Search the Community

This past summer, Pastor Twanna Brown and Pastor Vanessa Gause consecrated their love before God and 200 guests at the New Vision Full Gospel Baptist Church in East Orange, N.J. Twanna, 46, and Vanessa, 45, are pastors of Rivers of Living Water United Church of Christ, which has locations in Newark and New York. Love At First Sight Their love story started nearly 30 years ago when both were teenagers singing in the same choir in Jersey City. “I was like, ‘Oh wow, what in the world, who’s that, she’s beautiful,’” Vanessa told the New York Times in an article about their union. “I immediately felt this kind of strange, warm feeling wash over me, and though I had not yet spoken a word to her, I could see myself loving this woman forever. My head was just spinning.” But for Twanna, who was two years older, Vanessa was just a friend. Soon Vanessa’s father, a staunch, conservative pastor moved their family to Atlanta. Enduring Love In 2005 the two reconnected when Twanna invited Vanessa to preach at a church in Harlem where she was ministering. It was after dinner and a night of reminiscing when they shared their first kiss. “It was a wonderful first kiss,” Vanessa recalled. “Well worth the wait!” The two married even though Vanessa’s father, who is strongly against their union citing the biblical texts, refused to attend. For both women all that matters is love. And that was reflected in their wedding ceremony. “Love is patient, love is kind. … Love hopes and endures all things,” recited Rev. Dr. Yvette Flunder, the presiding bishop of the Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, from 1 Corinthians 13 during their ceremony. Love Wins Vanessa later wrote on her Facebook page: “What we want Twanna’s father and those who believe as he does to know is that Love Wins! Love was winning before we got married, Love won on our wedding day and Love will always win.” Source

The photo of a Nigerian man chilling on Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge has made its rounds on social media platforms. The unidentified man was seen sitting beside his parked car with a bottle of wine beside him. While no one knows what made him sit out in the middle of the road by himself, the two glasses of wine placed on the stool showed he was either expecting a guest or he posed for a photo shoot. Interestingly, the rare photo of the man would not be the first one to be seen as he has been spotted sitting in the middle of the road in another area. Ladies, will you do this if the road is free? What could make you get spotted in a place like this? Source

Rita who spoke to NoString said that she was arrested after her ex-husband found her in bed with a female friend and reported her to the police. The police then invaded her house, arrested her and jailed her. The incident reportedly happened a few weeks ago at the victim’s house in Lagos. Rita told NoString that she had divorced her husband a few years ago after the death of her father, who had pressured her to get married. “I knew I was a lesbian, but my father pressured me into getting married,” she said. “I did not have the energy to fight him by refusing, so I obliged. But when he died, I felt that there was no need for me to continue with the marriage since I did not love the man I was married to.” Rita said that her ex-husband, Afolabi (not his real name), was shocked and could not understand why she wanted a divorce. He tried to fight it but lost. The marriage was officially dissolved in court. “After the divorce, I moved away from him and got my own apartment. He swore to deal with me, and never took it well. He kept on sending me threatening text messages and kept on stalking me. I reported him to his family, but nothing changed,” Rita said. On the day of the incident, Rita said that one of her relatives, a young boy who lives with her, left the front door unlocked. Then Afolabi barged into the house, walked straight to the bedroom, and found her and her girlfriend undressed, lying on the bed. Rita stated: “He came right into my bedroom and started shouting and taking pictures. We were not doing anything. We were just gisting [chatting]. My girlfriend had just a towel on her. I quickly asked her to get up and leave. He came outside and shouted that he now had evidence to ruin me. The neighbors gathered to watch what was going on. “He left a few minutes later and then came back with the police, who arrested me and took me to the station. At the station, I was abused by the police officers. Then they locked me in a room along with other girls. I slept on the cold tiled floor for four days. It was a weekend and they said that I could not get bail on weekends.” Rita said that she was eventually released after paying police what to her was a huge sum. “I paid N62,000 [about $172] before I was bailed out. I have been asked to come back to the station at a set date to deal with the matter. I am so afraid right now and I cannot take up the case against my ex-husband. because He is a crazy person and well-connected too. He knows where I live and where I work. I do not know what he might do to me. He said that he can even kill me and nothing will happen to him in Nigeria.” Source

