Prologue Ode Itsekiri… 33 Years Ago… Oma Domingo heaved a sigh of relief as the lights of the ancient town came into focus. Ode Itsekiri, the ancestral home of all Itsekiri sons and daughters. She smiled despite the sharp pains coursing through her body. She was finally here; finally home. “Mo dokpe. Thank you very…
DOZ Chronicles: Febi
Febi was a prodigal. A prodigal daughter. She had a few things in common with the proverbial prodigal son. She left home when she had no business doing so. She returned poorer than she’d been when she set out. And most importantly, she was given a second chance to get her life and dreams back…
DOZ Chronicles: Ogechi
My name is Ogechi, it means God’s time. I came to appreciate the meaning of my name in recent times. Life was originally beautiful. The things some struggled to get seemed to come to me with ease. At the age of twenty-three when many of my age mates were still in school or trying to…
DOZ Chronicles: Ada
Ada was a prostitute. But that was about to change. One night she had an encounter that changed her life forever. She was at her usual spot when a young man approached her. They agreed on a price for the night, and she got into his car and went home with him. At his house,…
Amnon: The King Who Did Not Reign
Amnon was the first son of David, king of Israel and he was born into a leadership position because as the firstborn of his father, he was the head of his siblings and his father’s household. Also, he should have become king and leader of Israel after his father’s death. He began as a leader…
DOZ Chronicles: Tega
I was exhausted as I journeyed from Garki to Asokoro that Friday evening. Just as I entered the Fort IBB premises, where I lived, a blue Volvo pulled up beside me. The driver was a young man I saw on the estate every so often, although we never spoke to each other. “Hello,” he greeted….
DOZ Chronicles: Kome
It was the year 1999. It was hmm, I think, the month of March. It was a Saturday morning and yes, it was me, Kome Edomero, behind the wheels of the metallic grey Honda Accord saloon. I was travelling from Benin to my village in Iyede for the final stage of my grandfather’s funeral rites….
Liz Murray
How Did Liz Murray Go From Homeless to Harvard? What Lessons Can We Learn? Liz Murray is an American inspirational speaker who went from homeless to Harvard University. She is the founder and director of Manifest Living and one of the most highly sought-after motivational speakers in the world. She is the author of the…
Joy Mangano
Joy Mangano is an American businesswoman, inventor, and creator of the self-wringing Miracle Mop. Like everyone else, Joy started with a dream. She became an inventor at a young age when she dreamed up a fluorescent flea collar to keep pets safe. At the time, she was a teenager working at an animal hospital in…
Shania Twain
Canadian singer, songwriter, and actress Shania Twain was born on the 28th of August 1965 as Eilleen Regina Edwards to Sharon and Clarence Edwards. She was the first of three daughters. When she was two years old, her parents divorced, and her mother moved to Timmins, Ontario, with her daughters and married Jerry Twain, an…
Anastasia Soare
Anastasia Soare, who is famous for the revolution in eyebrows and popularly called the “Eyebrow Queen” is a Romanian-American billionaire businesswoman and the CEO and founder of Anastasia Beverly Hills. She was born and raised in Romania, where she studied art history and architecture. In 1978, she married a ship captain named Victor Soare, with…
Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart was without any doubt a very bold and courageous woman. She was the first woman to make a first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Her journey to becoming a pilot began as a child. She was fascinated by planes and loved airshows. Once, she visited an airshow with her family, and her…
DOZ Chronicles: Rume
I am Rume. And what you’re reading is my story. It’s not the story of my entire life in case you were wondering. It’s a story about a bizarre meeting with one man. Nansak Danjuma. It was quite an insightful event which taught me a thing or two. I hope you glean as many lessons…
Sisan: A Preparing to Cleave Story
As Sisan entered Pastor John’s office, she looked sorrowful. Anyone could tell that she had been crying because her eyes were red and puffy. She also looked unkempt, and not the least bit bothered by her appearance. Her braided hair was covered in a scarf, she wore no make-up on her face, and no jewellery…
An Indecent Proposal
It was a regular day, and Nina was meeting an old friend for lunch. She had not seen him in about ten years, but they had been in communication via telephone and social media. The last time she saw him, she had been going through a divorce, and his marriage was on the verge of…
First, You Make Your Choices; Then Your Choices Make You
Every day we make choices whether we are aware of it or not and the choices we make have the power to make or unmake us depending on if they are right or wrong choices. My question to you is, what choices are you making? Today, you are a sum of the choices you made…
Don’t Look Back!
