DON'T M ISS:
ODIO OSENI
VOL 5 NO. 51 • CHRISTMAS EDITION 2025
20TH & 2 1ST DEC. 2025
On 30 Years of Odio Mimonet And The Future
VOL 5 NO. 51 • CHRISTMAS EDITION 2025
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THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
VOL 5 NO. 51 • CHRISTMAS EDITION 2025
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
CONTENT Photo: Kola Oshalusi @insignamedia Makeup: Zaron
EDITOR’S NOTE
O
dio Oseni, the designer behind the brand Odio Mimonet, has always stood apart. She has always had a deep love for art and a clear creative vision, both of which she taps from to celebrate the female form in her designs. This year, she celebrates 30 years in the fashion industry. It has been quite the journey as she looks back at when Odio Mimonet truly found her voice. Oseni says much like a person, a brand’s voice evolves; however, the real turning point came when they started building a community of people who trusted the label. Oseni’s artistic background informs how she designs and tells stories through Odio Mimonet, approaching clothes as a canvas to create vivid, expressive pieces. Odio Mimonet has remained relevant for 30 years, and this is possible because they put customers first. Read Odio Oseni’s story on pages 8 to 10 of this issue. You’ll learn a thing or two from her. Christmas is just around the corner, which means lots of events to attend. If you are wondering whether you can wear certain fabrics during the day, then this week’s fashion piece is for you. We highlight fashion rules to break this Christmas; you really don’t want to miss this article. Scroll to pages 4 and 5 for this. Every December, the city has a different kind of buzz, and regardless of getting stuck in traffic, Lagosians and IJGBs (I Just Got Back) have one goal: paint the city red. Everyone has saved up for this season to have fun, and after a long year, who’s to say you shouldn’t let your hair down? While we party, let us remember older people and the poor this Christmas time. Here’s wishing you a very Merry Christmas. Until next week, enjoy your read.
Onah
@onahluciaa
+2348033239132
AUSTYN OGANNAH
PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Executive Editor: Onah Nwachukwu @onahluciaa Writer: Johnson Chukwueke Design & Layout: Olaniyan John ‘Blake’ Digital Media: Oladimeji Balogun Consulting Art Director: Sunny Hughes ‘SunZA’ www.thewilldowntown.com thewilldowntown thewilldowntown 36AA Remi Fani-Kayode Avenue, GRA, Ikeja. Lagos, Nigeria. +234 810 345 2286, +234 913 333 3888
13
BEAUTY
5 Essential Skincare Tools for the Festive Season
14
Maximalist Christmas
DÉCOR
How to Decorate Boldly Without Losing Taste
15
DOWNTOWN CONFIDENTIAL
04-05 FASHION
5 Fashion Rules to Break This Christmas
07
Untold Truths
#UNSHAKABLE TRUTHS
8-10 COVER
12
LUXURY SILK
16
REVIEW
Home For Christmas
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out
Christmas Isn’t Always Merry
Odio Oseni on 30 Years of Odio Mimonet And The Future Where the Noise Ends and the Heart Remembers
WHAT YOU SAID Boluwatife Adesina @bolugramm - Contributing Writer Boluwatife Adesina is a media writer and the helmer of the Downtown Review page. He’s probably in a cinema near you.
Dorcas Akintoye @mila_dfa_ - Contributing Writer Dorcas Akintoye is a dedicated writer with 5 years prolific experience in writing articles ranging from food,entertainment, fashion and beauty. She loves writing, listening to music and playing scrabble. She is a highly-skilled, enthusiastic, selfmotivated professional writer.
Sally Chiwuzie @unshakable.is.a.state.of.mind - Contributing Writer Sally Chiwuzie is a non-practising barrister who owns the brand #Unshakable. She is the author of Silent Symphonies, a fictional love story, and the creator of the podcast Chronicles of #Unshakable Truths. Ada Obiajunwa @aaddaahh - Contributing Writer Ada Obiajunwa writes from Lagos about the big truths tucked inside ordinary moments — friendship, self-discovery, and the quiet revolutions of everyday life. She believes in the power of presence, good banter, and decoding the unsaid. Through her fragrance studio, WhiffWonders, she also crafts scents that weave memory and emotion into experiences that feel like home.
DON'T MISS:
VOL 5 NO. 50 • DECEMBER 14, 2025
20TH & 21ST DEC. 2025
Inside the World of DEYEMI OKANLAWON
@fatherfigure_kc World famous, pleasure
@stephanietum_
@comorerica watching your growth is a privilege still raising the bar, role after role
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VOL 5 NO. 51 • CHRISTMAS EDITION 2025
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
FASHION
5 FASHION RULES
TO BREAK THIS CHRISTMAS
BY DORCAS AKINTOYE
C
hristmas is one of the few seasons where fashion becomes more fun, more expressive, and more colourful. It’s a time when people dress up for parties, family gatherings, church services, and end-of-year outings. So why not enjoy it fully? Many people still follow old-fashioned rules that make dressing up feel stressful instead of exciting. This is the perfect season to break those rules, try bold choices, and express your personal style without fear. Fashion is supposed to make you feel confident and comfortable, not boxed in. Here are five rules you should confidently break this Christmas.
