THE WEDDING PLANNERS

If you went to Nigeria this past Xmas, I am sure you OD’ed on attending weddings.
Your sister, brother, cousin, best friend or even school mother tied the knot and you were there to celebrate with him or her.
I am sure you were probably impressed by the quality of the event.
The decorations were on point; everyone got come food or at least was better than what you have experienced in the past.
The business of wedding planning is huge in Nigeria!
From pioneers like Yewande Zaccheaus of Eventful Limited to the established youngsters like Omolara Akinosho of Just Weddings.
The art (ok…it’s not really an art but u get my point) of planning weddings is on the rise in Nigeria.
Here are two of my favourite young event/wedding planners.
I have attended weddings and other events that these ladies have organized and they were really on point!
I present Funke Bucknor of Zapphaire Events and Ibidun Ajayi of Elizabeth R

Ibidun Ajayi of Elizabeth R is one of the most sought after event planners in Nigeria. She is reputed for her ability to ‘think outside the box’ and deliver creative event ideas. Ibidun entered the public eye when she won the Miss Lux Beauty Queen title in 1998; she took a short timeout from the popular scene to graduate from the University of Lagos and hone her event management skills. She came back with a bang when she launched her event planning firm, ‘Elizabeth R’. Since then, Ibidun has planned and packaged many high profile events with dazzling results and consistently receives rave reviews from clients and guests.
Check out Ibidun’s work from Sylvia Edem’s 2006 wedding to Christopher Emechete (the couple met through a friend via the pages of Ovation! long story...) which I talked about some months ago...HERE. It’s the one with the infamous ‘vieled horse drawn carriage’. Creativity at its best!

Funke Bucknor of Zapphaire Events is known for her bubbly personality and her uncanny ability to deliver top-notch events on a wide range of budgets. Anyway, she is really talented! There is no need for me to say more…..just click on the pics below to read her interview from the ‘Wedding Planner’ magazine (it’s a fab wedding mag by the way…all prospective Nigerian brides need a copy)










BTW, I just have to say, thanks for all the luv, I’m always so blown away when I read the comments…..have a great day.
Check it out and let me know what u think! Tell us your wedding stories….any fun experiences - do you love weddings, crash weddings and stalk wedding websites or do you hate weddings and never want to get married?…lol…Let us know!

THE FUTURE AWARDS - WINNERS & PHOTOS

By now everyone should know what the Future Awards are. For those who don’t, this is an awards show aimed at honouring and celebrating Young Nigerians (aged between 18 – 31) who are making tremendous impacts in various fields.

The awards were launched in 2006 and recently the 2nd Edition (The Future Awards 2007) took place on Sunday, 14th of January 2007 at the Muson Centre Lagos.
It was a fabulous by all accounts. Well organized, colourful, glamorous and most of all, inspiring.

What might surprise you is that the event was organized by the RedSTRAT team –
Emilia Asim-Ita, Adebola Williams and Chude Jideonwo.
These three young people are so accomplished that I will like to tell you about but I do not even know where to start.


Emilia is one of the brains behind SLEEK, publishers of the SLEEK Magazine, and the guys behind the Creative Academii

Adebola is the Producer of Nigeria International, which shows on the NTA Network, AIT Nigeria and U.S. and BEN TV in the U.K.

Chude is the hands-down the best interviewer in Nigeria! I am not even exaggerating. Read his interviews and you will agree with me immediately (Check out the 2006 Big Brother Nigerian magazine or any recent issue of True Love West Africa). Chude published his first novel, His Father's Knickers, when he was 13. He presently writes Sons & Daughters in Sunday THISDAY, for True Love West Africa and TAKAii.

To find out more about the RedSTRAT Team, Click HERE
Anyway, here is the list of the 2007 winners as well as exclusive photos from the event (Thanks Chude!!!!!!!!! You Rock!)

