Any frequent reader of this blog would probably have noticed that I am a big fan of Nigeria’s most popular indigenously-owned website, Nairaland.com. Now, there are very few Nairalanders (members of Nairaland) who can claim to be as popular and/or respected as Chaircover. This lady has touched numerous lives with her kind words and great advice which she regularly gives on the Family Section of Nairaland. Indeed, she just bagged the third installation in a hat-trick of ‘Poster of the Year’ awards on Nairaland’s Family Section. In this exclusive interview with me, she gives insights into the persona behind the username- Chaircover
Me: Can you kindly introduce yourself to us?
Chaircover: I am Chaircover also known as CC or Mrs CC etc.
Me: You are the poster of the year in Nairaland.com's Family section for the year 2011. How many times have you won this award?
Chaircover: 3 Times.
Me: In what years were the other awards won?
Chaircover: They were won in 2009 and 2010.
Me: Can you tell us a little bit more about you, where and how you grew-up, what you do and things like that?
Chaircover: I am a middle child and grew up in the UK and Nigeria in an average Nigerian family.
Me: How did you manage the two contrasting lifestyles as a young girl?
Chaircover: It wasn’t too difficult. In fact, I believe that I have benefitted from both cultures, I can speak Yoruba fluently and not afraid of going back to my native country and at the same time I have been able to embrace the western culture without too much difficulty.
Me: Do you still shuttle between the two countries?
Chaircover: Yes I do, I run a business in Nigeria and so I am in Nigeria every few months.
Me: Are you single or married?
Chaircover: I am married
Me: How about kids?
Chaircover: Yes, I have kids.
Me: Tell us when and how you came across Nairaland.com?
Chaircover: To be honest, I can’t remember how or when exactly but it would have been a couple of years ago.
Me: Did you immediately adjust to the website and were you married at the time you registered?
Chaircover: Yes, I was married when I came across the website.
Me: A lot of times, it takes one sometime to get used to a new website, how was it for you with Nairaland?
Chaircover: It wasn’t difficult at all. I think that Nairaland is one of the easiest websites to navigate- no clutter, no pop-up ads and it is not too busy. Just simple and user friendly.
Me: Did you gravitate immediately to the family section or it took you some time?
Chaircover: That was one of the earliest sections that I visited that I felt comfortable in and I had an Idea of what was being discussed in there.
Me: Can you compare and contrast what you dreamed married life would be like as a young woman and what you found to be the reality after marriage?
Chaircover: As young girls many of us have mills and boon expectations of marriage but as we grow older, wiser and begin to get married we realise that it is not just about fairy tales. The reality is that both parties have to be committed to the marriage in order to gain a good and lasting benefit from the union.
Me: Do you think most young people especially women have any clue about what marriage is all about?
Chaircover: I wouldn’t say that it is only women who don’t have a clue. Many men too don’t know what marriage is all about. Many of us learn on the job, I don’t think that anyone goes into marriage being the perfect partner; it takes time to understand & therefore get the best out of your partner.
Me: How do you get the inspiration to give the kind of advice you give on Nairaland?
Chaircover: Firstly, I know how important God holds families & relationships and based on that I try and embrace that into any advice that I give, most of the answers that we are looking for regarding relationships, marriage, parenting, loving your neighbour etc. are all in the Bible.
Me: Are you a Christian?
Chaircover: Yes I am.
Me: Do you know if your husband is a Nairalander?
Chaircover: No he isn’t but he knows of Nairaland.
Me: You mean he is not that much into the internet or just Nairaland?
Chaircover: He is just not really into Nairaland.
Me: Does Chaircover ever get angry?
Chaircover: I am only human.
Me: Do you find yourself just getting angry or losing your temper?
Chaircover: Of course I do sometimes get angry but I rarely lose my temper or throw a tantrum.
Me: How come we hardly see you posting outside the Family section on Nairaland?
Chaircover: I do occasionally post in other areas such as the travel, romance, fashion and the food section.
Me: I have never seen you post in the politics section, is that because you have no interest in politics whatsoever?
Chaircover: I know very little about politics, football, chess and cricket.
Me: So, you would never take-up Politics?
Chaircover: I don’t understand politics especially Nigerian politics. It is very complicated. I think I am too simple to be a politician as we know them.
Me: What if your people call on you to serve them? By the way you haven't told us where you are from?
Chaircover: If I am specifically called, it really depends in what capacity and if I am the right person for the job, I am from Oyo state.
Me: Would you support your husband if he decided to go into politics?
Chaircover: Again, it depends on if he is the right man for the job and the capacity. If it is the right thing then I will give him my full support.
Me: What is your take on the removal of fuel subsidy? Do you agree or disagree with the policy as presented by the government?
Chaircover: I think that the citizens would have been more accepting of it if there had been prior transparency & accountability on how money is spent, also if money which will allegedly be saved is accounted for penny by penny and is actually spent on specific projects beneficial to the citizens. I also think people may be more accepting of the policy if the subsidy was removed gradually over a period of years and not just in one swoop.
