MUSIC PRODUCER DPLUS IS SET TO CHANGE THE GAME WITH HIS NEW EP

Adedayo Ajayi DPLUS

Nigerian musicians popularly referred to as instrumentalists are beginning to carve out a niche for themselves in the fast growing Nigerian entertainment industry.

Popular keyboard player and producer Adedayo AjayiDPLUS is one of them. He is unarguably one of the most sought after keyboard player and producer in Nigeria today.

Adedayo Ajayi started playing the piano at the age of five (5). He is a graduate of Sociology and Anthropology from the Ekiti State University.

‎Adedayo Ajayi AKA DPLUS has been able to carve a niche for himself as result of this; he is currently one of ‎Nigeria's most influential music producer,music arranger and music director. He has worked with a lot of Artist both secular and gospel amongst who are Lagbaja, Banky W, MI, Wizboy, Humble Smith, Ruby Gyang, Isaiah Samson,Frank Edwards,Dare art alade,capital Femi and many others. He played in Nigerian idols session 5, Mama Awards in France, love world festival of music and arts Johannesburg with Pastor Chris Oyakilome, loud and clear Cameroon and Ghana, Europe tour with Lagbaja 2015 and others.

Adedayo Ajayi is currently working on his E.P of 6 tracks featuring lots of great artist in Nigeria and abroad..The E.P titled HEART comprises of different genres of music from Afrobeat, Neo soul ,Gospel,jazz and many more.

DPLUS was inspired to name the EP HEART. The album is an expressesion of pure art with the African sound polished with his long years of experience and expertise put together in this masterpiece.

More updates coming your way soonest.
You can check him out on his social media handles

twitter: @_dplus1
Instagram:@_dplus

8 SOCIAL STRUGGLES OF BEING A SINGLE FEMALE IN LAGOS.

So, I think I was about 11 years old before I fully realized that I was FEMALE. My naivete knew no bounds and try as my family might to educate me about that fact, I was just too much of a free soul reveling in the fun of just existing without the burdens of understanding my gender. I didn't grow my hair while growing up; I was on a low cut till after secondary school. I wasn't really a tom boy but I just didn't wear much skirts, I never did makeup until my sister's wedding in 2013 after which I never did anymore until late 2014. I was in the university when I started noticing the mannerisms of most of the girls on campus. Not like I was too special or different but I noticed that I was almost acting like a guy, completely different from how the other girls would act.

For instance, the way I walked then was deemed manly cos I walked fast, I carried my weaves for at least one month before removing it unlike other girls who would hurry to have theirs changed after a week or two. I never tweezed my brows cos I just didn't care while most girls made it a point of duty to trim theirs every week. I found a guy's unnecessary flirting with me irritating and for that, I was labelled a "Lebanese" if you know what I mean. lol. I had 4 jean trousers which I wore with many tops while my roommates thought I was weird as they had so many trousers and skirts to change into at different times of the day. I was really ebony dark in complexion and I loved it that way but most of the girls then started buying goat milk for bath wash so that they could whiten up.

The list is endless.

I've adjusted a bit to the role of being female however, the struggles are real more especially because, society has always had this expectation of us to be in a certain kind of way and we have unconsciously bought into that role and even gone ahead to create more higher expectations for ourselves. And since returning to Lagos since schooling and serving elsewhere, I've observed so many more struggles. How stressful can it get? Well, before I start sounding like a radical feminist, here are 8 out of the numerous social struggles of being a single female in Lagos.

• You're expected to always smile, be nice, be cheerful, never pick offence but just smile. 

Seriously though, must it always be so? What if I just want to wear my poker face and not worry about who's looking? What if I'm not in the mood to be cheerful cos it could be quite exhausting sometimes? and what if I'm sick and tired of being nice all the time cos a lot of people have taken my niceness for stupidity and gotten away with it.  What if a guy spanks my behind in public? If I react, people'll be like, " Wooo, she's got a temper". If I don't react but just smile at the guy they go like, "she's a cheap one". Really?! 

• Slay all the time. 

Thanks to social media, we keep getting the same impression everyday that we have to slay with our make up and outfit even in the toilet, bathroom, market, gym, spa, closet, kitchen, pool, and all the awkward places in this life. What if I love my face natural and without makeup? what if I love to dress down and feel relaxed in those places without looking too serious like I'm going for a photo shoot? And my sisters on Instagram are not helping matters at all so the pressure to always kit up could burn down your sense of just being you. Jeez!

• To be light complexioned 

The expectation of most single females to be light in complexion hasn't been an easy feat to conquer as everyday, there is an increase in the population of converts from the dark skinned club to the white chicks club. Some call it, "just a little bit of toning to make me glow" and then, before you know it, the process begins from toning to looking like a burnt plantain and then the full blown whiteness. Although, there's a slang on Instagram called  "Melanin" that tries to promote dark skinned girls but the reality of it is that, when you go out to the hot spots in Lagos at any time, the percentage of light skinned girls supersedes that of dark skinned girls and most of the time, the light ones get most of the men's attention. What a life!

• Have at least 3 different human hair weaves or more handy 
  

Apparently, everyone knows it as a fact that most single females in Lagos have human hair weaves and the rich display of it all is seen at gatherings. Gone are those days when as a single female, you can comfortably and confidently rock your shuku/ Ghana weaving to a top notch event and be admired by almost everyone on how cultured you look. Now, it's the other way round. Even those who claim to be doing the natural hair thingy too find themselves wearing a human hair wig for an event. 

What if I'm tired of spending too much on other human's hair to look good, does it really reduce my wife material from a million yards to nothing? ugh!

