Glamsquad Magazine April 2018

GlamsquadAPRIL 2018 

A guide to 

Flawless 

Skin 

‘IT’ Bag 

Trends 

DAVIVA 

Fashion 

Project 

ALL THE 

REASONS WE 

LOVE BLACK 

PANTHER 

FIVE 

INTERNATIONAL 

EASTER 

TRADITIONS 

Inside GRA’s 

latest hotspot: 

Burg 

OMAWUNMI 

The Price Of Fame

APRIL 2018 

From The 

Editor’s Desk 

Glamsquad’s April 2018 Issue 

marks our entree into a new dawn; 

Glamsquad 2.0. What better month 

to rebrand our women focused 

magazine than in the month of 

March and What better month 

to stage a comeback than in 

the month of April. In addition to 

celebrating a new season and my 

taking over the reigns as Editor of the 

magazine, we’re also celebrating 

all things female, all things new and 

of course Easter. 

Covering the magazine this 

month is crooner and one of 

Nigeria’s best vocalists, Omawumi 

Mgbele. We talk career, love, 

relationships, motherhood and the 

future with Oma Wonder. We keep 

things regal and feminine with 

our heart to heart with a certain 

princess. We can hardly claim to 

be celebrating womanhood at 

Glamsquad without an introspective 

look at Black Panther. We delve into 

some strong and important themes 

from the franchise; from culture to 

a celebration of womanhood and 

Black womanhood. 

In with the new, we turn our 

attentions to Burg, the recently 

launched restaurant in the upscale 

GRA Ikeja. We keep things a 

little light, sharing some fun time 

honoured Easter traditions, delving 

into a few crucial trends and of 

course bringing some vibrant 

fashion your way. Because we’re 

such women’s women, we take 

you on a beauty trip, sharing the 

best skincare tips for every selfloving 

woman to help you begin a 

new beauty culture. Welcome to 

Glamsquad 2.0. 

Teresa Aligbe 

Editor 

CONTENTS 

www.glamsquadmagazine.com 

FASHION 

16 

24 

BEAUTY & CULTURE 

28 

30 

ENTERTAINMENT 

32 

DAVIVA Fashion 

Project 

‘IT’ Bag Trends 

How To Achieve 

Flawless Skin 

5 INTERNATIONAL 

EASTER TRADITIONS 

ALL THE REASONS 

WE LOVE BLACK 

PANTHER 

INTERVIEW 

OMAWUNMI 

www.glamsquadmagazine.com 3

INTERVIEW 

INTERVIEW 

Omawunmi: 

The Price Of Fame 

It’s been almost ten years since 

you first started out in the Industry. 

When is your anniversary? Do you 

remember? Is there a specific date 

and month? 

(Laughs) Oh no, I don’t. Well, I 

was a product of a reality show so 

the moment I came out, I just knew 

that that was the path for me so… 

Yeah 2007/2008 but if we were to be 

specific, I would say May 2007. 

There’s that moment when you 

realise - ‘Okay, I’m about to become 

famous’. When exactly did it hit you 

that ‘OMG! I’m a star’? 

(Laughs) Well, as I said earlier, I was 

the product of a reality show. You 

know, I was first runner-up of the show. 

From the beginning of the competition 

to when we got to the point where 

we were becoming popular, it had 

dawned on me that, ‘Yeah, we were 

famous’. 

For some reason, they honoured 

us then; you know, state level and 

national level. Timi Dakolo went to the 

capital, Abuja, and I went to Delta 

State and they celebrated us. You 

know, from that moment, I was just like 

“Wow! Big people know my name!” 

That was the most important thing. 

What was the most shocking thing 

you discovered getting into the 

industry? 

I don’t know. I don’t easily get 

shocked (both laughs). Well, it wasn’t 

shocking; it was something that I 

gradually came to understand that 

nothing lasts forever. At some point, 

everybody wants you; everybody is 

fawning over you and the next thing, 

one negative press or something else 

and everything just fizzles away! That’s 

why as I was going on in the industry, 

the one that I always had at the back 

of mind was, ‘Just enjoy doing what 

you love.’ If it comes to the point 

where you start doing things because 

of what is required of you, not what 

you want to do for yourself, you start 

selling a false identity or you start 

selling a false truth; if there’s any such 

word. Do you understand? 

I didn’t want to get to that stage. 

That’s the stage where people get 

to and they start to lose traces of 

themselves and, ten years down the 

line, you don’t even know who you are 

anymore! 

There is always so much pressure 

and people have a million different 

opinions about who you are and 

who you should be. Is there any time 

you felt the pressure to act a little 

differently? 

Yeah, it happens to us every time. 

It does, but not to the extreme. I’m 

usually very into my person; my selflove 

is on another level. I have this 

imposing personality and I just have 

that thing in my mind. Like, I wouldn’t 

like to change my personality to be 

something I’m not. In the course of 

my work in the industry, I’ve come to 

understand that as entertainers we 

have a responsibility. 

It is a gift to be able to get people 

to listen to you so when you get that 

opportunity to say something, you 

want to make sure you’re saying the 

right things. You want to make sure 

you’re saying something that should 

help. The only thing that is constant is 

change! There’s this constant change 

in language so you have to learn to 

adapt. Last year, I completely refused 

to conform and I went all maestro on 

them and I loved every minute of it. 

But the truth is… it’s not all about me. 

Music comes in seasons but your 

style of music is a little on the classic 

side; possibly, because of the genre 

of music you sing. Have you seriously 

considered changing your sound to 

conform to what obtains now? 

Yeah! I have. One thing about 

me is that I’m not afraid to do things 

differently every once in a while. I have 

my die-hard, core fans but I’m trying 

to reach everybody. If you’re trying 

to reach everybody, you should be 

able to make music in a way that you 

4 www.glamsquadmagazine.com 


INTERVIEW 

INTERVIEW 

don’t lose your true self… but at the 

same time, you should still be able to 

communicate across board. 

But then, how do you strike that 

balance between staying authentic 

to your sound as an artiste and 

appealing to what’s main stream? 

The problem even with the listening 

public who love those sounds is that, 

past a certain point, most artistes 

sound generic. Yet, one of the things 

you are loved for is that your sound 

is different and authentic. Aren’t you 

worried that going main stream will 

compromise your authenticity? 

When I started out in the industry, I 

had singles… This is my third album; 

the first album had many great 

‘authentic’ songs. Two songs stood out: 

‘Serious Love Nwantiti’; it’s hi-life and 

in Music, its Quito. None of them was 

main stream at that time; they were 

just happy-go-lucky songs that were in 

that space of making you understand 

what I was trying to say. 

