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Issue No. 295 • October 4, 2026

BUKKY WRIGHT The Woman Behind the Screen

Issue No. 295 • October 4, 2026

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THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

Issue No. 295 • October 4, 2026

CONTENT

EDITOR’S NOTE Photo: Kola Oshalusi @insignamedia Makeup: Zaron

14 FITNESS

here are some faces that become inseparable from the stories they help tell, and Bukky Wright is certainly one of them. For nearly three decades, she has remained a distinctive presence in Nigerian cinema, moving effortlessly between Yoruba and English-language productions. From Super Story to Saworoide, her performances have reflected remarkable range, depth and staying power. What I find particularly fascinating about Bukky’s journey is that her story extends beyond acting. She has explored producing, entrepreneurship, writing and life outside Nigeria, taking time away from the familiar rhythm of Nollywood. That distance seems to have offered a valuable opportunity to experience life differently and return with a fresh perspective on the industry and her place within it. Now, her return feels like another exciting chapter. Following recent appearances, she revisits one of her memorable roles in The Return of Omotara Johnson, which she also produced. In this conversation, we look back at her remarkable career, what brought her back, and the woman behind one of Nigerian cinema’s most enduring screen personas. Read Bukky Wright's story on pages 8 to 10 Ever wondered why a skincare product you have used for months suddenly leaves your skin red, itchy, dry or bumpy? Our beauty page highlights reasons why your skin suddenly reacts to familiar skincare products. You’ll find this on page 13.

Until next week, enjoy your read.

16 TECHTALK

Underdressed

DOWNTOWN

Zaron Cosmetics Marks 15 Years, Expands into Hair Care

It” Isn’t the Whole Story

18 TRAVEL

Hidden Gems in West Africa That Nobody Is Talking About

Untold Truths 07 When “God Did #UNSHAKABLE

TRUTHS

8-10 COVER

LUXURY SILK

BEAUTY

Bukky Wright The Woman Behind the Screen

He Was Going Somewhere Reasons Why Your Skin Suddenly Reacts to Familiar Skincare Products

DOWNTOWN CONFIDENTIAL

REVIEW

AUSTYN OGANNAH

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.

www.thewilldowntown.com thewilldowntown thewilldowntown 254 Remi Fani-Kayode Avenue, GRA, Ikeja. Lagos, Nigeria. +234 810 345 2286, +234 913 333 3888

Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother

Issue No. 294 • September 27, 2026

Building Africa’s Beauty Economy Through Beauty in the Motherland

INSTAGRAM

@beinghalimat The Best to ever do it!! Thank you for connecting the beauty industry across the nation Sally Chiwuzie @unshakable.is.a.state.of.mind - Contributing Writer Sally Chiwuzie is a non-practising barrister who owns the brand #Unshakable. She is the author of Silent Symphonies, a fictional love story, and the creator of the podcast Chronicles of #Unshakable Truths.

PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Executive Editor: Onah Nwachukwu @onahluciaa Writers:Dorcas Akintoye, Johnson Chukwueke & Evi-Ben Ezaga Design & Layout: Hogan Effiom Digital Media: Oladimeji Balogun, Victoria Dairo & Olamide Abolarin Consulting Art Director: Sunny Hughes ‘SunZA’

Something New

WHAT YOU SAID

Onah @onahluciaa +2348033239132

The Internet Never Forgets What Happens to the Things You Post and Delete?

17 THE SCENE

Ways to 04-05 4Stop Looking Overdressed or

FASHION

Believable Is No Longer the Point

BEATRICE ENEH

That old tweet, forgotten Instagram photo, or deleted comment may not be as gone as you think. In our digital world, screenshots, downloads, archives and reposts can preserve content indefinitely. Before you post, it is worth understanding your digital footprint and thinking carefully about what you leave behind. Check out our tech page (page 16) for more.

15 CULTURE

Pickleball, Padel or Tennis? The Racquet Sports Worth Trying Now

Ada Obiajunwa @aaddaahh - Contributing Writer Ada Obiajunwa writes from Lagos about the big truths tucked inside ordinary moments — friendship, self-discovery, and the quiet revolutions of everyday life. She believes in the power of presence, good banter, and decoding the unsaid. Through her fragrance studio, WhiffWonders, she also crafts scents that weave memory and emotion into experiences that feel like home.

@kotey5260 Amen. U. Look. Awesome. Beautiful. Gorgeous. I Admire you. Let me be ur friend

@skincarewithseyie Amazing read

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Issue No. ISSUE NO.295 261••October FEBRUARY 4, 2026 08, 2026

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

FASHION

WAYS TO STOP LOOKING OVERDRESSED OR UNDERDRESSED

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BY DORCAS AKINTOYE

etting dressed should not always feel like a guessing game. There are times when you arrive somewhere and feel like your outfit is too simple for the occasion, and on other days, you feel overdressed. Looking overdressed or underdressed can affect how comfortable and confident you feel, but it is something you can easily avoid. Here are four simple ways to help you get your outfit right.

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

Issue No. 295 • October 4, 2026

FASHION FIND OUT THE DRESS CODE BEFORE GETTING DRESSED One

of the easiest ways to avoid looking overdres sed or underdressed is to find out what people are expected to wear. If yo u are attending a wedding , dinner, birthday party, work event, or casual outing, the appropriate attire will vary by occasion. If there is a dress code, follow it ins tead of guessing. For an even t without a clear dress co de, think about the location , time, and type of even t. Knowing what to expe ct gives you a better idea of how to dress.

