Author

Odilichukwu Frances

DEALING WITH CHALLENGES YOU ENCOUNTER WHILE TRYING TO START A CAREER (Career Development) " data-src="https://theintellectsmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/C03A44E7-0A64-4529-9205-56BCFC718DC5.png">

Career development

DEALING WITH CHALLENGES YOU ENCOUNTER WHILE TRYING TO START A CAREER (Career Development)

written by Odilichukwu Frances

Dealing with career challenges

Starting a career is not as easy as saying the letters of the alphabets; even the kindergartens do not find saying all the letters of the alphabets easy despite the songs, and the numerous guides they have to that. After reaching a decision to start a career, challenges will definitely surface to perhaps test the waters of our decision, or to see how determined we are to stick with our decision and achieve our aim. Whatever the case may be, how you choose to deal with these challenges will really determine your possibility of achieving what you really want to achieve.

In this section, we will be looking at some of the challenges encountered while trying to start a career, and the right attitude for dealing with these challenges

SOME CHALLENGES YOU MAY ENCOUNTER WHILE TRYING TO START A CAREER

Here is a list of some of the challenges you may encounter while trying to start a career.

The challenge of starting itself:

One of the major challenges encountered is the challenge of starting itself, especially when the career is not directly related to your first degree course (that is a career you chose after graduation). You may be faced with the challenge of what the best first move should be, should you keep an old job while trying to start this out, do you have requirements for the new career? These and so many other similar questions make starting a career quite difficult.

To deal with the challenge of starting itself, you must make firm resolve of why you decided to start in the first place. Intent is key in life. The intention for starting a career is a good drive for really taking a journey through that path, which is why it is important to know why you are choosing a particular career (short term or long term).

The challenge of timing:

Life is filled with passing moments, and you actually may have the challenge of timing for starting a career because the career may not seem to have the ability to foot your current bills, or perhaps you are above age required for an entry level in the job and you think it’s no use starting out, or perhaps you will require to get a few more qualifications which you don’t think you have the time for may be because you are married, or because you have a lot pressing issues that all you need for the time being is to start earning, don’t worry because you are no alone.

Dealing with this challenge is not easy, but it can be handled. To handle this challenge, one must be clothed in the virtue of patience. It is true that we are all in different situations and under different circumstances, but trying to think long term and walk with patience will yield better results. If you have exceeded the age required for an entry level, you can go on to acquire further certifications for that job so that a potential employer will not necessarily consider you a novice. You can also start out with intern jobs, or trainings, just to wriggle out of the age limitations. Now this particular choice may not earn you a decent pay in the beginning but with you will be glad you took the step. Be patient with yourself in your journey.

Another way to deal with this challenge is by setting your priorities right. Sometimes, the pressure we get from timing is as a result of wrong priorities. You are the one in your situation, so why set your priorities with what you think every other person is doing? Understand your situation, know your goals, and see how you can overcome your situation to actualize your goal.

The challenge of rejection:

One of the reasons people fail to do anything at all is the fear of rejection. Maybe you have had bad experiences with your clients or bosses before, and you think similar things will happen again, or you assume you may not be good enough for the role, whatever it is that may give you the feeling of rejection as you decide to start your career.

The truth is that sometimes our fear of rejection comes from our seat of ignorance. So should this be your challenge, you need to focus on being more valuable than you used to be, and feel better about yourself. Wear a regalia of confidence, look at the person in your mirror and speak the life you want to that person. Accept yourself and the career role you are interested in and keep the thoughts of you getting to the peak alive. Once you have conquered the limitations of self, nothing else can conquer you.

The challenge of finances:

It is possible that you need finances to meet up with the requirements needed to begin your career, or that you need finances to solve your problems or those of your family. Money is not everything, but it is a necessity.

Think of how you can fill needs and earn money to get your requirements or reduce the density of your financial issues. This is why having a skill or vocation is important. These days it is called “side hustle”. If you are not too proud or ashamed to do something legal to earn honestly, you will definitely be able to fill a need that get you a certain level of financial support till you eventually start your career and start earning as well. However, you must have a budget, and scale preferences so that you don’t run out of cash for irresponsible spending or things like that.

Don’t be in a hurry to make money than you are to add value. Obtain value, add as much value as possible, and money will come after you for the value you possess, but you must first be patient and intentional.

