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...NOT IN THISDAY STYLE? THEN YOU’RE NOT IN STYLE SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2019 MAIDEN IBRU @ 70 THE MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMAN IN AFRICAN MEDIA

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Page 1: MEDIA - storage.googleapis.com€¦ · Polka Dots Step aside snake print: we’re in the midst of a polka dot renaissance. We’ve got the hots for polka dots! The classic print that

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MAIDEN

IBRU @ 70T H E M O S T I N F LU E N T I A L W O M A N I N A F R I C A N M E D I A

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THISDAY STYLEFASHION DIRECTOR/EXECUTIVE EDITOR

RUTH OSIME

EDITOR PRINT OLUFUNKE BABS-KUFEJI

EDITOR DIGITAL KONYE NWABOGOR

SENIOR ART DESIGNER MATHIAS ARCHIBONG

CONTRIBUTORSJULIET ALU

AYODEJI ROTINWA

PHOTOGRAPHERTY BELLO

DIRECTOR, PRINT PRODUCTIONCHUKS ONWUDINJO

08111847085

08111847086

08111847087

07054965500

08077092196

Society

If there is anything l admire most about elderly women, it’s when they still maintain a vibrant personality that belies their age! Women like this are so comfortable

within their skin that they have friends from all works of life regardless of age. They mix freely and moments with them are always full of gaiety and laughter. You always learn a thing or two from them when in their midst. maiden Ibru is certainly one of such women!

To say she is a also woman of style is of no dispute as you will see from her pictures inside the magazine. She was always ‘on point’ with fashion and

remains so till date even at 70! A feat she has always achieved effortlessly. Bubbly by nature, Maiden is also very down to earth. In fact, there is a particular dance

step she is famous for. This step is only done with two particular tracks and anytime any of these track are played at events, l always look out for her! And needless to say...

she is always at the front of the line...teaching younger people how to do the steps! It is such a delight to watch when this happens.

Some women also carry on the baton when they lose their spouses. When her husband, Alex Ibru, passed away some years back, Maiden took on the reigns in running the The Guardian newspaper taking it to the next level. She did not waiver nor did she step aside, she soldiered on and today the paper remains one of the best in Nigeria, alongside the THISDAY brand of course! So it comes as no surprise that we decided to celebrate her by featuring her on our cover this week. Hers is an inspirational story and should be a guide for women, both widows, married, separated or single women as it is a thing of pride to watch women excel in all their endeavors.

Ibru is a living testimony that hard work, perseverance and dedication always pays. More importantly, life and it’s lessons have taught us that most times, with good health and well being, age is just a number. Aging should not kill your spirit or slow you down. As long as you are still able to do what you love doing, nothing should prevent you from doing so. Embracing and living life to the fullest is paramount. Being engaging and doing good service to those in need should also come high in the list of ‘to do’ things. Every woman wants to be remembered fondly and leaving an impactful legacy is key.

So as we celebrate Maiden Ibru’s 70th, we hope many younger women will aspire to be like her and create their own legacy while they still can. They should take a leaf from her book and realize that life is what you make of it regardless of circumstance.

CONTENTFashion

THE NIGERIAN GAS ASSOCIATION @ 20 PG 6-7

QUEEN OF ELEGANCESISI PARIS LIGHTS UPBOURDILLON SKYLINE  PG 8-9

Maiden Ibru is a name that needs no introduction in the media industry as a doyenne in the business. Publisher and CEO of The Guardian Newspaper, Maiden has successfully held on to the reigns and this week, THISDAY Style celebrates her as she marks her seventh decade. Hers is an inspirational story that younger women should learn a lesson or two from. FUNKE BABS-KUFEJI reports...

PHOTO CREDIT – TY BELLO

THE REIGN OF THE SQUARE SHOES PG 20-21

READY IN A FLASH PG 22

FASHION DIRECTOR/EXECUTIVE EDITOR

U P T O

+234(0)8039004000 +234(0)8186662666

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Real Estate mogul, international Lawyer and CEO of Fine & Countey recently celebrates her golden jubilee in grand style! To commemorate this milestone birthday, family and friends gathered from far and wide to spend a weekend with her.

The celebration kick started with a pre-jubilee vacation to the Republic is Seychelles, an archipelago country on the Indian Ocean in East Africa. They wines and dined in the relaxing resort. The party later continued with a fun-filled three day get away in Accra, Ghana. Her event was themed “Golden Jubilee on The Gold Coast”, which was hosted at the Kempinski hotel, known for its beauty and height of luxury.

