Monday, 24 May 2021
Summary Of My Thoughts about Nigeria and Africa In Quotes

Saturday, 22 May 2021
Forgive one another. We are all God's children.
Don't kill one another
Be kind to one another
Brothers should not rise against brothers
Why is the world hurting so?
We've all sinned against one another but "if we don't forget past transgressions, we won't have anyone to play with" - African proverb
Forgive one another
Tolerate one another
Be patient with one another
We are mere mortals. Sinful by nature
We offend. We get offended
We are all God's children
Let he who is without sin be the first to cast a stone
The earth belongs to the Lord
Let the destruction cease
Kill no one. Kill no more
What is it?!
Down your arms. Put down your arms
Calm the storms. Stop the wars
Peace be still
Peace be still
Peace be still
Jumi Eniola Odepe
Ontario.

Tuesday, 4 May 2021
Remember I Told You, Black is beautiful
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Photo by Trevory Kelly on Pixabay |
Never cracks
You owe nobody
Walk tall
Own every moment
Original Publication: May 22, 2020

Thursday, 15 April 2021
Taking Care Of Your Mental Health While Relocating As A Highly Skilled Professional
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Picture credit: Tom Leishman from Pexels |
Let's Use The Story Of Jane To Paint This Picture Properly
Highly Skilled Professionals Migrate For A Range Of Reasons
What Can Trigger Mental Health Problems?
You Might Have To Do Survival Jobs In Your Destination Country
You Might Have To Start All Over Or Start At A Lower Job Level
You Might Need Extra Help For Your Young Children
You Might Get Lonely

Wednesday, 7 April 2021
Lockdown memoirs of an introverted writer
Dressed up or not. It's Eden!
Yes, I know!
This is the life I've always wanted!
PC: Evg photos from Pexel

Wednesday, 17 March 2021
The shoulders we stand on - #IWD
By Jumoke Eniola-Odepe, Written on Her Sides: The shoulders we stand on in celebration of women and women's history month:
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has" - Margaret Mead.
March is Women's History Month.
Rightly so.
With over a century-old women's rights movement, women have crossed many rivers to get to where we are today.
Over the years, women have fought for the right to vote, equal representation in government, the right to equal pay, and a host of other rights.
We, the younger generation of women, are proud to be in this era because of the work that our female forerunners have done {and are doing}.
Some of the women who paved the way for us are known; some remain unsung heroes.
We knew nothing about the three women mathematicians who worked in NASA as human computers till the 2016 movie "Hidden Figures" brought them to our screen.
Based on the non-fiction book by Margot Lee Shetterly, the movie brought to us Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson.
In the face of segregation by race and sex, the brilliant work of these three African American women was pivotal in propelling the first American orbital spaceflight piloted by astronaut John Glenn in 1962.
In 2018, shortly after the movie, a bipartisan bill was introduced to designate the street in front of the NASA headquarters as "Hidden Figures Way."
On June 12, 2019, the street was officially so renamed in honour of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and "all women who have dedicated their lives to honourably serving their country, advancing equality contributing to the space program in the United States."
These women went before us, opening the doors for other women to work in space exploration and aeronautics research.
In pre-1929 Canada, based on a narrow interpretation of the law, women were not regarded as "persons" and therefore were not eligible to sit in the senate.
A group of 5 prominent Canadian women activists, Emily Murphy, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney, and Irene Parlby {the Famous Five}, challenged the interpretation of the law that excludes women as "persons."
On October 18, 1929, in the celebrated Person's case, Lord Sankey, Lord Chancellor of Great Britain, announced the decision:
"The exclusion of women from all public offices is a relic of days more barbarous than ours. And to those who would ask why the word 'person' should include females, the obvious answer is, why should it not?"
October 18 has been declared Person's Day in Canada. A day dedicated to honouring the bravery and determination of the Famous Five and the historic decision to allow women's equal participation in all aspects of political life in Canada.
We stand on the shoulders of these women.
In Africa, we have Grace Alele Williams, the first Nigerian woman to obtain a Ph.D. in mathematics and the first female vice-chancellor in Nigeria. We have Mo Abudu, the first female to launch a pan-African TV channel in Africa.
A cloud of female forerunners surrounds us, pioneer women, shattering diverse glass ceilings held up against us and showing millions of women behind them that impossibility is nothing.
We stand on the shoulders of these women. We see their work in our everyday lives. They have amplified our voices. They have extended available seats for us, opened more doors for us, and made us walk a few inches taller.
We, in turn, owe it to one another to pull each other up, to open the doors for one another, applaud the success of one another, and ensure you're not the only woman in the board room.
We owe it to the next generation of women to provide mentorship, keep pressing on, and paving the paths, so the next generation of women can thread on the paths we pave.
About the Guest Writer
Jumoke Eniola-Odepe is the author of two hilarious books, Memoirs of Great Ife and The Accidental Bride. A lawyer by day and a writer by night, she received her Bachelor of Laws at the University of Ife and her Master of Laws at the University of Ottawa. She is a lover of summer walks, family cookouts, and everything indoors during winter. She and her husband live in Southern Ontario with their two extraordinary boys. You can visit her online at www.activepens.com