The what if’s

Finally, another challenge that could hold us back if we let it is the bag of what if’s. Like, what if I don’t get a job? What if I don’t like this career in the long run? What if I don’t get a promotion when I am due for a promotion? What if I get fired almost immediately? And so many other doubts and nostalgia that comes with trying to start a career.

Rather than focus on this, find out what you want for yourself and what can help you achieve success in your career and pursue them. If you make mistakes, you learn. If you are unjustly fired, you can get emotional, but you just pick yourself up afterwards and keep moving for the bigger picture. Don’t be afraid to lose your job as long as your attitude is not the problem, just start your career.

If you don’t get hired by anyone, think of how you can begin something for yourself in that career line, maybe teaching it, and the kind of service you can render in the same field. Implore yourself to think and you will discover something you can do.

CONCLUSION

Finally, to start out a career successfully, leverage properly. Don’t be shy to ask for partnerships, as long as you have value to offer. Starting a career can be challenging but you have the ability to rise above these challenges.

Activity

1. Think about all the challenges that are stopping you from starting your career.

2. List them (writing down your challenges is a sign that you are aware of them and awareness is the very first step to solving these challenges)

3. List the resources within your reach (do not neglect any)

4. Match these resources to this challenges

Feel free to reach out to us for further guidance. Also follow this link to read our previous articles on Career Development.

April 7, 2021 4 comments

A CAREER LIST (Career development continued) " data-src="https://theintellectsmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/8825175E-9872-4EE9-AEC7-C0531D64733A.jpeg">

Career development

A CAREER LIST (Career development continued)

written by Odilichukwu Frances

Know more

In our last article on career development, we shared some pragmatic steps one can take in choosing a career, in which “getting to know” is one of such steps. This section will share a list of career choices every one looking to build a career should know before making a decision; even after making a decision (especially in the midst of uncertainty).

However, it is important to know that any career choice you make is professional, whether the academic curriculum recognizes it or not, and you must treat that career with full professionalism. Again, no career is superior to the other, neither is any inferior to the other. Career is matter of choice, dedication, and long term goals.

A list of career options:

This is stated in no particular order.

Blogging and Vlogging
Digital Marketing
Fashion Styling
Modeling
Data Analysis
Hair Styling
Graphics and Web designs
Digital Arts
Visual Arts
Interior Decorations
Event Planner
On Air Presenter
Financial Planning
Confectionary
Content Creation (different genres of writing
Driving
Sports (any globally recognized sporting activity
Marketing (realtors included)
Customer Relation Management
Project Management
Lecturing/Teaching
Public Speaking/ Facilitator
Content Editor (writing/video/photo)
Bakery
Transcription
Information Product Sales
Photo/Videography
Fitness Coach
Administration
Nutrition
Farming
Carpentry
Architecture
Accounting
Therapy (physical/mental)
Building
Tax Preparation
Human Resource Management
Engineering (all forms of the practice)
Dermatology
Medical Practice (All forms of the practice)
Legal Practice (arbitration and paralegal inclusive)
Theatre Arts
Music
Banking
Prints and Publication
Zoology
Horticulture

Any of the careers on this list can be done long term, depending on the individual’s choice because an individual can earn a living while doing any of this. What is important is understanding these options and getting equipped for any chosen career.

What to do

Write down the career options that are new to you from the list in this article
Carry out basic research of this career options
If you are currently working, where do you belong on the list? Do you know other opportunities therein?
If you are yet to begin, have you spotted what you have qualifications for?
Do the qualification for what you want?

Engaging in these activities will tell you more on the career path you should choose.

March 16, 2021 1 comment

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Career development

HOW TO CHOOSE A CAREER (Career development continued)

written by Odilichukwu Frances

The basic interest of The Intellects Magazine(TIM) is to help you “Impact your world” and one way to do that is- by being on the right career path, which is why we launched a career development category.

HOW TO CHOOSE A CAREER?

In the 1990’s and early 2000’s students were made to believe that the only career path that mattered was the career path in the faculty of sciences, except for a careers in the arts faculty. So if a teacher walked into the classroom and asked a class of fifty what they wanted to be in the future, this is what the data was.

