BOLD F EBRUA R Y
2016
S H A D E S O N GET HOLIDAY READY WITH OUR SUNGLASSES EDIT
THE GIRL WHO CRIED RAPE A LOOK INTO THE SOFTLY HUSHED ISSUES OF GENDER EQUALITY, MISOGYNY AND RAPE
G R A M STA RS AN INTERVIEW WITH DIGITAL AND CULTURE INFLUENCERS OF OUR TIME
Dodos B E AUT Y A N D T H E B E AT
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C ON T E N T S I S S U E 2 - F E B R U A RY 2016
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E D I TO R S L E T T E R
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C O N T R I B U TO R S
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E D I TO R ' S P I C K
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D AT E / F I G H T N I G H T
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SHADES ON
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D O I T FO R T H E G R A M
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MINIS
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G R A M S TA R S
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THE GIRL WHO CRIED RAPE
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A.A.B.G
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Y E E Z Y TA U G H T M E
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EDITOR'S LETTER I S S U E 2 - F E B R U A RY 2016
There is no doubt that we are living in a time where our digital existence is as important as the real deal. From the era of Yahoo/Msn chat rooms to Hi 5, Myspace; we are now in the generation of Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. It is actually impossible to find anyone who isn’t on at least one or two of these social media platforms under the age of 30. Characterised by drama, ‘shade throwing’, and ‘clapbacks’, it is easy to conclude that the Internet space is now the new ‘street’. Somehow words have replaced bullets, and fans/followers are the new gang members. Major companies and brands are not lagging behind, as they are quickly embracing and understanding the impact of the Internet on the general public. With the help of the human factor, also referred to as bloggers and ‘internet’ celebrities, they are taking advantage of the current 4th industrial revolution. With the ability of bloggers to endorse and promote products, services, and everything else, they are quickly becoming the middlemen of the 21st century industrialisation. In this issue, we feature three fast rising social media stars; Bizzle, Dodos, and Zina as our cover personalities. These 3 are undoubtedly iconic individuals, making waves in their respective fields and influencing youth culture in Nigeria. Especially through their activities online. We also feature Temi Otedola (the beautiful and eloquent fashion blogger on the rise) in an editorial where she gives her own interpretation on some of this years spring and Instagram inspired trends.
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This issue is also packed with perfect fashion finds, as we focus on the 2 must have accessories this season, as well as a master class on how to win the battle of the sexes in the bedroom in our date/fight night editorial. It is undeniable that the Internet has revolutionised how we communicate. Although the importance of twitter and Instagram are undeniable, social media platforms tend to be a double-edged sword. Our activities on these platforms expose some of the fundamental problems we have as a nation, mainly with human rights, mental/emotional trauma, and sexual violence. Shedding more light on some of these problems is a piece written by Seyi Fajemirokun a young promising writer in the aptly titled feature; ‘the girl who cried rape’. Nigeria is undoubtedly the Lion of Africa and in