Friday, 12 March 2021
Women will rule in all ...#IWD
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in a few moons from now.
women will rule in.
every country in.
every continent of.
the world.
end child soldiering.
ceasefire here.
calm the storms.
in a few moons from now.
women must rule in.
every continent of.
the world.
ON, Canada

Sunday, 7 March 2021
Runway. Fashion Is What I Say It Is.
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Image by Melody Jacob |

Wednesday, 24 February 2021
Burn Your Bridges
No, not all.
But for a while.
I tell you, my friend.

Monday, 22 February 2021
The things we have become.
Now we join remote learning on snow days.
The corporate world was in offices. Suited up.
Now we work from home in our jammy pants.
Professional exams were done in centers. Fierce supervision.
Now we write from our bedrooms under online proctors.
We have moved to a world we cannot see. A different dimension.
Now I doubt the sanctity of all I see. For I am one with virtuality.
Jumoke Odepe
Ontario 2021

Friday, 12 February 2021
Nigerians - We've been fleeing home for a long time - Ode To My Fellow Nigerians
Our government does not listen. Our politicians have cleptomaniac gluttony.
They spray bricks of dollars at the innumerable birthday parties they conjure.
Dollars from our oil funds and treasury, meant to build us roads and hospitals.
Our roads are craters, roller coasters, turbulent high seas.
Hospitals are sharks swallowing patients without chewing.
Schools? Oh!Brink Back Our Girls!
We started fleeing home one person at a time.
We’ve been fleeing home for a long time.
Our government does not listen. Our politicians have cleptomaniac gluttony.
Our people are spread over oceans. Stuck between devils and deep blue seas.
1987, aunt Kree ran from home to Europe, searching for greener pastures.
1995, five of my doctor cousins left for Kuwait, anything but home.
2010, ten of my friends left for the States, swearing never to come back.
We started fleeing home a person at a time.
We’ve been fleeing home for a long time.
Our government does not listen. Our politicians have cleptomaniac gluttony.
They loot our treasury. Eat up our reserves. Infringe our rights. Insult our intelligence.
Open fire on our freedom fighters. Brain drain our country. Embarrass the hell out of us.
Oh-mine-they-embarrass-the-hell-out-of-us.
Home is a carcass. A shadow of a story that was. A glory of past ages.
Home is in a rut. Home is a trap. We too must run. The gates are closing.
We started fleeing home one person at a time.
We’ve been fleeing home for a long time.
Jumi Eniola Odepe
ON

Thursday, 11 February 2021
Blessed Life
The things I've done are many.
The dainties I've tried, countless.
From the Law to The Pen, to Event Decorating to Jewelry Making to Designing.
I've been there and done that.
Done it my way. Happy I've tried them all.
My creative expressions, it's indeed been a blessing to meet you all.
It's been a blessed life.
Thought to share a few of my eye candy creativity from my past till now.
And yes, I created them all
Enjoy.
Wedding decor by Jode |
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Beads by Jode |
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Beads by Jode |
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Beads by Jode |
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Beads by Jode |
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Beads by Jode |
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Wedding decor by Jode |
Wedding decor by Jode |

Tuesday, 22 December 2020
Ages ago. Thereabout. Before 2020. We.
held
newborns and kissed them we
spent time with seniors and
sat close to one another we
physically schooled and
shook hands we
hugged and touched and
partied in droves we
shopped loud and
chrismassed with families we
danced holding hands and
hold hands
hug
shop
dance
kiss newborns
school
touch
time with seniors
visit
travel
party together
oh, what didn't we do?
Jumoke Eniola OdepeON.

