Allure 24 January 2016

January 24, 2016

Kehinde Bankole & Daniella Okeke -When Beauty, Passion and Ambition Meet

24/01 Contents

6

14

e m a i l : a l l u r e fo r t h e wo rl d @ v a n g u a r d n g r. c o m

FASHION 4 6

20 Best Dressed Ladies of 2015 contd.

New Year: Get Organised

PEOPLE 14

• RasaKI Okoya’s birthday bash • Faces At The Music Meets Runway 2015 Edition

Editor’s Note

8

COVER STORY

Kehinde Bankole & Daniella Okeke

Quotes...

“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm”.

- Winston Churchill

“Success makes so many people hate you. I wish it wasn’t that way. It would be wonderful to enjoy success without seeing envy in the eyes of those around you”.

- Marilyn Monroe

The numbers are staggering! The loss of integrity and the phenomenal thieving that has plunged us to this all-time low is incomprehensible. Lucky for these light fingers, their indiscretion took place in Nigeria; were it in China, the appropriate fate awaits them.

We mouth so many swear words yet, silence rings a decade on.

Another tale, another time. “God forbid,’ says a dear one, ‘President Buhari comes like ‘a knight in shining armour’ to rescue us from the desolation of corruption”. I pray.

While some of our elder statesmen pilfer, the youths work their ass out for a place in the firmament. From entertainment to sports and fashion designing, Nigerian youths are engaging themselves in useful ventures and smiling to the bank.

Daniela Okeke and Kehinde Bankole – are actress and beauty queen respectively; young women who pushed themselves to become successful in their respective fields.

In their interviews with Allure, they share their passion and industry secrets. See pp. 8-10.

This week, we conclude our search for the Best Dressed in 2015. Our best dressed would be annouced next Sunday. You may still vote as voting will close on Friday, December 29, 2016. So, to get your favourite star on our top 10, go to our website and make yours count.

On our fashion pages, Jemi Ekunkunbor shows you how to organize your wardrobe this year. See pp. 6-7.

“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today”.

- H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

TEAM JEMI EKUNKUNBOR

lookposh@yahoo.co.uk

PAMELA ECHEMUNOR

pamela.echemunor @gmail.com

YEMISI SULEIMAN

suleimanyemisi@gmail.com

FATIMA GARBA

fatigarba36@yahoo.com

EDITOR REMMY DIAGBARE DEPUTY EDITOR JEMI EKUNKUNBOR ASST. EDITOR YEMISI SULEIMAN STYLE REPORTER PAMELA ECHEMUNOR CONTRIBUTORS PRINCESS KATE EMIKO BAMIYO ISELEMA EMINA JEROME CODJO-YAOVI ONIPEDE

CONT. EDITOR LATASHA NGWUBE COPY EDITOR DODOIYI WILLIAM-WEST CORRESPONDENTS FATIMA GARBA DAVINA AYODELE LAYOUT / DESIGN GREGORY OBI OLAYIWOLA AJAGBE PHOTO OSCAR OCHIOGU (08034746487)

It another wrap in the New Year.

Do enjoy your week!

CHIBOK GIRLS: 500 days and counting.

R.

Remmy Diagbare @ Vanguardallure1

Printed and published by Vanguard Media Ltd Vanguard Avenue Kirikiri Canal; P.M.B 1007 Apapa, Lagos.

For advertisement / enquiries, call DEBBIE: 08039675880, Office Auxiliary: EBERE OKOH

FA S H I ON

ALLURE’S

WEEKLY FAB LIST !

By - Fatima Garba

Looking for the latest trends to transition into? Hopefully our weekly fab list will help you decide the major trends to keep you looking fab all day and all week.

CENTER SLITS TREND

ROMANTIC FLORALS

Center slits were rather big on the runways last season and can still be seen to some extent this season, appearing with strapless options in white with black strings trailing behind at Haider Ackermann, complemented with white espadrilles.

Gorgeous is what we say to the Carolina Herrera looks, especially her pleated dresses with centre slits.

The floral story for this season rings in somewhere between demure, ultra-feminine and even ironic. Think ladylike frocks with English garden patterns and Victorian ruffles, sheer black florals and edgy prints.

Topshop romantic floral dress

River Island floral pants

Altuzurra center slit pencil skirt BCBG slip dress

THE SLIP DRESS

While some may proclaim minimalism is dead, that ‘90s staple, the slip dress, is making a comeback. This time, simple strappy numbers are replaced with slips that imbue bits of lace, ruching and graphic colour play.

Alice & Olivia center slit dress

Roland Mouret blue assymetrical top Henri Bendel graphic handbag

GRAPHIC BAGS Leather stripes and bold prints ruled at Dolce and Gabbana, Stella McCartney and more, while Kenzo took the trend even more literally, showing clusters of basic shape pouches in a single look.

Carvela blue heels

Fendi graphic mini bag

BLUE TREND

Spice up your look with stunning blues, as seen on the runways of Diane Von Furstenberg and Marc Jacobs this season

Keke Palmer in blue Rubin Singer dress

January 24, 2016 /

3

20

BEST DRESSED

FA S H I O N

FASH IO N

LADIES OF 2015

By - Yemisi Suleiman and Pamela Echemunor

Pics by - Oscar Ochiogu

The year 2015 may have come and gone, but memories of it continues to linger.

From flawless faces to fierce and phenomenal red carpet ensembles, fashion evolved on the local and international red carpets. We sieved out stunning dresses that caught our eyes, but are leaving you to cast your votes for the final top ten. Here are our 20 contenders.

