ABIODUN KOYA SAVE CAN GET YOU 4 WHEELS. THE GOLDEN VOICE! SUNDAY, MARCH 18, NOT IN THISDAY STYLE? THEN YOU RE NOT IN STYLE

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1 SUNDAY, MARCH 18, NOT IN THISDAY STYLE? THEN YOU RE NOT IN STYLE ABIODUN KOYA THE GOLDEN VOICE! YOUR WILL TO SAVE CAN GET YOU 4 WHEELS. With a family of 2, you have the opportunity to get a brand new car, generator, a set of furniture, scholarships, washing machine, family vacations, deep freezer and a brand new house when you save in the Access Bank Family Savings Scheme! Visit or the nearest branch to get started.

2 CONTENT Society CELEBRATION OF DORMEUIL, A BRAND FROM POOSH PG 4-5 A NIGHT IN WAKANDA: UBA CELEBRATES AFRICA S EXCELLENCE AND DIVERSITY PG 8-9 Fashion THE BLACK DRESS: A WARDROBE ESSENTIAL PG 10 MONOCHROME MAGIC PG 16 Beauty BAD MAKEUP HABITS PG Abiodun Koya is one of the very few professionally trained opera singers from not just Nigeria, but the African continent. So well has her career grown that she has sang to Presidents, world leaders and even sang at the White House during the Democratic National Convention. Her beloved father introduced classical music to her at the tender age of three. Today, Biodun has established herself as an all-round artiste with passion, purpose and an illustrious voice that is powerful and inspiring. She spent a riveting afternoon with FUNKE BABS-KUFEJI talking about how impactful classical music has been in the lives of many. For a smarter way to fly, THISDAY STYLE FASHION DIRECTOR/EXECUTIVE EDITOR RUTH OSIME EDITOR PRINT OLUFUNKE BABS-KUFEJI EDITOR DIGITAL KONYE NWABOGOR STYLE CORRESPONDENT MOJISOLA ALLEN STYLE CORRESPONDENT SAFINA MOHAMMED SENIOR DESIGNER MATHIAS ARCHIBONG CONTRIBUTORS RUKY SALAKO JULIET ALU AYODEJI ROTINWA PHOTOGRAPHER TY BELLO DIRECTOR, PRINT PRODUCTION. CHUKS ONWUDINJO There was a time when our parents literally determined what course we were to study in the University believing it would create a better path of success for our future. True as that may be, you find that most people who have pursued their passion outside their first degrees, did the said degrees to please their parents. There are many proud parents who are quick to extol their children in professional careers such as doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants and what have you. In fact in some cases, you have a family with one sole occupation from one generation to the next, like a family of Accountants or Lawyers. Truth is, no matter what you decide to pursue later in life, your primary degree can play a pivotal role in the growth of your new venture. Most business people, regardless of sector, are successful because they are well armed in what it takes to move their business to the next level. Our cover subject today, Abiodun Koya could not have veered any further from what she originally studied from Business Management to Opera singer! Her journey has taken her all over the world and hopefully those who read her story will realize that education is important and should never be underestimated. So ground yourself with a solid one then dare to chase your dream. The sky as they say, is truly the limit. FASHION DIRECTOR/EXECUTIVE EDITOR Now with even more solutions for your business aviation needs, ANAP Jets provides an efficient and reliable platform for your ultimate travel experience. think ANAP Jets fractional ownership Our Fractional Ownership platform is the financially prudent way to own a modern private jet. charter services Our Charter Services give occasional flyers access to our fully personalised service. charter@anapjets.com ANAP Business Jets ANAP Business Jets Limited RC

3 ALI & HENRIETTA KADIRI VOULA VARELAS PATRICIA SHOUR DOLAPO & DUNNI AKINRELE AMAJU PINNICK ELOHOR AISIEN NIYI ADEBAYO DONALD DUKE MR & MRS JOHNSON PATRICIA OPONE BOLAJI AKINDELE DINA DANSINGANI & VEENU RATNANI RALPH & UCHE OPARA PERE & DUMEBI ENAREGHA DHIREN PAWAR CHIKE & ADAOBI ISIUWE ENOHO & IKEM EMELIEZE EMEKA WIGWE & BARRY ADEDAMOLA CELEBRATION OF DORMEUIL, A BRAND FROM POOSH As part of the on going 175th celebration of Dormeuil, a French textile company, Poosh, an elite one-stop fashion & luxury lifestyle boutique with its own bespoke tailoring showroom in Lagos collaborated with Dormeuil and staged a breathtaking Menswear Fashion event at Shiro, Landmark Centre. The event, showcased loads of contemporary menswear from suits to African attires. The women also showcased outfits from Fashpa fashion house. The event was put together by Elohor Aisien. POONAM DALAMAL RICHARD BOIDE NATASHA MELWANI & SHAMINA CHANGRANI RAMESH & SABITA HATHIRAMANI SHEREEN SHEHATA & MOHAMED HAZEN SHAMINA, PIKU, USHA & GULAB CHANGRANI MO ABUDU JAYA & PISHU CHULANI PHOTOS: KUNLE OGUNFUYI