Monday, 30 November 2020
The profound tragedy of our stolen identity | Olasupo Shasore | TEDxLagos

Angels

Tuesday, 24 November 2020
South African and Nigerian accents
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Photo created by author using Canva |
You hardly hear this right? Yes me too.
That's the world we created. A world where everyone says they love the same things to be politically correct but to the disadvantage of some others.
We forget the beauty of diversity.
I admired how Winston Duke successfully imitated the Nigerian accent in the Black Panther movie. He brilliantly acted M'Baku bringing back fond memories of how Nigerians end each sentence with "ooo."
Oh, I love it!
How about how Chadwick imitated the South African accent bringing back fond memories of Madiba, the South-African Nelson Mandela. How I loved the way he said "I thank you" after each of his speeches.
But I stand in wonderment each time at the political correctness of gushing over the British accent even from the lips of my 5-year-old niece who is yet to meet a soul with the British accent. She must have heard us older humans say it.
The rhetoric has been well established that the British accent is the nice, queenly, sophisticated accent that we all must marvel at while in reality, our preferences over accents are as diverse as we humans are.
Who told you that some accents are less than others? How did you first learn these beliefs?
From the deepest accents in these African countries to the mild ones and then to the ones you can only hear the accents in minuscules. I love them.
Perspective.
Jumoke Eniola Odepe
Canada

Wednesday, 11 November 2020
REMEMBRANCE DAY POEM. LEST WE FORGET.

Saturday, 7 November 2020
Toxic Relationships
It might be an abusive boss. It might be an abusive working environment. It might be an abusive girlfriend. It might be an abusive common-law partnership or marriage.
You are tired and scared. You are confused about the next step to take.
You speak with a few confidants, and they are scared too. They don't want to tell you to leave so you don't hate them for the advice later.
So you stay. You cry every day as you drive to work or you hate every day as you keep befriending your abusive bestie.
I know, sometimes in life, we just need someone to tell us "Before I open my eyes, get the hell out of there!".
Sometimes we need someone who will literally hold our hands and grab us out of a situation, tell us what to do.
But friends and family can be so careful about what they say. They want to safeguard their relationship with you so sometimes they don't tell you the way it is.
Sometimes they are scared that life might be harder for you if they advise you to leave that abusive job.
And sometimes they are as clueless as you are.
But I tell you, staying in that hurtful environment is hurting your soul.
When you look around and you don't find that person to tell you what to do. You need to look deep within and follow your God-given guts.
Find hope in my words, everything will find its place.
I wish you comfort and clarity at this time.

Monday, 26 October 2020
Cardio exercise for beginners who are not in love with exercise just like me
I don't love exercising.
I am one of those girls who are not gifted with the gift of the passion for exercise. I often wonder why people jog or run every morning, I say to myself, "what is chasing them?".
I am one of those girls who naturally have a tiny waistline and eat so little.
But something started happening to me!
At a certain point, my ever-compliant waistline started bulging of her own volition! It felt as if I had undigested food permanently sitting at certain corners of my waist and won't just break down as fast as they used to.
Suddenly, my flat tummy and flattering waistline were giving way! My tops were not fitting anymore at the mid-body area.
That's when I woke up! Well, not wake up, wake up as in wake up. I still drag myself off my bed to exercise daily.
I found Amy's cardio video quite easy for a dragger like me who has to do it but just wants to get it over with and still get results!
Gradually, my waistline started behaving. I also started getting more conscious of my diet.
So, there you go.
I hope you find some fun as you drag yourself to exercise with the above video... Like I do.
Jumoke Eniola Odepe
Toronto, Canada

Friday, 23 October 2020
What does not kill you makes you stronger?
