One of the hottest multicultural lifestyle magazines is OUT !!! Currently available in Canada at Newsstands, Indigo & Chapters retails stores.  If you are in Nigeria, the first 100 copies SOLD OUT IN 72 HOURS, be sure to pick your copy of Elonn Magazine at Terra Kulture, plot 1376,Tiamiyu Savage Street, V.I Lagos. The current issue features “women of diversity” and various hot topics of interest.

Far from the sterotypes about Nigeria and the lukewarm responses to issues of national and humanitariam importance.

Fashion For Jos, hosted by Regina Askia was one of many colours and patterns as people trooped into 1015 Brightseat Road at Landover, Maryland to be a part of the fundraising event. The idea was conceived by Estella Ogbonna of Estella Couture Fashions who herself was raised in Jos. This fashion designer bridled with a huge heart for humanity is noted for various contributions in fundraising and charity fashion events. Ultimately, she saw Fashion For Jos as an opportunity to give back to the motherland.

The event came alive through the hard work and perseverance of many talented Nigerians and well-wishers. Through their combine efforts, the show was a success and all the funds raised will be given to charities working in Jos to support victims of the crisis. Here are some pictures from the show courtesy of Sagat Studios and Trendy Africa. Enjoy!

ABOUT FASHION FOR JOS:

Fashion for Jos is a subsidiary of Fashion For the Nations and was founded by Estella Ogbonna in 2001. The organization’s main objective revolves around crisis response and relief-aid for  victims of violence or natural disasters in countries across the world.

Fashion for Jos will accomplish the following :

• Raise funds for victims, especially women and children.
• Create awareness about the genocide in Jos, Nigeria as a vehicle towards change.
• Garner both donations and support from Nigerians, Sponsors and Humanitarian Groups.

WHY SHOULD YOU DONATE?

1,000 people were killed in the 2001 riots, 300 died in 2008 and more than 5,000 people have

been displaced. On January 17, 2010, houses, churches and vehicles were burned; 200 people died. Most of the injured are women are children needing medical treatment, shelter and necessities. Your money will be given to Nylah/ La Serene Give Back Group, Justice Development and Peace / Caritas (JDPC) Jos and the Nigerian Red Cross Society working on grounds to support the victims.

Jos is the capital city of Plateau State, Nigeria. Until about 2001, it was known as the “home of peace and tourism.” Sadly, the city has witnessed a series of religious violence, escalated over the years leading to division between Christians and Muslims. Fashion for Jos is charity event under Fashion for the Nations – a Not-for-Profit Organization set up in 2010 to assist victims in cities, towns, and villages in nations around the world through organizing fashion fundraising events.

This event organized is  being organized by concerned Nigerians, led by Estella Ogbonna, CEO of Estella Couture Fashions to be held at “The Palace,” 1015 Brightseat Road, Landover, Maryland on May 22, 2010 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. is one poised to turn a listening ear to the cry of innocent victims of violence in Jos, Nigeria suffering from a tragedy which resulted in loss of many lives and property.

Fashion for Jos will accomplish the following objectives:

- Raise funds for the Jos victims, especially women and children.
- Create more awareness about the genocide in Jos and Nigeria as a whole as a means vehicle        to invoke an action towards change.
- Garner support from Nigerians in Diaspora and International Humanitarian Groups on how such incidents can be avoided.

Funds raised will be given to Nylah Group, Justice Development and Peace / Caritas (JDPC) Jos and the Nigerian Red Cross Society to support victims. The event marks the coming together of Nigerians in efforts to create a change in the lives of the men, women and children in Jos who are still crying in the aftermath of devastation.

Citizens are encouraged to visit the website at www.fashionforthenations.org and participate by donating their talents, skills, time and resources to make “Fashion For Jos” a great event. Some volunteers on board include Nkem Egede, Exquisit Affairs, Lshandi, Regina Askia, Ladybrille Nigeria, Trendy Africa, Jem Publicity Inc., Tribe X Entertainment, Nemeze, Studio Dmaxsi Designs and many more. However, more volunteers and help are still needed. Volunteers need not be Nigerians or African to participate. Fashion for Jos magazine will be created to highlight and recognize all the sponsors, models, designers, clothes, promoters and volunteers who sacrificed time and effort to ensure the success of the event. It will also serve as a keepsake.