LEARN HOW TO BALANCE YOUR OUTFITS Sometimes, one item can make an otherwise simple outfit look too formal. The same thing can happen in reverse. This is where balance becomes important. For example, you can tone down a dressy outfit by pairing it with simple accessories or comfortable shoes. A casual outfit can also look more polished with a structured bag, neat shoes, a nice watch, or simple jewellery. Instead of changing your entire outfit, look for one or two pieces that can move your look in the right direction.

PAY ATTENTION TO WHERE YOU ARE GOING

Your outfit should match the place you are visiting. Wearing a heavily embellished dres s and high heels to a simple daytime outing may make you look overdressed. On the other hand, wearing sh orts, slippers, and a ba sic T-shirt to a formal dinner may leave you looking unde rdressed. Before leaving ho me, picture yourself at the loca tion. Think about wha t people are likely to wea r there and choose something that fits the setting. You do no t have to dress exactly like ever yone else, but your outfi t should suit the environm ent.

WHEN IN DOUBT, CHOOSE SIMPLE AND POLISHED PIECES If you are unsure abou t what to wear, simple pieces are usually easier to adjus t. A well-fitting pair of trouse rs, a clean shirt, a simple dre ss, a skirt, or a neat pair of jeans can work for many situa tions. You can then make the outfit more formal or casual with your shoes, bag, jewell ery, jacket, or hairstyle. Th is gives you room to adjust your look without starting all over again.

Looking well-dressed is not about wearing the most expensive or fashionable clothes. It is about wearing something that suits the occasion, fits well, and makes sense for where you are going. With a little planning, you can avoid looking too dressed up or too casual while still looking like yourself.

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Issue No. 295 • October 4, 2026

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THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

Issue No. 295 • October 4, 2026

#UNSHAKABLE TRUTHS

SALLY CHIWUZIE

UNTOLD TRUTHS When “God Did It” Isn’t the Whole Story @unshakable.is.a.state.of.mind

his has been a reflective week.

relationship survived. God did it. The money arrived just in time. God did it. The diagnosis changed. God did it.

I’ve been thinking about prayer, about the things we ask God for, and about those extraordinary moments when the answer arrives looking exactly like what we hoped for, and we say, with absolute certainty, “God did it.”

What vocabulary have we created for the person who didn’t get the job? Whose marriage ended? Whose money never arrived? Who buried the person everybody had been praying would live?

I believe He did.

I believe God answers prayer.

But lately, I’ve found myself thinking about the person standing beside us whose prayer was not answered in the same way.

What I am less certain about is our habit of interpreting the outcome. Perhaps answered prayer and getting what we asked for are not always the same thing.

Did God not do it for them? Years ago, I didn’t hear a story about two women named Brioche and Kris with a K.

Kris eventually found herself beside Brioche at the end of her life. She prayed with her. She reassured her that Jesus was waiting for her. There was peace in that moment, but there was also grief, anger and survivor’s guilt.

I watched it unfold. They had been best friends for forty years. The kind of friendship that had survived different versions of themselves, different seasons, different lives. Then, within weeks of each other, they were both diagnosed with cancer. Brioche had lung cancer. Kris had breast cancer. Two best friends. Two diagnoses. Two women praying. People prayed with them and for them. Kris underwent treatment and eventually received the news everyone had been hoping for: she was cancer-free. Brioche died. I have thought about those two women many times since because Kris had every reason to testify: God did it.

however, if we are going to celebrate answered prayers, perhaps we also need to make room for the uncomfortable questions created by the prayers that appear to go unanswered.

Faith did not erase the contradiction. She had received the miracle she had prayed for while grieving the miracle that had not happened for her friend. Maybe we have made faith too dependent on outcomes we can understand. Perhaps faith is not believing that God will always give us the ending we prayed for. Perhaps it is believing that He remains God when we cannot understand the ending at all.

I watched two hospital rooms unfold.

I still love hearing people say, “God did it.”

In one, someone receives the news that the scan is clear. There are tears, phone calls, and praise. Somewhere, perhaps before they have even left the hospital, somebody writes: God did it, and I believe He did.

I will probably continue saying it myself.

Yet, down the corridor, another family receives very different news. They prayed too. So what do we tell them?

Except how do you say those words when your best friend prayed too? Did Brioche not pray This is where faith becomes much more hard enough? Were the people praying for her insufficiently faithful? Was there some combination complicated than the testimonies we of words Kris found that Brioche somehow missed? sometimes package it into. We are very good at recognising God when events favour us. Of course, I don’t believe any of those things; The job came through. God did it. The

But I hope I remember Brioche when I do. Because somewhere beside every testimony may be someone still waiting, someone disappointed, someone grieving, someone wondering why the same God seemingly gave two different answers to the same prayer. Perhaps the #Unshakable truth is that “God did it” can be completely true and still not be the whole story. Sometimes the deepest expression of faith may simply be: “I don’t understand what God did; I still trust Him.”

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Issue No. 295 • October 4, 2026

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

COVER

PAGE 8

BUKKY WRIGHT The Woman Behind the Screen

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

or nearly three decades, Bukky Wright has remained one of the most recognisable faces of Nigerian cinema, building a career that has moved comfortably between Yoruba and English-language productions. Born in Ogun State, the actress, producer and entrepreneur began acting professionally in the 1990s and rose to prominence through projects including Wale Adenuga Productions’ Super Story and Tunde Kelani’s acclaimed Saworoide. Over the years, she has appeared in more than 100 films and produced several Yoruba-language features, establishing a reputation for bringing precision and depth to her roles.

