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WEEK DAYS OR WEEKENDSYOUR BANK IS ALWAYS ONOur alternate channels remain accessible... anywhere, anytime.

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PUSHING BOUNDARIES

DI’JA(HADIZA BLELL)

SALMAPHILLIPS

RAHAMASADAU

Have you ever watched a movie where one person plays two different characters? And though they are identical, because of the characters they play,

they are like night and day! Many a time, I tell people that your character to a certain extent, dictates how attractive you are to the opposite sex. This same principle applies to clothes as well. You see two women for instance, wearing the exact same outfit and you cannot believe they were made by the same designer. Some people wear clothes well while unfortunately for others, the clothes wear them. They just do not know how to make the

clothes sit better on them. On the other hand, the really stylish ones even go the extra mile and add more character to their ensemble. In THAT WOW

FACTOR, there are severals ways to add some coolness to your clothes. The younger generation call it ‘having some swag’ or something like that. Truth be

told, with this new dispensation we live in, where money is not as availble as before, it will do everyone a lot of good if they can invent new ways to wear some of their old stock. An

added accessory can do wonders and give the attire a totally new look. Clothes, like life is what you make of it. Do you choose to be predicatable and boring or prefer to add an added twist now and again in the name of variety? Though it’s safer to tow the line of predictability, this can beome somewhat too boring if you do not push the envelope now and again. No harm in testing waters. Who knows, you might just enjoy it. So learn from the younger ones, look through magazines, social media and all what not. Breathe some life into your wardrobe and be happier for it! Life as they say is too short not to try new things as often as you can.

Content

thisday styleFashion Director/executive eDitor

RuTH OSIMe

eDitor Print OLuFuNke BABS-kuFejI

eDitor Digital kONYe NWABOgOR

style corresPonDent MOjISOLA ALLeN

style corresPonDent SAFINA MOHAMMeD

senior Designer MATHIAS ARCHIBONg

contributorsRukY SALAkO

juLIeT ALuAYODejI ROTINWA

PhotograPhersTY BeLLO

Reze BONNA

Director, Print ProDuction. CHukS ONWuDINjO

08111847085

08111847086

08111847087

08116759745

08083960527

08077092196

Fashion Director/executive eDitor

FashionSocietyNASIRU AND AMNE TIETHE KNOT! Pg 4 & 5

NIKKI KHIRAN COUTURELAUNCHES FASHIONSHOW IN ABUJAPg

Back in the day, the Northern (Arewa) culture strongly frowned upon women being in the spotlight, especially in the entertainment industry. They were expected to be reserved, seen but not heard. But these days, the 21st century Northern woman has no limitations when it comes to achieving her dream. Speaking to saFina asibi MohaMMeD, these three women tell of their desire to shatter the glass ceiling and rewrite the history of the typical Northern woman.

TIPS FOR TONED ARMSPg 8

BRINgINg BACK THE 70SPg 10

THAT WOW MOMENTPg 18

A LIFE WELL LIVED: OF SUPPER CLUBS… & A BOOK REVIEWPg 20

BEAUTY THAT WORKSPg 22

Recently, Nasiru Haladu Danu (Dan Amanar Dutse) and his beautiful bride Amne Allamin kam-Selem tied the knot in a series of celebrations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja. It was a colourful and elegant display of the Hausa culture. The guests ranged from industrial giants to political heavyweights as the groom who is a successful businessman with interests in oil and gas and construction is also a National executive committee member of the ruling party APC .everything looked fabulous, even the guests. But nothing looked better than the couple as they shared priceless, picture perfect moments together, surrounded by friends and family.THISDAY Style wishes Nasiru and Amne a blissful life as One.

NASIRU AND AMNE TIE THE KNOT!

b y K o n y e C h e l s e a n w a b o g o r

THE COUPLE, NASIRU HALADU & AMNE ALLAMIN DANU

IgHO SANOMIOgENS SANOMI MAIKANTI BARU

gINA, HADIzA BALA USMAN & zAINAB BALA USMAN

CAPT OSA & MR PETERS

MOHD ALBISHIR ADOKIYE IKPOKI

THE BRIDE WITH NAFISA

zARA IYA SHAIBU BAYE & IYA BAYE

ALLAMIN KAM-SELEM

ADOKIYE IKPOKI

THE gROOM & HER ExCELLENCY, WIFE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT, DOLAPO OSINBAJO WITH OTHERS DIgNITIES

