₦airaland Forum

Eighty-year-old wife of a career diplomat, Mrs Janet Brai, shares her thoughts on how she navigated frequent postings across Europe and Africa, managing the challenges of always moving her family and her thriving business from one country to another

When did you clock 80 years old?


My date of birth is November 10, 1945.


So, how does it feel being 80?

It feels very different—there’s a lot of difference. The things I could do before, I can no longer do.

Like what?

Well, I’ve always been a very active person. I can’t sit in one place. But now, my movement is slower. I feel weaker, and I now can’t do many of the things I used to do.

How would you describe your early life?

I was born in Lagos. My father came to Lagos when he was 18 years old and settled in Tinubu Square, and that was where I was born. I grew up there for a while before my father moved to Yaba. We lived at 174, Clifford Street—now known as Muhammed Raji Street—so that was where I actually grew up.

Later, he built a house in Ajegunle. My mother moved there, but I didn’t move with her at first. I continued staying with my father on Clifford Street. I started my primary school there, and later, I moved to Ajegunle to live with my mother.

What is your educational background like?

I attended Ajegunle Primary School in Apapa. After finishing my primary school, I went to a secondary school called Metropolitan College. It doesn’t exist anymore, but that was where I completed my secondary education. Afterwards, I sat my GCE O’Level.

As soon as I finished secondary school, I got a job at the Ministry of Defence. My father’s friend worked there—he was actually in charge of employment—and he was the one who employed me.

While working there, I met my husband. The Ministry of Defence was located on Marina then. We occupied the first to fourth floors, while External Affairs was upstairs. That was where I met my husband, and eventually, we got married.

What year was that?

I got a job at the Ministry of Defence in 1965. Then in 1966, I met my husband. We eventually got married at the Catholic Church in Falomo. Immediately after the wedding, we went on our first posting. My husband was a career diplomat, and he was posted to Rome, so we moved to Rome together.

When we got to Rome, I enrolled in the American Business School. It was a secretarial school where students were trained to become secretaries, and it was a two-year programme. While studying there, I also became more interested in fashion designing. I had always made my own clothes back in Nigeria, even though I never studied fashion formally; I just had the natural flair for it.

One day, I met the wife of my husband’s boss. She asked why I was attending secretarial school. She told me she was a Pitman-trained secretary—Pitman in England is one of the best training schools.

She explained that after returning to Nigeria, she worked for only six months before her husband was posted abroad again, which made all her training feel wasted.

What advice did she give you?

She advised me to consider fashion school instead, since I already made my own clothes and clearly had the talent. She said it would be more profitable as the wife of a career diplomat because when we return to Nigeria, I could work anywhere and at any time.

Whenever my husband was posted again, I could simply pack my sewing machine and continue abroad—unlike a secretary who might spend months job-hunting after every relocation.

So, I decided to attend a fashion school. I continued with my secretarial classes in the morning and went to fashion school in the evening. I eventually completed my secretarial training and then finished fashion school as well.

We were 30 students in the fashion class, and during the final exam, I came first. I was extremely happy. I was the only black in the class. After that, we were posted back to Nigeria. I opened my first fashion house at No. 17, Nnamdi Azikwe Street, near Tinubu Square. I’m trying to remember the exact name, but I’ve forgotten. The shop was just close to Tinubu Square.

The building where I set up my shop is a three-storey building, and it’s still there. I rented an office space on one of the floors. I remember paying £17.10—then we were still using British pounds. That was where I opened my first fashion house.

How successful was the business?

I started sewing there, and the business became very successful. I had many customers. At that time, there were many Filipino doctors working in government hospitals in Nigeria, and their wives were some of my regular clients.

I also sewed for my husband’s colleagues’ wives and many office girls. I was extremely busy. I handled numerous weddings and birthday outfits. Brides would bring their wedding dresses to me, and I would sew everything—the wedding gown, the bridesmaids’ dresses, the entire bridal train.

Those were my youthful days. I was young, energetic, and working from morning till night. The people who shared the building with me included the owners of that old Sheraton Hotel, Ibru. They had office spaces on the same floor. That was how my sewing career began.

Later, we were posted to Sierra Leone, so I had to pack up the entire business. Anytime we were posted, I had to close everything down. We moved to Sierra Leone and stayed there for four years.

