THISDAY STYLE MAGAZINE 23TH AUGUST 2026

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

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DANIEL

AMOKACHI THE BULL

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Sunday, August 23, 2026 Vol. 22, No. 11422

Sunday, August 23, 2026 Vol. 22, No. 11422

EDITOR’S LETTER

COVER NOTE

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

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aniel Amokachi has been called “The Bull” for so long that the nickname has almost become part of his name. It came from the way he played football: fast, powerful and difficult to stop. At his peak, defenders who stood in his way often found themselves reduced to helpless spectators as he powered past them. Years after his last professional game, the nickname remains, as does the unmistakable presence that made him one of the most recognisable figures of a remarkable era in Nigerian football.

Lifestyle & Fashion

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6 Braids Have Entered Their Luxury Era

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Why Everyone Wants a Signature Look

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The Grown-Woman Guide to Wearing Trends

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The Male Glow-Up Is Real

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EXECUTIVE EDITOR KONYE NWABOGOR 08111847087

DEPUTY EXECUTIVE EDITOR OLUFUNKE BABS-KUFEJI

Mariam Timmer: Betting Big on Beauty

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What Nobody Tells You About Starting Retinol

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Your Content, Their Privacy: The Etiquette of Filming at Events

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CONTRIBUTOR EBIYEKON DORCAS DIO

Second Time Lucky: Love After Divorce

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DIRECTOR, PRINT PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO

Five African Artists Worth Knowing Now

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08111847086

ASSISTANT EDITOR YINKA OLATUNBOSUN

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Printed by Ups Digitals Ltd, Abuja; 08057025005; info@upsdigitals.com

08077092196

Life Lately

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have been thinking about how much more seriously men take looking good these days, and I have to say, I thoroughly approve. Somewhere along the line, the basic haircut-and-aftershave routine got an upgrade. Now there is skincare, fitness, carefully chosen fragrances, better clothes, manicures, facials and actual conversations about sunscreen. It’s been quite the evolution, and as someone who’s always been a sucker for men who pay extra attention to themselves, I am enjoying it immensely.

There is something attractive about the effort, perhaps because it suggests discipline and a certain pride in how you present yourself.

Our feature, The Male Glow-Up Is Real, looks at how male grooming has evolved and why men are increasingly comfortable investing time and money in their appearance. Do read it. I suspect the women will have opinions — and the men may recognise themselves.

We are also talking about love after divorce this week, which is a completely different proposition.

I find second love fascinating. By then, surely you know too much to love quite as blindly as you once did. You have learnt that chemistry can be intoxicating and still lead absolutely nowhere, that peace is underrated and that some of those little things you thought you could live with eventually become very big things.

Second Time Lucky: Love After Divorce explores what it means to open yourself to love again when you already know that happily-ever-after requires considerably more than being in love. There may be children, exes and two established lives to negotiate, but there is also something wonderful about discovering that the end of a marriage was not the end of romance. Please read it. Divorced or not, there is something in there about relationships that most of us will recognise.

And then, a change of subject entirely, because not everything needs a clever connection. Five African Artists Worth Knowing Now introduces five creatives whose work deserves a closer look. The continent’s art scene is far too rich for our knowledge to begin and end with the usual celebrated names. Take a look at the feature and perhaps add a new artist or two to your radar.

Before I go, how are you? Family good? Work behaving itself? Love life giving you peace or material for the group chat? And, more importantly, how are you?

I hope you are well and have had at least a few reasons to smile this week. Have a wonderful weekend. And gentlemen, keep moisturising. We see you.

Love,

@thisdaystyle |

@thisdaystyleon | www.thisdaystyle.ng

BRAIDS HAVE ENTERED THEIR LUXURY ERA

Braids are looking seriously fancy these days. They are longer, finer, curlier, more colourful and far more adventurous than the everyday styles we were used to. From tiny knotless braids that fall past the waist to sculptural cornrows, braided bobs and elaborate ponytails, the options keep getting better.

So, if your next braid appointment is approaching, here are a few ways to take things up a notch.

CORNROWS

TEMI OTEDOLA

1. Go Long. Very Long.

Waist-length is almost beginning to look conservative. Braids are now falling to the hips and beyond, and while sitting on your own hair is an occupational hazard, the effect can be spectacular.

The secret is to keep them relatively fine and lightweight, so they move rather than feel heavy.

Wear them loose with a simple dress, sweep them over one shoulder or pile them into a high ponytail and let the length provide all the drama.

2. Add a Little Curl

Boho and goddess braids have completely changed the mood of braided hair.

Loose curls woven through the lengths make braids look softer, fuller and slightly less structured.

They are particularly beautiful when you want something glamorous without looking overly done. Just remember that those curls need attention.

Detangle gently and refresh them when necessary, or the “boho” can become genuinely chaotic.

3. Play With Colour

Black will always be a classic, but brown braids are having a very good moment. Chocolate, caramel, auburn, burgundy, honey and blonde can make even a simple knotless style feel completely different.

You don’t necessarily have to commit to one bold shade either. Mixing closely related tones can create dimension without making

FESTIVAL-BRAIDS

IBRA

the colour the entire story. The most flattering choice will always be one that works beautifully against your skin.

4. Make the Partings Part of the Look

Sometimes the luxury is not in the braids themselves but in what is happening between them.

Perfect squares, triangles, curved sections and intricate cornrow patterns have turned parting into part of the design. This works particularly well when the rest of the hairstyle is relatively simple because the precision becomes the statement.

And yes, this is where choosing a very good braider matters.

5. Bring Back the Accessories

Beads and cuffs never really disappeared, but they are being used in much more interesting ways. Gold cuffs, wooden beads, shells, ribbons and metallic details can instantly change the personality of a style.

The trick is restraint. You don’t need to decorate every braid. A few strategically placed cuffs or beads at the ends can often look much more sophisticated.

GODDESS BRAIDS

6. Try a Shape That Isn’t the Usual

Long knotless braids are beautiful, but they are not the only option.

A sharp braided bob can look incredibly chic with tailoring and statement earrings. Sculptural cornrows work beautifully with simple clothes. Braided updos can hold their own at weddings and formal events, while a high braided ponytail instantly makes an evening look more interesting.

Sometimes changing the shape rather than adding more detail is what makes the hairstyle stand out.

7. Keep the Finish Immaculate

This is probably the most important part. Expensivelooking braids are less about how much you paid and more about how well they are done and maintained. Keep your scalp moisturised without piling on product, wrap your braids at night and refresh curls or edges when they need it. Most importantly, don’t confuse painfully tight with beautifully neat. No hairstyle is luxurious enough to sacrifice your hairline for.

