Glamsquad Magazine May 2021

Glamsquad

MAY 2021

Aberdeen

Fashion

Week Holds

Virtual Show

Healthy

Living:

Food For

Every Age

Glamsquad

Advocacy:

Is Leah

Sharibu

Dead or

Alive?

SEFI

ATTA:

NIGERIA’S WRITING EXPORT

TO THE WORLD

www.glamsquadmagazine.com 1

Inside

Glamsquad

Magazine

May 2021

HEALTH

HEALTHY LIVING:

Food For

Every Age

32

8

Why I

Setup The

Aberdeen

Fashion

Week

- Lydia Cutler

SEFI ATTA:

Nigeria’s Writing Export

To The World

26

glamsquadtv glamsquadNG glamsquadTV glamsquadtvmag

2

www.glamsquadmagazine.com

The Team

16

Aberdeen Fashion Week 2021 to

Hold Virtually From 28-30 May

Editor-In-chief /

Publisher :

Remmy Ifueko Diagbare

COPY Editor:

Dodoiyi William-West

Correspondents:

Amenna Dayo

Stella Daniels

Glory Uyiowi

Ifeoma Okoye

Managing editor

Sebastianne Ebathemi

graphics / Web Manager

Layi Success

MARKETING Director

Tega Diagbare

International Director

& Global strategist:

Abosede Panama

+44 7369 280243

Marketing Director-

Africa

Imioms Dan-Anyiam

+234 803 844 4955

Head Office:

Suite B70/71, Ikota Shopping Complex,

By VGC, Lekki , Lagos, Nigeria

Tel: +2348115933500, +44 7404 990166

For advert enquiries please contact the marketing

Director 08115933500 or email,

info@glamsquadmagazine.com,

glamsquad.magazine.tv@gmail.com

We pay for exclusive celebrity stories.

O

ur cover, this month, features Sefi Atta

- the award-winning Nigerian author,

playwright and screen writer from the

Yoruba extraction whose books have been

translated into many languages worldwide. Her

plays have featured on BBC Radio and performed

on international stages around the globe.

Sefi started out in accountancy, qualifying as

a Chartered Accountant in England, a Certified

Public Accountant in the United States (her

adopted home) and holds a Master of Fine Arts in

Creative Writing.

In this exclusive interview with Glamsquad,

she shares her experience transitioning from

accountancy to becoming a wordsmith, working

with Kunle Afolayan on the adaptation of her

book: Swallow for a forthcoming Netflix original,

“The Nollywood Issue and Life as an African Writer”.

Also in this edition, as part of our contribution to

the Children’s Day celebration, we pay tribute to

Leah Shuaibu - the brave, young girl still being held

captive by Boko Haram for refusing to renounce

her Christian faith and ask the question no one is

answering: Is Leah Shuaibu dead or alive?

See Glamsquad Advocacy and all our fashion

and beauty stories packaged for your reading

pleasure.

Enjoy!

R .

Remmy Diagbare

Editor - in-Chief

Disclaimer:

Please note that all photos used in this special digital edition of

Glamsquad Magazine were sourced freely online.

Glamsquad maintains no rights over the images/photos, while we have

tried to give appropriate credit where due, we are aware some artistes

were not credited.

We remain committed to supporting intellectual property and creativity.

2021 Tegali Communications

How To Master

Makeup Looks

For Every Age

28

4

6 Skirt Trends You

Should Not Resist In

2021


FASHION

6 Not Res

Skirt Tren

Word By Amenna Daayo

Mini skirt:

A mini skirt is with no doubt No. 1

most fashionable skirt in 2021. Yes,

a mini skirt is the most fashionable

spring-summer 2021 skirt. Any mini

skirt!

Mini skirts leave everyone craving

for more and give your legs the

freedom – and air they need.

Gone are the days when people

think wearing a mini makes you look

trashy.

For the best looks, go for fishnet,

opaque stockings, or over-the-knee

socks. The top can be either casual,

like a T-shirt or smart-casual blouse

worn underneath a cool blazer or

long jacket.

Long Skirts, short skirts,

micro-mini skirts,

regardless of the length, I

just love skirts!

More and more people are

welcoming any opportunity to

break out of my sweatpants

and slip into something

refreshingly different—

especially as we move into a

warmer season ahead.

Interestingly, almost all the

designers in the recent fashion

shows/exhibition, including

the S/S 2021 featured many

exciting skirt trends. Now,

no one can hide under

the excuse that skirts look

outdated or misplaced in

today’s fashion landscape.

For many, it feels like a lifetime

since they’ve worn a skirt, but

there is no doubt that all the

striking skirt trends that graced

the runways have captured

their attention more than ever.

Below, I’m sharing the six

standout skirt styles that

reigned on the runways and

are taking over Instagram.

From the prettiest sheer pieces

that have us lusting for a

romantic summer to the rise

of the fun and frivolous micromini,

check out what the new

season has to offer, and don’t

be left out!

4


FASHION

ds You Should

ist In 2021

Tiered skirt

Another striking trend is the

Rustic skirt style! This spring,

we saw tiered and ruffled

skirts, whether maxi, midi,

or mini, float down the

runways. They smoothly

penetrated the world of

fashion. You can style a

skirt like this with a white

shirt tied in a knot.

A maxi or midi skirt with

ruffles looks

best. It is very

stylish to

combine

such a

romantic

skirt with

rough

boots

or large

sneakers.

Wrap-up skirt

The wrap skirt is perhaps the easiest option to

style. It will perfectly match everything from a

white shirt to a printed T-shirt, so feel free to pair

it with your favorite items.

Remember that if you have a full belly or

thighs, the wrap knot will add volume to your

figure, so you shouldn’t choose this skirt.

Line up the skirt with your waist or hips. Some

people prefer to wear wrap skirts at their

natural waist, while others like to secure them

around their hips. Whatever your preference, a

wrap-up skirt got you covered!


FASHION

Denim skirt

Denim never gets out of

fashion! Even the denim skirts

pattern of the 90s are as trendy

as ever. One of the hottest

trends is pairing a denim skirt

with a denim shirt, although

you can never go wrong with

denim no matter what you

wear it with.

