With the current state of Nigeria’s economy, it is almost impossible to survive with one source of income. Essentially, without a second hustle, it might be difficult to survive.
If you are trying to not burn out, the secret to surviving isn’t just working harder; it’s working smarter and having the right tools in your corner. That’s exactly where the Infinix Note 60 Pro, steps in to be the ultimate side-hustle companion.
Here are five practical ways to manage your side gig without losing your mind, and how the right tech can make all the difference.
1. Set Hard Boundaries for Notifications
When you run a side hustle, your phone is constantly buzzing with emails, DMs, and client requests. Constantly unlocking your phone to check them can lead to the dreaded doomscroll, eating up your precious downtime.
The Fix: Set strict “off-hours” for your business. To help you stay disciplined, the Infinix Note 60 Pro features a unique Rear Matrix Display. This allows you to glance at essential notifications, the time, or incoming calls on the back of your phone without ever unlocking the main screen. You stay informed without getting sucked into the digital vortex.
Multitask Without Slowdowns
The Problem: Side hustlers rarely use one app at a time. You’re switching between Google Docs, Canva, WhatsApp, payment apps, email, and social platforms all at once. On weaker devices, this leads to lag, reloads, and frustration.
The Fix: Powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 5G chipset, the NOTE 60 Pro is built for sustained, high-load multitasking. App switching is fluid, background apps stay active, and performance remains stable even during heavy usage. This means fewer interruptions, faster execution, and a smoother work rhythm, especially during peak hustle hours.
2. Automate the Boring Stuff
You are only one person, meaning your time is your most valuable asset. Spending hours drafting routine emails or organizing notes is a fast track to burnout.
The Fix: The NOTE 60 Pro’s AI-powered productivity features are designed to offload repetitive thinking. AI writing assistance, smart text summarisation, and note organisation tools help you draft faster, organise better, and respond smarter—without starting from scratch every time. This is multitasking at a cognitive level, not just an app level.
3. Create Content on Your Schedule
If your side hustle involves social media management, selling products, or content creation, you probably don’t have the luxury of shooting in perfect daylight. Often, you are working on your business long after the sun goes down.
The Fix: Don’t let poor lighting ruin your workflow. The Infinix Note 60 Pro is equipped with a Night Master Camera that captures crisp, vibrant, and professional-grade photos and videos even in low-light conditions. You can snap flawless product shots or record high-quality Reels from your living room at 10 PM.
4. Stop Relying on Power Supply
Nothing kills your momentum faster than your laptop or phone dying when you are working from a coffee shop or commuting. Battery anxiety is a real stressor when your business lives on your device.
The Fix: Invest in tech that keeps up with your crazy hours. The Note 60 Pro is an absolute powerhouse, boasting a massive 6500mAh battery. It will easily last you through your day job and straight into your side hustle hours. And when you finally do need a top-up? The 90W fast charging gets you back to 100% in a flash, so you are never stuck hugging an outlet.
5. Schedule “Do Nothing” Time
Finally, remember that rest is a productive business strategy. If you don’t schedule time to recharge your own batteries, your body will eventually force you to. Block out at least one day (or a few evenings) a week where you completely disconnect from the hustle.
The Bottom Line
Building an empire on the side is a marathon, not a sprint. By setting boundaries, automating tasks, and upgrading your daily driver to a productivity beast like the Infinix Note 60 Pro, you can build the business of your dreams without sacrificing your sanity.
Award-winning actress, producer, and industry trailblazer Funke Akindele has announced the return of her creative empowerment initiative, “The Creative Blueprint 2.0”, scheduled to take place on 19th March at Landmark, Lagos, Nigeria.
The second edition of the event comes with the overarching theme: “Giving Today, Gaining Tomorrow”, reflecting Funke’s mission to equip emerging creatives with the tools, knowledge, and mentorship needed to grow their skills, careers, and businesses.
The Creative Blueprint 2.0 will feature:
Power-packed masterclasses led by industry experts across beauty, lifestyle, fashion, content creation, visual arts, and brand management.
Practical workshops on storytelling, branding, and monetisation.
Strategic conversations on navigating the business of entertainment and creative entrepreneurship.
High-impact networking and mentorship opportunities.
This year’s panels will include sessions like Opening Doors: Women Creating Opportunities in Film, Giving Value: How Digital Creators Turn Influence Into Opportunity, Beauty, Fashion and The Business of Building Brands, Music: More Than Talent, Finding Your Voice in Broadcast Media, and Building Brands That Open Doors, all designed to give participants actionable insights and real-world strategies from professionals who have succeeded in their respective fields.
The event is open to actors, filmmakers, writers, content creators, and creative entrepreneurs ready to elevate their craft and expand their opportunities.
For enquiries: TheCreativeBluePrint@redrickpr.com Registration details will be shared soon.
Martin* is a 24-year-old graduate currently serving his country. After making millions in the Web3 ecosystem and losing it all to bad investments and “new money” habits, he talks about starting over from scratch and finding the stability he lacked at 20.
