January envogue by envoguemagazine

JANUARY, 2018

ENVOGUE

MAGAZINE MOTIVATION BOOST

Your New Year Starts here..

WIZKID

Started from the bottom now on top... Lessons for the New Year.

MONOCHROME

How to perfectly rock the classic trend

TONTO DIKE IS BACK

All about her new reality show and many more..

KIMONOS Trendy looks

LOOKBOOK Creating the perfect wardrope and more fashfabness

How To Make A Living Off Social Media

BE YOURSELF LOVE YOURSELF

STAY CONFIDENT &

MAKE THIS YEAR THE BEST FOR YOU. www.envogueng.wordpress.com

ENVOGUE MAGAZINE Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trending envogue_naija envoguemag

editor’s note The new year is here upon us. Welcome to 2018 and welcome to the January 2018 Edition of Envogue magazine your monthly Entertainment and inspirational blockbuster. It’s a new year and it’s an amazing time to be alive, it’s year two thousand and eighteen and we can no longer deny that there are changes occurring in the way we live. A lot of ways in which things are done previously is continually evolving into something else. The protocol has changed, you can learn anything anywhere. The one change that is the focus on this edition is the Impact social media is having on our lives. With almost everyone having a social media profile and with smart phones and amazing apps, new career parts are being created. Being a social media consultant or a fashion influencer was something that was completely non existence in the past but its is now a thriving career part for a lot of people. As it is, most of these social media managers and fashion influencers are self taught but now you can get an online social media course which was started by Condenast Italia. A lot other online courses about making a living off social media are popping up all you have to do is Google it. Making a living off social media is not easy but it can be done as a lot of people are already making there money off social media. This edition will do Justice to that plus the motivational boost you need to make this year the best for you. In this time and age all you have to succeed is at your finger tips. So go ahead and be the best you can be. Do have a nice read. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Chinny Ozota Editor Envogue Magazine

CONTACT US AT .. envoguemagazine93@gmail.com CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS EDITION.. Iris Tan, Emmanuella Moses , John Chucks, Ray Williams

contents Pg 49

Pg 3

MAKING A LIFE OFF SOCIAL MEDIA

WIZKID

STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM NOW ONTOP.. INSPIRATIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR..

Pg 4

MOTIVATION BOOST.. Pg 9 CREATING CONTENT.. Pg 11 BLOGGERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DAIRY.. Pg 12 TRENDY KIMONOS... Pg 16 HOW TO PLAN YOUR PERFECT WARDROPE.. Pg 18 TEKNO & DRAKE... Pg 22 NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS Pg 23

TONTO DIKE IS BACK.. Pg 20

HOW TO ROCK THE MONOCHROME TREND.. Pg 46 ENVOGUE TRAVELLOG Pg 52

LOOKBOOKS Pg 25 2

Kick Start Yo u r Year With These

TIPS

REGARD “If Men could Regard the events of their own lives with more open minds, they would frequently discover that they did not really desire the things they failed to obtain” – Andre Maurois Review your essential priorities; what do you want to do in this New Year? What can you sensibly do? What is most important to you? REMOVE “Why do you hasten to remove anything which hurts your eye, while if something affects your soul, you postpone the cure until next year?” – Horace At times life is hectic. There is too much to do and too little time to do it. Therefore remove the clutter. Do what is important and put aside distraction.

REDUCE “Reduce your plan to writing. The moment you complete this, you will have definitely given concrete form to the intangible desire” – Napoleon Hill. What are your goals? Write them down. Have specific and achievable goals for self, family, work and friends. REASON “Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person” – Albert Einstein. Aim for just enough so you may put your energy into the things that matter. REAL “Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing” – Abraham Lincoln. Be yourself. Be true to your values and beliefs. REFLECT “Life is a mirror and will reflect back to the thinker what he thinks into it” – Ernest Holms. Slow down. Take time to reflect on life lessons in the moment we are lost and found. RELATIONSHIPS “Cherish your Human connections: your relationships with friends and family” – Joseph Brodsky. Love what you have. So here they are! Put these tips in mind and you are going to go a long way before you know it.

WIZKID

STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM NOW ON TOP..... LESSONS FOR THE NEW YEAR

Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun aka Wizkid was born on 16th July, 1990 in Surulere a residential and commercial area of Lagos. He was born into an interfaith household of a Christian mother and a Muslim father. Wizkid started singing at age 11 and at that time he went by the stage name Lilprinz until 2006. Growing up, he listened to songs by King Sunny Ade, Fela Kuti and Bob Marley. During his days as Lilprinz he formed a group called the glorious five with a couple of his church friends. The group managed to release an album prior to disbanding. Wizkid later met OJB Jezreel and it was during this period that he mastered his craft. While visiting OJB’s point Beat studios frequently, he watched 2 Face Idibia record songs for his Grass 2 Grace album. He was also present during the recording sessions for Sound Sultan’s debut album Jagbajantis.

Wizkid mentioned in an interview that Nigerian rapper Naeto C as one of the people who mentored and coached him earlier in his career. When it came to his parents accepting his music, he mentioned that his parents weren’t receptive of choosing music as a career part right from the onset. He had to work very hard in order to gain his father’s trust as a result he had to spend lots of time in the studio. His early collaborations includes contributing to Banky W’s “Omoge You Too Much” a song off the W experience Album. He also worked with Neato C, OJB Jezreel, Ikechukwu and MI. Wizkid’s success started in 2009 when he inked a record deal with Banky W’s Empire Mates Entertainment. He recorded his first studio album “Superstar” after securing a record deal. In early 2010 he released “Holland at your boy” as the Album’s lead single.

In this interview with vogue, he talks about meeting American singer Drake and his personal style...

