VOL 1 NO.4 • MARCH 07 – MARCH 13, 2021
VOL 1 NO.4 • MARCH 07 – MARCH 13, 2021
#ChooseToChallenge
MARCH
Hadiza Bala Usman Onyeka Onwenu Winifred Akpani Folake Ani Mumuney Oyinade Adegite Fade Ogunro Feyikemi Abudu Jola Ayeye Dupe Aina Olushola Edith Jibunoh Ngozi Okonjo Iweala ChimAmanda Ngozi Edichie Adesuwa Dozie Lola Ogunaike Nikki Ogunaike Bella Adenuga Disu Aisha Babangida MowaLola Ogunlesi Oluchi Hadiza Bala UsmanTemi Onyeka Onwenu Akpani Mumuney Oyinade Fade Ogunro Jola Ayeye Tolani Dupe Otedola Aina Olushola Edith Jibunoh Oweagba Orlandi Otedola OseyiWinifred Etomi Arit OkpoFolake FunmiAni Iyanda Winihin JemideAdegite Sade Adu Aisha YesufuFeyikemi IfeoluwaAbudu Otedola (Cuppy) Modupe Odele NgoziOdufuwa Okonjo Iweala ChimAmanda Ngozi Edichie Adesuwa Dozie Lola Ogunaike Nikki Oluwaseun Ogunaike Bella Adenuga DisuLaila Aisha Babangida MowaLola Ogunlesi Oluchi Damilola Odunayo E weniyi Layo Ogunbanwo Ire Aderinokun Fakhrriyyah Hashim Ayodeji Osowobi Johnson Salami Karo Omu Obiageli Ofili Oweagba Orlandi Oseyi Etomi Okpo Funmi Iyanda Winihin Sade Ifeoluwa Otedola (Cuppy)Asa Tolani OtedolaNnaji Modupe Odele Alintah Tito Ovia KikiTemi MordiOtedola Add Obioma ImokeArit Marie Akpoke Kemi DaSilva IbruJemide Nse Ikpe EtimAdu EgoAisha BoyoYesufu Folashade Alakija Tiwa Savage Genevieve Blessing Damilola Odufuwa Odunayo E weniyi Ogunbanwo Aderinokun Hashim Oluwaseun AyodejiAjunwa Osowobi Lailahistory Johnson Salami Karo Omu Obiageli Ofili Okagbare Mary OnyaliLayo Omagbemi AishaIreAhmad NnekaFakhrriyyah Onyeali Ikpe Adaora Umeoji Chioma Folder Folder history Alintah Tito Ovia Kiki Mordi Add Obioma Imoke Marie Akpoke Kemi DaSilva Ibru Nse Ikpe Etim Ego Boyo Folashade Alakija Tiwa Savage Asa Genevieve Nnaji Blessing
Okagbare Mary Onyali Omagbemi Aisha Ahmad Nneka Onyeali Ikpe Adaora Umeoji Chioma Ajunwa Folder history Folder history amongst several others are changing the narrative. We celebrate their achievements knowing that collectively, we can all help create a more inclusive world.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
RINU ODUALA PAGE 11
On Not Losing Focus
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Photo: @HairByUgo
EDITOR’S NOTE
CONTENTS 4
8-9
THE EDIT
COVER STORY: Rinu Oduala
“We don enter one trouser”
On staying focused
en who believe that feminism is about women M hating men and ask questions like “When is International Men’s Day?” are often the ones who embrace the full ideologies of patriarchy!
12-13
IWD SPECIAL In Conversation with Asisat Oshoala
Never have I felt such a sense of urgency to acknowledge and celebrate International Women’s Day before. The global pandemic certainly has a part to play here, as it has reimagined and reset what it means to be alive in the wake of disease, death, revolution, protest, human rights and perhaps most iww mportant and personal to mewomen’s rights.
16
Women all over the world, beautiful in our various shades, tones, shapes, sizes, colors, races, religion, creed and nationality get to have one day where it is all about us. To pause and take stock in a world where so much is expected from us, yet so little is given and we still continue to push past the prejudices, injustices, sexism, gender bias, gender based violence and so much more. From the baby girl who has just entered the world this second to the oldest woman on the planet...today is a celebration of just how far we have come in social, economic, cultural and political matters.
Sorosoke Downtown Miss Techy
Maybe I’m now at an age where I’m all about getting on with it and my tolerance for any kind of obstacle, (insert the patriarchy here) has been whittled down to nothing, but I know I’m not alone. Our Cover girl, Rinu Oduala is an activist who was also tired of the status quo and chose to challenge a system that has failed its youths over and over again. The #EndSars protests that rocked the whole world in 2020, thrust this 22 year old into the spotlight (and put a target on her back), placing her front and center of the socio political conversations both across social media and as one of the two youth representatives on the Lagos State Judicial panel(by the way, she’s resigned now). In this exclusive interview, she opens up about growing up in the heart of Lagos Island, her strong female influences and how she is using her voice for good. It’s a bumper edition in celebration of IWD as we feature exclusive conversations with Footballer Asisat Oshoala, Actress Weruche Opia and more. The month of women is upon us and we intend to make everyday count. Happy International Women’s Day my ladies. See you next week! Latasha Ngwube @latashalagos
THE TEAM
Publisher/Editor-In-Chief: Austyn Ogannah Editor: Latasha Ngwube Editor-at-Large: Chalya Shagaya Beauty Editor: Onah Nwachukwu @onahgram Contributing Editor: Odun Ogunbiyi @oddbodandthecity Senior Writer: Chisom Njoku @inchisomwetrust Contributing Writer: Boluwatife Adesina House Photographer: Rachel Seidu @rachelseidu Graphics/Layout: Olatunji Samson Digital Media: Olanrewaju Balogun Interns: Sophia Edisi
14-15 IWD SPECIAL Weruche Opia
Tobiloba Olakolu Kehinde Fagbule Tilewa Kazeem
Guest Art Director: Sunny Hughes ‘ SunZA’
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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY IN PERSPECTIVE featuring
KAMALA HARRIS
BY TILEWA KAZEEM
T
he flower of progressivism planted by the Socialist Party of America as an homage to the 1908 garment workers who took to the streets of New York demanding shorter working hours, voting rights, and better pay has blossomed into better living, and working conditions 110 years later. While the tides might have turned for women after a century there’s still a ton that can be done to turn that adjective “might” into something more deserving of all the accomplishments women have achieved despite all odds stacked against them. This year’s theme for the International Women’s Day is ‘Choose To Challenge’ which sums up what being a woman in the 21 century is… a challenge. From the early 1800s to the early 1900s, women have risen through different groups and movements to demand two things: the right to vote and gender parity. It’s been over a century and although one of the two demands were met, the latter is still an ongoing fight. Although IWD is commemorated every year to applaud the social, economic and political achievements of women, their goals towards equal treatment of all women are pretty much set in stone. The sensitization of men to the discussion that women aren’t the enemy rather they are the solution- is one that needs to be had. Putting more women in positions of power serves as a breath of fresh air and offers a different perspective. A beacon of this movement is the election of Kamala Davi Harris as the vice president of the United States. She fought through a lot of battles to get to where she is. She, as well as other women occupying high power positions across different sectors, stand as emblems of hope for women across the globe as proof that anything is possible. Kamala understood at a very young age what it meant to demand and fight for what you wanted. A family story cites her dad and her mother pushing her in a stroller at a civil rights match and at one of the demonstrations in the spur of the moment, her mum bent to the stroller and asked the toddler “What do you want, Kamala?” Her response: “FREEDOM!” Although she was oblivious of the first incident, the second was of her own volition and it occurred years after Harris was out of a stroller. She and her sister, Maya stood outside their apartment in protest against a policy that restricted children from playing on the lawn. The policy was later overturned by the owners. These incidents paint a vivid picture of Kamala’s code of conduct and what she stands for. Allowing one’s career take the driver’s seat is understandable but it’s important to note that happiness, love and family are just as essential and just like every career, these things have their struggles and disappointments, but knowing when to keep fighting has its rewards. The vice president to the 49th president of the United States is no stranger to the rocky roads of relationships. She found love at the age of 48, (which by society standards is when most women are no longer considered “eligible”) in the most unlikely way possible- through a blind date. Her husband, Doug Emhoff, also a lawyer, came with his fair share
of baggage with two kids and an ex-wife, but one email, a six months contract, a couple of dates and a year later they found soulmates in each other. Do bear in mind, they had been together long before Kamala made moves for office.Their relationship isn’t a career move or a plot to rocket through the social or political stratosphere. With Harris and Doug it’s that “lovey-dovey we can’t get our hands off each other type of love”. It was described as “vomit inducing” by one of Doug’s children and the whole world is absolutely buzzing about their fairytale love story. What ties this relationship up into a perfect bow is their understanding of one another. He is her trump card (I couldn’t help myself) and a modern man. Leaving his job as a very successful entertainment lawyer to join her on her journey is a sacrifice not many men can make. He serves as a standard for men to model themselves after and maybe, just maybe together we can achieve unimaginable feats. Her names Kamala and Davi mean “lotus” and “goddess” in Sanskrit which connect her with her Indian heritage. Asides from that, the name Davi meaning “goddess” encompasses the entirety of this journey you have been on for the past 4 minutes. A woman is a goddess and for how long is society going to keep oppressing, depriving, and undermining her? Can we not see that she is the future? Despite society’s efforts to push her to the back of the line she keeps choosing to fight, strive and challenge every day to be a part of progress in our homes, our schools, our offices, businesses, and until recently, the helm of governing affairs in the
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THE EDIT BY CHALYA
CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE
as “We don enter one trouser” restrictions; physical, social, and moral which the society foisted on them. Women have had to fight to liberate themselves even to attain simple pleasures such as wearing trousers whenever they felt like it while explaining that they had indeed come very far.
