The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bride

  • Look radiant and natural

    Look radiant and natural

    Do you want to be a blushing bride? If your answer is yes, then it means you must look so good to get a number of compliments that would make it a day to remember. Yetunde Oladeinde looks out for ways to be radiant on your wedding day.

    EVERY bride wants to glow with elegance on her day. You can either achieve a wonderful effect on your own or make use of the services of a professional makeup artist to get the required transformation.

    For a wedding makeup to last all day, you can brush a light translucent powder on areas of the face susceptible to shine. Today’s bride wants to show her beauty in a natural, sensual way. The makeup artist should therefore provide the bride with confidence and easy elegance that will be reminisced often.

    A bride must have a natural shine that revolves on everything that she does on her day. Interestingly, recent trends in bridal makeup and hair show a preference for combinations that are soft and restrained.

    The effect is sexier, romantic and less harsh.

    No longer do the lips have to be lined heavily and matte foundation with loose powder applied. While this is traditional, today’s bridal makeup is more radiant and natural.

    Here, it is better to wear a flawless foundation as a basis. This is so important, so that you get the picture perfect outlook in your wedding photos. It gives you a good foundation and even colour. You can choose from liquid foundations or cream-based compacts. Even mineral powder makeup is great for wedding make-up because it takes all day!

    Eyes also need to look beautiful. Here you can make use of false eyelashes as part of your wedding makeup look. This will be your lashes, so they look nice and long. You also need to give your lips a hint of shine or light colour for a pretty pout. You need to remember that kissing lips will naturally lead to breathtaking beauty for your wedding makeup.

  • ‘Manufacturing companies are not banks’ brides’

    ‘Manufacturing companies are not banks’ brides’

    As important as the manufacturing sector of the economy is to a nation, it is sad to know that it is the least sector to be sure of developmental loans from the local banks. And this is a source of worry to many manufacturers.

    One of these people is Johnson Sehinde, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Infinity Paints International Limited, Lagos.

    “I truly wish that banks could be lending to manufacturing companies. We need medium term loans. The stark reality is that the banks are more comfortable lending to traders. The bank interest rates are not realistic. In some of these emerging developing economies, the interest rates are as low as one per cent or less. And when they take funds from their economy to produce and bring the goods to the international arena, how do we play to compete in that situation? These are the issues and challenges that we face daily as manufacturers,” Sehinde said.

    He should know, having spent 15 years in the business of paint manufacturing. “I read Accountancy at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife. I have spent about 15 years in the paint industry. Infinity Paints started five years ago. The company came from my experience in the paint industry. I left the services of President Paints Nigeria Limited as General Manager to establish Infinity.

    “As General Manager, I had the privilege to manage manpower, money, market and methodology. That, to me, was good exposure. It was a great time of learning outside the school wall because the university degree is basic, but training on the job gives capacity and competence. That is what gives relevance in the industrial and business environment. President Paints gave me the opportunity for the experience that I garnered to be able to survive in this industry.

    “I left the company because the time was ripe for me to leave, but the question of what next came up and I had some time to wait and look at the possibilities of what I could do. Actually paint was not on my mind. It was the last thing that I could think of because having reached the position of Chief Operating Officer in my former place of work, it was not such a fascinating idea to a young man like I was then. There were challenges that made it difficult for me to consider going into the manufacturing business. The enabling environment was not there; it was harsh,”he said.

    But the harshness of the environment, in a way, turned out to be an opportunity for Sehinde. “I realised that every system in the world has its constraints. And once you decide that you are going to play in a particular system, the constraints will start diminishing. That is because you will suddenly realise that if it was not tough, everyone else would have been playing in that system. The few persons left to play in that system will also be the few persons that would decide or be deciding the prospects of that system. The few will also be ones to take advantage of the opportunities found there. That was what inspired me into the manufacturing sector.

    “When I started, I had to leverage on the grace of God and the goodwill that I had as I could not rely on the banks. So I am very lucky to have met with people who were ready to invest in my capacity and confidence. I refer to them as ‘angel investors’ who came to my rescue at that point in time. These were friends who were ready to believe in me,” Sehinde said.

