BOLD MAGAZINE AFRICA

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BEING TIMINI “SHUGA”, LIFE AND OTHER STORIES

BLOW GONE WITH THE WIND FABULOUS IN MATTE LIPS

IT’S CHRISTMAS PERFECT GIFT IDEAS FOR HIM OR HER

Whol’up!

IT’S STEPHANIE

BOLD ONLINE NOW

Available in IOS and Android For more enquiries bebold@bmafrica.com

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C ON T E N T S I S S U E 1 - D E C E M B E R 2015

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E D I TO R S L E T T E R

C O N T R I B U TO R S

E D I TO R ' S P I C K A tiny bit of splurge and tons of steals as our editor in chief shares a few of her favourite things this season

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A R E M O B Y J ZO "Aremo" (Yoruba for Heir Apparent) A fashion editorial inspired by the modern day struggle of the affluent African Male to adopt a contemporary style while retaining his traditional identity featuring garments by menswear brand JZO and accessories from Tunde Owolabi Studios

I TS C H R I S T M A S Deck the halls with hand picked gift ideas for your loved ones this Christmas.

STE P H AN I E We get up close and somewhat personal with small screen presenter. She speaks about her move to Lagos, her style most especially her hair and what she really thinks about Nigeria’s Media industry

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LAGOS IN A C AFE Keside shares his thoughts on the love/hate relationship he has with the atypical city that is Lagos through a conversation at one of his favourite cafe.

B LO W Update your look with gone in the wind fabulous lips using latest ‘Mac’ matte lipsticks this season.

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OH WHITNEY Natural hair and beauty blogger Whitney Madueke rocks our favourite trends of 2015

POP Akintunde Disu tells us all about his cosy members only bohemian beach resort and how he uses this medium to help raise money for the kids in Ilashe.

TIMINI Actor, host and entrepreneur shares with us how Shuga educated him on HIV, if he could date a someone who is HIV positive, what type of girls he’s into and so much more

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L I F E ' S B E A C H AT P O P A fashion editorial shot at our new found favourite spot in Ilashe which features fabulous beach wears you should totally invest in this festive season.

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Bella

EDITOR'S LETTER

I S S U E 1 - D E C E M B E R 2015

Nigeria has undoubtedly become the most attractive country topic in Africa. On one hand the world has applauded the peaceful political transition with optimism and on the other hand, they watch bewildered by the corruption, low literacy rate and continued insurgency plaguing the country.

Anywhere else in the world, these conditions would be cautionary but Nigeria's appeal lies in this seductive schizophrenia. Our sheer size, resourcefulness and talent, if harnessed correctly, gives us the potential to truly become the African Dream, yet a huge battle still lies ahead to achieve our true potential.

One of the main drivers of our increased notoriety is the explosion of our creative industries over the last decade. Our pioneering music genre ‘Afrobeats’ is bridging the gap between western artists and Africa. We have undeniably taken over from South Africa as the hub of fashion in the continent and our film industry keeps growing in strength, size and quality.

In addition to this, the continued evolution of social media means that the line between African youth culture and the diaspora is rapidly disappearing, making it impossible for global brands to ignore the excitement being generated on our continent. The real question now is how to appeal to a vocal, inquisitive and proud youth segment with the fastest growing population in the world. www.bmafrica.com

This unique set of factors has led to the project you are now a part of. Bold is a publication where all facets of Nigerian youth and culture are embraced, explored and dissected. From sex, politics, and entertainment to fashion and economic stratification. The aim is to celebrate winners, unsung heroes and most especially the unusual suspects and that is why Stephanie Coker is our first ever cover personality. She is the perfect example of a modern African youth. This small screen personality is fun, impeccably articulate, beautiful and hardworking. Stephanie is young, hot, and getting it!

Timini Egbuson, actor, also gets in on the ‘hottie’ action as we put him on the spot and grill him for all the curious ladies out there.

The atypical city that is Lagos is reviewed through the eyes of one of the most promising writers we have come across in a while.

In between the features you'll also find amazing editorials; beauty, fashion, as well as gift ideas for the holiday season (you owe us).

