Women
New Face Of Rivers NAWOJ
The event that witnessed and announced the baptism of Ms Inale Ndubere Kodu as the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) in Port Harcourt did not go beyond three hours, but it left members of the association in Rivers State beaming with joy and smiles. To these ones, it was a dawn of a new era, for they expect to savour the experience in a long time to come.
From her acceptance address immediately after her inauguration as the new Chairman, Ms Inale Ndubere Kodu did not leave anybody in doubt as to her capability in steering the boat of the Rivers State chapter of the National Association of Women Journalists entrusted in her care.
In a chat with our correspondent, the new Chairman of NAWOJ, Rivers State, extemporaneously x-rayed the body called NAWOJ Rivers, its challenges and expressed unequivocally how she intends to reactivate and make it get to its eventual and expected destination.
In her words, she said “one of my main hopes is that we resuscitate the association. We have to start by knowing first and foremost the numerical strength of the professional female journalists in the state. As I speak with you, the exco is already creating a data base of the female journalists in Rivers State. This we think will help us assess what comes out of the collaborative effort we intend to embark on.
When we came on board, we saw the need for a secretariat for the association to operate from, that we have quickly secured and for now, the Rivers State NAWOJ has an office in the NUJ temporary building within The Tide premises.
In trying to reposition the association, we intend collaborating with the Rivers State government especially the governor’s wife, Dame Judith Amaechi on her laudable project the Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI).
Through the collaboration, a lot of public enlightenment will be carried out by the female journalists in the state to ensure the sustainability of the programme and see to it that the women especially the rural women understand the need to key into programmes on ground.
There is also the issue of health in terms of reducing maternal mortality in the state. We are also aiming to divert women’s mind from superstitious beliefs especially on cases of infertility.
As the saying goes, knowledge is power, in Rivers State we know that a lot emphasis had been placed on education. The women in the state are the mothers of the youths and home makers, if they be properly informed on how they can gain access to most of the educational facilities put in place by my administration, they would be better positioned to advise their children and wards on how to go about their educational pursuit.
Women will also have to know the importance of getting themselves educated as well, no matter how old they think they might be.
Basically, the new face of the Rivers NAWOJ intends to give women in Rivers State a voice that will be heard in every sector of the society whether it be in the area of politics, business or professional capacity.
Women will play a major role in the developmental plans of the state government.
Women are passionate and are best understood by their fellow women, that is why NAWOJ intends to be actively involved in every aspect of gender issue that concerns women.
We are also interested in producing more 21st century female journalists, since the world had gone global, we can’t lag behind. There will be ample opportunities for members to be sponsored on fellowship’ abroad. This we think will help them mingle with other foreign journalists and exchange experiences with one another. This is a project of uthermost importance to my exco and right now, we have had favourable responses”.
Ms Inale who sees female journalists as a people saddled with the responsibility of protecting the interest of the society calls on them to rise up to their responsibility by way of making enough impact as to correct some disadvantaged stands of women in terms of politics, education, health and economic emancipation.
She also enjoins women generally to see themselves as God’s gifts to the world hence the need to view themselves as a veritable instruments in fighting the ills bedeviling the society they have given birth to.
It will be recalled that the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, Rivers State, had on the 25th August, 2011 elected a new executive council to pilot its affairs for the next three years.
Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi
Women
Nigeria Deserves Stylish, Sophisticated Designs-Igiebor Daddy Lucky
IVY-K Fashion by Igiebor Daddy Lucky, a Nigerian-born designer now based in the UK, has launched the latest menswear line, Dapper Man.
One of the collection’s strengths is its classic, clean aesthetic. Dapper Man delivers sharp, structured suits in a timeless black and white color scheme that exudes a sense of luxury and professionalism. The use of high-quality fabrics like wool and silk ensures that the suits not only look high-end but also feel luxurious to the wearer. The designer’s focus on detail is evident in the meticulous tailoring, with fitted blazers and crisp trousers forming the foundation of the collection.
Where IVY-K Fashion shines is in the subtle yet elegant touches. The inclusion of beads as embellishments on lapels and cuffs adds a unique flair, blending traditional craft with modern tailoring. This nod to African heritage gives the collection a distinct identity, offering something more personal and culturally significant than your standard menswear line.