Issue No. 295 • October 4, 2026

experienced several eras of Nigerian cinema. What do you think the younger generation of filmmakers and actors can learn from the Nollywood you came up in? I would say diligence, discipline, and of course, being focused.

COVER It taught me to never say never. I strongly believe that one needs to have faith in oneself. I am not one of those people who believe something is impossible, and that’s what got me into information security while in America. I believe you can do anything you put your mind to, especially by trusting in God, and don’t let age be a barrier.

You have worked in both Yoruba and English-language productions. Has moving between the two industries When you returned with Something changed the way you approach a About The Briggs, you described the character or tell a story? script as compelling enough to make you No, it’s just a language think, “Let’s go So I would say I wear a and do it.” What difference; I really don’t see anything being a barrier. The it about that lot of hats in one person. was only difference, of course, is story that made the language, but whether it’s I am the type of person you say, “Yes, But Wright’s story extends well beyond Yoruba production or English, I want to come who asks myself what back with this the screen. At different points in her the acting remains the same. life, she has explored business, writing As I would always say, an I learnt from a place I project”? and other interests, while also spending actor is as good as his or her For me, I know I have been and figures out years outside Nigeria. Her extended last job am a very good break from regular Nollywood work gave so how it would help me at mother-in-law, her the opportunity to experience life After almost three decades the role of Iyabo another place. Ojo’s mum in that away from the constant demands of the in the industry, what still entertainment industry and offered a excites you about acting, and movie was really different perspective on the career she what has become less appealing to you interesting to me. When I read it. I was like, had built. with age and experience? yes, some mothers-in-law are really like Acting itself excites me, especially this, so let me use this character to make Her return has been anything but quiet. knowing that I am selling our stories to them understand that this behaviour is not After appearing in Red Circle in 2024 a global audience. I know I have a very good, so I took on the role. I believe that and Something About The Briggs in 2025, peculiar way of selling my characters it taught a lot of lessons, and I am hoping Wright has stepped firmly back into the or interpreting them. As a storyteller, I that we mothers-in-law can learn from the spotlight. She is now revisiting one of her believe no one will tell your story more mistakes that the woman made in that most memorable characters in The Return than you, and we have a lot to talk about. movie. of Omotara Johnson, a sequel to the 2008 I believe that, as actors, we are similar Yoruba film, which she also produced. to pastors; we don’t just go up to the Now you are back as Omotara Johnson in The new film brings together an pulpit. However, through our acting and The Return of Omotara Johnson. What impressive cast including Richard Mofestorytelling, we are preaching to people to was it like stepping into a character you Damijo, Shaffy Bello, Toyin Abraham, help them learn. You have a lot of people first played in 2008 and discovering who Chidi Mokeme and Ali Nuhu. going through she has become almost two one thing or I just want somebody who decades later? In this exclusive interview with THEWILL another, and For me, it’s inbuilt; it’s will respect me for who something interesting you DOWNTOWN’s Johnson Chukwueke watching a movie and Victoria Dairo, we delve into or focusing on I am, and of course get put in all that you have to Bukky Wright’s journey, which offers a one character make sure that you do it well the same in return. I don’t and do it right. So it wasn’t a fascinating opportunity to look back at helps them the industry she helped shape, examine come out of that stepping into that think it’s too much for a challenge what brought her back, and discover the situation because character again. As an awardwoman to want someone winning actor and producer, woman behind one of its most enduring they have learnt screen personas. something. As for believe that every script who will appreciate her Ideserves what has become my best. less appealing to for who she is. You started acting professionally in the me, I would say The new film features 1990s, when Nollywood was still finding nothing. I mean, if anything has become Richard Mofe-Damijo, Shaffy Bello, Toyin its identity. What first attracted you less appealing, then I wouldn’t have Abraham, Chidi Mokeme and Ali Nuhu. to acting, and did you ever imagine it come back at all. I had a great job back in What was it like bringing such a strong would become such a America working as a cast together for the continuation of defining part of your cybersecurity analyst Omotara's story? Acting itself excites me, and information life? Well, I just believed we could all come especially knowing that I security manager, but together to make magic, and I reached out What made me come into the movie back here because to everyone to make it happen, and we am selling our stories to a I'm industry was actually I still find the industry were able to do so. Yeah, it’s star-studded. because of my very appealing and From part one of Omotara Johnson, it has global audience. I know I children. I didn’t think interesting. I also know always been star-studded, and that’s what have a very peculiar way I have something in of becoming a star. I we have just done with the continuation. was just looking for an me to give, so I got of selling my characters or avenue for me to be back. Do you think today's Nollywood audience interpreting them visible. will connect with Omotara Johnson in You spent several the same way the 2008 audience did, From Super Story to Saworoide and years away from regular Nollywood or have the character and the audience the many films that followed, you have work. What did that period away from changed too much? the industry teach you about yourself? No, not at all. I could still see the PAGE 9

