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In this special edition of ThisDay Style, we commemorate with all Nigerians on six decades of Triumphs. We know our nation’s history is fraught with tribulations, but it is important to note that we have had many highs often lead by men and women who have achieved incredible feats in their respective fields. Yes, there’s hesitation about the future, but that should not cripple us as a people. This Independence, we celebrate the many ‘firsts’ that Nigeria has achieved in its rich 60 years journey in entertainment, culture, science, technology, and more. Guest Correspondent BOBO OMOTAYO reports...

THISDAY STYLEFASHION DIRECTAOR/EXECUTIVE EDITOR

RUTH OSIME

EDITOR PRINT OLUFUNKE BABS-KUFEJI

EDITOR DIGITAL KONYE NWABOGOR

SENIOR ART DESIGNER MATHIAS ARCHIBONG

CONTRIBUTORSRUKY SALAKO

ISIOMA USIADEIYANU AYODELE

PHOTOGRAPHERTY BELLO

DIRECTOR, PRINT PRODUCTIONCHUKS ONWUDINJO

08111847085

08111847086

08111847087

07054965500

08077092196

As you can see, this week, we thought to celebrate Nigerians who have been globally acclaimed through one feat or the other they have achieved. We dug

deep...all the way to the 60s, from Ajala Olabisi, the man who travelled the world on his scooter and whom the famous song ‘Ajala Travel’ was named after to the first black man ever, Misan Harriman, to shoot the cover of Vogue magazine not to mention Agbani Darego, the first African woman to win Miss World!

Much as we have had our challenges, too many to mention, we still have managed to set global records. Some of which are actually in the Guiness

Book of Records. We are a nation filled with diversity and abundance of talent. No matter how rough our surface is, the Diamonds amidst us still shine through.

And this is worth acknowledging especially in the spirit of our independence month.

I believe there are still more records to be broken amidst us and with determination, hard work and courage, we can set those paces. We are a happy people and where many nations have crumbled, we still find a way to survive.

If only things could improve, we will excel far beyond our wildest imaginations! We would be a nation admired and respected by many. Our voices would be heard from every corner of the world. But even with all the setbacks we have, even with all the daily challenges, even with all our hopes crushed, one way or the other, our defiant spirit rises within us and propels us to surge further. Our talent sees us through as we churn out creation after creations, complete feats after feats as our originality seeps through and escalates us to places people do not expect of us.

We will continue to acknowledge and celebrate those breaking frontiers and setting records globally. There is still hope for our country Nigeria and as long as we remain steadfast against all odds, the shining stars amongst us will continue to soar to greater heights!

Instagram: @thisdaystyle | Twitter: @thisdaystyleon | Instagram: @thisdaystyle | Website: www.thisdaystyle.ng

FASHION DIRECTOR/EXECUTIVE EDITOR

CONTENTFashionFRINGES PG 4-5

5 MINUTES WITH JANE RICHARD PG 6

FAT SHAMING PG 7

THE SURVIVORS PG 8

• CAPSULES• COLOURS OF LIFE PG 10

EMBELISHED! PG 22-23

i Fr ngesUnlike the many things that halted as a result of the pandemic, this one is en route to fruition: the return of fringe in fashion. No matter if you are wearing it on shoulders, skirt or shoes. The fringed look is ideal for relaxed and effortlessly chic days at work or painting the town red. This detail adds an edge wherever it is used. Yes, it might look a bit daring, but fashion risks have big rewards after all. Today the fringe trend is less about fringe for fringe’s sake, and more about refinement or clever accents; an unexpected fringe on the hemline of a dress perhaps a skirt or adorning the edge of a bag. What ever your preference is, now is the time to join fringe lovers.

HOW TO PICK THE PERFECT FRINGED PIECEKEEP IT CLASSICWhen you’re shopping for something with fringe details, you’ll find plenty of shaggy boho pieces and lots of rough and rustic western fringe clothes too. But if you must avoid making your outfit look like a costume. So it’s all about the right length. One way to look classy and not trashy wearing fringe is to choose a classic, ladylike silhouette with a small or bold shot of well-groomed fringe.

HAVE ONE FRINGE FOCAL POINTThe key to any trend that seems a little busy is to lead the viewer’s eye to one main focal point. So pick a fringed bag or top whichever the case might be and match with plain bright pieces.

GO NEUTRALLoud, bright colours and a ton of fringe may leave you looking like a fringe mop. If you are new to fringe or want a classy look, a neutral coloured cream or black piece is a soft and subtle way to introduce fringe into your wardrobe.

HOW TO AVOID FRINGES TANGLINGIf the fringe-strands are long enough, protect them from tangling by tying them in one or more loose overhand knot(s). After washing and drying, undo the knot(s). If the fringe is too short to tie in a knot, snap a hair-tie around the fringe.

HOW TO UNTANGLE FRINGES Spray it lightly with water then work a little fabric softener in with your fingers to help undo the tangles. After untangling try braiding it. It would be easier if you put the tangles under the faucet. While the water is running on them, try pulling the tangles out.

OUTFIT BY DEOLA SAGOE

OUTFIT BY DEOLA SAGOE

OUTFIT BY DEOLA SAGOE

OUTFIT BY TIFFANY AMBER

OUTFIT BY TIFFANY AMBER

OUTFIT BY TIFFANY AMBER

OUTFIT BY LANRE DA-SILVA AJAYI

BY FUNKE BABS-KUFEJI

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S T Y L E & D E S I G NTHISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 9285 Sunday, October 11, 2020

THISDAY Style Vol. 22, 9285 Sunday, October 11, 2020S T Y L E & D E S I G N

What inspired you to impersonate people’s faces through make-up?

I have been talented and creative right from when I was young and that was why I started doing makeup. Combining make-up and this art is how I came about the imitation make-over.

How have you used this makeover process differently from the regular make-up artistes?

Instead of using a paper or canvas to draw, I use my face and instead of using a pencil or paint brush, I use my make-up items. The only difference is that I am drawing on my face to achieve a look while other make-up artists are drawing for beautification purposes. Mine is art, theirs is beauty.

Did you professionally learn how to do this?

No. It’s just a talent l have.

What inspired you to start imitating faces and how do you choose the faces you imitate?

I actually started this imitation make-up Art about two years ago and like I said earlier, I have always loved to be really creative in anything I do. It mustn’t always be make-up, it could be cloth item, paper, whatever I see. I pick up my makeup and explore skills by trying to find out what I can achieve. I can’t actually imitate everybody. Before I choose people to imitate, I look at the similarities. If l have similarities with that particular person,

then I know I can do it but if I don’t, I try to see if it’s something I can use make-up to achieve. But there are some looks I definitely can’t even try out because I will probably need extra skin to achieve my purpose so I just leave it.

Who was the first muse you experimented with?

The first international face I imitated was that of the late Chadwick-Boseman. I did it because he died and as a big fan, l wanted to do something in remembrance of him. I used my face because I know it well enough to touch the necessary parts to achieve my purpose. Although I am still learning to use other people’s faces for this process, I am more conversant with my face as it is easier to predict the end result.

What challenges do you encounter when creating these faces?

One of the big challenges I have is that I can’t imitate all faces. If I could find a way to start using something that is not a make-up item on my face, I believe I will be able to get those harder to achieve looks. So, for now, l can only imitate people that probably have a signature look.

How many hours does it take to create these faces?

