THEWILL DOWNTOWN February 12, 2023

Plans

for a Valentine’s Day issue were underway but had to change because it’s our second anniversary. It feels as if I wrote an Editor’s note for the first anniversary only a few weeks ago, yet the reality is it’s been one year!

I can’t thank the Almighty God, The Creative of creatives, enough for everything from the content stage to what you read every week.

Our readers are not left out. Thank you for all the encouraging messages we receive from you all. It puts a smile on our faces to read that we are sharing helpful information with you. Nothing could be more fulfilling in a job such as this.

While our focus is on our second anniversary, we have a few pages in honour of the day of love, one of which talks about the challenges of finding true love in this new age of technology.

To get a sense of how this works, we spoke to the Co-founder and CEO of Trueflutter, a dating app, to understand the trends in the world of dating. He also shares how the security system they have built flags catfishers and possible fraudsters...Tinder Swindler, anyone? You don’t have to worry about that happening to you.

Downtown confidential renders advice on how to keep a long-distance relationship fun and spicy. Bon Appetit, our food page, shares cocktail recipes for those who couldn’t reserve a table for the special day or prefer to spend an intimate evening at home with their partner. With the fuel crisis, et al., this seems like the way to go for Valentine’s this year.

While many couples in Nigeria are, as the Gen Z and Millennials would say, ’giving couple goals,’ some of them have unique love stories from their first meeting leading up to saying “I do”. Others are still engaged.

We have profiled some as our favourite stories on pages fourteen through fifteen. It would be nice to read your thoughts.

Here’s wishing everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day in advance.

And to my team, you guys are the best! Until next week, enjoy your read.

Dorcas Akintoye

Dorcas Akintoye is a dedicated writer with more than 2 years prolific experience in writing articles ranging from food, entertainment, fashion and beauty.  She has a National Diploma in Mass Communication from Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin. She loves writing, listening to music and playing scrabble. She is a highly-skilled, enthusiastic, selfmotivated professional writer.

Great Job all Round

Well done O... I see the great work

AUSTYN OGANNAH PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Editor: Onah Nwachukwu @onahluciaa

Editor-at-Large: Chalya Shagaya

Writer: Kehindé Fagbule

Graphic Design: Oludemilade Aremu ‘Remus’

Digital Media: Oladimeji Balogun

Guest Art Director: Sunny Hughes ‘ SunZA’

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.

Chinelo

I enjoyed the read. Kudos dearie

will use this guide as meal planning

Tems’ First Grammy Tems, Beyoncé and Viola Davies With Big Records

BY KEHINDÉ FAGBULE

TheGrammy Awards returned last week, and again, as has been happening in recent years, Nigeria is duly represented on a night when Tems became the first Nigerian and one of two African women who won a plaque. She won the Grammy Melodic Rap category for her pristine feature in American rapper Future’s global hit song, WAIT FOR U, which also features Canadian superstar, Drake.

Hosted by Trevor Noah, the memorable evening had some more records as Beyoncé became the highest-ever recipient in the award’s history—she now has 32 Grammys. Veteran Hollywood actress, Viola Davis also set a record by being the only third black woman to reach EGOT—an acronym for creatives who have won Emmys, Grammys, Oscars, and Tonys. Past black women who have won it are Whoopi Goldberg and Jennifer Hudson—status after winning the best audiobook award for her autobiography Finding Me.

One of the biggest performances of the event celebrated the upcoming 50th anniversary of hip-hop, featuring Run-DMC, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt-N-Pepa, Flavor Flav, Queen Latifah, Big Boi of Outkast, Missy Elliott, and more running through decades of beloved hits.

Here are some of the camera-worthy looks from the night.

CARDI B & OFFSET

JAY-Z & KENDRICK LAMAR

COCO JONES

BEYONCÉ

H.E.R

MARY J BLIGE

MIGUEL

DOJA CAT

SZA

LIZZO

VIOLA DAVIES

PHARRELL WILLIAMS

Sol by Box Mall

ODDBOD & THE CITY

life. With cost-of-living numbers holding everyone by the neck, basic food is now the price of a luxury item, making it ridiculously hard to justify buying treats or eating out.

Last Sunday, I found out that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Please don’t come for me; I am very aware that I could not be later to this party if they had paid me money to be deliberately ignorant.

While I have been moaning about the wasted opportunity that is our beachfront real estate, it turns out it has been well and truly developing; and the results are mighty fine, in my humble opinion.

My darling girl Toks told me to join her on a Sunday at a restaurant called Rapa Nui at Sol Oniru by the Box Mall. Well, this was all a bit of a mystery to me, so off to their Instagram account, I went. Not much to be found there. “Polynesian restaurant” (still clueless) was all that was said, and Box Mall was trying not to come up on Google Maps! Looked suspiciously like lots of beachside activities, to which I shoot off an urgent message “I hope you don’t expect me to be outside?”. She knows better, so the immediate response was, “Nah.” Ok, good.

