THISDAY STYLE MAGAZINE 14TH JUNE 2020

...NOT IN THISDAY STYLE? THEN YOU’RE NOT IN STYLE

SUNDAY, JUNE 14 , 2020

S N O I T S E & U A Q M U A 0 Y W 2 AN UK S H N I C K E A K U O J D U B A A U EK C F O ME I T A T A N O I T CA U D E N O ...

9 1 D OVI

CONTENT

Fashion WARDROBE ESSENTIALS PG 6-7

BETTER SKIN IN A JIFFY

GREEN WITH ENVY

PG 10-11

HOW TO REMOVE STAINS FROM YOUR NAILS PG 10-11

PG 8

360 ON THE POSITIVE PG 18

RIDING HIGH WITH LEATHER PG 20

THE WHITE DRESS PG 21

A MOTHER SPEAK

PG 20

THE “NO MAKEUP” MAKEUP PG 22

In line with our Covid 19:20 Questions series, our focus this week is on online schooling. Unlike some sectors that are based on indulgence, Education is a necessity. Today EXECUTIVE EDITOR, RUTH OSIME speaks to two school principals, Ekua Akinsanya, Owner/Administrator of Greenwood Primary School, Lagos and Joke Chukwuma, Owner/Administrator of Children’s International School. Lagos, respectively.

THISDAY STYLE FASHION DIRECTOR/EXECUTIVE EDITOR RUTH OSIME

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EDITOR PRINT OLUFUNKE BABS-KUFEJI EDITOR DIGITAL KONYE NWABOGOR

08111847086

08111847087

SENIOR ART DESIGNER MATHIAS ARCHIBONG 07054965500 CONTRIBUTORS RUKY SALAKO ISIOMA USIADE IYANU AYODELE PHOTOGRAPHER TY BELLO DIRECTOR, PRINT PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO 08077092196

Needless to say, the world as we once knew it has changed forever. Gone are the days when you could just leave your home visit friends and family, go to church or attend events without a care in the world. Oh, how we miss those days of freedom to do as we pleased without paying a price for it.

Now we have to learn to be patient rather than become a patient as we eagerly await the vaccine needed for this pandemic to enable us learn to adapt to the new normal without which, the world remains a ticking time bomb!

The need to step out with caution has been re-emphasized because the curve has heightened as people have become more lapse by going out more often now due to cabin fever. The recent protests in America due to the George Floyd situation has spiked up the virus according to reports. And as this virus does not determine place or country, the message is clear - it is not safe to go out unless absolutely necessary. Due to this, the online platform has never been so busy as more and more things are being conducted through this channel.

So it comes as no surprise that online schooling for students is the next best alternative. This process however, has overwhelmed some parents as they have had to deal with the challenges meant for teachers who are trained for the job. This has also incited some discomfort for parents who feel that since they have to be involved in the online teaching process as demanded by teachers, their children’s third term fees must reflect that. Teachers, on the other hand, beg to differ and explain the unforeseen expenses and challenges they have incurred to make their online schooling more productive and engaging for their students.

Like with every situation, there are always two sides to a coin. Owner/Administrator of Greenwood House School, Ekua Abudu Akinsanya and Joke Chukwuma, Owner/Administrator of Children’s International School, both in Lagos, discuss these issues. We hope this will shed better light on the situation.

FASHION DIRECTOR/EXECUTIVE EDITOR

STYLE & DESIGN

THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 9166 Sunday, June 14, 2020

THISDAY Style Vol. 22, 9166 Sunday, June 14, 2020

STYLE & DESIGN

LINDA OSIFO

Nothing can take your outfit from casual to sophisticated quicker than a black blazer.

Wear with low-key separates like a t-shirt and jeans, over your favourite dress or as a suit jacket for a more corporate look.

It really is one of the most multipurpose pieces you can own, but remember tailoring is key – it should accentuate your figure, not swamp it.

A BLACK TAILORED BLAZER

You should have a trusty pair of black leggings to fall back on anytime any day, whether it’s for working out, working from home or paring with a jacket while running to the grocery store.

A pair of black leggings is an essential wardrobe staple.

Probably the most worn item you can own is a pair of skinny jeans, but your staple denim can be in whatever style you like, whether it is high-waisted, flares, bootcut or boyfriend jeans. As long as they are comfortable and make your legs and butt look great you really can’t go wrong and it also looks equally chic with a pair of pumps or dad sneakers.

THE STUDIO-TO-STREET LEGGINGS

A PAIR OF JEANS YOU COULD LIVE IN

OLA ADEWALE

ALICIA

No wardrobe is complete without an oversized sweater that you can throw on over jeans/ pants when the weather gets colder.

You really can’t go wrong with the cable knit variety which looks chic paired with tailored pants and heels. Cosy and chic at the same time!

Because no wardrobe is complete without one.

This is one item you can definitely justify splurging on for quality because you will literally wear it a million times, so you need one that will go the distance. For a fresh approach this year opt for a long sleeve to balance out bare SADE AKINOSHO legs.

SADE AKINOSHO

THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS

Although most of us have traded our jeans and dresses for sweatpants and slippers for the time being, solid wardrobe essentials are forever. Let’s face it, none of us know how long this quarantine will last, but a closet with a reliable foundation of clothes will make it easier for you to maintain your new work-from home-routine, help you get back up to speed once the coronavirus has passed. That’s why the concept of a wardrobe essential is so enduring: A closet built on a streamlined selection of items makes day-to-day dressing infinitely easier. If you don’t know where to begin when it comes to building up the “essentials” section of your closet, the pieces below should serve as an excellent primer.

AN OVERSIZED SWEATER

WARDROBE ESSENTIALS

BY USIADE ISIOMA

NINA IVY

Every woman needs that one skirt she can rely on for anything and we think a black pencil skirt ticks every box. It can take you from the office to the bar in no time and looks just as chic with a pattern shirt as it does a white cotton tee, not to mention it will go with just about everything else in your wardrobe!

OZINNA

The white t-shirt is a wardrobe must-have and is the perfect canvas for any outfit.

The best styles are crew-neck and V-necks in soft, relaxed fabrics. If you find a good one, buy a few for back up as you can never have too many of these!

SHADE OLAA

THE MATCHING SWEAT SUIT

STELLA ADEWUNMI

THE PERFECT WHITE T-SHIRT

A CLASSIC WHITE SHIRT

Consider a leather staple as just as easy to style as their nonleather counterparts, but with added texture to elevate your other basics.

No item is more of a blank slate for accessorizing and styling than the midi dress.

The length makes them comfortable enough to wear indoors as you work from your couch or on the floor in front of your couch and there are plenty of classic prints and silhouettes you can buy now and wear later.

THE DAY-TO-NIGHT MIDI

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It doesn’t get any more classic than a white shirt. You simply can’t go wrong with a crisp button-down but remember fabric and cut are crucial, opt for natural fibres like cotton where possible and a style that flatters.

THE LEATHER STAPLE

MABEL MAKUN

CHIC AMA

FOLAKE HUNTOON

Matching sweat suits were doing the rounds before social distancing, and while baggy and comfy are obviously still key, the sweatpants we’re adding to cart will be streetwearready when things are back to normal. Until then, they’re perfect for lounging, sleeping, or tuning into a Netflix Party.

On days when you feel like you have nothing to wear, you can still depend on a strong print to get you out the door. Leopard is already considered a neutral and, over the past few seasons, snakeskin has proven equally versatile.

