₦airaland Forum

In recent times, fashion in Nigeria has gone quickly from the need to just wear clothes to protect from the harsh elements of weather to a way of life. A way of life that now brings to life the African in us with the consistent use of the African fabrics in making clothing which symbolize who we are as Africans while keeping the western trend in place.

Decades ago, this was not so. In fact to some extent many viewed anything African or even Nigerian as not good enough hence the slow realization of the goldmine that is resident in the use of African fabrics to create a community of fashion lovers that exist in Africa.

Thanks to the likes of late Mazi Mbonu Ojike who through his campaign caused the federal government to make it compulsory for public servants to wear Nigerian wears to their offices on Fridays; a practice which is still very much in place even today.

Now, there is a continuous rise to what the African fabrics are used for in Nigeria and beyond. International celebrities like Beyonce, Rihanna, Solange Knowles, Gwem Steffani, Alicia Keys and a host of others have been spotted wearing the African prints. Right now, Nigerian fashion designers are tearing down every barrier that tends to rise up as a stumbling block to the use of African fabrics in fashion designing.

Fast rising Nigerian fashion designer Dozzy Nnamdi Obinwanne, owner of Dozzy Couture clothing line which clothes men and a member of the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria ( FADAN); believes staunchly in not only thinking out of the box with designing clothes using the African fabrics; but ripping the box to shreds with styles and designs that will make even an advocate of western wears consider wearing the African fabrics and designs.

He thinks Nigerian fashion designers should stay true to their identity and heritage by making the most use of the African fabrics as some already do. “I design most of my clothing with the African fabric. I have high regards for fashion designers who don’t and also the western fashion designers but I don’t seek to compete with them. Rather I want every line and detail of my creations to bear the mark of a true African thereby promoting our culture and heritage” he says.

Dozzy Couture has in the spirit of promoting Nigerian fabrics on stylish designs, trained a number of up and coming fashion designers to not only shine through as Africans in their works but also to pay complete attention to details in their designs and sewing. His carefully designed pieces which showcased on the runways of The Nigeria Television Fashion Show(NTFS)2015,The Ankara Fashion Fiesta 2015,Runway FADAN 2015 and others lend credence to this.

He revealed his happiness at the come-back some of the Nigerian regalia worn in the past have made. He is particularly enthusiastic at the return of the “Agbada” and how creative Nigerian fashion designers have made it such that Nigerian musicians like Iyanya, Skales, Don Jazzy and even females now clad it in style.

“The emergence and rise of talented fashion designers in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized and the community of fashion designers that the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria ( FADAN) is constantly building will rock in a positive way the very foundations of African fashion and put us clearly on the world fashion map” Dozzy says.

www.dozzycouture.com

By Chinwe Obinwanne



“Fashion is an art. You express who you are through what you are wearing”.



The above quote holds true for many of us. We dress in certain ways because we want people to perceive us in that way. More than how people perceive us, when we dress well we know it and it boosts our self-confidence a wee bit. This boost in confidence carries us through the day and helps us sometimes unconsciously attack a situation more confidently than we would have if we didn’t feel how we felt about our choice of clothing on that particular day.

When a boy who is used to being seen “sagging” his jeans and wearing T-shirts everyday of every week is suddenly seen putting on a well-tailored piece of native attire, one quickly thinks “hey, this fella is looking all grown up and different”. When he eventually makes it a habit of dressing that way and only ditching it once or twice for casual jeans and Tee shirts, he is no longer said to be “looking” grown-up but to be “grown-up”.

Our sense of style plays a significant role in how we are seen, received and addressed by others.

Till recently, fashion has always been seen as women “thing” and men were viewed as people who just dress because they’ve to cover up their bodies. They were viewed as the gender that have other things on their minds and have no time for fashion.

Anthony Burgess captures this picture with this quote: “Women thrive on novelty and are easy meat for the commerce of fashion. Men prefer old pipes and torn jackets.”

Today, we see a huge shift from this rather boring perception of male fashion and style. Men are standing up and redefining men’s fashion as we once knew it.

Let’s talk Nigerian men. Just like other men, our Nigerian men had other things that occupied their thoughts and so were okay going with clothing introduced to us by the western world. Yes, we did like our natives but it wasn’t part and parcel of our day to day wears like it is today.

Enter male fashion designers

Now, we have a growing list of talented male fashion designers; some who cater solely for the male gender. These male fashion designers have taken the use of our African fabrics to a whole new level. Talk about formal, casual, classy, and sophisticated clothing; they deliver them all and then some.

https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/new-copy-225x150.jpg

Read more here http://www.dozzycouture.com/mens-blossoming-love-for-fashion/

y Chinwe Obinwanne

Since 2011, Africa Fashion Week London has hosted four shows with the most recent and fifth edition being the one which took place last weekend at West Hall Olympia.

This event has showcased spanning over 300 designers to close to 40, 000 visitors. Amongst these visitors are retailers, industry professionals and of course buyers. It is currently an annual fashion event that is highly anticipated by all fashion conscious individuals across Africa and beyond. See images below.

https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/afwlondon1-153x300.jpg

https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/afwlondon10-180x300.jpg

https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/afwlondon11-203x300.jpg

https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/afwlondon12-208x300.jpg

https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/afwlondon13-194x300.jpg

https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/afwlondon14-208x300.jpg

https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/afwlondon15-180x300.jpg

https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/afwlondon19-192x300.jpg

View more : http://www.dozzycouture.com/photos-2015-africa-fashion-week-london/

The fast growing Nigerian fashion industry has been given a new lifeline of N1billion by the Bank of Industry (BoI), on Tuesday in Lagos, to help it launch into the multibillion dollar global fashion market.
Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa, Managing Director of the bank, said the fund was to support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
Olaoluwa added that Nigerian fashion designers were one of the most creative in the world, having trained in most of the best fashion schools across the globe.

