Deola Sagoe, daughter of frontline industrialist, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo of Eleganza fame, is renowned for her masterful designs and creative stitches. There is no gainsaying that her artistry with bespoke couture has catapulted her to a pride of place in the comity of world famous fashion designers. But while she enjoys success and acclaim at work, things aren’t so rosy for Deola at the home front. The 51-year-old who effortlessly competes in beauty and poise with her ravishing daughters is under severe pressure to rekindle the flames of love in her life.
It is no longer news that Deola was in a happy marriage, which produced three kids before it collapsed to irreconcilable differences between her and her ex-husband, Kofi Sagoe. While Kofi has gotten his groove back and moved on with his life, Deola seems to have placed her heart under lock and key.
It is believed in some quarters that the founder of the House of Deola Sagoe has mellowed with time and is ready to consider marriage again. For a while, rumours were rife that she was ready to walk down the aisle with a certain guy but the wedding plans allegedly crashed like a sandcastle. The sad episode reportedly caused her to recoil from the tumultuous bight of bittersweet love. Consequently, Deola devotes her time and energy to work and her three kids.
The Qatar-based Media Network, Al Jazeera, is celebrating winning eleven Gold World Medals, six Silver and two Bronze medals at the prestigious New York Festivals awards.
According to Al Jazeera in a message sent via email, the award includes a Bronze in the Community Portraits category for My Nigeria, the six-part Al Jazeera documentary series showing six stories of six Nigerians, including stand-up comedian Basketmouth, fashion designer Deola Sagoe and Nollywood star turned politician Kate Henshaw.
Similarly, Al Jazeera’s Investigation Unit also picked up a finalist certificate in the Current Affairs category for Inside Kenya’s Death Squads, in which officers from four units of Kenya’s counter-terrorism apparatus admitted the police assassinate suspects on government orders.
Commenting on the success, Giles Trendle, Acting Managing Director of Al Jazeera English, said: “Al Jazeera English is delighted to have won a series of Gold and Silver medals at the New York International TV & Film Awards.”
Al Jazeera’s interactive documentary: ‘Life on Hold’, won Gold in the Online News category as well as the UNDPI medal, a special award decided by a United Nations jury.
“We are pleased with the two Gold medals won for our innovative web documentary project, Life on Hold, that tells the personal and poignant stories of some of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon in an engaging and non-linear manner,” Trendle added.
Furthermore, Al Jazeera English, 101 East, weekly television programme won five Golds medals overall. Afghanistan’s Billion Dollar Drug War won two Golds as Best Investigative Report and for the Human Concerns category; Myanmar’s Jade Curse won a Gold medal in the National/International Affairs category; and Murder in Malaysia won a Gold medal for the Best Current Affairs programme.
A presenter with 101 East, Steve Chao also won his second consecutive Gold medal for Best News Reporter/Correspondent even as 101 East took home three Silver World Medals for the episodes Murder in Malaysia Myanmar’s Jade Curse and Becoming Pacquiao.
“The five Gold medals won by our weekly 101 East strand are a testament to the quality of our journalism and the importance of our mission to tell compelling stories from around the world,” says Trendle.
Faultiness, which was a joint Al Jazeera English and Al Jazeera America program, won three Gold, World Medals for Mexico’s Disappeared and Death of Aging, while Ferguson: Race and Justice in the U.S won a Silver World Medal. Faultiness also picked up a Bronze medal for Forgotten Youth: Inside America’s Prisons.
Al Jazeera English news was awarded a Silver World Medal for Best Coverage of a Continuing News Story for Desperate Journeys, which covered the refugee crisis in Europe. “The silver medal for our Desperate Journeys news coverage on the refugee story highlights how we have set the news agenda on one of the defining stories of our time,” Trendle noted.
Broken Dreams: The Boeing 787 won Gold Medal Awards in Current Affairs and a Silver World Medal in the Business and Finance categories.
Recall that ‘Broken Dreams’, the Boeing 787 was a hard-hitting programme made by Al Jazeera’s Investigation Unit, which revealed the deeply-held safety concerns of current and former Boeing engineers, while allegations were uncovered of on-the-job drug use, quality control problems and poor workmanship.
