coco olorunfemi

Hello and welcome to A Piece of Peace, your weekly dose of motivation and inspiration. This week I would like to share on the topic “Happy New Month.”

It is December and what an amazing year it has been so far. This year has been full of so many blessings. Since the beginning of the year I have come across so many wonderful and inspirational people and I have learnt a great deal about the incredible journey of life. I understand that I do not know it all, but it is only by learning from each other that we truly gain the depth of experience needed to overcome every set back.

In the beginning of the year, I had a number of resolutions, some of them I have been able to achieve others I have not yet ticked off the list. Today we are one month away from the end of 2015 and I just want to send a quick word of encouragement to all my amazing Faith builders out there. Stay strong. Stay focused. And keep pushing.

Remember, we made it this far!! FINAL month of 2015! Not everyone had this privilege. If you're reading this message then you have every reason to say 'I'M BLESSED! You started this year and surely, by the grace of God, you shall finish 2015 with a SMILE! See, all those who thought you will not finish this year will not ONLY see you finish it but they shall see you finish it with JOY and a TESTIMONY. Shame will be their portion. You are BLESSED. Your family is blessed. The blessed shall call you BLESSED because God will make you stand out.

This month, God will answer your prayers speedily. This month, I pray the partnership with your PURPOSE grows STRONGER. Let Him have 1st place in your life and you will go PLACES. See, when God opens a door for you- no man, no devil, no hater, no doubter can shut it. I wish you well. Stay blessed Happy New Month again and remember to continue to be yourself, because everyone is taken.

This is an exclusive Pulse blog by British-Ghanaian television presenter and actress, Peace Hyde. "...Since the beginning of the year I have come across so many wonderful and inspirational people and I have learnt a great deal about the incredible journey of life..."

"Happy New Month" by Peace Hyde

Hello and welcome to a Piece of Peace, your weekly dose of motivation and inspiration. This week we celebrate global entrepreneur week and to join in the celebrations, Aim Higher Africa conducted its second Ignite event, which seeks to empower youngpreneurs with the toolkit for a successful future. The Aim Higher Africa Ignite team visited the Jayee University to engage with the young minds in the Business school. It was very insightful and the theme that came out of this session is coincidentally the topic for this week, “Money vs. Passion.” We have all heard the age-old debate of pursuing your passion and this is so true. But in a world of infinite financial responsibilities, how do you successfully pursue a passion without money. Some of our students had some very interesting passions but were not sure whether it would be a financially rewarding venture. They were torn between going in for the 9-5 working life or embarking on the very challenging entrepreneurial path.

It is important to establish that there is absolutely nothing wrong with going into the employment world and earning a salary. In fact many entrepreneurs began their working lives working for other people in order to gain the valuable experience to engage in their own ventures later on. A significant amount of businesses were created after identifying flaws in the normal working environment. For certain types of specialist jobs like accountancy, surgery, law etc., you will need a certain number of years in the 9-5 environment before establishing your own practice. It is also important to understand that the path of an entrepreneur is not for everybody.

Some people are naturally pre-disposed to have the traits and qualities of an entrepreneur and as they go through their normal working lives, they eventually realise that stepping out on their own without the safety or security of a monthly pay check is more exciting. Whichever bracket you may fall under, it is important to understand that money is key. Without money, it can be very difficult to survive whether you are in a 9 to 5 or starting your own business.

Planning is key. Establish to the very minute detail, how much money you will need to start your venture before embarking on it. Take into account things like how you are going to survive for at least the first 6 months as a business when you are still establishing your brand and communicating your value proposition to the market. Identify if you need any employees and how are you going to pay their wages. Cross off from the list any expenses that you can do without and only write down the necessary must haves in order to give your business the best possible chance to grow. Once you have established your minimum costs as a business, it is important to now look at the various sources of finance available to you.

Most small businesses raise their initial start up capital with the help of friends and family and also from personal savings. Identify if these sources are viable options for you. Consequently, there are several government start-up funds available to young entrepreneurs.  Have a Look at your local and national assemble to identify which funds are available and how to access them. Thirdly, you can apply for grants. There are several grant making associations who give start up capital to budding entrepreneurs like your self. You will have to show an in depth understanding of your business and have a detailed business plan. If you are at this point in your entrepreneurial journey, remember you are embarking on a path that millions of successful individuals have embarked on and they were exactly where you are today. Never give up and continue pursuing that passion and it will pay off eventually. And no matter what you do, always be yourself, because everyone else is taken.

This is an exclusive Pulse blog by British-Ghanaian television presenter and actress, Peace Hyde. "...They were torn between going in for the 9-5 working life or embarking on the very challenging entrepreneurial path..."

“Money vs Passion” by Peace Hyde

Hello and welcome to a Piece of Peace, your weekly dose of motivation and inspiration. This week I will like to share with you on the topic of “Youngpreneurs”. This week was very special. We got to officially launch the ‘Aim Higher Africa: IGNITE’ workshop providing youngpreneurs the toolkit for life and what an amazing experience it was. For those of you who do not know about this initiative, it involves the Aim Higher team goes to young students and teach them entrepreneurial skills to help them turn their passion into business. I learnt a lot from these sessions. It is amazing how many young students have great business ideas but they just do not know how to translate those ideas into practical money making ventures. We heard from great speakers and one of the things that stood out the most during these sessions was the topic of Passion.