Denim skirts are good because

they fit perfectly almost all

body types.

Cut-out

skirt

You may have thought of the

average leg cut on the skirt, but

you’re mistaken. The Cut-out skirt

has us feeling our 90s festival

fantasy.

Be careful with the cut-out skirts

because they can be tricky to

wear, but you will have to figure out

which styles flatter your figure and

trust me, you will love yourself more

when you get the perfect piece for

your figure.

Skirts with cut-outs at the top – on

the waistline or the hips – are a

huge trend this season. The boldest

fashionistas even wear special

thong panties that pop out at the

top of the skirt.

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FASHION

Knitted skirt

Knitted skirts are demanding their right of place and

deservedly so! They should be worn by those who do

not have problems with the hips because the knitted

skirt draws attention to them very much. If you have a

non-standard figure, where the hips are wider than the

top, it is better to choose a-line skirts.

If you have an hourglass figure, this skirt will be the best

option.

Wear a knit skirt with a draped sleeved sweater, a

short-sleeved sweater, a roll neck, or a chunky sweater.

Whichever your choice, be sure to get the best!


INTERVIEW

8


INTERVIEW

SEFI

ATTA:

Nigeria’s Writing

Export To The World

Words by Ifueko Diagbare

Atta is the author of novels Everything Good Will Come, Swallow, A Bit of

Difference and The Bead Collector; a short-story collection, News From

Home; a children’s book, Drama Queen; and Sefi Atta: Selected Plays.

She recently co-wrote a forthcoming Netflix original movie adaptation of her

novel, Swallow, with Kunle Afolayan.

In this exclusive interview with the Glamsquad, she shares her experience of

working with Afolayan and talks about her next play, Ikoyi Girl, and her latest

novel, The Bad Immigrant, which will be published in 2021.

She lives in the USA with her husband and daughter.

First, I want to thank you

for granting this interview.

It is indeed a privilege. You

started out as an accountant

and qualified as a chartered

accountant and CPA. How did

you transition from numbers

to letters, and when did you

realise you had a flair for

writing?

Thank you for interviewing me.

I am honoured. I transitioned by

learning my craft – for example,

I studied for a Master of Fine Arts

in Creative Writing. I wrote oneact

plays at first, but I couldn’t

get them produced in Lagos.

This was during Abacha’s regime,

when not much was happening

on the theatre scene. I was

living in Mississippi at the time,

so I entered radio plays for the

BBC’s African Performance

competition. Two of them won

prizes and they were broadcast

internationally. It was wonderful

to reach such a wide audience

early in my career. After that,

I published my debut novel

Everything Good Will Come,

which was followed by a second

novel, Swallow, and a collection

of short stories titled News From

Home. I returned to stage plays

when theatre finally picked up

again in Lagos. I honestly can’t

describe this as having a flair.

What I have is a keen interest in

telling stories in different forms.


INTERVIEW

When you look back on your journey

from 2005, when you published

Everything Good Will Come, to the

awards and accolades you have

received for your novels, short stories,

plays and screenplays, what passes

through your mind? Do you wish you

had started writing earlier and not

worked as an accountant first?

No. I’m grateful for those years. For a

start they gave me stories, which I have

recreated and shared. They also gave

me conflict, which was necessary. I may

never have become a writer had I been

fully satisfied with the corporate life. I’m

even glad I was bored with it because

my mind often wandered while I was at

work, which only gave me more stories to

tell.

“

I’m still the girl who

believed she was

equal to boys, while

observing that men

and women were

expected to behave

differently.

Your work also offers perspectives on

neocolonialism and a witty look at the

intersection between African cultures

and those of the Western world. For

someone who was born and raised in

Nigeria, and who has also spent most

of her adult life immersed in Western

culture, which would you say has the

greater appeal, and do you achieve

your intended purpose in choosing this

theme as a frame for your stories?

I wouldn’t say either has a greater

appeal, but the duality you refer to is

a force that drives my narratives. My

Nigerian identity came first and I haven’t

lost it. I’m still the girl who believed she

was equal to boys, while observing

that men and women were expected

to behave differently. My education

and accountancy career in England

broadened my consciousness because

I was regarded as a black foreigner

there. Now that I live in the United States,

where racial and other identities are

constantly discussed, the language of

such discourse puts my experiences

in perspective. My migration certainly

10


INTERVIEW

informs some of my stories, but not all

of them.

You are a prolific writer, and you seem

to flow fluidly from writing novels to

short stories, plays and screenplays.

How are you able to wear these

different hats, and with such effortless

élan?

I hope I’m not giving that impression.

I work very hard on my craft, as many

other writers do. I am just compelled

to tell stories, and I tell them in any

form I can. Plays are my favourite and

screenplays come next, now that I’ve

written a few. I thoroughly enjoy writing

dialogue.

Let’s talk about your new

collaboration with Kunle Afolayan.

Your novel Swallow is going to be

produced as a film for Netflix. That

must be an exciting proposition. How

much of the novel was infused into

the movie, and were you able to

retain your voice as you co-wrote the

script with him?

The screenplay focuses on Tolani’s

journey alone. The novel is about

her mother’s journey as well, but we

couldn’t include that in the film. Our

collaboration was exciting enough for

me. Then Kunle signed the deal with

Netflix, which was fantastic. I had to

stay focused on developing the script

with him, though. With a collaboration,

writers have to give up full control in

the interest of harmony, but it helps to

work with a partner who understands

storytelling well. Kunle has been in the

business for as long as I have, and we

have mutual trust and respect.

What was the experience like, and

were you involved in selecting the

cast? Who for instance did you have

in mind to play Tolani Ajao?

We had a lot of fun and we were

very much in sync. Kunle would say


INTERVIEW

something like, “You know that part where such

and such happens,” and I would know why he

had reservations because I’d had them myself.

He would come up with an idea and I would

say, “Please give me time to think about it.” By

the next day, I would be in agreement, or at

least open to making changes. After we finished

the script, I let go. He sent me stills now and

then, but I wasn’t involved in the production. I

don’t even know how the film will be edited.