MODI MAMHOOD, HANNAN BUHARI & HAJIYA HADIzA

THE BRIDE

HAKIMI ADO DAN DAWAKI & NASIR ALI AHMED AHMED KAITA

BAUCHI STATE gOVERNOR, BARR M.A ABUBAKAR, CHIEF ALABO gRAHAM DOUgLAS & JIgAWA STATE gOVERNOR, ALHAJI BADARU ABUBAKAR

ROTIMI AMAECHI

MAgNUS ABE TONY ISOJI

ABDULMUNAF YUNUSA SARINA

SAIDU MALAMI & THE OONI OF IFE, OBA ADEYEYE OgUNWUSI ISYAKU IBRAHIM

IFEANYI ARARUME & OSITA IzUNASO

MUSTAPHA HABIB FATI, EMEKA NWAJIUBA, DUMO LULU, BARR JOY & MUSA DANUSULEIMAN ABBATHE BRIDE’S SISTERS AT THE WUSHE WUSHE

YUSUF BURATAI

Nikki Odu khiran, the creative genius behind the Nikki khiran Couture Label, recently organized a fashion show/exhibition in collaboration with Beevee Interiors & gifts by Ms Beverly Nelson at their new event center, Open Doors Centre, Aminu kano, Wuse 2, Abuja. The event was to showcase and promote the fashion and lifestyle industry in Abuja. The collaboration included fashion, beauty, lifestyle and decor. On display were Fokama 5 jewellery, Beautiful Fabrics by Mr. Damola, Beevee Interiors, Private Moments Collection, and glams Makeup to name a few, and of course Nikki khiran Couture showcased her new bohemian dresses, ethnic stoned capes, gorgeous jalabiyas in silk, ethnic prints and jersey fabrics to the Abuja clientele.

NIKKI KHIRAN COUTURE LAUNCHES FASHION

SHOW IN ABUJA

MYRTLE MILLERDEMOLA

LIz OBALISA

OTUNBA FEMI ADEWUNMI

TUYO BRYANT

THEODORA AMECHI

ABDUL ISMAIL

b y M o J I s o l a a l l e n

NIKKI ODU KHIRAN PHIL AgBASI

WALLACE & ABDUL ISMAIL

DAYO BENJAMINS-LANIYI

gREgOIRE WILLIAMS & ANDREA.EDE OJO

AMAKA NDOMA-EgBAANDREA WILLIAMS

BEVERLY NELSON BIMBO OLUSOLA SOWOOLU

RUKAYAT JIBRIL

5 EXPORTMANAGEMENTPROGRAMME 5(2017 Series)

Powered by: In partnership with:

Overview

For over three (3) decades, oil exports have remained the main foreign exchange earner for Nigeria. However, recent developments in the global market and local oil sector have heightened the need for Nigeria to diversify its economy away from oil. Boosting non-oil exports and building strong and sustainable export capability is now at the heart of Nigeria's diversification strategy. Exporting not only improves foreign exchange revenue, but countries most successful in export have stronger link to wealth creation, employment generation and sustainable poverty reduction.

Based on the focus of the Nigerian government on promoting exports, Fidelity Bank Plc, Lagos Business School and Nigerian Export Promotion Council initiated the Export Promotion Capacity Building Programme.

This 5-day programme is designed to equip participants with the knowledge, tools and skills required to develop their export businesses in line with global standards.

Programme OutlineOverview of Nigeria's export activitiesAssessment of the Potentials to become a Successful ExporterAccessibility of Export Markets – EU, UAS, ASIA, etc.Definition and Implementation of the activities required to make a product market-readyUnderstanding, Selection and Implementation of Supply Chain Management for ExportsDefinition and Implementation of Financial Management for ExportsSelection and Application of on-going Export Development Business Processes

Facilitators: Dr Frank Ojadi, LBS Faculty; Dr Obinna Muogboh, LBS Faculty; Key industry experts in Quality Management for Exports; Financial Management experts; NEPC experts, etc. Target AudienceThis 5-day programme is targeted at entrepreneurs, prospective exporters, financiers of exports, export sector regulators, MSMEs, state and federal government agencies, logistics service providers and any other interested parties.

Export Management Programme

Inclusive of V ATN175,000 Date:September 25 - 29, 2017

Venue:Lagos Business School,Km 22, Lekki-Epe Expressway,Ajah, Lekki, Lagos.

Make payment to:Fidelity Bank PlcAcc. Name: Export ManagementProgramme Fee Collections AccountAcc. No.: 5020131070Sort Code: 18-50-08

or pay via (please present your slip at the School to get a receipt of payment)

Once payment has been made,kindly visit export.fidelitybank.ng to complete your registration or send an email to theundersigned for confirmation.

Reservations/Additional Information Contact:

Anthony E. OdaborPhone: 08055438699Email: anthony.odabor@fidelitybank.ng

Nkechi IwegbuPhone: 0802 478 2906E-mail: niwegbu@lbs.edu.ng

Proven platform to gain practical insights on non-oil exports

70sBY KONYE CHELSEA NWABOgOR

Fashion in the ’70s covered many genres and styles. thanks to a penchant for creativity and expression, the decade saw the birth of many trends that continue to influence fashion today. as well as the instantly recognisable disco and hippy styles of the era, there were also boho-chic, punk and glam rock, folk and ethnic, safari and military, and sporty-chic fashions. included amongst these trends were also the key items and details for which the decade is now known, such as earthy tones, suede, bell-bottom pants, fringing, and high-waisted designs.

thanks to the era’s whimsical uniqueness and freedom of expression, the ’70s and their styles are something to which both designers and fashion-lovers are continuously drawn. From hippy and glam rock to disco and bohemian, the decade encapsulates numerous iconic styles that are still wearable today. all you need to know is how to rework those time-tested trends to fit perfectly into your wardrobe.