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Sunday, August 23, 2026 Vol. 22, No. 11422

Sunday, August 23, 2026 Vol. 22, No. 11422

WHY EVERYONE WANTS A SIGNATURE LOOK

There is a reason you can spot certain people from across a room without seeing their faces. Maybe it is the hair. The glasses. The perfectly cut suits. The stack of gold jewellery they never seem to take off. Perhaps they are always in black, never without a red lip or somehow manage to make an oversized white shirt look like it was invented specifically for them. That is the power of a signature look. Now that doesn’t necessarily mean a uniform, and it certainly doesn’t mean wearing the same thing every day. It simply means having enough personal style that, whatever you wear, there is something recognisably you about it.

By Bakare Mariam

When Everyone Is Wearing the Same Thing

Social media has made fashion wonderfully accessible, but it has

tend to remember are rarely those who jump on every trend. They pick and choose. They know that just because something is fashionable does not mean it belongs in their wardrobe.

And when they do embrace a trend,

EKI OGUNBOR

ANGEL OBASI

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also made it remarkably easy for everyone to start looking alike.

One viral outfit appears on Instagram or TikTok, and suddenly versions of it appear everywhere. The same sunglasses. The same shoe.

The same bag. The same styling trick. Before long, what felt fresh three weeks ago has become the unofficial uniform of the season.

This may explain why personal style feels particularly appealing right now.

The people whose wardrobes we

Look at what you wear when you want to feel particularly good.

Maybe you own several versions of the same beautifully tailored trousers. Perhaps you always return to big earrings, fitted dresses, crisp shirts, bold prints or neutral colours.

Maybe your wardrobe is full of dramatic sleeves, and you have never consciously noticed.

Those repetitions tell you something.

The same applies to clothes you constantly buy but rarely wear. We all have them: pieces that looked fantastic on somebody else, seemed like a good idea in the fitting room and then spend three years hanging untouched in the wardrobe.

Personal style becomes much easier once you stop dressing for the imaginary version of yourself and

they somehow make it fit into their existing style rather than rebuilding themselves around it.

Start With What You Actually Wear

Finding your signature look doesn’t require sitting down and deciding that tomorrow you will become “the woman who wears red.”

Chances are, the clues are already in your wardrobe.

FIOLAKEMI

elements appeared again and again.

Your own version can be far less dramatic.

It might be your preference for gold jewellery, a particular haircut, colourful shoes, immaculate tailoring, vintage handbags, an everpresent red lip or the fact that you almost always wear white.

Repeated often enough, small choices become part of how people remember you.

because something else is trending?

Consistency does not mean becoming predictable. It means developing a visual vocabulary.

You can still experiment, dress differently for different occasions and occasionally surprise everyone.

There should simply be a thread connecting it all.

Repetition Is Not a Fashion Crime

Having a signature look does not mean becoming stuck in a fashion time capsule.

Style should evolve because people evolve. Bodies change, lifestyles change, tastes change, and occasionally a trend comes along that is simply too good to ignore.

Fashion has convinced us that repeating ourselves is somehow boring. Social media has probably made that worse. There is pressure to constantly produce a new look,

IFEOMA ODOGWU

start paying attention to the real one. new aesthetic and new version of yourself. great personal style actually Sometimes, It Is One Small But depends on repetition.

Thing You discover that a certain trouser A signature does not have to shape works beautifully on you, dominate an entire outfit. so you buy it again. You know Think of Anna Wintour’s bob and which necklines flatter you. You sunglasses, Iris Apfel’s enormous have colours that make your skin glasses and piles of jewellery, come alive. You find a tailor who or Steve Jobs and his black understands exactly how you like turtlenecks. Their style became your clothes to fit. recognisable because certain Why abandon all of that simply

Trends Should Visit, Not Move In

difference between following fashion and having style.

The New Luxury Is Being Recognisable

There was a time when luxury was largely about labels: the right handbag, the right shoes, the unmistakable logo. Those things still carry weight, of course, but there is something increasingly luxurious about not needing any of them to communicate style.

Being recognisable without relying on a recognisable label is its own kind of fashion currency.

And perhaps that is why the signature look is having such a moment.

PRINCESS OGHENE

Wear it.

The trick is to incorporate it rather than surrender to it. If sheer dressing is having a moment, perhaps you wear it in the silhouette you already love. If leopard print suddenly returns, it could appear on your favourite style of shoe rather than taking over your entire wardrobe.

The question is less “Is everybody wearing this?” and more “How would I wear this?”

That tiny distinction is often the

VANESSA AZAR

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Sunday, August 23, 2026 Vol. 22, No. 11422

THE GROWN-WOMAN GUIDE TO WEARING TRENDS Loving fashion does not mean you have to participate in every trend that comes along. By now, you probably know the difference between something that genuinely suits you and something you only want because you have seen it twenty times on Instagram. That does not mean fashion has to become predictable. Trends are fun. They can refresh a wardrobe, introduce you to a silhouette you never considered and occasionally bring back something you wish you had kept the first time around. The grownwoman approach is simply to be more selective about which ones make the cut.

to you but full transparency doesn’t, try a sheer blouse over a camisole or a skirt with strategically placed lining. If you like the return of the mini but no longer enjoy extremely short hemlines, go slightly longer.

You do not have to copy the runway version for the trend to count.

Know What Is Worth Spending On

Pay Attention to Fit

Be more cautious with extremely distinctive pieces that belong unmistakably to one fashion moment.

The question is not simply, Can I afford it? It is also, How much am I actually going to wear it?

A trendy piece that fits badly will still look bad. At this stage, fit should win over whatever size is printed on the label. Tailoring trousers, adjusting a hem or taking in a blazer can completely change how expensive and polished something looks.

This becomes especially important when experimenting with unfamiliar shapes. Oversized should look deliberately oversized, not simply too big.

Relaxed should not become shapeless.

Start With Your Personal Style

Before buying anything trending, look at what you already wear. If your wardrobe is mostly clean tailoring and neutrals, you probably don’t need to suddenly become a maximalist just because prints are having a moment. The best trends fit naturally into your existing style. A new colour, silhouette or accessory should feel like an update, not a costume.

You should still recognise yourself when you look in the mirror.

you are allowed to wear, but how you want to wear it.

A crop top with beautifully tailored There is little sense spending heavily on something you already high-waisted trousers can look suspect you will hate next season. incredibly chic. A mini with an oversized blazer can feel polished Put more money into pieces that rather than juvenile. Showing skin can survive beyond the trend: a can be sexy without making the beautifully cut jacket, excellent entire outfit about showing skin. trousers, a quality bag or shoes The goal is not to dress younger. you can imagine wearing several It is to dress well. ways.

Forget the Age Rules

The phrase “dress your age” has ruined enough fun.

There is no birthday after which you must surrender your miniskirts, bright colours, sexy dresses or interesting shoes.

What often changes is not what

Know When to Skip It

Perhaps the most useful fashion skill is knowing when something simply isn’t for you.

You can appreciate a trend without owning it. Some things will look fantastic on other women and feel completely wrong on you. That is perfectly fine.

