THEWILL DOWNTOWN August 07, 2022 EDITION

VOL 2 NO. 32 • AUGUST 07 - AUGUST 13, 2022

COMING OUT SHADOWS

VOL 2 NO. 32 • AUGUST 07 - AUGUST 13, 2022

EDITOR’S NOTE

uring our TOC (Table of Content) meeting, my team member mentioned that the popular Netflix British teen series, Sex Education, visited Nigeria to shoot some episodes for their new season with the gay community and wanted to write about that. At that moment, I decided we would have that discussion as our cover story. The next step was trying to convince the publisher that I had no intention of taking sides; I simply wanted to report the findings and the fact that we can no longer ignore this community in Nigeria.

I have always said, ‘don’t force me to accept your stance on anything, be it sex, religion or any other topic.’ And so don’t walk up to my child and try to coax him or her into being gay or tell them why being gay is the proper sexual orientation. Then, I will have a problem because you are planting a seed, and we know what happens with kids. In the same vein, don’t teach my child to hit or hate someone because they think differently, are not the same colour, or have the same sexual preference as you. Or, even worse, tell my son that it’s ok to marry and have sex with a 10-year-old girl when he comes of marriageable age. Now, that’s causing physical harm to young girls, and such people should be jailed for child abuse.

This community is living without causing harm to anyone, yet they get death threats. Aren’t there more pressing issues in our country than the sexual preference of consenting adults? Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying being gay is right, either. I’m saying gay people are God’s creation, so judge not, that ye be not judged. Ultimately, every religion’s fundamental message is LOVE, and even if you want to correct an act that you think is wrong, it should be done from a place of love.

Yes, the Bible speaks against homosexuality, but that New Testament verse also lists drunkards, adulterers, the greedy and idolaters. So, if, as Christians, we stand firmly by our faith and insist that it is a sin, Jesus himself said, “let him who is without sin cast the first stone.”

Until next week, enjoy your read.

Onah Nwachukwu @onahluciaa +2349088352246

AUSTYN OGANNAH

PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Editor: Onah Nwachukwu @onahluciaa Editor-at-Large: Chalya Shagaya Writers: Kehindé Fagbule, Tilewa Kazeem Graphic Design: Olaniyan John ‘Blake’ Digital Media: Oladimeji Balogun Guest Art Director: Sunny Hughes ‘ SunZA’ www.thewilldowntown.com thewilldowntown thewilldowntown

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CONTENTS 16

COVER COMING OUT FROM THE SHADOWS Photo: Kola Oshalusi @insignamedia Makeup: Zaron

D

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

MOVIE REVIEW DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS

03

ODDBOD & THE CITY THE HEAT IS ON

15

SPORT 5 NOTABLE NIGERIAN SPORTSWOMEN

04-05

14

FASHION 6 BEST DESIGNER WATCHES FOR WOMEN

HEALTH SODA IS BAD FOR YOU AND HERE ARE 4 REASONS WHY?

Cover Image Photo: Yinka Akinkugbe From @lagosviews Page 2 Image From nairaland.com

06

WEBSIGHTS DOWNTOWN CHURCH AND STATE

07

11

DOWNTOWN LIVING CONFIDENTIAL 6 AROMATHERAPEUTIC ONE NIGHT ONLY? SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR THINK AGAIN HOME

Odun Ogunbiyi @oddbodandthecity

- Contributing Editor Odunayo Ogunbiyi is an ex pharmacist with a passion for food and pampering. Writing about her exploits wherever in the world she may find herself is just her way of staying sane in this zany world.

Boluwatife Adesina @bolugramm - Contributing Writer Boluwatife Adesina is a media writer and the helmer of the Downtown Review page. He’s probably in a cinema near you.

David Nwachukwu @ebube.nw - Contributing Writer David Nwachukwu has always been immersed in fashion from the age of 10, watching a Dior by Galliano show on television.

His work in fashion stretches across media, marketing, brand communications as well as design.As a fashion & lifestyle journalist, David has tracked key industry data for various publications including Industrie Africa, Culture Custodian, Haute Fashion Africa, and HELLO! Nigeria. A Geography graduate from The University of Lagos, David consciously aligns this background in environmental advocacy and sustainable development with the need to promote a more ethical fashion ecosystem. He currently oversees strategic communications at Clean Technology Hub.

12-13

BEAUTY GET THE LOOK: RAINY DAY MAKEUP

WHAT YOU SAID INSTAGRAM @thesocialmediabaddo

Thank you so much for sharing this @zeelang

She's so beautiful

@lisafolawiyo

Uzo Orimalade @uzosfoodlabs

- Contributing Writer Uzo Orimalade has a background in Law and Business and spent over a decade working in Corporate America and Nigeria in the management consulting and investment banking sectors. She switched careers to pursue her passion for baking, cooking and home entertaining. She is content creator and host of shows in various media platforms. She has been recognised by local and international media outlets including a feature on CNN’s African Voices.

Thank you

VOL 2 NO. 32 • AUGUST 07 - AUGUST 13, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

ODUN OGUNBIYI

ODDBOD & THE CITY

The Heat is T

his summer, the news is full of reports that the planet is currently on fire. Iran recorded an eye-watering alltime high temperature of 52°C, countries are reporting record-breaking heatwaves, and Europe is experiencing some of its worst wildfire outbreaks.

The UK registered temperatures above 40°C for the first time in history. The government issued its first-ever red level extreme heat warning. Britain experienced geat-warped train tracks, melting runways, and ERs packed full of dehydrated people.

Welcome to the global new normal. Climate experts are concerned that if the world does not cut carbon emissions soon, these extreme heat waves could cause even more damage than previously predicted. The experts agree that human activities made these new “extreme weather conditions” 10 times more likely.

Africa, which comprises 20% of the world’s land mass, is warming up at almost twice the global rate. What does this mean for us?

More prolonged and more extreme dry seasons, heatwaves with greater intensity, duration and frequency, unpredictable rainy seasons with more storms and excessive rainfall.

Add to this the growing population in Nigeria, urbanisation, and lack of access to information and resources (including money) to protect homes from extreme heat and floods. The negative impact on human health, asset loss, food security, biodiversity and human conflicts is hard to quantify.