Fibroids—smooth muscle tumors of the uterus—are common, affecting as many as 75% of women. They are rarely cancerous, and they cause symptoms in only about 20% of the women who have them. However, if you're one of those with symptoms like heavy menstrual bleeding, bad cramps, pelvic pressure, constipation, or frequent urination, you know how fibroids can disrupt your life. Even if they don't cause symptoms, they may grow into the uterine cavity, potentially complicating a pregnancy and raising the risk of miscarriage. "Managing uterine fibroids depends on several factors, such as a woman's symptoms, whether or not she wants to have children, her age, and her personal preferences," says Dr. Hye-Chun Hur, director of the Division of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and associate medical editor of Harvard Women's Health Watch. Treating fibroids These days, there's no reason to endure fibroid symptoms. There are several effective therapies that can be tailored to suit you, including the following: Medical treatment. Traditional combined oral contraceptives, which contain both estrogen and a progestin, can provide effective treatment for fibroid-related symptoms. They can help diminish extremely heavy bleeding and can help regulate menstrual periods. Progestin-only therapies can stabilize the uterine lining to reduce bleeding. Both combined oral contraceptives and progestins come in a variety of forms, including pills, patch (Ortho Evra patch), injections (Depo-Provera), implants (Implanon), vaginal ring (NuvaRing), and a progestin-releasing inatrauterine device (Mirena IUD). Although these treatments can be very effective, fibroid symptoms typically return when women stop taking the medications. Uterine artery embolization. A radiologist performs this minor procedure to deposit small particles into the uterine artery, blocking off the blood supply to the fibroids, which shrinks them and reduces bleeding. This procedure is not advised for women who want to have children in the future. Endometrial ablation. This minor, same-day procedure destroys the lining of the uterus and decreases the amount of uterine bleeding. Although pregnancy is less likely after an endometrial ablation, this procedure does not provide contraception, and those who conceive after an ablation are at increased risk of pregnancy complications. Women who choose ablation are advised to take contraceptive measures, and the procedure is usually recommended only for women who have completed childbearing. Myomectomy. This term refers to a surgical procedure to remove fibroids while leaving the uterus in place. This treatment is often used in women who still want to have children. Fibroids may be surgically removed through a variety of techniques; the best approach depends on the fibroid's location. Fibroids in the uterine cavity are best removed vaginally using a hysteroscope. This is an incisionless approach, in which a miniature camera and surgical tools are inserted through the cervix and into the uterine cavity. Fibroids within the uterine walls or protruding outward are better removed abdominally, either through a traditional open abdominal incision or with a minimally invasive approach using a laparoscope (a device that inserts a camera and tools through incisions no larger than a centimeter). Hysterectomy. The removal of the uterus along with the attached fibroids provides a permanent solution for women who aren't interested in having children. When to get treatment Women typically are not complainers. Generally, they are the caretakers of the family and are not used to putting themselves first, so they may delay getting treatment until symptoms are intolerable. "I often see women who are in the late stage of symptoms—either with severe pain or with low blood counts from anemia due to excessive bleeding," Dr. Hur says. "If women seek help when their condition is symptomatic but not so excessive, they may have more treatment options available to them, including the more conservative therapies. The sooner they can get relief, they can get on with their lives." Symptoms alone are not always the deciding factor for treatment. Whether or not you want to have children is also important. If you still plan to have children, fibroids that have grown into the uterine cavity should be removed before you conceive, since they can cause miscarriages and pregnancy complications. If you have fibroids that have increased significantly in number or size, they should also be removed because they may cause complications during pregnancy. Myomectomy is usually the best fibroid treatment for women who plan to conceive. If you don't plan to have children, your symptoms, age, and health play a greater role in determining when to seek treatment. After menopause, fibroids often shrink and symptoms may resolve in women who don't use hormone therapy. If you are in your 40s and your symptoms are tolerable, you may choose to wait and see if they regress after menopause. However, if you have excessive bleeding that has caused anemia (abnormally low numbers of red blood cells) or symptoms that interfere with your day-to-day life, it may be time to think about having your fibroids treated. Speak to your doctor about which treatment is best for you. Source