He said the fund was an initiative under the Gender Unit of the bank, and also targeted toward women-owned businesses only.
“There has been a lot of talk about SME funding, but with less actions. This is why BoI has decided to increase its funding initiatives to cluster creations.
“BoI has so far recognised 34 cluster creations nationwide to drive our funding initiatives. So, we are able to tailor each cluster based on its peculiarities.

https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/fadan_president-257x300.jpg

“We are excited about this fund because of the impact it is going to make in promoting job creation, especially among the youths because fashion business globally is worth about $1trillion.
“And with the growing population of over 170 million, increasing purchasing power of the middle class, it is obvious that fashion business is, and will be a money spinner for Nigeria’s economy in the next few years”, Olaoluwa said.
He decried the state of the textile industry, saying that it had not benefitted enough from the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA), due to poor competitiveness.

Read more here http://www.dozzycouture.com/nigerian-fashion-industry-get-n1bn-boost-from-bank-of-industry/

By Chinwe Obinwanne

Fashion is pain, so many say. Fred was one of the few who disagreed.

How in the hell can fashion be pain? He argued. Something so sexy, classy and eye-popping can’t cause any pain he believes.

So he made sure his girlfriends wore high heels even if it killed them. He ensured that they wore really tight-fitting clothes to show off their figures even if the said figures were screaming in torment.

Even when his mother complained of the incessant headaches her ‘gele’ scarf usually gave her, Fred was always quick to reprimand her in a subtle way while reminding her that the culprit just couldn’t be the ‘gele’. Fashion could do no wrong in Fred’s eyes.

https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/fashionhurts-300x225.jpg

Sometimes he felt he had an innate love affair with fashion. One so strong it almost felt like a blood covenant. He often times wished fashion were a walking, breathing and of course downright sexy female. If that had been, he would have gone to the ends of the earth to seek her out.

Anyone who castigated anything Fred considered fashionable turned to an instant enemy.

His love for fashion was almost akin to his love for bulking up his body muscles and wearing eye-catching natives. Just like his formal and casual wears, his native attires always stand him out at any function. He particularly looked forward to Fridays when the females would ooh and aaah over his body-fitted native wears that seemed one of its kind.

He enjoyed all the attention profusely and ensured his biceps went through glorious torture every weekend so that his natives would cling to them and run the women mad with desire.

But one thing remained constant with Fred. His fear of returning home each day he donned a native attire.

It was a ritual that each day he put on native attire, upon returning home, he had to beg anyone in sight to help him remove his clothing. He enjoyed the compliments but he was always constricted in his choice of fit as regards to clothing. He always insisted his natives be made tight.

One day, it got so bad he had to visit a neighbor just for the purpose of helping remove his tight-fitted senator top. In all of this, Fred still insists fashion isn’t pain. He believes that is how fashion is meant to be. It is not meant to be for the faint hearted and the strong-willed will not call it pain, but sacrifice he says.

Who agrees with him?

Should Fashion be painful?

Read more http://www.dozzycouture.com/when-fashion-hurts/

By Chinwe Obinwanne



The world really takes fashion seriously, don’t you think?

I mean, every country in the world today pays more than 100% attention to fashion; not just as a popular style or practice dealing with clothing, accessories, footwear and all. Now, even the downright bizarre comes to play on the stage of fashion designing.

For a fashion designer to stand out, he has to think not just out of the box, but rip the box to shreds with his own mind-blowing idea. If fashion were as easy as doing just what every other person is doing, then what is the fun and fortune in it right?

Well, it seems some folks in India have spent sleepless nights thinking up just the right way to create the perfect fashion community. One that thinks, eats, breathe and speak fashion.

This folks under the company Myntra seek to up the ante by creating what can be called a fashion Facebook. Myntra is an online fashion site which aims at turning itself into a fashion network much like a social network but this time just for fashionistas and fashionistos or anyone who loves fashion. According to them, users can invite friends, form a group, chat, upload pictures and seek opinion of experts and friends before purchasing clothes or accessories.

In simple terms, they want to create the Facebook of fashion. They also predict a ten-fold growth of about $5 billion in income in a period of 4 years once this hits the ground and running.

The question is: how realizable is this? Will people leave existing social networks where they usually interact to move on to one where they interact just on Fashion as against varying subjects?

If this initiative works in India, will it work in somewhere like Nigeria?

Read More http://www.dozzycouture.com/the-facebook-of-fashion-soon-to-launch/

By Chinwe Obinwanne



We watched them grow while our attention was more focused on their bigger sisters in the reality TV show Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Most of us viewed them then as the cute and leggy little sisters of the popular Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian.

But little by little, the little sisters stole the stage from right under big sisters’ noses.

Today, the news is rife with anything about Kendall and Kylie Jenner. If they burp, smile, frown or strut the runway; the media eats it up. To think they are both not yet up to 20 years is interesting to note.

The new gist is that the two sisters have taken their love for fashion and designing to the level they’ve dreamt of for some time.

They had initially collaborated with Topshop, a line with PacSun and then went on to announce just last week their shoe line. But now, they are unleashing the Kendall+Kylie fashion line.

