DR TUNDE SOLEYE & NIKE OSINOWO SPEAK- OUR MARRIAGE IS VERY INTACT

Since last month when ex-beauty queen, Nike Osinowo launched her new fitness DVD in Lagos amidst fanfare, the rumor mill has been agog with all sort of negative stories about she and her husband, Dr. Tunde Soleye.
While some claim that Nike’s return to Nigeria, all alone, without her husband, was a sign of trouble that all was not well with her marriage, others have rumored that her husband may have fallen ill and is on admission in a London hospital. And that Nike just abandoned him and move on. So many angles have since been given to the angle. The most shocking of all being the publication of Dr Soleye’s ex-wife’s divorce claims by The Guardian Newspaper, two Saturdays back, in which she dragged Nike into it as having the cause of the collapse of her marriage.
Despite all the stories, City People can authoritatively reveal that all is well with the couple. Last Friday, Dr Soleye , an international business man and Nike spoke to City People jointly from their London base about all the rumor making the rounds, before she flew back to Lagos to continue her business.
It was an angry Nike who spoke to City People saying all that has been written about them in the magazine is not just a lie, but a “big lie”. “I have always told you for a long time that all they write about me in the newspapers is fiction. They are not true. Peolple just sit down and concort all sort of lies. What led to all these reports is because of my new business. They are jealous of the success we are recording and they thing the way to embarrass me is to publish all sorts. The whole rumor is meant to soil my business so that people won’t buy into it, but that is not working because the acceptance is overwhelming. I can tell you my marriage is intact. My husband and I are happy together. My husband is also not sick. He is in good health. Because of my business, I will be shuttling between Lagos and London a lot this year. This year 2010 is my year. My fitness DVD hit the market last month. Then comes my perfumes which I will soon launch, then my hair range of products will come in Easter. So you can see that I am going to be very busy. So, the negative stories are meant to attack my person”
Dr Soleye also reacted to the stories. “I am used to it”, he says. “I am hale and hearty. I am working on a big project here in Europe and I would come back once I am through with it.
The reason I didn’t come with Nike to Nigeria is because what she is doing is solely her own show. It is a Nike Osinowo Incorporated Company not with Tunde Soleye. We both agreed to do it that way. So I don’t have to be there. I am her background supporter. She is my wife. She is also a big brand that does not need me to survive. All the negative stories are been fuelled by my ex-wife and her friends. It is just to try and soil Nike’s name. I am very well and not ill. I have been doing a lot of traveling around Europe. I am in London but I travel round. I have a big project I am overseeing. Once I am through, I will come back to Nigeria”, he explained.

BELLA ADENUGA SET TO WED JAMEEL DISU

At last, Bella, the pretty daughter of the Telecom guru and Globacom Boss, Dr Mike Adenuga will be walking down the aisle with her long time boyfriend, Jameel Disu. The wedding bell will finally toll for the couple, whose relationship had met with a lot of resistance from Bella’s home front, after they got a nod of approval from Bella’s father, Dr Adenuga, agreeing to the nuptial taking place.City People revealed that Bella’s father decision to give her hand out in marriage to Jameel, may not be unconnected with the rumor making the rounds that Bella and Jameel may have legalized their union abroad following the engagement ring Jameel gave to Bella to propose to her last year.
City people gathered that the billionaire however laid down rules on how the wedding which is scheduled to take place in March 2010 will go.
Sources revealed that a pre-wedding part is being planned to hold at the Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, while the groom’s family are said to be sourcing for the Aso-Ebi for the wedding, which insiders alleged will have an exclusive package. We’ll keep you posted on developments.

STAR ACTRESS TONTO DIKE IN HOT ROMANCE WITH SUPER RICH HOLLAND BIG BOY, MAC

Star actress, Tonto Dike is in love again. And this is authoritative. She is presently in a sizzling romance with a rich Holland Big Boy simply called Mac.
And we can authoritatively tell you that it is a romance which is altar-bound. The two lovebirds are happy together, and Tonto is hopeful that it will lead to marriage very soon. And so she is hiding the affair from the prying eyes of her colleagues and media. She is very protective of it. This is also because the handsome dude does not love publicity, but has agreed to let Tonto enjoy the limelight while he keeps a low profile.
This development will definitely not come as a surprise to most fans of the screen diva who has been following her career.This is because apart from her acting career and rapid success which has enjoyed a lot of media attention , another aspect of her life that has made news item is her love life.
Tonto who was the first runner up at the Next Movie Star reality TV show is one actress that has been romantically linked with likes of Don Jazy, Tchidi Chikere, Nonso Diobi, Joseph Agbeko, Van Vicker amongst others, within her short entrant into the movie industry. The gist of her romance with Don Jazy was widely spread as she even acknowledged him in some of the interviews she granted , refering to him as her boyfriend. The romance was widely celebrated before it hit the rocks.
Shortly after her breakup with Don Jazzy, she was alleged to have dated the movie producer, Tchidi Chikere and that may explain why she does get lead roles in most of his movie, but the plum and petite actress was quick to deny having any romantic link with the producer saying that Tchidi is more like a big brother and mentor to her. Tonto has also been linked to a Ghanian actor and producer, Joseph Agbeko whom he met during one of her trips to Ghana to shoot her movie. Another famous Nigerian actor who has been linked to her is Nonso Diobi, though she also denied and claimed it was just a mere working relationship with no strings attached.
But what might surprise a lot of people this time around is the fact that despite all the allegations and romance tales trailing Tonto, she might be walking down the aisle with Mac, her new found love very soon. This is because they are both serious about their affair and flaunt their affection towards each other without hesitation.The new love of her life, Mac hails from Edo state, but based in Holland. He is one of the top player in the Holland business circuit.
They both met couple of months back during one of Mac’s trip to Nigeria and it was more of love at first sight as they both fell head over heels the moment they met. And ever since then, they have been stepping out together at different places as well as hanging out together as some of the hang outs in Lagos. Theirt regular spot is the Coliseum Night Club located at Opebi, Lagos as the guy is one of the popular faces at this club.
The guy has also been spoiling her silly with cash and gifts. The bond between them is so stong that they can hardly stay apart from each other for a long while.
There was even an instance of the guy canceling one of his trips back to Holland just to enable him spend more time with the actress at her Lekki apartments.Not only that, Tonto has also been shuttling between Nigeria and Amsterdam to visit the love of her life.
A close friend of Tonto says, they strongly believe that this might just be the final romance that might lead Tonto to the altar because she is flaunting her relationship with Mac in a big way, unlike her usual self who prefers to shield her love life from the prying eyes. She now readily introduces Mac as the love of her life, at every given opportunity. She has also given a couple of her friends a hint that she might be getting married very soon, reason been that she absolutely convinced that the guys loves her so much judging from the way he shows affection and love to her. The lovebirds are having the best of time together