Phil Rees, the Manager of the Al Jazeera Investigation Unit, said: “It is fantastic for the Al Jazeera Investigative Unit to be recognised once again for dealing with this commercially sensitive subject with such persistence and bravery. In the tradition of the finest investigative journalism, the production team spoke truth to one of the world’s most powerful corporations.”
Al Jazeera English also picked up eight finalist certificates for a variety of programmes from Faultiness’ 101 East Women Make Change and People and Power.
When talented designer, Deola Sagoe’s marriage sank like a distressed ship some years ago, it dawned on her that love is not in a hurry like a flurry of flowery words on paper. Rather, it slowly builds itself into lush green in the garden of time. It is patient and brings abundance of joy with it upon maturity.
It is no longer news that the marriage of the daughter of the Chairman of Elizade Motors and Toyota Nigeria to Kofi Sagoe crashed some time ago. What is news is the patience she has adopted after the unseemly incident.
Embracing the saying that once bitten is twice shy, Deola is determined not to rush into another marriage. Fully aware that there is no competition in love and marriage but in businesses, she has since closed the love department of her life and has focused on establishing a business empire and raising her children.
While being a wife has not really worked out for Deola, she is no doubt a great mother. On April 4, Teni, her beautiful daughter, turned 25 and the celebrity fashion designer threw a classy birthday party for her. It was attended by Tiwa Savage and many other celebrities.
According to those who should know, marriage is not on the card for her anytime soon in spite of claims by some of her close friends that she is under pressure from family members to remarry.
Behind every cloud, they say, there is a silver lining. Deola Sagoe’s life would stand as a testimony to this ageless assertion. Her life has proven that nothing in life is permanent, including pain and heartbreak.
It is common knowledge that her marriage to Kofi Sagoe sank like a distressed ship. But the daughter of Chief Ade Ojo and talented owner of Odu’a Creations has since bounced back from the emotional depression that almost overwhelmed her life.
She is currently basking in the ambience of happiness and has chosen to dump the misfortune of her broken marriage in the dustbin of history. The days of emotional gloom are over and she is currently nurturing her new found happiness.
According to those in the know, she is in a really good romantic moment and might give marriage another shot.
BEHIND every cloud, they say, there is a silver lining. This is the lot of elegant Deola Sagoe as she basks in the ambience of good tidings. The daughter of Chief Ade Ojo has literally bounced back from the emotional inertia she suffered as a result of her crashed marriage to hard-working and easy-going Kofi Sagoe.
The days of emotional gloom appear over as Deola has chosen to always consider her cup half full rather than half empty. Those in the know say she is in such a good mood now that she might give marriage another shot.
Joy has a tender body that breaks too soon. So also does a badly wrought marriage. Deola Sagoe, the talented owner of Odu’a Creations and daughter of Chief Ade Ojo, is someone who would attest to this fact. But then, behind every cloud is a silver lining, and that is the lot of the elegant socialite as she basks in the ambience of good times.
From the emotional trauma she suffered with the crash of her marriage to hardworking and easy-going Kofi Sagoe, she has bounced back to life. The days of emotional gloom are over as Deola has learnt to always consider her cup half full rather than half empty.
According to those in the know, Deola is now in such emotional affluence that she may be considering giving another shot at marriage.
Deola Sagoe, the talented designer and daughter of the Chairman of Elizade Motors and Toyota Nigeria, Chief Ade Ojo, has embraced celibacy. Her marriage to Kofi Sagoe had sunk like a distressed ship and her ex-husband went ahead to marry another woman. Deola, on her part, has simply focused on bringing up her children and expanding her business.
Those who should know have now said that marriage is the last thing on the designer’s mind. Even as a married woman, she had handled her business with absolute efficiency. Now that she is single, she practically soaks herself in work.
Not a few people had expected it since her marriage to Koffi Sagoe crashed a few years ago. It is now official that Deola has dropped Sagoe as her surname and reverted to her maiden name. During the just concluded 2014 New York Fashion Week where Deola had her first solo exhibition, she had announced that she would be changing her brand name to just Deola, but many thought the change was meant only for her brand.
In fact, some of her fans had murmured in protest when the announcement was made because they were used to DS, which is short for Deola Sagoe. It has now emerged that the change is all encompassing, covering both her business and family life. People who have had cause to sign business papers with her hinted that she now signs Adeojo as her official name.