    Starting up was very challenging. He said: “To start with, we could not even connect to the national grid. The power generating system was so challenging that even when there was power, the voltage was not sufficient to power our equipment. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, we were still given overestimated bills, whether we used it or we did not use it. As it is today, we are not even connected to the national grid. We power our factory through power we generate. We run hundred per cent on diesel every day. We hope the ongoing power reform in the country will usher in a new era where we can proudly be able to use electricity conveniently in our factory for production. I pray that it translates into something positive for the industrial sector.”

    He further said: “I will say that there are opportunities in the paint manufacturing sector. Nigeria is currently in housing deficit. Apart from the prospect of new houses coming up, paints generally, do not last forever. For instance, when you paint, after three or four years, you will still have to paint again. Moreover, there are and will always be old houses that will always need to be painted. The demand for paints is continuous. Apart from decorative paints, there are other types of paints, like the industrial paints, the marine protection coated paints, the auto paints, the wood finishes.

    “Here, we do decorative paints, the ones that are used for the painting of houses. We have the emulsion paints, the texture, the flex coat, the fatigue finish, the gloss paint and so on. We have some other specialised paints too. We do industrial coatings. We manufacture red oxide paint which is used in the construction industry. The iron and steel companies too use much of this red oxide paint. We are hoping to go into the production of marine paints, those use for ships.

    According to him, the future of paint manufacturing in Nigeria remains bright because the market is readily available. “The opportunities are still here, and the prospects are great. Along the line, a few of the players will find their ways to the top. A few will find a way to manage their constraints and take advantage of their opportunities. So some will forge on; we have cause to thank God that there are industrialists currently in the country who motivate youths into striving to be better people,” he said.

    As an entrepreneur, Sehinde’s motivating spirit is “a positive outlook and passion about what I do. This is what I have been doing. The job has taken me to the Oxford Brookes University in United Kingdom, among other places, to develop more capacity. There has been so much that has added value, through the job development. I have also been able to acquire knowledge in risk management. I have learnt to face opportunities at various points of risk. That does not mean that you must beat a retreat. I want to forge ahead, knowing that in the midst of these challenges, there is a way out.

    “These are some of the things that I have learnt. We are not just paint manufacturers; we provide a total paint solution; we are into manufacturing and paint application. We also provide corporate painters who know about our paint. We take painting as an art; we are usually interested in the finishing. We are project-centric, and over the years, we have identified with quite a number of prestige projects across the country. We also do aesthetic consulting and property branding.”

    Sehinde will like to see more and more people going into the paint manufacturing business. “You have to first of all choose the segment that you want to play in, and the products you want to do. Then, you have to consider your location and size. You would consider whether you want to build a factory or have a cottage outfit at the back of your house. Any way you look at it, the minimum I believe should be from N60million upward to start a company for the manufacturing of a standard paint. Most of the inputs come from abroad, and without the use of some of them, you cannot give or produce a standard paint, or one that will stand the test of time,” he said.

  • An indispensable accessory

    An indispensable accessory

    AS a bride, looking trendy depends on the accessories you make use of on this special day. One accessory that comes in handy is the hand-held fan. It comes in different patterns and designs and it is an implement used to induce an airflow for the purpose of cooling or refreshing oneself.

    The advantage of a bridal hand fan is threefold. It will provide that additional touch of beauty that you wish for your wedding costume, it will also be your elegant cooling companion, and after the wedding, the beautiful framed fan will always be a lovely souvenir of your ‘happiest day’. Since its invention many centuries ago, the folding fan became an object of desire as well as an indispensable accessory, work of art and sign of distinction. A hand fan is always the unexpected, touching, unforgettable gift.

    Those folding fans of the 15th century found in museums today have either leather leaves with cut out designs forming a lace-like design or a more rigid leaf with inlays of more exotic materials like mica. One of the characteristics of these fans is the rather crude bone or ivory sticks and the way the leather leaves are often slotted onto the sticks rather than glued as with later folding fans. Fans made entirely of decorated sticks without a fan ‘leaf’ were known as brisé fans. However, despite the relative crude methods of construction, folding fans were at this era high status, exotic items on par with elaborate gloves as gifts to royalty.

    In the 17th century the folding fan, introduced from East Asia, became popular in Europe. These fans are particularly well displayed in the portraits of the high-born women of the era. Queen Elizabeth 1st of England can be seen to carry both folding fans decorated with pom poms on their guardsticks as well as the older style rigid fan, usually decorated with feathers and jewels. These rigid style fans often hung from the skirts of ladies, but of the fans of this era it is only the more exotic folding ones which have survived.