What is your opinion on the quality of movies

produced by Nigerians?

Kunle wasn’t the first director I worked with.

He wasn’t even the first director I talked to about

Swallow, but he was the first to make things

happen. I’m relatively new to the industry, but

I’ve followed the progression of Nollywood for

years. There is a lot of talent. However, people

aren’t always in the right roles. We have writers,

producers, actors and directors who are not

skilled at what they do, so the standard isn’t

always consistent. The joy, of course, is seeing

our lives play out on screen and, for better or

worse, I can’t look away.

From this experience, how would you suggest

the industry should move forward and be an

alternative voice pushing the black narrative?

I see Nollywood as an additional, rather than

alternative voice for the black narrative. We

need better scripts – of international standard.

We need to take time to develop scripts. It

shouldn’t be the norm to churn them out in a

matter of days. We need script readers who can

recognise good writing. In general, we need

people in the industry to find what they’re good

at doing, stick to it and develop their skills. When

that happens, the synergy will be amazing.

Let’s also talk about your other projects – your

forthcoming novel, The Bad Immigrant, and

your monologue, Ikoyi Girl.

What is the novel about? What inspired it and

what would you want the reader to come

away with?

I’d been living in the United States for

about ten years and I had a lot to say about

my experiences there. Once I found the right

voice, I was able to draft The Bad Immigrant. I

wrote it from the perspective of a Nigerian man

who was reluctant to migrate to America, but

ended up doing so for the sake of his family. As

the book description states, the novel exposes

the realities of migration, such as the strains of

adjustment and the stifling pressure to conform

without loss of identity. It covers a wide range

of issues, including interracial and interracial

tensions, and familial stresses exacerbated in a

new environment. With every novel I’ve written, I

would like readers to think they’ve spent time with

people, rather than fictional characters. This one

will be published in the US in November 2021.

What is the subject of the monologue? What is

your intention for it?

I drafted Ikoyi Girl in 2019, with the intention

of staging it in Nigeria. It is set in contemporary

Lagos, before the COVID-19 pandemic and

SARS protests, and it introduces a new voice

to Nigerian theatre – a millennial who is a selfconfessed

product of her elitist society. She gives

an account of unhappy events in her life, at the

end admitting that she is fortunate nonetheless.

Her ability to satirise Lagos society makes for

comedic moments, but her failure to admit

her complicity in the problems of that society

is tragic. It’s a work-in-progress. I’m hoping it will

eventually be produced for the stage, but in the

meantime a fellow writer, Chibundu Onuzo, has

read it online.

You had said in one interview that you were no

longer going to explore the African woman/

girl crafting her own liberation from social

expectations. Is The Bad Immigrant a deviation

from feminist narrative?

I was referring to Everything Good Will

Come, which has a feminist narrative. I have

revisited the girl/woman conflict in other books,

but my stories are not feminist stories. I’m not

consciously bound to ideology while I am writing.

My characters say whatever they want to say

and do whatever they want to do. I choose my

narrators carefully, though, as I have to be able

12


“

In general, we need

people in the industry to

find what they’re good

at doing, stick to it and

develop their skills.

INTERVIEW


INTERVIEW

to spend time with them. The

Bad Immigrant is my first male

protagonist, so you could say

I’ve transitioned yet again – in a

sense.

Finally, you need to tell me

about yourself. What is your

fashion obsession? Also, apart

from your books, what other

books inspire you or what do

you relax with?

I read plays, which is unusual.

People generally don’t read

plays. I read everything from the

canonical works to modern and

contemporary playwrights. I’m

not fashion conscious, but I do

admire people who have style.

My mother religiously bought

copies of Vogue and Harper’s

Bazaar, and I would pore over

the photos and articles. She

worked as a model while she

was a student in London. My

aunt, Shade Thomas, was one

of Nigeria’s first fashion designers

and she trained at Central Saint

Martins. They were glamorous

young women. I never was,

and these days I spend most

of my time in black polyester

Adidas-inspired active wear

from Walmart. That’s my writing

uniform. I only make an effort

with my appearance when I go

out. I’ve taken to wrapping my

hair up in Ankara head ties of

late, because I’m transitioning

my locks to grey.

What is your most expensive

splurge? You don’t need to

reveal the price if you don’t

wish to, but what is it that you

would splurge on and the price

14


INTERVIEW

wouldn’t matter?

It’s hard to say, as my

expensive is someone else’s

cheap and vice versa. I

remember bargains more.

I once bought a beautifully

sculpted Yohji Yamamoto

skirt from a discount store in

Mississippi. I’m still proud of that

find. It cost $20.

“

I may never have

become a writer had

I been fully satisfied

with the corporate

life.

What is your greatest pleasure?

Or what is it that gives you the

greatest pleasure – apart from

your daughter, husband and

your writing? Notice I put your

child first. Did I put them in the

correct order of importance?

My husband and daughter

are important to me in different

ways, and ordinary family

moments give me great

pleasure. I love to eat – with my

family, especially. My husband

makes the best barbecues. My

daughter is an expert at finding

unusual restaurants, but we

haven’t eaten out in over a year

because of the pandemic.

Last question. What advice

would you give to young or

indeed to older women like

me who have one thousand

and one story ideas in their

head, but don’t have a clue

about how to put the ideas on

paper?

Study the craft of creative

writing, as I did, and keep going.

If writing stories is that important

to you, you will get them done,

one way or another. I don’t

even have an agent but, with

a handful of supporters and

an independent publisher, I’ve

managed to sustain my career.


FASHION

Aberdeen

Fashion Week

2021 to Hold

Virtually From

28-30 May

Words by Sebastiane Ebatamehi

Save the date! Aberdeen

Fashion Week 2021 will

take place from Friday

28 May to Sunday 30

May 2021.

Due to the ongoing restrictions

associated with the pandemic,

this year’s show will be held

virtually, but organizers and

partners of the high-profile event

have promised that it will be

bigger, better, and live up to the

hype!