We’ll now let you dive into our very first issue; we hope you enjoy reading as much as we enjoyed putting the issue together.

x

Bella December 2015

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E D I TO R I N C H I E F A N D C R E AT I V E D I R E C T I O N : AD E P EJ U B E LL A AD E LE KE

A RT D I R E C T I O N :

AD EMOLA OD USAM I & SOMTOC HU KWU OB I

S U B E D I TO R S :

OLUWATOYI N J OL APAM O & M OBOL AJ I L AM I D I

C O N T R I B U T I N G P H OTO G R A P H E R S A N D A RT D I R E C TO R : EMMAN U E L OLOW U & K ADARA E NYE ASI

DESIG N:

ANA OSPI NA & NIYI OKEOWO

T H A N K S TO :

AKI NTUNDE D ISU, AN D REE MARIE , AYOO L A BAK ARE , BABA AG BA , B U NM I OG E ND EG B E , D OL APO A J ALA , DO LAPO O KUN SAN YA , ED ITH N WAKENTA , J OSE PH I KE , J I M I AD ESANYA , KE LO OKE KE , KESI D E ANOS IKE , LADI MI C HAEL , LEYLARH C AD N E , N D IDI , OL A AKI ND E I ND E , PAPA TANG O, STE PHANI E COKE R , TI M IN I EGB US ON, TOSI N OG U NDAD EG B E .

PRESS ENQUIRES : b eb o ld @ b mafric a.c o m

C O P Y R I G H T 2015 B O L D M A G A Z I N E A F R I C A P U B L I C AT I O N S LT D

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Editor's Pick 1

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BY RE D O

A N YA H I N D M A RC H

Mojave Ghost’ Eau De Parfum

Smiley textured-leather continental wallet

3 C H R I S T I A N LO U B O U T I N So Kate 120mm suede pumps

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7 TO M FO R D Spanish pink

MCM

Milla tote mini 16

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T H I S S E AS O N I H AV E S P LU RG E D A N D SW O O N E D O V E R O N E , T W O O R M O R E I T E M S ; F R O M L I M I T E D E D I T I O N K I C KS , L I P S T I C KS S O C R E A M Y A N D S M O OT H T H AT F E E L S L I K E B U T T E R O N O N E S L I P S T O H E A V E N LY S C E N T O N LY A P A R I S I A N H O U S E C A N C O N C O C T. I C A N G O O N A N D O N E O N M Y E N D L E S S N E E D O F W A N T S ‌ H E R E A R E A F E W O F M Y FA V O U R I T E T H I N G S

4 DIOR

So real clubmaster-style sunglasses

5 D O LC E A N D GABBANA Frends embellished metallic leather

8 MOSCHINO Cleaning spray iphone 6 case

9 NIKE AIR MAX

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95 milan limited edition

SARAHS BAG Chill pill pastel pink clutch

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AREMO Art Direction & Photography

KAD AR A E N YE ASI Styling

T HE ST YL E I N F I D EL TOSIN OGUNDADEGBE Bags & Shoes

T UN D E O WO L AB I STUDIOS

BY JZO

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IT'S

Christmas

Rockstuds, Yeezys, So reals, Sac du jours, Black Orchid, Armani Prive… aren't the only choice of presents to buy this season. We have hand picked the very best of gift ideas that will cater for the fashionistas, “Aso ebi” racketeers, ‘Lagos big boys’ , regular weekend wedding attendants, cooperate ‘Sisi’s” and the “I just got backs”. Whether for him or for her there’s the perfect gift idea for family, frenemy and friends.

