Wednesday, 7 August 2013

Woman You Rock - Miriam Ogboso (For the love of writing)

In my women's month pursuit to share some amazing women who inspire me  - I caught up with a special friend of mine, Miriam Ogboso, a graduate of Linguistics who has an amazing gift of sharing herself through her writing.  Please be inspired as I share my interview with her






Me: Hello Miriam. Please spare a moment to share yourself with us 

Me: Please describe yourself in five words?

Miriam: 
* God-Fearing
* Inspiring
* Dedicated
* Driven
* Resourceful

Me: Where were you born and what do you love about your country?
Miriam: I was born in Nigeria, and I love that my people have a can-do spirit even in the face of unflattering social, economic, and political conditions.

Me: What does Beauty and Confidence mean to you?
Miriam: Beauty is inner aura shining through, and Confidence is knowing what your capabilities are and not letting 'life' make you doubt them.

Me: What makes you happy?
Miriam: Being able to afford things and caring for others.

Me: What are some of the activities do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Miriam: Swimming, Playing Squash and Word Games, Drawing, and more.

Me: Your most fondest memory?
Miriam: Dare I say that I don't have one, simply because I'm yet to have one that tops all the fond memories I've had in the past.

Me: Your top five books?
Miriam: I have more than five, but if I had to pick, they will be:
*Animal Farm by George Orwell
*The Marriage of Anansewa by Efua Theodora
*Taming the Shrew by William Shakespeare
*Things Fall Apart by Albert Chinualumogu Achebe
*Pop goes the Weasel by James Patterson

Me: What are you passionate about?
Miriam: I am most passionate about Writing.

Me: What does it mean to be a Woman in Africa?
Miriam: There is no other feeling so beautiful as being an African woman. Being a woman in itself is such a unique experience that men can't understand. Now, add being African to that, and there is a sense of being the source of richness to the world. There is a deep sense of pride in knowing that when we birth a life, we add something new to our great continent Africa!

Me: Please share your thoughts on Education
Miriam: In my humble opinion, Education is the key that unlocks any door. If you have education, you have knowledge, if you have knowledge, you have power, if you have power, there is no stopping who, where, and what you can be.

Me: When did you start writing?
Miriam: I started writing 'finely' as a teenager, about age 14.

Me: Have you released any books?
Miriam: Yes, I have.

Me: Is writing for everyone?
Miriam: No, it isn't. The same way singing, dancing, playing football isn't for everyone. It is a gift, that can be cultivated, but it is first and foremost a gift.

Me: How do you manage to balance your life and write at the same time?
Miriam: It can prove challenging if you have a lot going on but I try to stay inspired and connected to my inner 'pen'.

Me: How do you deal with challenges that come with life?
Miriam: I pray about them, and then I face them with an overcoming spirit.

Me: Who inspires you and why?
Miriam: It sounds cookoo, but I get inspired by the Holy Spirit. And I really don't know why it opens up my eyes to inspiring things.

Me: Do you think that everyone can become a leader?
Miriam: No, I don't. In life, we must have natural leaders, and natural followers.

Me: What are some of the challenges in your opinion do you think that African women people are facing?
Miriam: African women need to be protected, and catered for more by the law. A lot of women (in Africa) are defenseless because of the prejudice against their gender. Our rights need to be preserved, we deserve more chances in the different strata of life. We need to be given more opportunities to prove that we are more than just a means for men to go from Master to Mr, more than the phrase 'weaker sex', more than cooks, keepers, and baby-making machines for a home.

Me: How do we overcome those challenges?
Miriam:
* By attaining the least form of education that permits us to be able to read and write.
* By knowing that as a person we have rights. A lot of women think only men have the right to do things.
* By speaking up against any form of abuse and prejudice. 
* By fighting to be heard, and for what we believe in. 
* By rising up to any given opportunity to prove that we can do what needs to be done.

Me: Best advise you have ever received?
Miriam: Just be yourself, and don't worry about what other people think.

Me: What are some of the virtues you live by?
Miriam: Do unto others what you want them to do unto to you.
* Don't tolerate what you can't accomodate
* And if it makes you happy, go for it!





Me:Where can people connect with you?
Miriam:
* meet_Miriam@twitter.com
* www.facebook.com/meetMiriam
* www.meetmiriam.com
 
Thank you very much Miriam - you are an awesome vibrant woman and I pray many more people will be inspired by you just as much as you inspire me.

 

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