What is indisputable is that climate change extremes such as heat and rainfall are likely to disproportionately affect those who are least equipped to cope with the impacts of such events.

What can we do? I feel like I am always harping on about how we must all do our part. The usual suggestions such as driving an electric car, saying no to single-use plastic, eating less meat (the struggle is real on that one), stopping flying or voting for more green candidates for office seem far out of reach and the reality of day-to-day living in Lagos.

With all that said, you could not imagine how excited I was to be pulled into the team at work to participate in the ‘Switch to Gas’ project currently being run by the Lagos State Environmental protection Agency (LASEPA) in partnership with IHS Towers.

The mission is simple: through communication and education, the exercise seeks to remodel the behaviour of the people most affected by cooking with “dirty fuels” like charcoal and wood.

The main barrier to change is the initial cost of the equipment needed to switch to gas, mitigated through support from LASEPA’s partner and ensuring ongoing access to affordable gas. Compared to traditional fuels such as wood or charcoal, gas is cleaner, releasing fewer pollutants.

The main beneficiaries? Women and children who have the most exposure to the cooking fire with the added benefit that emissions of CO2 greenhouse gases are reduced by 5 – 16 times per prepared meal compared to coal. This is an excellent example of a big corporation giving back to the community and supporting climate action. I am here for it.

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VOL 2 NO. 32 • AUGUST 07 - AUGUST 13, 2022

FASHION

6

THEWILL THEWILL DOWNTOWN DOWNTOWN •• www.thewilldowntown.com www.thewilldowntown.com

Best Designer

Watches

For Women

BY IDOWU LAMI

Much like wigs, purses and shoes, watches are brilliant investments. Throw on a mundane-looking shirt and jeans, slap on a watch, and watch how it elevates the entire ensemble. That's the kind of power wearing a watch has. We've compiled a list of classic timepieces to put power in your hands.

Ebele Udoh

Serena Williams

Yellow Gold Tank Francaise CARTIER

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Meghan Markle

Royal Oak Offshore Rose Gold Diamond AUDEMARS PIGUET

VOL 2 NO. 32 • AUGUST 07 - AUGUST 13, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

FASHION

Linda Ikeji Lady-DateJust ROLEX Yvonne Nwosu

Toyosi Etim-Effiong

Happy Sport Automatic Watch CHOPARD

Serpenti Tubogas Watch BULGARI

Limited Edition Rectangle Watch TIFFANY & CO.

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websights DOWNTOWN

Church And State

Understanding The Politics of Religion

R

eligion is perhaps the biggest talking point in Nigeria, even in politics.

When the first white men came around to set up shop here, they brought the Bible with them. For the Arabians that infiltrated the northern part of the country, it was the Qur’an. Although both groups came with the hopes of someday owning the territory, they came with the missionary as a mental and social conditioning tool that gave the people a guide on how to live. A lot has been different through the amalgamation and eventual independence, but one thing has stayed the course: religion as a powerful mind tool.

Fast-forward to 2022, and just like every year that has preceded an election year in this part of the world, religion is a topic at the fore again. This year, it is right at the centre of it, so where are we as a people today?

Why Does Religion Matter So Much?

You don’t need to follow Nigerian politics so closely to see to what extent religion plays a role. If you keep track of the news, you would have seen one too many tragic ones of churches being targeted by terrorists. The political elites would tell you that it is not a religiously-motivated attack as mosques are getting infiltrated too. But can you blame people who think otherwise? If you are bringing trouble to the church, it is safe to think that you have a beef with God, and so chatters of the Islamization of Nigeria didn’t just come out of thin air. The seed was planted a while ago and keeps getting watered with every decapitated church.

Unfortunately, that’s coming too frequently now more than ever. A couple of months ago, Nigerians grieved with the friends and families of victims of the Owo massacre. On the 5th of June 2022, a mass shooting and bomb attack occurred at a Catholic church in the city of Owo in Ondo State, killing at least 40 people. According to Wikipedia, some in the federal government of Nigeria suspect the Islamic State – West Africa Province (ISWAP, a terrorist organisation, an offshoot of Boko Haram) of carrying out the massacre. It is not just random “gunmen”, “bandits”, or “herdsmen” that blow up churches as the media often report these incidents; they are terrorists. But what do they want? It’s a gory discussion.

Birth of The Muslim-Muslim Ticket Religion would once again wiggle itself into another political conversation. On the 10th of July, when All Progressives Congress’s (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, a Muslim, unveiled Senator Kashim Shettima, another Muslim, as his running mate, the country basically went into a frenzy. It is the novel MuslimMuslim ticket; Nigerians have never seen anything like it. This, coming at a time when Christians are constantly feeling unsafe as the minority and marginalised group, was always going to be a big deal.

Clearing himself in a statement via his Twitter handle, Jagaban opined: “This chapter in our nation’s history demands a bold yet pragmatic approach. In selecting Senator Shettima I have committed myself to this path. I have made the hard choice because I believe it is the best choice.

Together, we shall build this party and this nation. This is where politics must end, and leadership must begin. True leadership is not grounded in religious pandering, populism or sentiment. To forge ahead as a nation towards development and prosperity, we must, instead, break the shackles of old thinking.” (@officialABAT) It is to be seen how that decision plays out, but if the Clergy-Gate is anything to go by, it’s not off to a great start.

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Obidient in Church

BY KEHINDÉ FAGBULE The Clergy-Gate Last month, images of bishops and priests emerged on social media to show that some clergymen attended the public presentation of Kashim Shettima as the vice presidential candidate of the APC, despite the controversy surrounding the resolve of Tinubu to go for a Muslim-Muslim ticket. The clergymen became instant memes as critics declared them fake on sight. This, of course, incited comments from Christian bodies, with the Catholic Church in the province claiming it did not send any representation to the event. “We have seen the photos circulating online; they are not Catholic bishops. The Catholic Church did not send any representation to the event held today by Bola Tinubu and his running mate Kashim Shettima,” Rev. Fr. Patrick Alumuku, a spokesman for the Catholic Church Headquarters in Abuja, said. “If you look at the manner the imposters dressed and conducted themselves, you will see they are not Catholic Church officials.”

Tinubu would come to state that they are not fake, just not big names.