Yes, these sisters are looking at the big time with their new brand. This new brand will include dresses, tops, jumpsuits, jeans, outerwear, swimwear and shoes and the best part for fashion lovers is that everything will be priced under $250.

The pieces in this fashion line will be a mix of Kendall’s classic girly style and Kylie’s edgier look.

https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/kendall-kylie-jenner-300x229.jpg

“I feel like we’ve both really evolved our styles, and this represents what we want to wear,” Kylie told Women’s Wear Daily. Kendall concurred, “This is all us. It’s enjoyable to be able to fully create. It’s a lot different from our Topshop and PacSun collections because those were both collaborations, so they obviously had a say in everything.”

The Jenner fashion loving sisters expect to market their line to high-end department stores such as Bloomingdales, Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue and then online stores like Shopbop.com.

Their collection is pegged for release in 2016.

Source: www.dozzycouture.com

Excerpts from the interview…



Dozzy Nnamdi Obinwanne is the creative director/CEO of Dozzy Couture www.dozzycouture.com. He is also a member of Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria, FADAN. In this exclusive interview withVictor Udoh, he speaks about his love for fashion and challenges facing the industry in Nigeria. Excerpts:

Why did you go into fashion?

I have been in love with fashion ever since I was a kid. I started sewing in secondary school, but did not want to go into it fully then. I later studied Geology and Mining from Federal University of Technology, Owerri; worked in a lot of firms before deciding to open my own clothing line, since fashion is something I know how to do best. I knew I was good at it, and decided to go into it fully. I therefore took more professional courses on fashion; since then, God has been great.

How was your growing up years?

It was not easy, but I thank God for the kind of parents I have. They gave me the opportunity and have supported me all the way. My mum bought my first sewing machine.

If not for fashion what else would you do?

That would be professional geology because I studied geology and mining. Maybe I would have been in the oil industry if not for fashion. In fact I was there until I ventured into fashion fully.

How would you rate our fashion industry?

Recently, we are making waves, and I believe we would get there in time. We may not be able to compete with international market right now, but we are trying to create our own markets. So, gradually the Nigerian fashion industry will get there.

Right now, after this show, some fashion designers in Nigeria and I would be going to Cotonou for ECOWAS Fashion Week coming up next month. No doubt, we are going places.

How would you advise the government on fashion?

One challenge facing most fashion designers is fund. Take electricity; we all work with electricity. Without power, we cannot do anything. Also if there is fund, I believe the fashion industry in Nigeria will make progress. If the government can come in and support the fashion industry, like they are doing with the Nollywood, it would be great for the industry, its people and the country.

What basic challenges do you face as a fashion designer?

The basic challenges we are having now is electricity; if we have constant electricity in Nigeria it will help us to do our job better. Moreover, we will achieve excellence in our work.

How do you give back to the society?

Presently, I am giving back to the society through my clothing line. I have a lot of people I trained, which is a way of empowering people. That way I have helped the society.

Who inspires you?

Several fashion designers who I respect so much, inspire me. In Nigeria, there are the likes of Mudi Africa; I love his stitches a lot and have learnt much from how he handles the business side of fashion. Yomi Casual is another individual I respect so much; I love his consistence in the business. So is KUO Couture, who I respect so much and all the members of FADAN. I give them kudos.

What is your philosophy of life?

I am a free person and don’t bother myself too much. I do the best I can and leave the rest for God.

On daily basis, how do you get inspired?

I am inspired by day-to-day activities. It may be what I see along the way, sometimes it could be structure, building, people and my environment.

How did you feel following your first sewing experience?

I felt good because one of the first persons I sewed for was my relative and brother, and they appreciated it. I must say a big thank you to them because they have always been there for me, especially my wife.

https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DSC_4321-200x300.jpg

How do you cope amid all the big names in the fashion industry?

I don’t see any designer as my competitor; neither am I scared of any competitor. That aside, I tend to go the extra mile and do things in an extraordinary manner. People love new styles.

How will you compare our fashion to that of Europe and America?

What they do doesn’t really inspire me because we have our own style. I tell people every day that instead of imitating them, we should improve on our style. By doing this, we would make progress. In fact, we are there already.

It is interesting how fast fashion is being appreciated and interpreted in Africa in recent times.

Sometime in the past two decades, Nigerians in particular probably didn’t pay much heed to fashion as we do today. Now, women and even men pay attention to what they are wearing and what is more, we are even beginning to appreciate and patronize to a large extent our own local designers.

These local designers are springing up on a daily basis regardless of the many that are already in the market and irrespective of the many challenges they seem to be facing.

Most of them such as [url]Dozzy Couture www.dozzycouture.com[/url] push the boundaries of the everyday fabric combination by blending the usual fabrics with the sweet touch of our local fabrics (think Ankara, Da Viva and co.) to produce designs that generate nods of appreciation.



How Fashion Shows Help

Fashion shows in Africa and indeed Nigeria bring to light the many talented fashion designers and accessory designers that are rife in the nation.

Creativity is being celebrated more often on runways with the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN) flinging open its doors to welcome the many talented designers in the country and giving them a platform to showcase their art.

Nothing is more beautiful than witnessing talented and creative people passionately show the stuff they know they are great at. That is what we see these days as lots of shows organized or supported by FADAN and others spring up to encourage young and budding fashion designers in Nigeria.

Take for instance the Fayrouz L’Original Expression Show which took place just recently; in this show not just fashion designers, but models, photographers and make-up artists were given the opportunity to come together as a team and battle creatively to win a whooping N4million. What can be more motivating than investing your talent and time into an art you absolutely love while seeing a mouthwatering sum at the finish line?

