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January 24, 2021<br />
Be Trendy!<br />
Say Bye To<br />
Skinny Jeans<br />
My<br />
Coronavirus<br />
Experience<br />
- Shareefah Abiola Andu<br />
Samuel<br />
Animashaun<br />
Perry<br />
Arrival of Broda Shaggi
6<br />
IN THIS ISSUE<br />
email: <strong>allure</strong>fortheworld@vanguardngr.com<br />
HAPPINESS<br />
4 Cover: Samuel Animashaun<br />
Perry; Arrival of Broda Shaggi<br />
6 Sexmatics: Sizzle The Other<br />
Room<br />
CELEBRATION<br />
3<br />
7<br />
Fashion : Be Trendy! Say Bye To Skinny<br />
Jeans<br />
Living : My CORONAVIRUS Experience<br />
24 JANUARY 2021<br />
8 Instagram Moments<br />
WELCOME...<br />
As the death toll from<br />
COVID-19 continues to rise, there<br />
is a growing concern for safety of<br />
lives. Everyday now, we get to<br />
hear news of the death of a<br />
prominent Nigerian falling to the<br />
pangs of COVID-19. From the<br />
distant and unknown, it’s<br />
beginning to trickle down to<br />
include people we know, a<br />
neighbour, an associate, a<br />
colleague at work, church member<br />
or a fellow member of a social association.<br />
In this edition, Shareefah Abiola Andu, CEO of Arabel<br />
and Founder of Aleef TV, shares her harrowing encounter<br />
with COVID-19 and writes that the simple COVID-19<br />
protocols of washing of hands, wearing of nose mask and<br />
use of sanitiser, still remain the surest way to a ward-off<br />
the deadly virus. Pg 7.<br />
Moving away from the fear and gloom associated with<br />
COVID-19, our cover personality, Samuel Animashaun,<br />
better known as Broda Shaggi, brings a message of hope<br />
with his inspiring story of how his comedy skits opened<br />
doors of acting for him. Like many struggling artistes,<br />
Shaggi tried his hands in many pies until he created the<br />
character Broda Shaggi that has brought him fame and<br />
money. He opens up to Yemisi Suleiman on pg 4-5.<br />
On our fashion page, Josephine Agbonkhese writes<br />
on the jeans trend for 2021. Take your pick and ditch the<br />
skinny jeans. Pg 3.<br />
While you step out today,<br />
remember wear your nose mask J . E<br />
and stay safe.<br />
Jemi Ekunkunbor<br />
lookposh2017@gmail.com<br />
Have a great Sunday.<br />
08052201126<br />
Quotes<br />
“Passion is energy.<br />
Feel the power that<br />
comes from focusing<br />
on what excites you”.<br />
- Oprah Winfrey<br />
“No man succeeds<br />
without a good woman<br />
behind him. Wife or<br />
mother, if it is both, he<br />
is twice blessed<br />
indeed”.<br />
- Godfrey Winn<br />
“Ability is what you’re<br />
capable of doing.<br />
Motivation determines<br />
what you do. Attitude<br />
determines how well<br />
you do it”.<br />
- Lou Holtz<br />
EDITOR<br />
JEMI EKUNKUNBOR<br />
ASST. EDITOR<br />
YEMISI SULEIMAN<br />
REPORTER<br />
Josephine Agbonkhese<br />
COPY EDITOR<br />
DODOIYI WILLIAM-WEST<br />
PHOTO<br />
OSCAR OCHIOGU<br />
(08034746487)<br />
TEAM<br />
CONTRIBUTORS<br />
LINDA ORAJEKWE<br />
ADESUWA<br />
EWOIGBOKHAN<br />
BAMIYO ISELEMA EMINA<br />
LAYOUT / DESIGN<br />
OLAYIWOLA AJAGBE<br />
HEAD OF PRODUCTION<br />
CHARLES KAMMA<br />
HEAD MARKETING<br />
JANET NAJOMOH<br />
(08037156911)<br />
8<br />
Printed and published by Vanguard Media Ltd<br />
Vanguard Avenue Kirikiri Canal; P.M.B 1007 Apapa, Lagos.