Backthe

Bringing

TAJE PREST

LILIAN ESORO

BOLANLE OLUKANNI LILIAN ESORO

S T Y L E & d E S i g n THISDAY Style Vol. 22, no. 8172 sunday, september 3, 2017

8

There just isn't enough time for everything on our to-do list—and there never will be. Successful people don't try to do everything. They learn to focus on the most important tasks and make sure those get done. They eat their frogs.

There's an old saying that if the first thing you do each morning is eat a live frog, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you're done with the worst thing you'll have to do all day. For Tracy, eating a frog is a metaphor for tackling your most challenging task—but also the one that can have the

greatest positive impact on your life. Eat That Frog! shows you how to organize each day so you can zero in on these critical tasks and accomplish them efficiently and effectively.

In this fully revised and updated edition, Tracy adds two new chapters. The first explains how you can use technology to remind yourself of what is most important and protect yourself from what is least important. The second offers advice for maintaining focus in our era of constant distractions, electronic and otherwise.

But one thing remains unchanged: Brian Tracy cuts to the core of what is vital to effective time management: decision, discipline, and determination. This life-changing book will ensure that you get more of your important tasks done—today!

Culled from: Amazon.com

a) Robert Mugabeb) Muhammed Buharic) Paul Kagame

6. Gazelles are the firms with:a) High growth rateb) Moderate growth ratec) Zero growth rate

7. Providing employees with basic background information about the firms isa) Educationb) Employee Orientationc) Colleges and universities

8. A method for achieving maximum market response from limited marketing resources by reorganizing differences in the response characteristics of various part of the market is known asa) Market targetingb) Market positioningc) Market segmentation

1.When a company taken over another one and clearly becomes the new owner, the action is calleda) Mergerb) Acquisitionc) Strategic Alliance

2. Nigeria's internet country top level domain isa) .nib) .ngc) .nr

3. VAT is imposeda) Directly on Consumersb) On final Stage of productionc) On all stages from Production to final sale

4. In business the intangible value part (especially at acquisition) of a company such as brand/reputation/relationships is calleda) Goodwillb) Kudosc) Grace

5. Who is the current chairman of African Union?

1.B 2.B 3.B 4.A 5.A 6.A 7.B 8.C

QuizSense

BookReview EAT THAT FROG!

– Brian Tracy

Stop ProcrastinatingGet More of the Important Things Done Today!

High Television (HiTV)

In 2007, sports viewers were excited when Toyin Subair l a u n c h e d H i T V , a n entertainment highway's multi-channel digital satellite television. HiTV was the first television platform in Africa to deploy Hypercable, a terrestrial pay-per-view TV decoder system. The TV s e c u r e d a f i v e - y e a r exclusive right to broadcast the lucrative English Premier League in Nigeria, in a bid that pitted it against an African broadcast giant. Its existence lasted only those five years.

Starting a satellite TV, which could compete favourably with established ones from inception required intensive capital. So HiTV sought huge bank facilities and more funds from other investors. That translated into signing bilateral and multilateral stakeholder a g r e e m e n t s , w h i c h appa ren t l y, we re no t p r o p e r l y m a n a g e d . Therefore, diverse interests c a m e t o p l a y i n i t s operations. When it was clear that it couldn't get investors to be on the same p a g e , t h e b u s i n e s s collapsed under its huge debts.

In 2016 after a long silence, Subair said on his LinkedIn page: “I failed to know and manage my investors properly, which made it hard for me to mediate when they didn't see eye to eye.”

Air Nigeria

Jimoh Ibrahim bought over V i r g i n N i g e r i a a n d reestablished it as Air Nigeria in June 2010. He promised to turn its fortune around. In September 2012, just over two years after, the airline announced that it had fired its employees and was suspending all services.

It is often said that the easiest way for a billionaire to become a millionaire is by starting an airline. The aviation industry is delicate and susceptible, so to stay afloat an aviation business requires loads of capital, i m p e c c a b l e c u s t o m e r service and innovative thinking. It turned out that Air Nigeria lacked all.

Air travel is about safety and comfor t . Accord ing to Ibrahim, he decided to shut down the supposed national carrier when it became clear that he couldn't guarantee b o t h d u e t o mismanagement. “People running the airline were printing tickets and selling them but the ticketing wasn't going into the system. If

YOUTH ENTERPRISE WITH INNOVATION IN NIGERIA

Entrepreneur Turns Waste to WealthMy Business Story

a b i b

HA h m e d ' s adventure i n t o business is proof that

“opportunity comes to those who act, not to those who complain”.