My second album came and I had 

classical music. I had classics like ‘I go 

go’ which had a violin and all of that 

in it but I also had songs like ‘Bottom 

Belle’ that I did with Flavour and 

people steered towards ‘Bottom Belle’. 

I also had ‘If you ask me’. ‘If you ask 

me’ wasn’t main stream at that time; it 

was great music! 

It was awesome music! 

Now with Omawumi, I made an 

entirely timeless album. I went back 

and forth with the different fusions 

of the live elements that I’ve always 

wanted to do. I knew the response I 

was going to get and I was happy with 

it. It’s either they love it or they hate it; 

there were no in-between. 

Now, because I understand that 

there’s a job I’m doing, when I make 

feel-good music (which I can), it tends 

to get more ears listening. If I can tell 

you about sexual abuse in a feelgood 

song and you’re feeling good 

and I’m passing a message across, 

then that’s good. I need to get to that 

point where I balance it out. I have a 

message. I can’t be in this generation 

and not speak out. Now, the only way 

for me to speak out is to speak in the 

language you understand. 

There’s a lot that is being said 

globally and even locally about the 

challenges of being a female in the 

industry. You have spoken about 

having an imposing personality and 

strong sense of self. Do you think 

there is a difference between being 

a female artiste as opposed to just 

being an artiste? 

Of course, there is! Whenever I 

say things like this, I feel I sound lazy. 

It just means we work twice as hard 

but it makes us stronger as women. 

The ideal situation is you just climb on 

stage, sing and feel good. The hours 

we need to spend putting layers of 

make-up on our faces; nails have to 

be well done; hair has to be well laid 

- everything needs to be beautiful. 

You need to be flawless. The moment 

there’s a little slip, it affects the whole 

performance; it’s difficult. 

Those are one of the many 

challenges. It’s very rare for you to 

make music and not sell sex and still 

get attention. Very rare! It’s not that I’m 



INTERVIEW 

opposed to that but I don’t want us 

to be limited to that. You have to be 

more in their faces; it’s like you have 

much to prove but we’re slaying it and 

we’re killing it! 

There is a lot of talk about sexual 

harassment globally with the Harvey 

Weinstein situation and all the abuse 

going on. Coming from a culture 

where, if we’re honest, there’s a lot 

of abuse but we sweep it under the 

carpet. I wonder if that’s a challenge 

for you as a female artiste? Is there 

a lot of sexual harassment in the 

industry? 

To be honest, I’ve never 

experienced it. Well… to say I’ve never 

experienced it would not be fair but 

not in the way it happens abroad. 

I’ve heard that in the movie industry, 

these things tend to happen but I 

don’t think I’ve been in that position 

where someone has said to me: ‘If 

you don’t sleep with me, I won’t play 

your music.’ No. I wouldn’t want 

to speak on somethiNow your third 

album has been done. When can 

the Omawumi fans expect the next 

big thing? 

I’ve started working actually and I 

am so excited about it! I got home 

(now), having left about 3a.m. I was 

recording all morning (yawns) and I’m 

excited about the new materials that 

I’m bringing out. I don’t know what I’m 

tagging it yet but I know it’s going to 

be back-to-back this year. 

What kind of sound are we 

expecting? 

It’s going to be great African music; 

that’s all I can tell you. That’s it. Stories 

about love, society, what you’re doing; 

passing on that same language of 

‘no be just to freelax’. There’s also one 

or two things that, if you hear, you’re 

going to be like (gasps!) - she sang 

that? You know, as much as I am promorals, 

I also have this side of me that 

every once in a while... hey! 

Comes out? 

Yeah! 

You recently got married and I 

was very interested to find out that 

you are technically married; you 

“ 

It’s very rare 

for you to make 

music and not 

sell sex and still 

get attention. 

INTERVIEW 

got married years ago - registry 

wedding. So, why the decision to 

have your traditional wedding and 

why now? 

My husband is wired in a certain 

way. He likes things to be done the 

right way and I understand him. Initially, 

we were together for a couple of years 

and we had a daughter together. We 

got married at the registry and we 

had a son along the way as well. So 

we’ve just been this sort of people not 

under pressure to do what the society 

expects us to do. 

If that time were convenient for 

us to do the traditional wedding, we 

would have done it. I think we were 

going to then but I got pregnant and 

I just didn’t want to be the bride with 

a big nose! So, I told him we need 

to move this thing and then I lost my 

grandma. When it was time for us 

to do it, we were just like… “Mehn, I 

have work to do oh! We don’t have 

time to plan for the wedding. Shey, 

we’re already married?” And we would 

postpone it again and finally, I was just 

like, you know what? We’re not doing 

this anymore. Let’s just do it now and it 

was beautiful. 

I’ve never been the type to 

celebrate things that concern me 

loudly. I’m always guarded about 

them; the people that I love, but it felt 

good. To just be celebrated, wearing 

beautiful dresses, smiling, paying the 

money to avoid credit. 

Speaking of not being one to put 

things out there really, I’m sure there 

are many people who, up until this 

wedding, didn’t even know that you 

were already married or know much 

about your personal life. Are you a 

mother of 3? 

Two. 

Okay. See, there’s so much 

information out there that is 

contradictory. It’s hard to know what 

is true. So, my first question on this 

is: how have you managed to keep 

your private life private? 

I’ve not made an effort to. It’s not 

like I set out to say I want to be private. 

I guess, it has much more to do with 

the kind of person that I am. If you 



INTERVIEW 

INTERVIEW 

“ 

I like to hide and 

the only time I can 

let loose is when 

I’m with the people 

that I love, 

don’t know me, you might misconstrue the way I am. I 

like to hide and the only time I can let loose is when I’m 

with the people that I love and I can’t share that with 

everybody. 

It’s not that much of a chore; it’s not like I’m covering 

my kids’ faces with a blanket like Michael Jackson. 

Then, my husband is a very private person. He just loves 

that unassuming thing; that he can come somewhere 

and sit down and have a drink without someone being 

like that’s Omawumi’s husband. He just loves being 

an individual. When we got married, he was getting 

messages like: “Ol’ boy, I see you inside Instagram oh.” 

“Ol’ boy, so na Omawumi be your wife?” He would just 

laugh and say so what do you want? Should I put a 

banner on my head saying ‘I’m Omawumi’s husband’? 

(laughs) That’s the way it is and we like it like that. 

So, do your kids know ‘mummy’ is famous? 

Yeah, they do. Like Fareed, now he’s going on three. 

