OPM Africa - Issue 2 | The African Story Begins

The Team

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Olamide Fabanwo Head, Production Gbenga Adekoya

Chief Technical Officer Rotimi Onifade

Writers

Clara Chapp-Jumbo Esther Obi Oluwapelumi Jimoh Ugochi Mgbudemobi Leonie Chisom

Designers & Stylists

Olajumoke Oladele Sunday Chidinma Adedoyin Adeitan

Make-Up Artists

Isiwat Adeyoola Tiana Bamidele Queen Nduka

Visual Artists

Olasubomi Onaneye Ayomikun Oladeinde Paul Eke

Models

Joan Onyimadu Roqeeb Adeyoola Precious Nduka Eniola Adeyemi Samuel Ojo Adebola Odunlade

Collaborators

Rotimi Fabanwo (Mr.): Managing Editor Mona Rachel: Guest Writer

Technical Support Adesewa Odunlade

BEAUTIFUL MOTHER AFRICA

Beautiful Africa!

Beautiful you!

Insignia of Mother Nature's substance, Dark and ever fruitful, Land of all colours of Promise, Yet untapped. Beautiful Africa, Beautiful you, Proud mother to 54, Whose beauty draws from versatility. From the bone-dry Sahara of Algeria, To the iconic skylines that abound in the South.

Forbearer of strong cultures, That takes you to the core, Of your identity… of your being.

Beautiful Africa; Beautiful land Of lands, Where your children Dance in sweating ecstasy, Feet's stamping the earth With fast, and slow paces, As the rhythm Of the drums beat on.

Beautiful Africa, Mother Africa, You embrace us In your endearing landscape: Plateaus, mountains, rainforests, And deserts, and so forth. By your lakes and rivers, We stay to bath In all your grandeur.

Mother Africa, With sons and daughters, Making her proud.

Writer: Ugochi Mgbudemobi

THE ASANTE

(also known as Ashanti) TRIBE, GHANA.

Ashanti (also known as Asante) is a major ethnic group of the Akans which is made up of (Ashanti and Fanti). They live about 150 miles away from the coast, the major language of the Asante people which is spoken by over nine million people is Twi.

The name Asante "warlike" is traditionally believed by scholars to have been derived from the 1670s when Asante grew from a tributary state to becoming a structured kingdom.

Cultural Overview:

The Asante people developed the Ashanti Empire in 1670, along Lake Volta and Gulf of Guinea. It's

when translated, means: "If I go forward I die, If I go backward I die, I'll rather go forward and die." They have a special traditional handshake, in which the left hand is held out. It is inferred that the left hand holds the shield, and the right hand holds the spear. So, in order to show your faith in a person, you lay down your shield and with your left hand free. A sacred monument and a cultural pride of the Ashanti people is the Golden Stool. It is carefully and strictly protected as it is believed that no one ever sat on it and it has never touched the ground. It is taken outside only on exceptionally grand occasions always lying on its own stool or on the skin of an animal. The golden stool represents the worship of ancestors, well-being, and the nation of Ashanti.

Religion:

Ashanti people are devotees of Akan religion and the Ashanti religion. The Ashanti religion is a com posite of spiritual and supernatural powers where it is believed that animals and plants/trees have souls. They also hold with reverence, their faith, in fairies, witches, and forest monsters.

Many others uphold religious beliefs involving ancestors, higher gods, or abosom, and 'Nyame' (the Supreme Being of Ashanti). For this, several rituals are carried out for marriage, death, puberty, and birth. Also, there are faithfuls of Christianity (Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism and Protestantism) and Islam.

Geography/ Geographic Location.

The Ashanti region:

•Densely forested, mostly fertile.

•Presence of coasts and mountains.

•Variable terrain.

•Game reserves and National Parks.

•Major mineral resource(s): Gold.

The land mass on which the Ashanti people settled is home to Lake Bosumtwi with Lake Volta to the West.

Seasons of the year:

•The rainy season (April to November).

•The dry season (December to March).

Although bordered by several streams and lakes, the region is notably hot between seasons.

Traditional Festivals and ceremonies include:

- Ashanti Yam Festival

- Adae

Adae Kese

Akwasidae

Awukudae

Clothing:

The beauty of the Asante people is undoubtedly usually more pronounced when styles are made from native fabrics with colourful designs and astute patterns. The main traditional wear of the Asante people is Kente. Kente cloth is unique when compared to the other traditional weaving. It is worn mainly during festivals and major events of life, such as; coronation, marriage, death, and religious activities. Therefore, it is expedient that both natives/outsiders wear it for religious and festive occasions as the symbolism of each colour is usually more pronounced: Gold = status/serenity, yellow = fertility, green = renewal, blue = pure spirit/harmony, red = passion, black = union with ancestors/spiritual awareness.