the words of Mandela, “The world will not respect Africa until Nigeria earns that respect. The black people of the world need Nigeria to be great as a source of pride and confidence”. We are a nation not only plagued by corrupt leaders but also a nation that has a nonchalant attitude towards upholding basic human rights and fighting for what is just. I know we can be better and it starts with educating ourselves, owning up to our mistakes, upholding justice and ensuring that the next generation have great foundations on how to be better world citizens. Happy New Year and welcome to Bold 2.0
x
Bella December 2015
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E D I TO R I N C H I E F A N D C R E AT I V E D I R E C T I O N : AD E P EJ U B E LL A AD E LE KE
A RT D I R E C T I O N :
AD EMOLA OD USAM I & SOMTOC HU KW U OB I
F E AT U R E S W R I T E R : RUTH SEYI FAJ E M I ROKU N
DESIG N:
ANA OSPI NA & NIYI OKEOWO
C O N T R I B U TO R S :
AYO OLA BAKARE , DAMI KHAD IJA , LAD I MIC HE AL , D OLLY OKU NSAYA , AND RE E MARI E ETTI E N, M OBO LA J I LAMI DI , OLUWATOYIN JOLAPAMO, LEYLARH C ARD NE , RASHE E DA AD EOSU N AND RASHI DA B L AI R
T H A N K S TO :
B IZZLE , ZINA , D ODOS, TE M I OTE D OL A , AL ANI , NQOB I LE , STON EB RID G E BOXIN G GYM , MAYA SALE H AND PAPA TANG O
PRESS ENQUIRIES : be b o ld @ b mafric a.c o m
C O P Y R I G H T 2015 B O L D M A G A Z I N E A F R I C A P U B L I C AT I O N S LT D
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EDITOR'S PICK
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ARMANI PRIVE Pivoine Suzhou £110
GIVENCHY
Antigona large black canvas £1,250
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BALENCIAGA Race Runners £375
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Eyes to kill in Excess mascara £30
6 K E NZO
Suede Espadrilles £175 16
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I T ’ S G R E Y A N D C O L D I N T H I S P A RT O F T H E W O R L D , Y E T O U R H E A RT S C A N O N LY LO N G F O R T H E B L I S S T H AT I S S P R I N G . S P LU R G E A L I T T L E O N A LOT O F I N V E S T M E N T P I E C E S A N D W AT C H B OT H Y O U R W A L L E T S A N D W A R D R O B E S B E S U M M E RT I M E R E A D Y . H E R E I S A L I S T O F M Y M U S T H A V E S F O R T H I S S E A S O N .
4 U R B A N D EC AY Naked Palette 3 £38.50
5 ASPINAL OF LO N D O N
Lizard mini trunk clutch £395
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TOY S H A D E S
SAMSUNG EDGE
FRANC ESCO RUSS O
Jyng Gunmental Sun in candy £25
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£600
Black leaf sandal £500
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Night DATE/FIGHT
W H E N G O I N G TO W A R , YO U M U ST A LW AYS B E W E L L D R E S S E D TO FA C E T H E B AT T L E A H E A D. Creative direction and styling: Bella Adeleke Photography: Ademola Odusami Hair: Andree Marie Essien Make up: Dolly Okusanya
LINGERIE; INTIMISIMI BRIEF; H&M
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LINGERIE SET; M A R KS A N D SP E N C E R
BRIEFS; H&M BLACK BODICE; INTIMISSIMI
BODICE; INTIMISIMI SHOES: CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
HS A DE S O N S U N G L A S S E S C O M E I N D I F F E R E N T S T Y L E F R A M E S - W A Y FA R E R , A V I ATO R S ,
C LU B M A S T E R , C AT E Y E S , O V E R S I Z E D, R O U N D, S Q U A R E F R A M E , D - F R A M E … T H E L I S T G O E S O N . I N D U LG E I N A S TAT E M E N T P A I R T H I S S E A S O N TO D A Z Z L E A N D S TA Y A H E A D O F T H E S T Y L E G A M E W I T H A L I T T L E W A R D R O B E E S S E N T I A L T H AT H AS T H E P O W E R TO TR A N S FO R M A S I M P L E E N S E M B L E TO A S H O W -STO P P E R .