The print looks great in any shade and styled with the most basic of trends.

THE NEW ANIMAL PRINT

A BLACK PENCIL SKIRT

JENNIE JENKINS

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STYLE & DESIGN

THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 9166 Sunday, June 14, 2020

1. Cleanse

Moisturizing twice a day is also essential; even if you have oily skin, as if you skip this step, your skin will try to compensate by producing more oil.

Cleansing – it’s basically the cornerstone of good skin. If you don’t cleanse properly, your pores will be congested and blocked, and your skin will be prone to blackheads. This means finding the right cleansing formula for your skin type is essential; the most common formulas are foam, milk, oil, and gel.

2. Tone

Toning will remove any lingering makeup, rebalance your skin’s pH level, while toning and tightening your pores, reducing the penetration of impurities. pixi glow tonic You can tone in the morning with something lightweight and clarifying and at night with something a little more intense. Make sure to choose a toner for your skin type which is essential and will help avoid irritation.

3. Moisturize

Unless your skin is hydrated, it’ll never bring its A-game. You don’t need to

DID YOU

KNOW?

TOLANI

4. SPF

BETTER SKIN

BY KONYE CHELSEA NWABOGOR

JIFFY

IN A

Better skin in a jiffy? We know it sounds too good to be true, but with the right regime and skincare rituals, you can seriously improve your skin within a very short period of time – as long as you’re committed to the cause! This means you need to ditch those bad habits and instead, treat your skin like an absolute queen. Want to give it a try, here’s how you do it: splurge, but it is super important that you find a moisturizer that works well for your skin type. Typically, oily and

acne-prone skin types should opt for a lightweight gel moisturizer, while dry skin needs a thicker, cream formula.

PRONOUNCING THE NAME

If you’re not using SPF daily, you need to start now. Like for real, it’s THE MOST important thing you can do for your skin, as 90% of how your skin ages is within your control and is directly linked to sun exposure. Make sure you’re using at least SPF 30 with a fivestar UVA rating.

5. Gua Sha

Gua Sha is an ancient skin ritual where a smooth, blunt instrument is pressed against the skin using long strokes to release stagnant energy.

The form of facial massage will also boost lymphatic drainage: the process that removes toxins from the skin and reduces swelling. If you use it daily for two weeks, you’ll be on your way to tighter, less inflamed skin, and a more sculpted face in no time.

Before you commit a fashion faux pas with your outfit, you are likely to get it wrong by mispronouncing the brand name. If you consider yourself a fashion-conscious girl, you need to know the right pronunciation of top brands. We all have been guilty of getting the names wrong thanks to those French and Spanish words that we read out phonetically. But it is time to make things right so that you don’t have any oops-moment with your fashionista friends.

BY FUNKE BABS-KUFEJI

BVLGARI

We love the perfumes from this brand but make sure you get the name right. Even though there is a ‘v’ in the word, it is silent and actually is ‘u’ in classical Latin. So, the right pronunciation is

bul-gaar-ee.

8

YSL

You are one step ahead of others if you know what YSL stands for, it is Yves Saint Laurent, but you also need to know the right way to pronounce it. It is pronounced as

eve-san-lou-ron.

MOSCHINO

Another difficult brand name that most people get wrong is Moschino. You may have heard different versions of it, which makes it even more difficult to know the right one. Well, it is pronounced as

mos-key-no.

GIVENCHY

Trust us, this looks easy to read but the pronunciation is very different. You may think it is a simple word but it likely you are making a mistake. The right way to pronounce it is

zhee-von-she.

LOUIS VUITTON

One of the most popular brands in the world is also one of the most mispronounced one.

While it is safe to just stick to calling it LV, if you want to know the right pronunciation, it is

loo-ee-vee-tawn.

THISDAY St Vol. 22, No. 9166 Sunday, June 14

STYLE & DESIGN

GREEN WITH ENVY

‘Invest N5b and get N10b in 3 years, Guaranteed!’

Get ready for one of the most colorful trends to infiltrate your wardrobe in a long time. This year it is all about vivid shades and electric colours, and we’re talking about the monochromatic look that’s begun to take over the fashion ethos. If you’re one who’s usually not drawn to green hues, we’re going to give you enough reasons to literally go green with envy.

Make a headto-toe colour look more interesting by mixing materials and grounding bright tones with subdue hue. it’s a great way to try out that head-to-toe green look. LOLA AKINULI ADENIYI

HUNTER GREEN NEVER GOES WRONG

BY USIADE ISIOMA Green is such a versatile colour and that one term isn’t even enough to describe the full range of the tones that make up the colour green. We are taking the opportunity this summer to try out something new, green is all about vibrancy and freshness. There are a range of hues from bright tones and emerald tone to olive, forest, lime, and hunter green, chances are there is one that will suit your personality and style preferences. The trick is figuring out which shade is right for you then mixing and matching the same with the rest of your wardrobe accordingly. Some of our most stylish street style stars has shown us how to style one of the boldest trends of the year so go ahead and make them green with envy!

MIX TONES & MATERIAL

FOR ‘ALL IN ONE’ ACCESSORIZE IN WHITE

When paired with white, the resulting look is usually style magic! With a bright green dress, the sky’s the limit especially for summer. Add accessories like a white bag and shoes. DIVINE

Go for a whimsical print when opting for head-to-toe green. Consider a statement sheer top and high waist pant combo for an elegant yet youthful take on the trend. For the love of ‘all in one’, complete the look with green accessories.

KEFILE MABOTE

H O M E

Keep it casual with a hunter green off shoulder jumpsuit, but make it seasonally appropriate by opting for a wide leg silhouette.

FOLAKE HUNTOON

FLORAL COMBO

Choose a bold hue of green, but keep it interesting with a bright floral pattern. The floral combination gives it that chic vibe especially pairing with a floral sandal heel. BUHLE SAMUELS

A DASH OF PURPLE

Play with proportions and break up the monochrome look with a touch of purple. This combo is elegant and chic for any event. CHIOMA IKOKWU

T I P S

O N

HOW TO REMOVE STAINS FROM YOUR NAILS

BY USIADE ISIOMA

Most popularly, yellow or stained nails are the consequences of the nail polish. The darker polishes particularly take a toll on the human nails, leaving them yellow or stained with leftover dyes. Of course, the easiest way to prevent this from happening is by using a clear base coat. This will not only help increase the life of your nail polish, but also seal and protect the nail plates from staining.

This quarantine period may have prevented you from visiting a pedicure saloon to treat your nails, while you are home there are some natural home ingredients that will heal the yellow nails fast. Here are a few tips below that will help you say goodbye to yellow nails and have a healthy and strong nail again.

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Repeat this routine every 6-8 weeks.

WHITENING TOOTHPASTE

LEMON

Featuring with a natural bleaching agent, lemon could effectively clean off the yellow stains from your nails. Moreover,

the juice of lemon could also work as an astringent. You can fill one bowl halfway with the fresh lemon juice. Then, soak the affected nails in that solution for about 15 minutes. After that, use a toothbrush to scrub the yellow discoloration gently off the nails. Eventually, you rinse your hands off with tepid water before applying the moisturizing lotion to offer moisture. Apply this method two

times per day till you get good results.