Nike Oshinowo

Omowunmi Akinnifesi

Fade Ogunro

yemi alade

Eku Edewor

Dakore Egbuson

Toke Makinwa

Eunice Efole

Betty Irabor

Nkeiru Anumudu

Mitchell Dede

Cast your votes for your TEN BEST DRESSED OF 2015 on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Don’t forget to follow and like our face book and instagram pages. @ Vanguardallure

@ Vanguardallure

@ Vanguardallure Genevieve Nnaji

4

Seyi Shay

/ January 24, 2016

Ene Lawani

Toni Tones

Bolanle Olukanni

Ndidi Obioha

Zainab Balogun

Rita Domimic

Mo Abudu

Text 08052201126 January 24, 2016 /

5

20

BEST DRESSED

FA S H I O N

FASH IO N

LADIES OF 2015

By - Yemisi Suleiman and Pamela Echemunor

Pics by - Oscar Ochiogu

The year 2015 may have come and gone, but memories of it continues to linger.

From flawless faces to fierce and phenomenal red carpet ensembles, fashion evolved on the local and international red carpets. We sieved out stunning dresses that caught our eyes, but are leaving you to cast your votes for the final top ten. Here are our 20 contenders.

Nike Oshinowo

Omowunmi Akinnifesi

Fade Ogunro

yemi alade

Eku Edewor

Dakore Egbuson

Toke Makinwa

Eunice Efole

Betty Irabor

Nkeiru Anumudu

Mitchell Dede

Cast your votes for your TEN BEST DRESSED OF 2015 on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Don’t forget to follow and like our face book and instagram pages. @ Vanguardallure

@ Vanguardallure

@ Vanguardallure Genevieve Nnaji

4

Seyi Shay

/ January 24, 2016

Ene Lawani

Toni Tones

Bolanle Olukanni

Ndidi Obioha

Zainab Balogun

Rita Domimic

Mo Abudu

Text 08052201126 January 24, 2016 /

5

FA S H I O N

FASH IO N

New Year:

GET ORGANISED By - Jemi Ekunkunbor The start of a New Year gives one the ideal opportunity to take stock of the previous year and see what things can be done differently in the New Year. The whole idea is to ensure that as you coast along in the year, you get your priotities right. This is to ensure that you have a fulfilling year.

A man’s life is not just about only what one wears, real wellness will involve body soul and spirit. While some are still considering what their New Year resolutions will be, here are a few tips to guide you

organized wardrobe

Sort out your wardrobe Entering a brand new year presents the perfect opportunity to get organized for the days and months ahead. For those working-class men and women, you’d do yourself a world of good to avoid the morning madness of sorting out what to wear.

What is the point in owning a bag or dress if you can’t find it in your closet when you’re getting dressed?

A closet can be delightful space if you know how to clear the clutter. We wear about 20% of what we have. What is the point in pilling all those clothes if we won’t wear them? Sort your clothes and creatively store them. Donate the rest to charity.

Sort them in this order, shoes, bags, skirts, dresses, blouses, jeans and jewellery.

Shop for wardrobe building blocks

Dakore Akande

Ifeoma Williams

Dress well head to toe

Now that your wardrobe is cleared and sorted, you can see at a glance what you have and what you need to get. Start your new year shopping by buying some wardrobe building blocks.

With these pieces, you can mix and match a lot. Get a classic white shirt, a pair of skinny jeans, at least one iconic LBD, pencil skirt, a wrap dress, a pair of a pair of nude flats, cross body bag, menswear inspired watch and a pair of sunglasses.

Organize your finance

Many designers were unanimous in their thoughts when they said that the hard economic cash crunch affected the way fashionistas turned out last year. The red carpet of big shows like the AMVCA became the testing ground for good dressers. Not all were on point head to toe.

While some scored high with their clothes, it was low in either the make up or hair department.

This year, resolve to have a smooth sail with your dressing. No tacky dressing and stop providing content for fashion police.

Let there be a proper coordination of outfit, accessory, hair and make up.

Organize your finances It’s not every time you pass by a boutique that you must go in or indicate interest in every product displayed on online shops or BBM. Learn to budget, buy only what is needful. Avoid impulse buying that you will regret later. Spend money only on things you need. Starve your wants. Raise your saving profile.

joke silva Classic white shirt

Pray, is anything wrong being 40 or 50 years? Why would a 50 year old want to dress like her under graduate daughter?

There is nothing absolutely wrong in dressing your age. Last year saw a lot of adult on the red carpet dressed in near nude outfits in the name of doing sheer. Some things can be excused for those in the entertainmeant industry but for a real woman, it’s time to get real. Dress age appropriately. Show a little cleavage if you must but no more.

Be spiritually motivated

gold chain watch Bolanle Olukanni

court shoe

6

/ January 24, 2016

Black skinny jeans

This year, resolve not to be like the Jones. The proverbial Jones can feed their fancy and vanity. Can you? Wanting to be who you are not will not help your image. Be yourself. Wanting to wear what others wear or drive a car or live above your means will amount to vexation of spirit.

This year, be who you are. Don’t attempt to be somebody else. There can only be one you.

Dress according to age Little black dress

elegant black Pencil Skirt

Christian Louboutin

For some people, behind the facade of a glamorous dress is a soul begging for healing. Certain storms of life especially emotional ones cannot be stilled by the outward show of putting on of glamorous dress and fine make up.

This year, find the balance between the physical and the spiritual.

Free your heart of bitterness, forgive more. Find joy in little ordinary things; don’t take it for granted, the smile of a child or spouse, taking care of your parents or grand parents, make peace with all men and generally doing things for people who are in need.

Don’t be like the Jones’

Feed your spirit

January 24, 2016 /

7

FA S H I O N

FASH IO N

New Year:

GET ORGANISED By - Jemi Ekunkunbor The start of a New Year gives one the ideal opportunity to take stock of the previous year and see what things can be done differently in the New Year. The whole idea is to ensure that as you coast along in the year, you get your priotities right. This is to ensure that you have a fulfilling year.

A man’s life is not just about only what one wears, real wellness will involve body soul and spirit. While some are still considering what their New Year resolutions will be, here are a few tips to guide you

organized wardrobe

Sort out your wardrobe Entering a brand new year presents the perfect opportunity to get organized for the days and months ahead. For those working-class men and women, you’d do yourself a world of good to avoid the morning madness of sorting out what to wear.

