DOZ stands for “Daughters of Zion,” and it is a Christian organisation.
DOZ began its operations in January 2009 in Benin City, Nigeria. That year, Eturuvie Erebor, also known as Gabriella, started writing about her painful experience in a brief marriage and subsequent divorce. Writing served as a therapeutic outlet for her. Once she completed her story, she faced a decision: approach an existing magazine for publication or start her own. She opted for the latter. Although unsure of what to name it, she envisioned a magazine focused on issues impacting Christian women, free from the vulgarity prevalent in many secular magazines. Eventually, she chose the name “Daughters of Zion,” inspired partly by Pastor Allen, who, unable to pronounce her name, referred to her as “Daughter of Zion.” The graphics designer, Julius Aloghemen, felt the full name was too long, so it was shortened to “DOZ,” and thus the magazine was created.
Despite her lack of experience in running a magazine, Eturuvie’s enthusiasm propelled her forward. The diverse reactions from readers ignited significant interest, and within five months, DOZ Magazine was being distributed in six locations across Nigeria. Initially planned as a bi-weekly publication, it later transitioned to a monthly release.
However, readers grew increasingly frustrated with the serialised nature of Eturuvie’s story and dreaded the phrase “to be continued.” In response, Eturuvie and her team launched a special magazine dedicated to telling her story in its entirety for the inaugural edition, followed by showcasing the stories of other women in subsequent issues. This publication was named the DOZ (True Story) Magazine, and it had a profound impact on its audience. As 2009 came to a close, readers expressed a strong desire to meet Temisan, a character from the DOZ (True Story) Magazines “Temisan Rejected” and “Temisan Restored.” Captivated by Eturuvie’s journey, they were eager to hear her speak at the “Temisan Revealed” event, which drew large crowds.
This period marked an exciting era for DOZ in Benin City, with Eturuvie often being referred to as “Temisan.” However, as the storyline concluded, the magazine faced declining sales and other management challenges. Feeling that DOZ had fulfilled its purpose of sharing her story, Eturuvie decided to cease its operations and return to her regular job, believing the magazine had reached its end.
Nevertheless, over the years, many involved with DOZ expressed a desire for its return. Eturuvie was encouraged to hear this enthusiasm and felt a sense of responsibility to her loyal readers. Following a conviction from God and newfound opportunities, she decided to revive DOZ.
In 2015, the DOZ (True Story) Magazine re-emerged as a book series titled the DOZ Chronicles. On September 1, 2016, Eturuvie, alongside a new team, re-launched DOZ Magazine online. In addition to the DOZ Chronicles and DOZ Magazine, DOZ Devotional was introduced to celebrate the faithfulness of a loving Heavenly Father to His daughters.
Recognising the need to empower women to pursue their God-given purposes, DOZ Network was established. The original 2009 slogan, “Celebrating her divine royalty,” inspired Eturuvie to envision a group that fosters mutual support among women to help them achieve their dreams. DOZ Network is an initiative dedicated to empowering women.
It’s important to note that while DOZ was officially established in 2009, its founder, Eturuvie Erebor, had already been actively involved in teaching and mentoring young women since February 14, 2004. Her experience and commitment to mentoring young women laid a solid foundation for the work she would later pursue through DOZ, furthering her goal of inspiring and supporting women in realising their God-given purposes.
How it all began…
