THEWILL DOWNTOWN MAY 15, 2022 EDITION

VOL 2 NO. 20 • MAY 15 - MAY 21, 2022

THE BUSINESS OF MAKING MOVIES WITH

Charles Okpaleke

VOL 2 NO. 20 • MAY 15 - MAY 21, 2022

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THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

Photo: Kola Oshalusi @insignamedia Makeup: Zaron

EDITOR’S NOTE

M

ovie making in Nigeria has come a long way, and the recent films to come out of Nollywood are a testament to this. There was a time when it seemed as if there was no hope for Nollywood, and then boom! Living in Bondage: Breaking Free was released. I hadn’t seen Nigerian movies in a really, really long time, so when a friend of mine visited and suggested we watch it on Netflix, I agreed- hesitantly, I must add. Boy, was I impressed, considering what I had seen in the past. It all made sense, from sound to acting, costume to the storyline.

Who thought about a remake? Who was behind the movie?

His name, my friend said, is Charles Okpaleke.

As it turns out, a conversation one night inspired the idea of remaking Living in Bondage. For Okpaleke, it was an opportunity to keep our classics present and alive in the minds of our new generations, so he secured the rights to the movie, bankrolled it himself, and then took a massive risk of working with new talents for his first film. In this interview, Charles Okpaleke shares many details about producing movies, his reason for working with new faces, and the many films still in the making. See pages 8 through 10.

Considering the many traumas we have been through and are going through as Nigerians, it is amazing how we tend to build fortresses using coping mechanisms. People from different generations are in really dark places and need help, but speaking about your mental health in Nigeria is strictly taboo. Many people have a dark cloud of depression or thoughts of suicide brooding over them daily and won’t speak up because of the fear of being labelled. Now, I am not referring to those young men and women who do not want to put in the work and instead hide under the ‘my mental health’ umbrella. Far from it. There are many people who genuinely need help. We must stop shaming people who are going through something that has started to affect their mental state.

Please remember that: It is ok not to be ok.

Until next week, enjoy your read.

Onah Nwachukwu @onahluciaa

AUSTYN OGANNAH

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’ www.thewilldowntown.com thewilldowntown thewilldowntown

VOL 2 NO. 20 • MAY 15 - MAY 21, 2022

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CONTENTS 16

COVER THE BUSINESS OF MAKING MOVIES WITH CHARLES OKPALEKE

REVIEW DR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS

04-05

14-15

FASHION SPRING FLING: THE WONDERFUL SEASON OF COLOURS

THE SCENE DOWNTOWN AMVCA’S DESIGN FOR THE STARS

13

Cover Story Images & Creative Direction: George Okoro @georgeokoro Concept: Onah Nwachukwu @onahluciaa Clothes: From Charles Okpaleke's Wardrobe

BEAUTY RED CARPET READY

06

ONAH'S EDIT ONAH LOVES

07

DOWNTOWN CONFIDENTIAL SUGAR RUSH

12

11

LIVING GET THE LOOK: DINING AREA

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.

David Nwachukwu @ebube.nw - Contributing Writer David Nwachukwu has always been immersed in fashion from the age of 10, watching a Dior by Galliano show on television.

His work in fashion stretches across media, marketing, brand communications as well as design.As a fashion & lifestyle journalist, David has tracked key industry data for various publications including Industrie Africa, Culture Custodian, Haute Fashion Africa, and HELLO! Nigeria. A Geography graduate from The University of Lagos, David consciously aligns this background in environmental advocacy and sustainable development with the need to promote a more ethical fashion ecosystem. He currently oversees strategic communications at Clean Technology Hub.

WELLNESS IS THIS TOO REAL?

WHAT YOU SAID INSTAGRAM @desmond.ekunwe

@thisisdmj

Beautiful

@easternstylist

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.

This is so elegant

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VOL 2 NO. 20 • MAY 15 - MAY 21, 2022

FASHION

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

Spring Fling THE WONDERFUL SEASON OF COLOURS

BY ONAH NWACHUKWU

Lala Akindoju

Jola Ayeye

Bayo Oke Lawal

Arese Ugwu

Bunmi Ajakaiye

G

etting the perfect wardrobe for a new season can be quite daunting.

But if you choose to take that bold step and update your wardrobe with the cuts, colours, and trends of the season, we recommend that you stay with shades and hues that match your skin tone. While there are various shades from all of the popular colours of Spring, jumping on the bandwagon without considering what works for you, is a NO, NO in our books.

This season is all about colours; pastels and bright colours, so by all means, have

Aderinola Odugbesan - Thomas PAGE 4

that in mind when you go on your next shopping spree, but also remember that you must pair hues that work together to avoid looking like a clown.

Whether you choose to go with vibrant colours, or stick with softer hues, there is a trick to it. Pair brighter colours with dark shades or make like Paolo Sisiano and Adebayo Oke Lawal, and pair soft hues together. Alternatively, if you get lost in a myriad of all the fun colours, an easy way to go would be to pair any item with white.