There are so many young people out there who have the burning desire to tap into a passion. They have an idea of what that passion is but they have not managed to translate that burning interest and desire into something that will enrich their working life. It is important to understand how important this element in the entrepreneurial journey is. It is the essential ingredient you need to keep you motivated and encouraged on the long and often challenging journey of an entrepreneur. The problem of passion is, it can take any shape or form. For example, one can be passionate about swimming, speaking, running etc. Translating any one of these ideas into money can be arduous.

The speakers did a great job using their own real life experiences to show how it can be done. From presenting, to photography, to speaking and singing we saw how various passions have been translated into successful business ventures. Here are 3 points that stood out for me that I would like to share with my younpreneurs out there. Firstly, It is important to think big but start small. There is no problem with having a really great business idea, but you have to be prepared to start small. Find out the best ways you can execute your business idea without depending on a large financial injection. Secondly, it is important to plan.

You need to establish exactly how you are going to translate that business idea into a success and planning is key. Write down your plan and be harsh with yourself. Mercilessly cancel out anything that is not relevant and only list the items that will help you create your business. Finally, be prepared to work hard. Starting your business is probably one of the most difficult things you will ever do and if you do not have the discipline to work hard and tirelessly all the time, you will never see that passion transform into business.  Embarking on an entrepreneurial journey is something that can be an amazing and difficult journey at the same time. But it can also be an extremely fulfilling journey. It is important to stay focused and never give up  and no matter what always remember, be yourself because everyone else is taken.

This is an exclusive Pulse blog by British-Ghanaian television presenter and actress, Peace Hyde. "...They have an idea of what that passion is but they have not managed to translate that burning interest and desire into something that will enrich their working life..."

"Youngpreneurs" by Peace Hyde

Hello and welcome to a Piece OF Peace, your weekly dose of motivation and inspiration. Today I would like to share with you on the topic of “Setting a new standard.” Nobody can treat you in a way that is not acceptable if you do not allow them to do so. You have absolute control over the way the outside world interacts with you. Our own personal standards and what we will or will not accept predominantly influence whether positively or negatively, every encounter we have with people.

Take for example, victims of abusive relationships. We have all heard several encounters of spousal abuse where the victim continues to stay with the partner until a tragic end.The fear of losing what we think we cannot live without creates a tolerance for actions, which should never be acceptable.

My very good friend once told me that she only left the father of her two children after he got another girl pregnant. Up until that point, she forgave all the cheating, lying and the stealing of her money for drugs.  When I asked what about the pregnancy made her draw the line, she said that was just way below the belt and she had to put her foot down because she had already tolerated enough negativity in the relationship.

She reasoned that, it was now time to think of the well being of her two children. Maybe the love that she thought she was still holding on to did not exist after all. For my friend, the standard of what she would not take was another woman’s child in the family dynamics. Up until that point, she was willing to forgive and continue working on the relationship.

When you stand up for what you deserve, whether it is business or personal, God and the universe honour that and your next level of blessings come through. You have to show that you have a new standard. Remember, standards are what you allow. Don’t get comfortable accepting relationships that don’t grow and honour you, jobs that don’t honour your level of experience or rates, and friends that don’t support you. Set a new standard and watch a new flow happen! Stand up for yourself and set a standard! After you set it, stand in it fully. It may take a while for some to catch on but it will be worth it. And always remember, be yourself, because everyone else is taken.

This is an exclusive Pulse blog by British-Ghanaian television presenter and actress, Peace Hyde. "...Our own personal standards and what we will or will not accept predominantly influence whether positively or negatively, every encounter we have with people..."

"Setting a new standard" by Peace Hyde

Hello and welcome to a Piece of Peace, your weekly dose of motivation and inspiration. This week I would like to share with you on the topic “Needs Vs. Wants.”  A long time ago in an economics lecture, I remember my professor introducing the topic of scarcity. He explained by saying, “all human beings have needs, but there are scarce resources to satisfy those needs hence we have to make a choice.”

The issue of choice denotes that, one has to make a selection between two options. On that premise, we need certain tools to help us make and identify that choice. As humans we are programed to go with the option we cannot live without. This is known as a need. The choice that we leave behind is usually referred to as the want. In economic theory, choosing one usually means you have to lose out on the benefits of the other.

In life, these choices can be slightly difficult to make. We convince ourselves that things that are meant to be wants are actually needs.

It has been several years since that economics lecture. I personally did not think the subject was for me hence I decided to stroll into the psychology lecture room instead. Last night my friend was going through some drama in her love life. Naturally, she was having her customary emotional break down. Every so often, the new couple will have a big fight, usually about something, which was entirely his fault, as she likes to put it. Today the drama was over her birthday. Instead of celebrating the special event with her, he completely forgot and opted for a boy’s night out instead.

My friend did not make a big fuss about it all day because she thought he had planned a surprise for her but when at 11:45 pm, the love of her life had still not called, her typically calm and well mannered demeanor was substituted for something less refined. She was heart broken. Her problem was, this was their first birthday since they started dating a couple of months ago. “Is this not the honeymoon period,” she avers to me as she cries loudly. During her emotional rant, she said one thing that stood out to me. I NEED HIM.

Up until that point, I had calmly played the supportive role of telling her everything will be ok and things will get better. But that statement I felt needed to be addressed. The problem with a lot of relationships especially in the beginning stage is, it feels like everything means so much more than it really should. The euphoria of finding love usually makes you feel like that feeling is everything you need. There is a big difference between fighting for what you think you want and what you actually need. All you need is God and yourself. You have to be enough for yourself because that is all you have. You decide what treatment you will and will not accept.

The worst thing you can do is believe that someone other than yourself, holds the key to your happiness. When that happens you relinquish your ability to progress and transfer your power into the hands of someone who really shouldn’t have that control. Your happiness is in your hands, certainly not in something you want. Be smart. Know the difference between a need and a want and no matter what you do, always remember, be yourself because everyone else is taken.