UDO and her friends certainly brought some added colour and fun fare to the environment whilst there!

UDO OKONJO’S GOLDEN JUBILEE ON

THE GOLD COAST

DOLAPO KUKOYI

ONYEMA OKONJO TONY RAPU BUKKY GEORGE DIPO & YVONNE AKANDE DIPO & YVONNE AKANDE EZE & CHINYERE OKOROCHA NKEIRU ISICHEI

ADA IKEOBODOZIE; UCHE NJOKU & IKEME KACHUKWU BOLAJI OGUNDAIRO & BUSOLA SONGUNUGA DAVID PREST & ADA OSAKWE ARINOLA ADENIYI OKE MADUEWESI OSAYI ALILE & ADEOLA BALIIKENNA & TOSAN CHUKWUEKE

HRM OBI IFECHUKWUDE CHUKWUKA OKONJO

MRS KACHUKWU UGO SOKARI-GEORGE

IKENNA & CHINEZE OKEKE

ANWULI & CHIDI OKONJO

KAREN KOSHONI

UCHE CHIWETALU & GRACE EGBAGBE

OLUSEYI & CATHERINE BICKERSTETH

CAROLINE POPOOLA

WINIHIN JEMIDE & KAREN KOSHONI

NANA & AMA HAMMOND ADEYANJU OLOMOLA MR & MRS SHONEKAN

BOLANLE OLUKANNI TOSIN & BUSOLA ODUSANYA TARA FELA DUROTOYE & STEPHANIE OBI WILLIAM & SYLVIA OFORI

UDO OKONJO

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Hosting Leaders in society, Executives, Friends, and Book lovers, to an evening of book signing, book reading and cocktail, Olajumoke Adenowo’s awarding winning architect’s launched her first work of fiction, “Beyond my Dreams” at her firm AD Consulting Limited in Oniru, Lekki The riveting work of prose, by the renowned architect, speaks to this time, and has been cheered by many as being entertaining, poignant and instrumental in building mindsets, and raising change agents globally. The event was spent discussing the themes of love, patriotism, and leadership with Adenowo engaging Dr. Fayemi on leadership, governance and the nexus of the foregoing with family and relationships.

BEYOND MY DREAMS SIGNING

IN LAGOS

GOV FAYEMI OF EKITI STATE & ARC ADENOWO OLUKOREDE ADENOWO LANRE KOLADE

FEMI AROSANYIN

FUNKE BUCKNOR-OBRUTHE & DEBOLA WILLAMS

TOUN CANDIDE JOHNSON

LUPO ADEREMI

BERTRAND SOUCK NDIDI ANYAEHI MR & MRS NNAMDI NWOYE

SEYE KOSOKO

FUNKE FELIX ADEJUMO & MARY AKPOBOME ADEOLA AZEEZ

TUNJI OWOEYE

LEKE OGUNLEWE OSCAR MDLULIH.E OMOLEWA AHMED, H.E SARAH SOSAN & H.E DAME FASHOLA

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White SuitsAs far as designers are concerned, a cool white suit is the unofficial uniform for every IT girl. Just add a pair of easy sandals and some striking earrings and you’re dressed for virtually any occasion.

NeonThis is the trend that never ends. Colour block with contrasting shades, like navy blue or with soft pastels . But for those who are willing to dare the punchy bright hue, face it heads on and wear one bright shade from head to toe.

Polka DotsStep aside snake print: we’re in the midst of a polka dot renaissance. We’ve got the hots for polka dots! The classic print that never seems to go out of style and has now popped up in every big fashion capital.

Matched SetGetting dressed in the mornings should be effortless, which is why I’m thankful for matching sets. They are easy and stylish all in one breathe.

Bubble Hems and SleevesBubble sleeves have been a capital “T” thing for going on five

years now. Meanwhile their close relative, the bubble hem, is still a little baby of a trend. But mark my word it’ll pick up before you can

blink.

FringeNo matter its origin story, one thing is clear: Fringe is here to pervade our

closets, our Instagram feeds, our lives in 2019. After several designers debuted fringe-covered styles at New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2019, fringe-y

pieces crept into our favorite fashion retailers stores.

Half-And-HalfIndecision is in. The great thing about a split-personality piece — whether it’s a bisected

dress, a dual-pattern skirt or a pair of jeans that’s half boot-cut, half booty short — is that it makes quite the statement all on its own.