VOL 2 NO. 20 • MAY 15 - MAY 21, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

FASHION

Paolo Sisiano Grace Arhin

Hilda Titiloye

Toke Makinwa

Ozinna Anumudu

Jeremiah 'Swanky Jerry' Ogbodo

PAGE 5 Sharon ooja Egwurube

VOL 2 NO. 20 • MAY 15 - MAY 21, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

ONAH’S EDIT

Black and White Cuff VERDURA

Amadeo Decante RIEDEL Tapestry Artwork by VICTOR EHIKHAMENOR

onah

T

apestry art by Victor Ehikhamenor made from rosaries referencing the Benin queen, mugs that are a delight to drink your tea in, a bottle of wine for the true wine lover, and jewellery that will make any lady sparkle, are some of our editor’s favourite discoveries this season.

Cameo Earrings ARIABA

Ebene Fume TOM FORD

N°3 Collection VICNATE

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Cinema Collection Sunglasses PRADA

Enchanted Lotus Pendant in White Gold and Turquoise DE BEERS

Mug GINORI 1735

Termanthia BODEGA NUMANTHIA Visit THE WINE LAB

VOL 2 NO. 20 • MAY 15 - MAY 21, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

DOWNTOWN CONFIDENTIAL

SugarRush

BY TILEWA KAZEEM

When that happened to Alex, he just nodded and smiled at John till he got the memo that he didn't want to talk.

But with Laura, he meant every smile and wave. He looked forward to them.

He had sent a couple of coquettish glares her way, but she always wore this devious but innocuous smile. They hadn't said a word to each other, but they were both content to keep the staring contest going. That changed, however, when he ran into her as she struggled to get her many grocery bags out of her Uber. Like a Condor to its prey, Alex swooped in to offer a helping hand. The same hand would later groan in pain from the many bags it had to carry to the top floor.

The climb up was enough time for them to have an almost-conversation.

“Chivalry isn't dead,” she said as she looked back down at him at the bottom of the stairs. “ Nope, it isn't,” Alex replied, as he averted his gaze from her derriere. He was respectful but he was sure she caught him. She couldn't have been more than a few years younger than he was and he was 35. Laura wasn't towering tall. Truthfully, Laura wasn't tall at all, but she made up for it in her physical qualities and platform heels. Her denim pants stretched and tightened around her full bum while her cream silk top did a terrible job of concealing her slightly sweaty cleavage and presumptuously stunning breasts.

From his vantage point, he could see the brim of her black lace panties as they rode the part where her back ends, and her bum begins.

On getting to their floor, he had found out a little about her; she worked at B’sTable, a bakery she owned. She was hopeful about seeing where things went after she signed up for culinary school after pushing it off for three

years. Having studied French, she also was fluent in the language of love. Her words rolled out her pink lips. And most importantly, she smelt sweet like fresh confectionery.

Alex didn't want to come off as a man who didn't respect boundaries, so he set down her bags at her doorstep, bid her farewell, and walked in the opposite direction to his apartment. With her hand lodged inside the back of the pockets of her denim, she asked if he’d like to help her with dinner. While they climbed up the stairs, he may have mentioned that enjoyed working around the kitchen. So hearing her ask him to help out, drew a sheepish smile from him. He spun around and responded with “yes” but he asked for a few minutes to freshen up which she agreed.

IMAGE FROM DAINTY AFFAIRS @daintyaffairs

C

hanging homes comes with a certain amount of anxiety, fear, and a frazzling array of different feelings. The satisfying solace of casually bumping into a familiar face in the hallway, while you rush to work or run errands is very underrated. In a new place, you try to avoid those “breaking the ice” conversations the best you can. Everyone wants to announce themselves by how far or close they are to you. “Hi, I'm John. I live…” then proceeds to point down the hall or to a house across the street.

Shutting his apartment door behind him, Alex started his victory dance. There was an added pep in his step. In about 45 minutes, he had groomed, showered, and dressed up in something that looked effortless. Spritz of Dior Sauvage here, there and he was ready to go. He did the 360 turn, the famous rubbing of the hands together, and then rubbed his face before finishing with a two-handed finger pointing to his reflection in the mirror. “Bad guy,” he muttered to himself.

“Come in, it's open,” she yelled back, cutting his knock off midway.

Walking in with a bottle of wine, he noticed she had switched into something more easily accessible; a free-flowing, striped frock that accentuated her curves. The apron wrapped around her waist was the icing on the cake. “Hi, I’ll be with you shortly. I'm baking a cake for my daughter. Her dad will be bringing her over tomorrow. Relax, her dad and I are divorced.” He struggled to gather his bearings after what she said finally dawned on him. She could tell it had knocked him off balance so she gave him some time to regain his composure. “Are you okay?” she said, with a light chuckle.

He was startled for like a split second but running again in his head, he couldn't explain why he paused. He punctuated the silence with a response “Yeah, I'm good. Can I help?” She taught him how to use an airbrush and they sipped on pinot noir. It was different,

mature, and sophisticated. With the cake in the fridge, they got cosy on her minimalist sofa. He started off massaging her toes before kissing them and then, Alex started sucking on her beautifully pedicured toes.

At some point, she gave him all of her and he indulged; he overindulged. He licked whipped cream off every nook and cranny of her body, but he could have sworn she tasted better without it. Yeah, it was that wild. Later the next morning, he remembered how he tossed her nipples in his mouth like little Maltesers, the night before. Good thing her daughter didn't see one of them in his mouth when she walked in on them that morning. Her dad had brought her over for her birthday.