What is the point in owning a bag or dress if you can’t find it in your closet when you’re getting dressed?

A closet can be delightful space if you know how to clear the clutter. We wear about 20% of what we have. What is the point in pilling all those clothes if we won’t wear them? Sort your clothes and creatively store them. Donate the rest to charity.

Sort them in this order, shoes, bags, skirts, dresses, blouses, jeans and jewellery.

Shop for wardrobe building blocks

Dakore Akande

Ifeoma Williams

Dress well head to toe

Now that your wardrobe is cleared and sorted, you can see at a glance what you have and what you need to get. Start your new year shopping by buying some wardrobe building blocks.

With these pieces, you can mix and match a lot. Get a classic white shirt, a pair of skinny jeans, at least one iconic LBD, pencil skirt, a wrap dress, a pair of a pair of nude flats, cross body bag, menswear inspired watch and a pair of sunglasses.

Organize your finance

Many designers were unanimous in their thoughts when they said that the hard economic cash crunch affected the way fashionistas turned out last year. The red carpet of big shows like the AMVCA became the testing ground for good dressers. Not all were on point head to toe.

While some scored high with their clothes, it was low in either the make up or hair department.

This year, resolve to have a smooth sail with your dressing. No tacky dressing and stop providing content for fashion police.

Let there be a proper coordination of outfit, accessory, hair and make up.

Organize your finances It’s not every time you pass by a boutique that you must go in or indicate interest in every product displayed on online shops or BBM. Learn to budget, buy only what is needful. Avoid impulse buying that you will regret later. Spend money only on things you need. Starve your wants. Raise your saving profile.

joke silva Classic white shirt

Pray, is anything wrong being 40 or 50 years? Why would a 50 year old want to dress like her under graduate daughter?

There is nothing absolutely wrong in dressing your age. Last year saw a lot of adult on the red carpet dressed in near nude outfits in the name of doing sheer. Some things can be excused for those in the entertainmeant industry but for a real woman, it’s time to get real. Dress age appropriately. Show a little cleavage if you must but no more.

Be spiritually motivated

gold chain watch Bolanle Olukanni

court shoe

6

/ January 24, 2016

Black skinny jeans

This year, resolve not to be like the Jones. The proverbial Jones can feed their fancy and vanity. Can you? Wanting to be who you are not will not help your image. Be yourself. Wanting to wear what others wear or drive a car or live above your means will amount to vexation of spirit.

This year, be who you are. Don’t attempt to be somebody else. There can only be one you.

Dress according to age Little black dress

elegant black Pencil Skirt

Christian Louboutin

For some people, behind the facade of a glamorous dress is a soul begging for healing. Certain storms of life especially emotional ones cannot be stilled by the outward show of putting on of glamorous dress and fine make up.

This year, find the balance between the physical and the spiritual.

Free your heart of bitterness, forgive more. Find joy in little ordinary things; don’t take it for granted, the smile of a child or spouse, taking care of your parents or grand parents, make peace with all men and generally doing things for people who are in need.

Don’t be like the Jones’

Feed your spirit

January 24, 2016 /

7

REPORTAGE

Kehinde Bankole & Daniella Okeke

-When Beauty, Passion and Ambition Meet By - Pamela Echemunor

K

ehinde Bankole and Daniella Okeke, two actresses from different cultural backgrounds, one meeting point. When it comes to Nollywood, everyone stands equal, creativity defies all odds and, like soccer, film, beauty and glamour bring diverse cultures together under one

roof.

In these interviews, these two actresses talk about their humble beginnings and what they see for themselves in time to come.

8

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: NELLY MESIK PHOTOGRAPHY: AHAM IBELEME STYLIST: IFAN MICHAELS MAKEUP: EVELYN FOR ZARON COSMETICS HAIR BY: DARE

/ January 24, 2016

REPORTAGE

The Journey Upwards

- Kehinde Bankole

Model, actress and TV host, Kehinde Bankole, began her rise to the limelight after partaking in the Miss Commonwealth competition in 2003. Although she didn’t win, she made another attempt at pageantry, taking part in the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria competition.

Her determination and hard work eventually paid off when she became the New Face of Lux in 2007. After this, her life began to look up. The slender beauty has since gotten movie roles, endorsement deals and more. There seems to be no stopping her.

In this interview, she talks about her rise to fame and what she’s doing now.

You have been in the industry for over a decade now. How has the experience been?

It’s been very fruitful, especially recently winning the AMVCA award for Best Actress in a Drama courtesy the globally successful ‘October One’ movie by Kunle Afolayan. I can only thank God for how far I’ve come.

More work to be done as we move along though.

What would you say you were able to achieve with the Lux ambassadorship?

Unlimited resources that I still tap into till date. A network of friends I still care about and an opportunity of a lifetime I had long wanted. It remains a landmark in my working journey and I look forward to still working for the Lux brand. I enjoyed it.

If you weren’t an actor, what other career would have interested you?

If I wasn’t an actor, certainly the first other choice to catch my interest will be singing full time and the beauty products manufacturing business.

You began your acting career with “Super Story”.

What was the experience like, being your first time on the big screen?

It was a learning experience. It was the best time of my inquisitive days. They were patient with me and it was where I was built to pursue the things I have gone on to try my hands on. It remains a good ground till date and I still work on projects with Wale Adenuga Productions.

How was it like being a model?

It’s still currently on-going and it’s transitioning. It’s a beautiful experience - watching yourself grow and brands you have, at one time or the other, represented remaining strong, it’s interesting to watch both you and the brands grow together.

What was growing up like for you?

Growing up was very exciting in a loving Christian family of 8; very cultured yet free. We were encouraged to create, free to learn and we played a lot as children in spite of the discipline instilled in us at home.