Societal arrangement.:

The Ashanti people live in a matrilineal society where descent is traced through the maternal line. The mother

property from the paternal side of the family, it is not considered as important as the maternal. To the Ashanti, the family and the mother's clan are most important. A child is said to inherit the father's soul or spirit and from the

The Ashanti live in an extended family. Usually, the head of the household is usually the oldest brother that lives there. The elders choose him. He is addressed as Father and it is obligatory to respect and obey him.

The village is considered as both a social and economic unit where everyone participates in the major ceremonies, activities and celebrations. The Ashanti are noted for their expertise and dexterity in a variety of crafts. These include weaving, wood carving, ceramics, the reknown kente cloth and metallurgy.

Marriage.

Traditional marriage systems in Africa is characterised by several peculiar customary laws and native rites. The Asante people of Akan are no exception. In the Akan tradition, when a man desires marriage, he seeks the consent of the lady of his interest. A meeting, called “kasasie” that isn't made public is held before the man informs his family of his intentions. Investigations into the life and family backgrounds of the lady goes underway after family consent. After which the man's family approaches the lady's parents through the rite known as ‘abowmu bodze’ or ‘opon-akyi bo’ (knocking ceremony), with palm wine and sometimes some amount of money. If consent is granted from the lady's parents, then, the man's father takes up the responsibility of the marriage expenses.

to the bride. On the wedding day, before she leaves her parent's home, drinks are shared and a protection fee known as 'akonta gye sikan' is paid to the bride's brothers, (if she has any). After this is done, delegates from the groom takes the bride over to his house. beads.

Native Food(s):

to a large extent forms a general cultural outlook. The Asante people are known for several food options and local cuisines. A few highlighted ones are Fufu and goat light soup, Waakye, Kelewele, Kabook (beef and pepper), etc. Some of the foods grown in the garden include: cowpeas, banana, beans, sorghum etc. featable'. Even, as they continue to thrive and make progress, this has been the story of the Asante people till this day!

Reference(s):

•African crafts market, Ashanti people, traditions and culture.www.africancraftsmarket.com.

Retrieved September 2020.

•Buzz Ghana, Ashanti tribe, people, culture and religion. www.buzzghana.com. Retrieved September 2020.

•Wikipedia, Ashanti People, en.m.wikipedia.org. Retrieved September 2020.

Ijaw Tribe

Ijaw, also called Ijo, are a collection of indigenous people of the forests of the Niger River Delta in Nigeria consisting a large number of formerly autonomous groups. They speak languages of the Ijo aspect of the Niger-Congo language family. Each group occupies a collection of villages linked by loose ties of cooperation, mainly against outsiders. Its members claim descent from a common ancestor. At group level, government is by assemblies of and Foodland agriculture.

Marriages are completed by the payment of a bride price, which increases in size, if the bride is from another village (in order to make up for the village's loss of her children). Funeral ceremonies, particularly for those who have accumulated wealth and respect, are often very dramatic. Traditional religious practices centre around "Water spirits" in the Niger river, and around tribute to ancestors.

LANGUAGE:

The Ijaw language is grouped into 2 divisions:

Sagbama (Mein), Bassan, Apoi, Arogbo, Boma (Bumo), Kabo (Kabuowei), Ogboin, Tarakiri, and Kolokuma-Opokuma (Yenagoa). Nembe, Brass, and Akassa (Akaha) dialects represent Southeast Ijo (Izon). Buseni and Okordia dialects are considered Inland Ijo.

The second major Ijaw language group is Kalabari. Although the term Eastern Ijaw is not the right term, that is what Kalabari is considered as.

Kalabari is the name of one of the Ijaw clans that reside on the eastern side of the Niger-Delta (Abonnema, Buguma, Bakana, Degema, etc.) who form a major group in Rivers State.

Other "Eastern" Ijaw clans are the Okrika, Ibani (the natives of Bonny, Finima, and Opobo) and Nkoroo. They are neighbours to the Kalabari people in present-day Rivers State, Nigeria

RELIGION:

Although the Ijaw are now primarily Christians, (65% claim to be), with Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism and Pentecostal being the varieties of Christianity most prevalent among them, they also have numerous traditional religious practices of their own. Reverence for ancestors plays a major role in Ijaw traditional religion, while water

divination called Igbadai, in which recently deceased individuals are interrogated on the causes of their death. Ijaw religious beliefs hold that water spirits are like humans in having personal strengths and shortcomings, and that humans dwell among the water spirits before being born. The role of prayer in the traditional Ijaw system of belief is to maintain the living in the good graces of the water spirits among whom they dwelt before being born into this world, and each year the Ijaw hold celebrations in honor of the spirits lasting for several days. Relating to the

spectacular masqueraders are taken to actually be in the possession of the particular spirits on whose behalf they are dancing.

