This cover has made it to most Nigerian blogs and it's easy to see why. The ladies on it are beautiful, hardworking and well known in the entertainment circles. However, this blog is not to call them hot chicks or exalt that "Nigerian Girls are getting bolder". While I'm usually not one to call out fellow women on the choices they make in their life and work, I just had to say this. Permit me.
I don't know the other two very well, but Toke I had sorta been following, she has a blog, also vlogs, and was campaigning against cancer the other day. I equally saw an interview she had with Ebuka Obi Uchendu not too long ago. In it, she referenced a small, or if you will, big, fall out with Linda Ikeji on who is and who isn't supposed to be a role model. And then I see her pimping herself in underwear on a male magazine cover?
I know these are all up-and-coming talent, and they're hustling to make the most of their fame and maximize their popularity, but by a lot of standards, they are successful, they are celebrated, people look up to them. I wonder if they realize this, and if they really consider the message they're sending out to the younger women who are following behind?
They're basically saying that it doesn't matter how successful, talented or smart you are, what is important to get ahead is to show men that you are sexually available to them, are at least, you're willing to make yourself look that way in public. The fact is that these women are not lingerie models, neither are they musicians at a concert, so we can't say they're just doing their job. What exactly are they doing?
Compare their cover to the Kings of Comedy cover of Mode Men, which in 2010 featured three male entertainers. The difference is clear, isn't it?
I know we copy a lot of things from abroad, after all, loads of female stars have appeared almost or totally naked on GQ and Esquire covers, but let's also be critical about what we see and emulate.
Maybe Toke was conflicted about the shoot, or maybe she simply wanted to be a bit modest, and that's why she hid her lady bits by sitting in the middle. Or maybe the photographer wanted it that way. Whatever the case, ladies, think twice next time before you begin to take your clothes off for a male magazine's camera.
Funny cos we talked about this yesterday. Based on a study done in the 60's, they found out that men r more attracted to half naked women, than one who is fully naked. That's what the lingerie idea was borne out of. No joke.
ReplyDeleteMyne you couldn't have said it any better!!!I was so disappointed when I saw this. We Nigerians are just copying everything from foreign countries without remembering our roots or applying our own sense of judgement. It's really sad. At this rate, Lord knows what the world will be in the next few years....people will start walking nude on the streets.
ReplyDeleteThank God someone has spoken up against this. I refrained from commenting on that post because really, what could I have said without someone trying to crucify me for sounding prudish? God help Nigerian women...the gradual loss of morals is evident.
ReplyDeleteMoral Decadence in its boldest form. Slowly and subtly, we're loosing the very essence of womanhood with all these negative influences. Thank God for a few good women who are still blazing the trail. God help us all.
ReplyDeleteDon't see the big deal. We talk essence of womanhood when Nigerian women are doing some interesting things in private. Now if the issue was that she dared to criticize Linda- why not? We all have our definition of what a role model is, if Linda doesn't fit her profile of one then what's the problem .....there is something known as free choice.
ReplyDeleteMoreover before the white man came to Nigeria , we all walked around naked.
My ancestors did not walk around naked.
DeleteWell, the pictures look nice...a little over the top and when I compare it with the men's one feauturing Julius Agwu et el, I clearly see your point. I am so happy I do not know any of the women there. I too may have been disappointed, but like everything else that has made the news in recent past, this too shall pass when something more outrageous hits the news.
ReplyDelete@pamela ^^^ I honestly do not believe that in Nigeria, our forefathers walked around naked before the white man came. You may have to double-check your sources on that. #justsaying
ReplyDeletetell dem
ReplyDeleteSaddens me that many Nigerians are so quick to copy the negatives of the Western world yet NOTHING of the positives.
ReplyDeleteFair to say we all have our sense of judgement. But then, these are career women in their own fields and it just doesnt send the right signals..