It takes me about one to three hours depending on the look. If it is an easy look, in one hour, I am done but if it is something hard, probably someone that has a lot of wrinkles on their faces, it could take me up to three hours.

With your work becoming more popular, what is your vision and where do you feel you will fit in more to showcase your art?

As my works are getting viral every day, I feel it is going to be useful in the Nollywood industry. I would love to work in Nollywood industry where if the need for a particular face arises in a role and they can’t find a befitting character for that look, I can easily use make-up to achieve what they want. Also, I would love to start up my own studio where I can also make-up people that might have interest in this and also share my knowledge to persons that have passion for art.

How has your work inspired people especially the youths who wants to learn make-up?

My work has really inspired a lot of people. Every day I get a lot of texts about how amazing my talent is and how surprising that this kind of talent exists. A lot of art lovers have also reached out to me that they want to learn. I have taught a few though I haven’t taught the imitating make-up process properly. But l I have started a beginner’s class for interested people and I will be starting up another one soon.

12

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5

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11

MINUTES WITH

JANE RICHARD

Janet Richard is a graduate of

Microbiology from Nnamdi Azikwe University. Her

Instagram handle is Jonetmake-over. As

an art lover, she loves to do makeup. But instead of making women beautiful,

Richard veered into something more

challenging with her talent, transforming her face to look like

other people. This art, that she has mastered

to near perfection of famous celebrities, have

left people amazed.Her consistency and

repeated practice and trials is gradually

turning this form of art into a promising career

for Jane. USIADE ISIOMA speaks to her

about her journey thus far.

TIWA SAVAGE

CHADWICK BOSEMAN

WILLIAM UCHEMBA

PETE EDOCHIEJANE RICHARD

JANE RICHARD

JANE RICHARD

JANE RICHARD

JANE RICHARD

EDDIE MURPHY

Recap and vital statistics: I am 5 feet and 10 inches tall and

60 years old. I was super-slim till about 10 years

ago, then gradually got fat.I started this weight loss

programme on March 16th when I weighed a whopping 120kg and measured 49-47-51 (chest-waist-hips) inches.

I am aiming to drop back down to 85kg OR LESS (I was happiest and most elegant when I was 70kg, but suspect that it’s overly optimistic to aim for such a Twiggy-esque figure at this fairly advanced age).

So, given that the highest weight at which I felt presentable ENOUGH was 85kg, I am cutting myself some slack and giving myself permission to stop dieting when I get back down to 85kg).

OK so I was 111kg a couple of weeks ago and am now 110kg, which means that progress is lamentably slow; but any progress is better than no progress at all or going backwards and gaining weight…which has been the story of my life at intervals since March.

A ThisDay style mag reader called Evelyn recently contacted me and I’ve shared details of her own personal battle of the bulge with you.

Evelyn, who is based in Lagos, later told me that she wished a) that there were mind doctors who specialise in psychologically assisting folks who find it hard to control their eating and b) that there was a support group for dieters that she could join.

Well, I am not sure there are such doctors in Nigeria, but I know that such doctors exist abroad and that they can significantly help those who have tried to go it alone and failed.

Some fatties find it so impossible to generate the self-discipline to lose weight without external support that they wind up either having their teeth wired to forcibly minimize food intake to liquidised veggies, fruits, proteins or carbs that can be sipped through straws.

Another drastic measure that’s popular with weak-willed fatties is bariatric surgery that changes their digestive systems:

Gastric bypasses, sleeve gastrectomies and duodenal switches work by changing the anatomy (or position) of the stomach and small intestines. This causes changes in appetite, satiety (feeling full), and metabolism (how the body burns calories).

But why go for such extreme procedures when you can jetisson the feeble mindset that made you a slave to gluttony in the first place?

Gluttony, in addition to being one of the seven deadly sins that Catholics like this columnist are instructed to avoid, can kill.

Obesity isn’t just about looking unattractively lumpen and being too heavy to comfortably climb a flight of stairs or even walk as normal.

Obesity is a serious health problem that triggers off

life-threatening illnesses such as cardiac arrests and strokes…and massively increases one’s chances of being sent to one’s grave by coronavirus.

OK so it’s not just mind doctors who can help. Other experts in human behaviour can also help. Psychologists, for example, understand the dark impulses that make people eat unhealthily and can motivate their patients to change their eating patterns.

The British Psychological Society (BPS) website is a good starting point for enquiries and some of its accredited members offer online consultations and sessions…very handy at a time when Covid has made international travel difficult and social distancing necessary.

Treatments that therapists may use to support patients’ weight loss aspirations include psychotherapy (a “catch all” term for what psychologists generally do). It can include practical behavioral interventions as well as techniques and tips to make change easier.

Psychotherapy can also help you understand yourself better, so you know what is preventing you from being the person you want to be.

According to the BPS website: “Psychotherapy may also include stress management, mood stabilization, communication training and emotion

processing. Psychotherapy focuses on building a positive body image, and common treatments for weight loss include:

· Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)· Interpersonal therapy· Body-oriented therapy· Cognitive reframing· Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP)· Visualization.

As for Evelyn’s wistful quest for a weight loss support group: I told her about the small online WhatsApp club I formed with a few girlfriends earlier on this year; and I invited her to join us.

I explained that the peer group pressure to succeed, the emotional support and the useful tips we get from our group have been helpful.

But she said she needed to join a REAL group that physically meets on a regular basis. And there is evidence from foreign case studies that this kind of group can enable members to achieve great results.

An English chum of mine belongs to a non-virtual group that physically meets once a week; and they weigh themselves in public and then discuss their triumphs, failures, fears, obstacles, etc.

Evelyn and others can establish such groups in Nigeria. As long as they wear masks and don’t get too clammily close to each other!

DONU KOGBARA IS A VANGUARD NEWSPAPER COLUMNIST.Please feel free to share your thoughts about her weight loss journey on donzol2002@yahoo.co.uk

SHAMING!Fat

BY DONU KOGBARA

BATTLE OF THE BULGE - PART 25 & 26

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S T Y L E & D E S I G NS T Y L E & D E S I G N THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 9285 Sunday, October 11, 2020THISDAY Style

Vol. 22, 9285 Sunday, October 11, 2020

THE

O By Dr. Kemi DaSilva-IbruDear Reader,

Welcome to the WARIF Survivor Stories Series, a monthly feature, where stories of survivors of rape and sexual violence will be shared to motivate and encourage survivors to speak their truth without the fear of judgement or stigmatization and to educate the public on the sheer magnitude of this problem in our society. The Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF) is a non-profit organization set up in response to the extremely high incidence of rape, sexual violence and human trafficking of young girls and women in our society. WARIF is tackling this issue through a holistic approach which covers initiatives in health, education and community service.

WARIF offers assistance to survivors of rape and sexual violence through the WARIF Centre a safe haven where trained professionals are present full time, 6 days a week including public holidays to offer immediate medical care, forensic medical examinations, psycho-social counselling and welfare services which include shelter, legal aid and vocational skills training. These services are provided FREE of charge to any survivor who walks into the Centre.

This is Salamatu’s story-The day never showed any sign of what that

night held. I was only 14 years old and full of life. I had dreams and exciting plans of all the things I wanted to be and all the things I wanted achieve. That night brought a dark covering over me and I am still trying to recover.

My name is Salamatu, I am 24years old and the only girl out of four children. I grew up in a home filled with love and peace. My dad and mum are the closest people to me in the whole world and I wouldn’t trade them for anything. They have been so supportive of me and their support gave me a reason to stay alive. I know dad and mum were really broken as a result of my ordeal because they were eyewitnesses but somehow they are able to hold it together just so I can stay strong. I know however that they weep bitterly some nights; I’ve seen them and I know it’s from the hurt and pain from what happened to me.