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FO R H E R

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1 Marni bracelet 2. Carat ring 3. Burberry eau de parfum 4. Marc by Marc Jacobs bag 5. Links of London bracelet 6. Miu miu sunglasses 7. Dune 8. Gianvito Rossi pumps 8. Byredo Hair Perfume 9. Linda Farrow sunglasses 10. Guiseppe Zanotti Wedge trainers 11. Linda Farrow 12. Mcm bag 13. Dune pumps 14. Moschino belt 15. Moschino Eau de Toilette 16. Alexander McQueen platform sneakers 17. Dune Sandals

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FO R H I M 1. Givenchy sweat shirt 2. Czech and Speake grooming kit 3. Leica camera 4. Tom Ford aviators 5. Mulberry Card wallet 6. Junghans Fine Watch 7. Alexander McQueen Bag 8. Alexander McQueen T Shirt 9. Byredo Eau de parfum 10. Saint Laurent sneakers 11 . Nike cortez 12. Tom Ford Eau de parfum 13 . Tateossian diamond encrusted bracelet 14. Dolce and Gabana briefs 15. Balenciaga clutch 16. Kingsman cufflinks 17. Officine Creative brogues 18. Rolex Encyclopaedia by Mondani 19. The Bronze Age of DC Comics hard cover book by Taschen.

20. Ferari book. Hard cover by Teneues.

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W H O L’ U P ! I T ’ S

STEPHANI Creative Director

B E LLA A D E LE KE Photography by

A D E M O LA O D U SA MI Make Up Artist

D E E B E A U TE B Y D O LLY

IE

Jacket: Marbek Body: H&M

When the idea of featuring Stephanie came up I was a bit worried about her turning it down, seeing as she has contacted me on a few occasions to work together but her efforts had been futile due to either timing or clashing schedules. She was quite eager to remind me that I was yet to reply her email in regards to collaboration when we spoke, so you can only imagine how on edge I was as we approached the proposed day of the shoot.

Born in Lagos, and raised in London, Stephanie Omowunmi Eniafe Coker is far from just a pretty face. The Brunel University Media and Communications Alumni has been working tirelessly on her craft with internships at MTV Europe, Channel 4 and Media Moguls in the UK. Her insidious climb on the fame and success ladder isn't based on sheer luck but on hard work, dedication and consistency. I was quick to render my sincere apologies and admit it was rude of me to not to have replied her message the entire time. Stephanie was not only pleasant but also ecstatic to meet my team and I on the day of the shoot.

It was a breezy summers afternoon and she was dressed comfortably in a pair of Nike joggers, jacket, shades and spotting an extremely warm, somewhat infectious smile that resonates warmth that can only be seen to understand. The encounter felt like an old friendship with a long lost friend being rekindled over coffee. Just then, I saw why the fast rising MTV Base Africa presenter, Close Up’s ‘I Love Naija’ show host and star of her Show, ‘Steph Rocks’ was fast becoming Nigeria’s favourite small screen personality.

Is it ok to assume that being a media personality has been your ultimate dream?

Spot on! Talking has always been my business, as a child, I was a very inquisitive. I loved meeting new people and found it very easy to strike up a conversation with almost anyone. It's great that my job allows me to travel the world, interview global superstars and remarkable people.

Your move to Nigeria, Has this always been the plan career wise?

Yes. I have always wanted to live in Nigeria. However my move was very impromptu, it's been an uphill battle but it has made me a stronger and more independent individual.

What are your thoughts on the entertainment industry in Nigeria? is it as harsh as they claim and ultimately biased to women especially dark skinned ones?

The entertainment industry in Nigeria has come far, but is still developing. I think there should be less importance placed on having a foreign accent and more on personality.

It's quite sad that the black media in Africa tend to portray light skinned women as more beautiful. It's far from the truth, and it needs to change. Beauty should not be tied to a particular complexion or race.

On a lighter note, lets talk about your style starting with your hair. Your hair is always braided more often than not. Is this some sort of brand identity move?

I am not particularly fond of weaves unless they are short. It has become part of my brand, I'm inundated with emails and messages about the hair I use and where I get my hair done. I might just start my own hair line. Wink* How would you describe your style?

Street meets chic with a bit of comfort.

What is your favourite item at the moment?

My Buscemi high top trainers

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Jacket: Mr Garbe Bag: Cassandra Verity Green Shoes: Adidas by Raf Simmons September December 2014 2015| |B LBAONLCDK MMAAGGAAZZI INNEE || 35 35

Shirt: Mr Garbe Shorts: Zara

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Top: Shade London Briefs: Calvin Klein Trousers: Studio_805

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STRE ET M E ETS CHIC WITH A BIT O F C O M F O RT.