Whenever he sees me on TV, he’ll go like “Mummy, see 

my mummy on the TV!” Then, my daughter, Camilla, on 

the other hand... It scares me. I went to their school and 

you know how kids are. The teacher goes like: “Camilla’s 

mummy we need to talk”. Your daughter tells the other 

kids “My mum is Omawumi, my mum is famous”. I 

called her and told her “My darling daughter, dem no 

dey use fame take dey buy anything for market. I know 

that it will be a bit hard for you to understand what I’m 

saying now but rather than going to gloat to your friends 

that mummy is famous; rather than being boastful, why 

not try and be kind.” 

What do you have that you’re boastful? Who is 

Omawumi? Do I have any money? I don’t have any 

money oh? It’s not like you say your daddy is president. 

Then, I’ll be like, carry on my daughter. But yes, they 

know. They know I’m famous. 

Now, speaking of less private relationships, you have 

the ultimate best friend relationship with Waje. 

Oh gosh! I hate talking about her! 

(Laughs) No, you don’t. 

(Mock disgust.) 

What’s it like in an environment where there’s so much 

negativity around having girl friends and all these 

situations of back-biting on social media - Instagram 

and what not? What’s it like having a real best friend 

who is cheering you? 

Who told you she’s a real person? (laughs) 

For one, there are more comments on your wedding 

from Waje than you, the actual celebrant. If you 

Google your wedding, it’s one of the first things you 

see, her posts celebrate. 

Oh! Wow! Eh! (More mock disgust.) 

And, you know she shows up on the set of your 

‘Editorial’ and she takes over. All of a sudden she’s 

creative director, model and the stylist... 

You know what? I do the same; I do even more! But 



INTERVIEW 

INTERVIEW 

she is a cool person. The thing about it is that it’s hard, 

like you said, for you to be in the same field and find 

someone that has the same mind with you; that prays 

with you and we have almost the same goals. And, we 

vibe. Waje, you cannot pretend to like somebody, and 

that’s the same about me. I think it’s been a good run. 

She’s okay. 

When did you meet? And how many years have you 

been close? 

Over ten years; we met in Lagos, at a TV interview. 

Somebody had told me about her and that she was 

this mad vocalist she was. So, when she said ‘My name 

is Waje’, I was like so? I know you. I heard that you could 

sing and she was like ‘Me, I heard you’re not bad too oh’. 

She was like ‘Where are you going to? Okay, let’s move 

together now’. 

The next morning we resumed and we called and it 

was like ‘How are you?’ And, that was it. 

So, ten years strong. That’s pretty awesome! Has there 

been any time people have gone around spreading 

rumours that almost came between you both? 

Yeah, it always happens but Waje is such a part of my 

life that if that happens, one person will probably wake 

up and call someone. Like my mother will wake up and 

call someone or her mother will do the same or my 

husband or her brother. Our families are too intertwined 

for anybody to sit back and say they have issues. We’ve 

gone past that stage. If I have issues with her, I’ll just tell 

her and she’ll either abuse me or tell me you’re wrong 

and vice-versa and you know life continues. 

Now, to your plans for this year. Aside from the fact 

that you plan on releasing an album, what else should 

we expect from you? 

No, it’s not an album; it’s an EP. We’ve decided to 

wear the pants of movie producers, Waje and I. So, 

we’re just about to wrap up our first film. 

That’s nice 

It’s a stellar cast and it’s been frustrating and exciting. 

You’ll hear more about it when that time comes. 

So, do we get any hint who the stars in it are or it’s still 

hush hush? 

Of course not! It’s still hush hush! 

So, now that you guys are sharing movie producers’ 

roles, are we going to get any special Omawumi and 

Waje album? 

It’s in the works. 

Oh, that’s very nice. I’m sure fans will be very excited 

to hear that. 

I hope so. The thing about it is, we vibe as musicians. 

And, we’re always directing each other - when one 

person is recording and the other shows up. So, the 

question people are asking is: ‘’Oh, why don’t you 

release an album together and we’re always like do we 

have to? Is that not cliché? 



INTERVIEW 

INTERVIEW 

There’s this news that you walked 

out of an interview because the 

interviewer asked a question 

you didn’t like; you know, diva 

behaviour? Could you have handled 

it better? 

This will sound rude but I don’t 

care. As much as I’m an artiste, I’m 

a human being. You know, the world 

has this perception that ‘you owe it to 

us to tell us anything; we’re your fans’. 

But no! I don’t owe it to you to tell you 

anything. I tell you what I want to tell 

you. 

My job as a musician is to sing and 

entertain and that’s it. So the question 

about people saying I could have 

handled it better, I don’t care; she 

came into my space. I’ve never really 

talked about it because I don’t like 

to give it attention. It’s pretty basic; 

that’s how I am. I am a Warri girl. You 

should be very happy that I walked 

out because that was my office where 

that interview was held. 

The press, you have a job to do, 

yes. But as much as you want to 

say juicy things and get people to 

follow your platform, there has to be 

some level of credibility and respect; 

respect for the other person. You 

don’t put somebody in place just to 

keep going at them. The first question, 

second question, third question, fourth 

question were all negative questions; 

you know, something that would taint 

you just so people will come and 

follow your platform, not caring about 

the individual you’re tearing apart. 

Give the person an opportunity to say, 

‘I want to answer or I don’t want to 

answer.’ 

You mentioned your fans. You 

said that you don’t feel a sense of 

obligation. But, isn’t that trying to 

have your cake and eat it too? In 

the sense that beyond the music 

any artiste produces, fans tend 

to form a personal attachment to 

artistes which without, your brand or 

any other artiste’s brand, would not 

survive. 

I understand but let me give you 

the best way I know how to explain 

this. I’ll give you a case study. Michael 

Jackson was a talented young, Black 

artiste. You know, with the fans, there’s 

this perception of what is required of 

you; this is how you should look and 

all. Michael Jackson started changing 

and kept changing until he changed 

finally. Now, after doing all these things 

for the fans, where is he today? He 

is dead! And, now there are mixed 

reports. As much as he has his diehard 

fans, some people still found a 

way to tag him a paedophile. 

At what point… Where do you find 

that balance? Where do you strike that 

balance? At what point do you say, 

I’m a musician; I’m not a reality star. I 

cannot come and kill myself for world 

people! I would love to entertain you if 

you give me a chance but I would not 

put my mental health at risk because I 

want to do that. There’s a yard. Where 

do you stop? 

Styling & Creative Directing: Teresa Aligbe 

For Phenom Communications 

Photography: Iju Asonibe 

Makeup: Mary Jane Ohubu For Zaron 

Hair: Kingsley 

Location: The Backyard Bar and Grill 

Designer: 

Dresses: Trish O Couture 

Black Top: Mai Atafo 

Blue and White Skirt : Ayo Van Elmar 



FASHION 

FASHION 

The Fashion 

Project 

“Glamsquad once again 

captures the essence of our 

DaViva women, the fird of 

passion and desire with dignity, 

serenity and style” 

- DaViva Management 



FASHION 

FASHION 



FASHION 

FASHION 



FASHION 

FASHION 

SOME DaViva OUTLETS 

Delta Mall 

Warri 

Shop 36, Delta Mall Warri. 

