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First Female Boat Driver Emerges In Nigeria

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Yes, wonders shall never end, goes the saying. “Whatever a man can do, a woman can do better”. This is the case of Madam Gladys Oruene Jonah Halliday of Abalama  Halliday Bonny in the Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.

This writer stormed into her last Sunday in Bonny town, headquarters of the Bonny Local Government  after several attempts to have an interview with her had proved abortive. Observation shows that most of the high and mighty in this world had a humble beginning.

Few are fortunate to achieve greatness rapidly while others rose gradually. With hard work and luck one is able to realise one’s dream.

Mrs Gladys Oruene Jonah Halliday is one of such. A woman in her early seventies, a paragon of beauty, a mother of eight and a widow with the fear of God.

She declared “I am a fisherwoman, I lost my husband at an early age, leaving me with eight children to take care of”.

With tears rolling down her cheeks, she explained that life became very tough and unbearable for her as a fisher woman before she resorted to cutting firewood which she sold in Bonny main town from her village, Abalama Halliday by paddling the firewood down.

Furthermore, she intimated The Tide that she came in contact with one late Lecox Wilcox an engine boat dealer who compelled her to buy an engine boat with which to carry her firewood which she obliged in other not to paddle any more and managed to procure one for her business.

Lamenting, Mrs Gladys Halliday contended that saboteurs trailed her and reported her to the police for owning and driving an engine boat without a licence. Moreover, she is a woman that women do not drive flying boat. Answering a question on how she came to drive flying boat she intimated The Tide that one late Owusibo Halliday taught her how to drive flying boat  inspired her to struggle to get her own which she used for her firewood business and also to pick and drop passengers from neighbouring villages in the area.

Continuing with her story she revealed that the police arrested her and took her to court in Bonny and she was arraigned before late Chief Magistrate Nzeribe of blessed memory in the late 70s. On oath in the witness box, she gave her evidence laughing. She told The Tide that she was discharged and acquitted and the Chief Magistrate advised that she should go to Port Harcourt to procure a licence which she did.

On getting the licence, Mrs Gladys Halliday started plying Port Harcourt – Bonny, Bonny – Port Harcourt in the 80s. The name of her boat is Tamunomie Ipirinye and people know her as “wey dem.” As she comes to load passengers, she finds them by calling wey dem.

She reiterated that passengers prefer her to other flying boat drivers because of her safety consciousness.

She recalled that she knows how to avoid sea waves and do not waste time.

Of a truth, passengers prefer Mrs Gladys Oruene Jonah Halliday because she services her engine boat which moves and do not stop at mid sea. Really, she harbours no pretension about her humble beginning.

She is a role model to both the young and old. I see the eagerness in her eyes to help train young boys and girls who are ready and eager to learn flying boat driving.

She said, she had trained more than sixty young boys since 1975 in Bonny in boat driving, some are late I will like to train more if given the opportunity by this administration.

Of course, there are job opportunities for those who are willing not to be redundant. My two sons are also flying boat drivers.

She encouraged women to come out enmass to learn flying boat driving as women are very careful in whatever they do.

Bravo, you are welcome to flying boat driving. Gone are the days of hand paddling.

 

Julie Jumbo

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Women

The Wise Woman

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The wise woman builds her home. Mothers are supposed to live exemplary lives. The roles of mothers in the building of the modern Christian home cannot be overemphasized.
The function of the mother is to help the man build the home. She is a helper. A helper to the husband when the man is not doing well. It is important for the wise woman to assist when the man is not able to meet up with the items needed in the home.
A wise woman needs to reference God first and then the husband. Also the wise woman should respect her husband.
Caring for her own children as well as others is very crucial.
Do not despise children from other mothers. Discipline the child who is going the wrong way.
Ensure family bonding, show love and don’t discriminate. Connection with children is very important, especially the females. Find out who is her friend. Also find out the kind of lives they live. Caution, counsel and guide so that they make good partners.
Teaching children the dos and donts should start from birth. Inculcate the word of God in them so that when they grow, will not depart from it.
From the Scripture, some women influenced their families positively. Virgin Mary influenced the world, she never destroyed herself hence she gave birth to Jesus Christ.
Elizabeth, despite her age, God blessed her as she waited patiently.
A wise should curb favouritism in the family and love children equally. Whether a child is your biological child or not, it is necessary to show love equally. Reprimanding the children should be the function of both man and wife.