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YOU MUST MATCH ALL YOUR COLOURS This is one of the simplest rules to let go of. You don’t need a perfectly matching outfit to look good. Mixing colours can make your outfit more lively and interesting. Instead of sticking to only similar shades, try combining unexpected colours like green and pink, red and orange, or even blue and yellow. Christmas is full of bright decorations, so let your outfit also reflect that energy. The goal is to have fun with your colours, not to look like everything came from a matching set.
VOL 5 NO. 51 • CHRISTMAS EDITION 2025
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
FASHION SEQUINS AND SHIMMERS ARE ONLY FOR NIGHT EVENTS
Many peo ple think shiny outf its should only be w orn at night, but that’s not true. You can wear a sparkly dre sequin top ss or a during th e day on Ch ristmas. The seaso n is alread y bright and festive, so shimmer actually fi ts in perfectl y. A sequin skirt for b run metallic to ch, a p to visit friends, o r shiny earrings a t a family lunch are all great choices. S hine is no t tied to a ti me of day ; wear it w henever y ou feel like it .
DON’T MIX PRINTS This rule has kept so many people from trying fresh, ing stylish looks. Mix prints can look very fashionable when done well, and Christmas is the perfect time to experiment. You th can mix stripes wi ts do florals, polka with Ankara, or t plaid with abstrac th wi t ar St s. pattern ect colours that conn both prints, and make sure one print is slightly bolder than the ts other. Mixing prin t tfi ou ur yo gives personality and . shows confidence
RED AND GREEN ARE TOO CLICHÉ FOR CHRISTMAS People often avoid wearing red and green together because they think it’s too predictable. But these colours are classic Christmas shades, and you can always style them in a modern way. Instead of wearing them the traditional way, try deeper or softer tones, like wine and olive or emerald and coral. You can also use the colours in accessories instead of clothing. The key is to style them in a way that feels fresh, stylish, and true to you.
YOU MUST WEAR HEELS TO LOOK DRESSY Comfort should neve r be sacrificed during the festive season. You don’t have to wear heels to look well-dressed. Stylish flats, sparkly sandals , platform sneakers, and even fashionable loafers can complete your Christmas look beautifully. There are many dressy footwea r options now that don’t require heels. If you plan to move around a lot, dance, or atten d long events, comfort should come first. Yo u can look elegant and still feel relaxed.
This Christmas, give yourself the freedom to enjoy fashion without rules holding you back. Break the old ideas, explore new combinations, and wear whatever makes you feel confident and happy.
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VOL 5 NO. 51 • CHRISTMAS EDITION 2025
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THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
VOL 5 NO. 51 • CHRISTMAS EDITION 2025
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
#UNSHAKABLE TRUTHS
SALLY CHIWUZIE
@unshakable.is.a.state.of.mind
UNTOLD TRUTHS
CHRISTMAS ISN’T ALWAYS MERRY family didn’t look whole; guilty that there was an empty space where a parent should have been; guilty that putting up a Christmas tree felt less like joy and more like a task I had to brace myself for. It still does, if I’m honest, though now, for very different reasons.
T
here is a version of Christmas we are sold - glossy, coordinated, loud with joy and certainty, and then there is the Christmas many of us actually live: quieter, more complicated, sometimes tender, sometimes heavy, often unfinished. I learned this the hard way. After my divorce over a decade and a half ago, Christmas became something I struggled with silently, not out of bitterness or resistance, but because I loved my children too much to offer them anything less than perfect, and perfection suddenly felt impossible. The season arrived carrying questions I wasn’t ready to answer. Could I give them enough? Was my home enough? Was I enough? For a few years, resetting meant accepting that I couldn’t match what I imagined other children were getting. I felt guilty about that; guilty that my
Christmas has a way of magnifying what is missing. The empty chair does not always belong to someone who has died. Sometimes it belongs to a marriage that ended or a child who has grown and moved on, or even a version of yourself that no longer exists. And each year, when the season returns, it asks, ‘How are you going to hold that absence this time?’ What made it harder, in the beginning, was the performance of it all – the matching pyjamas (which I hated with a passion), expectation that joy should look a certain way, the unspoken pressure of the end-of-year stock take: Did you do enough? Are you where you should be? Did you deliver your best life? It took me a few Christmases to realise that this pressure wasn’t coming from the season itself. This pressure was coming from the story I thought I had to uphold. Life will happen. Seasons will end. There will always be another empty chair. That part is unavoidable. What is within our control is how we interpret Christmas, and how bravely we allow that interpretation to change. So here goes: I don’t love the performance of Christmas, but I love the love. Perhaps that’s because love is the only thing that truly matches the origin of the season itself. Stripped of spectacle, stripped of excess, Christmas began as the birth of love — not perfection, not abundance, not applause, just love