Enugu. 

Shop #47, 

Polo Park Mall, 

Abakaliki Expressway, Gra, 

Enugu State 

Ikeja, Lagos Shop L51, 

Ikeja City Mall. 

Port Harcuort 

No 82, Tombia Extension Gra 

Phase 3 

Port Harcourt. 

Omega Center 

Plot 527, Aminu Kano Cresent, 

Wuse 2, ABUJA. 

Creative Director : Nelly Mesik 

Photography : B Photography 

Stylist: Funke Ajomale 

Makeup : Peace Polycarp 



FASHION 

FASHION 

Givenchy top 

handle bag 

Gucci top 

handle bag 

Moschino fanny pack 

Diane Von 

Forstunberg 

fringe bag 

TOP HANDLE BAGS 

Whether you wear it at your 

elbow, or simply let your 

assistant tote it, the top handle is 

this season’s ladylike winner. 

‘IT’ BAGS 

TREND 

FANNY PACKS 

A rather useful handbag design 

for the upcoming season really 

emphasizes the need for travel, 

as fanny packs that have been 

mightily revamped from the old 

days are spotted throughout, 

coming in furs and fringes, 

graphics or simple minimalism. 

Tory Burch fringe bag 

FRINGE BAGS 

Fringe looks gorgeous this 

season in rainbow colours 

or the metallic versions at 

Diane Von Furstenberg 

(DVF), while it takes on 

a distinctively 1970s 

style at Tory Burch. We 

love the scattered fringe 

on suede at Christian 

Siriano, while it turns to 

futuristic clutches with 

metallic tassels at Badgley 

Mischka. 

Marc Jacobs 

mobile phone 

handbag 

MOBILE PHONE 

HANDBAGS 

By - Fatima Garba 

Timeless elegance characterizes the best 

bags for this season, whether through faraway 

inspiration, an era revisited, natural leather 

and graphic luxury skins, metallic details or the 

season’s dominant colours of black, grey and 

red. Think high style with fun finishing touches, as 

we celebrate the new-season trends. 

THE BUCKET 

BAG 

The bucket bag is 

evolving, with inspired 

takes on the simple shape, 

done up with added 

rouching, asymmetrical 

shapes or embellishment. 

STRUCTURED 

SQUARE BAGS 

One of the most common 2016 

handbag trends seen on the 

runway is the structured bag, the 

one that is very clearly defined 

on all sides. Structured designs 

come in the guide of alligator skin 

rectangular pieces at 

Zimmermann, while 

we see House of 

Holland, Hill & Friends, 

Sophia Webster and 

Mary Katrantzou 

all have some 

rather spectacularly 

structured bags on 

display for the season. 

High fashion is embracing 

technology,your post-modern clutches 

are now equipped for your iPhone 5 

and 6. 

Swarovski crystal 

mobile phone 

handbag 

Chanel bucket 

handbag 

Anya Hindmarch 

Vaughan Bucket Bag 

Furla structured 

square handbag 



FASHION 

FASHION 

Chanel half 

moon handbag 

HALF MOON BAGS 

Asos halfmoon 

crossbody bag 

Who does not love the half-moon trend out there? 

Victoria Beckham certainly is enamoured, so much so 

that her 2016 bags imitate the design with ease and 

gorgeous flow. This is expected to become the coming 

season’s new It bag that all the girls will be clamouring 

for, with the spacious feel and the very 1970s appeal. 

GRAPHIC HANDBAGS 

We see some very graphic colours, 

stripes and designs appearing on the 

the runways in 2016 for bags, versus the 

more muted we might like to carry on a 

daily basis. It is all about being sassy and 

fashion-savvy now, bold and beautiful and 

quite confident in your own style. 

Betsey Johnson 

apple bag 

Kate Spade 

cupcake 

handbag 

FOOD 

SHAPED BAGS 

This season,we saw the strawberry 

cream and sprinkle topped 

cake that the ladies on 

stage mistake for edible 

sustenance at Betsey 

Johnson. Kate Spade 

has a thing for peanuts 

though as we see 

on the runway show 

featuring a movie sized 

bag. 

CLUTCHES 

Another common structure 

to the season’s handbags is 

the clutch, wherein there are 

no straps to hold onto or pull 

over the shoulder and you 

must keep your bag in hand at 

all times. Everything from 

the cupcakes to the face 

designed pieces, come 

in clutch looks while 

metallic comes into play 

at Badgley Mischka. 

D&G graphic handbag 

DVF Graphic 

handbag 

Saint Laurent YSL 

metallic bag 

Stella Mcartney 

metallic 

handbag 

Alexander Mc Queen 

clutch bag 

METALLIC 

HANDBAGS 

BAGS WITH 

CHAIN STRAPS 

Chain straps appeared as a trend 

last year and has continued this year. 

The featured favorite chains with 

fringe for example at DVF, or with 

oven shaped designs as seen at 

Betsey Johnson. Even the Jeremy 

Scott flowers have chains to hold on 

to. 

Valentino crystal chain 

strap handbag 

Chanel chain 

strap bag 

Topshop 

furry bag 

FURRY 

MISCHIEF BAGS 

We love seeing the furry pieces on the 

runways and now we get to enjoy it as 

a trend that we will most definitely be 

investing in once they become available 

to the general public. Pretty and fabulously 

furry, Topshop Unique, walks in with a rather 

lovely combination of colours and textures. 

Dolce & Gabbana 

furry bag 

Silver is big this year. Shimmering 

silver with a futuristic appeal has 

been the main look that everything 

from clothing to shoes has taken 

on. So it makes sense that we will 

see them on the runways this 2016 

,handbags as well, a bit little more 

toned down. We see a whole lot of 

the metallic articulation at DVF. 



BEAUTY 

How to Achieve 

Flawless Skin 

by Adimchinobi Oji 

It is said that we are what 

we eat, and that flawless 

skin comes from within. 

Unfortunately, we can’t 

guarantee that we would always 

drink our six glasses of water a 

day or skip that yummy slice 

of red velvet cake to indulge 

in a bowl of leafy green salad. 

Thankfully, with the right products 

and a regular routine, we can 

get around this and keep our 

skin looking flawless. Here are a 

few basic tips to keep your skin 

smooth, soft and poreless all 

year round. 