With virtual back-to-back shows,

viewers all over the world will have

a dose of a digital multi-sensory

showcase experience.

The show organizers - Lydia

Cutler, Claire Tough, Ali Campbell,

Sean Duncan, Clair Clark, Madiha

Iqbal & Fay Hardy have worked

very hard and are ready to host

the world.

Speaking about the highly

anticipated event, the Managing

Director of Aberdeen Fashion

Week, Ms. Lydia Cutler said they

are looking forward to another

bigger and even better show in

October, assuming events will be

allowed then.

Fashion lovers & buyers can

follow the Glamsquad Magazine

across the various online platforms

16


FASHION


FASHION

or the official handles of the event to get

real-time updates of Aberdeen Fashion Week.

Other publicity partners include; World Fashion

Media News (USA) and Ganap TV (Philippines).

A few names to showcase at the digital

show include;

Angela Thouless - Tribe All (Scotland), Susan

Anne Petty - Dacoot Creations (Scotland),

Scott MacLeod - Kiss My Kunst (Scotland),

Lydia Cutler - Kemunto Fashions (Scotland),

Jade Duffield - Jade Elizabeth (Scotland),

Alison Bruce - Flower & Willow World

(Scotland),

Wobia Wovareri - Wobia Clothing &

Accessories (England),

Inger Helen Vorley - The Fountain (Scotland),

Lee Carnegie- Triple Aces LAC (Scotland),

Raya Kovacheva - Raya Kovacheva

Jewellery (Scotland),

Bench Bello - BWear Manila (Philippines),

John Guarnes - John Guarnes Atelier

(Philippines),

Mohammed F Noori - Fadnoori Couture

(Pakistan),

Linda Mirembe - Linmirr Accessories

(England),

Cameron Traa- Traa Clothing (Scotland),

Marianne Mwiki - Culture Inspired

(Scotland),

Sole Koi - Akita Arigato (USA),

Omama Masood – Aura (Pakistan),

Vandana Evanna - Evanna Fashion

House (Singapore),

Coralsjewelslaces (England),

GIFT University - Student Thesis Collection

(Pakistan),

National Textile University - NTU (Pakistan),

and many more.

18


FASHION


FASHION

For the very first time, this

year’s virtual show shall welcome

international fashion professional,

Muhammad Fawad Noori, who will

be talking about his new trackable

dress, this dress was sponsored by Kia

Motors, Korea.

Vandana Evanna from Singapore

will also be talking about her new

book on how to sell fashion.

The show also welcomes Chris

Patterson, the Aberdeen music artist

who made the Aberdeen Fashion

Week theme song. He will be

performing with his band during the

Digital Fashion Week, other performers

to include; Ulianka Maksymiuk,

multi-award-winning artist, Babugee

Omosayansi Music Artist & Felix

Omondi, Comedian from Kenya, and

lastly but not least, music artist Marisa

Di Muro from London. Southstreet24

has also allowed our designers to use

their music for the videos.

The show is a huge opportunity for

all creative professionals from around

the globe to showcase on a global

platform.

Mark your calendars people, thank

us later!

20


FASHION


FASHION

22


FASHION


FASHION

24


FASHION


INTERVIEW

Why I

Setup The

Aberdeen

Fashion

Week

- Lydia Cutler

L

ydia Cutler is originally from Kenya, she

also lived in India, Australia and the UK. She

moved to England in 2000 for her Masters in

education in Leeds where she met her exhusband.

She eventually moved to Aberdeen

in Scotland in 2001 where she founded the Aberdeen

Fashion Week which is celebrating its 8th edition

virtually this year.

Lydia has been sketching clothes since the age of

7 and learnt tailoring in Junior Secondary school. A

magazine with bridal dresses which someone brought

into her home sparked a keen interest in fashion

design in her. Even though she went into teaching

as a career, fashion design gradually became her

work and great joy in life. Her label Kemunto Fashions

which she started in Australia received great success.

Lydia showcased her collections in fashion weeks

in London and New York City. She won several

awards in Paris and London. She started a bridal

shop in Australia and travelled to various countries to

showcase her wedding dresses.

She now owns a Bridal Salon ,which carries

bridal gowns for sale and rental, evening wear and

crochet wear in a picturesque village, Peterculter, in

Aberdeenshire country, in Scotland.

26


INTERVIEW

What’s Aberdeen Fashion

Week all about?

Aberdeen Fashion Week is a

fashion trade show that caters for

fashion designers worldwide; we

showcase the latest fashion trends

from designers to buyers and

fashion lovers. I started Aberdeen

Fashion Week in 2013

How many designers typically

take part, and is it an African

Fashion Week showcasing African

designers?

We don’t have an actual

number as we invite designers via

a designer call advert on Social

Media; designers interested then

get in touch with us. We also

have several return designers that

showcase yearly.

How has the covid pandemic

impact the Fashion Week, and

what is the future for fashion post

covid:?

Due to the pandemic, we have

now moved on to do fashion week

digitally; this is not the same as

seeing models on the runway. We

now have to showcase via the new

norm of the online showcase.

Tell us about the upcoming

fashion week. How many

designers and what’s going to

happen during the shows?

The following shows are on 29-

30 May 2021. Presently, we have

19 designers, but all together, 35

designers have shown interest and

are yet to apply.

The shows will broadcast via

our Facebook group: Aberdeen

Fashion Week, and our YouTube

channel Fashion Art Media TV.

How many designers are

participating? Put us through pre

and post-event?

We have 19 designers presently,

but this number is bound to rise.

What is the outcome of the

shows. Do you have buyer’s

coming? Do participating

designers get orders, and

what happens after in terms of

commerce?

We have invited buyers from

small boutiques to watch online

and get in touch with designers

interested in their collections.

What’s the message you will

like to pass on to your followers

about this show?

Please subscribe to our YouTube

channel or Facebook page to

watch the shows, mark dates on

your calendars to watch the event.

Can we meet the showcasing

designers?