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Now we know how much you like dares and being somewhat of a rebel within bounds. So we have a series of tongue in cheek questions we would like to ask you and you Can only answer by agreeing to either of the statement.

America or London? London London or Lagos? Lagos Island or Mainland? Island Black or White? White Guy with B.O or Bad Breath? Bad breath Peaches or Bananas? Bananas Apple or Andriod? Apple Ben and Jerry's or Hagen Daz? Hagen daz Clubs or Bars? Bars Mavin or YBNL? YBNL City or Suburbs? City Reminisce or Olamide? Olamide Lollies or Cones? Cones Single or Dating? Dating

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belife

www.mrgarbe.com

LAGOS IN A CAFÉ

By Keside Anosike Photography by Baba Agba

It's

a Friday afternoon, the first in ten weeks I have spent alone, and I am by the window of a café that has retained its registered smell, its flower patterned curtains, the same menu laminated and settled firmly by tiny bottles of dispensable spices. Outside the air is fresh; the sky saturated in its poignant blue, and the sound of a moving vehicle interrupts the silence of a village that is trying too hard to be a city. Down the road, you can find a local florist who is determined to arrange the petals on her flowers as many times as possible. She wears an Anarkali that sustains hints of sunlight with its beaded top, the edges of her hair curled and jet black, the eight digits of her mobile written in white chalk on a board. When she is not arranging her buckets of roses, or waving across to a familiar pedestrian, she sits idly by a stool with a modest contentment, as the cloud rolls away its blues.

speakerphone, as she welcomes the next customer over my shoulder. In the mornings before I went away, we would meet each other’s stares across the café and she would offer a childlike wink. It could have been a game among kids at a fun fare whose custodians are engrossed in exchanging couponing tips. By the time I sat down with my Panini and Appletiser, I contemplated telling her about Nigeria – who we are as a people, what we have survived, about the exhausting thrill of living in a country with a chaotic government, about the traffic in Lagos that often resembles a photograph of an old mechanic’s garage: each fender shooting out to touch the car in the next lane, even if that moves the car only one meter ahead, about the charm of those movie stars who stare out of large telecommunication billboards, and how the warm evening light against their eyes reminds me of loneliness.

Inside the café, I’m sitting with a glass of Appletiser, the napkin that I used on the boarders of my lips after eating a grilled piece of lamb is collecting the condensing drops of water from the glass that sits on it. I hugged the woman at the counter briefly, greeting her in the manner one does when meeting a familiar face after a hiatus.

I readied my smile, rehearsed the responses to her questions, and then released myself from her grasp. When did you get back? How is Africa? You bring food here? I say “lovely”, but do not tell her I did not visit the whole of Africa in ten weeks. I tell her how much I’ve missed her food, especially her chicken Panini; it was the polite thing to say to someone whose face is branded on my mornings here and on whose mornings my face is branded. She’s wearing the pink tank top she wears four or five times each week and her voice is still vibrant and strong, like something from a

There are stories to be told of Nigeria, human stories- real stories that do not chronicle our perpetual greed and bigotry; there are stories to be found in the eyes of the hawkers in traffic, the stories of perseverance, of hope; stories in the slippers they leave behind to chase a car with a passenger who has signaled interest in buying from them; stories in their sprint, in the tightening of muscles on granite that has been burned by the afternoon sun.

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privileges, but there is no such thing as a Nigerian privilege.

It is the least we expect, shouldn’t it- that something about us should propel people’s interest and doubts. President Muhammadu Buhari is on the privilege of faith, of sustaining our frail hope for change. Hilary Clinton is currently riding on her gender just in the way Margaret Thatcher did, albeit Ms Thatcher went ahead to make life unbearable for women during her time. Obama, on the splendorous air of being the first Black president of the United States, and yet there has never been a time wherein being black has been such a stain to human existence.

To be Nigerian, is to have nothing but hope. Nigeria – this delinquent child coming from the trauma of coup and a civil war has now become a disillusioned adult: aimless and visionless. There is a sense that there, at any moment, the ground could shift and everything would disappear; that our existence since 1960 might all just be part of some cosmic vanishing act. Some of us are lucky- we can afford to get on a plane and arrive and nestle under skies that look like crayons; we can understand that there isn’t an “i” in the pronunciation of the fashion brand Lanvin, but what does it mean for the others who have nothing but hope? A fragile belief in something still too distant to comprehend.