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5 MICHELLE DEDE BOLAJI KEKERE-EKUN, KOYE KEKERE-EKUN, DEMI BANWO, BOBO AJUDUA UDY KALU & CHARLES NKATA LALA AKINDOJU OZEE & OCEE MBADIWE CHRIS NKWONTA SEYITAN ATIGARIN AMIOLA AGUDUA ENYINNA NWIGWE DUPE OLUSOLA CAPTAIN DEMUREN & TOOLZ EUNICE OMOLE EBUKA OBI UCHENDU & KENNEDY UZOKA FOLU STORMS IJEOMA GRACE AGU A NIGHT IN WAKANDA: UBA CELEBRATES AFRICA S EXCELLENCE AND DIVERSITY BY KONYE CHELSEA NWABOGOR Pan-African financial services group, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc., recently treated its esteemed clients to an evening of fun glamour and glitz at the screening of the most anticipated movie of the year Black Panther. The movie premiere which was themed A night in Wakanda with Leo was powered by UBA and it witnessed a gathering of distinguished personalities, including, business magnates, captains of industry, opinion leaders, entertainers and distinguished media personalities who turned out in their numbers to see the epic movie. It was a night when all let go and got immersed in the excitement of one special evening at the Imax Filmhouse Cinemas, Lekki as customers, celebrities and friends of Africa s global bank walked onto a well-laid black carpet, ushering them into what turned out to be an unforgettable and exciting evening. TONY & AWELE ELUMELU GREG MBADIWE MO ABUDU BOVI UGBOMA O C UKEJE OMONI OBOLI DOLAPO SIJUWADE LANRE DA SILVA AJAYI & ADAOBI NWAKWUCHE

6 TheBlackDress STYLE & DESIGN THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No Sunday, March 18, 2018 A Wardrobe Essential 10 The black dress is a versatile wardrobe and high-fashion essential that is both modest and sexy. You can never be over-dressed or under-dressed with a black dress. You can also dress it up or down effortlessly depending on the occasion. The black dress is something that can stay in your wardrobe for years without it going out of style. The black dress is iconic because it s a refined, timeless dress that immediately evokes femininity and sophistication. It s the classic look for the elegant lifestyle. Flattering to your body type: One of its best attributes is that wearing black is very flattering to most body types by making you look taller and slimmer. The color is also neutral and demure, which means it doesn t clash with any skin tone. Multifunctional: Black contrasts extremely well so most accessories you style with it is sure to pop. The black dress comes in really handy especially if you have multiple events with different dress codes. For a more appropriate and professional daytime look, a blazer or sweater would complement the black dress with your pumps. When switching to the evening wear a silk scarf is an optional accessory or you may choose not to. Don t forget to add that statement necklace and shoes that pop. For the evening look a pair of colored stilettos or open toes would be appropriate. Always in style: A black dress is a timeless piece to have in wardrobe because it never goes out of style nor is it in the category of what s in season or not; it simply is a timeless piece to have. The fabric is very important so if you need something that is beneficial for both formal and informal fabrics like Crepe, taffeta, or satin are great options and there are different grades and categories depending on the effect you are going for. Fabrics like Velvet, Organza or chiffon are more suitable for formal events. Fabrics like Jersey or spandex are not recommended for making a vintage timeless black dress that can be worn for either a red carpet or informal event. That type of fabric would work well for a casual look. Money well spent: One of the great benefits of a simple black dress apart from the fact that it can be worn for multiple events, you get your money s worth. Once you know how to dress in layers and accessorize with your jewelry, shoes and other artifacts, you can wear it multiple times. When going on a trip, its one clothing item you want to ensure its packed up in your bag so that you are never caught off guard. Fit for any occasion: Whether you are attending a red carpet, formal or casual event, you can t go wrong with a simple black dress. Depending on your body type; a rectangular or curvy shaped lady can wear a pencil or straight dress. If you carry most of your weight in your bust and mid-section, then a black V-neck A line dress would be awesome. Whether you are a size 0 or 22, know what complements your body type and looks flattering on you. Whether you choose to have one or more black dresses it s your call. Pay attention to the fabric, and fit of the dress because that s also very important. Aramide is a fashion stylist and designer. She is the owner of AramidesCloset that caters to regular and plus size women clothing, customized designer clutch bags and jewelry accessories. The Aramide s men s collection will be launched in late She also volunteers as a mentor for foster kids. If you have any fashion related questions or would love to know more about her, you can reach her on Instagram AramidesCloset. Fashionably yours; Aramide- Now You Look Good