Who inspires you the most in your family?

My mother. She is my number one inspiration in all things.

What challenges did you face when you partook in the Miss Common wealth Competition years back?

Nothing but excitement. I remember Mr. Kwei Edwards addressing us then; excitement at meeting people from different states; excitement at being able to test myself on such a social and ultimately global platform; excitement at the chance of trying something new. It was my first pageant at the time, in 2003.

You took part in the MBGN competition in 2004.

What would you have done differently to win?

I can’t readily say what could have or should have been done differently. I could think it’s one thing or the other but I may not be correct. All I do remember is that I gave my best, at the time, as others did and there only had to be one winner and it wasn’t me.

We need to learn that when it comes to competitions, you can’t win it all in life but when it comes to success, you can succeed at it all over and over again, by God’s grace.

You were Lux Ambassador for a while. What was that like for you?

It was a most glamorous and beautiful experience for me. I developed a stronger interest in beauty from that time on and much of what I know about beauty and skin care now began from then.

and only objective of bringing opportunities in every way possible to young people. Are you talented, skilled or gifted? We will make a bridge, by God’s grace, for you to show the world what you have. And let people use it for what they can and help you attain the next level.

It’s a platform for exhibition. It’s going to be very exciting. I’m excited already. Work on it has began and updates on it will soon be splashed in the news and on social media.

You were a talk show host for “Soul Sisters” and “African Kitchen”. Tell us about that.

It was really good hosting both shows. I am looking forward to future talk show host duties.

You are very fit. What is your secret?

It’s God and nothing else really; apart from trying to eat healthy and drinking lots of water.

What is a day like in your life?

Mostly full of activities and when I can, I spend time relaxing with my amazing family.

What movie project are you working on at the moment?

A film called “Beyond Blood”. It recently premiered and is now in the cinemas nationwide for the viewing pleasure of our audiences. Also a crime series, “Lasgidi Cops” which will start showing weekly on TV and a few more I want people to look out for. All fantastic projects.

Tell us about the recently premiered movie, “Beyond Blood”.

“Beyond Blood” is a story for lovers, families, every housemaid employer and everyone who has ever campaigned for prostitution to be legalized that sometimes, these people are unwilling participants; to understand that they are victims of human trafficking. It’s a story about a lady, Moji Dosunmu, who gives her life totally to help making the society better but ultimately faces her own demons in life as well!

You are into youth motivation and empowerment.

Tell us what project you have embarked on or are working on at the moment.

It’s all about skills, gifts and opportunities. I’m launching my organization, in a few days, with a first

•Bankole January 24, 2016 /

9

REPORTAGE

Family, Fame and Fortune - Daniela Okeke Nigerian actress, Daniela Okeke, took up acting at an early age when she realized that she had a gift of role playing and interpretation. The native of Imo State is an only child and was fully backed by her parents in all her endeavours. Her hard work finally paid off in 2013, when she was nominated at the 10th Africa Movie Academy Awards as Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in “Lagos Cougars”.

Since then, she has taken up several acting roles and produced her first movie. In this interview, she talks about growing up and what’s next for her.

Did you always want to be an actress?

As a child, I was always fascinated by actors that I watched on TV. This made me want to be an actress; coupled with the fact that I am good at acting and interpreting roles. I was a natural and, with the encouragement of my parents, I started acting in our church as a teenager. My performances convinced me to pursue a career as an actress.

Moreover, I am an only child so I had to act for myself and create characters in my head - just to have fun as child.

It was funny but great. Acting has always been a part of me; right from when I was a little girl, I would stand in (front of) the mirror, giving myself roles to play just for fun.

What was growing up like for you?

I am the only child of my parents so growing up, I heard a lot of “You’re so lucky, you don’t have any brothers or sisters,” and “Wow, you must be so spoilt!”

But, what the people who had siblings didn’t understand

was, the crown weighs heavy on the head that wears it. I wanted to have siblings so badly; an only child was and remains to be not all it’s cracked up to be. Here’s why. All attention is on you. If you mess up, it’s all on you. When you break your mother’s expensive glass plate while playing or washing it, there is no one to share the blame with.

In families with multiple children, the daily shenanigans are usually a team effort but as an only child, punishment cannot be meted out to anyone but you. As you get older, failing a class in school, making questionable life choices and doing anything that would disappoint your parents has the same, if not worse, effect as when you got caught stealing a lollipop from the supermarket.

This made my mom to dedicate all her time to me because I am the only one she’s got. I thank her for that because it made me not stray in life. I had an exciting life growing up because having only one cub in the cave made my parents very protective.

Was it hard for you to break into Nollywood?

It was a little hard breaking into the industry as an actress. One needs more than talent; you need good training, the ability to keep learning and the drive to continually market yourself.

You have to make it happen by putting in hard work. But it’s worth it. There’s nothing as thrilling as feeling an audience coming along with you as you act out a great story. I don’t have a regular “I started with a waka pass” story most actresses give (smiles). My first movie role wasn’t a lead but it was a major character with a lot of scenes. After that, I started putting in more work to get here.

What do you think Nollywood needs?

I think Nollywood needs to improve quality of performance art, including music and motion picture. This takes time to achieve but if we can get this right, it would further strengthen our movie industry. Also, Nollywood needs good casting (and) good story lines – not the same story all over again. Investors, both private investors and government, need to help in improving Nollywood.

What challenges do you face as a woman in the film industry?

Naturally, being a woman anywhere is a challenge. I won’t say it’s just Nollywood; women face challenges everywhere in terms of work–life balance. Probably, the Nigerian career woman is more of a new breed and this has made it even harder for her. In Nollywood, I will say, trying to keep your private life away from your work (is difficult), because everyone wants to know what is going on in your life.

Does your career affect your personal life?

My career does not affect my personal life. Over time, I have learnt to balance the two, career-personal life balance.