Issue No. 295 • October 4, 2026

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

COVER connection very well. I was at the cinema several times, and I could feel the audience still connected with that character. I am happy that my fans really loved what I have done with it. I would say that Omotara Johnson isn’t just a character; it has become a legacy. When you are not acting or producing, what does Bukky Wright enjoy doing? What does a normal, quiet day look like for you? A normal quiet day for me is staying in my room, watching a movie, writing, or just doing my cybersecurity thing. You have explored business and other professional interests outside acting. What have those experiences taught you about yourself that the entertainment industry never could? I would say that the entertainment industry has taught me a lot, and it is what I have learnt from it that I have applied to other industries that I have found myself in. So I would say I wear a lot of hats in one person. I am the type of person who asks myself what I learnt from a place I have been and figures out how it would help me at another place. So doing that has helped shape me

into the Bukky Wright that I am right now. You have spoken publicly about love, marriage, and family at different points in your life. How has becoming older and more experienced changed the way you think about companionship and what you want from a relationship? What I want from a relationship hasn’t changed, and as much as I want companionship, I still have what I want. What is it I want? I just want somebody who will respect me for who I am, and of course get the same in return. I don’t think it’s too much for a woman to want someone who will appreciate her for who she is. Someone who will be there for you no matter what. I would say it is not a do-or-die affair. If it happens, please enjoy it, but if it doesn’t, I wouldn’t say marriage is a do-or-die thing. Your happiness is what comes first; your security comes first, so it now depends on what you decide happiness or security is for yourself. PAGE 10

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Issue No. 295 • October 4, 2026

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Issue No. 295 • October 4, 2026

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

LUXURY SILK

ADA OBIAJUNWA @aaddaahh

verybody else was going somewhere too. Ada was back on her side of the rooftop. By now, she had stopped pretending there were other sides.

HE WAS GOING SOMEWHERE Perhaps there had been no grand decision about anybody else’s journey. Perhaps he had not thought about them at all. He simply had somewhere to be. By now Ada had been watching long enough that she wanted an ending. She wanted to know where he was going.

The breeze was good.

Maybe he would turn into a building. Maybe there would be a final piece of information that would make the entire thing make sense.

There was no traffic on Ajose Adeogun. Cars moved freely below her, appearing from beneath buildings, passing through her view, then disappearing again.

But Lagos, for once, had done

Then Ada noticed a motorcycle.

nothing.

A man was riding along the road. Nothing unusual. She looked away. Then looked back. Something was wrong. He was facing the traffic. Not riding along the edge of the road. Not tucked carefully against the pavement. Not trying to get around some obstruction. The man was riding in the middle of Ajose Adeogun. Towards the cars. Ada watched. A car approached. The rider moved. The car moved. They passed each other. Another car came. Another adjustment. They passed too. Then everybody continued. Ada frowned. There was no traffic. This somehow made it worse. Had the road been blocked, she could have helped him. Not physically. With an explanation. Maybe there was an accident farther down. Maybe he was avoiding something. Maybe Lagos had presented him with one of those situations in which the rules became suggestions and everybody simply did their best.

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The road was open. There were other roads. Many other roads. There were also two sides to this one. Ada became interested. She wanted to know what had happened that morning. Had he woken up late? Was somebody waiting for him? Had he missed a turning? Perhaps there was an emergency. She watched another car move around him. Perhaps not. Now she wanted to go further back. What series of events, choices, mornings and convictions had eventually produced this particular afternoon? That was the other thing. Whatever advantage he had hoped to gain did not appear particularly convenient. Everybody else was adjusting. But so was he. He couldn’t simply ride. He had to watch. Adjust. Continue. Watch again. Ada stayed at the edge. She knew nothing about the man inside the helmet.

car approached. The rider slowed. The car passed. Then something changed. He looked ahead.

She was willing to hear him out. From eight floors away. Instead, another

Moved across the road. And joined the traffic travelling in his direction. Ada waited. That was it. He continued down Ajose Adeogun. A few seconds earlier, she had been able to follow him without trying. Now another motorcycle was beside him. Then one passed behind a car. Ada followed the one she thought was his. It disappeared behind a bus. Another motorcycle came out the other side. Was that him? She wasn’t sure. She looked farther down the road. There were two more. For a moment, she thought she had him again. Then that motorcycle turned off the road. Ada kept looking. The breeze was still good.

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

Issue No. 295 • October 4, 2026

BEAUTY

REASONS WHY YOUR SKIN SUDDENLY REACTS TO FAMILIAR SKINCARE PRODUCTS BY DORCAS AKINTOYE

ave you ever used a skincare product for months without any problems, only for your skin to suddenly become red, itchy, dry, or bumpy after using it? In this article, we will show you five reasons why this can happen.

YOUR SKIN BARRIER MAY BE WEAK Your skin barrier is the protective layer that helps keep moisture in and irritants out. However, over-exfoliating, washing your face too often, using harsh cleansers, or using several strong products can weaken this barrier. When your barrier is damaged, products that never bothered you before may suddenly sting or burn. If this happens, simplify your routine when needed; also, use a gentle cleanser, moisturiser, and sunscreen.

YOUR HORMONES MAY HAVE CHANGED Hormones can affect your skin in many ways. They can change how much oil your skin produces and how sensitive or acne-prone it becomes. Hormonal changes can happen during puberty, around your period, pregnancy, or other stages of life. Your skin may suddenly become oilier, drier, or more sensitive. This does not always mean the product is bad. Your skin may simply have different needs now.

YOU ARE USING TOO MANY ACTIVE INGREDIENTS

Sometimes the problem is not a single product but a combination of several products. Using retinol, exfoliating acids, acne treatments, and other strong ingredients too often can stress your skin. You may then notice dryness, burning, redness, or peeling. Even a gentle product you have used for years may start to sting because your skin has become irritated. Try introducing new products slowly and avoid using too many strong ingredients at once.