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8 COVER THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 8361Sunday, March 18, 2018 COVER THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No. 8361Sunday, March 18, 2018 ABIODUN KOYA OMOTOLA JALADE Abiodun Koya is one of the very few professionally trained opera singers not just from Nigeria, but the African continent. So well has her career grown that she has sang to Presidents, world leaders and even at the White House during the Democratic National Convention. Her beloved father introduced classical music to her at the tender age of three. By age six, she began playing the violin and singing classical music at church. After studying Business Management at University of Columbia, Washington, D.C., Biodun went on to pursue her first love and studied Music for her Master s Degree at Catholic University, Washington. Today, Biodun has established herself as an all-round artiste with passion, purpose and an illustrious voice that is powerful and inspiring. But aside from singing to the high and mighty, Biodun also sings to those close to her heart. She loves caring for the less fortunate in society and never ceases to do philanthropic ventures to make their lives more bearable with her charity organization and mentorship activities. She EKEINDE How did your parents initially feel when they realized you wanted to become an opera singer? My parents were not particularly excited at the prospect of me becoming a singer, but for me it has always been a passion from childhood. They wanted me to become an accountant and steered me in that direction; Accounting was not my strength so I was seriously lagging behind. They got me private coaches to tutor me yet I had challenges. This resulted in always being sad whenever I had to go for Maths or Accounting lessons. Back then I always felt and came alive at the sight of or any involvement in anything to do with the arts. How has your Business Management degree come in handy in your present career? I have always liked the idea of managing and running a business efficiently. Creating something with a market value, things that people would always need and depend on, appealed to me. So also is the pooling together of resources, time and value, and merging them to form something for commercial purpose. I am able to efficiently manage the team under me because I have a clear understanding of human relations and time management. Manpower is one of the best, if not the best asset in business. Prior to working with my current personal team of managers and staff, I managed my career at the very early stage. I had to wear many hats at once because I basically did everything myself. This required a lot of discipline which has helped me run the businesses I have outside music. What was your first big break? My first big break was when I sang to an audience of 15,000 at a stadium in Washington D.C. Ironically, this was my convocation ceremony where I had the privilege to be called upon to perform for the vast number of guests in attendance. My University President and his wife had discovered that I had a talent for singing. Word somehow got to them of this gift so they took me under their wings, loved me and were always eager to show me off to their guests at School seminars, banquets, galas. I was always included in the School s social programs. So when it was time for me to graduate, they gave me my first big break to sing at my commencement ceremony before Mayors, Ambassadors, friends, family, former classmates and other special guests of honor. On that stage at the Stadium, I opened my mouth to sing, gave it my all and the rest is now history. This break presented me with several opportunities as I had people recommending me and inviting me to sing at events from there on. Before I knew it, people started calling me The Wonder Woman: the skinny girl with a big voice! What are you doing to make opera more acceptable to the public? I have a great burden and desire in my heart to make some languages from certain parts of Nigeria recognized globally, just like the world has come to accept and recognize French, Latin, Italian and Spanish. My new mission is to sing in these languages around the world to my international audiences. I intend to add existing folksongs from these regions to my repertoire of songs and sing them on global stages. This way, people will get introduced to the languages from my country. powerhouses. It is always eclectic, magical, and dynamic when this happens. It will definitely be no ordinary mix. I have my eye on certain musicians for possible collaborations. I particularly like to collaborate with certain type of rappers, the ones who have it together. How does one learn to appreciate classical music? You have to open your mind before you pass any judgment on this genre. No half or full judgment. Classical music is the only genre that has the most benefits to offer any living soul (animals inclusive) out of all the genres of Music. Many