THEWILL DOWNTOWN MAR 06, 2022 EDITION

VOL 2 NO.10 • MARCH 06 - MARCH 12, 2022

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

Breaking The

BIAS

A CONSCIENTIOUS ATTEMPT AT GENDER EQUALITY

VOL 2 NO.10 • MARCH 06 - MARCH 12, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

LISTED

PAGE 2

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

Photo: Kola Oshalusi @insignamedia Makeup: Desire Onyema @desire_makeover

EDITOR’S NOTE

J

ust as I wondered when fuel queues would end or at least lighten up, I read something shocking.

The 9th National Assembly with 95.5% of men legislators voted to decline citizenship to the foreign-born husband of a Nigerian woman whereas a Nigerian man’s foreign-born wife gets automatic citizenship.

I don’t think I have ever seen or read anything more biased than this. How is it ok for a man’s foreign wife to have citizenship but a woman’s foreign husband denied the same?

It’s bad enough that we have to face issues of bias at work and in so many other aspects of life, but this move by the government further affirms my thought that they, (the government and some men in general) are intimidated by women. And what do you do to someone whom you are scared of? You take away certain privileges that you fear will make them rise above whatever you bring their way. In this case, the refusal to pass some gender equality Bills by the Legislature as part of the amendment of the 1999 constitution.

They certainly chose the right time to state their position regarding gender equality… Women’s Month 2022. What a shame.

But we won't let them still our shine. To celebrate International Women’s Day, our cover story focuses on the theme for this year; Break The Bias, while pages 14 and 15 pay homage to Nigerian women who are firsts in their fields.

Relationship experts say a woman must be comfortable enough to express her sexual desires. Telling her partner what she likes or doesn’t in the bedroom ultimately leads to better pleasure experiences. Most African women my age and older, no matter how many times they have been advised to do so, tend to be too coy when it comes to matters of the bedroom. Read about our Downtown confidential writer’s tale of the first time a woman told him what she wanted in the bedroom, and how he chivalrously obliged.

Happy International Women's Day!

VOL 2 NO.10 • MARCH 06 - MARCH 12, 2022

8

CONTENTS 16

COVER BREAKING THE BIAS

REVIEW DEATH ON THE NILE

14-15

04

CAREER NIGERIAN WOMEN WHO HAVE MADE HISTORY

ONAH’S EDIT ONAH LOVES

13

05

THE SCENE DOWNTOWN AFROBEATS HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY

FASHION FIVE FASHION STAPLES FOR EVERY GAL!

06

ODDBOD & THE CITY NO, BUT I THINK OLEG CASSINI TAKES THAT BUS!

07

DOWNTOWN CONFIDENTIAL I LIKE IT LIKE THAT

11

BEAUTY

Odun Ogunbiyi @oddbodandthecity

- Contributing Editor Odunayo Ogunbiyi is an ex pharmacist with a passion for food and pampering. Writing about her exploits wherever in the world she may find herself is just her way of staying sane in this zany world.

Boluwatife Adesina @bolugramm - Contributing Writer Boluwatife Adesina is a media writer and the helmer of the Downtown Review page. He’s probably in a cinema near you.

AUSTYN OGANNAH

www.thewilldowntown.com thewilldowntown thewilldowntown

THE SAG AWARDS 2022

WHAT YOU SAID INSTAGRAM @shotonwa_samson_b

Greatness

Onah Nwachukwu

PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Editor: Onah Nwachukwu @onahluciaa Editor-at-Large: Chalya Shagaya Writers: Kehindé Fagbule, Tilewa Kazeem Interns: Sophia Edisi, Abdul Auwal Graphics/Layout: Olaniyan John ‘Blake’ Digital Media: Oladimeji Balogun Guest Art Director: Sunny Hughes ‘ SunZA’

SPECIAL FEATURE

SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE ON BEAUTY STANDARDS

Until next week, enjoy your read.

@onahluciaa

12

Uzo Orimalade @uzosfoodlabs

- Contributing Writer Uzo Orimalade has a background in Law and Business and spent over a decade working in Corporate America and Nigeria in the management consulting and investment banking sectors. She switched careers to pursue her passion for baking, cooking and home entertaining. She is content creator and host of shows in various media platforms. She has been recognised by local and international media outlets including a feature on CNN’s African Voices.

Efua Oyofo @efuastar

- Contributing Writer Efua has always enjoyed telling stories.

A writer and cultural storyteller, Efua Oyofo helps clients tell their most compelling story. She focuses on social impact storytelling, and hosts a podcast: This African Love, exploring the culture of dating - and helping people develop more effective ways to navigate relationships in today’s world.

@shollycutie

@elliot_milli

Nice

PAGE 3

O O O O VOL 2 NO.10 • MARCH 06 - MARCH 12, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

ONAH’S EDIT

o l ves onah

From her favourite cocktail to a trio designer brand she has loved and followed for years, a new jewellery line that embodies Bini heritage, and a fragrance that will leave everyone around you enchanted, our editor lists some things she loves.

