For all those we've lost to sickle cell anaemia

Today I got the news that an old schoolmate and family friend of mine passed on! We had been out of touch for years until she found me on twitter just last year and we've been in touch since then. We even discussed how I would visit Kano, specifically Daura village for her father's 70th birthday if we could get him to agree to a mini-party. Aisha was married with a daughter or two, I think and I was happy that she was doing very well, working with a bank despite her health challenge.

Davida was a fighter, spiritually and physically. She just went ahead and did whatever she wanted to do with all boldness. She had so much faith that she would live and one day get married and have kids. Sometimes she would get really sick and we would think "this is it" until she bounced back again. She came all the way to Ondo from Benin for my wedding, despite the fact that I said noooo, stop jumping up and down Bib, it's not good for your health. But that was Davida, she did just what she wanted, irrespective. She was such a loyal friend, more like a sister. She was in the middle of her masters at the University of Ife when the crisis that led to the end struck. Her last days in UCH Ibadan were painful and sad, she gave in because she was tired of the pain.

Sickle Cell!! Oh Sickle cell!!

They just left, with little or no warning.

Surely there must be a way...... a ray of light at the end of this tunnel. Too many lives have been cut short. Before the researchers find a way however, if you know your genotype is AS, please I beg you, let your love have eyes! Do not put another child through pain because of blind AS vs AS love, please...... Unless you choose not to have kids or have a solution. I have once been told that there is a way to detect the genotype in the early stages of pregnancy, I haven't met anyone who has done it though nor can I imagine that it would be easy.

For all those I remember who have been taken down by this menace, I light a candle for you on my page today, RIP

1. Wendy (primary 1, St. Paul's Nursery and Primary School) I was quite young but I still remember her empty chair, same with Gifty's
2. Gifty (primary 3, St. Paul's Nursery and Primary School)
3. Tunde Ketiku (Primary 5, St. Paul's Nursery and Primary School)
4. Wale ( SS3, Ikeja High School, Ikeja)
5. Irewale (Year one, Electrical Engineering Unilag) This minute we were jacking all night in class, next minute he's not there to pick up his books....
6. Folakemi Muslimat Sumola (VDT, Ikoyi)
7. Davida Orobor

and now 8..... Aisha Mohammed

Rest in peace guys!! You will be remembered......

Hposh Diaries.....

Hello fam!

It's been a while I came here.

First let me apologize for my absence.

I promise you I won't be far away anymore.

Life is in phases and each stage comes with it's own unique challenges.

Growing up, I had dreams, visions and goals I set out to achieve.

I had planned to write my best-selling book at 21 but I wasn't able to.

My dream was that at part 3 in the tertiary institution I would not have to call anyone at home to send me pocket money.

I sought out to be independent.

I'm yet to get there.

Overtime, I've come to learn a lot of lessons about life and about pursuing your dreams.

First is Do not lose focus!

When I launched my magazine, I had a 5 year plan that I'd focus all my energy, all my resources and creativity into it and see what comes out of it.

2 years down, I'm beginning to see laudable results.

I've been nominated two times as Most Enterprising male in 2 different awards.

The brand is growing bigger and people are identifying with our success.

More importantly, we have started making money which I believe we can make more.

I must confess to you that this year, I've been distracted.

My major distraction I must say have been girls.

The first and last time that I ventured into a relationship was in part 1, a year before I went into business.

This year, I decided to try new things.

I wanted to do what my peers were doing - dating.

I tried several attempts but have failed - reasons only known by whoever controls the universe.

Don't get me wrong, I've got lots of girls (friends) around me. But I wanted a committed relationship which I had never envisioned for myself. I came to discover that it's either I had been friendzoned or work-zoned.

Everyone said I was too engrossed with work.

The truth is I should mind my business and that is - building successful enterprises.

As a young entrepreneur, I've come to accept that isolation and success walk together. You can't be everywhere and achieve much. You need that solitude - to think, to create, to internalize your ideas and concepts, to make decisions and the likes. If you'd be a (young) leader or entrepreneur, you'd have to make lots of sacrifices - romantic relationships being one of them. You can't serve two masters.

Another lesson I have learnt is the essence of relationships

For most of us, we make it obvious that we are interested in people because of what they can offer us. The truth is, life doesn't work that way. You've got to earn peoples' trust. They know when you want to use them. The most important thing to them is themselves and if you don't care about them they won't give a damn about you or your product(s). Make it a task to make new friends everyday. Get interested in people and what they do. By so doing, you'd build healthy relationships and you won't have much to say when it's time for you to do business with them.