Wizkid is pretty much the biggest thing in Nigerian pop, which itself seems to advance on the global music stage almost as quickly as the country’s economy, one of the fastest growing in the world. He scored a massive smash last year with “Ojuelegba,” an insatiable rags-to-riches hit with a shoulder- shrugging Afrobeat, which inspired Drake to jump on a remix (the two linked up after expressing mutual admiration over Instagram). “Ojuelegba” is prime and perfect Afropop, characterized by a shuffling, whistling charisma, an elegant rhythm, and a message of positivity and parties. It is distinctly Nigerian, yes, but also— in the way that all songs that worm their way around the world are—an inspirational anthem for many. Wizkid, who at 25 years old already adorns Pepsi ads in his native country, has become almost as known for his trendsetting style as his sound, and his is a thoughtful and fun approach to wardrobe: clean lines and minimalism; a mix of fresh streetwear with traditional Nigerian clothes; and bold, bright accessories.

Here, we discuss style with one of Africa’s biggest stars. First thing I notice is you’re wearing Bape—are you a big streetwear-head? Yeah, I like me some Bape, you know. But I wear anything to be honest. Adyn, Rick Owens, Givenchy, anything. I shop from everywhere. What’s the shopping like in Lagos? I have local tailors out there who make me traditional stuff. So I get material from Lagos, and I have them make me pieces. I mix them up with whatever I wear. I have a whole lot of tailors. The fabrics are from different parts of Nigeria. We have the tie and dye from the western part of Nigeria. We get stuff from the north. I mix it up. Do you wear a lot of traditional Nigerian clothes? When I’m back home, all I wear is African fabric. All I really rock is the traditional stuff. That’s the in thing right now. That’s really coming back. Back in the day, our parents used to wear it every day, and they still do, but now it’s cool for wee young ones to wear it. It’s amazing. We’re doing it differently. We’re having it a little bit more fitted. We have styles on it, embroideries and stuff, by local people, made by hand, designed on it. How would you describe Lagos style? Lagos style is fresh and different. Even with the tailors, they get very innovative with their stuff, with the cuts. When my parents used to make the traditional wares, it was a little bit baggy. But now the tailors are able to infuse the European style, making it slim-fit. Lagos style is different, man. Innovative. And tailors are everything in Nigeria. One hundred percent. The clothes I make back home are proper—properly fitted. Proper, proper. Tailors are A1 back home. What’s your process when you get something made for you? I design everything myself, and I get them to make it. I do a little sketch; sometimes I just sit down with a tailor and describe what I want. Sometimes we go back and forth, like, for days, trying to get it right. Sometimes it’ll take a day to make it, sometimes three, four days. I have a lot of tailors. If I want something made in 12 hours, it will be made in 12 hours. 6

Did I see on Instagram that you met Christian Louboutin? Yeah! And I have a lot of his shoes. I rock everything from high-end fashion to skateboard stuff. We were just at the store getting some shoes, and he walked in. And I was like, That’s the guy! Like, Oh, you owe me some checks, boss. What do you like about his shoes? The shoes are comfortable and fashionable. I can rock them for my shows or just chilling. I notice you love a bright, colorful shoe. Well, I’m actually doing white right now. But I like colorful shoes because most of the time I wear black, so I want it to be where my shoes are popping. I’m wearing Harrods shoes right now. Everything is super-clean with you. Fresh, fresh, fresh. That’s how I like to keep it. It’s hard for me to wear the same thing twice. You’re also not afraid to wear really skinny jeans. No, I’m not afraid to wear skinny jeans! Yeah, I don’t care, man. I rock skinny jeans! What’s your closet situation like? It’s mad. I have my little cousins in my house all the time taking my stuff. Would you ever do your own clothing line? I’m hoping to release a clothing line after my EP, planned for April. It’s going to be tracksuits, T-shirts, hats, and African attire as well. I’ll have a special line for traditional [clothes] with my tailors. Taking Africa to the world. It’s important to you to do this for Africa. Yeah, it’s a lot of responsibility. Even for my T-shirts, I’m having the real African prints used as the design on them. I’m getting them locally made in the villages in Nigeria. The proper, proper materials. Do you have style icons? I love Pharrell ’s style. It inspires me. It’s not about the brands, you know, it’s how you put them together. Everything he rocks, he makes it look so good. Tell me a little bit about “Ojuelegba,” the song that made you famous the world over last year when Drake hopped on a remix. What was it about that song that made it so fresh? We kept it original. The beat—it’s Afrobeat but mellow. And the message behind the song is so powerful and strong. Every African who hears that anywhere in the world is going to be able to relate to it. It’s just me talking about Ojuelegba; it can refer to any hood you are from, any beginning. Now to where I’m at. It’s a song of where I used to be, where I’m at now, and where I want to be. I want to be a positive force. Keep your dreams alive, keep working. It’s a positive vibe. The old and young love it.

“I design everything myself, and I get them to make it. I do a little sketch; sometimes I just sit down with a tailor and describe what I want. Sometimes we go back and forth, like, for days, trying to get it right”.

Ojuelegba is the name of a neighborhood, right? Why is it important to you to shout out where you’re from?

Ojuelegba is where I grew up. It’s crazy, rough, tough. That’s what built me into what I am today. The streets of Lagos are definitely different from anywhere else in the world. Making it out of there is just madness. You have to experience it. You have kids on the street hawking, just the hustle and bustle. If you stay in the car and drive past Ojuelegba, you will feel the vibe and you will feel the hustle. It’s a very, very, very, very important place to me, because it’s where one of the studios I started recording is [located]. I was there every day of my life for like three, four, five years. Where do you live now? Are you clubbing? Is Lagos the place to be? I live in Lekki now. There are new clubs popping up every day. We go to places like Escape, Sip, and it’s madness. December is the craziest time to be in Lagos. I just left there, so I’m pretty exhausted from going hard. Africa is the next thing right now. Talking fashion, music, anything—Africa is on top of all that.

INSPIRATIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR

START EARLY => Wizkid started his career at a young age of 11 years old. The lesson here is that it is always good to start on time with whatever career path you have chosen for yourself. The earlier the better. Starting early is ideal and will save you from a lot of headache. Whatever Ambition you have, just start. Arthur Ashe wrote “start with what you have where you are, do what you can”. So you see, its all about starting. In this New Year, just start from somewhere, don’t let the fear of failure or what people would say prevent you from starting. You can start small and grow from there. If Wizkid was procrastinating, he won’t be where he is today. He started by forming a group with a few friends and then started visiting music studios where he was discovered and ultimately signed into a record label which lead to the growth of his career. Don’t sit and complain, just start..