When we came back, of course, I had lost my previous space, so I had to sew wherever I could. I started sewing in our house. We had a flat on Mosley Street—Mosley Street in Ikoyi, I remember clearly. Our external affairs officer had assigned us all to live in Ikoyi upon our return.

At first, sewing in the flat disturbed my husband because it wasn’t convenient. So, he suggested I moved to his garage. I started sewing there. The business quickly outgrew the garage, but there was nothing I could do except to manage it as best as I could. He would park his car outside, and I redecorated the garage to accommodate all my sewing machines.

Later, we were posted again—this time to Ivory Coast, after Sierra Leone. I had to pack up the entire business once more. In Ivory Coast, I decided to further my education, so I enrolled at the University of Abidjan to study French. I stayed there for three years.

What happened thereafter?

Then a sudden posting to Poland came. I told my husband I did not want to go, but he said, ‘You cannot stay behind. I must take you with me.’ My lecturers were very fond of me and encouraged me to stay, as I had only about two years left to complete my studies. But ultimately, I abandoned my French education and went with my husband to Poland.

After Poland, we returned home, and I resumed sewing. By then, we had bought a house in Satellite Town. The sale of the house had been published while we were in Poland.

It was part of a 1979 government scheme where civil servants could purchase lots for N100. We applied, were successful, and were allocated the house. So, we moved into our home in Satellite Town, where my sewing business continued to grow.

When we moved here, I started sewing in the house. Eventually, the sitting room became too small for all the clothes. As a result, my husband suggested I use the children’s bedroom. At that time, I had nine sewing machines, so I moved into the children’s room, which could contain about seven of the machines.

Did you sew for any organisation you can remember?

I met a woman who was a manager at UAC Apapa. UAC managed the procurement for Kingsway Stores. Have you heard of Kingsway Stores? Well, young people today may not.

Kingsway was located on East Marina. The building is still there, but the store no longer exists. Back then, if you wanted the best of anything—clothes, fridges, kitchenware—you went to Kingsway Stores.

This woman, who has since passed away and lived on Second Avenue, heard about my sewing skills. She visited her office in Apapa and gave me my first contract. She said, ‘Let me see your work—I’ve heard about you but I want to be sure.’ She gave me some materials to sew, and I executed the order. She was very impressed and increased the workload.

From there, my business grew. She would distribute my clothes to Kingsway Stores in Ibadan, Jos, and Kaduna—they had stores across Nigeria. I was sewing ankara outfits—skirts and blouses. Other people handled baby clothes and different items, but I focused on the ankara sets, complete with head ties.

The materials sometimes came from UAC, but I often sourced them wherever I found nice fabric. After completing the orders, she would collect them, and I would receive payment within about 30 days.

These ankara outfits, with skirts, blouses, and head ties—not wrappers—were particularly aimed at expatriates and visitors wanting souvenirs from Nigeria. They were very popular. That’s how I was managing my sewing business.

Later, my husband was posted again—from Poland to Uganda. After returning from Poland, we came home briefly. That was when I started sewing for Kingsway. Then we were posted to Uganda, where he became High Commissioner.

Did you go with him again?

Of course, I went with him. We packed everything—my entire business included. I’m trying to recall the sequence of postings. From Poland, we came home, and after my daughter was born, we went to Germany. I took her as a baby to Germany, and we stayed there for four years.

That is Amina, right?

Yes! Amina. She was the only one among our children born in Nigeria—specifically in LUTH. At that time, I was sewing for Kingsway. I remember someone told me I was pregnant, though I hadn’t realised it because I was on birth control pills. After our stay in Germany, we were posted to Uganda. I remember that clearly now.

I remember now. From Germany, we stayed there for a while before being posted to Uganda, where he was made a High Commissioner. That was our final posting. After that, we finally returned home.

How long were you in Uganda before returning home?

I can’t remember exactly—maybe six months, and then we finally came back. I would have to check to be sure.

What state are you from?

Edo State.

What about your husband?

We are both from Edo State.

What was his name?

Patrick Brai. He passed away almost 30 years ago.

How old were you when he died?

I must have been around 40 to 43.

How old was he?

He was 54.

What happened to him?

He was sick. In their family, males tend to die young. That’s one reason I am now in Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministry. We studied in the School of Deliverance that certain patterns exist in families, whether you believe it or not.

In his family, only the males die young, while the females live long. I don’t know of any females in my husband’s family who have passed away; they are all older than him and still alive—about five or six of them.

