CATWALK V

MAY 6, 2000.

I visited Nkechi, the elder sister of Sandra on the campus of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) in Idi Araba, Lagos.  She was in her room and we discussed until 9 p.m.  It was a pleasant visit.  I explained the content and context of the love poem I composed for her, entitled; Casey, Will You Take My Case.  It was a romantic allegory about an eccentric person warning an admirer to beware of loving him.  We also discussed her own poems and notes of her philosophical thoughts in prose, such as her Queen of the Night.
Nkechi served me biscuits and orange juice.  I enjoyed her hospitality gratefully.
She was going home for the weekend.  She would escort Sandra to the examination center to sit for the annual university matriculation examinations conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).  JAMB conducts the Matriculation Examinations for entry into Nigerian universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
Nkechi and I took one of the yellow Lagos taxicabs, but I got off at a place near my neighbourhood along the Ikorodu Road.  I have already made a public request on 96.9 Cool FM Radio to wish Sandra success.  And I told Nkechi to remind her.

I was missing Anita.

No Strip Tease

The other day, I took my models led by Anita to Dakova on appointment.  And the short man who prefers tall models wanted my first class models, Anita, Sandra, Lynda, and Nkechi to strip topless for his audition!
“I know what I am looking for.  I will only look and not touch,” he said professionally.
The girls blushed like some innocent virgins and politely refused to show Dakova their up and standing breasts.
“No way!  Modeling is no strip tease,” Nkechi said.
I told them that it was not a big deal to pose topless for fashion designers, because it is part of the formal and normal fashion routines of the catwalk in Europe, America, and Asia.  And nude models pose for our life studies in Art Classes.  But I left them to choose what they would do or not do.  It is their right.  Nkechi and the others stood their ground until we left.

When I visited Nkechi yesterday, I told her to forget about fashion modeling and I advised her to do TV commercials.  She has the beauty and poise for TV-Cs.

I have written another letter to Anita and I will go and drop it at home for her before going to Shomolu to give an urgent message to Mrs. Ebele, one of our leading female artists who is a friend.

If I say I am not missing Linda, the Cindy Crawford of Nigeria, I am a liar.  I am missing her and failing in my attempts to ignore her.  Because, I cannot ignore my sweetheart since she walked into our editorial office on Shiro Street in Fadeyi, Lagos, in 1997, the same year I discovered the Nigerian-Indian beauty Anita.

CATWALK IX

10 p.m. May 19, 2000.

I had a wonderful time with Sandra and Linda on campus today.  And Wale was with me from 11.30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
I agreed to meet with Sandra on campus at 11.30 a.m. after we spoke on phone last night.  She had gone to see Frank Oshodi, the fashion designer in Surulere and met Jude there.  But she did not meet Frank and wanted to return there today.
“I am going to UniLag to meet with Lola, a model, and both of us will go and see Frank Oshodi,” Sandra said.
“Where in UniLag?”  I asked.
“Newest Hall One.”
“Okay.  I will see you there.”
“At 11.30 a.m.”
“All right.”

I told Wale to come along with me, so that he would accompany Sandra to see Frank Oshodi.  But when Sandra met Lola, she told us that Lola said she wouldn’t be able to follow her to see Frank Oshodi as scheduled, because she would be following her mother to Ibadan.  I could see that Sandra was disappointed, even though she did not say so.  I tried to cheer her up.  I had to give the tall and thin Lola my honest compliments.  She had the figure of a perfect model with an exotic heavenly face like an angel.  But Lola said she has limitations as a model.  She cannot model any dress or do any commercial that is forbidden by her Christian code of conduct.
“The Christian code of conduct of which church?”  I asked inquisitively.
“The Redeemed Christian Church of God,” she replied.
“I also go to RCCG,” I said.
We spoke on Christian ethics and modeling and I made my recommendations with consideration for her reservations.
“Well, you can do TV commercials.  Just give me three copies of your photographs.  One copy must show your face and shoulders with an open smile to show your fine dentition,” I said.
“I have one with me, here,” she said and brought out a photograph from her handbag.
“It’s okay.  But it is not clear enough.  I would prefer a white background,” I said, after looking at the picture.