In a tweet, he said, “We want to say that those clergymen were not fake, not mechanics or yam sellers as the purveyors of hatred have made Nigerians believe in the social media. They are not big names in Christendom yet, but they are gradually building up their missions.

They are church leaders who genuinely believe that Nigerians must eschew politics of hatred and religious bigotry and rather embrace politics of peace and nation building.”

Whether they are fake priests or not is not even the bone of contention here. It is the fact that they are aware that Christian representation had to be present at the occasion, and that was what resulted in the alleged parody.

The elephant in the room is religious.

A lot of things can be compromised in Nigeria, but not religion. For most people, the church and mosque are safe havens, providing spiritual support, security and comfort through life. Two Fridays ago, when Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, attended Dunamis International Gospel Centre, it got people talking as well. In a viral video, Obi was introduced to the congregation by Pastor Becky Enenche, the wife of the Dunamis’ senior pastor, Paul Enenche. As she mentioned that Obi was in the church’s 100,000-capacity building, the congregants gave thunderous applause and cheers, as some also chanted the presidential candidate’s name. Explaining the reason why he attended the all-night service, Obi said it was to fellowship and thank God. He tweeted, “I spent an uplifting and exhilarating 8 hours of fellowship amongst fellow Nigerians @DunamisGospel 2022 Mid Year Praise and Worship, with @DrPaulEnenche, his family and other dignitaries. I used that auspicious occasion to thank God. In praying, I said: ‘God we have no other nation but Nigeria. Please deliver us. Please save us. Nigeria must not go down. Let your light shine upon this nation.’ God is Good!” -@PeterObi Most countries in the world are either Christian or Muslim countries, usually judged by the religion practised by the majority of their citizens. Nigeria, however, is one of the very few countries with both religions as heavily practised as the other. With that level of diversity should come inclusion, one would think. Religion in Nigerian politics will never be swept aside. Yes, it is a fact that the more westernised a country is, the less religious they are, but Nigeria, as we are all aware, is just not there yet.

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DOWNTOWN CONFIDENTIAL

One Night Only?

Think Again

BY TILEWA KAZEEM

I

must admit that I was apprehensive about this topic. It’s just two individuals who most likely won't ever speak or cross paths again after having meaningless sex. Right? That’s completely untrue. It is a lot more psychological than that.

Most of the time, one-night stands are usually about scratching an itch. We pawn ourselves off on dating apps—in case you missed Kehinde’s relationship piece titled; Love On a Swipe from last week, go check it out. It is an intriguing read—for a ton of reasons; long-required rebound sex to get over your long-term ex, or in a rare case, something special. And for people who prefer real-life interactions and causal bump-in as opposed to swiping right, they go out. By the night's end, both strangers are deep inside one another. Now, although most cases of one-night stands are superficial and usually end in both parties going their separate ways after the deed is done, some don't until the next morning.

Hence the infamous walk-of-shame.

What most people don’t know is that some one-night stands have good prospects (about 27%) of turning into long-term relationships, according to Helen Fisher in an article published by Nautil.us but quoted

by Psychology Today. Talk about a huge plot twist. What this means, is that the air-tight argument that a one-night stand is just two emotionless silhouettes grinding on each other naked at a hotel, having lustful sex, is looking a lot less air-tight. Shedding more light on the article, casual sex can be divided into four categories: “one-night stands,” “booty calls,” “f*ck buddies,” and “friends with benefits.” Each type can be separated from the others based on how superficial and long it lasts.

The first happens between two strangers.

No emotions, it’s just sex, and it’s not that deep—well, the length of his penis might agree to disagree, but generally, it's rarely that deep. With a booty call, also known as a sneaky link, the terms of the agreement are different. These are two acquaintances agreeing to just knock boots and nothing more. Contrary to one-night stands, booty calls aim to have multiple sex sessions with a sex friend. The participants are regarded as f**k buddies, which are existing friends but whose friendship is primarily confined to sexual activities when booty calls become excessively frequent or regular. While with friends with benefits, it's now past just sex. You are now swiping up on Whatsapp status', liking posts on Instagram and in a way, however little, involved in each other's day. I'm sure I'm not the only one

IMAGE FRON INTIMA.COM who notices a pattern here. We might have known someone in one of these classes at some point in our lives. Some people move from meaningless to meaningful sexual encounters. While some people never completely stop having meaningless sex, even though you might go gaga over their deep strokes or doggy style, they might not fit your idea of a friend.

“I'm not the type of guy who enjoys onenight stands. It leaves me feeling very empty and cynical. It's not even fun sexually. I need to feel something for the woman and entertain the vain hope that it may lead to a relationship.”—Ben Affleck Right, the ex-Batman actor might not like one-night stands, but it is a typical sensation, even though some people could reject it as Hollywood romanticism. It is no-strings-attached sex; who would love it?

You're getting sexual gratification without the emotional burden of love. It's a selfexplanatory concept of a "one-night stand", and it might be very counterintuitive when some people fall in love like they didn't get the memo, but truth be told, we humans are a romantic tribe. Social media videos of marriage proposals and wedding ceremonies rack up thousands of views. Love is love; at some point, those who don't have it crave it and those who do want a better version.

In addition to that, Psychologist Peter Jonason and his colleagues’2011 study of the “booty-call” relationship yielded additional startling results. The researchers were surprised to find that participants who engaged in one-night stands reported more emotional than sexual acts, as did those in serious romantic relationships. After bootycall sex, individuals were more likely to leave immediately, as opposed to one-night stands where individuals stayed longer. This ultimately brings us back to the walk-ofshame or, may I say, the-uber-ride-of-shame in our neck of the woods.

In summary, that one-night stand might end up becoming a more-nights-and-days stand.

Whereas the "booty-call" might just be the

new and improved one-night stand. However, all psychology's claims aside, people still have the widely publicised understanding of a one-night stand. I would know because I had one that I wished snowballed into something more, but it didn't.

We met at a plaza along Admiralty way in Lekki, Lagos. I had held the door to one of those work cafes open for her. She glanced up for barely two seconds to thank me before walking through the glass doors. I walked in after her and sat down adjacent to where she settled. The smell of freshly baked pastries and coffee was the fragrance of the cafe, and it wore it wonderfully well. Everyone was buried in some work, and the mystery lady soon joined in before ordering an espresso.