Cleanse, Cleanse and 

then Cleanse Again 

The importance of cleansing your 

skin cannot be overemphasized! Your 

skin absorbs products easily when it is 

clean. Depending on your skin type, it 

is ideal to cleanse your face twice a 

day; once in the morning and again 

at night before bed. Don’t get overzealous 

though! Washing your face 

more times than necessary will only 

lead to dry, patchy skin and nobody 

wants that! 

Various cleansers are tailored to 

different skin types. A great cleanser 

Moisturizer 

Using a serum is no reason to skip using a moisturizer! A moisturizer has a 

heavier texture than a serum. It hydrates and locks moisture into the skin 

leaving it feeling softer and more elastic. A rule of thumb while applying 

moisturizer is never to apply it from top to bottom. This tugs on the skin 

and will lead to it sagging prematurely. 

For people with dry skin, a moisturiser that’s specifically 

formulated 

for intense hydration such as The Body Shop Vitamin E 

Intense 

Moisture Cream is recommended. A lightweight, oilfree 

moisturiser like the Clinique Dramatically Different 

Moisturizing Gel 

is ideal for people with oily skin. It is non-greasy 

and is not likely to 

clog pores. People with combination skin may 

have to use different products on the various 

part of their faces depending on how oily or 

how dry the areas are. 

1 

will gently remove dirt and sweat 

but will not strip the skin of its natural 

oils. Gel and cream cleansers are 

best used in the morning while oil 

cleansers are best used 

at night. An excellent oil cleanser 

for all skin types is L’Occitane Shea 

Butter Cleansing Oil. For a good gel 

cleanser, try The Cleansing Gel by La 

Mer. It is literally a 

‘miracle broth’ and works wonders on 

the skin! 

2 

Sunscreen 

Putting on sunscreen to protect your skin from UV 

rays is one of the best things you can do for your 

skin. It is arguably the most important skin care 

step when it comes to keeping signs of ageing at 

bay. If you are likely to skip this step, it is advisable 

to invest in a moisturiser that also has sunscreen 

in it. A multi-tasking moisturizer such as the Murad 

Essential-C Day Moisture Broad Spectrum SPF 

30 Pa +++ or Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily 

Moisturizer SPF 30 is guaranteed to protect skin 

from sun damage while visibly brightening the skin. 

3 

Exfoliate and Tone: 

Everyone should exfoliate! 

Exfoliating gets rid of dead skin 

cells and leaves skin feeling very 

soft and smooth. It also helps 

your serums and moisturisers sink 

in better and your foundation 

go on seamlessly. For exfoliating, 

we have two options: we can 

either go with a physical exfoliant 

or a chemical exfoliant. The 

secret to choosing a good 

physical exfoliant is looking out 

for exfoliating products with finer, 

less coarse beads. A good sugar 

scrub such as the Oriki 2 in 1 

Anti-Aging Facial Exfoliator or the 

Clarins Gentle Refiner Exfoliating 

Cream with Microbeads should 

do the trick. It is advisable to use 

a physical exfoliant not more 

than twice a week as over-doing 

4 

it will lead to micro- tears in the 

skin. 

Chemical exfoliants are less 

abrasive on the skin and can be 

both gentle and hydrating. You 

can’t go wrong with Biologique 

Recherche Lotion P50 which 

has a cult following and has 

proven over the years to be one 

of the most effective chemical 

exfoliants. Other good chemical 

exfoliants include the Pixi Glow 

Tonic and Elizabeth Arden Skin 

Illuminating Retexturizing Pads. 

Most chemical/acid based 

toners can be used everyday 

but it is advisable to start with 

only applying them to your skin 

a couple of times a week and 

increasing the frequency as your 

skin adapts to it. 

BEAUTY 

Hydrating Serums 

Potent plant extracts for visibly 

firmer and more radiant skin. 

While this step is not very popular, 

it is very beneficial and may be 

all your skin needs to get that 

coveted glow. Thinner than your 

regular moisturiser, it is packed 

full of active ingredients and 

penetrates quickly into the skin, 

working on a deeper level. 

Serums are applied after 

cleansing and toning and before 

moisturising the skin. There are 

several good serums available, 

each targeted at specific needs. 

Clarins Double Serum Complete 

Age Control Concentrate is a 

serum for all skin types and has 

over fifteen 

5 



CULTURE 

5 

Hello people, can you 

believe Esther is here 

again? Didn’t we just 

say ‘Happy New Year’? Wow, 

who cares? This special 

season is here again when 

eggs come in all the lovely 

colours and variance. Yes, 

get ready for all the tasty 

chocolate eggs y’all! 

Apart from being one of the 

most significant events on 

the Christian calendar, Easter 

is always fun! With loads 

of special traditions and of 

cause the tasty turkey, this is 

one of my best celebrations 

every year. 

Do you know there are some 

age long Esther traditions 

practiced in different parts of 

the world? Here is my Top 5 

and I am sure there are some 

you never knew existed. 

Don’t freak out, enjoy the 

moment! 

INTERNATIONAL 

EASTER TRADITIONS 

By Hannah B. 

CZECH 

REPUBLIC & 

SLOVAKIA 

Have you ever had your butt 

spanked by a stranger before? 

Well, there is a chance of that 

happening if you are traveling 

to these Eastern European 

countries over Easter. There’s 

an Easter Monday tradition 

in which men playfully spank 

women with handmade whips 

made of willow and decorated 

with ribbons. According to 

legend, the willow is the first 

tree to bloom in the spring, so 

the branches are supposed to 

transfer the tree’s vitality and 

fertility to the women. 

FINLAND 

To celebrate Esther in 

Finland, Children are 

dressed up as witches and 

go from door to door for 

chocolate eggs. During this 

period, the people make 

great bonfire because 

they believe flames scare 

witches and prevent them 

from flying on their brooms 

between the special 

periods of Good Friday to 

Esther Sunday - can you 

beat that? 

POLAND 

In Poland, there is an Easter 

tradition called ‘Smigusdyngus’ 

which involve boys 

drenching themselves in 

water. They go about pouring 

buckets of water on people 

– especially girls (Oh yeah, 

you guessed right). However, 

Legends have it that matured 

girls who are unknowingly 

drenched by water during this 

celebration will find husbands 

in the coming year. 

SPAIN 

In Verges, Spain, the 

Easter celebration 

begins on Thursday 

when a ‘death dance’ to 

reenact the passion of 

Christ is carried out. The 

people dress in skeleton 

costumes and parade 

through the streets. The 

dance starts before 

midnight and ends 

about three hours into 

the morning. 

