AS the much anticipated Africa Fashion Week Nigeria (AFWN) 2016, begins tomorrow, July 1, the organisers have revealed that about 60 designers from across Africa, will be showcasing their latest designs at this year’s event, set to be one of the biggest fashion shows in Africa. With the theme ‘’Connecting Africa’’ this year’s event which holds from July 1-3, takes off tomorrow with the Textile and Garment Manufacturing Conference, to hold at the Eko Hotels and Suites Victoria Island.

HOW did you get started? I started out with a shop at home. At that point, I was working with Texaco. But then being a US citizen, I had my children abroad and on one of the trips when I came to Nigeria, I decided to buy things and within two days everything was gone. That is how my eyes opened to the fact that I could run a business. My husband did not want his children with nannies until they were able to talk. I started with 300 dollars and the business began to multiply itself. I get along with people easily. I am flexible and I make sure my customers are happy. Referral has been our biggest advertisement because of the good experiences that customers have had.

AS part of activities marking this year’s International Widows’ Day, no fewer than 600 widows are presently undergoing a four-week skills acquisition training at no cost, at the Women Development Centre in Lagos, The training is being organised by the state Ministry for Women’s Affairs & Poverty alleviation, WAPA. Speaking at a symposium preceding the flag-off of the empowerment exercise, Commissioner, WAPA, Hon.(Mrs) Lola Akande, identified widowhood as a catalyst to poverty, explaining that it is because of this notion that the state government thought it pertinent to initiate the on-going 4-week training; to ensure widows in the state became self-reliant.

THE rite of mourning the demise of a husband in Nigeria has for a very long time been taken to the extreme by the relatives of the dearly departed either because they have plans of punishing the grieving widow or for other reasons best known to themselves.

WIDOWS in Lagos State have been advised to acquire vocational skills and play an active role in politics, to fully engage themselves, upon the death of their spouses. The advice came from Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, wife of the governor of the state, while delivering the keynote address at an event in Surulere, Lagos, organized by the Rose of Sharon Foundation, to mark the 2016 International Widows Day.