Recalling how he started, Habib Ahmed said, “Each time I came across heaps of waste, especially used plastic bags, I got angry and worried. Gradually, my anger began to motivate me into what I could do to reduce them.”

Recycling plastic bags is not a new business venture; the challenge was how to marry the goal of managing the environment and that of making profit as a business. “I know in other countries things like used plastic bags, which have long biodegradable lifespan, were turned to wealth, but I had to first conduct research extensively into what I needed to do to convert garbage of used plastic bags into reusable products,” he stated.

At the beginning, Habib was worried that raising capital could be a big problem. His personal savings from being a supplier and small-scale contractor was at the time insufficient to start the business. However, once he

put his mind to it, he decided that nothing, including insufficient funds, would deter him.

“It took about a year to increase my savings,” he recalled.

By 2016, Habib had saved e n o u g h t o s t a r t Environmental Expressions, a plastic bag recycling, manufacturing and waste m a n a g e m e n t s e r v i c e s business with five workers.

According to Habib, the Chief Operating Officer, a typical production process begins with the collection of used plastic bags. “We go to dumpsites and collect the items. We partner with many 'scavengers', tell them the kind of materials we are looking for and the quality of materials that we want. They have their own team of collectors.”

Narrating further, Habib informed us of the most critical stage in the recycling process: “Once we finish collecting, we take the wastes to the factory for cleaning. We wash and dry the materials. It is important for the materials to dry properly because water does not go well with recycling plastic materials. Once we dry properly, we grind and melt them into strands, which are cut into small pellets. The pellets are then dried and taken into a blowing machine that would melt the plastic and blow it like bubble gum to expand it. That is how we are able to get the ny lons wh ich a re collected as ropes and taken to our sealing and cutting section.”

Within the 11 months he

began the business, Habib has increased his staff strength from five to 11, excluding the 20 or more “scavengers” indirectly employed to collect used p l a s t i c b a g s f r o m dumpsites.

Does th i s mean the business is a money-spinner?

Habib's frank response had some lessons in it: “The business is profitable depending on your source of raw material. Initially when we started the business, we would buy materials slightly processed to a certain level; so I asked, how could I increase my profitability? What if I did the processing myself from the scratch? That led me to d u m p s i t e s a n d “scavengers” who began to s u p p l y m e w i t h t h e materials. We approached an ingenious welder who fabricated the crushing machine for us and, with that, we were able to process the materials to a point where we could wash, dry and then use them in the factory.”

According to Habib, there were many times he had to convince and motivate himself that the business was worth going into. At such times, he believed that because he had properly planned his business, this helped him to carry on.

“There are opportunities everywhere,” he said. “Once you understand that and you are willing to allow other people to share a small part of the profit with you, you'll be fine.”

There are

“opportunities everywhere. Once you understand that and

you are willing to allow other people to share

a small part of the profit with you, you'll

be fine

lot has been

Awritten on the b u s i n e s s success of moguls such a s A l i k o

Dangote, Mike Adenuga, I n n o c e n t C h u k w u m a , Folorunsho Alakija and a host of others.

Pop songs celebrate them as the yardstick for measuring success or the “Nigerian dream”. However, ask these people and they'll tell you how initial setbacks clogged their road to success.

Because there are more lessons to be learnt in failure than in success, in the next few weeks we would be look ing a t the much-stigmatised word – failure. This week, however, we want to look at five randomly selected failed businesses across various sectors in Nigeria and why they failed.

123Next Newspaper

Founded in 2004 by the mult iple award-winning writer Dele Olojede, Next newspaper was everything other Nigerian newspapers were not. It offered fresh perspective in covering news, opinion, arts & culture, business and entertainment. Investigative journalism was a t i t s h e a r t a n d i t demonstrated a unique breakaway from speculative reportage.

The paper understood and t o o k s e r i o u s l y t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f professionalism, ethical standards and staff welfare. Thus, it was paying its journal is ts way above industry standard as a way to guarantee quality content and balanced reportage. As a policy, Next refused to c o l l e c t a d v e r t s f r o m government institutions. This was its undoing, because in a developing country like Nigeria, almost every socio-economic activity revolves around government one way or the other. In 2011, the

newspaper shut down its print edition. It simply couldn't continue to fund its journalistic “lifestyle”, noble as it was.

In a Podcast interview in June 2017, Olojede said of Next, “We were excellent newspaper men, but poor business men.” It pretty much summed up why the business failed.

Showroom.ng

In 2014, Sheriff Shittu, a serial entrepreneur, started Showroom.ng with a big ambition. He wanted to use technology to empower 100,000 furniture makers to become millionaires by the year 2020 by linking them to buyers. Unfortunately, he shut down the business in 2016, less than two years after takeoff.