Carnets d'Equateur Dinnerware HERMES

Strawberry Daiquiri (Shaken)

Flames Blanket ETHNIK AFRIKA

Ko X Idia Silhouette 18K Gold-Plated Brass Earrings SYMBOLS OF AUTHORITY

Anatomy Jewelry SCHIAPARELLI

Les Tamaris Scented Candle MAISON FRANCIS KURKDJIAN

Nemer Room Spray BOADICEA

PAGE 4

Nappa Leather Iconic Chain Mule TOM FORD

Poof Dress FIA

Blue Sapphire BOADICEA

O O

VOL 2 NO.10 • MARCH 06 - MARCH 12, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

5

FASHION STAPLES FOR EVERY GAL! F

FASHION Mini Skirt For the woman who isn't afraid to show her inner sexy.

BY ABDUL AUWAL

ashion is all about self-expression. While the fun comes from introducing new styles into your wardrobe, some basics serve as a foundation for the fashion-forward babe. These pieces never go out of trend; you can mix and match them with anything, no matter the season. Whether you are a shopaholic who loves to update your wardrobe with the season's new trends or a babe on a budget, some fashion staples are essential for your wardrobe. Trust us!

Mini Skirt Chinonso Ibinabo Opara

Denim It never goes out of style.

We will be shocked if you do not own a pair.

Oversized White Shirt Oversized white shirts look great when paired with other staples such as light blue denim.

Anita Singh

Denim

Blazers Blazers have always been a fashion staple, so we are not surprised that it is now styled differently in 2022. The new oversized blazer trend is more relaxed, less formal, and androgynous.

Zendaya

White Blazer BALMAIN

Rihanna Oversized White Shirt

Nude Heels Nude heels could be a lifesaver. They are excellent for any outfit and pair nicely with any colour.

Nude Heels JIMMY CHOO

Lala Akindoju PAGE 5

VOL 2 NO.10 • MARCH 06 - MARCH 12, 2022

ODUN OGUNBIYI

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

ODDBOD & THE CITY This Week’s Musings Can Be Of No Surprise To You It is all well and good working on yourself, keeping a positive attitude against all odds, and in all things trying to live your best life. Is it me, though, or are the “outside forces” nowadays of a different calibre; difficult to foresee and impossible to navigate?

The pandemic is still raging. You would absolutely be excused for thinking otherwise, but the United Kingdom 'powers that be' have decided to declassify it for their convenience. It is no longer news; we no longer need to isolate, they will no longer be testing for it, and people dying in their thousands DAILY is now ACCEPTABLE.

No, But I Think

Oleg Cassini Takes That Bus!

As I write, I am knee-deep in an episode of Frasier. It’s a leap year in the series, and Frasier has encouraged his whole family to “try something different”, shake their lives up, and take a leap.

Of course, cue all the disasters, and one by one, everyone’s screaming at Frasier that they will never take his advice again. The episode’s climax is, frankly, hilarious. Frasier panics and decides that rather than following his own advice and shaking things up, he would stay his usual course to avoid disaster.

Because, and I quote, “It may be an unwise man who doesn’t learn from his own mistakes, but it’s an absolute idiot that doesn’t learn from other people’s!”

The twist in the tale is that even staying in his familiar lane, unexpected forces come along and still blow everything up.

PAGE 6

Don’t get me wrong. I understand why the UK government had to do it. The predicted post-lockdown economic downturn is unbearable in reality and will only worsen. People have lost their livelihoods, and now every cost of living expense you can imagine is rising. It is getting harder and harder to keep body and mind together.

And, the blows just keep coming. To my utter disbelief, the background noise of the frankly unbelievable spectacle happening in Europe casually ushering a potential kick-off to World War III (in my humble opinion) is happening.

Really? Under the flimsiest of excuses, the Russian despot started an invasion of Ukraine. I have been fighting a severe case of disassociation. My mind is struggling with this news.

Putin tears up the peace deal, and by air, land, and sea ensues a devastating attack on Ukraine. People are hunkering down in fallout shelters, embassies have left their staff to fend for themselves, destruction everywhere, photos of paediatric intensive care patients in bomb shelters, and the number of dead rising. One would like to think that common sense will prevail but could this be it?

Not to take away from all the things happening closer to home. I do feel like northern Nigeria is on fire, and just like the declassified COVID, we are not in the correct state of concern because we just don’t hear about it deliberately!

I am trying my best not to feel helpless and hopeless, a shocking phenomenon that seems to be filling our news consistently with alarming stories of young people taking their lives.

In the meanwhile, as we try to maintain a positive attitude in the famous closing lines of the fictional Dr. Frazier Crane, “Take care of yourselves AND each other.”

LIKE VOL 2 NO.10 • MARCH 06 - MARCH 12, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

DOWNTOWN CONFIDENTIAL

H

umans have a particular way they prefer things done. Whether it's in the way you like your meals prepared, or how you like your coffee; black, with cream, or without sugar, what matters is how you enjoy it. But in a case where it involves two or more people, the question of what and how you like it must be thrown out into the open to prevent conflicts, misunderstandings, or for the sake of this column, sticking it down the wrong chute.

When it comes to the playing field of sex, foreplay, and the other sexual predilections that orbit around it, no human is an island of sexual mastery. Sex isn't a one-remote-control-all activity and the sooner that notion is expunged the better it is for the one, two, or the plethora of partners you're in sexual relations with.