Doctor = 15

Engineer = 9

Lawyer = 15

Accountant = 3

Pharmacy = 5

Banker = 2

Teacher = 1

This is the most moderate distribution, usually three-quarter inclines to Law and Medicine, and other professions get scrambled by less than one-quarter. In fact, before a pupil or a student choose to be a teacher, the classroom teacher would have cajoled them to believe that teaching is a noble profession. Some teachers go as far as imposing professions on their pupils rather than giving them the proper direction. A brilliant pupil will be told in primary (basic) four that she or he will be either a Lawyer or a Doctor, as if the pronouncement is not enough, the teachers go on to telling parents, some of whom start talking about it all over the place and over time, the child grows into struggling to be what is expected of him or her.

In the senior secondary class two, some students will keep switching from the science class to the art class, or from the art class to the science class in clear confusion because their sub consciousness echoes what their parents and teachers said about their future, yet their interest and performances do not tally so this child finally settles for something and waits on JAMB (joint admission matriculation board) while in the tertiary institution, the confusion magnifies because some are not able to get the only courses they know, some sulk into depression because they already think that the course they are studying will leave them wretched in life.

No disrespect to teachers, but please stop telling pupils and students what profession to choose, parents stop imposing your personal ambitions on children, please stop it. Already, students have lost faith in the guidance and counseling, the ones who should guide a child to picking a more suitable career; sadly, they echo “medicine and Law”.

PRAGMATIC GUIDE TO CHOOSING A CAREER

It is true a lot of young people have pushed around hence are unable to make better career decisions, it is however important for youths to know that it is only a lost battle when they stop trying to navigate their career paths by themselves.

Here are some pragmatic steps you can take to gain control over your career and your life.

Get to know more:

Before choosing a career, one must be aware of the large career opportunities open to everybody. Ask a senior secondary class three student what they know about human resource management, project management, content creation, sculpturing, and so many other courses and hear them tell you about their hobbies, because they are ignorant of these courses.

Read widely, attend seminars, and other interesting programs where you meet people from different professions, learn and network because this is the only way to know more. More traditionally, by all means acquire proper formal education, from basic education to the tertiary institutions.

Decisions are made from the throne of known to the stool of unknown, so do not get limited by what you hear around you, be inquisitive and stay informed.

Get Involved:

No one ever became anything by being passive, so be willing to try out new things. Volunteer with organizations you find interesting, participate in extracurricular activities, take the holidays to acquire skills, be curious, and be involved.

If you are a graduate get involved immediately, volunteer or intern. Start building small!

Evaluate yourself:

While you get information and get involved, you should also evaluate yourself and see what interests you. Find out why you are interested in that, is it substantial or pleasure? Is it long term or short term? Then look out for a career you can build from it.

Sometimes a vocation is different from a career, and other times they can be interwoven. So pay attention to yourself and understand why you are interested in a particular activity.

WHAT TO DO:

Did you participate in the “to do activity” from the previous section?

If you did, then continue from here:

Do you have any clue to solving the problems that existed in your environment as a child?
Do those problems still exist?
Are you aware of your strength?

If you are yet to participate in the previous activity, please do so as soon as you can.

Choosing a career is not an easy so stick with us on this, ask your questions in the comment section, or reach out to us through the whats app icon on the home page of the website, let’s walk this phase with you.

March 8, 2021 8 comments

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CAREER DEVELOPMENT Odilichukwu Frances Jombo

written by Odilichukwu Frances

We are back from the long break, and it is our first post for the year, on the first day of a new month!

Our aim is to help you impact your world, and this year we are more determined than ever to give you practical steps to start making impact in your world; hence we are launching our career development ideas with this post.

CHOOSING A CAREER

Career is a part of one’s life spent working in a particular field sometimes till retirement, other times for just a period of time. Some people try to pick up different careers in search of greener pasture, some follow the trend to earn a living, while some consciously choose a path, focus on that path and build their lives around it. That’s what we will be looking at in this coming series, finding a career path and building life around it without losing our family or loved ones.

For students and graduates, choosing a career is one of the toughest decision to make in life because there are various factors that surround such life changing choice. In the beginning, it feels like a path should be chosen for you from birth, sometimes it feels like you know what you want, and boom it feels like you are blank and the motivation is gone, more desperately it feels like you should catch on the train and grab the bag by any means possible, and it is perfectly okay to feel that way! Every successful career icon you know experienced one of these, if at not all of these at different stages of their career growth and development.

However, before showing you how to decide on a career path, it is important to share some of the factors that can consciously or unconsciously affect your choice of career or how you feel about choosing a career.