Considering the success rate of online retailer businesses in Nigeria, it would be wrong to attribute Showroom.ng's failure to wrong market or wrong product. It was a matter of wrong execution. For an online concern, the firm lacked skilled manpower and struggled with its t u rna round t ime and customer service.

In an article in 2016, Shittu himself acknowledged his failure by stating that, “Success of any endeavour has a lot of tie to the people behind it. Looking back, I'd have selected those with domain expertise, better w o r k e t h i c s a n d complimentary strength.”

...to be continued next week

5 Failed Businesses And Why They Failed

Academy

This enterprise education page is an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Finance

Habib Ahmed, a young entrepreneur passionate about saving the environment, turns litter into a goldmine

Business Brief: Started: 2016

Do you know any entrepreneur between the ages of 18 and 40

with an inspiring Business Story?

@youwin_connect youwinconnectng @youwinconnect

Part ONE

DI’JA

PUSHING

BOUNDARIES...Back in the day, the Northern (Arewa) culture strongly frowned upon

women being in the spotlight, especially in the entertainment industry. They were expected to be reserved, seen but not heard. But these days, the 21st century Northern woman has no limitations when it comes to achieving her dream. These three ladies are a perfect example of today’s Northern women, using their voice as tools for change, their talent as an inspiration to many, breaking the traditional norms and shining bright in the entertainment industry both within and outside the country. Speaking to Safina aSibi MohaMMed, they tell of their desire to shatter the glass ceiling and rewrite the history of the typical Northern woman.

C o V e rC o V e r THISDAY Style Vol. 22, no. 8172 sunday, september 3, 2017

THISDAY Style Vol. 22, no. 8172 sunday, september 3, 2017

14

CreditsPhotograph by Spotlight photo and imagery

Hair by Ferdinard Odinaka OrjiStyling by Moses Ebite for Moashy Styling

Outfits by Eleganté by Leema, LeRouge by Amma and Huddayya Couture.

Shoot location - The event room by diamondink, Lekki

Tell us about your background, what was your childhood like?

I have a colourful, and the most amazing fam-ily ever. like everyone else, there were ups and downs, backwards, forwards but in the end, we are for one another. I went from being a tomboy to trying to be girly and not giving it a thought after that. I have an amazing big brother that helps take off a lot of the load of life.

When did your interest in music begin and what made you realize that music was the foremost artistic expression for you?

honestly it’s been ingrained in me for a minute. It was more or less about gaining the confidence to actually give it a shot and feel good about doing it. with the grace of the almighty we are on our way.

You have released several singles but you don’t have an album out yet. Are you working on any project in that line and if so when will it be released?

yes, Insha’allah it is around the corner.

You have lived in Sierra Leone, Canada, and the United States and of course, Nigeria. Do you infuse any of these influences into your music?

I would hope so.

Can you describe your working process and what goes into the creation of a song?

no I can’t really describe it. everything is everything when we are creating. I can’t put my finger on it neither can I explain with words. It’s just something you feel and realize when done if it’s a hit or it’s a hit. every thing we do is a mat-ter of time.

How would you describe your sound?Colourful and quirky!

What are your main inspirations behind your music?everything is everything

Tell us a little about Mavin records and how this recording company has supported and promoted you?

They gave me a platform. Mavin is family.

As a female musician in Nigeria, do you feel that you get the same exposure and support as male artists do? Could you briefly tell us what your challenges in this regard have been?

I like to believe being an artist doesn’t really have much to do with gender. It’s all about the music for me. I like to believe the song surpasses any stereotypes, at least I hope it does. In nigeria gender differences are very obvious and spelt out but women are working really hard and we pray more and more opportunities are created. all that is needed is more opportunities and watch people flourish.

The entertainment industry looks pretty golden from the outside, but I imagine there are many challenges and road-blocks, what has been your greatest dis-

appointment, and your greatest triumph?I haven’t lived long enough or worked far

enough to have the greatest of anything yet. a dis-appointment would have been never to try but that’s

what I’m doing.

Which musicians have been your biggest influences?There are so many to count. I get confused this question because some-

times you may love to listen to people’s music but go a different direction. I like listening to my peers and we should inspire each other. I love a lot of the greats of course (They are Many). I’m sure you can name a few. one of

my favourites is Tracy Chapman. sade gosh, Tupac, lagbaja... I can’t list; it would be unfair to make me chose.

I like to believe being an artist doesn’t really have much to

do with gender. It’s all about the music for me. I like to

believe the song surpasses any stereotypes, at least I hope it does. In Nigeria, gender

differences are very obvious and spelt out but women

are working really hard and we pray more and more

opportunities are created.