Think of sex like those tests where the lecturer says, ‘you’re welcome to check your textbooks and ask your partner but do so quietly.’ You and your friends plop heads together and solve the problem collectively, right?

Well, sex is sort of like that. Each individual, male or female, is a true master of their body. Mr. A is decent with his tongue and Miss B also knows a few tonguetwisting combos herself but when the time to boogie down comes, a lack of communication can defenestrate any sexual urge both parties share.

Kamasutra moves and a cacophony of oohs and ahhs to the side, discussing with who you're with about what you like and how you like it is numero uno before anything else. Like I previously stated, only you decide what works best for you.

If you meet someone to whom you’re attracted enough to want to do the freaky with then communicating your bedroom do's and don't is very important.

Let them know what holes have the yellow ‘do not cross’ tape and where's open for tourism. That will serve you better than going with the flow because what that does is leave everything up in the air, dangling and uncertain.

I'd say being with someone more experienced than you helps you find your footing in what can be murky waters. Newbie or not, I know I've learnt a lot about communication from women who were fairly older than I was and you know what they say about old berries.

It was towards the dying embers of my secondary school year.

I had just finished writing my

I Like It

LIKE THAT

BY TILEWA KAZEEM

exam and I was preparing for my valedictory service. My best friend (female) at the time had introduced me to a dating app and I was fiddling with it; swiping right and left as required by the app. Carried away by the swift swiping motion, I accidentally swiped yes on someone who was five years older than I was at the time. I figured she wasn’t going to respond so I didn’t think too much about it. Bored and tired, I took a break from swiping and tossed my beaten-up cell phone on the dresser.

A few hours later, I returned to a notification from Tinder. “You and Jumoke are a match, say hello” which I did. From there onward, I and the 23-year-old would start a friendship but wouldn't see each other until three years later. I was approaching my final year majoring in English and she was a freelance writer. Knowing the leeway available to freelancers, I asked her

to come to visit me at school, and unreluctantly she agreed.

Note, at this time I had spent time with women already so I wasn’t necessarily a novice.

Anyway, the day came and she soon found her way to my apartment gate. I went downstairs, welcomed her, and ushered her up. Her beauty was very unsuspecting; it was the type of beauty that sneaks up on you and sucker punches you in the face when you least expect it. I didn't realise this however until her stark naked silhouette was grinding on my pelvis later that night. For someone with a slender frame, Jumoke was buxom.

I found myself coming up for air multiple times as I guzzled on her breasts.

She constantly relayed to me how she wanted every stroke and thrust. Mesmerised by her vivacious bosoms, I listened to every word like a student in the front row, receiving lectures from his favourite teacher. And this teacher, I was completely enchanted and entranced by. When the time came the following morning, my lips, tongue, and mouth was her throne. Propped up by a pillow, my head was snug between her thighs as she rode my face. “Yess, that's the spot!” as her left thigh tilted slightly above my head. She had found the right position and I didn't care a jot if I choked to death so she could get off. I just laid there...in her moist heat. By her final day with me, she had used me dry but I had soaked in and absorbed how communication transforms and heightens sex.

PAGE 7

VOL 2 NO.10 • MARCH 06 - MARCH 12, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

COVER

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

Breaking The

BIAS

A CONSCIENTIOUS ATTEMPT AT GENDER EQUALITY

BY THE DOWNTOWN TEAM

I

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti

PAGE 8

nteractions between humans are influenced by so many factors.

Oftentimes when we meet people, we analyse their bio-data in our subconscious.

Are they men or women like us? Are we from the same place? Have they lived a similar experience to us?

What could they possibly be capable of? The information that we proceed to analyse in the split seconds that we interact with one another, although simply not sufficient to form a conclusion on who they are, becomes influenced by the nuances that form a lazy, undercooked and biased judgement.

According to Wikipedia, bias is disproportionate weight in favour of or against an idea or thing, usually in a way that is closed-minded, prejudicial, or unfair. Biases can be innate or learned.

People may develop biases for or against an individual, a group, or a belief. In science and engineering, a bias is a systematic error. An error we are not so enthusiastic about correcting.

The traditional design that draws the skeletal framework for what society should look like and how we ought to interact with each other, has been proven to be a tad outdated. Back in the day, going solely based on biology, men would dominate various fields thanks to their sheer strength as most of the jobs that formed the livelihood of the average middle-class

placed more emphasis on the physical than it does on the mental. Thinking back, it is somewhat clear to see how that arrangement, the formation of gender roles, might have worked to protect the interest of both genders. Society found itself a system that served both genders when it dictated that men went to the farms to till the soil and women stayed back at home to raise the family—the patriarchy worked until it didn't.

The ripple effect that the system has now created is a world where the gap between both genders has grown tremendously larger over the years. We have grown to associate women with being the sidekicks and on occasions when they dared to be anything but that, they have been met with not so favourable outcomes.

The road to total gender equality has so far been a long arduous one. Especially in Nigeria, a country that doesn't do enough to protect its people, especially women, the gender equality conversation often feels out of touch with our reality as a nation. But if we don't start breaking the bias now, when will we?