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THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

VOL 2 NO. 20 • MAY 15 - MAY 21, 2022

COVER

K

Charles Okpaleke

T

here's no denying that the Nigerian movie industry has improved in leaps and bounds. Gone are the days - we hope- of poor sound, unbearable soundtracks, and effects that leave you wondering what the crew, including the executive producer and director, were thinking. These days, more Nollywood movies are making their mark internationally, and a few producers can take credit for this based on their delivery. Charles Okpaleke, co-founder and CEO of Play Network Africa, is one of them.

Okpaleke didn't always toe the line of the movie industry. In fact, before adding movie-making to his portfolio, the Medical Sciences graduate and Health Economics master's holder ran a hospitality business with his brothers, Elvis and Jeffery. But he didn't focus on the hospitality business alone for too long.

A conversation with his wife led him to take a trip to Owerri with his friend, Ramsey Nouah, to acquire the rights to his first film, Living in Bondage: Breaking Free. The movie went on to win several awards apart from the seven it won at the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards in 2020. Since then, the sky has been the limit for Okpaleke as he continues to produce one Nollywood remake after another, each better than the last. The latest in his instalments of Nollywood remakes is Glamour Girls, which according to him, is scheduled for release sometime in June this year. Apart from remakes, Okpaleke has many other plans for Nollywood. He reveals these and so much more in this interview with DOWNTOWN's Editor, Onah Nwachukwu.

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Cover Story Images & Creative Direction: George Okoro @georgeokoro Concept: Onah Nwachukwu @onahluciaa Clothes: From Charles Okpaleke's Wardrobe

The Business of Making Movies With

nowing you and your company Charles, you started in hospitality. You had a sports bar and grill, then you gradually made your way into production. Tell us how that all began.

I started as a health economist, I have a full health background. I have a BSc in Medical Sciences from the University of Nigeria, and I also have an MSc in Health Economics from the University of Birmingham. I used to consult for the United Nations and I also lectured postgraduates on Health Economics at the University of Nigeria. But while I was doing that, I still opened up a sports bar with my brother and that's where we birthed Play. My brothers, Evis and Jeffery, and I, are co-founders. We started Play Network as a place where people came to watch football, grab a beer, and have drinks. Eventually, it became an after-work spot even if there was no football match to watch; we were a group of like minds who just moved to Abuja and would meet there.

We saw beyond that business as a sports bar, it was more of a networking hub because we kept meeting people we hadn't seen in years and we kept making new friends. For us, we saw it as a networking avenue, a networking spot and decided to run the entertainment business as a series of networking hubs and that's how we started opening different businesses. It wasn't just to sell alcohol or food, it was basically to create an experience and create an avenue for people to network. After a couple of years, a decade-plus, I was watching CNN and they talked about Nollywood and how it was the face of Africa. They started talking about the movies they (Nollywood) produced back in the day then the thought that it would be a good idea to recreate some of those movies and bring back that nostalgic effect to create a fusion across both generations came. And then it hit me to remake Living In Bondage.

The idea hit me on a Wednesday, I called Ramsey Nouah that night —he's my friend and back then, he used to be the only one I knew in that industry— and I told him ‘you know I've been telling you I want to get into this industry right, I think I have an idea’ he asked what it was and I told him I want to remake Living In Bondage.

He was a bit sceptical and I told him ‘I think it's going to work and I'm calling because I know you know who produced this movie. I want to get to this person, I want to get the rights off this person.’

He added that the person had left the industry and that he was now a pastor. But I'm adamant and he eventually reached out. The producer of the first movie told us that he was no longer in the entertainment industry and that he had moved to the east but that if we were interested, we could come to see him. The next day Thursday, I and Ramsey were on a flight to Owerri. We landed, drove to his village, sat with him and he said, he liked the idea and that nobody had ever thought about it. He gave us a price and within a week, we paid and got the rights. I bought the rights in 2015 and I released it in 2019, so it took me at least four years.

You already had a name in terms of business and hospitality but what about your degree in health economics; how did you fuse it with your business acumen to prepare you for your role in production. And how difficult was it to raise capital for someone relatively new in Nollywood?

So health economics, in any way, didn't help me get into the industry. I'm a medical professional and that's basically where it ends. In terms of business acumen, I think it's just my hunger for a good life. I like to enjoy myself so for me, I like to invest in businesses. I take a lot of risks because no risk no reward. That's how I look at it, so my health background had nothing to do with it because based on my health background, I would still be a consultant or probably be in the

VOL 2 NO. 20 • MAY 15 - MAY 21, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

COVER

...No matter how good Living in Bondage was, some people were still vexed that we touched it... but you just can’t because it will be forgotten...I just got the rights to shoot a biopic for King Jaja of Opobo.

If you don’t tell it, in another 30 years it will be forgotten... gone for life.”

9-5. I'd say what had an influence would be my lifestyle. And your other question regarding raising funds, in all honesty, I've never been one to take a loan from the bank. Don't get me wrong, I don’t have anything against it but if I want to take a loan, I wouldn’t take a loan from a bank for a business I do not know anything about because if it goes wrong, I’ll be in debt. So I had to raise the money myself from other businesses.

