putting up this post.

The rules go thus

• Link back to the blogger who gave you this award
• Tell people seven facts about you they are not aware of
• Pass the award to fifteen recently discovered blogs that you like
• Notify the lucky chums of their awards

On to seven facts about me

 

1. I am a strong fan of Christian rock music. I love Christian rock music like mad. Their lyrics are very deep and this just does it for me. I can go all day with my ear phones on, listening to just that

 

2. I am scared of child birth. I think this is due to the fact that all my life, I have been hearing of the pains of child birth. I am sure I went through a more severe pain when I had a dental/jawbone surgery (without anaesthetics) 5 years ago. Truth is I hate physical pain, which makes me scared of child birth

 

3. I don’t have favourites. I don’t have ‘favourite anything’. No favourite colour, food, designer, music, cloth, etc. Therefore I am very easy to please

 

4. I hate shopping. Yeah, I hate shopping o. This is because I have problem making choices and I always like nothing and at the same time everything. Complicated, abi? I can spend hours in a boutique with money in my pocket and come back out handed. This reminds me of my 7day trip to Dubai. For the first 5 days, I was walking round the shops and just strolling, not interested in anything. It was on the sixth day I had to talk sense to myself. I wonder how it will be if I had gone back to Nigeria empty handed.

 

5. I am obsessed with my figure. Well, I know I have a great figure and I don’t want to lose it. I wonder how I will look after having kids. I will still want that flat stomach o. Married women, any advice?

 

6. I love trekking. I am very very very energetic and I love burning that energy. When I was in SSS3, I started going to one evening lesson near Unilag. Sometimes in the evening, my friend and I will trek all the way. She will stop at Bariga while I will keep trekking all the way to Gbagada (Deeper Life side). If you know Lagos well, you will understand that Unilag to Gbagada every night is not beans.

 

7. I love watching movies. I hated watching movies in the early stage of my life. But since 2007, that changed drastically, as a result of rolling with too much Engineering guys. Now, I love movies so much. It’s a pity I have not really had time to watch lots of movies this year.

 

Most of my blogger friends have been awarded, so I am opening up the award and passing it to any blogger that has not been awarded.

 

Hope you enjoyed the post

 

Stylish and Versatile Blogger Award- Set up

I was one of the people awarded the Stylish and Versatile Blogger by Myne Whitman, the much celebrated fiction writer. This especially comes as a surprise to me as I would only consider myself for the award of the 'Most unknown blogger in blogsville'. I never knew I was stylish and versatile o, thanks myne for the award, it has really gone a long way in encouraging me. But, this is a set up sha.

Here are the rules of the award:
1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.
2. Tell us 7 things about yourself.
3. Award 15 other bloggers.
4. Contact these bloggers and let them know that they have won.

Seven things about myself
1. I love my company, I like to be alone most times but people don't know this because I talk a lot in public
2. I am a very complicated person, if I were a course, no one will ever pass me
3. I have a very interesting mind, it is as of my mind has a mind of its own and I still don't understand how it works.
4. I have a phobia for travelling by road in Nigeria. When I was serving, I am the only one that used to stay awake all through the 12 hour Journey from Lagos to Benue because I was scared.
5. I am the most prudent person I have ever come across, I can save money out of 'nothing' and give you a fortune years later.
6. I have a very small stature, without makeup, I could pass for a 13 year old girl.

7. Because of my love for writing and snce I don't yet have plans to write any book, I became the Editor and Publisher of the only Neighbourhood Newsletter in Nigeria known as Gbagada Eye (Big achievement, lol)

Wow, the ordeal is over, it was not so bad after all.

Sisi Yemmie

Naijamum

Le Dynamique Professeur

betrayednaijawife

maid of heart

Jaycee

Writefreak

HoneyDame

2cute4u

doll

Rethots

Aloted

Fragilelooks

Goodnaijagirl

a-way with words