arriving quietly into a fragile world. When I remember that, the season makes sense again. Christmas becomes less about how it looks and more about how it feels. I don’t particularly enjoy Christmas carols, but I love firesides, long conversations, and terrible Christmas cracker jokes. I may or may not put up a tree, and if it goes up, it usually means I had help. That’s not resentment; it’s honesty. I am lazy in many areas of life (except running, boxing, and strength training). I try now to make Christmas less financial and more intentional. I may or may not give a gift, but you will feel my presence. You will feel the warmth. My love will envelope you, even if it doesn’t come wrapped. It has taken me almost sixteen years to arrive here. Before that, my participation in Christmas felt performatory — going along with the flow because that’s what was expected. Now, I try to make it honest. I make time for who I love. I honour who I’ve lost, including parts of myself, and I allow myself to be curious about what the next Christmas might mean. This is the untold truth: Christmas doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful. It doesn’t have to be loud to be full. It doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s to be real. So when I say ‘Merry Christmas’ now, I mean it differently. I mean it as a wish for warmth over wealth, presence over performance, love over illusion. I don’t mind the matching pyjamas anymore. I still think they can look extra, but I could be persuaded, and maybe that’s the quiet invitation of this season — not to perform joy, but to practice truth; not to recreate what once was, but to honour what is; not to chase perfection, but to choose love, again and again, in whatever form it arrives. Because Christmas isn’t always merry, but if it holds love — real, intentional, human love, then it is already holy enough. See you next week.
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VOL 5 NO. 51 • CHRISTMAS EDITION 2025
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
COVER
ODIO OSENI ON 30 YEARS OF ODIO MIMONET AND THE FUTURE
F
or three decades, Odio Mimonet has quietly but powerfully shaped the Nigerian fashion space. The brand has helped change how women dress, see themselves, and show up in the world. Known for its bold use of prints, strong silhouettes, and timeless designs, Odio Mimonet pushed fashion beyond trends and into meaning. It redefined power dressing for women, challenged old ideas around what femininity should look like, and proved that African fashion can be both artistic and enduring. At the heart of this legacy is Odio Oseni, a designer whose work has always stood apart. With a deep love for art and a clear creative vision, she built a brand that celebrates the female form while giving women the freedom to feel strong and graceful at the same time. From her early days studying fashion in Nigeria and abroad to becoming a pioneer of the modern female Agbada, Oseni has remained fearless in her choices. As Odio Mimonet marks 30 years, the anniversary is more than a celebration of time; it is a testament to consistency, courage, and a woman who trusted her voice long before the industry was ready to listen. In this interview with THEWILL DOWNTOWN’s Executive Editor, Onah Nwachukwu, Odio Oseni discusses her journey through 30 years in fashion, the challenges that tested her resolve, and the ideas that shaped Odio Mimonet into a lasting brand.
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VOL 5 NO. 51 • CHRISTMAS EDITION 2025
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
COVER Your brand is celebrating 30 years, an incredible milestone in any creative industry. When you look back at your journey, what would you say was the moment you truly knew Odio Mimonet had found its voice? I think, much like a person, a brand’s voice evolves over time. What you wear as a child isn’t the same as what you wear as an adult; your style, your choices, and your expression all grow. For us, a real turning point was when we started building a community of people who trusted the label. That began with our couture work and later extended to Ready-toWear. With Ready-toWear, we focused on understanding who the Odio woman is, her moods, her joy, her individuality and embracing all of that in our designs. It was in that process of truly connecting with our clients and celebrating their stories that we realised our voice was not just ours, but theirs as well. And I believe that as long as we continue to listen and evolve with them, that voice will keep growing, vividly and confidently.
expression, showing that tradition can be bold, inclusive, and forward-looking. Ankara and vibrant prints have become signatures of your brand. What draws you to these prints, and how do you ensure your interpretations remain fresh and timeless? What draws me to Ankara and vibrant prints is their deep connection to culture and storytelling. While we do work with traditional Ankara, we ” also create our own prints— infused with symbols and motifs from our environment and heritage. From drums and calabashes to trees, deer, and even historical notes, each textile reflects a story, a memory, a piece of our culture. Ankara itself is nostalgic and symbolic, and by interpreting it through our own lens, we keep the prints fresh, timeless, and deeply personal. It’s about honouring tradition while giving it a contemporary voice that resonates today and for years to come.
“My artistic background deeply informs how I design and tell stories through Odio Mimonet. I approach clothes much like a canvas, creating pieces that are vivid and expressive. I love experimenting with textures and fabrics, blending them in ways that feel harmonious yet unexpected, because life itself isn’t one smooth palette.