• Live on the Island 

As a single female in Lagos, this one particularly is major. Gosh! you've got no idea. Every hustling guy or babe expects you to live at Lekki (note, there's  a HUGE difference between Lekki phase 1 and lekki. Those who know knows), VI or Oniru. Surulere can be considered if you have a car. It doesn't seem to matter if you're a tenant paying rent or  a squatter patching up with friends, just live on the Island and you'll earn some level of attention. Most girls will attest to this fact. I once visited a male friend with a female friend of mine and we met his relatives at home. Then one of them started a conversation with us in this manner;

Him: (to my friend) where do you live?

My Friend:  Lekki phase 1 

Him: (to me) do you also live here at Lekki phase 1?

Me: no. I live on the Mainland

Him: ( swiftly changes focus to my friend) so, which street is it?

And thus, the conversation continued in that light about Lekki for a while before the topic changed to a general one. I was shook. lol. I thought, " Uncle, you don't even know Mainland!". Well, I wasn't bothered as long as I have a roof over my head and my laptop to write.

• To use an Iphone 

I don't know how I notice these things but I do and I think it's because I'm a writer so I tend to observe a lot. This is so true cos I actually did an opinion poll with friends and they confirmed it. In this regard, even the Samsung Galaxy S8 doesn't stand a chance of being regarded as a high budget gadget. How sad. Some of the ladies I questioned lamented almost the same thing;

"Babe, that money for Iphone 6s or 7s would really go a long way in supporting my career but I just need to have it for packaging. Babes need to belong too now."

See what I mean?

• Know someone who knows someone.

This one happens a lot at hang outs. As a single female in Lagos, you are expected to know at least someone that knows anyone in a high position. If you don't know anyone, then what the hell are you doing being single in Lagos? I've hung out with some friends a couple of times before and usually, it amazes me when I realize that I'm probably the only person at the table who doesn't know the owner of the place or the cute sophisticated looking male or high class babe that walked in. See job of knowing! Not like it's wrong to know people but this one is serious. Sisters, you gotta know someone so that your journey to the alter will be quicker. lol

• "Asides Uber and Taxify, always have a cab man's number handy". 
  

A friend once asked me how I was getting home after work and I answered that I was taking my usual route where I would board a public bus. She looked surprised and started a lecture on the need for me to have the Uber and Taxify apps on my phone. She told me that from the office to my home, they'll simply charge me #2000. She went ahead to explain that, I should also have a cab man's number on my phone to always be available should any of those taxi companies mess up. According to her, it only cost her #150,000 on transportation for a month and more so, it maintains her standard as a high class single babe living on the Island. I thanked her for her advice and then started my calculations.

So, at that time, my salary wasn't up to #200,000. I calculated 2000 by 30 days and I came up with 60,000. Then I calculated my office feeding expenses for the month, excluding feeding at home  and it ran into 15,000 . At the end of it all, I wasn't left with much to cater for other miscellaneous expenses not to talk of saving.  I decided that for that time being, public transport was okay for me except on occasions where I have to go out to events or hang out with friends. Biko, I cannot come and die.

Sisters; truth is, it could be really tough keeping up this standard and then you might end up finding yourself in unnecessary competition with yourself, thereby neglecting your priorities (that's if they're really important to you). My way of handling these struggles; I just do me and of course maintain my dark complexion.

There're still so many other struggles but I'll leave you all to comment on them below in the comments section.  Guys!, what are your own struggles? Feel free to also share your experiences too.

Cheers!

BURNT (EPISODE 5)

Friday was another fast day at work. The day had started with a presentation that Mila had completely forgotten about. Of course, she had been proactive enough to have prepared her slides since the previous week on Mr. Duke's instruction. She knew everything she wrote and had pulled it off successfully.  Just like their name implied, the ACE Group had always been known for their excellent ideas and presentations, which mostly results in them getting the biggest contracts in the industry from multinational organisations.  Mr. Duke had succeeded in building a formidable force for a team that he had highhandedly selected by himself to always represent the company and he had wasted no time in planting Mila in that team immediately she was employed.

Mila had been intimidated at first after attending her first presentation as a passive team mate. She had seen and heard other organisations give really good pitches but then, she had learnt that to overcome her fear of going head on with their competitors, she needed to do more research and think not just local, but global. It didn't take her long to learn the rubrics of not just knowing how to draft a presentation, but to own it and sell it like a last resort to their clients. She had done the usual that morning and as she sat in her lone corner at the cafeteria during lunch break, enjoying her lemonade, she allowed her mind to drift beyond the walls of ACE Group.

She allowed her thoughts to steal a peak into the dark corners of her memory.  That was a chapter in her life she had deliberately locked away because, the memories just won't go away. She had never stopped beating herself mentally whenever she remembered what had happened and how it had all ended. She wasn't even sure if it really was the end of that phase of her life yet so, she had locked away the memories instead.

"Not today" Mila told herself.

She was in a better place now with a better purpose. Maybe, maybe not but she would rather not go down that lane today. She finished off her drink, stood up and left the cafeteria for the office.

..............

Simi was busy. The moment the company had won the contract, Mr. Duke had declared a TGIF celebration to take place at the company's open air lounge upstairs and she was part of the impromptu organizers. She loved that role and she was busy playing the part to the fullest. She had immediately used her contacts to get a mixologist, a DJ, and a grill master. Everything was set already by 4pm and everyone was moving to the Lounge excitedly as Mr. Duke had permitted work to end for the day by that time. Most people had used the opportunity to invite friends and loved ones to join the celebration. So by the time it was 6 pm, the spacious lounge was bubbling with life, drinks and good music.