THE WINNERS
Young Person of the Year:
Tara Fela-Durotoye – Makeup entrepreneur, House of Tara and Orekelewa Makeup

Entrepreneur of the Year:
Funke Bucknor – CEO, Zapphaire Events

Entrepreneur of the Year (Beauty & Style):
Bola Balogun and Yemi Akerele – Exclusive Styling and Imaging Consultants

Model of the Year:
Doyin Haastrup

Best Use of Goodwill:
TELD

Actor of the Year:
Omono Imobhio - Accomplished Stage Actress

Journalist of the Year:
Shina Oyetayo - TELL

On-Air Personality of the Year:
Ikponwusan Osakioduwa (Wildchild) – Temptation Nigeria/Studio 53

Musician of the Year:
D'banj

Professional of the Year:
Modupe Adefeso - Director, YDNX (Youth Dynamix - a subsidiary of LTC-JWT)

Producer of the Year:
Denrele Edun - Soundcity

Magazine of the Year:
Juice

Team of the Year:
MASK – Dance Troupe

Best Use of Technology:
Lanre Lawal – Multimedia guru (Winner of the inaugural International Young Design Entrepreneur of the Year IYDEY award)

Youth Advocacy:
Gbenga Sesan - Nigeria's Information Technology Youth Ambassador

CONGRATS to the winners.
All the winners get a night for couples during the exclusive Winners After-Party for 50 at the enchanting Miccom Golf Resorts in Ada, Osun State, they also got phones from Celtel and Ericsson, goodie bags courtesy of Tiger Tem, a free one year membership of the British Council, a choice of books from Farafina, autographed copy of Kaine Agary's book, Yellow Yellow, and one full day of pampering at the Venivici spa.

THE PHOTOS
Olaotan Towry-Coker, CEO What's New Magazine (Frontline Media) & Adeola Adewunmi, CEO of Bookworm

Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli, Founder/CEO LEAP Africa & Ebuka Obi Uchendu, Big Brother Nigeria

Lola Omotayo & Peter Okoye (P-Square)


Model, Isio Wanogho with her date


Chimamanda Adichie


Lanre Lawal, Winner - The Future Awards Best Use of Technology 2007, Katung Aduwak Winner - BBN & Nkiru Olumide-Ojo, Marketing and Public Relations Manager - Virgin Nigeria


Doyin Haastrup, Winner - The Future Awards Model of the Year 2007 ~ Michelle Ashionye Ugboh, Musician/TV Presenter


Buki de la Zaria, Designer/Creative Director - Azaria ~ Elizabeth Elorhor Isioho, CEO Beth Modelling Agency


Consultant, Fela Durotoye ~ Actress, Dakore Egbuson with IK (Wildchild), Winner - The Future Awards On-Air Personality of the Year 2007


Comedian, Basketmouth ~ Data Okorodudu, Designer JD7


Musician, Ego Ihenacho Ogbaru ~ Musician, Essence


Francisca, Big Brother Nigeria ~ Funlola Aofiyebi with Teju Babyface


MBGN Universe, Tienepre Oki ~ Paul (P-Square) with date


Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi with Tayo Fayomi ~ Maureen Osuji, Ify Ejikeme & Francisca Owumi - Big Brother Nigeria


Storm Records Musicians - Ikechukwu & Naeto C ~ Ifeoma Ejikeme & Basketmouth


Infinity ~ The Future Awards Professional of the Year Nominee, Lola Talabi


Katung, Winner Big Brother Nigeria with Ebuka ~ Music Producer, Cobhams


Denrele Edun, Winner - The Future Awards Producer of the Year 2007 ~ Emma Ugolee, Globacom


Dr Reuben Abati, Editor - The Guardian Newspaper ~ Dr.Pat Utomi, Lagos Business School/Bank PHB


Illrymz ~ Essence, Segun Obe and Ego singing the national anthem

Let me know if I misnamed any of the pics.

That's it! Have a great week.
Pleaseeeee! Leave your comments and let us know what you think of the awards, the outfits, whatever pops into your mind. By the way, the dresscode was 'a touch of green'.