LAGOS COMEDIENNE, HELEN PAUL, SET TO WED

When the news broke that Helen Paul, the award winning female comedienne and Broadcaster will be getting married 2 months from now, the first reaction from people was, “so this small girl is getting married”. Since her emergence on the showbiz scene, Helen Paul’s petite stature and baby voice have been working wonders for her. Unknown to many; she is actually in her late 20s, which makes her very ripe for marriage. Helen has actually done her family introduction couple of months back and will be finally walking down the aisle with her beau in April. When City People spoke to her last week, she also confirmed the news of her forthcoming marriage and revealed that she is very excited about it.
The couple-to-be has an interesting love story. Helen fiancé, Oluwafemi, a Lawyer, practicing in Lagos has always been there for her, like a father figure for her. Even in the first interview she granted City People last year when she won the New Face of Comedy, she acknowledge Oluwafemi as playing a very supportive role in her life, though at the time, she didn’t mention that there was more to their relationship . Even though they hardly step out together at events, he has been a major figure in her life.
According to her, it’s hard for her to say; “oh this is how or where we met because she had always known him. Hear her, “I have always known him, he is more like a big brother to me. But we started dating 5 years ago, and he proposed one and half years ago, that was when our relationship took another turn and we started courting. We have actually finally finalized all marriage preparation as regards meeting both families and all that, the last one is the white wedding which will be taking place in April in Lagos”
For her, her beau is a perfect picture of her ideal man as he possesses all the qualities she had always wanted in the man she would spend the rest of her life with. First and foremost, he is God-fearing, hard-working, focused, and just like a small daddy to her.
So how easy was it for him to convince her to marry him, since she is now a star making waves on the entertainment scene. She answered, “It was easy for him. I don’t even see myself as a star ye, my career is just picking up and am not even there yet. For instance who knows about me in Ibadan, Port-Harcourt or in other parts of the country aside Lagos. So why should I allow that to get into my head. I am a rising star, and even at that, it can’t come between me and my marriage. The bible even said that he that finds a wife finds a good thing. So I am very happy, that means I am a good thing.”
Preparation for the wedding ceremony has started as the 2 different types of Aso-ebi , Ankara and Swiss Lace have started going round for circulation. According to what was gathered, several University of Lagos babes and guys are really planning a surprise package for Helen, who is a final year student at the University. She is well loved on the campus by friends, lecturers and acquaintances. Although she is a popular face on the campus, most people believe she is lovable personality and down-to-heart. Despite her achievements, she has never exhibited pride on campus and she is still her natural self. That is why they want to go at any length to make the day a memorable one for her.
Helen Paul who came into limelight about 2 years ago has been privileged to feature in some of the A-list events such as Fashion shows, Birthdays, Corporate and Entertainment events and a host of others. She has suddenly become the toast of all. One final question that this reporter put to her is, since she is just launching out her career, doesn’t she think getting married at this point might affect her fast rising career which still needs some attention? She answered thus, “It is written that anyone that finds a wife will find favor, so I believe this favor will make my career and marriage work together for good. It is further said in the bible that my marriage is a blessing. Moreover, if you marry your friend and brother and not just someone that marries you because of your physical attributes, there won’t be problems. In marriage, you have to marry someone that is better and more mature than you; he should be your mentor. He is indeed the head in the right term and action and not just a figure head. With that, I don’t have to struggle with him on anything. He is more like a small daddy, which means that he believes in my goals and aspirations, so the support just come naturally .So I don’t believe getting married now will affect my career, it will even take it to another level as two-heads are better than one.”

GRACE EGBAGBE & FLORENCE ITA GIWA MAKE UP AFTER 4 YEARS

This is the news of how 2 of Nigeria’s leading celebrity women have made up after 4 years old rift. It is the story of former NTA Director; Grace Egbagbe who now lives in the US with her 2 kids where she owns a sprawling home, and Senator Florence Ita-Giwa who is one of Nigeria’s richest female celebrities.
Unknown to many people, both Grace and Florence have not enjoyed a great relationship for about 4 years now, in actual fact since both of them left public office. Although the cause of the cold war was not clear to many, they just kept avoiding themselves. And when they meet at high profile parties, they keep each other at arms length. Throughout their rift, they both refused to talk about it giving rumors monger a field day. What didn’t know was because Grace relocated to the US shortly after she retired from NTA. But each time she was in town and they met at functions, they always kept a distance.
Grace and Ita-Giwa are super rich and powerful women who have style and class. So getting one to make overtures was difficult. But we can reveal authoritatively that the fight is over. Both have now started going out together. Last week, they were seen having launch together on the Island after which they went shopping. We hear that what led to their fights were the stories being carried about by their friends. They have since compared notes and have seen through all the stories peddled about them.

10 TIPS ON HOW TO LOOK YOUNGER & LIVE YOUNGER- ARINOLA ADENIYI

A lot of people don’t know that they have 2 types of age, this is the chronological age which is your birthday, and you can’t change that. Then there is the biological age which is the age inside, that is the age of your body system. It is safer when your biological age is 10 years younger than your chronological age, but interestingly, the reversal is the case in Nigeria. Studies have revealed that 70% of Nigerians are actually living on an unsafe path as their biological age is far higher than their chronological age. This is because of the lifestyle of most Nigerians and also ignorant on most of the people path as most of us are not health conscious. Recently, The CEO of Venivici Beauty Spa, Arinola Adeniyi who runs one of the hottest and most respected spas on Victoria Island Lagos, was in Europe were she undertook a course on the Age Reversal Therapy. This course outline opened her eyes on a lot of health related issues ignored by Nigerians, and coming back home she incorporated this new therapy into her vast line of business at the beginning of the year. The therapy had to do with a biometric test which once conducted reveals a 5-6 pages of the individual lifestyle report .In this interview with City People Fashion Editor BOLA AKINBOADE on why a lot of Nigerians age is higher than their chronological and tips on what they can do to look younger.

You have been doing a lot lately, what have you been up to?
At Venivici, we provide holistic care service in an oasis of transliquity and serenity. Emphasis at the spa is on preventive health as well as health and beauty enhancement. We have really concentrated on the preventive side of things that is why we have the biological age testing, we have the colon irrigation which is also an anti-ageing treatment, we have added diet and nutrition so that people don’t just remove the toxin, and all the years of waste, they also know what to put back. The greatest challenges today are pollution and stress, so our focus has been on that. Because Toxins can lead to a lot of other different problems, so we have really focused on those 2 challenges that people are facing, and we are working around trying to help them and get better achieved result and be healthier

You have also been traveling a lot these days, going in out of the country. What have you been doing on the international scene?
On the international scene, it’s either am attending a course or an exhibition, health and wellness exhibition. Like I keep saying, health and wellness is a fast growing industry, everybody has suddenly woken up and realized they can do something about their health, even organization are doing something about their health. So I have been in school a lot lately, I just finished my training as a Corporate Wellness Coach, so I can also do intervention for corporate organizations, help them with their lifestyle challenges because sometimes when you do it as a group, and you take the biometrics, the difference readings when you started, and the duration is 90 days, by the time we are leaving, when we take it again, we will obviously see the positive trends. And there is always a reminder, as a coach, you call up to follow up, how they are doing, find out where they have missed it, its just about encouraging them . And for the organization, it works out cheaper, because medical bills will reduce, it will motivate their staffs, so productivity is increased, morale is boosted, and their medical bills are reduced. And you find out that even for organization, that have post the burden of the medical bills to their staffs, you find out that, these staffs are no longer going to the hospital. So if they take it as a corporate wellness goal, they can actually help them achieve improve their bottom line, productivity, improve staff morale, and reduced medical bills.