BAKING SODA

When it comes to natural ways on how to get rid of yellow nails fast, baking soda is a great solution. The exfoliating and bleaching properties of baking soda could help eliminate stains from your nails. You could mix 2 and ½ tablespoons of baking soda with 1 tablespoon of 3 percent hydrogen

Tooth paste which helps make the teeth whitener could be used to relieve the yellow stains from the human nails, among many natural tips on how to get rid of yellow nails. With mild stains, you could use the toothpaste which includes any whitening ingredient containing hydrogen peroxide. Simply apply the small coat of the whitening toothpaste over your fingernails. Wait for 10 minutes.

Make use of a nail brush to scrub the nails gently. Wash the toothpaste off using cotton balls which is soaked in the tepid water. This routine should be repeated 2-3 times a week for about one month.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

With the acetic acid and malic acid presence, apple cider vinegar could help decrease nails’ discoloration. Also, it has peroxide in one small bowl. Then, use a antifungal properties which are helpful cotton swab to apply this mixture over in treating any type of nail infection your stained nails. Wait for four minutes that leads to discoloration, mix ½ cup of before rinsing it off with tepid water. lukewarm water with apple cider vinegar.

You then soak the stained nails in the solution for 20 minutes. After that, pat dry the nails thoroughly using a soft towel. It is recommended to repeat this thrice per day for about 1 month to get rid of the infection and decrease discoloration.

following week. Despite your skin around your nails might turn green yet it will go away on its own in just several days.

LISTERINE

Also containing high content of vitamin, the orange peel could be a great choice for your solution of removing stains on nails. All what you

Another effective cure for yellow nails caused by fungal infections is Listerine.

Thanks to the active ingredients such as methyl salicylate, eucalyptol, and thymol, Listerine is high in antifungal properties.

Soak your affected fingernails in 100% Listerine for 30 minutes. Apply this every day for one week. Then, take a break for another week before repeating the

ORANGE PEELS

need to do is to rub your nails with the fresh orange peels 2-3 times per day.

After doing so for several weeks, you can see great results. Or, you could simply add two tbsp of the dried orange peel powder to a small amount of plain water to create a thick paste.

After that, you apply the paste over your infected nails for 10 minutes or so. Finally, you rinse your nails off with tepid water. Do this remedy two times per day for 1-2 weeks.

- Sijibomi Ogundele, MD/CEO Sujimoto

What has been the impact of COVID-19 contact me directly via my email suji@ on your business? sujimotonig.com, and I will be available to meet ONLY the vital serious few.

In every adversity, there is a blessing.

Covid-19 has indeed been a blessing for It’s simple, we are looking for the me. I have come up with more ideas than Warren Buffets who are able to discern ever and even had time to study my past opportunities and grab them! We will not and also re-assess the opportunities in quickly forget Ronald Wayne who sold real estate. Many have said that the real his Apple shares in 1976 for $800. Today, estate industry is one of the worst hit by that share is worth 90 billion dollars! the Covid-19 Pandemic, but we have been here before during the last recession and In all my projects, I always try to invite we didn’t sink! Just like other times, we few friends to invest early. Many invest shall learn from it, rise and re-strategise. with me and make 200% ROI, while others simply take it for granted!

How do you intend take advantage of the opportunities in your industry post COVID-19?

SUJIMOTO ADVERT

To take advantage of the opportunities ahead of us, there are 3 fundamental Ps we are already implementing: People, Prudence and Projects.

Projects: We have 3 major projects we have in the pipeline that will bring a minimum of 200% ROI to Sujimoto.

Most projects will last a minimum of 1 year, so while other organisations are in limbo, folding their hands and waiting for the Pandemic to be over before they take any meaningful action, we have already started. By the time the world is ready to restart, we will be done!

Prudence: We have instituted a diligent spending culture by putting an Opportunity Per Cost (OPC) strategy to every penny spent. We shall only spend what is necessary NOW!

Some people say that there are more than 2,000 empty apartments in Banana Island, Ikoyi and VI, but how does that affect you?

When you negotiate the price of greatness, you pay the full price for mediocrity. For us at Sujimoto, we do not know what ‘empty apartment’ means because in the heat of 2016/17 recession, we sold out projects in Ikoyi. Our just concluded Giuliano project in Banana Island was sold-out 6 months before completion! Not only did we sell out, we have also witness about 3 other resale, where a lady bought at N350 million and she sold for N480 million, making N130 million in 11months.

People: The Job market is saturated with lots of experienced hands who had been let off as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and it is our intention to work ONLY with the best. Therefore, we will be employing ONLY the best and the At Sujimoto, we have only two things essential. going for us, Quality and Integrity. I have no sponsors; no rich Father or powerful Are there any opportunities for savvy Aunt, all I have is my Word and an investors in your company post addiction to Quality.

COVID-19?

Crises are opportunities disguised as problems! We have developed a highly viable and profitable strategy and found an opportunity for savvy investors to invest N5 billion into Sujimoto and get N10 billion back in 3 years. This is guaranteed!

Will there be any major changes to the way you do business post COVID-19?

Change is the only thing that is permanent. We will be doing a lot more of commercial real estate than residential.

As a matter of fact, we don’t want to do a lot of off-plan sales anymore except for Treasury bills and other money market special residential off-plans. instruments will give you 5 – 10% ROI on your investment but this is 100% ROI and We will also focus on building private projects for people. We are also interested it is guaranteed! in lands in Ikoyi or Banana Island for This investment is NOT for everyone, it is outright sale or JVs. Anyone who has a ONLY for the vital few, who can identify good land in a great location can contact opportunities, when they see one. Please me directly, OWNERS ONLY please.

COVER

THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 9166 Sunday, June 14, 2020

COVER

THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 9166 Sunday, June 14, 2020

In line with our Covid 19:20 Questions series, our focus this week is on online schooling. Like with every other sector, schools have also had to adapt to the climate of today. But unlike some sectors based on indulgence not necessity, Education is a necessity as students have a curriculum to follow for their academic year. The introduction of online schooling has no doubt, reared some stumbling blocks for both parents and teachers. This process has also brought to light, the significant role teachers play in the lives of their students especially when parents have had to participate in the various assignments given to them. Some parents have found this task challenging while for others, it is a smooth sail - depending on the ages of their children and the level of their tuition.

In the same tone, some parents also feel that since they are now saddled with doing part of the work with their children at home, their third term fees should reflect that because they are not getting the same value they used to get for their money before the pandemic. Teachers, on the other hand, see this differently and explain what it takes to create a platform that will make online schooling more engaging and impactful for their students. To them, this process comes with various hurdles they have had to overcome in their bid to maintain the standard of tuition to achieve their ultimate goal. They talk about the underlining and incurred costs they have accrued to enable teachers make online teaching as close to as possible to physical attendance. There are also so many factors involved with keeping the parents and children in a good place which goes far beyond online teaching.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR, RUTH OSIME speaks to two school principals, Ekua Akinsanya, Owner/Administrator of Greenwood Primary School, Lagos and Joke Chukwuma, Owner/Administrator of Children’s International School.

Lagos, respectively. They discuss what the future holds and moving forward with the new normal.

S R E S W E I S R E S N A 9 M A 1 U D W I K & V U H S C CO E N K O J O & I A Y T N S A S N E I K U A U D Q U B A 0 2 WITH EKUA

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COVER

THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 9166 Sunday, June 14, 2020

schooling?