Your work is defined by a deep love for art. How has your artistic background shaped the way you design, choose fabrics, and tell stories through your collections? My artistic background deeply informs how I design and tell stories through Odio Mimonet. I approach clothes much like a canvas, creating pieces that are vivid and expressive. I love experimenting with textures and fabrics, blending them in ways that feel harmonious yet unexpected, because life itself isn’t one smooth palette. In art, you see layers, contrasts, and textures that evoke emotion, and I try to translate that same depth and narrative into every collection. Our culture also plays a key role, adding richness and context, so what we create is always a fusion of art, heritage, and storytelling. That’s what makes our pieces come alive. You’re widely recognised for revolutionising the modern female Agbada in Nigeria. What inspired you to reinterpret a traditionally male garment, and what cultural conversations were you hoping to spark with that bold shift? What inspired us to reinterpret the traditional male Agbada was a belief in the strength and boldness of women. A woman can do what a man can do, with creativity, grace, and confidence. Just as women have evolved to wear pants, jackets, and tailored pieces, why shouldn’t our traditional garments evolve too? The Agbada, with its rich embroidery and cultural significance, was primarily worn by men, but we saw an opportunity to reimagine it for women, celebrating power, elegance, and identity. With this reinterpretation, we hoped to spark a conversation about gender, culture, and
the toughest seasons was learning how to turn problems into solutions. There will always be many seasons and many hurdles, but the key is staying adaptable. A significant turning point came when I truly acknowledged the African woman— the beauty of her body, her proportions, her presence. For years, many of us would walk into stores and feel out of place because everything was too tight or cut too small. That discomfort pushed me to rethink our silhouettes: we began cutting slightly longer, slightly fuller, creating pieces that made women feel confident, bold, and graceful. That shift was born from a challenge, but it became one of our strengths. On a broader scale, working within the Nigerian terrain comes with structural challenges. But the greatest lesson I’ve learned is the importance of surrounding yourself with people who have the gifts you don’t, especially in areas like structure and operations. When you build a team that complements your strengths, you gain the freedom to focus on creativity while still moving forward with clarity and purpose. You’ve built a label that empowers women to feel confident, bold, and graceful. What does it mean to you personally when women say your designs make them feel powerful? When women tell me that my designs make them feel powerful, it is one of the greatest rewards of my work. Fashion, for me, is not just about clothing; it’s about how a woman feels when she steps into a room. Confidence, boldness, grace… those emotions mean everything. To know ” that something I created can elevate a woman’s spirit or help her express her strength is deeply fulfilling. It reminds me why I do what I do. Power, after all, is not just in the garment, it’s in the woman wearing it. My role is simply to help her see it more clearly.
“What inspired us to reinterpret the traditional male Agbada was a belief in the strength and boldness of women. A woman can do what a man can do, with creativity, grace, and confidence. Just as women have evolved to wear pants, jackets, and tailored pieces, why shouldn’t our traditional garments evolve too?
Many designers struggle to stay relevant decade after decade. What core values or philosophies have guided Odio Mimonet’s longevity for 30 years? One of the core values that has guided Odio Mimonet for 30 years is always putting the customer first. Our focus has never been solely on the founder, but on understanding and celebrating the people who wear our designs. I love seeing beautiful things on people, and by truly listening to our clients and evolving with them, our pieces remain relevant across decades. This commitment to the client, combined with a dedication to craftsmanship and storytelling, is what has sustained our brand and kept it fresh through the years.
“One misconception about African fashion that I’m still working to challenge is the idea that it is limited, predictable, or defined only by certain prints or aesthetics. African fashion is incredibly diverse, intentional, and sophisticated; it carries history, innovation, and craftsmanship in equal measure. ”
Every creative brand has defining challenges. Can you share one of the toughest seasons you faced in your career and the lesson that season taught you? Every creative journey comes with defining challenges, and for me, one of
As someone who has shaped the Nigerian fashion landscape, what is one misconception about African fashion that you’re still trying to challenge or correct? One misconception about African fashion that I’m still working to challenge is the idea that it is limited, predictable, or defined only by certain prints or aesthetics. African fashion is incredibly diverse, intentional, and sophisticated; it carries history, innovation, and craftsmanship in equal measure. For me, it’s important to show that our work can stand anywhere in the world, not just within the confines of what people expect ‘African fashion’ to look like. We can be minimal, bold, textured, experimental, or refined. We are not one thing. By continuing to design with depth, artistry, and cultural honesty, I hope to expand the global understanding of what African fashion truly is: dynamic, evolving, and without boundaries.