Apart from being a corporate coach, from your last trip, what latest technique are you incorporating into your business?
Its diet and nutrition, corporate wellness, and in January, we started the biological age testing which is also an Age Reversal Therapy.

Can you talk briefly on your new diet and nutrition therapy?
Diet and Nutrition, we all know what to eat, and what not to eat, but then, it’s a training, you are more aware, ok I need to introduce supplementary, you now know how to help you client better because you are giving them a one-on-one attention, not just drink 8 glasses of water a day, eat lots of vegetables, and fruits. We all know that, but you now take the individuals; you want to find out where they are eating, to know what you can introduce to them. You adapt their diet to their lifestyle. So you are working one-on-one with the person, we work with you for a 90 days period because that is how long it takes for the red cells to change, and then it now becomes a life style and you can go on your own. So we work with individuals so that the person now knows what they can do better, so its not one jacket, we adapt it to suit the person.

And what does the program aims to achieve? Do you aim to achieve a slimmer person or what?
Its not so much slim but healthier, but there is no way you wont get rid of some excess kilos and not be fine.

Let’s also talk about the age reversal therapy; can you shed more light on it?
We can all look younger longer, and you have to do something about it. Your biological age is the age inside, the age of your system while your chronological age is your real age, and the aim is to keep your biological age 10years lower than your real age. Because studies have shown that in 70% of people, their biological age is older than their chronological age. And its all about lifestyle, and with that test, we are giving you different parameters, your blood pressure, DMI, as well as Arterial stiffness, that is how hard your arteries are, because it’s the arteries that carries the flow of blood to the different parts of the body , and when your arteries are hard, it means the blood is not flowing properly, and certain part of the organ is not receiving the blood as it is supposed to and that can lead either heart attack or all sort of challenges. So you have to make sure there is enough oxygen in the system. And when you now get your result, it will give you the 5-6 page lifestyle report advising you on what you can now do thereafter.
So you have the lifestyle report and you then follow it

Most of the time, when you see some people, they look older than their real age, is that the cause
Probably, if you do alcohol, you don’t get enough rest, you are not exercising, eat a lot of fatty foods, you are not supplementing, its all lifestyle related. If you are doing the right thing, you are hydrating well, you are drinking the right amount of water, you are not doing cigarettes, and you are not doing alcohol, so it’s all about lifestyle really

How do you then achieve the age reversal thing, does have to be through the use of a machine?
No it’s a software, and then we take your biometrics, your blood pressure, the same software will give us your body mass as well as your arterial stiffness. And then we now get the 5 page report on where you are at. It’s not a diagnosis, it’s just the state of your health, but we don’t make any medical claims, we are not allowed to make any medical claims.

So what next when you get your result?
You now know what is wrong, if your biological age is higher than your chronological age, of which 70% of the population falls into that. You need to be worried. You can be 40 years old and your biological age is 57 years old, you need to do something fast. That means your system is older than your real you. But when you imbibe the healthier lifestyle options that the report will give you, you can now begin to reduce

So what are those tips on how to look younger longer?
Hydration, you need to take plenty of water. Water keeps your skin hydrated which helps plump your face up, thus reducing the appearance of wrinkles and taking years off your appearance.
Exercise to keep a youthful glow. Aim for cardiovascular workouts about five times a week for at least twenty or thirty minutes and strength training three to four times a week
Work your heart. Cardiovascular exercise, also known as aerobic exercise is a workout that makes your heart muscle pump a little harder for a period of time. By keeping the heart muscle in shape, it is less likely to deteriorate. By keeping the heart muscle strong and pumping, blood pressure is lowered and blood flows to more places in the body. Blood flow to the skin, the brain and the digestive system are healthy, there youthful body attributes.
You need to avoid Smoking; it increases free radicals, which leads to cell death, it wrecks your lungs so you can't exercise and it affects your social life. Basically, smoking puts fine layer of filth on your skin. Without this been removed, it contributes to premature ageing, increased wrinkling, risk of cancer, and the fact that that it makes you way older than your real age.
You need to avoid Alcohol; fun as drinking is, too much of it can also make you look old and fast! Like it or not, there is a clear and proven link between alcohol and premature ageing.
Get enough sleep. Most people need between seven and nine hours a night. To properly calculate what you need on a week off from work, fall asleep and wake up naturally
Manage stress and keep a positive outlook. Stress can wear you down both mentally and physically, so keeping it under control can keep it from showing on your body. Take a few deep breaths daily to help you slow down.
Include lots of colorful vegetables in your diet, especially orange and yellow ones, which are a high source of beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant which means it can fight free radicals in the body. It helps the body's cells stay on a normal healthy path rather than wander off and die or become cancerous. Beta carotene also is converted into vitamin A, which helps keep your skin young and your eyes working.
You need to avoid Fatty foods; These basically make you fat and being overweight makes you look older.
Caffeine; There is a little hard evidence that caffeine does you harm, but look at it a different way. No one denies lack of sleep ages you, so Caffeine hurts you by letting you cut corners. Where you might just go to sleep after a busy week, caffeine lets you hit the town and go to work 4 hours later. Sounds good doesn’t it? Well its not. Your skin needs time to rejuvenate; shed old skin cells and replace them; that is what sleep is for, to repair your body. Caffeine can dehydrate us and this is very bad for our skin. Caffeine elevates cortisol so avoiding caffeine can help you reduce your stress and this reduces ageing.
Eat your essential fatty acids. It is recommended that you eat fish twice a week to get enough omega-3, omega-6 and DHA into the body. It helps cells be flexible and permeable and has been shown to be an important part of the cells of the nervous system, blood vessels and skin. That means they help with the wrinkles and the brains.
Be young. Laugh, dance, visit, and explore new things. Attitude is everything.

