Glam Africa Magazine: The Revolutionary Edition

VOL.5 ED.3 2019

THE evolutionary EDITION

FROM BIG BROTHER & DANCING ON ICE

AN INFLUENCER TAKEOVER ISSUE

MEET POWER COUPLE

R

MIKE & PERRI EDWARDS

Ovie Soko Colouring Outside the Lines

A PINCH OF

FINDING

The Right Hair Mask

Phuket

GLAMAFRICA.COM

PR

FASHION & STYLE | HAIR & BEAUTY | LIFESTYLE | TRAVEL

O

U

D

SP

O

N

SO

R

FOR YOUR HAIR

All the care you need this winter with Astral Intensive Moisturiser Astral is the perfect choice for all your beauty needs. Its intensive moisturisation can be used on your face, body and even as a make up remover. Astral has been tried and tested for more than sixty years and contains quality ingredients to help care for your skin.

Astral has recently launched a range of intensive moisturising body washes that are designed to create a creamy lather to leave your skin nourished and cleansed all day long. Available in Original as well as with naturally derived ingredients including; Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter and Coconut Oil. One reader, Fatima, said “The body wash feels so beautiful and still has that gorgeous clean Astral smell that reminds me of my childhood, it brings back so many memories!�

Shop the full range in Superdrug

WWW.IVYEKONGFASHION.COM

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CONTENTS THE REVOLUTIONARY EDITION

FASHION 22-23 Our Shopping Edit (Gifts for Him & Her) 34-38 5 Ways to Style Your Vlisco Dress 39-41 My Vlisco Family 43-45 Orange Culture: Reclaiming Africa's Stolen Identity Through Androgynous Clothing 46-47 The Dominant Trends for Spring/Summer 2020

BEAUTY 14 Stock Up On Your Skin Supplies For The Ultimate Glow 15-19 Double Take! Switch up your makeup in minutes 24-25 Fragrances You Need Right Now 26 5 Things You Didn't Know About Shea Butter

28 Beauty From The Past 49 The Braided Bunch 50-51 Finding The Right Hair Mask For Your Hair 54-55 Brands Revolutionising Makeup 93 My Beauty Secret: With Wunmi Bello

FEATURES 29-32 From Big Brother Naija & Dancing On Ice: Meet Power Couple, Mike & Perri Edwards 52 Social Media Crush 58-63 OVIE Soko: Colouring Outside The Lines 66-68 The Renaissance Men 70-71 D'banj The Legend: 15 Years On 77-79 The Rise of the ‘Boss Babe’: Phenomenal Women Successfully

Navigating A Man’s World 94 That ‘Train Date’ Guy: Meet Elvin Mensah 98 Quiz: 2019 In Celebrity

LIFESTYLE 12-13 What’s On Our Radar 57 Apps Changing Modern Day Small Businesses 73 Becoming Financially Independent: With Lala ‘Raee’ Raji 74-75 Women Wanting More What’s Your Status?

80-81 The Decade of Influencer Marketing is Not a Trend. It’sHere To Stay!

83-85 A Pinch of Phuket 87 Simplify Your Life & Declutter Your Space 88 Curating a Well Travelled Home 90-91 Healthy Eating on an African Diet

Glam Africa is published quarterly by SCO Group Ltd. 26 Bloomsbury Street, London, WC1B 3QJ | admin@scogroup.com | www.glamafrica.com PUBLISHER Chioma S Onwutalobi | ADVERTISING business@scogroup.com ACTING MANAGING EDITOR Desiree Masiela editor@scogroup.com | FASHION EDITOR Lithemba Villeman lithemba.velleman@scogroup.com ONLINE WRITERS Samuel Amegavi | Chisom Winifred Asogwa | editor@scogroup.com CONTRIBUTORS Sarah Tefera | Tumininu Olaoshun | Tolu Bakre | Lala Rae | Ashedzi Ayuba-Kuwu | Eniafe Momodu | Malitha Fernandes |

Glam Africa print version is currently distributed in the UK, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana and elsewhere via online sales GLAM AFRICA REPRESENTATIVE (BY COUNTRY) South Africa saoffice@glamafrica.com | Ghana ghoffice@glamafrica.com | Nigeria ngoffice@glamafrica.com TO SUBSCRIBE/PURCHASE www.glamafrica.com/magazine | Registered with the British Library ISSN 205-7516 © SCO Group Ltd LET’S GET SOCIAL |

@GlamAfricaMag

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TEAM LETTER 2019 has been a special year for so many reasons, and Glam Africa is bringing the year - and the decade - to a close with our most ambitious edition ever: The Revolutionary Edition. Where should we begin? If you've been a long-term reader of Glam Africa magazine, you'll know how much we love our reality shows. In this edition, the reality TV phenomenon is front-and-centre, with Love Island star Ovie Soko joining us for his first ever cover shoot, as well as an up-close and personal cover story that you won't want to miss. For our fashion cover, athletes-turned-reality stars Mike and Perri Edwards also sat down with us to tell all about life post-Big Brother Naija and their exciting plans for the future.

To pull off this one-of-a-kind issue, we said sayonara to our in-house editorial team (temporarily) and enlisted a diverse group of talented, young content creators for our first ever ‘digital takeover’, which sees online personalities including bloggers, presenters and YouTubers adapting their digital expertise for print media.

The results are phenomenal, from Lala Raee's 7 steps to achieving financial independence, to Shedzi's treatise on the rise of the girl boss, Grandy Kat's report on the black-owned brands revolutionising the make-up industry, and so much more. We're also taking the opportunity to celebrate some of the men taking bold steps to move Africa forward, as well as shining a light on one of our favourite Nigerian music icons, D'banj.

What else do you need? Advice to help you get ahead of holiday shopping for your significant other(s)? Check.

Beauty and skincare secrets that will up your #nofilter game? Look no further. Very few publications can boast such a diverse range of content, and whatever it is you're looking for, GA has got you covered. We might as well have called this ‘The Egalitarian Issue’, because there really is something for everyone.

Have a merry Christmas and a fantastic 2020!

THE GLAM AFRICA TEAM Words by Eniafe Momodu

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GLAMAFRICA.COM HOME | FASHION | LIFESTYLE | BEAUTY | CELEBRITY | CULTURE

LIFESTYLE Career, Travel, Relationships, Health, Food & Body

ART & ENTERTAINMENT Art, Music, Movies, TV and More

FASHION Fashion news, ideas, tips, trends, runway report, lookbooks, street style, Glam readers’ style and much more

HAIR & BEAUTY Tutorials, Product Finds & Reviews

LOG ON AND JOIN US NOW AT GLAMAFRICA.COM

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THE DIGITAL TAKEOVER In this special edition of Glam Africa magazine, we enlisted the help of a few Digital Content Creators and African Caribbean Society (ACS) members to give this revolutionary edition of the magazine a fresh perspective. Let’s meet the talent behind the takeover ... @sarahtef_

Sarah is a Human Sciences student at University College London, and the Vice-President of the AfroCaribbean Society there. She enjoys writing poetry, playing sports and is an active member at the church.

Tumi is a history teacher in the City

@knowingbetterdoingbetter

of London, a youth leader at Jesus House church, and author of 'What They Don’t Tell You About Being Single', a personal account of dating from the perspective of a personal twenty-something year old Christian with practical advice on how to

Sarah Tefera

better enjoy the single season.

tolubakre.blogspot.com

Tolu is a lifestyle, culture and social news journalist with a passion for all things beauty and self-development.

Her 2019 resolution was to prioritise the things that mattered most by controlling the things she consumed, as well as her time and productivity levels, using apps to monitor this.

Tumininu Olaoshun

@Lalaraeee

Lala is an entrepreneur who within a few years, successfully turned her side business into a full-time enterprise allowing her to quit her £50,000 a year job and buy an apartment at the age of 25. Today, she uses social media to inspire her 100,000+

Tolu Bakre

followers.

@Shedziofficial

Ashedzi Ayuba-Kuwu

This once corporate city girl is a fastrising award-winning TV personality and host based in London, who has been featured on various media platforms including the BBC. Shedzi is a self-proclaimed “classy, sassy and stylish” character, and is also a fashion content creator and creative director.

Lara ‘Raee’ Raji

@eniafemomodu

Eniafe is a Philosophy and Economics graduate from the University of Leeds.

This budding media personality keeps busy with his work as a creative director, writer, photographer and public speaker (among other things).

He is currently the head of visual creative content at Glam Africa.

@olivia_gold

Olivia is a brand marketer,

Eniafe Momodu

fashion influencer and founder

@grandykat

of Life Of A Marketing Girl, an

Olivia Gold

Grandy is a new Fashion

online community that connects,

Management Graduate, a stylist

inspires and encourage career

and content creator. Her well-curated

growth and confidence for young

social media pages inspire style for

women in marketing. With over

the adventurous. She has collaborated

8 years of expertise in fashion

with international brands such as Dior,

and entertainment, Olivia’s love

Converse and River Island, and on

for fashion and creating chic style content has seen her work with

occasion can be found serving style in Grandy K

double doses with her equally stylish

global brands including ASOS,

sister.

Wolford, Nike and Levi’s.

Follow this edition on social media #GlamAfricaRevolutionary

4 THINGS WE LEARNED WHILE WRITING THIS ISSUE… CHIOMA ONWUTALOBI, PUBLISHER ‘Your dreams are achievable, but you do need to take the first step’

MALITHA FERNANDES, BRAND PARTNERSHIP MANAGER

@chiomaonwutalobi

@lithembavelleman

LITHEMBA VELLEMAN, FASHION EDITOR ‘Trends are not a real thing (but I already knew that): just be yourself’

CHISOM WINIFRED ASOGWA, ONLINE WRITER

@mals1210

'Change is no longer a futuristic idea, it is now and it is reachable'

@chisomwinifred

9

OUR

RADAR

FASHION & STYLE

HOUSE OF SUNNY Sustainability is at the heart of ready-to-wear fashion brand, House of Sunny, who are committed to producing small runs of each collection in a bid to act against fast fashion. They produce two seasonal collections a year which allows them to spend more time researching and sourcing sustainable fabrics.

TO HELP YOU GET AHEAD OF THE CROWD, WE’VE HAND-PICKED A SELECTION OF THINGS TO HAVE ON YOUR RADAR BEFORE EVERYONE

CRISTINA MARTINEZ The New York-based artist is part of a recently established generation of artists who produce incredible, Instagram-friendly work. Her artwork is abstract, bold and incredibly colourful. If you’re into playful contradictions then Cristina is your go-to girl to watch.

ELSE CATCHES ON.

ON

WHAT’S

GYPSY BK LLC

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The undeniably cool, self-titled bohemian brand Gypsy BK LLC by Anishka Boozer manages to turn accessorising on its head with simple yet striking repurposed vintage pieces that you truly wouldn't be able to get your hands on anywhere else.

From chunky statement gold hoops with a twist to versatile arm cuffs, this your go-to brand if you are looking to step up your accessorising game.

AFRO NATION GHANA 2019* Afro Nation – the biggest urban music beach festival in Europe –is back, but this time its heading to Ghana as part of the Year of Return celebration.

Scheduled just after Christmas on December 27 at Laboma Beach, the festival is arguably one the hottest events of the year, with an impressive lineup of music heavyweights from Ghana and Nigeria, two of the countries regarded to be the hub of Afrobeat.

RIHANNA’S VISUAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY Rihanna‘s much anticipated visual book invites you into her world with this stunning visual autobiography. From her Barbados childhood to her worldwide music tours, to her

iconic fashion moments and time spent with friends and family.

The book showcases 1000 intimate photographs of her life as an artist, performer, designer, and entrepreneur. Many of these images have never before been published.

Do not miss out.

RIHANNA retails at £112.

ACCRA ART WEEK* This show is pretty new on our radar but we love the theme and what it stands for. Accra Art week celebrates a wealth of Ghanaian creative arts whilst boasting a good selection of exhibits from other artists in Africa. The one-week celebration taking place on December 17th to 22nd is an event not to be missed.

The opening exhibition will be held at the Apartmento Hotel, No 3 Agbamo Street, Airport Residential.

LOLLY ADEFOPE 2 AT THE SOHO THEATRE You can stave off the winter blues with Lolly Adefope at the Soho Theatre this November. She is an up-and-coming character performer who sold out at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Lolly 2 sees the comedian transform from an over-the-

top Loughborough University fresher to out-of-touch cultural “coordinator” Damien Speck before launching into an audition for the role of “black Hermione” in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – all while making her own witty quips about race, feminism and more.

Showing at the Soho Theatre, November 28 to December 3.

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HAIR & BEAUTY

STOCK UP ON YOUR SKIN SUPPLIES FOR

THE ULTIMATE GLOW Ladies, as we become ‘wiser’ and age gracefully, there are key steps to your skincare routine that must become a staple. Stock up on the latest products that will keep your skin supple and fresh.

FACE WASH SIMPLE FACE WASH, £1.50 AT TESCO This facial wash is an important gel ideal to use each morning to gently cleanse and refresh your skin for the day ahead, or in the evening to help wash away the day's dirt and impurities. The special blend of ingredients, including ProVitamin B5, helps to soften and gently cleanse skin; the gel formula feels lightweight and refreshing, and it is 100% soap-free.

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TONER - GARNIER ROSE WATER, £1.59 AT SUPERDRUG Rose water has antiinflammatory properties that can help reduce the redness of irritated skin, get rid of acne, dermatitis and eczema.

BY OLIVIA GOLD

NIGHT OIL SERUM KIEHL’S MIDNIGHT RECOVERY CONCENTRATE, £38 AT KIEHLS.CO.UK

SERUM - KIEHL’S NIGHTLY REFINING MICRO-PEEL CONCENTRATE, £41 AT KIEHLS.CO.UK

This step is a key part in your night routine, as it visibly restores the appearance of skin by morning. When you wash your face and tone, you remove a lot of oils from your skin, this night serum helps to rebuild the oils leaving your skin plump and fresh for the next day.

This is a night serum that exfoliates with a gentle facial peel for smoother, more radiant-looking skin. It works overnight and helps to refine and smooth the look of uneven skin texture.

HAIR & BEAUTY

DOUBLE TAKE!

Switch up your makeup in minutes PHOTOS CREDITS Photographer: Cloee @cloeephotographer Makeup artist: Yaya Williams @mzyaya Hairstylist: Ronnita B. Huff @therbexperience Styling: Lynda E. @altezzebelleConcept

‘If 'natural beauty’ is your thing work a minimal, natural makeup look in the day, with a clean eye, lip balm and slick of mascara.

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Turn your daytime look into something sizzling for the night by building up the bronzer around your cheekbones and temples.

*double snap!*

SUGGESTION Go from work to werk by building up the bronzer around your cheekbones and temples.

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Subtle smoky eyes can be casual so long as you keep your pout equally soft and in a low-key colour

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Want to glam it up?

Deepen that eyeshadow in the crease and outer corners, now use a deeper colour on your lip to create that intense look.

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KEMI LEWIS

How the Queen Of Natural Hair Updos

Kemi Lewis, regal in her appearance, resembles how most African queens are depicted: with bold, gravity-defying updos that somehow emit a sense of increased power through mere hair styling alone. No wonder she is the ‘Queen of natural hair’ in Nigeria. Owning a chain of natural hair salons called KL's Naturals, starting a natural hairstylist academy and even publishing a 101 crash course e-book on natural hair, Kemi’s empire is reforming millions of women’s relationships with their hair across the globe.

