Women
Eve Afrique Red Ball Moves For Peace, Development In Niger Delta
After the setback suffered last year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Eve Afrique Magazine, organisers of the annual Red Ball event which used to raise awareness on health and development related issues, is back.
This year’s Eve Afrique Red Ball event has been scheduled to take place on the 13th of June, 2021 with the theme, “Together, Ensuring Peace and Development Across the Niger Delta”.
A statement by the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Lady Wale Eddy Wopara indicates that the 2020 Red Ball shall be partnering with the Eve Afrique Empowerment Initiative to further execute the ideals and the vision 2016 of the Red Ball Committee to provide mentorship, scholarship and socio-economic development of the Niger Delta child.
Eve Afrique Red Ball has achieved levels of successes over the previous Red Ball events in raising awareness on general health matters as a way of giving back to the state and society at large.
Over the years, Eve Afrique had successfully hosted the Red Ball which drew attention to various areas concerning health, environment and leadership. It had also undertaken outreaches as a way of giving back to the society.
The outreaches carried out in the past included the Red Ball visit to Susannah Homes, an orphanage outside Port Harcourt with food items as a means of showing love to them in 2011.
In 2012, the Red Ball hosted the Sickle Cell Awareness programme in partnership with the Sickle Cell Interactive and management Association (SCIMA). The highlight of the event was the adoption of a child with sickle cell anemia by a partner, Stephano Piotti.
In 2013, it was the cervical cancer awareness and prevention in partnership with the Medical Women Association and the Praying and Charity Wives Foundation, where over 130 women benefitted from the cervical cancer screening and immunization.
IN 2014, another Red Ball was hosted by the magazine tagged “Diabetic Management Awareness and Prevention in partnership with Diabetic Association of Nigeria where 40 people were tested for their sugar levels during the event.
In 2015, impacting the Next Generation was the theme and it was geared toward educating young entrepreneurs and aligning them with mentors, over 200 copies of the book, “15 Laws of Money written” by Ifeanyi Eze were distributed as a tool to mentor them. The event had eminent leaders like Tina Njoku Opara, Doris Akpowa and Alex Enebeli amongst others as speakers.
In 2016, Red Ball held another awareness programme for prostate cancer where 20 men were beneficiaries and 15 of them were sponsored by Red Ball partners, Steph Foundation with Colwoth Hospital. We also tackled erectile malfunction at the 2016 Red Ball and we partnered with Dr. Adekunle of Scanners”, the magazine said.
In 2017, Eve Afrique hosted the Woman and her MUSTs in partnership with Mireya. It was an epoch-making event which centred on leadership. Eminent women in leadership including Timipre Wolw, Dr Chizoba Wonodi and Kalanne Fubara, Director Africa International Operations of Dubai Tourism. were speakers at the event.
In 2018, it was the colon cancer awareness which drew the attention of the public to the disease at that time.
In 2019, the theme was “Going Greener” with the main focus on the environment and air pollution. The event was in collaboration with environmental NGOs such as Africa Centre for Environmental Protection, Clean Cyclers, to promote good environment stewardship through dissemination. This led in the planting over 780 trees within and outside Rivers State.
The Red Ball committee acknowledges that partnership and commitment are the key to development strides in any given project and therefore wishes to recognise those communities, institutions and individuals in Niger Delta whose efforts have positively contributed towards the development of the region through activism, awareness programmes, charity outreaches, media, amongst others.
The awards and entertainment gala will be held in Port Harcourt, Nigeria where the “HEART OF GOLD” will be presented to individuals who have made significant strides in the areas of protection and respect for human rights, peaceful settlement of disputes, sustainable development in the Niger Delta region and good governance.
“Eve Afrique has the mandate of changing the narrative concerning the Niger Delta. We are on a mission to highlight and showcase the beauty of the Niger Delta and Nigeria as a whole”, the outfit said.
By: Ibinabo Ogolo
Women
Nigeria Deserves Stylish, Sophisticated Designs-Igiebor Daddy Lucky
IVY-K Fashion by Igiebor Daddy Lucky, a Nigerian-born designer now based in the UK, has launched the latest menswear line, Dapper Man.
One of the collection’s strengths is its classic, clean aesthetic. Dapper Man delivers sharp, structured suits in a timeless black and white color scheme that exudes a sense of luxury and professionalism. The use of high-quality fabrics like wool and silk ensures that the suits not only look high-end but also feel luxurious to the wearer. The designer’s focus on detail is evident in the meticulous tailoring, with fitted blazers and crisp trousers forming the foundation of the collection.