And how difficult was it?

The good thing was we shot in three or four different stages. The first quarter of the movie, somebody had to travel which kinda gave me a break. Then we came back to shoot the second quarter. By then, I had recouped and I had some money available as well, then we stopped again for Christmas break which gave me another one month break and then we came back again though it cost more money. The thing is when you stop production your budget increases because you have to bring everyone back again. But thanks to that I was able to stagger my investment which was a good thing.

One question I've always had after watching your movies is how much of an improvement it is in terms of delivery but you also took a chance on new actors, something nobody does for first-time movies. What made you choose to do that?

To be honest, let me tell you something not many people understand. Living In Bondage was Ramsey Nouah’s directorial debut; it was the first movie he ever directed. It was also Nicole Asinugo's writing debut; that was the first movie she wrote. And I feel we have a lot of talent in Nigeria that is hidden and untapped. They never get the opportunity to showcase what they have. I own a chain of nightclubs and I was in one of them one night and Nicole, who was a writer, came to me and was like ‘Charles, I heard you just bought the rights to Living In Bondage. Omg, I want to write it.’ I'm like ‘Ah, Nicole when did you start writing?’ She was like ‘Sir Charles, trust me, give me the opportunity and I'd kill it.’

Ramsey was in town that night and he came to the club as well. I told him to guess who is writing the script and I tell him Nicole and he goes, ‘Who is Nicole?’ [He chuckles] Ramsey said to me ‘Charles are you joking? Abeg, let's go and look for a writer.’ And I told him to trust me and he was still pretty insistent on us hiring a professional and not someone who says they can write. But I took a risk on that and it paid off. Nicole killed it, she did an amazing job. The thing is you'd never know somebody can do a good job unless they aren't given the opportunity to. The actor, Jide Kene, did an amazing job. That was one of his first major movies. I had never known Jide Kene but Ramsey Nouah believed in him and put him through. I feel like these hidden talents, if they are not given an opportunity to act, at some point, we'd be stuck with the ones we know. And then, the ones we know would stop acting and start investing in the movie industry.

They'd become executive producers etc, and they will look to this younger generation to play these roles. So if you don't get them now, it can be late, there would be a gap in the market and that would be a problem. I believe in young people; I started my business when I was 24, so I feel like we need to imbibe that culture in Nigeria as a whole. It's always good to give the young lads a try.

Gaaga produced it. He brought Phyno, Flavour and Tuface on board. Everybody in the industry came aboard to produce something for this iconic movie which I think was brilliant of us as a team. The soundtrack was superb. It was a standalone business idea, a standalone project as well that won awards at the AMVCA. It won the Best Soundtrack award that night. The entire Living in Bondage project won seven awards.

You're working with Netflix on some movies, correct?

Glamour Girls is a Netflix original and it’s coming out sometime in June, I think. I bought the rights to the movie as well and we put a lot into it. We shot in Abuja, Lagos, South Africa, and we went to Beirut as well. I hope you guys like it.

Seeing that you've set a standard with the previous films, do you ever worry that people will be disappointed?

Obviously, I worry because now the standards are higher. And what people don’t understand— which I'm thankful for this opportunity and avenue to speak up —is that it is harder to make a sequel than to make an original movie. In an original movie, you have a script from nowhere that's nice and works.

But to redo a movie or to make a sequel, you have to ensure that you are aligning with those that saw

When you went to people through whom you raised capital for the movie were they excited about the idea of the movie?

I didn't go to anyone to raise money.

So you paid from your pocket? You were willing to take that financial risk all by yourself?

Yeah. The thing about life is you have to believe in yourself. But recently, there are one or two people that are beginning to invest.

In terms of sound, we all know how subpar soundtracks and background sound used to be in those days, but how were you able to get masterful sound engineers and the right soundtrack for your movie?

If you remember Soul Food, it had an amazing soundtrack. And why I remember the movie Soul Food today is because of its soundtrack. It was an amazing movie. Best Man with Morris Chestnut and Taye Diggs also had an amazing soundtrack. So I just felt like, why is it that we don’t invest in soundtracks? We need to start doing this thing differently. I told myself you know what, for Living In Bondage, I’m going to get the best of them. So I called Davido and I said, “David I want you on my soundtrack.” I give him a brief of the movie, and he give me a song. He and Larry Gaaga did a song. Larry

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VOL 2 NO. 20 • MAY 15 - MAY 21, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

COVER marry a husband who is out there but I think the most important thing is trust.

Africa is the future. The earlier we understand that Africa is the future, the better. I am more concerned with building a legacy in Africa. I'm not eager to work with Hollywood. We have a lot of countries, which means a lot of stories to tell here. If it comes, why not.” it years ago and it is in tune with what the current generation wants to see.

No matter how good Living in Bondage was, some people were still vexed that we touched it. That it has been ruined.

There will always be people who are not happy because it’s a sequel. Most people just want to leave it as a classic but you just can’t because it will be forgotten. You just have to, somebody has to do it. If you leave it and ignore it because of what people would say then that title will end up dying off. It will become extinct. Why let that happen people will outlive you. Let me give you an example, I just got the rights to shoot a biopic for King Jaja of Opobo. So you can imagine that kind of story. If you don’t tell it, in another 30 years it will be forgotten. These are stories that if you don’t touch in our generation, they're gone for life.