Dresses Over PantsWearing skirts and dresses over pants is officially making a comeback, and the look is perfectly

suited for all the indecisive folks out there. One thing about this trend is that it’s a perfect mix between traditionally masculine and feminine styles. It’s like the fashion equivalent of having your

cake and eating it. You don’t have to decide between a dress and pants because you can just wear both. The key to the look is to keep your bottoms relatively formfitting (at least in the pelvic region) and

your frock a bit outsize and roomy. And to lengthen your sleeves as you like.

Trends TO TRY NOW

ABISOLA KOLA-DAISI

BECCAA

ALEXANDRIAH SHO-SILVA

ELLIE

TEMIDAYO OTEDOLA

NIKE BALOGUN

JULIET OLANIPEKUN

TOKE MAKINWA

ESTARE

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S T Y L E & D E S I G N S T Y L E & D E S I G NTHISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 8970 Sunday, November 24, 2019

THISDAY Style Vol. 22, 8970 Sunday, November 24, 2019

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BY FUNKE BABS-KUFEJI

The human mind and it’s workings is somewhat complex......thus this need to pause and muse....

What I find the most amusing is how a certain “we” claim we are people of faith and no good fruit can be found in us. I don’t want to pussyfoot around this as many of us deserve not only verbal backhanders but a shaking for our pseudo romance with God especially when we are daily found with our brains in the cookey jar.

We are either delusional or “lala land” natives walahi, we are quick to observe with derision the speck in the watery eyes of others but are oblivious to the log in our own eyes which is threatening to blind us.

We are quick to judge, forgetting that if we decide to catalogue wrongs, ours will have many editions.

We are ALL fallible and realising this will make our sail through this tempestuous sea called life easier.

Why do we claim a relationship with God anyways but find it so difficult to love one another as he has asked us to. We are so focused on the letter of the word that we miss the spirit of it. Our hypocrisy reeks I tell you.

Many are blessed but are more of a curse to their generation than a blessing and they then wonder why karma has them on her radar. If the so called “children of the kingdom” can actually showcase the foreign policy of “the kingdom” that sent them, won’t that be something.... oops, my bad, they usually actually do, the principles of the dark world is always at play with those masquerading as children of light. Do we then identify them by their confession or by their actions, one often wonders.

We cannot buy a home in paradise outside of our adherence to the enjoins of our faith. grace is good and I love it too, I cruise on it, in fact I depend on it, but go and shoot and kill another and profess grace as a defence and watch as they throw your sorry form in prison. We cannot say because we have a Merciful God continue to flagrantly disregard all that matters and then pull out the carte blanche card. Guys, there is seedtime and harvest and we will reap what we sow, we cannot turn the goodness of our maker into an invitation to impunity.

I dare to speak to that part of our conscience that has not been seared so that maybe we can look at living lives that speaks to our conviction, and guides the next generation in paths that are wholesome, we should flee from the spirit of “se karimi”, the spirit of “pepper dem” and the spirit of “self absorption” and try really hard to make our passage through this time and space count, you may have been born for a time such as this to make a REAL difference. Many have passed on and the truth is that we are ALL going to go one day, do you have a bank account in eternity? Is it funded with your acts of LOVE and KINDNESS? How are you going to explain your sojourn here on earth, is it one where you “waited for godot” all throughout until you became skeletal or one in which you emptied yourself for the good of all.....Ponder.

CAPSULESAlero [email protected]

Colours of Life

God’s ways are different from ours; in fact, both are as far apart as the heavens and the earth. Most times what is appealing to us is repulsive to Him, and vice versa. And this is because we are by nature sinful while He is holy. We are human while He is divine. We are limited in many ways, but he is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient.

In the book of Genesis chapters two and three. God placed Adam and Eve in a garden and permitted them to enjoy everything in it but the fruit of a particular tree. Eve looked at the forbidden fruit and found it appealing. The devil told her that it would make her wise and she would be like God. She decided to take a bite. She had what seemed like a good idea but it was not a God idea. She went ahead to execute her will; you and I are still suffering the consequences.

In First Samuel chapter fifteen, while Saul was King over Israel, they went to battle against Amalek. God instructed Saul to destroy all the Amalekites as well as their cattle. But Saul decided to spare the enemy-king and the best of the booty. He intended to offer what he had preserved as a sacrifice to God. His thinking made sense; it was a good idea but it was not a God idea. For this action, God rejected Saul as king and gave the throne to David, a man after His heart.