Mila was leaning against one of the rails that surrounded the space. Though, there were canopies and couches that people could sit like those in a regular public lounge, she choose to stand facing the seaside with her drink. She didn't know why but the sight of the sea side always had a soothing effect on her raging nerves. The thoughts of that afternoon had somehow cast a gloom on her mood  so, as she stood there looking out to the wide expanse of water, she began to regain sanity.

At that point, Simi was by her side with a glass of cocktail drink and a plate of assorted meats. She looked really excited for she had been receiving a lot of compliments from her senior colleagues for a job well done. Mr. Duke had sent her to fetch Mila for the toast to their victory and it had taken Simi a while to find her there. She sighed with relief when she confirmed that it really was Mila standing there in her black jean, Juliet sleeved white boyfriend shirt and her brown kitten heels. She was dressed according to the company's "corporate casual Fridays" tradition save for the fact that, she had removed the  blazer she wore for the presentation.

" Hey! Are you alright? I've been looking for you" Simi said concerned as she had met Mila with her eyes closed

"Yeah, I'm alright. Thanks" Mila answered with a weak smile

"Are you sure?" Simi asked

"Yes Simi. Now, why were you looking for me again?"

"Okay. If you say so then. The Boss needs you for the toast. You know, as the goal scorer concerned" Simi said excitedly. This made Mila laugh. Simi always knew how to exaggerate things but it helped her return to reality again.

................

After the toast, the cheers, the pats on the back and an exciting evening, Mila returned home at about 9pm exhausted, both mentally and emotionally. However, she knew there was one person she needed to call but she wasn't sure she was ready for any soft or hard talk at that moment. So she decided to leave it till the next day.

Tomorrow will be a great day, she assured herself. Tomorrow, she'll make that call and see what surprises the future's keeping for her.

She dozed off with these thoughts and slept soundly.

BURNT (EPISODE 4)

She had been staring at his perfectly manicured hand that was holding his drink. They looked neat, soft and well structured. Mila still couldn't understand her fascination with people's hands. His was what had gotten her tongue tied for seconds. She noticed that he was moving away and followed him.

Leo's friend on the other hand was moving to the bar, leading Mila towards the same direction. They were in the way of more people coming in. Mila quickly snapped out of staring and apologized for going tongue tied on him. She started the conversation thus;

"Hi. Sorry about that. I'm Mila, Simi's friend"

"Who's Simi?" he asked

She was worried this man would become impatient with her so she hurriedly continued.

"Simi Coker, Leo's friend. That's her over there" 

He looked towards the direction Mila had pointed and gave a cool smile of recognition before continuing. "Oh! Simi. I know her. So, what's up with her?"

Mila, also smiling from relief that at last, they were on the same page answered

"She lost Leo's number with her old phone so she needs it so she can call him later. Please, could you help with it?"

"No" he answered with suspicion written all over his face then he added as an after thought "Why didn't she come get it herself?"

"Well...we came with people who actually invited us for drinks so, she thinks it would be lack of curtsy to just leave them like that to go sit with Leo." Mila explained hoping this would be enough to get the number already.

"So, you decided to be the good friend that comes to her rescue huh?" he said smiling

Mila couldn't help but smile too. She shrugged in a "What can I say" kinda way. He brought out his phone, clicked on his contacts icon and scrolled to Leo's name before giving her the phone to copy out the number. She did and thanked him. She was about turning to leave when he said,

"So, how come Leo gets to have two beautiful ladies taking risks to get his contact while nobody's asking for mine" he sipped his drink, waiting for her response

Mila laughed at this before replying. She was amused that he called her beautiful. For Simi, she totally agreed but for herself, oh well.

"I'm so sorry" she said amidst laughter. "You didn't tell me your name''

"You can call me Brian tonight but by tomorrow, my name will be Femi."

Mila was confused but couldn't control the laughter that still escaped her mouth. "But how can you have different names for different times of the day?" 

"Well," he said laughing as well "I'm slightly tipsy right now. So, I'll leave you with my number and then you can call me in the morning to find out which is my permanent name. What do you do Mila?"

That cracked her up more. This dude is strange Mila thought but answered his question anyways.

"I'm a Copy Writer" she said

"What does that mean? Sorry, I'm more of a finance guy"

"Well, I write for adverts"

"That's cool. Okay Mila, here's my number. I'll be expecting your call" he said and started calling out his digits which she typed into her phone. They said their byes and went their separate ways.

................

Mila felt like she was walking on the clouds as she walked back to her spot. Had she really done that? she kept asking herself. That was the first time she would walk up to a man and initiate a conversation in a public bar. She had been scared at first of the impression she would be giving him but it had turned out great. He was funny, smart, cool and too good looking for a man. He looked too clean like he never played with dirt even as a child. He wasn't dark or fair in complexion; he was caramel. Like the neutral color of chocolate. He had a perfect face and a perfect physique hidden by the perfectly tailored navy blue native outfit he wore. He didn't wear a suit like the other men at the bar and that made him look really relaxed. 

She liked the way he talked. He had an American accent. The real one; not the fake BritAmerican accent used by every tom dick and harry of Lagos that has ventured to travel to Dubai or Ghana. Everything about him was relaxed like he had all the time in the world to blink, smile, laugh, talk and even sip his drink. Even his tongue took it's time to taste the drink on his lips. Yes, his lips. She couldn't forget those. If there had ever been a more peach colored pair on a mouth, it would be his. They were a perfect pair without any undertones of darkness that showed signs of a smoker; just perfect.  Mila thought, those lips didn't look like anyone's lips cos they were created solely for him. She sighed.

...................

Simi was surprised. She still couldn't believe it. "Really Mila, you're unbelievable! I mean, how did you do it?! This is amazing!" she screamed and threw her hands up in the air.

