Post by IrekeOnibudo on Jan 3, 2016 13:21:16 GMT
Meet Bukola Taiwo, oldest African model
JANUARY 3, 2016
BY CHRISTY ANYANWU
She modeled as a young girl in the late eighties and early nineties before leaving the shores of this country for greener pasture. Coming back, she noticed the industry has expanded with the proliferation of designers in Nigeria. Still in shape with the right curves, she decided to go back to her first love, which is runway modeling. In the course of interacting with designers and models , she has this penchant to improve modeling in Nigeria by starting a school for budding models. Bukola Taiwo visited The Sun in Lagos lately to tell her story.
Excerpts:
Tell us more about who you are?
I’m Bukola Taiwo and I’m a super model. I have been modeling for over 20 years now. I modeled in the late eighties and early nineties. I did that for a while and came back to Nigeria to complete my tertiary education. I am married and I had four kids. After I had all my children, I still discovered I’m still in shape and I know that being a model is my calling. I decided to go back professionally to the runway. I had to register with an agency but I discovered along the line that most Nigerian models don’t really have the basic wherewithal. Some designers complained about their personal hygiene. For instance, there were cases when the girls wore dirty clothes that needed the drycleaners touch. Modeling agencies don’t tell you all you need to know about hygiene and other necessary things you need to know as a woman. They only tell you how to catwalk and get ready for the designers, wear their clothes and make your money. I think it’s much more than that. After a while, I decided to start my own modeling academy, which is totally like a school that will teach the nitty-gritty of modeling. We have catwalk classes and aerobic classes to keep them in shape. We teach them etiquettes and also work on their diction to bring them to international standards. There are no good schools in Nigeria anymore to groom models. I know Nigeria models are the best world-wide. During my time, the only modeling school then was owned by Yemi Fawaz and she’s no more in the country. I’m trying to put such a school together, and we are taking off in January in Lagos. The criterion is just your statistics and we’ll put them to shape even if they don’t have the right statistics.
You don’t look like you already had four kids. What’s the secret?
I had four kids but now I’m left with two. I lost two. They were three boys and a girl. I lost one to autism. That was what they called it but I’m pretty sure that my boy was not autistic because when I looked at the other students in his class, there were more severe cases. He was my first born. I have another son and he’s a model here in Nigeria. I lost the third one and my last born is a girl. Now, I have a 17-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl. I’m just a very cautious person. I try to discipline myself. Apart from the fact that I’m a model and people should see me slim and all that, it’s just me personally. That’s why I say modeling is my calling. I don’t make an extra effort to keep in shape. But these days, I walk. I play music and dance, so that keeps me in shape. I don’t always drive but I don’t do the usual gym and jogging anymore. I eat right . I eat little of fruits and vegetables. I don’t eat beef; I try to eat more sea foods and poultry. I just watch what I eat and try to maintain my looks.
How old are you now?
I’m 47.
Can you tell us about your modeling experience?
I modeled in New York, London, Milan and Paris in the late eighties. I didn’t take it as a profession then. But when I came back to Nigeria , I saw that modeling is a serious business here. I have attended quite a number of shows since I’ve returned. I have been a judge at Nigeria’s next super model casting, Lagos fashion awards and I was the face of super runway cervical cancer campaign.
Could you recall some of the shows you did abroad?
I can’t. I just went there for the fun of it. In my secondary school days, I used to admire models. I read about them in magazines and I was excited. When I travelled abroad and the opportunity came. I just jumped at it. It was shortly after my secondary education and I was naïve. When I returned to the country, I decided to make a come back into the profession since I still have my shape. I still walk on the runway. I modeled for Ade Bakare during Style& Essence awards and other designers.
Now that you are back, what are the things you cannot wear on the runway?
I cannot wear bikini on the runway because I’m not a bikini model. Bikini models are the busty ones like Tyra Banks. I can take pictures in bikini if I want and if the pay is good. It depends on what the client wants. I have a good body so what is stopping me? I can wear short and minis, but the most important thing about a runway model are her legs and being able to walk on heels comfortably. I have good legs. I think I’m the oldest African model on the runway.
How long have you been wearing your hairstyle?
Over ten years. My husband wasn’t happy about it initially but if I decide to wear a wig he won’t like it. It’s like a signature now and I’m cool with it. I’m used to it. A lot of people call me African Queen; other people think I lost someone by shaving my hair. Some people think as a woman I shouldn’t have, wondering why . I always tell them, that’s the look I want for my profession.
Is your husband a model too?
No, he’s not. He used to be a media consultant but now he owns his own business.