Not just that, June and July 2015 saw the Runway FADAN 2015 fashion show, The Maiden Ankara Fashion fiesta, The Nigerian Television Fashion Show “Vogue Collection” and a host of other fashion shows showcase not just the creativity of young and established fashion designers, but also that of student fashion designers.

https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DSC_4342-300x200.jpg

Many have realized the goldmine that is yet to be tapped from this lucrative market of fashion and are channeling the much needed energy and passion into it.

These passionate individuals are not denying the challenges they face but are taking the bulls by their thick horns to cause a serious paradigm change that will leave us with a more fashionable Nigeria.

It’s only a matter of time before fashion will become just as popular and trendy as music in Nigeria and indeed Africa.

By Chinwe Obinwanne

There is no stopping the steady growth of fashion in Africa and Nigeria in particular as talented fashion designers keep pushing the limits with jaw-dropping designs.

The courageous always reach to grab the prize and this time, another fashion show debuted its maiden edition to join the growing list of fashion events in Nigeria.

July 26, 2015 saw the maiden Ankara Fashion Fiesta throw its doors open to both student fashion designers and established fashion designers in a show of creativity. The show which held at the Oriental Hotel Lagos kicked off at about 3pm with singer and song writer Mr. Olumuyiwa Osinuga a.k.a NOMORELOSS Mcing the event.

Creatively talented fashion Designers such as Dozzy Nnamdi Obinwanne showcased at the event which also had performers and a comedian keeping the blood rushing through the veins of all present.

Dozzy Nnamdi Obinwanne showcased six designs under his fashion line Dozzy Couture. He stylishly used a sweet combination of the ankara fabrics with plain fabrics to achieve his designs.

Here are pictures from the event.

https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DSC_4568.jpg
https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DSC_4699.jpg
https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DSC_4577.jpg
https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DSC_4599.jpg
https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DSC_4628.jpg

View more here http://www.dozzycouture.com/dozzy-couture-designs-hold-sway-at-the-maiden-ankara-fashion-fiesta-2015/

Nollywood Worldwide Entertainment on Sunday July 26, 2015 held yet another show-stopping episode of the Nigerian Television Fashion Show at Yard 158 Event Centre, Kudirat Abiola Way, Ikeja , Lagos.

The event saw many fashion lovers in attendance to witness the creativity of various Nigerian designers.

Fashion Designer Dozzy Nnamdi Obinwanne opened the show with his male fashion line Dozzy Couture, showcasing handfuls of his admirable and classic designs.

His designs are usually carefully made with absolute attention to making the finishing nothing but just perfect.

Interestingly, the MC of the event, MC IceWater who is also a comedian and on-air-personality with Traffic Radio 96.1 FM and Eko 89.7 FM wore two of Dozzy Couture designs throughout the show while Galaxy TV’s Collins Talker was styled in a Dozzy Couture design for same event.

Here are pictures of Dozzy Couture on the runway of the Nigerian Television Fashion Show, 2015

https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DSC_4353.jpg
https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DSC_4448.jpg
https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DSC_4404.jpg
https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DSC_4412.jpg
https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DSC_4358.jpg
https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DSC_4409.jpg
https://www.dozzycouture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DSC_4338.jpg

[url]View more http://www.dozzycouture.com/nigeria-television-fashion-show-2015-opens-with-dozzy-couture/[/url]

Lagos banks have started implementing it... Read this story, it may help

[http://www.businessdayonline.com/NG/index.php/news/latest/49255-lagos-banks-stop-n100-atm-charges]

On today’s Throwback, I am remembering that book that served as the internet back in the days when health concerns arose. I believe many of you are familiar with the book named ‘Where there is no doctor’.

That book was in almost every home I visited while I was growing up. Unlike today when any symptom we notice in our body, we quickly hit Google and some other health websites, back in the days, any symptom parents noticed, they flipped open Where There is No Doctor. It somehow had answers to majority of health questions and offered cures.

The book according to Wikipedia is the most widely used health education book in tropical and sub-tropical developing countries. The book was originally written by David Werner, Carol Thuman, Jane Maxwell in 1970 in Spanish as Donde No Hay Doctor and has since then been revised multiple times. It has sold over one million copies and has been translated into over 100 languages. It has also been made into a CD and some portions of it can be downloaded free of charge in pdf format.

In the book, you will be sure to find covered all aspects of people’s health ranging from Diarrhea to Malaria, skin diseases, bone fractures, open wounds and a lot more. The 512 paged book places special emphasis on hygiene, a healthy diet and vaccinations. It also explains very well how to prevent, recognize and treat many common sicknesses. The new revised version of the book has additional information on health problems such as AIDS, complications from abortion, birth and family planning and a host of other new illnesses.

I remember then, my mum always had that book cello taped whenever we dared tear off a piece of it. It was the most read book in our home and I particularly liked that it had images to drive home points made in it. The images most of the time will show an illness and how to go about curing it. Even though the images were not works of a perfect artist, but at least they were clearly understood.

Today, technology has changed a lot of things making the internet the first point of call when we worried about our health. Technology may have taken over, but Where There is No Doctor served and may still be serving its purpose in some parts of the world today. Till date, our copy of this book still lies nestled in our library as I am sure some others do.

Do you remember this book?

Savita Halappanavar, 31, was 17 weeks pregnant when she developed back pain and tests revealed that she would lose her baby.

But despite her repeated pleas over three days, doctors refused to perform a termination as they could still hear the foetus’s heartbeat, reportedly telling her: "This is a Catholic country."