GREECE 

CULTURE 

How about throwing out your 

pots and pans? On the morning 

of Holy Saturday, the traditional 

“pot throwing” takes place on 

the Greek island of Corfu. People 

throw pots, pans and other 

earthenware out of their windows, 

smashing them on the street. 

Some say the custom derives from 

the Venetians, who on New Year’s 

Day used to throw out all of their 

old items. 



ENTERTAINMENT 

ENTERTAINMENT 

ALL THE REASONS 

WE LOVE BLACK 

PANTHER 

showcases a complete dose of 

melanin and portrays the strength 

of women and how well women 

can manage power and positions 

when given the opportunity. 

Set in the fictional country of 

Wakada - a perfect juxtaposition 

of ancient African and 

contemporary technology, 

Black Panther revealed how the 

balance between monarchy and 

democracy can be managed 

(a concept often discredited by 

the West). The movie showcases 

an ideal society where Africa 

actualizes it’s potential for 

advancement and women are at 

the fulcrum. 

As far as feminism goes, this 

movie is Janet Jackson’s black 

feminist quote come to life. Janet 

is quoted saying “Black women 

possess a special indestructible 

strength that allows us to not only 

get down, but to get up, to get 

through, and to get over.” Through 

the characters of the Dora Milaje, 

Shuri and Nakia, the strength and 

resilience of the black woman 

was showcased and celebrated. 

It is impossible to discuss Black 

Panther and not touch on the 

theme of beauty! Yes, beauty! 

This movie speaks volumes in 

the promotion of Black pride. 

The women all adorned natural 

cuts (every member of the Dora 

Milage cuts her hair 

bald), beautiful natural 

fros (as shown on 

princess Nakia) and 

dreads – which was 

shown beautifully on 

Shuri (played by Letitia 

Wright). 

Celebrity stylist, Camille 

Friend who was the 

lead hairstylist on the 

movie set was quoted 

saying “In this movie, 

there is no press and comb. This 

is the true beauty of an African 

Woman”. Now isn’t that amazing?! 

This deliberate celebration of 

black beauty in its most organic 

form has come at a time of great 

importance. It comes at a time 

where for many black women, 

being yourself and wearing your 

natural locks, has become a 

highly politicized act. 

Yes, we have witnessed many 

a great movies in the past and 

Black Panther will not be the last 

of them, but this movie speaks 

to many important cultural and 

political themes. Black Panther 

is a both a celebration of the 

Visionary dream of Africa Rising 

and a celebration of the very 

essence of black womanhood. 

It leaves a lasting impression 

and wistful hope-or some may 

argue, inspiration, that will last 

for generations to come. If you 

have not seen this movie, you 

had better hurry - there really is 

no forgivable under the sun to not 

see Black Panther in Cinemas. For 

our path, we rate the movie a 4 

out of 5. So go on and join in on 

the Black Panther fever while you 

still can. Wakanda Forever! 

By Sebastiane Ebathemehi 

Running Time: 2Hours, 17Mins. 

Director: Ryan Coogler 

Production: Marvel Studios 

Major Cast: Chadwick Boseman, 

Lupita Nyong’o, Michael B. 

Jordan, Forest Whitaker, Angela 

Bassett, Danai Gurira, Letitia 

Wright. 

With only a few weeks left 

before Black Panther 

leaves Cinemas for 

good, we’re here to tell you all the 

reasons why you should absolutely 

see what can only be described 

as History In the Making before it’s 

too late. 

Like you must have heard about 

a million times, Black Panther is 

a movie like no other. This first of 

it’s kind from the Marvel, Black 

Panther has raised the bar in 

positioning Africa, women – 

particularly black women at the 

very top! The movie paints Africa 

in all colours of the rainbow but 

tells the tale in shades of black 

through culture and women – and 

we loved it! 

The story which is deeply rooted 

in African culture and tradition, 

tells the tale of T’challa - a true 

African King who has the tough 

decision to make of honoring 

time preserved traditions or 

risking breaking those traditions 

to step out of exclusion and 

into the modern world. T’Challa 

the heir apparent to the throne 

has an all-female warrior team 

(referred to as ‘Dora Milage’) as 

his bodyguards. Yes, all women 

– African women. Black Panther 



INTERVIEW 

INTERVIEW 

It’s 2018. How was 2017 in a nutshell? 

I am extremely grateful to God; 

2017 was awesome. How could it not 

be? A problem of over 30 years was 

solved through this miracle oil and the 

follow on from that was amazing; no 

more forgetfulness, tiredness, anxiety, 

palpitations, irritation or agitation. 

There is a thin line between insomnia 

and insanity. 

What are your hopes for the new 

year? 

My goal for the new year is to make 

2018 much better than 2017; help 

change the world, one life at a time 

through the Miracle Hempworx CBD 

Oil. Every household needs it. Health, 

they say is wealth. Good health, I say, 

is priceless! 

What is your New Year Resolution, if 

any? 

I do not make New Year Resolutions. 

Every day, I strive to become better 

than what I was yesterday; read 

more books, try new things, keep on 

improving. Most of all, LIVE life!!! 

You are a wellness coach. Tell me 

what you do as a coach? 

Princess Lamia 

Momoh: 

On The Miracle 

Hemp Oil 

I am a qualified lawyer who has 

never practised. I would not call myself 

a wellness coach simply because I do 

not advise on health per se. I would 

describe myself as someone who 

provides support to people who want 

to improve their lives; helping them to 

make decisions, solve problems and 

achieve goals. 

What is the appropriate state of 

wellness for an individual? 

Our lifestyle choices are a key 

component of general well being. You 

are what you eat!’ That phrase has 

been around for who knows how long 

and, quite frankly, it’s not too far off 

the mark. If you eat well and exercise, 

you are much more likely to have a 

healthy body and mind. 

My father, at the age of 80, still 

does yoga. He has been doing this 

even before I was born and I am his 

first child in my forties. That gives you 

an idea of how long he has been 

doing it. One of the yoga positions 

he does is standing on his head 

and he is in good health. Of course, 

personal decisions made about food 

and exercise aren’t the only lifestyle 

choices we make. Our behaviour also 

By - Linda Orajekwe 

Princess Lamia Momoh is a trained 

lawyer turned wellness coach. 

Passionate about people enjoying 

better quality life, Lamai promotes wellness 

through supplementation.She was a 

prominent member of Adis but relinquished 

her role as one of the pioneer leaders, when 

Adis failed to establish a base in Nigeria. 

Today, Lamia is anxious to talk about 

Cannabis oil, the new miracle oil, which has 

taken the international world by storm and 

cured her 35 years insomnia. 

influences our health and well-being 

far beyond the confines of dietary 

choices. 