It’s not something I am proud of, but this West African can’t handle the heat. It feels like the sun slaps me around like an enemy combatant, and I just can’t form coherent thoughts under those conditions.

On the day, rather than my usual backing out of plans (I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank my nearest and dearest for tolerating this abhorrent habit of mine), I sent an ETA(expected time of arrival) check, and I am surprised to discover she is already at the location. Has been there all morning, poolside and unwinding, taking in the views and enjoying the sun, sea and sand.

because that was what my hangover was demanding. After lunch, the whole beach was significantly busier with a Club Med type of vibe, if that’s your thing.

I headed home for a well-deserved Sunday nap.

Iam probably what one would call clinically addicted to social media. I spend hours upon hours devouring inspiration for my soft life mission. Interior ideas, vacation locations, food p**n, mental health motivation and anything I can find on self-care. I inhale it all, intending to add things to my routine and environment that increase my joy, peace and tranquillity.

I must admit that while I am busy squirrelling away ideas, there is always a little gremlin in the back of my mind that grumbles to me that living in Lagos is the “weapon fashioned against me” in my quest.

There is no instant gratification when you can’t just Amazon a cute home accessory or order next-day delivery of those shoes that will change your

I make my way to the restaurant, and I choose upstairs inside seating because al fresco is only sexy in the movies and OMG, the views, the vibe. I am immediately thrown into a holiday in Spain, Italy, or Malta mode. I follow this feeling by ordering a sangria (I felt this was the perfect cure for my hangover) and an utterly fresh and Mediterranean-feeling calamari and prawn delight.

As alluded to earlier, I was a tad hungover, so I did not deep dive into the menu, and I would be hard-pressed to identify “Polynesian food.” From now on, I should probably Google. Toks had some sort of seafood salad which was also yummy, and for some random reason, I ordered the hot dog from the kids’ menu

WAYS TO KEEP A LONG-DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP ALIVE 7

BY DORCAS AKINTOYE

We can all relate to the fact that maintaining a long-distance relationship is a challenging task. The lack of physical proximity and a sense of belonging from physical intimacy can make things more difficult. On the other hand, what makes a romantic relationship warm and worthwhile is the satisfaction of physically seeing your partner and feeling their presence around you.

Due to these many reasons, people believe that long-distance relationships can never work. The truth is that longdistance relationships can be successful. If you put in the right effort, you can enjoy a wholesome bond with your partner, even when they are miles away from you. Here's how.

1. Communicate Daily, But Strike The Right Balance

While communication is important, keeping a balance is equally important. You must make sure you communicate with your partner daily.

You don't have to constantly be in touch to keep the relationship constant. A short call, a text message, or an email is good enough. By doing this, you will stay in touch daily and feel reassured. Alongside communicating, it is unwise to be sticky all the time. Many people make the mistake of talking to each other for extended periods to overcompensate the distance, but it always doesn't help. Communicate daily with your partner, but endeavour to strike the right balance.

2. Keep The Spark Alive Even When Physically Apart

Distance is no longer a barrier to spicing things up in the bedroom. With the help of today's technology, you can always spice things up. All you have to do is to make use of the technology wisely. Swap sexy pictures of each other, discuss things that you would want to do with them when next you meet and have a video call where you can mastur**te in front of each other; you can also make use of sex toys while doing this to enhance pleasure. Send erotic messages or emails, or better still, have an erotic moviethon.

3. Set And Make Your Expectations Clear

Every relationship comes with loads of expectations, and when they are unfulfilled, the relationship begins to get sour and, most times, causes separation. In other words, setting and making your expectations clear in a longdistance relationship is very important. If you don't want to do things your partner doesn't like and vice versa, discuss what you expect from each other regarding communication, dedication, and loyalty, among others.

Key Takeaway:

There are many things you can do to keep a long-distance relationship alive. Make sure you are mindful of your partner's emotional and physical needs. Of course, a long-distance relationship requires more effort than a normal one.

4. Control The Urge to Cheat

It's pretty enticing to have a rendezvous with someone attractive but try to control the urge to cheat on your partner. Try to think of the pain you might cause your partner and how that moment of weakness can affect your relationship.

Many people think that they can get away with it since there is no way their partner can find out or even know they cheated. Notwithstanding, you need to be honest with your partner to keep your relationship strong.

5. Always Make Plans To Meet As Frequently As Possible

This is one of the most exciting things to do in a longdistance relationship. Make plenty of plans and use every opportunity to meet your partner. Even if it is a short trip, it doesn't matter. Being together, even for a couple of days, can bring things alive between you.