In the book of Jonah, God sent this prophet to warn the people of Nineveh to repent or face divine retribution. Jonah was reluctant to deliver the message because he feared that the Ninevites would repent, God would forgive them and he would be branded a false prophet. So, he decided to run in the opposite direction. His decision seemed like a good idea but it was not a God idea. Jonah eventually took the message to Nineveh, but not before he almost lost his life at sea. And, to t op it all, he had to travel in the belly of a whale!

I can certainly identify with Eve, Saul or Jonah. Once I knew I was not meant to take a trip abroad but I did so simply because I could afford to. When we step outside of God’s will we open ourselves up to the enemy and we tread on dangerous grounds. I thank God that I did not come to any harm. That trip was a good idea but it was not a God idea.

You may be a young person working hard to make a decent living but life is tough. You have

a family to fend for and you are struggling to meet your obligations. Meanwhile before you is an opportunity that would give you the needed breakthrough. But you are not at peace with it because it will take you outside of God’s will; a good idea but not a God idea.

Perhaps you are unmarried but you have real physical cravings. You are engaged and hope to tie the knot soon. The attraction between yourself and your spouse-to-be is so strong; you are both tempted to express it through a physical

relationship. And it makes sense because you will soon be married anyway. You have a good idea but it is not a God idea.

You may be a Christian who loves God so much you packed up your profession to become a full-time preacher. Yet God wants you to keep your job and, through that avenue, touch the lives of those you meet. He has been trying to tell you that He has called you to serve Him in the market place. Your idea to go into ‘full time ministry’ is a good idea but it is not a God idea.

Life is unbearable for you in Nigeria. You cannot see how you will ever achieve your goals here. It only makes sense for you to ‘check out’ in search of greener pastures, after all everyone is doing so. Even your family cannot understand why you are still here. But God has asked you to remain in this land. Everyone around you has a good idea but it is not a God idea.

You want to know God and follow Him. John chapter three verse sixteen says ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life’. So you can come to God by a sincere prayer of repentance and a commitment to follow Him through faith in His son Jesus Christ. Instead, you want to earn your salvation with your religious observances; fasting, prayers, annual pilgrimages, benevolence, penances, offering sacrifices. This is the ultimate good idea but it is not a God idea.

Got a good idea? God has a better one. Dump yours for His. And always remember that in the end only God’s idea is truly good.

Koko Kalango is author Colours of Life devotional. She may be reached at [email protected] or @koko.kalango

GOOD IDEA OR GOD-IDEA?

with Koko Kalango

29

T h e N e x t

2 5 Y e a r s

20 20HOURS MINUTES

20 01 2020SAVE THE DATE

LOADING...

TRUTH & REASON

You may be a young person working hard to make a

decent living but life is tough. You have a family to

fend for and you are struggling to meet your obligations.

Meanwhile before you is an opportunity

that would give you the needed

breakthrough. But you are not at peace

with it because it will take you outside of God’s will; a good idea but not a God

idea.

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S T Y L E & D E S I G N THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 8970 Sunday, November 24, 2019

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20s

50s

40s0-10

MAIDEN IBRU...From Childhood To Matriach!

ParentsARISTOTHELIS THOMPULOS

ANNIE THOMOPULOS

30s

60s

C O V E R C O V E R

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THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 8970 Sunday, November 24, 2019

THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 8970 Sunday, November 24, 2019

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Can you tell us a bit about your childhood, your family and parents?

My father was Greek and my mother was Itsekiri from Koko. My mother was in boarding school in the GRA Benin and Dad lived in GRA.

He arrived Nigeria with his brother Thernalonica. He approached the Rev. Sister in the school in that area and that was how he met my mom.

Unfortunately, he died in 1957 at the age of 57. He had informed my mother he wanted us to school in Jos at the American Hill Crest School because of the cool weather due to our mixed colour. The distance was a problem and so we attended the first private boarding school in Nigeria founded by Mr. T.O Ogunlesi and his wife. T.A Ogunlesi Sapele, was our first home as it was a European town due to ATP (African Timber Plywood, the largest in the world.)

It was a happy childhood. Dad and his brother, whose business headquarters was in Lagos, shuttled between both places. The Rodney Hechsheas family were our friends as their father was Irish and also Theo Caifas who was known to us through his Itsekiri mother and Greek father.

In the 50s, interracial marriages were not as easily accepted as they are today. Did any of your parents face any form of prejudice/discrimination because of their union at the time?

None – not at all, nothing like that because if there was, l will certainly recall and they would have shared the experience with us.

You have a very strong personality and have friends from all ages and walks of life. Which parent did you inherit this amiable trait from?