FACTORS THAT AFFECT CHOOSING A CAREER

Here are few factors that affect choosing a career:

Nature
Nurture

Every other factor you will be reading here falls under the two N (Nature and Nurture). We are a product of nature and nurture, in that we have innate traits, and strengths we inherited by merely being born or by gene, and these potentials become actualized and utilized based on our trainings, and largely our environment. Whatever a man becomes is determined by these key factors, and it is the anchor of our freedom, responsibility, and predestination as humans.

NATURE:

There are traits inherent in our lives from birth, they are usually genetic. The adage “an apple does not fall far from its tree” illustrates this more. A more practical exam is in the career path dominant in a family. There are families that have more people doing business, overtime their children begin to pick up businesses regardless of how they choose to brand it. there are cases of having a long family history of lawyers, teachers, doctors, writers, and what have you.

Now it does not mean that every child born any of those families will definitely pick up a career on that path, some children can choose different career paths giving that being born into such they have the knowledge of a career path and what they know about it helps them choose if to choose that career path or not.

NURTURE:

Our environment affects our choice of career. This includes school, church, social institutions where we socialize, and eventually home and its environment. As we go through professional trainings, interact with others and our environment, we consciously and unconsciously become open to changes, personal growth, and personal development which help our innate traits find expressions.

Overtime, our reception towards our nurture becomes a guide to what we want to do, and how we want to do it. It does not always start out clear, nor in a linear direction, it just unfolds as we progress towards time.

Nature and nurture are springboards of passion, and academic interest. Paying close attention to these factors determines a lot in one’s career path.

WHAT TO DO:

Are you on the verge of trying to choose a career path? Here is your first task:

List the vocation, jobs, career, or business of the members of your family
List the problems inherent in your physical environment (where you grew up, and where you stay now).
What activities did you enjoy doing as a teenager? Do you remember them? Do you still like to them?

I know this maybe new to you, but find time to be honest to yourself as you answer these questions. We are on a journey to make impact and you will not be left out.

March 1, 2021 27 comments

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NO NIGERIAN is MORE NIGERIAN

written by Odilichukwu Frances

The Intellects Magazine supports the #ENDSARS #ENDSWATinNigeria #ENDPOLICEBRUTALITY #REFORMTHEPOLICE movement pioneered by Nigeria youths, and continues to lend a voice to building the kind of Nigeria we want posterity to remember us for.
In our article titled, ‘Federal Government’s Relief Parcel’, we reinstated what democracy should be, and the urged the Federal Government to prioritize the interest of Nigerians—that the labour of the heroes past be not in vain.
Interestingly, the #ENDSARS movement that began in Lagos, Abuja, and Owerri on Thursday, 8 October, 2020 illuminates the depth of the impunity in the Nigeria system. It also shows that Nigeria youths have grown weary of the yoke of oppression around their necks, and like Aisha Yesufu said, the youths want a nation “where the child of a nobody becomes somebody without knowing anybody.

What strikes the most is the unity and oneness! Everyone is saying one thing and watching each other’s back, ambulances arrive almost immediately, doctors are on ground giving first aid treatments to casualties, lawyers are working together, ensuring the release of arrested innocent protesters, TV stars are seen on the fore front, hunger is tackled, no loss of properties, no violence from protesters, no gender battle, no nepotism, no tribalism, just one people, speaking one language, identifying as humans and as Nigerians, yet without a unanimous leader, resisting every attempt made to bribe and deny the protesters their right to protest—that’s the Nigeria we want! The place where humans are priority, where no one is self-seeking, a land of harmony!

All over Nigeria since Thursday October 8, 2020, protesters are painting the picture of that Nigeria on the protest ground with teary glands tired of shedding tears, and are online building a strong network, hoping that the Federal Government will take a bold step and make things right—evidence that the people are not the problem, but the system and hence should be purged.

However, the solution is not creating another unit on impulse, nor calling for indoor talks—Nigeria youths cannot be fooled again. This what should be done:
All defaulting officers should be brought to book
The government should address Nigeria youths straight from the heart, and not with written scripts.
The government should ensure that a team be set up in each state to pay condolence visits to the bereaved.
The government should not redeploy the disbanded SARS officers until they have gone through medical and psychological tests, and re-orientation or training.
The entire police force must be reformed because if law enforcement agencies lack orderliness, then anarchy rules the society.
The government should increase the salary of the police force.
The government must duly establish the duties of anti-crime squad, take them off the streets and provide better technological means of getting them informed about crime locations and the perpetrators of crime.
An independent panel must be set up to address police misconduct in all states. The system must stop shielding bad officers.
The government should understand that every unit of the force requires trained minds; that’s the essence of sociologists, psychologists, philosophers, criminologists, and other crime detecting, or socio-humanity (social sciences and humanities) disciplines.
Getting protesters off the streets is not an issue, the issue is implementation, and restructuring Nigeria. Once the government deals with what brought the protesters to the street, the protesters will leave the streets. The system is bad but the protest shows the government is the problem, and not the people.