6. Send Surprise Gift or A Thoughtful Care Package

Everyone wants to be pampered, and one sure way of impressing and pampering your partner is by sending lots of gifts. They could be anything from cute, loveable stuffed animals to meaningful and valuable things. You can even go as far as giving them erotic gifts like sex toys and all so that they can pleasure themselves and, at the same time, think of you.

7. Give Each Other Space

Giving each other space in a relationship is not counterintuitive. Possessive and sticky partners can be a big turn-off for many, especially in a long-distance relationship. Understand and respect that both of you have a life outside the relationship. There is no need to be insecure if you trust your partner.

LOOKING BACK AT SOME OF OUR MOST PROFOUND CONVERSATIONS

BY KEHINDÉ FAGBULE

Two years ago this week, we set out to provide you, our readers, with the best of lifestyle and entertainment weekly. 104 editions later, we celebrate two years of consistently serving the most informative and genuinely eye-opening cover conversations. To celebrate our second anniversary, we have compiled some of our best excerpts from inception until today.

Veteran actor, Pete Edochie, couldn’t have been a better fit for our Father’s Day edition last year. Towards the tail end of a lengthy insightful conversation we had, it was only imperative of his status as not just a father but also a grandfather (to a much younger generation of boys) and a father figure to many people in the movie industry, that we asked for a piece of advice for this generation of men. He responded emphatically, “You people should try to read. Knowledge is buried in books. If you don’t research and arm yourself with this knowledge, you find that wherever you are, people will begin to discuss, and you can’t contribute; you will just be looking at them. We are not saying that the young men shouldn’t exercise their own franchise, but there is always a need for some rationale behind everything you do so you don’t go astray.”

Between masculinity and humanity, sexuality remains a hot topic in society to this day. In an exciting cover story, we put a spotlight on homosexuality in Nigeria, reporting, holistically, the LGBTQ movement in this part of the world. An interesting paragraph from that story reads, “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.”

The coming out conversation is a global one and worthy of having as it is a prevalent hot topic through cultures and traditions. But so are subject matters that focus on our physical appearance. In a two-part body issue, we reported the BBL(Brazilian Butt Lift) trend, asking questions of a licensed medical practitioner, Dr Hilda Ashio Titiloye. She had this to say on the necessities of some of the procedures she has had to carry out; “Same as I tell my patients, we don’t need these procedures per se, we want them. They are not necessary. We want them because

As far as song composition goes, the Nigerian music industry has, in recent times, grown by leaps and

they improve our perception of self or improve our quality of life, but they are not bounds. Afrobeats, as it is generally referred to as an umbrella term, has become a truly global genre, and we documented that growth in our

necessary. There are some that are necessary, don’t get me wrong, but I could have been ok without a tummy tuck too.”

There is no doubt about the insane amount of work we must put in to be comfortable in our skin. Self-image is as important as living itself, as a good view of it exponentially elevates our living experience. For our World Photography Day issue, we enjoyed an interesting conversation with a leading photographer renowned for finding the best sides of people on set, often taking a spiritual approach, in TY Bello. “It’s interesting that you bring out the similarities between music and photography. When you put a photo together before you click

image, it is called a composition. When you write a song, you compose a song. So it’s the same way you compose a photo

that you compose a song. Putting elements together and arranging them in a way that makes sense to you or in a way you want to communicate an idea.”

Afrobeats edition.

In a paragraph, we reported, “The growth of social media over the last decade has also largely benefited the global exportation of Afrobeats. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok have been major vehicles for shipping our sound to the global audience. Asides from being a medium for stans (devoted fans) to chatter about their favourite acts, further propagating the Afrobeats gospel to their counterparts in other continents, some platforms, majorly TikTok, have stripped away the veil of what has been and given it a fresh perspective. The genre has now become a movement that no one can afford to not be a part of.”

Our songs are not the only things that travel out.

relocation as the japa trend is not looking to stop anytime soon— something we made a cover story out of as well—others leave the country temporarily for leisure. For those people, we made a travel issue as we heard from the selfacclaimed Queen of Tours, Chiamaka Obuekwe, to curate a December tour guide for you. Chiamaka listed Tanzania, Mauritius, Rwanda, Ghana, Seychelles, Kenya, Egypt, Morocco, Benin Republic and Lagos as the dream destination during the festive season last year.

Nigerians travel out of the country in large numbers. Although some Nigerians interpret that to mean

Nomatter how welltravelled we are, we will always have a soft spot for anywhere we call home. This understanding inspired an issue on home design. We spoke to top Motswana Interior Designer, Keiphe Nani Setlhatlhanyo, a lecturer in Design at the University of Botswana, and PhD holder in Design at the University of Leeds, UK, and Mpho Laing, an Interior Decorator and Founder of Mosadi by Mpho, an interior decoration company formed out of her passion and love for spaces. They both weighed in on the different facets of home design,

such as lighting, colour, wall art, and the balance of emphasis and harmony.