"Hey Simi! Please, the steering. I'm not ready to die yet" she said fearfully but was also basking in the euphoria of having done "a first" that evening. She was glad she had helped Simi. Simi had given her the full gist of how she met Leo. She had gone clubbing  with some friends on a Friday night and had gotten tipsy. So while the so called friends had abandoned her in her car, Leo who had been at the same spot with his friends as well and had been eyeing her all evening,  had driven her to an hotel, lodged her in a room he paid for, and had left instructions with room service to serve her breakfast in bed by morning with some aspirin. She had woken up to a note on the bed side table from him about the incident and had left his number for her to call him if she liked. She would have called him but then, she realized that her phone was missing and ever since, whenever she went out, she would pay more attention to the crowd, looking for him.

"Now, who wouldn't comb the earth for such a man's phone number?" Simi asked looking love drunk

"Wow!" was the first thing Mila could say "I would!" she exclaimed after wards and they both laughed out loud into the evening as they drove off.

......

That night, Mila lay on her bed with her favorite book of the moment, "Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett. She was on the part where young Jack had burnt down the cathedral of Kingsbridge so that his mother's lover, Tom Bulider could have a job in the town. She paused and reflected on the evening's event and smiled as she realized that she had displayed the same act of chivalry for Simi who wasn't really a bosom friend but a friend all the same.

She picked up her phone, clicked on her contacts icon and then scrolled to letter B where she had saved a name as Brian Femi. She smiled to herself and switched off the lights of the room.

CHATTING ETIQUETTES ON SOCIAL MEDIA

This post is prompted by the annoying chats I receive everyday on Facebook and Instagram. If you've been following my YouTube channel, you'll notice that I've done a video addressing social media already thus, you'll perceive that I'm really passionate about those platforms. Why? you may ask. I'll list my reasons.

1.  Social media is the new media (with just one click, you can reach the world away)
2. Social media has come to stay
3. In as much as it's a fun platform, it's also a business zone if used rightly
4. You could make your first millions on social media (not 419 money o!)
5. Social media is like my temporary mobile office (I move with it every where)

For these major reasons, I don't joke with social media. However, it saddens me to see that a lot of people don't know how to utilize these social media platforms especially in initiating conversations. For instance, on Facebook, I get messages like " Hi" almost everyday, from the same set of people and numerous others. Other times, it could be "What's up babe?" (seriously dude?!). Another set of people could go like, "I love you" (I die a thousand deaths when I get these). Others could take the rude and arrogant path after sending hundreds of HIs and HELLOs for months or a year without getting any response from me. They'll be like, "You're a bitch!", "you're forming for me abi?" and I'll be like WTF? you don't even know me nigger or bitch or whatever you are. Truth is, when I then finally attend to one of the Hi somebody, the conversation usually goes thus, 

Me: Hello! you've been hitting me up. What's up?

Them: cool. U?

Me: I'm alright. So, how may I be of assistance?

Them: Where do you live? Are you based in Lagos?

Me: Lagos yes.

Them: I'll like to be your friend. I like you.

Me: Okay... but we're friends already on Facebook here.

Them: Yes but I love you. Can we see?

Me:  BLOCK. 

End of story.

Someone on one occasion sent me a nude picture. Who does that on a first chat?! I clicked delete and block immediately. I'm not a chat snob but here's what I'll rather do if I wanted to chat with someone I admired on social media. I'll send a polite message first in this nature and wait for their reply.

Me: Hello Sir/ Ma'am. My name is Glory Elijah, a blogger and a YouTuber at Frankly Speaking with Glory. I've been following your updates on this platform for a while now. I must admit, you're really an amazing personality and great at what you do too. I totally admire you for that. I hope to get to meet you in person in the nearest future and hopefully do a few projects with you. Keep up the good work. I wish you all the very best. Cheers!

I bet you, messages of goodwill like this to people we admire on social media will be received with heartfelt gratitude Though, some people could be naturally terrible but who doesn't love some dose of cheerfulness?. More so, you'll be seen as a responsible and serious minded individual who is ready for business and networking not as a leech but as one who hopes to be an added value to another's career. Even if you need help/assistance, a message like that won't imply that you're begging for money or to join the person's circle of friends, but would rather imply that, you've got something to offer. That way, you've caught your idol's attention!

So, here are some tips on how to chat on social media with strangers.

1. Never leave a "hi, or hello". Send a greeting and a brief introduction first.
2. Politely state your reason for initiating the conversation
3. Don't be too forward by asking the person questions
4. Allow the person to absorb your own information first
5. When the person replies, make the tone of your messages harmless and not forceful cos everyone's security conscious these days.
6. Allow them express themselves too if they're willing to chat. Don't be too controlling of the conversation.
7. Go straight to the point. Keep it short and simple instead of beating around the bush. Everyone's too busy for unnecessary chit chats.
8. Make reference to the person's work or service or activity on that platform that caught your interest (if any) and throw in some compliments
9. End the chat on a hopeful note for more future conversations and you might likely get to be in that person's network.
10. NEVER beg for anything on a first chat. That'll create a wrong impression of you except that person doesn't mind but that happens on rare occasions. 
11. Give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done.

I hope this helps all ye senders of Hello and hi on social media. God bless you as you change your chat strategy with this and hopefully, we could meet in person in the nearest future. LOL

Click on the link below to check out my video on "Emotional Intelligence on Social Media" on my YouTube Channel       http://bit.ly/2id7PoF

Don't forget to comment, share and subscribe.

Cheers!