Yes, I am a friendly, chatty, witty person by nature and certainly this came from my mom. We called her “Sisi” as that was name everyone called her because of her high fashion sense. She was very hatty and was the first woman to wear Indian sari in Sapele and dared to ride a motorcycle. She has this picture of her in a floating huge peacock skirt she wore on a motorcycle. She certainly lived ahead of her time and this must have been influenced by her inter-racial marriage. You could smell her perfume a mile away!

I always ask “What has age got to do with friendship?” I relate to all regardless of age, gender, colour, class, and creed and give each person their dues. All humans must be treated with dignity and respect. We are all equal in God’s eyes.

What do you miss most about your childhood days that is absent in today’s times?

Close knit families was the culture then. Everyone was everyone’s keeper but now technology has driven us apart. Folklores and stories of the olden days always had a lesson to teach and we all looked forward to it

from mom, neighbours especially stories about Mr. Tortoise who thinks he is wiser than everyone! Those stories were our bedtime stories of today.

Growing up, who would you say played a pivotal role in making you the woman you are today?

Again “Sisi” my beloved mother. Bless her. She was madam etiquette. She taught us the rules and how to present ourselves. One thing I remember vividly was never to eat outside our home. The reason was not because she thought anyone would poison us, she didn’t want us to form a habit of eating anywhere aside from our home or a restaurant in order not to develop “long throat” – greed. To be content as food was always available at home. She was such a wise woman. She was kind; she empowered her staff – sent them to training school to acquire a skill. Brother Joe went to the Police College. He is still alive, around 85 years now and still keeps in touch. She never used an abusive word and so that kind of language does not exist in my home. We treat our staff with respect and dignity if I get angry about something, my weapon was to raise my voice – the moment you say “I am sorry” – you disarm me and it is all forgiven and forgotten. They are all loyal and have all become family.

What fond memories do you also have of Nigeria as a young woman in the 60s and 70s?

The 60’s was the era of the “swinging sixties” and that was when I did both my 0 and A’ levels and gained admission into the premier prestigious University of Ibadan and graduated, I then left for Washington. We had a society in the university Sigma club that organized the end of the year party “Havana Night” where people from outside the University bought tickets and participated. It was this group that brought James Brown, and other foreign artistes and our own Fela. It was the period of big Afro, bell-bottom trousers, The Beatles, Lulu, James Brown all that lot. Canal street in London was the hub for fashion. Kings Road in Chelsea was very popular and the punks dominated the area. Fashion started on Kings Road and ended at World’s End, which was where Kings Road ended. The 70’s was referred to as the Roaring 70s which was pretty much like the 60s – mini skirts, platform shoes. Our fashion was actually dictated by the trend in London and the Abba group who where the hot dancing Queens.

The 70s was all fun and you could tell straight away who had gone on summer vacation by their comforts. So it was fun and hard work in order to graduate with good grades.

What’s your take on the media shift from traditional to digital and how has the paper embraced this trend?

You’ve got to move with the times. We are in a world

of digital – social media etc. So any paper that does not embrace and move with the tide is bound to be left behind. We have invested heavily in the digital media business and this has paid off. At least we have been recognized for our expertise in this area and given awards for four consecutive years. Even Google has rewarded us for our efforts as the best digital organization in the last 3/4 years or so. We’ve gone beyond Guardian Newspapers. We are now: The Guardian Group – Digital, TV, Radio, Music.

The hard copy – the paper will never be extinct as that is my husband’s legacy, my legacy. We shall preserve this for as long as possible. I’m aware a lot of papers particularly abroad, have shut down since the arrival of social media.

There are still a lot of people out there who prefer the hard copy – you read, you put it aside and you revisit it. Whereas with the digital, it is more complex, more complicated and your entire history can get wiped out or disappear in a jiffy.

I’m old school. I like to pick up a book and return to it when I want to but we are in an era of Digital and it has come to stay so we must embrace it and make the most of it.

How did you meet your late husband and how long were you married for?

On my arrival from the US in 1975, I secured a job at the headquarters of Ibru Organization in Apapa. All the brothers of the Chairman to the other three brothers were based in Apapa, Architect, Engineer and a Lawyer except Alex, who was managing the motor business in Iganmu. Eventually he met me at the official opening of Cecil Gee off Broad Street and courted me rigorously. I resisted him because I don’t believe in romance in the work environment. It is not good for business. But he insisted he was not in Apapa and not in the same office. He was a very handsome guy, a look-alike of Mohammed Ali in his younger days – the rest is history.