Anyways, these young people are all amazing! Very inspiring and very fab!

WEEKEND LUV - THE TWICE AS NICE EDITION

Models of the Week: Georgina Edewor Thorley – Contestant, Britain’s Next Top Model & Unidentified Male Model (I'll just name him hottie) from Ozwald Boateng fashion show in Accra

Hey people!
What’s up? As always, I hope u had a great week! Mine was good….just work, work and more work! I am not even feeling well today but I still have to go to…you guessed it...work!!!
So what’s new? Did anyone do anything exciting? Travel somewhere exotic? Meet your future love…lol? Fill us in!
I am really grateful for this year so far tho! Everything has been going really well and I really thank God!
Anyways, here is Weekend Luv – The Twice As Nice Edition.

Blogs
Feels Good 2 B Home
I genuinely like this blog! I love it when people blog about things they are clearly passionate about….she features a lot of exclusive nollywood pics and info as well as other African entertainment topics. Check on it!

Ms Nu Booty
Interesting blog. She doesn’t shy away from any hot topics….I might not really agree with some of the opinions but that is why I luv it and love blogs in general….we can just agree to disagree!

What’s Hot
Cranberry introduces us to the ‘Front Row Girl’. HOT!

I am highly surprised that no one told me that there was a Nigerian chick on the last edition (Season 2) of Britain’s Next Top Model. Nigerians are usually on top of things when it comes to identifying our people…lol.
Anyways, Georgina Edewor Thorley is actually Nigerian/British; she participated in the Season 2 of Britain’s Next Top Model. She was actually one of the favourites but was eliminated about half way through the season. I watched the show recently and I have to say that she did well! She was really friendly and didn’t try to be too ‘extra’ for the cameras like some of the other girls. In case u are wondering, Georgina grew up in Lagos and has a twin sister named Kessiana.
Here are some of her pics from the show.




Beyonce and J-Lo donate their jewellery to 'Raise Your Right Hand Ring for Africa' program. Beyonce personally decided to have her $10,000 donation directed towards Toyin Subair’s Link-A-Child Foundation (Website & Blog) . She visited orphanages which benefit from Link-A-Child during her trip to Nigeria in October 2006 and is honouring her promise to continue supporting the cause.
I think it’s commendable that she is buttressing her words with actions.
While we are on the topic of Beyonce, can someone explain this her armpit-baring new pose. The thing is rather serious! I like to call it the ‘ori mi oooo’ pose lol
Watch out this pose on facebook tho...I know some Nigerian girls will see it and just have to 'give them' lol
See Pics:


Here are some more pics from Ozwald Boateng at the CatWalk the World – Fashion For Food show in Ghana.
Luv it!
Ozwald is the hotness!

Here is the album cover for 2Face's new album Grass 2 Grace. Nice one!


Hits
Here are the songs I am feeling right now!
I really hope that listening to these encourages u to listen to Nigerian music and support the artists by buying their albums.
Nigerian musicians are on the grind! They are really delivering with some top-notch tunes. Anyway if you don’t have these albums make sure u buy them ASAP

FaZe – Independent – This album is 100% amazing!
Ruggedman’s new album – the one with Club Rugged and Ruggedy Album…luv it!
2Face – Grass 2 Grace – Slamming!
I’ll have some more recommended albums next week!

Infinity – Olori Oko
This song is absolutely amazing!
The vocals are on point, the lyrics are meaningful, what more can I say.
Infinity is a really talented group! They performed at the Future Awards about a week ago and blew everyone away with their talent! Their album is definitely worth buying.



FaZe – Letter To My Brother
This is such a heartfelt song! We can all guess who it is directed towards….
I just feel this song! Give it a couple of listens and I’m sure u’ll feel it too….
Wow! FaZe has really blown me away with this new album – it’s a classic! Buy it!
Thanks naija-man

*If you want these songs, download them now as I will not reupload or email them. Thanks.

Anyways, have a fabulous weekend!
Stay blessed.

~Bella