Be Trendy!<br />
Say Bye To<br />
Skinny Jeans<br />
FASHION<br />
By - Josephine Agbonkhese<br />
After several seasons of ruling the denim<br />
scene, skinny jeans are finally taking the<br />
back seat. Yes, they’re going to be a bit out<br />
of fashion this year as non-skinny jeans<br />
topped major Spring/Summer 2021 runway<br />
collections. The skinny jeans will however,<br />
be greatly missed for its extraordinary<br />
versatility which makes for an easy<br />
transitioning from a day to a night look.<br />
There’s no better time than now to review<br />
your personal jeans collection, since<br />
virtually no wardrobe exists without this<br />
essential.<br />
So, let these 2021 jeans trends be your<br />
guide.<br />
Flare Jeans/<br />
Cropped Bootcut:<br />
These easy-to-wear cuts<br />
which are this time around<br />
short at the ankle, will<br />
probably be your favourite.<br />
Micheal Kors<br />
Cropped Bootcut<br />
Jeans<br />
Straight Leg<br />
Jeans:<br />
Easy to wear with<br />
just about anything,<br />
this season’s highwaisted,<br />
straight leg<br />
jeans are about the<br />
best for swapping out<br />
your skinny jeans.<br />
Balmain Flared Jeans<br />
Nengi<br />
Hampson<br />
Marine Serre<br />
Logo Print<br />
Jeans<br />
Dolce &<br />
Gabbana<br />
Straight Leg<br />
Jeans<br />
Stella<br />
McCartney<br />
Wide Leg<br />
Jeans<br />
Alberta<br />
Ferreti<br />
Loose-Fit<br />
Jeans<br />
Bold Prints &<br />
Pattern:<br />
You’re not ready to give up skinny<br />
jeans completely in 2021? Then<br />
you can wear them in bold prints<br />
and patterns.<br />
Wide-Leg<br />
Cropped Jeans:<br />
If you aren’t quite ready to fit<br />
into the loose jeans trend, then<br />
the wide-leg cropped jeans is a<br />
great option for you as it gives a<br />
more feminine looser fit.<br />
Loose Jeans:<br />
Loose jeans is much chicer now as<br />
it features subtle pleats, high waists<br />
and unexpected hues.<br />
January 24, 2021 / 3
INTERVIEW<br />
Samuel<br />
Animashaun Perry:<br />
Arrival of Broda Shaggi<br />
Words By - Yemisi Suleiman<br />
The name Samuel Animashaun Perry may not ring a bell; that is because he is widely and better<br />
known as Broda Shaggi. The comedian, actor, songwriter and musician is best known for his<br />
hilarious skits on Instagram. Influenced by his late father who was a drama teacher, Shaggi<br />
took interest in entertainment, particularly drama, at a young age. Over the years, with his creative<br />
ingenuity; and thanks to social media, the comedian has become one of the most-followed<br />
personalities on Instagram, boasting of about 6 million followers, with a little less subscribers on<br />
YouTube - a feat which comes with a lot of endorsements and payoff from private and corporate<br />
organisations.<br />
The Ogun State-born, multitalented comedian and graduate of creative arts from the University of<br />
Lagos, in this encounter, talks about his work in the creative industry, growing up years, journey to<br />
fame and more.<br />
You started out with the creation of this tout persona<br />
on Instagram. What inspired it?<br />
The Agbero idea just came one day. I had played<br />
different characters before that of Agbero and Broda<br />
Shaggi. I just wanted to do something no one has really<br />
done before on Social media. I believe that true creative<br />
excellence comes from doing what hasn’t been done or<br />
modifying an existing trend in a special and acceptable<br />
manner.<br />
For most of your shoots, you take on different<br />
occupation; it’s either you are a mechanic today or<br />
a bricklayer tomorrow. What message do you try to<br />
pass to your viewers with your skits?<br />
The occupational themes in my skits are just to let<br />
people know that there are many jobs out there for the<br />
youths to do instead of staying idle or waiting for whitecollar<br />
jobs. There are things you can easily do for yourself<br />
and these are the works an Agbero will do on a normal<br />
day just to survive and take care of his family.<br />
This apparently passes a direct message to youths<br />