BURNT (EPISODE 3)

Mila was amazed at the numbers and brands of cars she saw all lined up from the beginning of Akin Adesola street to the spot they finally parked. She saw a red Ferrari parked discreetly at a corner, there was also a wine colored Porsche car parked neatly somewhere. Although, she didn't know what model it was, but she could see the name "Porsche"" clearly written on it's sleek behind. Another thing that shocked her the most was the fact that, there were so many G-Wagon cars parked neatly and arranged as if set for a convoy. And then, varieties of car brands that she had no knowledge of but they looked so new and expensive and black like all the owners had planned a show of black sophistication that evening. 

She got out of the car and stood looking across the road to see more cars and a simple gate with beautiful details and at least four mean looking "bouncers" inspecting people before they were allowed access into the place.

"What is this place?" she thought out loud

Simi who was adjusting her skirt and her hair  as well as surveying the entire environment answered with a satisfied smile and nod of of approval.

"This my friend, is ZENBAH the hub of all the freshest and wealthiest professionals in Lagos" 

"Professionals?" Mila couldn't believe it. How could Professionals pull off this show of wealth and sophistication all in one night?

"I tell you dear. We might even run into Mr. Duke here"

Mila was taken aback "Oh no! What would he think?"

"Haba? Can't somebody have fun again? Abeg come, let's go in and please, walk with class else, they'll think you're cheap"

Mila didn't understand what that meant so she asked "And why should I try so hard to not look cheap?"

"Wait until you see the class of girls we'll meet inside and by the way, they only allow babes with tush dudes access but don't worry, I've got you covered"

They were allowed in after Simi had had a brief chat with the "bouncers" and true to her words , ZENBAH wasn't a baby's playroom. The energy in the room was thick with smoke from the shisha smokers, cool foreign hip hop music, coded dance moves that looked like nobody was dancing while in fact they were, light conversations that sent people's heads rolling back with heavy laughter, the bright red and nude lipsticks gracing the perfectly shaped lips of the ladies Snap Chatting and the rich scent of the perfumes that oozed from the sharply tailored suits hugging and revealing the tight muscles ( some of the men looked soft though) of the men they walked past. Everyone looked so sophisticated and they looked like they had come directly from the office to breathe even if it meant breathing in the thick aroma clouding the atmosphere from the shisha pots.  Most people knew most people. It was a small community of friends, associates and believers of  "all work and no play, makes me a dullard". 

Simi was in her elements. She had hugged and greeted five people already and each time, she introduced Mila who smiled politely but couldn't pretend to be as excited as she was still too dazed by the entire scene of glamour displayed before her eyes. They found their way to a table without chairs but with three men; one being Simi's date as she put it and so they had to stand whilst exchanging pleasantries. Simi and Chris, her date excused themselves to go get their drinks while Mila stood, feeding her eyes and wondering if she was going to die standing in her heels that evening. She tried engaging in the conversation ongoing between the other men about football. God knows she hated that sport with a passion so she feigned interest and smiled when she should but she couldn't help moving her head to the familiar sound of Ja Rule and Ashanti's "Always on Time".  She loved that song.

Simi and Chris returned with their drinks in what looked like an  angry Zuma beer mug but  the details of the sculpting perfectly enhanced the features of the Zuma monster on the mug making it's tightly shut eyes and clenched fists look so cute. They cheered to the evening and Mila lifted the mug and took a long swing of the drink for she had become thirsty. It sent sparks down her spine and she had to close her eyes to savor the bitter sweet taste. 

"You like?" Simi who had been watching her all along to see her reaction asked

"Yeah! this is really good!" Mila exclaimed "It's like rockets shooting through my veins" she continued feeling excited all of a sudden

"I knew you'd like it" Simi responded with the same fervor.

They were both now swaying to the music and taking turns to sing each line like it was karaoke then Simi suddenly stopped and was staring at someone on the other side of the room. Mila couldn't see who it was but she could tell from the way the person stood that it was a man. She looked back at Simi and asked,

"Someone you know?"

"Yeah. I've been looking for that dude's contact like forever after I misplaced my old phone and now, there he is with his friends and here I am and I can't seem to go get it"  she finished and turned away from staring.  

Mila took a closer look at the person she was refering to and realized that the dude was really a fine man wearing transparent glasses. 

"But why can't you go and get it?" Mila asked looking puzzled

"Well, Chris will be pissed cos he actually invited me here and I wouldn't want to seem ungrateful" she replied trying to keep her voice low above the loud music.

"What's his name" Mila asked

"Leo" Simi answered and then turned her attention back to Chris who was now beside her to dance.

Mila thought of what could possibly happen if she tried being the hero of the evening to rescue Simi from her plight and decided that nothing could go wrong. She scanned the area where the said gentleman was with his friends and and noticed that he had left but there was a lady and another man there. Then she shocked herself by walking up to them. She didn't know why but she was shivering as she moved. She felt self conscious about what she was wearing and tried walking more gracefully in her Lemon colored chiffon shirt dress that stopped just above her knees. Even if the dress was buttoned up to her neck like a bishop's collar, she still felt cold and tried to walk straight in her black heels.

She got to the spot and gently tapped Leo's friend on shoulder saying "Excuse me''

He turned around and looked at her with a slight frown of curiosity on his forehead, waiting for her to talk. Mila on the other hand couldn't talk. She stood there looking and almost forgetting her reason for calling his attention.

"Yes?" He asked politely with a glass of Hennessy drink in his well manicured hand

Mila wasn't talking. She was looking at something else. Something else that really did subtly call for her attention and she gladly gave it all the attention it was beguiling her to give.