Personal style becomes stronger when you stop treating every new trend as an instruction. Fashion should give you options, not homework.

Ask Yourself If You Actually Like It

There is a difference between liking something and becoming accustomed to seeing it.

Social media can make almost anything look desirable after enough repetition. Suddenly the shoe you thought was strange three weeks ago is sitting in your shopping cart.

Before buying, imagine the trend without the hype. Would you still want it if your favourite celebrities and influencers stopped wearing it tomorrow? If the answer is no, leave it.

Don’t Wear Every Trend at Once

This is where many otherwise good outfits go wrong. Trending jeans, viral sunglasses, statement shoes, an oversized jacket, and the latest It bag don’t necessarily need to match.

Let one or two current pieces do the work. Barrel-leg jeans can look great with a simple shirt. A dramatic shoe can transform a straightforward dress. Leopard print does not require five other talking points.

Trends tend to look more sophisticated when they have room to breathe.

Adjust the Trend to Suit You

You are allowed to edit.

If an exaggerated silhouette feels overwhelming, choose a softer version. If sheer dressing appeals

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UGONNA OMERUO

EZINNE CHINKATA FOR NKWO

ESO BY LIMAN

IBILOLA OGUNDIPE

IDIA AISIEN

STEPHANIE ADERINOKUN

THEODORA MOGO

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Sunday, August 23, 2026 Vol. 22, No. 11422

Sunday, August 23, 2026 Vol. 22, No. 11422

videos and football clips.

That access has made experimentation easier. You can discover a haircut, save an outfit, watch someone explain a skincare routine and find a new sneaker brand without leaving your sofa. It has also made appearance much harder to ignore. When every scroll produces another impossibly polished person with clear skin, a great wardrobe, an impressive body and a fragrance collection that appears to require its own room, the line between inspiration and pressure can become very thin.

The glow-up, after all, has become an industry.

There is always something else available to improve: another serum, treatment, fragrance, pair of sneakers, watch, gym programme or supplement.

What begins as wanting to look a little sharper can easily become an expensive exercise in keeping up. One fragrance

There was a time when the male glow-up could be achieved with a trip to the barber, a crisp shirt and a generous spray of perfume.

Look neat, smell good, keep your shoes clean, and you were pretty much done.

Today, that list has become considerably longer. A fresh haircut is still important, but now there is skincare to consider, a signature scent to find, the right beard products, a gym routine and a growing awareness that the fit of a shirt can matter more than the label inside it. Even the smaller details- nails, lips, teeth, eyebrows, hands-are getting attention in a way they perhaps did not before.

Something has clearly shifted. Caring about your appearance is no longer something many guys feel the need to play down. The old idea that moisturiser is too much effort, or that knowing your fragrance name makes you overly particular, is fading. Grooming has simply become part of self-care.

somehow becomes six, the basic skincare routine acquires several mysterious bottles, and a perfectly functional wardrobe suddenly seems inadequate after twenty minutes online.

Yet the funny thing about looking good is that the most noticeable details are often the least extravagant.

Ask women what they notice about an attractive, well-groomed guy and the answers are rarely limited to designer labels. It is often that he smells good. His teeth are clean. His nails are neat. His haircut suits him. His clothes fit properly. His shoes are clean. There is an overall sense that some effort has been made without the effort becoming the entire personality.

No amount of luxury can really compensate for getting those basics wrong. A beautiful watch attracts less admiration when the hand wearing it looks neglected, and an expensive suit will still look wrong if the trousers are

pooling around the ankles.

Fashion has naturally become part of the transformation too.

The dependable T-shirt, jeans and sneakers combination is not going anywhere, but there is more room to play. Jewellery has become more common, loafers are back in regular rotation, trousers are getting wider, colours are becoming less conservative and traditional clothing continues to take on more contemporary silhouettes.

Accessories have become particularly useful. A watch, chain, bracelet, ring or pair of sunglasses can give even the simplest outfit some personality.

The point isn’t to wear everything at once, but to build enough confidence to know what belongs to you and what is better left on someone else’s Instagram feed.

That may actually be the best part of the whole glow-up conversation. Personal style is beginning to matter more than simply owning expensive things.

A smaller wardrobe of clothes that fit beautifully can look better than a cupboard overflowing with trends. A good tailor can transform an inexpensive piece.

One fragrance that genuinely suits you is more memorable than ten bottles bought because somebody online declared them essential.

And despite everything being sold around it, a good glow-up does not have to cost a fortune.

Hygiene remains free. Clothes can be clean and properly pressed without being designer.

A simple cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen can be enough for basic skincare. Regular exercise does not require the most fashionable gym in town, and nobody needs an entire fragrance wardrobe to smell good.

Maybe the biggest change isn’t the products, clothes, or treatments. It is the disappearance of the idea that looking good should somehow happen accidentally.

EFE TOMMY ADABAMU

AKIN FAMINU

THE MALE

GLOW-UP

IS REAL

BOVI UGBOMA

By Oghenekeno Akpoili

T

he bathroom shelf tells part of the story. Where deodorant, shaving cream and one dependable bottle of cologne might once have been enough, cleansers, moisturisers, SPF, beard oils and hair products have found their way into the mix.

Skincare brands are speaking directly to male customers, barbershops offer increasingly elaborate treatments, and fragrance has become an interest in its own right. The guy who once sprayed whatever bottle was available may now be discussing oud, woody notes and longevity with surprising authority.

Social media has had plenty to do with it. TikTok and Instagram are full of fragrance reviews, grooming routines, gym transformations, outfit inspiration and advice on everything from choosing glasses for your face shape to finding the right trouser length. Style knowledge that once required genuine effort to find is now delivered between funny

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KIEHLS MEN TONER OIL ELIMINATOR REFRESHING SHINE CONTROL TONER

MENS-MOISTURISER

MEN MOISTURISING CLEANSER

NIVEA FACE WASH

VITAMIN C SERUM

EMMY COLLINS & KELECHI AMADI OBI

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Sunday, August 23, 2026 Vol. 22, No. 11422

I am extremely hands-on—probably more than I should be! I personally designed and shaped almost every aspect of LURÈ BEAUTY as a brand, from the products themselves to the ingredients, formulations, textures, fragrances, marketing, branding, packaging, bottles, labels and the overall customer experience.

I wanted everything to feel 100% curated and intentional. Nothing was created simply to fill a shelf.

Every detail had to make sense and feel true to the LURÈ identity.

Hopefully, as LURÈ grows, I will be able to delegate more and build a strong team that can carry parts of that responsibility with me. But even then, I know I will always be involved to some degree because I genuinely love these products and I love creating them.

For me, LURÈ isn’t just a business I built; it is something I have poured a great deal of myself into. Every product carries a piece of my vision, and that is why I take the development process so personally.

Mariam Timmer first became familiar to many viewers as one of the outspoken, memorable personalities on The Real Housewives of Lagos, where audiences got a glimpse of her friendships, family life, style, and larger-than-life personality.