that every profession is worth being proud of, as long as<br />
you are not stealing. Handwork should not be relegated<br />
because of the corporate perception of white-collar jobs.<br />
My sociological focus on comedy is to encourage youths<br />
not to wait for office jobs to survive. It goes further to<br />
preach the essence of self-reliance and growth. We all<br />
can’t depend on office jobs to survive.<br />
At what point in life did you discover your creative<br />
flair?<br />
I would say creativity has always been part of me. I<br />
have always loved arts; anything in the field of arts, be it<br />
dance, music, drawing, painting, acting and drumming.<br />
These are the things I have always loved to do. Anything<br />
in the line of creativity, I get comfort there. That was why<br />
I studied Creative Arts at the prestigious University of<br />
Lagos. The ability to use space, speech and body has<br />
always been my comfort zone and I have no regrets. I<br />
don’t think I can do anything else aside from the arts.<br />
From creating comedy skits, you set out to make<br />
music and have now introduced new web comedy<br />
series, Shaggi Palava, The Robbery, all on YouTube;<br />
tell us about it. What is the transition process like?<br />
These transitions have always been my plans; things<br />
I really wanted to do. I have them written down like my<br />
New Year goals. There are many things coming that I<br />
look forward to working on. So, we keep pushing every<br />
day. Once people get tired of a particular concept, they<br />
move elsewhere to satisfy their entertainment urge. That<br />
is why I saddle myself with the responsibility of dishing<br />
out new ideas, to keep myself in the game. The truth is,<br />
there is no end to creative ideas.<br />
Would you say the YouTube platform has in a way,<br />
helped to increase engagement with your fans?<br />
Yes, the YouTube platform has done greatly,<br />
especially for my international fan base. YouTube<br />
has really done justice to that, because most of my<br />
international fans get to see my content via that medium.<br />
I love the reviews I get from them because I make<br />
them remember home. With the character of the tout,<br />
(Agbero), I make them want to see Lagos more and<br />
more. These are experiences they have had with these<br />
Agberos on the streets of Lagos at respective instances.<br />
My contents bring back memories for them, and they love<br />
it. This however doesn’t discount the huge patronage<br />
I continue to get from home-based fans. YouTube has<br />
really brought me closer to my fans than I would have<br />
thought. I can’t but acknowledge that sincere experience.<br />
Also, I can’t take away the fact that I make money on the<br />
platform too. (Laughs)<br />
How are you diversifying content to reach new target<br />
audiences?<br />
That is what I have been trying to do. If you see<br />
my YouTube channel, you will know it is not just filled<br />
with comedy skits. I have songs there, and I have other<br />
content coming. I want to reach every of my fan of<br />
different interests. Not everybody would like my comedy;<br />
that is why I dish out other creative content too. I have<br />
Broda Shaggi as a policeman, Broda Shaggi as an<br />
Agbero, Broda Shaggi as a driver and, Broda Shaggi as<br />
a hotel staff. So, there are many parts of Broda Shaggi<br />
you can vibe with. You can’t ever get tired of Broda<br />
Shaggi, because there are many folds of the character.<br />
Broda Shaggi is highly unpredictable. I always love the<br />
idea that my fans anticipate new dimensions each time I<br />
tease them with skit trailers.<br />
As a content creator, how do you get inspiration for<br />
all you do?<br />
Art is passion; if you don’t have it, you can’t force it.<br />
You can’t learn it either. It has to come from within. So,<br />
the inspiration is from within. I am always attentive to<br />
ideas; whenever they pop up, I write them down. Just like<br />
Aristotle mentioned, art is meant to speak for itself. As an<br />
artist, your audience do not necessarily have to stress<br />
4 / January 24, 2021