Previously a lawyer, Kemi found herself feeling a lack of inspiration and craved the challenges of starting and running a successful business. One day in 2013 while chatting with her friend Amanda,

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she said, “Kemi you’ve always been good at doing natural hair, there are a lot of people going natural now. Why not start there?”

An “aha!” moment for Kemi, she knew her friend was right. At that time, hairstylists specialising in natural hair were few and far between, and Kemi had developed a love and skill for growing and styling natural hair in college.

Kemi’s own natural hair transition is a story most of us can relate to. She grew up on relaxer and it would break and never grow. One day she decided it was enough: “My transition was actually accidental.

I grew up seeing women with long hair and I wanted that too. It eluded me though; it never grew past this one point on my shoulders. And there was little to no knowledge on healthy hair practice.

I mean, I had relaxer in my hair from

since I was 9 years old, never knowing what my natural hair looked like! Then in 2011, I decided I was going to conquer it! I started being deliberate about what I was doing to my hair; how I detangled it, what products I used, etc. I had seen a blogger who managed to grow her hair so long it reached the bottom of her spine, so I signed up to her page and learned about everything I was doing wrong. A completely different world was opened up to me.”

After about 8 months of being deliberate about the growth of her hair, Kemi relaxed it and realized how long it had grown — it had passed her shoulders!

This motivated the then natural newbie to pursue her hair growth journey.

Fascinated by how long it could grow in its natural state, Kemi quickly became the Queen of DIY hair, becoming just like the trendy YouTubers today that experiment with things like rice-water conditioners and coconut oil mixes, something she now advises against:

ADVERTORIAL

S

s Built an Empire “Speaking from experience, when you DIY, you are putting the health of your hair in the hands of someone online who recommends a process that hasn’t been tested in a controlled lab. You take risks based on their lucky strike that might not necessarily work for your hair. Also dosage is everything, with hair salons, something I graduated to, over a long time of trial and error, you know and can trust that the treatments are tried and tested - some scientifically. Each dosage is measured and based on your personal requirements.”

KL's Naturals, the first all-encompassing natural hair salon in Lagos pioneered

by Kemi, blew up soon after its doors opened in 2013. Kemi recalls how she had underestimated the demand for her services and had to quickly adapt.

“Although I had a great business plan for KLS Naturals, I was so excited about it after chatting to my friend that I would read and perfect it every night for the 5 months before I opened it, however I wasn’t ready for the influx of customers and hadn’t strategized massive growth so soon. I thought we would start slow and gradually build up like the market reflected at the time. But because we were one of the very first natural hair salons, once people started to hear about it, our phones were ringing all day.

We now had more clients than we could cater to - a good problem to have, but a problem nevertheless! We had to think bigger and looked at areas we could invest in that already had a client base.

One of them was a location that was a long drive from our first salon and we’d often hear our clients complain about the lengths they took to get to us. So we listened and opened our second salon and have been growing into other areas since!”

Part of the reason KL's Naturals became sought after was the sense of cooperate culture that all the stylists have. Kemi’s secret was to instil pride into her team, creating in-house brand ambassadors that would take the gospel of KL's Naturals everywhere they went.

"Indoctrination," she says with a laugh.

"If you can create a cult out of your team, no one can poach them, no one can tell them anything negative about the brand, because they ARE the brand.”

This was what sparked the academy project. Natural hair enthusiasts from around the world were knocking on KL's Naturals’ doors, wanting to know how they too could achieve success, whether for personal hair care at home or to start their own business.

BY BOIPELO JEAN CHABABA

REACH KL'S NATURALS Address: 11A KAYODE OTITOJU, OFF ADMIRALTY RD, LEKKI PHASE 1, LAGOS, NIGERIA Telephone: +2348093308866 Website: KLSNATURAL.COM Instagram: @KLSNATURALS

Klshairacademy.com was born as a response to many complaints from women who didn’t know what to do with their natural hair. It’s one thing to go natural, it’s another thing to confidently wear and style it every day. Kemi Lewis knew that once you teach people how to find inspiration in technique, then you open doors for more inspiration. The growth of social media soon became an integral part of her business model.

“Instagram was such a huge blessing for my business, because I could just take a picture and upload it, then suddenly it’s, ‘OMG! How did you do that? How do you get your hair to grow that long?’

And then I could easily lead them to one place to learn all about who we were and what other services we could offer them.”

The impact of KL's Naturals has reached as far as the US, Europe, South Africa and the UK, a reach that Kemi attributes to the professionalism of her entire company.

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GIFTS

for Her

JO MALONE LONDON

1

POMEGRANATE NOIR TRAVEL SCENTED CANDLE £23.00 at JoMalone.com

Get her one of Jo Malone’s cult-favourite scented candles,it’ll fill her home with a blend of fruity smells and unexpected blend of Casablanca and patchouli — a must-have for any scent snob.

ROSE GOLD

SIMPLEHUMAN SENSOR MIRROR

12cm - £119.99 at johnlewis.com If she's an Insta-obsessed makeup pro, then she won't get enough of this compact mirror. It's equipped with a sensor that lights up when your face is near it and its brightness can be controlled which means that she'll always nail her beauty looks on the go.

What do you get a girl who seems to

BYREDO’S SLOW DANCE

have it all? Lucky for

EAU DE PARFUM

you, we've found

£110 a selfridges.com

some of the most

If you're aiming to please a luxury fragrance lover, then look no further than this Byredo Slow Dance scent.

thoughtful gifts to help you get started.

PAT MCGRATH LAB LIPBALM £33 at selfridges.com Get her this Pat McGrath Mini Lip Fetish lip balms set of three to satisfy her fixation with a kissably-soft pout.

KIEHL'S HEALTHY SKIN ESSENTIALS GIFT SET

£52 at johnlewis.com Being a woman is hard work, but this luxurious healthy skin set will go a long way to make her smile and keep her skin looking healthy.

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3

4

5

ONE MACHINE

£149.00 at johnlewis.com

2 3 4

5

for Him

GIFTS

1

NESPRESSO LATTISSIMA

For ‘The Highly Caffeinated’. You know what they say: buy him coffee and you caffeinate him for a day; get him a coffee machine and you caffeinate him for life.

NIKE AIR JORDAN 1 MID SNEAKERS

£84.95 at nike.com For ‘The Sneakerhead’. Warm your way to his heart with this fresh pair of comfortable and stylish kicks. These Nike Jordan’s are stylish enough to elevate any basic jeans and sharp enough to give a tailored chino some attitude.

When it comes to buying holiday or birthday gifts, the

MOSCOW MULE CARRY-ON

people hardest to

COCKTAIL KIT

£18.65 at uncommongoods.com Whether you're celebrating an anniversary, birthday or just want to say thank you, go the extra mile and spoil his cocktail bar with this sleek cocktail kit.

shop for are often the ones you know best.

To help you along, we’ve hand-picked 5 of our favourite gift

APPLE WATCH SERIES 5

SILVER ALUMINIUM WITH WHITE SPORTS BAND

ideas for him.

£399 at apple.com The gift of time. Make sure he is never late for date nights with this cool, sporty offering

by Apple.

MOPHIE POWERSTATION PLUS 10000

UNIVERSAL BATTERY WITH LIGHTNING CONNECTOR £89.95 at apple.com For the one always-low-on-charge. Does he always forget his charger at home? If yes, then why not help him feel more organised for those times that a dead battery gets in the way. This portable charger will save the day.

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HAIR & BEAUTY

FRAGRANCES

You Need

RIGHT NOW

POPPY & BARLEY £48 FOR 30ml, at jomalone.com Packed in a cream and black box, this cologne has a floral scent, enhanced by rose, violet and blackcurrants. It has base notes of barley, bran and white musk working beautifully together to create a subtle, yet long-lasting fragrance.

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MEMOIRE D'UNE ODEUR EDP, £54 FOR 40ml, at gucci.com Exploring the power of memories and living in the present, this perfume presents a universal scent that goes beyond gender. Its mix of Roman Chamomile and coral jasmine, and base notes of Vanilla and noble woods creates a fresh, unisex scent.

IDÔLE EDP, £38 at kiehls.co.uk For the dreamer who defies expectations.

This perfume comes in a sleek refillable bottle, thin enough to fit into your back pocket. It contains notes of rose, jasmine and chypre which creates a gentle, refreshing and alluring scent.

JENNIFER LOPEZ PROMISE EDP, £41 at kiehls.co.uk A delicious mix of Italian Tangerine, Pink Berries, jasmine and honeysuckle, this perfume, with crystalized amber base notes is for the powerful woman.

Having a signature fragrance helps to create a unique personality.

People recognize you are in the room, even before you speak. If you are on the hunt for a new fragrance that suits your personality, then kick back and read on.

FEVER EDP £36.55 FOR 40ML at jimmychoo.com With a mix of black plum nectar, vanilla orchid and jasmine is for the glamorous and seductive woman with a playful energy -- even the outer packaging is reinterpreted with a metallic plum effect.

AQUA ALLEGORIA COCONUT FIZZ EDT, £56 FOR 75ml, at debenhams.com Picture yourself in a tropical garden, with the spirit of coconut water and fresh fruit like bergamot, watermelon and citrus, this exotic and luminous Eau de Toilette should make you feel pure.

HER EDP,

LA PANTHERE EDT,

£96 FOR 100ml, at uk.burberry.com

£73 FOR 50ml, at cartier.co.uk

This perfume comes in a luxurious yet understated bottle and contains contains luminous plum blossom notes, sparkling mandarin, creamy sandalwood and comforting musk notes that conveys warmth and depth.

A captivating fragrance for the free-spirited and charming woman, ’ofty gardenia and crystalline musk meet in a misty creation with a soft velvety musk.

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SUPPLE SKIN Shea butter has a soft consistency that is especially kind to the skin. It is very rich in vitamins A and E, which help balance, moisturise and soothe skin, and vitamin F that helps revitalise damaged skin.

NATURAL HAIR GROWTH Using shea butter for natural hair growth, makes perfect sense, and is used in many hair care products due to its special ingredients that work not only for protecting the hair but also to restore it. A personal favourite is the mixture of shea butter and coconut oil, I usually feel like I just fed my hair a very good meal because then it’s soft, no tangles and more "manageable".

5 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW about SHEA BUTTER Shea butter has been used as cosmetic and therapeutic skincare lotion for thousands of years. Its origins go as far back as Cleopatra’s Egypt, where it was carried in large clay jars for cosmetic uses.

Here are 5 things you never knew about shea butter: NATURAL HAIR GROWTH, SHINY EYES, CHEEKBONES, MOISTURIZING YOUR LIPS AND SKIN.

CHEEKBONES Our cheeks have a huge impact on how we look. Shea butter is high in fatty acids that can help improve the elasticity of the skin. Moreover, the vitamin E in shea butter helps tighten the skin to give the cheeks a firm yet chubby appearance. Use this remedy a few times a week.

SHINY EYES Eyes are not only windows to our soul, they are also windows into our age and skin health. The skin around the eyes is very thin as it does not have any sebaceous glands of its own, and so the collagen in that specific area of the face is very easily damaged. It is very important that we take extra special care of this precious area of our face. Shea butter offers us the perfect healing and antiageing eye balm to keep our eye skin soft, plump, bright, and protected.

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MOISTURISING LIPS Once you try shea butter on your lips, you will never go back. shea butter protects your lips from cold, dry weather, keeping them soft and supple all year round.

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The Melanin SkinCare Bible YOU NEED IN YOUR CORNER

BEST SELLING PRODUCTS:

ULTIMATE FACE SERUM This lightweight dark spot serum is great for removing hyperpigmentation, acne scars and evening skin tones.

BE TRANSCENDENT MINI GLOW PACK This is an easy 3 step routine, cleanser, toner, moisturiser. There is one for every skin type, dry/normal, oily, and combination - and the great thing is it’s all natural!

BOTANYCL VITAMIN D3 The perfect capsules for any one with dull skin and for those who are prone to vitamin D deficiency.

Skincare can be complicated, especially for women of colour.

There aren’t a lot of brands that provide skincare products exclusively for melanin-rich skin. We often have to try different products and brands before we find the one that glorifies our black beauty.

Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a melanin skincare bible? The one place to shop for skincare products, get skin care tips, and find products from different brands that cater to major skincare concerns such as: hyperpigmentation, dark spots, eczema, dehydration, acne, dull skin (Vitamin D deficiency), oiliness, uneven texture and so on.

Well this is Santa season and we are granting wishes! We found this amazing brand that operate on 4 Es: Ease, Educate, Enhance and Ethical.

According to the founder; I love to promote self-love and a healthy lifestyle because I was once a young lady who couldn’t walk out of the house without makeup and lived a very unhealthy lifestyle. What helped me was reading encouraging words, books, changing my diet and staying consistent with my skincare.

This significantly improved my appearance, confidence and lifestyle. I want to provide the same for Rich Skxn (RS) community.

Products sold through Rich Skxn are for all types of people, mothers, children, wellness chics, professional women, young girls, grown ladies.

'Skin school', a section on their website, educates people on what to consider purchasing products maintaining a healthy glowing skin through improved lifestyle, and so much more.

Rich Skxn is a health-inclined beauty brand that provides women of color with effective, clean skincare products, amazing skincare tips and help to build people'sMomodu confidence @EniafeMomodu Eniafe

Photography & creative direction:

Styling: Fayosola Aina @fayo_ths Makeup: Jo'ville Makeup Studio @jovilleofficial Hair: KL's Naturals @klsnaturals GET IN TOUCH

You know we are all about the glam life, SO GET ON BOARD WITH RICH SKXN

and get your glow on.

about their appearance from the inside as well as out.

WWW.RICHSKXN.CO.UK @RICHSKXN 27

HAIR & BEAUTY

Classic Beauty NEVER FADES

BY OLIVIA GOLD

The old school make-up trends making a comeback in our make-up bags.

1

EXAGGERATED EYE MAKEUP

THE VINTAGE RED LIP The red lip has been the ultimate power beauty look throughout beauty history. The vintage red lip made it to mainstream screens since the 1950s as seen on actresses from Grace Kelly to Marilyn Monroe. Since then, many lipstick trends have become beauty must-haves , however, without fail, red lips is a timeless winner and has been rocked more recently by the likes of Lupita Nyong'o, Michelle Williams and even Queen Bey.

LOWER EYE LASHES

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Historically, bright and exaggerated eye-makeup was used in ancient tale movies such as Cleopatra. In today’s beauty worldyou can always count on beauty YouTubers like Jackie Aina, Makeup Shayla and many others to come through to show us how to wear a bold purple or a bright orange and even a harsh blue eye palette. Today, eye shadow has become a staple for a perfectly beat face.

3

Did you know that lower eyelash extensions are a thing? Well, iconic British model Twiggy dominated the fashion industry by having such amplified eyelashes. Today you can most likely assume that your favourite influencer is now part of the lower eyelash line committee!

4

VISIBLE LIP LINER This popular iconic perfect lip from the 90’s runway is now the beauty standard for a flawless lip finish. This look is hot and super easy to do: simply use , a light-coloured lipstick along with a dark/ deep lip liner to create this go-to lip combo.

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5

THE BUSHY BROW

Gone are the days of thin eyebrows — we can proudly say that brow trends are back to its natural state! There is no need to feel insecure about not having the perfect shape, as eyebrows are not twins anyway, just sisters!