(AWARD WINNING/

RECORDING ARTIST

MAVIN RECORDS)

SINGER

15

C o V e r THISDAY Style Vol. 22, no. 8172 sunday, september 3, 2017C o V e r

SALMA PHILLIPS

HOST OF THE SALMA SHOW

Tell us a bit about your childhood. I was born in lagos state, a few years later my

parents moved to Jos, Plateau state where I grew up in. My dad is Fulani from bornu state and my mother is Kalabari from rivers state.

I grew up with lots of love surrounded by my sisters, brothers and cousins. It was a polygamous household. I attended Kiddy Joy Primary school Jos, then Federal government College Jos, later proceeded to University of Jos for my Diploma hnD in law, and then University of science and Technology Port har-court (law bsc) also attended bbC academy england (Media/ broadcast hnD)

What is The Salma Phillips show about?The salma show is a lifestyle and northern infused,

interactive, inspirational and informative talk show. It is also a program that features informal conversation, often on a particular topic or range of topics, between myself and various guest celebrities and experts.

How did you get into TV presenting? Is it as tough as many people think?

My passion for television and film started when I was nine years old, the first time I watched Femi oke report the weather on Cnn and my late dad told me she was nigerian! he was a fan of hers as well. First, my parents didn’t let me study Mass Commu- nication; they picked law for me instead. Then the first blow came, my mother passed away a semes- ter after I started my 200 level and a year later, my dad passed away as well.

In 2013 I shot two pilots and took it down to DsTV. I was rejected. They didn’t like it. In 2014, I went back to the drawing board and shot two more pilots for them, they said no! I was rejected again!

at this point I took a break for six months and decided to shoot another six episodes. This time with a co-host, this was in 2015. They didn’t like it and I was rejected again! so I made up my mind and told my husband I was done, I was exhausted and heart broken at this point. I didn’t think this dream of becoming a TV personality was for me. Two months later, he enrolled me into bbC academy to do a course in Media/broadcast and told me to give it one more shot and if it doesn’t work out, at least I will I tried! I went to england three weeks after I was enrolled, came back four months later and shot 13 episodes, I was that confident they were going to say yes! and guess what? They loved it!

Coming from a northern background where the women are typically reserved, did you have any reservations from your family and close friends? This is going to ruffle some feathers. yes northerners

are reserved to a fault, if you ask me! and being a northern woman in the north is hard! you literally diminish your potential in order not to over-shadow your man! a few of my friends were confused, they didn’t take me seriously when I told them, but after a while, both my family and friends did support me once they noticed this was

my passion and how much sweat and tears I put into my work! normally in the north if you are an entertain-er or a TV personality they do not take you seriously! I think it has a lot to do with the culture, traditions and also religion. and that has to change. especially for the women!

What are the qualities you need to be successful as a TV presenter and have a show like yours?

To be honest, what works for Peter might not work for Paul! but if you really want to bring success into your life, you should cultivate yourself just as you will cultivate a garden for the best yield. have the determi-nation to work harder than most and make sure things get done. you pride yourself on seeing things getting completed and you take charge when necessary. you drive yourself with purpose and align yourself with ex-cellence. you can shoulder responsibilities and be ac-countable. you also have to be patient and understand that, in everything, there are failures and frustrations. To take them personally will be a detriment. Integrity is seriously one of the most important attributes you can cultivate. honesty is the best policy for everything you do; Integrity creates character and defines who you are and lastly, you need to always be yourself and trust yourself. It’s as simple as that. and when you have that unshakeable trust in yourself, you’re already one step closer to success.

What was your big breakthrough?My breakthrough! when I watched The salma

show on DsTV! I cannot explain the way I felt! I was so happy and so proud of myself.

and then bbC reached out to me! “little ol’me!” They read about my journey and were inspired and featured me amongst “african women you need To Know.” a series they adapted for african women who inspire other women! That was an out of body experi-ence for me. It is a whole different level when they come to you and not the other way round. and just recently, I have also been invited for an interview! This should be in a few weeks’ time.

What do you love most about your job?The thrill of discovering a new side to someone is

something I experience in nearly every interview I do these days. I also love getting to the root of

things. I love creating spaces and inspiring people!

I see myself acting, producing and di-recting movies in the future. Television

and film is my passion! I love my job!

How do you stay motivated through difficult times?

Prayer! My faith in the almighty god is so strong and

unshaken. I also surround myself with positive people as often as

possible. I speak positive affirma-tions and most times, I take a break

and treat myself! sometimes we just need a bit of space and a change of

scenery to get our groove back.

Do you have a work philosophy?I believe to succeed in life you must have

passion, positive attitude, and a strong work ethic. I believe that I am a hard workingwoman

who takes pride in my accomplishments whether it is something big or small. I have come to the

realization in life there are easy and hard ways to do things, and taking the easy way out is usually not the best. I believe achieving goals that challenge me are the ones that give me the biggest sense of ac-complishments and fulfillment. My ultimate goal is to empower and inspire a generation of women.