INTERVIEW<br />
their minds before comprehending the messages of your<br />
work. Over time, I have always ensured that every of my<br />
skit or song has a message to pass. I don’t do art for art’s<br />
sake. My art is about entertainment and social change<br />
together.<br />
When you started, did you think you would become<br />
this big on social media?<br />
To be honest, yes! It has always been my dream;<br />
it has always been my prayer. I always wanted to see<br />
myself in a very big place. Fortunately, that is what we<br />
are seeing now. I am not there yet; I am still a work in<br />
progress. I didn’t know I would become big this soon, but<br />
I think this is as a result of hard work and consistency and<br />
I am happy. As things are now, I look forward to breaking<br />
more grounds and being more celebrated in this craft.<br />
Grace found me and I do not take it for granted. I want to<br />
perform on bigger stages in the international scene. It is<br />
happening gradually; I want more.<br />
Tell us a bit about yourself and growing up years?<br />
My growing up was fun and eventful. I am a graduate<br />
of creative arts, university of Lagos. I majored in Visual<br />
Arts with special interest in painting and drawing. My<br />
father is late. But before he died, he was a cultural<br />
person; he was a lover of arts. He was a teacher, singer,<br />
and dancer. He taught arts at Mayflower School, Ikenne,<br />
until his death.<br />
After then, I moved to Lagos to stay with my aunt. I<br />
had my secondary education in Lagos. I then proceeded<br />
to the University of Lagos. During university days, it was<br />
very tough. My aunt was my major sponsor, though my<br />
mother supported me once-in-a-while.<br />
As an undergraduate, I had a group called “Stage<br />
Addicts.” We went out to perform; we danced and acted<br />
at events and made some money. I was able to finish<br />
school from the monies I gathered from off-campus<br />
performances. So it was more like a struggle to be here,<br />
and I just believe whatever is meant to be good, won’t be<br />
smooth at the beginning. It has been a rough journey all<br />
the way to this point.<br />
What childhood event would you say shaped you<br />
into the man you are today?<br />
I would say church dramas. It made me know my<br />
strengths and I never stopped. Through church dramas,<br />
I was able to overcome fears and inhibition. I developed<br />
confidence in facing the crowd and my acting skills just<br />
kept improving.<br />
Do you have a role model you look up to and why?<br />
To be honest, I don’t have a role model or anyone I<br />
look up to particularly. I learn from everybody; I learn from<br />
people’s mistakes. If I see anything good in you, I adopt<br />
it. If I see anything bad in you, I don’t take it. That is how I<br />
build up myself. I don’t have a specific person that I look<br />
up to as a role model. Though I have met and worked<br />
with several top entertainers in Africa, it will be unsafe for<br />
me to point at one particular person as my role model.<br />
This is because for each encounter I have had with them<br />
respectively, I always have something to pick from their<br />
personality and attitude towards life.<br />
As a comedian, do people take you seriously<br />
outside?<br />
It depends. For people who know that Broda Shaggi<br />
has double personality, they identify with me properly.<br />
I have Broda shaggi and I have Samuel’s personality.<br />
Those who know me personally, know how serious I can<br />
be when I am not in Broda shaggi character. My fans<br />
who have not encountered me closely believe I am Broda<br />
Shaggi everywhere. Whenever they see me, they would<br />
prefer to experience the comedian part of me, which is<br />
very hard most times. I do try as much as possible to<br />
separate my art from who I am; though it is not so easy to<br />
achieve, I try to make it happen.<br />
If there is anything you like to change about yourself,<br />
what would that be?<br />
I would like to change the fact that I don’t like going<br />
out. I really want to explore different places and have fun<br />