We lived in Kaduna, on X street and our house was the last one on the street. Behind us was a huge farmland which was connected to a village. A lot of people used our street as a shortcut to the village, that was the norm before the area was developed. To protect ourselves from the people passing by, we got guard dogs. This worked because once the people passing heard the dogs bark, they were quick to cross.

The morning of the assault, my mum and I went on a shopping spree because my birthday was coming up. I bought a lot of things out of excitement and I planned to go all out to celebrate it. It’s funny how my birthday has now become a scary time for me. I get panic attacks and anxiety once the month starts and I haven’t been able to celebrate it for years since the incident.

When we got home, we cooked, ate dinner and prepared for bed. I was deep in sleep as we had a long day but then I heard the sound of gunshots and became startled. Our dogs were barking relentlessly and I thought it was a dream until I realized that our gate was the target of the bullets. I jumped up and ran to my parents. I was so scared when I saw my father’s face full of fear as he fiddled with his phone trying to reach the police. My mother was frightened as well but tried to calm herself by pacing around the room.

Within a few minutes, we heard our gate open and voices coming into the compound, our dogs charged at the armed robbers but two gunshots fired at them silenced my precious dogs forever. The robbers proceeded to the front door and threatened to blast the door and kill us if we didn’t open the door. My dad asked I and my mother to hide while he opened the door. As my dad opened the door, the robbers came in and immediately hit him on the face with one of their guns, the blow affected his ear. They told him to lie face down. Three ransacked the house and one stayed with him, he slapped him

continuously and demanded to know where he kept the money entrusted in his care by his office co-operative society.

One of the robbers found me and my mum where we hid and pulled us out by the ear to the sitting room where my dad was. Right in front of my Dad, the robbers pointed a gun at me and my mum and threatened to shoot if my Dad didn’t tell them. At this point I and mum began to plead with him to tell. My Dad hurriedly told them where it was. One of them went straight to get it and came to the sitting room to confirm if it was real and complete.

They cursed and insulted my Dad for delaying them and they said they were going to punish him. The boss grabbed me and tore open my pajamas; he unbuttoned his trousers as he told my dad that his purnishment was to watch while he raped me. My mum screamed and volunteered herself, my dad pleaded with tears in his eyes, he promised them heaven and earth but all to no avail. I begged and pleaded that they should forgive but he said with a smirk on his face “only Jesus forgives, do I look like Jesus”. He immediately tossed me to the ground and settled his smelly, dirty, disgusting body on me. I closed my eyes and prayed for it to be over. I could hear my mother wailing distantly in the background, my father pleading and the other armed robbers laughing. I wondered why people were so wicked and why this had to happen to me. I wondered why the money was not enough. I wondered what point they had to prove.

The next few days and weeks were a blur, I couldn’t eat or sleep. I got all the medical help I needed and my parents did all they could to help me out of my depression; my dad blamed himself and I blamed him a little even though I knew it wasn’t his fault.

I am taking each day as it comes and I try to let go of that memory, my counsellor at WARIF says in time I will move on and take back my power; she says I will begin to live my life again but it’s not that easy. I am on my way to recovery and I hope I get there sooner than later.

Dear survivor, please know that you are not alone and it is not your fault. Help is available.

If you have been raped or you know someone who has, please visit us at The WARIF Centre - 6, Turton Street, off Thorburn Avenue, Sabo, Yaba or call our 24-hour confidential helpline on 08092100009. For questions or more information please contact: info@warifng.org

*Real name of survivor changed for confidentiality

Within a few minutes, we heard our gate open and voices coming

into the compound, our dogs charged at the armed robbers but two gunshots fired at them

silenced my precious dogs forever. The robbers proceeded to

the front door and threatened to blast the door and kill us if

we didn’t open the door. My dad asked I and my mother to hide while he opened the door. As my

dad opened the door, the robbers came in and immediately hit

him on the face with one of their guns, the blow affected his ear.

SURVIV RS

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S T Y L E & D E S I G N THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 9285 Sunday, October 11, 2020

BY FUNKE BABS-KUFEJI

Interesting world, interesting people, a time to unlearn all that we have learnt thus far, the times are so creepy that we truly have to become God dependent if we do not want to crash.

Playing around my mind today is this “arm of flesh thing” truth be told failure is a padi to anything and everything that does not keep God in the loop. Many are deliberate about their friendships with the view that they will one day need to draw down to step up, but do not be deceived your step up can only come from a place of faith, faith in the Master.

We build muscles trusting in its ability to protect us if needed but our abilities and that of others without the God factor will ultimately take us to a dead end. I often applaud the human spirit and it’s resilience through the trauma of existence, life is tough and only the determined will achieve their goals. There are too many hearts weeping with stoic faces, the pain of living continues to tear at the fabric of the soul. Why is it so difficult to walk an extra mile with someone who needs to lean on us though, but I then remember that song of Peter Tosh that says “I am not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not here to live up to mine” and the selfish nature of man becomes apparent....The aha moment comes when we realise that the only connection needed is the divine one, when we thump our chests claiming friends in high places we should be mindful of the fact that only God is worthy of that confidence, as it is he who puts our burdens in the hearts of others.

The mistake we make is thinking our network will get us to where we need to be but that network becomes active only if Eledumare is involved, if you seek his face, you’ll find it and you will be sorted. No human being can help you unless heaven instructed I dare reiterate.

Many dine with kings and drink with princes but alas when push comes to shove they find themselves standing alone when the storm comes and it kills their spirits. You cannot make gods of human beings and expect to stand, as Only El Shaddai God is worthy of worship. We cannot expect divinity in our circumstances without invitation, we need to understand that the days are not playing and focus or refocus as the case may be.

Look into your trajectory and you will realise that not only will the arm of flesh fail you but it will also publicise your F9 while muscling you out, it is a hard life lesson no doubt but one that everyone needs to learn. The greatest partnership, the greatest friendship, the greatest relationship you will have on this side of eternity and beyond is with Jehovah, you must make him your best friend. We need to stop this “who you know” nonsense, and connect with the Trinity to give you a life manual and direct your hustle.....truth be told people may genuinely want to assist but they are limited by the drawings of flesh, you expect, they deflect, you reflect and you fall apart because your expectations are dashed, they stop picking your calls or responding to you and you hurt within biting your fingers and sighing at every turn, listen mate, grow up, and man up, dress the slaps of life with your favourite beauty mask and watch as you glow.

Many need to go back to the drawing board and draw a life plan which plugs their bucket list with the Master’s purpose. To stay sane today you have to stay close to Jehovah, to paddle on you have to ensure the current that moves you is connected to your life director and feeds into his direction for you so that your sail does not become turbulent. This is not about wealth or poverty, it is believing someone who is strategically placed can help solve your peculiar life worries, walahi, they can’t.....The arm of flesh may not plan to “flesh you” but oftentimes when the Potter wants to mould the clay, he stops all external influences from competing for his glory.

Stay focused pilgrim, the good book says that crying may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning, I was young now I am old, I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor her children beg for bread, trusting God is taking that next step without a visible floor to step on.....step on my lovely, step on, as God has got you, trust him and he will bring destiny helpers your way, but he must be your go to person and he in turn will raise people, it may be random people or those you would have gone to in the first place. From the the rising of the sun until sunset you need to build your life around the only one who does not disappoint and you will stand strong. Make God your network and you will have an enviable networth.

