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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.

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