I wasn't there to work…well, I was, but not at that wing of the plaza. I had a business meeting on the rooftop. I was only there because I was waiting for a colleague to find parking. The receptionist was about to come to echo in my ears how “just sitting waiting for someone was not allowed unless I wanted to use the workspace.” Right as she was about to descend like a condor, I just got up, gawked at the mystery lady for a bit and left for my meeting. A couple of hours later, after I was done with my meeting, I was getting out of the elevator, and I spotted her again with her blue Tommy Hilfiger laptop bag strapped over her shoulder. I walked up to her and introduced myself as Mr Chivalrous. She laughed and told me her name; it was Lucy. We chatted for a bit and spoke about what we did for a living, and she found that I was a sex writer very appealing. We walked to another part of the plaza, sat and had a quick chat. She was head of content at a company I can't remember right now. After her fourth espresso, a couple of laughs and my cupcake, she asked me if I'd like to return to her place, and I'm sure you know my answer. I said no. I needed to beat traffic and couldn't do that by agreeing to sex in the heart of Lekki. She walked to the female toilet and gestured to me to follow her.

Getting in, there was no use wasting time; I pinned her to the sink, had a quickie and went our separate ways to never see her again.

Hope she's well.

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COVER

COMING OUT SHADOWS

BY ONAH NWACHUKWU & KEHINDÉ FAGBULE

I

f there is anything that is bound to outlive every one of us, it is the concept of unaccepted groups either by skin colour, creed, religion, class, sexual identity or orientation. We see it in the way Africans —and anyone who dares to come to this world with a black pigmentation—were, and are still treated in places where they are the minority. Christians in Muslim countries, Muslims in America after the 9/11 attacks, and so on. And even though the entire world is pushing for more inclusiveness and empathy-driven interactions among humans, the chances that people are welcoming of the “other” group is looking as bleak as can be. However, that hasn’t stopped people from choosing to do life as is demanded to be a full one.

Especially queer people. And within the nooks and crannies of Nigeria, this community is one that no one dares to speak of.

The Push Back of A Conservative Society Every group that is not heterosexual, male and or white, has had to fight for their right to live a full life as the next person. There was a time women couldn’t vote because they weren’t considered full persons capable of making basic civil decisions—they were deemed property. Black people in the United

States faced a similar battle, having just come from an era when they were literal properties getting traded by rich white men—until the civil rights movement began to brew. At the time, these things—women and black people’s relegation to property status—were legal, and so people had legislation on their side as an excuse to say, ‘here’s what the law says, you are worthless in the eyes of the law.’

When the anti-gay act imposing 14 years on gay relationships was adopted by the Senate in 2011, passed by the lower house of parliament, and was eventually signed by then-President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014, Nigerians were joyous. In the Muslim-majority north, it is punishable by death by stoning under the Sharia Law. “This is a law that is in line with the people’s cultural and religious inclination. So it is a law that is a reflection of the beliefs and orientation of Nigerian people,” presidential spokesman Reuben Abati told the press at the

time. According to reports, the few Nigerian gay and human rights activists who tried to give evidence of the year leading to the ban during the parliamentary debate were heckled and booed until one broke into tears and another could not be heard.

In a heavily religious and traditional country like Nigeria, it will be a safe bet to project that most people will never be on board with homosexuality. According to the Holy Bible, in chapters 18 and 20 of Leviticus, same-sex intercourse is prohibited. The Book says, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.” The new testament also states in 1st Corinthians 6:9: Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men, nor thieves nor the greedy, nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of heaven. The Qu’ran too forbids it, so it is rejected as a corrupting Western import, (Haram).

And ˹remember˺ when Lot scolded ˹the men of˺ his people,˹saying,˺ “Do you commit a shameful deed that no man has ever done before? You lust after men instead of women! You are certainly transgressors.” But his people’s only response was to say, “Expel them from your land!

They are a people who wish to remain chaste!” So we saved him and his family except his wife, who was one of the doomed. We poured upon them a rain ˹of brimstone.

See what was the end of the wicked!

— Surah Al-A’raf 7:80-84 .

This is what religion has taught us and what we know from a young age, so anything else is deemed unacceptable.

However, as years go by, that has been changing gradually.

According to a 2007 Pew Global Attitudes Project, 97% of Nigerian residents believe that homosexuality is a way of life that society should not accept, which was the second-highest rate of non-acceptance in the 45 countries surveyed. In 2015, a survey by an organisation founded by a Nigerian homosexual activist based in London claimed this percentage decreased to 94%. In this survey by Bisi Alimi, as of the same period, the percentage of Nigerians who agree LGBTQ persons should receive education, healthcare, and housing is 30%. The level of approval declined slightly to 91% in another Pew Research Center poll in 2019. We can see a clear trend in the decreasing numbers. This tells us that either people are less religious or are more open-minded toward the world as we know it

Fola Francis and Bisi Alimi

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COVER

Billy Porter

today.

Perhaps the most controversial debate in history, LGBTQ dialogues are mostly held from a religious standpoint. And although the Western media is doing everything in its power to make it appear as commonplace in society as humanly possible, the majority of the world’s population still frowns upon it with unspoken disgust. When they have these conversations, it is often likened to one mental illness or the other, suggesting that something in the wiring went wrong somewhere.

For most people, it is the worst thing that could happen to anyone. The issue of procreation also poses a significantly unsolved conundrum. ‘How are you going to have kids?’ Is a question that’s been asked time and again. Although there has been no legal persecution since the enactment of the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act (SSMPA), the law has emboldened homophobes who at every turn take the law into their hands to lynch suspected queer people.

Eric flew to Lagos, Nigeria, with his family for a wedding.

Although visibly excited to venture back home and soak up the culture, Eric was also very worried about showing up as his queer self in a country where he is not accepted, even by his grandmother.

As a queer, West African child in the diaspora, Eric’s relationship with queerness is fraught with tension, as he constantly attempts to resist the expectations imposed on him by culture and tradition.

He would eventually hide parts of himself from his traditional family in a bid to fit into the mould expected of him.