Peter Okoye of the Nigerian music duo, Psquare, has allegedly split from the group. According to a letter circulating on social media, purportedly sent by Peter Okoye to Festus Keyamo chambers, Peter said he had decided to terminate the agreement between him and Psquare. Recently, the announcement of Peter’s new stage name, Mr P, on social media, had led to rumours that the brothers were not in good terms. But in the letter that has since gone viral, Peter Okoye stated his reasons for terminating the agreement between Paul and older brother/ manager, Jude Okoye, adding that he had acted with caution because the safety of his family was his priority. Mr P also stated that his decision was a painful one as he wished his brothers well in their future endeavours. He said, “What I am about to do has been the most difficult decision to make, I have tried and exhausted all my options to make this work. However, it seems that Paul is not willing to cooperate. “For example, he cancelled our US tour without discussing it with me, he cancelled each show we were booked for. “He has also been accusing and threatening my wife and family of unimaginable lies via social media outlets. I and my wife have been getting different threatening messages… “I cannot continue with Psquare in conditions like this that will jeopardize my well-being. “We all have agreed that as long as PSquare is in existence, we can operate as individuals as long as it doesn’t tamper with the group songs. “I wish Jude and Paul the best in their careers, I love them and their families but my family comes first.” Source

Hey Ladies, The time is now . You know the drill...the floor is open for introductions.

If you could remove one thing from your daily schedule, what would it be?

So on a normal girls' parole...lets assume u been seeing a girl for sumtime now...u two have actually agreed to date and of course u possibly have had ur intimate moments in and out of bed. In your opinion...when do u think its right to go al d way raw with her...down to tribbing / scissoring? (for those whom it matters to) Would it sound right if u request that u both get tested and screened before u get down raw on yourselves just so we are sure we re both safe and can play al d way without fear of herpes or the likes of dem...? Pls share ur thoughts

Bisi Alimi. Image Credit: Bellanaija.com Bisi Alimi headlines the Diversity and Inclusion conference at the University of the Lagos, and this comes 13 years after the university management declared him ‘morally unfit’ to graduate from the institution because of his sexuality So Bisi Alimi went from being “Morally Unfit to Graduate” from UNILAG to presenting the Closing Plenary at their First Ever Diversity Conference! A lot can really change in a few years and activist Bisi Alimi is sharing an experience in which he went from being unaccepted for who he was to being accepted and recognized in some few years. This gives hope This honour and privilege of presenting the closing plenary at the first ever ‘Diversity and Inclusion’ conference at the University of Lagos, and the event made him "remember when he was not allowed to graduate from the same university for his sexuality. Writing on his Instagram yesterday, the LGBT advocate said he was invited to close the plenary, a fulfilling event he never imagined as a possibility Hear him: Recall that 2004 marked a new beginning in Alimi’s life. That year he went on New Dawn national TV show hosted by Funmi Iyanda on Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), to reveal that he was a homosexual. That revelation brought about the end of Iyanda’s very popular breakfast show. Shortly after, Alimi fled Nigeria for the UK where he began his advocacy, and has won major awards, including a nod for the Vodafone Campaigner of the Year. Last November, Bisi Alimi and his partner Anthony Davis legally became a couple. Now, he is back in Nigeria, headlining a conference at same university that almost shattered his dreams.

Would you rather be without Internet or a phone for a week ☺?

Ladies, did she Slayy or Nayy? Would you take her home 👡👠💄?

A dietician and food expert, John Tehinse has warned Nigerians against cooking Moi-moi and other foods in nylons as it produced dioxins, a toxic substance that causes cancer. Tehinse gave the warning on Tuesday in Ilorin at an awareness campaign on food safety organised by the Food Safety Awareness Campaign Initiatives, funded by the European Union. In his lecture entitled: “Food Safety Control System in Nigeria”, he said that cooking Moin-moin in nylon had become widespread while people were unaware of the dangers. The food safety expert said nylons or cellophane bags produced dioxins when heated, adding “they are a group of chemically-related compounds that are persistent environmental pollutants (POPs)’’. Tehinse further warned that dioxins were highly toxic and could cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere with hormones and also cause cancer. He advised people to use the traditional leaves to cook the food. “Food business is not only to make money but a calling to protect public health and ensure what they offer to consumers is safe,” he said. Source To the moi moi lovers out there...