Away from the cameras, however, Mariam has been steadily building another side of her story as the founder and CEO of LURÈ Beauty, a luxury organic skincare brand centred on effective skincare, self-care and community. Since launching LURÈ, she has grown the brand’s retail presence, taken its pop-up experiences to Lagos and Abuja and begun laying the groundwork for further expansion. And while the beauty market is certainly not short of skincare brands, Mariam believes there is room for LURÈ to carve out an identity of its own. In this interview with Yinka Olatunbosun, she talks about why she ventured into beauty, what sets LURÈ apart in an increasingly crowded market, the products she personally swears by, and what is next for the brand.

What has surprised you most about the business of beauty since launching your own skincare brand?

Before LURÈ, I understood branding and PR professionally, but building a beauty brand has given me an entirely different perspective. You can create a beautiful product, but there are so many layers behind making people discover it, trust it, experience it, and ultimately make it part of their lives. I’ve also been surprised by how personal beauty is. Everyone has a different relationship with their skin, their body and their definition of feeling beautiful. Listening to our customers has taught me that people aren’t simply looking for products—they want products they can trust and experiences that make them feel good.

Another thing that surprised me is how much attention to detail matters. From a product’s fragrance and texture to the bottle, label, packaging, photography, and even how it is presented in a store, everything shapes how people perceive a brand. And perhaps the biggest surprise has been how emotionally invested I have become. I knew I would love LURÈ, but I didn’t realise just how much I would care about every product, every customer and every detail.

By Yinka Olatunbosun Let’s start at the beginning. Why did you decide to launch LURÈ Beauty, and was there a particular skincare need or experience that inspired the brand?

LURÈ BEAUTY began in 2017, driven by my desire to create something deeply personal. After years of helping other brands tell their stories through PR, I wanted to build a brand that reflected my own values, creativity, and vision.

I have always believed that skincare should be more than a routine. It should be an experience—something that makes you feel good about yourself. I wanted to create products that combined carefully selected organic ingredients with beautiful textures and luxurious fragrances, while making self-care feel effortless and intentional. That became the foundation of LURÈ BEAUTY.

LURÈ positions itself as a luxury organic skincare brand. What makes a skincare product worth paying a premium for when there are so many affordable alternatives?

For me, premium pricing should never be about simply putting a higher price on a product. It has to be justified by the quality, the experience, the attention to detail and the value you are giving the customer.

With LURÈ, we are very intentional about the ingredients we select, the textures we create, the fragrances, the packaging and the entire experience from the moment someone discovers the brand to the moment they use the product. Our Organic Shea Butter, for example, is made with unrefined Grade A shea butter because I wanted to preserve the ingredient’s natural qualities rather than compromise what goes into the product.

But luxury isn’t only about ingredients. It’s about intention. It’s about how a product feels in your hands, how it feels on your skin, how it smells, how it fits into your lifestyle and how confident you feel using it.

The beauty industry is already incredibly saturated, with new skincare brands launching constantly. Did that ever make you hesitate, and what convinced you there was still room for LURÈ?

Of course I thought about it. Any entrepreneur who enters a crowded market has to ask themselves, “Why me, and why now?” But I never believed the answer was simply to create another skincare brand. I believed there was room for LURÈ because I saw an opportunity to create a different kind of skincare experience— one that brings together carefully selected natural ingredients, beautiful fragrances, indulgent textures, and a sense of everyday luxury. For me, LURÈ isn’t about competing by being louder. It’s about being intentional and creating a brand people can feel connected to. I wanted skincare to feel less like a routine and more like a personal ritual—a moment of self-care that people genuinely look forward to.

Take us through the LURÈ range. What products do you currently offer, and what skin concerns are they designed to address?

The LURÈ range is designed as a complete body-care ritual, with each product serving a different purpose. Our Organic Shea Butter is made from unrefined Grade A shea butter, retaining it’s naturally occurring nutrients and beneficial properties. It is rich, deeply nourishing, and designed to moisturise and soften the skin from the surface, helping support healthy-looking, supple skin.

Our Organic Vanilla & Shea Butter combines the richness of Grade A shea butter with the warm, beautiful organic fragrance of vanilla, creating an indulgent moisturising ritual. Our Golden Cares Coconut Elixir is a fragrant body oil— lightweight, nourishing and designed to leave the skin feeling soft, smooth and beautifully radiant while adding a luxurious scent to the body-care experience.

Then we have our Glow Polish Collection, featuring our Lumière Citrus Lavender, Radiant Orange, and Radiant Lavender Foaming Exfoliating Sugar Scrubs. They are designed to exfoliate, brighten the appearance of dull skin, improve the look of uneven texture and help reduce the appearance of body hyperpigmentation with consistent use. We know concerns about uneven skin tone and body hyperpigmentation are incredibly common, so we wanted our scrubs to go beyond simple exfoliation—designed to be part of a consistent body-care ritual focused on revealing smoother, brighter, more radiant-looking skin.

What I love most is how the collection works together: exfoliate, brighten, nourish, moisturise and finish with fragrance. It is skincare, but it is also an experience.

Every founder secretly has a favourite. Which LURÈ product could you personally never do without, and why?

Honestly, this is such a difficult question because I love every LURÈ product. They are all very close to my heart because I have personally been involved in bringing each one to life, and each product was created with a different purpose in mind.

But if I absolutely had to choose, my three favourites would be our Golden Cares Coconut Elixir, Organic Vanilla & Shea Butter, and our Glow Polish Collection.

How involved are you in developing the products—from deciding what LURÈ launches next to ingredients, formulations, textures and packaging?

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Beyond LURÈ, you are also a wife, mother and familiar face from The Real Housewives of Lagos. How do you manage all these different parts of your life without feeling pulled in every direction?

I don’t think I have mastered the art of balancing everything perfectly—and I’m not sure anyone really does. For me, it’s about being intentional with my priorities and understanding that different seasons of my life require different things from me. My family will always come first. Being a wife and a mother is part of who I am, and I deeply value it; I never want my ambition to come at the expense of being present for the people I love. At the same time, I’m a woman with big dreams. I have LURÈ, my PR career and Six Sixteen Agency, my philanthropic work through The Nova Pearl Initiative, and my media journey. Each represents a different part of me, and I don’t believe I should have to choose between being a mother and being ambitious.

There are definitely days when it feels overwhelming, but I’ve learned to give myself grace. I prioritise what truly matters, delegate where I can, and remind myself that I don’t have to do everything perfectly—I just have to remain present and purposeful.

mariam

TIMMER

BETTING BIG ON BEAUTY

Being on The Real Housewives of Lagos puts everything from your personality to your beauty choices in front of a huge audience. Has being on television changed your relationship with beauty or the way you present yourself?

Television has definitely made me more conscious of presentation, but it hasn’t changed who I am.

If anything, it has made me more confident in understanding what works for me and embracing my individuality.