W
hen you think of women’s clothing, trousers are rarely the first ones to come to our mind. In the 21st century, there’s no limitation to what women can wear, but did you know, that this wasn’t always the case? In fact, a woman wearing a pair of trousers was unimaginable in the 1960s. While there were some women who championed the wearing of trousers in the 19th century, trousers as an acceptable everyday item of clothing for women didn’t truly catch on until the mid-20th century. The adoption of trousers as a popular item of dress for women in Western society traces its roots to the mid-19th-century dress-reform movement. The women had to #choosetochallenge the status quo that put limitations on their freedom to wear trousers. Women mostly wore skirts.
“One of the most radical developments for women was the gradual acceptance of trousers, which were no longer considered either eccentric or strictly utilitarian,” write historians Valerie Mendes and Amy de la Haye in their book, 20th Century Fashion. “Coco Chanel did much to accelerate this move and was often photographed during the day wearing loose, sailorstyle trousers, known as ‘yachting pants.’ Soon after this, the most fashionable young women started to wear trousers for leisure pursuits, particularly on the beach, or for early evening wear at home, the latter in the form of luxurious, Chinese-style, printed silk pyjama suits.”
Naomi Campbell in Yves Saint Laurent
Yves Saint Laurent with a model
In the 1960s, what men and women could wear was vastly different, and society had set predefined rules that both genders had to follow. They protect the legs and keep the wearer covered up, while still allowing for easy movement. To women in places such as Europe and the US, they also came to represent power, equality, freedom from the
Yves Saint Laurent, the late Moroccan born fashion designer proposed his first pantsuit in his Spring-Summer 1967 collection. It was an unusual design for a suit, which was traditionally worn with a skirt. Just as he did for the tuxedo, Saint Laurent adapted the traditionally masculine suit for the female body. The sleeves were fitted and the waist belted, while the wide pants were flattering for the legs. He added typically female accessories, such as heels and jewellery, but still had his model wear a necktie and felt hat. Indeed, the choice to challenge has come a very long way, and it isn’t limited to clothing choices or style of dress, but also with making the voices of women heard and according them the same human rights as the male gender. As Hollywood actress Helen Mirren once said, “I think every woman in our culture is a feminist. They may refuse to articulate it, but if you were to take any woman back 40 years and say, ‘Is this a world you want to live in?’, they would say ‘No.’ ”
Mai Atafo Designs
In Bloomers, how women rode Bicycles in earlier years
The Harem pants as worn in parts of the Middle East
Remember, “Choose to Challenge”, as this year’s theme has aptly put it. Happy International Women’s Day!
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2. Koroba - Tiwa Savage Slipping into the boots (heels?) of a Nigerian escort, Ms. Savage spins an interesting yarn on Koroba. On the back of an absolute shoulder-shaker of a beat, Tiwa tells the listeners about the life and times of an escort and her preference for politicians. Confident and unapologetic, she replies all her detractors with a simple phrase: Who no like enjoyment?
BY BOLUWATIFE ADESINA
3. Flawless - Beyonce (ft. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie) I had to go back for this one. Confident and swaggering, Flawless is a celebration of the female form. Over a skittering, absolutely booming instrumental by none other than Hit-Boy, the first half of the song finds Beyonce defining her role outside of her marriage to Jay-Z. The song then segues into an excerpt of “We Should All Be Feminists”, a speech by Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. The second half of the song features production by Timbaland and features lyrics
such as: “You wake up, flawless/ Post up, flawless/ Ride round in it, flawless/ I woke up like this/ I woke up like this.” Listen and brim with confidence. 4. Asa - So Beautiful
An
In celebrating International Women’s Day, we must remember the most important members, our mothers. This song is a celebration of these backbone members of society. The song starts out as most Asa songs do:with a guitar strum. She softly sings praises of her mother in both English and her native Yoruba, calling her beautiful. The song then suddenly bursts into color, with a full live band. Lyrics such as Ebami kira fun mama mi Orisha bi iya o ko si laiye Ebami kira fun mama mi Orisha bi iya o ko si laiye, oh yeah show the amount of love and respect there is in her relationship with her mother. A classic.
IWD
Playlist I always like to have a playlist for any occasion. I have shower playlists, playlists for when I’m in a good mood or bad mood, almost any situation. I have to admit I didn’t have one for International Women’s Day. So when the idea popped into my head to do one I immediately started getting ideas. Women especially women of color have contributed so much to music worldwide. From the sultry, come-hither vocals of Sade to the energetic, bodacious vocal inflections of Megan Thee Stallion, we’ve been spoiled for taste and range since basically the beginning of time. I tried to celebrate mainly women from Africa, but I did include some from the abroad sha. So without further ado, here’s 7 songs that showcase the wide gamut of skills we’re privileged to experience. Take it away, Ladies.