Designers showcasing are from

Scotland, England, Pakistan, the

Philippines & the USA. All designers

have their interviews presently on

our YouTube channel, Fashion

Art Media & our website www.

aberdeenfashionweek.org. There,

you will get their contact details

too.

How do you get funding to

organize the show, and how do

you plan to get into mainstream

fashion?

Designers pay a fee to

showcase; this is what we use

to organize the shows; we are,

however, looking for sponsors

to make our show even more

significant. We already are

mainstream fashion since some of

our designers have sold to buyers

for the mass market.

Tell us a bit about your

background and what is the

plans for the fashion week?

I am a multi-award-winning

fashion designer originally from

Kenya, now living in Scotland. My

commercial fashion design career

started in Perth, Australia, in 2008.

After showcasing in many fashion

weeks globally, I decided to start

Aberdeen Fashion Week here in

Scotland. I recognized its need,

mainly because Aberdeen City is

the Capital of Oil & Gas in Europe,

expatriate families were missing

out on the latest fashion trends.

We intend to continue building

fashion week to a bigger and

higher level. My colleagues

are versatile; they work with

international models, designers,

media personalities and buyers in

the most gracious way; we love

what we do.

How can people take part in

the shows and where can one

get tickets to attend?

We are always looking for new

creatives and models; they can

get in touch via our website www.

aberdeenfashionweek.org or

Social Media, Facebook, and

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Fashion Week and what they

should expect?

Please, make sure to watch our

Digital Fashion Week showcase; it is

online, you don’t have to leave the

comfort of your home, and it is free

of charge to watch-dates: 29-30

May 2021.


BEAUTY

HOW TO MASTER

MAKEUP LOOKS FOR

EVERY AGE

Words by Glory Live

THE BEST MAKEUP

TIPS FOR the 20s

Makeup Tip #1: Opt for

sheer coverage. An everyday

makeup mistake is using a

heavy foundation when you

don’t need it. It’s an easy trap

to fall into—assuming that the

more your foundation covers,

the more perfect your skin will

look.

Makeup Tip #2: Color

correct dark circles under the

eye. If you notice dark circles in

your 20s (hello, sleepless nights!),

you can use a colour-correcting

concealer to disguise them.

Makeup Tip #3: Embrace

illumination. Highlighters of every

shade and texture imaginable

are all the rage, and if you’re in

your 20s, you’re in luck.

First, let’s start with the facts: first,

no rule says your age should

dictate what makeup you wear.

Second, if your goal is to look

younger longer, there are a few

makeup tips that can help (or

murder) your cause.

As we age, skin can lose

elasticity, firmness, and radiance

due to hereditary and

environmental factors –

especially in these parts.

While a proper skincare routine is

paramount to keeping skin

looking youthful, an ill-fitting

makeup routine may not be

doing you any favors in the youth

department. Just as different

skincare products and skincare

routines suit people of different

ages, how you do your makeup

should depend mainly on your

age. If you think back to 10 years

ago, chances are you aren’t

wearing your makeup the same

way and with good reason.

What works in terms of eye

makeup, face makeup, and lip

color for a woman in her 20s

may not be right for a woman in

her 40s, and vice versa. Instead

of guessing how to do your

makeup the best way for your

age, follow our handy-dandy

tips. We’re sharing the best

makeup tips to use when you’re

in your 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s+

right here—right now!

So, grab yourself a glass of wine

and read away…

28


BEAUTY

THE BEST

MAKEUP TIPS

FOR the 30s

Makeup Tip #1: Wear matte

finishes. As pretty as shimmer

can be, it isn’t always the most

flattering in action. If you’ve started

to notice fine lines and wrinkles

forming, you’ll want to steer clear

of products with lots of shimmers.

Otherwise, the shimmer can draw

attention to things you’d prefer to

distract from, like wrinkles. Stick

with matte face powder and

foundation to play it safe.

Makeup Tip #2: Choose

lightweight concealer. It can

be oh-so-tempting to cake on

concealer to cover up all of your

complexion concerns, but you’ll be

better off applying a lightweight

concealer with a light hand. The

more concealer you wear, the

more likely it is to crease and settle

into wrinkles.

Makeup Tip #3: Define with

contour powder. With age, skin can

start to lose its firmness and sag.

While you can’t get rid of sagging

skin, you can use a contour

powder to fake a more sculpted

look.


BEAUTY

THE BEST MAKEUP

TIPS FOR the 40s

Makeup Tip #1: Always use a primer.

As you get older, you may notice that

applying makeup is becoming increasingly

challenging. That’s often due to changing

the texture of your skin. If it isn’t completely

smooth, makeup may not go on quite as

easily. That’s why you should consider using

a primer.

Makeup Tip #2: Fill in your brows. Thick

brows are more popular than ever, but

they aren’t always easy to achieve as you

age. Thankfully, you can lean on eyebrow

makeup for help. Give your brows a quick

swipe of brow mascara.

Makeup Tip #3: Skip harsh eyeliner. For

older eyes, thick or overly harsh eyeliner isn’t

your friend. Skip liquid eyeliner, which can

be hard to create a soft effect with, and use

a pencil you can smudge out.

30


BEAUTY

THE BEST MAKEUP TIPS FOR 50s+

Makeup Tip #1: The fifties and on used to be about

finely traced brows, lips, and a poreless powder finish.

Nowadays, you’ll see less of the makeup looks of yesteryear

and more celebration of natural skin, since women in

their sixties have been polled as having the highest selfconfidence

of any age range -- now that’s something to

celebrate!

Makeup Tip #2: As matte, full-coverage finishes tend

to age the skin and make harsh lines appear more severe;

50+ women are opting for light, radiant coverage in the

way of a skin-plumping tinted moisturizer or BB Cream.

Makeup Tip #3: Overall, they’re choosing creamy,

skin-healthy fruit makeup formulas, with powder only

added as needed to reduce shine spots. A return to the

dewy, fresh-faced glow of youth is the goal here: there’s no

better way to do it than to keep skin healthy, hydrated, and

unhindered.