The emphasis is usually on managing your career in order to enjoy your personal life. We’re told to leave our stress in the office and take steps to avoid the pressures of work having a negative impact on our personal lives.

•Okeke 10

/ January 24, 2016

What inspires you to act?

What inspired me is when I saw ordinary people who have done extraordinary things through acting; the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Angelina Jolie. Then, on the Nigerian

scene, the like of Genevieve Nnaji, Liz Benson, Joke Silva and some of the new generation Nollywood actors. It inspires me a lot to make a living through acting.

The feeling of knowing that some of the roles I have played in movies affect my fans positively gives me more inspiration to do what I do and I love doing it.

You have a really nice physique. How do you maintain it?

Well, I maintain my physique by eating right and I exercise often; although, most of it comes from good genetics. I try most times to eat right and exercise more.

What is beauty to you?

To me, beauty is the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit. That is why they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Beauty, to me, is more of what you have on the inside. If you are beautiful inside, it reflects outside.

Beauty, like I always tell those close to me, is not something you see. It’s not all about one’s appearance.

Beauty is how you feel inside, your character and the way you treat others.

What projects are you working on at the moment?

Over the past one year, I have worked in over ten movies, the most current being “The Boss is Mine”, “I Think He Loves Me” and “Telepathy”. Currently, I’m cooking up another one which I don’t want to let out of the bag yet.

Do you plan to go into directing at any point in time?

I have already started directing but as an assistant director - “I Think He Loves Me” and “Telepathy”. I produced and co-directed also. But, the next movie I’m working on would be directed by me because I am already doing a programme in Los Angeles, USA, learning and brushing up my directing skills.

You were nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 2014 AMAAs. How did that feel?

I was nominated alongside Uche Jumbo and Monalisa Chinda for a movie produced by the one and only Emem Isong so I felt elated and over the moon. It is a huge deal; I mean, come on, it’s the AMAAs. That wasn’t my first award though but it is really encouraging to be recognized in your field of endeavour. It gives one strength to carry on and work harder.

Who is your mentor in the film industry?

Currently, I would say Uche Jumbo is one of my mentors. I admire her hard work and she has helped me a lot. She advises and mentors me on film making.

If you were to be in any other line of work, which would it be?

I would probably have been a serious business woman but I still combine that with my acting. I own a fashion accessories store in Lekki Phase One called Dope Accessories.

What should we expect from you in the nearest future?

Expect more thrilling movies from the stable of DCOVI Entertainment Limited, which is my movie production company and more class act from me, by the grace of God. Thank you very much.

HEALTHY LIVING101

HEA L T H

by - Teri Mendes

Scientific Weight loss tips for 2016 The weight-loss “industry” is full of myths.

With the mythical weight loss industry, people are being advised to do all sorts of ridiculous and a lot of the time untrue things, or they have no evidence behind them. However, scientists have found numerous strategies that seem to be effective.

Today, I have highlighted several weight-loss tips that are actually based on evidence. Here’s to a slimmer you this 2016!

1. DRINK WATER, ESPECIALLY BEFORE MEALS It is often said that drinking water can help with weight loss, and this is true.

Drinking water can boost metabolism by 24% to 30% over a period of one to one and a half hours, helping you burn off a few more calories. One study showed that drinking a half liter (17 ounces) of water about a half an hour before meals helped dieters eat fewer calories and lose 44% more weight.

2. EAT EGGS FOR BREAKFAST Eating whole eggs can have all sorts of benefits, including helping you lose weight.

Studies show that replacing a grain-based breakfast with eggs can help you eat fewer calories for the next 36 hours and lose more weight and more body fat. If you can’t eat eggs for some reason, that’s fine. Any source of quality protein for breakfast should do the trick.

3. DRINK COFFEE (PREFERABLY BLACK) Coffee has been unfairly demonized. Quality coffee is loaded with antioxidants and can have numerous health benefits.

Studies show that the caffeine in coffee can boost metabolism by 3% to 11% and increase fat burning by up to 10% to 29%. Just make sure NOT to add a bunch of sugar or other high-calorie ingredients to it. That will negate any benefit you get from the coffee.

4. DRINK GREEN TEA Like coffee, green tea also has many benefits, one of them being weight loss.

Green tea contains small amounts of caffeine, but it is also loaded with powerful antioxidants called catechins, which are also believed to work synergistically with the caffeine to enhance fat burning. Although the evidence is mixed, there are many studies showing that green tea (either as a beverage or a green tea extract supplement) can help you lose weight.

e t o u Q of the week 5. COOK WITH COCONUT OIL This is my go – to oil! I am so obsessed with it at the moment. Coconut oil is very very healthy. It is high in special fats called medium chain triglycerides, which are metabolized differently than other fats.

These fats have been shown to boost metabolism by 120 calories per day and also reduce your appetite so that you eat up to 256 fewer calories per day. Keep in mind that this is not about adding coconut oil on top of what you’re already eating; it is about replacing some of your current cooking fats with coconut oil.

TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK…

That is it for today my readers! Hope you enjoyed this piece! Remember you read it here first!

For comments and questions please email terimendes@ gmail.com, @terimendes. I would love to hear from you, till next week. - it’s ta ta for now! XOXO

TERI Speaks Dear Teri, Good day, I am a regular reader of your column in ‘Allure’, but my problem is how can we apply all this food into Nigeria particularly Lagos local Market? What are the types of food to eat and to avoid in our daily life? My typical food schedule is; Breakfast - Regular Tea (coffee with little Milk) and 4 slices of Bread (Before Leaving Home).

At Work: Some Mix fruit (usually sell in white transparent plastics).

Lunch: Rice with Vegetable or Stew with Beans.

Dinner: Mostly Amala or Semovita.

No form of exercise at all.

Note: Soft Drink is taken occasionally (may be twice in a week), but plenty Water.

No Alcoholic Drink.

Please advise.

R.I.