As Told To Boluwatife
In late 2021, I was a 200-level student just coming out of the pandemic lockdown. My financial situation was manageable; a polite way of saying I was at the bottom of my family’s very long list of priorities.
I come from a family with 11 children. My dad did his best to make sure all of us had an education — we even went to private schools — but after fees were paid, there was nothing left for an allowance. I survived uni by taking random ₦10k -₦30k freelance writing or social media gigs.
Then, a friend of a friend introduced me to a DAO (Decentralised Autonomous Organisation), which is essentially a blockchain-based community.
I started as a social media intern, earning $300 a month. Within a month, I was promoted to team member and also joined their ambassadorship programme. Ambassadors used platforms like Discord to find and pitch our services to other decentralised organisations and startups.
My pay jumped to $700. But the real money came from the quarterly bonuses. We were building infrastructure for other crypto companies and had goals to hit. When we hit those goals, we got payouts every three months.
I made my first million easily. My first two payouts were ₦700k each. Soon, I was seeing bonuses between $2,000 and $5,000 every quarter. I was a 20-year-old student pulling in millions of naira.
I adopted a new lifestyle
When you go from managing to having everything, your brain does something funny. It convinces you the tap will never run dry. And it wasn’t just me.
My girlfriend and some friends worked at the same company, and the new inflow changed how we thought about money. We started making questionable financial decisions.
I completely overhauled my life. I lived like a king. First, I paid two years’ rent upfront for a new apartment. I gave my old laptop to my brother and splurged ₦350k on a new one. Then I changed my entire wardrobe.
Also, my girlfriend, my friends, and I bought enough food and supplies to last six months. We bought a fridge, a freezer, and furniture.
I became the family bank. I started receiving payouts from the company in November. By December, I made sure I spent a lot of money to make Christmas special for my family. Beyond that, I was gifting money like nobody’s business. I sent money to whoever asked me for it. It was crazy.
Next, the partying started. I didn’t really want to party all the time, but the thing about being in a friend group is that you can’t just back out of something everyone else is doing. I had fun sometimes, but most of the time I felt iffy about partying.
Every time I tried to convince my friends to sit out a party, they’d be like, “Let’s do it.” In the end, I’d think, “What the hell? I might as well.”
While I was being unnecessarily generous and partying regularly, my girlfriend’s income (which was more than mine) mostly went into dealing with black tax. We lived together, and I knew she was constantly sending money to her parents and feeding her household. To cope with the stress, she bought things on impulse. Every day, delivery riders were at our door to bring clothes she didn’t need.
The 60% mistake
My life wasn’t just a big blur of spending sprees. I also tried to make what I believed were sensible financial decisions.
Instead of saving, I thought it was better to invest. All my friends were experts in Web3 and cryptocurrency, so I followed their advice and invested in crypto.
I put 60% of everything I earned back into crypto — Ethereum, my company’s token, and a few other promising coins. I thought I was being smart.
But 2022 arrived, and the crypto winter hit. Everywhere turned red, but I kept hoping the value of my assets — about $8k in total — would go back up. At the same time, infighting started at the company. Everyone wanted to be at the top of the food chain for the biggest bonus allocations. The toxic energy at work bled into our friend group. We went from supporting each other to competing.
By August 2022, the company collapsed.
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I didn’t know how to stop spending
You’d expect that I’d adjust when the money stopped flowing in, right? Unfortunately, my girlfriend and I had gotten so used to a lifestyle, and we didn’t know how to pump the brakes.
I got another job earning $150/month at a startup almost immediately, but it was a drop in the ocean. My girlfriend started taking out loans to maintain our lifestyle. We fell into a classic debt trap: we’d borrow money to survive the month, get paid, use half the pay to settle debt, and then run out of money by the middle of the next month. The cycle repeated until there was nothing left to borrow.
Maybe things would’ve been better if we’d managed the limited resources we had better. My girlfriend was still impulse buying and taking on family responsibilities. I can’t put the full blame on her, though. I should’ve also tried to regulate our spending.
I eventually had to sell my crypto investments. I sold them for less than half of what I bought them for to clear our debts.
By November, everything was gone. My relationship ended, and my friend group fell apart. I also lost the new job because the startup didn’t even have an official operating license.
I had to leave the apartment and move back into a school hostel — an eight-man room packed with 30 people. Imagine going from living under 24/7 AC to that kind of room. I couldn’t handle it and kept falling sick. Eventually, I ran away from the hostel to squat with a friend.
Starting over
I spent 2023 and 2024 rebuilding. I took a PR internship that paid ₦40k, then moved up to ₦100k after about a year. I also took on a social media gig for a Web3 company for ₦150k. I was hungry sometimes, and I often had to do the one thing I didn’t really want to do: ask my parents for an allowance. They were surprised since I never ask, but they tried their best to send me money
Today, I’m 24 and serving NYSC. I don’t have a high-paying job right now, and I don’t have any investments yet. But I have something I didn’t have at 20: Sense.
I realised that my friends and I failed because we didn’t have anyone older to guide us. We were just a bunch of 20-year-olds with too much money and zero financial literacy.