No one says that because they are Nigerian, they are entitled to certain things, but yet, every Nigerian prepares for a remarkable future. There is no space in which you are allowed to construct a less ambitious life. Before you can identify a stethoscope, you have been oriented to identify yourself as a doctor. It’s a hostile environment to nurture ambition, but as one dream fails, we fall asleep to dream again. We are a people All around the world, there are who are still too eager to be I catch the café owner’s wink again and I see myself suddenly pushing the table forward and getting up; I see me walking up to her and saying this: I did not go to the whole of Africa. I spent the last ten weeks in Lagos, the metropolitan state in Nigeria that is always so alive, much more alive than anyone here could ever be so that it begs to question the idea of mortality.

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THERE ARE STORIES TO BE TOLD OF NIGERIA, HUMAN STORIES- REAL astonished; we are waiting with stretched eyes to see into a future that we have envisioned.

It doesn’t stop seeming possible simply because there is a mark of failure, and so while we hope and wait to arrive at that future, we will be existing so that the next technology will be bought and owned, the fancy clothes worn; so the flashy cars lined up on the streets can be guarded by area boys outside the nightclubs on Friday nights as we ordinary people dance amidst bodies dripping with sweat, under disco lights and blue and purple faces. The café owner walks up to me to tick her mental list of hospitality: Do you want anything else? Are you okay? Did you enjoy your meal? Are you sure? It is the right time to sit her down and tell her about Nigeria, but this time, about Lagos; about the ten weeks I spent there. I could hold her wrist right now as she leans with both hands on the 48

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table and tell her that there was something so religious about the Friday nights in Lagos. I could tell her about those people out in the night air who are willing to suspend their worries, their failing dreams, their deep longings and personal unhappiness; people who have been subjected to hours of fluorescent lightning and taking calls and exhaustively sucking in the mood swings of egomaniacal narcissist managers just to earn a living. In my grip she might feel the electricity of those nights, the vibrancy could work its way into the layers of her skin.

There is a unified spirit that sweeps through Lagos city, powerful enough to hypnotize everyone, despite class. It’s one of the reasons I love Lagos, this: the ability to convert itself into miniature versions of miracles.

Lagos still remains one of those cities that may crash under its own delusions. Choke

in its air of lavishness and opulence with that struggling effort to persuade its growing multitude that there, there was an unending beauty, ever fresh, ever new, very cheap and within the reach of everybody. No matter how far away from it you are, you feel like you are missing out on a daily reminder that life contained a series of possibilities bubbling up everyday of the week from an inexhaustible well. There was always noise and yet, inspiration- even in the stillness of senseless traffic.

People all tensed and real, all agitated like electricity in the remorseless tide of a city outpouring in numbers and crimes. However I suspect that without these things, there would only be bus stops named after randomness: "ogogoro", perhaps where a woman sold the local gin to middle-aged husbands who went home too late; "Apple", perhaps where a boy sold fruits after a day at www.bmafrica.com

L STORIES THAT DO NOT CHRONICLE OUR PERPETUAL GREED AND BIGOTRY” school. There would be soil brown architectures in Marina that only reminds people of the ruthlessness of time, headlines that reminds them of their mortality, corrupt leaders blindly and selfishly thinning out the future. Without its weekly parties- those air kisses that carry a whiff of loneliness, the champagne belches (which I do miss, by the way) of the elites who gather to feign laughter and polite reactions; the fashion events that are in all likelihood an outlet where familiar people assemble to remind one another of what they are wearing; the luxury stores and art exhibitions that miniaturize glamour, Lagos will be the dull woman who, although doesn’t sell flowers, sits on a terrace timid and naked, just to take in breeze with every hole in her body and not submit herself to the view. It would be to me, an old entity that had decided that its usefulness has ceased www.bmafrica.com

to be in order simply because it has aged. I would tell the café owner, with the sincerity of time itself, that I would not love Lagos if I didn't feel it still held the possibility of dreams. I wouldn't hope for its redemption like a surfer nurtures plight for a wave.