THE WEATHER OR YOUR ENVIRONMENT HAS CHANGED Your skincare products may be the same, but your environment may not be. Hot, humid weather can make your skin oilier, while cold or dry weather can make it lose moisture. Pollution, dust, and frequent sweating can also affect your skin.

YOU MAY HAVE DEVELOPED IRRITATION OR AN ALLERGY Sometimes your skin can become irritated by an ingredient in a product, even if you have used it many times before. Fragrance, preservatives, plant extracts, or active ingredients can sometimes cause problems. If a product suddenly causes a strong reaction, stop using it. If the reaction is severe or continues, speak with a dermatologist or healthcare professional.

When your skin suddenly reacts to a familiar product, do not immediately blame the product. Your skin may be dealing with a weakened barrier, hormonal changes, too many active ingredients, a new environment, or an ingredient reaction, which is why you need to pay attention to your skin and keep your routine simple when needed.

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Issue Issue No. 295 October 4, 2026 No.•295 • October 4, 2026

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FITNESS

Pickleball, Padel or Tennis? PICKLEBALL, PADEL OR TENNIS? BY NATO CHIMA If your usual workout routine is starting to feel predictable, it may be time to pick up a racquet. Racquet sports are having a moment, with pickleball and padel attracting new players while tennis continues to hold its place as a classic. Beyond being competitive, these sports combine movement, coordination and social interaction, making exercise feel less like a chore. While they share some similarities, the experience can be surprisingly different depending on what you choose. From the court size to the pace of play, here is what to know before choosing your new favourite racquet sport.

PADEL: THE SOCIAL WORKOUT Padel is typically played in doubles on an enclosed court with glass or mesh walls that form part of the playing area. The smaller court means players are usually close to one another, creating a lively and social experience. The ball can bounce off the walls, adding an extra layer of strategy. It is a great option if you enjoy exercise that feels like a group activity rather than a solo workout.

TENNIS: THE CLASSIC CHALLENGE

PICKLEBALL: EASY TO PICK UP

Pickleball uses a smaller court, a lightweight paddle and a perforated plastic ball. Its slower pace compared with tennis can make it approachable for beginners, while quick exchanges still keep players moving. It is commonly played in doubles, making it particularly social. If you want something that is relatively easy to learn without sacrificing the fun of competition, pickleball is worth trying.

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Tennis demands more space, movement and technique, particularly as your skills improve. Players cover a larger court while serving, returning and moving quickly between shots. It can provide an energetic workout involving the legs, core and upper body. The learning curve may be steeper than pickleball or padel, but that can also make improving your game particularly satisfying.

THEY TRAIN MORE THAN YOUR BODY All three sports require more than physical effort. You have to react quickly, track the ball, anticipate your opponent and make decisions under pressure. This combination of movement and concentration keeps your brain involved while you exercise. You are also developing coordination, balance and agility without necessarily feeling like you are completing a conventional workout.

THE BEST CHOICE DEPENDS ON YOUR VIBE There is no single racquet sport that suits everyone. If you want an approachable and social introduction, pickleball may appeal to you. If you prefer doubles, fast exchanges and the added challenge of walls, padel offers something different. If you want a more traditional sport with plenty of room to develop technically, tennis remains an excellent choice. Try each before deciding which one fits your personality and fitness routine.

Pickleball, padel and tennis offer different ways to make exercise more engaging, competitive and social. You do not need to be an athlete to start; beginners can learn the basics and improve with practice. Sometimes, the easiest way to make fitness exciting again is simply to try a completely different game.

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

Issue No. 295 • October 4, 2026

CULTURE

EVI-BEN EZAGA

BELIEVABLE IS NO LONGER THE POINT

here is a particular kind of post that has become increasingly familiar online. Someone makes an outrageous claim, tells an unbelievable personal story or presents a dramatic situation as fact, and almost immediately, people begin to react. Some believe it, some question it, others investigate, and before long, the original post has become a conversation of its own.

A fabricated story can therefore take on a life of its own. The original poster may have created

Sometimes, the story is eventually exposed as false. But by then, it may not matter. The person who posted it has already received what they wanted: attention. Lying has always been part of human behaviour, but it once generally came with a purpose. People lied to hide something, avoid consequences, protect themselves or convince someone of something. Online, there is now another incentive. A lie can simply be a way to get noticed. X makes this particularly easy to see. A dramatic story can quickly move from one person's timeline to thousands of conversations. Someone can post an exaggerated experience, make an outrageous accusation or invent an entire scenario and watch people do the rest. But the behaviour is not exclusive to X. It appears in TikTok videos, Instagram posts, online forums and comment sections, often disguised as harmless exaggeration or storytelling. The format changes, but the reward remains familiar. And sometimes, the more unbelievable the claim, the bigger the reaction it pulls in. This is where the relationship between the storyteller and the audience becomes interesting. A lie needs an audience to become useful. People quote it, debate it, search for evidence, make response videos and tag other people into the conversation. Even attempts to disprove the original claim can help it travel further.

Being talked about has become valuable in itself, even when the conversation is negative. What matters is that people are talking, arguing, investigating and sharing. That is where the culture around online lying becomes different. A lie can be corrected, criticised or publicly debunked, and the person who posted it can still walk away with exactly what they wanted. Being caught is no longer the same as losing. That changes what a lie is capable of doing. It can become a performance, a provocation or simply a shortcut to visibility.