Mens sana in corpore sano.

(Your prayer must be for a sound mind in a sound body.)

- JUVENAL

Dear R.I, Thank you for your mail. You need to: 1. Burn as much as you are taking in.

2. Restrict the time you are eating these meals.

3. Identify how these meals are prepared, as this is important, its always best to eat most of our meals at home and not at local restaurants as they use a lot more oil in soups than needed.

That food schedule is far too much if no form of exercise is being done. Here is a suggestion: Breakfast: Fruits, quaker oats + 1 slice of toast wheat bread (brown bread) or yam 1 slice with fish sauce or sardines.

At work: Nescafe 1 cube of sugar max with some milk.

Lunch (must be before 2pm): Moi moi or beans and little plantain, (less carbohydrates like rice unless its Ofada which can be 2ce a week) amala and vegetable soup.

Dinner (latest time to eat dinner 6.30pm) and you need to walk around your street briskly for 10minutes before eating dinner it makes a difference.

Options for dinner: pepper soup (fish and chicken only no red meat at night) with 1 slice of wheat bread or on its own.

No soft drinks or alcohol at all, freshly squeezed fruits (not pack juice) and at least 8 glasses of water everyday.

The whole idea is to eat the heaviest meals in the earlier part of the day. So if you know you can eat a your lunch late like 4pm and no you won’t have any dinner at all just have pepper soup or herbal teas or a salad and some fresh vegetables.

I suggest you take up a sport for the weekends, swimming, squash, tennis or just go jogging or walking (30 mins) saturdays and sundays. You will start to notice a different. Let me know how you get on after 3weeks and if no difference I’ll then suggest a more aggressive pattern.

Regards, Teri Mendes January 24, 2016 /

11

FEATU R E

POCKET FINA by - Omilola Oshikoya Five Financial Goals to set in 2016.

“A goal is a dream with a deadline” - Napoleon Hill.

Welcome to the New Year. Time really does fly. I can’t believe it’s a new year already. The good thing about this is that it is a time to RESET. A time to start over. A time to correct past mistakes and a time for new beginnings.

At the beginning of the year it is common for people to make New Year’s resolutions. However, a couple of weeks after, these resolutions are quickly forgotten and at the end of the year you are exactly where you started off. A major reason for this, is, that it is more effective to set goals instead of resolutions. What is the difference between a resolution and a goal?

A resolution is a dream or a wish but according to Napoleon Hill, a goal can be defined as a “dream with a deadline”. A goal should be SMART i.e. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time bound.

For example, a resolution is to say “I will lose weight in 2016, however a goal is to say “I will lose 15kg by the 31stof October, 2015.

So what goals should we set in 2016? I have listed out 5 goals to set in 2016.

1. Believe Currently, we are going through challenges in the economy with the reduction in oil prices and also the high exchange rate. Companies in industries such as Oil and Gas, Telecoms, Banking have laid off their staff. There are a lot of people who are unemployed. Cost of living will also go up as a result of the economic challenges.

Despite all these challenges, there are still opportunities to create wealth. There are people who make money during economic downturns. John D Rockefeller, one of the richest men to have ever lived, made a lot of his money during the great depression. Even in biblical times, due to Joseph’s revelation, Egypt prospered during the famine. It is important to believe that you can still achieve your financial goals even when there is an economic down turn.

KATHY EMIKO

NCE

2. Pay off your debt If you are in debt, it is important to be determined to be debt free or to start working towards paying off your debt in 2016. Being in debt is like carrying a heavy luggage on a long journey. Whilst you may reach your destination, debt hinders your progress and may delay the process significantly. No matter how large your debt is, you can pay it off. The key thing is to start and to start small and build up.

3. Pay yourself first If you don’t have savings, this is a good time to start. The key thing is to save before you spend. Create a budget to determine how much you have available for savings.

You may think that you don’t earn enough and that when you earn more you would start saving. Well the thing is that if you can’t save when you have little you wont be able to save when you have a lot. It is also important to create an emergency fund 4. Invest During economic down turns stock prices are low and this is a good time to buy in view of long term growth. An easy way to start investing is to invest in mutual funds. A mutual fund is a pool of monies managed by a professional fund manager.

The fund manager invests these monies into different assets for a fee. There are mutual funds that you can invest as little as N5, 000.

5. Increase your giving It may not make logical sense to give when there is an economic downturn, however, one of the universal laws is that when you sow you reap. Basically you receive when you give. There are so many people who are worse off than you and need your help. There are people who can’t afford to eat one meal in a day. There are people who can’t leave hospitals because they can’t afford to pay their medical bills. We need to take our eyes off our own needs and be a blessing to others. This year make a decision to give to God and to give your humanity.

Please note that this list is not exhaustive. There are so many other financial goals you can set in 2016. It’s important to keep these goals in front of you and to also review them periodically to ensure you are on track and making progress.

Omilola is the co-founder of a financial advisory firm providing multidisciplinary solutions to clients across industry and government.

For comments and questions please email pocketfinance101@gmail.com, @pocketfinance on twitter. www.pocketfinance101.blogspot.com www.omioshikoya.blogspot.com

BodyPerfect not just slimming but fitness

REASONS TO DETOX • You’ll get fewer colds When you do a proper detox, minor infections such as colds, sore throats and flu are less likely. Fruit and vegetables are the best ways to get high levels of vitamin C, beta carotene and other antioxidants in your diet, and research shows that people with high intakes of these nutrients have fewer sick days than others.

• You’ll get rid of bloating Swallowing too much air and eating in a rush are the most common causes of bloating. During a detox, it is essential that you learn to take your time and sit down to eat. Chewing thoroughly and eating slowly will help reduce the amount of air swallowed with food. Also avoid fizzy drinks as they introduce more unwanted air. Try plan water and drinks. Bloating is sometimes a reaction to certain foods. Cutting out or reducing common culprits

12

/ January 24, 2016

such as yeast, wheat products, bran cereals or vegetable from the Brassica family (e.g. cabbage, broccoli or cauliflower) may help.