However, that didn’t happen for long. While still in Nigeria, Eric met an entire community of queer people who looked and dressed just like him, giving him the confidence to show up as himself. Introduced to the young underground scene by his new photographer friend, Oba, Eric is deeply moved by existing in this space, so much so that he was swept up by the whole experience and got carried away. Underground, he met and partied with individuals who, just like him, out of fear of getting hurt by society, being evicted, or even worse, killed, had to hide expressing their true selves and loving whom they wanted.

Being queer in Nigeria is a lot of things. In most parts of Janelle Monae the country, to be queer is an abomination that should never even be conceived in the first place. You have to hush it. The concept of pride is unacceptable here. People are often very vile. What happens if they find out?

The idiosyncrasies of the human experience explain that for every human on earth, there is a unique experience and a life-worth of stories peculiar to them. Since we could tell our left and right hands apart, we have been nurtured with heteronormative ideologies, and so it is clear how deviating from that is considered rebellious.

However, people have grown to be who they want to be and not what society expects them to be; and we are seeing that at a level like never before.

We contacted a source to get a sense of their experience living in Lagos, Nigeria. When asked if they ever get death threats, they said, “Yes, I do.

Sometimes people get unnecessarily aggressive on social media and even violent just because you look gay. There’s so much hate channelled towards the community from people, and the worst part is they use religion as a base for the hate when all religion teaches is to love your neighbour as thyself. The word didn’t say love only your straight neighbours or neighbours you think are right but love all as you do yourself.”

Not too often do we see queer representation in Nigerian media—for obvious reasons.

However, in 2021 when Netflix’s original British teen series, Sex Education, explored one of its characters’ stories—Eric, a gay teenage Nigerian born and bred in the UK, played by Ncuti Gawa—it involved shooting in Nigeria.

‘Love your neighbour as yourself,’ religious people will tell you, is one of the biggest preachings of Jesus Christ during His time here on earth. However, queer people are not beneficiaries of that grace. According to our source, “Getting beat up, removed from career opportunities and ostracised because” are some

The Coming Out of an Underground Community

of the inhumane things that happen to queer people. The backlashes aren’t just external; frequently, friends, family and the people closest to queer people struggle to shake their bias. For our source, some of the weirdest comments from these people( friends and family) parroted myths with little to no medical backing. “They automatically assume you have HIV or will get it; meanwhile, medical research has shown HIV is higher in straight people.”

For most people, homophobia stems from the fear of not being able to tell who is gay or not. What if a man wears earrings like most of today’s celebrities do? What if a woman is just tomboyish and takes delight in shopping in the male section?

How can we tell people’s sexuality solely based on their appearance? Gaydar (a portmanteau of gay and radar) is a colloquialism referring to the intuitive ability of a person to assess others’ sexual orientations as homosexual, bisexual or straight. Gaydar relies on verbal and nonverbal clues, and LGBTQ stereotypes, including sensitivity to social behaviours and mannerisms

Since we could tell our left and right hands apart, we have been nurtured with heteronormative ideologies, and so it is clear how deviating from that is considered rebellious. However, people have grown to be who they want to be and not what society expects them to be; and we are seeing that at a level like never before.

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COVER most significant achievements. It was a dark day for queer people, however.

When asked for his thoughts on the jail term law, our anonymous source said, “It’s a ridiculous and inhumane law used as a form of distraction from Nigeria’s many problems. What’s your business with what two adults are choosing to do? 14 years should be given to the men marrying and taking underaged girls from their parents’ homes in exchange for coins.”

To pull this off, inspiration was taken from the New York ballroom scene, with global drag culture adapted to fit the Nigerian aesthetics and cultural habits. “The inspiration was Paris Is Burning,” Fola Francis, the host and one of the organisers of Pride in Lagos, shared. “We wanted to reenact the iconic underground New York ballroom scene here in Nigeria and make it true and original to our aesthetics as queer Nigerians.”

Although legislation is an excellent start, it doesn’t end there. Laws or not, no legislation could fix society’s bias.

On paper, black people have the same rights as their white counterparts.

According to legislation, women can run for office: but how many of them do? For queer people in Nigeria, acceptance holds more significance than the constitution.

Even in developed countries where the constitution accepts the community, hate crimes against queer people remain a constant fixture. We asked our subject how being accepted makes them feel, and they replied, “It’s the only life we’ve known; you get used to it and create a safe space for yourself elsewhere.”

This piece is merely a report on a community in Nigeria —Lagos, to be precise. Gone are the days when society must hush around queer conversations. Nowadays, most Nigerians are just looking to keep breathing between the national insecurities, failing economy, and an upcoming election that has set so much political tension in motion.

The debate between different groups— in Nigeria and the world at large—on whether LGBTQ practices are ethical and moral will probably never see eye to eye. Like other talking points that are up for discussion in Western countries, we may never have a sit-down to have that dialogue. However, we cannot afford to act like there’s no “elephant in the room” because there is, and it is gay.

What Are We Saying?

According to legislation, women can run for office: but how many of them do? For queer people in Nigeria, acceptance holds more significance than the constitution.

Frank Ocean

like flamboyant body language, the tone of voice used when speaking, overt rejections of traditional gender roles, a person’s occupation, and grooming habits. So basically, if a man is non-conforming to the conventional expectations of a man, he is probably gay. Or at least that’s what society thinks of him. Our source explains how misconstrued the concept of a gaydar is. When asked how strong his gaydar is, he replied, “Not so strong, because e no dey show for face,” as he chuckled. “These days, the straightest looking men—especially the married ones and ones in government—start hitting you up or hitting on you, and it’s always so confusing because you never expect it,” he concluded.

To be realistic is to come to terms with the fact that it will take a massive cultural shift for homosexuality to be “tolerated or accepted” in Nigeria. We are in a society that celebrates taking in 8-year-olds as brides and truncating their lives before they are even legal enough to make decisions on their own and frowns on two consenting adults choosing to spend life together. Is our subject confident that the acceptance of queer people is something that could happen at some point in our lifetime? “To be honest, I’m not confident because we live in a religiously hypocritical society—and people would rather join hands to antagonise us even though they are marrying underaged girls, “fornicating” constantly, stealing the country’s wealth, killing, and all forms of sin—and they use their hate for homosexuality to make themselves feel better about their own sins.”