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VOL 5 NO. 51 • CHRISTMAS EDITION 2025
COVER Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of Odio Mimonet? Are there new directions, collaborations, or creative experiments you’re eager to explore? Looking ahead, I’m incredibly excited about Odio Mimonet’s future. We’re exploring new directions, especially collaborations with international partners. There’s a lot in the works, and we’ll keep you guessing. What I can say is that we’re entering a season of creative expansion. Odio Mimonet will continue to manifest in different forms because we’re building a truly transgenerational brand, one that resonates deeply across Africa and speaks confidently to the world. The opportunities ahead feel limitless, and I’m excited for the evolution you’ll see in the coming years. For young designers who look up to you, what advice would you give about building a brand that not only survives but stays true to its artistic soul for decades? My biggest advice to young designers is to stay true to who you are. Take time to pause, to reflect, and to listen to your own voice. Don’t follow trends, set them. Some of my most meaningful ideas came when I isolated myself from the noise and connected with my inner creativity. Keep trying, keep experimenting. It’s rarely a first hit, and that’s okay. We all experience moments of doubt, even I still feel imposter syndrome sometimes. But whenever that happens, I return to my core: my purpose, my values, and the reason I started. If you can hold onto your artistic soul while staying persistent and curious, your brand will not only survive, it will grow, evolve, and endure.
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THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
VOL 5 NO. 51 • CHRISTMAS EDITION 2025
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VOL 5 NO. 51 • CHRISTMAS EDITION 2025
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
LUXURY SILK
ADA OBIAJUNWA @aaddaahh
WHERE THE NOISE ENDS AND THE HEART REMEMBERS Bank adds its soft gold, and the whole street feels like the city is smiling. Something in your chest softens. You remember that joy does not always need permission.
A
Lagos December story about joy, memory and the small ways the city holds us Every December, Lagos reminds you that survival deserves celebration. The lights, the noise, the reunions, all of it is proof that the year didn’t break you. Lagos in December moves differently. By the last week of November, the group chats start to come alive. Someone swears this year will be wild. Another insists they are staying indoors. By December 10, those same people are wearing sequins and greeting faces they’ve avoided all year. Even the funny “I say make I greet you” messages arrive from numbers you forgot you saved. It happens every year. The outside is bright and loud, but underneath it is a small longing, a quiet desire to end the year feeling a little more alive. You always know when Detty December has truly begun. Aso ebi arrives like an assignment. The price humbles you gently. They call it simple, even though nothing simple has ever cost that much. Yet somehow, you buy it. Lagos has a way of pulling everyone into whatever is happening. Before you reach Eko Hotel, the city has already dressed up. The roundabout shines like a small festival. Ajose Adeogun turns into a postcard under Zenith Bank’s Christmas lights. Providus
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By morning, the magic turns gentle. Seasonal hawkers return with new energy, selling toys and small decorations with honest cheer. The city feels lighter. People feel softer. You remember what December used to feel like. The softness follows you into the office. Colleagues bring their children in, little ones glowing with Christmas freedom because exams are over and their only job is joy. They wander the corridors with the kind of lightness adults only feel on public holidays. Their parents watch them with quiet pride, showing them the world they show up to every day. Even the strict security man greets them like VIPs. For a moment, something simple becomes clear: every adult is just a stretched-out child trying to finish the year gently. Then the IJGBs(I just got back) arrive. Their confidence usually enters the room before they do. They greet you with accents that need subtitles and wear clothes the Lagos heat does not support, but the excitement is contagious. They come ready for enjoyment and turn the city into one long reunion. Their arrival is the true announcement that the season has begun. And of course, there is Eko Hotel. In December, it becomes the city’s living room because you will always run into someone you know. Men wear sunglasses at night like paparazzi are waiting. Women glide in heels meant for red carpets but still trek from the parking lot with full dignity. Someone will greet you with so much excitement that you quietly check your memory for what you owe them. It is a reunion you never RSVP’d for, yet still showed up dressed. Even the inconveniences join the rhythm.
Fuel queues turn into tiny neighbourhoods. People lean on their cars and share gist with strangers. Moments that once annoyed you soften into stories you now tell with fondness. Lagos does this often: it turns inconvenience into memory. Adulthood has changed how we show up. We no longer want to attend seven concerts in one night. We carry flat slippers like insurance, proper backup, the emPLE Insurance kind everybody quietly respects in December. We ask about parking before choosing an outfit. Joy looks different at this age, but it is still joy. Still, there is always one night. That one December night when Lagos taps your shoulder and reminds you that you are still capable of joy. Maybe it is a rooftop event where the breeze feels familiar. Maybe a wedding where you hug someone you barely remember. Maybe crossover service where your eyes sting and you quietly blame the church fan. Or outside Eko Hotel, shoes in hand, makeup softening, insisting you are fine even though your feet disagree. In that moment, something shifts. A slight warmth rises in your chest. A memory returns. A sweetness. A quiet ache you did not know you were holding. And that ache has a source. You remember childhood Christmas mornings, the excitement, the new clothes, the smell of rice drifting through the house. The simple joy of believing the whole day was made for you. Maybe that is why we still chase Detty December. Not for the noise or the parties. We chase the feeling. The belonging. The reminder that light still knows how to find us. That a city can glow. That we can soften. That we can begin again in small ways. In the end, we are not chasing parties. We are chasing the warmth that says: you made it, you are still here, and you are still becoming. Maybe that is the real Luxury Silk.