This is an exclusive Pulse blog by British-Ghanaian television presenter and actress, Peace Hyde. "...In economic theory, choosing one usually means you have to lose out on the benefits of the other..."

Needs VS Wants by Peace Hyde

Hello and welcome to this weeks piece of peace, your weekly dose of motivation and inspiration. Today I would like to share with you on the topic of “Making Difficult Choices.” Two weeks ago I was faced with a tough decision to make. It was something I had never faced before so it left me slightly confused as to which way to go. In times where this happens I do one of two things.

Firstly, I look through my different sources of motivational materials and see who has the right advice that most suits what I need. Secondly, I seek advice from people I respect and I know can give me unbiased and honest feedback. Everybody has one of those and if you don’t then it is important you find someone you trust to fill those shoes. For me, that person is my Mother. She is the one person that does not manage my feelings and no matter what the truth is, for better or for worse, she delivers the information with the same love and care as always.

The decision making process is never an easy one. No matter how prepared or focused you are there are always going to be some sleepless nights over really big decisions. Sometimes that pressure is so intense that it forces us to completely disregard logical and well thought out steps in favour of the easiest and fastest solutions. A friend of mine had to make a choice between two guys who were actively fighting for her attention. Both men represented two sides of things she wanted the most.

The first man was super romantic, caring and affectionate but did not really have a steady job and hence an unreliable financial situation. The second was wealthy and well established. He owned several businesses and had even gone as far as opening a fashion line for her. In contrast, he had no romance. My friend was torn between the two. On the one hand, she was a hopeless romantic but at the same time she needed financial help and support. Faced with the tough decision about the two men, she decided to date both men until she got caught cheating and consequently lost both of them in the end.

Big decisions can cause serious stress in your life. They can cloud your mind and thereby prevent you from committing to a solid path. This is because, our emotions tend to cloud our judgment and because many of us cannot separate the two, it becomes a struggle to make the right choices. One good way of dealing with a difficult situation is trying to put yourself in the advisory position for a friend. In other words, pretend like you are giving advice to a friend who is dealing with the situation you are in.  What would you say to them. Would you tell them to do what you strongly want to do based on your emotions or would you take a logical approach and point them in the right direction. Uncertainty is a very tricky thing.

It implies instability, which causes our brains to immediately perceive danger. We are all accustomed to doing the same things because by default we are all creatures of habit. Sometimes when faced with a difficult decision, challenging yourself could offer you the solution you need. This means doing the exact opposite of what you would normally do by confronting your default behavior and stepping outside your comfort zone.

It can certainly be a trying time when this happens but the most important thing to remember is Do not panic. Take your time and think clearly, removing any short-term emotions and seeking advice from people you trust and in the end everything will fall into place. And always remember, be yourself, because everyone else is taken.

This is an exclusive Pulse blog by British-Ghanaian television presenter and actress, Peace Hyde. "...No matter how prepared or focused you are there are always going to be some sleepless nights over really big decisions..."

"Making difficult choices" by Peace Hyde

How? How did he expect her to pull it off?! Get married to him? Less than a month after her husband’s death? It would be the talk of the entire nation! “Oh how quickly the grieving widow mourned” “She couldn’t even let her husband’s body grow cold” “Her husband must be turning in the grave” “Eya, what a wicked woman” “Maybe she killed her husband”…. Bla bla bla

She walked to stand at her balcony, softly twirling her glass of red wine which she sipped occasionally, careful not to spill it. She took a deep breath, hands on the railing and head reeling from all the thoughts. She sighed as she acknowledged the fear she was feeling.

She didn’t fear what people would say since she knew they would be true to very large extent. She feared a man… The same one that had asked her to marry him. The same one she dared not say no to. The same man who had helped her do the unthinkable… Kill her husband.

She sighed as she remembered the day.

...She remembered the phone that rang that day…. The one that cut through her sweet afternoon doze and made her curse quietly as she begged it not to rouse the sleeping child whose head rested between her breasts…the one that was persistent enough to make her get up from the living room chair, set the baby down gently and walk with hastened steps to her own doom…

…She had picked up the phone. Nothing. She took the phone off her ears to stare at the screen. Sweetheart…

... Nothing. She was about to cut the call when she finally heard it.

<a href="" id="b42477d6-0e50-5386-b6a8-320c0e237ce4">“yes baby… yes baby… keep fucking me just like that… oh my god… fuck yeah..”</a>

Adora stood rooted to the spot as her brain slowly processed what she was hearing. There was more groaning and some serious fucking going on at the other end but she just stood there transfixed, hands holding phone to ear. She stood there till he came, listening to every sound he made…recording every pleasure in her memory. It was only after she had heard things subside that she cut the call.

Her brain failed her. She wanted to scream, cry, hurl things, confront him… she wanted to deal with the pain searing through her chest but all she could do was stare into nothing. She could feel the warmth slowly ebb out of her being. Her son’s cry broke her out of her trance. She looked long and hard at the phone one more time before walking over to her child, picking him up and slowly rocking him back till he quietened. She cooed softly to him, dancing back and forth till he started to doze off in her arms.

This is an exclusive blog post by Ife Doe. "...The same one she dared not say no to. The same man who had helped her do the unthinkable..."

Heels and kills (VII)

And oh, you have to love eggs to be able to enjoy this recipe. And hey, the eggs are fully cooked when pastry is ready so (if you are like me) don’t be scared the pastry would taste of raw eggs.

