Today's Wise Saying

"A chicken eats corn, drinks water, swallows pebbles, yet she complains of having no teeth. If she had teeth, would she eat gold?" - Nigerian saying

Today's Wise Saying

"You cannot shave a man's head in his absence" -A Yoruba saying

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers around the world.

I remember I was made to learn and recite this poem as a little girl back in the days. It's lovely to say I can sing it willingly with all the love I have for my mum.

Enjoy.

"Who sat and watched my infant head
When sleeping on my cradle bed,
And tears of sweet affection shed?
My Mother.

Happy International Women's Day

Picture: Margaret Lance

Happy International Women's Day to all the wonderful women making every little bit of positive change and making the world a lot easier around themselves. 

Last Saturday I joined hundreds of women from across Scotland to celebrate IWD at the Scottish Parliament. Amongst many wonderful speakers of the day was a lady that stood out for me; my highlight when this local Ghanaian cocoa farmer spoke, this woman felt her children and other kids in her village deserve better. She felt if she sat still, things will not change... If she keeps quiet, the story will remain the same... If she does not find another path, she and many others will have no answers for their growing children, she had to do something. 

The Duchess went story-telling on World Book Day

 To celebrate the World Book Day on the 2nd of March, I was happy to be selected for the book reading session to a class of pupils in our nearby primary school. Not only was I worried about what to read, I also worried about the song to sing that would interest children from different backgrounds. I decided to check our local library to find any "relative" African story which would be distinct and also serve as a takeaway to the weans. Luckily, I came by these two African myth children stories, The Mother of Monsters and No Dinner for Anansi. I skimmed through the tales, gave them my approvals and took them with me.
In class, my reading captured the attention of the kids as I leafed through the book. It felt like Tales by Moonlight in Africa.
As I read along the lines, I became grateful to the authors of these stories, I was happy these books came to my rescue. I did not want to read what the kids were used to. I mean from Harry Potter to Jeff Kinney's series. To me, that would feel like regurgitation. So I read with admiration in this little opportunity. As I finished and got on to questions on 'Morals of the story' session, I was not surprised that the kids were all attentive and inquisitive. They thanked me collectively and individually and I left.

Today's Wise Words

"If everything was perfect, you would never learn and you would never grow." - Beyonce Knowles

Nigeria's Reuben Abati speaks on Donald Trump and the Muslim World

"I am not a fan of Donald Trump, the incumbent President of the United States. I didn’t stand with him. I stood with her- Hillary Clinton- in the last US Presidential election. No other election in recent American history has been more international in terms of interest and emotional involvement. Trump’s election even divided the Nigerian middle class. Majority of Christians in Nigeria stood with Donald Trump. They liked his anti-Muslim rhetoric, and in a country where religion is such a volatile subject and the Christian community feels as if it is under siege from radical Islamic extremism, it was easy for a category of Nigerians to see Trump’s politics being in sync with their own fears and expectations." - Abati, R. (2017) Tuesday with Reuben Abati: Donald Trump and the Muslim World. Available at thisdaylive.com (Accessed: 31 January, 2017).

Wise saying of the day

Who agrees?

Buchi Emecheta Dies at 72

Renowned literary icon, Florence Onyebuchi '"Buchi" Emecheta who championed female writing in Nigeria has died. Emecheta whose works comprised of children and adult's fiction passed away in her sleep in a London care home on Wednesday.

Her writings tackled so many societal issues like domestic abuse and single motherhood. Amongst her 20 novels are The Joys of Motherhood, (a narrative highlighting changing values, children upbringing and the Igbo tradition), Second-Class Citizen and The Bride Price.

The novelist whose works are taught in schools in Nigeria is also regarded to be championing women and girls issues in her writings. Though regarded as a feminist, the author rejected this description. In her words. “I work toward the liberation of women but I’m not feminist. I’m just a woman,”.

I was at a Black History Month event in 2015, when I watched a clip Ama Aidoo Ata talked about how Buchi Emecheta's writings influenced her own writings too. She will be greatly missed.

Sir Mo Farah on Trump's Travel Ban

Photo: mofarah.com

The British distance runner, Sir Mo Farah CBE has voiced out his concerns over President of the United States of America, Donald Trump's travel ban. 

Farah 33, who resides in the United States of America with his family, reacted to Trump's executive order to prohibit the entire US refugee programme and also establish a 90-day travel ban on nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

The four-time Olympic champion wrote on his Facebook page on Sunday;

Artistry: Creating a floor with pennies.

Not sure how I feel about this idea.. I see the creativity first then the usage of coins as tools for a retro flooring.

What do you guys think..A yay or nay?

Words from the Emir of Kano.

Photo:SaharaReportersRescue

“I’m just tired of people coming to me to say I want to build a new mosque. You know, we keep building mosques and our daughters are illiterates. So, my appeal is that if you really want to help Kano, don’t come to me with a request to build a N300m mosque because I have enough mosques everywhere. And if I don’t have a mosque, I’ll build it myself. If you really want to help, go and educate a girl child in the village.” - Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammad Sanusi II. ThisDay newspaper, 22 January 2017.

Today's Wise Saying

Youth is beauty, even in cattle. - Egyptian Proverb

What do you think?

That image that reminds you of the cliche "Catching them young". They are suited for their characters I must say!

Yayy!! Its a baby boy for Janet Jackson.

Music icon, Janet Jackson and her husband, Wissam Al Mana have welcomed a baby boy on Tuesday, Jan 3rd her representative confirmed. 

In a statement, the rep said “Janet Jackson and husband Wissam Al Mana are thrilled to welcome their new son Eissa Al Mana into the world. Janet had a stress-free healthy delivery and is resting comfortably. The singer has been away from the spotlight in the larger part of the nine months duration of the pregnancy.

Here's wishing Janet and Family many congratulations.

Gift Boxes for Scotland's New Mums

Scotland has launched its first Baby Boxes for New Mums on New Year day. The borrowed concept from Finland will consist of books, nappies, clothes, play mats and bedding.

The Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon presented the gift packages to parents on Sunday. She said "The box will be given to mothers when they are around seven to eight months pregnant. They will register with their midwife at the point they get it, so it's also encouraging engagement between mothers and the health service as well and there is evident in Finland that the baby box has played a part in improving the child and maternal health. So it's of practical benefit for parents but it also has a very important health attached to it as well."

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year to everyone. I hope the year will bring all the good tidings we have always wished for and beyond.

A merry 2017!!

Duchess!