“You look really well my friend.

Africa very good for you”, the café owner says and rubs my face with warm fingers. I search for compliments, quickly; it seemed to be the right thing to do. When an invited guest walks into your home and talks about the beauty of your flower vase, you scan her face for an earring and then go ahead to tell her they look beautiful. It’s a measure of faux grace that has existed since the beginning of humanity. I tell her that pink is a nice color on her.

tee shirt and slide my MacBook into my white tote. I am approached by the need to go and hug her goodbye- fully, feel the thickness of her skin around my torso, breathe in her spicy scent, but she is now with a new customer, a woman in a crop top and dyed red hair, and they are laughing the familiar laugh of people dispensing gossip. I take a final look at her. There she is, everything that Nigeria was: desperate, hopeful, and always ready. I shut the door silently with a thief’s caution and leave behind her laugh that was so full and undiluted, a laugh that I will try to remember all my life, and meet the kind of rain that falls so gently, you can only tell when you step into the tent of clouds.

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Creative Director

B EL L A AD E LE KE Photography by

A D E M OLA O D U SAMI Make Up Artist

B UN M I O G E D E N G B E OF NEON VELVET Hair

A Y O O L A B AKAR E O F RARE LOOK

BLOW /bləʊ/

VERB

G O N E W I T H T H E W I N D FA B U LO U S I N T H I S S E A S O N S M U S T H A V E M A C M AT T E L I P S T I C KS

W Mac; Candy yum yum Lipstick Soar Lip pencil

Diva Lipstick Burgundy Lip pencil

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Herione Lipstick,

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Sin Lipstick and Nightmoth Lip pencil

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TIMINI H E I S Y O U N G , G O R G E O U S A N D D E F I N I T E LY A S I G H T TO B E H O L D. W E M E T W I T H H I M ON A BRIGHT LAGOS AFTERNOON, AT T H E E KO H OT E L , FO R A Q U I C K C H AT A N D P H OTO S ES S I O N .

Photography by Kadara Wardrobe T.I Nathan

Full name Timinipere Egbuson Age 28 What you studied in University Psychology You are Famously known as Tobi from MTV's African hit series Shuga. How similar are you to that character?

At a point in my life I was almost identical to the character I played (Tobi). But there's a little part in the character that I'm sure every boy can relate to. Growing up, handling girl issues, learning to make mature and responsible decisions regarding sex, etc As a HIV awareness ambassador would you say now you have more understanding of the virus in terms of prevention and understanding towards positive carriers?

Yes definitely. The show has done a great job in educating us (the actors) and most importantly educating the general public. Prior to my involvement with Shuga I knew HIV existed but I didn't understand and acknowledge the fact that it is something that hits close to home for everybody one way or the other.

Could you date someone who is HIV positive?

I think I can. I've learnt a lot about the virus and I now know that there are ways to go around these things.

However, it's not an easy thing to do and it takes a lot of strength and dedication.

What kind of women are you into?

"I no get spec" *Laughs* I am into intelligent and interesting women. For me it goes way beyond the physical. Having a good sense of humour and being down to earth will definitely give a woman extra cool points with me.

Are you an arse or boobs guy?

I'm more of a fine face guy. I'm not really particular about the body parts and all of that. Just clean up nice and look beautiful. If you put a gun to my head and force me to pick one though, it'll be boobs. Lol Light skin or dark skin?

Urghh.. Don't see how it matters to people.

Natural hair or weave?

Urghhhh .. Nowadays I don't know the difference in fact.

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"I NO G ET SPEC" I ' M I N TO INTELLIGENT AND I NTE RESTI N G W O M E N . FO R M E IT G O ES WAY PAST TH E P H YS I C A L .

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Best First date you've been on so far?

We were in an Uber heading to see a movie but Lagos traffic didn't let that happen. We bought a few cans of Origin from some hawker (still in traffic) and had a real nice conversation. I like random things like that.

Do you believe in sex on the first date?

Especially if she's not a smash and pass?