“Escape for thy life! Do not look behind you.” This was the charge given to Lot and his family as they departed from Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot was Abraham’s nephew and he went to live in Sodom and Gomorrah after parting from Abraham. Unfortunately, the men of Sodom were wicked and God chose to destroy…
What Are Your Options? (Part 3)
I have heard it said, “When life throws you a lemon, make lemonade.” And what I know to be true is this; whenever life throws you a lemon, it will also throw at you the option of turning that lemon into a nice glass of lemonade. Life never puts you in a pit without giving…
What Are Your Options? (Part 2)
Life never throws anything at you without giving you options to get out of it. The Bible says, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make…
What Are Your Options?
Consider the situation you are currently in; what are your options to get out of it? Understand that no matter what life throws at you, you will never be left without options to get out. Most times, people remain in unpleasant situations, not because there are no options to get out or they don’t know…
What’s the Price Tag on Your Dream?
In other words, what will your dream cost you? Do you know? Are you even aware it will cost you something or do you think you will get it for free? If you do not know what it will cost you, then you may be in for a big surprise. Nothing of value is free;…
Solomon: The Decisive Leader
Solomon was the son born to David by Bathsheba. He became king of Israel after David. He was a decisive leader and this is one quality that caused him to be established and distinguished. What does it mean to be decisive? The word decisive according to an online dictionary means settling an issue or producing…
Dr.Tererai Trent
Dr. Tererai Trent is a woman with an inspiring story. Her story demonstrates what is possible when people have dreams and keep pursuing them despite the opposition. Her story is one of tenacity and resilience. It proves that our goals are achievable if we don’t give up. Dr. Trent was born and raised in a…
Heather Dorniden Kampf
About a year ago, I watched a very inspiring video. It was the 600-meter race of Heather Dorniden, now Heather Kampf. When I watched the video, I was amazed at the lessons that I gleaned, and I would like to share those lessons with you in this article, hoping that you will be inspired never…
Dr. Stella Adadevoh
Stella Adadevoh is known as the doctor who paid the ultimate price to save her country, Nigeria, from the outbreak of the Ebola disease. Her full name was Stella Shade Ameyo Adadevoh. She was the lead physician and endocrinologist at First Consultant Hospital in Lagos State, Nigeria. She was born on the 27th of October…
The Pancake Lady
I recently read about a woman simply known as The Pancake Lady, in a book titled Power to Create. The author used her story in the first chapter of the book basically to inspire his readers. I will tell her story briefly, and I am sure you will agree that it is inspirational. After this,…
Leadership Lessons from the Ten Virgins
The parable of the ten virgins was told by Jesus and can be found in Matthew 25:1-13. The Bible says that five of the virgins were wise and five were foolish. All ten of them went forth to meet the bridegroom. The five who were foolish took their lamps but took no oil with them….
Leadership Lessons from Lot’s Wife
Lot’s wife is famous for being the first and only woman in the Bible to become a pillar of salt. After Lot separated from Abraham, he dwelt in Sodom and Gomorrah. This was a big mistake because the men of Sodom were wicked, and it wasn’t long before God decided to destroy the city. Prior…
Leadership Lessons from the Life of Mary
Mary requires no introduction. She was the mother of Jesus Christ. And she is possibly the most famous woman that ever lived. Today Mary has as many followers as Jesus Christ. This article highlights the leadership lessons garnered from a study of her life. She was a great woman who made great sacrifices to birth…