Whether looking from a religious or traditional standpoint, women face all sorts of stereotypes and discrimination daily. Their involvement in society as key stakeholders has always been questioned. A phenomenon that began with the notion that women are just not resilient

VOL 2 NO.10 • MARCH 06 - MARCH 12, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

COVER

Sandra Aguebor, Lady Mechanic

Kafayat Sanni

enough to withstand the hardship or strains that comes with filling the same positions as men. But that couldn't be farther from the truth. Throughout history, there have been women who have shown this theory to be completely false.

The history of women's contribution to our society today can be traced back to one of the country's most important names, educator, political campaigner, suffragist, and women's rights activist, late Chief Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. In what was an exemplary life in the truest definition of the word, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti’s entire existence was proof of how biases are broken—she was the first female student to attend the Abeokuta Grammar School. Her legacy, which can not be overstated, includes organizing some of the first preschool classes in the country, arranging literacy classes for lower-income women, and spearheading the creation of the ‘Nigerian Women’s Union’ and the ‘Federation of Nigerian Women’s Societies,’ as she advocated for Nigerian women’s right to vote and became a noted member of international peace and women's rights movements.

In between Ransome-Kuti and Okonjo-Iweala, documentation of ‘firsts’ has been made throughout Nigeria's history.

The stories of Sandra Aguebor (a.k.a Lady Mechanic), Nigeria’s first female automotive mechanic, Kafayat Sanni, the first female fighter pilot in the Nigerian Airforce, and Lois Auta, a polio survivor and Nigeria’s first disabled legislative candidate, amongst others, all stand out because until they made the decision to break the bias and do something unprecedented and not expected of them, no women were doing it before them.

Although women have fair representation in the business world as they account for a sizable amount of small and medium-scale entrepreneurs, they don't often build empires off of them at the rate that men do. Madam CJ Walker, however, broke that bias in the early 1900s when she became the first female self-made millionaire in America in the Guinness Book of World Records. Through the business she founded, Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company, Walker developed and marketed a line of cosmetics and hair care products for black women. At the time of her death, she was considered

Lois Auta the wealthiest African-American businesswoman and the wealthiest self-made black woman in America.

Despite the ceiling breakers of the past and the Kamala Harris’ of today, women are still grossly undervalued and maltreated in several parts of the world. The early prevalence of the male gender makes the discussion of gender equality seem like a conversation ahead of its time and for some, noise. Some men don't think a woman should be anything more than a housewife and that has, in turn, led to the deprivation of education and the essential tools necessary to fend and provide for themselves. In 62 years, the highest position of executive power has been held by a woman in just 63 countries. Let's think about that for a minute.

Yes, holding a high-ranking office is a huge feat for any human, but let's think about how men have also occupied an office in that time frame and then the mirage dissipates. With that huge gender disparity happening higher up the chain, you can only imagine what's going on on the ground floor. If a woman finds herself in a male-dominated industry or occupation, she's very susceptible to harmful stereotypes and that then creates an unfavourable environment that makes it even more difficult for women to excel.

Gender Disparity In Nigeria: The numbers

Sandra Aguebor Receiving An Award From Her Excellency, Dolapo Osinbajo And Ex-Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode

Nigeria, a sub-Saharan part of Africa also severely suffers as a result of this huge disparity. In a country with over 300 ethnic groups and nearly 250 languages, they all have their archaic interpretations of what a woman is. With education and any form of female empowerment programs almost non-existent, these women are unable to think beyond performing motherly duties.

This puts the woman in check and deprives her of not getting the barest minimum form of self-empowerment. In parts where insecurity, hunger, and poverty are on the agenda of the day, women are the least of the worries. According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 40% of girls are out

PAGE 9

VOL 2 NO.10 • MARCH 06 - MARCH 12, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

COVER

Kamala Harris

Madam CJ Walker of school and those who end up making it into school enjoy just 9 years of education as opposed to the 17 years in developed worlds.

A corporate CEO reading this can argue employing more female staff than males which is great, but it doesn’t change much in terms of how much harder these women have to work to smash the proverbial glass ceiling.

PAGE 10

Need we also mention the torrential storms women still face, especially with climbing the career ladder.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, between 2010 and 2015, women made up 38% of the workforce of the states’ public service sectors, and 42% of those with federal employment.

Besides the excuse that women lack the desired followership and financial backing (either with a party or otherwise) to challenge for the post of presidency in the country, is the country ready for such a monumental U-turn? Let’s examine the facts, Nigeria stands as one of the most religious countries in the world and because of religious norms, one of which sees women as inferior to men, a female president would be put through the eye of the needle every day till her tenure is over. Another factor to consider here is, politics is seen as a chauvinistic Men's club. It’s never going to be easy for anyone let alone a woman to just waltz into the helm of affairs.

Let us take your mind back to a speech given in 2016 by President Buhari about his wife “I don’t know which party my wife belongs to, but she belongs to my kitchen and my living room and the other room.”

Need we say more? As hopeful and with-the-times having a female president sounds, it’s an idea or a dream that at this rate might never come into fruition. Statistics Department of Statista surveyed in Nigeria in 2020 that reveals the level of women in Nigeria. One-third of the Nigerian women reported being housewives. Others reported being traders, hawkers, vendors, and agricultural professionals.

The WPS (Women, Peace, and Security) index is based on data from 170 countries that measure women's inclusion, access to justice, and security. On that list, Nigeria is placed at 130. The best index scores are located in the south, while the worst are located in the north. In the south, a demographic dividend (an increased share of people of working age), urbanization, and a rise in human capital have led to greater economic opportunities.