The Ijaw are also known for practicing ritual enculturation, whereby an individual from a different, unrelated group undergoes rites to become Ijaw. An example of this is Jaja of Opobo, the Igbo slave who rose to become a powerful Ibani (Bonny) king in the 19th century.

There are also a small number of Converts to Islam the most notable being the founder of the Delta People Volunteer Force, Mujahid Dokubo-Asari. Jeremiah Omoto Fufeyin Edwin .K. Clarke comes from the Ijaw ethnic group. Other notable leaders from the Ijaw ethnic group are the former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan and Heineken Lokpobiri amongst others.

ATTIRE:

other fashion trends make them choose fashion in Nigerian traditional styles and often select ‘modern looks’ instead of deeply traditional attires.

Ijaw Ladies Traditional Attire:

Traditional attire for Ijaw ladies who are not married yet, involves dressing in a blouse, gele, and also wearing a wrapper on their waist.

Royal women don’t like to wear a blouse, prefer using 2 wrappers instead of just one. Besides, they place a cute bead-decorated crown on their head, and their traditional style always looks fashionable. Their traditional dress is usually sewn from the best materials. Besides, ladies are in love with coral or ivory beads and

As previously mentioned, Ijaw ladies (just like other Nigerian women) are in love with coral accessories, especially on festive occasions. They wear bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and other cute accessories with just any traditional attire and for all possible occasions and events.

Ijaw male traditional attire: TNigerian clothing style mostly depends on the event it is used for. Thus, Ijaw male traditional attire also depends

Regular everyday Nigerian native wears for Ijaw men consist of a shirt and trousers. Since the tribe has many exciting cultures and beliefs, its men wear amazing carved masks and special festival comfortable for dancing to the drum beats.

When an Ijaw man becomes a groom, his traditional attire looks even more impressive to outline the new status. It is true that marriage plays an important role in the life of every family, but the traditional attire still depends a lot on if they cannot afford more expensive accessories or just want to match the image of the bride.

No matter how wealthy the man is, Ijaw male traditional attire for a groom is really impressive. It is known as ‘bayelsa’ and it consists of a long-sleeve shirt plus a wrapper. This traditional wrapper is pretty long. It gets worn over a male shoulder and is usually tied in the ankle-waist area of the body.

Hausa-Fulani

Writer: Clara Chapp-Jumbo Model Daisi Feyisayo, Precious Nduka MUA: Tiana Bamidele, Queen Nduka Photographer: Olamide Fabanwo.

Hausa–Fulani are an ethnic group of the Sudan a vast region south of the Sahara, encompassing the Sahel, predominantly in the Northern region of Nigeria Hausa-Fulani account for 36% of the Nigerian population. A mix of Hausa and Fulani origin, as their native language most speak a variant of Hausa, although about 6 to 12 million speak Fula language. Most from this ethnic group identify primarily as Hausa and secondarily as Fulani. According to the Spectator Index, there are about 150 million speakers of the Hausa language in the world and it is the 11th most spoken language in the world. Hausa language is spoken as a first or second language by about 40–50 million people in West and Central Africa. Since the Trans-Saharan trade, Hausa is used as a lingua franca spanning from Agadez deep in the Sahara Desert to Timbuktu north of the Niger River, and has many loanwords from Arabic.

The Hausa are predominantly Muslim. Their tradition of long-distance commerce and pilgrimages to the Holy Cities of Islam has carried their language to almost all major cities in West, North, Central, and Northeast Africa.

LIFESTYLE:

The Hausa-Fulani society was, and to a large extent continues to be, politically organized on a feudal basis. The architecture of the Hausa is perhaps one of the least known but most beautiful of the medieval age. Many of their early mosques and palaces are bright and colourful and often include intricate engraving or elaborate symbols designed into the facade. Music and art play important role in everyday life of this group of people. From a young age, Hausa children participate in dances, which are held in meeting places such as the market. Work songs often accompany activities in the rural areas and in the markets. Story-telling, local dramas, and musical performances are also common forms of traditional entertainment.