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the magazine, I took it in with an indifference as I do others, because, it is no longer 'NEWS' to see women in sure posture all over the world, and now coming to read your opinion on it, made me went ':0' ...myne is courting trouble o! And knowing you as someone that don't like wahala, this is a #GBAM# from you!
ReplyDeleteMy only view I want to add to yours is that....it is still we women that cry out about being seen as sex toys by men! BUT Our mouth say a different thing from our body language! PLEASE WE SHOULD STOP ALL THESE DOUBLE STANDARDS WE DISPLAY AND CALL A SPADE A SPADE!
I think the major problem of Nigerians is that we tend to think we are morally better those from the Westerner world.
ReplyDeleteWe all see beyonce who is most times half naked as a role model, we celebrate her...but turn a blind eye to her mode of dressing because she is American.
I do not know the message of Mode Men, I actually thought it was the GQ of Nigeria.
I do not see anything wrong in what these women are wearing at least I think their dressing is taken out of context, have you read the story itself to determine why they are dressed like this...I think we really need to stop this double standards, Nigerians are not saints and the so-called role models are all out to make money and fame for themselves.
Thanks Lara, you articulate my thoughts clearly and concisely. Most Nigerians women have a problem with this cover because these women have dared to defy the Nigerian norm. For the most part, it is a subconscious anger that stems from "How dare these women step out of the norm", "What makes them think they can do this".
DeleteEven as an entertainer, Tiwa savage caught some flak for her outfit in her "Love me, Love me" video. Her American counterparts have worn more risqué outfits, but because she is a Nigerian woman, we call her out on it. Once something is not in line with our morals,we usually have a problem with it. We feel like it’s our God given right, to demonize other women for their choices!
If our beloved Lynxxx appeared shirtless in nothing but underwear on a magazine cover, we would all be screaming "eye candy" and comments like "Lynxx can get it any time" will follow. As women, we have choices, some choose to be conservative others choose to be "bolder". Please, learn to respect the decisions others make and stop setting women’s rights back to 1950!
thank you Bukky....
DeleteThank you Lara.
ReplyDelete@Madame, let me start by attacking you first on your point. Males are not attracted to half naked women, but to a character wise women.
ReplyDelete@Pamela, your orientation about life is weird. How on earth will you say you do not see anything wrong about it. Can you allow your daughter to dress that way all in the name of Advert? Our fathers never walked around naked. You can allow your daughter to do that no problem but don't ever allow her to cross the street of Nigeria.
@Lara... It saddened my heart to hear you say you do not see anything wrong with what does gals are wearing.Am afraid gals of this unethical modern generation will hardly find a good man to marry, if they continue this way.
@Elisoft, you need to go back to school to know what carrier women is all about. http://www.icon5ive.com
Younglord....start by attacking yourself. Did you not see that I wrote that a study was done, or you don't know what that means in English? I'm talking about the human brain here not some moral ideology you want to harp on. Besides, u r not ALL men, so have several seats.
DeleteP.S. carrier does not equal career, please remember that d next time u want to tell someone to go back to school. Oversabi.
DeleteThis is what a male friend says of this cover he would sleep with any of these girls however he wouldn't marry them. Then he goes on to say if the cover had featured the same three women in tasteful elegant evening gowns that showed their curves but still covered their essentials he would consider taking them home to mama.
ReplyDeletePendo says: Says a lot about perception of one's character based on appearance alone.
Girls like this are not looking to marry close minded men like your friend anyway!
DeleteVery well written Myne. When I saw the cover I thought it was a Western based magazine cover. The women are using their bodies as marketing tools. I can't judge them, but they do have to live with the consequences of their actions, which may be that more people will like them, or that fewer people will respect them, it's all one big risk.
ReplyDeleteI am a free-lance writer, and I was once asked to interview an author for publication in Mode Men. I turned it down because I hate the materialism and objectification of women in the magazine. That was a few years ago, when I wasn't trying to make a living from my writing as I am now, so I don't know if I would make the same decision now. But, I'm glad I did then!