Tell us about your background I am Kaduna born and bred. This means that almost all my life is

a product of Kaduna state. I’ve attended schools in Ka-duna rift from Kindergarten to Institu- tion. Did my primary school at Misbahul Islam school, and proceeded to The Corinthians In- ternational schools where I obtained my sec- ondary certificate. My higher education journey started in Kaduna polytechnic where I studied business administration and Management in national Diploma and Purchasing and supply in hnD.

How long have you been an actress and how did it get started?

how I started acting is based on strong inspiration from a particular model of mine. This inspiration was what later culmi-nated into passion and career for me. I had a strong childhood dream to be a dancer and so I developed this strong interest in Indian films and film legends. one of which you might know is Priyanka Cho-pra. she remains my model, I found myself modeling after all she is and gladly, she brought me to this stage I am today. as of screen acting, I wasn’t out there until I met ali nuhu in the year 2013 who came through my family to introduce me to the screen and since then, we have been here.

You were banned from the Hausa film industry Kanny-wood by the Motion Picture Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPPAN) due to an “offensive hug” in a Hausa music video you featured in. What exactly hap-pened?

“If you ask me, na who I go ask.” There are many things that happen only in this part of the world...one of which is that of the suspension of an artist by an art affiliated association which that artist does not belong to, with no written statement to the artist but with words of mouth to the public for the sake of his own arts. everything happened speculatively and as far I am concerned, it remains a speculation.

What lessons did you take from that experience as regards the northern culture and your own personal beliefs?

The only lesson from that bias experience is that, success comes with many hurdles to cross and there is no gain without pain. what happened is like a climbing ladder to a place of greater heights for me. you see, I am well raised, I come from a well disciplined home and I hold that dearly, I don’t need unnecessary molestation from “men” simply because I am a

“woman”. The so-called northern culture is no justice to women and you see, I am a

woman with dreams and aspirations.

What do you love about the make believe life of acting?

I see acting as commit-ment to freedom and

justice with your body, voice and space to

imaging human situa-tions. and as artists we

have the ability to go far beyond limits imposed by

differences/inequalities in or-der to visualize the truth much bigger than our gender, our religion, our race, our place of

origin. what a precious gift we have to make our world a better

place and that’s the noblest gift I can forever thank god for. acting

is imagination and as a little girl growing up amidst strong cultural

bound and religious inclinations, only my imagination taught me that I could

dream. so acting is not just entertain-ment, it’s a tool crucial to virtually every

successful person, movement for social and policy change in our society. I love the process

of making art, it’s a bonding experience; bringing people or situations from different experiences into

a piece. what noble professional brings diverse talents together to do exploits than this. acting is reality!!

How does it feel when the characters you’ve played over-power your real self and people call you by your on-screen

characters?well, that kind of feeling for me is legendary. because when

people tend to embrace a character you play it just goes to say that you killed it (you acted it out perfectly). Take Mama g for instance, just be-

cause people refer to her as thus doesn’t mean Patience ozokwo is gone, rambo, Claude Van Dam to mention but a few...also believe a part of who you are is what you bring to the film scene, acting is just an opportunity to live in another realm and trust me it’s a great liberating feeling!

Is it true that there’s a lot of pressure to change yourself in order to be accepted into the entertainment business?

I don’t know about that but there is no need to succumb to any sort of pressure from anywhere. I work, I believe and I grow in my art.

There are rumors about you having a very intimate scene in a movie called “TATU”. What do you have to say about that?

It wasn’t Me! a body double was used.

What is the hardest part of being a celebrity? ask me again and I would tell you “Privacy”! People tend to

easily forget that celebrities are people too. They want happi-ness, peace, contentment and success just as much as the rest

of people. They also want to be able to experience defeat and victory in private, to be able to have social and political opin-

ions without being judged by the rest of the world.

What advice that would give to a young northern girl who aspires to become a top actress?

any girl should be free to dream, follow her dreams and become the star she wants to. girls, just like boys, are

humans too. The only difference is the gender. There’s always going to be lots of challenges but the most important thing is to be focus and

consistent!! some day, “they” are probably going be proud of you.

I have come to the realization in life that there are easy

and hard ways to do things, and taking the easy way

out is usually not the best. I believe achieving goals that challenge me are the ones

that give me the biggest sense of accomplishments and

fulfillment. My ultimate goal is to empower and inspire a

generation of women.

Acting is imagination and as a little girl growing up amidst

strong cultural bound and religious inclinations, only my imagination taught me

that I could dream. So acting is not just entertainment,

it’s a tool crucial to virtually every successful person, movement for social and

policy change in our society.