FASHION PHOTOS CREDITS Photography & Creative Direction: Eniafe Momodu @eniafemomodu Styling: Fayosola Aina @fayo_ths Make-up: Jo'ville Makeup Studio @jovilleofficial Hair: KL's Naturals @klsnaturals

from Big Brother Naija

& Dancing on Ice MEET POWER COUPLE MIKE & PERRI EDWARDS

PHOTO CREDITS

Photography & Creative Direction: Eniafe Momodu @eniafemomodu Styling: Fayosola Aina @fayo_ths

BY ENIAFE MOMODU

Make-up: Jo'ville Makeup Studio @jovilleofficial Hair: KL's Naturals @klsnaturals 29

R

eality TV shows give everyday people the chance to escape from the monotony of everyday life and delve into a world far removed from their own, full of non-stop drama and excitement - so it's easy to see how millions of people get swept into the annual phenomenon known as Big Brother Naija.

This year, Mike Edwards, an athletet u r n e d - e n t r e p r e n e u r, decided it was his turn to step into the BBN spotlight, and after a successful run on the show and finishing as 2nd runner-up, Mike left the house with a lot to look forward to. Since then, Mike has been making the most of his newfound fame. He's signed a management deal with EME Management (owned

by Banky W and Tunde Demuren), received gifts ranging from iPhones to Rolexes, and has even teased a new shoe collection under his brand "Aireyys". The day we sat down

Eniafe: Mike, you got married just before you left to do Big Brother Naija. Why did you decide to do BBN, especially just after becoming a newlywed?

Mike: I went on the show to take advantage of the opportunity of a lifetime. It was a once in a lifetime experience to be able to do something like this. We were newly married, there were a lot of bills to be paid, so it was really just a mutual decision between us. We thought it would be a great opportunity for us, for our future, so we decided not to shy away from it. It was obviously daunting, but we were also really excited about the possibilities that could come if it went well and the rest is history.

Eniafe: I mean, Perri, you got married in May, he left for BBN in June so you were apart for months. What was that experience like for you? Were you sad about him leaving or were you just 100% happy and supportive?

Perri: When Mike told me about Big Brother Naija I was all for it. I was like, "these opportunities don't come often, go through the process, see how far you get", and then he got selected so I said "you've got to do this". I was supporting him throughout. Like you said, he left just three weeks after we got married. Our relationship sometimes can be quite distant.

Sometimes I'll be in the States training, and he'll be in another country, or he'll be in the States as well but in a different city or time zone. But we always make it work so I thought "this is gonna be easy, it's fine, go for it". Of course, actually going through it was very different. You can't prepare yourself for anything like that. The fact that I couldn't just pick up the phone 30

for this interview, Mike was looking forward to his first ever meet and greet in Lagos, followed shortly by another in Abuja, both of which were well-attended by dozens of fans, admirers and well-wishers.

U

nlike your average contestant, Mike had no intention of hooking up with anyone inside the Big Brother house. In fact, Mike has already found everything he's ever wanted in a partner, in his wife, Perri.

Just weeks before he left for the Big Brother house, Mike and Perri tied the knot during a picture-perfect ceremony in Buckinghamshire. Perri supported Mike tirelessly every step of the way, and continues to be his number one cheerleader. The happy couple have so much in common that they’re both convinced they were destined to cross paths, one way or another. Also an athlete, Perri has been to the Olympics, the World Championships and everywhere in between. Perri isn’t exactly new to the reality TV life either, having joined popular British TV series ‘Dancing On Ice’ as a contestant in 2018. Now, she's taken a little impromptu break from her life in the UK to explore the Nigerian entertainment space with her husband. It's been an interesting year for this hot, new power-couple, so we just had to sit down with them to discuss their relationship, life post-Big Brother, living the Nigerian dream and a whole lot more.

and call my husband, have a FaceTime chat, the only way I could see him was to open my laptop and watch the show.

But you know, I was handling his social media at the time and so just seeing the love and support that he was getting while he was inside the house, I was like "wow, if Mike only knew".

I wished I could just call him and tell him how well he was doing. That's what kept me going, knowing that at the end some good would come from it.

Eniafe: So, how long ago did you come to Nigeria?

Perri: Well, I flew out here for the finale of Big Brother to see Mike after 4 months of being apart. My ticket was a return ticket, I didn't know how long I was going to be here for but I booked the trip for just 10 days. A month on now and I'm still here in Nigeria.

Eniafe: So, Mike, had you been to Nigeria before Big Brother Naija or was this your first time here?

Mike: I've actually been back and forth since switching my allegiance in my professional sport, track and field. I made

the switch to represent Team Nigeria in 2018. Initially it was supposed to be at the Commonwealth Games in Australia, but I was barred from competing thanks to some transfer of allegiance deadlines - long story for another time. But anyway, I had the opportunity to represent Nigeria at the African Championships, which was held in Asaba in August last year, so I was making a lot of trips back and forth and getting very familiar with the idea of being in Nigeria and the opportunities that were available. So, I took a leap of faith and decided to try the entertainment space and see if it could work out. I figured it would be great for business and would give me the opportunity to move back home, so it was really a win-win. It helped that I'd made all those trips earlier so I knew some of the pros and cons and wasn't just coming here with zero understanding.

myself, so I know how different both places are. Perri, this is your first time here. Would you say you've experienced a culture shock since you've been here or do you feel right at home?

Eniafe: So what would you say, more than anything, you were hoping to get out of the Big Brother experience? Did you have any goals in particular or were you just seizing the moment?

Mike: Actually, it's funny you should say that because my father is Jamaican. I'm part Nigerian, part Jamaican and part American, but the only thing that has really caught my eye in a bizarre way is the unruly drivers in this country (laughs).

Sometimes, it's like there are no rules!

Mike: Interestingly I didn't know anything about how the layout of the show was before going into the house. I'd never watched a single episode, but I had seen past stars like Ebuka and watched his success, and just seeing how he was able to position himself as a businessman outside of the show, I thought going in there would be a great chance to teleport into a whole different realm of opportunity. That was how I looked at it. I think most people would go in seeking fame, but I was really doing it to expand and capitalise off the experience. I've always been a minority everywhere I've been in the world, from Great Britain to the USA. But to now come back home, and to identify with my people and for them to embrace me, it was something I'd really longed for, that feeling of belonging and of being at home. So, to be selected, it was almost like a test of my mental capacity. Could I go through something as unthinkable as leaving the UK, going to Nigeria, being on the biggest television show in Africa? The competitor in me gravitates towards challenges like that, the adrenaline, the provocativeness - those are the things that ultimately drew me to Big Brother.

Eniafe: I've spent many years between London and Lagos,

Perri: (laughs) This has not been a culture shock for me one bit. Even though I grew up in the UK I have a Caribbean background and to me we're very similar in a lot of ways.

When I landed in the airport here I was like "this is just like back in Jamaica only on a bigger scale" - the hustle and bustle, the traffic, all the things my friends warned me about. I'm used to it already. I've adapted so quickly. All my friends keep asking when I'm coming back, but clearly I'm enjoying it.

Eniafe: So, you could really see yourself settling down here?

Perri: Well, my husband is here, and he needs to be here at the moment. I want to be where my husband is, but other than that I really do see Lagos as a land of opportunity, so I'm really happy to be here right now.

Eniafe: What about you Mike? I'm sure you have a different perspective since you're not Jamaican.

Eniafe: Are you used to eating Nigerian food, and what are your favourites?

Perri: Jollof rice, plantains that you call dodo, I love puff-puff, pounded yam, fish... I tried something recently called 'shaki'. I wish I didn't know what it was before I tried it but it did taste good. I love that there's a lot of spice and pepper in Nigerian food.

Mike: My eating routine is a little different from most people because I'm a pescatarian, so I only eat fish.

Eniafe: That must be quite difficult in Nigeria, no?

Mike: Everyone says that, but to be honest there's some amazing catfish, grilled fish... I mean for what you get, the value is unreal. I can feed myself and be content for a long period of time, whereas if I were to do the same thing in any other country I'd be breaking the bank, so I'm very happy with my nutrition, how I'm able to eat at such a low cost but great quality. We live like kings and queens here.

Eniafe: So, being professional athletes, I guess you're

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not entirely new to being in the spotlight, but I imagine that since Big Brother the attention has increased quite a bit. How are you dealing with the newfound fame and attention?

Perri: I smile when you say that because I love it and I knew that was what would happen. I have experienced it before, I've been to major events, I've presented, done red carpets, been treated like a star among stars, so it's not totally new to me. I always tell my husband he needs to embrace it a bit more because it can go as quickly as it comes so you need to make the most of it while you can.

Eniafe: Would you say you're a little more into the celebrity lifestyle than Mike is?

Perri: Mike is very much a 'home guy'. He does like to keep his life private, which may seem strange since obviously he went on BBNaija, but like he said, the main reason he did it was really to promote his brand, Aireyys. He wanted to get that into the market and he knew the audience being on the show would bring exposure for the brand. But in the end, I think people really grew up to love 'Mike, the brand'.

Mike always stays true to himself, so even with his new celebrity status we still do normal things - we try to cook for ourselves, we're not suddenly changing everything and hiring people to do everything for us, that's never how it's been for us, not in the UK and not now in Nigeria.

Eniafe: So, Mike, you came out of the house and suddenly you're this huge celebrity, millions of people know who you are, they've just spent three months watching your day-to-day experiences and interactions. How would you characterise your experience since leaving the Big Brother house?

Mike: The experience has been overwhelming at times because even though personally I've been really sure of myself, when you have loads of people who recognise you from all walks of life, it's something that you never really get used to - or at least I haven't. Everyone feels as though they know everything about you, and to be fair, they have been on that journey with you. They've seen the emotions I went through, they've watched me sleep, eat, workout and speak my mind.

Eniafe: Do you find that problematic, that people think they know everything about you? Or do you feel like actually they do know you, in a way?

Mike: I mean, all the emotions and everything that I put out were real. So, yeah, in a way, they do know me because I wasn't acting.

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Eniafe: Perri, did you have any concerns or doubts when Mike went into the house?

Perri: Well, I know my husband very well and he knew what he was getting into. He was very honest from the beginning so I really didn't have anything to worry about. I was just proud watching him and seeing the things people said about him.

Eniafe: Well you were certainly very popular during your time in the house. I want to know, what do you think it was, looking back, that made you so endearing to the viewers?

Mike: I think it was my authenticity, and my ability to speak my mind. I was just being myself and I never felt the need to be somebody else, and in doing that I was very unapologetic at times. I just felt very honest. When you're in a gains scenario, there's a lot of things that are fake, so whenever you find something that is real you gravitate towards it. I've always said people fall in love with your personality, not what you bring in or what you have in the bank.

Everybody's trying to be somebody else so the moment you're confident enough to be yourself you stand out and I think that's what it was for me. But also, I was a misfit, I wasn't completely polished, I wasn't the most eloquent speaker, so I think my imperfections made me stand out.

Maybe people felt like they could relate to that. I'm still yet to see everything that people have seen because I was always living in the moment, but a lot of people have reached out to me since I came out of the house, saying that I helped inspire them and things like that,so if I was able to influence just one person in a positive way then my job is done. In the words of Tupac, ‘I'm not here to change the world but if I can spark the mind who does then that's good enough too’.

Eniafe: What should your fans be looking forward to in the near future?

Mike: Well I don't like to give away all my secrets, but one thing I can say is you'll be seeing a lot of us here in Nigeria and in various African countries, that's a sure thing. My wife and I will be working on different things in the entertainment space, working on our brand, and most importantly our family.

Eniafe: And you, Perri, what are you looking forward to most right now as a couple?

Perri: Building an empire. And with that empire you have family, business, and more. For Mike and me that's been our goal since before the show, building something together.

We're a package and we're stronger than ever, so Nigeria better look out for the Edwards!

THIS SEASON WE WANT...bright accessories.

The new season is going to be fun with...

AFRO POP SOCKS

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A new season calls for a gorgeous new wardrobe.

You can trust Glam Africa to find some of the best products, and this is one we are very excited about.

AfroPop Socks is a brand made up of designers with an African heritage who are passionate about staying true to Africaninspired designs whilst also incorporating a vibrant and contemporary colour palette for the young African.

These socks are made with high quality combed

cotton making them soft and durable. The designs are unisex and are available in large and medium sizes to suit both men and women.

And for the best part...

AfroPop Socks is designing a new range of socks and tights for kids, so your little ones can also join the afrocentric sock fun.

For now, get your AfroPop Socks at afropopsocks.com and don't forget to gift some to your friends and family, you’ll literally knock their socks off!.

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FASHION & STYLE

W

ays

to style your VLISCO DRESS With Vlisco’s continuously enhanced designs, distinctive and specially crafted fabricse with interesting shapes and colours, this fabric is perfect for the creative and daring lady. Besides the classic full-length skirt and blouse or blouse and wrapper often rocked by our mothers, it is increasingly common to find stylists pair Vlisco wax print clothes in unconventional ways.

HERE ARE A FEW WAYS YOU CAN ROCK A VLISCO DRESS FOR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS.

PHOTO CREDITS Photography & Creative Direction: Eniafe Momodu @eniafemomodu

Model: Luwa Fagbe @luwah__ Agency: Sapphero Models @sappheromodels Styling: The House of Vestas @dhouseofvestas Assistant Styling: House of Mijens @house_of_mijens Hair & Makeup: Jo'ville Makeup Studio @Jovilleofficial

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CASUAL GATHERING Keep it simple in this mini dress and let the fabric’s gorgeous colours help you to stand out.

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FASHION & STYLE

DINNER BALL Be the perfect damsel by pairing your dress with an elaborate tulle skirt to help you steal the show. a staple to a perfectly beat face.

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SUNDAY LOOK Keep it covered and classy, tie your extra fabric as a wrapper over the mini dress.

Complete the look with a matching headwrap.

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FASHION & STYLE

HANGING WITH THE GIRLS

Wow guests and get them talking by pairing the dress with a contrasting fabric: do this by using this fabric as a headwrap or a kneelength wrapper.

Discover more VLISCO FABRICS

at your local fabric store OR VISIT VLISCO.COM 38

My

VLISCO FAMILY

BY ENIAFE MOMODU

W

ith Christmastime fast approaching, one thing on a lot of our minds is family. For many of us, this season means spending precious time with loved ones, and if you're an African in the diaspora, chances are you'll be on a flight back to the motherland very soon to explore a bit more of the places your ancestors called home. As the world becomes more and more globalised, African people are finding creative ways to stay connected to their culture and heritage - and fashion is definitely leading the way in that pursuit. From ankara fabrics to wax prints and pagne, African prints have maintained their popularity all over the world.

Whether it's creating matching attires for the family reunion, or some stylish his-and-hers co-ords for your wedding day, nothing says 'unity' quite like a nice ankara fabric. Over the last 170 years, Vlisco has helped Africans all over the world to continue this tradition thanks to their continuously evolving fabric, achieved through the exploration of creativity, craftsmanship and their ever-evolving printing methods. This year, Glam Africa teamed up with Vlisco for the exciting new "My Vlisco Family" campaign, which encouraged families to show their love for one another by sharing photos wearing matching outfits made with Vlisco prints.

To celebrate the successful campaign, Glam Africa caught up with some of our favourite celebs to find out what family means to them, and uncover how they're using African prints to connect with their loved ones.