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 20 min

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed4 large eggs1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese1 Tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Preparation

Sprinkle the eggs with salt and pepper then bake for an additional 12 minutes until the egg whites are fully cooked. Remove the baked eggs, top with the chives and serve.

<a href="" id="490f123a-0b25-5d88-b112-11d192369d6b">Content brought to you by Supermart. </a>

If you like your pastry cheesy and puffy (hmmm… yummy), then this is for you....

Baked Eggs Pastry [Recipe]

Hello and welcome to a piece of peace. Your weekly dose of motivation and inspiration. This week I will like to share with you on the topic “Wedding Bells.” I was recently asked to be part of the bridesmaids of a good friends wedding, my first ever invitation, and I am so excited about it. In the process of preparing for the event, which happens in a couple of months, I realized just how, much of a big deal weddings are to us women.

My friend has been planning her big day for a couple of months now and we have all been very excited. This week I got another invitation from a good male friend, who will also be having his big day next year. One thing I realized from the on set is what the perception of the wedding process is to both genders. My female friend is excited about how the event will turn out detailing everything from the looks of all the bridesmaids from the type of hairstyles to the colour of shoes to wear. We even have a group chat to discuss various aspects of the wedding day with designated positions assigned to each individual. Naturally, I am responsible for hair and make up. The whole process is efficiently coordinated and each week we meet online to discuss progress.

My male friend however has a completely different outlook on his big day. Firstly, the bulk of the effort at the moment is being spent coordinating the bachelor weekend away with 10 of his closest friends. The obvious destination of choice of course is Las Vegas, which I think in large part, is due to the hugely successful hangover movie, which in my opinion has become every guy’s bachelor weekend fantasy.

Anyway, there is no group meetings, just a simple invitation call, “boss, are you going to be available on the 3 of July for Vegas?” the answer is a quick, “Yes” and that’s it, done. After confirmation of all the boys for the big Vegas getaway, the bulk of the wedding preparation work is done. When I asked him isn’t he concerned about the outfits the grooms men are going to wear, he simply said, “chale they will all buy suits.” The rest of the wedding planning is now in the hands of his fiancé who is probably now going through what my friend is going through.

I was talking to a married couple yesterday and in a joke, the husband said to his wife, “look at how much I love you, didn’t I give you your wedding, what did I get in return?” It is interesting that weddings are perceived as a woman’s thing and men are simply doing us a favor by getting married. Another married friend told me he got married eventually after 5 years of dating because he knew how much it would mean to the fiancé. I think weddings mean a lot of different things to the people involved.

Whether, you are looking forward to the parties preceding the event or the magical experience of the day, weddings and by consequence marriage is a life long commitment. Do not let anyone push you into making the decision if you are nor ready. You are the only one that can truly know whether you are ready for that life long partner or not. From the little experience I’ve hard, I can assure you that it is a lot of hard work, but with the love and support from each other, you will be able to make it through any difficulty you encounter. Until next week, always be yourself, because everyone else is taken.

This is an exclusive Pulse blog by British-Ghanaian television presenter and actress, Peace Hyde. "...In the process of preparing for the event, which happens in a couple of months, I realized just how, much of a big deal weddings are to us women..."

"Wedding bells" by Peace Hyde

Hello and welcome to a Piece of Peace, your weekly dose of motivation and inspiration. This week I would like to share with you on the topic of Luck. I recently saw an article, which spoke about the main ingredients needed for success. In the article 3 main factors were short listed i.e. Luck, Hard work and preparation.  I found this very interesting. I am a firm believer in the latter. But the former has always been a controversial one for me. I think to a large extent I believe that you make your own luck. I posed this question to a couple of entrepreneurs I was interviewing this week.

One of them was of the opinion that, luck had a very big part to play in his success story. He was born into a privileged family and that gave him the opportunity to go to an Ivy League college, which in turn ensured he gained experience in a fortune 500 company before embarking on his own entrepreneurial journey as a venture capitalist. He believes the random chance of being born in the right family provided a ladder that meant he did not start from scratch.

The second entrepreneur is not from the same privileged background. In fact his success is one that is borne out of hardship and sheer determination. He attributes his success to determination. He believes luck is not something that just happens to you when you are not doing anything to push yourself. What actually happens is that, you work hard and tirelessly on a particular goal and over time that persistence will ensure that you are in a position to capitalise on every opportunity that comes your way.

The two opinions are both valid. I think luck does exist but not in the way many people believe it to be. The advantages we get being born into a particular family for example, can be seen as lucky seeing as the individual had no prior choice in that decision. However, in everyday life, the notion of luck in my opinion is something that only arise when the individual has put in the required effort to achieve a particular goal. Many people believe that all they need is luck to turn their situation around without putting in any work. They make excuses like, I am unlucky and only if I had his/her luck my situation will be so different. They pray for a day when their luck will change instead of fighting for the opportunity they need.

I believe luck is an opportunity that presents itself to only those who are fighting to achieve any given goal. So the next time you feel like saying how unlucky you are, ask your self, have you put in enough work for your fortunes to change? And always remember, be yourself, because everyone else is taken.

This is an exclusive Pulse blog by British-Ghanaian television presenter and actress, Peace Hyde. "...The advantages we get being born into a particular family for example, can be seen as lucky seeing as the individual had no prior choice in that decision..."

"Luck" by Peace Hyde

Hello and welcome to a piece of peace, your weekly dose of motivation and inspiration. Today I would like to share on the topic of “The perfectionist Debate.” This week I had an interesting interview with a successful business owner who stressed that she has struggled for years when working as part of a team because of her Anal-retentive personality.