The audience also plays a role in creating this culture. We are quick to reward the the lie, but stories that surprise us, anger us or everyone who reacts to it helps keep it alive. give us something to argue about. That creates a strange incentive. If telling the An ordinary account of someone's truth produces little reaction while saying day may pass unnoticed, while an something outrageous produces hundreds of outrageous claim can become the comments and reposts, it becomes easy to understand why someone might choose the latter. subject of an entire conversation. The problem, It also then, is not only that people are willing to lie. It is that there is an audience ready to reward the lie with attention. And once attention becomes the prize, truth is no longer always the most useful thing to offer.

explains why some people no longer seem particularly concerned with whether their claims are believable. Convincing everyone was never the requirement. Making people stop scrolling was enough.

That is why some of the strangest stories online do not even seem designed to be believed. They only need to be interesting enough to make people

react. In a culture where attention has become its own form of currency, whether something is true stopped being the point.

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Issue Issue No. 295 October 4, 2026 No.•295 • October 4, 2026

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TECHTALK

The Internet Never Forgets WHAT HAPPENS TO THE THINGS YOU POST AND DELETE?

BY NATO CHIMA

hat embarrassing tweet from 2017? That old Instagram photo you thought disappeared? That comment you deleted five minutes after posting it? You may have removed it from your profile, but that does not always mean it has completely disappeared from the internet. In an age when screenshots, downloads, archives, and reposts can occur within seconds, deleting something online is not quite the same as erasing it. Before you post, it is worth understanding what can happen to your digital leftovers.

SCREENSHOTS CHANGE EVERYTHING Screenshots have made the internet incredibly difficult to erase. A disappearing message or temporary story may feel private because it is designed to vanish, but someone can capture it before it does. They can then share that image elsewhere without your knowledge. The temporary nature of a post does not necessarily make its contents temporary.

PLATFORMS MAY KEEP INFORMATION

DELETING DOES NOT MEAN NOBODY SAW IT The moment something goes online, someone may already have seen it. A follower can screenshot a post, save a video or copy a comment before you delete it. Even if the original disappears, another person may still have a copy. This is why the safest approach is to assume that anything publicly posted could potentially be saved by someone else.

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Deleting a post does not necessarily mean every associated piece of information instantly disappears from a company's systems. Platforms have different policies covering deleted content, backups, security records and other data. Some information may remain for a period of time even after you remove something from your profile. It is worth checking the privacy and deletion policies of the services you use.

OLD POSTS CAN RESURFACE The internet has a strange memory. An old photograph, joke or opinion can suddenly reappear years later because someone finds it, shares it or connects it to a current event. This can matter professionally too. Employers, clients and potential collaborators may come across publicly available content when researching someone online. Your online history can therefore become part of your personal reputation.

THINK BEFORE YOU POST

The easiest way to remove something from the internet is not to post it in the first place. Before sharing, ask yourself whether you would be comfortable seeing the content again years from now, outside its original context or in front of people you never expected to see it. You do not need to become paranoid about posting; simply remember that the internet is a public space with a very long memory.

Deleting an old post can remove it from your profile, but it cannot guarantee that every copy, screenshot or reference has disappeared. That does not mean you should be afraid to use social media or share your life online. It simply means being more intentional about what you publish. In the digital age, the delete button is useful, but it is not a time machine.

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

AYIRI OLADUNMOYE

Issue No. 295 • October 4, 2026

IJEOMA UBOSI(LEFT) AYO MAIRO-ESE ADESUWA ONYENOKWE

RITA & FIDELIS ANOS IKE

BUKKY GEORGE TAYL

SHARON O

OJA

ZARON COSMETICS MARKS 15 YEARS, EXPANDS INTO HAIR CARE Zaron Cosmetics marked its 15th anniversary with a celebration that brought together beauty enthusiasts, industry insiders, influencers, entertainment personalities, partners and members of its community.

OKE MAD

UEWESI

Held in Lagos on September 11, the anniversary event celebrated the brand’s journey, growth and continued influence in Nigeria’s beauty industry. A major highlight of the celebration was the launch of Zaron Hair Care, marking the brand’s entry into the hair care industry. The new range expands Zaron’s beauty portfolio and reflects its focus on meeting the evolving needs of its consumers. The event also featured the unveiling of the newest Face of Zaron winners, who will represent the brand and its community in the next chapter of its journey. As Zaron looks ahead, the 15th anniversary marks a new phase for the brand, with a continued focus on beauty, innovation, community and self-expression.

MARY-JANE OHUBU

THERESA ONWUKA

OMOME OLOYEDE & RUTH OSIME

SOLA OYEBADE

NDIDI OBIOHA

LAUREN IK

EJI & ELIZA

BETH OSHO

VIMBAI MUTINHIRI-EKP

ENYONG

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Issue Issue No. 295 October 4, 2026 No.•295 • October 4, 2026

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

TRAVEL

Hidden Gems in West Africa That Nobody Is Talking About BY OLAMIDE ABOLARIN

est Africa is one of the most culturally rich and visually stunning regions on the planet. Yet most travellers only ever pass through Lagos or Accra before heading home. The truth is, some of the most extraordinary destinations this region has to offer are sitting quietly off the tourist trail, waiting to be discovered. If you are ready to travel differently, here are five places that deserve to be on your radar.

ASSINIE, CÔTE D'IVOIRE

Assinie is a natural island sitting between a calm lagoon and the crashing Atlantic Ocean. The contrast of still water on one side and wild waves on the other is the kind of thing that makes you stop and stare. It has long been a quiet favourite of Ivorian elites and French expats but remains almost entirely unknown to some African travellers. The beaches are calm, the resorts are intimate, and the atmosphere is exactly what luxury without pretension feels like.

