LIFESTYLE

 DO YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SIGNING UP FOR? Joy Olu-Ajayi  Image Credit: Pinterest In Nigeria and many English-speaking countries, many couples adopt the classic Christian wedding vows, a tradition inherited from English-speaking Christian ceremonies. The vow, in its widely recognised form, goes like this: “I, [Name], take you, [Name], to be my lawfully wedded [husband/wife], to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and this is my solemn vow.” These words which are repeated in churches across the country, carry a lot of expectation and hope. They promise full commitment through life’s joys and struggles, through wealth and poverty, health and sickness. But how many pause to consider the depth of what is being promised? Even I have to ask myself if I really do understand what marriage means.  “For better, ...

  Things In Relationships Nobody Talks About Olumurewa Damilola Over time, there's been so much emphasis on having a partner or rather being in a relationship. It's all over social media which makes it hard to scroll past two posts without having to see a post on relationship advice, or a post on how an ideal relationship should look like. Some even do you the favour of letting you in on their “little” secrets on having a “perfect” relationship like there's anything like a “perfect” relationship to start with. Now, let's paint a scenario we might all be familiar with. You must have had this experience while scrolling through TikTok and the first reel you see is the one where a girl goes on a ranting spree on how much she loves her boyfriend. Then she goes off to showcase the amazing gifts he bought her just because she was having menstrual cramps. And then you go on to check the comment session only for you to see how much people are gushing over them. Comments like: ...

  Behind Every Successful Man…But Must She Stay There Forever? Joy Olu-Ajayi For decades up till now, we have heard the popular saying: “Behind every successful man, there is a woman.” It sounds nice, does it not? Poetic, even. It makes it seem like women are the invisible engines that power great men. But if you stop for a moment and think about it, you might ask: why behind? Why not beside? Why must the woman always play hide and seek with success? Language has power. Words shape how we see the world and how the world sees us. The preposition behind may seem harmless, but it hides centuries of cultural conditioning. It quietly suggests that a woman’s place is not at the front, not at the table, not even in the picture, but just behind, in the shadow, clapping softly and giving a standing ovation for someone else’s glory. And yet, the world keeps repeating it like a sacred chant, as if it were the perfect compliment. But it is not a compliment. It is a prison disguised as a palace...