What gave you some form of solace during your husband’s illness?

Solace! It was tough; the scars of the assassination attempt on his life still lives with us. You don’t recover from such an experience. This moment you are alive and well the next moment is unpredictable. It is God who comforts us when you find yourself in a place you never bargained for. We thank God, but the scars are there. The children never recovered from it. It’s fresh in their memories and this makes me sad. But in everything we must thank God. After the failed assassination attempt, we had my husband for another 16 years before he took ill with no symptoms. He had reached stage 4 (end life) before I picked up some symptoms – night sweats, fever. It was too late. I was not looking for a cure. I was looking for a miracle. God is awesome.

The amiable Chairman, Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of the Guardian Newspapers, Lady Maiden Ibru needs little or no introduction. Her name Maiden that is as unique as her bubbly yet firm personality, is one that commands respect in the media industry. She is Nigeria’s answer to Katherine Graham who in her lifetime was the publisher of Washington Post, an institution she inherited after the death of her husband just like Maiden did. She oversees both the editorial and business operations to ensure a smooth running of the newspaper. She is a philanthropist, passionate about education and has privately financed scholarships for brilliant indigent students in both s secondary and tertiary institutions. Today we celebrate this amazon at 70, as she gives a riveting interview about her life, passion and turning the big 70! FUNKE BABS-KUFEJI reports...

@ 70You are right I love to dance. It’s good for the soul, it makes you happy. My man used to whistle and dance around the house with the old “His master’s voice” and so it’s

not a surprise that I love to dance and I’m quite quick at

grasping new steps.

MAIDEN IBRUT H E M O S T I N F LU E N T I A L W O M A N I N A F R I C A N M E D I A

C O V E R C O V E R

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THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 8970 Sunday, November 24, 2019

THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 8970 Sunday, November 24, 2019

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What do you miss most about him?On a lighter note – when Alex met me,

he called me “sisi”, “yanga girl”, then as the children arrived, I became “madam” and with the challenges of life - attempt on his life and his diagnosis of colon cancer, he appreciated me with the title “mummy”. It is almost a taboo for an urhobo man to call his wife “mummy”. It was a big deal but I knew that was the role a good wife should play.

If it was possible to buy Alex’s life, I would have. He had one message for everyone. “Thank mummy for me”. I miss his physical presence, I miss his companionship. I miss his voice, his touch but I feel his presence around me from time to time and that makes me feel secure.

Our youngest child is 34 and all my girls live abroad. When the children leave home finally, it is your spouse you rely on for conversation, support, eating your meals together etc. I feel his presence a lot when I am at the dinning table and always imagine him on his seat. It is quite lonely when you eat alone especially when the boys are not back from work or have other commitments.

God is the father and husband of the widow and he keeps me going. I’m a happy person by nature and I thank God I relate to people easily regardless of age or creed or gender or class.

What key traits are required to sustain a good marriage like yours was?

Patience and understanding. I am a very patient person by nature and women must accept the role of being a wife, mother, and nurturer seriously. It is a woman who holds the family together. Physiologically, women are different from men and must take their role seriously by ensuring that the family stays together. There should be no competition between the couple, their roles are different and each must support one another to succeed as one when things go wrong. It is true that divorce scars children for life and this is why women who are the “carriers” and the nurturers should learn to be patient, not aggressive, and abusive. In short, play the fool. What I say to the young ones in this; “lf you play the fool, your spouse or partner will not recognize the difference between playing the fool and being a fool”. After all, men were introduced by women!!! Make your point, don’t be aggressive or physical and walk away quietly to calm down.

Why is the staying power of marriages in your time not as prevalent in today’s unions? Why are there more divorces now than there was then?

Things have changed. Education, exposure, travels. The world has become a smaller village. More inter-racial marriages, more women are now educated and education empowers people. The old school of seeking employment is shifting. The narrative has changed. Women are now more empowered than before. They set up shop and want to be able to juggle career and family and take control of their lives. They want to be independent and hold their own. At times the house front suffers particularly if you are a 9-5 person which is why they are entrepreneurs creating their business and managing them at their own pace. Juggling work, family, children/school all in an attempt to stay focused and succeed. Women crave for equality between the men folk and this is the root of problems. It is no longer news or taboo to get out of a marriage or divorce. It’s life, it’ real, if it’s not working why stay and be unhappy? It’s now a free world and people don’t feel they are accountable to anyone. After all, it’s their life!