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1. Tom ford £258 2. Linda Farrow Luxe £828 3. Dolce and Gabbana £157 4. Taylor Morris £150 5. Cutler and Gross £310 6. Gentle Monster £167 7. Raybans £193 8. Fendi £310 9. Raybans £143 10. Celine £239 11. Dior £370 12. Gucci £205 13. Victoria Beckham £345 14. Gucci £205
DO IT FOR THE GRAM
FASHION BLOGGER ON THE RISE TEMI OTEDOLA OF JTOFASHION.COM SHOWS US HOW TO WORK THE ONLINE INSPIRED TRENDS THIS SEASON. Creative Direction and Styling:Bella Adeleke and Temi Otedola Make up: Rasheeda Adeosun Photography: Ademola Odusami
DENIM ON DENIM JACKET; MR GARBE S H I R T ; T O PS H O P J E A NS ; T O PS H O P S UN G L A S S E S ; Z A R A SHOES: CHLOE
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DENIM TOP; ASOS DENIM SKIRT: ZARA H A T ; S T Y L I S T ’ S O WN SHOES; MISSGUIDED September December 2014 2015| |B LBAO NLCDK M MAAGGAAZZIIN NEE || 71 71
HAT; MISSONI TOP; CHLOE TROUSERS: ZARA BAG; CHANEL
SHIRT; MR GARBE SKIRT; MISSGUIDED BAG; CHANEL SHOES; ADIDAS STAN SMITH
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B O D I C E ; S T Y L I S T ' S O WN SKIRT; LOUIS VUITTON
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T H E R E A R E T W O KI N DS O F P EO P L E I N T H E W O R L D, P EO P L E W H O D O N OT U N D E R S TA N D T H AT L E S S I S M O R E ( I N R E L AT I O N TO W H AT Y O U C A R RY I N Y O U R H A N D B A G ) , A N D P E O P L E W H O K N O W T H AT A L L Y O U R E A L LY N E E D I S L I P G LO S S , B A N K C A R D, A M O B I L E P H O N E A N D YO U R K E YS . A F E W Y E A RS B A C K , D ES I G N E RS TO O K T H E G O B I G O R G O H O M E A P P RO A C H W I T H H A N D B A G S ; R E M E M B E R P H I L L I P L I M ’ S O V E R S I Z E D P A H S L I ; A N D L E T ’ S N OT FO R G E T T H AT C É L I N E A C T U A L LY N A M E D O N E O F I T ’ S C L A S S I C S A L U G G A G E T O T E , W H I C H I S P R E C I S E LY W H A T I T H A S N O W B E C O M E , L U G G A G E ! D E S I G N E R S H A V E R E A L I S E D T H AT T H E W O R L D H A S N O W G O N E I N T H E C O M P L E T E O P P O S I T E D I R E C T I O N A N D T O T E S A R E S O L A S T S E A S O N . A L M O S T E V E R Y D E S I G N E R H A S R E S U LT E D I N MA KI N G A NAN O O R M I N I VE RS I O N O F TH E I R C L ASS I C S AN D TH IS S P RI N G IT’ S A L L A B O U T I TS Y B I TS Y M I N I AT U R E B A G S T H AT A R E W A Y TO O A D O R A B L E TO R E S I S T. D U E T O T H E I R S I Z E A N D T H E V E R S AT I L I T Y O F M O S T T O T R A N S I T I O N F RO M A C ROS S B O DY B A G TO A N E V E N I N G B A G , T H I S M A K ES T H E M I N I T H E PERFECT IN BETWEEN HOLIDAY BAG AND A MUST HAVE THIS SEASON
W R I T T E N BY T OY I N J O L A PA M O
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1. Chloe £875 2. Fendi £1,700 3. Michael Kors £155 4. Alexander McQueen £1,395 5. Bottega Veneta £1,660 6. Loewe £750 7. Valentino £1,550 8. Aspinal of London £395 9. Saint Laurent £1,095 10. Mark Cross £1,425 11. Stella McCartney £530 12. Anya Hindmarch £795 13. Gucci £1,630 14. Lanvin £690
BOLD
BOLD
A D V E RT I S E W I T H U S For more enquiries bebold@bmafrica.com
GRAM STARS W I T H 2 . 3 B I L L I O N G LO B A L S O C I A L M E D I A U S E RS , I T I S C L E A R T H E M E D I U M I S A N D W I L L C O N T I N U E TO R E D E F I N E O U R R E A L I T I E S . M O L D I N G A N D R E S H A P I N G C O M M U N I C AT I O N I N T H I S G E N E R AT I O N , W E S P E A K TO 3 Y O U N G I C O N S , W H O A R E R E D E F I N I N G TH E I R I N D U STR I ES W ITH TH E I R A C TI V ITI ES I N TH E V I R T U A L S P E C T R U M I N S I D I O U S LY I N F L U E N C I N G T H E N E X T G E N E R AT I O N . A L LO W U S TO I N T RO D U C E Y O U TO O U R “ G R A M S TA R S " .
P H O T O G R A P H Y A N D A RT D I R E C T I O N ; O B I S O M T O . G R O O M I N G A N D M A K E U P ; L E Y L A R H C A R D N E .