Fulani artists are primarily known for decorated gourds, textiles, hairstyles and personal adornment. The Fulani diet usually includes milk products such as yogurt, milk, and butter. Each morning they drink milk or gruel (gari) made with sorghum. Their main meals consist of a heavy porridge (nyiiri) made of flour from such grains as millet, sorghum, or corn. They eat it with soup (takai, haako) made from tomatoes, onions, spices, peppers, and other vegetables.

The Hausa economy has rested on the intensive cultivation of sorghum, corn (maize), millet, and many other crops grown on rotation principles and utilizing the manure of Fulani cattle. The Fulani believe that the expansion of the grazing reserves will boost livestock population, lessen the difficulty of herding, reduce seasonal migration, and enhance the interaction among farmers, pastoralists, and rural dwellers. Hausa are also famous as long-distance traders and local vendors of Hausa-made leather goods as well as tourist items.

ATTIRE:

There are no particular outfits for all Fulani sub-groups as dressing and clothing accessories such as ornaments vary depending on the particular region. In terms of style and colour, Fulani art commonly features geometric shapes as motifs and meticulous details-, especially in textiles and gourds, and the use of black, red, yellow and white. In the Futa Jallon highlands of central Guinea, it is common to see men wearing a distinctive hat with colourful embroidery. In Nigeria, Cameroon and Niger, men wear a hat that tapers off at three angular tips, known as a noppiire.

The Fulani Madoube of Mali, male weavers, weave a type of textile called Khasa. Khasa is usually used by Herders to ward off mosquitoes and also to keep their body warm. White is the dominant colour of the Khasa but other colours like black, yellow and red are used also. Lines, triangles and chevrons are common patterns on the Khosa. Another textile by the Madoube is the kereka. This is often suspended over the bed in a tent like fashion, the primary colour of Kereka is red.

Fulani men are often seen wearing solid-coloured shirt and pants which go down to their lower calves, made from locally grown cotton, a long cloth wrapped around their faces, and a conical hat made from straw and leather on their turbans. The women can also be seen wearing a colourful cloth (modjaare) around, the waist, head or over one shoulder.

CULTURE:

Central to the Fulani people's lifestyle is a code of behaviour known as pulaaku or laawol Fulbe in Fulfulde, literally meaning the "Fulani pathways" which are passed on by each generation as high moral values of the Fulbe, which enable them to maintain their identity across boundaries and changes of lifestyle. Essentially viewed as what makes a person Fulani, or "Fulaniness", pulaaku includes: Munyal: Patience, self-control, discipline, prudence. Gacce / Semteende: Modesty, respect for others (including foes). Hakkille: Wisdom, forethought, personal responsibility, hospitality. Sagata / Tiinaade: Courage, hard work

A beautiful part of the Fulani culture is the gerewol. The gerewol is a beauty competition where three of the most beautiful women choose the most handsome Fulani man. The men usually line up and dance for hours making exaggerated facial expressions and stand on their tip-toes in order to show their charm. Here black make-up is used on their lips and rims of their eyes to highlight the whiteness of their teeth and eyes, while adorning themselves personally.

Like the men, the women have markings on their faces around their eyes and mouths that they were given as children. The Western Fulbe in countries like Mali, Senegal and Mauritania use indigo inks around the mouth, resulting in a blackening around the lips and gums.

Hairstyles also provide an important example of Fulani creative expression. The women style their hair in two basic ways, one of which is a high crest that runs from the forehead to the nape of the neck with braids that hang in front of and behind the ears and another is braids that hang all around the head leaving the centre of the head free. Women also decorate their hair further by adding silver picks and other accessories. It is not uncommon to see the women decorate their hair with bead hair accessories as well as cowrie shells. Fula women often use henna for hand, arm and feet decorations. Their long hair is put into five long braids that either hang or are sometimes looped on the sides. Silver coins and amber is commonly attached to their braids.

AFRO

‘Crown’ she is called Like royalty she stands tall Unbending, defying the laws of gravity.

Diversity her forté Like the galaxy and it’s stars Glory she adorns Glory she radiates. You pull?

snaps back You suppress?

bounces back Freedom she speaks Freedom she demands

From mother to child, and mother to child Through the cycle of life

symbol of the deity is passed on The universe bears witness.

bear her is to bear strength

nurture her is to master your true self.