5. Sade- The Sweetest Taboo Long regarded as the most elusive woman in pop, The Sweetest Taboo is probably Sade Adu’s most inviting record. Perfect for a quiet, steamy evening in with a significant other, the track is a downtempo invitation to come hither. From the percussion loop, Sade’s breathy vocals to the horn showcase in the bridge; “The Sweetest Taboo” is an accessible and efficient sample of all the best elements of Sade. 6. Tems - Try Me Temilade Openiyi A.K.A Tems is one of the new faces of the Nigerian neo-soul/ alternative scene. Blessed with passionate, powerful, yet soothing vocals, she gives listeners a peek into her mind on her single “Try Me”. She allows listeners to tap into her frustration, and takes them on a journey through her process of overcoming her challenges, and reclaiming her power. Accompanied by the sound of strings and a light bass in the background, the Lagos native sings about being held back from truly growing, moving forward, and shining on her own terms (Tems?). The singer’s unique and distinct sound is infused with a mixture of alternative RnB and Neo-Soul. The delivery of her vocals on the track makes it clear that music is her true form of emotional expression. 7. Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You
Scan this with your camera to access the playlist (Apple Music)
Scan this with your camera to access the playlist (Spotify)
1. Good as Hell (Remix) - Lizzo (ft. Ariana Grande) On this song, Detroit-born singer Lizzo and Ariana Grande come together to create an ode to self-love. Backed by triumphant drums and horns, Lizzo and Ariana dovetail quite well and tell women to not care about anything anyone may have to say. Lyrics like: Listen, if he don’t love you anymore Then walk your fine ass out the door showcase the confidence and personality that shines through in both performances. A great morning pick-me-up song.
I’m rounding off this playlist with one of the most popular love songs of all time. We all know this song. We’ve heard it ad nauseam. It doesn’t take anything away from the sheer excellence of this track. Originally a cover of Dolly Parton’s original track of the same name,”I Will Always Love You” is Whitney’s greatest moment and one of the greatest moments in American pop. It was sentimental, monumental, undeniable and, as many of her recordings were, a triumph of vocal ability that presents itself as human indomitability. The caesura just before the drum beat as she takes off for that impossible note is a moonshot, and we get to be strapped into the rocket and take the ride with her. She laces everything up to that point with a tinge of vulnerability and joy that makes it even more amazing. It is quite a phenomenal listen. And there you have it. 7 songs from all over the globe, celebrating all facets of the modern woman, from the innate strength they possess to the sultry confidence they wield so gracefully. There are also messages and treatises on gender equality and feminism as well. Do enjoy. Happy International Women’s Day!
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ODUN OGUNBIYI
ODDBOD & THE CITY
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!!
I
nternational Women’s Day is a day for we ladies to both celebrate ourselves (it really should be everyday but no one listens to me) and to take stock of how far women’s rights have come. This year’s theme is “Choose to Challenge”. Whether it’s the status quo, the patriarchy, or really just that annoying coworker, #ChooseToChallenge. I had a really interesting week! I got to see a most gorgeous creative space that had my gears spinning as soon as I stepped in, a really unique (and delicious) culinary experience and of course, My new Netflix addiction of the week. THIS IS ODDBOD AND THE CITY-MY LAGOS ADVENTURE
The I.AM.ISIGO room Things are happening in Lagos. I was minding my business having lunch with friends and we just so happen to be sat next to the Creative Director for I.AM.ISIGO, Bubu Ogisi. She tells us about a project she just finished upstairs in the boutique residence and creative incubator, 16/16. There are other spaces in the works, and I look forward to seeing what other designers put together but for now, there is the gorgeous room by Bubu to enjoy. The room is a wonderful symphony of all things natural, raffia, wool, jute, and lovely plants potted in lovely woven carrier baskets. I am still in the process of trying to reverse my plant-killing legacy so you can imagine the envy with which I perused the blooming lushness of the whole 16/16 space. On our arrival, the room was bathed in glorious golden hour sunset light which was the perfect accompaniment to the room’s laidback vibes. The perfect staycation location. All that remains is for me to wish you all a happy International Women’s Day tomorrow. This year’s theme #Choosetochallenge is easily adoptable by each and every one of us. Together we must strive to create an inclusive world. Celebrate and support the women in your life and please don’t forget to champion yourself.
Breakfast to go: The Flower Shop Café These days, I take joy in the little pleasures. I leave my house a good thirty minutes earlier than usual and, instead of heading straight into the horrendous commute to the mainland which is the bane of my day, I make a little diversion to pick up some breakfast goodies on-the-go.
I am currently barrelling my way through a series called Criminal. The show is so good there are UK, French, and Spanish versions. The whole story is told via the process of what goes down in the interrogation room. The behind-the-scenes manipulations, how they get into your mind and lead you down the path to releasing the information they require. It is devilishly clever. If subtitles are not your thing. Netflix has a handy translated version option of each one (I just discovered this two weeks ago. As usual, I am late to the party).
I don’t know what brand of cocaine they put in the pain au chocolat but my goodness, colour me addicted. Are they baking on-site? I totally forgot to ask but I really must get to the bottom of this. Absolutely delicious fresh-baked goodness. Food was the easy part, what I wanted to drink was a completely different ballgame—so many yummy options for my breakfast beverage! I have to thank the staff patience; not by a flicker of an eyelid did my cashier show that I must have been getting on her nerves. Am I the only one who loves swanning into the office with a cappuccino to-go saying “sorry I’m late” with my full chest?
My new Netflix addiction I have no idea what I did with my life before Netflix. My quarantine would have been completely unbearable without it. Now and then, one comes across a little series and the experience is so profound the concept original and intelligent that one has to share it.
In the spirit of International Women’s Day it is worth mentioning and celebrating the fact that the BOSS in all the series thus far have been women and multifaceted ones at that. It’s good stuff and, if like me your weekends revolve around food and home entertainment, this is a good one for you.
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BEAUTY
1 Madame C.J. Walker
3 Dr. May Ikeora
Born in 1867 as Sarah Breedlove and later known as Madam C.J Walker (after her marriage to her third husband, Charles Joseph Walker who was also her business partner), Sarah was known as the first female African-American, self-made millionaire. A title she earned from selling her hair care products made for black women through her company, Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company. Sarah died in 1919 but in 2016 Sundial brands in collaboration with Sephora launched a skincare line called ‘Madam C.J.Walker Beauty Culture’.
Dr. May Ikeora is the CEO of L’Avyanna Beauty Limited, a skincare brand that caters to men, and women of colour. The brand that berthed in 2015, is produced in the UK, China, and India, and is sold in different parts of the world. The line boasts of products ranging from sunscreen to face wash, serums, beard oil, and a whole other range of products. Dr. Ikeora says she started the brand which means ‘ beautiful woman’ to help her pursue her passion to empower young girls. Recently, Dr. Ikeora added a new brand to her beauty products: Glow Code, a premium natural skincare brand. She is also an anti-trafficking advisor.
THE BUSINESS OF
BEAUTY AND THE WOMEN BEHIND IT BY ONAH NWACHUKWU
2 Oke Maduewesi CEO of Zaron Cosmetics, Oke Maduewesi is a widowed mother of two who sold everything she had to start a beauty brand. Since its launch in 2011, Zaron Cosmetics has unveiled several products, its most recent being the Brow Bang which was launched in February 2021.Over the years the brand has enrolled distributors in 12 countriesNigeria, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ghana, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Botswana, Mauritius, Cameroon; North America and The United Kingdom. They also have 24 outlets in Nigeria. As part of its community service, Zaron empowers widows.
T
he beauty business is a billion-dollar industry targeted at mostly women, offering them solutions to makeup, hair, and skincare problems. Needless to say, it comes as no surprise that we have women at the helm of some of the strongest beauty brands in the market. And why not; who better to know exactly what beauty-related problems we go through and find solutions to them than a woman? This International Women’s Day, I have listed a few women who we are celebrating for their courage, resilience and, achievements in the beauty industry.