You spoke earlier about the efficacy 

of the ‘wonder oil’ that has taken the 

international wellness industry by 

storm. Tell me about it. 

Yes, the Hempworx CBD Oil. 

Cannabidiol (CBD) is just one of over 

85 cannabinoids identified in the 

cannabis plant. Forbes has projected 

that the cannabis market could grow 

700% by the year 2020 and we 

already see this happening. 

Today, I am going to speak about 

the Hempworx CBD Oil. Having an 

elderly mother who is going through a 

serious health challenge and having 

tried orthodox drugs which were 

not satisfactory, I was ready to try 

alternative therapy. 

When you have a loved one going 

through issues, you cannot afford 

closed-mindedness. It might cost you! 

A few months ago, I was on social 

media and an ex-business partner of 

mine was advertising the Hempworx 

CBD Oil. It wasn’t the oil that caught 

my eye; it was the various testimonials 

mostly from people in America and 

the UK who had used it and were 

speaking about the efficacy of the 

Hempworx CBD Oil. 

The testimonials were mind-blowing. 

Real life testimonials from people who 

were suffering from various ailments 

like chronic pain, stroke, ADHD, bipolar, 

diabetes, insomnia, arthritis, cancer, 

fibromyalgia, high cholesterol, high 

blood pressure, hair and nails growth, 

dry eyes; the list is endless. I decided 

to find out if they had anything that 

could help my mum so I bought four 

bottles from my friend to try. 

When the bottles arrived, I kept 

one bottle for myself to use for the 

pain to the sole of my foot, plantar 

fasciitis, an injury I sustained while 

exercising. Two days after using the oil, 

the pain in my foot disappeared and 

I noticed something quite strange. I 

was sleeping unaided without the use 

of tablets. The only thing I had done 

differently was to take the Hempworx 

CBD Oil. 

I waited for a few days before telling 

anyone just to make sure it was not a 

figment of my imagination. After a few 

days, I realised that it was not a fluke. I 

could go to bed and fall asleep, wake 

up at night, get up, go back to bed, 

fall asleep again and wake up feeling 

refreshed in the morning. I 

could not believe it. I was 

not tired; I felt calm and I 

could think properly. That, to 

me, is a miracle. 

My personal story is for 

over 30 years, I have 

been suffering from 

a sleeping disorder 

called insomnia. I have seen various 

physicians for this ailment. And, I have 

taken loads of drugs; different levels 

of Valium, Restoril, (Temazepam) 

Mogadon, Nytol I & II, Kalms, Tylenol 

PM, Rozerem... Can’t remember all 

the names (plus) hot baths, massages, 

warm soya milk, counting sheep. I tried 

almost everything just to get a good 

night’s sleep. 

How does it work and what 

specific ailments does it treat? 

Our CBD products utilise the full 

spectrum cannabis plant mixed 

with hemp seed oil. Not all hemp 

is created equal. Our CBD oil is 

from non-GMO, organically grown, 

“CBD is becoming 

increasingly popular for 

having a wide scope of 

medicinal benefits – due to 

clinical reports and mounds 

of test data showing little 

to no side effects and a lack 

of psychoactivity (typically 

associated with marijuana 

products and high THC). 

In America, some doctors 

prescribe medical marijuana 

to treat patients when 

everything else fails.” 

pesticide-free and CO2 extracted 

hemp oil. It’s non-addictive and no 

side effects. 

We have had testimonials on 

various issues ranging from insomnia, 

stroke, lupus, ADHD, bipolar, diabetes, 

chronic pain, arthritis, cancer, 

fibromyalgia, high cholesterol, high 

blood pressure, hair and nails growth 

and dry eyes; the list is endless. 

One lady who been on the oil for 

two months prior had a surgery 

and came out not 

needing pain killers 

because, she said, she 

didn’t feel any pain. 

How can 

these claims be 

substantiated and 

how long before you 

see results 

There are over 

23,000 studies 

that show the 

benefits of medical cannabis 

for a variety of diseases and health 

conditions. It’s backed by an 

enormous body of scientific research, 

enthusiastic public opinion and more 

progressive cannabis laws which 

is giving cannabis the reputation it 

deserves as a ground breaking health 

solution. 

Results vary from person to person. 

However, it is not if, but when, so if you 

do not see results in a day or 2, stick 

with it; people have been known to 

experience relief after a couple of 

days of consumption while in some 

others, it might take a month or 6 

weeks. 

Hemp oil sounds like Indian hemp. 

Is it the type popular with area boys? 

If not, what is the difference? 

A lot of people mistake marijuana 

for hemp; there is a big difference. 

I had to be educated on it as well. 

Hemp and marijuana are birthed by 

the same plant, cannabis. However, 

while marijuana contains a very high 

level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) 

which is responsible for marijuana’s 

psychoactive effects, Hempworx 

CBD Oil contains the barest minimum 

amount of THC 0.03%. 

I believe the area boys take 

marijuana, which has a large content 

of THC and can make a person 

hallucinate, become high or stoned 

but Hempworx CBD is pure hemp oil 

without the psychoactive effect. 

Tell me a bit about yourself. How do 

you relax when you are not working? 

I read or go to the cinema. 

What do you do for food, fashion 

and fabulosity? 

I try to eat healthy and in 

moderation. As for fashion, anything 

that looks nice on me, I will wear. So, it 

doesn’t have to be in vogue. 

Finally, is the oil available in 

Nigeria and what precautions, if any, 

should one take when purchasing 

and using it? 

Hempworx CBD Oil is available in 

Nigeria. To use, start with five drops 

under the tongue hold for 2 minutes 

and swallow. You take it morning and 

night. It is not addictive and there are 

no side effects. 



LIFESTYLE 

LIFESTYLE 

BURG 

This Month, Our dining focus is 

on Burg, the brainchild of Ladi 

Onalaja, brother to designer 

Kanyinsola Onalaja. Burg is an 

upscale burger joint situated on Isaac 

John in GRA Ikeja. 

I happened upon Burg on one of my 

commutes to work. We drove past 

what appeared to be a nice, clean, 

minimalist building with the name 

Onalaja on it, at the beginning of 

the year. The name Onalaja rang 

a bell. After giving it some thought, 

I recognized it as the eponymous, 

contemporary Womenswear brand. 

This identification was sufficient to 

peak my interest, even though I 

By Teresa Aligbe 

had assumed (correctly) that the 

designer had simply decided to 

open her flagship store in GRA. Glass 

walls, visible from outside framed the 

entire front end of the 1 story building 

and a clean white concept swept 

through the rest of it. The building 

and the interior appeared to be in 

construction, so it wasn’t until a month 

later, that I noticed yellow lighting and 

some black wiring spell out ‘BURG’ 

on the left side of the ground floor. 