BIJAGÓS ARCHIPELAGO, GUINEA-BISSAU

OUIDAH, BENIN REPUBLIC Ouidah is a town steeped in spiritual history, living tradition, and a weight that you feel the moment you arrive. It is popularly known as the global capital of Voodoo. The Route des Esclaves, or Slave Route, runs through the heart of the town and ends at the Door of No Return on the Atlantic coast. There is also a sacred python temple where pythons roam freely among visitors. Ouidah is one of the most emotionally powerful sites on the continent, not only showing you history but also making you feel it.

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The Bijagós Archipelago is one of the wild places in West Africa. It is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with eighty-eight uninhabited islands where hippos swim in the sea, sea turtles nest undisturbed on white sand beaches, and traditional matriarchal communities have lived unchanged for centuries. It is the kind of destination that makes you feel as if you have found something the rest of the world has not yet discovered.

TOUBAB DIALAW, SENEGAL

This small fishing village is about an hour outside Dakar. Quietly, it has become a haven for artists, creatives, and anyone who needs to breathe. There are art residencies, cultural centres, and cliffside views of the Atlantic that are nothing short of cinematic. The pace of life here strips away every city stress almost immediately. It is Senegal beyond the tourist trail; it is intimate, unhurried, and genuinely inspiring.

TAFI ATOME, GHANA

This is a tiny village that is home to a sacred monkey sanctuary where mona monkeys roam freely and interact with visitors without fear. The surrounding forest is lush, largely unexplored, and completely removed from anything that resembles a tourist trap. It is the kind of travel experience that reminds you why you started exploring in the first place.

West Africa has always had more to offer than the world gives it credit for. These five destinations are proof that the most extraordinary experiences are often found in the places nobody thinks of. Step off the familiar path, and you will be surprised by what this region has been quietly holding for you all along.

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

Issue No. 295 • October 4, 2026

DOWNTOWN CONFIDENTIAL

s e l c i n o r h c ’s y s s ca SOMETHING NEW

Then one Saturday evening, I was at his apartment as usual. We were talking about something I honestly can’t remember anymore. Funnily enough, after what happened that night, the conversation was the last thing on my mind. David suddenly held my hand. “I’m really glad I met you,” he said. I looked at him and smiled. “I’m glad I met you too.” I expected him to let go of my hand. He didn’t. Instead, he pulled me closer. Our eyes locked. Before I could think, his lips were on mine. My eyes stayed open at first; I wanted to be sure this was real. Then I closed them and kissed him back, hungry. Somehow I ended up on his lap, our mouths moving together like we’d been waiting for this moment. His lips left mine and found my breast. He sucked gently, then harder, sending sparks through me. I reached down between us and felt the thick outline of his cock through his trousers. It was exactly how I’d pictured it, long, heavy, warm. I rubbed him slowly, and he moaned against my skin. My fingers slipped inside his pants, found his balls, soft and full, and I gave them a light squeeze. He shivered. He lifted me without breaking the kiss and carried me into his room. Our clothes came off in a rush. He laid me on the bed, spread my legs, and lowered his mouth to my lady bits. His tongue moved in slow circles, then faster, licking and sucking until my hips bucked. I heard myself babbling words I couldn’t even understand. When he finally pushed inside me, raw and thick, I gasped. He filled me completely, stretching me in the best way. He started thrusting, steady and deep, each stroke making me moan louder. I told him I loved him. I told him how good he felt. He answered with his own groans, saying I was perfect.

fter getting out of a messy situationship, talked easily about work, traffic, and our I never expected to develop feelings for neighbourhood, exchanged contacts, and found anyone, especially not someone I had out we lived close to each other. just met. I planned to focus on myself and my From then on, we became close friends. We new job, keeping romance on hold for a long travelled to work together, spent weekends at time. Then I met David at the junction where each other’s places, watched movies, gisted, I usually got a vehicle to work. He was tall, and explored the city. The more time we spent huge, fair-skinned, and had short dreadlocks, together, the harder it became to hide that I was completely different from the kind of men I falling for him. Still, I promised myself I would usually found attractive, yet he caught my never confess. If he noticed and did nothing, attention immediately. After sharing the same I would accept it as a sign that nothing was vehicle a few times without speaking, I finally meant to happen between us. This continued approached him one evening, only to discover for months until I eventually gave up, or at least he had been planning to do the same. We convinced myself I had.

His pace grew frantic. I felt him swell, heard him warn me he was close. He pulled out, and his cock twitched hard against my belly. Hot cum splashed across my skin in thick spurts, his whole body shaking with release. That night, we slept in each other's arms. The next morning, I woke up beside him, trying to understand how I had gone from promising myself I was done with men to this. I turned to look at him. He was still asleep. And for the first time in months, I wasn’t thinking about my old situationship. I was thinking about David. That scared me more than I wanted to admit.