4 Beatrice Eneh Beatrice Eneh’s passion for the beauty industry led her to open Apples and Oranges in 2012; a spa and salon located in Victoria Island Lagos. Three years later (in 2015), the Eko spa at Eko Hotel and Suites launched under the operation of Apples and Oranges. Since then, Apples and Oranges has expanded; in 2019, it collaborated with Seattle Residence to open a spa in the luxury apartment building. This isn’t the only beauty-related business Eneh is associated with. In December of 2020, she launched Nectar Beauty Hub; a onestop-shop for everything beauty-related with five outlets in Lagos. Beatrice Eneh supports women who have lost their hair due to cancer.
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COVER
RINU ODUALA On Staying Focused At a little under 5ft, it is easy to miss Rinu Oduala in a teeming crowd, but that could be a costly mistake (and a lesson in not profiling women), because the moment she opens her mouth, she ignites, and takes off like a rocket, lighting up everything and everyone in her path while keeping her eyes firmly on the prize. Whether it’s her 4.2 GPA at the Lagos State University, or crying out for justice on behalf of innocent victims of gender based violence, building a small but profitable streetwear brand or using her voice to amplify the plight of millions of young Nigerians in decrying police brutality and asking for their[our] fundamental human rights to be acknowledged, she rises to the occasion. ‘SavvyRinu’, as she is known across social media, has become a young female icon amongst the Gen Z population with a Twitter following of almost 300k. Even though she has always involved herself in activism and advocacy, it wasn’t until the #EndSars protests of October 2020 that she would be thrust to the forefront of a movement that gained global attention. She, as well as thousands of young Nigerians, hit the streets, armed with placards, bullhorns and courage, uncertain about their fates but assured in their hearts that the only way change will come is to demand for it. Rinu was also appointed as one of the two youth members of the Lagos State Judicial Panel set up in the wake of the protests and Lekki shootout. At 22, Oduala has come into womanhood with her self confessed ‘Coconut head’, ready to break stereotypes, demand accountability and start conversations important enough to spark change for the better- and I believe she can because she also walks the walk. She speaks exclusively to DOWNTOWN Editor, Latasha Ngwube
A
s a child what did you want to be?
I didn’t know what I wanted to do because there weren’t many options available to me. The M.O. has always been going to school to get a degree and get a job afwterwards.They don’t teach you these things in our secondary schools and no one gave me a career talk. There is no proper career guidance for kids, they just leave you to do whatever you want. Filling the JAMB form was confusing and after a talk with my grandpa where he declared lawyers to be liars, I promptly filled out my form for Medicine and Surgery at the University of Ilorin but wasn’t admitted. I was too restless to sit at home so I spent a year getting my diploma in Science Laboratory Technology from Moshood Abiola Polytechnic. During that time I fell in love with humanities and the arts and when I had another shot at University, unfortunately my O’levels didn’t meet the criteria so I opted for Chemistry. I’m now in my 4th year and somewhere between a chemist, an entrepreneur and an activist.
What was life like for you growing up?
I was raised by my grandparents. They were the pillars of our household as my mum was a single mother and I didn’t know my dad so they stood in that gap. I’m the only child of my parents but my dad had a son after me and my mum had two other kids. I never knew my father, they separated when I was 1 and he died when I was 12. That’s when his family reached out and I met my step-brother. I grew up in Lagos Island which was a bit rough on account of street fights and cult clashes. My grandparents kept me sheltered as best as they could and tried to refine my manners by insisting on good schools so I wouldn’t get lost in the system. It’s a typical ghetto kid story except I didn’t have to go hawking at an early age but I still had to fetch water, look after my younger ones and help around the house while maintaining good grades.
Do you hear stories about your dad?
Yup and I think I’m like him in many ways. My mum would tell me things like, “Your dad was really nice, he loved helping people. He helped people at his disadvantage sometimes”, and I sort of connected with that. I think we have the same love language: Acts of service. I feel indebted to people and I can go miles for them even when it doesn’t make sense to most. He was also renowned for his entrepreneurial spirit and hustling energy which I like to believe I have too and he travelled across the country a lot- so let’s see how I do with that *laughs*
When did you first start with your activism work?
Honestly, right from high school I didn’t take injustices kindly, to me or anyone around me. I questioned everything and got into trouble for that, can you imagine? Still, I was often class captain or would assume some kind of leadership role. Even though speaking out came naturally, I never saw myself as an actual ‘activist’ until last year June. I would tweet aggressively about bad governance, violence against women, gender disparity and other things, but to me that was just me doing my part for a better and balanced Nigeria.
What happened in June 2020?
I went out and took a stand physically, outside the Lagos State Police HQ in Ikeja against rape and police brutality. I’ve always been able to galvanize guys better than ladies and in the beginning I had far more male support but I also understand the role stereotypes play in forcing women to think they can’t take up space or shouldn’t go out on the streets and use their
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COVER voices, especially here in Nigeria. It was just us two girls and a little over twenty guys. Our reason? A young lady named Tina had been accidentally shot at Iyana by a policeman, and another named Uwa had been raped and murdered in Benin city. I could not just sit around and be silent when either of those women could have been me! We went with our placards to demand justice, really just another typical protest routine that had zero impact and the police just ignored us until we got tired and left. It got no traction because there was simply no interest in actively pursuing the conversation by the people.
June had gone by as did July, August and September so what sparked the protest in October?
The report of a young man that had been shot in Delta state by the police and there was a video that went viral. I initially wasn’t going to protest because of how disappointed I’d been in June. When I remembered the lackadaisical body language of the police and the fact that no one had tried to give us answers, I was discouraged all over again but then I also questioned the point of my anger if I wasn’t prepared to do anything about it. In that moment I thought about my late father and felt inspired to reach out to the participants of the last protest in June to see if they would be interested in coming out again. I wasn’t going to just sit around, waiting for my family member to be the next victim of police brutality. This was another attempt for me to get my voice heard and I think we succeeded in doing just that.
There was a lot of controversy around you during the #EndSARS protest. How did you keep your eyes fixed on the goal and ignore all the side comments?
I had my initial team members to fall back on, the ones from the June protest- they became my shield. They encouraged me because they know me and I realized then the importance of integrity and transparency. Back in June, I took out from my own savings and provided what was needed to the best of my ability and so the idea that this was for clout or attention wasn’t even up for discussion. It simply was not true and they knew it. In October, at the start of the protest I told them I’d do my best to make sure no one spent their money except it was absolutely necessary because it was all about getting our voices heard and I was ready to spend every penny I had. I can tell you nobody expected it to become as big as it did.
You talked about not having female support at the start but then FemCo came around. What was it like working with them during the #EndSARS protest?
FemCo felt like a dream support system and they did a lot of heavy lifting. They joined in on the 3rd/4th day and I felt strengthened by their resolve and the fact that we had amazing women out there (whom society expects to be seen and not to be heard), showing capacity, strength, organizational skills and whatever else they can do to make the country better was beyond amazing. They were paying health bills, sending ambulances, distributing food supplies and offering free services…I’ve never experienced an all-female support system like that before and it’s the kind of sisterhood I’d love to see at every level. Nothing will ever equal that.
Do you feel optimistic about the future for women in Nigeria?
Yes, very much. I feel optimistic about the Nigerian female, especially in leadership positions. We have started speaking our minds and exercising boldness in public while recording milestone achievements. Most of us are now extremely confident in our identity, whether we are Christians or Muslims, we know our worth is linked to our life’s purpose.
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COVER
I also understand the role stereotypes play in forcing women to think they can’t take up space or shouldn’t go out on the streets and use their voices, especially here in Nigeria.”
Most women now are waking up with full confidence, taking up professions in male dominated industries, taking risks, walking with courage and not waiting for permission to take a seat at the table. We are starting conversations, contributing our thoughts, taking action and maybe most importantly, the world is coming to understand that our voices are just as important as anyone else’s regardless of our gender. More Nigerian females are becoming independent and fearless women who can fight against societal rules for their freedom and independence.