My plan for the next time the millions come? No more 60% crypto bets. I’ll put 10% in ETFs and stocks. I’ll also look into real estate, something tangible that won’t disappear when something goes wrong.
I’ll prioritise financial stability over splurging. I have a passion for music that I’d like to explore, but I know I need a financial foundation first.
I don’t regret it, though. I must have made over ₦10 million in the year I worked at the DAO. So, I guess I made a ₦10 million sacrifice to learn how money actually works. I’m a lot less naive now. If I made all that money once, it can happen again. This time, I’ll be ready to keep it.
Behind many personal achievements stand women whose decisions quietly changed the course of someone’s life. Their influence is often visible in results, but rarely acknowledged publicly.
To mark International Women’s Day on March 8, 1xBet Nigeria has launched a special initiative titled Woman Hero. The campaign is designed to highlight the real, measurable impact of women whose actions shaped the lives of others.
A Campaign Focused on Real Stories
Woman Hero centers on specific, personal stories. The initiative encourages Nigerians to reflect on a woman whose decision, sacrifice, or support became a turning point in their journey.
The campaign highlights practical examples such as:
A mother who paid for education or sports training despite financial pressure.
A teacher or coach who offered extra lessons to prevent a student from losing an opportunity.
A sister who postponed her own plans to support family progress.
A partner who invested savings to help launch a business.
The emphasis is on concrete action and clear outcome. Each story must show what the woman did and what changed as a result.
The objective is to create space for recognition of women whose daily efforts often remain unnoticed.
Through Woman Hero, 1xBet Nigeria provides a platform where these stories can be shared publicly. The campaign reflects the brand’s commitment to community engagement and meaningful dialogue.
Rather than focusing on symbolic celebration, the initiative aims to collect authentic accounts of influence – stories that demonstrate responsibility, sacrifice, and long-term impact.
Her Story Matters: Join the Woman Hero Campaign
The campaign encourages sincere, personal accounts describing a real woman and the monumental impact she had on someone’s life. From March 6 to March 11, people are invited to participate and share the story of their Woman Hero under the main post on 1xBet Nigeria’s official X page. Participation is simple – contributors only need to post their original story in the comments, explaining what their own Woman Hero did and how it changed their path.
To support and amplify these stories, 1xBet Nigeria has allocated a dedicated reward fund. The most compelling and authentic entries will receive cash prizes. The main winning story will receive ₦500,000, while four additional winners will each receive ₦250,000.
By offering these rewards, the brand aims to encourage wider participation and motivate more people to take part in an important public conversation about real influence and real impact. Full participation details are available on 1xBet Nigeria’s official X page.
A Public Space for Gratitude
Woman Hero is positioned as a platform for acknowledgment. It invites people to name the woman who influenced their path and explain why her actions mattered.
By sharing these stories, participants contribute to a public record of real women whose decisions continue to shape lives – even when their names are rarely mentioned.
Those who wish to take part can visit 1xBet Nigeria’s official X page and submit their story between March 6 and March 11.
The Nigerian experience is physical, emotional, and sometimes international. No one knows it better than our features on #TheAbroadLife, a series where we detail and explore Nigerian experiences while living abroad.
Timilehin* (30) left Nigeria for the US with just a desire for better opportunities and no long-term plan. In this story, he shares how trading cryptocurrencies gave him the funds for his trip and how he ended up in the US Navy.
This model is AI-generated and not affiliated with the story in any way
Where do you currently live, and when did you leave Nigeria?
Currently, I live in Atlanta in the United States. I left Nigeria in 2021.
What inspired you to leave?
A friend I went to school with inspired me, and two other things served as a trigger, or push, if you would. While we were in school, my friend always said we should find a way to leave Nigeria so we could do our master’s abroad. It stuck with me.
After we graduated, we couldn’t make that wish a reality because we couldn’t afford it and weren’t doing much. I personally couldn’t get help from the family front because we didn’t have the money: My dad was a teacher, so going to school on his salary had been a struggle. I did all sorts of jobs to make some cash, including satellite TV installations, which I took on during my National Youth Service (NYSC) year.
All the while, the idea of going abroad for my master’s had stuck with me. But the trigger for leaving was the astonishing lack of opportunities. Even as a graduate, most of us couldn’t secure jobs with our certificates. The EndSARS protests capped it all off. Seeing the government kill so many young people and deny it, made us want to get out. So when we got the opportunity to do our master’s in the US, we took it. I wasn’t married and had no children or strong attachments other than my immediate family, so it was not a difficult decision.
How did you afford the move?
Around 2018 to 2019, crypto started blowing up. Some friends and I got into cryptocurrency, buying and selling Bitcoin and doing Non-fungible Tokens (NFTs). We started getting a little money, and it was that money we used to process our exams like the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), pay application fees, and fund the move abroad.
The money was really useful because, for an average Nigerian, it can be difficult to afford application fees, which can be in the hundreds of dollars. For someone struggling to eat, it’s a lot to spend on what is basically trial and error, because the schools you apply to may not admit you.
What was it like when you arrived in the US?
