DO YOU REMEMBER... KIRIKOU?

Kirikou is an essential part of every francophone’s childhood. The film centred around a tiny boy the size of a leaf named Kirikou going on numerous adventures inside and outside of his village. There are many different Kirikou movies, but the most notorious is Kirikou et la Sorcière (trans. Kirikou and the Sorceress) which focuses on the challenges Kirikou’s village face under the thumb of the ‘evil’ sorceress Karaba. The tiny boy sets out on a mission to defeat the sorceress and meets several interesting people along the way. The story is a story of courage, love and teaches a lesson about understanding and not judging a book by its cover. Originally a French movie, it was translated, and this gem was shared across many English-speaking countries.

With the renaissance of Y2K Nollywood on social media, we all feel a sense of nostalgia. Watching Nollywood movies with our mums during our childhood and teenage years wishing we could recreate their iconic thin brows, black shades, and attitude. If you grew up in an African household, Nollywood was undoubtedly part of your childhood and looking back, there are many icons from Afro-cinema during the early 00’s that not only shaped a generation but had us all gagging trying to recreate their most iconic roles.

We have compiled a list of actors and actresses from Nigeria, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire that we think were iconic in their own right. In no particular order, here are ten Afro-cinema icons.

Rita Dominic (Nigeria)

How can we talk about Afro-cinema icons without mentioning Rita Dominic? Every movie she stared in was an instant favourite. The award-winning actress, model and TV personality is known as the baddest chick on the block. With her take no nonsense attitude and disregard for men; she was the incarnation of what we all aspired to be, independent women who enjoy a stress-free soft life. She was a player and a heartbreaker and that paired with her iconic fashion sense she was the closest thing to a living goddess in our eyes.

Akissi Delta (Côte d’Ivoire)

Staying in Ivory Coast, we have Akissi Delta. Delta is another popular actress from the hit TV sitcom “Ma Famille”. Not only is she the lead actress in the show, but she also created the show itself. Her many achievements aside, Delta is known for her amazing acting and iconic sense of style. Throughout every season of “Ma Famille” every single one of her looks are astounding (seriously we need her tailors contact details ASAP!). That paired with her incredible acting as part of the iconic gossip trio, along with Cleméntine Papouet and Amelié Wabehi and as Bohiri’s gutsy wife.

Nadia Buari (Ghana)

Nadia Buari is another household name amongst Ghallywood and Nollywood watchers. Known for her stunning beauty and her lead role in the movies “Beyonce: The President’s Daughter” and in “Beyonce and Rihanna”. She is known for her ‘rich girl’ aesthetic and princess treatment. A chick who knew what she wanted and would do anything necessary to get it. Her princess like attitude paired with her onscreen romances with fellow actor Van Vicker had us all wondering if she had bagged the nations crush for herself.

Van Vicker (Ghana)

If you didn’t have a massive crush on Van Vicker growing up, then you were doing something wrong. One of the most prominent lead males in Ghallywood, known for his role in the movie

“Beyonce: The President’s Daughter” alongside co-stars Jackie Appiah and Nadia Buari, he was turning heads and melting hearts. His charming smile and playboy persona made him one of the sexiest men on TV (at that time) and he will always remain one of the most iconic male leads in our eyes.

Ini Edo (Nigeria)

If you didn’t have a massive crush on Van Vicker growing up, then you were doing something wrong. One of the most prominent lead males in Ghallywood, known for his role in the movie

“Beyonce: The President’s Daughter” alongside co-stars Jackie Appiah and Nadia Buari, he was turning heads and melting hearts. His charming smile and playboy persona made him one of the sexiest men on TV (at that time) and he will always remain one of the most iconic male leads in our eyes.

Jackie Appiah (Ghana)

Jackie Appiah is a household name when it comes to Ghallywood. With her fierce on-screen personality, beauty, and style, she was (and still is) an icon to us all. Known for her roles in “Princess Tyra”, “The Playboy” and of course the iconic and well loved “Beyonce: The President’s Daughter” she has always dominated the screen with her piercing eyes and sexy eyerolls. She is undoubtedly one of Ghana’s most beloved lead actresses and an someone we aspired to be as kids.

Nastou Traoré (Côte d’Ivoire)

If you didn’t grow up in francophone household, then it’s very unlikely that you’ve heard of Nastou Traoré. But those of us who did grow up in francophone households know her from the hit TV sitcom “Ma Famille” (trans. “My Family”) and Meiway’s “Miss Lolo” music video. With her sexy style and boisterous attitude, Nastou was doing it different in a time where women were mostly conservative. Her tight clothes and out there personality made her the OG baddie that many either wanted to be or envied.