Decades ago, it was almost taboo to initiate divorce particularly from the woman’s side. Parents felt a sense of shame if their children divorced even when it was clear the marriage is not working. Everyone has a right to be happy in any union. But parents were more particular about what people will say. With more enlightened and educated parents nowadays, it’s no longer a big deal to divorce and it’s obvious children want to take control of their lives. It’s a chance they are prepared to take and the public can be blamed for not minding their business.

Now that you might have more spare time in your hands, what kind of things do you enjoy doing?

I will continue to keep an eye on the Guardian. I will continue to attend the Wednesday Editorial board meeting. Aside from my workplace, I receive tons of invites from the corporate world and that keeps me mentally engaged. As for socials, I will continue to attend the ones I can and keep active for as long as I can.

Mobility is essential as you age otherwise your feet

will not be able to carry you if you sit around for long periods.

You clearly love to dance, which is a delight to watch! What’s an average day in your life like, from the time you wake up till you go to bed?

You are right I love to dance. It’s good for the soul, it makes you happy. My man used to whistle and dance around the house with the old “His master’s voice” and so it’s not a surprise that I love to dance and I’m quite quick at grasping new steps.

My body clock never recovered from 1996 after that attempt on my husband’s life because what came out of that injury is a story that stays with you for life. I went to a sleep clinic al Mayo Hospital in Rochester and all test revealed there was nothing medically wrong with my head. But when they went through my medical history, they found I had gone through a lot from that attempt on his life with five young children. I toss around several times in the cause of the night and so cannot claim to have gotten a good night sleep. So now and again, I use a sleeping pill to regulate my sleeping pattern. I meditate and thank God for another day, open my blinds, have a cup of coffee and wait for the paper to arrive.

If there are matters /correspondence to be attended to and forwarded to the office, I attend to them and they are dispatched.

No two days of the week are the same. I’m lucky I get a lot of corporate invites and I belong to some professional bodies so I attend events. I do not accept any invites on a Wednesday which is our Editorial Board day at the Guardian. You benefit a lot through exchange of ideas from members with different backgrounds.

Do you have any pet projects or hobbies that you take much delight in?

I’m thinking of a project that will empower people to enable them keep body and soul together, to generate income, to keep a roof over their heads and a place to rest their body and mind at the end of the day. There are so many skills out there and you don’t necessarily have to be a graduate or whatever as long as you can read and write.

I will also create an Aids’ centre in Opebi in Ikeja where people can get free tests to confirm their health status if they have Aids and how to manage it and live normal lives. Thank God it’s no longer a taboo nor a death sentence. Just take your medication regularly.

How often do you plan special occasions where all your family come together under one roof?

As often as the need arrives – like birthdays, my husband’s anniversary or just bringing friends around for dinner to relax and talk about life in general and the state of our beloved country particularly the lawlessness, the daily vehicle movement, the environment and compare it to our days.

Lastly, what parting shot will you like to give our readers on your philosophy of life and the motto you live by today?

My philosophy is captured in Charles Wesley’s words“Do all the good you can,In all the ways you can,To all the souls you can,In every place you can,at all the times you can,with all the zeal you can,as long as you even can.

John Wesley, 1703 – 1791 English preacher and founder of Methodist. John Wesley believed that sincere faith involves serving others.

It is important for any true artist to find their true

calling, to have their own sense of values and principles and see how this can inform

their art.

There are still a lot of people out there who prefer the

hard copy – you read, you put it aside and you revisit it. Whereas with the digital,

it is more complex, more complicated and your entire history can get wiped out or

disappear in a jiffy.

Do you have what it takes to be the next singing sensation?

C O V E R

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THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 8970 Sunday, November 24, 2019

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YOU BE THE JUDGEM I D R I F F B A R I N G B E L L E S

V E R O N I C A O D E K AM O S E S E B I T EB U K KY- K A R I B I -W HY T E

Forget cleavage, the midriff is fashion’s erogenous zone of choice as more and more fashion IT girls are strutting their stuff in belly-baring ensembles. The look, however, is much more subtle than the crop tops of the early ‘90s, as these fashion girls

demonstrate. Sometimes just a sliver of skin is sexier than the full mid-riff.