JANUARY 3, 2016
BY CHRISTY ANYANWU
She modeled as a young girl in the late eighties and early nineties before leaving the shores of this country for greener pasture. Coming back, she noticed the industry has expanded with the proliferation of designers in Nigeria. Still in shape with the right curves, she decided to go back to her first love, which is runway modeling. In the course of interacting with designers and models , she has this penchant to improve modeling in Nigeria by starting a school for budding models. Bukola Taiwo visited The Sun in Lagos lately to tell her story.
Excerpts:
Tell us more about who you are?
I’m Bukola Taiwo and I’m a super model. I have been modeling for over 20 years now. I modeled in the late eighties and early nineties. I did that for a while and came back to Nigeria to complete my tertiary education. I am married and I had four kids. After I had all my children, I still discovered I’m still in shape and I know that being a model is my calling. I decided to go back professionally to the runway. I had to register with an agency but I discovered along the line that most Nigerian models don’t really have the basic wherewithal. Some designers complained about their personal hygiene. For instance, there were cases when the girls wore dirty clothes that needed the drycleaners touch. Modeling agencies don’t tell you all you need to know about hygiene and other necessary things you need to know as a woman. They only tell you how to catwalk and get ready for the designers, wear their clothes and make your money. I think it’s much more than that. After a while, I decided to start my own modeling academy, which is totally like a school that will teach the nitty-gritty of modeling. We have catwalk classes and aerobic classes to keep them in shape. We teach them etiquettes and also work on their diction to bring them to international standards. There are no good schools in Nigeria anymore to groom models. I know Nigeria models are the best world-wide. During my time, the only modeling school then was owned by Yemi Fawaz and she’s no more in the country. I’m trying to put such a school together, and we are taking off in January in Lagos. The criterion is just your statistics and we’ll put them to shape even if they don’t have the right statistics.
You don’t look like you already had four kids. What’s the secret?
I had four kids but now I’m left with two. I lost two. They were three boys and a girl. I lost one to autism. That was what they called it but I’m pretty sure that my boy was not autistic because when I looked at the other students in his class, there were more severe cases. He was my first born. I have another son and he’s a model here in Nigeria. I lost the third one and my last born is a girl. Now, I have a 17-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl. I’m just a very cautious person. I try to discipline myself. Apart from the fact that I’m a model and people should see me slim and all that, it’s just me personally. That’s why I say modeling is my calling. I don’t make an extra effort to keep in shape. But these days, I walk. I play music and dance, so that keeps me in shape. I don’t always drive but I don’t do the usual gym and jogging anymore. I eat right . I eat little of fruits and vegetables. I don’t eat beef; I try to eat more sea foods and poultry. I just watch what I eat and try to maintain my looks.
How old are you now?
I’m 47.
Can you tell us about your modeling experience?
I modeled in New York, London, Milan and Paris in the late eighties. I didn’t take it as a profession then. But when I came back to Nigeria , I saw that modeling is a serious business here. I have attended quite a number of shows since I’ve returned. I have been a judge at Nigeria’s next super model casting, Lagos fashion awards and I was the face of super runway cervical cancer campaign.
Could you recall some of the shows you did abroad?
I can’t. I just went there for the fun of it. In my secondary school days, I used to admire models. I read about them in magazines and I was excited. When I travelled abroad and the opportunity came. I just jumped at it. It was shortly after my secondary education and I was naïve. When I returned to the country, I decided to make a come back into the profession since I still have my shape. I still walk on the runway. I modeled for Ade Bakare during Style& Essence awards and other designers.
Now that you are back, what are the things you cannot wear on the runway?
I cannot wear bikini on the runway because I’m not a bikini model. Bikini models are the busty ones like Tyra Banks. I can take pictures in bikini if I want and if the pay is good. It depends on what the client wants. I have a good body so what is stopping me? I can wear short and minis, but the most important thing about a runway model are her legs and being able to walk on heels comfortably. I have good legs. I think I’m the oldest African model on the runway.
How long have you been wearing your hairstyle?
Over ten years. My husband wasn’t happy about it initially but if I decide to wear a wig he won’t like it. It’s like a signature now and I’m cool with it. I’m used to it. A lot of people call me African Queen; other people think I lost someone by shaving my hair. Some people think as a woman I shouldn’t have, wondering why . I always tell them, that’s the look I want for my profession.
Is your husband a model too?
No, he’s not. He used to be a media consultant but now he owns his own business.
Source: sunnewsonline.com/new/meet-bukola-taiwo-oldest-african-model/