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JULIANA OLAYODE on family "What does family mean to me? Family is everything, your support system, your backbone, your shoulder to cry on. They are always there for you, even when nobody else is. You can always go back to family and they will cover you. Family is like your hiding place. They will always love you no matter what you do. That's family. Being a part of a family means being a part of something bigger than just you."

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TANIA OMOTAYO on sharing African prints with her daughter

"I love really bright colours, so I wear prints very often. Prints make me happy and they're a big part of African history and our culture too. It's so beautiful to know that I can share my African prints with my daughter, Sarai.

I haven't started wearing matching clothes with her yet but when I start I just know I won't be able to stop."

SOLIAT BADA on familial bonds "When it comes to Mariam and me, one thing that strengthens our bond is trust.

It's knowing that there's somebody I can go to for absolutely anything and that I know 100% has my back. She's my cousin, yes, but she's also my best friend. I can laugh with her, joke with her and she's incredibly loyal. It's a bond that really is just priceless."

MARIAM TIMMER

on sharing

African prints with her mother

"For me, the colours of my ankara determine the kind of vibe I'm going to give off that day, it determines your mood. If my outfit is very colourful I just know I'm going to be poppin' that day.

When I was younger it was difficult finding people who I related to well, in terms of fashion. But growing up I was able to mix the things I had in my closet with different prints, ankara fabrics and my mum's classic vintage designer outfits. My mum is a very fashionable person so I grew up looking up to her in terms of fashion, hair and makeup. She really birthed my love for African prints and ankara."

PHOTO CREDITS Photography: Salvador Lateef @lasalvy Styling: Fayosola Aina @fayo_ths_ Make-up: Adamma Kenneth @adammakenneth Hair Styling/Head Wrap: KL's Naturals @klsnaturals

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As the saying goes, ‘out with the old in with the new’. Whilst trashing harmful products, what healthy alternatives do we have? Especially now that winter is coming -the ashy look is a no no.

Allow us to introduce you to Zuribliss, a natural holistic brand. The name ‘Zuri’ means ‘beautiful’ in Swahili paired with the word bliss. Zuribliss aims to provide a beautiful blissful experience through their natural products and treatments to all clients and customers. They currently have a range of natural, cruelty-free tailor made products starting with a lip kit (lip balm and lip Scrub), to body bliss oil paired with cinnamon & vanilla pink body crush scrub, all handmade with blissful love.

Speaking to the founder, she said, “We came up with our range of natural products because we really wanted to get people thinking about the products they use on their skin everyday. Our mission is to inspire people globally to go natural with their skincare! One great unique selling point with Zuribliss is we use mostly natural products & ingredients in all our treatments. We pride ourselves on using products that are healthy enough to eat”.

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TESTIMONIALS FROM WOMEN WHO HAVE TRIED ZURI BLISS: “That lip kit works wonders! I used to have rough patches along the lines of my lips and couldn’t figure it out, but this lip scrub after two uses got rid of it nicely, good looking out!!” - Vanessa “I’ve struggled with dry lips for years carmex and Vaseline doesn’t come close to Zuri Bliss lip balms.” - Vivienne Start your journey towards blissful skincare now at www.zuribliss.bigcartel.com

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FASHION & STYLE

ORANGE CULTURE Revolutionary Fashion

HOW ORANGE CULTURE IS

RECLAIMING AFRICA'S STOLEN IDENTITY THROUGH ANDROGYNOUS CLOTHING

BY ENIAFE MOMODU

T

oday, he's shutting down runways at Lagos and New York Fashion Week, but when Adebayo Oke-Lawal first launched Orange Culture back in 2011, he could not have known just how far his vision would take him. On the one hand, Bayo's designs were forward-thinking, thought-provoking and in a lane of their own, but they were also controversial and norm-defying in a way not everybody was willing to embrace.

Although he could have set up his fashion brand in Paris, Milan or London where androgynous fashion would hardly be anything to blink at, he opted instead to set up shop in his home country, Nigeria - a country where brilliant ideas are too often stifled by overly-conservative mindsets. When reflecting on the type of society Nigeria is, it's hard to imagine how Bayo-Oke Lawal (who was once told he would go to hell just for making a red suit for a man for making a red suit for a man) ever found the courage to introduce androgynous fashion to conservative Nigeria. But the Orange Culture vision was far bigger than its detractors, and the world is better because of it. With thousands of admirers all over the globe and a host of celebrity fans including the likes of Burna Boy, Adekunle Gold, Masego and Chimamanda Adichie, Orange Culture is clearly doing something right.

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Photography: Jesse Navarre Vos

O

ne common criticism of the androgynous fashion movement has been that it is somehow "un-African".

There is this idea that unless modern clothing exists within the rigid, socially-constructed boundaries of the western gender binary, it must be antithetical to African culture and tradition.

But this is a very misinformed, and, I must say, neo-colonial, critique. Somewhere along the way, African culture has become synonymous with white and western conceptions of masculinity and femininity. In reality, this would imply that men must stick to dark-coloured two-pieces in order to remain true to their African roots. However these are not the true hallmarks of African culture, and they never have been. Look at the Kenyan Maasai tribe, whose men can be seen wearing bright

FASHION & STYLE

red wrappers with layers of rainbow-coloured beads, or the Swazi and Zulu tribes of southern Africa, who can be spotted wearing layered-print garments with feathery accessories. And it doesn't stop there - the Dogon people of Mali, the Hamar men in Ethiopia, the Hansi in Tanzania - skirts, bright colours, make-up, over-the-top jewellery and dramatic headpieces have all been staple features in traditional African menswear for centuries. Meanwhile kitenge, kikoy fabrics, dashiki prints and patterned wrappers continue to be worn by men from East to West Africa, and all over the diaspora. These influences can be seen throughout Orange Culture's collections, which regularly draws inspiration from Yoruba culture, infusing adire textiles, buba & sokoto and agbada-inspired pieces.

T

hose who seek to brand androgynous fashion as

necessarily 'un-African' do so because they continue to see their own history and heritage through a foreign lens, and in doing so, they fail to appreciate all the diverse expressions of African identity, masculinity and sexuality that westernisation has forced us to forget. Thus, Orange Culture's triumphant rejection of gender finds futurism in the antique and reclaims Africa's lost identity in a way that history can not ignore.

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SOOO HOT RIGHT N

1

YOUNG, HOMEGROWN AFRICAN DESIGNERS There has likely never been a time where young African designers have been so celebrated on the world stage than they are right now. A few of the LVMH fashion prize winners currently receiving due recognition and showing at major international fashion weeks include:Kenneth Ize, Thebe Magugu, Lagos Space Program, Tokyo James, Rich Mnisi and Lukhanyo Mdingi.

Snatch their clothing now (whilst still affordable) because these creative youngsters are set to hit the stratosphere.

3

BUCKET HATS AND BABUSHKA SCARVES We hate them. We really do. But somehow, between Balenciaga hurling babushka scarves down the catwalk, musicians A$AP Rocky and Frank Ocean unashamedly sporting them (A$AP even has a hit called “Babushka Boi”) and GQ blessing the bucket hat as being back, these head accessories are everywhere and (unfortunately) will be for some time.

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2

BOXER SHORTS AS SHORTS IS YOUR GO-TO FOR SUMMER

This look is based on 1970s sportswear — think tennis champs John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg or the incredible Boston Celtics basketball teams of that period. Thankfully, the current versions are a little longer on the leg and slightly looser on the thigh. Bellisimo!

NOW THE DOMINANT TRENDS

for SPRING/SUMMER ’20

BY LITHEMBA VELLEMAN

5

SLIDERS AND CHUNKY SNEAKERS Still. Led by Balenciaga’s Triple S whose unending popularity defies logic and all rules of fashion, the ugly/chunky dad sneakers still rule the streets. Get in on it, or spend the summer lazily in sliders - perfect for both beach and beach clubs alike.

4

CYCLING SHORTS

This is one of those trends that is going to fade very quickly, so we legitimately think if you have a pair of cycling shorts (that you actually cycle in or wear to the gym), just start pairing them with a chic oversized white shirt and some sliders (more about that below) and voila - you’re ready for street style fame! We wish we were joking.

47

P I C T U R E S Photography | Videography 07568146789 ~ hi@wilokpictures.com ~ www.wilokpictures.com

48

HAIR & BEAUTY

BRAIDED TOP-KNOT

From woven textured coils, to gravity defying towering woven topknots, braided do’s in all styles, colours and patterns are making a statement this season. To help you shake up your basic braided hairdos, we’ve hand-picked 5 of the best jazzy styles for you to try out this season.

Leave no stray hair on sight with this fun intricate and edgy space bun look. A feed in braided style that’s a great alternative to the traditional top-knot. It’s ideal for anyone looking for something simple,fun and eye catching.

TOP-KNOT BRAIDED DO

THE BRAIDED BUNCH

@magicfingersstudio

By Stasha Mababatano Harris

FULANI BRAIDS

You can never go wrong with a simple braided top knot. It’s the simplest way to keep hair off your face whilst still looking chic and sophisticated. A good protective style to try out if you are looking for a no fuss, go-to style that's edgy yet classic.

By Stasha Mababatano Harris

If you’re on the lookout for something new then why not try these braided bangs for a feel-good factor. Braided bangs are a great way to switch up your look for any given season.

They are the perfect way to put a remix on old tried and tested staples like box braids. They’ll refresh your look and add a cool retro twist to your plaited braids. We suggest playing around with accessories and charms to suit the look and feel of this style.

Alissa Ashley Youtuber and Blogger

RETRO BRAIDS

@alissa.ashley

This boho-chic Fulani braided style has to be one of our all time favourites. We love how you can instantly switch up this look from an office=friendly style to a bohochic vibe by adding colourful accessories to loose ends, giving this look beautiful flow and movement.

@magicfingersstudio

49

HAIR & BEAUTY

FINDING The Right Hair Mask

FOR YOUR HAIR Whether you have kinky, curly, coily or wavy hair, finding the perfect hair mask that’s both hydrating and moisturising on afro tresses can be an unending task.

5

LUCKILY, WE’VE HAND-PICKED

50

OF THE BEST ECO-FRIENDLY HAIR MASKS WE KNOW YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH

1

TANUR REGENERA

This Ginseng & Ginkgo is a good repairing conditioner for natural hair which is specially formulated for dry damaged hair. It contains linseed oil and supports the structure of any hair texture for renewed fullness and softness. The conditioner also protects against antioxidative stress and provides anti-aging and stimulating effects to your tresses.

ARGAN OIL

EVO MASK Evo, aptly dubbed ‘the great hydrator’ helps treat dry and frizzy hair, gets rid of stubborn knots and improves the overall softness of your hair texture. Depending on your specific needs, you can apply it a few times a week for greater results. Follow up with your favorite styling tools to create your next head-turning look.

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AMIKA HAIR MASK Amika Mask is soul food for the hair with its rich and nourishing ingredients. It’s a good intensive mask designed to deeply condition, hydrate and restore dry hair, bringing your locks to their natural glory. The mask is formulated with Jojoba Seed Oil to strengthen your hair and Vitamin C to repair and protect it. Amika mask is cruelty-free, sulphatefree and gluten-free.

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2 L'OREAL EXPERT

GRAPE SEED OIL

CURL CONTOUR MASK L'oreal Serie Expert Curl Contour mask is a lightweight gel treatment for curly hair, which hydrates dry hair and helps to smoothen the surface for a sleek look and softer feel. Infused with glycerin (which is known for its hydrating properties), your curls will feel nourished, moisturised and will look more defined.

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LIVING PROOF

JOJOBA SEED OIL

KERNEL OIL

If you are looking for something more intensive to add to your hair regime, Living Proof hair mask truly lives up to its name.

It’s an intensive mask which can be used regularly to boost your hair’s moisture. The mask will help restore, nourish and condition your hair, adding softness, shine and body using the latest patented lab developed technology.

TUCUMA SEED OIL

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SOCIAL MEDIA CRUSH Finally! Black influencers are shaking up the industry with wide-ranging representation, bold makeup looks, out-of-the-box style, the straight-talking girl etc.

Depending on your mood, here are the IT girls to keep you company on the web.

Consider this your list of experts to help you be your best self:

@T0nit0ne @thatgirldami

TONI TONE

THAT GIRL DAMI

Career, finance and even relationships, Toni is the goto girl. Imagine that big sister who has the answers to all your life troubles. Toni is also an ambassador for the Young Women’s Trust and has had her tweets reposted by the Kardashians, Huffington Post and Oprah magazine.

Who says black girls can’t wear the brightest and boldest makeup colours?

Fumi tries them all. Her latest collaboration with Juvia’s Place (known for the richest, most vibrantly-pigmented makeup essentials) could mean even more bold and bright colours are expected on her page.

Dami’s page is a must-follow.

As a professional make-up artist, you are fully covered with the latest products, especially for the darker-shade girl.

@estaregrams ESTARE

@fumidesaluvold

An aggregation of some of the best travel shots on Instagram, this is the handle to peruse for endless eye candy. Whether you're looking for imagery of gorgeous African lakes, blissful Asian beaches or some of Europe’s most captivating cities.

FUMI DESALU-VOLD

@hodhenliaden HODHEN LIADEN

She is the founder of of the much-needed @ darkskinnedhijabis (aimed to raise up fellow black Muslim women) as well as @deardivorcedgirl (which aims to break the social stigma and cultural taboos of divorce). Over on her personal page, you’ll find beauty reviews and product finds — especially for those who seek modest fashion.

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@oloni OLONI

Sex, relationships and more.

Oloni has it covered on Twitter and Instagram. Also known as the Clap Baq Queen, if you are thinking it, Oloni is definitely saying it.

!

YOUR PROBLEMATIC SKIN SORTED

We recently discovered Naturelle By Iqra Khan which was launched with the sole purpose of providing a natural, organic and cruelty-free skin care range, made in Britain, with products that are full of antioxidants to benefit your skin.

These products targeting people with mainly problematic skin (acne, hyperpigmentation, blemishes etc) can be trusted for flawless, radiant and smooth complexion. Here are four amazing products we discovered from the Naturelle By Iqra Khan collection: NATURELLEBYIQRAKHAN.CO.UK @NATURELLEBYIQRAKHAN @NATURELLEBYIQRAKHAN_ CONTACT-US @NATURELLEBYIQRAKHAN.CO.UK

RAPID RECOVERY GLOW ELIXIR This concentrated elixir is a luxurious mix of organic and natural oils, including lemon, sandalwood oil, orange peel & seaweed extracts, formulated specifically to help banish spots & pimples, reduce acne, heal acne scarring and lighten pigmentation.

ACNE PRONE FACE MIST (FOR ALL SKIN TYPES) Made with antiinflammatory and detoxifying properties that can help reduce redness caused by acne and prevent the build-up of bacteria that can clog pores, while drawing out heavy metals and toxins from the skin. In doing so, it enables the skin to remain clean, fresh and pure, which prevents breakouts.

USE CODE NEW20 FOR TO 20% OFF YOUR FIRST PURCHASE

DRINK ME UP SKIN REPAIR MOISTURISER Specifically designed to lock in intense concentration of hydration while continuously releasing it throughout the day, resulting in radiant skin. The moisturiser aims to reduce breakouts and blemishes, fight acne and even out skin tone, giving it a subtle, healthy glow.

It also contains SPF 20.