people already have a preconceived mindset that classical music is complex, it is for the elites and it is intense. With these thoughts, you have already blocked out all the benefits. With classical music, you have to allow yourself be immersed. Soak it in, listen intently and learn to savour the experience. It may require some patience but it is totally worth it. Listening to it is a spiritual and supernatural experience as a lot transpires within that time. You have an upcoming concert. What is the theme? It is a sci-fi themed musical concert event that I envisioned and created. It is called The Future Symphony: Days of the Avenger. It is taking place in Abuja on April 21st. For my scifi concert, I envisioned creating a stage that will be like a space ship and as soon as people walk into the hall, they will feel like they are in a science museum. I have commissioned artworks Many people already have a preconceived mindset that classical music is complex, it is for the elites and it is intense. With these thoughts, you have already blocked out all the benefits. With classical music, you have to allow yourself be immersed. Soak it in, listen intently and learn to savour the experience. It may require some patience but it is totally worth it. representing planets from outer space that would be hung from the ceiling around the hall to create an exciting science themed décor. I get bored easily which is why I like to think outside the box. This is very rare and has never been done in Nigeria or even in the entire African continent. Tell us about your orchestra of drums as opposed to just strings and brass instruments. It is a kind of a performance with the juxtaposition of the traditional drummers backing up my operatic singing as opposed to the regular orchestra of strings and brass instruments. It is a mix of various local drums and classical instruments brought together. failure to do this will affect the quality of my performance. I also do not scream or smoke. Whenever I am in a cold region, I like to cover up my neck area with a scarf. Once or twice a week, depending on our schedules, I meet with my Chinese voice teacher for voice lessons and training. If we cannot physically meet, we have the voice lessons virtually. Is it true that when you have an upcoming show you don t speak? How long for and what impact does it have on your performance? Yes, it is true. Whenever I have a major performance, I go on a vocal rest for two or more weeks. It goes like this: no speaking, no form of verbal communication except for rehearsals and vocal warm ups. This period, I communicate via text messages and s only. Furthermore, my team does most of the verbal communication to people on the outside and when I m in the same room with someone and I have a message to pass across, I just scribble it on paper. What is the common trait opera singers have? Does this help in their form of performance and expression on stage? Opera singers have some common traits globally. They are usually very strict, larger than life, dedicated, funny, hardworking and highly disciplined. In addition, 99% of the time, they have zero tolerance for sloppiness, laziness and unprofessional people. These traits help us give our best, turning us into perfectionists yielding huge successes. Personally, these traits have spawned a high level of discipline in all aspects of my life. I discovered I am more disciplined than my counterparts that are not in my field. I am even sometimes referred to, jokingly as Military Woman but above all, having discipline and balance works. Opera singers give their all and expect perfection in return when they charge you with a task. Did you study drama to enable you express yourself better while performing on stage? I ve studied drama since childhood as I have always had an interest in acting. The knowledge and the art of drama artistry in the conservatory helped a lot. Of course, I also think it is a natural instinct for opera singers to be dramatic but even if you don t study drama, you can still be a fantastic actor on stage. While growing up, just before I turned 15, I had read most of the books in my mother s library written by literary icons like Shakespeare, Wole Soyinka, China Achebe, George Orwell and others. While reading them, I would be transported to their world and play out the scenes in my head. That was my first drama study from home. Can you mention a few of the high caliber people you have performed for so far? Presidents Bush and Obama, the United States Congress men and women, Presidents and Ambassadors from all over the world, baseball legend Hank Aaron, the Mayors, CNN founder, Ted Turner, the Prime Minister and First Lady of Bahamas, United State senators, General Olusegun Obasanjo, BET President Debra Lee, Madam Ellen Sirleaf, Jerry Rawlings, Prince Michael of Kent, Ace comedian and actor, Chris Tucker, the Princess of Saudi Arabia, Princess Basmah Bint Saud to name a few. I actually almost sang at President Trump s inauguration but the Inaugural committee wrote me saying they d consider me for future White House events and that the artistes roster was full. Looking back now, am I glad that deal didn t go through! Are you planning to make any collaboration in How do you maintain your voice? What kind of spent a riveting afternoon with FUNKE BABS-KUFEJI talking about how impactful classical music Photographer- been the near future? things do you avoid and why? Makeup in the lives of many. Hair - peterperfect Yes, oh yes! Absolutely! I love collaborations I do vocal warm-ups exercising at least Stylist and the coming together of great artistic minutes everyday to keep the voice intact as 14 15