Theroot cause of fashion designers’ inability to get the public’s interest at their fingertips could be our yesteryear’s perception of the profession as more of a hobby

job) than a corporate job. That narrative is not far-reaching in this part of the world where whitecollar occupations hold more respect. In another interesting issue, we discussed the public’s perception of influencers, despite their impact in today’s digital economy. We

Beit home or clothing, designers have one job—to beautify an item (space or fabric) to empower its proprietor. In Nigeria, the fashion industry has done a significant job of placing itself as one of the leading industries in Africa. To discuss the tremendous growth and glaring shortcomings, we spoke to one of the country’s top fashion designers, Ohimai Atafo, just before his successful showcase in the heart of Lagos, Nigeria, last year. On what designers have to do to gain the interest and attention of stakeholders, the federal government, and the unassuming public alike, the ace fashion entrepreneur said, “I think we need to make it by ourselves because they always come around when there is success. The same thing happened with Nollywood; they only

Nollywood was getting all the international buzz, being the third biggest industry in the world. People now started getting our actors in international movies as part of the Emmys and

Oscars, and Netflix started paying people money for content and stuff. Those things don’t happen to the fashion industry; we are not that kind of industry. For us to be as big as a major Italian brand, it will take a whole lot to do that. But we have to start from somewhere.”

spoke to ace influencers, Kaylah Oniwo and Noble Igwe, who shared their experiences in a career that people quickly write off as a hobby. When asked to narrate his journey to becoming an online influencer, Noble responded, “I don’t call myself an influencer. I’m just the dude with an influence over a certain group of people with a love for fashion, lifestyle and family.” On the difficulties that beauty influencers face, Kaylah said passionately, “nothing is really easy, to be fair. Just as with every other career, challenges come with it. There are a lot of things that aren’t easy in the content creators’ world. There’s burnout, being underpaid or undervalued, being referred to as ‘an influencer’ in a derogatory term, clients’ comments like ‘is it not just to take a picture and post,’ people or brands plagiarising your work, clients insisting on the narrative, the list is endless. I have been doing this for a long time and know how to handle most of these situations. I own my space confidently and proudly while creating as much as I can in the most authentic way possible.”

Atthe end of the day, creativity prevails, and it doesn’t even matter in whatever form it chooses.

When caught up with multi-talented creative, Bright ‘Basketmouth’ Okpocha, we mainly discussed how he got on his journey to becoming a monster of all trades. The conversation, however, pivoted to asking him to share his secret to leading a career void of scandals, and his response was as profound as could be.

The comedian responded, “I stay away from the madness in the industry. It is hard for you to see me playing around that space. With all due respect, I am not part of the industry; I am an industry. I play only in my own space. I make music, movies, and events. I am enough for myself, so I cannot blend into the space; it will be chaos.”

Dinner, Cocktails And Romance

BY KEHINDÉ FAGBULE

Aperol Spritz Granita

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. sugar

• 1/4 c. water

• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

• 4 strips Cara Cara orange zest

• 1 1/2 c. Cara Cara orange juice

• 4 strips of clementine zest

• 1/2 c. clementine juice

• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus more for serving

• 1 1/4 c. Aperol

• 1 750-ml bottle of Prosecco, chilled

• Orange and clementine slices for serving

Step 1

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, water, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer (do not stir) until sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 2

Remove from heat, add zest and rosemary and let cool for 40 minutes. Strain into a large measuring cup or pitcher.

Step 3

Stir in orange and clementine juices and Aperol, then transfer to an 8-inch-square metal baking pan. Cover and freeze until set, about 6 hours.

Step 4

It is customary to want to experience fine dining on Valentine's day. It remains the most common, and some say, most romantic date idea. But what happens when you are late to make reservations at your desired restaurant, forcing you and your spouse to have your dinner date at home on the big day? For one, you will need something to drink. The safe option is picking out a bottle of wine at the store, but what could possibly be more romantic than a homemade cocktail, obviously made with love?

Pom-Lime French 75

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. gin

• 1 1/2 tbsp. fresh lime juice

• 1 tbsp. Pomegranate-Lime Syrup (recipe below)

• 1/4 c. sparkling wine

• Pomegranate seeds for serving

• Lime twist for serving

Step 1

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake gin, lime juice and Pomegranate-Lime Syrup.

Step 2

Strain into flute and top with sparkling wine. Serve with a lime twist and pomegranate seeds.

To make Pomegranate-Lime Syrup: In a small saucepan, combine ¾ cup each sugar and pomegranate juice and simmer, stirring once halfway through, until sugar dissolves, 8 to 12 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in 1 tsp grated lime zest and 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice and let cool to room temperature (about 15 minutes); strain. Makes one cup.