Me: Is there anything you would like to tell anybody reading this interview?
Chaircover: Just a big thank you for taking time to read the interview. God bless you all!
Me: I would like to say a big thank you to you for your time and wish you the best in all of your endeavours and congratulations on your awards once again!
Me: Can you kindly introduce yourself to us?
Chaircover: I am Chaircover also known as CC or Mrs CC etc.
Me: You are the poster of the year in Nairaland.com's Family section for the year 2011. How many times have you won this award?
Chaircover: 3 Times.
Me: In what years were the other awards won?
Chaircover: They were won in 2009 and 2010.
Me: Can you tell us a little bit more about you, where and how you grew-up, what you do and things like that?
Chaircover: I am a middle child and grew up in the UK and Nigeria in an average Nigerian family.
Me: How did you manage the two contrasting lifestyles as a young girl?
Chaircover: It wasn’t too difficult. In fact, I believe that I have benefitted from both cultures, I can speak Yoruba fluently and not afraid of going back to my native country and at the same time I have been able to embrace the western culture without too much difficulty.
Me: Do you still shuttle between the two countries?
Chaircover: Yes I do, I run a business in Nigeria and so I am in Nigeria every few months.
Me: Are you single or married?
Chaircover: I am married
Me: How about kids?
Chaircover: Yes, I have kids.
Me: Tell us when and how you came across Nairaland.com?
Chaircover: To be honest, I can’t remember how or when exactly but it would have been a couple of years ago.
Me: Did you immediately adjust to the website and were you married at the time you registered?
Chaircover: Yes, I was married when I came across the website.
Me: A lot of times, it takes one sometime to get used to a new website, how was it for you with Nairaland?
Chaircover: It wasn’t difficult at all. I think that Nairaland is one of the easiest websites to navigate- no clutter, no pop-up ads and it is not too busy. Just simple and user friendly.
Me: Did you gravitate immediately to the family section or it took you some time?
Chaircover: That was one of the earliest sections that I visited that I felt comfortable in and I had an Idea of what was being discussed in there.
Me: Can you compare and contrast what you dreamed married life would be like as a young woman and what you found to be the reality after marriage?
Chaircover: As young girls many of us have mills and boon expectations of marriage but as we grow older, wiser and begin to get married we realise that it is not just about fairy tales. The reality is that both parties have to be committed to the marriage in order to gain a good and lasting benefit from the union.
Me: Do you think most young people especially women have any clue about what marriage is all about?
Chaircover: I wouldn’t say that it is only women who don’t have a clue. Many men too don’t know what marriage is all about. Many of us learn on the job, I don’t think that anyone goes into marriage being the perfect partner; it takes time to understand & therefore get the best out of your partner.
Me: How do you get the inspiration to give the kind of advice you give on Nairaland?
Chaircover: Firstly, I know how important God holds families & relationships and based on that I try and embrace that into any advice that I give, most of the answers that we are looking for regarding relationships, marriage, parenting, loving your neighbour etc. are all in the Bible.
Me: Are you a Christian?
Chaircover: Yes I am.
Me: Do you know if your husband is a Nairalander?
Chaircover: No he isn’t but he knows of Nairaland.
Me: You mean he is not that much into the internet or just Nairaland?
Chaircover: He is just not really into Nairaland.
Me: Does Chaircover ever get angry?
Chaircover: I am only human.
Me: Do you find yourself just getting angry or losing your temper?
Chaircover: Of course I do sometimes get angry but I rarely lose my temper or throw a tantrum.
Me: How come we hardly see you posting outside the Family section on Nairaland?
Chaircover: I do occasionally post in other areas such as the travel, romance, fashion and the food section.
Me: I have never seen you post in the politics section, is that because you have no interest in politics whatsoever?
Chaircover: I know very little about politics, football, chess and cricket.
Me: So, you would never take-up Politics?
Chaircover: I don’t understand politics especially Nigerian politics. It is very complicated. I think I am too simple to be a politician as we know them.
Me: What if your people call on you to serve them? By the way you haven't told us where you are from?
Chaircover: If I am specifically called, it really depends in what capacity and if I am the right person for the job, I am from Oyo state.
Me: Would you support your husband if he decided to go into politics?
Chaircover: Again, it depends on if he is the right man for the job and the capacity. If it is the right thing then I will give him my full support.
Me: What is your take on the removal of fuel subsidy? Do you agree or disagree with the policy as presented by the government?
Chaircover: I think that the citizens would have been more accepting of it if there had been prior transparency & accountability on how money is spent, also if money which will allegedly be saved is accounted for penny by penny and is actually spent on specific projects beneficial to the citizens. I also think people may be more accepting of the policy if the subsidy was removed gradually over a period of years and not just in one swoop.
Me: Is there anything you would like to tell anybody reading this interview?
Chaircover: Just a big thank you for taking time to read the interview. God bless you all!
Me: I would like to say a big thank you to you for your time and wish you the best in all of your endeavours and congratulations on your awards once again!
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