SKIN REJUVENATION 2 IN 1 CLEANSER & FACE WASH Infused with coconut, apricot kernel and avocado oils which are rich in anti-oxidants, enhancing protection for the skin. This 2 in 1 face wash helps to reduce the appearance of ageing, lightens unwanted blemishes & dark spots. Also, a number of the ingredients have antibacterial and antifungal properties, beneficial for those suffering from skin acne and eczema but can also be used as a daily cleanser/face wash for all skin types.

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HAIR & BEAUTY

BRANDS REVOLUTIONISING MAKEUP

BY GRANDY KAT

We’ve all heard of the amazing makeup lines like Fenty Beauty and Iman Cosmetics, but these are not the only black-owned beauty brands out there. Here are 3 young makeup brands that you should consider the next time you refresh your makeup bag.

Uoma Beauty Founded by Nigerian-born, former beauty executive Sharon Chuter, Uoma Beauty is a breath of fresh air within the ever-evolving beauty scene. The brand burst onto the scene only eight months ago in April 2019 and has already been spotted in the makeup bags and on the faces of all our fave queens such as Tamar Braxton, Ciara and Keke Palmer. The brand has been praised for its foundations not only having a large shade range (stocking a massive 51 shades), but also infusing its foundations with skincare benefits. The brand recognizes that different skin complexions come with different skin needs. For example, the darker shades have built-in components for hyperpigmentation and the lighter shades have elements to combat hypersensitivity, giving those of us who still haven’t developed a skincare routine a helping hand (don’t judge us please).

The brand’s ethos is based on uplifting women, instructing women to ‘never apologise for being the sh*t’, and frankly, we are here for it.

Sharon Chuter, Founder of Uoma Beauty

Uoma, Spring Campaign 2019

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Mented Cosmetics Ladies and gents, your quest for the perfect nude lipstick has finally come to an end. Usually, I have to layer at least 2-5 different lipsticks to create a simple nude lip, but thanks to KJ Miller and Amanda E. Johnson, the founders of Mented Cosmetics, it appears that this struggle is now over. When these two professional women realised that they both couldn’t find a simple nude lipstick to wear to work, they also spotted a gap in the market for products with women of colour in mind, hence brand Mented was born. They sought out to create a brand which celebrated the beauty of women of colour starting with launching a collection of six nude lipsticks ranging from pinker shades to browns, which work perfectly for darker skin tones. These nude lipsticks, which launched only two years ago, have created massive waves in the industry, receiving press from prestigious magazines. Beauty Guru sensation, Jackie Aina, even stated that Mented has "the best makeup for women of colour". Now, the only question left to ask is, “how quickly will my package take to arrive?”, because I’m completely sold!

Beauty Bakerie Is it a chic bakery selling all of our favourite sweet treats or a flourishing makeup brand providing us with all of our beauty must-haves? When you first click onto the Beauty Bakerie site, I admit it’s hard to tell. Although on closer inspection it is evident that the black-owned beauty brand’s USP is adorable bakery themed makeup to make us look good enough to eat!

Do make sure you don’t browse the site on an empty stomach because the names of the products such as ‘raspberry tiramisu lip whip’ and ‘Lollipop eyeliner’ might leave you craving a snack or two. You can also shop guilt-free knowing proceeds from your purchases are going towards Sugar Homes, an amazing foundation founded by the brands CEO Cashmere Nicole, which supports orphanages for children in need around the world.

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CAREER Gone are the days when we had to manage all aspects of our businesses and even our lifestyle through diary managing, PAs or even through our overloaded memory. Thankfully, mobile applications have helped some businesses ensure that they do not fall behind. The cellular applications have facilitated growth, managed finances and increased productivity levels.

BY TOLU BAKRE Whether it be business or personal financial matters, managing finances has never proved to be an easy task, especially if you are a sole trader. However, some of these applications below have revolutionised the ways in which you are able to streamline your businesses’ financial tasks.

REVOLUT: If you’re a young tech-savvy use this app is for you.

The mobile banking application allows you to top up your account in your own currency, then when you travel, the bank automatically changes the currency to the local currency whenever you use your card.

MONZO: One of the biggest banks to challenge internet banking in the UK. The digital, mobile only bank offers a current account and various ways to make saving easy. The easy-to-use interface is designed to make seamless transactions between businesses and friends. Therefore, if you are looking for ways to save and budget accordingly, Monzo has you covered.

The app also allows you to convert your currency into crypto currency.

You can set up price alerts to see when prices change.

Being a business owner means that, at times, you tend to carry a weight on your shoulders. It can be challenging to manitain organisation with the business and keeping it in order.

TRELLO: These digital boards allow you to organise and prioritise projects with yourself and employees whilst rewarding you along the way. Employees are able to stay organised, view colleagues’ tasks and see what’s left to do. It's perfect for people who need a visual task system.

But some mobile applications are are changing the game.

Mobile applications have also been known to foster and nurture connections within the workforce by enabling direct communication.

Whilst it is absolutely vital to keep your professional duties in order, your wellbeing is also crucial in order to carry out productivity to its full capacity. Similarly the Health app is good for maintaining fitness and health responsibilities.

PATTERN: allows you to help understand your mood and emotional patterns on a daily basis based on the information you submit. The app proceeds to give a unique perspective of what to do when different situations arrive.

The transformative changes in today’s businesses are absolutely parallel to the success of companies thanks to these mobile applications. With over a million users across each app, it is no mystery why businesses and individuals are doing so well.

There is no doubt that the changes these apps have affected are making traditionalyl mundane tasks easier and highly effective. Mobile applications have modernised businesses’ productivity and efficiency from financing right down to communication.

OTHER APPS TO CONSIDER

GOOGLE DRIVE

MONEYBOX

OTTER

Imagine file storage, emails, word documents, excel and so much more all in one, and within reach from any smartphone, tablet or computer.

The Moneybox app is the simplest way to save and invest. Round up your purchases to the nearest pound and set aside the spare change.

Save time and never miss a word. Otter lets you record and review in real-time.

Otter converts live speaking into a written transcription, and you can search, play, edit, organise, and share your conversations from any device.

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COVER STORY

OVIE SOKO

Colouring Outside THE LINES

Interview by Mika Abraham Story by Eniafe Momodu

W

hen Ovie arrived at the Glam Africa studio in central London, I wasn't too sure what to expect. On the one hand, I'd spent the better part of my summer holiday glued to my TV screen, shamelessly caught up in the Love Island media storm. On-screen, Ovie was a pure delight. You could hardly open your mouth to criticise him. But that was a little while ago now. Back then, he was just Ovie Soko, your average, 6 foot 7, unfairly good-looking basketball player. Now, he was Ovie, a national treasure with millions of fans across the UK and beyond, so could we really expect him to be the same person we'd seen on screen earlier on in the summer?

Plus, there were some strange rumours circulating in the Twittersphere that the Love Island producers had done some creative editing to make Ovie appear slightly more pleasant than he always was.

But none of that mattered now, because suddenly, Ovie, once a figment of my TV screen, had materialised at the top of the staircase, followed closely by Gemma, one of

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his managers. He made his way downstairs, lowering his head as he walked, to avoid hitting the ceiling.

Welcoming him warmly, I offered to help him with his suitcase. He politely refused, determined to pull his own weight for those final few steps. Later, he would ask me where he could find a bin, and subsequently decline my offer to dispose of his trash for him and insist on doing it himself. It was admirable, if not supererogatory. After all, he was the star, the man of the hour, the guest of honour.

But it quickly became clear that any form of special treatment was not on his agenda.

A true gentleman, he took his time to greet everyone in the room, from the Glam Africa interns to the photographer and the stylist, charming them all along the way. He struck me as the kind of person who would be popular anywhere he went. He must have known going into the Love Island villa that he would become a viewer favourite. And yet I wondered if he could have ever really known just how much of a sensation he would become in the days and weeks that followed his entry. "I had no idea about the public response because I was in there for so long. I wasn’t expecting anything

" t

"There's a whole other side to myself that I still want to explore"

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in particular when I came out of the villa. But being out, it’s been dope. My cousin who went to school in Nigeria told me I'm even getting love out there. That blew my mind. I didn't even think the response would be so big here, talk less of back home. The love has really been crazy." And crazy doesn't even begin to describe it.

So how does life outside the villa compare to life on the inside? "In the villa, it’s a very different environment. You’re around a lot of different personalities and I guess some of them aren’t people you would normally interact with in your day-to-day life. It’s very different from that standpoint because you’re thrown in there with all of these different characters.

It's a big space, but once you’re there 24/7, everyday, it becomes a really small space. So it was a different experience, but it was dope at the same time."

Well, thanks to that experience, Ovie has joined a league of hypervisible African men whose individuality and creativity are helping to change the narrative surrounding blackness and masculinity. From Virgil Abloh to Edward Enninful, African men continue to thrive in the global creative space, and newcomer Ovie has a lot to learn from his predecessors if he's going to take on the industry. "We sort of just met as two black men," he said of his recent sit-down with British

"I'd love to see more of the younger generation taking charge of who they are and who they want to be" Vogue editor-in-chief, Edward Enninful. "He’s done very well for himself in the fashion space, he’s done great things. I was able to sit down with him and just catch up and hear his views. Maybe we’ll get to work on something in the future, but all of that stuff is still in the pipeline, so we’ll see."

There is a lot happening on set at the moment. By now, Ovie has done all his fittings and the photographer is ready to get going. I plug my laptop into the in-house speakers and select my favourite iTunes playlist. The bass-line begins on track 1.

It's Zombie by Fela Kuti. Ovie dances and hums along with the blaring horns, playfully mimicking trumpeter movements with his fingers. "He's dope, man," Ovie says, when asked for his opinion on Fela. "Fela is to Africa what Bob Marley is to the Caribbean. He’s huge. There’s not an African artist or even an artist outside Africa in the musical scene that won't know who Fela is." It is evident how much he loves talking about Nigerian culture, food and music, even though, as he admits, he hasn't been back to Nigeria since he was a child. At one point, Ovie attempts to zanku, and although I can see a hint of the popular West African dance JUMPSUIT

by Soboye Boutique @soboye_boutique 60

somewhere in his hip and shoulder movements, overall he looks more like a salsa dancer than a zanku warrior. He knows he looks silly, but he doesn't care one bit (a distinctly Nigerian trait). He's enjoying himself, carefree and uninhibited, in true African fashion.

"I mainly know about Nigerian culture through media, and also through my parents and family. I have relatives come over here quite a bit but I haven't been back to Nigeria since I was five. I've wanted to go back now for a really long time. I grew up in England and that's a huge part of who I am, but there's a whole other side to myself that I still want to explore a lot more. I want to go there, experience the culture for myself and see all the things that my parents and cousins tell me about."

And Ovie is not alone. With the year 2019 officially declared the "Year of the Return", people across the African diaspora have been itching to go back to the motherland, and many, for the first time. Diggy Simmons, Steve Harvey and Jordyn Woods are just a few African American celebrities who have made trips to West Africa in the past year, and many more are expected to follow suit in the months and years to come.

QUICK HITS GET TO KNOW

OVIE

Ogbono soup or egusi soup?

Egusi

Favourite musician at the moment?

Burna Boy, easy!

Can you translate "how far?" from pidgin English?

What's going on? How you doin'?

Big Brother or Love Island?

I've gotta rep for the Love Island.

WATCH THE FULL ‘GET TO KNOW OVIE’

interview by Big Brother Star URIEL OPUTA ON OUR YOUTUBE PAGE

youtube.com/ glamafricamag

So what exactly is causing this surge of interest? One key factor is the booming creative scene, which in recent years has even caught the attention of mega-icons like Beyoncé and Naomi Campbell. Every year, the continent of Africa reaches new frontiers in sports, music, fashion, literature and art, as more and more people begin to explore opportunities outside of the traditionally ‘acceptable’ career choices. "I feel like I'm in a very privileged and blessed position, because I know that people who come from an African background tend to be pushed into certain positions. You're usually pushed to become a doctor, or pushed to become a lawyer, because that's what's been respected in that culture. But now I feel like we're in a moment where we're breaking out of those boxes that society has tried to put us in. I see it a lot now in the Nigerian community. We're being very creative and

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just being ourselves. That's something I want to be a part of, I want to mentor people out there and here as well. I want to help people to grow into themselves. I still meet people who see me playing basketball and they're like, 'man, I wish I could've done something like that'. When I go back to Nigeria, I'd love to see more of the younger generation taking charge of who they are and who they want to be."

In September, Ovie launched his debut clothing collection, in collaboration with fashion brand ASOS. Unveiled at the #NationalOvieDay celebrations during London Fashion

"Never apologise for being who you are" Week, the ASOS x OVIE collection featured a diverse range of pieces, some of which incorporated artwork from Ovie's "biggest role model", his dad. "I look up to my dad more than anyone outside of my house. He’s very real to me. It’s huge to have that sort of relationship with my dad." Like his father, Ovie sees immense value in the arts, creativity and self-expression. As part of the six-figure father-son clothing deal, Ray Soko granted ASOS exclusive access to more than four decades-worth of his artwork, including an expansive collection of paintings and sketches inspired by his West African upbringing. "My dad is an artist so he's not exactly in those traditional boxes either," Ovie reflects. "Fully diving into a profession or something that’s outside of the norm can be a huge risk, but my dad has always just told me to shoot for the top."

On set, the light flashes for the thousandth time, and letting out a sigh, the photographer declares the shoot over. The evening ends with cheers and hugs, and after all those hours, Ovie's spirits are still as high as when he first walked through the door. We could have spent days speaking to Ovie, but the short time we spent with him has left us with a lot of insight into his upbringing, his outlook on life and, of course, his hopes and aspirations for the future. Whether he's onscreen or off, Ovie's fun-loving, quirky and courteous nature follows him everywhere he goes. With his passion, drive and the right people in his corner, the sky is really the limit in terms of what he could go on to achieve.

So what message does Ovie hope we take away from his growing success story. “It's simple”, he says. “Just be yourself.

Don't follow anyone else. Figure out who you are, first off, and never apologise for being who you are. Don’t be concerned with trying to be like someone else because you'll never be able to do that as well as just being yourself."

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CREDITS Photography: Arron Dunworth @arrondunworth Styling: Neesha Sharma @neeshabadass Grooming: Tracy Grabs @tray_grabs

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RENAISSANCE

MEN

BY BOIPELO JEAN CHABABA

2019 has been an interesting year for us as black people.

At Glam Africa, we're used to celebrating remarkable women and putting their achievements on full display, but for this edition we wanted to specially acknowledge some of the strides being made by men, that are changing the world in big ways.

From music to TV & film, and even the world of sports, here are a few that have wowed us this year.

Burna Boy, The glue between Old Africa and New Africa

Whether the title is self-professed or fanbestowed, it is certain that the Nigerian-born ‘African Giant’ is indeed the giant we needed to bridge the gap between the old sound of Africa and a new one, which has now gone global. Burna Boy draws inspiration from musical legends like Fela Kuti and Hugh Masekela to create a unique sound that has captured international ears like none other.

Akon, Lighting up the way Every now and again we find ourselves wondering where Akon is, and what he is up to, but with each instance, the answer lies somewhere with his contributions to the growth of the African continent. In 2015 the Senegalese artist launched a solar project that was projected to provide electricity for around 600 million people. Very few men in recent years have come close to matching Akon's contributions towards eradicating poverty and improving the lives of African people.