My husband died, but he managed to educate his two brothers. One of them was an electrical engineer who worked for NEPA. He rose to a high position there but eventually died. The younger brother was an accountant—very brilliant. When I was running my business, he would help me with the accounting.

Not that he was officially working for me, of course; he had his own job, but he did it so efficiently, tracking my profits and pointing out areas where I wasn’t making money. He, too, has passed away. He was the last of the three males.

So all the males in that family have died, but the females are still alive. My husband had also told me that his father died young. So yes, we lost him a long time ago. Even my daughter’s school fees were paid by her uncle.

How many children do you have?

Three; Amina is the youngest, born 12 years after her eldest brother.

So you weren’t planning to have another child?

No, I was on birth control. I didn’t even realise I was pregnant.

Looking back at all the moving around with your husband from one country to another, what was the experience like?

The packing was another challenge. I’m not the only one who says this. All the women I’ve spoken to about this will agree. We would pack everything and travel, but when we arrived at our destination, finding some of your things was difficult.

You might pack your bedsheets in one box, plates in another, kitchen items in a third—but when you arrive, you have no idea which box contains what.

So, yes, it wasn’t easy. It was cumbersome. We lost many things because of all the movement. Sometimes items wouldn’t even arrive at the new destination. It’s just the reality of travelling like that.

Having moved around with your family like that, what would you like to share with younger women today, in relation to when you had to leave your French studies in Ivory Coast to follow your husband.

My advice is this: marriage is a covenant, and for every woman, it is an honourable institution. When you are married, make sure you are happy in your marriage, and that happiness often comes from making compromises.

For instance, when my husband said, ‘I can’t leave you behind; I’m taking you with me,’ that was his desire. If I had insisted on staying behind just to finish my degree because it was more important to me, what would have happened? He would have gone ahead to his posting alone.

When a man gets to a new environment without his wife, he may begin another relationship. That is how cracks start in a marriage. When such cracks appear, it becomes difficult, sometimes impossible for a woman to mend them. Even if you later join him, another woman may already have positioned herself.

Lukuluku69:
Good quote I must say but when last did the likes of Adeboye, Oyedepo, Pastor Chris and a host of others ever quote this verse or ever referenced it?

jiggyman:
The richest men in the world arent Christians.

Your logic is shii!

Salah the best player to ever play in epl is a Muslim

Lukuluku69:
Really really?

BlackViper:
This is my Bible.

It was a gift from my dad and it's really
special to me.

I try to read it every night before I go to bed.

I've learned a lot from it and I'm still reading it all the time, so yeah, it's important for me.

Religion is a big part of my life.

I'd say I'm a strong believer in God and reading this Bible all the time helps me to learn more and more about God.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVEc1Nr68UM

brain54:
If you check well...

There might be an underlying reason for the fight between friends. Not the pure water sachet. (Religion done go dey involved Sha prayers)

Anyway, I know of two good friends that had a serious issue one time.


One bought those expensive designer shirts from the other. The money became a tidy lump sum that made the other guys business to pause. Baba kept giving stories without paying up.

But everyone was cool. Or it seemed everything was normal on the surface. Because the vibes between the friends kept going on with one seeming to understand the promise to pay.

Until baba go see the babe he dey eye since dey try to toast with the other baba for my side.

Na there everything scatter. He no talk say na babe o.... but he say you must pay my money today. Like everything you dey owe me. Just suddenly like that.


Na so dey fight scatter everywhere Burst car windshield. We dey try separate fight.

But na only few of us know the underlying reason of the pain the guy feel that day say no be money but na woman cause fight. Na that day I understand say money fit no break friendship wey strong but you see woman...


That's why till this day even if my friend woman or any woman at all for that matter wey I no say dey with another person like make she like naked try seduce me I no go even feel anything or reason her.


Even me collect stray bullet from baba that day as he say I no about the guy and the girl matter and I no tell am. He come dey behave somehow for me too. Of which I advice the other guy make he leave the woman o. As my guy eye already dey inside.


Baba dey for Yankee now and I dey chat am recently and I come ask am about that our other guy when want Maya him crush because she wasn't even his girlfriend he just dey toasting process. Na so him say since that time both of them no talk again as I see how him mood change na so I change the topic.

This was a fight that happened many years ago o.


Bottom line of my sermon on the mount be say underlying issues is very likely the case of this fight and stay away from people's women.

Even friendships/bonds that money would not break women can destroy in an instant.