It wasn’t the smoothest experience. I had to spend my first days in a hotel, and it was so expensive; I was worried I was going to end up spending all the money I’d come with. Also, there were a lot of culture shocks.
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What were some of these shocks?
First was the food, which was very different from what I was used to in Nigeria. They also have too many options, making it difficult to figure out their food.
Let’s say you try to get a burger. You would expect it to be straightforward. But you’ll say you want a burger and they’ll ask you something like if you want cheese. Okay, you tell them to add the cheese, then they’ll ask you what type. I didn’t even know there were different types of cheese back then. It just goes on like that, answering so many questions before you get your food.
Another thing is just how large the US is. It feels like most places are not close by. Everything is at least thirty minutes from where you are. Having a car is not a luxury; it’s just a necessity if you want to get anywhere. I got a bicycle that I used to ride around. But I guess I got too comfortable, and I wouldn’t lock it when I left it outside. One time, I travelled, and when I came back, it had been stolen. I found it surprising because it wasn’t even an expensive one. It cost about $70, so I didn’t expect it to be stolen.
Another shock was the school culture. All the professors are completely fine with you calling them by just their first names.
Then there’s the attitude towards hosting. In Nigeria, when a birthday celebrant invites people to a restaurant, they’ll handle the bill, but here, everyone is expected to pay for themselves.
What was the settling-in process like socially?
I don’t go out a lot. I didn’t have much of a social life even in Nigeria, so I have little to compare it with. But in my daily interactions with Americans, I found that most of them think I am Black American when they first meet me, until I tell them I’m Nigerian. They find it difficult to pronounce my name, so I just tell them my name is Tim or Timmy. That’s easier for them.
How did you find education in the US compared to Nigeria?
The volume of assignments is a lot. You might do only three courses, but the amount of work, presentations, and assignments is massive. It is harder than in Nigeria, but eventually, I figured it out.
What is your support system like in the US?
I don’t really miss Nigeria in terms of friendships or my support system because most of my friends are here. My brother is here too. He joined me a year after I arrived in 2022. I also came along with many of my friends, and many of my classmates from the university in Nigeria are here now. I have almost all my support system here—people I’ve known for about twelve years now. The only person I have left in Nigeria who would make me come around to visit is my mum.
Zikoko’s HERtitude is back this April 2026. Grab your tickets here.
Have you visited Nigeria since you left?
No, I haven’t been back. I intend to go, but I haven’t found the time with the way my work is structured. Some of my friends intend to go for two months, but I feel I’d probably stay only for a week or two if I go, and then it feels like a waste of money for such a short trip.
Do you see the US as a long-term plan, or do you intend to return to Nigeria?
I am very conflicted about that. I want to go back, but then I see what is happening in Nigeria, and I am discouraged. You see the reports online of things like kidnappings or trucks falling on people. These people didn’t even do anything wrong. It’s just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. There’s nothing they could have done differently that would have taken them out of that scenario.
So it makes me think: “Do I want to just leave my life to chance in a place where the chances are not good?” It feels like in Nigeria, everything is just set up to go the wrong way. I’m hesitant to leave the US, which has a system that works, for one that doesn’t work. But I’m not ruling out the possibility of a return.
Do you like the city you live in?
Yes. Atlanta is actually my favourite city. There is a large Black community here. I’ve briefly stayed in Houston, which feels exactly like you are in Nigeria because of the weather and the amount of Nigerian food, but Atlanta is a perfect blend of Nigeria and America. My least favourite was Chicago because it is extremely cold. That’s where I did my training for the Navy, and learning to swim in the Chicago cold was one of my worst experiences here.
You’re in the US Navy?
Yes. I joined the Navy last year. The process was fun at times, but also a little depressing. I didn’t know how to swim very well when I joined. I struggled to learn how to swim in the cold, which is why I said I don’t like Chicago. At the end of the day, I survived and passed.
What made you choose to join the Navy?
Well, it’s not like how it is in Nigeria. Here, joining the military is very encouraged; you get lots of benefits like tuition waivers and free education for your children. You can also get access to no-interest loans. And, if you are not a citizen, you become eligible for citizenship.
My brother joined the US Army first. But I chose the Navy because I saw it as slightly less physical than the Army.
Interesting. So you’re a US citizen now?
Yes, I am.
Did you have any longer-term plans when you left Nigeria for the US?
No, I didn’t really have a plan. It was just a case of getting in and figuring out how to go about it once I arrived. We got here and then looked for opportunities to change our status. But now, career-wise, I hope to just keep growing and hopefully, down the line, run a business that’ll allow me to retire.
There has been a lot of anti-immigrant talk in the US recently. Does that make you uncomfortable?
Not really. People have a right to vote, and they voted for whoever is in power. Nothing happening right now is a surprise because this was basically the manifesto of the current administration. It’s what they campaigned on. I am not affected because I am already a citizen. But I’ll just say that we are getting what was voted for.
Have you felt discriminated against due to your race or nationality?
I’ll give you a recent example. I was bringing up my new 75-inch TV in the elevator, and a white man came in. He saw me with the TV and asked why I was delivering it there. He thought I was the delivery man.