Since the enactment of the SSMPA, the general public reaction has been joyous. If you ask most Nigerians, they will list it as one of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s

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And our conversation with our source suggests that, safe space in Nigeria has been missing for ages. The LGBTQ community in Nigeria has been gathering pace, as queer Nigerians have become tired of hiding and are now identifying with their tribe like never before, albeit with heavy security. From June 20-26 this year, Pride In Lagos hosted a series of events dedicated to creating a safe space for the queer community in the city—the first of its kind. This week-long convention, which included a panel discussion (physical and virtual) in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Lagos, allowed queer Nigerians who couldn’t physically attend, to participate in a closing ball featuring voguing performances and a drag show.

“Last year, after we were done with Glow-Up Pride 2021, a virtual event, I told the team I wanted to organise Pride in Lagos,” the event organiser, Olaide Kayode Timileyin, tells Dazed. “[I wanted to] have people travel down [to the city], instead of the modus operandi of queer Africans travelling across the world to experience liberation.”

Frank Ocean

VOL 2 NO. 32 • AUGUST 07 - AUGUST 13, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

LIVING

Aromatherapeutic SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR HOME

BY IDOWU LAMI

A

romatherapy and essential oils have reportedly been used for thousands of years. Rumour has it that Cleopatra may have even been a devotee.

We must first set the record straight regarding what aromatherapy is and how it might assist you before we delve into the specifics of how to make your home smell like Cesar’s after Cleopatra’s sleepover. The use of smell, more specifically essential oils, in aromatherapy might make you feel better physically and emotionally. Home fragrances have many advantages, including easing stress, lowering anxiety and depressive symptoms, and promoting restful sleep.

Plus, your home smells like angels left incense from heaven.

CANDLES These are the home fragrance industry pioneers and firmly believe that one can never have too many candles. You may be guilty of burning multiple candles simultaneously because there is a candle to fit every mood, shelfie, and aroma preference. But that’s okay. Candles have a reputation for reducing anxiety and tension. If you find yourself unduly stressed out after a long day at work, simply light a few scented candles in your bedroom and watch all of your nervousness and unease go as you lie there in the pleasant smell and the candle-lit atmosphere.

Kelly Price Writes

Stone Diffuser VITRUVI

Scented Candles FORVR

English Rose BURBERRY

INCENSE Burning incense is one of the earliest forms of aromatherapy that dates back to the Bible. It has been known to help you relax and unwind, it reduces stress and anxiety, and it disperses its fragrance around your home, leaving it calm and refreshing.

ESSENTIAL OIL DIFFUSERS

Most households and public venues now feature these types of diffusers. The uplifting, relaxing, and revitalizing aroma of essential oils can instantly permeate your house thanks to these charming little pods.

This diffuser pod emits a gentle, engulfing mist that fills your space with your preferred aroma at the push of a button.

Diffuser AERA

MIST SPRAYS These sprays are frequently created using various scents, such as eucalyptus, lavender, and lemon leaf. As they infuse sophistication, your home’s atmosphere is immediately changed.

Luxury Incense Sticks LUX AESTIVA

REED DIFFUSERS

Honesty OBSIDIAN

The best approach to delicately elevate the fragrance of your home is with reed diffusers. They permeate for a long time, much slower than candles do. You can use these reed diffusers to remove unpleasant odours from your home. Reed diffusers not only improve your home’s overall atmosphere but also significantly improve its appearance. It also works well as a piece of decor in your living area.

Home Perfume ASHLEY & CO

Aromatherapy Mist AW

Rosebud 229 TANZ PAGE 11

VOL 2 NO. 32 • AUGUST 07 - AUGUST 13, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

BEAUTY

CONCEAL IT! Now that your skin is adequately prepped, you can apply your liquid foundation.

Follow this with your shade of the liquid foundation, using the Zaron Multipurpose blending brush or the Ultimate Foundation Brush. Apply 2-3 mini-sized drops on your face for a skin-like look.

For a subtle facelift, apply a dimesized amount of lighter shade of the foundation under your eyes, your forehead and chin.

For a pretty and soft-matte finish, apply your powder (preferably BrownSkin powder). Make sure to matte out your eyelids with the powder.

Here’s a Tip: If you have dark spots, correct them using an angle brush to apply a dime-sized quantity of a darker shade of Brown Skin Liquid Foundation directly on the spots. For best results, go two shades darker.

Foundation Brush ZARON

Multipurpose Brush ZARON

GET THE LOOK: RAINY DAY MAKEUP

BY JUMOKE MURITALA

We know it’s raining out there, but that shouldn’t stop you from wearing makeup and looking gorgeous at your next event. The secret to it is finding a look that works with the weather while keeping your makeup in place. We wouldn’t want that mascara running, now would we?

So here are quick and easy steps to achieving a subtle and elegant look that’s perfect for this weather.

BrownSkin Powder ZARON

PREP YOUR SKIN Skin prep is good, but good skin prep is great and is key to flawless makeup wear. It can be likened to building a house; if the walls of a building aren’t plastered before painting, it will look rough, bumpy and unappealing.

Hence, prepping your skin adequately aids seamless makeup application & gives a smooth & flawless makeup finish.

Firstly, apply a serum to boost your skin’s hydration because, surprisingly, your skin gets drier during the rainy season.

BrownSkin Foundation ZARON

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Follow this with a pore minimiser and apply it to areas of your face where you have large pores. Go in with the Zaron Oil Block Mattifier using a flat brush or properly cleaned fingers; focus more on your T-Zone area. The next step would be to apply your liquid foundation.

Oil Block Mattifier ZARON

Hydrating Serum ZARON

Hyaluronic Acid Serum ZARON

VOL 2 NO. 32 • AUGUST 07 - AUGUST 13, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

BEAUTY SET & SEAL For an even more long-lasting and lightweight finish, subtly apply setting powder. Try Zaron Veil Setting Powder in the shade “Crystal” all over your face using the multi-purpose brush. Remember to tap and dust off excess setting powder before applying it to your face.

It melts right into the skin, giving you a super natural finish. Seal immediately with a setting spray.