Your spa has won couple of awards now, how does that makes you feel? Also you are always in the spotlight, you have never been off the scene and there is always something new coming out from your stable?
It gives us more responsibility because we do not want to fall lower than where we are. It shows that somebody somewhere is watching, so we want to always remain the best, we need to do more work to make sure that we do not disappoint our people and we are delivery on our promises. It actually put more work on you because you can’t afford to do less than where you are. If you want to do more, you want to make sure you maintain your standard; you want to add more value to their lives and their well being, into their well ness and health. And what we do is to make sure that we keep abreast of what is happening on the global scene, we make sure to try to bring in what is new, what people are doing to feel better, what the new options are and all of that, you we keep it fresh and new. And we add value to people’s health and wellness

So you have been able to consistently maintain your client base over the years, how were you able to achieve that?
It’s just saying ok, we are happy with you, and they come back, and they bring their friends and families. We must be giving them what they want, we must be delivering, because if don’t have value when they come here, they wont come back, so I believe we deliver on our services, and they are seeing the benefits. It’s not just coming here; it’s not a frivolous thing. I tell people, going to the spa is not a fad, it’s a lifestyle, once you get the result, you see the benefit, and it’s also very therapeutic, it’s not just an indulgent visit. And they are getting value for it, they feel better. If they come here with a back pain, we are able to do something about it, if you are stressed; you go out laughing and dancing, and feel good. You have issues, we are able to detoxify you, you have challenge, and we are able to do something about it. And there is something for everybody at Venivici, young, old, male, female, white, black, Caucasian, there is something for everybody

What new thing should we expecting from Venivici?
We have always kept abreast of what is going on, we will try and bring it closer to the people, before people had to travel to do their facials and all that, so we are bringing it closer to the people, its cheaper, you don’t have to pay your fat money and the standards are the same. We don’t compromise on our products, on what we use, on service delivery, and professional competent. Also this year, we plan to do a quarterly program on health and wellness, giving something back to the society, we are going to be creating a lot of more awareness because a lot of people don’t even know the work we are supposed to be doing and how to go about it. They have a challenge and they don’t what to do. And a lot of people believe that spas are too expensive and can’t even afford it, so when we invite them for program like this, they will be able to get ideas

ZEBRA LIVING SET TO OPEN LIFE HOUSE

Come the 28th of feb, Ugomma Ebilah would be officially launching her Fashion studio amongst other lifestyle outfits called the Life House. The event which would see the victoria island outlet officially open for the first time ever since their numerous shows ther, it would also reveal the many sides of Zebra Living.

ZEBRA LIVING
Zebra Living is the ultimate one-stop shop for all things stylish and sophisticated, from fashion to interior décor, from wellness to travel, from events to popular culture. Zebra is not just a brand, but an exquisite way of life – that of the sophisticated, vibrant, trendy 21st century woman.
Proudly Nigerian, and with a growing clientele base in West Africa, Europe and North America, Zebra Living offers women of all sizes, races and ages unique and affordable readymade fashion pieces produced to the highest quality.
Zebra’s fabulous fashion pieces have not only adorned the windows of our trendy downtown boutique and wardrobes of many stylish modern women but also the glossy pages of leading fashion and life style magazines, with Genevieve, True Love, Elan and Haute, amongst numerous others, as well as the hottest fashion ‘blogazines’ like Bella Naija, Fashion Africa and Ladybrille

ZEBRA WOMAN
Zebra woman is confident, classy, fashion forward. A true trendsetter, she does not follow in anyone’s footsteps but sets her own standards of style when it comes to fashion. Cool and confident, she is equally at ease in her vibrant print dresses or tailored office wear. A modern urbanite, she celebrates her unique style with Zebra’s versatile and affordable ‘fashion art’ infused with African spirit.

ZEBRA VISION
Zebra Living aims to shake up the scene of what constitutes style and make living means more than just existence, but a fashionable Zebra living experience.
With an amazing variety of styles across four core sub-labels, Zebra Pink Label, Zebra Brown Label, Zebra Black Label and Zebra Limited Edition, Zebra aims to appeal to every budget and every taste. With a dazzling array of vibrant prints and fabrics, Zebra guarantees one‐of‐a‐kind fashion pieces, seamlessly merging affordability with distinctive style.

@ THE MNET FACE OF AFRICA 2010

GUESTS @ THE MNET FACE OF AFRICA 2010

BLOW-BY-BLOW ACCOUNT OF THE MNET FACE OF AFRICA 2010

On Saturday February 6, 2010 , the grand finale of the MNET Face of Africa show was held in Nigeria at the exhibition centre of the Eko Hotel and Suite, Victoria Island, Lagos where a Zambian Model, Lukando emerged the winner. The event which recorded an impressive turnout of fashion buffs from different part of the world was aired live from Lagos to 47 African countries. It was indeed a night of high glitz and glamour as the show was well organized to international standard. City People Fashion Editor, BOLA AKINBOADE, brings you a blow by blow account of this prestigious event.

WAS A CLASSY EVENT
It was magic, that is the best way to describe the setting, the technicalities and the opulent décor at the recently held MNET Face of Africa grand finale. The event had a lot of mind blowing and innovative concepts that dazzled the guests. The event was well planned and also highly attended by prominent personalities in the society who came from far and near to be part of this year’s grand finale. It was truly a night of glitz and glamour at the Eko Hotel Exhibition Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos with show stopping outfits from 10 of Nigeria’s most illustrious designers. These include Zizi Cardow, Frank Osodi, Odio Mimonet, Fati Asibelua, Folake Folarin Coker, Ituen Basi, Adebayo Jones, Lanre Da Silva, Lisa Folawiyo, and Yemi Oshikoya. The night also showcased two of the brightest fashion talents from East and Southern Africa- Kenya’s John Kayeke and South Africa star David Tlale. And also on the runway was 2010 cruise collections from international designers like Emmanuel Ungaro, Versace and Christian Lacroix. Apart from the breathe taking pieces, the night also features entertaining performances from South African songstress, Lira and Nigeria Koko master, Dbanj. And after a stiff competition among the contestants, a 22-year-old Lukando Nalungwe from Zambia joined the exclusive group of winners when she was named the eighth and newest M-Net Face of Africa. And judging from the success of the event, it is one event that will not be easily forgotten on the social scene

WHY FACE OF AFRICA CAME TO NIGERIA.
The MNET Face of Africa was hosted in Lagos for the very first time. Apart from the fact that Nigeria is one of Africa’s biggest countries, one of the reasons the organizer hosted the show in Nigeria is because Nigeria was the first country to produce the first MNET Face of Africa, Oluchi Onweagba-Orlandi who they are still very proud off even till date. And when the decision came to host the model search here came up, every member of the team just supported the idea. And the fact that Oluchi has also made Nigeria as one of Africa’s best model made the decision a very easy one. Though most of the technical ideas came from South Africa, they also worked hand in hand with the brilliant experts in Nigeria.

THE UNIQUENESS OF THE HALL SETTING
Re-invention and innovation are hot buzzwords to describe the MNET Face of Africa 2010, a two-hour show,beamed live from Lagos to 47 countries across Africa. M-Net presented a bold new vision for the Face of Africa Final opting for an edgier version of a traditional runway show and presenting the models on a black, floor-based runway in a contemporary warehouse.
With the venue of the finale themed to resemble the loading warehouse of an art museum, where precious gallery pieces are prepared for display, the staging included massive cargo boxes stamped with African designs in extra-ordinary sizes of gold frames that showcased the fashion and the finalists. Packaging tape demarcating the runway from the show, seated guests, with warehouse hazards light dotting the entire length of the runway on both sides. It was a uniquely fresh approach to showcasing Afro-chic expression.

MEET THE COMPERES
The comperes for the event were both international acts as they were both flown into the country to anchor the show. This great event was hosted by Fareed Khimani of Studio 53 and Kaone Kario.
Fareed Khimani is arguably the best male presenter in Kenya. The studio 53 presenter has attained a celebrity status and has become a force to reckon with in that terrain. He is well loved and one thing that stands him out apart from his accent is his dexterity. He also has charisma and charming personale to hold his viewers spellbound.
While Kaone Kario is a former winner of the MNET Face of Africa modeling competition. The Botswana tall and lanky model emerged the MNET Face of Africa 5 years ago and ever since then, her modeling career has been on the rise.
They were both a perfect hosts at the event as they display high professionalism.