There are many e-learning platforms: Google Classroom, Google Meet, Google Hangout, Zoom, Edmodo, Microsoft Teams, Purple Mash, etc. At school, prior to the pandemic, all our classes had interactive boards, so all our teachers are used to using technology to teach. We did however, take them through special training on how to use our preferred e-learning platforms – Google Classroom: from joining and setting up the classroom, to posting assignments, uploading videos, communicating with students and parents. We also offered training in the effective use of Zoom interactive video for face-to-face lessons: using the zoom whiteboard, sharing screens and most important, all the security measures, to ensure that the teachers have effective control of the class. We further trained them in the use of Purple Mash. In addition, we had a series of in-house training where teachers shared best practices amongst themselves, as well as different ways to make e-learning more fun for the children. It was really nice to see different strengths and hidden abilities emerge. And it was nice to see both our older and younger teachers learn from each other.

EKUA ABUDU AKINSANYA OWNER/ADMINISTRATOR GREENWOOD HOUSE SCHOOL

There is a big question out there where parents are insisting teachers should justify why they have to pay the same amount of fees during this pandemic when they are assisting their children at home with online schooling?

1

We do understand that this is a very challenging period for everyone including parents financially, and a strain on their time and energy but we appeal to them to understand that despite the circumstances, we are creating value by the fact that learning is going on.

At Greenwood House School, our determination is to ensure that no child of ours is at a disadvantage from the current situation. We are focused on completing our curriculum for the academic year and making sure that the learning objectives were met. We teach ALL the subjects we normally teach at school. We even have our Library period as well as Handwriting classes and PE. We also added some Extra Curricular classes at no extra cost. We record all face-to-face classes, so that if a child cannot log in, or misses a class, they can go back and access those lessons. We have a few children in different time zones because they travelled and cannot access class at the same time as others. We have a window after school, where children who have challenges with their lesson can have one-on-one sessions with their teachers. The teachers are working hard and have to be paid. Schools have to fund data allowances for teachers and make additional investments in training, laptop computers and many other resources. Some schools still have commitments to banks and landlords. Regular feedback and suggestions from our parents were crucial in ensuring the success of the programme. We have had to appeal to our parents to cooperate with us as we, in partnership with them, are making sacrifices for the children. We appreciate our parents, because their support is needed for the age group we cater for up to Primary level, and to show our appreciation, we sent a “shout out” to our parents last week on all our platforms to appreciate them for embracing our online learning and collaborating with us to ensure our children meet their learning requirements.

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What special training is required for teachers to better engage students and keep them stimulated with virtual

3

What are the varying ages of your students and how best have you been able to explain the effects of the pandemic to the infants especially?

We run a creche, playgroup, nursery and primary school, so, cater for children from three months to 11 years. At school, prior to commencement of the lockdown in Lagos, we had a few assemblies to explain the Corona virus and its effects to the children and highlighted the necessary precautions they needed to take to protect themselves from the virus. We took everyone’s temperature as soon as they entered the school, then they were led to newly installed taps by the gate to wash their hands and were made to use hand sanitisers as they got to the Reception. We also had the Wellbeing Foundation in association with the WHO, hold an assembly where the dangers of Corona virus were explained to the children and whole school was taught how to wash hands properly for at least 23 seconds. We even created a chant to make it fun and the children embraced the method very quickly and immediately started using it at break times and any time they visited the washroom. Children always learn through play and I would stop them at reception and ask to be told the proper way to wash hands, and we would go through the process together.

4

What effect has the pandemic had on the mental welfare of your teachers and what have you done to assuage their fears?

Teachers at this time, have had to embrace a new way of teaching though they would always prefer seeing the children face-to-face in the classroom.

But now, teachers are under the scrutiny of parents who sometimes interfere and criticise what they do, leading to demoralisation. They are facing pay cuts and uncertainty. They are also dealing with coping with working at home which means looking after their own families and homes at the same time. It has been necessary to empower them by training them, provide every resource they need and then, constantly encourage them. Communication is key and so is keeping lines of discussion open. It is necessary to have frank and truthful discussions about expectations regarding salaries and jobs security, so they can plan accordingly. I want to use this medium to appreciate all Greenwood teachers, as well as all the teachers out there, who are making sure that there are no gaps in our children’s education. I would like to mention that a major challenge the teachers in Nigeria are facing, is the lack of constant electricity as well as unreliable

internet service. We appeal to the government to please make the telecom companies and internet service providers accountable for their service. None of them are giving efficient and uninterrupted service, yet they continue to charge the same as other countries like the UK with flawless internet service and take on more subscribers when they cannot even meet the demands of the customers they currently have.

5

If there are classrooms with 30-40 students per class. How can they work around social distancing when school resumes?

We have an average of 20 children per class, but not many schools have this privilege. For many schools to observe social distancing properly, they may have to use screens as we have seen them do in China, or consider two shifts, which will put an additional strain on the teachers.

We support a school that has over 80 children in each class. They don’t have the space to observe social distancing. As a matter of fact, two year-groups share one classroom. This school cannot even cater for all the children in the community. It would be an absolute shame for them to be denied any further education because the numbers must reduce to observe social distancing, yet safety is of paramount importance. A lot of schools in Nigeria are going to need assistance to either get on board with remote teaching using tablets where possible, mobile phones, radio or television.

If schools must resume, they will need desk screens, or other resources to keep the children separated.

Children will have to wear face masks or face guards and constantly wash or sanitize their hands regularly.

A lot of government schools and lower income schools will need the help of the government to make these resources available. Some of the billions donated towards COVID 19 should actually go to the government schools, low income schools and rural schools to keep the education of young children going.

Education should be considered an essential service if this nation is to develop.

6

Even when schools resume what effects will social distancing have on the students psychologically? What things will they miss most that they cannot do now?

We are a close-knit family and community at Greenwood, so it was very common for the children to rush to management and teachers and give them a big hug. Children are natural and act accordingly. At our final assembly last term, we reinforced the need to social distance and avoid touching each other as freely as we did before. I noticed the children embracing elbow, as well as ankle greetings.

Children will find it difficult at first, but we will have to explain what to expect and maybe do a video of the new class setting to enable them to get used to the idea. Smaller children will run around and interact with each other, so face guards and masks as well as regular hand washing, are a must. One can also make it fun and ask them to observe “Propeller arms” when in class, or on the field with friends to establish boundaries. I’m sure they will enjoy stretching their hands to measure appropriate distancing. Also, we will develop new games to teach them not to touch their faces. They have been discussions about staggering play time according to classes so that there are not too many children on the field at the same time, as well as varying starting and closing times.

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What has this pandemic highlighted to you as a school owner?

As a school owner, the first reality to face is that the

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world is changing, and adaptability is key, followed closely by preparedness and the need to embrace technology in the most creative ways. Without embracing these three realities, one will likely be left behind. Definitely after the pandemic, schools will continue to have an online element.

Secondly, the transition highlighted new and exciting ways to teach. Even though we use the Cambridge Primary curriculum, which is learner focused, with the online school, teachers now have the opportunity to teach differently, encourage self-learning, cultivate critical, creative and flexible thinking and have access to diverse use of resources.

Thirdly, one realises that technology has the potential to achieve universal quality education and improve learning outcomes, but the digital divide must be addressed, and the required infrastructure and connectivity must reach the remotest and poorest communities. Access to technology and the internet therefore is an urgent requirement in this information age and should no longer be a luxury.