ZINA Tell us how it all started…
I moved back to Nigeria December 2013, two days after I did my Grande Orale (sort of like defending a thesis, in the French system) for my Masters in Communication. I felt like the world was officially my oyster. I began working at DDB Lagos the best advertising agency in Lagos if I do say so myself I had interned there once before and felt like it was the perfect place to do my NYSC. Ten months in, the fashion industry completely stole my heart as I had been juggling my position as Brand Director of Style Vitae as well as my column; The Z Files. I eventually got an opportunity to work with the production team for Lagos Fashion & Design Week in October 2014, so I quit my job and succumbed to the fashion industry and voila. You worked at style vitae as one of their directors and now you work as a freelance project manager with Maju; an affordable womenswear brand being one of your foremost and most popular client so far. How was that for you and how was the transition? Being the Brand and Communications Director at StyleVitae was a very interesting experience. One I won’t trade for anything it put me in the forefront of the brand and allowed me extend myself in ways I didn’t imagine. Growing our social media page was the most fun part of it. It became a daily obsession watching the numbers soar. In doing so, I begun to interact with so many people in the fashion & lifestyle industry. This allowed me to understand my market more and gave me a better grasp of the Nigerian fashion industry. Enters Motunrayo about a year later – the woman behind my womenswear brand. She never believes me when I tell her but Maju was my blessing of 2015. There was no transition really because she saw my passion for exactly what it was. She allowed me do me, she focused on her production/clothing and allowed me to express the brand in ways I felt were right and for that I’m very grateful. She let me handle her brand like I had been part of the journey all along, trusting my intuition and discretion. After overseeing the rebranding project in April/May 2015 I became the brand manger shortly after and I’m still loving every moment.
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SOCIAL MEDIA IS THE VOICE OF THE INDUSTRY. THAT’S WHERE THE HEARTBEAT LIVES. YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT HACKING SOCIAL MEDIA AND ITS VOICE, WILL GIVE YOU AN EDGE OVER THE NEXT BRAND
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Why fashion and lifestyle? Girrlllll, I wish I knew. I really wish I knew. Left to me I’d be working in the corporate communications department of an insurance company or something. I’d like to believe I was born into. Corny but true. Having a mother in the fashion forefront of the country kinda rubs off on you. Being her only daughter kind of puts you in that spotlight. My style became a thing people noticed and I am very nonchalant about it so at the beginning it was weird. However, when I realized I can translate this passion for fashion into an income stream, I jumped on it. You seem to be doing a lot of juggling work wise and this is a trend we have noticed in a lot of creatives in Nigeria. is the new normal and why? You have to do what you have to do. I recently started a company called The Style Concierge, co founded with my partner Dedun Kolawole of Style Me Africa simply for this reason. I got tired of juggling work and wanted to “house” them all. The Style Concierge is a brand management service that offer services to brands in the fashion & lifestyle industry. So literally any job that’s thrown my way falls into a subsection of the company services. Brands think I can help in one way or the other and The Style Concierge delivers. I guess you can say it’s the new normal because being a creative your mind has no bounds and you’re willing to delve in whatever project comes your way. How do you find balance in all the chaos Family. I am able to find a balance by keeping my nearest and dearest right by my side. Carrying my loved ones along with all I’m doing helps me have the reality check I need every now and then when work attempts to destabilize to me. Your mum has a unique style of her own and a lot of people have varied opinions and some can be offensive, how do you deal with the issue of being open to scrutiny and all sorts of opinions? You know the thing is, growing up my mother was always on the cover of magazines. I remember being much younger in traffic – I didn’t really understand why my mum was the cover of loads of tabloids. Her style is something I’ve seen my whole life so that’s always been the norm in my mind. Living in the social media era, we get to see all the opinions and you learn to live it with. Maybe when I first moved home, I found comments offensive because I didn’t know the comment sections on blogs were so intense. But now, it’s not that deep, perhaps I’m used to them or I’m just busy with work, I’ve become desensitized to it all. Like you literally read stuff,