For more information, contact:

+1 3019155927
jos@fashionforthenations.org
http://www.fashionforthenatins.org.

“Success was not an option; it was mandatory.”

Depression loomed over the entire house. It had been what? several minutes? hours that she had been confined to her room for hours wondering and waiting for something, someone to come to her rescue? The verbal abuse and obstacles she faced in her world were far too emotionally draining and overwhelming for her feminine heart to bear but before she drowned in her tears; she knew there was no way she was going to go down and not without a fight to the finish to elevate herself. For deep down lay a deep, intense, unforgiving passion for life! Success was not an option, it was mandatory.

You see, personal success is not one of those options and alternatives you deliberate on; it is mandatory. It is something that is envisioned and insisted upon unto the very end because what you believe is what you’ll receive. It will take something out of you; don;t expect sit around on the couch and wait for some mega breakthrough to happen – it will not. Sometimes, it will be grueling and tough but there is never a testimony without a test. However, chances are that if you’re action-oriented, got your head on straight and focused, the road-blocks on your way to self-actualization will be heavily minimized. You can definitely do it, you can make it happen, that pinnacle of increasing impact can be yours. You are equally equipped for the battlefield, after-all, those who are taking giant strides don’t have two heads

Insist: Make up your mind to be whom you’ve been created to be.Be determined, Be strong-willed and walk with purpose in every step.

Persist: Try, try, try and try again until you get it right and acquire the information you need to get a thing accurate. When one door closes, another will open.

Resist: Refuse the temptation to slow down or give-up. Ignore any form of discouragement and keep trudging along.

This post is interesting; It’s going to expound a lot on keeping your temple (your body) healthy and fit by respecting it. So you have to respect your body and reverence it every step of the way. I’m not looking to lose weight, just stay overall fit and active - its good for the heart and body metabolism, also keeps you younger. More details coming up.

On that note, I’ve been in quite a number of conversations bordering around medical weight loss treatments, the experiences of others, various diets etc and I’ve noticed the frustration. Moreso, the general observation is that the success rates of these medical procedures and medications do not work for most. Where does that leave the mass majority?

Don’t get me wrong, I am not detracting you from wanting to lose weight but if you are trying to lose weight by focusing on the need to be skinny, I am trying to bring to your attention that you might be focusing on the wrong thing. The number one focus should be on maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle and not seeking for a quick fix! There, I said it….it’s all about the lifestyle and it will require a great deal of discipline from you because staying healthy includes more than just losing weight or dieting, its about healthy nutrition – eating right, being active, sleeping right and exercise so that your body functions the way it was created to function. But too many people are looking for quick fixes; drive-through remedies which don’t work. Some are looking to only diet and eliminate the exercise part – it just doesn’t work that way. To burn fat, you have to exercise. I mean the sort that leaves you sweaty considerably well and combine this with fresh foods esp. those high in fibre.

Over-eating or eating the wrong foods like most bad habits is something that is curbed by developing new healthy habits.Create a long term fitness plan and incorporate it into your daily life in such a way that it become a daily ritual; this will ensure that it sticks with you even after you’ve lost the weight. If your plan is to eat more fruit and vegetables; then you might want to start learning how to cook daily foods that contain diverse fruits and vegetables to replace majority of the carbs you are used to; the way you buy groceries will definitely change and so on.

Ultimately, losing weight is a reality check- change in your overall habits and lifestyle. It is one that involves exercise – you will have to do it if you are serious on shedding off the inches.

A couple of days ago, I stumbled upon a fabulous Japanese sushi restaurant located at 1325 Finch Avenue West, Toronto called Oishi Sushi. I visited the place with a friend and the food was amazing; they have an array of affordable Japanese dishes and chinese cuisine. We ordered some roasted brown rice tea and I opted for the cucumber salad roll; it was basically crab, avocado, tobiko and mayo wrapped with cucumber. Simply delicious!