CAPSULESA

lero

Ado

lloal

eroa

dollo

@ya

hoo.

com

Colours of LifeOne of the many good things for which I will always remember 2020, and particularly the lockdown, is the discovery of the wonderful television series titled The Chosen. From the moment I began to watch the first episode I became a disciple, following the lives of the people portrayed as they followed Jesus.

Just when I thought “I cannot keep this good news to myself” and I wondered how I could communicate my experience so as to make converts of my readers, my daughter wrote this amazing review. Since she is a much better writer than myself, I have no doubt my prayer has been answered so enjoy her review of The Chosen…

Most of us would say we have a good idea of who Jesus Christ is, and how productions about Him usually go. Shepherds in a barn, randomly calling people off the road to ‘follow me’, and a trek with a heavy cross. At least, those are the expectations I hold. But I watched The Chosen and was presented with a Jesus I’d never seen before.

The multi-season series is subtitled ‘See Him through the lens of those who knew Him’, and aptly so, because that’s precisely how He is shown. Rather than focus on Jesus’ life, it prioritises that of those around Him: Mary of Magdala, who is freed from a life of torment; Nicodemus, a religious teacher with hard questions; Simon Peter, a charming, self-centred rascal. Prior to their canonization by religion, they were regular people living regular lives with regular problems. They were people, I daresay, not dissimilar to us.

Each of them is lifted off pages of a book and brought to life. They are given their own story, friends, hobbies, and struggles. Matthew, for example, is a brilliant but ostracised revenue agent. He’s also on the autism spectrum. Those around him view him as an abnormal, unnecessarily germophobic pest, and understandably so. Early into the season he is pitted against Peter and Andrew, laying the foundations for future conflict when all three will be followers of the same Rabbi. His inclusion by Jesus into the fold is a touching act of compassion and acceptance of someone who everyone else misunderstood.

We witness these ‘saints’ laugh, cry, drift, and fail. There’s even a scene where Jesus and Peter team up to mock Andrew’s ‘four left feet’! These are details which are non-existent in time-constrained movies with skeletal storylines crudely pointing to the crucifixion. The beauty of this narrative told as a series is the opportunity it offers to delve deep into what possibly happened between well-known verses, and delve it does. It highlights people as they were back then and still are now: multidimensional, reasoning, unique human beings whose essences cannot be summed up in a few sentences.

The director, Dallas Jenkins, achieves what many fail to do in providing adequate screen time and character development for supporting roles. We grow nearly as familiar with detested Roman soldiers, querying neighbourhood children and sceptics as we do with the jolly band of disciples. Every line is relayed superbly, allowing us to form opinions of and attachments to fleeting characters, as we might with real people. Such scenes and episodes are, paradoxically, both a welcome breather from our main characters, and an absence of them which makes our hearts fonder.

The Chosen succeeds in another area where most renditions of early Christianity fail: portraying its Jewishness. Jesus and His first followers were Jewish. Justice is done to their heritage by careful inclusion of traditions and culture as appropriate to the time. Episode 2, ‘Shabbat,’ honours the Jewish day of rest and skilfully shows how its purpose remains unchanged, regardless of the opulence in which it is observed. Aside from that, interwoven in the English-rendered lines are Hebrew words like ‘eema’ (meaning ‘mother’) that add authenticity to the speech. If you – like myself – are a stickler for historical accuracy in period pieces, that’s another reason to watch this show.

Supposing season 1 had been a total waste of my time, the show would still stand as a record-breaker by virtue of existing. It is the #1 crowd-funded media project of all time. It’s also the first multi-season show about the ministry of Jesus. As if that’s not incredible enough, episodes are freely available worldwide from their app. Hollywood could learn a thing or two about diversity and audience awareness from The Chosen; its cast members are from all corners of the globe. Altogether, this made for an expectation-surpassing first season, and I can’t wait to see what future seasons have in store.

Now here is a summary of each episode, lifted from Wikipedia

Episode 1 - I Have Called You By NameThe Pharisee Nicodemus attempts to exorcise a demon-

possessed woman in Capernaum’s Red Quarter named “Lilith” but is unsuccessful, causing him to question his faith. The brothers Simon and Andrew, who are fishermen, struggle with their tax and gambling debts. Following a failed suicide attempt, “Lilith” returns to her father, who is unable to help. As she is leaving, she encounters Jesus Christ, who identifies himself as the Creator of humanity and calls her by her true name Mary of Magdala.

Episode 2 - ShabbattMatthew validates Simon’s claims with Praetor Quintus.

Simon’s financial difficulties forces him to fish on the Sabbath, straining relations with his wife. Investigating the miracle reported in Capernaum’s Red Quarter, Nicodemus discovers that Mary Magdalene has been healed. When Mary reveals that she was healed by someone else, Nicodemus resolves to investigate the matter further. At a Shabbat dinner, Mary receives several surprise guests including Jesus.

Episode 3 - Jesus Loves The Little ChildrenJesus befriends and teaches the group of little children

who discover his camp outside of Capernaum.

Episode 4 - The Rock On Which It Is BuiltWith his life and family under threat from Rome, Simon

spends one last night fishing in a desperate attempt to square his debts. Andrew spots a familiar face waiting for them on the shores of Galilee.

Episode 5 - The Wedding GiftNicodemus interrogates John the Baptist while Jesus

and his students make their way to a wedding celebration in Cana. When the wine runs low, Mary asks her son to intervene on behalf of the bridegroom’s family.

Episode 6 - Indescribably CompassionAfter witnessing the healing of a leper on the road to

Capernaum, a woman forces her paralytic friend through the crowd to meet Jesus.

Episode 7 - InvitationsMatthew struggles to reconcile the miracles he has

witnessed with reality. Nicodemus meets with Jesus by night.

Episode 8 - I Am HeJesus and His students complete their preparations and

leave Capernaum for Samaria. Jesus meets with a suffering woman at Jacob’s Well and announces that He is the Messiah.

Koko Kalango is author of the Colours of Life devotional and host of the Colours of Life show. Contact her at: contact@coloursoflife.org and on Instagram: @koko.kalango.

THE CHOSENwith Koko Kalango

S T Y L E & D E S I G N

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THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 9285 Sunday, October 11, 2020

We arefaster, closerand saferWith our scale, expertise and deep desire to satisfy your needs, we will deliver exceptional experiences for the moments that matter the most to you. 

Africa | Asia | Europe | Middle East

Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and commonly referred to as the “Giant of Africa”. With over 195m people from diverse ethnic groups with a rich cultural heritage, Nigeria gained

independence on October 1st, 1960. Made of diverse tribes, religions, cultures, and lifestyles.Nigerians, despite their diversity are united

in patriotism. In this special edition of ThisDay Style, we commemorate with all Nigerians on six decades of

Triumphs. We know our nation’s history is fraught with tribulations, but it is important to note that we have had many highs often lead by men and women who have achieved incredible feats in their respective fields. Yes, there’s hesitation about the future, but that should not cripple us as a people.

This Independence, we celebrate the many ‘firsts’ that Nigeria has achieved in its rich 60 years journey in entertainment, culture, science, technology, and more.