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Colin Kaepernick, Restoring the dignity of a man’s life

When future generations talk about historical figures who were “on the right side of history” despite reproach in their own day, we imagine that Kaep will be at the top of their list. A natural athlete, Colin Kaepernick was destined to be one of the top quarterbacks in Americanfootball. However, in 2016, after deciding to 'take a knee' during the national anthem in protest against police brutality, Kaepernick became public enemy number one to detractors of the Black Lives Matter movement. At the time, he said, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour. To me this is bigger than football and it would be selfish of me to look the other way.” Kaepernick also made a ‘Million Dollar Pledge’ to donate to organizations that worked to fight against systemic oppression. Sadly, the NFL blacklisted him as a result of his protest, but Kaep refused to let this deter his mission. In 2018 Nike launched a campaign with the athlete using the slogan “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.”

Trevor Noah, Tapping into a joyous Africa

Famously known as the comedian who was ‘born a crime’ (also the title of his 2016 autobiography), Trevor Noah has broken through the glass ceiling of success, becoming the first African host of the American late-night programme, The Daily Show, which was previously hosted by Jon Stewart. Trevor’s story is one of an unconventional family structure told through the eyes of a child who had all the odds stacked against him, starting with South Africa's apartheid system, which put him in a peculiar and unpleasant situation as a mixed race child. In 2018, he launched the Trevor Noah Foundation with the aim of developing brighter futures for vulnerable youth in South Africa, through education.

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Tyler Perry, Building our own table Most famous for creating and portraying the hilarious grandma character, Madea, that has become an 11-movie blockbuster franchise (with a sitcom and cartoon in the ranks too), Tyler Perry is also revered for pushing the boundaries of black storytelling. Tyler Perry recently unveiled his own 330-acre studio, which is set to change the film industry as it stands, and will be opening up to writers, directors and actors of colour. It will also include a shelter for homeless/displaced LGBT youth.

Jaden Smith, Saving the world one bottle at a time

Stormzy, Influencing change for the diaspora

Still on his musical rise, British-Ghanaian artist Stormzy first came onto our radar with his 2015 single 'Shut Up'. Since then he has broken international barriers and has gained a loyal fanbase of millions across the world.

Stormzy voice, however, goes far beyond his music, and he often uses his influence to speak on sociopolitical issues in the UK. A stern advocate for the improvement of conditions for minority groups and cultures, Stormzy famously called out former-Prime Minister, Theresa May, for her inaction following the Grenfell Tower fire. Stormzy was named one of the '100 Most Influential People on the Left’ in 2017 by conservative commentator Iain Dale. In 2018 he launched Merky Books, his own imprint under publishing house Penguin, which has already released worthy contributions to the world of literature and diverse voices with releases such as Taking Up Space and That Reminds Me.

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From the tender age of 12, child actor and music prodigy Jaden Smith wanted to do something about the pollution in the ocean so he started working on a solution.

Five years later, in 2015 Jaden launched a new bottled water company that sells responsibly sourced water packaged in 1005 recyclable plant-derived cartons. His company has grown so much since then, officially launching in the UK in 2018. In September 2019, Just Goods was valued at a whopping $100 million.

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FEATURE STORY

D'BANJ THE LEGEND: 15 YEARS ON

Interviewed by Adesope Olajide for The Beat London (103.6FM) Written by Eniafe Momodu

So far into his career, D'banj remains humble, driven and an all-round positive spirit. Meanwhile, on stage, he's a force to be reckoned with.

There's no doubt that he has a lot left to show us and to achieve in the years to come. To celebrate this icon, here are 5 D'banj classics that never fail to remind us why we love him.

1. WHY ME? One of D'banj's earliest hits, this nostalgic yet fresh tune combines all the elements one should expect from a classic record: a fun theme, relatable lyrics and ambitious instrumentation. It's easy to see how D'banj rose to superstardom when he set the bar so high with hits

With his sweet vocals, infectious dance moves and untouchable swagger, D'banj has firmly cemented himself among the most iconic figures in Afrobeats history. After almost 15 years of hitmaking and boundary-breaking, one of the pioneers of the neoAfrobeat movement is still at the top of his game, with no signs of slowing down any time soon.

The self-proclaimed "African Michael Jackson" (with the moves to back it up) overcame immense odds when he broke into the limelight back in 2005, and it's been an upward journey ever since. But even the sweetest success stories come with some bitter moments. In June of 2018, news broke that D'banj had lost his son in a tragic accident while D'banj was out of town for the BET Awards. Since then he's been on tour, worked on some new music, and headlined the Global Citizen Festival alongside BeyoncÊ, Jay Z and Cassper Nyovest. We caught up with D’banj to speak about music, his legacy and making lemonade from the most difficult of times.

TO LISTEN TO THE FULL LENGTH INTERVIEW WITH DBANJ GO TO WWW.THEBEAT1036.COM OR WWW.MIXCLOUD.COM/THEBEAT1036FM. For all the top tunes in UK Urban, Grime, Trap, Drill and Afrobeats, tune into the THE BEAT 103.6FM and we are now on DAB. Just search for THE BEAT.

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like this so early in his career.

2. OLORUN MAJE With an uplifting message and some Yoruba seasoning to add extra flavour, this song doubles as both a celebration of life and a rejection of bad vibes and negative energy. To this day, Olorun Maje ("God forbid") remains a disc jockey favourite, and is the kind of throwback record you play when you want to get everybody at the function, young or old, up on their feet.

3. FALL IN LOVE An honest record with a universal theme, this uplifting love song combines cheesy lyrics with raw energy and emotion to produce a truly timeless Nigerian classic. "Omo, you don make me fall in love..." What else is there to say?

4. OLIVER TWIST With its infectious beat, catchy lyrics and an unforgettable hook, Oliver Twist quickly soared to the top of the charts, becoming one of the defining songs of D'banj's career.

With widespread acclaim and an unrivaled international appeal, very few Nigerian records have been able to match its success ever since, and not for lack of trying.

5. EMERGENCY After a brief hiatus, D'banj's 2017 single, Emergency, marked his triumphant return to the spotlight, utilising hot lyrics and a bassline to rival the likes of Fela Kuti. D'banj had returned with a new sound and a mission to remind us exactly why we loved him, and he did not disappoint one bit.

Q: D’banj, your incredible journey began with the decision to move back to Nigeria. Why did you decide to move back?

Honestly, I've never been too comfortable being in one spot. Today it looks like this great story, but going back to Nigeria and so many other big things that God has done with the brand have happened through misfortune. Don Jazzy and I went back to Nigeria because we had no money - no money at all - and I think Jazzy and his former partner had fallen out. Before that, one of my friends back home, Ruggedman, told me that he'd been paid a thousand pounds for a show in Nigeria, and so I went to Jazzy and I said, "there's money in Nigeria, let's go home" even if it was just to balance ourselves out for a little while ... he agreed. So going back to Nigeria was literally out of us looking for visible hope. Then after going back, in less than a year, everything changed.

not something you'd wish on your worst enemy.

Losing a child is not something you ever think about, I'd never, ever thought about it before.

Unlike other situations, this was one thing that really broke me. Getting through it took the grace of God and a little bit of therapy, but I'm happy that over time, I've been able to channel those feelings into my music, which is so important for me. The most important thing that I prayed for was restoration. No matter how many times I tell me wife that everything is okay, I know it's God that has to give us the restoration, and I'm proud to say that in a few months I'm going to be a father again. On the album I wanted to talk about how we've been able to deal with the loss and how we're still dealing with it, but more importantly, to let people know that we're on our way to being restored, and if that can happen for us, it can happen for anybody.

Q: Afrobeats has now completely transformed, we're seeing different doors open for the likes of Wizkid, Davido, everybody has kind of walked in the path that you opened doors with. What were some of the struggles for you as an African pop artist trying to become the superstar that you envisioned and taking your music international?

The biggest problem for me was lack of belief because no one had done it before. People didn't believe - not my partners, nobody but me. For me, I think that was the hardest part. Today, a child can wake up and tell his mom, "I wanna have a number one record worldwide", and it's believable. But when we were saying it, it was more like a dream and so that was one major struggle, but I'm the kind of person who when I set my mind on something and I pray and I believe and I move, it might be tough, but I'll always do it. I'm so happy for us as a continent and as an industry as well, because getting that access was one of the hardest things for us to get. When it comes to the UK industry, you'd have to actually ridicule yourself or go through a lot before they'd even recognise you, but today to come here and see my posters on the wall as we were driving down, to see the things that are happening and hear and see all the successes is just a dream come true and an affirmation that I'm on the right path.

Q: The last year and a half has been really tough for D'banj, the artist, and Dapo, the person. Our condolences to you and your family for the loss of your young one. How have you been able to cope through this very difficult time?

Firstly, I want to thank everyone out there that has supported us. I believe that it's God that granted the grace and mercy for myself and my wife to be able to be here today, and be able to smile. It's

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CAREER

STEPS TO ACHIEVE FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE WITH LALA ‘RAEE’ RAJI Lala started her luxury affordable wigs and lashes brand, La 'Bello Beauty, while working full time as a social worker. By the age of 25, she successfully turned this side hustle into a business that would see her outearn her £50k a year job and also buy an apartment in the City of London.

mail ing e .com r o t n e il For M e@hotma e e a lalar

Speaking to our Managing Editor, Lala shared the 7 steps that helped her achieve financial independence at such a young age.

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IT ALL STARTS WITH THE MIND

Your mind is your power. Training your mind is just as important as training your body at the gym. Work hard towards having the right mindset which will enable you to work towards your dreams.

WORK OVERTIME Just like a baby relies on you to feed them; like your car, it is reliant on you to provide it with fuel, your business relies on you to put in the WERK!

FIND BALANCE

This is my ultimate motto! No matter how hard it gets, stay humble and don’t let anyone move you from your centre.

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3

4

5

Ensure you have a work-life balance to refuel your creative juices. Life can take a toll on us, so be sure to create some ‘YOU time’.

WHATEVER YOU DO, KEEP IT CUTE

YOU NEED A TUNNELLED VISION

RESEARCH Conduct in-depth research into your chosen field. Be sure to recognise the ins and outs of your business and what your competitors are up to.

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My favourite line that has followed me through my years working as a social worker and owning a demanding business is, ‘have a tunnelled vision but an open mind’.

Remain focused on your destination and do not lose sight of it.

DISRUPT YOUR ROUTINE Often, as an employee, you tend to be stuck in a routine, whereas for entrepreneurs it’s usually the opposite.. Entrepreneurs have a very disruptive routine, so disrupt yours and get the feel of life as an entrepreneur.

VISIT WWW.LABELLOBEAUTY.COM to find all you need to ‘keep it cute’ USE CODE GLAM10 FOR 10% OFF 73

FEATURE STORY

WOMEN WANTING MORE

BY TUMININU OLAOSHUN

What’s your status?

Married! Taken!

It’s Complicated! Boss Babe!

Our generation seem to be quite unique and the atmosphere seems ripe for the NEW black woman. Hashtags such as #bossbabe, #blackgirlmagic #queening are being used everywhere, and thanks to Ciara's recent exploits, it seemd the bloggosphere is currently competing for who can #levelup the most. These tags are pulling in more interaction on Instagram, and to quote one of my favourite memes, “what a time to be alive!”.

With more and more women getting married at later stages in life (with the average age at which a woman marries is now 35) it is clear that the traditional tale of the young girl who goes to school, gets a qualification, works for a bit, gets married, becomes mother and then lives happily-ish ever after, is one for our parents’ or even grandparents' generation.

As we get older, we are having more candid conversations with the matriarchs of our families. Many of our mothers and grandmothers, are sharing their desires and their regrets, reflections on their past years, and wishing they had had the opportunity to do more (yet ironically, they continue to share their concerns about the fact that we’re still single). We're in the middle of an uprising, and young people all over the diaspora are shouting from the rooftops, “I will not inherit the silence of my mother!”. With the influx of educational programmes addressing the age-old problems of sexism, racism, and in the words of Yanick St-Jean the 'double burden' (where she explores the "difficulties in the hiring and promoting process, racial and sexual discrimination at work, and feelings of isolation and exclusion") it’s clear this conversation and re-education is essential and desperately overdue. While I am not in full agreement with the notion that the ‘future is female’, at least there is an understanding that the future needs better-treated females - and I am all for

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this process of enlightenment.

So bringing us back to 2019 - the last year of the decade - the powers that be, influencers on the ‘Gram, are urging us to “take the risk, sis... we only have a few months until the end of the decade, sis...” and the like. Personally, I am pleased to see that many of us are taking the plunge. I would like to think that we are doing and saying things that our mothers only dreamt of doing and saying, and doing so proudly. And the best part is that we are setting an even greater precedent for those coming up behind us, just like the amazing women before us did.

However, in the mix of “taking that risk”, amidst building myself spiritually throughthe teachings of The Bible, whilst climbing the ladder of success and building my Instagram, I do wonder if we are doing ‘too much’ for our male counterparts? I also wonder, if we are too concerned with getting it all now instead of growing in seasons. In other words, does our growing repertoire make us too much of a woman to handle? And do we have to pressurise ourselves by expecting everything right away?

I dare to wonder that perhaps more of us would be married earlier, if only we spent more time doing what our mothers had done, perhaps maybe our stories would be a little different? Are we doing too much too soon?

There has been an loud yet often-quite command that requires women to be a little more quiet, a little more calm.

When you view this in the context of women of colour, then that command can be overbearing. Whilst I am all for decorum, some of these societal and cultural norms can be stifling, to say the least. The moment we step out of the norm, we are questioned as if something is wrong with us, or we receive an unwelcome and unsolicited opinion from

people telling us that they “liked us better - from our hair to our attitudes - before this wild change.

Moreover, my faith strongly tells me to run my own race, looking at the author and finisher, Jesus Christ, who was known to be a radical, non-conformi who challenged stereotypes and helped those deemed incapable of help.

Therefore, as a believer of Christ, I think anyone willing to dim their light by only striving to pursue half their life’s purpose to please others are doing themselves a disservice. I love to see people walking in purpose, achieving their goals and breaking glass ceilings placed on them. I believe it is biblical.

Whilst there is a desire to add more roles other than a 9-5, I want to see more men and women pursue their purpose. A woman chasing purpose is only too much for the man who isn’t. And indeed, vice versa.

As I mature, I have seen the value and necessity of being surrounded by people who can correct you, love you,and most importantly, grow with. If you had told my twenty-one year old self, that ten years later, she would be single and childless as part of the purpose I am fulfilling right now, I would have slapped you hard, and snapped my fingers above my head and said, “OLORUN MA JE!” (Yoruba for ‘God forbid’).

However, I’ve recently found a new level of peace knowing that I am becoming better equipped for what God has in store for me, and indeed for my life partner, because of all of the things I have accomplished and the lessons I have learned. I am fully confident that all I have gone through was necessary for the next chapter of my life. Even if my body clock, aunties and uncles’ voices sometimes tick loud in my ear.

I look at amazing women like Finally Fiona, who has been open about having to go back to full time work, because it was not sustainable to be a full time blogger/influencer in her previous seasons of life. Whilst being married, a homeowner and now a mother to a gorgeous baby girl, her journey clearly testifies that there is a time and a season for everything, and that balance is key. It is more than possible to be a ‘boss babe’ at any stage of your life.

As we enter a new decade and indeed a new year, I think it is important to redefine what a ‘boss babe’ actually means.