• Kir Royale

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 tablespoons Crème de Cassis, Crème de Framboise or Chambord

• 1 (750 ml) bottle dry sparkling wine or Champagne, chilled

• 1/4 cup fresh raspberries, optional

Step 1

Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of Crème de Cassis to each flute.

Step 2

Drop in 3 to 4 raspberries.

Step 3 Fill each flute with sparkling wine. Serve immediately.

• Shirley Temple Drink (Mocktail)

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp. pomegranate syrup

• lemon or lime seltzer

• maraschino cherry, for garnish

Step 1

Fill a Collins glass with ice.

Step 2

Add pomegranate syrup and top with seltzer.

Step 3 Serve with a maraschino cherry.

When ready to serve, using a fork, scrape the surface of the ice to create large flakes and transfer them to glasses. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with additional rosemary and citrus slices if desired.

• Spiked Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

• 2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

• 3/4 c. sugar

• 8 c. whole milk

• 2 cinnamon sticks, crushed

• 8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

• 3/4 to 1 cup bourbon or rye

• Toasted marshmallows, for serving

Step 1

In a large saucepan, combine cocoa powder and granulated sugar.

Step 2

Whisk in 1½ cups milk until fully incorporated (mixture will be a thick paste).

Step 3

Gradually whisk in the remaining 6½ cups of milk. Add cinnamon sticks and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until you can smell the cinnamon, 8 to 10 minutes.

Step 4

Add chocolate chips and whisk until melted. Strain into a second pot, then stir in bourbon. Serve topped with toasted marshmallows.

Quick Chat With Dare Olatoye, Co-Founder of Trueflutter Dating App

BY DORCAS AKINTOYE

What is the best part of being a matchmaker and relationship expert?

That’s easy. Seeing people I matched happy in their relationship or getting married is incredibly rewarding. The thought that a family was started because of what I did… there’s honestly no better feeling in the world.

What’s your biggest strength as a matchmaker?

Clients find it really easy to talk to me, and I’m able to use the right questions to learn their personality traits, values and patterns. And while people may have different personalities, it’s important that their values be aligned. My biggest strength as a matchmaker is gleaning this information from conversations and using it to match my clients with the most compatible partners.

What’s the area you work on most with your clients?

patterns, personality traits and values. Those we successfully match are incredibly compatible, and my inbox is filled with hundreds of ‘thank you’ messages and wedding invitations from grateful couples. How does your matchmaking process begin? We start with the consultation, where I get to meet the client one on one. They let us know whom they would prefer to meet, and we facilitate an initial introduction, making sure I or someone from my team is on that first call or meeting to ensure it’s not awkward. After understanding precisely what they want in a partner, their values and patterns, we take time to find highly compatible matches and share the top three profiles with them.

What are some emerging trends in the dating world?

Online dating and private matchmaking are now seen as the norm and not the exception. A funny but relevant example is my mum telling her friends from church to tell their single children to either download Trueflutter or use our private matchmaking service.

What is your definition of true love?

Everybody has their definition of love. It’s not merely a feeling, that’s for sure, but there are signs that let you know it’s the real thing. The highest expression of love is sacrifice. You know someone loves you when they put you first and make sacrifices for you.

What are the signs when you find one?

Do they respect you? Are they proud of you? If your partner shows you off, that’s a beautiful green flag. Do they make sacrifices for you and prioritise your needs?

If yes, then you know you have a keeper.

What advice would you give to singles finding true love in Lagos and the world?

Single people finding true love is not like a Nollywood or Hollywood movie. Movies have sold the story that love is something that happens to you, not something you can actually make happen. That’s a pretty disempowering narrative. You have to put in the work.

Finding true love in today’s world can be challenging, but for Dare Olatoye, Co-Founder of the Nigerian dating app, Trueflutter, it’s a puzzle waiting to be solved. With over 1.6 million successful matches, Dare is a love connection mastermind, bringing years of professional matchmaking expertise to the table.

His dating app Trueflutter stands out because it was designed to help users express their uniqueness and connect in more natural ways. One unique feature is the audio bio that lets you hear what a person sounds like before you connect. And if you are interested in the person, you can let them know by sending a Flutter - a voice text that lets you personalise your connection request.

In this exclusive interview with DOWNTOWN, Dare dishes on what it takes to find true love, the best part of being a private matchmaker, and the emerging trends in the dating world. With a success rate of 40%, Dare shares his secret to matching clients with the most compatible partners.

What led you to this particular career path?

It started with my passion for connecting people. I’ve always been passionate about this since my undergraduate days, and there were quite a number of mutual friends that ended up dating because of me. Fortunately, I’ve always seen problems as puzzles that needed to be solved. When I noticed many more people complaining about being single, I knew there was an opportunity to add value while building a business. People had already said I had a gift for connecting people, and it was something I really enjoyed. So that’s how it all started. I thought of the idea and just ran with it.