One thing is clear, these incredible stories remind us that greatness lies in every Nigerian. Our message to all Nigerians as we celebrate our 60th year, is to be open, like never before. Let usthink differently, embrace change, to see possibility and especially considering where our world is today – lets better appreciate what was perhaps previously taken for granted.Together, we believe we can

make the most of this moment by emerging stronger and creating a better shared future. Guest Correspondent, BOBO OMOTAYO reports...

NIGERIA’S

WORLD’S CHAMPIONS

Misan Harriman made history by being the first black male to photograph the cover of British Vogue in its entire 104 year history. He founded a digital publishing company, What We See which reaches an average of 172 million people a month in 37 countries. Guest Correspondent, TUNDUN ABIOLA talks to the Nigeria-born and UK-based multi-hyphenate, photographer- content creator- content curator- cultural commentator about his work, his business, his family and why black lives matter. He talks about authenticity and how innate proficiencies, interests and traits form the building blocks for the formidable career he was born to have.

MISAN HARRIMAN

You’re in Sweden with your family now, you have your camera with you. Who or what are you shooting?

I’m shooting those that I love. That’s how I really learnt how to capture somebody’s essence and understand what to look for in my composition. When you’re shooting someone that is your world and your heart, there’s an intimacy you learn to pull out of an image that hopefully, I can replicate when I’m shooting other people.

You took an unconventional path into photography. You didn’t take courses or work as an assistant. How did you learn the techniques?

I’m pretty dyslexic and I’m incredibly visual in how my brain receives information. I watched a lot of tutorials on YouTube that teach you how to choose a camera, about shutter speed and understanding light. Anybody can go to YouTube. Any time I didn’t understand something, I found someone who had posted how they had fixed the same problem online. Then I got out there and started shooting. There’s only so much anyone can teach you about becoming a photographer. You’ll learn your skills “on the road”.

How did your Vogue cover come about? Who made the call and how did you react? It must be gratifying to not only have made history but to have made it your way.

The opportunity came about because of my anti-racist Black Lives Matter reportage photography that I had been shooting over the last three months. Those images went viral very quickly. Everyone from Martin Luther King’s son to Lewis Hamilton, the Mayor of London, Diddy, Sarah Jessica Parker all used these images to make statements about racism. Millions of people saw them and Edward Enninful, the Editor in Chief of British Vogue was shown these images. As a black man who has had the same experience as all of us, the images resonated with him very deeply. He posted some on his personal Instagram account and posted a few articles online. A few months later, I had a zoom call with the senior management of British Vogue and Edward. In his humble and very sweet way he just said, “I would like you to shoot the cover your way and how you like to do photography”. I did everything during the call to focus and not collapse or pass out!

I know the Vogue magazine and I know the importance of the September issue. It would have been extraordinary to get a cover but to have the September issue at this moment is beyond my wildest dreams. It’s a great example of how to use power.

Edward is the most powerful man in the fashion industry right now but he wields it with so much empathy. He has empowered me to now have a platform where hopefully, I can lift others up and that’s something I do not take lightly and will definitely try and emulate.

The September issue of Vogue has particular cultural significance more so now with the call, Activism Now. What are your thoughts on fashion going political?

We have no choice right now. We’re talking about our lives and our babies’ lives. It’s the biggest stain on modern man. If you have a platform that people listen

to, you have to use it to try and force change. Edward has experienced racism so the cultural significance of this moment was everyone finally coming together to fight this thing. We never even thought it would happen.

That’s why the response to this issue has been so overwhelmingly positive. We needed to see a marquee, iconic brand saying, “We’re with you and we’re fighting alongside you to get rid of this awful thing that should never have existed anyway”.

I’ve cried when I get videos of kids from working class backgrounds that have never even heard of Vogue who are taking their pocket money and going to Co- Op or wherever to buy that issue because it makes them feel that they matter.

Do you think there’s been a shift towards racial equality?

What happened in our parents’ and grandparents’ generation is that they could never mobilize properly because they didn’t have one thing and that’s the internet. The death of George Floyd was seen online and it was like lighting a tinder box. We now know that there are enough of us that are against this horrible thing and there is no going back. That’s why I believe there is a change. When I was out in the protests, the biggest civil rights movement that the UK has ever seen. I saw 9/10 year olds boys and girls who were reading about the history of civil rights and racism. That gave me so much hope because I know that they don’t ever want to repeat the history that has been hidden from them. That’s when you know you’ll have real change when this generation knows what happened. They haven’t had some revisionist version of history like I had at school. They have empathy in their hearts and they want to force change. That is as important as people who are in their 40s like me fighting for it. What I’ve seen in London has been hope and solidarity between people from all walks of life. That’s unexpected because in the London I grew up in, to have five thousand people of all races saying, “We’re fighting for people that look like you, Misan” has never happened before.

Never. It’s always been our problem, not theirs. You also chronicled life in lockdown, documenting the global pandemic in your project, Lost In Isolation. Again, serving as a witness to a seismic historical event. What do you aim to achieve through your lens? Do you have an overarching theme?

I want my photography to be a time capsule of the human condition and show who we are, unfiltered. The thing about the Lost In Isolation series is that it was a very difficult time for me personally like most people. The world was literally turning upside down. My anxiety levels were very high. I had just had my second child and did not know what the future held. The only thing I felt I could do was grab that camera and just observe. What I observed was that at a time when we were at our most vulnerable, we all came together. I never used to speak to my neighbours. It was always hi/bye on the commute to work but during isolation, we would check in on the older people that live near us and have conversations from afar. Strangely in this moment of solitude, we became more connected and that’s what my camera, I believe, captured. We know that we are lost in isolation but we are found in solitude.

You mentioned how you document in a natural way. This is in contrast to the overly retouched images that have come to characterize the social media/ digital age. What informs your approach?

You know we’re in the age of filters. Everything has a filter, everything is served in an algorithm. My work is the opposite of that. I grew up worshipping the African-American photographer, Gordon Parks who is really instrumental in my style, a lot of his images are black and white images of people like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X and on the other side of his photography he’d be shooting Audrey Hepburn. I wanted to have that range as a photographer and I

I know the Vogue magazine and I know the importance of the

September issue. It would have been extraordinary to get a

cover but to have the September issue at this moment is beyond my wildest dreams. It’s a great example of how to use power.

MISAN HARRIMA

N

WOLE SOYINKA

WIZKID

AGBANI DAREGO

ADEBANKE

OLAYIWOLA

SIKIRU ADEPOJU

CHIMAMANDA

ADICHIE CHIOMA

AJUNWA

HAKEEM

OLAJUWON

UZO ADUBA

BERNADINE

EVARISTO

C O V E R

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We cannot mention great Nigerian heroes without mentioning the icon that is Professor Wole Soyinka. Born July 13th 1934 in Abeokuta in the South-West Region of Nigeria. Professor Soyinka (or simply ‘Prof’ as he is fondly called) has transcended Literature. Prof is a bonafide cultural phenomenon.

A precocious and inquisitive child, Prof grew up in an Anglican mission compound where he learned Christian teachings from his father, as well as the Yoruba spiritualism and tribal customs from his grandfather.

He moved to England in the 1950s to further his tertiary education at the prestigious University of Leeds where he served as the Editor of the campus magazine, The Eagle. By the end of the 1950s, Prof started to make a name for himself with his play, A Dance of the Forests, which satirized the Nigerian political elite. In 1960, he was awarded a Rockefeller fellowship and returned to Nigeria to study African drama.

In 1986, Prof had his life changing moment when he

became the recipient

of the Nobel Prize for Literature becoming the first African man to receive the prestigious prize. He made headlines for dedicating his iconic speech to Nelson Mandela.