Conflict and instability have been associated with poor infrastructure, low levels of education, poor health outcomes, and persistent poverty in the northeast. Although they have a relatively low rate of intimate partner violence, they have the highest rates of organized violence, largely associated with Boko Haram. In those parts, women have the lowest rates of employment and financial inclusion and poor education outcomes.

As far-fetched as gender equality might sound, the world, as well as Nigeria, stands to gain exponentially from it. Equal opportunity in the workplace goes beyond just being a fairness issue. It is a matter of economics as well. If gender equality is improved in labour markets from now to 2030, economies could

experience significant gains in growth. Had African countries with lower relative female-tomale participation rates in 2018 had the same rates as advanced countries, the continent would have gained an additional 44 million women actively participating in its labour markets.

Gender bias is not only keeping women down but also restraining the country from nearing its massive potential. Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) could grow by 23% – or $229bn – by 2025 if women contributed to the economy to the same extent as men, says a McKinsey report.

Over the years, we have seen feminist movements all over the world become intentional about making gender equality a cultural norm. The otherwise easy-toassimilate ideology that dares to portray a man and a woman as equals and demands for equal opportunities for both of them has been misconstrued since its first wave. As we celebrate International Women's Day, we must begin to look around and inward, to find answers to the questions, ‘Why do we think that women are not worth investing in or taking a gamble on?’ ‘If Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti could contribute immensely to our society and raised an entire family that would be etched in history as one of the most powerful households in Nigeria's history; and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala could become the biggest name in Africa as she remains mother to four children, one of whom is a renowned medical doctor and an author of the book Beasts of No Nation, Uzodinma Iweala, what is stopping the other half of Nigeria's population from aspiring to dream and ultimately having it all?’ Logic doesn't quite explain why we have chosen to stick with the stereotypes that we've nurtured for generations past in a rapidly changing world.

With public education still not readily available in some parts of the country, it does feel like an uphill task to bridge the gap between both genders. However, if there is anything we have to do from now on regardless of what we identify as, it is to keep breaking the bias.

Main Working Status of Women in Nigeria as of 2020 Image from statista

VOL 2 NO.10 • MARCH 06 - MARCH 12, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

Social Media Influence On

BEAUTY

BEAUTY STANDARDS

BY SOPHIA EDISI

I

Nengi Hampson

n today’s world, the self-presentation of beauty and perceptions of others play an important role in developing our identities. Social media comprises a lot of social networking sites, and it is one of the most important factors contributing to the mental, emotional, and physical appearance and health of an individual. With the media constantly portraying a representation of ideal beauty standards through advertising, influencing content, and sharing of pictures and videos, it then influences the general perception of what beauty is. With each age, there is an online representation of what the beauty standard is.

Whereas the truth is that some of the images portrayed are unrealistic and impossible to attain, which in turn leads to vulnerability or low selfesteem when these expectations are not met.

Here, we discuss some ways in which social media has directly influenced beauty standards.

BODY TYPE AND SIZE If we are being totally honest, the ideal body type encouraged for women on social media is supermodel thin, with a tiny waist, and some curves. This narrative gave rise to a continuous pursuit for the perfect body either through dieting, exercise, slimming products, or other weight loss methods. Social media portrays women who are slim as being more beautiful and successful compared to plus-size women. But an obsession with physical features reveals a lack of selfworth, leaving women dissatisfied with their physical bodies. Nonetheless, they are women who have fought hard to change beauty standards through dedication and hard work; be it through exercising, eating healthy, or building self-esteem whilst accepting their body type wholeheartedly.

BODY MODIFICATION

Amanda Gorman

For some people, social media is a means to presenting the best version of themselves and many women may imitate their ideal media personality due to the social class and looks they associate with. Body modifications like cosmetic surgery, tattooing, piercing, photoshop, and filters are readily available to anyone playing into the unrealistic body image, leading to a constant comparison of oneself to unrealistic standards. Individuals who Khloe Abiri get tattooed refer to it as a piece of art and piercings are regarded as fashion accessories while cosmetic surgery is a way to maintain the body and be distinctive from others physically. A lot of A-list celebrities and influencers have been slammed due to using photoshop to edit Instagram selfies by making unrealistic alterations to look thinner or hide flaws, proving the impact of social Media on beauty trends in society.

Eniola Badmus

BEAUTY TRENDS

Venita Akpofure

Social networking sites have the potential to influence positive trends and attitudes in individuals. The online platform has given many individuals a feeling of a “sense of belonging.” We are often obsessed with jumping on current beauty trends on social media simply by being a fan of our favorite celebrities. Today, social media includes individuals of a different race, gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation; focusing more on breaking stereotypes. Who doesn’t want to look like Sasha Fierce if you believe it will help reinforce your confidence and sexuality?

Rita Dominic

PAGE 11

VOL 2 NO.10 • MARCH 06 - MARCH 12, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

SPECIAL FEATURE

THE SAG AWARDS

T

2022

he 28th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards were handed out last week at The Barker Hangar, Santa Monica, California. The starstudded event kicked off a busy awards season over the next few weeks and celebrated the best performances in both film and television. It also marks the return of the in-person SAG ceremony after airing a pre-taped celebration in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Succession and Ted Lasso led the television categories, both of which garnered five nominations in the respective drama and comedy categories, including best ensemble. Korean hit series Squid Game made history with its nomination in the ensemble category as the first non-English show to be recognized by the Guild.