Identifying their patterns and helping clients become aware of them. If a person grows up expecting a husband to act in a particular way, it’ll create friction if the other person has different patterns. I help my clients become aware of what type of partner would be great for them, not necessarily what society has painted as the ideal mate. I’ve also gotten feedback that knowing these patterns help them defuse tense arguments because they’re able to see below the surface and understand why they were triggered by something their partner did.

How do you deal with clients with unrealistic expectations when they come to you?

I have candid conversations with them. The truth is that it’s hard to change some people, but the more flexible they can be, the easier it will be to find them a match they’ll be happy with. We graciously part ways with those not open to stepping out of their comfort zone.

What’s your success rate been like since you started your career?

About 40%. Compared to global industry standards, that’s pretty phenomenal because people who come to professional matchmakers do so with very high expectations and are typically quite picky. Since the situation requires us to match two different people who have set really high standards for a partner, we have to navigate

If you want true love, then you need to be deliberate about it. If you’re single, you can actually set a goal to find a great partner within the next three months, and if you take action, you can make it happen. You can’t keep praying to God and expecting an answer without putting in any work. Someone out there is looking for someone just like you. So get on a dating app or use a private matchmaking service.

One of the biggest lies people have told themselves is that dating apps are a last resort for desperate people. It saddens me to see people holding themselves back from happiness because of this false belief. We have matched celebrities and highly successful corporate executives who recognise this as the new way to find love.

Why do you think most ladies and guys remain single?

The simple answer is that they are not deliberate in their search. They don’t invest the time to find the love they seek. They set goals for getting jobs, saving money, and losing weight. But they don’t seem to realise that they can also set goals for finding a partner. If they take massive action, they can keep their high standards and still find someone who is an excellent fit for them.

In this era of internet fraud, how can one trust online matchmaking and matchmakers?

With the Trueflutter dating app, we’ve built a proprietary security system that flags catfishers and potential fraudsters. Regarding the matchmaking service, it is currently driven just by referrals, and we barely ever advertise. This means we’ve built up a vetted, highly curated client database over the years and have never had an incidence of fraud.

How can single people looking for love access your services?

People can download the Trueflutter dating app for free by visiting trueflutter.com, and those interested in our private matchmaking services can go to trueflutter.com/VIP.

How to Keep Your Scalp Healthy And DandruffFree During Protective Styles

BY DORCAS AKINTOYE

One of the most carefree hairstyles in the world is protective styles. It gives you that effortless and gorgeous look.

You must keep a clean and healthy hair canvas while wearing protective styles. In case you don't know, protective styling allows you to have more access to your scalp, and as such, scalp protection should not be taken for granted when you're on protective styles. Failure to cleanse, hydrate and soothe your scalp with a moisturising product will result in itchiness, dandruff, flakes and even fungus. To keep your scalp healthy and dandruff free, you must put in a lot of work.

Below are ways to keep your scalp healthy and dandruff-free while wearing protective styles.

1. Make Sure Your Scalp is Healthy Before Getting a Protective Style

If your scalp is in bad shape before settling for a protective style, it will only get worse. Instead, choose the crochet style since it is easier on a troubled scalp than traditional weave styles or heavier braids.

It's better to open up and treat whatever problem you have with your scalp instead of trying to hide it for the sake of beauty. While resolving the problem, you can put on wigs to camouflage hair or even your scalp issues.

2. Stay Away From Tight Braiding Techniques

One of the main problems that lead to scalp issues is tight braids, which place great tension on your strands. Tight braids lead to swelling of the skin around the hair follicle, which turns out to become hair bumps.

The inflammation that results in swelling causes scalp irritation. Wearing tight braids can lead to hair loss, so you need to stay away from tight braids. To avoid this, the best thing to do is to ask your braider beforehand to loosen the tension of the style.

3. Make Use of Nourishing And Repairing Products

Get a product with no chemicals to soothe, hydrate, nourish and repair your scalp. They help a lot in making your scalp healthy and dandruff-free.

4. Create Time For a Scalp Regimen

Endeavour to shampoo regularly once a week, then make use of conditioners to help moisturise your hair after shampooing. All this is necessary because your scalp sheds oil regularly, and the natural oils from your scalp and environmental debris must be removed to maintain a healthy scalp and hair. If you choose to use oil to care for your hair, remember that using oils regularly without constant shampooing can cause buildup that can make yeast on the scalp worse.

Nanfe Jemimah Kefas-Oyeleke

DOWNTOWN Lovebirds OF THE MOST ADORABLE COUPLES

BY KEHINDÉ FAGBULE

Love is a beautiful thing. It is neither a hot take nor a think piece; love is the most powerful emotion in the world. As humans, loving partnerships are our nature, so we spend a significant amount of our time here looking for someone who complements us. Some call it soulmates. As we approach this year’s Valentine’s Day, here are some of the most adorable lovers in Nigeria.

