In the midst of changing societal and global trends and digital culture, Oma Anona, a media icon, has continued to defy the world of business and social work by pushing herself and her team towards the edge of positive impact. In this interview with Rose Jonathan, of Genius Gist Mag, she shares her life’s travails and triumphs in business, social work and the future that lies ahead.

The ever resilient show host was the spotlight for the 4^th edition of Genius Gist Magazine 2021. Oma let us in on her early life, sharing insights on the perceived chronic nature and difficulties associated with running businesses in the present day Nigeria. She also talks experience, career drive, the perceived gender discrimination, core challenges, and successes in poverty and unemployment alleviation with her locale and beyond. Read excerpts from the interview below.

Commenting on her background and early life, she said;

“I had a reclusive upbringing where we were not allowed to mingle or socialize. There was no one to learn anything from except from within… I would say my management skills came as a result of self-discovery and gaining clarity early enough… Furthermore, I am very multitalented. I can do a lot with so much ease, so I thought “why waste all that ability sitting behind a desk doing routine jobs?” So I left my high paying job and wandered off in pursuit of purpose.”

When quizzed about her venture in business, Oma had this to say;

“I am an entrepreneur not a business person. I am more about providing solutions, making impact and changing the world. Making money is secondary and not the direct purpose. The desire to make a difference in the world, you know make the world more beautiful than I met it inspired me into the work I do. If you talk to anyone who knows me closely, they will tell you that I value excellent execution and results first before financial rewards. Inevitably, money will come when the impact has yielded fruits.”

About her perception on the level of difficulty associated with developing, building and sustaining a business in Nigeria as alleged by startups and entrepreneurs, the icon was of the opinion that she “won’t describe the situation as regards building business in Nigeria as very difficult”.

“…. I just think that as a developing country, many of us are just laying the foundation for a better tomorrow. For me, this is the stage where and when we should be giving to the country to grow it. Our children will enjoy the Nigeria of our dream.  So I see Nigeria as green and prospective. The multiple problems we have is proof that there are tons of opportunities that need exploitation. Problems need solutions, don’t they?”

Bothering on the challenges she faced daily in the work sphere, coupled with the gender-based misconceptions about career women, women in the media and women in business generally, the spotlight said;

“I am not one of those entrepreneurs who mask their struggles and put up the facade of ‘I am well and things are smooth.’ No!”

“Being a woman is not any kind of handicap…. So there is no special challenge for me that comes because I am a woman. If I face sexual harassment, it’s not because I am a woman but because I unfortunately had to meet an irresponsible person and so on.”

 For the full interview or to get a copy of the magazine, click here

A Nigeria woman on Twitter with the user name @Queenarikeade explained why people in Nigeria should be thankful and consider themselves blessed.

She gave the following reasons

1. If you don’t know how you are blessed, you will think your father’s farm is worse than your friend father’s farm.

2. $1 is N500 and so what?

3. Let me elucidate from my little experience. Can anyone in the US use $1 for breakfast? No

4. But in Nigeria, N500 will give you breakfast and lunch.

5.Majority of people’s monthly house rent (self contained apartment) in the USA is $1,000 and above… and that is your own 2 year’s

Also read Study reveals that women who use pornography more often appear to have better sexual performance.

1. Have you ever paid for insurance before? Insurance in the US is $280 and that is almost N100,000 monthly.

2. When last did you pay monthly phone bills? I pay almost N40,000 monthly and if I don’t, they are going to block my SIM. Your own MTN can be there for months without recharge.

3. When last did you work on Saturday and Sunday?

4. This I do compulsorily and on regular basis.

5. Don’t get me wrong, the US is better than Nigeria, depending on which angle
   you are viewing it.

6. Do you want to hear the truth?

7. Many people in Nigeria live a more fulfilling life compared to their counterparts abroad.HERE

8. Forget about all the packaging on social media and give credit to the good life you are living.

9. Do you know why Nigerians living in the US always rush back quickly whenever they
   come home visiting?

10. Because bills are counting and elongated absence (freedom) will put their lives in jeopardy.

11. If you, as a black person, attempt to emulate the whites, they will kneel on
    your neck.

12. Apart from Congo, no citizens in the entire universe enjoy life to the fullest than Nigerians.

13. You are abundantly blessed but you don’t know until you get visa and relocate abroad, that is when you will know that your 8-hour job in Nigeria with free weekend is awoof.

14. With 8-hour job abroad, you can only pay bills, you need other 6 to 8 hours jobs to save for the future and plan your life.

