Women
‘I Feel Fulfilled Contributing To Family Purse’
If the idea that every human has an innate potential is anything to go by, then, it should also be told that every woman has an innate potential, waiting to be harnessed perhaps when subjected to test.
Test? Yes in every sense of it, is the only way to bring about the best in a human, who may not know until then, the much he or she is endowed with.
The fear to attempt or explore life’s ventures that could possibly highlight and eventually showcase an individual, has been the bane of every economic and probably social development.
Women in particular, had been the worst hit by this phobia. In this week’s edition, Directress of Gborsi Resources in Port Harcourt, Mrs. Patience, Alex-Naenwi, allays fear in women who have what it takes to change their financial history but still wonder which way to go.
For Mrs. Alex-Naenwi Patience, no woman should hide under the cloak of husband not allowing her to work, it is simply a display of ineptitude.
First, a woman must consider herself a useful material that is left to rot when she does not make any financial impact.
She must also consider herself fulfilled only when she could be heard and felt.
Hence, the need for women to rise and grow above the fears of failure and decide, determine to give life’s ventures a trial by airing out and proving to those who could be of help that they could be resourceful if given the needed assistance to stand.
A mother of three, Mrs Alex-Naenwi Patience holds an HND certificate. The inavailability of job upon graduation, brought about the juice in her that is today sucked by many. Excerpts.
What is Gborsi Resources all about and how was the concept conceived, hatched and developed?
Gboris Resources is all about event planning, occasion management, cake baking for any occasion and outdoor cooking. It is also involved in body beautification.
The dream was nursed 11 years ago when I stumbled into a woman who makes hat, I indicated an interest to learn and she obliged me the privilege and thereafter encouraged me to go into decorations.
What exactly captured your fancy in hat making?
Creativity! Not just the hat making alone, in cake making and decoration, creativity stands out. Each time I look at any work of arts, I am always compelled to unravel the spirit behind such unique and fantastic exhibitions.
Today you talk about Gborsi Resources, what was the source of your initial capital?
May husband of course! Though at first when I made my intention known to him, he had his fears as to how sound I was to undertake such venture but as a loving husband he gave me a pat on the back (support) and that gave rise to the structure we now call Gborsi Resources.
Do you work alone?
Not at all! I have my workers; boys and girls, I also have trainees who are also very handy whenever duty calls. I train them in hat making, hair dressing cake making, designing, modeling and piping and at the end of their training they are issued a certificate.
Any regret?
No! I have placed my hand on the plough so I can’t go back, I derive joy in it. Maybe I need to tell you more. Cake making involves so much of creativity, modeling, dressing and piping. I’ve been into it for years. After creating, dressing and decorating a cake and you behold the finished work, it is wao! A “fantastic creation”.
How do you handle the conflict in your duties as a wife, mother and cake designer?
Accepted that the job of an event manager is a strenuous one, however, I am equal to the task. The entire household has eventually fallen in love with the vocation; ranging from my husband to my children. They even assist me whenever there is a need to deliver.
All the same, as a vetran, I programme myself to ensure there is no conflict. Besides, my husband and children understand the demands of my profession.
What are your challenges?
My major challenge is an office space. You know our society favours flamboyance and elegance, people want to see a very big outfit identified with your name before they can believe in you and patronise you. They fail to understand that even in Nazareth, a savior could be born. So I need a more spacious accommodation to showcase our service items.
Another challenge I have is my graduates. While it is my dream that these young ones who are trained by me would grow and be established as bigger names in the industry, you rather see some of them fizzle out after a while it is quite unfortunate.
How have you used your office to address the issue of youth restiveness?
Youth restiveness should be the concern of all sound minds. However, I think that when youths are mentally and physically engaged, they think less of evil.
From time to time I make them realise that they can be more useful to themselves and society if they could explore and exploit the opportunity provided them by the training. We make them realise that if they put their brain to work, they could come up with concepts that could sell them to the outside world hereafter. We teach them to realize that no work is mean or rated below others, and so they must not rate themselves less than others because of the vocation they have chosen in life.
Of a truth, you cannot compare a jobless graduate with a non-graduate who is engaged. The later will definitely impact on his/her environment. And because he is engaged he cannot be named among the restive youth.
At the home front, what’s your contribution?
I believe that the business of running a home should not be the exclusive preserve of the man or the woman. If a woman is buoyant enough, she should take the lead while the man lends his support. For me, the business is almost a family thing, so, incomes from it also goes into solving family problems no discretion at all! I’m rather fulfilled contributing to the family purse.
What’s your advice to women who hold tenaciously to their money?
I think they need to understand the meaning of family. They should be told that the man and the woman are one and so there should be no discrimination as to who owns what. They both should work together.
Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi
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
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.