Mr Eazi & Temi Otedola (engaged)

Temi and Eazi were the talks of the town when they announced their engagement on social media last year. In an interview with Essence magazine, the couple revealed they had met through Temi’s sister, DJ Cuppy, who invited the singer to a gig she played five years before the proposal. Eazi said, “Temi was there as well and was being nice to me,” as his fiancée smirked coyly. “By the end of the night, I took her number.”

Jude & Eniola Abaga (married)

You know marriage is off to a great start when it inspires a whole studio album. Last year, Nigeria’s most influential rapper, MI Abaga, tied the knot with his other half, social entrepreneur, Eniola Mafe. In our interview with the genial couple as they prepared for their wedding, Eniola painted a vivid picture of their relationship’s early days. She said, “you don’t know how this story ends, but that intentional incubation of a raising of love… You talk about meeting and falling in love; I don’t think I fell in love. I built love with this person. He’s also helped me to get to love myself.”

Adekunle Gold & Simi (married)

Adekunle Gold and Simi’s relationship was the industry’s worst-kept secret at some point. Everyone knew they only had eyes for each other even though they were mostly coy about it—the gooey couple even had their wedding away from the expecting spotlight. The lovebirds met ten years ago after Simi had performed on a show in Ikoyi, Lagos. Their friendship had since blossomed into a four-year marriage and a baby girl.

Akah Nnani & Claire Idera (married)

Not many true love stories get documented the way Akah and Claire’s marriage has been so far. The couple’s YouTube channel, Akah and Claire, is dedicated solely to that, as it is never short of mushy moments, inspiration, and the everyday rigours of marriage. Their almost 50,000 subscribers and over 4 million views testify to how much they are loved on the internet. Last valentine’s special episode of Rubbin’ Minds, the couple shared their love story, and how marriage changed their perspective on life, parenthood, and growth.

Naeto C & Nicole Chikwe (married)

The Chikwes are one of the internet’s favourite couples. Last year, the alluring couple celebrated a decade of their union. Their marriage can only get stronger as Nicole, a beauty and wellness influencer, described her man as a ‘perfect husband.’ Naeto C, who hasn’t been as active in the music industry as he once was, has built a persona as a cool husband and dad to the couple’s three children.

Rasaq & Sade Okoya (married)

In 1999 when 59-year-old billionaire industrialist, Rasaq Okoya, married 21-yearold beauty, Shade, there were murmurs surrounding the relationship’s dynamic. Twenty-four years later, their union has gone from strength to strength, with Shade’s input as the managing director of the family business, Eleganza Industrial City, clear indications of the beauty, brain and personality that attracted her now-83-year-old husband. Speaking with our Editor, the one-time DOWNTOWN cover woman shared relationship advice. “Some lessons I have learnt in my marriage are to be more loving and tolerant. As love conquers all.”

Daniel & Toyosi Etim-Effiong (married)

Daniel and Toyosi’s love story is the definition of a natural beginning. According to the one-time DOWNTOWN Coverman, the couple met online with Toyosi texting Daniel, who was relatively a stranger at the time, asking them to make a movie together. She was in the New York Film School while Daniel was on a similar path in South Africa. The swoon-worthy couple has been married for five years, adding two beautiful children to their union.

Davido & Chioma (married)

Davido and Chioma’s love story has been on our faces for quite some time now. However, fans of the lovebirds will hope that their relationship will no longer witness a stop-and-start after the popstar changed his marital status on his Wikipedia page, confirming reports that the couple got married secretly on the 6th of November, 2022. In a year of love and loss, which saw them mourn the death of their son last year, Davido and Chioma’s relationship has, in fact, stood the test of time.

Joke Silva & Olu Jacobs (married)

By far the oldest couple on this list, veteran actors, Joke Silva and Olu Jacobs’ 34-year-old marriage is the ultimate relationship goal. The couple met in 1981 at the National Theatre, Lagos, during the 21st Independence anniversary, and were married eight years later. Despite being together for over three decades, with both actors at the very top of the film industry hierarchy, their union has been impressively void of scandals. Asked why his wife still bears her maiden name, Jacobs answered, “She is her own individual. When I met her, she was an actress known as Joke Silva, so why should marrying me now deny her and her audience her name? She is Miss Joke Silva, who is Mrs Joke Jacobs. It is as simple as that. People began to say what they liked. They have even written that we are separated and all sorts of stuff. When she was working, she was Joke Silva and as well as Mrs Joke Jacobs at home.” Nowadays, Joke Silva takes care of her husband, whom she revealed to fans and wellwishers has been battling dementia with Lewy bodies for a while.