Writer: Clara Chapp-Jumbo Model: Tega Johnson, Hannah Bassey

Tiana Bamidele Photographer: Stephen Adewuni

Defining

Melanin is a pigment created by cells in the body called melanocytes. It is the pigment that creates our skin tone. Melanin is the reason for the color of your hair, skin, irises and even areas of your brain and adrenal glands. paint”. It is amazing that from the fairest skin tone to the darkest, we all have the same number of melanocytes, but the cells produce varying amount of melanin according to their sizes. So, the larger the size of the melanocyte, the more melanin it will produce, creating a darker pigment. There are three common types of melanin: Eumelanin, Pheomelanin and Neuromelanin. Eumelanin, which is the most common out of the three, creates brownish hues. Pheomelanin creates reddish-brown hues and is responsible for red hair and freckles. Amazingly, we have melanin in our brains called Neuromelanin. So, we can say that people with darker skin tones and hair colors have more eumelanin and redheads have more pheomelanin. Another purpose of melanin is to protect the skin from harmful UV rays of the sun. So, a person with a dark complexion is less likely to suffer from skin damage like skin cancer and premature aging. But when excess melanin is produced, tans, dark spots, melasma and hyperpigmentation arises. While melanin is a natural skin protector, sun exposure can intensify the pigment, and any bug bite or scratch will leave dark spots. So, no matter the shade of your skin tone, you still need to wear sunscreen everyday

ADEDOYIN ABIOLA

Adedoyin Abiola is a fast-rising actress, she played a very interesting role its theatrical release in Nigeria on 29, March 2019 and received positive reviews from the critics. for the year 2019. Nimbe was nominated for the 2019 UK Nollywood Film Festival Award.

Photographer: Olamide Fabanwo MUA: Isiwat Adeyoola Stylist: Olajumoke Oladele

Tell us a little about yourself:

My name is Adedoyin Abiola, I’m an actor, a model, a technical product manager, a scrum master and an entrepreneur. The list is still growing I guess.... To keep it simple I LOVE the Camera and I love technology.

Was Nimbe your debut movie appearance?

No, my debut appearance on screen was in a sitcom drama series “MamaBomboy”

How did you get the role ‘Peju’ in Nimbe and how easy or tough was it playing that role?

I found out about the audition, and I decided to give it a shot.

After many rounds of auditions because of the large turn-out of talented actors. I eventually got the part and I feel privileged and grateful for that.

Playing “Peju” was a challenge that I accepted, and I absolutely enjoyed every bit of it. The character had a lot of sides to her that I had to carefully unpack to interpret the right emotion per time, but it was a beautiful experience.

What projects are you presently working on?

There are a few things in the works right now but expect a short soon” expect to be blown away by this action and romance

What is that particular role that you look forward to playing?

I look forward to playing a character with (MPD) multiple personality disorder, playing that sort of character will be a true test of my craft as an actor, being able to switch between multiple personalities as one character. I think it would be

Every industry, including the Nollywood industry, is full of competition; what do you do to stand out amidst competition?

I think the “WHY” is what sets you aside in whatever you do and for me my drive towards acting have always been to make an impact with every story I tell and I do so passionately.

What challenges does an upcoming actor/actress face?t

I think every line of work is challenging when you are trying to rise to the top, and so is the Nollywood industry. I think the major challenge for any upcoming actor would be the opportunity to be heard. Once you achieve that big break then you’re set to dive into bigger opportunities.

How do you know what directors to work with?

Well, in some cases you don’t even know the director you’ll be

think the decision to work on a project starts mainly with the script.

How do you balance your work and acting?

I am passionate about acting and Tech so I try to maintain a very organized schedule and I try to strike a balance with both. It can be a bit challenging

What is your dream collaboration/project?

Co-starring with Viola Davis!

First time I heard the word was in 2018 when I listened to "Melanin popping" by Korede Bello and as a person who loves to know a little about everything, I decided to check it out. Most people think of really dark skinned people when they hear "melanin" not knowing there are different shades of the melanin skin but before we go into all that, what exactly is melanin?

Melanin is a complex polymer derived from the amino acid tyrosine. It is responsible for the determination of our hair and skin color. It is present in the skin in varying degrees depending on the amount of sunlight a population has been exposed to. The two types of melanin present in the body are: Eumelanin which is peculiar to the dark skin and can protect the skin from the UV Rays of the sun and there's also pheomelanin which is peculiar to light skin and cannot protect the skin from the harmful Rays of the sun. This is why sunlight is more dangerous for light skinned people and those who bleach.

There is a difference with the rate at which melanin is produced in humans. This means that those who come from countries with very hot temperature like Burkina Faso, Mali, Tuvalu, etc. produce more melanin which is responsible for their dark skin and those from countries with cooler temperature like Antarctica, the USA, and Canada etc. produce less melanin making them lighter in skin shade. Melanin basically has two functions which is to give skin/hair color and protect the skin from sunlight.

Now that we have a little knowledge about melanin. I'm sure we'd like to know how we can maintain our natural skin color and get that melanin glow. Below is a list of natural and inexpensive products that can help out.