GO WITH YOUR PASSION => He went with his passion, as early as 11 years old, he has already discovered what his passion is- music. I don’t know what your passion is, but you know. It is what you are created to do, your talents and gifts, God gave you those gifts for a purpose. When you have a talent, you would naturally have passion to pursue it. There would be an inner persuasion and that is the pointer that it is what you are supposed to do. Go ahead and start something along the line of your passion, read about it, study the secrets and then turn your passion into a career. That is exactly what Wizkid did, what started as a passion is now a thriving career for him. You can do the same. Follow your passion and you will never be disappointed. It may take time when you are climbing the ladder of success, but it is worth it at the end.

GET TRAINING AND MENTORSHIP Wizkid got training from Neato C and studio sessions with OJB Jezreel. You have discovered your passion, the next is training formal or informal. You must have a practical understanding of how things work. Hook up with anyone who is willing to teach you, you may even do free jobs as long as you are learning something. Some one that is ahead of you in the game knows a lot of things you do not know. It is very important that you get hands on practical training if you can, if you can’t then teach yourself—google is your friend right. Training and mentorship is very important on your part to success because you get to really have a feel of how it works in the real world. As it’s a new year, invest in some form of training and you won’t regret it.

UPPING YOUR GAME=> When Wizkid found out that his hard work has started paying off, he didn’t want to remain on the same level. Always aim higher, allow yourself to evolve and grow. Aim international if you can, who knows you may just be the next big thing that the world is waiting for. Are you earning money right now, start saving up and start planning on how to take your business to the next level. Don’t remain on one spot, aim higher and the shy will be your starting point.

DON’T GIVE ROOM TO NAY SAYERS=> Don’t listen to people that talk negative all the time. They always have something negative to say about everything. When it came to Wizkid it was his parents that weren’t receptive of the career part he has chosen for himself, ut that did not stop him. This happens a lot of times, you are ready to run with your passion but the people you love, your friends and family seems not to think you are doing the right thing, therefore they refuse to support you in any way. This isn’t good but it happens anyway. Don’t let that stop you, ignore them if you can. They don’t really know what you are about so they cannot dictate to you. It’s your life and it’s your race so go ahead. It isn’t a good feeling when the people who should support you do not, don’t be discouraged because when you succeed, they will be the first to call you family. Infact Wizkid mentioned that he had to work very hard in other to earn the support of his parents. When they don’t support you, it only means that you’ve got to prove them wrong by working as hard as you can. With time, they will learn to accept you the way you are.

It’s a new year and it’s like a new beginning, endeavor to put these into your life and when the year is ending, you would look back and smile. Firstly, start early.. you may be scared but just start. Secondly go with what you love doing.. your passion. Thirdly, get some form of training or mentorship. Fourthly, don’t let discouragement from others be it friends or family stop you. Lastly, work hard and see your dreams become reality. HAPPY 2018!! 10

NUGGETS

CREATING CONTENT

hen it comes to generating content, believe it or not all the pictures you have on your phone are contents that can be used to create something on social media. It may be your excersice program, your love for books, or you are the type that writes inspirational quotes so easily, whatever you do, you have content which is the basis, but how you do your writeups with each post and how creative you are with it makes you a content creator. If you love travelling and you have amazing pictures from your travels, those are the basic raw materials you need to creat something beautiful and that is the uniqueness of social media.

I guess you might have seen it on some of your friends biographies and description of themselves => I am a content creator. Anybody can be one, its all about becoming creative with your life. It revolves around pictures, you have to capture clean clear pictures and that will make you unique. You can even write about your visit to the grocery store or a visit to the salon or even the farmers market. You can write about your neighborhood if it has its uniqueness and characters. It all about how creative you are with what goes on in your life. It entails transforming the images you have into something meaningful and can affect other peoples life or influence them in some way. How about being me just the way I am, will I be accepted. I want to put out those pictures but then am worried what my friends would think about it, do I look OK, I have no make-up on and I have some wrinkles. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a flat tummy, these are some of the body issues that make people restrictive of what they put out on social media. But what if I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to worry about all of that, I just put out whatever I want to,,=> on a personal basis, its just fine but if you are using social media for your business or you are a fashion blogger or even a celebrity, you must put out contents your followers would like and would make them stay glued to you. A lot of social media users are very particular about there feed and they want everything to rhyme and be in order. Its all good as long as you are generating the traffic you need to remain in business. Its showbiz, simply show your followers what they need to see. I just remembered the American singer Alicia Keys, she recently started going bareface with no makeup on, allowing her followers to see her the way she is. This concept is working for her. People are just amazed at how different she looks without the makeup and they want to see more of that. This strategy is working for her but it may not work for someone else. Social media works for those that understand how to strategically engage an audience. So if you are a fashion blogger for example, how you mix fashion and style coupled with photography will endear your followers to you. If it is a business however, you need a strategy, something unique that your followers can spot that will keep them wanting more from you. But anyway back to being yourself, if it is your personal account you can post whatever you want but if it is an account you want to earn money from in the future some creativity definitely will be required in creating a concept that your audience can relate with. It may be about cars, books, quotes, fashion, celebrities, news, travel, personal life, health etc. As long as you are consistent you will have an audience. These are random thoughts and I guess it will help you in some way. 11

BLOGGER’S DAIRY

WHAT’S TRENDING Fashion is fast paced and there are alot of things to put together, from the off-shoulder trend to the high boots and playing around with colours. The black and white colour is what we have spotted recently among fashion bloggers and trend setters that we couldn’t help but notice. It is the monochrome trend and it is here to stay. Check them out for yourselves..

@verticallyfavored is giving us the monochrome look, its all black and white paired with a green pause and some wine coloured hat. A great way to rock the monochrome trend.