Anal-retentive commonly abbreviated to anal, is used to describe a person who pays such attention to detail that the obsession becomes an annoyance to others, potentially to the detriment of the anal retentive person. She explained, she knew she was not meant to be a 9-5 employee because nobody understood her work ethic and the only way she knew how to do anything was to do it the absolute best. Most people in her opinion settle for mediocrity and that is why they never achieve the levels of success she has. Sitting in her office space and seeing the empire she had built from nothing, I reflected on a conversation I had with my friend last week about the problem of being a perfectionist.

According to them, being anal is a problem because it involves a tendency to set standards that are so high that they either cannot be met, or are only met with great difficulty. Perfectionists tend to believe that anything short of perfection is horrible, and that even minor imperfections will lead to a catastrophe. Nobody is perfect and the people who always strive for perfection put an unnecessary burden on colleagues and employees, which creates a negative working environment.

Listening to the debate, I tried to figure out where I stood. I have never met any successful (and I mean truly successful) individual who to an extent was not particular about one thing or the other. It could be the way something is written for them, how they want to be perceived by the public or something as trivial as how they want the office to look. Most of the greatest minds of our time, were all called perfectionist or anal at some time. Yet they seem to be the ones that we write business case studies about, learn about their lives and seek inspiration from.

I believe too much of everything is bad, but I do not agree with those who come down on the individuals who have anal traits because it is that perfection which creates the apple products we have all grown to love so much, the light bulb which has brightened so many homes for generations, scientific theories which have made the way for advancements in medicine and so many other examples. It is that attention to detail that we consistently celebrate. It seems like all things human, we encourage things when they bear fruit and then tear it down when we do not see the benefits of it in the short term.

If you have the trait of a perfectionist, I strongly think you should find the right balance when dealing with other people but certainly do not let it go because that trait could be the wild card that makes you different from any other person. And always remember to be yourself because to be honest, everyone else is already taken.

This is an exclusive Pulse blog by British-Ghanaian television presenter and actress, Peace Hyde..."According to them, being anal is a problem because it involves a tendency to set standards that are so high that they either cannot be met..."

The perfectionist debate by Peace Hyde

Soundcity has decided to no longer play the music videos of the singing duo and now both sides appear to be at war, with accusations and counter accusations; but you see, the music business and public statements should be handled with the same care as any other business, having in mind the possibilities for legal liabilities.

Psquare through Jude, has made statements which may be damaging to the reputation of Soundcity and which could negatively affect the trade of Soundcity. If such statements are untrue, that could be a good case for defamation. And that’s my point exactly, they are absolutely false. Psquare has made Soundcity out as an exploitative company that does not pay royalties for the works they deploy. This is terribly untrue. I have personally confirmed from COSON.

Psquare has a right to insist on a fee for their performance as they did with Soundcity and Soundcity also has a right to determine who gets played on their station BUT PSQUARE DOES NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO DEFAME SOUNDCITY and that could be the game changer that could make Soundcity emerge the winner in this battle.

Watch Pulse TV video for more on duo.

This is an exclusive blog post by a Lawyer "...Psquare through Jude, has made statements which may be damaging to the reputation of Soundcity and which could negatively affect the trade of Soundcity..."

"Why Soundcity could sue Psquare for defamation"

Hello and welcome to a Piece of Peace. Your weekly dose of motivation and inspiration. This week I would like to share on the topic “Parental Guidance.” The week has just began but I am already very excited. The reason is my favourite TV series MTV Shuga hits our screens this week. This year is particularly special for me because I got the awesome opportunity to take part in this amazing production. I learnt a lot about HIV/Aids and how teenagers perceive the world of sex. As I look forward to this amazing edutainment show, a thought comes to mind about a previous campaign we did to promote the program. We were at the university of Unilag for a promotional concert where I came across a young girl who seemed quite stressed.

She was contemplating taking part in the free HIV screening at the concert but was worried about the results. Through our conversations, she disclosed to me that she has had multiple sexual partners and did not always use protection because she never thought she was going to contract the disease. She said all her partners were boyfriends and hence she had always trusted them to be safe. Her parents had never spoken to her about sex or using protection; all she knew about the topic was what her friends who were already having sex shared with her. That conversation made me realise, just how dangerous a situation we are creating for our teenagers. The job of speaking to our children about sex has fallen to other children to do.  This means young people are not getting the accurate and timely information to prevent serious health risks like HIV/AIDS.

As Former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan once said, “Young people are the key in the fight against AIDS. By giving them the support they need, we can empower them to protect themselves against the virus. By giving them honest and straightforward information, we can break the circle of silence across all society. By creating effective campaigns for education and prevention, we can turn young people’s enthusiasm, drive and dreams for the future into powerful tools for tackling the disease.” It is important for us as adults to always have an open dialogue about the dangers of sex with teenagers. The lifestyles and attitudes of friends have a profound impact on teens. One of the strongest predictors of adolescent behavior is the perceived or actual behavior of friends.

Adolescents who have close friends that are sexually involved are much more likely to become sexually involved as well. Teens frequently believe that they will gain respect from their peers and be more accepted if they are following perceived social norms, in this case if they are sexually experienced. It is important for parents to provide parental guidance and ensure that the right advice is reaching their wards before it is too late. Have a blessed week everyone and remember be yourself because everyone is taken.

This is an exclusive Pulse blog by British-Ghanaian television presenter and actress, Peace Hyde. "...This means young people are not getting the accurate and timely information to prevent serious health risks like HIV/AIDS..."