Things like that happen a lot. When people here see a Black person in certain situations, they make silly assumptions like that. If they see you in an expensive car, they might assume you’re just the driver.
I told the man the TV was mine and I didn’t let it affect me personally, but I see how it could be disappointing for others who experience things like that.
What has been your worst experience in the US?
My worst experience was in Chicago when I was struggling to pass my swim qualification for the Navy. Others had graduated, and I was left behind, feeling stuck. It made me start wondering why I even came.
Other than that, the US has provided me with opportunities I never would have thought of. It is a level playing ground. The son of nobody can become somebody here.
What has been your best experience?
I’ve had some really good ones. Graduating from school, getting a job, and becoming a US citizen have been really good experiences. Generally, it’s a really great feeling doing so well for myself and seeing that all my friends are doing well too.
On a scale of one to ten, how happy are you in the US?
I’ll say nine out of ten. I’m not saying ten because nothing is ever perfect.
Do you want to share your Abroad Life story? Please reach out to me here. For new episodes of Abroad Life, check in every Friday at 12 PM (WAT).
Today, Woof StudiosAfrica officially announces the launch of ECHO, a premier invite-only creator accelerator designed to bridge the gap between viral influence and sustainable business infrastructure. Echo is now accepting applications for its first cohort, specifically targeting high-potential digital creators in Nigeria who are ready to move from “content producers” to “creative entrepreneurs.”
Despite the explosive growth of the African creator economy, a significant “value gap” persists. While African creators dominate global trends on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, many struggle with fragmented monetisation, a lack of business structure, and platform dependency.
ECHO enters the ecosystem as a strategic architect, providing creators with the frameworks, monetisation systems, and global positioning tools necessary to build multi-generational brands.
“The African creator has mastered the art of creating attention, but the infrastructure for generating income has failed to keep up,” says Adetutu Laditan, Founder & Creative Director of Woof Studios. “With ECHO, we aren’t just teaching creators how to make better content; we are equipping them to build scalable businesses. We are moving the narrative from virality to business viability.”
The ECHO Advantage: From Attention to Income
ECHO’s curriculum is built on three strategic pillars:
Business Structure: Legal, financial, and operational foundations for creative ventures.
Global Positioning: Optimising African narratives for cross-border relevance and premium brand equity.
Call for Applications: Cohort One applications opened on Monday, 2nd of March 2026, for creators with at least 1,000 YouTube subscribers or 10,000 followers on Instagram or TikTok. Apply at www.echoaccelerator.com. According to the organisers, ECHO is seeking visionaries who are not just seeking fame but also a strategy to dominate the digital economy.
ECHO features in-person sessions in Lagos as well as online sessions. The hybrid program offers a unique blend of mentorship, networking with industry titans, and hands-on monetisation workshops.
How to Apply:
While the accelerator is free, registration is compulsory. Interested creators can apply directly at www.echoaccelerator.com. Applications close 11:59 PM WAT March 22, 2026.
Imole* (33) grew up in a strict Christian home where relationships with the opposite sex were treated as something dangerous. Dating wasn’t allowed, and marriage wasn’t something she spent time imagining. It was simply the next step her parents expected once she finished school.
After NYSC, she was matched with a man from church and encouraged to settle down. Three years into the marriage, she’s still figuring out what it means to find her own voice inside a life that often feels chosen for her.
This is a look into Imole’s marriage diary.
I Never Even Imagined Myself as Someone’s Wife
I grew up in a very strict home, so marriage wasn’t something I spent time imagining when I was younger. It felt like something reserved for adults, not something I should be thinking about.
Even when I got to university, I still didn’t think about it. My parents had put so much fear of the opposite sex in me that dating wasn’t something I even considered. I remember when my dad found a love letter in my sister’s school bag. He beat her so badly that she couldn’t go to school for a week. That was the environment we grew up in. So, boys were not something I allowed myself to think about.
In university, my life was mostly about church and school. When your parents call you, and the only questions they ask are about your academics and your spiritual life, you don’t really feel like there’s space for anything else.
I only started thinking about marriage after NYSC, and even then, it wasn’t really my idea. My parents felt it was the next step for me. They introduced me to someone from the church and encouraged the match.
He wasn’t a bad person, but if I had truly had the chance to choose for myself, I think I would have chosen differently.
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Three Years In, I’m Not Sure I Like Being Married
I’m approaching my third year in marriage, and if I’m being honest, there have been more feelings of regret than anything else.
I wouldn’t say I have the perfect picture of what I want in a husband, but I know my husband leaves a lot to be desired. Sometimes I ask myself if we are really a couple or just two people living in the same house. We barely talk about anything outside the necessary things. There’s no real friendship between us.
He spends most of his free time at church. When he tries to be playful with me, it often feels forced. Or maybe the problem is me. Maybe I’m the one who doesn’t create room for it.
The truth is, I don’t put in much effort either. Sometimes I think we’re just two people who came from very similar restrictive backgrounds and somehow ended up together without really knowing ourselves first.