but I am not really that fun person. I love being alone<br />
writing and doing all kinds of creative activities. I am an<br />
introvert, I want to change that.<br />
When you are not working, how do you relax?<br />
When I am not working, I am relaxing and thinking of<br />
new content. That itself is work.<br />
I learn from<br />
everybody, I<br />
learn from<br />
people’s<br />
mistakes.<br />
Creative Director: Nelly Mesik<br />
Photography: Ahmed Moore<br />
Outfit: Morafa (Red Suit) for cover<br />
: Zaddiz Clothing<br />
With all you do on social media, would you say<br />
the platform has impacted your life positively or<br />
otherwise, give us an instance?<br />
It has impacted my life positively because many<br />
things have changed since the recognition of Broda<br />
Shaggi brand. I was a no-body. It was very hard for me<br />
to get roles in the movie industry. But right now, as Broda<br />
Shaggi, producers are the ones calling me for jobs.<br />
They want me in their movies. So it has really changed<br />
a lot. The love I receive from my fans when I go outside<br />
has really been impressive. It was never there until the<br />
recognition and acceptance of Broda Shaggi through<br />
social media.<br />
Before your skits made you famous on Instagram,<br />
what were you doing?<br />
I was acting, I was hustling. I was acting everyday;<br />
trying different roles. I was going for auditions. I was<br />
playing “waka pass” roles; otherwise known as extreme<br />
minor roles. I was hustling; I was struggling to make a<br />
name for myself.<br />
What’s next in the future?<br />
So many things are being planned for the future; my<br />
movie, my music, my TV, and YouTube series. There are<br />
so many things we are working on.<br />
January 24, 2021 / 5
with Adesuwa 07011289316 | adesuwaewoigbokhan@hotmail.com<br />
Sizzle The Other Room<br />
A<br />
fter the vows, couples tend to forget<br />
that love is constant and passion<br />
needs rekindling every now and<br />
then; rather, they end up settling<br />
down for a monotonous routine<br />
which most times, becomes a boring life style<br />
devoid of sizzling.<br />
No need showing off or impressing others<br />
about your love for your spouse, keep it<br />
meaningful between the two of you. A relationship<br />
left on its own cannot survive due to the<br />
indifference of the two persons concerned. Your<br />
romantic needs have to be spiced up; less fights,<br />
an easier and enjoyable bond, these can be<br />
implemented by indulging in some creative tips to<br />
ramp up the passion part in your marriage.<br />
Be ready to do stuff you don’t normally love;<br />
but which your partner cherishes but doesn’t get<br />
to do regularly. This way, you are letting your<br />
spouse know that his/her needs and desires are<br />
more important to you. It may not be every time<br />
but, enough to let them know that you care.<br />
List those things you appreciate and most<br />
thankful for in your marriage, tuck them away in<br />
different loops and corners of the house like a treasure<br />
hunt. Playing hide/seek room and making sure it gets<br />
to end in the master bed room.<br />
Always, plan for a mystery night that will be packed<br />
full of exciting surprises, building anticipation when<br />
paired with romance, this usually increases sexual<br />
libido gand arousal.<br />
With children, you need to make extra<br />
arrangement for weekends and normal days<br />
to spend alone-time with your spouse.<br />
Get to recreate those key components of<br />
your first date, communicate what you<br />
thought back then, and you will be surprised<br />
at how much fun this will be.<br />
Allow some kind of silliness together as a<br />
couple. Being playful brings to memory the<br />
joy you share, the reason you chose each<br />
other accepted to live together everyday.<br />
Move away from your comfort zone and<br />
monotonous activities; experiment, explore<br />
and discover something new to feel<br />
refreshing about one another.<br />
Regularly pay each other compliments,<br />