Being on television means you’re constantly being seen, so there is naturally more attention to your skin, hair, makeup and overall appearance. But I’ve learned that beauty isn’t about trying to look perfect all the time. It’s about feeling confident and comfortable in your own skin. Interestingly, television also made me appreciate skincare even more. Makeup can create a beautiful finish, but healthy-looking skin is the foundation. That philosophy is part of what I bring into LURÈ BEAUTY—I want people to care for their skin before they think about covering it.

You spend a lot of time thinking about skincare, so give us one beauty or skincare tip you absolutely swear by—and one popular beauty habit you think we should probably stop doing.

One thing I absolutely swear by is consistent exfoliation and moisturising. I believe exfoliating your body two to three times a week is a good routine for most people.

Finally, after building a business around beauty and self-care, what does beauty mean to you personally today?

Beauty means confidence, authenticity and how you feel within yourself. The older I get, the more I realise that beauty isn’t about perfection or trying to fit into someone else’s definition of what beautiful should look like. For me, beauty is taking care of yourself, embracing who you are, and having the confidence to walk into a room without feeling the need to become someone else.

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Sunday, August 23, 2026 Vol. 22, No. 11422

Sunday, August 23, 2026 Vol. 22, No. 11422

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UT H

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COVER

Sunday, August 16, 23,2026 2026Vol. Vol.22, 22,No. No.11415 11422

Sunday, Sunday,August August23, 16,2026 2026Vol. Vol.22, 22,No. No.11422 11415

DANIEL

AMOKACHI THE BULL

D

BY YINKA OLATUBOSUN

COVER

TR

aniel Amokachi has been called “The Bull” for so long that the nickname has almost become part of his name. It came from the way he played football: fast, powerful and difficult to stop. At his peak, defenders who stood in his way often found themselves reduced to helpless spectators as he powered past them. Years after his last professional game, the nickname remains, as does the unmistakable presence that made him one of the most recognisable figures of a remarkable era in Nigerian football.

He had that same presence when he walked in for a recent encounter in Lagos. Amokachi is 53 now, retired from professional football but hardly removed from the game. His life has moved through playing, coaching, sports administration, grassroots development and, increasingly, mentoring another generation. Football is also very much a family affair. He often splits his time between Nigeria and Turkey, where his sons, Kalim and Nazim, are training to become professional footballers. Married to Nadia, a Tunisian woman, Amokachi is quite cosmopolitan but still exudes the Naija spirit.

There is a lot to ask a man who has lived this much football. There are also things he has no intention of discussing.

“I am an open book and at the same time, a closed chapter sometimes,’’ he warned carefully before the conversation began.

Privacy is to be respected. Politics is a forbidden topic. Everything else leaves quite a story.

A

mokachi’s story began in Kaduna, long before the Olympic gold medal, the World Cups, Everton, the FA Cup or the European football career that would make him a household name. Born on December 30, 1972 and of Idoma descent, he came to national limelight in 1988 when he broke into the first team at Ranchers Bees FC of Kaduna in the second half of the Nigeria Division One League season.

His journey into football wasn’t an accident; only his injury was.

National team coach Clemens Westerhof spotted the young striker and recruited him to play for Nigeria at the 1990 African Nations Cup. Amokachi was still a teenager, but his combination of speed, technique and physical strength was already difficult to ignore. Club Brugge soon came calling, taking him from Kaduna to Belgium and into European football.

In 1992, he scored the first UEFA Champions League goal for Club Brugge. By 1994, he was part of the Nigerian side that won the African Cup of Nations and went on to the FIFA World Cup in the United States. It was a generation that would become one of the most celebrated in Nigerian football history, and Amokachi was right in the middle of it.

Everton signed him for £3 million under manager Mike Walker. He won the FA Cup with the English club in 1995. Then came Atlanta 1996, where Nigeria’s football team won Olympic gold and Amokachi scored in the final against Argentina.

For a boy who had started out playing football in Kaduna, life had changed spectacularly.

And Amokachi certainly lived it.

“I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to football. I went bankrupt at 27. I didn’t have any investments. I was young,’’ he recounted. “At the age of 17, I was driving a Porsche. I was

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the only player in Belgium then driving a Porsche. I was one of the few players with a private jet. I was modelling and meeting all the superstars in the world.’’

In actual fact, he was the first Nigerian player to have his name on a private jet which was arranged for him by his club’s President and an American airline to fly him anywhere he wanted.

It was an extraordinary life for someone so young, but the years that followed would show him another side of professional sport.

Shortly before the World Cup in 1998, Amokachi got injured and had to undergo surgery. Six months later, the doctor told him he couldn’t play football anymore.

Nothing prepared him for the sudden change of fortune. When an irreversible injury occurs to an elite athlete, the consequences can extend well beyond the physical. Salaries and sponsorships can stop, endorsements can disappear and a career that has shaped a person’s entire identity can suddenly become uncertain. For Amokachi, financial trouble compounded the situation.

But he had one safeguard he hadn’t put in place himself.

“Why I stayed afloat was because of the investment my dad made for me in real estate. I didn’t consciously make any investments then on my own. But I was able to navigate all of that by the grace of God, good family and friends around me. That allowed me to reflect on life. I always thank God for checking me in the early years and that’s the obstacle I overcame.”

His playing career would continue beyond that difficult period, taking him to Beşiktaş and Colorado Rapids in the United States and extending into the 2000s. Across his international career, he made 44 appearances for the Super Eagles and scored 13 goals.

What the experience did was force him to think about life beyond stardom.

Some of the habits football had given him remained. Discipline was one. Fitness was another, and it is something Amokachi has carried well into retirement.

“I am an old man now but a sexy old man. Back then, I got a lot of brand endorsements and it was a look I really enjoyed. I love keeping fit. I try as much as possible to use the gym five to six times a week. As they say, exercise is the best medicine you can give yourself. I try to do that,” he said with smiles.

Football, too, remained a constant. When his playing days ended, Amokachi moved to the other side of the touchline.

He managed Nasarawa United and later Enyimba Aba and served at different times as assistant coach of the Nigerian national team. In April 2007, he quit his role as assistant coach of the Super Eagles, returning in April 2008 as assistant to Shuaibu Amodu. He would later serve as assistant to Stephen Keshi. In 2015, Amokachi managed Ifeanyi Ubah F C, resigning after five weeks in the post, and in January 2016, he was named manager of JS Hercules. His post-playing career has also included roles with FIFA and CAF. But one of the most important relationships in Amokachi’s football life began long before he became a coach himself.

While watching past videos of his football and coaching days, his eyes were filled with tears. The footage showing another football legend, Stephen Keshi, triggered his emotions.

“We worked together as coaches but our relationship went beyond that,’’ he continued. “He took me in at 17. He was the first Nigerian player that went to Belgium. He nurtured me as a human being and as a coach. It is sad that some good people die early. My crying was for him. Crying is healthy. If you don’t do it, do it once in a while, especially when you come from a country like Nigeria.”