P.S: These methods are tested and trusted and they are:

1) Milk and Pure Honey:

These ingredients were used in the ancient times to keep the skin healthy and glowing. They have age-defying

HOW TO USE MILK AND HONEY ON THE SKIN

Ingredients:

- 1 tsp raw honey

- 2 tap milk (liquid or powdered)

- A small bowl/plate

- Cotton woo

Procedure: Mix honey and milk in a bowl till a cream like solution is obtained. Dip cotton wool in it and apply on your face in circular motions. Leave mixture on your face for 10-12mins or till it's completely dry before washing with cool water. Pat skin dry and follow up with a toner and moisturizer.

2) Tomato and Sugar Scrub: Tomato us a widely used staple in most dishes worldwide. The bright juicy vegetable and rejuvenate new skin cells. Also, the presence of lycopene in tomatoes helps improve skin color and delay anti-aging.

TO USE TOMATO-SUGAR SCRUB

Ingredients:

- A ball of tomato

- Grounded suga

Procedure: Wash tomato and slice into two. Dip one half into a bowl/plate containing sugar and rub on your face and neck slowly. Leave on for about 10-20mins before washing out your face with warm water.

3) Egg White and Vaseline:

This is for all types of face as it helps treat acne, dull skin, aging skin, dark spots and random skin breakouts. It is also very easy to make and is quite cheap.

Ingredients:

- 1 tsp Vaseline

- Egg white

- Few drops of lemon/lime (optional)

Procedure: Separate the egg white from the yolk and whip a little. Add the Vaseline and drops of lemon juice and mix. Apply on the face and neck and leave for 15-20mins or till the mixture is completely dry .Rinse off and Pat dry.

4) Lemon Juice and Rice Water: Yes, the same rice water we pour away after parboiling our rice. It can be used to soothe and tone your skin and improve the skin as it contains substances known to protect and repair your skin and when used with lemon juice, the result gotten is EPIC!

As lemon is also packed with a lot of nutrients

easy to make and quite affordable.

Ingredients:

1-2balls of lemon

- A small cup of rice water

- Cotton wool

Procedure: Squeeze the juice from the lemon into the cup of rice water and mix. Then apply mixture on your face and neck. Leave for 10-15mins before washing off.

NOTE:

1) Wash your face with warm water before applying any of the face masks above.

2) You must be consistent for excellent results

3) Always do a patch test on your hand to check for allergies before applying on your face.

4) Rice water/powder can be added to your black soap for even better results.

- And there it is......my four favorite recipes for maintaining our natural skin tone without breaking the bank. You don't need to be light skinned to glow, you just need the right products and the results will be mind blowing. So.......which method will you try out today?

For more questions and more information about the melanin skin, you can reach out to me on chisom.leonie@theopmafrica.com; I'll be more than happy to help out -

JIMOH OLUWAPELUMI

My Locs Journey & Tips in Maintaining Locs

A little bit about me, I was born and raised in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. I am an only child of a single mother and I am more than grateful to

2018 where I studied both Business Management and Journalism. I embarked on being an entrepreneur because well, trying to get a job in this era is quite an uphill task and there are these businesses that have been in the family forever and I was always up and down with my mum when I was way younger helping her generate sales so it is a part of me.

I’ve always wanted to have a quite a number of things going for me and the major ones include moment, I am an entrepreneur, a content creator and a transcriptionist. into content creation where I started my YouTube channel (BEEMONIRAE) where I talk about everything locs.

About 7 years ago, I realized I was constantly breaking my neck for anyone who had locs so I knew I wanted to have them too but since I just joined college, the expense of starting and maintaining was going to be too much and I didn’t have that extra cash flow to begin with so I put the thought on hold. A year plus ago, the thought peaked again and now that I was working, I figured I could probably afford them but it still didn’t feel like the right time yet.

Last year, the pandemic hit our country around March and by then, I was so over detangling my hair everyday so I decided to actually take time and research all there is to know about locs and if possible how I can start them myself. I came across so many articles but not quite as sufficient so I resort to the University of YouTube. I can tell you for free it was totally worth sleepless nights.

I came across this beautiful Queen’s channel (iamlindaelaine) and I was so blown away by everything about her. She made locs look so gorgeous, divine, so inspiring that I wanted to start my journey that very second however, I had to make sure I knew what I was getting myself into. I stayed up all night, binged all her videos and I was sold. I officially joined the loc community the following day, 6 years later and honestly, it was worth the wait. Having locs isn’t just about looking more beautiful/ hansdsome and having long hair, well it was what I wanted the first time. Locs teach you a lot about patience for starters, most especially if you start your journey with short hair. The first 5-8 months will insanely challenge you and you’ll question whether you want to keep them or not but if you’re determined and up for challenge, it is so worth it.