A note to guys:

You don't have to ask every you have feelings for out. Women are very powerful and they are God's greatest gift to mankind. Be friends with them and they'll be your most trusted friends and confidant. They are always there when everyone walks away. They always see the light at the of the tunnel. Despite knowing your selfish motives, they are patient enough to identify your good sides and leverage on it! I'm a witness. I wouldn't be here if I've never encountered these beautiful and wonderful beings.


There's much for me to share but I'll stop here for now and get a cup of coffee. (confirmed coffee junkie!)

Next week, I'll share my biggest ever business mistake with you.

Yes. You heard that! I made a silly business mistake last week. You need to know about it.

Till then... #peace

#bringbackourgirls

Asantee Soaps - Kehinde Abejoye #inthespiritofenterprise

You don't necessarily have to wait till you're done with school before starting a business, matter of fact I have met quite a few successful business people lately who started from their school days. Not many people have a clue immediately what they want to do with their lives, but while they're at it they start experimenting with those ideas that come, make their mistakes early, learn from them, adjust, perfect their art in whatever and easily look like overnight successes! There is no such thing (unless you are a thief!).

Today, we share a story of a student doing her thing.

Tell us about yourself

 My name is Kenny (Kehinde) Abejoye. A young lady, married (with a son), currently rounding up my degree in Business Administration from the University of Lagos.

Tell us about your business
Asantee Soaps basically sells different variants of the Asantee Range of Herbal Soaps. This business started over 5years ago when I was introduced to the soaps by my twin sister and she convinced me to consider selling the soaps after we had used a few. It has been quite challenging and rewarding all the way. We now have re-sellers and end-users who buy from us within and outside Nigeria

What is the idea behind the name Asantee Soaps?
We trade with the brand name of the Soaps - Asantee Soaps. But when I have to provide a registered name to do business with, I use my husband's - DESIGNED MODULES. so we can say Asantee is a subsidiary of DESIGNED MODULES.

How did you get into this line of business?
My Twin Sister introduced me to the Soaps.

What are the main challenges you face and how have you overcome them?
A) New Customers are skeptical about using the products initially. A tactic I employ is to give out free samples. Once they are used, most people are converted to repeat customers.

B) Nationwide Presence was also an issue, but right now we have distributors in different parts of Lagos as well as some major cities around Nigeria. This has helped us satisfy more clients. We have also employed the Internet, Social Media and recently +Konga.com Marketplace to reach the whole of Nigeria. West Africa and then the rest of Africa is the next target market once Nigeria is properly covered.

How will you summarize your journey so far?
Challenging and rewarding, with the promise of even better days ahead.

Where do you see Asantee Soaps in the future?

In the future, I hope to have these soaps produced (partly or totally) in Nigeria. At the moment they are imported.

Given another chance, will you do this again?
YES!!!

Abejoye Ademola PMP
+2348023276919, +2348098276919,
+2348063195376, +2348076043111

kenny.asantee@designedmodules.com

Memoirs of a Lagos City Hustler - LCH 18 Stretch

Don't even ask where I have been *covers face*. I am just a lazy camper, #dazall. Plus is it just me, or does any other person sometimes go through a phase where you simply do not feel motivated enough to do anything? How do you deal with yours? Care to share?

Anyways, here's an update from Ken!

Cheers guys.

Memoirs of a Lagos City Hustler - LCH 18

When we are vested with responsibility, or find ourselves in a position whereby we're entrusted with much...or better still, when we are always working to find solutions; deep inside, we want to believe that it's not going to last forever. However, Physics teaches us that unlike poles attract, so, if the opposite of problem is solution, that means problems are always attracted to only men and women in whom solutions have been deposited from constantly dealing with challenges without giving up.

You my friend you are not a coward, you're not elevated to demote yourself, even though you have been entrusted with much, you're not expected to loose grip, what you know now is nowhere near how much you have the capacity to know, there's more in you than you're willing to give today, you have the best solution in you!

Remember that the strength and usefulness of an ordinary rubber band/ring is made available only when it is stretched. Your best is yet to come..don't bow out when you are stretched.

(Alas, this man is talking to me sha!! Because, to  be honest, I am just tired tired tired.)

Have a great week.