Mrs Halappanavar’s condition rapidly deteriorated and she died after developing septicaemia four days after the death of her baby.

The case has prompted renewed calls for the Irish government to legislate for abortion, with pro-choice campaigners branding her death “an outrage”.

James Reilly, Ireland’s health minister, sought a report on the circumstances surrounding the tragedy and Galway University Hospital prepared to launch its own investigation.

Mrs Halappanavar’s husband, Praveen, expressed astonishment that his Hindu wife, a dentist, died.
“It’s very hard,” he told the Irish Times. “It has been a terrible few weeks, very hard to understand how this can happen in the 21st century, very hard to explain to her family.”

The couple, who moved to Ireland from India in 2008, had been over the moon when they discovered they were expecting a baby, he disclosed.

Mr Halappanavar, 34, said everything had been fine until his wife developed back pain on Saturday October 20.

They went to the hospital the following morning but after a series of tests, were told nothing was wrong and sent home again.

However, they returned to the hospital just half an hour later after Mrs Halappanavar became increasingly concerned.

Her husband, an engineer employed by Boston Scientific in Galway, said that they were once again told there was no cause for concern but demanded to see a doctor.

A further examination revealed that the cervix was fully dilated and there was no way the baby would survive.

Mr Halappanavar said his wife repeatedly asked for a medical termination but was told it was impossible as long as there was a foetal heartbeat.

“Savita was really in agony,” he said.

“She was very upset, but she accepted she was losing the baby. The consultant said it was the law, that this is a Catholic country. Savita said: ‘I am neither Irish nor Catholic’ but they said there was nothing they could do.

“That evening she developed shakes and shivering and she was vomiting. She went to use the toilet and she collapsed. There were big alarms and a doctor took bloods and started her on antibiotics.”
Eventually, on the Wednesday lunchtime, the foetal heartbeat stopped and Mrs Halappanavar was taken into theatre.

When she regained consciousness, she spoke briefly to her husband for the last time.

That night, she was rushed to intensive care but her heart, liver and kidneys stopped functioning and she died in the early hours of Sunday October 28.

Mr Halappanavar said yesterday that he had decided to speak out about the case to try to prevent it happening again.

In 1992, Ireland’s Supreme Court ruled that abortion should be allowed if the mother’s life was in danger but the law has never been changed, forcing thousands of women to travel abroad for terminations every year.

[http://jess2-chinwe..com/]

[quote author=Efemena_xy]What a nice story!

@Poster, thanks for sharing [/quote]

I read this, loved it and decided to share!

In a brief conversation a man asked a woman he was pursuing the question 'What kind of man are you looking for? 'She sat quietly for a moment before looking him in the eye and asking. 'Do you really want to know?'

Reluctantly, he said, 'Yes.' She began to expound... As a woman in this day and age, I am in a position to ask a man what he can do for me that I can't do for myself. I pay my own bills. I take care of my household without the help of any man...or woman for that matter. I am in the position to ask, 'What can you bring to the table?'


The man looked at her. Clearly he thought that she was referring to money. She quickly corrected his thought and stated, 'I am not referring to money. I need something more.' I need a man who is striving for perfection in every aspect of life.'



He sat back in his chair, folded his arms, and asked her to explain. She said, 'I am looking for someone who is striving for perfection mentally because I need conversation and mental stimulation. I don't need a simple-minded man. ‘I am looking for someone who is striving for perfection spiritually, because I don't need to be unequally yoked... believers mixed with unbelievers is a recipe for disaster.I need a man who is striving for perfection financially because I don't need a financial burden. I am looking for someone who is sensitive enough to understand what I go through as a woman, but strong enough to keep me grounded.

I am looking for someone who I can respect. In order to be submissive, I must respect him. I cannot be submissive to a man who isn't taking care of his business. I have no problem being submissive...he just has to be worthy.


God made woman to be a helpmate for man. I can't help a man if he can't help himself. When she finished her spill, she looked at him.


He sat there with a puzzled look on his face. He said, 'You're asking "A Lot " She replied....................... "I’m worth A Lot "........

[http://jess2-chinwe..com/]

Hello everyone! It’s a new day and irrespective of what anyone says or does to you, choose to be happy. I will practice what I preach too…

It’s another episode of Throwback Thursday and I intend to catapult you back to the Primary, secondary and University years. I want us to discuss the teachers we had and the funny names we gave them. We all had that one teacher that we made sure to give a name…come on! You know it’s true!

Back then in secondary school, seeing as I went to an all girls boarding school, it was fun as hell… at least the senior class when I wasn’t being pushed around by the big gals! Lol
We used to have a certain teacher we called Aunty Bam… the name existed after she farted in class. Students claim the sound the fart made was Bam!

From then on, we started referring to her with the name. The name stuck and every new student thought that was her name. Once, a new student saw her passing and respectfully greeted her saying ‘Good Morning Aunty Bam’... The woman held her by the ears asking her to stop calling her that. In pains, the poor girl responded, ‘But what did I do Aunty Bam’?


The woman hit her screaming; ‘She is still saying it!’ but the girl knew no other name. Till we left school, we addressed her with the name because frankly, I didn’t even know her real name.

What of the one we called ‘Cuburoot’! She taught us Mathematics and always pronounced cube root, Cuburoot… so that was the name we called her.

Ehen! How can I forget school ram? He was a youth corper posted then to our school who used to go after everything in skirt.