BURNT (EPISODE 2)

Simi was a free spirited soul. She was the typical example of one who lived in the moment and cared less about what happened the next minute. She had the perfect figure for a body, with everything in the right proportion and the knowledge of her physical endowment added to the aura with which she walked. She had this feline way of walking as if calculating a next move known only to her. To Mila, Simi had been schooled in the art of seduction right from her mother's womb. To crown it up, it was difficult to get angry with her for everyone easily fell under the spell of her charm which she used skillfully to have her way around the office. Mila was sure that, that same charm was responsible for her getting away with her consistent lateness to work.

Mila rolled her eyes when she felt Simi's hug  from behind. Her cubicle looked out to the restless street of  Ozumba Mbadiwe thus, through the glass window, she could see Simi in a peach colored pencil skirt that did little to conceal her curves and a white chiffon top, looking beautiful and fair with her expensive Indian hair sitting pretty on her head. Simi flashed her a smile that melted her heart immediately and sent the morning's pressure scurrying away into hiding. She smiled back and turned to face Simi.

"You're late again as usual"

"yeah yeah, I know" Simi replied non chalantly

"But how could you not care at all? I mean, you could end up not being retained you know"

Mila was exasperated already. This had become a routine conversation to kick start their day since the past 2 months.

"Well, who says I need a job? All I need is just a few months of experience and then, I'll become my own boss. My dad has given up on trying to persuade me on that already so don't even ask" Simi replied and settled into her own cubicle which was positioned next to Mila's and then brought out her Iphone 8 to make a few SnapChat videos first before starting work on the third script.

Mila pinched herself for always forgetting that Simi had taken time to explain her background to her. Her dad was the famous Chief Coker who had struck gold in oil business. He had sent all his children abroad but Simi who loved the thrills and glamour of Lagos had refused to go. Her dream was to become her own boss immediately after her 6 months internship with the ACE Group. So, as a 23 year old graduate of Media & Communications from the the University of  Leeds, she had sworn to take over the Lagos scene and then the world with her skill in persuasive writing  "whatever that meant" Mila chuckled.

Simi was lucky, Mila thought. She could afford to dream big and actualize them because of her dad but she on the other hand had to work extra hard cos, her dad wasn't in Chief Coker's class. In fact, she paid her dad's bills in addition to hers. Well, at least, I'm coping Mila consoled herself as she returned to her work.

.............

Time had been on a marathon as it was already 5: oo pm that Thursday. Mila stood up and stretched with gratitude. What a day. She had ended up writing a total of 5 scripts needed for the day while Simi had continuously taken trips to the restroom, the staff lounge, and the cafeteria. There, she would take enough pictures and make enough Snaps till she was satisfied. Mila wasn't bothered for she had had a good lunch as Mr. Duke had promised.

She arranged her disarrayed desk, picked up her hand bag, bade farewell to her colleagues and left for home. She was intercepted by Simi whom she thought had left earlier.

"What's your plan for tonight?" Simi asked

"Plan?" Mila wondered aloud

"Yeah! plan like hang out, hook up, chill out, chillax... you know..." Simi listed, smiling  mischievously

"Oh! Those kinda things. " Mila got the gist and laughed cos Simi's look was infectious. She continued "I plan on getting home as soon as Lagos traffic would allow  so that I can rest my aching bones. Sounds like a great plan hey?"

Simi faked a yawn and said "Boring" and they both laughed.

"Alright look Mila, I'm taking you out to buy you drinks just as a way of saying thank you for doing my work all the time"

"But I'm not complaining Simi"

"I know Mila." she whined prettily and then added "you've always refused my offer to buy you a drink. Just this once okay? Pweeeeze" she made puppy eyes and Mila agreed.

"Gosh! you're a sore pain in my black behind Simisolaoluwa"

"You sound like my Mom just now Mila"

They both burst into laughter again and left the building together. Of course, Simi had a car she used so they drove out. Mila had no idea where they were going so she had to ask while checking her makeup in the side mirror.

"So, where are we going?

"You'll see. Trust me on this one. Lagos is my bae"

BURNT (Episode 1)

Her fingers worked with a frenzy on the keyboard. She was desperate to beat the dead line of 10 am and it was already 9:45 am. Her boss will skin her alive if the script wasn’t ready by that time. The intern that was assigned to her had not even resumed to commence work on the second script. “What a morning!” she thought. She typed in more words, added a few more lines, adjusted her glasses and then added the final full stop and that was it. She was done. She quickly printed out the 5 pages of the script and hurriedly left her cubicle to her boss’s office.

Mr. Duke quickly scanned through the papers with a speed that always left her stunned cos at the end of every scan he did, he never missed out on any error. He nodded his head in satisfaction indicating that she was free to leave. She was almost at the door of the spacious office when he called her back;

"Mila”

She turned around waiting for his scolding to come in their usual bouts but instead, she was surprised at what came next.

“This is one hell of a script you wrote. I’m impressed. Lunch’s on me”

That said, he turned around to face the beautiful lake side view outside his window. Mila couldn’t conceal her smile that almost made her dance for joy. Anyone who knew Mr. Duke would know that he was never generous with compliments.  He was a tough boss to please.  As she walked back to her cubicle which was in the third open spaced office, she took the moment to reflect on her journey to this point of working for one of Nigeria’s largest and most successful advertising agency.

…………

Mila had been a freelance writer with her focus mainly on reviews. She had started as a result of not being able to secure a job after a year of graduating from college. At first, it had started as her passion but later on, she had gotten serious with it as she realized that her writing had started drawing the attention of the right audience. Her breakthrough came when she was contacted by Mr. Duke himself for a chat. She had been skeptical about the identity of the caller.