@pinkcouchgirl is giving a sporty look to

the monochrome trend. Some frills skirt and a sleeveless top with some white sneakers all in black and white. #blacknwhiteperfection.

@ada_ume is giving us her own take on the monochrome trend. Its all black and white and some wine red. #blacknwhiteperfection. 12

@bollinto is giving us a take of the monochrome trend in this floral number from her recent collection.

@iamdodos_ style is rocking this beautiful white suit with black collars. Its not just the usual black and white but its perfect.

its still monochrome but changing things up with matching caps and sneaker is a cool way to rock black and white. Here @akosua_vee is giving us a perfect way to rock this trend.

@davido is all #blacknwhite- @jolejole40 is rocking black and perfection in this look. whi with some blue jeans. 13

#blacknwhiteperfection #trending

BLOGGERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DAIRY @djexclusive is rockin the black and yellow look and its perfect. The yellow cap to the sneakers, perfection.

TRENDY KIMONOS

The kimono is a traditional Japanese garment. The word “kimono”, which actually means a “thing to wear” has come to denote these full- length robes. In a traditinal Japanese setting, the kimono is always worn for important festivals or formal occasions. It is a formal style of clothing associated with politeness and good manners. Kimono have T-shaped, straight-lined robes worn so that the hem falls to the ankle, with attached collars and long, wide sleeves. Recently the Kimono is now a staple of clothing that is now worn all over the world. They are mostly paired with body fitted and one colour ensemble. You could wear them on a gown, short, trouser, skirt, tank top etc this is to make the jacket prints stand out and more flattering. The ankara fabric is one of the most relevant fabrics in the fashion world because of its persistence a fashion industry as well as the different styles you can sew and rock with the ankara. Kimono jackets are one major hit with Ankara. These ankara kimono jackets are a must for the summer time because they are breezy jackets that fits all irrespective of your size or shape. The mini or midi dress style which goes just a few inches below your hips or few inches above your ankles.

How

PLAN

YOUR

TO PERFECT WARDROPE Each season I make a valiant effort to build the perfect wardrobe, an idea that always begins with a list. I love lists. A list is a promise of things to come—places to visit, shops to explore, movies to see. Being a fashion editor, I most love the list that gets scribbled in my agenda. My list is a mix of runway pieces that I’m coveting, basics that need replacing (skinny black pants, white shirts), longterm (and pricey) desirables and items from the previous year that continue to look chic. Without my list, I—and my closet— would be hopelessly lost. The fact is, devising a fully integrated, well-edited wardrobe that epitomizes my style, covers everything I need, and looks fresh and exciting is a strategic (but completely pleasurable) endeavor. I know you’re probably thinking, Why bother? Sure, you can shop willy-nilly all over the place and wind up with a closetful of fantastic one-offs that conveniently fit every fashion trend of the season. Investing in trends can end up creating a contradictory wardrobe.” Plus, wouldn’t you rather be known for a singular style than for “that” bag and “that” runway dress? I love women with thoughtful style, women like Gaia Repossi, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and Kate Moss. Women who know what works for them and aren’t afraid to be somewhat repetitive about their look while still updating and refreshing it in unexpected and inventive ways. Of course, we could all use a little help now and then. Here are some tips on how to create an anything but ordinary wardrobe. For ideas to live and build your closet by, I suggest using these tools to scrutinize every major fashion purchase. If the item fits all three categories, then it’s a green light to splurge. BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR LIFESTYLE, AND BUY ONLY WHAT YOU LOVE What you wear should be in sync with how you live. A diet of dresses and four-inch heels may be okay in an office environment but not if you’re someone who works from home or spends the day running in 20 different directions. Luckily there are so many clothing choices out there that no matter what your needs, you should be able to find pieces that you love and that complement how you live. “Wear what you love and what makes you feel good. 18

STICK TO A COLOR STORY There’s always room in one’s closet for a bright- yellow dress or a crimson blouse (please indulge!), but the majority of what you wear should be in a neutral color palette. (This includes black and white.) Find four complementary shades and work with them. This allows for optimal mixing and matching, which in turn keeps your wardrobe feeling Once you’ve followed the basic rules new. and have your core items in place, it’s QUALITY OVER QUANTITY AND time to let loose a bit, because fashion FIT You’ve heard it before, but I’m going to say should be fun, and the quickest way to it again. Buy less but buy the best, whatever your give your wardrobe a jolt is with a di“best” may be. This is probably the most import- rectional pair of shoes or a bag. Some ant mantra when it comes to thoughtful dressing. ideas to consider: A HIGH-VOLT“This might sound monotonous,” but if you find AGE-COLOR HANDBAG, Be bold something fabulous that fits you superbly, buy it with an orange handbag. It becomes a in bulk and in several colors.” Know that ill-fitting, neutral.” A LEATHER MOTO JACKexpensive clothing is a waste. “Fit is everything! A ET “It goes over everything. GLADIAquality seamstress or alterations person can make TORS (A SANDAL, FLAT, HEEL, OR anything look like a million bucks. BOOT), SOME ANKARA PEICES, KEY PIECES I say to each her own where perTIE-NECK DRESS “Hands down, sonal style is concerned, but there are some core the best new way to do eveningwear. pieces that no stylish woman’s closet should ever be without —your sort of go-to reliables. As far as some kind of golden ratio of tops versus bottoms, there’s no steadfast rule. Trenary believes that you need “five basic tops that mix easily with basic and novel bottoms.” I like to have at least three top options (a casual-sporty, a dressier day, and a night) for every skirt and pant. Here are some pieces that should definitely make the cut. 1) A PENCIL SKIRT “Always sexy, TWO PAIRS OF PANTS One black, it should be a tuxedo pant, since it’s a perfect day-to- Add in Pieces for Balance and Lifestyle. night, go-with-anything item. One pair of jeans. The best shoe wardrobe is one based on TWO DRESSES One LBD—which goes your lifestyle. City dwellers do better without saying—and a second that is either more with mostly flats and a couple pairs of festive (in a print) or easy, such as a shirtdress. heels, while those of us who have the A WEAR-WITH-EVERYTHING luxury of frequent car travel can stock BLAZER “A jacket tailored with a menswear up on stilettos. attitude is new and on every designer’s mind, love Make your statements the things that a tuxedo jacket,” again because of its versatility. truly round out your personal clothing THREE TO FIVE TOPS A couple of silk collection. Your clothes are no lonblouses, a few cotton button-downs, and a cash- ger just your wardrobe, they’re your mere pullover. curated collection. After you’ve built a wardrobe any fashionista would be proud of, that reflect your personality and your lifestyle, over the long run, your personal style is a journey. 19