RAHAMA SADAU

AWARD WINNING KANNYWOOD,

CAST OF “SONS OF THE CALIPHATE”

C o V e r THISDAY Style Vol. 22, no. 8172 sunday, september 3, 2017

TV PRESENTER ACTRESS

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Try spooning vanilla ice cream out of a little cup while leaning against the kitchen sink. It tastes fine right? But put that same ice cream in a pretty dish, drizzle caramel sauce on top of it and add a few chocolate brownies and voila, it becomes even more appealing. That extra touch creates that wow factor that makes it even more enjoyable. Trust me ladies, it’s exactly the same thing when it comes to our outfits. Here are some ways to take your outfit from nice to wow.

ThatFactor

w ww wO The hat is one wow

fashion accessory that represents class, style, and sophistication. .

hatWear a

The midi skirt continues to stand the test of time likely because of its midiRock a bright

versatility and ultra-ladylike feel. Ranging from just below the knee to right above the ankle, this piece clearly states that looking like a lady is in (yet again!).

If there is one-fashion accessory women should never leave home

The statementpursewithout, it’s their purse. But instead of going for your regular everyday look, make a major fashion statement by grabbing a stylish and standout purse.

make a fashion statement or add a pop of colour to your outfit! If you want a simple look, buy the turbans that are already sewn in a folded pattern. If you are creative you can experiment with tying your own!

Hairchicaccessories

areTurbans are a great way to

By Konye Chelsea nwaBogor

DJ CUPPY

BONING MATHEBA

UGONNA OMERUO

ALERO

STYLE TIP: If you think your outfit looks bland, always add at least one statement piece. It’ll make your outfit go from “nice” to ‘’WOW’’

S T Y L E & d E S i g n THISDAY Style Vol. 22, no. 8172 sunday, september 3, 2017

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yves RoCheR sébo végétal PuRiFying Cleansing gel The no. 1 Cosmetic brand in France, yves rocher is based on the philosophy of botanical beauty and offers a range of skincare and fragrances composed of natural and botanical ingredients for both men and women. sébo Végétal Purifying Cleansing gel perfectly cleanses, rids pores of impurities without drying out the skin, with non-greasy texture. skin is clean, purified and free from excess sebum. It recovers all its freshness.

MandaRine sultane by alexandRe.Jlike a walk in the garden, the new Citrus fragrance for women and men, launched in 2016 is a fruity, flowery fragrance. The mandarin’s freshness merges with the softness of jasmin. with a play on shadow and light, this perfume creates a mosaic of refreshing, sensual andvoluptuous notes, justaposing the facets of mandarin, musk and jasmine.

aMbeR Wood by aJMalFragrance amber woodis from the ajmal w seriescollection which providesthree niche compositions. atrue masterpiece based onextraordinary shades of amber, built around juicy fruit and spices, accentuating apple,white pepper, lavender andcardamom, leading us to the warm heart composed of woody-powdery notes of orris and cedar wood.

CuiR saCRéatelieRdes oRsa designed powerfuland vibrating fragrance,the leathery wood notesglorified with saffronand Vetiver revive thecordovan leather heritage often referred to as goldleather. The beautifulingredients bring a strong and elegant character to Cuir sacré.

aMouageFigment Man by amouageis a oriental woodyfragrance for men.launched in 2017, topnotes are lemon, geraniumand pink pepper; middlenotes are sandalwood,animal notes and vetiver;base notes are labdanum,guaiac wood and earthynotes. recently unveiledat the luxury retail outletMontaigne Place, lagos.

sébo végétal ZeRo bleMish gel CReaM/ 3 in 1 nouRishing CReaM lotion Withoat extRaCt yves rocher absorbs excess sebum, minimizes pores. It smooths imperfections and hydrates for a full 24 hours giving a fresh gel texture. 3 in 1 nourishing Cream lotion with oat extract; This cream features a white, rich formulation that is easily absorbed into the skin to quickly hydrate the skin. It has a subtle fragrance and the oat extract contributes towards softer feeling skin. The lotion’s formula contains more than 94% ingredients of natural origin, is mineral oil free, colorant free and paraben free.

MuRad ClaRiFying toneR The no. 1 Doctors brand with cutting edge results,offers skin care products for all skin types and allskin care concerns. This toner for acne proneskin helps reduce oil and impurities to cool andrefresh blemish-prone skin. This Murad formulafeatures witch hazel to help tighten pores withrefreshing blend of natural botanicals.

ClaRins instant light liP

CoMFoRt oil100% pure plant oils.

Iconic to Clarins, now in anew treatment that

enhances the beauty of lips. a breakthrough

formula resulting from theexpertise of Clarins oils

comforts and nourisheslips with high shine.

Worksbeauty

that

BY MOJISOLA ALLEN

update your daily routine instantly with an impressive range of fascinating and utterly irresistible niche fragrances from the most

prestigious perfumers in the world and amazing tested-and-trusted skincare

products that works.

S T Y L E & d E S i g n THISDAY Style Vol. 22, no. 8172 sunday, september 3, 2017

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