What is your state of mind right now?
I think about my grandma who passed away during the protest on the 17th of October. She died while I was away on the protest ground and it hurts me that I gave her my word to take her to the supermarket on the Saturday before but I had to postpone it by a week. On that Saturday, I snuck out of the protest ground to fulfill my promise to her and got home to receive the shocking news. She was my anchor who steadied me whenever I was out of line. Her death affected me during the protest, weighed me down and messed with my mental health. At this trying time I was also invited to be a member of the judicial panel which I felt compelled and maybe even pressured to accept. My generation asked for representation and I had been chosen even though all I wanted was to be with my granny one more time. I think about her a lot and on some days I’m really sad but ultimately I’m grateful for the time I had with her. Currently, I’m lying low and have had to be out of school for some time as there have been threats made to me and on my life. It’s a bit bleak but I’m confident that this, just like every other obstacle I’ve overcome in life, shall also pass.
When you’re not fighting for freedom, what are you doing?
I’m making money being an entrepreneur. I’ve marketed a bakery (which is fancy forI sold bread), I’ve sold fashion items like bags, t-shirts, shoes and other accessories while in school to other students. When we took the break from school on account of the pandemic, I made hand sanitizers as per chemistry student and distributed them within my community as my way of supporting the streets and the place that raised me. I have a small urban fashion line now and I’m doing a lot more reading up on business. When I’m not on Twitter, I’m trying to get some sleep. I just enjoy doing my own thing.
How do you relax? By sleeping *laughs* but I also take long walks, road trips and I love going to quiet places where my thoughts can settle, I can relax and read. I love silent beaches. I don’t enjoy rowdy places and I love my solitude. *Read the extended version of this exclusive interview on our website www. thewillnigeria.com Photography: @tosin.akinyemiju Creative Direction & Styling: @latashalagos Photo Editor: @noir_retouch Rinu’s outfits: @weizdhurmfranklyn Hair: @stylesbyennyblac Makeup: @zoraa_makeup Nails: @junettesbeauty
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#ChooseToChallenge
Hadiza Bala Usman Onyeka Onwenu Winifred Akpani Folake Ani Mumuney Oyinade Adegite Fade Ogunro Feyikemi Abudu Jola Ayeye Dupe Aina Olushola Edith Jibunoh Ngozi Okonjo Iweala ChimAmanda Ngozi Edichie Adesuwa Dozie Lola Ogunaike Nikki Ogunaike Bella Adenuga Disu Aisha Babangida MowaLola Ogunlesi Oluchi Hadiza BalaOrlandi UsmanTemi Onyeka Onwenu Winifred Akpani Folake Ani Mumuney Oyinade Fade Ogunro Feyikemi Abudu Jola(Cuppy) Ayeye Dupe Olushola EdithOdele Jibunoh Onweagba Otedola Oseyi Etomi Arit Okpo Funmi Iyanda Winihin JemideAdegite Sade Adu Aisha Yesufu Ifeoluwa Otedola TolaniAina Otedola Modupe Ngozi Okonjo Iweala ChimAmanda Ngozi Edichie Adesuwa Dozie Lola Ogunaike Nikki Ogunaike Bella Adenuga Disu Aisha Babangida MowaLola Ogunlesi Oluchi Emem Usoro Damilola Odufuwa Odunayo E weniyi Layo Ogunbanwo Ire Aderinokun Fakhrriyyah Hashim Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi Laila Johnson Salami Karo Omu Oweagba Arit Okpo Funmi Iyanda Winihin Jemide Sade Ifeoluwa Otedola (Cuppy) Otedola Modupe Odele Obiageli OfiliOrlandi AlintahTemi Tito Otedola Ovia KikiOseyi MordiEtomi Add Obioma Imoke Marie Akpoke Kemi DaSilva IbruAdu NseAisha Ikpe Yesufu Etim Ego Boyo Folashade Alakija Tolani Tiwa Savage Asa Genevieve Damilola Odufuwa Odunayo E weniyi Layo Ogunbanwo Ire Aderinokun Hashim Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi Laila Johnson Salami Karo Omu Obiageli Ofili Nnaji Blessing Okagbare Mary Onyali OmagbemiFakhrriyyah Aisha Ahmad Nneka Onyeali Ikpe Adaora Umeoji Chioma Ajunwa Alintah Tito Ovia Kiki Mordi Add Obioma Imoke Marie Akpoke Kemi DaSilva Ibru Nse Ikpe Etim Ego Boyo Folashade Alakija Tiwa Savage Asa Genevieve Nnaji Blessing Okagbare Mary Onyali Omagbemi Aisha Ahmad Nneka Onyeali Ikpe Adaora Umeoji Chioma Ajunwa Folder history Folder history
amongst several others are changing the narrative. We celebrate their achievements knowing that collectively, we can all help create a more inclusive world.
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IWD SPECIAL
IN CONVERSATION WITH
ASISAT OSHOALA If you’re familiar with sports at all, not just women’s football, chances are you’ve heard the name Asisat Oshoala but, if for some reason you’re unfamiliar with her, she’s a Nigerian professional footballer who plays for Spanish side FC Barcelona Femení in the Primera División as a forward. For those who are not excited by sports and its accompanying lingo, simply put, Asisat is one of the greatest young footballers to come out of Africa and has been named one of the best young players in the world. She was named CAF African Women’s Player of the Year a staggering 4 times consecutively, BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year as well as picking up the Golden Boot and Ball for the FIFA under 20 World Cup 2014. Currently based in Spain and in between her very busy schedule, she talks with Celebrity fitness coach, physical trainer and certified nutritionist Ihuoma Nwigwe as well DOWNTOWN’s Editor, Latasha Ngwube about being a woman in football, her sports icons and how cool Megan Rapinoe really is.
H
ow old were you when you realized you wanted to become an athlete and what was your parents’ take on it? To be honest with you, football wasn’t in my plans at all. I never planned to play football professionally so I can’t really say I was at a certain age when I decided to try football. It was just an opportunity that came to me when I was playing with my friends around 2008 and I decided to take it. We read somewhere that your parents weren’t happy about you wanting to be an athlete? My parents for sure were really against me going into sports, as a matter of fact, they weren’t even comfortable with me just doing it for fun either. They didn’t like that fact that I would always go out with guys every time to play ball. How do your parents feel now at the point where you are now? Right now they are my #1 fans, especially my dad. They are both happy. When I’m playing my mom gets scared and like every Nigerian sports mom, where football is concerned, prays fervently for me to score goals at every game. Right now, they are happy and very supportive. As a Nigerian female athlete, what advice would you give a girl child whose dream is to become a professional player at any sport? Right now I believe the ones coming up now are very lucky because there is more awareness about women in sports, in fact, I think there are lucky and my advice would be for them to keep pushing and just keep doing what they are doing. Giving their best and staying consistent, is the way to go! I pray that they can make it to the international leagues because the orientation here is different from the normal African mentality. Where one must be in the kitchen because you are a girl, here, once you are showing talent, you are encouraged to go as far as possible and not solely focus on school as the only option. Do you believe in the narrative of women being emotional when it comes to sports? Well, I don’t think women are that emotional when it comes to the sports because at the end of the day it’s our job. So regardless of being a guy or a girl, if everything is not going well with you, you will definitely feel bad or crazy at some point. Some people just want to relax with music, party, go to bed, or decline hanging out with friends. I don’t think women are more emotional and even if they are it is not necessarily a bad thing for both sexes- man or woman.