• You can lower your blood pressure Eating more fruit and vegetables can lower blood pressure. This is due to the high content of potassium, which helps regulate the body’s fluid balance.

An Italian study found that 81 percent of people with high blood pressure who started eating six servings of fruit and vegetables a day reduced their medication by half.

• Your skin will look smoother Eating more fruit and vegetables – reducing the toxin load on your body – improves the clarity and texture of your skin. Your skin plays a vital role in ridding your

body of unwanted substances and waste products (via sweating, skin oils and dead skin cells). According to an Australian study, people with high diets in fresh produce had smoother and less lined skin than those eating diets high in red meat and sugar.

• Your hair will shine The vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients in fruits and vegetables do wonder for your skin, hair and nails. A healthy diet trackles beauty problems from the inside, improving the rate of hair growth, cell renewal and collagen formation.

• You’ll enjoy better health Numerous studies have linked a diet rich in fruit and vegetables with a lower risk of sickness and diseases.

According to the American institute for cancer Research, eating at least five servings of fruit and vegetable each day could prevent at least 20 percent of cancer cases.

Research from Kings College London found that people who eat at least two apples a week are up to 32 percent less likely to develop asthma than people who eat fewer apples. And a university survey study found that people who eat the most fruit and vegetables have stronger bones.

• You’ll be calmer Studies show that people whose diets are high in fruit and vegetables which are the main foods during a detox find it easier to handle stress.

Princess Kathy is a certified nutrition and fitness consultant. Email: bodyperfectng@aol. com | BB: 28356028

F EA T U R E

luxury

wines spirits With Pamela Echemunor

Tips to Buying Age-worthy Anniversary Wines

FOOD E

By Pamela Echemunor

Eat clean with Lean Meat

Eating healthy requires discipline, action and perseverance. It takes a lot of restraint to avoid the various delicious temptations of the world, but being mindful goes a long way.

Lean meats come in various forms and are vitamin packed, they’re not only a healthy option, they’re absolutely delicious too. Here is a fabulous lean meat recipe you need to try.

Aging wine is tricky business, but the best part about it is that the value appreciates and taste of the wine is more amplified. This kind of wine is the best gift to give a wine enthusiast spouse as an anniversary gift. Here are tips to buying the best kind of wine for that special day.

Low Alcohol

Acidity

Alcohol levels adversely affect how well a wine ages.

Alcohol either acts as a volatile agent or a preservative, giving it a vintage feel. All dry wines that are not preserved with distilled spirits, such as port, do not last long if the alcohol levels are high. A wine that ages well, will typically have 13.5% alcohol or below.

There are, of course, exceptions to the rule and they typically have high acid/tannin structure.

However, as a basic rule, a lower alcohol wine will last longer.

Wines with higher acid content tend to last longer. As wine ages, it slowly loses its acidity and flattens out.

Basically, a wine with higher acid has a longer runway to work with as it ages. Some wines are so acidic and unapproachable that they take about 10 years to taste good.

Tannin A wine with high tannins has a similar sensation to putting a used tea-bag on your tongue. Tannin acts as a structural component and wines with higher tannin tend to last longer. Tannins come from the contact of the pips and skins of the grapes in winemaking. Additionally, tannin comes from contact during oak aging. White wines do not need tannin to last a long time.

Sweetness This component of a wine is often overlooked because of the popularity of dry wines, however wines with higher residual sugar tend to age well.

How to Store Wine Ideally wines that are meant to age 10+ years must be stored in dark places and at steady temperatures.

An ideal cellar is 55° F with no light.

You could also build a wine storage unit away from prying hands.

SLOW COOKED TURKEY CHILLI. Ingredients • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 medium onion, • 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced • 2 tablespoons chili powder • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder • 1 teaspoon ground cumin • 2 teaspoons salt • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • 1 lb. extra-lean ground turkey breast • 3 cups low-sodium vegetable juice • 1 15-oz. can no-added-salt diced tomatoes in their juice • 2 15-oz. cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed • 2 avocados, peeled and diced • ½ cup plain yogurt, divided Method: Heat olive oil over medium heat in skillet. Add onion and bell pepper and cook until soft. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cocoa powder, ground cumin, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute to blend the spices. Pour onion and spice mixture into slow cooker. Cook the turkey in the same skillet, breaking the turkey into small pieces and cooking until the turkey breast loses pink color. Place in the slow cooker. Add the vegetable juice, chicken broth, tomatoes and their juice and kidney beans. Cover the slow cooker and set on low. Cook for 4 hours. Serve garnished with diced avocado and a spoonful of plain yogurt.

Email: pamela.echemunor@gmail.com, Instagram: @nanya2207, Twitter @nanya2207.

January 24, 2016 /

13

PEOPLE

PEO PLE

“ONE PARTY AT A TIME!”

“O N E PARTY AT A TIME!”

:08039675880

:08039675880

RasaKI Okoya’s birthday bash By - Oscar Ochiogu

The 76th birthday of the billionaire property mogul, Alhaji Rasaki Akanni Okoya held on Tuesday, 12th of January at his residence, the magnificent, Oluwa ni Shola Estate in Lagos,, .

It would be recalled that six years ago, Okoya clocked 70 and the celebration was anything but quiet. His 70th birthday bash, remains a reference point till date. It didn’t come as a surprise therefore at the number of dignitaries that graced the 76th birthday celebration of the respected industrialist. It was a gathering of friends, family and business associates.