chuckle or hiss, and keep it going. It comes with the territory and that’s completely fine. As you are clearly vested in the business of fashion in Nigeria, what are your honest thoughts about it? There’s so much money to be made!! My goodness, I need to tap into that well like yesterday. We are fortunate to be in fashion when it’s thriving and soaring both locally and globally. Nigeria is the new cool. I am just trying to make money from it. I think it’s also a personal battle with my dad. Bless his heart, he doesn’t understand why I am not a lawyer or engineer. You know a career path that’s more generic and straight forward. At the moment, the perks of being an only daughter allow me get away with some things. But I am trying to show him and the world that the business of fashion income stream can match theirs, if not top it * smiles* Do you really think there is enough focus of homegrown brands and building the fast retail sector in Nigeria? I think we are getting there. There’s not enough focus on homegrown brands and building the fast retail sector just yet but it would be unfair to say it doesn’t exist. There’s definitely a presence there. One that is doing fairly okay but can be improved on majorly – I am hoping in the next three to five years we can be more confident in our homegrown brands and its sector alike. What do you think the government should do to help develop this sector? The government should believe in this sector, that’s the first step. For them to genuinely believe it’s a competitive sector. The Bank of Industry is already in place and has been involved in quite a few projects in the fashion industry, including Lagos Fashion & Design Week. Consistency in its presence in the industry can definitely go a long way. How important do you think the role of social media is in this industry? Social Media is the voice of the industry. That’s where the heartbeat lives. You need to understand that hacking social media and its voice, will give you an edge over the next brand. What tips would you give to someone trying to set up a start up in Nigeria It’s okay to fail but it’s not okay to give up. Nigeria is a tough country to hack. You’ve got to keep at it until you’re able to understand its dynamics. Learn from every mistake. Each mistake is a lesson. Okay I’m sounding a bit too cliché but that’s really what has kept me going – whenever one path fails, I use that as a starting point for the next step.
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BIZZL You know you are a bit of an enigma as no one really knows what you do. So just to enlighten our readers can you tell us who Abiodun Osikoya aka Bizzle really is and what he does? Basically, I refer to myself as the connect man in the Nigerian music industry. Social media is my passion and where my expertise lie and I also work as A&R for Mavin Records.
Did you ever think you would have such a huge following online especially on Instagram? To be honest, I didn't really think people will take my page serious because I was doing it for fun. My main purpose on social media was to expose the ever growing Nigerian music industry to the rest of the world and also have a bit of fun while doing it by making people laugh with random pictures and videos from the internet. I started gathering more followers (and frenemies) due to the funny pics and before I knew it my followership grew to over 120k (Twitter and Instagram). Why do you think people follow you? I think it's because I post funny pictures and videos that make them laugh. I am also not afraid to poke fun at myself. We notice that you post all sorts, funny stuff, music, promotional as well as political messages would you say there is a method to your madness? Really there is no method, you just have to be able to balance things up in life. I have been tagged or called a social media guru and I feel truly honoured but really I just try to post a mix of things for my very diverse “followership". Do you think you have a social responsibility to the people who follow you online? In a way I do, that's why I have become more cautious about the things I post.
LE www.bmafrica.com
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IF YOU BUY INTO A FALSE LIFE, AT THE END OF THE DAY YOU HAVE NO ONE ELSE TO ANSWER TO BUT YOU AND YOUR GOD. SO I SAY "CARRY GO!! NA U GO DRINK THE GARRI
We are getting to an era where most information gotten by our generation today is predominantly from social media, the blogs before eventually reaching news stations and publications. Would you say that social media is radically changing how information is passed on in our generation and is this really a good thing? I totally agree that social media has taken over from traditional news and publications in how information is passed on in our generation. I do believe its a good thing because the world is a much smaller place and we're all more aware of what's going on in the world from different perspectives as opposed to certain controlled opinions from big news corporations. How do you think social media will affect the entertainment business in Nigeria in general? Social media has already been incredibly influential in the entertainment business in Nigeria and created exposure around the world. We can only grow from here and hope to make the Nigerian entertainment industry a well respected force around the world. Do you think people see social media as some sort of escapism as most people portray themselves better on social media than in real life? Social media is a platform for people to express themselves as they wish. Unfortunately some people do misrepresent themselves but I always say you take everything you see with a pinch of salt. Do you think we are getting to an age of acceptance where people are buying into this portrayed“social media� life and hoping real life will eventually mirror their virtual cyber representation? If you buy into a false life, at the end of the day you have no one else to answer to but you and your God. So I say "carry go!! Na u go drink the garri,," Do people really slide into DMs as its claimed? Yes they do, but they never slide into mine sha. It's more like me sliding in and getting major 'ELA!!! (Covers face) Do you get people sliding into your DMs requesting ludicrous favours as well? Yes o!!! What do you think is the most important thing people need to remember when creating a profile on social media? You should always think of your social media profile as the landing page for your brand (your 'shop front'). The landing page is possibly the first encounter that someone is going to have with your brand and you would want to make it a lasting impression, one that would engage the visitor and keep them coming back.