Where IVY-K Fashion shines is in the subtle yet elegant touches. The inclusion of beads as embellishments on lapels and cuffs adds a unique flair, blending traditional craft with modern tailoring. This nod to African heritage gives the collection a distinct identity, offering something more personal and culturally significant than your standard menswear line.
However, despite the elegance of the Dapper Man collection, there is a lingering sense of missed opportunity. The black-and-white color palette, while classic, feels overly safe. In a fashion landscape where bold colors and daring patterns often make the strongest impact, the collection could benefit from incorporating more vibrant hues or experimenting with unconventional fabrics. Pushing the envelope with color or texture could elevate these designs from simply elegant to truly memorable.
In addition, while the tailoring of the blazers and trousers is immaculate, the collection lacks a sense of playfulness or modern edge that many contemporary menswear lines are embracing. The suits are undoubtedly stylish, but the collection as a whole leans heavily on tradition. Experimenting with asymmetrical cuts, bold patterns, or even layering could add an exciting dimension to Dapper Man. The challenge is to maintain the sleek sophistication of the collection while infusing it with a fresh, innovative spirit.
Another area that could use improvement is the overall cohesion of the collection. While the suits are well-crafted, there is a feeling of repetition across the pieces. More variation in design, such as different lapel styles, pocket configurations, or even bolder accessories, would give the collection greater diversity and visual interest.
In conclusion, Dapper Man by Igiebor Daddy Lucky showcases the designer’s strong grasp of classic tailoring and elegant design, but to truly capture the attention of a broader audience, IVY-K Fashion would benefit from more daring choices. By infusing the collection with bold colors, unexpected textures, and a more modern edge, Dapper Man could move from a well-crafted line to a trendsetting force in men’s fashion. With such a solid foundation, there’s no doubt that Igiebor Daddy Lucky has the potential to lead his brand toward greater heights
Women
Women Can Curb Indecent Dressing
The trend of indecent dressing all in the name of fashion is fast becoming a norm in our generation and society at large. Most married women embrace this fashion as competition with single ladies.
Different scholars have given an in depth insight about dressing as a tool of communication. Non-verbal communication has been asserted as the communication between people by the means of signs or symbols. It conveys what we wish to disseminate to the public as either intentionally or not.
According to Paul Ekman and Michael Argyle, communication is carried out through what has been classified as “Presentational Code”. He listed nine codes of non-verbal communication, as body contact, facial expression, gestures, postures, eye movement, proximity, orientation, head nods and appearance.
This, being stated, married and single ladies should understand that their mode of dressing is communicative be it directly or indirectly as such body parts we call “private” are now being made public because of the trends or wearing of transparent dresses and this in turn calls on the attention of men who are weak and prone to illicit thoughts thus, resulting to most rape cases in our society.
This indecent dressing by most ladies has denied many their future husbands. The truth is that a man is attracted to his kind; his desires in marriage. It is often asserted that decency and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder, yet, in trending times of this 21st century, dress code and fashion in nudity form is gaining popularity.
This has become complicated as most men tend to toggle between their emotions (lust) and sanity (rationality) in terms of marriage, thereby setting a wrong foundation upon which most marriages are consummated.
On the other hand, most married women have embraced the trend of indecent dressing nipping it on the state of it being the choice dressing, approved by their spouses, leaving society with the question of what “responsible” man would prefer that the secrecy of the benefit of his marital vow has become the centre of attraction and viewership by the general public.
Hence, communicating with their dressing gas given licence to every male gender who is interested or attracted to what they see to make unsolicited sexual passes at them, which might be considered embarrassing.
At this juncture, it is important to state that ladies should dress decently knowing that they are the epitome of nation-building, they are nation-builders, character moulders and pacesetters not just in the lives of their families but to the society at large.
In most occasions, there are no clear border lines between the married women and the single ladies because of the rate of scanty dressing which has close the gap of differences.
Women and girls should embrace this call awakening to decent mode of dressing. Dresses that are meant to be worn indoors should remain indoors.
It is worrisome to see ladies wear shorts that are supposed to be worn in the living room on the streets without shame. This is an awakening call to our ladies, married and singles that the opposite sex do not expose their private body parts for the public. Sometimes, the ladies go about in the streets without wearing brazziers as to showcase their nipples.
The society should be sanitised of the menace of indecent dressing that is lurking and taking over the entire nooks and crannies of the society and the nation at large.
Let it be known that he or she is addressed in the manner he or she is dressed. There may be no room for a second impression. To the single ladies, your dressing decently will not stop you from meeting your Mr Right rather, it will increase your stake and place you on the list of most valued women in the society.
Dressing speaks louder than words.
Kate Chisom Isiocha
Isiocha is an OND final year student of Temple Gate Polytechnic.