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INTERVIEW Personally, after a bad day, I don’t want to talk to anybody not even my parents. I just go off and be on my own for a couple of days without people fussing or feeling sorry for me.
that are not from my mother and not from my stepmom either but we are so close you cannot differentiate who is the mother of who. We love each other very much.
Do you think that mental health awareness is active when it comes to sports especially in Africa? Growing up for me was tough but I worked my way through with the guys but not many girls have the same story. I know a lot of girls who didn’t have the confidence to work with guys when I was in school. Some eventually dropped out of sports because they were not comfortable doing it but now, as a professional athlete, I have a psychologist if I feel the need to speak about what is going on in my mind. It’s a great option but what about our grassroots people that do not have that kind of access? A young girl who is trying to get into the sport and the environment around her is negative, no approval from her parents or the guys are saying they won’t play with her because she is a girl. That alone can make the girl go crazy and lose her passion for the game. We need to take care of that and it begins with the parents at home, educating them, making them understand that their kids can actually go to school and still do sports at the same time. Making the teachers in schools understand that they don’t have to separate the girls and the guys when it comes to certain sports, so that way, the kids feel comfortable and safe around each other.
Being a young athlete and coming from a country where settling down is a big issue how often do you get asked that question? To be honest, I get this question all the time but right now I’m not ready and that is something I have drummed into my parents’ ears and everyone else around me.
What makes you a great athlete? I’m just a person who just goes for whatever she wants, I don’t get everything but I can proudly say I get at least 85% of whatever I set my mind to. I’m a goalgetter. I don’t stop I don’t back down unless I don’t really want it. If I really want it I go all out for it and I don’t mind working hard for it. What’s your pro workout like? It’s just a normal thing for me to wake up in the morning, have breakfast at home, go to training, and end up back at home. Taking the right supplement, eating right, I start training sometimes around 11 or thereabouts and then by 1:30 we are done. Sometimes we can have gym sessions for about 30 to 45 minutes but I typically don’t train for more than 2 hours a day. How have you been able to navigate obstacles of race and gender as a female athlete? Equality in professional football is a difficult conversation to have because it really is a situation where the guys get more tv rights and publicity, resulting in more endorsements and everything else. For now, I’m happy to be here in a club I love, repping Nigeria and hopefully inspiring other young female hopefuls back home. You won BBC Women Footballer of the Year, you’ve been named as one of the best young players in the world and with many more feathers in your cap at such a young age. As a Nigerian girl who grew up on Nigerian soil, how does this all feel to you now?
Have you met Megan Rapinoe? Yes, I have! She is a great athlete and asides from sports she speaks up for a lot of things as well which is very good. When they say people have power and use their power to do good in other ways, it really is important to understand how much power you have or how much strength that comes from your voice. Speaking of people using their voices do you have any iconic female athletes you looked up to growing up? Yes! The likes of Mercy Akido, Perpetua Nkwocha and many other seniors ones from the Super Falcons years back. I always say I was lucky to play with Perpetua anyway because she is a legend. I was just a young girl playing football for fun who got the opportunity to join the national team. That opened doors for me to travel abroad, play in another countries and its been one blessing after the next. Life is a journey and you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow so staying grateful is important. I’m thankful to my parents as well for giving me that last-minute opportunity and agreeing to let me do this irrespective of the outcome. I told myself not to mess up this and I prayed to not make any severe mistakes. I stayed true to myself, knowing what I actually wanted wasn’t the freedom to party but a chance to work hard and make it count. I’m really happy now but back then it was a lot of hard work. When I say hard work I really mean hard work. Do you ever see yourself coming back to Nigeria to set up something for young girls? I do have a foundation where I support the girl child. Every year I have different programs for girls where I hold seminars with their parents to educate them and make them understand the need for them to go to school and still be allowed to do sports. They don’t have to leave sports for education and sometimes the ones that graduate, go to the football academy from the program so that way they can go to school and after school hours they come to play football at the academy. This is something I wish to do for as long as I can for future generations. What does International Women’s Day mean to you as an athlete? It’s a day I love to celebrate the girl child and women in general. For my foundation girls, (I call them my kids) I buy them presents and make them feel special because it’s a day set aside for them to remember how far they’ve come. It’s a reminder to stay true and strong, not giving up or dropping out because of any factors but to keep going no matter what society throws at us. I noticed that you have a close relationship with your stepmom. This is not the usual narrative of polygamous homes. Do you all have a close family unit? I’m a Muslim and in Islam, it’s allowed to have more than one wife but my father is the kind of person that makes sure everyone in his family lives together. I have brothers
A lot of female athletes get negative comments from people commenting on their muscular physique. Are these things you’ve had to deal with and if yes how do you deal with it? First things first, I’ve always said that if I had the opportunity of creating myself, maybe I would have done something different but at the end of the day, none of us had the opportunity of doing so and this is how we are naturally. People will say it’s because of my frequency to the gym but they forget it’s my job and it’s required. Whatever you think of my body is your business and not mine but to be honest it’s always crazy sometimes when you read these kinds of comments from people. I block them because I cannot give such topics any more attention after reading and I’m grateful this is my approach because many women in my space do feel bad. Our bodies are different but you know, I’m a pretty girl so nobody can tell me nothing. What’s your take on how social media has contributed to showcasing black athletes across the world? In terms of exposure in general, social media has actually helped a lot young athletes find their place or given them a platform to show their talents. It has also been a great way to revive careers or keep many athletes relevant during the off seasons. If many of our veterans stars had been playing in the age of social media can you imagine how massive their careers would have been til date? You change your hair color often why is that? If I say that there is any significant reason then I’m lying to you. Some days I just wake up and decide to change my hair color to whatever suits my fancy at that moment. I simply go with my instincts that’s it.
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IWD SPECIAL
IN CONVERSATION WITH ACTRESS
WERUCHE OPIA From scouring the internet for a date to please her family in the Nollywood movie ‘When Love Happens’ to being the best friend of the year in the globally acclaimed British miniseries, ‘I May Destroy You’, Weruche Opia’s roles have been as profound in many ways as they have been relatable to the average black woman. Her unique mix of charm, eloquence, wit and faith shine through even via the Zoom call by which this interview is conducted. She embodies a kind of old world gracefulness which she no doubt inherits from her mother- Ruth Benamaisia Opia, one of Nigeria’s foremost veteran broadcast journalists. Opia’s 10-yearold career has been blessed with good work any thespian would be proud of and she talks candidly about it with DOWNTOWN’s Kehindé Fagbule alongside other issues affecting women in the movie industry both within Nigeria and at large.