WELLNESS

HEALTHY LIVING:

Food For Every Age

20S, 30S, 40S, 50+

Words by Amenna Dayo

It’s common sense that

food is what ultimately

keeps you strong, healthy,

and functioning at peak

performance for your best

life ever.

But what you ate in your

twenties may not be what

your body needs as you

hit your thirties, forties,

and fifties. From hormonal

changes to bone density,

things change from one

decade to the next—and

that’s putting it lightly.

Learning how to feed your

body properly as you grow

older can prevent diseases

and other unnecessary

complications from arising.

The goal here is to live a

long, happy, and healthy

life, which is why we’ve

identified the dietary

building blocks to help you

age well, one decade at

a time! And after you learn

what to turn to, make sure

you steer clear of these

20 Foods That Age You 20

Years!

The 20S - Foods That Are Best For

Individuals In This Age Range Include:

Protein: From chicken to steak,

protein is an essential building block.

When you’re in your twenties, you’re still

growing and often burning the candle

at both ends.

Complex Carbohydrates: Complex

carbohydrates like sweet potatoes,

quinoa, and brown rice are great for

sustainable energy, especially in your

twenties when

you’re

super

active.

sweet potaotes

Nuts and Seeds: These foods

come packed with everything you

need, from vitamin A to

zinc. Plus, there’s a

healthy dose of

antioxidants,

fats,

protein, and

phytonutrients.

nuts & seeds

20 s

Calcium-Rich Foods:

Calcium-rich foods include

sesame seeds, dark leafy

greens, oranges, broccoli,

and calcium-fortified

foods like cereal and

bread.

bread

Hormone-

Balancing

Foods: Boosting

your diet with

foods that balance

your hormones and yoghurt

keep you hydrated can

make

sure you glow and prevent blemishes. I

recommend foods like blueberries, yoghurt,

walnuts, and oatmeal.

Liver Cleansers: Cleansing the

liver with lemon juice, garlic, and

onions can go a long way with

keeping you healthy in the long run,

despite the desire to enjoy the parties

32


WELLNESS

30 s

The 30s - Foods that are best for

individuals in this age range include:

Super Foods: Superfoods are

essential, especially olive oil.

They’re rich in polyphenols, which

are powerful brain-protective

antioxidants. Coconut oil, wild

salmon, blueberries, turmeric, eggs,

dandelion greens, and walnuts are

all just the shortlist that yields peak

performance benefits.

coconut oil

Vitamin E: Avocados and pine nuts

are rich in vitamin E, which is vital for

reproduction; they increase male

fertility and reduce miscarriages

because they help regulate the

menstrual cycle.

avocados

eggs

Iron:

You need iron

to have healthy red blood

cells; without it, you can

become anaemic and feel

tired all the time. You need

foods such as dried beans,

eggs, yolks, liver, lean red

meat, poultry, salmon, tuna,

oysters, almonds, and whole

grains.

Antioxidants: To keep

this natural ageing process

as slow as possible, eat tons

of antioxidants. Berries, tropical

fruit, colourful vegetables, and green leafy

vegetables are among the most antioxidantrich

foods you could grab to look and feel

youthful.

Fatty Fish and

Eggs: Foods

that can

promote the

maintenance of

fish

balanced hormones

are essential. Fatty fish and

eggs filled with healthy fats and vitamin D,

both of which can help boost your hormones.

Veggies: Eat

lots of colourful

veggies to

ensure your

bodies can still

handle issues relating to high cortisol

levels and fat storage from stress.

vegetables

Folic Acid: Carol Cottrill, a

nutritional consultant and author,

recommends low-sugar fortified

cereal, as they offer iron and folic

acid in one bowl. (For lunch, have

some leafy greens, which are full

of folic acid and antioxidants!)

lemon

Low-Fat Dairy: The bottom line is you start

losing bone mass after 35—so you must

consume enough calcium. I recommend

low-fat choices like milk, cheese, yoghurt and

cottage cheese.

cheese


WELLNESS

40 s Fermented Foods: A daily serving of

sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, sour pickles,

kombucha, or live culture yoghurt can

help balance your gut bacteria.

Natural Phytoestrogens: By the time you

soy

The 40S - Foods

That Are Best For

Individuals In This

Age Range Include

reach your forties—and as long as you haven’t had breast cancer

or some other condition that would encourage you to keep your

estrogen levels low—eat more foods natural phytoestrogens (plantbased

estrogen) like soy and cruciferous vegetables.

pepper

Bright Foods and

Veggies: As a rule of

thumb, the brighter the

fruit or veggie, the more

antioxidants. So,

think blueberries,

strawberries, oranges,

beets, peppers, and

more!

Omega-3: Ensure

adequate omega-3

intake to control

inflammation and

to keep your body

performing at its

peak. I recommend

3g-5g of liquid fish oil

daily to prevent this.

Heart-Healthy Foods: Garlic,

onions, leek, turmeric, olives,

flaxseed oil, and green

leafy veggies

are among

the best

foods for

this.

garlic

Whole Grains: Eat unrefined

whole grains like whole wheat,

brown rice, and oats to help keep

blood pressure and cholesterol

checked. They aid digestion and

make you feel

full on less

food.

brown

rice

Coconut: Coconut is rich in fibre,

helps fight Candida Albicans, fungi

viruses, and bacteria, and the fatty

acids in coconut can boost brain

function.

coconut

Seaweed and Sunflower

Seeds: Sunflower seeds are rich

in vitamin E, folate, selenium,

and magnesium, making these

delicious seeds fantastic for

cardiovascular health, mental

health, and thyroid health.

seaweed

34


WELLNESS

50+ - Foods That Are Best For

Individuals In This Age Range

Include:

High Fiber Veggies: To balance

hormones, such as leptin, the diet must

contain high fibre vegetables to stabilize

leptin levels by making you feel full longer.

The fibre found in cabbage, broccoli or

Brussel sprouts helps stabilize blood sugar

and insulin by slowing down digestion.

Turmeric: Turmeric is the best food to

eat at all times in your life, but particularly

in your forties and fifties because it

supports an anti-inflammatory lifestyle.