Lastly, school owners have all realised how important it is to collaborate rather than competing as educators, in order to provide quality education in Nigeria. A lot of school owners through the associations: APEN (Association of Private Educators in Nigeria) and AISEN (Association of International Educators of Nigeria) got together to support each other, share best practices and access to resources, and organize webinars and training by experts in relevant sectors. It has been a great bonding experience.

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What important measures need to be taken by parents to ensure their children stay focused in their virtual schooling?

After explaining why school is going online, the most important thing is to establish routines and put proper structures in place. We sent parents our guidelines as well as our online policies. Parents need to establish firm routines. They need to make sure the children go to bed early, and have set wake up, bathing and breakfast times. The children are required to be at their desks at least 10 minutes before lessons start at 9am to see the schedules for the day. It is essential that parents create quiet spaces where there are no distractions for the children to work, with a table and chair for each child. All the materials each child needs are to be made available. Classwork and assignments must be done and submitted on time. Break times should be for the exact time allocated. Finally, we emphasise to parents that they are our allies and must take shared responsibility in ensuring the children behave themselves whilst they are working from home.

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THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 9166 Sunday, June 14, 2020

their anxiety. Helicopter mums have been the most anxious and stressed about online schooling, because their children are not allowed to be independent and they are literally, schooling with them. Over-indulgent parents, who leave all the discipline of their children to the school, are also quite stressed because they are not able to control their children at home and get them to learn. We must always remember that parents are their children’s primary life coach. With God’s guidance, love your children and be involved and supportive but also authoritative, and know that children need to face some natural consequences in life, which will help them grow up and become more resilient. At the end of the day, the parent-and-school partnership, is the best formula.

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As part of keeping this online schooling as close to the real thing as possible, do students also have to dress the part when they are” Zooming”?

Indeed, we try as much as possible to let the children have a feel of school. The children have to be reasonably smartly dressed and will be asked to wear their school uniform on certain days. To ensure that online schooling is as close to the real thing as possible, we ensure all classroom protocols apply and set guidelines along existing school rules. Inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated and children who disrupt the class in any way will be penalized as they would be if they were in school.

We reinstated our weekly rewards system to motivate the children and try to incorporate some of our scheduled events: for example, the nursery celebrated their black and white day last week, when they and their teachers wore black and white outfits and made presentations about the colours. I am glad to say that the strong sense of Greenwood House School as a family continues even with this transition to online learning.

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Are teachers still being paid full salaries during this period and what other measures have been taken to enable them do their online teaching?

Our teachers are our most valued assets and without them there is no school. However, like every other business, this has been a big challenge to the school also. We have had to segment our staff into essential and non-essential and they are being paid accordingly.

However, to cushion this, we have also given additional allowances such as internet allowance and fuel allowance as they are teaching virtually in their respective homes. We have also provided excellent online training and support throughout this period.

Our parents have been particularly pleased about our quality and level of engagement.

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How are parents able to cope with the school demands of teenagers when it comes to their studies especially concerning science subjects or Maths?

Children’s International School has always promoted independent, self-directed learning within a blended learning environment. Our students are accustomed to taking responsibility for their learning and also leading their learning where possible. Our students are able to contact their teachers for additional support in a number of ways - by sending a chat and or email and the teacher will respond. They also have supervised study periods where again, the teacher can attend to the student on request. For our parents, we have carried on supporting and guiding them with regular updates and online videos to explain that parental support is part of the “new normal.”

We have heard of terms like Tiger Mums and Helicopter Mums. Can you elaborate on these categories?

First, let me be clear that whatever the terms used, as educationists, we realise that the Parents’ motivation is always a good one in their minds.

Tiger mums are demanding and super competitive mothers that push their children to the highest levels of achievement in both academics and extracurricularactivities like music, sports etc. They enforce very strict rules and are known for tough love. The term, Tiger mums, was brought to the forefront after Professor Amy Chua’s book, “The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” was published. Research shows that children of Tiger mums have low levels of motivation when they think of their mothers. Helicopter mums on the other hand, are parents who are overly focused on their children - they do their homework for them, coach their teachers, fight other children, and go to any length to prevent their children from facing any adversity, struggle or failure. These diminish the ability of the children to succeed on their own and increase

The issue of discounts and in fact school fees, has been a very contentious one generally, between all stakeholders and especially between schools and parents. Children’s International School tried to adopt both a scientific approach and then balanced it with the global economic realities. Our take was that everyone must be willing to give a discount whilst also trying to ensure the continuity of the institution post-COVID19. A lot of debate involving our Senior Leadership Team, our Advisory Board and some of our parents, led to various scenario analyses which then informed our final decision. We were also guided by what other international schools have done to set an industry standard. In any event, there can never be a one size fits all situation. Each school had to review their own peculiar circumstances and came up with what they deemed fit.

Communication is very key when dealing with our stakeholders. We were mindful of the fact that anything to do with their children and finances can be a very emotive issue.

The majority of our parents were indeed appreciative of the discounts we gave especially as they did not have to ask before it was given. That is not to say that everyone was on board. However, at the end of the day we had the majority of our parents committing and aligning with our decision.

JOKE CHUKWUMA

ADMINISTRATOR , CHILDREN’S INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

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Have you given discount with school fees this period and if so, how were you able to make your decision and also convince parents on the necessity of the third term fees?

For teachers and workers who have their own children and do not have the time to do virtual schooling because of the demands of their jobs, what do you think the government should do to lighten this burden for them?

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Apart from teachers, many of our frontline workers are also women who have young children that need to be educated just like our other children. For these categories of workers, I am aware that in some

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THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 9166 Sunday, June 14, 2020

countries, schools are kept open for their children otherwise how can we expect them to carry out their duties with no one to take care of their own children. It is however a major challenge in Nigeria. Any solution I would advocate would not work as we lack in this country, proper social infrastructure that would ordinarily take care of this such as transportation to and from a dedicated school in each locality, free school meals, free education and childcare for all the school aged children of all our frontline workers.

What other rules are being created in schools in respect to social distancing?

In terms of school hours, with social distancing in mind, will the hours now be longer to accommodate the reduction of students per class?

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Many schools are currently strategizing on how school will evolve once the government allows us to open. This is a very critical step as we have to ensure that school is not only safe for our children but also for every single person that comes into our school. It is absolutely imperative that we do not take any chances with the wellbeing of any of our stakeholders. We will do our own risk assessment which will be based of guidelines set by government, the NCDC and the various School associations we belong to which will be benchmarked against international best practice.

I can envisage a situation where the school might run two daily sessions as class sizes will necessarily have to be smaller to effect social distancing. We may in addition tinker with school hours, rotations, staggered resumption etc.

The government will benefit from collaborating with our various school associations such as APEN and AISEN who can better support with the drafting of the guidelines.

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How do you convince teachers and children, especially the young ones, to wear face masks whilst in school. How realistic is this?

It’s about safety! Yours and that of others. At Children’s International School we already have a strong culture of

safeguarding therefore our children already understand the need to stay safe. It’s about communication and education. It’s also about good role modelling and ensuring that everyone adheres strictly to the policy.

For our children we will make the wearing of masks positive and exciting. In fact, we already had some of our staff and children wearing masks to school even before the initial lockdown. Non-compliance is not an option and will not be tolerated!

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What is your take on the suggestion of the third term being repeated? What effect will this have on both teachers and students?

My take is that time is a continuum. Once the time has gone, it has gone. The reality is that we need to be a bit flexible and adaptable in our thinking. Children have continued to learn in different ways. The fact that learning has not been taking place in the four corners of a classroom does not mean that learning has not been happening.