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THEWILL THEWILL DOWNTOWN DOWNTOWN •• www.thewilldowntown.com

Issue No. 295 • October 4, 2026

BY BOLUWATIFE ADESINA MOVIE REVIEW:

Scan this with your camera or click to access the playlist (Youtube Music)

Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother

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

Though Latif cooks, cleans and conducts homeschooling for his kids, he can’t stop Fatiha, for instance, from hanging out with the Mormon boys living next door or watching Furries online. He also faces a challenge when they run low on his deceased wife’s breast milk and discover that Aziza is allergic to formula. Latif’s quest to find breast milk sees him asking for help from his instructive Imam Abdul Malik (Giancarlo Esposito), a As bruised and as battered as the sketchy sex worker (Tiffany Boone), and an soul of its hit man protagonist, estranged straight-laced family member writer/director Bassam Tariq’s riproaring Texas-set second feature is a (Tramell Tillman). But ultimately his paths spiritual quest as much as it’s a slice collide with his former boss, Mike (Laith Nakli), a vicious kingpin angling to hire em’ up action flick. Your Mother Latif to kill Pastor Hwan Yoon (John Cho) Your Mother Your Mother stars before the extremist Iraq-war veteran Mahershala Ali as Latif, a devout Muslim man whose moonlighting turned Christian fundamentalist slays Mike’s porn-producing nephew Haddy as a contract killer abruptly ends (Abubakr Ali) for distributing lewd when tragedy forces him to care for his three young children. Latif’s material. Though Latif bucks against the job, especially as he tries to keep his life is further complicated when his former employer demands he contract-killing past from his children, he take one last contract. (It’s basically can’t run forever. a Black, Muslim version of John Here Ali emits immeasurable charm Wick. Genius.) whenever he interacts with his children, The film sells itself on spontaneous and physical weariness that relates his comedy and precise choreography. fragile spirituality to the camera. This is a man who has strayed from God’s path, Ali and Tariq, the latter of whom and he doesn’t know how to return. Tariq was then fresh off his BAFTAnominated debut Mogul Mowgli, and Director of Photography Katelin (he loves some alliteration, doesn’t Arizmendi aren’t afraid to grant Ali several soul-breaking close-ups or to go lyrical he?), were originally attached to and even ethereal to illuminate moments the Marvel Studios Blade reboot, of prayer, contemplation and anxiety. only for the project not to come to fruition; now, with Your Mother They also rely on open compositions Your Mother Your Mother, they and fluid editing by Cam McLauchlin to have created a bold, artfully give Ali’s cunning swordplay propulsive executed original action movie. poetry. Son Lux’s expressive soundtrack, oscillating between surreal wonder and At the outset, Latif is in need of abstract intensity, further elevates several divine support. In the visceral exceptionally articulated action set pieces opening, the film crosscuts set in a strip club converted into a church between Latif killing a man in a and Haddy’s opulent mansion. bathroom with damaging sabre slashes and fist-powered blows, and a reading of a Hadith. “A man But it’s this film’s tender center that feels special. Tariq nimbly accumulates devout came to the prophet and asked considerations of family, love and tradition who deserves the best of me,” to make the ultimate statement about says the voice. The same voice replies three times: “Your mother.” granting grace. He uses antagonists like Yoon as prisms to interrogate his The saying about the elevated morally conflicted protagonist, and calls placement of mothers reminds for a cessation of violence to explain why Latif of his own inadequacies family is more imperative than revenge. when, during his killing, he By reimagining the action hero through learns of his wife’s abrupt a specifically Muslim lens, Tariq has death—leaving him with their redefined the genre into something three children: headstrong Fatiha (Adia), mischievous Qadir (Jahleel more introspective and compassionate, rapturous and revelatory. Kamara), and tiny baby Aziza (Brooklyn and Jaxson Hughes). Rating: 9.5/10 By FAR my favourite movie of the Surprisingly, a good chunk of year so far. Funny enough, last this film comedically translates week’s Resident Evil is a close second. the weary travails of parenting. We’re on a roll now, guys

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John Claude - 101

Sosocamo -There he go

CIZA - Isaka II (6am) [with Tems, Omah Lay, Thukuthela, JAZZWRLD, Lekaa Beats]

KALLITECHNIS - as the world turns

VanJess - Slow Down

NATE08 - Addicted (feat. Rona Ray) - Mixed

opinions, because yours are WATCH OF THE WEEK your shallow and off-putting.”

MON STER : THE LIZZIE BORDEN STORY

here’s a pulp fiction quality to Ryan Murphy’s Monster, particularly in its new season devoted to Lizzie Borden (Ella Beatty, daughter of Annette Bening and Warren Beatty). It’s not just Lizzie’s murder of her stepmother Abby (Rebecca Hall, Iron Man 3) and her father Andrew (Charlie Hunnam, Monster: The Ed Gein Story), an event that occurs early in the first episode that also squeezes in two renditions of the dark nursery rhyme, “Lizzie Borden took an axe/Gave her mother 40 whacks.” After the bloodletting, Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story flashes back four months, which is where the show gets especially pulpy. In this fictional iteration of the tale, viewers see just how poorly Lizzie gets treated by her stepmother. In a style familiar to anyone who’s watched a Ryan Murphy-executive-produced series, Abby isn’t just cold and emotionally abusive in her treatment of Lizzie and the household staff; she’s hilariously awful. When advising Lizzie on how to interact with a gentleman caller, Abby says, “Don’t burden him with

In the next breath, the stepmonster refers to Lizzie as having “turgid little sausage fingers.” Now streaming its eight-episode season on Netflix, Monster: Lizzie Borden wastes no time introducing a maid, Bridget Sullivan (Vicky Krieps), who joins the Borden household and begins to give Lizzie ideas about how poorly she’s being treated. At the same time, Bridget creates chaos elsewhere in the residence, including through blackmail. Pretty much every character in the series, with the possible exception of Lizzie, behaves like a lunatic with performances amped to offthe-charts levels. Don’t get me started on the vomit-filled second episode that leaves

Rhye - Sometimes nothing to the imagination. This edition of Monster is a crime story played for laughs more than it is a serious exploration of any deeper theme.