Many studies indicate inflammation may

play a role in causing and exacerbating

diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, and

diabetes.

Plant-Based Protein: Animal protein

can slow metabolism, but protein remains

an essential element for health and

longevity. So, decreasing animal protein

and increasing plant protein can be a

great way to give your body what it needs.

Whole grains, lentils and beans provide

some of the best sources of plant-based

protein.

B-Vitamins: Good options rich in B6

and help prevent heart disease include

bananas, potatoes, and pomegranates.

Meanwhile, eggs, fish, and chicken are

high in B12 and support a healthy nervous

system.

Eggs: Eggs are low in calories and are

a complete protein, making this food

great for building muscle and maintaining

a healthy weight. They’re also rich in the

antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which

are essential for eye health.

Basil: As you get older, strong bones

become increasingly important. A great

source to build your bones is vitamin K—

and basil is rich in it. Sprinkle some on

salads to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis,

osteoporosis, diabetes, and cancer.

Brazil Nuts: Brazil nuts filled with vitamins

and nutrients that support so many

vital functions as you get older. They

contain selenium, calcium, iron, copper,

magnesium, manganese, potassium,

phosphorus, zinc, and fibre. This exotic

nut helps to support healthy cholesterol

levels, which prevents blood clotting and,

consequently, reduces the risk of heart

attacks and strokes.

broccoli

turmeric

beans

bananas

eggs

basil

brazil nuts

50 +


ADVOCACY

Leah

SHARIBU

Dead or Alive?

A Tribute to a brave young girl who paid

the ultimate price for her faith.

By Eucharia Ebube

ast 3 years, Boko

LHaram terrorists

stormed and

kidnapped 109

students from

Government Girls’ Science and

Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe

State, in northeast Nigeria. Five

students were killed and other

students were released apart

from Leah Sharibu because

she refused to comply with their

captors’ demand to convert to

Islam. Islam is the major religion

in Yobe State, followed by

Christianity. Thus, Leah, daughter

of Nathan and Rebecca Sharibu,

became the unlikely symbol of

defiance in the face of religious

persecution.

We do not know if Leah

Sharibu is still alive or not, healthy

or sick but rumour has it that Boko

Haram militants killed Sharibu

along with an unidentified person

referred to as “Alice” because of

the Nigerian government’s refusal

to accede to Boko Haram’s

demands.

Leah Sharibu will be marking

her 18th birthday in captivity on

May 14, 2021 (if she is still alive).

Who would believe that Leah,

at her age three years ago,

would consent to become

a mother? She wanted go

to university and she would

have been starting university

now but she is still in captivity.

If they forced her and

raped her, we cannot say that

she consented.

When other students

captured were released, Leah

sent a message to her mother,

saying: “My mother, you should not

be disturbed. I know it is not easy

missing me but I want to assure you

that I am fine where I am… I am

confident that, one day, I shall see

your face again. If not here, then,

there at the bosom of our Lord

Jesus Christ.”

Parents of then 15-year-old Leah

Sharibu, kidnapped by Boko Haram

terrorists in 2018, might have lost all

hope in the Nigerian government

rescuing their daughter by now.

Everyday reminds us that we

have a precious soul that has

been denied her freedom, her

leah sharibu

fundamental

human right!

Leah Sharibu has been gone

for too long; let the government

tell us how they are going to bring

her, along side the remaining

Chibok girls, back. The fact that

the government was able to

bring back the 100 girls that were

adopted alongside Leah Sharibu

shows that they have the capacity

to bring about the release of the

now young woman.

Let us remind the authorities

in the military, para-military,

36


ADVOCACY

intelligence and other security

agencies and the Presidency that

unless they also work hard to negotiate

the release of Leah Sharibu, they will

not be able to talk about peaceful

resolution of conflicts arising from

insurgency that has afflicted this

administration.

How many birthdays does Leah

Sharibu need to mark in captivity

before our Commander-in-Chief

would realise that he needs to protect

the lives of Nigerian citizens, including

children like Leah Sharibu?

This article is to remind the Federal

Government that the nation is still

waiting for freedom for Citizen Leah

Sharibu, the only Dapchi schoolgirl

and Christian who is still being held in

captivity because of her faith.

We should continue to appeal to our

leaders to please use the doggedness

with which they handled the case of

Zainab Aliyu’s release for Leah Sharibu.

This is one of the ways Nigeria’s leaders

can show Nigerians that they are

capable of the responsibility power

places on them!

Despite the president’s

assurance to the mother of Leah,

there has been no update on the

plight of the unlucky girl several

months after.

As things stand now, tens

of thousands of children and

students in Nigeria are missing out

on their education because of

the authorities’ failure to protect

schools, particularly in northern

Nigeria, from attacks by insurgents

and other armed groups, Amnesty

International said recently.

Osai Ojigho of Amnesty

International said: “Between

December 2020 and March

2021, there have been, at least,

five reported cases of abductions

in northern Nigeria. The threat

of further attacks has led to the

closure of about 600 schools in

the region. Whatever authorities

are doing to tame this tide, it is not

working.”

The frequency of the insurgents’

attacks show just how unsafe

Nigerian schools have become,

while Nigeria lackluster justice

system has only emboldened the

perpetrators.

Attacks against school children,

teachers and school buildings show

a callous disregard for the right to

life and the right to education by

both the bandits and insurgents

on one hand, and the Nigerian

authorities who have failed to end

these horrifying attacks, on the

other.

The Nigerian authorities risk

loosing a generation due to their

failure to provide safe schools

for children in a region already

devastated by Boko Haram

atrocities.


FEATURE

G lamView

Failure is a Myth

Rooted in the Origin

of Nothingness

By Bose Panama

“We are all terrified of failing. But we mostly fear things because

we didn’t take the time to unpack what those fears were.” TL; DR:

Failure is familiar territory for

everyone. We have all either

failed numerous times or

helplessly watched as others

fail around us. It could be that

cousin, sister, neighbour, friends,

family who just suffered failure at

something so tangible to them

now, but that thing turned out to be

intangible and incongruous later.