Funmi Onabamiro, Shade Balogun and Titi Akinbayo

Jennifer Olize

AMAKA ARIZECHI

Adeola Akinfenwa

Millen Magese

DAMILOLA AMIOLA

Noble Igwe

Mimi Onalaja

Gbenro Ajibade

faces at the MUSIC MEETS RUNWAY 2015 EDITION By - Fatima Garba Pics by - Oscar Ochiogu

Rasaki and Shade Okoya

Wosilat Okoya, Tajudeen Okoya and Rashidat Okoya

Bunmi Otusenya and Aduke Ogunwale

The 2015 edition of Music Meets Runway, held recently at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. The event was star-studded as several fashionistas and celebrities stepped out for the highly anticipated event. With performances by Lil Kesh, Wizkid, Victoria Kimani, Darey ArtAlade and more, several designers like David Tlale, Mademoiselle Aglaia and more had models walk the stage with their latest pieces.

l-r Mai atafo, Tara Fela Dutotoye, Jennifer Olize, Bukky Karibi-Whyte, Tonye cole & Joseph Edgar

Emma Nyra

mmr holds FASHION ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INVESTMENT FORUM By - Fatima Garba

Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire and Toun Okewale Sonaiya

Adekunle Ojora

Ojuolape Ojora

Femi DaSilva

Olu and Adejoke Okeowo Lilian Unachukwu

Dupe Solanke and Kudurat Okoya

14

/ January 24, 2016

Dr (Mrs) Idiat Oluranti Adebule and Modupe Oguntade

Esther Olade and Moji Adegbite

JUMOKE RAJI

Mai Atafo

Idia Aissien

Osas Adibaje

Victoria Kimani

Seyi Shay

Speakers joined budding fashion entrepreneurs at a networking event that took place recently at the Eko Hotel& Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos Organised by Le Reve Events, the Fashion Entrepreneurship and Investment Forum complemented the annual Music Meets Runway (MMR) event. The forum was part of the offering from the MMR Foundation – providing entrepreneurs with further opportunities to explore business success and promotion.

Speakers at the event include, Tonye Cole (MD Sahara Group), Mo Abudu (CEO Ebony Life TV), Tara Fela Durotoye (CEO House of Tara International), Mai Atafo (CEO Mai Atafo Inspired), Bukky Karibi-Whyte (Founder The Bobby Taylor Company), Elohor Asien (CEO Beth Model Management) and Joseph Edgar (MD Aquila Assets Management).

Speaking at the forum, Founder and Creative Director, Jennifer Olize said: “We wanted to use this opportunity to give people the chance to talk to experts about the realities of running a fashion or other business – what it involves, what it takes, the challenges and how to overcome them.

mo abudu

Elohor Asien

January 24, 2016 /

15

PEOPLE

PEO PLE

“ONE PARTY AT A TIME!”

“O N E PARTY AT A TIME!”

:08039675880

:08039675880

RasaKI Okoya’s birthday bash By - Oscar Ochiogu

The 76th birthday of the billionaire property mogul, Alhaji Rasaki Akanni Okoya held on Tuesday, 12th of January at his residence, the magnificent, Oluwa ni Shola Estate in Lagos,, .

It would be recalled that six years ago, Okoya clocked 70 and the celebration was anything but quiet. His 70th birthday bash, remains a reference point till date. It didn’t come as a surprise therefore at the number of dignitaries that graced the 76th birthday celebration of the respected industrialist. It was a gathering of friends, family and business associates.

Funmi Onabamiro, Shade Balogun and Titi Akinbayo

Jennifer Olize

AMAKA ARIZECHI

Adeola Akinfenwa

Millen Magese

DAMILOLA AMIOLA

Noble Igwe

Mimi Onalaja

Gbenro Ajibade

faces at the MUSIC MEETS RUNWAY 2015 EDITION By - Fatima Garba Pics by - Oscar Ochiogu

Rasaki and Shade Okoya

Wosilat Okoya, Tajudeen Okoya and Rashidat Okoya

Bunmi Otusenya and Aduke Ogunwale

The 2015 edition of Music Meets Runway, held recently at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. The event was star-studded as several fashionistas and celebrities stepped out for the highly anticipated event. With performances by Lil Kesh, Wizkid, Victoria Kimani, Darey ArtAlade and more, several designers like David Tlale, Mademoiselle Aglaia and more had models walk the stage with their latest pieces.

l-r Mai atafo, Tara Fela Dutotoye, Jennifer Olize, Bukky Karibi-Whyte, Tonye cole & Joseph Edgar

Emma Nyra

mmr holds FASHION ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INVESTMENT FORUM By - Fatima Garba

Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire and Toun Okewale Sonaiya

Adekunle Ojora

Ojuolape Ojora

Femi DaSilva

Olu and Adejoke Okeowo Lilian Unachukwu

Dupe Solanke and Kudurat Okoya

14

/ January 24, 2016

Dr (Mrs) Idiat Oluranti Adebule and Modupe Oguntade

Esther Olade and Moji Adegbite

JUMOKE RAJI

Mai Atafo

Idia Aissien

Osas Adibaje

Victoria Kimani

Seyi Shay

Speakers joined budding fashion entrepreneurs at a networking event that took place recently at the Eko Hotel& Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos Organised by Le Reve Events, the Fashion Entrepreneurship and Investment Forum complemented the annual Music Meets Runway (MMR) event. The forum was part of the offering from the MMR Foundation – providing entrepreneurs with further opportunities to explore business success and promotion.

Speakers at the event include, Tonye Cole (MD Sahara Group), Mo Abudu (CEO Ebony Life TV), Tara Fela Durotoye (CEO House of Tara International), Mai Atafo (CEO Mai Atafo Inspired), Bukky Karibi-Whyte (Founder The Bobby Taylor Company), Elohor Asien (CEO Beth Model Management) and Joseph Edgar (MD Aquila Assets Management).

Speaking at the forum, Founder and Creative Director, Jennifer Olize said: “We wanted to use this opportunity to give people the chance to talk to experts about the realities of running a fashion or other business – what it involves, what it takes, the challenges and how to overcome them.

mo abudu

Elohor Asien

January 24, 2016 /

15