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
5 ESSENTIAL
VOL 5 NO. 51 • CHRISTMAS EDITION 2025
BEAUTY
SKINCARE TOOLS FOR THE
FESTIVE SEASON T
BY DORCAS AKINTOYE
he festive season is usually filled with events, travel, late nights, and a lot of makeup. While it’s all fun, it can also take a toll on your skin. This is why having the right skincare tools is important. These tools make your routine easier, help your skin look fresh, and keep your glow intact throughout the holidays. Let us show you five simple and effective tools perfect for this busy season.
FACIAL CLEANING BRUSH
A facial cleansing brush helps you clean your skin better than using your hands. During the festive season, you may wear more makeup or sweat more while moving around. This tool helps remove dirt, oil, and leftover makeup from your pores. It also makes your face feel smoother and prepares your skin to better absorb your products. Whether you choose a manual or an electric brush, it helps keep your skin fresh and clean.
JADE ROLLER OR FACE ROLLER A jade roller is great for calming the skin. With the stress and lack of sleep that often come with holiday activities, your face may look puffy or tired. A face roller helps reduce puffiness, relax the skin, and improve blood flow. You can keep it in the fridge to make it feel cool when you roll it on your face. It’s also perfect for helping your serums absorb better, giving your skin a brighter, healthier look.
PIMPLE PATCHES Breakouts can happen anytime, especially when you’re stressed or eating more festive treats. Pimple patches help control spots quickly. They cover the pimple, absorb the oil, and stop you from touching or picking it. Some patches even have ingredients that help heal the skin faster. They are small, easy to use, and work well overnight, making them a handy tool to keep your skin clear during the holidays.
SILICONE FACE SCRUBBER
SHEET MASKS Sheet masks are quick skin boosters. They are soaked with ingredients that hydrate, brighten, and soothe the skin. When your face looks dull or dry from harmattan weather or late nights, a sheet mask can restore moisture in minutes. It is also a great way to pamper yourself before stepping out for a Christmas event.
A silicone scrubber is gentle on the skin and helps remove dead skin cells. This is important because dead skin can make your face look dull or rough. With a silicone scrubber, you can exfoliate lightly without irritating your skin. It also helps your skincare products work better because fresh skin absorbs moisture more easily. During the festive season, when you want your makeup to sit well and glow, this tool comes in handy.
The holidays can be hectic, but your skin doesn’t have to suffer. With these simple skincare tools, you can keep your face clean, fresh, and glowing all season long.
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VOL 5 NO. 51 • CHRISTMAS EDITION 2025
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
DÉCOR
MAXIMALIST CHRISTMAS How to Decorate Boldly Without Losing Taste BY JOHNSON CHUKWUEKE
C
hristmas décor isn’t just about a beautifully decorated tree; it’s about creating warmth, wonder, and festive magic in every corner of your home. It’s undeniable that there’s something magical about stepping into a home that feels like Christmas. It’s not just the twinkling lights or the scent of pine; it’s the way every corner seems to whisper joy, warmth, and celebration. Christmas décor works best when it tells a story, and that story shouldn’t begin and end with the tree. This season, decorating is less about excess and more about thoughtful touches that transform everyday spaces into festive moments. Whether you’re hosting guests or simply soaking in the season with loved ones, styling your home from door to tree ensures the holiday spirit flows seamlessly through every room. Think layered textures, soft lighting, and small details that make a big emotional impact. Here’s how to style your home from the very first welcome to the final sparkle.
Start at the Door - First Impressions Matter Your front door sets the tone for everything inside. A wreath instantly signals Christmas, but choosing one with personality makes all the difference. Think dried oranges, pinecones, eucalyptus, or metallic accents for a modern twist. Pair it with a festive doormat, lanterns, or fairy lights to create a warm, inviting entrance that feels intentional rather than rushed.
The Christmas Tree - Your Festive Centrepiece Whether minimal or extravagant, your tree should reflect your style. Choose a colour palette, classic red and gold, icy whites, or earthy neutrals, and stick to it. Layer ornaments in varying sizes, add ribbons or beads for movement, and finish with warm lights. A thoughtfully styled tree instantly anchors the entire home.
Don’t Forget the Small Spaces
The Living Room - Where Christmas Truly Lives This is the heart of the season. Beyond the tree, focus on layering, plush throw blankets, textured cushions, and warm-toned fabrics like velvet or wool. Swap out everyday décor for candles, subtle ornaments, or festive coffeetable books. The goal is comfort, not clutter, a space that invites long conversations, laughter, and late-night movies.
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Hallways, shelves, and even bathrooms deserve a little Christmas love. A spring of greenery, scented candles, or subtle fairy lights can transform overlooked spaces into delightful surprises. These small details elevate the entire home and make your décor feel complete.