So do you have any originals coming out soon?

Yes, I plan on making my own original.

The project we are working on with Native Media right now is the Hijack 93.

So in 1993, some young guys between the ages of 18 and 24, four of them, had hijacked a plane going to Abuja and diverted it to Niger. They hijacked it to protest the annulment of the 1993 election because they were rooting for Moshood Abiola. So they diverted the plane to Niger Republic, and held the passengers hostage for three days. This is a true life story and these guys were sentenced to prison for 12 years. Of course, today they've been released. I interviewed them last year. They told me their story and we are shooting a movie about it. We're going into production in July. What my experience in the industry has taught me is not to drop dates because production can take longer than he would expect so you don’t want to be caught in the midst of that. So when you are done shooting, and you go into the post-production phase, you can decide on a date.

PAGE 10

Do you care to tell us about The Six? It was supposed to be released in 2021, yes?

So The Six is going to be one of our most expensive and most delicate projects because it’s a combination of Living In Bondage, Rattlesnake, and Nneka, The Pretty Serpent.

It’s a huge story and we're still writing. We have a Shina Rambo movie in the works. He used to be a notorious criminal in the early 90s. He terrorised them in the South-Western region of Nigeria. He's now a born again christian and we interviewed him last year and he told us his story and we are making a movie of that as well.

How important is it to have a supportive wife to keep you grounded amidst all the... as we used to call it those days, "sucking blood"?

You’re an incredibly fashionable man, and because of your job you have women come around you, how important is it a supportive partner in all of that to help keep you grounded?

Honestly, it’s God. It’s been amazing, my wife works for the UN and she’s pretty busy and I try as much as possible to respect myself. I feel like there’s nothing that can phase me in that regard. It's only when the man doesn't respect himself that s--t hits the fan. So I try as much as possible to respect myself, I try not to cross boundaries. I think we’re good, we're good. I can’t complain she’s been amazing, she’s been quite supportive because it can be difficult to

With the alarming rates of domestic violence happening in the world, being a father of two identical twin daughters and another daughter, how are you raising them to stand up for themselves and not be reined in by a man till things get volatile and domestic violence comes in? What culture do you want to imbibe in your little girls and how important is starting this education early?

I think the most important thing is to always remind them that if anybody pushes you, you push the person back. If anybody hits you, you hit the person back and if anybody hits you and you can't hit the person, call mummy or call daddy. The whole domestic violence situation is sad. You don’t have to hit a woman. How can you hit a woman? If you do that then you don’t love her. I don't know how you can hit someone you love. I hope none of my daughters ever encounter that kind of thing. It’s better to be heartbroken than to be beaten. Just leave the relationship if you're tired rather than hitting the woman.

Should we expect you to upscale from telling Nigerian stories and culture to working in an international capacity?

Well, that is growth but I am not eager to do that. Africa is good enough that it doesn't phase me. Africa is the future. The earlier we understand that Africa is the future, the better. I am more concerned with building a legacy in Africa. I'm not eager to work with Hollywood. Africa is enough. We have a lot of countries which means a lot of stories to tell here. If it comes, why not. You can't turn down the opportunity to grow. But, I think it’s something that I should lose sleep over. What I should lose sleep over should be taking over Africa in terms of production.

As far as talent management goes you've signed the likes of Liquorose, Nengi, Kim Oprah and Ike Onyema. Looking at the rise of reality shows in recent years, is that something we should expect from you?

I was going to do a Mr and Mrs Play Network. It was an idea that hit and I’m still talking to my team about it.

I don’t like to jump into something I know nothing about if my team comes back with a positive response, it is something I could give a try. If I don’t get the green light, I will just leave it.

You happen to be an ambassador to several alcoholic brands. Is owning your liquor brand your business mind has thought about or you're fine with just being an ambassador?

Owning your own liquor brand needs attention and I really don't have that attention to give. Number two, you would have to bring in those people that can actually make it. I don't think production of brandy, cognacs and wines can be made in Nigeria and you will need to have your own factory set up here in Nigeria. I would rather just watch and invest in other things like mining, agriculture, there’s oil and gas and a lot of other things I can invest in.

VOL 2 NO. 20 • MAY 15 - MAY 21, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

LIVING

GET THE LOOK:

SOURCE, WESTWING

DINING AREA

Dining Chair Set IMAGE SOURCE PINTEREST

Pampas Grass Home Decor, IMAGE SOURCE PINTEREST

Decor Diffuser CULTI

Bamboo Pendant Light

BY IDOWU LAMI

E

very family has their idea of how they would like their dining area to look and feel.

Some people like a formal setting, while others prefer a not-so-formal setting. Regardless of how you prefer it, dining areas remain a significant architectural plan in every home —a place where family, and friends(when you decide to host), bond over a meal. It is also said that having a dining area helps foster hapiness in kids; so regradless of the new-age method of simply eating whereever there is a screen, do well to practice eating together as a family on the dining table. It not only serves as a bonding space for the family, it accentuates the beauty of a home when designed properly.