MEET THE TOP 10 FINALISTS
The M-NET Face of Africa search kicked off last year with over 400 models registering for participation. And after rigorous screening process, 24 models from 16 countries made it to the boot camp. But the screening did not end there as they still had to go through a tough week of tasks which 12 made it to participate in the prestigious Swahili Fashion Week.
At the Swahili Fashion Week in Dar es Salaam, two more models were eliminated and the top 10 were confirmed. The top 10 finalist for the MNET Face of Africa 2010 include ; Rosanna Hall (Nigeria), Blessing Bassey (Nigeria), Diana Nekoye Sifuna( Kenya), Ernania Rainha Manuel ( Mozambique), Luvuvamu Esperan a Vemba (Angola), Lilian Alphonce Mduda ( Tanzania), Lukando Nalungwe(Zambia), Marvis Chinelo Offor ( Nigeria), Thembi (South Africa) and Tholakele Dlamini (Zimbabwe).

AN IMPRESSIVE PANEL OF JUDGES
The panel of judges for the MNET Face of Africa 2010 was an impressive one. They were selected from a vast range of people that mattered in the Fashion, Beauty and Modeling Industry from all over the Africa. The panel of judges were:Iman, the founder and CEO of IMAN cosmetics, an international super model, actress and beauty industry pioneer; Ndukka Obaigbena, THISDAY newspaper editor-in-chief and chairman; Oluchi Onweagba- Orlandi, the winner of the first MNET face of Africa; Megan Kruger, director of the shine group, show producer and stylists; Helen Jennings, editor of ARISE magazine dedicated to celebrating African achievement in fashion, music, culture and politics; Josie Borain, south African super model; David Tlale, South Africa top designer and John Kaveke, Kenya top designer

ABIOLA ALABI A PERFECT HOST
The MD of MNET Nigeria, Biola Alabi worked with the best hands in the event and fashion industry to ensure the success of the event. She played the role of the perfect host to all the delegates who stormed the country from all the different part of Africa and ensured that they were treated to a first class reception. At the show, she was also not found wanting as she did a brilliant job in ensuring that everything went smoothly.

LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT PLAYED A PROMINENT ROLE
The Lagos state government played a major role towards the success of this year’s event. Being the host state, a lot of efforts were put in to make sure that the event lived up to its billing. In a goodwill message sent by Governor Fashola and played on the screen at the event, he said he is proud to host the continent’s number one model search and delighted to play a part in the prestigious Face of Africa competition. The state also showcased talented fashion designers at the grand event.
And though the governor couldn’t make it due to circumstances beyond his control, he sent a powerful delegation representing him at the event.

JAN MALAN PRODUCED THE SHOW
One of the reasons that might explain the success of the event is the fact that it was produced by one of the best fashion producer in Africa, Jan Malan.
Having started his career 16 years ago, Jan Malan is one of the leading fashion show producers in Africa. He has risen to become the most sought after in this field and he is associated with excellence and perfection. Notably, Jan Malan has staged fashion and beauty shows in more than twelve countries worldwide, including exotic locations such as Cairo, Nice and Dar-Es-Salaam. His vision and talent spearheaded the highly successful Face of Africa model search. Interestingly, he has been the producer of this prestigious modeling search since inception no wonder it keeps getting better with each passing year, and this year’s event was indeed mind blowing.


DBANJ STOLE THE SHOW
Give it to Dapo Oyebanjo, popularly known as Dbanj; he is one guy that knows how to thrill his guests’ any day and any time. D'banj is known as an energetic, charismatic and infectious live performer.With him on the stage, there is no dull moment as he will turn up the heat in the house. And this was what he did at the MNET Face of Africa’s event as he thrilled the guests with his brillant and exciting performance . He perfrormed 3 of his hit tracks, “Ogbono Feli Feli”, “Suddenly” and “Fall in Love”.

SOUTH AFRICAN SOUL QUEEN, LIRA PERFORMS
Another sensational singer who performed to the delight of the guests was South African Soul Queen, Lira Molapo popularly known as Lira. She one of the new rave of the moment in South Africa. She was shot into limelight 3 years ago and has numerous awards to her credit. Lira is known for eclectic sounds comprising elements of Afro-pop, R&B and jazz.

KATE MENSAH FINAL ASSIGNMENT
Tall and lanky Kate Mensah won the coveted Face of Africa crown in 2009. The dark complexion model from Ghana was also at the event to perform her last duty before she finally bade her farewell as the reigning queen. Adorned in an outfit made by Ghana’s foremost designer, Kofi Ansah, she announced the top 5, which include: Rosanna Hall (Zimbabwe), Thembi Kobedi(South Africa), Ernania Rainha Manuel(Mozambique), Marvis Chinelo Offor(Nigeria) and Lukando Nalungwe(Zambia)

OLUCHI’S SUPPORTIVE ROLE
Oluchi Onweagba-Orlandi played a very big role in the success of this year’s event. She has been actively involved right from the commencement of the screening of the girls. And even though she was one of the panel of judges at the event, she was shuttling between the hall and back stage to ensure that everything ran smoothly. She also announced the winner of MNET Face 2010, Zambian girl; Lukando Nalungwe and why she was the winner of the competition. According to her, the final assessment was not based on the catwalk show of that day, as it also had to do with all the accumulated marks from their 6 months camp. Oluchi also gave the winner a 3 years contract at her modeling agency, O’Models based in South –Africa

MO ABUDU’S KINKY AFRO LOOK
Celebrity Talk Show host, Mosunmola Abudu popularly known as MO Abudu has been versatile with her looks these days. The interesting thing is that these looks are always a total transformation of her as it keeps revealing her other side. At the MNET Face of Africa, she stunned everybody with her big Afro look complemented with her lovely short dress.

THE CELEBRITY COUPLES IN THE HOUSE
The event witnessed some celebrity couples who stepped out together to grace the occasion. They were in each other’s company all through the night and also had fun at the party. Notable among these celebrity couples at the event include the likes of Eyimofe Atake and wife, Dorothy; Olu Jacobs and Joke Silva, Darey Art Alade and Wife; Alibaba and Wife, Mary; Funmi Aoyefiyebi and husband; Segun Oniru and wife amongst others.

MOWUNMI AKINIFESI RESURFACE
Ex –Beauty Queen, Mowunmi Akinifessi has been off the scene for quite sometime. This is because she traveled out of the country towards the end of last year to take some courses on Event Planning and Coordination. The MNET Face of Africa is one of the first major events she has graced ever since she returned to the country. She looked lovely in a long dress made by award winning designer, Mai Atafo.