Dining And Kitchen Corners Celebrate the Gatherings Christmas isn’t complete without food and togetherness. Style your dining table with a simple runner, candles, and natural elements like greenery or pinecones. In the kitchen, small touches, festive tea towels, a holiday centrepiece, or decorative jars, add charm without disrupting functionality.
Christmas décor is about emotion, not perfection. When every corner of your home reflects warmth and intention, the season feels richer and more meaningful. From the door that welcomes guests to the tree that gathers everyone together, a thoughtfully styled home ensures Christmas doesn’t just look good; it feels unforgettable.
VOL 5 NO. 51 • CHRISTMAS EDITION 2025
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
DOWNTOWN CONFIDENTIAL
s e l c i n o r h c ’s y cass HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
I
didn’t plan for anything serious to happen during my stay at home for Christmas. I just wanted peace, sleep, and maybe small chops from my mum’s kitchen. But the moment I stepped into my street and saw Deji standing by his father’s old gate, everything I thought I came home for shifted.
casually; short chats at the junction, small walks at night when the street was calm. Even the way he looked at me was different: patient, steady, as if he wasn’t in a hurry to ruin whatever was growing again.
I almost didn’t recognise him at first. But when he smiled, that same stubborn, playful smile from secondary school, my chest tightened. It felt like my teenage years rushed back and slapped me in the face.
When we got to my gate, I should have said goodnight. I should have gone inside. But I didn’t.
One evening, he offered to walk me home. It was a short walk, but it felt like the longest, sweetest one we had ever shared. Our hands brushed a few times, and each time, something inside me jumped.
Instead, I asked, “Are you in a hurry?” He understood exactly what I meant. We ended up in his family’s house, which was quiet, warm, and filled with memories. It didn’t feel strange. It felt like stepping into something I had been waiting for, without knowing it.
“Ah-ah, look at you,” he said, opening his arms like he had been expecting me. I laughed because, somehow, after all these years, he still made me shy. “You haven’t changed,” I said, and I meant it. He looked older, sure, but he still had that boyish charm that used to make me hide my face in class. We talked for a bit, standing there, catching up as if we didn’t have ten years of silence between us. But of course, the past came up. It had to. “Do you remember that day?” he asked, raising a brow. I almost choked. “Deji, please,” I whispered, covering my face. He laughed so loudly I had to hit him lightly. But even as we joked, the memory played clearly in my head; both of us half-naked, breathless, curious, stupidly young, about to do what we didn’t fully understand. Then his mum barged in like a hurricane and dragged him by the ear, screaming my name like I stole something. My mother’s own reaction later? Let’s not
even go there. “That thing caused wahala o,” he said. “I thought you would never look at me again.” “You disappeared afterwards,” I reminded him. He sighed. “My dad got a new job in Kaduna. Everything changed fast.” There was a moment of quiet between us. Not awkward, just heavy… familiar. He looked at me slowly, in that way that makes your stomach feel warm. “You’ve changed, too,” he said. “In a good way.” I felt that compliment everywhere. He walked me home that day. We didn’t flirt, but we also didn’t pretend nothing was happening. Our hands kept brushing. The air between us was thick with something familiar… something old but not dead. But nothing happened that day. Or the next. Or the day after. We kept seeing each other
We talked for a long time. Real talk. Adult talk. Life, work, mistakes, relationships, all the things we never got to share. And the more we talked, the more something charged the air. And then, at some point, he reached for my hand. Just simple, gentle contact. But it unlocked something. The kind of thing you can’t push away once it has been waiting for years. When he leaned forward and kissed me, it didn’t feel sudden. It felt overdue. Everything after that happened slowly at first, and then it grew into something deeper and much more intense. There were no interruptions this time. No parents shouting. No panic. Just the two of us, grown and fully aware of what we wanted. When it was over, we lay there quietly, breathing in the same rhythm, our fingers tangled. He looked at me and smiled in that same way he used to when we were kids. “At least this time, we finished what we started.” I couldn’t even pretend he was lying.
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VOL 5 NO. 51 • CHRISTMAS EDITION 2025
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
BY BOLUWATIFE ADESINA Scan this with your camera or click to Scan this with your camera or click access the playlist (Youtube Music) to access the playlist (Spotify)
MOVIE REVIEW:
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery visual moments that make revealing use of lighting changes or become more haunting images of gothic horror when we get plunged into darkness. It’s as though there are entire worlds contained within the church and surrounding forest from all the different ways they get captured. As we make our way through all of them, with O’Connor and Craig both having mountains of chemistry to spare, you get to take in a production that’s just as handsome as the two leading men.