He eulogised Stephen Keshi and Amoudu Shuaibu as patriots who gave everything to the country and unfortunately, died in the same week.

“They took Nigeria to two World Cups,’’ he recalled.

There is something significant about that relationship when viewed against where Amokachi finds himself today. Keshi helped nurture him as a 17-year-old and, years later, the two men worked together as coaches. Now Amokachi is increasingly concerned with what his own generation can pass on to the next.

At home, that next generation includes his sons.

Reflecting on how they have taken after him in football, he revealed that their choices are backed by their individual interests.

“Every one of them has that passion,’’ he continued. “Each one

Sunday, August 23, 2026 Vol. 22, No. 11422

does his part and we, as parents, try to push them forward in life. I am happy that they enrolled themselves into football and hopefully, they can take the name and legacy forward.”

The idea of parents actively encouraging their children into football still strikes him as an enormous shift from the attitudes he encountered growing up.

“I think my generation was more discouraging when it came to football.

Back then, you had to be a doctor or a teacher, lawyer or engineer. But then for me, football is a passion. A lot of players in my generation broke into the realm early. When you have a breakthrough in football, life changes. You would start living a better life. They see now that it is profitable. We didn’t need to sing the praise of football. The parents are the ones singing it to their communities that the path their children are on is a profitable one.”

His own beginnings were far removed from the highly organised academies and carefully managed career paths available to some young footballers today.

“We were raised tough. Sometimes, we had to walk to the venue of our matches. We didn’t joke with football. We knew we had to win.”

That understanding of what opportunity can mean to a talented young person now informs much of Amokachi’s work away from professional coaching.

He set up the Daniel Amokachi Eduplus Youth Development Foundation, combining sports training with education and empowerment. Its focus includes the UN Sustainable Development Goals on zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, peace, justice and strong institutions. By organising street-level football programmes, Amokachi has been able to discover talents and offer underprivileged youths a pathway to success.

The work fits into a broader post-playing career that has moved between football, national service and youth development. In 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed him as a special assistant on sports. Amokachi expressed gratitude for being entrusted with the job and wished he could do more.

That desire to do more is also what he says attracted him to his role as a brand ambassador for 22Bet. For Amokachi, the partnership offers an opportunity to extend his grassroots work beyond Nigeria.

“There are several legends out there that could easily be standing where I am today. But by the special grace of God, I am standing here. I have worked with agencies before. This is a Pan-African project and it gives me more room to do more for Nigerians and the entire continent through the CSR projects. That is the core reason why I accepted the contract. 22Bet is an organization that has values like I do.

“Now, I am collaborating with 22BET to see what we can do more for the continent. They speak the same language of football as I do. They care about the community and they have the same passion. It was easy to go with the deal. The partnership is not about me. It is about how to help others make money.”

His work has also earned international recognition. Daniel Amokachi was named a United Nations Football for the Goals (FFTG) Champion, becoming the first and only retired Nigerian footballer chosen for the global initiative. He was unveiled at the United Nations Headquarters in New York as part of the ‘One World, One Game, One Goal: Football for the Goals’ initiative to promote youth mental health and sustainable development through sport.

It is another chapter in a football life that has stretched far beyond what happened during 90 minutes on a pitch.

Amokachi has been the teenager trying to make his name at Ranchers Bees, the young Nigerian star adjusting to life in Belgium, the striker defenders struggled to contain, an African champion, an FA Cup winner and an Olympic gold medallist. He has also been the 27-year-old confronting bankruptcy, the injured footballer forced to consider what might happen if the game disappeared, the coach standing alongside men who once mentored him and, now, the father watching his own children pursue the same sport.

Perhaps that is why his description of himself at the beginning of the conversation feels particularly fitting.

“I am an open book and at the same time, a closed chapter sometimes,’’ he had said.

There are certainly many chapters.

The most interesting one now may be the one in which The Bull is no longer trying to outrun defenders, but trying to make sure the young people coming behind him have somewhere worth running to.

COVER

Sunday, August 23, 2026 Vol. 22, No. 11422

Sunday, August 23, 2026 Vol. 22, No. 11422

Sunday, August 23, 2026 Vol. 22, No. 11422

YOUR CONTENT, THEIR PRIVACY: THE ETIQUETTE OF FILMING AT EVENTS

WHAT NOBODY TELLS YOU ABOUT STARTING RETINOL Retinol has somehow become the skincare ingredient everyone believes they should be using. Fine lines? Retinol.

Breakouts? Retinol. Uneven texture, dark spots, dullness?

Apparently, retinol again.

And there is a good reason for the hype. Retinoids, the vitamin A family that includes over-the-counter retinol and prescriptionstrength options, are among the most studied ingredients in skincare. Used consistently, they can help improve acne, pigmentation, skin texture and signs of ageing.

But starting retinol is not quite as simple as buying a bottle and adding it to your nightly routine. There is an adjustment period, a surprising amount of trial and error, and a very real possibility that your skin may look worse before it starts looking better.

Here is what you should know before your first pump.

You Probably Don’t Need to first introduce retinol. Some acneprone people may also experience Use It Every Night This is where many enthusiastic beginners get into trouble. They buy retinol on Monday and by Wednesday they are applying it every night because more product must mean faster results.

It doesn’t.

Retinol works through consistency over time, not aggression. Start with once or twice a week, particularly if you have sensitive or dry skin. Once your skin is comfortable, you can gradually increase the frequency. Some people eventually use it nightly; others get excellent results using it three or four times a week.

A Tiny Amount Really Is Enough

When instructions say “pea-sized”, believe them. That amount should generally be enough for your entire face.

Applying a thick layer won’t accelerate the process. It is far more likely to leave you wondering why the corners of your nose are peeling off.

Dot a small amount across your forehead, cheeks and chin, then spread it gently. And be careful around naturally sensitive areas such as the eyes, nostrils and corners of the mouth unless your particular product is formulated for them.

unprotected skin to UV radiation, you are working against yourself.

Use a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or temporary breakouts as existing clogged pores come to the surface higher every morning and reapply when appropriate, especially with faster.

But there is an important distinction prolonged outdoor exposure. And between an adjustment period and yes, this applies to darker skin too. Melanin offers some natural skin that is simply irritated. protection, but not enough to make Persistent burning, significant sunscreen optional. redness, swelling, cracking or painful peeling isn’t something you should bravely “push through”.

Results Are Much Slower Reduce the frequency or stop and Than Social Media allow your skin barrier to recover.