He claims I’m the only woman he has ever been with, but I sometimes find that hard to believe. He has a certain way with the women in church, and he doesn’t strike me as someone who doesn’t know how to navigate female attention.
My First Experience With Sex Made Me Question Everything
The first time we got intimate was the first time I truly wondered if I had made a mistake getting married. It was my first time having sex, and my husband wasn’t exactly gentle. After that first time, he wanted to keep going regularly. He would come to me every other day and say that’s how I would get used to it.
But it never really got better for me. At some point, I started avoiding him. I made all sorts of excuses. My period. Stomach pain. Headaches. Anything that could help me avoid sex.
Eventually, it became such an issue that my husband raised it with our spiritual father in church.
I was called in and lectured about how intimacy is important in marriage and how a wife shouldn’t deny her husband. Listening to that conversation made me question whether I was truly ready to lose autonomy over my own body for something I wasn’t even enjoying.
When I tried speaking to my mum about it, she wasn’t much help either. She told me that even in her late 50s she doesn’t turn her husband down, so what excuse did I have?
At that point, I felt defeated. I eventually had to train my mind to start seeing some kind of pleasure in it. It has gotten better over time, but even now, it often feels like a chore. It doesn’t always feel like something intimate between two people.
I’ve Had to Learn to Speak Up for Myself
One thing marriage forced me to learn very quickly is how to stand up for myself. As a Christian woman, you’re taught a lot about submission. You’re told to pray about problems and trust God to handle things. But I started asking myself certain questions.
How do you pray about someone raising their voice at you? How do you pray about someone hurting you in a moment of anger? It hasn’t happened many times, but it has happened enough for me to realise that prayer alone wouldn’t fix everything.
Now, when I notice my husband doing something I don’t like, I address it immediately. I’m not taking everything to God in prayer when the person causing the issue is standing right in front of me. If speaking up makes people call me rebellious, so be it.
If you’re in a marriage like mine and you don’t speak up or fight for yourself, then you’ll end up blaming everyone else for what you allowed.
The Day Money Turned Into a Physical Fight
We once had a serious fight about money. I don’t want to go into the full details, but it escalated in a way that shocked me. At some point, he grabbed my arms so tightly that his fingers dug into my skin. I struggled to pull away, and we ended up in a physical back-and-forth. After that, we spent the rest of the week barely speaking.
We still went to church together because that was expected, but once we got home, we kept our distance from each other.
My husband tried to involve our pastor again, but this time I refused to attend the meeting. Later, when the pastor saw me and asked about it, I told him we would rather handle our issues ourselves. That wasn’t something my husband and I had agreed on, but I knew the pastor would most likely side with him and tell me to be the patient, obedient wife.
This time, I decided to stand my ground. Eventually, my husband came to apologise. But that experience taught me something important: I have to tread carefully with him when it comes to finances. Money is something that easily makes him defensive and difficult to deal with.
Marriage Is Where I’m Finally Learning Who I Am
Sometimes I ask myself who I even was before marriage. I was just a quiet, obedient girl who did what she was told. I went to church, followed rules and allowed decisions about my life to be made for me.
In a strange way, marriage is where I’ve started discovering myself. Every day I’m learning what I like and what I don’t like. I’m learning what I’m willing to accept and what I’m not. I’m learning how I want to be treated.
So in that sense, marriage has given me a little more sense of identity. But it also makes me curious about something: what would marriage look like if this version of me had chosen her own partner?
If I Could Go Back, I Would Be More Rebellious
If I could give my younger self advice, I would tell her to be more rebellious. I would tell her to fight for what she believes in and stop letting others make decisions about her life.
The truth is, I’m in this situation because I allowed that to happen. Now that I’ve started putting my foot down, I can see how much it has helped me. Sometimes I wonder what my life would have looked like if I had been this version of myself before getting married.
Maybe I wouldn’t even be married at all. One thing I know for sure is that I would take my time. I would enjoy my freedom more before stepping into something as permanent as marriage.
Because even when you marry someone you love, marriage can still feel like a prison if you’re not careful. You have to fight constantly to make sure you don’t end up trapped in a box someone else built for you.
*Names have been changed to protect the identity of the subjects.
Got a marriage story to share? Please fill the form and we’ll reach out.
GridLocked is a daily pop culture guessing game built for Nigerians. Every weekday by 9am, you’ll get six clues, sixty seconds, and an answer only a Nigerian would know.
Today’s GridLocked is a drink.
How many clues do you need to get it right? 👀
Share your result when done, but don’t spoil the answer for others. (Missed yesterday’s GridLocked? Play it here.)
24 AUGUST 2026
Guess The Word01:00
Title
Guesses: 0
00:00
How To Play
The Goal: Guess the answer for the day before time runs out. (The answer could be a person, place, song, movie, or even slang.)
The Lock: You cannot type a guess until you have revealed at least one tile.
The Reveal: Tap any tile to reveal a clue. Every clue on the grid describes the answer for the day.
The Clock: You have 60 seconds to guess right. The timer starts the moment you flip your first tile. (You get multiple guesses.)