Lip Hydrating Therapy ZARON

PERFECT POUT! Did you know? Your lips get drier during the rainy season. And that is why you should always hydrate your lips first using a lip balm.

Try Zaron Lip Hydrating therapy which is soothing and moisturising.

Veil Setting Powder ZARON

Perfect Finish Spary ZARON

Lipliner Cappucino ZARON

Then, define and outline the outer part of your lips with the Zaron Lip Liner “Cappuccino” and follow with a minimal quantity of liquid lipstick that dries in matte.

Matte Lipfix 'Tease' ZARON

SECURE THE BROWS & POP THE EYES! Now, let’s get the brows and eyes done. To achieve natural-looking and long-lasting brows, apply slight strokes using a brow pencil on your eyebrows and brush with a brow gel until you get the desired look.

Follow this with a waterproof mascara; for this, we recommend the Zaron 4in1 Wink Mascara. It is all your eyes need to pop.

The bigger wand lengthens, volumises, and curls while the tiny wand picks the tiniest strands of your upper and under eyelashes. It takes your eyelashes from basic to bougie in a few seconds. Lastly, finish off with a liquid liner. Go for one with a precise applicator, making it super easy to apply. Caught up in the rain? Need not worry; the 4in1 mascara by Zaron is waterproof.

Brow Pencil ZARON

Brow Bang ZARON

Wink Mascara ZARON

HD Liquid Liner ZARON

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VOL 2 NO. 32 • AUGUST 07 - AUGUST 13, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

HEALTH

SODA

BY IDOWU LAMI

IS BAD FOR YOU AND HERE ARE 4 REASONS WHY?

A

re you one of those who enjoy the delightful hiss of carbonation as soon as the soda bottle lid is opened? Does soda quench your thirst with its crackle and fizz as it dances down your throat in a way that water doesn't?

If reading this opening paragraph made your mouth water, I'm sorry, but I'm about to burst your bubble of fizzy heaven.

The worst source of sugar is unquestionably sugar-filled beverages; however, some are worse than others.

This article mostly refers to sugary sodas, but it also covers fruit juices, coffee that has been substantially sweetened, and other liquid sugar sources. It is understandable; sugar is sweet, and when it's in a bottle and chilled to the teeth, it's much better. But, not everything sweet is good for you.

Your health may suffer if you consume too much added sugar. Without further ado, here's why.

IMAGE FROM DAILY MAIL

You Could Damage Your Brain

Weight Gain

A UCLA study found that consuming foods high in fructose, such as soda with added sugars (hello, highfructose corn syrup! ), alters the structure of hundreds of brain cells. The most alarming part is that these genes are connected to serious diseases.

When you order a platter of grilled chicken with jollof rice, it doesn't taste the same unless you accompany it with a large bottle of your preferred fizzy beverage. Using calories to wash calories down into the body may seem beneficial and risk-free, but it is neither. Sugar fructose is the most prevalent form of sugar in most soda drinks. But unlike glucose, fructose doesn't give you the same feeling of fullness. Because of this, drinking soda increases your calorie intake and causes weight gain. Substitute it for an apple instead.

IMAGE FROM SHUTTERSTOCK

Has No Nutrients

Sugary soda almost lacks all necessary nutrients, including fibre, vitamins, and minerals. It only adds huge quantities of extra sugar and needless calories to your diet.

Risk Of Getting Type 2 Diabetes Numerous studies have linked soda consumption to type 2 diabetes, which is not surprising given that an excessive fructose diet may cause insulin resistance. It has been repeatedly shown that consuming even one can of sugary soda daily increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.

IMAGE FROM SHUTTERSTOCK

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SODA IN GLASS

VOL 2 NO. 32 • AUGUST 07 - AUGUST 13, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

SPORT

5SPORTSWOMEN

NOTABLE NIGERIAN

Mercy Akinde Akinde played for Nigeria in three FIFA Women's World Cups and helped Nigeria's Super Falcons win three African Women Championships (AWC) crowns, rising from the lesser leagues in Nigeria to become African Woman Footballer Of The Year (2001).

FIFA named her one of their 15 Women's Football Ambassadors in 2005.

Chioma Ajunwa Although she now serves as the Assistant Commissioner of Police in Lagos Police Command, Ajunwa was a force to be reckoned with.

Playing with the female football team to World Cup level and then shifted to athletes only to win an Olympic gold medal. Chioma Ajunwa is the first black African woman to win an Olympic gold medal in a field event.

BY IDOWU LAMI

I

t would be a big disservice to ignore all of the Nigerian women's outstanding achievements in sports over the years. During the height of their careers, some of these ladies set records, some of which have yet to be broken.

So, without further ado, let's honour these heroines.

Asisat Osohola Since the Super Falcons Star's arrival in Catalonia in 2019, Osohola has won the Primera Division title every season with Barcelona. Her greatest triumph to date is her Champions League victory with Barcelona in 2021 when she became the first African woman to win Europe's most prestigious title. She recently won the CAF Female Player of the Year 2022.

Tobi Amusan After shattering her previous world record in the 100m hurdles with a time of 12:12 in the semifinals, Tobi tremendously became the 100m hurdles world record holder with a time of 12:06 in the final. She has become the first and only Nigerian to ever hold a world record.

Seun Adigun, Ngozi Onwumere and Akuoma Omeoga This remarkable group of extraordinary women, Adigun, Onwumere and Omeoga, are Nigeria's first Bobsled team. In 2018 they became the first Nigerians to represent the country at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Honorary Mentions Adenike Olarinoye won Nigeria's first gold medal at the Commonwealth Games with a total lift of 203kg in the 55kg weightlifting category.

Blessing Oborududu is a Nigerian freestyle wrestler. She was the first to win an Olympic medal in wrestling and is currently ranked number two in the world.

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VOL 2 NO. 32 27 • AUGUST JULY 3 - 07 JULY - AUGUST 9, 202213, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

BY BOLUWATIFE ADESINA Scan this with your camera to access the playlist (Apple Music)

ALBUM REVIEW

MOVIE REVIEW:

DC League of Super-Pets Whittington’s script imagines a world in which a young Kal-El (who later becomes Superman and his alter ego Clark Kent, voiced by John Krasinski) has a stowaway puppy in the pod that blasts off from the planet Krypton. Boy and pup grow up together into man and dog, saving the world together in Metropolis. But when Krypto becomes jealous of Lois Lane (Olivia Wilde), Clark wonders about finding his best friend, a best friend of his own.