    In the 18th century, fans reached a high degree of artistry and were being made throughout Europe often by specialised craftsmen, either in leaves or sticks. Folded fans of silk, or parchment were decorated and painted by artists. Fans were also imported from China by the East India companies at this time. Around the middle 18th century, inventors started designing mechanical fans. Wind-up fans were popular in the 18th century.

    It has been said that in the courts of England, Spain and elsewhere fans were used in a more or less secret, unspoken code of messages. These fan languages were a way to cope with the restricting social etiquette. During a certain period of time (century XIX and beginning of the XX), the fan became an ideal instrument of communication in an age on which freedom of speech for women was absolutely restricted. The main gestures and their respective meanings that together configured what was known as “the language of the fan”.

  • ‘Jonathan remains PDP’s bride’

    ‘Jonathan remains PDP’s bride’

    The United Progressive Party(UPP) has disclosed that President Goodluck Jonathan will win the 2015 Presidential election without any threat from opposition parties despite the planned merger, which it said, would fail.

    National Chairman of the UPP, Chief Chekwas Okorie, after the party’s first National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, told newsmen that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not choose another candidate other than Jonathan for the 2015 election, warning that the PDP would lose power if it does so.

    Okorie said: “The law guiding merger has made it impossible. That is why there has not been a successful merger in Nigeria and you cannot find it anywhere in the world. It is sheer deceit when you hear some political parties talking about the possibility of merger. The greatest risk any political party will take is to go into merger. The simple term is that the parties going into merger will hold national conventions separately and announce it that they are going into the arrangement. INEC will observe it and see that majority of members agreed with the plan. The first step is that the merging parties will return their certificates to INEC and wait for INEC to issue a certificate bearing the new name and that is the card.”

    He spoke further: “UPP may be a new party but the players in UPP are not new. We are conversant with political party processes. For instance, PDP is stuck with President Goodluck Jonathan. Forget about those who think he will not run in 2015; he will. Those who think they will defeat Jonathan at the Eagle Square should go and have a rethink because they will not. If PDP gives Jonathan red card, that means they have given themselves red card. If PDP says they have no confidence in Jonathan, then the one they will bring will be worse.

    “Do I need to ask Nigerians who the Presidential candidate of CPC is? No, because it has been zoned to an individual just like the PDP is zoned to an individual (Jonathan). So, this issue of merger has already failed because they have already understood that it is impossible.”

    The UPP’s NEC also resolved to uphold the identity, characteristics and ideology of the party and that the party shall welcome, encourage and participate in political alliances with like-minded political parties for the promotion of democracy and electoral benefit to the allies without compromising the party’s identity, characteristics and ideology.

    Other resolutions of the party read in part: “NEC has resolved to uphold the strictest sense of internal party democracy at all levels of the party’s organs and in dealing with members on all matters. NEC insists that only bona fide members of UPP shall have the prerogative to elect party officers at party congresses and to elect party flag bearers at party primary elections at all levels in accordance with the clear provisions of the party constitution registered with INEC.

    “Our great party shall field candidates to contest all contestable elective positions at every election everywhere in Nigeria; that the UPP shall not countenance any proposal for merger with any political party either now or in the future and that the party at all levels shall endeavour at all time to observe the highest principle of credibility, responsibility, courage and boldness in all comments, reactions, input, and intervention in all political or social issues in Nigeria.”

    The resolution further stated: “At any level in which we find ourselves in opposition, our criticism of government policies and actions shall be constructive without resorting to the abuse of persons and denigration of public office holders, and that the UPP shall constructively engage other political parties to ensure free and fair elections and promote the credibility of the electoral process. In this regard, the conduct of the INEC and its officers, as well as all agencies associated with the conduct of elections in Nigeria shall come under our close scrutiny at all times.

    “The UPP shall mobilise other political parties and relevant stakeholders to canvass for the amendment of the Electoral Act and relevant provisions of the constitution to provide for electronic voting system with effect from 2015 general elections in Nigeria. The party supports further democratization of the process of Local Government election in Nigeria. In this regard, our great party supports the transfer of the responsibilities of the various states’ Independent Electoral Commission to INEC. In this way, the decision and timing of the conduct of Local Government election shall not be left at the whims and caprices of state governments and their political parties.”