Mr. Duke was the CEO of the ACE Group. She knew of the company and had fantasized about writing a script for one of their adverts on countless occasions.  The company was situated at Victoria Island in Lagos Nigeria thus whenever she found herself on the Island, she would deliberately ask the Taxi driver to take the route where the company  was situated so that she could feed her eyes with the magnificence of the building  and also inhale the intoxicating richness of the environment.

Mila had gone for the “Chat’’ which turned out to be an interview. She passed the test as it really was a test. Mr. Duke, coupled with 3 other members of his management team had asked her so many questions which required her to provide just one answer to each and though, she couldn’t recall what her answers had been, she passed. They had shared a glass of wine to welcome her to join the company and each had expressed admiration for her reviews.

That was 6 months ago. Now, she had come to realize that it wasn’t an easy feat working in such a high paced environment. Though, the pay was more than enough for her 25 year old self to go by as well as pay her bills, she found herself working beyond the regular 9-5 hours.

She got to her cubicle, sat on her seat, rested her throbbing head in her palms for a bit and then set to work on the next script. She was mid way typing when she heard the familiar giggle of the intern, Simi.

“Oh hell!” Mila cursed softly under her breath.

ON THE NEED TO CHILL

If you belong to the category of people that wake up 4/5 am (or don't even sleep at all), rush out of the house by 6 am to beat the early morning traffic that naturally comes with every work day of the week (especially in our crazy Lagos), work your ass off at work till 9 pm, have to meet up with crazy deadlines, queries and clap backs, then you certainly NEED to CHILL.

To chill means to relax and relaxation is a state of mind. Once the mind attains that level, the body follows suit. Most of the time, the pressure to deliver, meet deadlines with the bosses or clients and also meet up to life's expectations could throw our minds into a galaxy of complications. However, the ability to restore decorum begins with us. 

Over time, I've come to understand that most people are so stiff necked and uptight about the idea of chilling. They feel like they're cheating themselves or probably the people and the needs in their life if they take a moment to breathe. Come on! Life's too unpredictable to not want to live it to the fullest. So, here are some tips on how to chill.

• Make up your mind to want to relax.   

For some, this is a great battle. They're always the ones to complain about pressure, tiredness, fatigue, and then boredom. Say no to these harbingers of headache and get out of your head.

• Try not to pick your house as the only place to want to relax 

Yes, I said so. The reason is, your house is your comfort zone which will only end up reminding you of the numerous tasks you have to accomplish the next minute. Fact is, you could draw some inspiration simply from  stepping out of your comfort zone and your mind will thank you for the brief moment of liberation. 

• Mingle while you're out there. 

This one's for those of you who would go out to cool spots to chill and then start acting like you're in an oven. Oh please! Loosen up! Breathe! Don't give people the impression that you're a no-go area. You want to meet people, share ideas, thoughts on various issues and also network. That way, you might get more ideas and options on how to go about that tough project you've been working on, tips on how to impress that horrible boss as well as hit your targets.

• Smile, laugh.

This is the part where you've got to smile and have fun. Laugh out all the pent up toxins plaguing your mind and exhale. Get rid of all the negative vibes you've accumulated during the day and over the week. 

• Take Selfies! 

Now, a lot of weird people have argued that taking selfies are mainly for self validation and for people with low self esteems. Really? Hmm... I think I'll have to do a separate post about selfies. Anyways, take a selfie or more with your new found click. This is basically to remind you of how happy you looked while relaxing and having meaningful conversations with good people. It would spur you to wanna chill more.

After all of these, go home HAPPY and RELAXED. I bet you, you'll be looking refreshed the next time you step into your work place.

And hey! it's the weekend. Cheers to the weekend!

Question of the day; HOW DO YOU CHILL? Comment below and feel free to add selfies too.

Don't forget to visit my YouTube channel and Subscribe. Simply click on this link http://bit.ly/2wDq2hP

BOBRISKY, TOKE MAKINWA & LAURA IKEJI: INSTAGRAM QUEENS TO LEARN FROM ON HOW TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS VIA ISTAGRAM.

Idris Okuneye (Bobrisky) Socialite, Ambassador to Hairnymph 

Toke Makinwa (Presenter Radio/Tv, Vlogger, Best Selling Author of "On Becoming"), Brand Ambassador to Ciroc 

Laura Ikeji Kanu (Fashion Entrepreneur,Owner & Director of Laura Ikeji Store, Ambassador to Ohram Tea)

I know that this topic will cause a lot of people to swear for me but hey! what you're about to read will teach you a lot of sense if you're an entrepreneur or aspiring to be one. And to the ladies I'm using as case studies, come and pay me for free publicity o! Lol. Just kidding  (how typically Nigerian of me to add "o!" at the end of that statement). Anyways, serious mode activated now.

I particularly chose these three people because, they have one particular thing in common. They get a regular dose of insults from Instagram trolls, they are continuously referred to  as fake wanna be's, too ratchet/ local and people complain about them giving out too much information about their private lives thereby making everything about them public. But I'm not concerned with such opinions about them just as they are less concerned. My focus on this post will be on their business strategies on Instagram.

The first thing we need to understand is how Instagram works. Instagram is one of the many social media platforms that works literally with the power of visuals; that's pictures/videos. Facebook operates almost like Instagram but the difference is that, Instagram is built like a photo album so that user's profile can be seen together with the outlook of their page. So; say for instance, you upload an aesthetically pleasing photo/ an interesting video, backed up with a bomb caption that hits the nail on the head rather than beat about the bush, coupled with the right tags to increase your reach of audience. If consistently done, even without boosting a post, there'll be an automatic increase in followers, likes, re-posts, and the rise of a fan base that could become paying clients or conversions who'll take it upon themselves to spread the word about your product or service.