On the film side, The Power of the Dog led individual acting categories with three nominations, but the Jane

BY KEHINDÉ FAGBULE Campion-directed movie didn’t crack the ensemble category. The most recognized of the ensemble nominees was House of Gucci, which scored individual nominations for Lady Gaga and Jared Leto. Additionally, Troy Kotsur, Daniel Durant, and Marlee Matlin of CODA are the first deaf actors to be recognized in the motion picture ensemble category, and Kotsur is the first deaf performer to land an individual acting award in the award’s history.

The red carpet, of course, was graced by gorgeous women with incredible styles. Here are some notable looks from that night.

Laverne Cox in Michael Fausto and a Judith Leiber bag

FILM • Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture - CODA • Outstanding Male Actor in a Leading Role - Will Smith, King Richard • Outstanding Female Actor in a Leading Role - Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye • Outstanding Male Actor in a Supporting Role - Troy Kotsur, CODA • Outstanding Female Actor in a Supporting Role Ariana DeBose, West Side Story • Outstanding Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture - No Time to Die

Saniyya Sidney in Zuhair Murad Karen Pittman in Greta Constantine

Kerry Washington in Celia Kritharioti PAGE 12

Jada Pinkett Smith in vintage Gareth Pugh

TELEVISION • Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series Succession • Outstanding Male Actor in a Drama Series - Lee Jung-jae, Squid Game • Outstanding Female Actor in a Drama Series - Jung Ho-yeon, Squid Game • Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Ted Lasso • Outstanding Female Actor in a Comedy Series - Jean Smart, Hacks • Outstanding Male Actor in a Comedy Series - Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso • Outstanding Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series - Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown • Outstanding Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series - Michael Keaton, Dopesick • Outstanding Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series - Squid Game

Cynthia Erivo in Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co. jewellery

Jennifer Hudson in Vera Wang and Pomellato jewellery

Rosario Dawson in Oscar de la Renta and Chopard jewellery

Venus Williams in Dolce & Gabbana, a Rodo bag, and Stuart Weitzman heels

VOL 2 NO.10 • MARCH 06 - MARCH 12, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

THE SCENE DOWNTOWN

HALL Of FAME Induction Ceremony As Its Maiden Edition Recognises Legendary Key Players In The Music Scene

O

BY KEHINDÉ FAGBULE

n the 26th of February 2022, the first-ever Afrobeats Hall of Fame (ABHF) Induction Ceremony took place at The Amore Gardens, Lagos, to pay homage and honour African achievements in music.

The epoch-making induction ceremony to honour the artistry and the contributions made by those who have played major roles in the dissemination and creation of the art of African music inducted nonperforming acts like Eddy Lawani, Sunday Are, Kenny Ogungbe, Dayo Adeneye, Obi Asika, DJ Jimmy Jatt amongst others into the Afrobeats Hall of Fame, while the lifetime achievement recognition went to Fela Kuti, Tony Odili, King Sunny Ade, Chief Ebenezer Obey, and Alhaji Sikiru Barrister.

Induction evening started with an elegant black carpet hosted by on-air personalities, Samantha Walsh and Uti Nwachukwu. Ace comedian Bovi and renowned artist, Dbanj were the hosts of the main event and navigated the audience through incredible performances from artistes like Kcee, Flavour, Omawumi, Tesh Carter, Tosin Martins, Shina Peters, Omawunmi and Wizkid, who paid a special tribute performance to Fela Kuti, and was eventually joined up on the stage by his grandson, fellow Grammy nominee, Mádé Kuti.

Here are some of the guests in attendance.

Hosts, Bovi Ugboma and Dbanj

Inductee, Tony Odili Receiving His ike Of Plaque From Engr. Anthony Ogu s den Gar The Amore

Inductee, Kin g Sunny

Flavour Performing

Inductee, Daddy Showkey

Inductee, Dayo D1 Adeneye

Inductee, DJ Jimmy Jatt

Ade

Inductee, Kenny 'Baba Keke' Ogungbe

Red Carpet Host, Uti Nwachukwu

Inductee, Eddie Lawani

Omawumi Performing

Inductee, Obi Asika

Red Carpet Host, Samantha Walsh

Mádé Kuti Receive Awards On Beha d And Femi Kuti lf Of Fela Wizkid Performing Inductee, Sunday Are

KCee performin g

Performing Sir Shina Peters

PAGE 13

VOL 2 NO.10 • MARCH 06 - MARCH 12, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

CAREER

NIGERIAN

WOMEN

BY SOPHIA EDISI

WHO HAVE MADE HISTORY

I

magine a gender-equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

“BREAK THE BIAS” is the theme for International Women's Day, a day celebrated annually to mark the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women to raise awareness of discrimination and bias; to inspire and empower us all to take action for equality. This week, we pay homage to women who set the pace in their different sectors.