Getting to about 5 months, I could already see a huge difference from the first month and that motivated me to keep going and before I knew it, here I am, a year loc’d. The growth has been amazing and I’m glad I actually waited till I was completely ready to get locs so I can care for and nurture my lil babies.

Srarting and maintaining locs is quite simple than it is perceived. I mean the most you need is a starting method, be it finger coils, two strands twists, braids, temporary locs or even instant locs. Another thing you need to consid er is finding a routine that works for you i.e. when your hair needs moisture or when it’s wash day. Your hair type plays a key role in knowing what products to use and when to use them. I have low porosity 4C hair so my hair doesn’t feed on moisture as fast but once it’s in, it’s hard for the moisture to escape so my routine revolves around oiling my scalp every two days but spritzing my hair with water and/or rose water every other day.

Also, lengthening the space between your retwists will also help you grow thick and fuller locs which also gives your hair a breather. If you don’t have a major reason to have a manicured look, let your babies live young, wild and free. You’ll get super confident having an untamed look and most importantly, be able to embrace every part of the journey even the “awkward” stage.

BANTU

Writer: Esther Obi Model: Jessica Ashibuogu Stylist: Sunday Chidinma MUA: Isiwat Adeyoola (Beautydorm) Photographer: Olasubomi Onaneye

Bantu knots originated from the Zulu people in South Africa and has evolved and extended its tentacles to differ ent parts of the world. Over the years, this distinguished hairstyle of African origin has been seen worn by women of prestige, celebrities and top-notch corporate executives that we sometimes lose sight of its traditional origin. Its unique styling process and dynamism makes it a go-to hairstyle for several occasions, such as, cultural displays, beach parties, corporate events and as a regular hairstyle.

these materials are;

- Rattail comb.

- Conditioner.

- Shampoo.

- Curl cream.

- Hair pins.

- Hair spray/Hair oil.

Now, I'm sure you're looking forward to making your Bantu knots, either for yourself, a friend or as a professional hair stylist.

Here's how;

Bantu Knots:

Bantu knots is a multi-purpose hairstyle. Not to worry, these knots work on all hair types. They are usually parted side by side in small coiled buns. Good news is when the Bantu knots are uncoiled, an alternative beautiful curly hairstyle known as a Bantu knot-out can also be created.

DETAILED STEP BY STEP PROCESS.

1. Shampoo the hair properly because a large portion of the scalp is usually exposed and to prevent itching that could cause the styling to lose its beauty.

2. Use a conditioner to help prevent breakage and to make styling easier. A leave-in or rinse-out conditioner should be used based on hair texture.

3. Hair shouldn't be dried completely; it should be left damp. This is because, setting and styling are easier with damp hair, rather than a wet or dry hair.

In forming the Bantu Knots,

- Hair should be split into different sections with varying width depending on the length of the hair. Wider sections for long hair and narrow ones for short hair.

- Rattail comb comes quite handy in separating the hair. The end of the comb is effective in clearly dividing the hair into sections.

- A curl cream or its substitute should be applied to hold the knots in shape.

- Small coils should be twisted at the base of your scalp. Taking large chunks could lead to hair breakage.

- The knotting process should be replicated on the remaining sections.

- Hair should be mist with a spray or hair oil.

Now, the Bantu knots can be worn proudly. If you let your knots down after they set, you can form a curly hairstyle known as Bantu knot-outs.

The Bantu Knot-Out:

This is the alternative style that can be derived if you desire to wear your knots longer. To make the knot-outs;

- Carefully unwrap and unpin each knot.

- The twists, formed from the unwrapping, should be loosened gradually. A comb with wide tooth can be used to separate the curls as individual strand packs.

- Give the curls a beautiful shine by using a hairspray or hair oil.

- To preserve curls, the hair can be pinned up before restyling at will again.

- Clean your scalp regularly. Either as a knot or knot-out.

Reference(s):

How to do Bantu Knots, Ashley Adams. www.wiki how.com. Last updated May 8, 2020. Retrieved September 2020.

Curlcentric.

Natural Hair Do Stretched Afro

Writer: Clara Chapp-Jumbo Model: Tega Johnson, Evelyn Akpan MUA: Tiana Bamidele Photographer: Stephen Adewuni

African hair stands out because of its unique characteristics. The African hair is thicker and denser than Caucasian

by its thick curl pattern, with its strands wrapping around each other resulting in the popular ‘spongy’ look. Because the African hair is super curly. It is important to pay attention to proper detangling so as not to damage your hair, especially the ends of your hair. The myth that African hair cannot grow needs to put aside. African hair grows like every other type of hair, although at a relatively slower rate, the focus should be on ensuring length retention.