TONTO DIKEH IS BACK Tonto Dikeh is a househould name in the Nigerian Movie Industry- Nollywood, she is known to be bold and can pull off any role with no stress. She has been in the news as a result of a messy breakup and end of her two year old marraige. After struggling to come to terms with her reality, she took a break from acting and alot of her fans missed her absence. She has gotten over her past and is back with a bang...

ollowing events in the year 2017, that saw an end to her marriage to Olakunle Churchill, actress Tonto Dikeh is now set to premiere a reality television show, "King Tonto". A sneak peek into the programme which had prominent blogger Linda Ikeji as Executive Producer, revealed the movie star dealing with the aftermath of a failed union with her ex-partner.

From the teaser clip, Tonto Dikehâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reality show centers around her as a mum who tries to balance fame and motherhood. The teaser makes it clear that the actress is all out to give her son the best life. The clip also shows the actress speaking about not being confident about her body image. The reality show will also see her open up about her challenges which primarily focuses on the controversial separation from former husband Churchill. The latter had maintained that his ex-wife was a problem in their short-lived marriage after the birth of there child.

Her ex-husband Oladunni Churchhill accused the actress of exhibiting an erratic behaviour which often resulted in violent outcomes. A cited instance was her display during their visit to his home in Ghana where a video evidence provided saw his apartment in a messy state. Tonto Dikeh’s claim about suffering a physical abuse inflicted by the businessman was dismissed as self- inflicted and an attempt to tarnish his image. The separation of the pair is one that had so much publicity in 2017. The case of fellow actress, Mercy Aigbe appears to be the next most prominent. Both were seen to join a cause aimed at discouraging violence in marriages following claims of assault by their spouses. Prominent blogger Linda Ikeji who is the Executive Producer of the reality show, was excited about the debut of the show in March 2018 had these words to say’..

‘It’s Tonto like you’ve never seen her before. She opens up to her fans in ways most people won’t dare. You will see her as a loving mum, great friend, workaholic and everything in between. And yes, her body is badder now than before!’ The show which will be available on both the cable and online platforms of Linda Ikeji TV.

The picture below shows Tonto Dikeh making a shocking revelation in a trailer of her new reality show, King Tonto. In a video and images she shared on social media, the actress revealed that she had not been confident of her body. In the footage, Tonto is surrounded by a surgical team and is seen going through cosmetic surgery in an unknown hospital.

“My body has been something that I have always been extremely ashamed of”, she revealed in the clip. The reality show is expected to debut in 2018.

TEKNO MEETS DRAKE I

t is clear that Nigerian singers are doing a great job in putting out African sounds around the world. There music has gone global such that people around the world get to dance to there music. The climax happened at the MOBO Awards last year where Wizkid clinched the best international act Award defeating international renowned acts like Cardi B, DJ Khaled and so on to clinch the Award. This goes to show that anyone can make it, its all about hardwork and persistence. He was brought into international limelight after his song ‘Ojuelegba’ got Drake’s approval and invited him over to work with him. He contributed to Drake’s popular hit single ‘One Dance’. Wizkid’s collaboration with drake paid off as he became a force to be reckoned with in the international music scene

. As the year was coming to an end, Nigerian musician Teckno showed off a picture of him and Drake on his instagram account. These guys are setting goals and meeting up with them. Teckno is giving us a hint of how his career will play out in 2018. We are expecting atleast a hit song from this collaboration. One thing is clear, American Artists are global artists. Its the pop culture that anybody can feel and relate to. So making the effort to roll with the best is definitely a step in the right direction. Though Teckno did not say anything about the meeting, we are waiting to see what happens. Teckno is an amazing artist all by himself, sound and music is unique. Who knows he may win a Grammy or some other major award as a result of this collaboration, well we are keeping our fingers crossed.

DO NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS WORK? The

start of the New Year is often the perfect time to turn a new page in your life, which is why so many people make New Year’s resolutions. But why do so many people have a hard time keeping their resolutions? Researchers have looked at success rates of peoples’ resolutions: The first two weeks usually go along beautifully, but by February people are backsliding. And by the following December most people are back where they started—often even further behind. Why do so many people not keep their resolutions? Are people just weak-willed or lazy? According to researcher John Norcross and his colleagues, who published their findings in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, approximately 50 percent of the population makes resolutions each New Year. Among the top resolutions are weight loss, exercise, stopping smoking, better money management and debt reduction. Timothy Pychyl, a professor of psychology at Carleton University in Canada and a fellow PT blogger, says that resolutions are a form of “cultural procrastination,” an effort to reinvent oneself. People make resolutions as a way of motivating themselves, he says. Pychyl argues that people aren’t ready to change their habits, particularly bad habits, and that accounts for the high failure rate. Another reason, says Dr. Avya Sharma of the Canadian Obsesity Network, is that people set unrealistic goals and expectations in their resolutions. Psychology professor Peter Herman and his colleagues have identified what they call the “false hope syndrome,” which means their resolution is significantly unrealistic and out of alignment with their internal view of themselves. This principle reflects that of making positive affirmations.