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DODO We all Know you as Dodos; the girl with the short hair and enchanting smile on social media, for the sake of those who do not really know you could you introduce yourself to our readers. I am Dodos Uvieghara, a beauty entrepreneur and fashion enthusiast. I currently run D’Artiste Limited a company aimed at providing makeup/beauty services and also the editor of www.iamdodos.com a lifestyle blog. How did you get into blogging? I have always been passionate about beauty and fashion; I am always eager to assist anyone in need of fashion or beauty related advice. I am very much keen on image building and the moment I got involved in blogosphere (the blogging world), (even when I did not have a blog) I was fascinated by how much I could do in terms of influencing the fashion and beauty industry in the littlest way possible. My blog is where I share that with the world. Did you ever think you will grow this big and successful? Well, just to correct that I am not yet big and successful the journey never ends and I am very uncomfortable with being comfortable. I knew that God didn’t give me all these amazing ideas and make me a creative just to torture me. I stay motivated knowing I have more dreams and bigger things to achieve. However, reaching certain milestones has been a reminder that I am on the right track. You have over 25 thousand people following you on Instagram, do you get recognised in public? Lol, Yes and I find it interestingly weird that people actually recognize me in the public. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it, but I do love it when people come up to me and say they know me.
S www.bmafrica.com
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FIND YOUR STYLE AND STICK WITH IT. MAKE SURE YOUR PLATFORM IS AS AESTHETICALLY PLEASING AS POSSIBLE TO YOU – IF YOU LIKE IT, SOMEONE ELSE WILL. YOU CAN’T PLEASE EVERYONE, IF YOU STARTED YOUR PLATFORM FOR YOU, CONTINUE TO FOLLOW YOUR GUT IN MAKING DECISIONS – IT WON’T LEAD YOU ASTRAY. SPEAK TO OTHER CREATIVES, THEY MAY NOT ALWAYS GIVE YOU USEFUL ADVICE BUT THEY’LL MOSTLY BE VERY HELPFUL. COLLABORATE WITH CREATIVE OR BLOGGERS OF SIMILAR INTERESTS. DON’T FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO SAVE AN IDEA, THE MORE CREATIVE ADVICE YOU GIVE OUT, THE MORE CREATIVE YOU BECOME – YOU’RE BASICALLY EXERCISING YOUR CREATIVE MUSCLES AND THEY’LL GET STRONGER.
Do you ever get this surreal sense of stardom? Well when my followers ask for a selfie I’m thinking “are you kidding she actually wants to take a selfie with me?” It is quite surreal on certain occasions. And I’m not even a star.
