In the bustling world of social media, where everyone strives to be heard, few voices rise above the noise to truly make an impact. <\/p>\n
One such voice is that of Ifedayo Agoro, the founder of Diary of a Naija Girl (DANG), a platform that started as a simple Instagram page and has since grown into a thriving community of nearly one million followers across social media sites. <\/p>\n
The journey for the Nigerian former oil and gas executive began with a simple idea in 2006 \u2013 to share her stories and opinions authentically and without fear or shame. <\/p>\n
\u201cI realized the culture of shame had grown so much and I thought to myself, \u2018This is not how I grew up\u2026 I\u2019m gonna tell my story, the good, the bad, and the ugly, and I will not be ashamed,\u2019\u201d Agoro recalled. <\/p>\n
Through candid conversations and shared narratives, members of the DANG community confront taboo topics such as gender-based violence, discrimination, body image, mental health, and reproductive rights. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhat drives the content is the platform\u2019s values; to live our best life, never be suppressed by shame and our experiences, and learn and unlearn everything. Whatever falls under these values is what we put out,\u201d she explained. <\/p>\n
Agoro, 40, champions the message of self-worth and autonomy, inspiring women to embrace their individuality and make decisions based on their desires, not societal expectations. <\/p>\n
\u201cWomen are beginning to understand that they are worthy anyway, with marriage or without it,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
She is often accused of being anti-men and marriage and Agoro was keen to clarify her stance on relationships. \u201cI\u2019m not anti-marriage\u2026 I just know that my life is still full without it. <\/p>\n
Although she admits the vitriol has lessened considerably. \u201cI would attribute that to not backing down. I\u2019m a person that\u2019s just going to do what I want to do.\u201d <\/p>\n
Undeterred by detractors, Agoro continues to amplify women\u2019s voices and create a safe space for women to share without limits. <\/p>\n
This ultimately led Agoro to create the #DangAfterHours series, a no-holds-barred discussion on sex and sexuality, a real taboo subject in Nigeria, Agoro says. <\/p>\n
\u201cWomen in Nigeria are not really able to talk about sex without being labeled promiscuous. I want to talk about sex in a hilarious way, we can learn from it and bond on that topic. The response shows that the conversation needed to happen.\u201d <\/p>\n
Over the years, Agoro has used the DANG platform to transform the lives of hundreds of women. A self-described \u201cempath\u201d she finds herself getting involved in the lives of the women who reach her for help and advice, often \u201cbawling her eyes out,\u201d over their triumphs and tribulations, she says. <\/p>\n
However, one moment stands out for her. <\/p>\n
\u201cA few years ago, there was a lady who was sick in the hospital in Lagos and at the time doctors were on strike. She sent me a message saying \u2018I\u2019m losing blood, pregnant and sick. There\u2019s no one to attend to me. Please help me I don\u2019t want to die.\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n
Angered, Agoro says she took to her social media and posted about the woman\u2019s predicament. <\/p>\n
\u201cAfter I posted that, the office of the then First Lady reached me and resolved the issue immediately and the lady was attended to quickly and her tests were done. That was the day I realized the power of what we were doing.\u201d <\/p>\n
When she started posting her story on Instagram, Agoro initially chose to remain anonymous, to avoid the pressure of public scrutiny. <\/p>\n
However, as her platform gained traction, she confronted a pivotal moment when her identity was threatened to be exposed. Rather than succumbing to fear, she decided to reveal herself. <\/p>\n
\u201cI initially didn\u2019t see the need to put my face\u2026 and when the platform became bigger\u2026 I realized that this may not be sustainable. I have ambitions to write a book, to create a company. Then, someone threatened to reveal my identity, so I outed myself and it has been a blessing in disguise, so thank you to the person,\u2019 she joked. <\/p>\n
Soon after, she launched her DANG Lifestyle and skincare business which has grown largely through word of mouth through the DANG community, Agoro says. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe started with candles and went into skincare and we haven\u2019t done any campaign at all but have sold over 400,000 units. I owe the trajectory of the DANG lifestyle to the community. But It\u2019s a business that has to leave our comfort zone in Nigeria. Dang Lifestyle is already in the UK, USA, Ghana, and Kenya and we want to take it to more countries,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
Despite aiming her message squarely at women, Agoro doesn\u2019t discount a future where men would be integrated into the community. <\/p>\n
\u201cI now get men commenting and saying to me, \u2018We are DANG men too, include us in the conversation.\u2019 We are happy to have them in the conversation. I can see that some of them want to learn and do better. I believe we have to tell them kindly and gracefully what we want or we don\u2019t get the change we want,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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