Prof has decade upon decade, created an incredible body of work that firmly solidifies him as a playwright, poet, author and teacher. And more than that, he has lent his voice to some of the most decisive political moments in our nation’s history. Most notably, during the civil war in Nigeria when he appealed in an article for a cease-fire. He was arrested for this in 1967 and held as a political prisoner for 22 months until 1969. More recently, during the 2015 elections, he worked the phone to monitor reports of voting irregularities, technical issues, and violence. These are just a few reasons many regard him as a political activist.

Where do we start with Agbani Darego? At just 18, Agbani made history when she went from a Computer-Science/Mathematics student at the University of Port Harcourt to becoming the first indigenous African woman to be crowned Miss World. Black women had won the title before, but they hailed from Caribbean lands.

This 38-year-old model and activist hails from a small town, Abonnema in Rivers State. As a child, Agbani moved homes a lot due to her father’s profession. Her mother, a lover of all things beautiful, dressed Agbani in fashionable clothing that she paged through

foreign fashion magazines. This was where Agbani’s love for fashion and modelling started although she never received the support of her father.

Since becoming Miss World in 2001, Agbani has turned her fame into philanthropy.

Some of her initiatives include becoming a patron of a breast-cancer awareness program. She also devotes her time to various anti-malaria campaigns.

Agbani Darego remains an inspiration to young women across Africa for her determination and dedication towards being on the top just like she aspired to be.

PROFESSOR WOLE SOYINKA

AGBANI DAREGO MFR

First Nigerian to Win A Noble Prize In Literature (1986)

First Nigerian, First African To Win Miss World (2001)

If you have ever seen an episode of the popular Netflix Original Series – Orange is the New Black – you will agree that one character stole the screen every time. That character was “Crazy Eyes”, played by an American-born actress of Nigerian ancestry, Uzoamaka Nwanneka Aduba born in Massachusetts, USA, as the daughter of Nigerian parents of Igbo origin. Uzo’s acting career started garnering attention in 2003, with a performance in Translations of Xhosa at the Olney Theatre Center for the Arts which earned her a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Play.

In 2012, her big television break came in an appearance in Blue Bloods. Just a year later, her life changed forever as she landed the role of “Suzanne ‘Crazy Eyes’ Warren” in the Netflix comedy-drama series, Orange is the New Black.

This role has made Uzo Aduba a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood – winning her multiple awards including being the first actress ever to win an Emmy in both a drama and comedy categories for the same role for her stellar performance on the Netflix show.

Just last week, she made history again by winning the ‘Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie’ award at the 2020 Emmy Awards for her role as ‘Shirley Chisholm’ in the series - Mrs America.

UZO ADUBAFirst Nigerian to Win An Emmy Award (2014)

wanted my imagery to look like it was intimate.I don’t want you to look at my images and think it’s

some sort of glossy universe that you’ll never have access to. I want you to look at the shots and feel like you climbed inside that image. If I could get anywhere near that I’d be very happy.

You’ve shot celebrities including Tom Cruise, Rihanna and Janet Jackson to name a few. What do you prefer, photojournalism or celebrity portraiture?

That’s an easy one, photojournalism everytime, as lucky as I feel when I get to go shoot people like Janet Jackson. I had a well- documented meltdown when I met her. I just turned into my 13 year old self. I actually ignored Rihanna. It was unbelievable but none of that compares to civil rights movements. The ability to do specific photo projects is something I’m working on at the moment that is linked to domestic abuse. That is for me, the purest form of photography, finding real people telling their story and having them allow you into their private sphere. That’s the greatest honour for me as a photographer.

You founded What We See on an interesting premise. What do you offer your audience?

I set that up as a response to what I call the weaponisation of mediocrity which is the low rent, snackable, throwaway content that is frankly detrimental to our mental health. Let me put it this way. If you’re drowning in the noise of the internet, my medium What We See is a curated life raft of the very best of the internet brought to you so you don’t need to make excuses on why you would ever watch something like Love Island. There’s no excuse. Get on What We See, read some Langston Hughes poetry, listen to some Nina Simone. Do that and you’ll see how you’ll also learn more about who you are and who you want to be. That is why I set up the medium. I’m very lucky to work with everyone from BAFTA to CAA, Universal Music, Warner Music and a lot of artists. We recently developed beautiful conferences and had people like Emeli Sandé speak. We always try and have people talk about intimate and personal things about who they are. My pod cast is the same.

I’m asking people about their favourite songs and favourite scenes in films so we can paint this tapestry of everyone’s emotional engine and in some way help us understand who we are on this journey called life.

You’re happily married to Camilla and have two daughters, Isabella and Lyra. How are you and Camilla raising your girls?

It’s really important for our children to be children but we are watching them and making sure we provide for their passions. For example, Isabella our oldest, loves to

paint and draw. We’re seeing if there’s any way we can help her. If she gets bored of it next year then there’ll be something else. It’s just always to nurture their passions and to never put those fires out and to allow them to dare to dream. That is something that as a father, l will always try and give my children.

And what would your late father, Chief Hope Harriman say about all this? We all know that trope of Nigerian parents and their conservative expectations for their children’s careers.

I think initially my father would have been like, “What is this camera?” Like your own father. They were good friends and they would have said, “Abeg, Tundun speak to Misan.” But I think he would have quickly seen that this more than just “play-play”. He would have said, “This is impressive” and would have aligned himself to helping me find my way. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to accept that our parents preferred traditional professional trajectories because they wanted us to have stability in life. Realistically, being black children as well, they would have thought that there are

certain industries that would have been closed to us. Why would my father or my mother push me to be a photographer when they’ve never really seen any black photographer take it to heights that would be seen as incredibly successful? I definitely think my late father would have been reticent at first, but once he saw that I was able to do something with it, he’d be supportive.

Where in your mum’s house is your Vogue cover?I got this box for her that with personal notes I’ve

written.Nigerian mothers have a special place in my heart

because I know the depths of trials and tribulations they go through. For her to instill the ability to be the man that I am today is something that I really don’t

take lightly. This Vogue cover is hers as much as mine, maybe even more hers than mine.

The collaborative nature of photography suits you perfectly with your great networking skills. You’re friends with everyone from Princess Beatrice who commissioned you for her official engagement photos to Meghan Markle to a few of my siblings and everyone in between from all races, ages and backgrounds. What is the importance of rapport and reputation in work and in life?

What I learned from my mother is never think you’re better than anyone else and always have your own voice. With a lot of people that I met that are high profile I think the reason they feel comfortable around me is that I’ve always been my true self. The slightly nerdy but always trendy man-child who is incessantly talking about some song or some film or photograph. I think people like to be around people like that because life in this Instagram age can be very much where people talk about how much they have. I’m always talking about how much we need to feel. There’s a difference there and I’m aware of that.

Photography has been democratized by social media. Many more can take interesting pictures so how can budding photographers get noticed?