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hat are some of the more common problems faced by women in both the British and Nigerian film industries? I can speak more for the British industry because that’s where most of my work has been and I would say that like many other industries in the world, it is male-dominated and so there’s always that issue of having men in positions of power that don’t actually consider what benefits women. There are a lot of male-driven stories, a lot of men are in the positions of power so they get to make the decisions that concern women which sometimes doesn’t really work out. Not to say that it is solely male-oriented or led, but the majority of the people in power within the TV and film industry are men so they get to make most of the decisions which sometimes causes a disparity in representation for women and the kind of roles and work that we come across. It is kind of hard for men to tell stories about women when they don’t have first-hand experiencethere’s a question of how valid or truthful their viewpoints are. In Nigeria, I think it’s just a reflection of the country in general as it’s a very maledominated society where the patriarchy (to use all the feminist terms I know *laughs*) is very much in charge and women are still treated as second class citizens. We however have had women like Emem Isong who was directing and doing her thing from way back then, Funke Akindele who has created a whole universe and some and even more recently the likes of Mo Abudu who is committed to putting Nigeria and Africa on the map. It’s brilliant to watch these women and moreso inspiring but I can only imagine the struggles and hardships they have had to endure first as women in the movie industry and particularly as Nigerian women. We are encouraged by these feats to continue to fight for a seat at the table but there is more that still needs to be done for women and women-led stories in the UK and in
Nigeria film industries. What are some of the issues that Nigerian actresses still face that their international counterparts have overcome? I can’t really speak for them because I haven’t done anything in Nollywood recently but I think there is still the idea of…you know what? I’d rather not say because like I said it’s been a while since I’ve worked in Nigeria and I don’t know what has changed, making my views outdated, so I’d rather not. I ask that because you starred in the Nollywood movie When Love Happens in 2014 and then the sequel in 2016, that’s still fresh, sort of? I’ve done a lot of projects since then so it’s a while back but in terms of the work, I’ve been privileged to do in Nigeria, I’m happy to have been in femaleled productions. In When Love Happens, I was the main character so the story was from a woman’s viewpoint and the writers I think were a mix of men and women which was great. When Love Happens Again was also female-driven same as Dere: An African Tale- although that was written by a man but it’s a fairytale so I guess it kind of worked. I will say though, there were instances of “Oh, you’re a small girl” kind of issue but I guess it came with the fact that I was fairly fresh in the industry as well. I don’t know if that’s been the experience of anybody else but that was something that I dealt with then- not to the point of massive discomfort that I wasn’t able to stand up for myself, but again, that was 6-7 years
ago and a lot of things have happened since. I would hope there’s been more significant changes since then. Let’s talk about I May Destroy You. Your role as Terry Pritchard was so special and I think for many people in Nigeria, the nuances were quite pronounced. The slangs, the occasional Nigerian accent and a few inside jokes only West Africans would really know. Was that deliberate to showcase the culture or it was just something you randomly did that worked on set and you went on with it? Yes, there were some similarities between my character and I but she actually wasn’t Nigerian. *laughs* I guess my Nigerianness just showed through anyway because I remember asking Michaela [Coel] if Terry was going to be Nigerian and she said ‘no’, she’s Carribean but you know that’s the way the black British society is right now. We all have these interchangeable slangs so we have people from the Carribean who use Nigerian slangs and Nigerians who use Carribean slangs. The black British culture right now is a proper mix that feels like there’s a coming together where we’re enjoying the same music, everyone is feeling Wizkid and Afrobeats is one of the number one genres in the world. Regardless of where you’re from, you know we’re all black people at the end of the day.
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INTERVIEW Do you feel your personal journey was mirrored in the series? Playing Terry, I did draw from some of my experience being a black British female actor in London and some of the struggles were very relatable. The hair issues are something I haven’t personally experienced but I’ve had colleagues who have had people ask them awkward questions. I’ve had people come and touch my hair without asking and those are just micro aggressions, things that we’ve lived with for a while in the industry and in everyday life in the UK. Some of it was drawn from personal inspiration like Terry’s career struggle- I’ve been acting for 10 years but it hasn’t been smooth sailing the whole time so I could definitely draw from that… issues of self confidence and self esteem are not uncommon for an actor who’s gone for hundreds of auditions and maybe gotten a few callbacks. It can have an effect on you so Terry definitely had some help from Weruche. Let’s talk about Joke Silva who was a classmate of your mum. Was broadcasting something you ever considered or was Aunty Joke influential in tilting you towards acting? I actually worked with her on a play in Lagos titled For Coloured Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When The Rainbow is Enough. It was the first time I had actually met her physically. I watched her growing up obviously and I knew who she was, so before we started rehearsals, I went to her to greet her and introduce myself. She said “You don’t need to introduce yourself, I know you and you are just like your mother when she and I started out acting.” My mum had always told me she acted but I thought it was just one of those things parents say like “I was first in my class”. She went on to tell me how brilliant my mother had been at acting but the news and journalism stole her away. As soon as I got home that day I went straight to my mum and asked, “Mummy so you actually acted” and she so coolly responded, “So you thought I was lying?” *Laughs* The moment she said that I realized this acting thing was kind of in my blood. I know my mum found journalism more enticing, she loved it more so she went that way but I personally have never really had the hunger for journalism, however my sister is a journalist… she got bitten by that bug. Personally, it’s not something that I’ve tried or wanted to try because acting is my forte so I don’t think I’ll be reading the news anytime soon. However, my sister, Nnei is there, she can do that for everyone. Why acting in the first place and why didn’t you stay in Nigeria to pursue this? Acting is something I’ve always done as a child. From childhood, I was acting in school, at home, wherever I could and I came to the point I think when I was leaving university where I discovered that this is something I’m really good at and the way I see life is you pick what you’re good at and you work at it. At least I know I’m definitely gonna win with this; because this is what I’m best at, this is what I enjoy doing the most. The fact that it actually came to happen for me is proof of God’s grace because I know that it was something that I was led to and I know that this is my purpose and my way of making my mark on the world. I came to Nigeria with the idea to act in the Nigerian industry but I found it very difficult. I guess I didn’t know how to play the game… And what is that game as you know it? It’s actually a global thing anyways. There’s
always the favoritism, the cliques in the industry but I guess where I came from, being trained as an actor majorly in the UK, I didn’t know about all the ‘aunties’, ‘good evening sirs’ and ‘good afternoons’, I mean in the UK if I’m meeting a director, it’s a strictly professional meeting but I found that in Nigeria it felt more like I always had to beg for work. I’m not begging in the actual sense of the “Oh please give me work” but you had to kind of choose and I don’t know if it’s based off of merit completely, do you know what I mean? It’s more than just “You’re the best person for the role”, there were other things involved and I didn’t quite know how to do those things; that’s how I think it is. I heard that I was a bit difficult to work with but I personally don’t believe that and that’s because I have some standards. I was not asking for some red M&M’s and for someone to open my water Mariah Carey-style, it was basic things I was asking for things to be done properly but I also know there is a bit of a guerrilla style filming attitude in the industry which I wasn’t used to so I think that was also a bit of an issue for me. And being fresh and new, nobody knew who I was, it was kind of like “Who is this one?” So I had to deal with that as well which I found a bit difficult and after some time decided to go back to the UK to try again. Saying that, the Nigerian movie industry is something I forever want to be a part of. I’m not going to run away from Nigeria because it is in Naija I found my love for acting. I grew up watching Rattlesnake and Nneka The Pretty Serpent- which you the way, I can’t wait to see the reboots. It’s all so exciting to see the remakes of classics, our classics. So as much as I had issues then, it hasn’t put me off Nigeria; it’s still my home and I want to make a difference there and I will still fly the Naija flag forever. Being International Women’s Day, we have to discuss some of the conversations that were started on the series include Gender, Sex, Mental health, Gender Based Violence and a host of things prevalent in society today that mostly affect women. How does that speak to the Nigerian audience? Personally, I’m not quite sure the Nigerian audience is ready for the conversations that need to be had. We are still very much a shame-driven society that doesn’t allow for open conversation and education. Rape is still something that is seen as a taboo which is crazy because it’s an act against somebody and so I do not understand how that can be seen as a taboo. In 2021 we’re still having these issues after we just witnessed 2020 being the colossal whatever it was of young women being sexually assaulted and killed and I think I heard a few days ago about the young girls kidnapped from their school. I mean I don’t even know where we can start with this re-education and unlearning of generations of gender based bias that would enable us start course correcting. There is a huge conversation that needs to be had about how survivors cannot be held responsible for being raped. I don’t know how else to move forward or to talk about this in the grand scheme of things, about the gender based violence and assault and all those prevalent issues that have been in our society forever but you know, like I said earlier, Nigeria is a massively male-dominated society with no second thought to women, how they feel and their rights. It’s a conversation that I personally do not know how to and where to start but I can only hope that people would be open to learning and re-educating themselves in order to move forward.