T

he DC Extended Universe has mostly taken a dark, gritty approach to blockbuster comic book movies. But perhaps there’s another way to explore the world of the Justice League that’s a bit more warm, cuddly and friendly?

That’s the thesis presented by the animated movie DC League of Super-Pets, which combines several elements that have already proven successful to create a family-friendly access point to the worlds of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and their gang of superheroes.

DC League of Super-Pets is written by Jared Stern and John Whittington, who have writing credits on The Lego Ninjago Movie and The Lego Batman Movie. The film is directed by Stern and Co-director Sam Levine (Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero) brings the animation experience. The voice cast is packed with comedy actors including Kate McKinnon, Vanessa Bayer, Natasha Lyonne, Jemaine Clement, John Early and Marc Maron.

But most importantly, it teams Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart in the lead roles of Krypto the Super-Dog and Ace, a rescue mutt.

Johnson and Hart have had quite the success in their odd couple pairing in films such as Central Intelligence and Jumanji, and DC League of SuperPets relies on their lively banter to sell the enemiesto-friends story at the centre of the film.

Stern and

That quandary resolves itself when a hairless guinea pig named Lulu (McKinnon), rescued from an animal testing lab run by Lex Luthor (Maron), and obsessed with world domination, uses a shard of orange kryptonite to grant herself and the other rescue animals superpowers.

Krypto has to team up with the motley crew of Ace, pig PB (Bayer), elderly turtle Merton (Lyonne) and a chipmunk named Chip (Diego Luna) to save Superman and the Justice League, who have been captured by the gang of superpowered guinea pigs.

While the plot following Krypto finding his pack and saving the day is exceedingly formulaic and slightly tiresome with its predictable turns, Stern and Whittington fill the space around the structure with a plethora of absurdist humor and sharply written jokes, as well as the teasing self-awareness that marked both The Lego Batman Movie (arguably the best deconstruction of the Batman myth) and The Lego Ninjago Movie.

McKinnon’s performance of the megalomaniacal Lulu proves to be one of the funniest in the film, while Lyonne’s Merton is a sleeper breakout.

DC League of Super-Pets isn’t trying to break down the genre or trouble the already well-established world, but rather, find some wiggle room to play with the familiar characters and insert some childlike wonder and earnestness. Both cutesy and comic, this animated film finds a way for kids and families to experience these well-known characters, but older DC fans will enjoy the references to their beloved comic book tales too. It’s a funny and sweet refresh on the DC lore that should please fans old and new.

It’s cute for kids/10

BEYONCE: RENAISSANCE Much like the propulsive, driving rhythms of her seventh studio album, Renaissance, Beyoncé’s solo output has unfolded as a delivery system for sumptuously crafted pop and R&B, rarely idling in one mode for too long. The break between the singer’s last album, Lemonade, and her latest is the longest of her career. However, that six-year interim yielded a collaboration with husband Jay-Z, a soundtrack and accompanying visual album, and a live release. And where her work with Jay on Everything Is Love sometimes smacked of two middle-aged-ish artists incongruously trying on youthful trends, Renaissance feels vitally current.

Toward the end of Heated, Beyoncé describes making “disco trap,” an apt descriptor for Renaissance’s genre of choice.

The album cycles through and masters a range of dance floor-oriented styles, including the Afrobeats shuffle of Heated, the carefree disco-funk of Cuff It, and the 808-heavy gospel of Church Girl. Beyoncé even taps avant-garde electronic weirdo A. G. Cook to help produce All Up in Your Mind, whose groaning, massive bass and tangle of anxious synths may be the most confrontational sounds in the artist’s catalog.

Due in part to its tonal variety and expert sequencing, Renaissance never feels monotonous, despite its near-relentless forward motion. Beyoncé eases us in with the dembow flex I’m That Girl and subsequently glides into the slinky, drumline-backed Cozy, which carefully dials up the tempo.

The more subdued or seemingly substantive moments on the album are still raucous dance numbers at heart.

The loungey Plastic Off the Sofa moves with a kinetic energy, while the ostensibly political America Has a Problem is a bait-andswitch about sexual satisfaction powered by a hyperactive hi-hat.

The latter track is one of Renaissance’s weaker moments, a rework of the cheeky 1990 Kilo Ali cautionary tale Cocaine (America Has a Problem) that simply doesn’t match Beyoncé’s finest moments as a rapper—already something like her fifth most significant skillset.

And for proof, look no further than album standout Thique.

Asa - Show Me Off

Beyoncé has always owned and flaunted her desires, but she’s never been quite as explicit and graphic about bodies and sex as she is on Thique. “She say she on a diet, girl, you better not lose that ass, though.”

On tracks like Virgo’s Groove and especially the carnally fired Pure/ Honey, she teases and seduces the listener with grinning metaphors (“All ‘em boys want my honey from me”) before throwing more direct, libidinous statements at us (“Nasty is my guilty pleasure/Give this ass a squeeze”).

These brash lyrical expressions of physical yearning have a lasting, charged effect when paired with the music’s highly visceral qualities.

Beyoncé’s nods to the titans of this realm of dance music aren’t exactly subtle, but they don’t need to be.

She’s boisterously putting herself in conversation with figures like the inimitable Grace Jones, whom she ropes in for some guest vocals on Move, and Donna Summer, whose I Feel Lovet the singer joyously interpolates on album closer Summer Renaissance. Outfitting that disco classic with a primped-up kick drum and her own vocal trills, Beyoncé displaces us from both the past and the present and situates us in her unique ecosystem, where the beats seemingly go on forever as history and future collide.

Badman-Q-Selah

Burna Boy - It's Plenty

JAE5_ Dave_ BNXN fka Buju - Propeller Robert Glasper_ H.E.R._ Meshell (feat. Dave & BNXN) Ndegeocello - Better Than I Imagined Tems_ Marvel - No Woman No Cry

WMC - Both Ways

PAGE 16

Scan this with your camera to access the playlist (Spotify)

RENAISSANCE

Gyakie - SOMETHING