CHIOMA AJUNWA Chioma Ajunwa is the first African woman, as well as the first Nigerian, to win an Olympic gold medal in a track and field event. She performed this historic feat on Friday, August 2, 1996. On that day, she jumped 7.12 metres at a long jump event in the 1996 Atlanta games.

NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA Okonjo-Iweala made history in March 2021 when she became the first woman and first Nigerian/ African to be appointed Director-General of the World Trade Organization.

Okonjo-Iweala is one of the few Black women who have given women representation on the biggest stages of global and national power. She twice served as Nigeria’s minister of finance, worked at the World Bank for more than 20 years, and served on the board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. She took office on March 1, 2021, following a 9-month selection process.

NNEKA EDE Nneka Ede, a Nigerian entrepreneur, and business mogul wrote her name in the history books after purchasing Portuguese football club, Lusitano Ginásio Clube, Futebol, SAD. This deal automatically made her the first African woman to own a club in Europe.

Nneka Ede who is a sports enthusiast, also has many business interests in the oil and gas sector. Nneka Ede is the second Nigerian to buy a Portuguese club after business mogul Kunle Soname bought Clube Desportivo Feirense in 2015.

IBUKUN AWOSHIKA In 2015, First Bank of Nigeria Holdings Plc. announced the appointment of Mrs. Ibukun Abiodun Awosika as its new board chairperson. this made her the first woman to assume this position since the establishment of First Bank of Nigeria in 1894. Awosika sits on the board of several companies among which are Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Digital Jewels Ltd, and Convention on Business Integrity. She is also the Chairman, Board of Trustees of Women in Management and Business (WIMBIZ), as well as the Chairman of Intermac, the organisers of SmartCard Conference in Nigeria.

PAGE 14

AGBANI DAREGO Agbani Darego is a former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria best known as the first Nigerian and native Sub-Saharan African to win the Miss World pageant. She studied Psychology at New York University and graduated in 2012.

VOL 2 NO.10 • MARCH 06 - MARCH 12, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

CAREER ASISAT LAMINA OSHOALA Asisat Oshoala is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Primera División club FC Barcelona Femení and captains the Nigerian women's national team. She was the first Nigerian and African player to score a goal in a UEFA Women's Champions League final and the first African woman to win the UEFA Champions League. In 2014, she was named best player and highest goal scorer at the FIFA U-20 tournament and Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2021.

FOLAKE SOLANKE Dr (OBE) NNEKA ABULOKWE

CHINYERE KALU Chinyere Kalu is the first Nigerian female commercial pilot and the first woman to fly an aircraft in Nigeria. She served as the rector and chief instructor of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology between October 2011 and February 2014.

TARA FELA DUROTOYE Tara Fela Durotoye is a Nigerian makeup artist and lawyer. A pioneer in the bridal makeup profession in Nigeria, she launched the first bridal directory in 1999, set up international standard makeup studios, and established the first makeup school in Nigeria. She is the founder and CEO of House of Tara International. In 2007, She was awarded the Africa SMME Award and the Entrepreneur award in South Africa, and in 2013, Forbes listed her as one of 20 Young Power Women In Africa.

Nneka, a British-Nigerian tech and digital governance entrepreneur is the founder/CEO of MicroMax Consulting and one of the first Afro-Caribbean professionals in the UK to sit on the board of a top European digital transformation organisation. She is also one of the first black female professionals to sit on the board of a multinational tech company in the UK and has received many awards. Nneka was awarded Officer of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to business.

Chief Folake Solanke, SAN, CON, is a Nigerian lawyer, administrator, and social critic. She is the first woman to join the Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) and the first Nigerian female lawyer to wear the silk gown as Senior Counsel. 38 years later, women make up only 4.2% of the entire organisation.

GRACE ALELE-WILLIAMS

MARIAM OLUSANYA

Grace Alele-Williams is a professor of Mathematics Education. She obtained a Ph.D. at the University of Chicago in 1963, making her the first Nigerian woman to receive a doctorate. She became the first female to hold the office of Vice-Chancellor when she was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin in 1985.

She became the first president of the African Mathematical Union Commission on Women in Mathematics.

She has also served in various committees, and boards and made contributions to the development of education in Nigeria.

Miriam Olusanya became the latest on the list of women shattering the proverbial glass ceiling when she emerged as the first female MD/CEO of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) since the institution’s establishment in 1990. Her appointment earned her the accolade as the first female MD of the financial institution in its 31-year history.

She succeeds Segun Agbaje.

IRE ADERINOKUN Ire Aderinokun is a self-taught UX/UX Designer and Nigeria Front end developer. She is the first Nigerian woman to become a Google Development Expert. Specificalising in core front-end technologies, HTML, CSS, and JAVASCRIPT. She is the Co-Founder, COO, and VP Engineering at Helicarrier, a company building cryptocurrency infrastructure in Africa.

PAGE 15

THEWILL THEWILLDOWNTOWN DOWNTOWN• •www.thewilldowntown.com www.thewilldowntown.com

VOL 22 NO.10 NO.10 •• MARCH MARCH 06 06 -- MARCH MARCH 12, 12, 2022 2022 VOL

FASHION

BY BOLUWATIFE ADESINA

Movie Review:

DEATH ON THE NILE

D

eath on the Nile, Kenneth Branagh’s second go-around as Agatha Christie’s Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot, has been awaiting a release for quite some time. Part of that had to do with the sale of 20th Century Fox to the Walt Disney Company. To no one’s surprise, another big reason for the delay was the global COVD-19 pandemic. It also likely did not help that a few members of the all-star cast – most notably male lead Armie Hammer – had extracurricular activities that destroyed their careers, so it’s no wonder Disney has been treating this sequel to 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express with reticence.