Determined to uncover this new 

sighting, I made a mental note to stop 

by after work the following evening. 

At about 8pm the next day, a friend 

of mine and I decided to investigate 

‘BURG’. As we walked into the 

compound and closer to the glass 

door, it became apparent that Burg 

was a restaurant. We stepped in and 

took a couple minutes to drink in the 

sights. 

An assault of brown wood 

immediately gave the restaurant an 

earthy, rich feel. White walls and black 

furniture complimented the wood, 

immediately giving the impression that 

this was no low budget burger joint. 

The decor was extremely minimal 

and we were of the opinion that a bit 

more could be done with it..... Only 

to realize a little later that we had 

dropped in before the official launch. 

A few interesting touches including 

some decorative newspaper were 

added to accent the space without 

compromising its minimalist feel. It was 

brilliantly executed. 

We walked up to the counter and 

picked up the menu and the price 

points were a confirmation of the 

ambiance. A nice, polite young lady 

at the counter turned her attention 

to my friend and I to take our orders. 

Another waiter pressed a button with a 

number that signaled to a couple at a 

table that their order was ready to be 

picked up. 

We looked around some more and 

in walked a tall, stocky young man in 

a black tee and slacks, with a slightly 

wild afro. He looked dressed down 

and casual and the waiters and staff 

seemed comfortable enough around 

him. He stepped into the kitchen, 

put on an apron and got to work. 

We assumed he was either the Head 

Chef, the Manager or the Owner.... 

one of our three guesses paid off. 

Shortly after we ordered some drinks 

presented to us in a Styrofoam cups 

(very on theme), we walked to the 

back of the restaurant to see what it 



LIFESTYLE 

LIFESTYLE 

had going for it; and it was an entirely 

different ball game. The backyard of 

Burg gave credence to the house 

music pouring through the whole 

space. A tall custom hookah sat atop 

one of the tables. Ayo (yes you read 

right) chess and drafts sat atop tables 

in-between wooden benches and 

tree styled stools. At the extreme right 

of the backyard was a table tennis 

set up and on the wall close to it, a 

few gaming suggestions. The darts 

positioned on the wall, right next to 

the wooden benches and tree styled 

stools, would come in a few visits later. 

The concept of the restaurant was 

very hard to miss. It was a piece of 

Soho come to life in Lagos. We were 

having a hard time hiding the fact that 

we were impressed... not necessarily 

because it was over the top but simply 

because the concept was very well 

executed. 

We walked back in and enquired from 

one of the waiters about who I could 

speak to about the restaurant and as 

sure as one of three guesses were, it 

was the tall, stocky guy with the slightly 

wild fro... Ladi. It turns out he was the 

Owner. I had a brief chat with him and 

we scheduled a meeting. 

Sometime the following week, I paid 

Ladi a visit at Burg and we sat to have 

a chat. Discovering how the newly 

christened restaurateur got into this 

line of business was a very interesting 

one. Ladi who is a Music Producer 

and Graphic Designer (He recently 

released 2 songs on an album with 

his friend Dave Blanco. One of the 

songs is called Blanco) fell in love 

with cooking during his time at SAE 

in Oxford. Ladi started out cooking 

burgers with his then girlfriend, for 

his friends and his family. This hobby 

quickly transformed into a passion 

and according to Ladi, every other 

experiment somehow involved 

Burgers. After graduating from SAE and 

perfecting a variety of burger recipes, 

Ladi felt inspired to start his restaurant 

in London. For some reason, London 

didn’t work out and after splitting with 

his girlfriend who had been a huge 

part of his cooking journey, home felt 

like the next natural choice. Shuttling 

back and forth between Lagos and 

London, Ladi comes clean about 

how difficult starting a business can 

be. According to the restaurateur 

“The hardest part of it was teaching 

people to do things with care.” Which 

makes perfect sense when you think 

of his response to my question on the 

one thing He would like people to 

know about him. He responds “If I’m 

honest… it’s that my whole life revolves 

around quality.” 

When I ask him about the inspiration 

behind the restaurants aesthetics he 

says “It’s a mixture of several things. So 

how I usually work with all my work is 

that I start off on the very basic thing 

and I add layers to it. So this whole 

place came about kind of like a cake. 

You add each layer and things I like. 

So it’s a bit of a reflection of me. Even 

the music we listen to. I like listening 

to house music or electronic music 

because whenever I listen to it, it 

makes me feel like I’m in a club in the 

UK or something.” 

Nostalgia is exactly the feeling 

stepping into Burg will evoke for 

anyone who’s spent some time in 

London. Beyond the music, it’s the 

feel. When we talked about the work 

culture and Burg, a blend of comfort, 

experiments and mutual respect was 

the code. For Ladi, his workers being 

comfortable enough to enjoy working 

at Burg and feeling like a part of the 

team is crucial. He shares a story on 

how when one time he was out, his 

staff spent sometime experimenting 

with a new recipe and new flavours 

which he liked and successfully 

made it on to the menu. Keeping the 

balance, Ladi explains that as much 

as he likes his staff to feel comfortable 

and to love working at Burg, there’s no 

confusion about who’s Boss. Mutual 

respect and boundaries are still 

important. 

For guests, what Burg really is, is a fun, 

relaxing evening in Lagos and a great 

opportunity to socialize. On one of my 

subsequent visit, I was supposed to 

be meeting my friend with whom I first 

explored Burg, and I was a little worried 

because I was late, courtesy of Lagos 

traffic. It turned out that my worry was 

totally unwarranted as I arrived to 

meet my friend cackling away with a 

total stranger turned ayo opponent. I 

met the tail end of their game, before 

we all went on to share a few jokes 

and moved on to a game of darts 

with some vanilla Ice cream that had 

exactly the right consistency and taste. 

Candid on how gruel the journey was 

and almost quitting cold turkey, Ladi 

touches on the importance of being 

able to take criticisms “It hasn’t been 

easy. I wouldn’t tell you like it has been 

easy. Ermmm in December I wasn’t 

actually going to come back. Like we 

opened in December, I was actually 

going to walk away from the whole 

thing but I decided not to. One of the 

difficult decisions to make but I came 

back and we’re here now. I think for 

people who can’t take criticism well or 

are easily hurt by things people say, it 

might be quite hard to do something 

like this but like I’m the type of person 

who doesn’t really care what people 

say.” 

Whatever the case, we’re sure more 

than a few Lagosians and visitors 

would be thrilled he managed to 

pull through his Entrepreneurial cum 

culinary journey to add to Lagos’ 

growing dining landscape.

Glamsquad Magazine April 2018

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