A
lthough Wake Up Dead Man is the Knives Out movie that’s most preoccupied with existential questions surrounding death, writer/ director Rian Johnson’s third film in the series is also the one that’s most full of life. Yes, it brings back a delightful Daniel Craig as the fasttalking detective Benoit Blanc, but he is not the one who unlocks this movie’s mysteries. No, in addition to Craig not appearing onscreen for the film’s entire opening 30 minutes, he is merely there to serve the outstanding Josh O’Connor.
extremism and how religion can be a way to heal but also a convenient cover for hate. If this sounds like it could be too much for Johnson to pull off, have patience, your faith will be rewarded tenfold.
The darker mystery Johnson plays around with this time centres on Fr. Jud Duplenticy (O’Connor), who we first hear as he is recounting a long and winding story. To put it simply, after getting in a fight with another member of his faith, he is sent to a remote church with a dark past that is now struggling in the present. The Not only does the franchise cause for the struggles, both past newcomer give an excellent comedic and present, is that it is run by the performance, but the Challengers and tyrannical Monsignor Jefferson Wicks God’s Own Country actor also brings a (Josh Brolin), who is more interested genuine amount of grace to a film that in his own power than with any of his ends up becoming precisely about that. flock. Jud, though prone to swearing It’s Johnson’s most elaborate murder and many more ungodly things, soon mystery movie yet, but also his most tries to push back against this in any emotional. way he can. He tries to connect with those still What that entails requires being caught in Wicks’ orbit, which is where vague so as not to rob the film of its we get to know the pitch-perfect new fun (this is a Knives Out movie after ensemble cast of Kerry Washington, all), but the greatest revelation comes Andrew Scott, Jeremy Renner, Glenn in how effective Johnson is in his Close, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack exploration of faith, community, anger and Thomas Haden Church. Matters and redemption. He never sacrifices become even more dire when there is entertainment in the pursuit of doing a sudden death at a service that makes so, moving at a rapid pace with one everyone a suspect. killer joke after another, including a This is when Blanc enters the story, but couple of sly shots that it takes against there is never a moment when you’re its streaming home, Netflix and even impatient for him to arrive. Johnson is Johnson’s former film series, Star Wars. so confident in setting up all the new characters and their various hilarious But the film’s greatest strength comes dynamics that you get completely in how it settles into something more swept up in the lengthy introduction. thoughtful and reflective when you With a profoundly funny O’Connor as least expect it. In between extended our guide into this entire new scenario, jokes about masturbation, the film you’re always completely enraptured tackles the perilous rise of right-wing with Johnson’s commitment to both silliness and sincerity. Though Wake Up Dead Man has the most confined setting of all the films, cinematographer Steve Yedlin, a close collaborator of Johnson’s who shot The Last Jedi, the original Knives Out and Glass Onion among others, shoots the hell out of the whole thing. There are so many brilliant
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The ultimate triumph of all these already great parts is how Johnson guides us into something more radical and contemplative once all the pieces of the mystery fall into place. Yes, there are many great monologues by Craig, and pure fun to be had in seeing him stumble about before arriving at the eventual answer. However, it’s the smaller, more subtle moments from O’Connor that make Wake Up Dead Man the surprisingly transcendent, yet still plenty silly experience that it is. Best among these, and truly, the best scene in the movie, involves a tonal switch that would’ve felt jarring in other, less capable hands. O’Connor stands at the core of a murder investigation, the main suspect, and makes a call that could hold the answer... on the other end, a woman hesitates through tears as she confides the illness of her mother. The answer to the murder, to his innocence, it all feels one answer away... but he does not rush her, nor remind her that he is standing on the precipice; instead, he steps into the quiet of the next room and does what he does best: be a priest. ‘Call anytime, day or night.’ He holds an almost sacred tenderness; his body calms in realisation. He seeks the truth, but this woman needs him, and that tells the truth this film builds itself upon: that good is rarely loud, and compassion is rarely convenient. Within that small, quiet act, every frame paints the church he longs to believe in, a place where someone will sit with you when your world is falling apart, the kind of good that simply holds you, and through that, it may not save your soul... but it sustains it. I found myself oddly moved by this scene, a tear or two fell, and I was spellbound by the profound kindness of the whole matter.
Babyboy AV - Rage
BNXN; FOLA - Very Soon
Jaz Karis; Reekado Banks TEQUILA
Offthewally - Rotary Wave
PsychoYP; Mavo; King Carsley - Give U
Soundz - Zoom
FADY - SPACE(s)
YUNGMORPHEUS; Judah; Ahwlee For the Evening
Justine Skye; KAYTRANADA - Oh Lala
Afrobeats Central; Söulaar - Ko Won Je
When we have the big reveals, of which there are a magnificent many, Johnson never loses sight of the spiritual core that O’Connor carries with him. That it fits this all into one movie and comes out on the other side intact is a miracle, though one with the power to make even the director’s greatest doubters believers.
Rating:9/10
Can Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig make more of these for the rest of their lives? I’d watch every single one. Now Streaming on Netflix.