The menu arrived as we were deep in conversation. We talked about great things from the weather to interior decorating to communications and life. It was really interesting but there were a couple of things i took away from that conversation that I learnt were extremely important.

1. Have Plan of Progression: Yes, you’ve probably heard this so many times but how many people do actually tailor a plan for their lives and chart it? Most of the time, people make plans when they are so motivated and pumped only for the fire to fizzle out later on and it was like the plan never existed. Or when opposition comes and it seems like the plan is not really going to work out the way they thought it would, they chicken out.

The reason is that they did not build a plan of progression. Considering the amount of time we spend working, schooling, volunteering, parenting, nurturing that business, relationship or marriage; you better be sure that it will lead you towards your destination in life and ultimately, your goal.  When you plan, you have short and long-term but in it all; there should be a progression because you want to plan towards achieving results that are sustainable; long-term and yield benefits for a very long time. In other words, know they “why” of whatever you are doing and do it well.

2. Streamline your plans: Zoom in on a central focus. Sometimes, people are everywhere and that’s why they experience so many highs and lows. One person can possess an array of various wonderful talents that are calling out for expression in so many different ways all at once but you need to focus on your strongest strengths and amplify them. Use them to your advantage because that is what makes you, YOU. Your style and abilities are unique to only you but it must have a focus or you’ll be running a merry-go-round in circles without really achieving any tangible results.

Also, you might want to do many different things at once but always pace yourself – one thing will always lead to another. And if you got it right; one progress will lead to another progress and the progress in your life keeps piling up. It requires for you to sit down and think a lot, as in stretch your mind and then ‘act’ but guess what? – You can do it!

Christian Louboutin is on my mind. The shoes by this French designer are simply gorgeous! Even as a teenager, Christian knew he loved to design shoes. He may not have had the slightest clue that it owuld eventually lead to him owning his own shoe company but he went with the flow. After working for other designers, he went into landscaping before getting a shop to make a sell shoes. Obviously, he may have started much smaller than he is now but he did not remain there. It’s interesting. You see; the spotlight doesn’t just find you…you have to take a hold of it – meaning be passionate about what you do; pursue it and let the flow of that land you in the centrestage of  where you need to be.  I hope that will  help you muster enough courage to harness your dreams and your giftings into something big. Enjoy!

While you are at it, check out SnazzyHeels.com ; an online shoe store that sells top of the line designer high heel shoes. Snazzyheels.com is like the shoe saviour. Are you looking for boots, slingbacks, slides, wedges, peeptoes, sandals or stilletos; the site has definitely got them. And what’s more? Ships to U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, and Middle East. Check it out!

www.snazzyheels.com

Christian Louboutin Very Croise Designer Slingback Sandals Heel

Christian Louboutin Juste 120 Python Peep Toe High Heel Sandals

Christian Louboutin Short Tina Blue Suede Peep Toe High Heel Sandals

WORTH FIGHTING FOR

We may not be called to face a firing squad as a martyr for something we believe in but in many ways, we lay down our lives through our time & energy to fulfill our responsibilities…

It’s worth fighting for
It’s worth the service
It’s worth the selflessness
It’s worth the energy
It’s worth the responsibility
It’s worth the devotion

Do you force yourself to get up hours earlier or hours later in pursuit of accomplishing those songs in the studio? or maybe it’s that novel that’s brewing,strategizing the finances to save for an education or a business plan that’s being perfected. It could be that you are counselling someone with words of encouragement or praying to keep a relationship/family together. Are you mandated to effect changes, touch the world or break an unfortunate trend?

Whatever, it is….it’s worth fighting for. You may not see the immediate benefits but it will definitely come. It’s worth giving of ourselves.When you consider for what or whom you are willing to give more and receive less, whose face comes to mind?

When you’ve done all you can to stand, still STAND. Boxing champions were not made in the ring but in the gym under hours of endless preparation. See the future reward in your present perseverance and fight the good fight of faith.

Copywright 2009 Jamila Kyari Poetry