write loving adjectives about your spouse<br />
when texting, emailing or sending Whatapp<br />
messages. Alternatively, whisper them one at<br />
a time throughout the day and week. The use<br />
of affirmative words are also to be<br />
encouraged.<br />
Relieve the days when you used to allow<br />
your significant part mix tape of all your<br />
favourite songs. Go the digital way by creating<br />
a romantic and fabulous playlist for them on<br />
their iPod or Smartphone so that as he/ she<br />
listen to them, they will always think of you.<br />
Remember to plan ahead a bedroom<br />
picnic with food enhancers, sex toys<br />
to delight each other with for desert.<br />
Make main dish a special sexy dinner<br />
with ingredients that contain<br />
aphrodisiacs like oysters, tomatoes,<br />
pine nuts, spices and special red<br />
wine. Construct homemade love<br />
coupons for your partner to cash into.<br />
Surprises are better appreciated<br />
when they are beneficial to both<br />
lovebirds in matrimony.<br />
Routine is a great enemy of<br />
passion while cuddling is much more<br />
romantic than sitting apart.<br />
magazine that are a mess, right? A dirty<br />
or cluttered room will never look<br />
expensive or even attractive. Get rid of<br />
anything that is not necessary, loved, or<br />
gorgeous.<br />
TRICKS TO MAKE YOUR<br />
BEDROOM LOOK<br />
EXPENSIVE<br />
Who wouldn’t love to have a bedroom that looks like it belongs in the<br />
glossy pages of a home décor magazine, or pinned on decorating<br />
boards all across Pinterest? But for most people, their budget refuses<br />
to cooperate with their lofty dreams. If you fall into this category, don’t<br />
give up!<br />
It is possible to give your room a touch of style that only looks expensive.<br />
Here are some ways to add a touch of luxe to your bedroom without<br />
breaking the bank.<br />
CUT THE CLUTTER<br />
Okay, this tip is not an accessory or object, but it’s the most important step to<br />
take if you want a great looking room. You don’t see gorgeous bedrooms on the<br />
TRY A TRAY<br />
One of the easiest ways to give your<br />
bedroom that special look is to add a<br />
beautiful tray to your dresser top or<br />
nightstand. It doesn’t have to actually be<br />
expensive. Use your tray to hold the<br />
otherwise-scattered items on your<br />
dresser top, such as jewellery, perfume<br />
bottles, or small collectibles. Instantly,<br />
your bedroom will look a little bit more<br />
elegant.<br />
ADD IMPACT<br />
Give your bedroom impact with a<br />
statement piece that says, “Yes, this<br />
room belongs to someone special.” That<br />
might be a large piece of artwork over<br />
your headboard, a fine collectible on<br />
your dresser, an antique quilt on your<br />
bed, or an area rug that doesn’t take<br />
style lying down. Whatever you choose,<br />
make sure it reflects your personal taste<br />
and style. Also, let it be large enough to<br />
be seen immediately upon entering the<br />
room. Again, you don’t have to spend<br />
much.<br />
6<br />
/ January 24, 2021
My<br />
CORONAVIRUS<br />
Experience<br />
LIVING<br />
By - Shareefah Abiola Andu<br />
On Tuesday, December 29, 2020, my<br />
son got back from work and said he<br />
suspected he had COVID-19, because<br />
he had sore throat, head and body<br />
aches. He bought malaria drugs and cough<br />
syrup. As a precaution, we both started wearing<br />
facemasks in the house and kept our distance<br />
from each other.<br />
The next day after taking the cough syrup, the<br />
sore throat eased, but the malaria drugs did not<br />
stop the head and body ache. The headache was<br />
unusual, he said, as it affected the frontal part<br />
of his face majorly. Upon research, we bought<br />
some drugs and stronger painkillers.<br />
Even with all these drugs, he wasn’t getting<br />
any better. I was advised to start treating myself<br />
as a precautionary measure because of the<br />
exposure, even though I had no sore throat,<br />
headache or body pain. So, I administered one of<br />
the drugs we had bought on me.<br />
A few hours later, I reacted very violently and<br />