I fondly remember ‘Teacup and saucer’… we called him that because he was short and walked with a bounce. Still can’t place the relationship between the name and its description.

I laugh as I remember the one I and my friends called 6’Oclock… he was also a youth corper and dude was so thin that he looked like the hands of the clock when it struck six o’clock!

This is just a few…

Humour us with names you remember your teachers being called back in the days so that we can take the stress off and enjoy one another…

[http://jess2-chinwe..com/]

Remember that Nollywood actress that talks like a baby? You don’t… Okay, maybe a better description will help. Remember that babe that has humongous boobs and never bothers to hide them underneath any form of normal clothing? I bet your memory is active now!

Yes, am talking of none other than the boobilicious Cossy Orjiakor. The babe has decided to toe the name-path with Hugh Hefner of Playboy Mansion with the recent opening of her ‘Playgirl Mansion’.

The actress recently turned singer had been rumored to have acquired 12 plots of land at Kuchiako Kuje, Abuja for ‘commercial use’…. Well, here is one of its uses.

Cossy shared photos of the building on Twitter with an emblem of her name in between two playboy logos crested on it.
She made a show of the mansion on twitter when she posted ‘Play girl mansion is now open. Pls send the left over rams …A pretty big boobs chef will make a delicacy out of em‘ on her page @CossyDiva.
She has also said the launch of her music album will be in December and the event will be big. ‘My Album launch is Dec,15, Venue ..in the sea..Prest Boat Cruise.. life band …buffet..and lots of take home gifts. 1st class affair‘, she said.

One thing is not clear yet; what will be done in this mansion? Will it be used for the same purpose as Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Mansion?
Let’s watch and see!

[http://jess2-chinwe..com/]

We are mothers and truth be told, raising a child is not a task for the fickle minded especially when that child is not a quiet one but a hyperactive human being.

It gets to that point when they have stopped being infants and graduated to toddlers and preschoolers; then it’s time for some disciplinary measures to be put in place. A saying goes, train up a child in the way that he should go and when he grows up, he will not depart from it. Opinions of parents differ as to when to start disciplining a child.

While some have claimed that they started teaching their babies right from wrong as early as 2 weeks old, others believe discipline should properly commence by 6 months. It varies from one parent to another but hey, do it as it works for you so long as you don’t get it done late.

Another question that has come in with parents is the mode of discipline. A woman complained on Babycenter website that when she’s with her daughter and she does something that needs disciplining, she usually gives her time-outs but she is worried that her husband resorts to spanking the child. She is also more worried of the fact that she feels he should not spank her but can’t say because she is his daughter too.

Many people shared their views with responses below…

Mum A: I see nothing wrong with a little spanking every once in a while. My children are 3 and 5 and extremely well behaved. Spanking is a last resort; however they both know that if they don't listen after a time out in the corner, then the spanking comes next. Yes my children are scared of the spanking punishment, but isn't that the point?


After a time out or a spanking my husband and I always talk to them about why they got punished. Not once did they not understand what they did wrong or why they got spanked. Neither of my children EVER hit, push nor bully any other children or each other as a result of spanking. They know that spanking and time-outs are what grown-ups do to misbehaving children and that they should never hit anyone out of anger. Our spankings are never hard and never leave a mark. It's just the thought that upsets them.

There is nothing wrong with a child fearing their parents if they do something wrong. If they didn't have some sort of fear, then they wouldn't care whether or not what they are doing is wrong. If adults didn't fear authority, then what is preventing from breaking the law? I think I would laugh if a police officer or judge talked to me calmly after breaking the law and just gave a time out in my room where I could comfortably watch tv and relax. Come to think of it I think that would be kind of nice...a chance to do what I wanted. We never spank hard and like I said, it's rare, but they know it's there.

My kids know they are loved, as we show them every day and unconditionally. I think society is becoming way to soft on misbehaving children, that’s why you always see kids in the store stamping their feet and throwing a temper tantrum because they don't get what they want. They know as soon as they get home they get their nice little punishment in their cozy little room, in cozy little bed and may even get a short nap out of the deal. My son acted up once in the store and never did it again, and yes he never did it again out of fear(ooo theres that bad word again) of getting a spanking when we get home. Now every time they are good in the store they know that there is chocolate milk and cookies at the end of the rainbow.

Mum B: I noticed that my husband disciplines based on how he was raised as a child. I didn't like the way I was disciplined as a child ...

Read the rest and please share your experience here [http://jess2-chinwe..com/2012/10/mummys-wednesday-what-is-best-way-to.html]

Interesting the many trends we get to see in Lagos state.

While we are still trying to fathom how to cope without the ‘mad’ driving okada men, the Lagos state commissioner for transportation has given us what he thinks is a remedy. He says we should all go and buy bicycles since they are already mapping out plans to provide us with bicycle lanes.

He says it’s an alternative to okada and advised us to cycle from our homes and then tie our bicycles on a pole that will be provided at bus stops, and then proceed to take the BRT buses. If I park my bicycle there, person come thief am nko?

I can imagine me with my heels and probably gown, pedaling my bicycle with all furiousness just to get to work in good time. I laugh at that thought!


He actually said offices need to provide showers so that when the weather is intolerable and probably one is sweating like someone that ran a marathon from Abuja to Lagos, we can get to shower before getting down to work. This man seems to think everyone works in an office abi?

So these Alaba and Ladipo boys should build bathrooms too so that they can shower before getting to work? Just imagine everyone in your office comes in sweating and then there is a long queue waiting to use the bathrooms…. Na baf u come work to baf?