But what do I know... I'm just a guy that likes talking too much!

The Federal Government has announced a nationwide ban on the admission and transfer of students into Senior Secondary School Three (SS3) in all public and private schools, beginning from the 2026/27 academic session.

The announcement, signed by Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, said the directive was part of efforts to curb examination malpractice and restore credibility to Nigeria’s education system.

“The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, has announced a nationwide prohibition on the admission and transfer of students into Senior Secondary School Three (SS3) in all public and private secondary schools,” the statement read.

According to the ministry, the policy follows growing concerns over the increasing incidence of malpractice, including the use of so‑called special centres during external examinations.

It explained that admissions and transfers will now be restricted strictly to Senior Secondary School One (SS1) and Senior Secondary School Two (SS2). “Admission or transfer into SS3 will no longer be permitted under any circumstance,” the ministry stated.

Officials said the measure is aimed at discouraging last‑minute movement of students for examination‑related advantages, ensuring proper academic monitoring, and promoting continuity in teaching and learning.

School proprietors, principals, and administrators nationwide have been directed to comply fully with the policy.

The minitry warned that any violation would attract sanctions in line with existing education regulations and guidelines.

Reaffirming government’s commitment, the statement added: “The Federal Ministry of Education reaffirms the Federal Government’s commitment to maintaining academic standards, promoting fairness, and restoring credibility to public examinations across the country.”

RSF fighters reportedly stalked families along the road, with many victims gang-raped by multiple soldiers for hours or days, often in front of relatives.

Sonnobax15:

Only the vein in his forehead alone is a testament to the fact that this man won't be anything less than 40 years old..

21-year-old Anas Yusuf shows no signs of slowing down. He is now the leading scorer in the Nigeria Premier League after opening the scoring to help Nasarawa United reclaim the top spot in the league table with a 3-0 win over El-Kanemi Warriors.

The forward who clinched the NPFL Golden Boot last season currently tops this season's goal-scoring chart.

With 6 goals in 14 appearances so far, some analysts have suggested that Liverpool should consider the teenage talent. They believe he could be the key to helping the defending champions climb back to the top of the EPL table.

DomPerignon:
West is never the problem


Its the cancer and evil that is Israel and world Jewry that has hijacked and poisoned the west.

FreeStuffsNG:
Smh.

The Sephardic are seen as the lower caste and are those who were suffering in the Middle East before the Europeans came to form the occupation in Palestine.

They live like the Arabs who are their benefactors but today they are forming superiority and now about to start forming Europeans some years from now. Smh

Truthday:
Thousands of people in Israel formed long lines outside the Portuguese Embassy as demand for Portuguese citizenship.

In 2015, Portugal introduced a law allowing Sephardic Jews to apply for citizenship, a process many pursue for the advantages of EU mobility, lower living costs, and easier access to European universities.

The war on Gaza since October 2023 has increased the number of Israelis seeking a second passport.

Video: https://youtube.com/shorts/xtEZz3xZW6g?si=L45F2UQVsrD0U4Wh

Three Bandits Gang-Rape 13-Year-Old In Niger State, Leaving Her Hospitalised

A 13‑year‑old girl has been hospitalised after being gang‑raped by three bandits while returning from the market with her elder brother, Rabiu A. Bawa, in Kudodo village, Galkogo district, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

In a social media post, Babangida Wassa Kudodo, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmanship aspirant in the upcoming November 1 local government election, who is a close ally of the state governor, condemned the attack, describing it as evidence of the worsening security breakdown across Shiroro and neighbouring communities.

He wrote, “A 13 year old Hasiya A Bawa from Kudodo village hospitalized after 3 bandits raped her all at once on her way back from the market with her senior brother Rabiu A Bawa.”

“The renewed activities of banditry in Lakpma axis, Shiroro LG, Niger state is seriously alarming,” he added.

On Thursday, the state police command confirmed that 10 people were kidnapped in Shiroro Local Government Area of the state.

The attack came less than a week after gunmen abducted more than 300 students and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, last Friday.

The state police command public relations officer Wasiu Abiodun said security agencies were intensifying efforts to rescue the victims and restore safety in the affected areas.

The incident adds to growing concerns about insecurity in Shiroro and other parts of the state.

“On November 26, 2025, at about 8pm, a report was received indicating that suspected armed men abducted about ten persons from Angwan-Kawo and Kuchipa villages of Shiroro Local Government Area,” Abiodun said while confirming the incident.