When you make positive affirmations about yourself that you don’t really believe, the positive affirmations not only don’t work, they can be damaging to your self-worth. The other aspect of failed resolutions lies in the cause and effect relationship. You may think that if you lose weight, or reduce your debts, or exercise more, your entire life will change, and when it doesn’t, you may get discouraged and then you revert back to old behaviors. Making resolutions work involves changing behaviors— and in order to change a behavior, you have to change your thinking (or “rewire” your brain). Brain scientists such as Antonio Damasio, Joseph LeDoux, and psychotherapist Stephen Hayes have discovered, through the use of MRIs, that habitual behavior is created by thinking patterns that create neural pathways and memories, which become the default basis for your behavior when you’re faced with a choice or decision. Trying to change that default thinking by “not trying to do it,” in effect just strengthens it. Change requires creating new neural pathways from new thinking. Peter Bregman, writing in the Harvard Business Review Blog Network , argues “When we set goals, we’re taught to make them specific and measurable and time- bound. But it turns out that those characteristics are precisely the reasons goals can backfire A specific, measurable, time-bound goal drives behavior that’s narrowly focused and often leads to either cheating or myopia. Yes, we often reach the goal, but at what cost?” Bregman advocates creating an area of focus rather than goals, and goes on to say that “An area of focus taps into your intrinsic motivation, offers no stimulus or incentive to cheat or take unnecessary risks, leaves every positive possibility and opportunity open, and encourages collaboration while reducing corrosive competiton. 23

All this while moving forward on the things you and your organization value most.” Having said that, if you feel compelled to make New Year’s resolutions, here’s some tips to help you make them work: 1. Focus on one resolution, rather several and set realistic, specific goals. Losing weight is not a specific goal. Losing 10 pounds in 90 days would be; 2. Don’t wait till New Year’s eve to make resolutions. Make it a year long process, every day; 3. Take small steps. Many people quit because the goal is too big requiring too much effort and action all at once; 4. Have an accountability buddy, someone close to you to whom you have to report; 5. Celebrate your success between milestones. Don’t wait for the goal to be finally completed; 6. Focus your thinking on new behaviors and thought patterns. You have to create new neural pathways in your brain to change habits; 7. Focus on the present. What’s the one thing you can do today, right now, towards your goal? 8. Be mindful. Become physically, emotionally and mentally aware of your inner state as each external event happens, moment-by-moment, rather than living in the past or future. And finally, don’t take yourself so seriously. Have fun and laugh at yourself when you slip, but don’t let the slip hold you back from working at your goal.

year 24

BLACK Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; WHITE PERFECTION

Lola Baej 25

Emerging women’s wear designer Lola Baej just released a look book for their latest collection titled, “Table of Opposites ” which according to the brand, is an offshoot of our everyday life. Life is a series of back and forth, good and bad, day and night, friend and foe, love and hate, black and white; focusing on detailed pieces that capture a woman’s femininity, a woman’s strength and a woman’s confidence

Brand :Lola BaĂŠj Photography: Euclase Project Coordinator: Derin from Isaleeko Makeup : Artistry by Tolani Models: Desola and Eucharia Shoes: Desire 1709 fashion Earrings: Ewa Eso

Style Temple Releases PreSpring 18 Collection Radicalism, here, is used as a way of challenging social and cultural standards around beauty, femininity and the female body. To achieve this, Og Okonkwo went soul- searching, for what really matters to her as a woman today, as well as what she would wear in a world free of patriarchy, unrealistic expectations for women and double standards. The collection is greatly profound in the sense that it questions and challenges notions around femininity and beauty. The collection subversively breaks typical sartorial order here in Nigeria where there is an expectation of women to dress a certain way or stay covered in spite of their personal choices. Also key to this collection is the idea of beauty in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world. Og Okonkwo draws from her personal experiences of being a Nigerian woman, having to live up to certain societal expectations and being held to a singular standard of beauty, when there are over a billion kinds of beauty. Especially when beauty should, in fact, be personal and should not be subjected to external approval or questioned or even compared. Soft pastel hues were used to indicate a delicate femininity, while sheer fabric and deep dĂŠcolletages were used for an added emphasis on the idea of protest. A lot of construction and deconstruction run across the collection, again, to lay emphasis on the theme of radicalism 32

Label: Style Temple @styletemple_Nigeria Photography: Terna Iwar @ternaiwar Styling/Direction: Tokyo James @tokyojamess Makeup: Ronald The 7th @ronaldthe7th Model: Hanet @cutehannywhite

Women’s wear brand, Jane Michael Collection, the design brand owned by stylist and designer Jane Michael Ekanem just released the look book for her debut collection tagged ‘The Ladypreneur’ celebrating the working woman, the achieving woman… the lady entrepreneur. The collection features dresses, two-piece clothing and complementing separates incorporating clean sleek lines with asymmetric and unparalled cuts enhanced by leather accents and aesthetic beading embellishments. The collection also features a collaboration with bespoke footwear brand QBCool and handmade bag brand Freshinn by Kemi Odunsi. The black and white theme of the collection gives a classy interpretation of how workwear fashion can be graceful, elegant but yet find a stylish transition from work to after-hours and suitable for any appearance; accentuating the sophistication of women with diverse preferences. According to the brand ‘The Ladypreneur is a fearless achieving fashionista. She could be an entrepreneur or a value adder who knows all about life’s set rules but is comfortable enough to walk outside the defined lines. She knows she is making a difference and she loves being a woman who never loses her feminine grace. So, she lives by her own principles, defines her unique style, and stays winning. Although she is expected to dominate, her feminine element prefers to flourish in every way’. The Jane Michael Collection caters to the woman who is fashionably aware and thoroughly enjoys being part of the fashion conversation.