There has been a massive disruption in education and we just have to accept that for now and until perhaps we have all been vaccinated against COVID19, virtual learning is the “new normal.” The focus should be to try to minimize the gaps in the learning of our children.

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What steps have you taken with your staff to ensure they are in ‘a good place’ during this pandemic and to also ensure parents are kept abreast of things?

This period has been very challenging for all of us without exception. For our teachers, we have tried to ensure there are continuous and multiple channels of communication. Our HR department has been very busy making calls to staff to ensure they are in a good place and where there are concerns, try to address those concerns as best we can. We have also organised wellbeing sessions facilitated by professionals and this has gone down very well with the majority of those that attended. For our parents, it again is all about communicating. We have had virtual Year Group meetings with them through which we were able to

get their feedback. We have also conducted surveys to help us shape our provisions. We also had our first ever Parent Teacher Conference which had the highest level of attendance by parents as compared to attendance during on-site conferences. The collaboration between our parents and teachers over this pandemic period has just been awesome and I truly appreciate everyone for engaging so positively.

Some kids have been known to suffer terribly from cabin fever. How do you make them stay upbeat with lack of physical contact with their other classmates?

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Our pastoral team members meet with our children at least twice a week. This gives the children the chance to just talk with one another, gist as they like to call it.

This has been very helpful. The zoom sessions also give the children the opportunity to see one another and also chat online. In addition, we send videos to our students showing past activities we have had in school to give them a better sense of connection. Each year group also have weekly assemblies which they always look forward to. Extracurricular activities such as music composition, singing, piano, guitar, clarinet, dance and movement have gradually been added to offerings for our children.

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Has online schooling built stronger relationships between parents and teachers, if so, how?

Children’s international School has always enjoyed a very strong relationship between our parents and our teachers.

However, this is perhaps the first time parents have walked in the shoes of teachers and for an extended period too. What virtual learning from home has done is to open the eyes of parents to the demands of educating younger children and adolescents.

Many of our parents have expressed greater levels of appreciation and respect they now have for teachers.

Our partnership with our parents is working very well as they continue to be supportive and committed to virtual schooling.

WHAT YOU ARE REALLY PAYING FOR Education is a necessity because it helps in building your character later in life. Your success of lack thereof, plays a significant role in the level of education you have.

They say knowledge is power and it is a tool that comes to great use as you climb the ladder of success. It comes as no surprise then, that parents pay so much to give their children the best education money can buy!

Attending Ivy League schools, if affordable, is the best gift you can give your child.

Not only does this hasten their progress in terms of growth, it is also a badge of honour which can benefit the recipients in more ways than one. But with the pandemic on ground, many students have had to now do their studies online and this process has brought light to questions some people will otherwise not given second thoughts to. Parents are actually wondering if the knowledge exchange their kids are deriving from their Ivy League schools is worth the price that they are being charged for it.

Just to give a bit of context, first of all this analysis given below was made by a Professor, who lectures the same subject in both an Ivy League university and a regular university respectively. His take is that

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compared to online schooling education costs, Ivy League schools are extremely overpriced. A well known fact. But in the same tone, he is also quick to acknowledge that what parents pay for, fall into three categories. First, they pay for the knowledge the students acquire. Second, they pay for the experience the institution provides and third, but most important, they pay for the brand on the certificate given at the end of the day.

So, on the basis of this, Ivy League schools have been able to charge extra-ordinary fees over the years and can afford to keep increasing their fees even though their infrastructure remains the same. In fact, the

Ivy League schools are actually overpriced but what parents pay for, fall into three categories. First, they pay for getting knowledge exchange students acquire. Second, they pay for the experience the institution provides and last, but most important, they pay for the brand on the certificate given at the end of the day.

older, the better!

For example, let’s say your child is in Princeton University and during this pandemic, you see what the child has done for the first session leaving you wondering “Is that all? A lot of parents are not really exposed to the quantum of information their child is taught during a semester because all they are looking at is the brand - it’s a good school. But now they feel that what the child has learnt this term from his Ivy League school, he could have learnt for much less in another school with less prestige. So at the end of the day, is it such venture really worth the extra money? For some reason when you think of Ivy League, you think maybe the teaching and curriculum is different but clearly it is the same as any other - the only difference is location like the Professor who teaches the same subjects but in different universities. One is Ivy League, the other is not.

As at the time this Professor said his piece, no less than 29 people have filed for a refund from various Ivy League institutions because they don’t just think it’s worth what they have paid for their tuition. Not likely that anything positive would yield from that though. You

ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW got what you paid for. After all, you would not return a bag to Gucci three years after just because you found something similar at Zara for one tenth the price. Both bags service the same purpose but one is a luxury brand, the other is not. The Professor further stated that Education remains the most luxurious brand in the world in his estimation because even if you think of other luxuries like Rolex watches, the rate of increase in their prices is not as high as the way the Ivy League schools increase their prices. But still, it is evidently the brand they are selling because people are ready to pay as there is always a waiting list and as long as that remains, it means the demand is high. He also said that Ivy League universities intentionally never have enough rooms to accommodate their applications because that’s what makes them highly sort after. It’s a thing of pride when they talk about having to turn down 85% of applicants this year. This further proves why some schools do not see the need to reduce their rates.

If the same lectures can be done in two universities, this shows that the quality of education you are getting at par, except the Ivy League provides a wider experience and is stronger brand.

STYLE & DESIGN

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ON THE

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THISDAY Style day, June 14, 2020

POSI IVE

DR IFEYINWA NWAKWESI

LIVING A PHENOMENAL, HEALTHY, HAPPY AND FULFILLED LIFE.

DO NOT WAIT FOR A CRISIS OR DISEASE PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE I graduated from university college hospital Ibadan with an MBBS in 1979. My aspiration after my graduation as a conventional medical doctor was to specialize in paediatrics because I had a special gift of helping sick children recover fast from ill - health. While coping with the stresses of daily life and not finding time to manage my health proactively my health began to deteriorate and I was no longer as happy as I would wish. I suffered from depression, unexplained anxiety, panic attacks and indigestion. I consulted different conventional medical doctors but it was always NAD (nothing abnormal detected) and all I received were medications which did not help me recover. I continued searching until I consulted a holistic medical doctor in UK who examined me and told me my daily cooked acidic food was making my blood acidic, that I was not oxidizing my food for energy, I was fermenting my food leading to all kinds of digestive symptoms. I was also not absorbing the nutrients from the food and that was responsible for my anxiety, depression and loss of weight. At that time I was not a fan of water-rich foods like vegetable and fruit juices and I hardly drank water so my blood, cells and tissues were dehydrated and acidic. My mindset was also negatively programmed so i worried about so many things, focused mostly on the negative events in my life and this made my blood more acidic and contributed to my ill- health. He advised me to go back to Nigeria and do a life - style change. That is exactly what I did and I started feeling better. This is how I became motivated to do online program in Integrative medicine and today I am a living example of God’s divine promises for our lives.

My health, energy, passion and creativity have improved tremendously. My passion is to help as many Nigerians as possible achieve vibrant health, enhanced energy, creativity and productivity. I pray that if Nigerians can key into the Healthy living services Personalized Health Enhancement programme our mortality and morbidity rates will be decreased by Gods grace.