But after an almost three-year wait this lavish, handsomely mounted murder mystery has finally arrived. As a fan of the previous motion picture, I admit this one won me over as well. While the cast is not as universally engaging as was the sequel’s predecessor, the key set pieces are exhilarating and suspenseful. From a directorial standpoint, Branagh has tightened things up considerably this time around, while his performance as Poirot continues to be excellent.

Granted, much like the novel, this is a bit of a slow-burn scenario, at least initially. It takes a little while, almost an hour, for the murder that kicks off this mystery. But once that happens?

The bodies quickly hit the floor, each one more shocking than the last.

PAGE 16

Branagh dips into his massive bag of tricks and throws in a few virtuoso surprises he hasn’t utilized this artfully in quite a while.

This allows for a potently lethal urgency, and as theatrically staged as the climax is, I was still suitably enthralled and sitting near the edge of my theater seat for its entirety. From a performance standpoint, Branagh opens himself up emotionally with titanic fury, giving his incarnation of Poirot a fiery, almost vindictive tenacity I can’t recollect seeing from other greats who have also portrayed the iconic character.

Other than some occasionally shoddy, garishly artificial CGI, all of which is noticeably awful, the primary place where this sequel comes up short is in a handful of the performances.

Hammer comes off as stiff and insincere. Gal Gadot waffles between being eerily magnetic and an impassive plastic mannequin. Most surprisingly, the always luminous Annette Bening appears to be sleepwalking through the majority of the picture, and it isn’t until the last act that the veteran, four-time Academy Award nominee comes alive and looks like she gives a darn.

On the flip side, Sophie Okonedo is superb, her performance a dexterous thing of beauty I was wholly captivated by. Russell Brand has a couple of memorable moments, as do Letitia Wright and Emma Mackey. Returnee Tom Bateman steals a multitude of scenes, bringing the same laissez-faire libertine energy he brought to Murder on the Orient Express, only this time adding a layer of passionate, delicately heartbreaking depth I didn’t anticipate. Best of all is the pair of Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French doing a fine job of making the most of every second of their screen time, but in ways that move the plot forward and augment each character’s authenticity.

For those unfamiliar with Christie’s source material or any of the other adaptations, while on vacation in Egypt, esteemed detective Hercule Poirot is swept up in the wedding party of wealthy socialite Linnet Ridgeway (Gadot).

Soon he is on a luxurious yacht steaming down the Nile alongside her new husband Simon Doyle (Hammer), her former fiancé Dr. Windlesham (Brand), and American blues singer Salome Otterbourne (Okonedo) and her niece Rosalie (Wright), just to name a few of the people invited on this cruise. There’s also Poirot’s good friend Xavier Bouc (Bateman) and his overprotective mother Euphemia (Bening), the former of whom the detective is delighted to reconnect with.

Mackey is Jacqueline de Bellefort, Linnet’s childhood friend, and Simon’s ex-girlfriend who is understandably upset the pair have gotten married. As for Saunders and French, the former is Linnet’s eccentric communist aunt Marie Van Schuyler, while the latter is her devoted lady’s maid and nurse. Also joining them on this adventure are Rose Leslie and Ali Fazal, whose characters are as intimately connected to Linnet as everyone else – other

Scan this with your camera to access the playlist (Apple Music)

Scan this with your camera to access the playlist (Spotify)

Playlist for the week

Leven Kali ft. Syd - Do U Wrong

Asake ft. Olamide - Omo Ope

Rema - Calm Down

Asa ft. WizKid - IDG

Buju ft. Blaq Diamond - Italy

Mackgee - Window

Maeta ft Buddy - Teen Scene

Galimatias - South

D'Angelo - Spanish Joint

than Poirot – ultimately proves to be.

Branagh spends almost all of the first half examining each of these individuals and cementing the aspects of their personalities they want everyone else to take notice of. After the first murder, Poirot breaks through this collective façade and slowly reveals who is who and what they are really up to. Branagh revels in these moments, his direction growing a playfully determined sense of purpose the closer the story gets to its

climactic reveal.

Michael Green’s confident screenplay makes a few noteworthy changes to Christie’s source material, but other than an opening WWI-set prologue, it mostly stays pretty faithful to the 1937 novel. The mystery is also spectacularly shot by Haris Zambarloukos and lovingly scored by Patrick Doyle, the two frequent Branagh collaborators putting forth exemplary efforts.

DijahSB ft. Mick Jenkins - Here to Dance Even had I not been acquainted with this story beforehand, I still think this is one Christie mystery where it’s fairly easy to put the puzzle pieces together.

But that doesn’t make Death on the Nile any less fun. While a few of the performances disappoint, Branagh remains a sublime Poirot, and his direction of the material is frequently marvelous.

That’s enough for me, and if the director gets to tackle more Christie adaptations in the future I’ll happily give them a look at the first opportunity.

Rating: 7.5/10