Brand: Jane Michael Collection @janemichaelcollection Models: Few Models @fewmodels, Winfrey Okolo @whinphrydania, Kelly Jumbo @kelz_mama Styling: Jane Michael Ekanem @janemichaelekanem Hair: My Hair Limited @myhairLtd Hair Styling: Ceezys Styling @ceezysstyling Makeup: Adella Makeup @adella_makeup Bags: Freshinn @fr3shinn by @kemiodunsi1 Shoes: QBCool @qbcoolbespoke Photography: Emmanuel Oyeleke @emmanueloyelekephotography Creative Director: Jane Michael Ekanem @janemichaelekanem

ROYAL CHIC Ibby Styles Debuts ‘The Adeyemi Collection’ for the Chic Royale! Ibby Styles, introduces the Ádéyemì collection. A Street wear, which embodies creativity and style. It is a classic, with a refreshing chic look to Aso oke. While maintaining its authenticity and elegance. The Ádéyemì collection, birthed Àbégbé, a blouse and wrapper that posses charisma, it’s regal, simple yet sophisticated . We interpret it as chic and fit for royal. The collection which features fabrics like Aso-Oke (a considerably Luxe fabric which originated in Western Nigeria), silk and mesh, with delicate beading and embroidery, plus a dominant Purple tone (the color of Royalty) is their take on clothing fit for the traditional but modern royale.

Models : Omoyeni Odumosu, Ebahi Ajayi, Idera Jawnseen Creative director/stylist : Ibilola Ogunwusi Photographer : Osibamowo Moyo Make up : Anita brows Hairstylist : Uche Agbara 44

HOW TO PERFECTLY ROCK THE MONOCHROME TREND

Accessorising ..A black and white dress is classy and versatile. You can use accessories to add color to a black and white dress or to achieve a high contrasting black and white look. Accessories can also dress up a casual dress or dress down a formal one to help you adapt your look for different occasions. Rethink accessories If you’re going for head-to-toe monochrome, try opting for a bag with gold detailing or a shoe in a unique texture to offset your outfit

Who can deny the allure of top-to-toe monochrome? It’s flattering, chic and actually very easy to wear. Whether you’re heading to work, a wedding or out on the weekend, black and white is a viable option. Here are our top tips for making a monochrome look your own.

Dressing it up.. Add color to your black and white dress for an evening occasion. Choose a soft color like mint, coral or lavender for your shoes and your purse or clutch. The black and white will make the soft hue pop more than it normally would. Depending on the style of the dress and the occasion it’s being worn for, most bold colors like red or cobalt will look too loud when paired with a black and white ensemble. Peep-toe heels, stilettos, or platforms would make your dress more appropriate for a fun night out. You can also make your look more formal and sophisticated with black dressy heels, chandelier earrings and a crystal teardrop statement necklace. Finishing your look with a pop of colour isn’t cheating. Why not add a pair of tasseled or beaded earring to give a simple monochrome look a touch of personality? Dressing it down.. If your dress feels too elegant or formal to wear on a normal day at school or work, dress it down a little with casual but nice accessories. Cover your skin with a small cardigan and a thin floral scarf. Use soft colors for your shoes, bag and jewelry. Classic black and white The classic black and white style often includes shades of grey. You can use accessories to make stark black and white contrasts. Use a brightly colored skinny belt.. to add a small pop of color to your black and white dress. It can look good worn tight around your waistline, or low and loose around your hips over a jersey dress. Match the belt color with your shoes to add more color. 46

Belts.. Black has a slimming effect, so you can play with a solid color dress to create the appearance of a smaller waistline. Try wearing a wide black belt over a white or white and black dress. Wide belts are worn at your natural waistline. They make your waist look thinner and your body more curvaceous. To add texture to your outfit, use a vinyl or faux crocodile or snakeskin belt. Skinny belts are fashionable accessories that you can use to add color and style.

@stephaniecoker rocking the monochrome trend with style. @solasobowale gives a more traditional look to the monochrome trend. 47

How to Organize Your Time Wisely U

e’ve all heard the complaints that there just aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish everything that needs to get done. A few basic organizational and time management skills can help you maximize the time you do have.

dentify How You Spend Your Time, Keep track of daily activities. Monitor what you do on a daily basis and make a note of how much time you spend doing it. You might be surprised by how much time you actually waste throughout the day when compared to the actual amount of work you get done. Remember to also keep track of mundane tasks, like making breakfast, cleaning the house, showering, etc. Log all of your activities in a notebook. Once you have figured out what you do each day and how much time you spend doing it, write it into a notebook. Putting all of this information into one place and seeing it on one page will allow you to identify patterns and, potentially, areas where you may be wasting your time. It can be helpful to categorize certain types of activities. For example, write household chores in blue, work activities in red and leisure activities in black. This will help you visualize how your time is being spent.

sing Your Time Efficiently, Write everything down. Don’t rely on your memory to get you through the tasks you need to get done. Write everything you need to do down in one spot and be prepared to reference this list often in order to achieve all of your goals. Even if a task seems minor or mundane, write it down. Your daily planner should be filled with small comments like “Call Steve,” “Look up profit margins” or “Email boss.” Make sure you carry a notepad with you at all times and write down tasks as they come up. You think you will remember to write them down later, but you may not. Utilize a calendar. The simple addition of a daily calendar or planner to your set of organizational tools will help you organize time efficiently. Take time each morning to review your calendar for the day so you know what’s ahead of you. Avoid double-committing. Organize your schedule by avoiding overbooking yourself or committing yourself to too many projects or events at once. Check your calendar before agreeing to anything to verify that the time needed is free. This will keep your time organized and keep you in touch with your regular schedule.

rioritize your tasks. Manage your time wisely by planning to accomplish the most important or time-sensitive tasks first. Note these in your schedule with a special color highlighter or a small sticker. Schedule these top-priority tasks first to give yourself enough time to complete them, then work on less time-sensitive things around the prioritized ones.

ake sure you delegate responsibilities to qualified people. From time to time, it is necessary to take a step back and analyze what you accomplished, how well you performed, and how much time it took. It can help you make changes to your schedule and daily pattern of operation, producing surprisingly effective results. Reward yourself. Working too hard or too often can lead to a burnout, making it difficult to focus on even the simplest tasks. So, take some time to celebrate what you have accomplished from time to time and reward yourself with something you truly enjoy. If you work Monday to Friday, take the weekend off. If you have been working for three months straight on one project, take a brief vacation when you are finished with it. 48

MAKING A LIVING OFF SOCIAL MEDIA s

ocial media is a media platform that is social, it consists of Facebook, twitter, instagram, pinterest, tumblr, youtube, blogger and other website creation platforms like wordpress. You create an account to register your presence, and that is basically all that is required to own a social media account. After the creation of account you must connect with friends, as a social media account is nothing without friends. You must follow other people and some other people will follow you. You interact with them by liking there pictures, commenting and liking there posts and so on. As with the advances in smart phones, almost every one is on a social media platform. Where there are a cluster of people, there is an opportunity to market youself or your product. If you want to make money off social media, there must be something you are marketing. You must have a concept or a product. You may have an online store and you can use socail media to talk about your store and sooner than later you will have customers. You can be a blogger and as long as you are creating content and having readers, you can use is as a platform to advertise other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s product, since you have an audience.