became really sick. I became restless, could not<br />
sleep and started shivering. When the AC was<br />
switched off, I started sweating profusely.<br />
By Friday of that week, the effect of the<br />
medicine I had taken was wearing off, leaving<br />
only a dull ache and a general feeling of<br />
unwellness. For my son, his condition had not<br />
changed even as he continued to use all the<br />
drugs. So I told him we had to go and do a<br />
COVID test.<br />
The CMD of the Infectious Disease Hospital,<br />
Yaba, Dr Abimbola Bowale, who Her Excellency,<br />
Mrs Oluremi Hamzat, wife of the Deputy<br />
Governor of Lagos State had introduced me to,<br />
arranged for us to get the test done. Everyone in<br />
my household went. At IDH, Dr Ogunsanya took<br />
our samples and while talking to my son, noticed<br />
his unusual voice and asked if he had sinusitis to<br />
which he replied in the negative. Dr. Ogunsanya<br />
then said he suspected sinus infection, told him<br />
to stop all medication and switched him to some<br />
antibiotics, Vitamin C, Zinc and some painkillers.<br />
The antibiotics worked like magic and by the<br />
next day, my son started feeling better. I was still<br />
feeling poorly.<br />
His healing progressed; the body ache<br />
reduced to a dull headache. I had slight<br />
headache and was indescribably fatigued.<br />
By Monday of the following week, my son<br />
was completely okay. By 1.39pm, Dr. Bowale<br />
called with news of our test result. “Who is<br />
Shareefah?” He asked. I said, “that’s me”. “The<br />
Result is positive” he announced over the phone.<br />
POSITIVE! Me? It took a few moments before I<br />
found my voice. “So what should I do?” He asked<br />
if I had any symptoms, I told him not really, but<br />
narrated my experience with the initial malaria<br />
drug that I had taken. He said, “It was COVID you<br />
had then”. He then sent me the prescriptions and<br />
told me to self-isolate.<br />
My son did not have COVID, I had it. Then I<br />
realised how merciful Allah is to me. My son gave<br />
the false COVID alarm and immediately, we all<br />
started taking precautions in the house. If God<br />
had not pushed him to make that false alarm,<br />
I probably would have unknowingly infected<br />
everybody in the house and if I hadn’t taken the<br />
malaria drug, as a first attack, we wouldn’t have<br />
thought of going for a test and the virus would<br />
have ravaged my system and might have been<br />
too late to treat.<br />
To the glory of God, it ended up being mild.<br />
I experienced total loss of smell, loss of taste,<br />
lack of appetite, insomnia, excessive sweating,<br />
headache, intense fatigue, but no sore throat,<br />
no cough, no breathing problem and no high<br />
temperature.<br />
Ever before the COVID saga began, I had<br />
been extremely careful, bothering on paranoia.<br />
I could go to the bathroom five times in five<br />
minutes to wash my hands. For almost a year<br />
now, I do not use my hand to open doors, I have<br />
perfected the use of my elbow, then my shoulder<br />
and if need be, I use my foot to wedge the door.<br />
I do not use other people’s pens, I minimize<br />
the handling of cash, if I need to use the POS<br />
machine at the filling station, which is not often,<br />
I hold it with a tissue paper and another piece<br />
of tissue on my forefinger to punch in my pin,<br />
ignoring the funny looks. I clean surfaces with<br />
Hypo all the time.<br />
Once the Federal Government imposed<br />
the lockdown in April, 2020, I never attended<br />
any social event until late November 2020.<br />
Between November and December, I attended<br />
four events. The fourth and last one was on<br />
SUNDAY, December 27, 2020. It was a small<br />
event, where everyone was COVID-conscious<br />
and wore a mask. At the point of taking pictures,<br />
it was suggested that we removed our masks so<br />
faces could show in the pictures. After the picture,<br />
drinks were served and masks were down to sip<br />
the drinks. As we were leaving, someone was<br />
holding my right hand, I had the malt in my left,<br />