Sandra, Lola, and Lola’s mate, named Uche went into the Newest Hall whilst Wale and I waited outside under a tree by the gate.  Because, male visitors are not allowed into the female hostels until 4 p.m., except on Saturdays and Sundays, when male visitors are permitted to go in as from 12 ‘0’ clock noon.  So, we waited for them until they returned and Linda joined us later.

Linda wore a jeans waistcoat over a small blouse and jeans trousers with high-heeled shoes.  She was looking as pretty as ever.  We greeted with our usual hug.  There is an unusual understanding between us that cannot be explained by anyone else.  It was a strange kind of platonic love and yet so romantic.  And I am enjoying it.

Lola and Uche left, whilst Sandra and Wale went to make phone calls at a public booth nearby.  The phone booth was against the wall of Queen Amina Hall.  Linda and I went to Sharon restaurant nearby where she had fried rice and fried chips of plantain with chicken and a bottle of iced Pepsi soft drink.  She offered me a bottle of iced Pepsi.  Wale and Sandra joined us later.  Sandra bought a plate of the same food Linda had eaten and drank the same bottle of iced Pepsi soft drink.  Wale had a bottle of Miranda soft drink.  We had a very long conversation till 4 p.m. Then we left.  As we were going out of the campus, we met Anita returning to the Newest Hall One.  .   


N.B:

CATWALK is from my diaries, Naked Passions, 480 pages, and should be released in 2008, by the grace of God.

CATWALK (I-X) is a diary of the models in my life and how they fared in the modeling scene in Lagos.

Sandra and Lynda are now in the US, while Anita is in the UK and Linda is the same trendy setter, Linda Ikeji, publisher of the all glossy Fashion, Modeling and Beauty (FM&B) magazine and CEO of Black Dove Models and Events Management and producer of her own TV show.

No Strip Tease

The other day, I took my models led by Anita to Dakova on appointment. And the short man who prefers tall models wanted my first class models, Anita, Sandra, Lynda, and Nkechi to strip topless for his audition!
“I know what I am looking for. I will only look and not touch,” he said professionally.
The girls blushed like some innocent virgins and politely refused to show Dakova their up and standing breasts.
“No way! Modeling is no strip tease,” Nkechi said.
I told them that it was not a big deal to pose topless for fashion designers, because it is part of the formal and normal fashion routines of the catwalk in Europe, America, and Asia. And nude models pose for our life studies in Art Classes. But I left them to choose what they would do or not do. It is their right. Nkechi and the others stood their ground until we left.

When I visited Nkechi yesterday, I told her to forget about fashion modeling and I advised her to do TV commercials. She has the beauty and poise for TV-Cs.

I have written another letter to Anita and I will go and drop it at home for her before going to Shomolu to give an urgent message to Mrs. Ebele, one of our leading female artists who is a friend.

If I say I am not missing Linda, the Cindy Crawford of Nigeria, I am a liar. I am missing her and failing in my attempts to ignore her. Because, I cannot ignore my sweetheart since she walked into our editorial office on Shiro Street in Fadeyi, Lagos, in 1997, the same year I discovered the Nigerian-Indian beauty Anita.

You should know better than to encourage a Nigerian woman to take a topless picture.
What if it surfaces on the Internet? Don't you know that is how Anita Hogan got into trouble?

Seun,

I am going to show scenes of a topless model in a movie and my Malaysian partner who is a photographer is excited over it. She is very matured. She has taken pictures of her models in nude.

Nudity is not pornography.

Nature study or life study in Art can be expressed in nudity.

The photograph of a pregnant woman has been shown in reproductive health studies and biology and the nudity is not obscene.

Most professional models in developed countries go topless for their designers and photographers.
And it ends there.

Medical doctors do VE on girls and women.
And it ends there.

I followed my girlfriend to a clinic for medical examination and VE and the medical doctor was a guy and I did not lose sleep over it.

Not all nudity is pornography.

Good one there! Mayb i gat 2 meet u someday.

yicob:

Good one there! Mayb i gat 2 meet u someday.

Yicob,
Thanks.

Those who went to University of Lagos during this period will read these diaries and cherish the memories.

The famous Sharon Restaurant by Queen Amina Hall is no longer there. But the sweet memories will linger.

thats true. akokite babes and sharon restaurant!