Selena Gomes shares her kidney transplant story on Instagram: Selena and her friend who donated her kidney Bless them both ☺. Would you donate a kidney to your partner or friend if needed?

"Nigerians prefer two men holding guns to two men holding hands.” - Activist Edafe Okporo. Sept. 10, 2017 ** Edafe Okporo, Nigerian activist who resides in the United States, demands for Nigeria to take action and end the persecution of LGBTQ, speaking to the UN general assembly to stand up and hold up the human right declaration. Check on his impassioned speech in youtube below. https://youtu.be/l29eWJgBLN8

Ladies, what do you think about this new dance craze/madness/style?

Congratulations to DeWanna Bonner and Candice Dupree! The WNBA players just became new moms to twin girls! The couple met as teammates while playing for the Phoenix Mercury back in 2010. It took them less than a week to realize they were meant to be more than friends. “It was more as friends at first,” DeWanna said in a recent interview with the IndyStar “Then she kind of learned she couldn’t live without me.” Candice, an All-Star forward for the Indiana Fever, says that she had to grow up to make the relationship work and got help from her mom to help tame her “wild side.” Candice and DeWanna will juggle motherhood and a unique career in basketball where they travel nationally and internationally each year. The new moms will both return to basketball next WNBA season. Source

If you are caught in the web of smartphone addiction, the following tips from Yudala will help you break the habit: Turn off instant notifications You are in the middle of a crushing schedule at work, with deadlines looming. Suddenly, your phone buzzes! Immediately, your attention switches to the device to see who has hit you up on WhatsApp, commented on your latest Facebook post, retweeted that tweet or liked your picture on Instagram. Instant notification is one of the features of the smartphone that has contributed to getting a lot of people hooked on their devices. Good news is that, you can break that cycle by tweaking your settings to turn off push notifications for the various apps on your smartphone, especially the distracting ones from social media. While this may make you a bit late to social media activity, the overall benefits are immense as you will gradually regain control from the tendency to check your device each time it buzzes. For other apps such as emails, you can choose to manually check once every hour or even turn on the notifications when out of the office so you don’t miss out on important correspondence. Use your smartphone less (with some help from apps) This is actually possible. By setting particular times in the day when you can use your device and sticking to these religiously, you can gradually begin to ease the heavy usage of the smartphone, which often results in dependence and addiction. It is common to see individuals in a social gathering actually devoting more time to their smartphones, thereby defeating the aim of the meet-up. As a rule, the smartphone must be kept far away from you during meetings, social gatherings or when having your meals. Interestingly, there are a number of apps that can help limit your smartphone use. Flipd, Moment and BreakFree are three very good examples. These can be installed and set up to gauge and help you control your smartphone use. Uninstall unnecessary apps If you fall into the category of app-happy smartphone users, you stand a better chance of kicking that smartphone addiction by uninstalling the unnecessary apps on your device. Rather than being app-happy (always in a hurry to download any new app you come across), the right mindset to smartphone use is to be app-smart. This way, you weigh the benefits and utility of each app and even check out the reviews before you download and install them on your device. Take the time to go through the tons of apps on your smartphone and decide which ones are serving duplicated roles or those that are actually enslaving you to the device. An app that notifies you of new comments on social media, for instance, may be one of those to let go of. By reducing the number of apps, you are taking a strong step to overcome the addiction to your smartphone. Turn off your device an hour before going to bed For most people, this is a seemingly impossible task. The sad reality is that many smartphone addicts fall into the class of those who can be found using their smartphone until sleep comes, often far beyond the normal hours. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that there is a strong correlation between this particular improper use of the smartphone and a host of sleeping disorders including, but not limited to, snoring, sleep apnea, insomnia, sleep deprivation and restless legs syndrome. In addition, the eyes come under excessive strain when you peer at the harsh glare of a smartphone screen for hours in a darkened room. It is advisable to switch off the phone at least an hour before going to sleep. In addition to helping you sleep better, the extra hour before bed can be put to better use through meditation, reflecting on the day’s activity, writing down your accomplishments for the day, reading a book (paper copy), communicating with your partner/spending time with your family, which is a very important part of bonding. Keep the phone away A common observation among smartphone addicts is their tendency to keep their devices within reach. One of the ways of beating this particular habit is to put some distance, physical or virtual, between you and your smartphone. When at work, you can have the device locked up in a drawer with set times for checking it. The same practice can apply at home, especially when spending time with family or friends. Complicated or multiple passwords or screen locks could also come in handy in preventing you from constant use of the device. Reviewing your smartphone use patterns can also be a good way of achieving this. Keeping the phone locked up in another room, for instance, can help you break the habit of immediately reaching for it upon waking up in the morning. Same goes for the ability to hold back from posting a picture on social media immediately it is taken. Control and self-discipline is key. Switch to a feature phone for a while To break your smartphone addiction, you may need to take a radical step by switching to a feature phone for a while. While the prospects seem unbearable, you may discover that the decision could eventually help you regain your life, enrich your relationships and may not be such an uncomfortable experience after all. For a start, you can use a feature phone for a month before switching back to a smartphone once certain you are in better control of the addiction. The experience may turn out to be a life-changing one… Source