Let’s talk about the recent Golden Globes. I don’t know if you had any friends who won but where do you see black women representations at these ceremonies in terms of nominations and wins because everyone was shocked when I May Destroy You was not nominated. How did you feel about that? Personally, I didn’t really feel much to be honest because I am of the opinion that I’ve done my job and my job has affected lives, which to me was the ultimate goal. Historically black women and black people have not been given the honor that is due to them at these award ceremonies so that’s nothing new, but yes we celebrate black men like John Boyega and Daniel Kaluya winning the Golden Globes this year and I’m more than happy for them. They are my colleagues as well as skin folk so a win for any black person is a win for us all. It’s great that we’re at a time now where we’re all calling it out. My hope is just that things change quickly and exponentially. The Gender Pay Gap. It’s been in existence and there’s been so much that’s been said about it globally. Can you give us an insight into where we are at with it now in both industries? I don’t have the particular statistics nor the experience to speak too much about it because nobody around me talks about numbers but it’s a good thing that we are not just tolerating anything anymore. I hoping there’s more light shone on it so we are able to make more of a difference. It is not gonna happen overnight, it will take time but I’m just encouraged by the women, and also men, who are fighting to close that gap. Lastly, it’s important to point out that you’re not just a thespian, you’re also an entrepreneur so let’s talk about your clothing line, Jesus Junkie Clothing. What is it about? It is what it says; the brand didn’t come around because of fashion, it came more from my faith. I’m a Christian, a proud one at that and I find it necessary to proclaim my faith boldly, telling people about Jesus and that’s how it came about. It’s simplistic really, the design of it is literally so people can concentrate on the message or as a conversation starter. I think, that in the world that we are in right now, where all sorts of things are happening and changing, it’s important to be bold about our beliefs and that’s basically what Jesus Junkie is about; being bold about my addiction to Jesus which is the only addiction that I think is good.
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VOL 1 NO.4 • MARCH 07 – MARCH 13, 2021
SOROSOKE DOWNTOWN BY TOBILOBA OLAKOLU
MISS TECHY
The Tech Industry is fast expanding in Nigeria due to the exploding population and high number of youths who are latching on to the creative and financial opportunities. Originally a male-dominated space, in recent times, women have come into it, attaining new technological heights daily, positioning themselves as key stakeholders and players to be taken seriously. One of those women happens to be Tobi Ayeni popularly known as Miss Techy- an alumni of Covenant University with a degree in Banking and Finance. DOWNTOWN caught up with her to talk work, family and her deep love for gadgets!
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hat exactly do you do and how do you cash out doing it? I run a tech media company where I churn out tech content that helps simplify tech in a way that both techies and non-techies can understand. I can ‘cash out’ when I make ads for brands and individuals. The work you put out is always so fun and enjoyable to watch and not dull in comparison to other tech experts. Why did you follow this track instead? What inspires the content you create? One of the major reasons why I followed my content style is because of my brand’s purpose which is to ensure that non-techies can relate to all the tech jargons I share- in my opinion, the only way to do that is to find creative and unique ways to pass the message across. I get inspired by a lot of things, one of which is watching people around the world who do similar things to what I do. I’m also inspired by music- I can listen to a song and have a major light bulb moment that will help with the content I am creating.
your environment (even a person), and paste onto your laptop, all with your phone’s camera. The app is mind blowing!
What’s the strangest feedback you’ve received to date? Someone said on a review I posted, “Is this a phone review or you’re testing out every Premiere Pro effect you know”? Some people think I overdo things especially with my content style and the fact that most tech platforms are not doing similar stuff. However, I have come to understand over time that you can’t please everyone.
Describe a bit of your family life… I come from a family of 5, with me as the first and only girl in the house (and even within the extended family) so you could say I was doted on and pampered a lot! I do have a bit of a tomboy streak but I’m not really one in the true sense of the word.
What has been the most incredible project you’ve done to date? Funny thing is I don’t have a favorite project because I am my biggest critic- which means anytime I watch my old videos, I always find a mistake or two that should have never been there in the first place. If you were to push me to pick one, I’d go with my recent video which is “Not my real face”. A major reason I like that project is I had to stretch myself so thin to achieve most of the effects I did and it is one of the few projects I’ve done that garnered a lot of positive feedback. I also really like the #EndSars video, but I felt the execution could have been a lot better. So yeah, those two projects. When did you know you were a gadget freak? How old were you when you got your first phone? I got my first phone after high school but I’ve loved gadgets since I was in primary 6! Growing up, we had a PC with a word processor and I remember spending most of my time trying to figure it out. Also, as a kid, I loved reading manuals of new gadgets or even household electronics, just to figure out how they worked. What’s your favorite app right now and what does it do? Clipdrop. I just love how unique the app is. What it does is, it allows you to copy anything from
When it comes to dating, what is your type? The IG bad boy types, slick tech guys or geeky with a side of sexy? One of the things that attract me to people is their ability to genuinely make me laugh (I am a tough guy, so getting me to laugh is not an easy feat). With that said, you can be a tech guy or IG bad guy but once you can get me to genuinely laugh and be free, then you have conquered my attraction.
You’re the daughter of a pastor who supports your aspirations. Does your work come in handy to help the ministry and is there an intersection between faith and tech for you? Yeah, it does. I currently handle the children’s department of my church and I have a class on Saturdays where I teach them about computers, how to type fast, and all that. I also help manage the technical side of the church especially during major events like Easter or Christmas. My parents have been so supportive in many ways; they gave me the courage to leave my first paying job to fully focus on Miss Techy and I will always be grateful for that. In your opinion, how much room is there really for women in the Nigerian tech world and what are some of the challenges you’ve had to face as a woman in this male-dominated space? I believe women just have to rise up and claim however much room they desire as I’ve seen so many women doing amazing things in the tech space, and yes, there is still room for more. As for my challenges, I remember having to work twice as hard (then) to prove to people (especially the male gender) who thought I didn’t know anything about tech and was just an empty head with regards to tech matters. Most Nigerian youths these days want to go into tech because it’s very lucrative. Tech experts on Twitter have argued that people should only go into tech for the love of it and not as a
means to make more money. Where do you stand on this Miss Techy? I’d say let it be ‘majorly’ because you love tech. Using my experience as an example, I started my brand because I wanted people to love tech the way I did, and it’s that love that made me stick to it even when it wasn’t initially lucrative. Here’s what I think- Money is good, but it is your passion for something that makes you stick it out even when you’re yet to make a dime. Asides from tech which you so clearly enjoy what else do you do for fun? I love watching Turkish dramas. If you could wish for 5 tech gadgets right now, what would they be? Oh boy, can I have more than 5? Anyway, I am currently in love with camera gadgets, so my list would contain; • The new Black magic 6k • An Eldekron Motorized slider • Bolt Robotic camera arm • Boston Dynamics robot dog • An 8k monitor from Dell or LG. Are there any women in science and tech who inspire you? (While you were growing up and even currently)? YES! Currently, there are so many, but there are a few of them who are constantly killing it in this space. Odun Eweniyi, Bolanle Banwo, Ire Aderinokun, Kolokodess, Adeola Shasanya, Oreoluwa Lesi and so many others. Who would you give an arm to be trapped in an elevator with right now? Elon Musk and Victor Asemota- majorly for their tech and business ideas. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @MissTechy to catch up with more of her content.
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