Geometric Table Lamp

Walnut Dining Table TENO

Astro Wooden Tray IMAGE SOURCE PINTEREST Grecian Ceramic Bust Pot IMAGE SOURCE PINTEREST

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VOL 2 NO. 20 • MAY 15 - MAY 21, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

WELLNESS

Is This Too Real?

Celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month

BY KEHINDÉ FAGBULE

T

here is no perfect body system. Think about your physical health from when you were growing up until now. How many times have you had to call on your doctor to complain about a migraine? The pain from the ulcer you feel, explain to people who easily understand. The lump you feel in your breast urges you to go to the hospital pronto; you don't hesitate to get it checked. So why does our society try to silence the mental pain? Why do we hesitate to see someone when it comes to our mental health?

Affairs of mental health is no respecter of age, financial status, or gender, and so everyone at some point in their lives has experienced moments when they are not okay. These are pain that we as a society aren't quick to talk about.

The way you feel when the walls are closing in on you. The suffocation that you feel, sometimes physically too, as if you are about to pass out. The recurring anxiety, the lowly moments of depression when it feels like there is no light at the end of the tunnel, the overthinking that works hand in hand with insomnia ensuring that sound sleep is no longer regular, the weird feeling you get after giving birth but people expect you to be cheerful because it is a beautiful thing—yet you feel the exact opposite. Why does it feel weird to talk about it when most people feel it? I do not feel weird talking about my food poisoning for instance, why should I feel some type of way talking about my anxiety?

Alice revealed that Krsyt decided to text her when she was in her exercise class so that she wouldn’t be able to “intervene”.

Most generations in Nigeria have been through trauma in one form or the other. Although different for each generation, it adds up as trauma. Think about the boomers; they lived through a whole war in the East back in the days and are still witnessing the insurgency up North and the South East. Generation Z lives with so much uncertainty about what kind of future the country has in store for them. For Millennials, it is as though the midlife crisis has come early.

And yet we all walk around coping with the many difficult experiences until we hear another person has taken their life.

This is not at all a gloomy dark piece—far from it.

It heeds to a nation's cry for help. We must begin to take steps to intentional wholesomeness. It is okay to talk to friends about it. It is okay to reach out to a professional that was trained to untangle mental unclarities. It is okay that you feel the pain and are working towards its management or eradication. It is okay to not be okay.

Some mental health organisations to reach out to in Nigeria include: 1. Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (@mentallyawareng) – 0809-111-6264, 0811168-0686.

2. Neem Foundation – Northern insurgencyrelated (@neem_foundation) – 0809-4546708.

3. She Writes Woman (@shewriteswoman) – 0800-800-2000 4. Sane Mind – Child mental health (@sanemindng) – 0815-977-2016.

5. Postpartum Support Network (@psnafrica)

You've got this!

Former Miss America, Late Cheslie Kryst

PAGE 12

My fears, insecurities, despair, worries, and angst?

For so long, mental health issues have either carried stigma along with or been talked over, be it anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, postpartum depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia or beyond. Think of it as pain inequality. When you think about how easy it is to tell people that you were at the hospital to see your family doctor without raising eyebrows, and how opposite the reaction is when you tell them you were in a therapy session. The former hospital visit is to rectify a physical pain, while the latter is to fix a mental pain. No one hurts more than the other; in fact, we have seen multiple instances when both pains lead to the same grave.

Earlier this year in January, the news of Cheslie Kryst’s death—the 2019 winner of the Miss USA pageant—sent shockwaves around the world.

She died at the age of just 30 after jumping from a 60-story building in New York, United States.

Months after her death, Cheslie’s mum, Alice Simpkins, opened up about her daughter's death.

During her appearance on Jada Pinkett Smith's popular show Red Table Talk, Alice said that her daughter sent her a long text before jumping from the building in New York City. The text reads: “First, I’m sorry, by the time you get this, I won’t be alive anymore. And it makes me even sadder to write this because I know it will hurt you the most. I wish I could stay with you, but I cannot bear the crushing weight of persistent sadness, hopelessness, and loneliness any longer,” Kryst said.

VOL 2 NO. 20 • MAY 15 - MAY 21, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

RED CARPET

READY I

BEAUTY GET A SPA EXPERIENCE Is your outfit going to show a bit of skin; the aim being for everyone to notice and be obsessed with it? If yes, then you need to amp up your skincare routine for the most flawless skin possible. Think full body care experience from waxing to scrubbing, polishing to facials, or whatever treatment you see fit to give you the perfect glowing skin.

BY SOPHIA EDISI

t’s officially red carpet season, and the last thing you want is to look drab when the images finally hit the Internet.

When it comes to nights on the red carpet, we look for beauty, elegance, charm, uniqueness, and authenticity to create a beautiful memory of the special moments.

Sometimes, the best way to look red-carpet-ready is by keeping things simple. Have fun with your look, know when not to go over-the-top, but still score some carpet-worthy curves with your wardrobe.

Make a show-stopping entrance with these tips and tricks, which celebrities also use.