Suggests Skincare should not feel like an Nobody applies retinol on Friday endurance sport. and wakes up with glass skin on Monday. Some changes in texture Moisturiser Is About to or acne may become noticeable Become Your Best Friend after several weeks, while If you’re worried about irritation, improvements in pigmentation try the “sandwich” method: and fine lines can take months. moisturiser, retinol, then another The dramatic before-and-after light layer of moisturiser. It can photographs online rarely show the soften the impact without requiring boring middle: weeks of ordinaryyou to abandon retinol completely. looking skin, careful moisturising Also, pay attention to when you and resisting the temptation to apply it. Applying retinol to damp keep switching products. skin can increase penetration Retinol rewards patience more than and potentially cause irritation, enthusiasm. so beginners may find it easier to cleanse, let the skin dry properly, And Sometimes, Retinol and then apply.

Sunscreen Is No Longer Negotiable

Technically, sunscreen was never supposed to be negotiable. Retinol simply makes the contradiction of using sophisticated skincare at night and ignoring sun protection during the day even harder to Your Skin Might Throw a justify.

Small Tantrum If you are trying to improve Dryness, tightness, mild flaking and irritation can happen when you pigmentation, texture and signs of ageing while repeatedly exposing

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These days, going to an event often means appearing in somebody else’s content whether you planned to or not.

At a concert, fashion show, art exhibition, wedding or even a small gathering, phones are constantly out. Someone is taking pictures, another is filming a Reel, while somebody else is livestreaming the experience.

Content creation has become a natural part of how we document events, and there is nothing wrong with that. The problem begins when getting the perfect shot becomes more important than respecting the people sharing the space with you. A ticket may give you access to an event, but it does not give you unlimited access to everyone attending it. Privacy, personal space and basic consideration still matter. Here are six things every content creator should remember.

Simply Isn’t for You

Sensitive skin conditions, certain medications and other circumstances can change whether or how you should use a retinoid. Retinoids are generally avoided during pregnancy, and anyone dealing with persistent irritation, eczema, rosacea or significant acne should consider getting individual advice from a dermatologist rather than experimenting indefinitely.

By Yinka Olatunbosun

1. Being at an Event Is Not Automatic Consent

There is a difference between appearing briefly in the background of a crowd shot and becoming the subject of someone’s content.

If you are filming someone at close range, focusing on their reaction, interviewing them unexpectedly or featuring them prominently in a video, asking for permission is simply good manners. This becomes even more important when the content is intended for a large audience or commercial platform.

Attending an event does not automatically mean agreeing to become part of someone else’s content.

security reasons why someone would rather stay out of your frame.

You rarely know the circumstances of the person standing beside you, which is why a little awareness matters.

3. Your Content Shouldn’t Ruin Someone Else’s Experience

Everyone came to enjoy the event, including those who are not creating content.

Holding a phone above your head for long periods, blocking someone’s view with a tripod, using bright video lights or repeatedly staging shots in a crowded area can quickly become disruptive.

Getting good content should not require everyone around you to accommodate your production.

2. Not Everyone Wants to Be Sometimes getting the shot means moving aside, filming quickly, or Online Social media may be a huge part of accepting that the perfect angle isn’t everyday life, but that does not mean worth inconveniencing other guests. everyone is comfortable appearing 4. Some Moments Simply on it.

Some people deliberately keep their Shouldn’t Become Content lives private. Others may not want Events bring out emotion. People their location shared in real time or dance, laugh, cry, argue, celebrate, their presence at a particular event drink, hug and occasionally do broadcast to strangers. There may things they probably would not want also be personal, professional or replayed online the next morning.

Not every interesting moment needs to become a viral one.

Filming someone who is visibly upset, intoxicated, distressed or caught in an embarrassing situation may generate engagement, but that does not make it fair game. The same caution should apply when children are involved.

There is a difference between documenting an event and turning someone else’s vulnerable moment into entertainment.

5. A Casual Video Can Have Real Consequences

Once something is online, you have very little control over where it travels.

A ten-second clip can be downloaded, reposted, taken out of context and circulated far beyond its original audience. Someone may suddenly find themselves answering questions from family, colleagues or strangers about a moment they never chose to make public.

Real-time posts can also reveal a person’s location. Before uploading, consider whether everyone clearly visible would reasonably be comfortable being identified. Blurring a face, changing the angle or waiting before posting can sometimes make all the difference.

6. Good Creators Know When to Put the Camera Down

Professionalism isn’t only about beautiful footage, clever editing, or impressive engagement numbers. It is also about judgement.

Creators who inconvenience guests, ignore requests not to film or treat everyone around them as potential content eventually develop a reputation for it. Event organisers notice too. Too many complaints about intrusive filming can lead to stricter rules on cameras, equipment and content creation.

Knowing when to ask permission, when to move out of someone’s way and when not to post something is part of being a responsible creator.

N.B. Content creation is now firmly woven into the event experience, and that is unlikely to change. But documenting a good time should not come at the expense of someone else’s privacy or comfort. The best event content captures the atmosphere without making everyone else feel as though they accidentally walked onto your set.

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Sunday, August 23, 2026 Vol. 22, No. 11422

Sunday, August 23, 2026 Vol. 22, No. 11422

FIVE AFRICAN

ARTISTS

WORTH KNOWING NOW

SECOND TIME LUCKY: LOVE AFTER DIVORCE

stages, ghosting and an entire vocabulary you may have happily missed while married. Friends want to introduce you to people.

Relatives suddenly remember every eligible divorcee or widower Nobody gets married within a 20-kilometre radius. irritates them, what makes them expecting to do it twice.

Then there is the vulnerability of happy, what they need from a telling someone new your story.

The first time usually partner and which behaviours they Why did the marriage end? How comes with certainty. You are no longer prepared to excuse. long have you been divorced? have found your person, That self-knowledge can change Are you truly ready for another everyone is celebrating, the the kind of person you choose. relationship?

Chemistry still matters, of course, photographs are beautiful There is no perfect way to but so do kindness, emotional and forever feels perfectly navigate it. You learn as you go. maturity, financial responsibility, reasonable. Then, for some communication and whether couples, forever ends.

Children Change the you actually enjoy spending There are lawyers, difficult an ordinary Tuesday evening Equation conversations, divided together.

When children are involved, falling belongings and, where The butterflies are welcome. in love again is rarely just about children are involved, the Peace is even better. two people. complicated business of A new partner may eventually learning how to remain become part of a family that You Stop Romanticising parents when you are no already has its own history, Potential routines and loyalties. Children longer partners.

One of the great traps of early may be excited, indifferent or After all that, falling in love is falling for who somebody deeply resistant. Former spouses love again can feel almost might become. Perhaps they will may still be present because coridiculous. communicate better eventually. parenting requires it.

Yet people do. They date, fall Perhaps marriage will make them This is where patience matters. more responsible. Perhaps that hopelessly in love, remarry Nobody needs to become and discover that the end of annoying habit will disappear.