I enjoy how colourful and at the same time bold, this two-piece rainbow coloured set is! She has the right body for it. Love the colour play on her skin! Amazing look for a nice brunch out with the girls. 9/10

This is such a chic photo and very stylish put together look. Love it! 8/10 This young lady brings a dose of fun to her ensemble with the flashes of vibrant prints, lending a pleasing tone to her complexion. The knotted top and flared skirt seamlessly that is very flattering . 7/10

Who said prints only make you look bigger? Totally love this print dress. The play on red with the hat, bag and shoes really dress up the entire outfit. Great look! 7/10

Very wedding guest appropriate but without the hat. Love it. Sometimes less is MORE. 7/10 In this outfit she shows us exactly why fast fashion remains in style. It echos trendy in style while the length is classic. I especially love the peekaboo cut outs on the side and the form it creates. It would have been nice to see it without the hat piece but she certainly gets an approved thumb up in my eye. 8/10

Idia looks great! I would have loved to see her flaunt her beautiful long legs with some nice wide leg pants with that top! Overall she is beautiful as always! 8/10

She is such a beautiful girl with beautiful style but again, shoes are wrong for this look. I would have thought she would pair the look with a black strap sandals for a very sexy night or casual chic with a pair of white sneakers movies-with-the/girls kinda look. 7/10I really like the volume of the skirt with this loose v-neck shirt knotted at the waist. She strikes the perfect balance in styling with a simple studded earring. 8/10

This simple (well not so simple) stripped shirtdress is so elegant. She is one of my faves when it comes to fashion. I think this looks very elegant and easy. I may opt for simpler shoes however. 7/10

This is so Bomb! Shoes fit, and the pose - love it. 9/10

She took the conservative English princess vibe up a notch in this sweet pink stripe maxi dress with double side midriff cutout. Her caged peep toe makes a great seal to her modern twist on the classic piece. 8/10

Sharon is always fun! She looks great in this front tie crop top and skirt! Great colours and simple accessories. Very Safe! 8/10

A new favourite of mine at the moment. I love everything about this photo. So effortless. 9/10

She shows how to have fun with a print set while the total ensemble gives a softly feminine vibe. Paired perfectly with open toe sandals and a pretty smile, it’s definitely the kind of pairing my weekend would speak to. 8/10

Denike looks absolutely stunning in this bold orange dress. The cut outs fit her curves and this dress will definitely cause heads to turn! The Gold purse and shoes to match are great and safe! Overall, I think this is a great look! 8/10One of my favourite looks of her. My only problem is the wrong choice of shoes and clutch. Hair is sleek, makeup is beautiful and that dress on her skin tone is everything. 7/10 She looks amazing in a dress that celebrates the art of clean and sultry so well. I love how the neon orange tone of the dress pops ridiculously well with her skin tone. 8/10

BUKKY KARIBI WHYTE

BUKKY KARIBI WHYTE

BUKKY KARIBI WHYTE

BUKKY KARIBI WHYTE

BUKKY KARIBI WHYTE

BUKKY KARIBI WHYTE

MOSES EBITE

MOSES EBITE

MOSES EBITE MOSES

EBITEMOSES EBITE

MOSES EBITE

VERONICA ODEKA

VERONICA ODEKA

VERONICA ODEKA

VERONICA ODEKA

VERONICA ODEKAVERONICA

ODEKA

AMA GODSON CHICHI NIKE BALOGUN IDIA AISIEN OGO OFFIDILI SHARON ONOJA

BY FUNKE BABS-KUFEJI

C O V E R C O V E R

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THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 8970 Sunday, November 24, 2019

THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 8970 Sunday, November 24, 2019

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Redefining The Power Look

MUDI AFRICA

Fashion Power House Mudi Africa is once again redirecting discussions within the space with its excitingly intricate turn. In keeping with its vision of reenergizing African menswear, better positioning itself as a willing partner in the renaissance being witnessed in men’s styling, the market leading Fashion House has come out with an exotic but captivating pants/shoe combo which allows for an introspective look at the positively mischievous streak in men. With this ensemble, the Brand throws up an air of supreme confidence in its ability to set trends and arrowhead the budding revolution

According to Mudi Enajomo who is the creative Force behind this exciting label, the need to keep re-inventing and re enforcing the brand in the market’s consciousness has led to this pioneering effort which has seen it drop on an unsuspecting market a line of sweetly designed fitted pants that would sync with classic footwear aimed at not only our celebrities but men of power.

In a series of images, Mudi Africa throws up more than fledgling interest in this exciting combo that stands out the man of means and confidence. The styling which is already sweeping across a large

swath of discerning adherents is in keeping with the Mudi

Africa mantra of continually challenging the norm with some of Africa’s most

breathtaking visions in

Men’s wear.

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S T Y L E & D E S I G N THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 8970 Sunday, November 24, 2019

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