The Score: ⬜ (White) = A tile you flipped 🟪 (Purple) = A tile you kept hidden.
Best Result = ⬜🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪 | Guesses: 1 (Only needed one clue and one guess to get it right)
Come back every weekday by 9am for a new grid or subscribe to Z Daily, Zikoko’s daily newsletter, to get new GridLocked puzzles, real Nigerian stories and other fun content in your inbox.
How to Play GridLocked
The Goal: Guess the answer for the day before time runs out. (The answer could be a Nigerian person, place, song, movie, or even slang.)
The Lock: You cannot type a guess until you have revealed at least one tile (clue).
The Reveal: Tap any tile to reveal a clue. Every clue describes the answer for the day. The fewer tiles you flip, the better.
The Clock: You have 60 seconds to guess right. The timer starts the moment you flip your first tile. (You get multiple guesses.)
The GridLocked Squares: What Do They Mean?
When the game ends, you see your guess count, total time spent, and the number of tiles flipped. The tiles are shown as white and purple squares.
⬜ (White) = A tile you flipped
🟪 (Purple) = A tile you left closed
The fewer white tiles you have, the better your result.
Best Result = ⬜🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪 | Guesses: 1 (Only needed oneclue and oneguess to get it right)
HERtitude was first created in 2022 as a space for women to feel safe, build community, and have fun without holding back. From the very first edition, a number of brands came along for the ride, asking a simple question: How do we become part of this experience?
Edition after edition, these brands have aligned with the spirit of HERtitude and what it stands for. As we gear up for the fifth edition in 2026, we’re spotlighting some of the brands that have sponsored HERtitude and how they’ve won by showing up the right way.
2022 – 2023
In 2022 and 2023, Aura by Transcorp, Busha, and Chippercash brought the games, while GoMoney and Sparkle showed that nothing pulls a crowd faster than a Spin-the-Wheel and a good photo booth.
2024
In 2024, the feedback was unanimous: the turnout was massive, the energy was high, and the brands that gave the women something to do won the day.
Sparkle
They took over with a multi-layered approach: a treasure hunt, a beauty parlour for that festival glow-up, and a Quacktail sit-out bar for the vibes.
The Verdict: They loved the energy and were already looking at this year. Their takeaway? Let’s get integrated even earlier and bring more upcoming female artists to the stage.
WILAN
They brought Boss Energy to the field with a leadership workshop paired with a fun dress-up photo booth.
The Verdict: It was a total hit. They loved the engagement but offered practical gems: we need a bigger venue, better parking, and more on-stage announcements to keep the crowd in the loop.
Flying Fish
Kept the spirits high with an open bar and free drinks.
The Verdict: They’ve got a taste for the HERtitude magic and want to see even more international collaborations and a bigger space to scale their activities.
Jack Daniels
A classic combo of an open bar/free drinks and a high-end photo activation.
The Verdict: JD recognised the value immediately. Their feedback was simple: There will always be a huge turnout for HERtitude, so let’s get a venue that can hold the crowd!
Chicken Republic
They fed the fans! They gave free food to the first 20 attendees and ran a high-traffic sales station.
The Verdict: Great event, but they’re looking for better real estate next time. Positioning is everything for visibility when the crowd gets thick.
Thirdwave
Served up a mix of free drinks and premium cocktails/mocktails.
The Verdict: They loved it but noticed the crowd’s hunger for knowledge, suggesting more engaging workshops on topics affecting women today.
Beauty Hut & Blue Poppy
These skincare brands focused on the Soft Life. Beauty Hut sold skincare products, while Blue Poppy gave out free face masks.
The Verdict: Both are locked in for the future. Blue Poppy specifically wants to see those female celebrity artists take the stage in 2025/2026.
W-FM 91.7 & Sosa Drink
W-FM handled the amplification, while Sosa brought the Sip-and-Paint energy and free drinks.
The Verdict: W-FM gave us a 10/10 and wants to talk about media marginalisation next year. Sosa loved the infusion but wants more space to truly let their brand breathe.
HERtitude 2026 is happening this April, and the theme is Main Character Energy. Get your tickets here: hertitude.zikoko.com
2025
If 2024 was about engagement, 2025 was about immersion. Brands became part of the lifestyle.
Nivea
The ultimate Soft Life activation. They hosted Sip-and-Paint sessions, Yoga & Relaxation zones, photo activations, and brought in celebrity guests, all while selling their skincare and makeup lines with cash prizes to boot.
The Verdict: Nivea felt like the Main Character of the vendor village. They were thrilled with the conversion rates from the yoga mats to the sales counter and loved how the safe space vibe allowed women to try products comfortably.
Filmhouse Cinemas
They kept it cinema-chic, offering free popcorn to attendees.
The Verdict: As first-timers, they were blown away by the safe, inspiring space. They loved the four-month intentional planning journey with Zikoko but noted that VIP service timing and more freedom for booth customisation would make 2026 even better.
Indomie, Addme & Nutrify
The Holy Trinity of snacks and products. Indomie kept everyone full with free noodles and fun vibes.