    “NEC,” the resolution further said, “upholds the principle of rotation of political offices and supports the principle of Federal Character in the appointment of public office holders as already enshrined in the 1999 Constitution without compromising merit. The party shall at all times promote the citizenship right of all Nigerians wherever they may be domiciled in the country, equity, justice and fair play.”

    “The UPP shall immediately put all machinery in motion for effective participation and contest of the 2015 presidential election in Nigeria. In this regard, INEC has approved the zoning of the presidential slot of our great party for the 2015 presidential election in Nigeria to the South East geo-political zone. All aspirants from the Southeast geo-political zone wishing to contest for the office of the president in 2015 can to do so under the platform of our great party.”

    UPP was registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on October 2, 2012 and was conveyed to the party through the commission on October 4, 2012.

     

     

     

  • Bride of winter (4)

    I closed early from work that day, pleading a headache as the excuse. The headache was for real because after the things Shelly told me, a massive headache came upon me and I sat glued to my chair as if paralyzed. I managed to get home, however and I went straight to bed as soon as I entered the house. My usual routine after work was to do some chores and prepare dinner for my husband. But that evening, I had no energy to do any work. I laid, curled up in bed, all kinds of thoughts going round and round in my head.

    “How could this have happened?” I kept thinking. ‘And what was I supposed to do?’

    At that moment, I wished I was back home in Nigeria with my family and close friends. But I was all alone in this cold city with no one to talk to or seek advice from. I felt so miserable and sorry for myself, I broke down in tears.

    “How could Henry do this to me, after all we’ve been through?” I said to myself, remembering Shelly’s words.

    “When he came to the country newly, he got married to Milly. It was an arranged marriage, done to enable him get his papers so he could remain in the country to avoid deportation as his visa was about to expire. They were supposed to stay together for a while before filing for divorce and going their separate ways. But the ‘business’ arrangement turned to something else when Milly got pregnant with Henry’s baby. You must have seen the little boy- she brings him to work once in a while. Anyway, some of us who knew about the arrangement thought perhaps, they had decided to make the ‘arrangee’ marriage real and remain together. But it wasn’t to be. They still got divorced after the baby was born. And sometime later, you arrived on the scene.” At this point, she paused to take a sip of water before continuing.

    Drawing close to me, she said softly:

    “I thought with your arrival, whatever they had together would end. But from the look of things, they are definitely back together- they are surely dating. He goes home with her most evenings after closing from work and people have seen them at different spots in the city acting very cosily like a couple in love. I know he’s supposed to visit her once in a while because of the child but this is different. I’m telling you all this because I like you and I feel bad that all these things are happening right under your nose and you are completely ignorant about it. What Milly is doing is bad. Since Henry is married to you now, she should lay off. And you need to do something fast to get your husband out of her clutches…”

    But what could I do? I thought. Confront him and give him an ultimatum? Tell him to stop seeing the woman? Would that work? What if he denied everything? Could he do that with the child’s existence? I had seen the little boy named Ray a couple of times and each time, he often reminded me of someone. Back then, I couldn’t really make the connection, but with what Shelly had told me, I now knew who he reminded me of. My father-in-law! The boy bore an uncanny resemblance to Henrys father whom he resembled as well. So, the family resemblance was there. What explanation would Henry have for that if he said the boy wasn’t his?

    Feeling suddenly thirsty, I went downstairs to the kitchen to get some water. I was drinking it when I heard the key in the door. Henry was back.

    “Sweetheart, I’m home! Where are you?” he called out.

    “In the kitchen,” I said calmly

    He came up to me and held me by the waist.

    “How are you feeling now? Shelly told me you came home early as you weren’t feeling too fine. I tried calling but your phone was switched off. Is the battery dead or what? he stated, as he turned me round.

    “I’m fine,” I said, averting my eyes and slipping out of his arms.

    “You don’t look ok. And your eyes are red. Have you been crying? Is everything alright?” he asked in a worried voice.

    “I said I’m fine. Just leave me alone, ok?” I said harshly. I left him and went upstairs to my room, locking the door after me.

    He came up and started knocking.

    “Abby, what’s the matter? Is it something I’ve done? Open the door, let’s talk about it,” he stated.

    “Just go away! And leave me alone!” I nearly screamed at him.

