3, 2, 1 SERIES: NIKE COKER, THE CHIEF SISTA!

I love her, very much; I think she’s an addition to sisters the world over, particularly those that have been blessed to meet her and even better, become friends with her! She’s beautiful, she’s intelligent, she’s very reliable; she’s the Chief Sista!

Hey Sista!

Say hello to Nike Coker, ace broadcaster and on air personality, wife, daughter, mom (to-be), and big sista to me! Won’t ever forget how we met; 2008 I was the Head of the Editorial Board as a youth corps member. We wanted to stage a benefit concert to commemorate World AIDS Day and needed artistes to perform (for next to nothing), sponsorship, publicity, the works, and everyone said to talk to Nike Coker! I found her on Facebook and sent her a veeeeery long message (the first of many epistles we’ve since exchanged), and she replied! Now even though NYSC officials ended up killing the dream, it’s been an absolute blessing knowing her! Has she been there for me or what!

In 2007, Nike Coker started what has now become an annual gathering for females called Sista Sista. I’ve attended four of those events, and the sixth season, themed: Making A Difference holds this Saturday (1^st of September) in Abuja.

I managed to squeeze out time for an interview….

D Fairy GodSister: Hey Sista! How excited are you about SS 6?

Sista-In-Chief: Really excited! After the one year hiatus the expectations for the comeback edition is like sky-high!

D Fairy GodSister: I know, I’m excited too! What are your expectations for the event?

Sista-In-Chief: I expect each Sista to leave the venue a lil better than she came in. I expect her to leave feeling enlightened and knowing that someone somewhere out there loves and appreciates her!

D Fairy GodSister: That’s brilliant! Let’s backtrack a little though; what was the inspiration for this yearly gathering?

Sista-In-Chief: The inspiration started while as a host of Girl Talk on Cool FM Abuja; friends told me that it would be a great idea to meet my guests, close and personal so Sista Sista really is a platform where you can meet other sisters, learn, network and unwind. The setup is really different from that of a conference or a workshop or a seminar, and this year’s edition is going to be great!

We have one of Abuja’s favourite Sistas, Dayo Benjamin championing the Heart to Heart Session; and since our theme this year is health and safety

We have a guest that would come and talk about road safety and our children, while another would speak on how ladies need to take their own personal security seriously. We all have a thing or two to learn from Cynthia’s tragic experience, may her soul rest in perfect peace.

D Fairy GodSister: Whoop!! I can almost touch the excitement!

Sista-In-Chief: Yes! Sista Sista is an opportunity to celebrate you for the mother, daughter, wife, cousin, or sister you are to someone else; we spend so much of our lives caring for others, Sista Sista is that one day in the year where it’s really all about you! Where we get to meet the women we see on TV and take pictures with them; it’s fun, it’s informal, it’s laughter, it’s reflection, it’s the full monty under one roof @ Sista Sista. By the way, it’s always been our tradition to groom women who are conscious about time and getting to places early so we reward early birds for getting to the venue on time!

D Fairy GodSister: Noted!! How do you feel the night of each event, after the last sister’s left?

Sista-In-Chief: Tired! Spent! Yet truly fulfilled! The testimonies are priceless. People find their best friends, doctors, lawyers, even lesson teachers for their kids at the event. It’s networking on a whole new level….

Dayo Benjamin, Patricia Omoqui and Nike Coker at Sista Sista 5!

D Fairy GodSister: What’s the most difficult part of the planning for each SS event?

Sista-In-Chief: errrr, convincing sponsors that investing in women is always worth it!

D Fairy GodSister: Talking about sponsors, any one of them who’ve been with SS from the first season?

Sista-In-Chief: Ummm… None. Longest have been DOXA and ONGA.

Fairy GodSister: Ok! Big hug to DOXA and ONGA from the sisters, thank you both! Now Sista, you only started charging a fee for SS events from the 4th season…. Tell us about that?

Sista-In-Chief: The event got so much bigger that to be honest with you my pocket money wasn’t covering logistics anymore…the subsidized ticket charges are primarily to cover that and any other of expenses like bringing resource people in from outside of Abuja.

D Fairy GodSister: Any sisters who’ve been with you from the first season? This is your space; say your thank yous here!

Sista-In-Chief: Yes! There’s Eugenia Abu, Seun Olagunju, Shimite Katung, Keks Adeyanju, Amuche Onyechi, Dooshima Oyewole and Joy Abiodun! They’ve helped me mould Sista Sista from inception and assisted in making it the movement it is today.

D Fairy GodSister: Any final words Chief Sista?

Sista-In-Chief: Sista Sista is meant to help create a community where we drop the ‘beef’ and love the Sista next door, no matter what.  We all need someone to talk to and connect with; someone who understands us or someone who’s been ‘there’ before. I’m thankful to the Sistas that turn up each year to make the event such a success. See you on the 1st! We intend to make a difference!

D Fairy GodSister: Whoop!! Thank you Sista!!

Sista-In-Chief: Thank you Fairy GodSister, see you on the first!

Don’t be told!

P:S – Tickets cost N3500 and can be purchased at Kiss FM, Baldon Clothiers (C15 EMAB Plaza) and Sleek Makeup Studio (Bloomsberry Plaza); all in Wuse 2. See you on Saturday!

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