One of the ways that African hair can be easily managed is by stretching it out. Stretching out your natural hair and damage your natural hair, causing it to be brittle, break and fall off, there are alternative means to stretching out one’s natural hair.

Stretching out your natural hair would usually begin before washing your hair, this way you prevent your hair from being tangled while washed.

An easy way to do this is to part your hair in 4-5 sections and plait them separately after carefully combing. Comb your hair starting from the tip and work your way to the root. This helps retain your hair length. Combing your hair

After combing your hair, plait each section differently, ensure that your hair is properly disentangled, one way to Wash, condition and detangle your hair by sections. Finish with a section before moving to the next. After washing your hair, you can stretch it out by leaving it braided or by trying out other styles like twists, threading, banding your style.

Twists:

Stretching your natural hair with twists involves working with two strands, unlike three strands when braiding your hair. After washing, your braids can be loosed and replaced with twists to give you a different curl pattern when stretched. This is best done while your hair still has a little bit of moisture in it.

Banding:

To stretch your hair to maximum length, banding is very effective. Here you need to make use of rubber bands, as if in a ponytail, band each section of your hair from the root to till you are almost at the tip of your hair. You can either space the bands or place them tightly together. Tighter banding would leave your natural hair stretched with almost no curl pattern, this may the best if you want your hair to be completely straight.

Threading:

This is similar to banding, but here instead of rubber bands you make use of yarn, thread or the Nigerian rubber thread. For this you should section your hair into more than four parts, but ensure to do this one large section at a time to allow you ease. Wrap each smaller section of your hair starting from the root to the very tip of your hair with your threading material.

Stretching out your hair without heat is the best for natural hair, as long time use of heat can seriously damage your natural hair. Experiment with each style of stretching to see which works the best for your hair, as all African hair is

African Facts Did you know?

Over a quarter of all of the different languages that are spoken in the world are spoken in Africa in their relative regions. There are over 2,000 different recognized languages spoken in Africa, around 200 of these are spoken in Northern Africa including Central Sahara and are known as Afro-Asiatic languages, 140 are spoken in Central and Eastern Africa known as Nilo-Saharan languages and more than 1,000 are Niger-Saharan languages.

- One of Africa’s largest countries, Nigeria, has been nicknamed “The Land of Twins” by the BBC because it has the highest rate of twin births in the world. Numbers show that twin birth rates in West Africa are actually four times higher here than anywhere else in the world and the center of it all takes place in a sleepy little town in Nigeria called Igbo-Ora where the last recorded figures revealed an average of 50 sets of twins in every 1,000 births.

- Until 1996, 6th October Bridge became Africa’s longest bridge after completion. It is found in the country’s capital Cairo. The bridge is 18.705 kilometers long and 14-34 meters wide making it one of the busiest bridges in Egypt.

- Algeria’s national animal is the fennec fox. The fennec is the world’s smallest fox but has large ears measuring up to 6 inches (15.24cm).

- Rwanda is one of only three countries in the world with a female majority in the national parliament.

- Africa is a huge continent and it is divided up into five sub-sections; North Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, Southern Africa, and West Africa. The entirety of Africa covers almost 10 million square miles which makes up more than 20% of the world’s land!

- As you probably already know, Africa has a very warm climate and it is considered to be the world’s hottest continent. Around 60% of the land is dry and covered by desert, and the Sahara is the world’s biggest desert with temperatures often topping 100°F (or exceeding 40°C). But whilst the hottest recorded temperature on Earth was once in Africa in El Azizia, Libya at 136.4°F (58°C), the continent also has the other extreme with the coldest temperate in Africa being as low as −11°F (−23.9 °C) in Ifrane, Morocco. This just shows the diversity of the different countries here in Africa and the differenc es don’t end with the climate!

- The largest waterfall in Africa is the Victoria Falls and it is located on the Zimbabwe and Zambia border. It has a height of 355 feet and the width of the waterfall runs into almost a mile.

- Sudan has more pyramids than any other country on earth – even more than Egypt. There are at least 223 pyramids in the Sudanese cities of Al Kurru, Nuri, Gebel Barkal, and Meroë. They are generally 20 to 30 meters high and steep-sided.

- Lord Lugard, an English official, estimated in 1904 that there were 170 walled towns still in existence in the whole of just the Kano province of northern Nigeria.