Attempting to lobby and divide this movement will not work because the movement has no leader, therefore all energy should be channeled towards creating a nation free of police brutality, where the child of nobody becomes somebody without knowing anybody, because “no Nigerian is more Nigerian than other Nigerians” (Aisha Yesufu).
In the same vein unleashing armed thugs on peaceful protesters will only fuel the protest! FG should wake up to their responsibilities.
This is democracy give the people good governance! SóróSóké!!!

*We are Nigerians we deserve to be heard!*

October 15, 2020 6 comments

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MY VOICE OUR EQUAL FUTURE (Theme of the 2020 International day of girl child)

written by Odilichukwu Frances

Pages: 1 2 3

October 11, 2020 5 comments

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FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’s RELIEF PARCEL

written by Odilichukwu Frances

“Who is the Nigeria system?”

“Is the system really immuned to pragmatic democracy?”

These questions have stared me in the face, and dwelled in my head over time. Regardless of its intensity, the answers seem to be far fetched.

On some days, unfolding events sing the praises of the citizens, the streets robe the roads ahead of their steps, and even the breeze blows currency notes their way.

Election campaigns are the only event capable of such. The one event that makes the executives and legislatures prostate, posing to be servants with whom Nigeria will reach the promised land. They seek to physically meet with the masses in the streets, the markets, the church and the public places. Moreso they plant billboards that echo “ultimate importance”— a strategy to make citizens feel that they own the system; a democratic practice.

Soon, they shed some skin and their identities are revealed; ambassadors of chronic poverty.

The billboards that echoed ‘change’, in 2015 are still evergreen in my memory. They were at strategic points stirring debates among the people in commercial buses, in market places, in clubs, in bars, in schools, in newspapers, on TV, everywhere. While the masses were absorbing that, the assurance to equate =N=1 to $1 was given without any insurance! It rang an alarming bell because coins have gone extinct in Nigeria and =N=1 has no place in the currency notes. How can the one Naira we see only in figures be equated to one Dollar? Albeit we are five years past 2015, under the regime of the same government that made the awaiting promises above, yet sachet water does not sell at =N=1. Nigerians are skillful in all forms of inflation adaptations, so we have adapted to the situation that nothing sells at =N=5 and now see it as ‘normal’. Maybe that’s why there is =N=5 always added to our fuel price (=N=125, =N=145, =N=165) — to add relevance to the note that cannot afford a sachet of table water.

Unbearably, after two months of total lock down in Nigeria, businesses and works resumed, but the economic effect of the pandemic left a heavy yoke on the necks of the populace — the proletariats. The Federal Government, in the tenure of General Muhammadu Buhari (President), and His Excellency Prof. Yemi Osibanjo(Vice president) thought that like other African countries who temporarily relieved citizens of fundamental bills, and the developed countries who paid their citizens allowances, that Nigerians deserved proper reliefs aside the media camouflage decided to send Nigerians their packages in parcels they considered appealing.

The power sector, the bank, and the oil industry, were the suitable delivery men for such relief package.

Fuel price has been increased from =N=125.00 to =N=165.00. The same fuel that Nigerians were promised will sell at =N=40.00 once this incumbent took over in 2015 and later, in 2019. When was the last time fuel sold below =N=100?

Furthermore, to make sure this Covid-19 palliative was properly distributed, there was an increase in the price of units for the prepaid meter. In 2008, =N=1,999.62 could buy 317.4 power units(kWh), and vat was 95.22 at 5%. As at June 2020, =N=10,000 could buy 271.4 power unites (KWh), at rate 34.28, and vat 697.67. Yet, an increase has been made.

Bank charges keep beeping slowly yet =N=5,000 in a savings account become =N=3,000 over time. The transfer charges that were reduced from =N=50.00 to =N=10.00, have suddenly risen to =N=16.00.

