Issue #26
Last week, the most clicked link in our newsletter was this video that talks about what to do if you are feeling left behind in life. You should watch it if you haven’t. It’s filled with so many practical nuggets.
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Today, we are looking at:
All Black Cast Grace The British Vogue Magazine
Kano schoolgirl, Hanifa Abubakar's murder sparks outrage across Nigeria
All Black Cast Grace The British Vogue Magazine
The British Vogue February 2022 featured on its cover, nine young Black beautiful models. The cover spotlighted supermodels from across the diverse African continent; South-Sudanese models Adut Akech Bior, Akon Changkou, Nyaguaa and Anok Yai; Ethiopian Amar Akway; Senegalese-Italian Diba Maty Fall; Nigerian Janet Jumbo; Abeny Nhial; and American Majesty Amaree. The young women were styled and photographed by Edward Enninful and Rafael Pavarotti.
The cover has been described as a momentous change for the fashion industry, which has long faced criticism for its lack of diversity and perpetuating European beauty standards.
Enninful accounts the inspiration behind the shoot as redefining what it is to be a fashion model, giving the long-overdue prominence to the Black model and finally giving more space to the African beauty.
Reactions; There’s a Spectrum…
While the British Vogue cover has become the most-liked cover on Instagram, it has also faced criticism for lacking nuance in the aesthetics of the photo, and for seemingly being made to appeal to a “white audience”. Critics pointed out that the photo didn’t highlight the women’s beauty. The models were made -perhaps deliberately - to appear darker as their skin tone was overly darkened.
The models were also styled in dark apparel and appeared gloomy. None of them wore their natural hair even when behind-the-scenes footage showed the ladies cheerful and with natural hair looks.
One comment read, “It would have been so interesting and beautiful if every model showed her laughter and happy mood and brighter clothes. I’m very curious what is the theme behind this?”
Another read, “Why did they darken the skin of some of these models? Where’s gorgeous black natural hair? This is done with good intentions but no.”
Although the points noted are valid enough for concern, a lot has changed in the fashion industry to make it more and more inclusive. Vogue’s first cover that had a black woman was in 1974 with Beverly Ann Johnson, this happened 80 years after the first publication of Vogue.
Kano schoolgirl, Hanifa Abubakar's murder sparks outrage across Nigeria
The gruesome murder of a 5-year-old Hanifa Abubakar, a pupil of an Islamic school located in Kwanar Dakata Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State who was allegedly kidnapped and killed by her school proprietor, Abdulmalik Tanko has continued to generate reactions from Nigerians.
The pupil was declared missing in December after which her abductors reached out to her family and demanded a N13 million ransom. The amount was negotiated to N3 Million which the victim's father paid without invitation, then in a rather surprising move the principal suspect, Tanko decided to poison Hanifa with rat poison when he realized that she had recognised him.
The discovery of the decomposing body of five-year-old schoolgirl, Hanifa Abubakar has triggered shock and outrage across Nigeria, where the hashtag #JusticeForHanifa is currently trending.
The owner of her school, Abdulmalik Mohammed Tanko, has been arrested and his school closed down.
According to the police, Mr Tanko, 34, led officers to the school premises where he had buried the schoolgirl's body in a shallow grave.
Her remains were then exhumed for medical examination and a proper burial by her family. The discovery followed about a month of a discrete investigation by the police and relevant agencies.
Meanwhile, Non-governmental organizations, the Coalition for Good Governance and Economic Justice in Africa and The Unity Project Nigeria have jointly, during the weekend condemned the gruesome murder of Hanifa. Describing the incident as a “harrowing tragedy”, the NGOs demanded that the accused, and others who abetted him, be made to answer for the “heinous crime” which callously terminated the life of an innocent and promising child placed in his care for academic development.
Monday Motivation:
“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” — Henry David Thoreau
It’s about the process, not the prize.
Take pride in the process.
WORTH READING 📚
On Sub Saharan Africa’s tech talent problem by Chukwuemeka Afigbo
Why Africa’s Industrialisation won’t look like China’s - Harvard Business Review
WORTH WATCHING 🎥
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This brief was put together while listening to Work Song by Hozier.
We want to hear from you. Tell us what you think of this newsletter and what else you’d like us to explore. Email us at thesoftpallet@gmail.com.
This brief was written by Blessed Frank and Sybil Okubo Fekurumoh.
Edited by Acquah Nana Yeboah