“Parental Guidance” by Peace Hyde

As I watched the trailer for the upcoming movie, Concussion, starring Will Smith, I couldn’t help but wonder; is it that we aren’t talented or are we just not good enough for them?  Of course, the issue I refer to above is the use of an African-American actor, no matter how celebrated, in playing the role of a real life Nigerian man.

Concussion focuses on a forensic pathologist and neurologist who discovered Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronic_traumatic_encephalopathy" id="15124ce4-e26a-5ec9-85c5-236a310105d5">CTE</a>) in the brains of two NFL players, which later leads them both to suicide. The major motion picture is based on the true story of Dr. Bennet Omalu (played by Smith) who discovered CTE while performing an autopsy on Pittsburgh Steelers center Mike Webster. Now, as much as I appreciate the message of the movie and the awareness that the movie may raise in ensuring the future safety of NFL players, I can’t but feel cheated at the casting choices for the movie.

Although there seems to be quite the controversy about how the NFL may react to the movie, I am more concerned about the portrayal of a Nigerian man by Will Smith, who is by no means a Nigerian and judging by the trailer of the movie, does not have a mastery of the Nigerian dialect.

There are so few African characters on the big screen in comparison to the amount of talented African actors living in L.A, for example. Thus, why is it that a single Nigerian or at least African actor was not cast in the role of Dr. Omalu? It just seems unfair that anyone but African actors plays the African characters when it is evident that the supply of African actors greatly outweighs the demand for African actors.

In addition, if the idea is to attract huge numbers for the movie, there should not be a problem, as there are quite a number of accomplished African actors to do these roles justice, while attracting huge crowds to the cinemas.

In my opinion, there are equally accomplished African actors, such as, Chiwetel Ejiofor, who was nominated in 2013 for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Southern dialectal, Solomon Northup in 12 years a slave. As a matter of fact, Ejiofor also starred in the movie, Half of a Yellow Sun, where he convincingly played the role of a Nigerian Igbo man who just returned from overseas.

David Oyelowo, who is of Yoruba descent with a British dialect, also proved his acting prowess in the 2014 movie, Selma, as he eerily portrayed the late Martin Luther King, complete with a Southern dialect, showing his ability to take on any challenge.

Idris Elba, as well, could easily have portrayed the role of Dr.Omalu, as he has proven that he can take on any role with his multiple depictions of an American man and most recently, his role as a West African war commandant.

Therefore, why do we still have African characters played by African-Americans on the big screen? Honestly, what I find more upsetting is that it seems once an African is to be portrayed in a negative way (Captain Phillips), African actors conveniently seem to be sought after from all corners of the world. However, when Africans are to be portrayed in a positive way, like a Nigerian doctor discovering something that could potentially save lives, they have to find anyone but an African to play the part.

This seems to be an ongoing trend within the film industry in America, as Emma Stone was cast to play the part of a Hawaiian lady in Aloha. I’ll be the first to tell you that the craft shouldn’t suffer in place of aesthetic value. I believe that the best actor should be given the part over the actor who ‘may look right for the part’. Nonetheless, if there are actors who possess the required skills and looks for the part, then by all means let them portray the parts.

We have had so many years of being looked upon as the Dark Continent and we need to make a change, yet when we want to make that change we aren’t allowed to. We need to continue to draw attention to these issues, irrelevant, as they may seem. The truth is these African actors are some of our representatives outside of the continent and what they portray to the world is what the world thinks of us.

<a href="" id="45a5d087-a5e1-53c4-8a05-09f546898788">Diipo Ayo-Adeusi is an actor, presenter and fashion enthusiast. He has recently moved back to Nigeria from the US where he used to work on stage as a actor. He is Jollof rice and Jollof rice is him.</a>

This is an exclusive blog pot by actor and presenter, Diipo Ayo-Adeusi. "...It just seems unfair that anyone but African actors plays the African characters..."

"Are we not talented enough? Or are we just not good enough for them"

Hello and welcome to a piece of peace, your weekly dose of motivation and inspiration. This week I would like to share with you on the topic “The right time to quit.”

In a conversation with a group of friends this week, the topic of work came up. Everyone in the group immediately recounted all the annoying and stressful aspects of their job, which they hated the most. Comments ranged from the annoying boss to the psycho colleague who won’t stop checking you out every time you moved to even those annoying customers who always find a problem with the service you are providing. As I listened to the conversation, occasionally acknowledging discussion points, which resonated with my personal circumstances, I noticed nobody was really expressing what they actually loved about what they did. Consequently, I posed the question, so what do you love about what you do and why do you keep going back everyday if you hate your jobs so much?

To my surprise, none of them could actually say why they took up that employment in the first place. Do you ever ask yourself why you are still going to the job that you hate everyday? You probably have reluctantly accepted it as being part of your daily life. Its become routine and something to do. You might also be thankful that unlike many people in this challenging economic times, you at least have a job and it pays the bills. There are several reasons my friends gave as to why they kept waking up everyday and spending 8 to 10 hours of their lives in a situation they loathed. I was in that same situation for a long time. I gave myself several excuses as to why I needed to stick it out. Before we proceed let me just issue a Disclaimer: THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS POST IS THAT OF MINE AND NOBODY SHOULD ACT ON THE ADVICE UNLESS MAKING AN INFORMED DECISION THAT SUITS THEIR PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

Now that we have that out of the way, Quit that job you hate so much. If you spend so many hours at something you hate, it is eventually going to impede your ability to do your best work. As much as you try to hide it, others likely know you are disengaged and for every hour you spend behind the desk of a job you loathe, is an hour away from a passion that could completely transform your life. People will always say don’t quit your job before you get the next one lined up. It is true that being employed when looking for the next opportunity does help tremendously. However, if you are that miserable then sometimes it helps to quit, reassess your priorities in life and then come up with a plan that will help you achieve your fullest potential. Do not care about what others think because you are doing what is best for your career. At the end of the day, no one is going to care about how long you were at a particular job. You only have one life. Don’t spend it doing something you hate. Spend it enjoying your passion. And no matter what happens, always be yourself, because everyone else is taken.