    “Why are you behaving like this? I come home from work and you refuse to talk to me! What have I done this time?” he said, knocking repeatedly all the while.

    It was at this point that I opened the door and he came in. I stood with my arms crossed on my chest, ready to do battle with him.

    “You are asking me what you’ve done? Ok, I’ll tell you. You are nothing but a cheat and a liar! You’ve betrayed our love and I will never forgive you for that,” I declared, glaring at him.

    He looked at me, puzzled.

    “What on earth are you talking about? Now, you are really beginning to piss me off!” he stated in an angry tone.

    “You pretend not to know what I’m talking about, isn’t it? Ok, let me tell you. About your mistress or lover, Milly, the son she had for you and how you have been cheating on me all this while and I didn’t know! Henry, how could you do this to me?” I cried.

    “Oh, that!” he stated quietly before going to sit on the bed. “Shelly must have been opening her big mouth again,” he noted.

    That got me incensed even more.

    “Is that all you can say? After I have caught you in the act? I now understand why you are always too tired to make love,” I said angrily.

    He looked up warily at me.

    “Look, Abby, calm down and let’s talk about this like adults. It’s not what you think…” he began but I cut him short.

    “What am I expected to think? Just tell me!” I demanded, glaring at him.

    He sighed before he began to speak.

    “My involvement with Milly was due to the situation I found myself in when I got to this country newly. It’s tough being an immigrant here, with no job, no papers and the fear of deportation hanging over one all the time. My friend, Syl who invited me over disappointed me. It wasn’t really his fault as the business he was planning to do could not take off; he could not get the necessary funding from the bank. So, it was like I was on my own,” he disclosed.

    Continuing, he added that it was at this point that Milly came to his rescue. “She really helped me a lot. She agreed to the ‘arranged’ marriage without collecting much money from me and also got me the job at the care home,” he said.

    “So, how come she had a baby for you when it was meant to be an ‘arrangee’ marriage?” I asked sarcastically.

    He explained that it was a mistake; that they had gone to a party one day and had returned home drunk. “One thing led to another and we ended up in bed together. She insisted on keeping the baby when she found out she was pregnant though we were supposed to get divorced some time later. I had told her about you, that I had a fiancée back home and there was no way I could remain with her,” he explained.

    I was silent for a while as his words sank in.

    “But why didn’t you tell me all this earlier? And why are you still going to her house, spending time with her when your so-called ‘arranged’ marriage has ended?” I wanted to know.

    “I planned telling you but I wasn’t sure how you would react. And it’s because of my son that I visit her,” Henry stated.

    I looked at him coldly.

    “And you expect me to believe that?” I queried.

    He didn’t answer but sat staring at the floor.

    After his explanation, I calmed down a little though I was still angry with him. What annoyed me most was the fact that he did not tell me about what happened between him and Milly earlier and I had to hear it from someone else. As my husband, I felt he should have confided in me and even told me about the baby she had for him. Now, he was using the child as an excuse to keep seeing her. I didn’t feel very comfortable with that as I did not trust the woman.

    So, a few days later, I suggested to him that he should get custody of the boy; that I was even ready to look after him- that way his dealings with Milly will be on official basis only. He said it would be difficult as the courts usually gave custody of children to the mothers.

    Then, one Saturday morning, Milly came to our house to pick up my husband for a day outing with his son as it was the boy’s birthday. I was angry that she was acting as if she had a right to my husband and I told Henry he could not go with her.

    But he defied me and still went, stating that he needed to spend some time with his son.

    “Don’t bother coming back to this house! You can stay with her if you want!” I screamed at him as he was entering her car.

    It’s been over a month now and I’ve not seen or heard from my husband. He has not been at work either. Worse still, I heard Milly was on vacation and she had travelled outside the country. My fear is that they’ve gone together with their son as a family, leaving me behind. I’m very confused right now as I still love my husband very much and I don’t want to lose him. Or my marriage. Have I, with my attitude driven him into the arms of the other woman? What should I do? I’m thinking of calling his family members back home especially his dad so they can talk to him to return home as I miss him so much. I want him back. Please I need your advice. Thanks.

     

    Concluded

    Names have been changed to protect the identity of the narrator and other individuals.

    Send advice/suggestions to 08023201831 or psaduwa@yahoo.com.