The Verdict: They highlighted the harassment-free objective of HERtitude as a major win. Their suggestion? Even more creative games like wine tasting, perfume mixing, and pottery.
Joy Soap (PZ Cussons)
They took pampering literally with product sales and free pedicures.
The Verdict: There is nothing a HERtitude girl loves more than being taken care of. The foot rubs were a legendary move.
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Handled the Cheers! factor with free wine, Irish cream, and product sales.
The Verdict: High-energy brands that thrived in the social atmosphere. They saw firsthand that HERtitude women have premium taste.
Riggs & Confetti
Distributed free products and engaged the crowd.
The Verdict: They loved how welcoming and eager the audience was. Their big tip for next year? Let sponsors get on stage to announce giveaways and really hype the crowd.
As we look toward this year, the message from our brands is clear: More space, more female artists, and deeper integration. The brands that win at HERtitude don’t just show up; they grow with us. They understand that when you support a woman’s right to have fun, you earn a spot in her life, long after the music stops.
Have you seen what the hotties can do? If you are looking to expand your audience and increase your brand’s visibility, now is the time.
Everyone says they want the audacity of a Nigerian man. I have a hotter take. I want the audacity of a wife/husband-snatcher in Nollywood. Like the ones on the list we’ve put together.
10. Chuks in Okafor’s Law (2016)
Chuks (Blossom Chukwugekwu) is bored and in search of some excitement, so he decides to test “Okafor’s law” (Once a man has sex with a woman once, he can consensual sex with her again whenever he wants )by seducing three exes. Testing a silly law on past lovers is one thing, but adding a billionaire’s wife to your list—knowing how ego-driven billionaires are—is definitely a choice. One he pays for the hard way.
In The Wedding Party, everything that can go wrong at a wedding goes wrong. Feuding families? Check. Chaotic Wedding Planner? Check. The return of a sinister ex? Enter Rosie. When Sola mistakenly screens footage from the bachelor’s party making Dozie look like a cheat, Rosie shows up and lies to Dunni that she slept with him that morning. Spoiler alert: she didn’t. Hooking up with a married man is obviously morally bankrupt, and people do it all the time. But trying to do that with a groom on his wedding day is a different level of evil.
When we speak of the “OG before IG,” many names come to mind, but Toyin Tomato stands out. This drama is a good example of how men will always stain your white. Suara is broke and going through it, so he offers his wife to a wealthy man in exchange for a job. But he doesn’t stop there; when he gets his money up, he starts cheating on his wife with the opportunistic Toyin Tomato, who ends up showing him the hot pepper deserves for being a cheating ass-hole.
Nneka is a messy babe who goes around causing havoc, using her supernatural powers to seduce men and, in some cases, kill them. Take Tony, for example. She couldn’t care less that he is engaged and that his wife is right there. They somehow get married, and she ends up sucking him dry. Truly a recurring theme for her.
Desperate House Girls follows three young women who are, as per usual, broke as shit and tired of the suffering. To break out of poverty, Ekemini (Ini Edo) hatches a devious financial empowerment scheme: get hired as a housemaid for a wealthy man, usurp the “madam” of the house and worm herself way into his life via his pants. And it works.
This movie is currently not available on streaming platforms.
5. Monique in Suicide Mision (1998)
I love an audacious babe, but you know where I draw the line? Juju. Monique (Regina Askia) is entangled with a married man, Austine (RMD). Just like every other mistress in the history of mistresses, she isn’t satisfied with playing the side piece. So she does the most logical thing: she makes him her love slave by trapping his soul in a groundnut bottle. I was gagged.
The biblical Esther could absolutely never. This entire movie is just Esther (Genevieve Nnaji) hating on her sister, Gloria (Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde). Gloria is living the ultimate Nigerian dream—married to a sweet man who calls her “dorling“—while Esther is still just bitter as hell. So, what does Esther do? She kills her sister and seduces the husband. Years later, I am still reeling from that turn of events.
Lady Casanova herself. Sharon (Genevieve Nnaji) is a law student who uses her beauty and charm to get men to do her bidding. In the movie we see her Juggle three men at once, which is impressive, but not as impressive as the fact that she also pits them against each other. I love seeing women thrive in male-dominated spaces.
“What do you want from me, you heartless idiot?” If you are chronically online, you probably know the audio from TikTok. You’d think Chris (Kenneth Okonkwo) was yelling at a toxic, cheating ex. Nope. He’s losing his mind over a homewrecker played by Kanayo O. Kanayo. After Chris hands his wife over to Mac Donald to repay a loan, you’d think it ended there. But Mac D still has the audacity to call him and rub the sex in his face. I’d be breaking heads, not just my hard-to-break Nokia too.
The entire movie is mama Azuka showing us that she will win a shameless competition even if her opponent was a Nigerian politician. Mama Azuka shows up at her daughter’s happily married home for the customary omugwo, starts to give her lectures on how “good girl no dey pay,” and next thing, she’s in bed with her daughter’s husband. How? I was as confused as you are as well. Wrecking a stranger’s home is fair, but your daughter’s home is actually insane.
This movie is currently not available on streaming platforms.