“Effort is being made to rescue the victims.”

SpencerForbes:
If he delivers, I don’t see anything wrong. Experience beats educational background anytime of the day.

helinues:
What happened to the CV? Just curious to know

This is totally unacceptable behaviour, we will be looking very closely at this matter, this type of behaviour brings the game in disrepute. Nigeria should be punished for this unbecoming behaviour. This is football not UFC.

Kemetian:


Fast forward to 2025

''The gods of Nigerians are merely Europeans claiming divinity.''

How times change.

At least 15 young girls who were allegedly lured into sex trafficking under the guise of job opportunities have been rescued by the Ondo State Police Command.

The command, in a statement issued on Sunday by its spokesperson, Olushola Ayanlade, said three suspects linked to the trafficking syndicate had been arrested.

According to the statement, “The Ondo State Police Command has dismantled a notorious sex trafficking syndicate exploiting young women under the guise of job recruitment and social media content creation.”

Ayanlade explained that operatives of the command’s Special Weapons and Tactics Unit acted on credible intelligence to arrest the suspects.

“Acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the Command’s SWAT Unit arrested one [b]Jayeola Joshua, male, of Alagbaka, Akure, along with two others, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining accomplices—signalling the Command’s unwavering commitment to protecting vulnerable citizens,” the statement read.[/b]

The statement added that preliminary investigations revealed that the syndicate lured victims from different parts of the country with false promises of lucrative employment, including domestic work, ushering services, and overseas placements.

“Upon arrival in Akure, 15 victims, aged between 20 and 26, were accommodated in an apartment in Alagbaka, which became the operational base for the illicit activities,” the command stated.

According to Ayanlade, the arrangement not only enabled exploitation but also exposed how organised criminal elements prey on the desperation of young women seeking legitimate opportunities.

He noted that additional investigations showed that the victims were manipulated into sending nude photos and videos, which were then sent to clients procuring sexual services.

“The principal suspect reportedly received the largest share of the proceeds, while the operation was disguised as producing ‘relationship content’ on social media — misleading the public and concealing the criminal intent,” the statement added.

The police disclosed that the evidence gathered also indicated that the apartment used for the operation was specifically rented to facilitate the illegal activities.

The command added that the Ondo State Police boss had directed that the landlords be invited for questioning as part of the ongoing investigation.

Human trafficking remains a growing concern in Nigeria. According to the International Organisation for Migration, approximately 11,000 Nigerian women were trafficked via the Mediterranean Sea in 2016—a sharp rise from 1,454 in 2014—most of whom were forced into sex work.

A 2018 UNHCR report also noted that about 18,000 Nigerian migrants arrived in Europe through the Mediterranean in 2017.

By 2019, the United Nations Development Programme reported that Nigerians accounted for 17 per cent of all African migrants to Europe.

The biggest mistake of Afonja was his negligence. When the jamas went on rampage at Ilorin, His love for his people should have taken a stronger place above his personal ambition for the support of the jamas in his ambition to build a mini empire. This eventually led to his ultimate end and decades of ruthless invasions into Yoruba heartland.

This lesson remains true today. The desire to preserve Tinubu in power... and hope to campaign for Northern support should never supersede the right of Yoruba people to self preserve in their ancestral home.

I wish success for Tinubu.... For some of us however, the lives of our kinsmen can not be the ultimate sacrifice for power and political ambition.... My loyalty first and foremost is to Yorubaland.

When you are so fixated about Tinubu's leadership to a point where the death of your kinsmen become cannon fodders and necessary evil .... You have lost all bearings of brotherhood and have become worse than almanjiris who shout rankadede to their conquerors....

I do not picture the sage embracing power at the cost of the lives of his people.... We should never demand less from any successor of his in Yorubaland

While some can excuse his silence when Buhari was in power... There should be no excuse as to him being in power and the south/middle belt is still under siege.... Security should take a more urgent need than tax laws and economic reforms.... There is no future in a land under siege by non state actors pillaging natives in their lands... regardless of the success of reforms.

If Tinubu wants to fix the issue and silence Washington, let him devote all resources on decentralizing security and grant natives the power to defend their lands.... The attempt to fix this at federal level is simply postponing future invasions.

Any versed student of history knows that banditry and such ethnic cleansings eventually leads to ruthless sacking natives from their homelands.