It is my pleasure to introduce to Nigerians - The HEALTHY LIVING SERVICES PERSONALISED HEALTH ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM It will give people the access to our programmes and products that will help them achieve vibrant health. The procedure is detailed below : 1. Pay the consultation fees as per the category of your choice 2. Send us a summary of your health challenges 3. Our integrative Health care doctors will review and recommend the best health enhancement protocol that will help you achieve vibrant health.

4. In certain cases, blood work analysis and/ or the quantum body analysis may be recommended.

This is to enable us take the guess work out of your health protocol. We will evaluate your blood work and quantum analysis and identify body dysfunctions and nutritional deficiencies and recommend diet modifications, life style changes and 100% natural research - backed organic nutritional supplements that can reverse the dysfunctions and prevent them from progressing to disease states In certain cases depending on our findings we may refer the client to the conventional medical doctor that has the experience to manage the particular condition .

Many conventional medical doctor are focused on identifying disease states when a patient presents, what they fail to realize that disease does not appear suddenly. There are usually multiple body dysfunctions

and nutritional deficiencies which appear in the body years before the disease is seen by the medical doctor. In energy medicine as practised in China and other Asian countries they believe the human body is mostly energy and that disease appears in the energy fields as early dysfunctions long before the disease appears so they use inbalances in the energy frequencies of the body to detect early organ dysfunctions. Each organ has its focal meridian that feeds energy to that organ. They can detect early heart dysfunctions by slapping the front of the elbow at least to the count of 100 and if a reddish or pinkish coloration like a bruise appears then it is likely the person has early cardiac dysfunctions. The quantum body analysis uses the same energy frequency inbalance to detect early organ dysfunctions and that enables us to recommend reversal protocols to prevent the dysfunctions from progressing to disease states. Many people do the quantum tests but not many people know how to evaluate them to get the desired results.

The Chinese also believe that many diseases are caused by blocked meridians and that once the person does slapping and stretching exercises at least twice a day on a consistent basis the blocked meridians will open and the disease will dissspear especially if caught early. I practice these exercises and they are simply a miracle. If you happen to be near a cardiac attack person while the convectional medical doctors are doing CRP by slapping the chest or just slapping the persons elbow and the chances of recovery is very high by Gods grace .

5. In cases where the individual is not able to afford the test, we will based on the person’s history recommend affordable nutritional products she or he can take to facilitate recovery.

6. If there is already an existing disease, we will support your physician’s effort with nutritional support and other health enhancement protocols. Your physician must give his or her consent for our intervention.

7. You will be sent our bi-weekly news- letter 8. We will teach you stress coping skills, mental and emotional management, power breathing, positive affirmations and progressive muscular relaxation, cardiovascular clapping and immune system boosting procedures and the slapping and stretching exercises to unblock your energy meridians which is very vital to achieving vibrant health.

9. Introduce you to alkaline hydrogen - infused anti oxidant rich, micro - clustered water.

10. Teach you how to exercise to achieve vibrant health so as to avoid endangering your health while trying to achieve fitness .

12. Science - backed weight - loss programme.

13. Cell - revitalization programme for a youthful glow.

14 . Mental and Emotional Management - THE CANI PRINCIPLE - CONSTANT & NEVER ENDING IMPROVEMENT IN YOUR SPIRITUAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL & PHYSICAL LIFE. 15. MARRIAGE & RELATIONSHIP COUNSELLING The PERSONALISED health enhancement program is for an initial period of 3 months, after we review we recommend the next line of actions *CATEGORIES:-*patinum, Gold , silver and bronze . We are making our programme available to all social status as health should not only be available to the rich OTHER BENEFITS INCLUDES :(a) Reduced morbidity and mortality rates.

(b) Improved Energy , creativity and productivity. (c) Reduce absenteeism from work place. (d) Improved relationships & marriages (e) Improve sense of well-being (f) Better stress control (g) Better mental and emotional management (h) strengthening the immune system enhanced energy, creativity and productivity.

We all have dreams to live long, enjoy vibrant health, have the energy, creativity and productivity to accomplish our goals and aspirations. We dream of blissful relationships and marriages. We dream our children will do well in school, graduate, start a career or a business, marry and have grand- children for us.

Many dream to see their great - grand - children. We dream of having financial freedom. We pray that we will be successful with our careers and our businesses. We dream of living legacies after we are gone .

To dream is not enough. How many of us take decisions on a daily basis that will help us actualize most of our dreams ? We are too busy pursuing our dreams and we fail to learn the strategy and road map to happily achieving our dreams without compromising our health and well - being in the process. In the quest of trying to achieve our dreams many of us do not proactively manage our selves so we pay a big price either in the form of spiritual, mental, emotional and physical inbalance. We may succeed in making money but we are empty due to lack of spiritual fulfillment. We feel unfulfilled because we are not connected to God so we are not being energized by the Holy Spirit. Many of us are having mental and emotional challenges making us not to be positively programmed. This affects our relationships and marriages negatively and also affects our creativity and productivity. Our inability to manage our physical lives results in many untimely deaths and increased morbidity rate. What is the use of money when you loose your health and well - being in the process.

Unhappy relationships and marriages are known to cause emotional stress and this adversely affects the individual’s well - being and health. Making money is good but money without enduring principles and values is of no use. Having money in bank accounts without using some of it to add value to lives in the society is not wise. True success comes from living a principle - centered life and impacting society positively The good news is that if individuals will practise the principle of Cani - constant and never - ending improvement in all areas of their lives, they will achieve a postive outcome . Anyone that sincerely wants a Channge needs to raise their standards Change their limiting beliefs Change their strategy You have the capacity to make your life a master - piece by Gods grace so committ to raising your standards.Your health is your most valuable possession.

When Health Fails all else fails. Do not become a statistic. Be proactive not penny wise pound foolish.

I pray many more people use the information in this article to raise the standards as regards their health so they can live to ripe old ages in vibrant health to reap the rewards of their labour. Until next 2 weeks live passionately Dr. Ifeyinwa Nwakwesi, Stress, Nutrition, Cell- Revitalization, Personal Development, Genotherapy, And Integrative Medicine Specialist, The Phenomenal Woman By God`s Grace

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THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 9166 Sunday, June 14, 2020

BY ISIOMA USIADE

STYLE & DESIGN

The

This is simplicity on its MAX! Go for turtle neck top, light blue leather shorts and black pointed-toe pumps. Finish up the look with aviator shades, hat and a nice tote bag and you are good to go.

HIGH

TARMA OLUWASEUN

RIDING Keep it cool, edgy and sexy! In this compilation of leather shorts, we feature various lengths and styles. This ultimately transitional fabric that will keep you warm, sexy and sleek. You can wear them all year long and just adding tights when you are abroad for additional warmth. The ‘bad girl’ vibe is what is most pulling when wearing shorts because you have what it takes to adorn one - nice legs!

Make a real vibrancy with casual basics. Go for a nude tank top and style it with orange leather shorts.

Complete your look with simple brown leather sandals for that casual girls outing.

NEW LOOK DRESS N12,500

AYANDA THABETHE

STYLE & DESIGN

THISDAY Style Vol. 22, 9166 Sunday, June 14, 2020

LOOK for LESS

BY FUNKE BABS-KUFEJI

BY TUNDUN ABIOLA

A MOTHER SPEAKS

Where the little black dress offers timeless styles in classic silhouettes, the little white dress feels lighter, breezier and is more experimental. It’s a perfect canvas for accessories. If you are at crossroads on how to style your dress, take a cue from Keke Olisaemeka in her dress that accentuates her figure in all the right parts.