15. The truth is that the grass is green everywhere, it’s lack of vision greed of our leaders/politicians and the skewed religious practices (which placed emphasis on miracles that ascended Nigeria onto a myopic tentacle of complete standstill.

16. Always thank God wherever you may find yourself. Nigeria is good and will be
    better.

17. God bless Federal Republic of Nigeria”

Since the pandemic federal government has helped pay salaries to workers of registered business owners.

Now The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has launched a portal for business owners and individuals to apply for a COVID-19 Support Loan of up to N25 million in collaboration with NIRSAL.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reopened its portal, allowing SMEs and households affected by COVID-19 to borrow up to N25 million from the NIRSAL Microfinance Bank.

On Wednesday, Bashir Ahmad, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Assistant on New Media, revealed this on Twitter.

Also read Covid19: We’ve not receive any cash donation: FG

The CBN, through @NirsalMFB introduces a stimulus package to support households and MSMEs affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

An individual can access up to N25m.

Registration for fresh applications RE-OPEND!

Visit to register https://t.co/NPPh71eVNx kindly share for others.

— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) March 10, 2021

Register HERE

14 February has a lot of history one of which The ancient Romans. In the 3rd century A.D., Emperor Claudius II executed two men, both named Valentine, on Feb. 14 of various years. The Catholic Church celebrated their martyrdom with the celebration of St. Valentine’s Day.

Another is that February 14th was called “Lupercalia” Or “day of the wolf” which signifies almost everything that happens in our modern day of Valentine celebration.

This was a day that was sacred to the sexual frenzy of the goddess Juno.

The Roman gods, Lupercus and Faunus, and the mythical twin brothers who supposedly created Rome, REMUS AND ROMULUS, were also honored on this day.

Lupercous = Wolf Hunter

“The custom of exchanging Valentines and all the other traditions in honor of Lupercus, who was also associated with an ancient pagan practice of “going steady” teenagers, usually led to fornication. The Romans called the festival the “Lupercalia. Also read: Cameroon arrest prostitute offering sex at isolation centres

Lupercalia Day On that day, the Luperci or Lupercus priests were clothed in goatskins for a bloody ritual. “The wolf god would kill goats and a dog and then smear themselves with blood; when waving a goatskin named “February,” he would sprint around a hill, from which we get the February name. As the priest would hit them with a goatskin to make them pregnant, the women would sit across the hill.

LOVE NOTE

All the young people in the area would assemble in the town, and they would place their names in the boxes. “They were called billets for these “love letters. A billet would be drawn by the men of Rome, and the woman whose name was on the billet would become a companion of his sexual desire, with whom he would fornicate before the next Lupercalia or 14 February.

THE COLOR RED

Because of the blood from the goat and dog, the color red is holy to that day and the heart form was not after the human heart but reflects the human matrix or opening up to the sacred copulation chamber.

What do you think about February 14th? Do you think people exaggerate the day?

Recent research has discovered that Semaglutide, an anti-diabetic drug used to treat type 2 diabetes, can help obese people lose weight as well.

Obesity is an unhealthy body fat deficiency or complex condition that raises the risk of a person’s health conditions such as heart disease, asthma, high blood pressure, and some cancers.

It also comes from bringing in more calories than from exercising and regular everyday tasks are burned.
In the clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday, experts at Northwestern University in Chicago tested Semaglutide.

As an anti-obesity drug, at a much greater dosage. Also read: Facts about sickle cell anemia

The trial involved 1,961 people with an average weight of 105kg/16.5 stone and a body mass index of 38kg/m2 who were either overweight or obese.
In 16 countries across Asia, Europe, North America, and South America, the study took place at 129 sites.

Any patients took a 2.4 mg dose of the medication once a week with an injection under the skin during the 15-month experiment, whilst others obtained a placebo injection, with both classes put on lifestyle guidance.
The results showed that, compared to 2.6kg without the drug, participants lost an average of 15kg on Semaglutide.

Also, compared to 2 percent of those who did not, 32 percent of those who took the drug lost a fifth of their body weight.
The drug works by hijacking the appetite levels of the body and mimicking a hormone called GLP1, which is released after a filling meal is eaten.

Scientists believe the findings could mark a “new era” with even more therapies on the horizon in the treatment of obesity.

One of the UK researchers, Rachel Batterham, said losing weight would decrease the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and severe COVID-19.

“This is a game-changer in the amount of weight loss it causes. I have spent the last 20 years doing obesity research, up until now we’ve not had an effective treatment for obesity apart from bariatric surgery,” she told BBC.

It is understood that evidence from the study was submitted to the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and the US Food and Drug Administration for regulatory approval as a treatment for obesity (FDA).