Mádé Kuti & Inedoye Onyenso (engaged)

Mádé and Inedoye’s relationship reached a new milestone last year when the couple got engaged. The lovebirds have been in the public eye since we can remember, with Inedoye as a constant fixture in the acclaimed Prince of Afrobeat’s career’s rise to prominence that features consistent touring of the world. Mádé Kuti announced their engagement on the 1st of November last year with the caption, “There’s a lot of pain in the world every day. But sharing that pain and fighting for a better world with you makes it all worth living for. I can’t wait to see the future we build together. I love you.”

BY BOLUWATIFE ADESINA

REVIEW:

A Sparkling Night at the 2023 Grammys

different people take this trophy home.

Tems, Grammy Winner

Nigerians the world over were overjoyed to see one of our own honoured with a Golden Gramophone (Best Melodic Rap performance) for her collaboration with Future on Wait for U Tems’ is also the first non-mixed Nigerian female musician to win the prestigious award.

Sade Adu, who won the Grammy for ‘Best new artist’ in 1986, and Cynthia Erivo, who bagged ‘Best Theatre Album’ in 2017, were British Nigerians. Already an Oscar Nominee, she has added to her quickly rising star with yet another prestigious honour.

Snubs

Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige, the indisputable Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, was nominated for Album of the Year for Good Morning Gorgeous for only the second time in her career (after 2005’s The Breakthrough), she lost out to neo-jazzman

Robert Glasper — a worthy winner in his own right — for Black Radio III. But when you are nominated for Album of the Year, and you can’t even win in your own genre category — especially a deserving diva such as MJB — something is wrong with the system.

Burna Boy

Afrobeat artiste Burna Boy lost his nominations in both categories he was nominated in. The African giant’s latest album, Love, Damini and its biggest hit, Last Last were beaten by Japan’s Masa Takumi to win the Best Global Album category and South African’s Zake Bantwini, Wouter Kellerman and Nomcebo Zikode to win the Best Global Music performance category, respectively.

It’s been quite a year for music, from Beyoncé’s unbreakable soul and Adele’s Easy listening to Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti and Harry Style’s House Party. But now we finally know who’ll need a cart to take home all their trophies from the 65th annual Grammy Awards.

Beyoncé went in with the most nominations (nine) and wound up breaking the record for the most Grammy wins by a single artist ever: a staggering 32. But if she scooped up several awards at the ceremony, she failed to net three of the biggest: Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Album of the Year, the last of which many thought she had in, well, her bag.

Those wins, announced in the show’s final hour, would surprise even the artists who won them. Visibly stunned veteran singer-songwriter (and now 13-time winner) Bonnie Raitt snagged the award for Song of the Year for her track Just Like That, the first song written by a solo songwriter to take the prize since Amy Winehouse’s Rehab 15 years ago.

Record of the Year went to an equally shocked Lizzo for her feel-good anthem

About Damn Time. She dedicated her golden gramophone to her idols, including Prince and Beyoncé.

“Beyoncé, in the fifth grade, I skipped school to see you perform,” she said.

“You changed my life… So thank you so much. You clearly are the artist of our lives. I love you!”

And then there was the night’s most

coveted trophy — Album of the Year — a category that once again pitted Adele (for 30) against Beyoncé (for Renaissance). But neither star would snatch the gramophone (nor would Bad Bunny, ABBA, Mary J. Blige, Lizzo, Brandi Carlile, or Coldplay). The award instead went to Harry Styles for Harry’s House. Like Lizzo, the As It Was singer used his acceptance speech to praise his fellow nominees.

“Man, I’ve been so, so inspired by every artist in this category with me,” he said.

“And I think on nights like tonight; it’s so important for us to remember that there is no such thing as best in music. I don’t think any of us sit in the studio making decisions based on what is going to get us one of these.” Here’s a look at some surprises and snubs at the awards:

Surprises

Best New Artist is actually new

Nobody looked more surprised than Samara Joy, the stunned 23-year-old Bronx native, who gave a charmingly awed speech to a room full of superstars who fully expected to see at least two

The Beyonce/Harry Styles situation

Speaking of upsets, Style’s Album of the Year prize for Harry’s House came as likely confirmation that Beyoncé’s career will always come with an asterisk now: The winningest superstar in pop history who somehow failed to take a single Album Of The Year trophy in an otherwise unparalleled career. Then again, this kind of chaos also feels precisely on brand for the Recording Academy — a reminder that Grammys will Grammy, no matter what the supposed winds of change say.

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

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

ABBA - Don't Shut Me Down Beyoncé - BREAK MY SOUL Coldplay_ BTS - My Universe GAYLE - abcdefu

Post Malone_ Doja Cat - I Like You (A Happier Song) (with Doja Cat)

Sam Smith_ Kim Petras - Unholy (feat. Kim Petras)

Harry Styles -As It Was Lizzo - About Damn Time Steve Lacy - Bad Habit

Bad Bunny - Moscow Mule Adele - Easy On Me