Yet you watch them fret

endlessly and watch countless

reliving of the pain and suffering,

which is often palpable.

Often, failure comes through

heartbreak, loss or grief, either from

relationship breakdown, eviction,

homelessness, abandonment,

unemployment or even death.

The endless anxiety and how

we often keep ourselves awake

all night bereft with worry thoughts

that don’t help but exacerbate

the trajectory of our knotted

frustrations. ‘require us to let go of

the thoughts that don’t make us

strong.’

We all do the same when failure

stares menacingly from a blurred

vision; we end up keeping ourselves

awake all night nonstop worrying

about the outcome of our failures.’’

We took years off of our life and put

ourselves in horrible places mentally

and physically.’’

The important thing we need to

know is that: Failure is so transient,

always having a false crutch even

its grip on us is not or will never be

firm because at every juncture of

failure, we are at the crossroad of

thoughtful anxiety, confusion and

chaos sometimes embedded in it is

frustration.

At the end of our journey down

the abyss, we learn something

poignant, and that is, failure is

nothing; Failure is like the origin of

zero. It fades into nothingness, and

we can sigh with relief several years

down the line and say out loud,’’

And you know what we learned

in the end? It generally didn’t

matter.’’Yessssss imagine finding out

eventually that failure is nothing and

that failure will pass and this failure

now will mean nothing later

Our “fear of failure” took over

our grip on reality, and we inevitably

envisioned it as poison or wound

translating into a ripple effect that

was worse than the actual failure;

We think Failure is worse than the

actuality of the failure itself’. Adele

failed at her relationship so much,

so she was so grief-stricken crying

out in distress ‘ ‘never mind; I will find

someone like you was her plea. Oh

no, you certainly ‘don’t want a jerk

like you should have been the title

of her lyric. Nonetheless, her debut

sold 300 million, translating her to

the Matriach of broken hearts. If

I approach Adele now and say

in the same circumstances will

you sing’ unbreak my heart say

you love me again’ instead? She

will scoff in my face because her

failure or failed relationship earned

her a billion at the bank. Her single

was the fastest in the annals of

history, knocking down Michael

Jackson, even Whitney Houston

Saving, all my love for you, paled

into insignificance, eh? Failure

38


is nothing; it is so overrated it is

nothing to be scared of, my dear.

The next time you fail to take

a deep breath, smile, go to the

shops, buy yourself a favourite

bottle of wine, in fact, a bottle of

champagne and invite your friends

around, call them for an impromptu

party once they are in and they ask

what is the celebration? Confidently

say that is for later, let’s enjoy today,

then tell them the news and watch

their face drop for you because of

their ignorance about failure. Then

pop the champagne and say I am

celebrating failure as an anecdote.

Everyone’s perception of failure

is always 1000 worse than how

the actual loss is mapped out. A

woman left at the altar will say,

‘no one will ever want me’ yes,

someone will love you and even

marry you!

A woman who had a child out

of wedlock will say, am a broken

plate no; you will find your Prince

charming broken plate or not.

Talking of finding your Prince or

Knight in shining armour, Meghan

Markle’s first marriage’s failure

played out as a grim tale. She sent

her wedding ring back in the post

to Ingleston. Was it that it was pretty

painful for her dear soul, but little

did she know her prince charming

is coming that will make her cup

complete and together conquer

the world?

She went on to marry her prince,

already a divorcee. Who said failure

has a sting? Not in the Markle world,

she has the Markle miracle and

married her prince.

When her marriage ended,

she could have hung her head

in shame and said, who will want

me now? ‘No, no no honey girl,

look to your right, there is money

money money’. All of a sudden

epic event started happening for

her; she went on a quest of’ ‘Finding

Freedom’. On the toe with that

trajectory came stumbling through

a successful move to America

with her prince and a son in toe;

torrential blessings for her 100 million

Netflix deal, Spotify deal, Oprah

interview, even taking an influential

newspaper to task and winning

her privacy case. Yeah! Winning

her high court ruling and battle for

substantial damages, is anything

stopping this girl? ‘This girl is on fire!

Bring it on; this woman is an

unstoppable failure. You have no

grip on reality; wait for this. She is

now expecting her second child,

a daughter? Just for a minute,

juxtapose her failed first marriage

with where she is right now. Are you

kidding? Failure is nothing is the

origin of nothing and nothingness.

Meghan Markle life story bears

eloquent testimony to the fact that

failure is the origin of nothingness;

don’t take it seriously when next it

makes an unannounced visit as it

always does

Remember when next you see

failure, don’t entertain the warped

view of failure; give it a lighthearted

welcome. Don’t have a pity party,

have a champagne lunch. Make it

a celebratory show, and tell people

what failure is- call it out. Failure

has a masked success; don’t let

it get to you; turn the poison of

failure into a fuel propelling you

to your subsequent victory. Flip it,

immediately turn your wound to the

wisdom. I hear you say ‘how?’ When

you receive that letter of dismissal,

go all-out, review your CV, apply,

apply, don’t feed that failure. Your

next better job is round the corner,

so have a party in anticipation of

your next new job.

When that thing, that

circumstance doesn’t work out, stay

calm. It is not for you! A Markle type

of miracle is very nigh; take heed

and let your head rule, not your

thoughts, not your mind! You are the

captain of your life, the master of

your life ‘ We only have one life. It’s

a travesty to waste it on anything,

not failure, at least!

Bose Panama is a UK based

Immigration lawyer and a

contributor to Glamsquad

Magazine

FEATURE

Power

Women:

In Their Own

Words

“I think that there is a lot of inner

strength in all of you and every one

of us just to carry on and wherever

we are, push, push, push.”

- Christine Lagarde European

Central Bank

“We’ve got one shot at this life,

and to not be productive with

what we’ve been given, to me, is

a travesty.”

- MELLODY HObson ARIEL

Investments

“You don’t have to be the boss

to be a leader. You can be in a

leadership role in any seat that

you’re sitting in.”

- Stacey Cunningham

NYSE


40


Glamsquad Magazine May 2021

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