I'm not going to come here to preach. I feel that if it feels right on the first date, by all means go ahead. Sometimes, with some people, it doesn't even feel right after months. It's more about chemistry but the safe thing to do is to take out time to be 100% sure so that you don't regret and add unnecessarily to your body count.

What do you think of the dating scene in Lagos?

It's very interesting. It’s the same all over the world to be honest; trial and error .Everybody trying to find love, it's just long sometimes because there is no fixed formula.

What are your vices?

Bad diet, too lazy to exercise, sleep too much, online shopping for things I don't really need, too much time on social media -snapchat is the 64

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worst and I am addicted to coffee How do you wind down after a long day?

Most of the time it's a glass of wine and my Instagram/Twitter timeline. I like to be alone with my thoughts.

You act, you host events and also you are a serial entrepreneur as you are one of the partners of Bang&Kosher (organisers of Mente de moda).

What would you say is your favourite or first love out of the three?

Acting is my favourite because it's a different experience every time and it comes most naturally to me.

Whats the long term plan for Timini, where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Alive .. Lol. Without giving out too much, I plan to be at the top in all the different things I'm involved in. We would have taken Mente de moda to at least 5 different countries in Africa and in acting I should have (by the grace of God) taken my talent to other film industries like Hollywood. Most importantly I hope to have settled down and be content. www.bmafrica.com

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Pop

“Lagos is the largest city in Nigeria, the second fastest growing

city on the African continent. A port city which originated on a collection of islands separated by creeks and protected from the Atlantic Ocean by barrier islands and long beaches. One of those long stretch of golden sand and clear blue sky is Ilashe which harbours a bohemian haven in the form of a cosy resort called Pop.

Akintunde Disu is a Chemist, Artist and Designer who also happens to own Pop tells us why this mini paradise is not just a haven for members but for the islanders too... �

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jay Olowu

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Tell me how it all started? You mentioned that you’re an artist, an entrepreneur and you’re a lot of things. What are those other things?

I studied chemistry at the University of Manchester about 10 years ago. And then I came to London and I worked in the fashion industry for a little while.

After I left university, I knew that I didn’t want to be a chemist, even though I loved chemistry. Because, the only jobs you could get as chemist was in ‘Boots’, unless I carried it onto a PHD level, and I didn’t love it that much. I went back to Lagos, to work for my family’s firm and they were having problems at that time. I worked there for 20 years, grew it and developed it to a level where I decided that I wanted to do more things with my life. I had a “if I had died what were the two things that I could’ve done and didn’t do?” if nothing changed, if I had the same circumstances. One of it was to spend more time at the beach, and the other was to be directly involved in the life of African children with education. I’m a big believer in education, and the power of education to change lives. And the power of one man as well to change so many people’s lives and it’s only through education that you can create that kind of explosion.

actually. I wanted to create a place that wowed children when they saw it. So I created a beach house called ‘Pop’, I named it ‘Pop’ for pop art. Because a lot of the murals on the wall and everything, were inspired by pop art. So after my kids went to school, I had this whole “epiphany”. They all went away and I was like “ok”, luckily I was still very young. I said “okay. What do you do with your life now? Do you just sit around?” Because when you have kids they become your everything, they become your social life.

So I started the beach club which led to the beachwear, because I wanted to influence the lives of the children in the schools, and being an entrepreneur, being a business man, I didn’t want to give anybody money and I wanted something that was easy for me to control. There were three things that I wanted, it needed to be unique, it needed to be complicated, and it needed to be accountable.

Why complicated?

Because you can’t replicate it easily.

Continues...

It needed to be unique, it needed to be of Nigeria, of Africa so when they see it; it’s automatically there.

I started spending more time at the beach; I owned We used ‘Ankara’, which is African it’s our own a beach house which I had developed for children paisley print. Being a chemist I came up with a way of 78

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waterproofing it, and the method of doing it is really complicated and you’d really need a beach to do it, otherwise a large factory. You need the sun; you need a lot of space.