Mercy Ike

AND SOME FRESH MANI

KEEP YOUR BODY IN GOOD SHAPE

The secret to confidently waving your hands, stylishly flaunting your accessories, holding your clutch, or that award you receive, is a nice, fresh manicure. That is undoubtedly a must for any red carpet event.

Having it done a day before saves you time; however if you require a quick fix, then opt for the stick-on option.

Getting a gorgeous hourglass figure isn't something that can happen magically overnight, that’s why you need to up your exercise game if you want to look great on the red carpet.

The perfect way to achieve this is by starting the process early. You can either hit the gym or do some yoga poes.

That’s all it takes to get your body ready from an everyday normal to red carpet bold.

Tiwa Savage

AND A FLAWLESS MAKEOVER

DO NOT LEAVE OUT YOUR HAIR Let your trusted hairstylist give your hair the textures and styling it needs for the red carpet. First, ensure that you discuss the style that works best for the outfit you plan on wearing as well as your facial structure. The rest is up to you wearing your hair like you own the day.

Hamisa Mobetto

Contouring and highlighting probably aren't part of your everyday makeup routine, but when it comes to getting your groove on, you will need all the contour and highlight you can get. It's an easy way to transform your everyday makeup into red carpet-ready glam. If that doesn't do it for you, try out any makeup artist that is great at natural soft glam, and voila, you are now red carpet ready.

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VOL 2 NO. 20 • MAY 15 - MAY 21, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

THE SCENE DOWNTOWN

AMVCA’s DESIGN FOR THE STARS

BY ONAH NWACHUKWU

T

he first-ever AMVCA Runway Show: Design For The Stars, marked the second event of the 8-day line-up of activities to celebrate the eighth edition of the Africa Movies Viewers' Choice Awards this year. The show saw nine budding designers who were coached for two weeks by some of Nigeria's finest designers; Lanre Da Silva Ajayi of LDA, Ohimai Atafo of ATAFO, and Bayo Oke Lawal of Orange Culture showcase their designs to fashion enthusiasts last weekend. Three of them -Obinna Omeruo, Felix Asuquo, and Sophie Chamberlain emerged winners of the competition and were awarded five million naira each.

They also designed a Pepsi collection that day, and for this, the brand awarded them an extra one million naira, bringing their winnings to six million each.

Other highlights of the evening included Lush Hair models strutting the runway with their unique and show-stopping hairstyles. Award-winning afropop singer, Yemi Alade and popular media personality, Denrele Edun who are both Lush Hair ambassadors, also made a special appearance on the runway with their bold hairstyles and poses.

Guests were also entertained with performances by R&B pop group, Styl-Plus, and urban afropop duo, Ajebo Hustlers.

Denola Grey i-Uchendu

Ebuka Ob

Denrele Edun

Busola Te

jumola

Timini Egbuson

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Juliet Ibrah

Uti Nwachukwu

rlain

hambe

C Sophie

PHERLA NUBA Tsakute 'S

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PAGE 14

adi Jona

Adunni Ade

h Ramsey Nouah

VOL 2 NO. 20 • MAY 15 - MAY 21, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

THE SCENE DOWNTOWN

Jennifer Ukoh-Osam

wonyi

uquo

Felix As

FAI WORLD

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Roseline 'Liquorose' Afi Mimi Onalaja

Lanre Da Silva Ajayi oye

Bimbo Adem

Noble Igwe

Tosin Ogundadegbe

Bayo Oke Lawal

White Money

OMERUO

Obinna

Omeruo

PAGE 15

VOL 2 NO. 20 • MAY 15 - MAY 21, 2022

BY BOLUWATIFE ADESINA

DR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS

PAGE 16

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

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

Movie Review:

Something interesting has been happening in the MCU recently. Phase 4, as this current grouping of Marvel projects is known, has been defined by (not you, Black Widow ) creative risk-taking. They trust that their audience is well versed enough to follow the shenanigans that occur across their carefully curated, shared universe. Whether it is the first MCU Kung-fu movie (Shang-Chi), the 5 TV shows they've released so far on Disney + or even the first introduction of higher order beings than we’re used to (Eternals). Where they are going with this is yet to be seen, but creative risks like this are commendable nonetheless.

Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness (MoM from now on), is the closest thing we will get to a horror movie in the MCU (risk taking!). Directed by Evil Dead and the 2000s Spider-Man trilogy helmsman Sam Raimi, this film is a conceptual departure from most of the established MCU. Here, Raimi gets to combine the big-budget spectacle of his Spider-Man franchise, with the pop-horror stylings that made his early career work like Darkman and Drag Me to Hell so eminently watchable. The visual style on display is unmistakably his and even the demands of Marvel’s style of shared-world filmmaking don’t dilute his style to any great degree (although some dodgy CGI in the more mundane scenes tries hard) — it’s all very kinetic and expressionistic, presenting us with gorgeous visuals as we traipse across various weird dimensions as the plot unfolds.

The plot centers around the titular character and his dealings with the multiverse, catalysed by newcomer America Chavez (Xochtil Gomez) who possesses the ability to punch star-shaped portals through different universes. Chavez is being chased through the multiverse by demons on the command of a shadowy being. Dr. Strange ropes in Wanda Maximoff for assistance and #Madness ensues.