Prof. Adegboyega Fawole of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, has warned that Human Papiloma Virus has been found in the throat of people engaging in oral sex. Fawole, who is of the Department of Gynaecology, UITH, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Ilorin on Tuesday that HPV was mostly sexually transmitted. He said that the virus caused almost all cases of cervical cancer and could cause genital warts and anal cancer. “Oral sex has been linked with an increased risk of acquiring HPV infection in the mouth and with an increased risk of developing oral cancers that are caused by HPV. “However, sex in general has also been linked with these risks,” he said. The gynaecologist warned that those engaging in oral sex were twice more likely to have oral HPV infection than those who did not engage in oral sex. Fawole, however, said there was no need for individuals in monogamous relationships to restrict their sexual activities if the pair was in good health. He called on people to always go for screening and check-up to guard against cancer of any kind. Source

Do you like being the dominant one or the submissive one in the bedroom?

Mongolian beef sauce is a dish consisting of sliced beef, typically flank steak, and stir-fried with vegetables in a savory brown sauce. Ingredients 600g Beef 1/4 Cup Canola Oil 1/2 Cup Soy Sauce 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar 1/4 Cup Corn Flour Small piece of Fresh Ginger Handful of Spring Onions (to garnish) Watch Source

Ladies, what are your thoughts on braided eyebrows? Would you braid your brows?

Ladies, will you make with or pass…?

Nearly every song on JayZ's latest album, 4:44, generated buzz when the project dropped in June, but one track in particular stood out to many listeners: "Smile," on which the rapper revealed that his mother, Gloria Carter, is a lesbian. "Mama had four kids, but she's a lesbian / Had to pretend so long that she's a thespian," Jay-Z, 47, raps. "Had to hide in the closet, so she medicate / Society shame and the pain was too much to take / Cried tears of joy when you fell in love / Don't matter to me if it's a him or her." The end of the song features a spoken word poem recited and written by Gloria herself: "Living in the shadow feels like the safe place to be / No harm for them, no harm for me / But life is short, and it's time to be free / Love who you love, because life isn't guaranteed. Gloria publicly addressed the song for the first time on Tuesday, September 5, and revealed how she came out to her son. "Me and my son, we share a lot of information. I was sitting there and I was telling him one day, I just finally started telling him who I was," she explained on the D'USSE Fridaypodcast on Tuesday, September 5. "Besides your mother, this is the person that I am. This is the life that I live. My son started actually tearing 'cause he's like, 'That had to be a horrible life, Ma.' I was like, 'My life was never horrible. It was just different.' So that made him want to do a song about it." The track almost didn't see the light of day, though. "The first time I heard the song, I was like, 'Eh, I don't know, dude. I ain't feeling that,'" Gloria recalled. "When it first happened, I was sharing myself [with Jay], not to share myself with the world." After several discussions with her son, Gloria's apprehension faded away and she agreed to appear on the song. "I was never ashamed of me. But in my family, it was something that was never discussed," she said. "I'm tired of all the mystery. I'm gonna give it to 'em. ... Now it's time for me to live my life and be happy, be free." Source