ADEBAYO JONES FLEW IN FROM LONDON
The MNET Face of Africa did not only record the presence of designers from different part of Africa, but also Nigerian designers making waves abroad. One of Nigerian designers who came from London is Adebayo Jones. He was among the 10 designers who did the opening shot. Adebayo who focuses primarily on occasion/formal wear and wedding dresses, did not deviate from his signature as that was evident in his design showcased at the show. It was clean lines, expert tailoring and precision finishing.

……..AND YEMI OSHIKOYA TOO
Another brilliant Nigerian designer who was also brought in by MNET was award winning designer, Yemi Oshikoya of Kosibah creations. This UK based designer is an expert in lovely evening and wedding dresses.His signature use of corsetry and draping creates gowns that flatter and enhance every woman's figure no matter her size or shape.
He designed the lovely evening dress worn by the winner of the model search, Lukando.

SPECIAL EFFECT BY OPEN HANDS
The technical and logistic team was brought in from South-Africa and other part of the world to give the event an international flavour. One event outfit that also gained prominence at the event was Event Décor outfit, Open hands owned by Akin and Yinka Ariyo. They added a special effect with their lights. And the outfit was also in charge of the decoration of the hall where the After Party held at the same premises of Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

RUTH OSIME AND FRIENDS
Thisday Style Editor, Ruth Osime was very visible at the event. It wasn’t long before the reason became obvious. She came not to only grace the occasion but also to give support to her boss, Nduka Obageina who was part of the panel of judges at this year’s event. She was in the company of her friends, Nkiru Animudu, Daisy Danjuma and others. She arrived the venue some minutes before them and got a nice spot for all of them. They all had fun together all through the evening.


BETWEEN ERELU ABIOLA DOSUNMU AND PRINCESS LATIFAH LAMALIATE
The ever regal, Erelu Abiola Dosunmu was also at the event. She was in the company of Lagos creative designer, Princess Latifah Lamaliate, who is fast becoming her new adopted daughter as they are always at some of the A-class events together. Erelu Abiola who was calm at the event enjoyed herself.

ABAH FOLAWIYO HONOURS MNET
Lagos foremost designer and the wife of the late Baba Adinni of Lagos, Princess Abah Folawiyo, was also at the event. She came in the company of her friend, Mrs Yewande Onirele. For quite sometimes, Princess Abah has been less visible as she rarely attends parties these days. But she was present at the MNET since she is one of the doyens of the fashion industry.

AKIN ARIYO COMES WITH DAUGHTER
Unknown to a lot of people, the Open Hands Boss, Akin Ariyo actually has a daughter who is South-Africa based super-model. Her first daughter, Deola Ariyo actually represented Nigeria at the 2005 Nokia face of Africa. She did so well at the competition even though she didn’t clinch the crown, it has opened several doors for her. She is based in South Africa making giant strides in the modeling industry there, and she was part of the delegates who came in from South-Africa to assist in the production of the show since Nigeria is her home country. She worked in hand-in-hand with Jan Malan who produced the show.

AN ARRAY OF NOLLYWOOD STAR
Even though the event had a lot of people that matter in the fashion, beauty and modeling industry in attendance, Nollywood stars were not left out as they all added glamour to the event with their stunning outfits.These include the likes of Stephanie Okereke, Omotola Jolade, Ramsey Noah, Mike Ezunroye, Olu Jacobs,Joke Silva and others.

ABOUT THE ZAMBIAN WINNER
22-year-old Lukando Nalungwe from Zambia was crowned the winner after varied segments of catwalk and runway. The striking model won a prize cash of USD 50 000 from M-Net along with a modeling contract from O Model Africa and skincare products for 12 months from Iman Cosmetics. She stood tall after a stiff competition from the other 4 runner ups; Tholakele (South Africa), Rosanna (Zimbabwe), Ernania (Mozambique) and Marvis (Nigeria).
Lukundo was ecstatic and speechless when she was announced the winner as tears of joy flowed freely from her eyes.
The 22-year-old was born in Kabwe, Zambia. She is currently studying for a certificate in business administration at the Zambia Centre for Accountancy Studies.

ABOUT THE AFTER PARTY
After the modeling competition, the guests were ushered into a beautifully decorated arena for the after party which also took place at the same premises of the Eko Hotel and Suite, Victoria Island, Lagos. They were treated to sumptuous meal and variety of drinks. The height of it is the dance session, as the guests loosen up and had so much fun.

ROLL CALL
Notable among those who graced the occasion include the likes of Erelu Abiola Dosunmu, Princess Abah Folawiyo, Daisy Danjuma, Ifeoma Williams,Ruth Osime, MO Abudu , Lanre Da Silva, Nkiru Animudu, Segun Oniru and wife, Yetunde Allen, Lisa Folawiyo, Mike Ezunroye, Frank Osodi, Toba Gold, Lexy Mojo Eyes, Basket Mouth, Adebayo Jones, Yemi Oshikoya, Funmi Victor Okigbo, Odio Minomet, Ibidun Ajayi-Ighodalo, Remi Lagos, Folake Folarin Coker, Funmi Iyanda, Nikky Khiran, Dele Momodu, Funmi Ayofiyebi , Alli Baba and wife, Eunice Efole, Princess Latifah Lamaliate, Omowunmi Akinifesi, ,Mrs Onirele, Ou Jacobs and Joke Silva, Akin Ariyo, Omotola Ekeinde, Munachii Abi, Banke Meshida Lawal, Tee A, Ramsey Noah, Darey art alade and wife, The Ibru Sisters and others

WHATS UP WITH STEPHANIE OKEREKE AND LAGOS BIG BOY, LINUS IDAHOSA

Since Nollywood diva, Stephanie Okereke marriage to former Super Eagle player husband, Chikelu Iloenyosi crashed two years ago; she has not been romantically linked to any other man, not until recently when the news of her alleged relationship to an emerging Lagos big boy broke. The latest gist about her right now is her sizzling romance with Linus Idahosa, and both of them have been spotted at major event. Her new found love, Linus is a CNN Media consultant and the MD of Del- York International which is a media and marketing communications company that offers services that range from advertising, film production, events planning, to digital design and broadcast communication.
Their alleged love affair started after an accident which the actress had few years ago on her way to Bayelsa State to attend the African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) where she sustained injuries. Linus who read about her predicament in papers promptly came to her rescue. After she was given some kinds treatment at one hospital in Port- Harcourt, Stephanie was flown abroad for proper treatment. Though Stephanie was given a huge support by her State government, Linus was also very supportive during that trying periods.
After that magnanimous gesture, both of them started getting close and a cordial relationship soon developed, but it wasn’t serious since she was still happily married to her husband then. But it wasn’t long after the accident crisis that her marriage also started experiencing some hiccups. And when the Stephanie couldn’t bear it any longer; she sought for the dissolution of her marriage to Chikelu. She claimed that her ex-husband had extra marital affair. She packed out of the house and move into her sister apartment in Lekki in Lagos.
It was a big blow to this Imo State born actress at that time, but she did pull through and went low key for a while. Linus was also a shoulder to lean on at that point.
Steadily, she put through. Her first breakthrough after her marriage crisis came when she released her movie, “Through the Glass”, which gave her reason to be happy once again as the film was rated as a World Class Movie, a development that has brought a lot of money into her pocket. It was a big come back for her. Since then, she hasn’t looked back. She has been very radiant and gradually finding her feet back.
But it wasn’t long that it came to the fore that the success of her movie is not the only reason for the glint in Stephanie eyes recently, she has also fallen in love again and this cute dude makes her life happy.
There have been various instances of these two lovebirds stepping out together as they have been having loads of fun visiting places together. The duo was first scene together last November when Stephanie came to pick him up at the Airport on a trip home.
They were also sighted afterwards at Auto Lounge, the A- List hang out at Victoria Island, Lagos. The way they were holding themselves, dancing and looking into each other’s eyes, spoke volume of their affection for each other.
Their most recent outing was at the recently held MNET Face of Africa (see pix) event which took place on February 6, 2010 at the Eko Hotel Exhibition Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. They stormed the venue looking like a perfect couple and they were in the company of each other all through the evening.
According to sources, one of the qualities Stephanie likes about this man apart from his dashing look is also his well- mannered attitude. He is very calm and has a sense of focus.
Apart from stepping out together at some of the A-class event, Stephanie also plays a key role in the guy’s business. She serves as the Executive Director of one of his companies, Del-York. They have been doing a lot together both in Nigeria and abroad and Stephanie is always right beside him .The company which focus on revolutionizing the film making industry via some training has Stephanie also bringing in her acting expertise forward. She is a big fulcrum of support to her man, Linus.
One of Stephanie’s close friends who spoke to City People in her defense claimed that the relationship between her and Linus is purely a working one.
Tongues are however rife within the same industry that the duo share more than a working relationship.