Bamba Bakary (Côte d’Ivoire)

Another francophone Icon, Bamba Bakary is a household name in many French-speaking households. The steward turned comedian and actor is known as a legend in francophone cinema. Known for his role as Demi Dieu (trans. Demi God) in the hit movie “Bal Poussière” and his role as “Moussa” in “Moussa le Taximan” (trans. Moussa the Taximan) he has remained a household favourite in many francophone countries. He is not only known for his comedy and his acting though, his sense of style, and philanthropy makes him a well-loved icon.

Genevieve Nnaji (Nigeria)

Genevieve Nnaji is an award-winning Nollywood actress. But to many of us she is the OG feminist icon who really revelled in the soft life lifestyle. She never took anything from men and always played a confident, fierce, smart and savoir-faire. Her role in the movie “Sharon Stone” portrays this perfectly as she played the role of an affluent girlfriend to 3 men, playing them all simultaneously and is unbothered. She is unbothered and a master finesser, you can’t outdo the do-er!

Marie-Louise Asseu (Côte d’Ivoire)

Marie-Louise Asseu or better known by her nickname Malou is another Ivorian actress. Malou is iconic in her own right. Having stared in the hit TV sitcoms “Ma Famille” as Delta’s rival and Bohiri’s new wife and “Faut Pas Fâcher” (trans. Don’t Be Angry), she always played a sassy, sharp tongues woman who knew what she wanted and knew how to get it. Her piercing eyes, and big personality made her one of the most beloved icons in Ivorian/francophone Cinema. Unfortunately, she passed away in 2016 due to health issues, but she will always be remembered as the icon who graced our TV screens with her bold and unapologetic presence.

Meet the London and Lagos group merging Alté and Y2K together to create the iconic brand Vivendii. The blog turned fashion trio Jimmy Ayendi, Ola Badiru and Anthony Oye seek to showcase fashion across boarders taking inspiration from Y2K internet aesthetics, gaming culture and PC graphics.

The vivid colour taken from the everyday sightings around Nigeria and the bold WordArt style graphics make their pieces appealing to their audience.

Photography: Nancy McNulty (@the_lizard__queen)

Vivendii 2021 collection.

Model: Jiahe Zhang (@better_pray_to_jeebus) & Tade (@tadeleyee)

Image courtesy i-D magazine and Vivendii

Styling: Olaolu Ebiti

MUA: Sophia Sinot

Photography Assitant: Scarlet Phelan

Styling Assistant & BTS: Retnik

Photography: Nancy McNulty (@the_lizard__queen)

Vivendii 2021 collection.

Image courtesy i-D magazine and Vivendii

Model: Tade (@tadeleyee)

Styling: Olaolu Ebiti

MUA: Sophia Sinot

Photography Assitant: Scarlet Phelan

Styling Assistant & BTS: Retnik

As a brand, they aim to end exclusivity in fashion and hope that everyone no matter what country or class can wear their clothing and feel included. The brand is fresh and has a sense of nostalgia to it, taking from their childhood in Nigeria and bringing those memories to their clothing. The simplicity and naivete of them of their clothing lines urges fans to reminisce about a better time in their lives.

“I feel like the Y2K era, entering the millennium, people were more hopeful about what the future would be like. In this era of doom and gloom, we want to revive that sense of hope, and make people believe in a better future.”

– Ola Badiru i-D 2021.

Photohraphy sereies by Senegal-based photographer Émilie Regnier focusing on wigs, hair and weaves in the Ivory Coast. The series “Hair” explores African hair heritage and the relationship between African hair and colonialism. The series set out to see how African women in the Ivory Coast have taken wigs and weaves, products that emerged through colonialism, and made them theirs. Black women wear wigs in an almost artistic way. It isnt just ‘hair’ its an extention of ones personality, identity and personhood.

“When I first started this series I was convinced that African women wearingwigswasaneo-colonialhangover.Butthroughtheworkand trough my conversations with the women I photographed and the hairdressers I realised that I was wrong,”

“African women have taken wigs and made it theirs whilst taking influence from African-American artists such as Rihanna and Beyonce. But even thiugh they take inspoiration from those artists, the artists’ styles are too plain for their own tastes so they adapt the style, make it more colourful and more vibrant.”