A gay Australian couple has said that they intend to vote against marriage equality in the upcoming postal vote. The couple, Mark Poidevin and Ben Rogers, met 15 years ago on a website appropriately named ‘Gay.com’. They say it was love at first sight. Poidevin explained that he loves his partner “dearly” and that “there’s no-one else I’d like to spend my life with than him”. Despite their love, they will be voting against marriage equality, they told ABC Australia. “I used to be a believer in same-sex marriage”, Poidevin explained. He even proposed to his partner and was rejected, as Rogers said it is not his “cup of tea”. “At the time Ben said it wasn’t for him, that he didn’t believe in it, and I said, ‘When the laws change, would you like to?'” However, Poidevin’s views soon began to align with his partners and now the prospect is nearing in the form of a postal survey, Poidevin will be voting too. “There’s never been any discrimination with any of our families, or dramas coming our way because of our sexuality,” he said. The couple believes that marriage can only be a heterosexual union. Poidevin said: “When I first came out I think one of the consequences was giving up marriage and children and things like that. “If we make one exception for one community, that being the same-sex couples, where does it stop? “Do we then see other cultures being allowed to have multiple marriages? Do we see the age of consent being lowered for another group of minorities? That is my concern, of where it would lead.” The couple has had numerous accusations of homophobia levied against them. However, they said this criticism was poor and argued that “you’re not intolerant if you don’t support a view.” When asked their predictions about the ballot outcome, they said: “This could be the Brexit or Trump moment for Australia, where the polls are saying one thing but you go to the ballot box and people are clearly in another mind, going to vote another way.” The High Court of Australia will hear two challenges from the Yes campaign against the Government’s postal vote. Even if marriage equality is granted, the couple vowed to never walk the aisle. “If it’s yes, we’ll be like, ‘Congratulations, everyone can get married’,” Ben said. In just over a week, ballots for a nationwide postal vote will be sent out asking Australians whether or not they want same-sex marriage depending on the outcome of a High Court challenge. Source

Spelman College, a liberal arts women’s college located in Atlanta, Georgia, will begin to admit trans women – and begin to refuse admission to transgender men. The college, a historically-black only-women’s only college, announced the shift in policy this week. Until now it had only admitted cisgender women, but confirmed it will now allow transgender women who “self-identify” as female. The policy adds that transgender men who “self-identify” as male will no longer be permitted to enrol, regardless of their legal gender. Mary S. Campbell, President of Spelman College, explained the change in a letter to the college community. She said: “During the 2016-2017 academic year, I assembled a task force comprised of faculty, staff, students, alumnae and trustees to consider the admissions and enrollment policies at Spelman as they apply to an evolving understanding and knowledge of gender. “After a year of research, benchmarking against other single-sex women’s colleges, extensive listening sessions with students, faculty, staff and alumnae and surveys to the Spelman community, the task force made a set of recommendations to the president of the College and the Spelman College Board of Trustees. “As a result of this extensive study, I, as president, along with the Spelman leadership team, and the Board, concur on the following admissions and enrollment policy: Spelman College, a Historically Black College whose mission is to serve high-achieving Black women, will consider for admission women students including students who consistently live and self-identify as women, regardless of their gender assignment at birth.” However, it added: “Spelman does not admit male students, including students who self-identify and live consistently as men, regardless of gender assignment at birth.” Asked about students that transition to male partway through a course, Campbell said: “If a woman is admitted and transitions to male while a student at Spelman, the College will permit that student to continue to matriculate at and graduate from Spelman.” The College head added: “In adopting this admissions policy, Spelman continues its fervent belief in the power of the Spelman Sisterhood. “Students who choose Spelman come to our campus prepared to participate in a women’s college that is academically and intellectually rigorous, and affirms its core mission as the education and development of high-achieving Black women. “The admissions policy outlined above goes into effect for students enrolling for the 2018-2019 academic year. “I have asked an implementation committee to convene this year to consider the impact on the campus resulting from the new policy.” An all women’s college in the US state of New York previously voted to allow trans women. The college now admits applications who “consistently live and identify as women, regardless of the gender assigned to them at birth”. A number of all-women’s colleges across the US have recently voted to approve similar measures. Source