OMOTOLA JOLADE AND GENEVIEVE NNAJI END THEIR 7 YEAR-OLD RIFT

Not many people knew that for the past 7 years, there was no love lost between screen divas, Omotola Jolade- Ekeinde and Genevieve Nnaji.
Although, they may have acted in few movies together, in real life, they were sworn enemies. But City People can authoritatively tell you that the 2 pretty actresses have ended the age long rift between them.Even though no one can state who brokered the peace reconciliation. Their new friendship status became glaring at the Launch of the former beauty queen, Nike Oshinowo- Soleye new Fitness DVD which held recently at the Medici restaurant, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Even though they both sauntered into the event venue at different times, but they exchanged pleasantries when they sighted each other and ended up sitting together on the same table, something that won’t have happened in the previous years as one of them would have left the table for the other. Not only that, they even took pictures together and chatted all through their stay at the event.
And that was a big surprise for any one who has been following the career of these 2 actresses and what have transpired between the past in time past.
The rivalry between the 2 actresses started over movie roles and the contention between them who is Nigeria’s biggest screen diva after Liz Benson and Regina Askia quit the stage some years ago. Their rift heightens in 2003 with the emergence of Genevieve as the hottest and most sought after actress in Nigeria. It grew worse when their fan started adjudging who the biggest screen diva was, while Genevieve reigned, Omotola friends and fans were always eager to pass remarks on the Imo state born movie queen describing her as a “hustler’ and other uncomplimentary terms to qualify her.
And to worsen the situation, Genevieve grabbed most of the leading roles in the movie industry, leaving Omotola trailing behind between 2002 and 2004.
And as Genevieve kept moving up the ladder, Omotola increased her appearance fees movies and became the first in that category to earn above N800,000. Genevieve later caught up with Omotola and in 2003, both ran neck-to-neck earning between a fee of Nl million and N1.3 million. Again, Genevieve broke the tie when she grabbed N3 million to do a semi-nude movie which also featured Richard Mofe Damijo (RMD); a whopping Nl.5 million above what Omotola received in 2002 to star in the controversial flick, "The Prostitute.”
It was also rumored in between their fight that popular Nollywood producer, Tchidi Chikere, who has also been linked to a lot of Nollywood actress played up the rivalry between the 2 actresses. Tchidi settled for Genevieve in his major flicks, but a year later, Tchidi was said to have shifted his choice from Genevieve to Omotola not knowing that the duo were having any clash and Genny didn’t have a choice but to accuse Omotola of using extra means to become Tchidi Chikere choice.It was also alleged that it was this good looking producer who paid Omotola Jolade the first N800,000 and also set the war between the two screen goddess.
City People also gathered that the Face of Lux deal which the dark complexion beauty clinched also fueled the cold war between the duo, as they were both contracted for the project alongside Ex- Beauty Queen, Sylvia Edem, Face of Africa, Oluchi Onwegbele. Oluchi was dropped along the line because her fee was very high. Eventually the company picked Genevieve as the suitable candidate for the project and this deal contributed immensely to Omotola disdain for Genevieve Nnaji. To worsen the issues, Omotola’s supporters were always quick to point out that Omo Sexy is the better of the 2 with her stunning figure even after 4 kids.
The competition became stiff when they both went into music after their ban from the movie industry for few years. Though Genevieve released her album into the market before Omo Sexy, but Omosexy claimed she was doing an underground job and didn’t have any idea that Gene too had such plans. A lot of people were of the opinion that Omotola came out with a better album and also featured other notable artistes while Genny’s album was a total flop and this also gave Omo Sexy an upper hand
But all these are in the past now have they had both decided to embrace each other and move on which was evident at the event where they were both sighted recently. It was a case of 2 jolly friends who are excited to see each other.

RUKKIES FASHION FAIR HOLDS FEB.13

Rukkies Boutique will on February hold a boutique fair and fashion show at COLONADES, Kingsway Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. The one day event, tagged: “Cupid fashion and fair,” is designed for boutique owners, talented designers, upcoming designers and fashion houses in Lagos State to showcase their wears .

According to Ms. Ronke Ademiluyi of Rukkies fashion, the fair would provide a common ground to sell the latest fashion trends of 2010 in preparation for this year’s valentine.

“The participants at the show, especially fashion designers and boutique owners, will be able to showcase their outfits on the runway . There are standby 20 models from the sister company, Ethnic models to wear outfits of these designers and boutique owners at the fashion show schedule for that evening.”

Also, the CEO of Ethic Models, Kamari Ademiluyi, said the purpose of the fair and fashion show is to enable people get stuffs for their loved ones for Valentine.”The next day of the fashion fair is Valentine, their coming to the fair would enable them pick outfits and other beauty accessories for their lovers at the fair. “
However, he noted that proceeds from the fair would be seat to Haiti in support of the on-going plight of its citizens as a result of earthquake.