my mask was down and there was a big sneeze<br />
and I practically walked right into the sneeze.<br />
Alarmed, I said in my mind, “Oh my God, I hope<br />
they won’t give me Corona in this place”. I got<br />
into the car, used the hand sanitizer, and was<br />
pensive all the way home.<br />
I got home, washed my hands and face and<br />
forgot about the whole thing. Trying to figure<br />
out how I caught this virus, maybe it was at<br />
this event because of the timeline, maybe not,<br />
maybe I never will know. One thing I know is that<br />
all COVID protocols of wearing of Face Mask,<br />
Social distancing, Coughing or Sneezing into<br />
curved elbow were broken.<br />
I got the prescriptions, determined that I will<br />
not go into isolation and throw pity party but will<br />
turn it into Khalwah – a spiritual isolation where<br />
you spend time with your Creator, talking to no<br />
one and leaving out worldly activities. I decided<br />
to start and finish reading the whole Qur’an,<br />
kept my spirit up and focused on the number of<br />
people that survived and not the number that<br />
succumbed to COVID. I put my faith in God and<br />
He healed me totally.<br />
My advice: adhere to the simple, but effective<br />
COVID protocols of wearing face mask, social<br />
distancing, coughing or sneezing into curved<br />
elbow. They can save lives.<br />
Shareefah Abiola Andu is the CEO<br />
of ARABEL and the Founder of<br />
ALEEF TV.<br />
January 24, 2021 / 7
INSTAGRAM<br />
MOMENTS<br />
With Yemisi Suleiman<br />
In case you missed, these were the most interesting pictures and stories on<br />
Instagram last week as posted by your favourite celebrities.<br />
Michelle Obama steals the show<br />
with plum outfit<br />
America’s former Frst Lady, Michelle Obama heated up<br />
the internet, when she arrived at Joe Biden’s presidential<br />
inauguration in a look that radiated the power, grace,<br />
and style she is well known for. Regarded as a fashion<br />
icon, Mrs. Obama attended Wednesday’s inauguration<br />
in a plum-coloured turtleneck sweater and trousers with<br />
a matching jacket. She completed the look with a gold<br />
belt, black leather gloves and a black mask, sending the<br />
internet into a frenzy, with several users tweeting their<br />
approval of the look.<br />
The belted monochrome look was reportedly designed by<br />
black designer, Sergio Hudson, a longtime collaborator of<br />
the former First Lady who has also worked with Rihanna<br />
and Beyoncé.<br />
The outfits made her look glamorous and commanding,<br />
and we couldn’t love her any less.<br />
Kamala Harris<br />
makes history<br />
It was a history-making day<br />
for America and indeed the<br />
black race, when former<br />
California Senator Kamala<br />
Harris was sworn in as<br />
vice president of the United<br />
States on Wednesday; the<br />
first woman ever to hold the<br />
post.<br />
Harris, 56, took the oath of<br />
office from Supreme Court<br />
Justice Sonia Sotomayor<br />
in a ceremony at the US<br />
Capitol. She became the<br />
first Black woman and the<br />
first woman of South Asian<br />
descent to become US vice<br />
president.<br />
Timi Dakolo is 40 and hopeful<br />
“The chorus leader is 40. Happy birthday to me.” Singer<br />
Timi Dakolo wrote on his Instagram handle, as he clocked<br />
40 last week Wednesday, January 20th.<br />
Looking to the future with high hopes, the chorus leader<br />
as he calls himself, shared this dramatic photo with the<br />
caption. “The fourth floor is looking amazing already. The<br />
chorus leader just wants to laugh.”<br />
We wish him all the best.<br />
Bisola Aiyeola<br />
marks birthday<br />
with alluring<br />
photos<br />
Ex Big Brother Naija star,<br />
actress and singer, Bisola<br />
Aiyeola clocked 35 last<br />
Thursday, January 21. To<br />
celebrate her day, the actress<br />
took to her Instagram handle<br />
to share very glamorous and<br />
utterly sexy pictures for the<br />
delight of her numerous fans.<br />
However, we love the beautiful<br />
red, thigh-high slit dress and her<br />
well-toned skin.