Is there a method to the madness of capturing the attention of the public? For example do you use statistics and all those SEO tools when posting or you do it when you can? For Youtube I use Google Adwords to determine the title of my videos. For In the west, blogging is a big blogging and Instagram I try to post at lucrative business; you have times when I know I’ll get the most bloggers that work with giant engagement. companies to help reach targeted market, Major endorsements in Do they really work? terms of capsule collections or Yes. They absolutely do. even as far as being the face of some retailing companies as well What advice will you give to up and as brands and so on. Would you say coming bloggers that really want that is the same in Nigeria? to give it a shot No it is not the same in Nigeria, but we “JUST DO IT” unless you start you’ll are slowly getting there. Nigerian never maximize your full potential and brands are now aware that bloggers keep pressing on. Have targets for your and digital influencers have a huge part blog and draw up a schedule as to what to play in reaching out to their target times your blogpost goes out because audience. They are now interested in consistency is key. Bite the bullet, don’t collaborating with bloggers so that’s a dilly-dally, if you don’t do it someone great step. else will take your idea and excel at it. You won’t be able to appeal to Do you think Nigeria has the everybody, find your dedicated potential to create such a market followers and stick to them. pool? I very much think Nigeria has the Can you give us 5 cardinal rules you potential to create such a market pool think every blogger/instawe are a people that love our own and fashionista should follow? believe in our own. Find your style and stick with it. Make sure your platform is as Would you call your blog a hobby aesthetically pleasing as possible to or a business? you – if you like it, someone else will. Hobby You can’t please everyone, if you started your platform for you, continue Why? to follow your gut in making decisions Because I blog without thinking about – it won’t lead you astray. money. Speak to other creative’s, they may not always give you useful advice but Do you use smart internet post they’ll mostly be very helpful. tips for blogging, Instagram? Collaborate with creative’s or bloggers Yes I do, I look at factors like timing, of similar interests. Don’t feel like you demographic but not extensively, my have to save an idea, the more creative blog and Instagram got popular advice you give out, the more creative organically and that has been working you become – you’re basically brilliantly for me so far. exercising your creative muscles and they’ll get stronger.
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RA THE GIRL
PE
WHO CRIED
I N A C O U N T RY I N T H E M I DST O F T U R B U L E N C E O N A N U M B E R O F F RO N TS , A L O O K I N T O T H E S O F T LY H U S H E D I S S U E S O F G E N D E R E Q U A L I T Y, M I S O G Y N Y A N D R A P E I S M U C H N E E D E D. W R I T T E N BY : RU T H ‘ S E Y I ’ FA J E M I RO K U N
Nigeria is a force to be reckoned with, we have toppled South Africa as Africa's leading nation, we are the home of Africa's best known film industry and we had the world singing Ojuelegba, harmonising with Wizkid, Skepta and Drake. The epidermis of Nigeria is a spectacular one. Shiny to the eye, glistening with stars in film, fashion, literature, and music, Nigeria is the capital of the hustler. She (Nigeria) has definitely come a long way. Delving deep into the underbelly of a country that is barely 55 years old, we see through the thick Lagos smog that there is a jungle of issues we are all too happy to sweep into the gutter and pretend don't exist. On a global scale, the last 12-18 months have seen, gender inequality, rape culture and women’s rights brought to the mainstream. From #bringbackourgirls, He for She, the wage gap to #beingfemaleinNigeria. Many of the talking points and hashtags were centred on Nigeria. So why is there such an archaic viewpoint of the female, in a country so desperate to be a true world power? Nigeria is like a beautiful 55-yearold lady, eager to be seen as vibrant, young, and popping even at her age. However she is so stuck in her patriarchal and ancient ways that just don’t work in 2016. Did you know that in 55 years, Nigeria has had only 18 rape convictions in legal history? While in 6 months, Lagos recorded 181 rape cases last year. I’m a writer, maths isn’t my favourite subject, but even the arithmetic just doesn’t add up. Rape and paedophilia are so prevalent. From being taken advantage of by family members, friends and even bosses, to the ritualistic beliefs that sex with a minor will bring riches or cures to ailments and diseases; it’s all too
NIGERIA IS LIKE A B E AU T I F U L 55 Y E A R O L D L A D Y, E A G E R TO B E SEEN AS VIBRANT AND YO U N G AN D POPPING EVEN AT H E R A G E BUT IS SO STU C K I N H E R P AT R I A R C H A L AND ANCIENT W A Y S T H AT J U S T DON’ T WORK I N 2 016 .
