When I read her book, the sincerity of her words was what captivated me the most...an inspiration! The beautiful Miss Odna Tatra Frank-Chukkas who hails from Delta state, Nigeria is a graduate of Law from Ahmadu Bello University and an alumna of Miami international university of art and design where she learnt fashion accessory design. She has proven to the world that God truly makes the best out of the worst times of our lives.....and it is all in her book titled WINTER'S SUN.
Tell us about you….
I am an Author, Attorney, herbalist and a Handbag and Footwear & Textile Print Designer; I own a brand called NIKARA (The name Nikara is a combination of my late mum's name 'Nimi' and Ankara). My mom was a furniture designer and manufacturer, she was my hero and major inspiration. All Nikara products have ankara as a primary fabric with a fusion of some other forms of foreign fabric. My hobbies are cooking (a little too much), reading, travelling, meeting people (though sometimes, I can be an introvert), I love exploring places and adventure which is always at the top of my to-do list no matter where I am.
Winter’s Sun; a striking book title! Tell us about it….
I most recently became a Self-Published Author; My book Winter’s Sun is an uplifting and soul-lifting collection of poems I wrote during a time when I was experiencing anxiety. It wasn’t my intention to be a poet not a writer, in short, it wasn’t in my life plan but it happened....
"When God has a plan, He uses any situation to execute that plan. Out of something dark and impossible, He can create something beautiful and possible. Winter’s Sun means God is the light that shines in the midst of darkness, our warmth in the cold, our strength in weakness; no matter how dark it gets, His light is always shining and will always shine. I was lost in the abyss of negative thoughts, then God stepped in to calm the ravaging winds. He directed me to read the psalms which I did. Instantly, I began to feel some relief; the weight had being lifted"
As I began to read the psalms not too long after, words began to well up and the first string of words that came out were lines of poetry. Sometimes I was woken up at odd hours to write, other times, even the sound of rain inspired me.... it was unbelievable I tell you! I wrote and wrote until I felt no urge to write anymore; it felt like a positive emptying so, I left it at that as I was healed anyway. Months later, God whispered to me, 'you need to publish your poems!' I was like, what poems? He said the ones you wrote.....I thought to myself; how can I publish my vulnerabilities to the world? I would feel embarrassed, those poems were written as a coping mechanism and for my eyes only...so I thought, why would anyone want to read this? I'd sound like a crazy person.... then He said, 'just trust me'. This was all in 2020 and I disobeyed until I was haunted by anxiety posts popping up everywhere on Social Media. I believe that was God’s way of making me uncomfortable enough to get it done. Later that year, I began to put everything together for the book, I even gave myself a timeline for publishing. In February this year, I published it on Okada Books for Nigerians to access it and in March 2, 2021 I went on to publish it on Amazon. For now, it is just an e-book however, before the end of this year, I would have it in hard copies.
Your inspiration and motivation....
I draw 99.9% of my inspiration from nature; I love being out in nature amongst the trees and putting my bare feet in the grass connecting with mother nature. The sound of rain (whether actual rain or rain sounds on youtube) gets me relaxed and then inspiration starts to flow. For motivation, my secret is using Pinterest to find motivational quotes which I re-pin and save to my niche boards and my phone. I love to sit with these quotes and meditate on them
Challenges you face....
The challenges I face sometimes is lethargy and not wanting to do anything because of the current situation in the world. With the pandemic, things seem to be moving slower, plus, there is a stronger negative vibe of anxiety and depression around; I feel it sometimes and it affects me so much I just don’t want to do anything to be honest. I just feel a collective tiredness which is not just coming affecting me alone.
How do you overcome challenges?
I overcome challenges by going back to read my book. When I do, I start to see people who need it...that is my source of strength. I feel like I have a duty to them and God to make sure I promote and talk about my book as much as I can so it can get into the hands of the ones who need it the most so the world can heal. I also read my bible; My favorite books of the bible are Psalms and Proverbs; These books empower me with positive thoughts to endure and keep it moving. Lastly, I also use my journal; when I feel overwhelmed, I empty it all out on my pages then follow it up with prayer.
Words of encouragement to someone out there:
"Don’t be oblivious to what it is that makes your heart smile, don’t ignore those things that people can tell you are great at; there may be a gem in there. Also, don’t be ashamed of your story because when you do tell it, someone might find their healing there. Finally, do whatever it is you do to stay positive, avoid negative people like a plague, and never give up no matter what, find your why: that should be your fuel!"
Her book really portrays God's love for us no matter what life throws at us...
Be inspired, buy a copy of her book on Amazon or on Okada books.