Benedict Cumberbatch reprises his role

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

as Dr. Strange, now an elder statesman of the MCU (with only one solo movie funny enough). After cameos in 2018’s Infinity War, 2019’s Endgame and a supporting role in 2021’s Spider-Man No Way Home, he’s really made the character his own. His Strange has a strong awareness of what he’s sacrificed to be who he is and the roads not taken, and that sadness helps differentiate him from the last Marvel main man with a massive ego and odd taste in facial hair.

Benedict Wong as, well, Wong, is great as ever.

Multiple Sorcerer Supreme jokes are made and I Iaughed at quite a few of them. Newcomer Xochitl Gomez really pops as America, full of heart and teenage energy that does provide a good foil for the battle-hardened Strange.

The true star of the movie however, is Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch who anchors the film with her haunted, sometimes harrowing turn as the grief-wracked Wanda. Really, Multiverse of Madness is a direct sequel to WandaVision (2021) rather than 2016’s Doctor Strange — indeed, a bit of business with an alternate version of Baron Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) seems to imply events between Doctor Strange 1 and Doctor Strange 2 that we’re not privy to. While everything around her is kind of goofy in the best possible Marvel Manner, all spells and demons and sight gags and whatnot, Olsen is doing a quiet, measured portrait of sadness and rage, having dealt with the death of her brother, her lover, and her magically created kids in a pretty short period of time. It’s beautiful work.

If that last paragraph was somewhat impenetrable to you, that’s because Multiverse of Madness’ chief problem is that it demands a certain familiarity with the MCU as a whole — at the very least, you need to be across WandaVision and the main Avengers arc, and for full appreciation you want to be down with a lot of comics lore as well, plus Marvel’s What If…?

(2021) animated series. That’s a barrier to entry — I wouldn’t say you can’t go in cold and have a good time, but there’s a chance a novice will get lost in the details. Whether these franchisebuilding choices drive viewers away from the MCU or invite them to delve deeper into the world is up for debate — box office success suggests the latter.

I must say that the Raimi elements landed better for me than the MCU elements, by and large.

Smartly, the film packs the bulk of its Easter eggs and cameos into one sequence, which comes across as both a fun bit of business (there are characters here that’ll make fans cheer) and a wee bit cynical. We’re faring better when the film is more freewheeling and chaotic, allowing Raimi and his actors to indulge themselves in high weirdness and spooky business. A third-act narrative choice — which I won’t spoil as much as I’d like to — allows Raimi to really pull out the stops on the macabre and demonstrates how broad a church the MCU can be. It’s easy enough to slam Marvel for being a production line rather than a production house, but like a true auteur, Raimi demonstrates that you can still put your voice into a studio product if you have the chops, and by God, he does.

WATCH of the Week

Blood Sisters Blood Sisters, a four-part Nigerian limited series on Netflix, feels like the exact kind of thing streaming services were invented for when you think about it. It’s the perfect bite-sized binge proposition at just under four hours, rockets along at quite a pace, doesn’t outstay its welcome, and is a legitimate offering that is steeped in its native culture. It isn’t a faultless ride – but it’s well worth experiencing all the same.

Plot-wise, and I’ll keep this deliberately vague, Sarah (Ini DimaOkojie) and Kemi (Nancy Isime) are two best friends on the run after the mysterious disappearance of Sarah’s powerful pharmaceutical CEO fiancé Kola (Deyemi Okanlawon). Between the law, Kola’s wealthy family, and some other interested parties, Sarah and Kemi are pursued on all sides as they descend deeper into the seedy underside of Lagos and begin to lose more and more of themselves as they go.

There’s nothing especially complicated here, but Blood Sisters does a decent job of sketching quite a dense network of characters whose relationships – familial, platonic, romantic – seem to have developed organically out of this close-knit community. The earliest moments, which bring together families of wildly different socioeconomic statuses, straddle the line between comedy and horror as we find ourselves laughing at an impromptu dinner speech one moment and wincing at domestic abuse the next. The idea is to create, immediately and vividly, a tapestry of perspectives and personalities that all begin to inform the ensuing mystery.

This isn’t a whodunnit, though. We know who’s responsible for the plot’s inciting incident since we witness it and are swept along in its aftermath.

But the mystery is all about where the characters will end up, and whose conspiring will put them on top.

Combine that with non-stop pacing, even in the two middle episodes that get a decent amount of mileage out of the core characters, and you have a show that’s easy to keep watching until the end, especially once the expositional stuff is out of the way.

Again, I could quibble. Some characters seem overtly villainous in a way that seems almost inhuman, and the acting isn’t always consistent.

Much of it, though, is pretty solid, and without too much in the way of flashbacks or other structural or stylistic flourishes, the whole thing manages to pick up a great deal of momentum heading into the finale.

More of this, Netflix.

PLAYLIST FOR THE WEEK

1da Banton; Kizz Daniel; Tiwa Asake ft. Burna Boy - Sungba Savage - No Wahala - Remix Remix

Rihanna - Kiss It Better KAYTRANADA Edition

JonnyBlake ft Hunk Papii - For You

Melvitto ft Wande Coal Gentility

Parcels - Tieduprightnow

Rema - Calm Down

Oxlade - AWAY

Koffee-Gifted

Asa ft WizKid - IDG