It’s a really exciting time for creativesincluding photographers. People always talk about

how bad the internet is but it’s a gift. I know many photographers that don’t have my network. Their work is so good that they’re reaching millions of people so I would say learn your craft. Put it out there on Instagram, Facebook and whatever social platform you like. You will see the universe will come to you but put in the work. Don’t expect that because you have a camera and you’ve taken a few pictures that you’re suddenly going to become the next Annie Leibovitz or the next Spike Lee as a filmmaker. You have to learn. A lot of photographers don’t understand the history of photography so I would say go on YouTube watch documentaries about the Photo League, the Jewish immigrants that came with nothing but their camera after they left Poland and other parts of Europe. Learn about Robert Capa and the history of Magnum Pictures. Learn about Gordon Parks. These documentaries are free. Understand the history of the still image. Throughout modern history, it’s been our time capsule, whether its pictures from the Vietnam War or Hitler’s Germany, the still image has been the thing that’s reminded us of who we are at our very worst and who we are at our very best. It’s a responsibility to know if you pick up a camera what you could achieved with it.

I don’t want you to look at my images and think it’s some sort

of glossy universe that you’ll never have access to. I want you to look at the shots and feel like you climbed inside that image.

If I could get anywhere near that I’d be very happy.

Sikiru may not be a household name but he should be. He is currently the first and only Nigerian musician to have won a Grammy Award, a feat is achieved at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in 2008 for his Global Drum Project. His win came in the Best Contemporary World Music Album category.

A Nigerian drummer and percussionist whose collaborations range from Sir Shina Peters to Carlos Santana.

Technically his first win should be

considered his second, because in 1994 he was credited by Grammys on another win – he was only named as a collaborator and not a primary creator.

Born in November 1952, Sikiru was born to Chief Ayanleke Adepoju and Mrs Adepoju in Ibarapa, Oyo State. He was born into a lineage of drummers. His great-great-grandfather down to his father all carried the name, ‘Ayan’ which is a Yoruba identifier for drummers by trade and heritage.

SIKIRU ADEPOJU

First Nigerian Musician To Win A Grammy Award (2008)

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THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 9285 Sunday, October 11, 2020

There are a few sporting moments in Nigerian sporting history that will shape generations to come and one of those was Chioma Ajunwa’s Olympic gold medal jump at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, USA.

Her Gold medal performance made her the first Nigerian, and first Black African woman, to win Olympic gold in a field event. What made her story even more remarkable is she achieved this feat while working as a police officer.

Born into what could be described as humble beginnings, Chioma was the last of nine children, with six

brothers and two sisters. At just 18, Chioma had to drop out of University because her mother couldn’t afford her tuition fees. She later decided to become a motor mechanic but abandoned the idea following her mother’s disapproval.

While exploring her athletic career, Ajunwa earned herself a place in the super falcons during the Women’s World Cup in 1991, but she was constantly benched.

Nigeria till date only has three Olympic Gold medals in total, a relatively small total given it is Africa’s most populous nation.

CHIOMA AJUNWA

First Nigerian to Win An Olympic Gold Medal (1996)

Adebanke puts the ‘trail’ in ‘trailblazer’. Her name vibrates through the Aviation Industry and for good reasons too. Banke’s story is incredible for many reasons with the most notable being that she is the first female Nigerian-American & African pilot to fly the Boeing 747 Series ‘Dreamlifter’ aircraft in the world. There are only four of such aircrafts in the world!

Banke is a commercial airline pilot with an ATP (Airline Transort Pilot) licence. Hailing from Ibadan, Oyo State, Banke’s primary and secondary education were in her hometown before she proceeded to the United Kingdom for a Masters of Science degree in International Globalization at Leicester University.

Her first exposure to Aviation was with Etihad Airways where she trained as an Aviation

Health trainer whilst studying in the UK. She currently flies the B747-800 in United State of America for a US base Commercial/Cargo Airline. Due to the dynamic way of flying her company does, Adebanke has had the opportunity to fly across North Atlantic, North Pacific, South Pacific and Central East Pacific.

Pilot Adebanke has flown to the far corner of the world, covering all the Seven Continents.

ADEBANKE OLAYIWOLAFirst Nigerian, First Black Female To Fly The Dreamlifter Boeing 747 Series

Wizkid needs little introduction!We have laughed and danced to his

music for the last decade and by the looks of things, he is not going anywhere anytime soon.

There are many records that qualify WizKid to be on this illustrious list, one of which includes being listed in the the 2018 Guinness Book of World Records under the “Most streamed song on Spotify” for his collaboration with US Rap Superstar, Drake for their 2016 hit “One Dance.”

Hakeem Olajuwon is without doubt the most successful basketball player to come out of Africa. Born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1963. Hakeem’s career in sport began in football and handball. It is widely reported that Hakeem a.k.a. ‘The Dream’ stumbled into basketball. He was drafted into the basketball team on account of his height by Ganiyu Otenigbagbe to play in the National Sports Festival.

He was drafted into the junior national team where he was seen by an American scout, who recommended him to coach with Guy Lewis of the University of Houston. His career took off from there.

That was the beginning of an 18-year basketball career which earned him the title of one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA.

Hakeem in 1994, became the only player in NBA history to win the MVP, the Championship, the Finals MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards in the same season. He was also the first foreign-born player to win the league’s MVP award.

During his career, he played for two of the biggest teams in the NBA - the Houston Rockets and the Canadian Toronto Raptors, he was a two-times NBA champion, got to the NBA finals twice.

One of the most popular nicknames turned ‘metaphor’ for frequent flyers is ‘Ajala Travel’. In fact, a very famous song was composed after him ‘Ajala Travel All Over The World’. However, what is not popular is the true story behind where this metaphor originated from. Ajala Olabisi was a global traveller of Nigerian origin who captured the imagination of the world when he travelled the globe on his bicycle in 1952.

He was born as Moshood Adisa Olabisi Ajala in Ghana into a polygamous Nigerian family with 24 siblings. Ajala left Nigeria at age 18 to the United States of America on a student’s visa. He attended the De Paul University in Chicago to study medicine. While in America, he became the first black student to be pledged by the Delta Upsilon Pi ‘fraternity’, a co-educational Greek-letter organization at De Paul University.

His travelling exploit began in 1952 aged 22 as he embarked on a cross-country tour of America with just his bicycle and agbada. His bicycle tour covered an incredible 2,280 miles in 28 days starting from Chicago and ending in Los Angeles.

He arrived the Los Angeles City Hall on 10th of July, two days ahead of his 30-day schedule. Upon arrival, Ajala was received by the city Mayor Fletcher Bowron.

Ajala would later embark on other globe trotting adventures using his famous scooter thereby dumping his ambitions of becoming a doctor. Thanks to his cross country journey in America, Ajala became famous in America and back home.

WIZKID HAKEEM OLAJUWON

AJALA OLABISI

First Nigerian To Be Listed In Guiness Book of Records Under Most Streamed Song on Spotify (2018) First Nigerian And Only Player To Win The MVP

Award, The Championship and Defensive Player of The Year In One Season (1994)

First Nigerian, First African To Have Travelled The Globe On His Bicycle And Scooter (1952)

Little is known about this talented Nigerian-British writer, Bernadine Evaristo. What we do know is that she was recently named the author of the year at the British Book awards, making her the first black writer to ever win the category.

This feat preceded Ms Evaristo fantastic joint win in the 2019’s Booker prize for her polyphonic novel, ‘Girl, Woman, Other’, making her the first black woman to top the fiction paperback charts in the UK.

BERNADINE EVARISTOFirst Nigerian And First Black Writer To Win The Booker Prize From The British Book Awards (2019)

Boxing Royalty does not come any bigger than Hogan Bassey. The name may not ring a bell with most Nigerians but he was the first man of Nigerian descent to become a world boxing champion.

Born as Okon Bassey Asuquo in 1932, Okon was one of five children from Calabar. His story is remarkable in so many ways including the fact that he was still at school when he turned professional.

