BellaNaija

I remember the first time I felt ashamed of desire. I was eight, sprawled across my bed, my small hands exploring the softness of my own body. The discovery was instinctive and innocent. But when my mother walked in, her face tightened. A single glance was enough to shrink me. …

The ability to bend language to capture feeling is an art Amife masters in her book “Little Words”. This hybrid collection of poetry and prose revels in truth, beauty, nostalgia and melancholy. There are eleven chapters in the book, each chapter categorised to show phases of the author’s life. Little …

In his essay “A Laughing Giant,” Wale Lawal writes, “What the grasp of a people’s humour measures is the ability to express oneself technically and, more importantly, socially.” This grasp is precisely what Oyindamola Shoola masters in her latest poetry collection, “Face Me I Face You.” The collection brings to …

Two days before my traditional wedding, I stood in the kitchen of my apartment in Lagos with my mum, ticking off items on the wedding list dad had brought from his village visit. Faint beats of Davido‘s “Unavailable” drifted gingerly into the kitchen, a spillover from the birthday party happening …

Humans are people of associations. We often try new things based on recommendations from others. We might try a new dish because someone we trust says it’s delicious, or buy a new outfit because we saw it on someone we admire. Even when we don’t consciously realise it, these associations …

The evening I bought the Infinix Hot 40 Pro, I knew I was in for a treat. Its sleek design and robust build hinted at the powerful gaming experience that awaited me. On unboxing it, I got the newly introduced colour by Infinix, Starfall Green, its design captivated me. The …

It takes a poet present in time, honest and deeply attentive to deliver a spoken word album like Blue Hour Notes. A collection of poetry that delicately and audaciously weaves the dynamics of human emotion through the prisms of womanhood, language, mental wars, and yearning. Faith Moyosore Agboola, the brilliance …

Last week, I spoke to a couple of people and almost every one of them claimed to be exhausted. They are all troubled by something, and it seems like life has chosen to push us so hard – all of us, collectively as a nation; a huge punch directly in …

I discovered keeping a kudos file while scrolling through LinkedIn for something that is less important. But I simply told myself that I was researching for work to silence my guilt. I’m one of those that avoid LinkedIn and I cannot explain why because I personally do not know. On …

Everyone can relate to how hard it is to realize dreams, especially when they are not in the traditional bracket of what a life-long career should be. The heartache, the lack of support from family members, and so much more. “Road to Spotlight” is a film that depicts the difficulties …

Lakowe Lakes Golf and Country Estate came up with an ambitious plan to make December the best month for their guests and they delivered! Throughout this month, they organized events and activities every weekend to give their guests unforgettable experiences to close out the year. For their first event, they …

ITSK Gold, an indigenous art and culture brand from Nigeria, whose aim is to tell the African story using jewelry and lifestyle one piece at a time, is creating unique products to do just that. Inspired by the rich African culture, the founders Tosan Ideh and Tuoyo Dudu are promoting …

BN Literacy Drive: I Dream of a Future Where My Dreams Can Become My Reality Because of the continued decline of the quality of education in Nigeria, BellaNaija recently launched the BN Literacy Drive. The aim is to promote literacy across secondary schools in...

When love comes, you will be waiting for it with a warm embrace – welcoming it home. “Where have you been all these years?” You’ll ask, your palm itching to give a hot slap. The type your dad gave you when you were little. This is how you imagine your …

My fears speak silence nowadays, and it’s worth celebrating. You see, in the past, it spoke in loud words. As loud as the voice of the town crier delivering the message of the king to his people, who in obedience and silence listened without questioning. It had authority, an overbearing …

Some of the best marriage proposals are simple and sweet, like in the waking hours of the day right there on the bed, or after a nice homemade dinner. On the other hand, some are more complex and thoroughly planned, taking days or weeks. Some, though, are in the spur …

On Saturday, February 2nd, 2019, 7Up added more excitement with the #10kGang pre-race event at the 4th edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon by providing entertainment for the thousands of runners and spectators who came out to participate in the shorter 10km fun race from the Lekki to …

The Andrea Iyamah October 2018 campaign re-creates some of the fondest memories of the Nigerian child. The campaign features Andrea Iyamah swimwear in a range of bright colors such as purple, yellow and blue. Shot in Yaba, Lagos Nigeria, the campaign incorporates Nigerian childhood activities such as fetching water and …

Wearing makeup every single day is not for the faint of heart. That’s why I’ve broken it down into easy steps you can follow. Everyday makeup for me is something I would truthfully much rather do without. I’m well on my way to getting my skin ready to show off …

Famous in so many ways and dating back over 100 years ago when such things as beetles were crushed to create the alluring colour. Then, women were accused of deceiving men with the red lipstick. Fast forward to today and a red lipstick is a staple makeup product for the …

Tell me you’ve never quite gotten the hang of achieving that super sharp but utterly gorgeous winged liner look and I’ll say,“it’s nice to meet you my name is Barbara”. Wondering why? It’s simply because I’ve never quite gotten a hang of it too. Deceptively simple, the winged liner is …

Happy New Year! Hope you guys aren’t tired of my inconsistent butt already because I’ll be here more often than you can blink right at the same time I’ll be doing my regular disappearing act. Did you know January was just a trial month and the New Year actually begins …

Wouldn’t you just love to wake up everyday and give some truth to the ‘I woke like this’ phrase by being flawless and on fleek 100% of the time? I bet you would and guess what – so would I and just about every woman out there. While I would …

The natural hair struggle never ends. That’s a fact of life that we all have to accept – sooner rather than later. It stems mainly from the fact that from the time of our youth, we rarely, if ever, had the opportunity to maintain our hair in its true state …

I’ve been a nappy haired girl for the past 4 years. I’m currently in the second phase of my journey as I initially transitioned for 10 months, grew my hair out for 2 years and then did a big chop last year. What I’m about to share is going to …

Ever walked into a room full of people and your nose twitched? Yes, the room smells nice and exotic perfume smells render the air as fragrant as a field of flowers but there is that one exotic scent that is off-putting. You are sitting at your desk at work and …

It has always been assumed that the next best thing to a red lip is a red lip… No kiddin’. But there is such a thing as a super sexy nude lip which makes your lips look twice their size and as desirable as if you had a siren red …

Congratulations are in order for Mavin’s First Lady Tiwa Savage as she has been officially announced as the latest advocate and ambassador for Pampers. All week long she has been teasing fans with the big reveal (click here). BellaNaijarians guessed it was a lead up for a campaign, some even …