This is an exclusive Pulse blog by British-Ghanaian television presenter and actress, Peace Hyde. "...You probably have reluctantly accepted it as being part of your daily life. Its become routine and something to do....

"The right time to quit" by Peace Hyde

Hello and welcome to a piece of peace, your weekly dose of motivation and inspiration. This week I would like to share with you on the topic of “False Perceptions”.  The root of success is planted in one’s perception of the world.  A friend of mine once shared with me the lengths he had to go to in order to close a deal which he had been chasing for a while. As he explained, “Its all about perception peace. I hired a luxury S-Class Mercedes Benz to take me to the office and bought a new Hugo boss suit and ted baker shoes. I even called one of my boys to borrow his Rolex watch and once everything looked on point, I strolled into the office like a boss”.

He later returned the aforementioned items back to its rightful owners. Interestingly enough, he did secure that deal, although I personally think his success was based on the quality of his proposal rather than his ostentatious physical appearance. However, over the years, I realised my old friends point of view of faking it to make it, was something that a lot of people subscribe to. I have seen people refuse to fly anything but first class for a 45-minute flight in the name of the right perception. I know people who say the business class lounge is too over crowded and they prefer to use the presidential suite for the right perception.

I have seen people come out of cars, 200 meters from the entrance of a building in the name of the right perception and I have seen people sit in expensive restaurants with no money and order a glass of water in the name of the right perception. Two weeks ago, a friend of mine gave me a lift to an event. He pulled up in an expensive car I had never seen him drive before. When I asked why and how he was driving the car, he explained that we needed to roll up in the right way so he rented it for an obscene amount.

It actually got me thinking. How many people are living false lives everyday, in the name of the right perception? I personally believe, A false perception of reality leads to false premises. Which in turn, leads to false assumptions. Which in turn leads to false conclusions. Which, ultimately, leads to negative results. I have learned from experience, how something as seemingly harmless as going along with a false perception impacts you. The impact is unconscious and can have lasting results because when you go along with a false perception a part of you is hiding- typically hiding from your own shame and judgment.

Instead of investing a lot of time and energy in creating a false perception, It is better to invest in finding out your passion and your purpose. God has given you everything you need to be successful. Believe it. As you go out today, know the truth. You are on your journey to greatness and so long as you keep persistently pushing forward, every resistance will have to make way for your dream. Remember always, be yourself, because everyone else is taken.

This is an exclusive Pulse blog by British-Ghanaian television presenter and actress, Peace Hyde. "...I have seen people sit in expensive restaurants with no money and order a glass of water in the name of the right perception..."

False Perceptions

Sometime in February, I wrote an article titled "Dear Wizkid, Your Star Is Falling" well, I now recognise how wrong I was at that point. Not only has Wizkid's star not fallen, it has soared!

It's no longer news that African music is enjoying a re- emergence on the global music scene. More and more international record companies are doing business with African artists. A recent example is music mogul Jay Z and his Tidal music service. Jay sent a top executive from his company to meet with some Nigerian record labels to develop a partnership that will lead to more exposure for Nigerian music. This simply proves the earlier stated fact.

With all this going on, one must recognise the efforts of Wizkid in taking the African sound to more and more homes abroad. In a short while, the Ojuelegba crooner has scored major collaborations with the likes of Drake, Chris Brown, Skepta and allegedly Rihanna. Swizzbeatz and Alicia Keys shared videos of themselves dancing to his music. And it seems the Starboy boss is not done. He continually teases via his social media accounts that he has more work with other stars in the pipeline.

Let's not forget that Wizkid is not the first musician to get accolades for his music abroad, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Salif Keita, Angelique Kidjo, Youssou N’dour and King Sunny Ade have done their part in promoting our sound but in modern times, Wizkid is the leader of a new school of artists who are steadily gaining ground in the international market. Others in this group include Ghana's Fuse ODG, South African bands Die Antwoord and Mi Casa, Nigeria's Asa, Davido and surprisingly, Timaya.

Even though Femi Kuti has been nominated in the Best World Music Album category at the Grammy's a couple of times, Wizkid may be the one to bring this award home to Nigeria. It's also not a bad idea if a Grammy award category was created for African music.

At this point, Wizzy's major competition should be Davido but the Aye crooner's album that features Wale and Trey Songz is yet to drop and the video for his single Fans Mi which features Meek Mill has been bashed by almost everyone for promoting the 'drug culture' which is a no go area for Nigerians and other Africans. Also, Meek's losing battle with Drake does not help Davido's cause too.

I just hope Wizkid does not rest on his oars following the recognition he's gotten for his recent achievements. He should build on the recognition he’s gotten and help African music attain better heights.

<a href="" id="bfadcbcd-87f9-5d32-bdcf-bc8a0d583d1d">‘Bisola Alawode is a journalist and PR consultant. He can be reached via his email address abisolaalawode@yahoo.co.uk</a>

This is an exclusive blog post by 'Bisola Alawode. "...He continually teases via his social media accounts that he has more work with other stars in the pipeline..."

"Is Wizkid Africa’s next superstar?"