How convenient?

How heart warming is the parcel from FG?

Jean Jacque Rousseau asserted; “we all give up our rights that the Government will through the general will’ protect the state and her properties”. A means to abolish the brutish state of nature, perhaps the system in Nigeria is immuned to this.

Peaceful protesters are either arrested or bullied of the streets, and all the pleadings to revert these hikes seem to fall on deaf ears!

Road users who have their paper for road worthiness are made to pay for the loads in their wheel barrows, or cars, or trucks, or tricycles. My heart bled when a food hawker was asked to pay “for load”(the food cooler on her head)before me. The weapons and brutality that clothes the perpetrators didn’t let me move a muscle, that hawker explained she had paid already =N=100.00 twice at different junctions without making sales, but she was made to pay again, and was told that it is generating revenue for the government. What people oriented government unleashes touts on its citizens? Arrest them today, they get released and double up the next day.

Democracy is the government of the people, by the people and for the people. Ironically, the actions of the government are clothed in tyranny, neatly adorned in the labels of “democracy”.

The Federal Government should prioritize the interest of Nigerians. Nigerians deserve that in their father land and should not be expected to adapt to an economic downward slope that leads to inflation, and impoverishes the people! That’s not why the heroes labored and died!!

#REVERT fuel price

#REVERT bank charges

#REVERT electricity bill

#END brutality on road users

September 19, 2020 37 comments

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The Federal Republic of Nigeria; a democracy or an illusion.

written by Odilichukwu Frances

Could this be all we can ever be? A green and white Flag?

If we are to rewrite history in Nigeria, the art should be focused on projecting the humanity in our culture and the strength of the people before the British colony and amalgamation of the northern protectorate and southern protectorate.

The streets of Nigeria do not project democracy as expected after reading the heroes deeds.

For a better landing, how do you explain to the ten year old who in 2017, learnt that democracy day is May 29 which is why after elections, candidates who win are inaugurated on that day?

Suddenly the norm is changed to June 12 because someone supposed to serve, thought to compensate a people politically by commemorating the death of their icon hence June 12 became the democracy day!

The question is how much of an iconic act is shown in shifting democracy day and what good has it done in our history?

A pandemic hit the world and nations subsided bills for citizens including African countries like Ghana and Rwanda, the western world paid allowances to their citizens but we met an inflation, subsequently a lockdown with nothing to stay home with from the government except on lip service giveaways.

It is a capitalist economy, no doubt but there are still spheres controlled by the government! The price of crude oil was slashed globally by 60% in the oil market which when carefully analysed means that fuel should sell below a hundred naira in Nigeria yet only twenty naira was withdrawn from the price of fuel.

There are still killings going on and a Ruga settlement letter passing round southern NIGERIA asking indigenes to give lands for settlement to nomadic men as though they were asked to evacuate their lands.

The world is frowning at racism in the media yet we die daily by nepotism, imperialism and tribalism in Nigeria, exactly the things Chinua Achebe talked about in “The Trouble with Nigeria“.

Two point eight billion us dollars has been invested in a gas pipeline that will have thresholds in Ajaokuta, Kaduna and Kano all the way from Niger-Delta for the industrialization of northern Nigeria without any state from the south being partakers of this. A plan approved since 2017, yet today we lift the flag and banners to celebrate democracy in the land and with strange voices we echo “one Nigeria”. Meanwhile, only one seaport is active and in portharcourt, far from Onitsha main-market that constantly puts Nigeria on the map as the largest market in West Africa. Ironically, the government bans importation of goods, but lacks the will to industrialize the southern and northern parts of the country so as to increase the nation’s gross domestic profit.

Moreso, the government is yet to acknowledge Innoson Vehicle Motors (IVM), the same way Ibeto was crippled economically by marginalising policies. If IVM was to be a Dangote product like cement, maybe there would have been a ban on allien automobiles and a regulated price like in the cement industry; who knows? only reality puts that in check.

Independence day will come calling soon and we will be faced with the same problems perhaps with different names until we put to full vain the labours of our heroes past. The government should start making our democracy and independence worth the while, compatriots should arise and take responsibility, otherwise the democracy we see today may one day become an aristocracy or a full fledged dictatorship.

June 12, 2020 35 comments

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IS YOUR STYLIST AN ASSURANCE or AN INSURANCE? IS YOUR STYLIST AN ASSURANCE or AN INSURANCE?

written by Odilichukwu Frances

Did you know what I missed most this Easter and Lockdown?