9 STYLE & DESIGN ENEANYA 16 FOR WORK Fluid blouses and soft tailoring lends itself to the office. Stick to two or three block colours and throw in a neutral accessory or two to keep the look officeappropriate. Just add black pointed courts to finish the look! Probably the easiest colour combination to nail, monochrome is clean, simplistic and effortlessly chic. And when worn top-to-toe, monochrome is at its most effective. Celebrities swear by the crisp colour combo, streetstylers have long been championing the look and designers seem to roll it out season after season confirming that monochrome fashion is not to be ignored. Whether you re in the office, on a night out or simply lounging at the weekend, Style reveals simple ways to wear black and white for a number of common occasions. MONOCHROME MAGIC! EVENING COOL BY MOJISOLA ALLEN Mixing monochrome into your eveningwear wardrobe is a wise move. Nothing looks (and feels) more elegant than a black and white dress or jumpsuit worn with fancy red shoes and a bold red lip! NANCY ISIME THISDAY Style Vol. 22, No Sunday, March 18, 2018 OFF-DUTY The key here is to have fun with your separates. Stick to just two prints and a maximum of three textures and take the trend into the weekend. Avoid anything too bold colour-wise for your offduty outfit. ZAINAB BALOGUN PROMOTING ENTERPRISE

10 My Business Story YOUTH ENTERPRISE WITH INNOVATION IN NIGERIA Against All Odds, Entrepreneur Turns Hobby Into Thriving Business After a spell of resistance, entrepreneur finds his first client in the family and turns his camera into a valuable business asset This enterprise education page is an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Finance Business Brief: started 2012, Social media contact: Instagram: bighstudios r o f e s s i o n a l Pp h o t o g r a p h y i s a threatened occupation. Or isn t it? In an age w h e n c o m p u t e r s, s m a r t p h o n e s a n d image-enhancing apps appear to have made commercial photography redundant, one young man has decided to dig deeper and carve a niche for himself. Recalling how he got into photography, Henry Oji said, I think photography found me. Growing up, I ve always loved art but I was never allowed to explore it because mum said artists don t make much. Sometime in 2011, I got a camera for leisure and fun p u r p o s e s a n d t h a t f u n h a s metamorphosed into what it is today. What buying a camera for fun metamorphosed into is Big H Studios, a commercial photo studio Henry Part of his works registered in 2012, while still at his day job until Of course, dumping white-collar job for professional photography would always be a hard sell to a family, which had already made it clear that Henry did not belong to the creative industry. He narrated how his family received his decision: Coming from a corporate sector and going into the creative sector was never going to be easy. How do you explain to your folks that you want to leave a steady stream of income and start taking pictures? You ll hardly find any Nigerian parent who would welcome such news, but today I m grateful for all the support I get from my family. It wasn t always so but they didn t also kill my dream even though they had the power to do so. Support from family didn t come early. It means that Henry didn t have the liberty to formally learn the trade he was passionate about, and that slowed down his progress. He recalled: The major challenge I ve faced is not going to school to study photography or art. I would have avoided some mistakes, but I don t regret because I ve learnt from them and it has formed the photographer that I am today. I ve also spent a lot of time on self-training online videos and classes to make up for not having a formal education in photography. Ironically, Henry s first client turned out to be his sister. Even at that, he didn t request full payment for the service he rendered. But it was a good omen, considering the fact that Abuja doesn t appear to be a place where photography could flourish as a sustainable business. Henry was optimistic when asked how he was keeping busy and profitable in a capital city renowned more for politics than for creativity: Abuja is a budding market. E v e r y t h i