However, despite the elegance of the Dapper Man collection, there is a lingering sense of missed opportunity. The black-and-white color palette, while classic, feels overly safe. In a fashion landscape where bold colors and daring patterns often make the strongest impact, the collection could benefit from incorporating more vibrant hues or experimenting with unconventional fabrics. Pushing the envelope with color or texture could elevate these designs from simply elegant to truly memorable.
In addition, while the tailoring of the blazers and trousers is immaculate, the collection lacks a sense of playfulness or modern edge that many contemporary menswear lines are embracing. The suits are undoubtedly stylish, but the collection as a whole leans heavily on tradition. Experimenting with asymmetrical cuts, bold patterns, or even layering could add an exciting dimension to Dapper Man. The challenge is to maintain the sleek sophistication of the collection while infusing it with a fresh, innovative spirit.
Another area that could use improvement is the overall cohesion of the collection. While the suits are well-crafted, there is a feeling of repetition across the pieces. More variation in design, such as different lapel styles, pocket configurations, or even bolder accessories, would give the collection greater diversity and visual interest.
In conclusion, Dapper Man by Igiebor Daddy Lucky showcases the designer’s strong grasp of classic tailoring and elegant design, but to truly capture the attention of a broader audience, IVY-K Fashion would benefit from more daring choices. By infusing the collection with bold colors, unexpected textures, and a more modern edge, Dapper Man could move from a well-crafted line to a trendsetting force in men’s fashion. With such a solid foundation, there’s no doubt that Igiebor Daddy Lucky has the potential to lead his brand toward greater heights
Women
Women Can Curb Indecent Dressing
The trend of indecent dressing all in the name of fashion is fast becoming a norm in our generation and society at large. Most married women embrace this fashion as competition with single ladies.
Different scholars have given an in depth insight about dressing as a tool of communication. Non-verbal communication has been asserted as the communication between people by the means of signs or symbols. It conveys what we wish to disseminate to the public as either intentionally or not.
According to Paul Ekman and Michael Argyle, communication is carried out through what has been classified as “Presentational Code”. He listed nine codes of non-verbal communication, as body contact, facial expression, gestures, postures, eye movement, proximity, orientation, head nods and appearance.
This, being stated, married and single ladies should understand that their mode of dressing is communicative be it directly or indirectly as such body parts we call “private” are now being made public because of the trends or wearing of transparent dresses and this in turn calls on the attention of men who are weak and prone to illicit thoughts thus, resulting to most rape cases in our society.
This indecent dressing by most ladies has denied many their future husbands. The truth is that a man is attracted to his kind; his desires in marriage. It is often asserted that decency and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder, yet, in trending times of this 21st century, dress code and fashion in nudity form is gaining popularity.
This has become complicated as most men tend to toggle between their emotions (lust) and sanity (rationality) in terms of marriage, thereby setting a wrong foundation upon which most marriages are consummated.
On the other hand, most married women have embraced the trend of indecent dressing nipping it on the state of it being the choice dressing, approved by their spouses, leaving society with the question of what “responsible” man would prefer that the secrecy of the benefit of his marital vow has become the centre of attraction and viewership by the general public.
Hence, communicating with their dressing gas given licence to every male gender who is interested or attracted to what they see to make unsolicited sexual passes at them, which might be considered embarrassing.
At this juncture, it is important to state that ladies should dress decently knowing that they are the epitome of nation-building, they are nation-builders, character moulders and pacesetters not just in the lives of their families but to the society at large.
In most occasions, there are no clear border lines between the married women and the single ladies because of the rate of scanty dressing which has close the gap of differences.
Women and girls should embrace this call awakening to decent mode of dressing. Dresses that are meant to be worn indoors should remain indoors.
It is worrisome to see ladies wear shorts that are supposed to be worn in the living room on the streets without shame. This is an awakening call to our ladies, married and singles that the opposite sex do not expose their private body parts for the public. Sometimes, the ladies go about in the streets without wearing brazziers as to showcase their nipples.
The society should be sanitised of the menace of indecent dressing that is lurking and taking over the entire nooks and crannies of the society and the nation at large.
Let it be known that he or she is addressed in the manner he or she is dressed. There may be no room for a second impression. To the single ladies, your dressing decently will not stop you from meeting your Mr Right rather, it will increase your stake and place you on the list of most valued women in the society.
Dressing speaks louder than words.
Kate Chisom Isiocha
Isiocha is an OND final year student of Temple Gate Polytechnic.