BISHOP MAGARET IDAHOSA BECOMES FIRST FEMALE ARCH BISHOP IN NIGERIA

Bishop Margaret Idahosa is wife of the late Archbishop of Church of God Mission Int'l., Arch Bishop Benson Idahosa. She is currently the Presiding Bishop of the ministry with several branches and hundreds of thousand of members worldwide. She also pastors the 5,000 capacity Faith Miracle Center Church, where multiple services are held weekly. And over a decade after her husband death, she has become one of the most influential and most respectful women in Christendom today. This is on account on how she fought the many battles in her life and ministry ever since she lost her husband in 1996. And what makes her story interesting is that despite all this barriers and limitation, she went to score another first not only in Nigeria but in the whole of Africa. Some weeks back she was consecrated as the First Female Arch Bishop in Nigeria. The consecration took place at the church’s headquarters in Benin, Edo state capital by a team of renowned arch bishops led by the president of the International Communion of Charismatic Churches (ICCC), Arch Bishop David Huskins and Arch Bishop Silas Owiti, from Kenya before a capacity crowd of over 20,000. It was event that attracted prominent people from both far and near, most of who admired the courage of Arch Bishop Margaret Idahosa for stepping into her husband shoes.
Even though all seems well for this woman, she had to overcome many battle and challenges in getting to were she is today. According to what was gathered, Margaret Idahosa had to journey through the hills and valleys in the years following her husband’s death. Bishop Margaret Idahosa has proved skeptics wrong about her ability to manage her husband’s estate. And not a few people had thought that following her late husband’s death in 1996, his shoes would be too big for anyone to step into and that his legacy was going to die with him within a short time.
But having stepped into the big shoes, Bishop (Mrs) Margaret Idahosa has been able to hold together everything the late Arch Bishop left behind. Her first baptism of fire came shortly after her husband’s demise when she was asked to step into his shoes in the church’s hierarchy to prepare her for the task. She was then ordained a Bishop, a development that church members particularly the males who had thought that the baton was going to pass to them automatically didn’t like. And so Bishop Margaret Idahosa had to contend with the displeased, a battle that was fought in and out of the church, including the pages of newspapers. The attack was multifaceted. First, the male top hierarchy of the church said they could not live and work under a female leader in the church especially when it was glaring that the line of succession was being tampered with. Secondly, the body of Christ was not at that time well disposed to a woman being ordained a bishop. And so Bishop Margaret Idahosa had to fight a battle of acceptance and recognition. A chip off the block of her husband, Mrs. Idahosa’s determination to steer the ship of her husband’s legacies made her to burn the candle from both ends day and night.
As if that was not enough, there was also another phase of scandal that rose up against her late husband and the ministry couple of years. A top pastor in Benin revealed some dirty secrets about the late Idahosa mysterious power and death. It was one story that was also well orchestrated in the pages of the papers, creating a dent in the image of the church. At this point, a lot of people actually thought this was the final straw for her and she might not come out of it as it happens to be the most celebrated scandal at that time. But she did come out of it. Even at home front, she also had to deal with a lot of challenges too. The family of the husband would not let sleeping dogs lie, as many demanded the cause of their brother’s death, and what becomes of his sprawling estate But not only has she proved these people wrong by bouncing back, the ministry has also grown beyond their widest imagination.
Today, she heads all the institutions her husband established, one of which is the Benson Idahosa University, Benin City, which incidentally, is the first private university to be granted license in Nigeria. The secondary school arm of the university has been rated as one of the best in terms of total education.
Just like her husband, she is blessed with the charisma and panache that has contributed to the massive growth of the church. A lot of signs and wonders have also followed her ministration which may explain why the church is always filled to the brim at each service. Some of the spectacular miracles performed by her include deliverance from the bondage of evil tradition, healing from various types of infirmities and deadly disease, healing of barrenness, open doors, deliverance from poverty amongst others. Another aspect of her ministry that is currently in the spotlight is the women arm of the ministry which goes by the name Christian Women Fellowship International (CWFI) .It’s a non-denominational body founded by Bishop Margaret Idahosa, to teach women how to discover their true potentials, be good mothers, wives and instruments for end-time evangelism. Members of this body can be found in America, Europe, Africa and Nigeria. In line with this is the building of a multipurpose facility called the Restoration Centre with a capacity to seat more than 10,000 women. This Centre serves as conference venue, office space, a skill acquisition centre and a place to rehabilitate destitute young women. .
She already has several books published. Some of which are, “The Womb of harvest”, “The Female minister”, “Tearing the veil” and “Expansion without Limit” .No doubt, this godly woman has printed her name in the sands of time both locally and internationally and the story of the Pentecostal Christianity will not be complete in Nigeria without her

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THE RETURN OF TESSY OLISEH

After a brief break from the social scene, the fashion shows and the spotlight due to the young creative designers’ business and management restructure. Her designs’ absence from the runways has been due to her decision to re-brand and restructure her fashion outfit ‘Tesslo Concepts’.
Tessy Oliseh herself explains why she took a break from the spotlight,
“To build a better platform to operate was the most important thing for me and to put some money in the bank after so much hard work rather than just going to all the fashion shows organized knowing fully well that the business structure will collapse at any time. There were many things going on that the public did not understand. It is not as rosy as people think when they just see us everywhere.
She adds “ During this time, I made some trips learning more about the business and making a study of the success of big designers in Europe and other parts of the world and it made me understand that we have a long way to go in the fashion industry back home. At our fashion shows, we only have viewers not buyers only the private shows have been able to attract buyers but still not in commercial quantity. I have not seen any commercial designer here and its heart breaking because these are very hard working set of creative minds and I think the reward for this hard work is commercial success. I was still in business but I only kept a low key while many thought we have closed business at Tesslo, we did a lot putting things right trying to break into the commercial market like when we introduced suits with excellent quality at very affordable prices one of the cheapest around, there is a need to attend to every body. I’ll like to go to Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Lekki as well as Orile, Mushin, Ikotun and find people wearing Tesslo then I’ll be fulfilled.
And as she brings more to the table from what she has learnt she concludes ‘That’s the dream that’s our destination at Tesslo concepts and we have created a team including Marketing, PR team and also created an effective distribution network to reach our clients.” She said.’
Now her Tesslo Concepts is set to break new grounds and make its impact in the evolution of the Nigerian fashion Industry.

SOUL MATE HAIR CARE UNVEILS NEW AMBASSADORS

Soulmate Industries makers of the Soulmate hair relaxers, shampoos, hair creams and other hair care products is in a big bid for new generation of clients(youths) in 2010, the cosmetics company that have recorded excellence already in the industry have decided to recruit new generation of clients after seventeen years of operations.
It is believed that Adults and a few of the young adults mostly patronize Soulmate hair care products. The cosmetic company has then decided to reposition the brand and concentrate on recruiting a younger generation but Adults and young Adults are not left out in the brand’s plans.
The cosmetic company who in turn for their consistency in quality and standard have been honored by several industrial monitoring bodies including the prestigious NIS Awards (The Nigerian Industrial Standards Awards) for standard and quality.
To drive its campaign in the new year, Soulmate have seeked for the signatures of the young female Rapper Kel who debuted earlier this year after a successful single ‘Wa Wa Alright’ and one of the most sought after Radio personalities Gbemi Olateru who formerly held the power house of the afternoon belt on cool fm, the mid day oasis before she moved on to the new youth station The Beat Fm where she anchors the evening drive show.
The new ambassadors were unveiled in January to launch its new campaign to help Soulmate hair care products get its desired goals in the New Year spreading the campaign to the rest of the company’s coverage area, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Cameroun, etc. There would be a lot to be delivered and offered to its numerous customers with a bid to rise to the best in terms of quality and uncompromised standards.