The development no doubt spells the end of an era for her matrimonial life. The mother of three is one of the most renowned Nigerian designers. With over 25 years of a sterling career, she has come up with amazing designs, most of which have ended up in the wardrobes of fashion icons and celebrities, among whom are Nike Oshinowo, Genevieve Nnaji and Ojy Okpe, to name a few.
Adeola is reputed as one of the few African designers who use mainly African models to show case her line.
PROJECTING into the future of the already fast-growing fashion industry in Nigeria, the Lagos Business School organized the African Lions Arising event, featuring Nigeria’s foremost fashion figures. The panel hosted Tara Fela Durotoye, Deola Sagoe, Lisa Folawiyo, Dayo Eweje and Funmi Daniel.
The panel discussed issues the African fashion industry was facing from the onset with experiences from fashion pioneers such as Deola Sagoe, starting as far back as 25 years ago. The industry has since grown into a world-class market that has shown so much potential with great pieces being showcased on different runways around the world.
The industry is lagging behind compared to the western market in commercialization because of the low acceptance of retail fashion in Nigeria. It has been a hindering factor for the industry with pioneers such as Deola Sagoe who stated that “There is no retail culture for fashion in Africa; this affects the growth of the fashion industry”
Dayo Eweje of David Wej stated that: “He has gone from being a fashion designer to being a retailer, especially with e-commerce which has helped to increase sales to 1000 units and double his production monthly. With the intervention of e-commerce, he now has a clear vision for the David Wej brand”.
“For the fashion industry to have a structure, we need to combine creativity with commercialization. This has to be our strategy moving forward’ Lisa Folawiyo stated.
GOLDEN Effect Pictures, in partnership with, Terra Kulture, recently played host to celebrities at the private screening of Kunle Afolayan’s latest flick, October 1.
The purpose of the exclusive event, which held at Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos, was to pitch private screening with corporate organizations and individuals. It was also to garner sponsorship for the major local and international premieres coming up later in the year.
The cast led by Kunle Afolayan comprised renowned actors such as Sadiq Daba, Kenneth Okonkwo, Fabian Adeoye Lojede, Demola Adedoyin, David Baile and Kayode Olaiya.
It also stars topmost fashion designer, Deola Sagoe, who played the role of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Kehinde Bankole and Nick Phys.
October 1, according to Kunle Afolayan, is a thought-provoking movie that doesn’t only entertain, but also communicate important national messages. “We want the younger generation to know where we are coming from and the older generation to see if we are moving in the right direction,” said Afolayan.
Bolanle Austen-Peters, Managing Director, Terra Kulture, said: “it is exciting to know that the entire film and production were done in Nigeria, with a world-class content as seen in October 1; so, we were proud to partner in promoting it.”
Some of the dignatories at the event were Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi; Segun Awolowo, CEO, Nigerian Export Promotion Council; Bola Adesola, Managing Director, Standard Chartered Bank; Mr. Oye Hassan-Odukale, Managing Director, Leadway Assurance; Francois Sastourne , Consul General of France; Ambassador & Mrs. Mokgethi Monaisa, Consul General of South Africa; Mr. Waheed Olagunju, Executive Director, Bank of Industry; Richard Mofe-Damijo; Mo Abudu; Ruth Osime and Noble Igwe, among many others.
According to Awolowo, “October 1 is a top Nigerian export product with the potential to grab an Oscar award.
The exclusive private screening of October 1 was well received by guests, who were held spellbound in nostalgia, as the movie takes the audience back to life during colonial Nigeria.
Set in September, 1960 against the backdrop of the impending national independence, a northern Nigerian police detective, Dan Waziri, is urgently dispatched by the colonial government to the Western town of Akote to solve a series of female murders that have gripped the local community in fear.
More killings occurred as Waziri got into the town, leading to the climatic end, where the life of the popular female teacher, Tawa, is held in balance. Waziri races to save Tawa, captures the killer and solves the crime before the Union Jack is lowered and the Nigerian flag raised on Independence Day, October 1.
The movie, which was written by Tunde Babalola and directed by Kunle Afolayan, will be premiering in major cinemas across Nigeria soon.