And to be honest with you, I think it can mean whatever you want it to. For me, wealth doesn’t play a vital role for the term.

In my humble opinion, it means dominating the space and season I am in, the way that I am supposed to. It is important that we take time to redefine these trending phrases because it is easy to say, especially to ambitious women, that because you’re pursuing this ‘boss babe’ lifestyle, this is why you don’t have…(insert desireable life goal). I think it’s unfair to make women feel uncomfortable because they are passionate about something. Instead of labelling women by one single characteristic, be it ‘a career woman’, ‘a home-maker’, or ‘wife material’, why can’t we accept them for the seasons they are currently in? And I very much include myself in that question.

Perhaps why we feel we can’t have it all, is because we expect to have it all RIGHT NOW. But is it possible to excel and flourish in all areas of our life in every season?

I think we can be ‘boss babes’ and still be attractive to the right people in the right season. For example, for some it may be a season to invest in your family and children - taking time to build the relationships and foundational keys that you will thank yourself for in the future. For another, it may be the season to invest financially in your dreams, so budgeting, saving and living life like you just got ‘flewed out’ just isn’t an option. Or it may be the time to spend money on the house, the business or yourself in terms of investing and working on yourself. Alternatively it could be season that you sow into others through voluntary service in your church, community or organisation.. Once we have an understanding of the season we are in, it is easier for us to embrace our inner boss babe in that season. And remember my definition of ‘boss babe’: ‘dominating the space and season I am in, in the way that I am supposed to’.

So for my fellow singles, it just may be the time to invest in yourself now - financially, emotionally and spiritually, because the next season you may be required to invest in others your partner and family. For my wives and leaders in the home, it may or may not be the season to build on the business right now, but instead pour into your children so that when the time is right, you know that what you have invested in is solid and you won’t feel guilty during the season of rebuilding yourself.

When you have articulated what season you are in: married, single, divorced, or ‘it’s complicated’, you can then feel confident that you’ll be able to discern what people you need around you and who you can invest in too. This will also eliminate the dangers of people-pleasing, because you understand the season you are in, therefore you will know who you can make time for and who you cannot. And hopefully, they will be understanding that life works in times and seasons and just because you may not be physically available right now, it doesn't mean you cannot be emotionally or spiritually available for them or that you never will be. Some seasons can be extremely overwhelming and take longer to master, and it is important that we surround ourselves with people who encourage us. Similarly, it is equally important that we are understanding to others when the roles are reversed.

As I close, we have touched on the changing narrative for womenand this is a good thing, despite there still being work to do. We are in a space where we also have some control in how the narrative is shared. From the content creators on our socials, to our classrooms and conference rooms. If we are confident that we are walking in purpose, as opposed to just chasing clout, then we can easily identify the people who can support us.. Take this as a challenge to redefine the term ‘boss babe’ and reclaim your season so that we can flourish in ways you have been called, because we can’t have it all at the same time. Transition from the boss babe who was #teamwantsitallnow to #teamdoingEVERYTHINGbyseason.

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SOCIAL HOUSE | RESTAURANT | BAR | HOOKAH

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FEATURE STORY

THE RISE OF THE

‘BOSS BABE’:

PHENOMENAL WOMEN

BY ASHEDZI AYUBA-KUWU

successfully navigating a man’s world!

Nicki Minaj famously said in an interview in 2012, “when I am assertive, I am [called] a b*tch, when a man is assertive he is [called] a boss’’ - it is no secret that we are operating in a man’s world. Time and time again women who dare to be ambitious are classified as ‘pushy’, ‘bossy’ and ‘divas’, in comparison to their male counterparts, who are ‘great leaders’.

Over the past few years, the term ‘BOSS BABE’ or ‘GIRL BOSS’ has become a hugely controversial topic on social media, a term used to denote a female that is unapologetically ambitious, knows exactly what she wants from life and takes the necessary actions to acquire success.

This is not a feminism piece, but a celebration of trailblazing millennial queens, who have managed to successfully navigate a man’s world, drive change, shape culture and define success on their own terms. I have highlighted five (out of many) successful 'boss babes’ from across the African diaspora who are not only changing the narrative in their respective fields, but are also using their social and economic influence to drive positive impact in their communities.

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Bonang

,also popularly known as ‘Queen B’, is a South African multi-media personality, businesswoman, producer, and philanthropist.

She is one of the most successful media personalities on the African continent - the first black South African to be featured on numerous magazines,African ambassador for various global brands (including Revlon) and has won over 30 awards over the course of 15 years.

BOSS BABE: GRACE LADOJA MBE INDUSTRY:

CULTURE, FASHION

AND MUSIC

COUNTRY: UK E NIGERIA

Bonang made her TV debut at age to a gap in the black female fifteen on SABC 2 kids shows, and market. Other ventures include a nearly two decades later she is production house, Bonang Matheba still killing it on her current gig, Top Entertainment, and of course a Billing. In typical media boss babe lingerie collection with Woolworths, style, she has immersed herself aptly called Distraction. When it in the world of media including comes to fashion and style, Bonang radio, film-making, and has many can do no wrong in our eyes, she high-profile shows; MTV Africa is always serving us looks online Music Awards 2016, and the and is one of South Africa’s most Global Citizen concert alongside Trevor Noah and Naomi Campbell. influential online personalities.

On her hugely successful reality TV show, Being Bonang, we get Bonang heads up the Bonang a glimpse into her fabulous life, Matheba Bursary Fund, where she which is not only fun, bold and drives change in her community by entertaining but also aspirational; sponsoring the tertiary education she consistently of 10 young ladies encourages each year, in line with others to chase her advocacy for the their dreams. Her education of the female much anticipated child. It is clear that autobiography ‘From Bonang knows what A to B’, is a no holds he wants, has a distinct barred story on her brand vision and an upbringing, where incredible work ethic to she reveals personal match, she is a constant challenges whichus reminder that success is to admire her work your responsibility. boss ethic and babe material!

BOSS BABE: BONANG MATHEBA perseverance even more.

INDUSTRY: MEDIA AND In business Bonang is a powerhouse.

She went from being an ambassador for Ciroc to launching her very own luxury champagne brand, The House of BNG, to cater 78

BUSINESS COUNTRY:

SOUTH AFRICA

Grace

is a ‘cultural curator’ and undeniably a trailblazer within the music industry, and youth culture.

This Britishborn Nigerian filmmaker and creative director is manager to Skepta, one of the UK’s biggest artists, and has been recognised for her instrumental

impact in his career. In 2017, she was awarded with Music Week’s Rising Star award for the success achieved independent of a major record label - an absolute boss babe!

Epitomising her name, the talented music executive is asgracefully stylish as she is cool and well versed in sneaker and streetwear culture. . In 2017, she got her first break as a filmmaker co-designing a sneaker line for Nike alongside her crew of boss babe friends who make up International Girl Crew, which includes Sharmadean Reid - founder of WAH nails and FutureGirlCorp. When she is not working with some of the world's biggest brands, Grace can be found on panels, devoting her time to sharing her knowledge with young upcoming talent within the music business.

In 2017 masterminded the Homecoming Festival in Lagos, a three-day cultural exchange event showcasing African music, sports and fashion. The festival promotes African youth culture and provides a platform to empower established and rising African talent through performances, talks and an exclusive pop-up store featuring both Homecoming and Nike collaboration pieces as well as designers such as Mowalola, who recently launched the controversial ‘Coming for Blood’ collection.

Homecoming is supported by major brands (Nike, Virgin Atlantic and Red Bull), and is well attended by African diasporans, and celebrities including Naomi Campbell.

Adding to her accolades, Grace was recognised as one of Vogue’s 25 Most Influential Women of 2017 and in 2018was awarded by the Queen, the Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) award for services to music.. She captioned this moment, “as a scene we have

all worked hard to try to leave an impression on this Earth and create new blueprints so that the next generation can flourish, I think that’s my calling in life”.

Today, Grace continues to make huge inroads within the male-dominated music industry whilst cultivating versatility across her career paths and championing her community.

Need I say more? Major boss babe goals!

Patricia

is a fashion, beauty and lifestyle vlogger, entrepreneur, author and all-round social media powerhouse. The London-born Nigerian became the first black female YouTuber in the UK to hit a million subscribers, which has since grown to over 2.7m. She started creating content at university, on beauty hacks, fashion hauls and daily life, to escape her lonely experiences before turning her secret hobby into a successful business over 10 years later.

In her book ‘Heart & Hustle’, she expands on how her journey as a financial services management consultant, creating content in secret, and becoming a full-time YouTuber, (where she is said to earn over $200,000 per year on the platform alone). As a corporate girl myself, with a similar corporate job, juggling a career in TV Presenting and fashion, I am personally inspired by Patricia’s story -. her work ethic and passion are unmatched.

BOSS BABE: PATRICIA BRIGHT INDUSTRY:

BEAUTY, FASHION

AND LIFESTYLE

COUNTRY:

UK

‘Nigerian heritage with western upbringing’. As a tall girl herself, she is signed to the renowned Storm Model Management. Hence, she embraces this fact by making a statement through fashion and by challenging the status quo to improve inclusion in the industry.

She has built an empire off the back of her influence and collaborated with many celebrities including Khloe Kardashian.

Patricia is also associated with many high-end cosmetic brands like MAC and Fenty Beauty and runs Y-hair, a hair extension company.

All of which has earned her many accolades across the fashion and beauty industry including. InStyle Magazine’s ‘most innovative fashion video award’. This ‘mumpreneur’, who is expecting baby number two, has shown no signs of slowing down as she recently collaborated with Amazon on a 30-piece limited collection and has launched an online business school for aspiring bloggers.

At 5’11, Irene also has an ambition that is taller than average, her mission is to make an impact and influence positive change. She has openly shared her struggles as a tall teenager and how it sparked her eye for entrepreneurship after identifying a gap in the market.

TTYA London was the first tall brand to debut in Selfridges, andis also stocked in Barneys and online retail giant, ASOS.com. She was invited to showcase her SS19 collection at Lagos Fashion week, and has been featured in Vogue, Glamour, Elle UK and I-D Magazine. Irene’sbrand has been worn by the likes of Jourdan Dunn, Elle Macpherson and Wendy Williams and she has collaborated with other tall brands including Long Tall Sally where together they produced a sold-out collection, which was advertised in Times Square, New York.

Patricia has been open about her family’s struggles when she was a child and how this built her mental attitude and resilience.

Her authentic and honest style has captivated the hearts of many, and her journey is paving the way for more black British bloggers. A true testament to hard work, dedication and resilience, a boss babe through and through!

Prior to her journey into groundbreaking entrepreneurship, Irene garnered extensive experience within the fashion industry from e-commerce to styling. She worked as head of women’s styling at ASOS.com, visual merchandising at Selfridges, fashion editorial at Complex magazine and independent consulting for brands like Amazon. To add to the already long list, she has curated and

Irene

is a multifaceted Nigerian Londonbased fashion designer, model and creative director. She is founder of TTYA (Taller Than Your Average) London, an apparel brand for girls 5’9” or over, which incorporates African prints into its designs, especially in her latest collection which combines her

BOSS BABE: IRENE AGBONTAEN INDUSTRY:

FASHION

AND CULTURE

COUNTRY:

UK E NIGERIA

creatively directed pop up stores for the merchandise of some of our favourite Afrobeats artists, namely Tiwa Savage and Wizkid.

Her TTYA Talks platform empowers women withpanel events on career and industry topics and connecting talented creatives with more successful women like Vanessa Kingori. Her recent International Women Day dinners are well attended by the likes of boss babes Maya Jama, Julie Adenuga and Clara Amfo.

We stan Irene’s values of self-belief, work ethic and achieving success on her own terms, as well as her uplifting sisterhood with Grace [Ladoja}, two peas in a boss babe pod. Then again, Irene is not your average!

Sherrie

is an awardwinning choreographer, dancer, creative director, actress and philanthropist.

She bagged the MTV VMA best choreography award in 2018 for choreographing and featuring in Childish Gambino’s ‘This is America’ viral music video (which has over 600million YouTube views). This Rwandan-born star has a mission to “[take] the world to Africa through dance” and is changing the negative narrative of Africa through music videos, commercials, films and ventures including. Guava Island film and teaching dance workshops across the globe.

Rwanda, Prime Minister of Italy and Bill Gates.

Sherrie is a true definition of an authentic boss babe, as she inspires women to embrace their dark skin tone through sharing her experiences with bullying as a teenager and staying true toher Christian values. She has been recognised by major publications (Forbes, IntheStyle and Vogue magazine) and worked with our favourite celebrities; Rihanna, the Kardashian-Jenners, Nicki Minaj and Burna Boy. Most recently, she was Vogue’s movement director at one of the biggest fashion events on the planet, Met Gala 2019.

I can state a million more reasons why Sherrie embodies values of a boss babe, not to talk of the global success and endless accolades she has acquired. At just 25 years of age, this African queen is just getting started.

BOSS BABE: SHERRIE SILVER INDUSTRY:

ARTS, CULTURE

AND

PHILANTHROPY

COUNTRY:

AFRICA AND

UNITED STATES

This creative entrepreneur is all about her business. She holds a degree in Business Marketing and encourages young creatives to monetise their talent, which she has done successfully, with Nike’s #theforceisfemale campaign being a prime example. She is the founder of a charity, Children of Destiny, that equips homeless street kids in Africa with a bright future.

Alongside Afrobeat superstar Mr Eazi, she is a UN International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) global advocate for rural youth and has spoken publicly to audiences of global dignitaries including Pope Francis, President of

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FEATURE STORY

The Decade of

INFLUENCER MARKETING

IS NOT A TREND,

BY MALITHA FERNANDES

It’s Here to Stay!

It wasn’t too long ago that I would wake up in the morning and the first thing I would do was brush my teeth. Now, the first thing I do is check my phone, browse through my social media then brush my teeth before I carry on with my day. While there’s lots of speculation around social media being a boon or a curse, I believe social media has taken over our lives and has caused a drastic shift in our consumption. Although one might think they are just casually scrolling through social media, in reality they are unconsciously being targeted by one endorsement scheme or the other. And to add to it, what makes it incredibly hard to resist these endorsements is the fact that they look very appealing, almost as if they've been tailor-made to suit your lifestyle.

When you come to think of it, endorsement isn’t all that new at all. From radio networks to satellite television, marketers have long found effective ways to communicate brand messages to consumers.

Whether we see them on the billboards while we are driving down to work, or hear them while tuned in to our favourite pop music station, we are constantly surrounded by advertisements and brands that are trying to catch our attention. In recent times, however, we have seen marketers make a big shift from traditional media to digital platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and Youtube. Netflix has taken over television, Spotify has taken over the music and podcasting realm, while social media has become

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a very prominent part of our daily lives. Not only has social media exploded, but there has also been a huge shift in the way users view the purpose of social media platforms.

Recent statistics show that the number of social media users in the UK is about 45million ( approximately 67% of the total population),. out of which 77% actively engage by posting, sharing, liking and commenting on posts. Just think about it, can you remember the last time you went a day without checking one of your social media accounts? Unless you've recently been on a social media detox, I'm willing to bet that the answer is a resounding 'no'.