Hogan was one of the great ambassadors for African sport, both during a two-year reign as world featherweight boxing champion in 1949 and afterwards in 1963 when he served as Nigeria’s director of physical education and coached the national amateur team. In 1980 he accompanied the Nigerian team to the Moscow Olympics.

First Nigerian to Become World Featherweight Boxing Champion (1949) Prize

HOGAN “KID” BASSEY MBE

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What can we say about Chimamanda that has not already being said? She is a force of nature – A mother. A writer. An activist and increasingly a Pop-Culture phenomenon.

The award-winning writer became the First Nigerian & Youngest African to receive the UN Foundation’s Global Leadership Award for her work using literature and storytelling to connect with people across generations and cultures on issues of gender and racial equality and being a leader on the frontlines of global progress.

That is not all, her literary titles ‘Purple Hibiscus’, ‘Half of A Yellow Sun’ and ‘We should all be Feminists’ have been hailed by countless pundits as Novels that shaped our world.

While never considering herself a feminist, Nwapa is best known for recreating life and traditions from a woman’s point of view. In 1966, her book Efuru made her Nigeria’s first published female novelist and Africa’s first internationally-acclaimed English-language female writer. She was not only an accomplished author, but a publisher, public servant, and activist.

CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE

FLORA NWAPA

First Nigerian and Youngest African to Receive The UN’s Foundation Global Leadership Award (2019)

First Nigerian, Africa’s First Internationally Acclaimed Writer(1966)

KNOW?DID YOU

Fashion has been influencing lives of people all around the world in one way or the other. The fashion trend keeps changing according to the seasons and wants of the society at the times. It is taken as a mood lifter for most of the women. We all love fashion, but some of us are not as aware of some interesting fashion facts that prevailed in the history. Here are a few of them...

HOOP SKIRTSOn the other end of the leg-space spectrum when it comes to skirts, there is the hoop skirt or crinoline. The hoops under the skirt started out as a practical way to keep the legs free, be it for cooling purposes or to save women from tripping, and then caught on as haute couture. They’ve taken various forms throughout the years, including the pannier or ‘side hoop’ in the 18th century, which made the skirt into a sort of horizontal oval shape. Those and other grand circular ones are often so wide that it’s difficult to walk through doors wearing them.

MULLETSThe mullet isn’t exactly a historical fashion trend, as it’s still eminently possible to run into one on the street today. However, it had its biggest

moment in the 1970s and 1980s when many famous musicians like David Bowie and Paul McCartney started wearing them. The hair cut was referred as a famous description of ‘business in the front, party in the back.’

PERFUME CONESThese cones are thought to be made of perfumed animal fat, and they would gradually melt, releasing their pleasant scents as they went. If you imagine a warm roomful of people having come in from the desert sun with no deodorant, then you can probably imagine why these cones would have been so necessary!

CHOPINESChopines were originally used as a way to protect shoes from the mud and dirt off the street, but they gradually grew into a fashion item, also growing in height. The higher the chopine, the higher class the wearer; some chopines, therefore, were up

to 20 inches tall. While walking in them would have been quite treacherous for the novices, experienced chopine-wearers could even learn to dance in them.

EGYPTIAN EYE MAKEUPThe typical Egyptian eye makeup is the heavy black eyeliner encircling the eyes of pretty much everyone in the paintings. More than just looking fly however, this makeup, usually made of kohl, had a set purpose. The purpose of the make-up is to cut down on the glare from the sun.

BLIAUTSBliauts were dresses with extremely long sleeves mostly floor-length usually to indicate the inactive hands of societies upper ‘echelons.’ It was popular between the 11th and 13th centuries and was very trendy among the elites. The wearer couldn’t perform many domestic tasks; therefore, activities were limited to ones that didn’t require much movement of the arms, like crocheting and embroidery making.

MALE CORSETSMen wearing corsets is nothing new, as several notable men in history have been known to wear corsets or corset-like garments for therapeutic or aesthetic purposes. They were worn in the 19th century to promote proper upper body posture while on horseback, help soldiers fit into their uniforms, and to protect the spine if they were ever thrown off the horse. It also served to prevent the bruising of the kidneys as the soldiers were galloping along.

BY ISIOMA USIADE

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THISD Y Style Vol. 22, No. 9285 Sunday, October 11, 2020C O V E R

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EMBELISHED!It is all about the bling. Embellished dresses, skirts, pants tops and more take on a new look with mixed metals, gold, sequins, and beading. Intermixed details as you see below, such as chains, various sizing and mixed metals make these looks POP! Accentuate your embellished look with minimal or complimentary accessories to not look

over-done. This trend can work for the office but is stylish for a night on the town, gala, or big event. Although beautiful to wear, many of us shy away from such garments because of the special care they require. Many times these embellished articles of clothing don’t include special-care instructions for washing if the embellishments.

Discover tips for safely caring for embellished clothing including how to wash, iron and store these clothing gems for long-lasting fashion.

Determining Fabric and Embellishment The first consideration when washing embellished clothing is the type of fabric. Each type of material will have a different washing method. Next, look at what the embellishment is and how it was applied. For instance, clothing can be embellished with gemstone beads, feathers, sequins, Swarovski crystal beads, rhinestones and more. Embellishments can be applied in any combination of methods that include jewelry-making adhesives and glues, sewing, rivets or pronged ring settings. Oftentimes just turning the garment inside out will allow you to see the stitching, settings or small glue dots that may not be visible on the outside of the garment. If the garment is lined, you can feel the reverse side through the lining with your fingers to determine what application method was used.

Washing Embellished Garments We would recommend washing embellished garments inside out on a gentle cycle and tumbling dry on low. However, this machine method may loosen beads on embellished clothing, causing fine materials to snag and beads and crystals to lose their sparkle.

Typically, embellished clothing should be hand washed or sent to a dry cleaner to safely clean them. You will have more control if you wash the item yourself, by hand, inside out using warm water and a small amount of mild liquid detergent. Here are some tips for washing embellished clothing:

Avoid using hot water because this may shrink your fabric, soften adhesives or ruin the finish on beads.

Do not soak for more than a few minutes in order to protect the finish on your beads.

Gently knead and swirl the saturated embellished

garment in the sink to remove light soiling.For larger embellished garments, you may want to

use a bathtub to make rinsing easier.Do not twist or wring the embellished garment,

especially with sewn embellishments.Special care must be taken not to stretch, twist

or wring the fabric while washing, rinsing or drying because the tiny threads used to sew on the beads could break and you will lose portions of your beaded design. When the embellished garment is clean, drain the water and press your hands down onto the wadded garment to press most of the water out. There will still be a large amount of water in it, but a clever alternative to a lengthy drying time is to transfer a washed embellished garment to an empty washing machine and use the gentle spin cycle to remove excess water. Do not do this with velvet, because it can cause permanent creases in the pile.

OUTFIT BY LISA FOLAWIYO

OUTFIT BY LISA FOLAWIYO

OUTFIT BY LISA FOLAWIYO

OUTFIT BY ODIO MIMONET

OUTFIT BY ODIO MIMONET

OUTFIT BY ODIO MIMONET

OUTFIT BY LANRE DA-SILVA AJAYI

BY FUNKE BABS-KUFEJI

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S T Y L E & D E S I G N THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 9285 Sunday, October 11, 2020

THISDAY Style Vol. 22, 9285 Sunday, October 11, 2020S T Y L E & D E S I G N