n g i s g r o w i n g a n d blossoming at its own pace. A lot has changed in the industry since we started. Professionals used to be brought in from Lagos and other places to do jobs here because no one takes the creative space in Abuja seriously, but I like to think that the best time to pitch your tent in any sector is when it s not recognized. That way you grow with it and form a strong base there. A lot of my colleagues are doing great things here. A 2006 graduate of International Business from the East London University, England, Henry knows a thing or two about sustaining a budding business. But there was one key thing he didn t know about commercial photography before delving into it. Surprises and challenges come with the job and I ve learnt valuable lessons and become better with them. However, one notable surprise is that I didn t know how capital-intensive this field of photography was, he told us. How then did he overcome the challenge? I went into photography when I had a 9-5 job. I only went into it full-time two years ago, so I used the proceeds from my day job to fund some of my equipment purchase. Apps Every Entrepreneur Must Have etting things done can be Gchallenging for everyone, but entrepreneurs find things especially hard. In order to succeed in the industry, you need to be more productive and work efficiently, and having a million things on your to-do list is not encouraging at all. This was the situation that Mohammed Ladan found himself in, towards the end of His business was recovering after a sluggish start and he suddenly found that he was either leaving many important things undone or mixing up appointments. He knew he needed help to start 2018 on the right footing. Fortunately, there is a solution to this problem. Te c h n o l o g y h a s b e e n a s s i s t i n g entrepreneurs for over a decade now, and the advances make it easier and easier to tackle all tasks in an efficient manner. Starting from apps for time organization to those that keep you focused, there is basically an app for everything. Here are the top 10 choices of apps for entrepreneurs that want to make their lives easier: 1. Accompany Also called the 'virtual chief of staff', this app will help you reduce all that time spent doing research when prepping for important meetings. This amazing app can be the secret helper who will you a briefing before a meetingand provide you with all the information you need to close the deal. Just download the app and connect it to your account, as well as the mobile calendar and Facebook account. It will go through a variety of information and data PART ONE online to create a summary of your contacts. 2. Evernote Evernote is one of the most popular tools and not only in the world of entrepreneurs. According to an HR manager this app 'saved his life more times than he could count'. He says: 'Evernote should make it on the top of every app list out there because of one simple reason: it allows you to stay organized and finish everything in time.' The freeware version of Evernote is available for Android, Web, and ios. This allows you to synchronize all your devices and files, capture photos, save Web pages, create to-do list and even record reminders. If you have troubles scheduling your tasks, this is the first thing you should download. My mum owed me at the time and the moment she paid I put it all back into my business. My family has equally helped immeasurably. Although the King s College alumnus has never taken a bank facility because, according to him, it kills business if one doesn t Eyak have a proper repayment strategy in place. Henry is open to some sort of sponsorship for the next phase of his expansion. Looking to the future, he said, We moved into our own space two years ago,we are looking to expand and explore other value chains in the creative sector like printing, training and equipment rental. We currently operate a photography school, which helps in grooming the next generation of photographers in Abuja. We plan on reaching a wider range of people with these services in the nearest future. Professionals used to be brought in from Lagos and other places to do jobs here because no one takes the creative space in Abuja seriously, but I like to think that the best time to pitch your tent in any sector is when it s not recognized. Academy 3. Audible Ever wondered, 'How can those successful entrepreneurs constantly find great ideas?' The answer to this question simply cannot lie in high productivity or motivation, since no one can remain motivated and productive at all times. Any successful entrepreneur will tell you the same thing you get ideas by reading. You read on the go, during your free time, and during breaks in between tasks. To help you with this,......to be continued next week Culledfrom and adapted Do you know any entrepreneur between the ages of 18 and 40 with an inspiring Business

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