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Women

The Desire Of Every Woman In Marriage

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Marriage is beautiful when there is love. Before and after marriage, couples show love to themselves. But you discover that after some years, that same love turn to be something else. A lot of people start going through emotional trauma in the hands of their loved spouses.
There are many things the woman desires to keep the love on as far as marriage is concerned.
Women are blesssed with feminine abilities that can be used for good in husbands lives. With your abilities, you can create a marriage that will last till couples get old.
A woman needs
man that is honest,  trustworthy,  nice,  loving and financially stable.
There are no two ways about finance in marriage. No matter the level of love, if there is no reasonable finance,  it is always difficult to manage the home.
Referring to the Biblical belief in Genesis 3: “Your desire  shall be unto you…….. “
What this means is that whatever the woman desires in life shall be provided as far as she performs her role in her home. There are many things  the woman expects her husband to take care of.
A woman wants a husband that is not lazy,  at least helping to do one or two things when he is at home.
A man that is educated and intelligent so that they will transfer such traits to their children.
Knowing that there are traits that her husband has,  traits of taking care of people,  giving freely to people and caring for her family. She expects him to exhibit them.
A woman wants to love a husband that has family interest at heart. A man that spends time with his family,  remembering his family even as he is away from home.
No matter where he finds himself, he is not destracted by external influence. He returns home to his loved ones.
A woman should not antagonise her husband because of one error or the other. No matter the level of offence he may have committed, you still show some love.
According to the Scripture, it is with wisdom that a woman builds her home. As far as he rreturns home, you accept him as your own.
It is not as if the woman will not monitor her husband, but to certain limit.  Don’t be a monitoring spirit.  Don’t allow anything to take your joy.
Don’t loose trust in your husband. The idea of checking your husband’s phone should be discouraged. The more you check your husband and his phone, the more you loose your joy.
You can show some form of jealousy, but to an extent. Cooperation, respect and being honoured from time to time is what the woman desires.
The home should not be a battle ground for a woman and man.  A woman should be able to ask herself if the check on her husband will pay her any good.
Draw a line to a point where you checkmate your husband’s activities.
A woman wants a man that will love her and telling her you love her will be all she desires.

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Women

The Desire Of Every Woman In Marriage

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A woman needs a man that is honest,  trustworthy,  nice,  loving and financially stable.
There are no two ways about finance in marriage. No matter the level of love, If there is no money,  it is always difficult.


Referring to the Biblical belief in Genesis 3:Your desire  shall be unto you……..
That is one aspect  the woman expects her husband to take care of.
A woman wants a husband that is not lazy,  at least helping to do one or two things.   A man that is educated and intelligent.
She knows that there is a trait that her husband has.  Traits of taking care of people,  giving freely to people and caring for her family.
A woman wants to love a husband that has family interest at heart. A man that spends time with his family,  remembering his family even as he is away from home.
A woman should not antagonise her husband because of one error or the other. No matter the level of offence he may have committed, you still show some love.


According to the Scripture, it is with wisdom that the women builds her home.
It is not as if the woman will not monitor her husband, but to certain limit.  Don’t be a monitoring spirit.  Don’t allow anything to take your joy.
Don’t loose trust in your husband.
The idea of checking your husband’s phone should be discouraged. The more you check your husband and his phone, the more you loose your joy.


The home should not be a battle ground for a woman and man.  A woman should be able to ask herself if the check on her husband will pay her any good.
Draw a line to a point where you checkmate your husband’s activities.
A woman wants a man that will love her and telling her you love her will be all she desires.

Eunice Choko-Kayode

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