We all have that one friend we love so much but hate to be around. I know it sounds contradictory but much as they make you laugh and are very generous, you can't stand the way they smell. Yes, today we will be talking about the topic body odour.

Also known as bromhidrosis, osmidrosis or ozochrotia, B.O as it is popularly called is quite a common phenomenon. One of the many reasons this is an issue is the fact that many times, the sufferers are not aware and when a few gutsy people try to create awareness things most likely than not go south.Being told that one has a body odour isn't a very pleasant experience so if you do have a friend with such an issue, be as polite about it as possible. You could get them a deodorant as a 'just cos it's Tuesday' present or suggest they take refreshing evening showers. If you've been told that you have a body odour,  don't feel slighted. It happens to the best of us, just try to take steps to work on it.Now it has been said there is a genetic component to body odour meaning that it could be inherited...pretty weird huh? True story though.

In a lot of cases though poor hygiene and a number of disease conditions are the culprits. Some people sweat excessively, a condition known as hyperhidrosis. For some this happens naturally, in other cases it might be due to a medical condition such as thyroid disease. A fishy or fruity smell might be a pointer to diabetes or kidney disease. To put it simply,body odour is caused by the action of bacteria on sweat. It goes to reason then that to reduce the risk of body odour, one needs to put measures in place to avoid that.

Some tips that may help include;1) Bathing regularly.A bath at least once a day is recommended but on days when you work really hard and sweat a lot, a second bath might be indicated cos the more sweat accumulates, the higher the tendecy for bacteria to act on it.  2) Shave your armpits!The hair in your armpits tend to trap sweat allowing bacteria to have a good time creating that unwanted odour.3) Wash your clothes regularly. Sometimes we wear clothes once and feel like they don't seem dirty and could be worn a second time. What we don't know is that sometimes we sweat on these clothes and when sweat gets onto clothes, bacteria can alsogrow there, making the clothes smelly too.4) Use an anti-deodorant/anti-perspirant.These work by making the environment acidic and making it difficult for bacteria to thrive. 5)You are what you eat. Excessive consumption of certain things such as garlic, onion,curry and alcohol and the use of certain medications also increase the risk for body odour.6) In extreme cases where lifestyle changes do not work, there are certain medications that may be used.They work by reducing the rate at which the sweat glands work (eg oxybutinin). Side effects include dry mouth, dry eyes and the fact that the body might not be able to cool itself by sweating. 7) A chemical known as botox may also be injected into the skin. It works by blocking a substance necessary to stimulate the sweat glands to produce sweat. 8)Finally, surgical options exist for extreme cases. They include laser surgery,  excision and sympathectomy where some nerves sending signals to the body to produce sweat will be cut. Most people will do well with lifestyle changes and treatment of underlying disease conditions so these should always be the first line of treatment. Remember that when you smell good, it automatically makes you more attractive so stay looking and smelling good

This is an exclusive Pulse blog by Medical doctor, Dami Daniels. "...You could get them a deodorant as a 'just cos it's Tuesday' present or suggest they take refreshing evening showers..."

Dealing With Body Odour

Like ‘Spicy pineapple’?  This soup will have you refreshed - You’ll feel like you’ve just had fruit and food at the same time! Try out this Pepper and Pineapple Soup recipe.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Chicken stock cube, 1 (vegetarians may substitute with a vegetable stock cube.)

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion and pepper. Fry gently over a medium heat for three minutes, to soften.

2. Add the curry powder and turmeric and cook further for a minute.

3. Crumble in the stock cube and add the water and the pineapple. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer gently for ten minutes.

4. Add the double cream and simmer for 2-3 minutes to thicken the soup.

Tip: Preferably eaten with rice.

How would you like some pepper in your pineapple?....

Recipe - Pepper and Pineapple Soup

You know when you just get bored of your regular meals and start to look for other ways to make food more interesting? Yup! That’s how I found couscous. Of course I had heard of it before but I never ate it or cooked it. So I began to look up various recipes on how to cook it and from there I created something for my taste. It is one of the most delicious, healthy but yet easy meals to prepare. I would highly recommend this for those who are trying to stay fit but still want to enjoy a delicious meal. I hope you enjoy this recipe.

<ul><li>You can use any fish of your choice.</li><li>You can also use chicken and use the chicken stock to prepare the couscous instead of water.</li><li>Add your favorite vegetables.</li><li>Find the ingredients on Nigerianfoods.com</li><li>To store, place it in an airtight container and put it in the fridge.</li></ul>

About this recipe:

<ul><li>Recipe type: main dish</li><li>Serves: 1-2 persons</li><li>Prep time: 15 minutes</li><li>Cooking time: 25 minutes</li><li>Total time: 40 minutes</li></ul>

<ul><li>2 cups of couscous</li><li>2 tilapia fillets</li><li>Vegetables (your choice, in my case I used some kale leaves, carrots, cabbage)</li><li>1 bulb of onions, chopped</li><li>1 medium sized cooking spoon olive oil</li><li>1 teaspoon of pepper</li><li>A pinch of salt</li><li>½ teaspoon of pepper and a pinch of salt for the fillet</li><li>2 Knorr cubes</li><li>½ teaspoon garlic powder (optional)</li></ul>

Content provided by <a href="http://www.nigerianfoods.com/" id="79f79f3f-71d0-5feb-9e2b-12b0667f3633">undefined</a><a href="" id="d008b457-df62-5872-8088-3437be1a3c53">from </a>

Grilled Tilapia Fillets with Vegetable Couscous

I would highly recommend this for those who are trying to stay fit but still want to enjoy a delicious meal...

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