We started working on the patterns. I’m a sailor as well, and I skim board. So I started developing patterns to suit each activity, things that I feel most comfortable in. We started with the women’s as well; it was a slow process of getting things that we know work. The shorts are a bit like Barbour jackets- when you have them they become your favourite. You know those pieces of clothes that you really just like?

The shorts really do just become like that.

You said initially the beach club is for kids, and now it has developed into something else, right?

It was for my kids, it was just private, and it was my house. It was designed for my kids and their friends, my nephews and nieces. It was always a place of “child-like-joy”.

What made you open it to “non-family members”?

A beach house is expensive to run, and it’s lonely on your own.

With the whole giving back how is that going so far?

This is our third year of being opened. The first year was just really us saying “we’re opened”, the second year was when we started experimenting on the label, trying to get it right. This year, when we started putting out the samples, even though we sold a lot, we’re not properly opened for retail; we’ve just been selling samples so to speak. We’ve raised about a £1,000. When you buy an item of clothing from us, each label we’ve got a unique distinct rubber label on all our products, each time one of those labels get put on anything, the villagers get around $2 for that label.

Why is that?

The trust that goes to give the money to the village gets the $2. $2 is a nice number to pick, at that point in time when we decided to give back to them. And it’s easy to follow it, because we know we ordered a thousand labels, and by the time we go through a thousand labels, we owe them $2,000. Even if you’re not there constantly, you can always monitor it, because it’s the labels. Nobody is going to buy a pair of shorts without the labels.

We sold about a thousand, which is just off the Instagram and Facebook, but mainly Instagram. And we sell a lot on sight. One of the schools on the island, their class room got blown away by a tornado about two days, so they could only have classes during the What are the facilities you have in there? dry season and not the rainy season, so we built a A swimming pool, tennis court, table tennis, sweets, classroom for them with that. It’s not only that we chalets, we’ve got kayaks, skim boards, masseuse, gave them money, we had to organise them, because running tracks, beach buggies you can hire, horses they had to do the other parts that money could not you can rent. ‘Ilashe’ is almost exclusive and most do for them. They had to provide the labour; they had beautiful part of the coast of Lagos and ‘Ilashe’ is one to do everything, which creates a sense of community of those places that the minute you get to it, you’re amongst them. So that is also part of what we do. just happy. There’s just a vibe to it. I’ve been to other beaches on the same stretch, and they don’t have that Hopefully when we launch properly, there are more vibe that ‘Ilashe’ has. It’s more than just a beach when projects that we are working on locally and we’re you get there, there’s a vibe. And of course, we’re at just trying to get it right. Just taking small steps and the forefront of trying to start this sort of, almost like trying to get that whole thing working, and to see ‘local tourism’ in Nigeria, to give people a place to how that goes basically. go in Nigeria; a weekend getaway, that doesn’t entail getting on the plane.

If anyone should go and visit ‘Pop’, what would be the thing that they have to do? That one thing you know We operate a members club, and our season starts that you have to do.Get your picture taken against in November and ends in April. In season we have one of the murals. People come there just to get their parties once a month that are opened to the members pictures taken, pictures against the background. of the public, where you pay to come and that gives That’s the one thing people want to do. Try and blag us time to assess if we like you or not. You can also an invitation to stay overnight. rent a chalet, you can rent a chalet at anytime and you can come. Because if we don’t like you, or you don’t like us, you can just sit in your chalet. As a In terms of food, what would you suggest? member you can come at anytime you want, for a Our surf and turf is legendary, it’s incredible. fixed fee. And members have to give back to the club; Definitely recommended. And then things to try – they have to work with us. We have DJs, chefs, sound try skim boarding, it’s a bit like skateboarding, but engineers, interior decorators, architects, sportsmen, you stand on the edge of where the waves meet the yoga instructors that are members; they sort of help. sand. There’s always a table tennis tournament going Gardeners, garden designers, financiers who are all on. We have epic tournaments that don’t stop. members.

You don’t live on the beach do you?

Not as much as I’d like to. But maybe three days a week. I’d like to do four to five.

LIFE'S BEACH AT PHOTOGRAPHY Obi Somto PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT Jay Olowu, STYLIST Toyin Jolapamo MAKE UP ARTIST Leylarh Cadne

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