In recent years, the abundance of active users across various social media platforms has given rise to influencers - ‘regular people’ who have become online celebrities by creating content for social

media, which has subsequently led to increasing demand for a new marketing strategy known as influencer marketing. In the present day scenario, where the average consumer spends very little time on traditional media (let alone sits through an entire advertisement), this 'non-intrusive' and 'noncommercial' approach known as influencer marketing has become extremely popular.

So why exactly are mainstream brands so eager to harness the power of the influencer? One thing brands have found fascinating is that influencers are not only effective in getting their brands' messages across, but also in starting and popularising new trends. Research has shown that 92% of people

trust endorsements by online influencers over those that come from traditional celebrities. Consumers will often view the opinions and endorsements of an influencer the same way they would view that of a friend of relative, as they perceive them to be more accessible. Consumers feel less 'targeted' when products show up on their Instagram feed, for example, and are generally more open to finding out more about them.

Numerous studies have shown that influencer marketing increases brand awareness and purchase intention, which in turn helps to boost sales. The proof is in the pudding. Influencer-created content has led to great returns on investment for many companies. With the ability to reach potential consumers within a short period of time and at a reasonable price, the strategic importance and power of influencer marketing cannot be ignored.

Nike, Daniel Wellington, Adidas, Asos, Shein and Zara are just a few of the major brands that are absolutely nailing it in the influencer marketing department.

So while social media platforms maycome and go, social media influencers, and thus influencer marketing, is definitely here to stay. This is good news for brands who know how to seize the moment, as well as for influencers who are keen to get even more creative with their content in preparation for whatever digital phase this new decade may bring.

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TRAVEL

A Pinch of PHUKET

BOIPELO JEAN CHABABA

In a country of sandy beaches, ancient culture, true mystique and a recent tragic past, Phuket is the perfect place to go for a sprinkle of fresh culture.

At the most southern tip of Thailand, a cluster of islands create a community of crystal blue and white sandy beaches no deeper than 50 meters. Phuket is a melting pot of Asian cultures spanning from China to Indonesia to India and back to the origins of Thailand. When I planned my 10 day trip to this majestic place, I had an ‘experience wish list’ longer than the hours in a day, but I wasn’t going to let time stop me. I wanted to sample everything that Phuket has to offer – with plenty of beach time included!

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BIG BUDDHA Erected after the devastating Tsunami that hit 14 countries in 2004, Phuket’s version of the sitting Maravija Buddha rests on top of Nagakerd Hill and is finished with pure marble. It was the first stop on my bucket list. The shrine, which is actually not yet complete, represents, in an eerie way, a reminder of the carnage that was left after the Tsunami destroyed the city almost two decades ago. As it stands, the shrine is used as a Buddhist temple, with the Monks’ chanting adding to the spiritual atmosphere as they echo through the mountaintop.

SIAM NIRAMIT If you want a crash course in the history of Thailand, the Siam Niramit show is a world-class performance of Thailand’s arts and cultural heritage. This must-see spectacular show features over 100 performers, lavish costumes, stunning set designs, enhanced special effects and the world’s most advanced technology, producing a very realistic, stimulating and immersive 4D experience.

I got there just as the buffet dinner was about to close to allow the audience to make their way to the auditorium.

Unintentionally I ended up receiving VIP treatment from the staff, being served ice-cold champagne on one side, and a delicious Phad Thai on the other- although I’ll admit this was probably to get me to eat faster so I don’t miss the amazing show!

JUNGLE KINGDOM Now, I’ve met enough people in my life who would frown upon me for being excited to ride atop an elephant in the jungles of Phuket, but it was an experience I simply couldn’t miss! An encounter I can only describe as a very slow roller coaster ride, the time I spent on a 10 foot tall elephant with no security from falling was just as exhilarating. I also had the option to visit Tiger Kingdom… but that’s where I drew the line. When I heard that there are no longer any wild Tigers in Phuket, seeing restless animals in cages was a heartache I personally didn’t want to experience.

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PHI PHI ISLAND To my surprise, although the title is how it is officially referred, the correct name is actually Phi Phi Islands with an ‘s’. Because I was in Thailand for an adventure, I chose a speedboat as my mode of transport as we bounced from island to island. The island clusters, famous for their coral reefs, mini boulder islands and wild monkeys, is where I had my first snorkeling experience. So eager to test my phone’s waterproof claim I got to ‘find Nemo’ and capture it myself. Maya Island, the one that was made famous in the movie, “The Beach” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was unfortunately closed off for preservation. We got to swing by and hear a little story about the production of the movie and how the coral reefs were destroyed due to the influx of fans from around the world. There is still hope that one day it will reopen, but until then you can check out the newly renamed James Bond Island, named after the blockbuster film that made it famous.

NINE EMPEROR GODS FESTIVAL Now, I was really lucky to travel to Phuket during this festival, which is a Taoist celebration beginning on the eve of the ninth lunar month in the Chinese calendar. It actually coincides with their annual vegetarian festival.

Old Town Phuket (downtown) was turned into a massive street market were different Asian meals are cooked without meat, the delicious aroma wafting throughout the city. Surprisingly every dish I tasted didn’t taste like it lacked any meat!

JOHN GREY’ SEA CANOE For my birthday I wanted an adventure like no other.

Chatting to newly formed Australian friends at their Tikki Bar on the beach one night, they let me in on a word-ofmouth secret: John Grey. He was apparently one of the first non-locals to ever see the magic that waited in the many mini islands of Phuket. Over the years he created a unique canoe experience for visitors to discover the hidden corners of Hong and Panak Islands on a private long tail boat by night.

I even got to meet John Grey himself, something the locals said was special as the years are catching up with him. Soon this man will be a legend only remembered in tales, and so I’m glad I now have my own story to tell!

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We don't play like we used to. Going out just to have fun becomes childish and we grow weary of meaningless friendships, forced interactions or unnecessary conversations.

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Now you can take control of your dating life…YOUR WAY! 86

LIVING

HOW TO

&

SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE DECLUTTER YOUR SPACE

BY CHISOM WINIFRED

We all tend to get caught up in the complications of life that we create, sometimes unconsciously. Have you ever been at that point where you realize how complicated your life is? We have all been there and it’s not pretty.

But admitting a problem is the first step to effectively solving it. To declutter your space, (or complicated life) here are simple tips that can help:

TAKE A BREAK FROM YOUR PHONE FOR AT LEAST 30MINS ADAY: We are constantly on our phones for at least 15 hours in a day which is bad for our mental health. Make a conscious effort to take a phone break for at least 30mins every day. This helps to clear your head, take in your surroundings and have a necessary phone break moment.

ADOPTTHE ACT OF CLEAR THINKING: What usually causes worry and anxiety? Thinking too much, over analysing and magnifying problems in our head. When you are faced with a challenge, pause and clearly think about how you can solve it. Set a plan and work towards it. This removes the issue as a problem in your head, thus making your life less complicated.

ALWAYS MAKE TIME TO DISTRESS: You know that song by Wiz Khalifa, ‘Work hard, play hard’? It’s no joke. In as much as hard work and discipline is important, make time to chill!

Put your feet up, (phone away) and enjoy quality ‘me time’.

Life is short guys!

87

LIVING

CURATING A

Well-travelled Home The evidence of meeting a celebrity is an autograph (or a selfie), the evidence of running a race is a trophy, the evidence of travel is a souvenir and the evidence of a traveller is a home with a collection of travel stories. Our rooms tell intricate stories of experiences and lessons we have picked up along the way.

It’s no surprise that something as simple as a trinket can hold an interesting tale.

TO CURATE A WELL-TRAVELLED HOME, HERE ARE SOME HELPFUL TIPS: ARTEFACTS Artefacts hold stories of heritage and adventure, plus they are a great way to decorate.

Image credit: Hyggehome & WillowandBeech

Mask Trouva.com, £89

WALL ART Asides from being good house decor, wall art is a great way to entertain guests in your home.

Art usually inspires insightful conversations, Wall art at wafair.co.uk, £10

VINTAGE PIECES

Mid-century Cabinet by westelm.co.uk, £399

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Vintage items typically exhibit the best of certain qualities of a time period or era. There is no better way to share your travel stories than to display your exquisite vintage items by hanging on the wall.

FOOD & BODY

HEALTHY EATING on an African Diet 90

BY CHISOM ASOGWA

FOOD & BODY

Many African meals are made up of starchy foods in large portions, and often well-dipped in fat. Common meal choices include fufu, a semi-solid paste made from staple food cassava and accompanied with soups, rice or stew.

However, many studies have shown that regularly eating a diet rich in refined starch is linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and weight gain.

THERE ARE CERTAINLY WAYS TO STAY HEALTHIER WHILE STILL ENJOYING THE FLAVOUR-RICH AFRICAN DELICACIES. HERE ARE A FEW SUGGESTIONS:

Infuse lots of vegetables into your meals. Not only will this provide added flavour, but it is an opportunity to fill up with more nutrient-rich food.

Snack on healthy fruits. Instead of having fruits as dessert, choose fruits as a healthy snack option. In fact, have some before your meal, it helps to control how much of the main meal you eat, and it can often help improve the absorption of the main meal. Get creative with fruit salads, smoothies and more.

Reduce your portions. African food tends to be served in very large portions - exercise some self-control by reducing the portions of each meal.

This way you can still enjoy the meal without the risk of an unhealthy diet.

Cook with healthier oils. Keep your family healthy by cooking with healthy oil. Avoid unbranded oil which may be illegally processed, recycled or produced and packaged in unhygienic environments. These bad oils could cause high cholesterol and work against the normal flow of the body.

Opt for grilled meals instead of fried. Some food, like chicken, fish etc already contain oil. Why not grill instead of frying. Not only will you avoid the additional fat, grilling food helps reduce the natural oil in the food.

Right food at the right time. As there isn’t much physical activity done after supper, eating a heavy meal at such time means the body stores the excess calories as fat. Eat supper at least 3 hours before bedtime, this will give your body enough time to digest and absorb the food before you go to bed.

Get active. No matter what sort of food you consume, ensure you stay active. This will improve your overall health.

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MY BEAUTY SECRET

Morphe 35O Nature Glow Eyeshadow. £23.00

Dior Forever Skin Glow Foundation 30ml. £37.00

Image credit: Lucy_Hakobian & Instagram/Youtube ( @WunmiBello)

Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder, Translucent. £24

Inglot Sparkling Dust Highlighter. £12

WUNMI BELLO

Sought after TV and radio personality turned beauty and fashion influencer, Wunmi Bello, shares her favorite products, tricks, tips, and more with Managing Editor, Desiree Masiela.

What’s one beauty rule that you swear by?

Skin Glow Foundation because it gives my

I can be a bit systematic in terms of the way I

skin a radiant glow to it, which I absolutely

use my beauty tools. So, I’d say my Morphe

love. I also swear by my Laura Mercier setting

eyeshadow palette because I use it as a double

powder, it’s extremely lightweight and gives my

agent for a lot of things.

skin a silky smooth feel. I absolutely cannot live

What beauty rule do you think is total B.S.?

without it.

I think luxury beauty products can be very

Do you ever leave the house without wearing

redundant sometimes. I honestly do not think

make-up?

that you need to break the bank in order for

No way!

you to get your skin to look amazing. You can still use ordinary products and still get your skin to look flawless.

What beauty trends are you looking to try out this winter?

Using my eyeshadow as liner to make my lipstick stay longer. That should definitely be on your list of things to try out this season.

Worst beauty sin?

Too much foundation or a powdery looking face is not a good look at all. A nice healthy glow to your face is always a good look.

If you had to choose three beauty products to takewith you to a desert island, what would youchoose?

1.

Dior Skin Glow Forever Foundation

Which make-up brands do you absolutely

2.

Morphe eyeshadow palette

swear by?

3.

Inglot highlighter

Oh! This is a bit tricky, I’d say my Dior Forever

93

Meet Elvin Mensah

" y u "That Train Date g All you need to know about London prankster, Elvin Mensah, and his unorthodox dates on the London Underground.

Train dates, is that your style?

Have you always wanted to be in

How would you react if an unknown commuter

entertainment, what fuelled that interest?

charms you with an impromptu dinner date

Well, sort of. I developed an interest in

complete with a well-dressed dinner table,

becoming a sports presenter/host over the

food and wine while sitting on one of London’s

past few years but also enjoyed writing jokes

commuter trains, Well, Elvin is the social media

and making comedic content as a pastime.

entertainer who has made this a reality for a few

As time went on, I started taking comedy a

unsuspecting passengers on London trains, and

bit more seriously.

their reactions (and that of other commuters) are recorded and shared on his social media page for the viewing pleasure of those who care for a bit of a laugh. But how did it all begin?

Who did you look up to for inspiration when you first started out as a content creator?

A friend of mine had some meme/Christian comedy accounts that were fairly well known

WATCH ELVIN’S VIDEOS on Instagram @elvinmensah

on social media and he initially encouraged me to get into making comedy skits. I was definitely inspired to emulate him and other Christian comics who were doing really well on social media.

How do you find inspiration for creating new content?

A lot of the time inspiration comes mainly from just thinking about making entertaining content and also talking with others. I really enjoy the challenge of creating new and original content.

How do you plan and successfully carry out your pranks?

Planning is fairly straightforward and usually I’ll have things in place for pranks on the day.

Trying to carry the pranks out successfully is usually smooth sailing, but it can be a challenge at times, especially when looking for a “date” on the train.

Sometimes a bit of patience and observation is required to find the ideal situation before we start filming. We try to be discreet when carrying out pranks but always let people know after filming.

94

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GAM-AUTUMN-2016.indb 2

01/09/2016 13:38

GAM-AUTUMN-2016.indb 3

01/09/2016 13:38

QUIZ: 2019 IN CELEBRITY 1 Which African superstar got married

BY BOIPELO JEAN CHABABA

3

and had a baby in 2019?

What is the name of Prince Harry's

- Davido

and Duchess Meghan Markle’s son?

- AKA

- Archie William Mountbatten-Windsor

- D’banj - Ice Prince

2

Which two countries hosted the afrobeats festival Afronation?

- South Africa + United Kingdom

- Charles Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor - Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor - Henry Charles Mountbatten-Windsor

- Ghana + Portugal - Nigeria + USA - Kenya + Jamaica

4 ’The Gift', a soundtrack album by Beyoncé which featured African artists such as Yemi Alade, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, Wizkid, Salatiel, Mr Eazi and Shatta Wale, accompanied the release of which live-action Disney remake?

- Aladdin - The Little Mermaid

5 Which Glam Africa cover star was named Africa’s biggest female DJ? - DJ Cuppy - DJ Zinhle - DJ Nyce - DJ Soupamodel

- The Lion King - The Jungle Book

6

Which African female artist signed with Universal records this year?

- Tiwa Savage - Yemi Alade

7 What is the one-word name of the

- Sho Madjozi

blockbuster horror movie released in

- Shekhinah

March starring Lupita Nyong’o?

- Life - US

8 Which African comedian hosts the American late night show, The Daily Show?

- Basketmouth - Michael Blackson - Anne Kansiime - Trevor Noah

- Twin

0-3 Really though?

Do you even own a TV?

4-6 Clever Clog You clearly know your Wizkid from Davido.

7-8 Go Champ!

But you may wish to spend less time on Linda Ikeji and TMZ in 2020!

Savage | (7) US | (8) Trevor Noah (1) Davido | (2) Ghana + Portugal | (3) Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor | (4) The Lion King | (5) DJ Zinlhe from South Africa | (6) Tiwa

98

- USA

HOW DID YOU DO?

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