Take Toke Makinwa for instance. I used to feel that she was simply a hopeless self lover (which isn't really a bad thing if you ask me though) but then, I attended the She Leads Africa event  held at the Railway Shed in Lagos, January this year and from all the things she said during the Q/A session with her friend, Smart Money Arese, I held on to this one.

"I usually laugh hard when people call me names like "notice me" and all sorts. What they don't know is that, I am actually sending messages to top brands out there that, hey! I'm available to become your ambassador. That't why whatever I wear something that's beautiful, I put it up on Instagram, when I'm air borne, I put it up on Instagram to showcase my travel style. That way, I'm speaking to brands like Prada, Dolce & Gabana, top airlines etc. And thanks to God, it's working! I'm effectively selling myself  and I won't stop until I'm in everybody's face and they start hitting me up for business deals."

I hope you all know that as a result of her consistency in utilizing that platform,she's become a brand of her own and to several others including notable brands such as Payporte and Ciroc, over time. You might want to argue that her celebrity status pushed her up but please have a rethink.

Look at Laura Ikeji. Is there any name she hasn't been called on her Instagram page? She's been called all sorts especially the popular one that she's riding on the wings of her blogger sister's success. But, here's a fact. Laura Ikeji Kanu is now very successful with her clothes business. She's soon to unveil her own Jeans line which is already undergoing production. What trips me about her publicity strategy is that, she has identified what thrills her followers and her fans about her page and thus, to keep them engaged and interested in her wares, she entertains them with a lot of dance videos and pictures of her modelling her wares. In the process, she gives them style tips and options to grow an affordable closet.

This particular caption she made on one of her posts totally makes a lot of sense.

"Dear Entrepreneurs on Instagram, listen! Being classy doesn't necessarily help sell anything on Instagram. See, if you have something to sell on here and you are unknown, darling be as loud as possible. Classy sellers have clients that are friends and family. If you don't have rich friends and family, be LOUD! shout, dance, annoy, do whatever to get people's attention, drag them to your page so they can see your products. By the way, not all classy people are rich, some of them don't have SHIN GBAIN! All they have are invites to events in Lagos. Nothing more. Be wise"

To tell the truth, call her loud or ratchet or whatever but this caption is one of the best business advise I had ever come across in a long while. Some busy bodies even went ahead to slam her on her page as usual saying that being loud doesn't work for everybody. Honey, loudness means so many things in business and in her context, I think it means "ANNOUNCEMENT". Announce your trade and see it grow. Laura isn't just successful as a business woman; she's also brand ambassador to some brands as well. Way to go Laura!

"Now, when I say Oshey, you say Barrrdest!" I guess we already know whose slogan that is. Lol. Bobrisky is another Instagram Queen (don't even think about contesting that with me cos I can't deal) who's been making waves. For me, I'm not really particular about his gender but what fascinates me about s/he is his calculated manipulation of Instagram to building himself as a brand, selling his Bob's Whitening Creme and also staying relevant. Idris Okuneye knows that Nigerians frown at the kind of lifestyle he poses to live and thus goes ahead to capitalize on their emotion and the attention given, to create and grow a fan base. He uses tactics like providing rumors about him wanting to get a boob and ass job, a false engagement announcement to his imaginary bae and controversial videos of him dancing or goofing around as well as sexy, girly photos of himself all made up.

Some people see his lifestyle as a taboo and highly controversial however, I'm going to say this as a communicator. Bobrisky has succeded in not only utilizing the power of visuals strongly on Instagram, he has also succeeded in using "NOISE" as a powerful tool to his own advantage. Before now, who knew about him? I bet nobody did but now, he's all over the place. 

His noise has made him influential and successful to an extent and whether we like it or yes, there are brands that will still identify with s/he because, every market has it's own audience and sales are made everyday at a per second billing rate. So, there are existing brands that will need his fan base to thrive in their own industry. It's more like rub my back and I rub yours in the Nigerian context.

Point being made 

This post is not out to encourage anyone to act like anyone or to become a brand ambassador by force. You are already a brand of your own self. As an entrepreneur or an aspiring one, try to listen to what's not said than the numerous things being said. A lot of people have judged and castigated these people about their lifestyle on Instagram and even SnapChat but, they're still holding their own and their business is booming. 

The deal is, social media has evolved beyond the point of  simply connecting with old or lost friends. It is now one of the greatest marketing tools if used the right way, to carve a niche for yourself and your business. Companies, organisations and brands actually pay millions to social media strategists to build an online presence for them so as to resonate around the world, engage their audience as well as staying relevant in their industries. So, how about you who's still aspiring and struggling, who can't afford such expenses on promoting your product or service? Remember, Social media has come to stay so, utilize it while you can.

Learn from the gurus. Don't focus on their personal issues cos their focus is not your focus. Focus on your focus to building your own brand/ business. Own yours. Do you as my sisters in business will say. Live and let live.

Don't forget to visit my YouTube Channel as well by clicking on this link  http://bit.ly/2y0yD1h

Cheers!

New YouTube Video on Frankly Speaking with Glory Channel: SELF RESPECT FOR WOMEN.

On starting this blog, I wrote an "Introduction" about the reason for starting it and the connection between this blog and my YouTube channel. So, the most recent episode is up already and I've added the link below.

I talked about;

The topic was inspired by a funny and dramatic incident, that occurred between a randy man and two women at a friend's neighborhood. To get the details of the story, click on the link below to visit my YouTube channel. Below are pictures of what the video looks like.

http://bit.ly/2yI6ZDF

Kindly SUBSCRIBE, share and COMMENT. I'll like to know what you think.

Cheers!