“Mummy” or “Daddy” overnight. one marriage did not mean Experience has a wonderful way The healthiest second marriages of curing some of that optimism. the end of their chance at often understand that a new After divorce, people are often relationship doesn’t need to erase a happy relationship. In more interested in what is actually the family that came before. fact, for some people, love in front of them. Not the potential There is room to build something the second time around husband or wife, but the person new without pretending the past feels better precisely as they are today. It may sound never happened. less romantic, but it can make for because they are no longer a much healthier relationship. approaching it with the

innocence of the first.

You Know Yourself Better There is something to be said for meeting love when you already know who you are. By the time many divorced people begin dating seriously again, they have lived a little. They know what

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Dating Can Be Awkward Again

Of course, getting back out there is not all newfound wisdom and fabulous dinner dates.

Dating after years of marriage can be deeply strange. The rules have changed. There are apps, talking

You May Be More Afraid This Time

People assume divorce makes you cynical. Sometimes it simply makes you careful.

Once you know that a marriage can end, saying “I do” again carries a different weight. You have already experienced what

happens when things do not work out. You know love alone cannot solve every problem.

That fear is not necessarily a bad thing. It can lead to conversations people sometimes avoid the first time: money, children, expectations, sex, religion, family interference, where to live and what marriage actually means to each person. Romance is lovely.

Clarity is useful.

African contemporary art has long moved beyond being treated as a discovery. Its artists are commanding major exhibitions, entering important collections, winning international prizes and creating work that speaks as confidently to local histories as it does to global conversations.

What makes the current moment particularly exciting is the sheer range of practices coming from the continent. Scrap metal becomes sculpture, discarded jute sacks cover entire buildings, painting interrogates extraction and labour, while installation becomes a way of telling stories about memory, identity and society. From established names with decades of work behind them to younger artists shaping what comes next, these five artists offer very different reasons to pay attention.

The Past Still Needs to Stay in the Past

A second partner should not have to spend the relationship paying for the mistakes of the first.

That can be easier said than done. Betrayal can make trust difficult. A controlling marriage can make normal compromise feel threatening. Years of criticism can leave someone defensive long after the person doing the criticising has gone.

Moving forward does not require forgetting what happened, but it does require recognising when an old wound is entering a new relationship. Nobody wants to be arguing with an ex who is not even in the room.

Second Love Can Feel Different

Perhaps that is the nicest surprise.

Love after divorce may not have the same innocence as first love, but it can have something equally valuable: perspective. You know relationships require work.

You understand that attraction changes, life gets complicated, and people will occasionally disappoint each other.

And still, you choose someone.

There is something rather romantic about that.

DOTUN POPOOLA (NIGERIA)

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otun Popoola is a Nigerian metal sculptor known for transforming discarded materials into colourful, intricate works of art. Born in Lagos in 1981, he holds degrees in Fine and Applied Arts, specialising in sculpture and painting. After training in various art studios, he became certified as a hybrid metal sculptor in 2015.

His accolades include the Director General’s Award for Best Artist of the Year at the 2009 NYSC Arts Competition.

Popoola has exhibited extensively, from ARTX Lagos to Qatar, India, Turkey, Marrakech, Bahrain and Dubai, while also conducting art workshops internationally. He volunteered at Scrap Festival 2023 in Detroit and spent eight years as a curator at Nigeria’s National Gallery of Arts.

In October 2023, he served as a juror for a steampunk miniature sculpture competition on Vancouver Island, Canada. His work and career have appeared in more than 100 publications worldwide.

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Sunday, August 23, 2026 Vol. 22, No. 11422

Sunday, August 23, 2026 Vol. 22, No. 11422

NATNAEL ASHEBIR (ETHIOPIA)

JEAN DAVID NKOT (CAMEROON)

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ean David Nkot is interested in what lies behind the things the world consumes. A graduate of the Institut de Formation Artistique of Mbalmayo and Institut des Beaux-Arts of Foumban, he also participated in the “Post-Master Moving Frontiers” programme at the École nationale supérieure d’art in Paris-Cergy in 2017. Working across painting, ceramics, sculpture and installation, Nkot examines the human condition and the effects of globalised capitalism. Since 2020, his practice has focused particularly on the exploitation of African raw materials such as cotton, chocolate and minerals, and their social and environmental consequences.

His work has been shown in Miami, New York, London, Paris, Marrakech, and Cape Town, as well as at institutions including Guangdong Times Museum, Institut des Cultures d’Islam, SAVVY Contemporary, and Kunsthalle Krems. His works are held in collections including FRAC Sud, Fondation H, Fondation Blachère, Fondation Almas and the Amir Shariat Collection.

His 2025 solo exhibition, Théâtre des corps, drame de la matière, curated by Christine Eyene, was presented at AFIKARIS, Paris. The gallery presented his solo exhibition at Art Brussels in April 2026.

J

atnael Ashebir, born in 1995, is a prominent Ethiopian multidisciplinary artist living and working in Addis Ababa.

He is regarded as one of the exciting contemporary artists emerging from Ethiopia’s visual arts scene.

His complex work brings personal memories together with wider socio-cultural commentary, examining modern urbanisation, identity and social structures. That combination of the intimate and the societal makes Ashebir an interesting voice among a younger generation of African artists who use personal experience to consider changing environments around them.

PEJU ALATISE (NIGERIA) IBRAHIM MAHAMA (GHANA)

B

orn in Tamale in 1987, Ibrahim Mahama has become one of the most influential voices in contemporary art and the first African artist to top ArtReview’s Power 100. The Ghanaian visual artist is celebrated for monumental, site-specific installations created from materials associated with labour and trade, particularly discarded jute cocoa sacks, timber and industrial remnants. Through them, he explores global economies, colonial histories, inequality and the movement of goods and people. Living and working between Accra, Kumasi and Tamale, Mahama founded the Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art (SCCA), Red Clay Studio and Nkrumah Volini. He has exhibited at Documenta 14, the Venice Biennale and Centre Pompidou, with a solo exhibition at Fondation Cartier, Paris, in 2026. He received the Sam Gilliam Award in 2024 and the Gold Award at the inaugural Art Basel Awards in 2025. His work is held in major public collections worldwide, and he is represented by APALAZZOGALLERY and White Cube.

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orn in Lagos in 1975, Peju Alatise is an interdisciplinary artist, architect and author of two novels who works between Lagos and Glasgow. She studied architecture at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology while running a private art studio, and she works across painting, film, installation, and sculpture.

In 2017, Alatise represented Nigeria at its debut pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale and won the FNB Art Prize. The following year, she founded the Alter-Native Artists Initiative, which provides training programmes and residencies for young emerging artists.

She was selected for the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2020 and participated in Frieze Sculpture in London in 2022. Alatise is a fellow at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African Art, which also collects her work. Her debut novel, Orita Meta, chronicling the interwoven paths of three women, was nominated for the ANA/Flora Nwapa Prize for Women’s Writing in 2006.

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Sunday, August 23, 2026 Vol. 22, No. 11422

Glo c i g Ma . s e l d n u B nteed a r a u G & s u Bon More

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