So what exactly does it take to make money off social media, we have grouped them into 7 points and once you follow them, you are sure to earn money from socail media. 1. You must have a product... After you have created an account, and the aim is to make money off it in the long run, you must have a product. A product in this sence is very diverse. Its both tangible and intangible. From Fashion to Food, to business to News platforms, it is super diverse. We may not cover the products you can have, but its all about the area you specialise in, from from cars to kitchen wares, to medics, you can have an audience once you are creating content in that area. Creating content is not a big deal, its all about posting up pictures and posts about that stuff. Invest in a good camera and take quality pictures, this will pay off in the long run. 2. You can create a website, to futher talk about your concept. If you want to sell your products online, you can hire a web designer (e.g anatech.com.ng) or some other web designers and they will design a website where you can display your products and there prices. 49

The website is designed in such a way that payment options are included. You also have the option of starting out on free blogging platforms such as wordpress and blogspot. All social media platforms are important in making people know more about you or your product. 3. You can create youtube videos. Don’t understimate the power of videos. Creats videos about yourself or your product and put them online. It is also a marketing tool. The more people know about you and your product the better it is for you. 4. Give a try to paid social media Advertising. Use your paypal account or debitbcard that has been registered for online transactions and pay for facebook advertising or instagram advertising. Twitter or google ads. The facebook paid adverts can get you hundreds of likes on your facebook page and it is also cheap. At less than 100 naira per day you can take advantage of this advert mode to futher get more audience. You can do the same on other socail media platforms. 5. Be Consistent.. When it comes to anything that has to do with socail media, consistency is key. For your audience to take you seriously you must post pictures and content on a daily basis. When they see your posts on a daily basis, they become accustomed to you , and are more open on how to contact you in any case. Don’t leave your page unattended to for weeks. your followers won’t take you seriously. Consistency pays big time, just ask any blogger and that is what they will tell you. 6. You must have a way to get your money when you render a service. You must have paypal accounts and if you are in Nigeria where it is impossible to withdraw your money from a paypal account, you can register with paystack, a platform that also helps you get your money. The ultimate aim is to make money so you must know exactly how it works, for example if someone is paying for your services from another country you should be able to collect your money as you cannot lose a client or customer because you don’t know how online payments work. 7. You must be Patient. It may take a while for you get clients or customers for your product or services so don’t give up if it is not workong at the early stages. Just be consistent and keep moving, but surely you will reap the benefits.

ENVOGUE TRAVELLOG

NIKE LAKE RESORT HOTEL How could we have discovered great lands if we dare

not travel? Nike Lake Resort is one of those places, located in an area called ‘Nike’ within the Enugu metropolis. In ancient times, the area was dominated by the Nike people who were often regarded as the strongest and most powerful within the area. This, has undoubtedly cast a blanket of reverence on the Nike lake and made it more popular than other lakes in the region. Enugu’s biggest attraction to visitors is the Nike lake Resort, which is managed by Zimbabwe-based management group African Sun Limited. Located eight kilometers outside the city, it is a haven of peace, wildlife and relaxation, perfect for business travellers or for the growing number of tourists within Nigeria who now have the means and ability to travel around the country. Just down the road from the new airport, which will bring not only domestic but also international visitors. The hotel poised to become an ideal destination resort.

The word Nike means ‘with strength’ or ‘power’ is the Igbo language and it’s easy to understand why such an evocative name was chosen for this great historical site. The lake itself is the main focal point of the hotel and the rooms either have a garden or a lake view in a secure and tranquil environment. Each of the 216 comfortable rooms and suite has DSTV (Satellite TV), air conditioning, Wi-Fi and a mini bar. There are 23 classic rooms, 175 superior rooms, 9 executive suites, 2 diplomatic suits and a Presidential suite,all have private balconies where guests can sit and take in stunning views. Additionally, there are 10 self-catering villas that are often rented out to expatriates working on local projects, comprising 5 bedroom bungalows and 5 bedroom duplexes. It’s the perfect place to spend long periods of time, as there’s gym and large swimming pool, a Hi-tech business center, a curio shop in the lobby, a restaurant and 24 hour bar. Fortunately for the day visitor, the hotel offers a pleasant buffet lunch on the outside swimming pool terrace, a picnic area with thatched huts, tennis, volleyball and basketball courts and a children’s playground. Rowing boats can be hired on the small green-tinged lake, which is surrounded by walking tralls where visitors can enjoy the birds and tropical forest

The Nike lake Resort is only 15 minutes from the new Enugu international Airport and 10 minutes from the centre. As one of Nigeria’s hidden gems. It’s a definitely worth visiting soon before it becomes one of Enugu’s ‘in places’! The lake view restaurant offers an a ‘la carte’ menu and for dinner a fabulous buffet is on offer for all the guests at the Nike lake resort. Their Heineken bar serves a variety of wines, and beers 24 hours a day.Another advantage added to Nike lake resort is that it’s a refuge from home.

ADDRESS Nike Lake Road, Abakpa Nike, P.M.B. 01193, Enugu state Nigeria Email: guestrelations@nikelakeresorthotel. com 08037622200 08025366655 08057557000 (+234) Country Code

HAPPY 2018