It’s that I didn’t see clown (horrible) attires that trigger unending laughter any time I remember the design, courtesy of the tailors and seamstresses who are supposed to clothe us in fitting attires for events.

Thinking about that now, you also missed that especially when you are not the person in the attire. We have all had a fair share of that, at least once.

To usher you into the moment we decided relive a few moments. Grab a drink because it’s INTELLECTS and chill time!

PRIZY:

I was to go for Kay’s wedding, then I decided to sew a style I had admired for a long time. I relocated temporarily to Anambra state from Cross River, so I needed a new seamstress. I found a particular shop attractive and it seemed to be worth the try. After a little chat, I showed her the style and she assured me it was a done deal, I gave her my material and paid. Confidently, she called me to pick my dress. What I saw was like the case of ‘what you ordered versus what they delivered’. I wore it that way.

HOPE:

Last December, I was only interested in having something to wear for my parents Chieftaincy Installation. I trusted this seamstress with the only attire I needed for the season. The day we were to travel to the village, I went to pick my dress. The woman had not even cut the materials (perhaps she was planning to help me resell). I just wore a jean and top in low spirits. Till this day, even the shoe I bought for the attire is lying untouched.

EUPHEMIA:

I fell in love with a fabric I found in the market, so I bought and thought to add a new dress to my wardrobe. I went to my seamstress and gave her a style as usual. The day I went to fit and pick my dress, we exchanged pleasantries as usual and she asked if I came visiting since I had no material. I laughed it off, meanwhile at the entrance was the same material I gave her but a different style and size. To cut the long story short, my seamstress used my material for another client. What manner of act is that?!

EMMANUEL:

My birthday was on a Saturday last year, and same day was a friend’s wedding, and I was in the league of his groom’s men. I looked forward to the day in high spirit. I decided to gift myself a customized suit which I will be wearing to the wedding. My tailor gave me an assurance that all is well. For some reasons we agreed I will pick it the early that morning; I wish I could see the future because that was a real wrong decision. So, on Saturday morning, while the boys were teasing our friend in church, and the wedding was going on, I was dressed in a casual wear, sitting in the tailor’s shop and waiting for him to finish my suit because going home was going to get me stuck in traffic.

NKEM:

I belonged to the girls’ guild and we were preparing for a march past to celebrate the girls’ week in the church. Marching was an activity I enjoyed and I was very good at it, so I joined the girls’ and was behind the flag bearers but I needed a uniform. The uniform was a white shirt tucked in a green skirt, a cap and a tie. Every member had one, I had one but my white shirt was old; so I got a material and took the shirt as a sample to a seamstress that always beckoned on me to patronize her. A day to the march past, I went to pick my shirt, it looked beautiful but the collar was nothing to be a seamstress for. My friend encouraged me to try it on with the tie. I almost choked that day, looking like a ram being dragged to church for a child dedication. The group provided with a shirt I could use that evening.

GLORIA RUBY:

It happened sometime last year. I had a function to attend and needed to be nicely and stylishly dressed for the occasion. Nigerian stylists and their usual disappointments, I wasn’t going to take chances so I got the fabrics and gave them to my seamstress ahead of time. I made sure to call from time to time to supervise the making of my outfit and for each call, my seamstress gave me an assurance that all was going well. The due date for collection was here, I was in her house by 9:30pm to meet the highlight of the day; she had just finished cutting my fabric! And was yet to sew it!! I felt my world crumble because I had no alternative wear and I had to leave for the neighboring town very early the next day for the occasion. I left my seamstress’ place after much arguments but of course without my clothes.

VERA:

A certain seamstress convinced my mum to convince her and my material was the first trial. First, she missed the style, but my sisters said it wasn’t so bad, so I wore it to granny’s house we had a little family event. After the meal, the dirty plates were quite much so we had to wash them outside; my cousins (peers) and I. As soon as I bent to wash the plates, I heard a cracking sound, it was my dress. I stood up to see the part that covered my stomach was torn. I would have been better off wearing a crop top than that dress. I told mum patronizing that woman was going to be an error and it did happen.

We draw the curtain here!

Make sure your fashion stylist is an assurance not an insurance except you want to make it to The Intellects’ Magazine screen in the next episode.

May 1, 2020 93 comments

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