There are times comparing our lifestyles to that of our western counterparts seems laughable. This fellow said we should take a look at other countries where riding bicycles around has worked and imbibe it… think for a split second about it!

Personally, I do not see his suggestion as a reasonable option. If you own a bicycle and wish to ride around in it, fine and good… but telling us to park our cars and roam the city in bicycles irrespective of the state of health of the person at present is quite unthinkable.

I wait to see how welcome that his suggestion will be. Sometimes I think that these people holding public offices need to listen to themselves when they talk.

We know riding bicycles is a form of exercise but using it as a serious form of movement?

[http://jess2-chinwe..com/]

I am a Bollywood addict so it should come as no surprise that I have a day dedicated to the industry and its movies. Today is my normal Throwback Thursday and throughout the night, Yeh Vaada Raha songs kept playing through my mind.

Anyone who was born in the 70s and 80s gotta know the movie… I think back then, probably because Nollywood hadn’t been in people’s faces, our parents took pride in watching Hindi movies, a lot!

While growing up, my house was filled with so many Indian movies and I fell in love with them from then.
Today, let me take you back to the ground-breaking love Vikram Rai Bahadur ( Rishi Kapoor) had for Sunita Sikand ( Poonam Dhillion) in Yeh Vaada Raha (The Promise), a 1982 movie .

The story takes you into the caste system in India back in the days. While Vikram is the only son of Mrs. Sharda, and sole heir to a vast business and estate, Sunita’s father was hanged for a crime and she was an orphan and poor at that.

They meet by fate at the temple where Vikram went to pray and he follows her, playing all the pranks he knows how to win her. One time, he had his artiste friend Raja draw a replica of Sunita which he made copies of and pasted round the entire town. After series of falling in and out of trouble, singing and imaginations, he finally wins the love of beautiful Sunita.
Their love, from the word go was faced with a lot of obstacles. First, Vikrams mother despises Sunita on first meeting and refused their marriage. Secondly, while they journeyed secretly to the temple to wed along with their friend Raja, they were involved in a ghastly motor accident which changed Sunita forever.
She lost her face and held on to her love for Vikram but that too was snatched from her when Vikram’s mother lied to him telling him Sunita was dead. He mourned her and lost hope for months. Even the lady (Rita) his mother found for him to marry from an affluent home had no place in his heart. His heart belonged to Sunita.
It took a very long time for Sunita to recover after she was transferred to another hospital for a facial surgery. In that hospital, Dr Mehra gave her a new face, new life and a new father.

He took her like his child.

The minute her new face was ready, she hurried to call Vikram on the phone but the face she saw on the mirror while she listened to the beep of the phone had her dropping the receiver in shock. She was staring at a stranger.

Her face had changed after the surgery and she didn’t even recognize herself. She wept because if she couldn’t recognize herself, how did she expect Vikram to recognize her?

She changed her name to Kusum Mehra adopting the Doctors surname. She was unaware that Vikram thought she was dead.
Fate kept playing cruel games on the two lovers but Sunita’s voice kept haunting Vikram. That voice was one he could never forget.

Somehow, after we have been taken on an exciting journey of love, hate and rediscovery, the movie ends with the two lovers resounding the promise they made to each other.

I have watched this film many times that I remember every tiny detail of it. Do you remember the film? Which old movie do you remember today?

Let me refresh your memory with this song from Yeh vaada Raha...[http://jess2-chinwe..com/2012/10/throwback-thursday-sunite-sunita-sunita.html]

Tonto Dikeh has turned a bigger star than she already is (Lol). She dropped her singles yesterday and twitter has had no rest ever since that moment. She was trending on various hashtags on Twitter and her song was downloaded by loads of people.
The saying that celebrities thrive on controversy cannot be entirely overstated here. Kim Kardashian became a household name in the world of entertainment not because she can sing, dance or act but because a sex tape of her and Ray Jay was leaked. She took that opportunity to make herself and her family celebrities.

Methinks Tonto just wants to be even more famous than she is and she succeeded. A barrage of insults was and is still being hurled at her for her musical attempt but in the end, her songs got a lot more downloads because people wanted to listen to it. While some wanted to listen because they believed she must have sang rubbish, some others sincerely want to hear her out.
But boy! The songs met with more abuses than praises.
I read some comments on Linda Ikeji's Blog and want to share some people’s thoughts here. Some of the comments got me laughing real hard...

The funniest so far to me was from BlogLord…. Really funny!

View some of the comments below…
BLOGLORD said...Tried downloading the song on my blackberry but it rejected it. my blackberry is truely a smartphone!

Anonymous said...I'm First sha thats all I know. Oh, I also know that both songs are trash! --- I_Spiks_DaTroof

bee said...Yeah!!finally u bring up the story of the day and the JOKE of the year....meen!!the nasty comments on twitter rily killed dis song #sad face#...but really,still trying to get the head and tail of the lyrics!!

Anonymous said...I'm First sha thats all I know. Oh, I also know that both songs are trash! --- I_Spiks_DaTroof

Read more[http://jess2-chinwe..com/2012/10/tonto-dikeh-needs-armour-for-all-insults.html]

You know, it's really interesting how we are treated by our leaders in this country. Sometimes, it takes humour to drive home that point.

My cartoon of the day is from my friend Asukwo E.B and it shows you just where we seem to be in the scheme of things.

Dem chop big fish like that, dash us tail....

We don suffer sha!

