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21 Year-Old Woman Defies Odds, Narrates Inspiring Journey As A Truck Driver
Ms Omolade Ademola, a 21-year-old female truck driver hailing from Ogbomosho, Oyo State, recently shared her remarkable experience as she recounted her longest journey during her three-year tenure in the truck driving industry.
She proudly revealed that her most extensive trip spanned from Ogun State to Gombe State.
Following her successful completion of the Senior Secondary School Examination (SSCE), the determined young woman, Ms Omolade Ademola, pursued her interest in truck driving. She acquired her skills in the Ajah-Eleko region of Lagos State.
Ademola disclosed this in an exclusive interview with Vanguard while revealing that driving had been her lifelong passion.
Displaying her proficiency and determination, Ms Ademola proudly shared that she has already embarked on several noteworthy journeys since beginning her truck driving career.
Among her notable trips, she has driven to the capital cities of Akure, Ilorin, and Osogbo, which belong to Ondo, Kwara, and Osun states, respectively.
“I started driving three years back. I love driving, so it is what I love to do. My name is Omolade. I’m a female truck driver. I started driving a truck three years back. I learnt how to drive a truck along the Ajah area to the Eleko axis to Ijebu-Ode, in Ogun State. I grew up in Ogun state.
“I usually go to Akure, Ilorin and Osogbo. I’ve gone to Gombe State and this was the longest journey I’ve covered. It was not my truck, but I drove another truck down there, though I wasn’t the only one. All I have trained about is the length of the truck. Right from the beginning, my focus is truck. It is what I wish to do that is why I’m not scared. I love driving very well.”
Ms Ademola reiterated the depth of her passion for driving, emphasizing that it is not merely a profession but a genuine calling. Despite initially facing opposition from her parents when she expressed her desire to pursue a career as a truck driver, she remained undeterred and resolute in her decision. Undeterred by societal expectations and norms, Ms Ademola wholeheartedly embraced her chosen path.
She disclosed that she made the bold decision to discontinue her education after completing SS3, and it was during this period that she confided in her friend about her aspiration to learn truck driving.
Astonishingly, her enthusiasm has had a ripple effect, as her friends have now developed an interest in acquiring driving skills themselves.
She said “Initially, my parents were scared, but when they observed it was what I wanted to do and that it was my passion, they asked me to go ahead. I resisted their discouragement, and they allowed me eventually. My friends thought I was joking or that I was driving for fun, they didn’t know I was serious about it.
“Most of my friends that initially tried to talk me out of it are now coming to say I should teach them how to drive,” she said.
Ms Omolade Ademola candidly discussed the challenges she faces as a truck driver, considering them as ordinary occurrences that come with the territory.
She mentioned that some of these challenges are common and part of her daily work routine. For instance, she highlighted situations such as encountering traffic on the road, which can pose an inconvenience when she needs to use the restroom.
“There are many challenges just like when there is traffic on the road, and I want to pee. There are a lot of people that would be looking at me as to who is this young girl jumping out of a truck. Another challenge is having a flat tyre or when my truck breaks down. But, I don’t see them as challenges, I see them as part of my daily work,” Ademola added
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Music Icon Quincy Jones Passes Away At 91
Quincy Jones, the legendary music producer, composer, and cultural icon whose career spanned over seven decades, has passed away at the age of 91.
Jones died peacefully on Sunday night at his Bel Air home, surrounded by family, according to his publicist, Arnold Robinson.
“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing,” his family said in a statement. “And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”
Renowned for his unmatched versatility, Jones collaborated with some of the greatest musical talents of the 20th and 21st centuries, including Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, and Will Smith. He played an integral role in producing Jackson’s groundbreaking albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad, which catapulted the pop star to global superstardom and earned Jones worldwide acclaim.
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Born in Chicago in 1933, Jones’ journey into music began early. His childhood introduction came from a neighbor’s piano playing and his mother’s singing. After moving to Washington state following his parents’ divorce, he honed his skills in his high school band and began playing with a young Ray Charles in Seattle’s vibrant club scene.
Jones’ career took off in New York, where he played trumpet in Elvis Presley’s early TV performances and worked with bebop legends like Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. By 1958, he was working with Frank Sinatra, arranging for the singer’s band at the request of Princess Grace Kelly. Their partnership flourished, spanning several projects including Sinatra’s final album LA Is My Lady in 1984.
Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Jones’ talents extended into film and television scores, composing music for films such as The Italian Job, In the Heat of the Night, and the acclaimed The Color Purple, for which he earned three Oscar nominations. He also scored hit TV shows including The Bill Cosby Show and Roots.
In 1985, Jones produced and co-conducted the charity anthem “We Are the World” alongside Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, raising millions for Ethiopian famine relief. Despite personal and professional challenges—including surviving a near-fatal brain aneurysm in 1974—Jones’s career continued to thrive.
Jones’ influence wasn’t limited to music. In 1990, he founded Quincy Jones Entertainment, the company behind the popular sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which launched the career of Will Smith. His media ventures also included the creation of Qwest TV, an on-demand music streaming service, and the magazine Vibe, which celebrated Black music and culture.
Over his career, Jones earned 80 Grammy nominations, winning 28—making him one of the most decorated artists in the award’s history. Tributes poured in following news of his death. Actor Michael Caine, who shared Jones’ birthdate, called him “a wonderful and unique human being.” Music artists such as LL Cool J expressed gratitude, saying, “You were a father and example at a time when I truly needed one. Music would not be music without you.”
Jones is survived by his seven children, leaving behind an indelible legacy that will resonate through generations to come. His life’s work transformed music, television, and culture, proving that there truly was no limit to what Quincy Jones could accomplish.
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Prayers Won’t Build Roads, Fund Children’s Education – Jesse Jagz To Nigerians
Singer and rapper Jesse Jagz has called on Nigerians to rethink their approach to religion.
Jagz suggested that African traditional religious gods have become ineffective, attributing this to the excessive alcohol given to them during rituals, which, according to him, has made them obese, diabetic, and unable to aid their worshipers.
Speaking on the ‘Big Talk’ podcast, the rapper also criticized followers of foreign religions for relying solely on prayer and expecting miracles without putting in the necessary effort. He stressed that prayers alone cannot provide essential social services or infrastructure.
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“When you go to a shrine and you see the priest pouring gin on the gods, Google how much a bottle of gin was in slavery. 40 slaves.
“Our gods are drunk on alcohol and meat. They are obese and diabetic.
“They can’t help us do anything. Prayers do not build roads or buy books for children. We have forgotten humanity,” he said.
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Presidents Invite Me To Dinner Wherever I Go – Davido Boasts
Renowned Nigerian singer, David Adeleke, known by his stage name Davido, has stated that he receives special treatment globally due to his celebrity status.
The Afrobeats sensation mentioned that he is frequently invited to presidential dinners in nearly every country he visits, with the exception of the United States and the United Kingdom.
In a recent interview with Kiss Fresh London, Davido confidently shared that his fanbase includes influential figures such as the World Bank president, presidents of powerful nations, and other notable personalities.
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“Every country we go to, the President invites us for dinner except London [United Kingdom] and the United States of America.
“It’s beautiful to see. I mean, leaving my country, Nigeria, and people welcoming me like the president in other countries, shows how well Nigeria is doing around the world in terms of music and cultural impacts,” he said.
Davido has expressed that he feels most respected in Africa, which is why he cherishes his African tours more than those in Europe and America, even though the latter bring him greater financial rewards.
He shared that his Jamaican collaborator, YG Marley, was astonished by the immense admiration from fans when he visited Nigeria for the video shoot of their joint hit, ‘Awuke.’