You have two choices to get the look, you can either pump up the volume with luxury accessories or get similar accessories at a much cheaper rate to achieve the look for less.

H

MICHAEL KORS MINI CAMILE WATCH N124,000

WITH

LEATHER

KELE OLISAEMEKA

ROLEX DATEJUST N4.4M FENDI HIGH NECK DRESS N900,000

MICHAEL KORS GOLD CUFF N34,100

TOM FORD JULIE SUNGLASSES N190,000 CHANEL JUMBO FLAP BAG N3.2M

FOREVER 21 QUILTED BAG N6,500

BANANA REPUBLIC SUNGLASSES N7,000.

MIHLALI NDAMASE

Keep the colours simple by choosing black and white or off-white. The black tank top worn underneath an off-white sheer lace top then tucked into embroidered black leather shorts completed with black tote is a hot combo. We love with the mini leather structured bag.

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MARII PAZZ

This is another simple, yet oh-so-chic outfit. We see wide-brim nude hat, sexy button down top tucked into a military colour high waist leather shorts. MARII PAZZ has accessorised this look effortlessly. Matching two statement pieces to the same colour family makes this look amazing.

LISA MADIBE

LOUIS VUITTON LOCK ME MANCHETTE BRACELET N525,000

ALPA

JULES B2 LONG NECKLACE N8,000

Another great look seen on LISA MADIBE. We If the weather is cold, then try a black blazer, see a voluminous top tucked in high-waisted black top, and high-waisted black leather leather black short completed with white heels shorts styled with low-pointy black pumps and a small bag.

VAN CLEEF ARPELS N3,500,00

YEEZY LUCITE SEASON 2 N380,000

EGO MERCIE BARELY THERE SANDALS N6,800

ere we are in the middle of a pandemic. The esoteric has become the quotidian. Homeschooling is no longer the preserve of the uber-woke bohemians and mavericks, we’re all at it. Jokes, memes and comical videos aside, it’s a privilege to have a home in which to stay out of the dreaded COVID-19’s way, to be able to provide the hardware and the infrastructure homeschooling requires and the energy and time to teach healthy children. Now more than ever, I am painfully aware of the inequality in our society. Instead of whining and moaning I give thanks. Millions would love to have our challenges. If the most inconvenient part of our experience in this pandemic is struggling with a subject or your children figuring you made up those tales about coming first in class every year then count yourself fortunate. They’ll still love us, mediocre academic prowess or stellar.

That unconditional love though mutual, of course does have its momentary limitations. This situation takes family bonding to the nth degree. We swear we know our little darlings like the backs of our hands down to how they learn because we help with homework but homeschooling is an entirely different beast. We know if each child has an eye for detail or never reads through, if they prioritize presentation or have barely legible hand writing but we rely on teacher’s to iron out those kinks.

Now that one of the most essential of services to parents and children isn’t available as we’ve come to expect its up to parents to roll up their sleeves, check their tempers and have fun. I certainly am. Besides, it’s a timely reminder that the buck stops with parents. Children are Mr/Mrs So and So’s pupils for a year but they’re Mr/Mrs Such and Such’s children for life.

This is not to suggest that it’s all been a walk in the park or that the efforts of parents compare to teachers. Professionals in those fields scoff at citizen journalists, armchair psychologists or those who download templates from the internet and fancy themselves as lawyers and rightly so. It’s the same here. The training a teacher has, their commitment, the patience and the skill that takes years to hone make a word of difference. When we count our blessings we should all count teachers. This leads me to the awkwardness of pricing school fees when the children are nowhere near school. Some parents felt affronted to receive an invoice for third term fees but a school is a business. That it’s a warm, fuzzy place where our children go for love, nurture and instruction does not obviate that basic fact. That business may have loans its servicing and certainly has staff its paying. In these precarious times, we all want supportive employers. Teachers are no different. They need to be paid as they are working from home as a lot of us are. From the effort that we expend supervising our children and wards, we can imagine or ought to be able to imagine what it takes to plan lessons, field questions and mark assignments even now. Aside from teachers are non-teaching staff who play an invaluable role in keeping our children safe and happy while they’re at school. They have bills and obligations too. It would be unreasonable for any school to expect full fees when its business most unusual. Discounts were offered to parents of anywhere from 10% to 40%.

The discount on the lower end of the scale went down like a lead balloon in some quarters. As the character of an individual is revealed in a time of crisis, so are the values of an organization. Parents expected support and understanding while at the same time, no parent would have wanted the teachers who make such a different in our children’s lives to face the mass retrenchment that we’ve all heard about and in some cases, experienced. It is my sincere hope that schools will show understanding to those parents during this time until they can find their feet.

We’re teaching a lot more than what’s on the curriculum. We’re teaching our children how to handle a crisis. So many bemoan that lack of a national paterfamilias who will give rousing speeches to get us through this but neglect to provide that guidance and motivation to our children.

Grumbling only teaches them to do so. This is a golden opportunity to demonstrate invaluable life skills and traits like problem-solving, flexibility, grit. These are no longer the soft skills. They’re integral to producing well-rounded, well-adjusted adults. If we can create a sense of fun and adventure out of this then we teach our children to embrace life with all its vagaries with the confidence that any challenge can be surmounted and challenges will surely come. The children miss their friends but this is instructive. Friends won’t always be there even with the best of intentions but family will. Investing in those bonds is priceless. This period, the ultimate in team-building retreats will create wonderful memories for a life time.

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“no-makeup” makeup

STYLE & DESIGN

THISDAY Style Vol. 22, 9166 Sunday, June 14, 2020

THE

The irony of no-makeup makeup is that looking like you have nothing on, in fact, requires a lot of skill. Perfect for daytime or going casual, the right “nude” makeup look will feel like you’ve got the Instagram “pretty” filter on your face at all times.

Basically, it means you look like you took no time getting ready. Easy, right? Not quite.

Read on for expert tips for nailing the wokeup-like-this face beat once and for all.

BY KONYE CHELSEA NWABOGOR

COMPLEXION IS KEY

Before putting any makeup on, you should prioritize a solid skincare routine for a smooth canvas. Then, your approach with application should be ‘less is more’. Only put [makeup] where you need it and blend it out.

The whole point of the look is to make it look like your actual skin.

Product placement is key -focus on specific areas over opting for a full-face, full-coverage application.

DON’T NECESSARILY USE LESS PRODUCTS

All you need for a no-makeup makeup look totals seven products. It’s less about the quantity and more about going for lightweight formulas.

This includes concealer, a little highlighter, brow product, mascara, translucent powder for the T-Zone and blotting papers for touching up.

OPT FOR A BARELY THERE LIP SHADE

The ever elusive “nude” lip is achievable by following your natural lip colour. Be careful of ‘nude’ lipstick as a lot will make you look chalky. Nude doesn’t mean brown for everyone. There’s always a little berry or peach in everyone’s natural lip colour - that’s the blood flowing under which makes you look alive.

Pro tip: Use the blush colour you used on your cheeks just in the center of the lip and blend it out.

LALA AKINDOJU

MAYBELLINE LIQUID FOUNDATION

SHISEIDO BLOTTING PAPER NUDIES FACE COLOUR

MAC LIPSTICKS

NARS CONCEALER KOSAS FACE OIL

NARS LIP STAIN LOREAL MASCARA

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FLESH HIGHLIGHTING BALM

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