[http://1.bp..com/-jZNTs3DPi70/UH_SGG1Sy9I/AAAAAAAAAY4/CjW66qn0HCM/s400/CartOCT+018.jpg]


[http://jess2-chinwe..com/]

Kulyie, if the person no do surgery, at least make e package am well with all these nice-fitting sexy bras wey dem dey sell na.... e no beta pass to leave am make e dey dangle reach belle?

kulyie: Have u listened to flavour nabanias song ' ashawo',leme just summarise d song in a sentence,he said,d breast wey don fall don fall', abi u wan do surgery?just take heart hehehehehe

Hey mums, its that day dedicated to you on my blog.

Today, I want to talk about our bodies after childbirth…

Its hard enough keeping in shape before a baby let alone after one but its something we gotta do. Why, you ask? Because we have every right to look in the mirror and be able to say to ourselves, ‘ Damn, you look good’.

Won’t it feel nice to hear compliments daily telling you how great you look and the surprise on people’s faces when you tell them you are also a mum?

I don’t know if its stress, environment, culture, laziness or attitude that has caused most mothers in Nigeria to appear dowdy. I mean no disrespect, but the other day, I went to buy food stuff from the market which is some distance from my home and I saw my neighbour’s wife who has five kids strolling out with a bagful of stuff; and she was wearing a blouse, hair-net, a wrapper tied loosely around her waist and she completed the attire with a pair of bathroom slippers.

Being a mother is not a certificate to stop looking good. A man who is meant to cheat on his wife will but you will just be giving him much more reason to do so if you cannot keep yourself appealing.

Continue for more here [http://jess2-chinwe..com/2012/10/mummys-wednesday-get-sexy-back.html]

Beauty is an attribute most people want to be associated with especially when it has to do with that person you intend to spend the rest of your life with. But lately, some men have shoved it behind, going instead for brains in the pursuit for a spouse.

Having heard from a number of men, their stance on the subject differs. While some men do not want beautiful women for wives for reasons such as; other men chasing her, the wife feeling arrogant because of her beauty and a lot more; some others would not mind getting a beauty with brains. Another set of men feel all they need is brains since they need an intelligent woman to plan a life with.

A married man had once seen a beautiful girl and said “If I wasn’t married, I would marry you for your beauty irrespective of your character or anything else”.
While a lot of men dated beautiful and in some cases not very smart women during the very youthful stage of their lives, study reveals that not all of such end up with women in that category. In fact, most men would rather have beauty and brains but only on rare occasions will you see that one that wants a beautiful-brainless wifey. Majority of the men I’ve spoken to ask if I want them to marry a dummy with fine face.

It’s funny though that these set of men adamantly refuse to marry what they term ‘ugly’ women just because she has more brains than Bill Gates but agree that they can settle for not-so-cute but with brains.

So, women would you marry a man who doesn’t necessarily see you as attractive and beautiful but gives your intellect a thumbs-up?

Men, which do you prefer; beauty or brains? Or both?

Comment here please [http://jess2-chinwe..com/2012/10/men-beauty-or-brains-for-wife.html]

Callotti: Please. . .it is always better to go out with a married man. . .than a single man.
A man can still CHEAT AND LOVE HIS WIFE!
Only problem. . .DESPERADOS will always want to cause wahala. . .ESPECIALLY IF THEY DO NOT HAVE THEIR OWN MEN TO CALL THEIR OWN.

Bottom line. . .SINGLES, CHEAT WITH SINGLES! MARRIED, CHEAT WITH MARRIED ONLY!

Unless you are looking for a new spouse!

As a married woman. . .I have no BUSINESS WITH SINGLE MEN. Chop and clean mouth. . .Don't waste ya time. . .I ain't leaving my darling husband either! Not for another man(married or single)!

Tufiakwa!

Calotti, I have heard this severally but what is the likelihood that someone who cheats on you loves you?

Yesterday I listened to Chaz B of Inspiration FM share his testimony on how he battled kidney failure and emerged alive and successful; and I just couldn’t help the goose-bumps appearing on my body.

It wasn’t just the fact that he survived it that awed me but the fact that God’s working hands were obviously present in the entire healing process. In that testimony, I realized two things.

First is that, no matter what anyone may be going through in life, as long as you are connected with God, he is totally in charge of the situation. There are times it looks like you are all alone in the struggles, pains and lack, but God is right up there working to make all things emerge for good and better for you.

Second thing is this; God used his wife to heal him. Yes, in this world how many people would give up their kidney for their spouse? Show of hands anyone? It is easier said than done really. You may jump and shout and beat your chest exclaiming that you’d totally give up an organ for your spouse; but when that situation is before you and reality is glaring, you realize how brave such a decision is.

Read more here [http://jess2-chinwe..com/2012/10/god-continues-to-keep-us-in-awe-of-him.html]

Isn’t it cheating when a married man appears often without his wedding ring and expects his wife to always wear hers?

I once came across a married guy who wasn’t wearing his wedding ring and he told me he doesn’t like jewelry. That was his reason. I asked him if he didn’t know it came with the job (of being husband)?

Marriage is a bond that makes you do that/those things which you wouldn’t ordinarily do like wearing ‘that’ jewelry when you do not like to.

But good news for ladies! There is now a wedding ring that imprints ‘married’ on the finger of the wearer. Some call it anti-cheating ring. Wouldn’t you want that for a hubby who loves to remove his ring from time to time to catch his groove with babes? Men, wouldn’t you want to buy such for your wifey who forgets to wear her ring and thus gets cat-calls from men and calls from guy-friends? At least, even if she forgets, no wahala!

Read more [http://jess2-chinwe..com/]