clear why Nigeria is 106 out of 136 on the Global Gender Gap Index. As I turn the cogs in my mind and mull over what it is to be Nigerian and proud, I am left with a broken heart and a bland, bitter taste in my mouth. We need to get real and have open and honest dialogue about human rights. With 47.9% of women in the labour force, one would be forgiven for thinking the country was on the up and up when it comes to gender equality. But only 6.7% of women make up parliament, compared to South Africa’s 35.2% and Cameroon’s 20%. 50.4% of females over 15 years old can read and write, while 72.1% of males can. These numbers are nothing short of embarrassing. It’s a dagger to the chest, absorbing the institutional misogyny within the country I love and call home. In a time where black women are the fastest growing demographic of entrepreneurs in the world, it's truly blight on Nigeria’s already harrowing human rights that this is the case. But why wouldn’t it be the case? We’ve been conditioned over and over again to believe that a huge commotion of a wedding day, with the multiple outfit changes, the obligatory Olamide performance and an arena of guests followed by married life and becoming a mother, in that specific order, is the be all and end all of a woman’s life. And if she strides from that, she ia a useless, unwanted failure. I roll my eyes so far back I see my tonsils dangling when I get the questions, “When are you introducing us to your boyfriend? You know you should be getting married soon o!” The culture does nothing to alleviate the pressures of womanhood in Nigeria nor does it help the perception of women
from the point of view of the male gaze. We are meant to be more than sexual objects, ‘efo cooks’, wives and mothers. It’s all interlinked. The plight of women, human rights, rape, education, unemployment, parts of Nigeria's culture and freedom of speech and expression. Once they are tackled and improved upon I believe Nigeria will move from being a “nearly there” to a true world force. Nigeria wants its voice to be heard on international platforms, but why should it be? When the voices of women and men, victims of violence, abuse and oppression have been muffled like boisterous children in a quiet library. Social media, a place where any and everybody's voice is allowed to be heard, has been the court whereby victims screaming through their trauma about their ordeals have been called liars, blamed and laughed at. Sticks and stones may break bones, but words can break minds. Victim blaming, a byproduct of patriarchy is a real problem on social media, especially in the realms Nigerians fall into on the World Wide Web. Where one looks for help and support, they are met with pointed fingers, while others are met with support that’s confined to the rectangle shape of the computer and phone screen. Much like celebrities and charity endorsing and supporting, which is not about empathy but about looking good to others, being part of a movement and raising their profile. We are doing the same thing. The Internet and social media have made it possible that within the blink of an eye, one can become famous. That notoriety is addictive, I mean who doesn’t like www.bmafrica.com
SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVISM IN N I G E R I A F U RT H E R P ROJ E C TS T H E I M A G E T H AT NIGERIANS ARE DOCILE.
getting triple digits in likes on IG while it can become an income stream too? Social media activism in Nigeria further projects the image that Nigerians are docile. #bringbackourgirls didn’t bring back the girls. There wasn’t a totally united front in the country like there was in France after the Charlie Hebdo massacre. Now, as we have seen, having knowledge of suffering indicates an obligation to give assistance. Why present a spectacle of suffering human beings to unconcerned people, if not to draw their attention to it and direct them to action. However in Nigeria the spectacle of trauma often catalyses zero action and thus zero change. The potential of Nigeria passed the surface is clear for all to see. Even in the midst of the tangled vegetation, there is a glimmer of blistering sunlight and as we traipse through the mess a clear path can be forged, as long as we do it together. It starts with education; girls and boys need to be educated compulsorily up until the age of 18. Routes to higher education need to be easily accessible including internships, apprenticeships, trade schools, junior colleges and universities. Culturally, the pressure to be wives and mothers needs to be eradicated. This can be done by allowing people to fall in love and marry when they deem fit. Women’s involvement in politics needs to be a huge focus for the government and for different parties. Thoroughly vetted and educated councillors should teach sex education in schools. Support for rape victims and their family needs to be readily available. Our beloved celebrities need to play a huge part as does the Church and the Imams, all over the country. I have hope; we are only 55 years old. It’s going to take years and years of hard work by all of us to see tangible change, but we can do it. As the national anthem says, ‘The labour of our heroes past’ is what is going to bring about change. Nigeria’s glory can’t and won’t be just skin deep!
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