ReplyDeletefame and fortune,comes with its own price!i trust toke!she knows the kind family she comes from.too much cable! while the guys,on the pics looks like suuuuuu....,when bobo no show!dem go say,na witch cause am.forget say dem be LADY O!
ReplyDeleteI wont buy a toothpaste if a naked woman didnt advertize it. *sense the sarcasm*
ReplyDeleteAm not one to judge anyone sha but if the interview inside that magazine does not give an explanation for that dressing then thats just silly. we have somehow forgotten that undergarments are exactly that...hence the name.
smh***
ReplyDeleteI really think people are overreacting to this article. These three women are not responsible for the futures of our children. People need to stop jumping to the "role model" argument when other human beings simply go about living their lives. Just like there are covers of women in lingerie, there are videos of Chimamanda Adichie discussing the dangers of a single story.
ReplyDeleteWe need to stop making it seem like the media is assaulting our morality when there is a wealth of information and representations out there in the world. Our job is to teach our children how to navigate these different images, not blame the people putting out the images themselves. These women have a choice to take whatever kinds of pictures they like, just like we have the choice of watching what we count as important or expose our children to.
P.S. Though I won't say all our ancestors were naked, it is very obvious that many of our ethnic groups wore very little clothing before extended contact with Europeans. This does not mean that they were backward/primitive/promiscuous etc. It just means that being draped in fabric is not inherently African or morally superior. Women presenting their bodies how they like do not necessarily have to be seen as jumping on a Western bandwagon when minimal clothing is not solely restricted to the West.
It's cool! If Nigerian men are too prudish to take one of these gorgeous women home to Momma...we Americans would gladly put a ring on it :-)
ReplyDelete....BTW can't wait to see the Grammy attendees will wear this year with the ban
ReplyDeleteLong time ago my mum always wondered why ladies were scantily dressed in music videos and guys fully clothed. The same situation is playing out on the covers of our magazines. I believe if we respect our bodies we won't agree to this kind of treatment except its an advert for lingerie or swim wear. We do have a long way to go. Guys are hardly half naked in music videos or mag covers. Ladies lets think bout that cos we can be HAWT and fully clothed
ReplyDeleteAll i see is a cover that says that women can be successful as well as being smoking hot. it doesnt objectify any of the women nor does it take away from whatever they have achieved and it would be pretentious and unfair to say it does. Since when have women been scared to be proud of their sexuality and since when has being proud of that sexuality been a bad thing. Women are built with beautiful curves and swellings that have always been intriguing to men- appreciating that doesnt mean objectification or make you lecherous and neither does flaunting it by those that have it mean self-degradation. what do women think we men think when we see a cover like that? you think we run to the bathroom with the magazine in our hands and reach for the soap to rub one out? thats insulting. is that how little you think of us? what we see is three highly intelligent driven and yes sexy career women who are knocking it out of the park in their chosen fields while still retaining all the base characteristics that make them attractive to the other sex. Being considered attractive isnt a delightful feeling exclusive to women. a million girls may tell me i'm smart or have a great sense of humour but guess what? it warms the cockles of my heart when a girl smiles at me and says she thinks i'm hot. morris chestnut and ryan gosling and all the polo ralph models are objectified everyday on the covers of romantic books and womens mags all day but no one screams about it. these women who think they are on a liberation drive need to stop taking everything as a perceived slight on their self worth. like the obama issue recently where he complimented a female official on being smart and sexy and there was an uproar. listen women- if you take offence that men compliment or consider you sexy i think it stems out of an inferiority complex because you are scared of being reduced to your physical attributes and that that may really be all you have- when really nobody is doing that. like it or not the greater percentage of attraction is physical for both sexes- only a physical attraction prompts you to make contact to get to know the inner person. how many of you have shunned a guy at a party because he didnt look good, dress sharp or smelt nice- opting instead to dance with the hunk. Women its okay to feel comfortable with your sexuality without feeling that men would see you as the sum of only that. Give us a bit more credit, we aren't the animals women these days seem to think we are.
ReplyDelete