VOL 5 NO. 52 • NEW YEAR EDITION 2026
CHEF STONE
REDEFINING NIGERIAN CUISINE, ONE PLATE AT A TIME
VOL 5 NO. 52 • NEW YEAR EDITION 2026
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THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
VOL 5 NO. 52 • NEW YEAR EDITION 2026
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
CONTENT
EDITOR’S NOTE
12
BEAUTY Photo: Kola Oshalusi @insignamedia Makeup: Zaron
13
Read Chef Stone’s inspiring story on pages 8 to 10. Most fashion lovers would have seen that Pantone has released its colour of the year for 2026, and that’s Cloud Dancer. We show you how to wear this colour in our fashion pages. Scroll to pages 4 and 5; you don’t want to be left out. The new year is upon us, and as usual, people make their resolutions. Whether it’s a fitness resolution, a financial goal, or even a religious one, it’s important to take it one day at a time; that way, you don’t lose interest in your goal. Here’s wishing you all a Happy New Year!
LIVING
Winding Down Without Feeling Left Behind
14
Capricorn Energy
DOWNTOWN ZODIAC
15
04-05 FASHION
#UNSHAKABLE TRUTHS
8-10 11
LUXURY SILK
DOWNTOWN CONFIDENTIAL
16
REVIEW
07
COVER
5 Ways to Wear the 2026 Pantone Colour of the Year
@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
Built to Last, Destined to Win
After Amen
The Downtown Year End Review
Untold Truths
If All You Did Was Survive
Chef Stone
Redefining Nigerian Cuisine, One Plate at a Time
Millennials
The Ones Who Learned Life Twice
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.
Until next week, enjoy your read.
Onah
Living Slowly
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. 51 • CHRISTMAS EDITION 2025
ODIO OSENI
W
hen you think of fine dining in Nigeria, one name comes to mind: Chef Stone. Born Abiola Akanji, Stone’s journey into the culinary world began out of curiosity. He wanted to understand how flavours worked and why food could make people feel something deeper than hunger, so cooking became his language. It allowed him to tell stories about culture, memory, and possibility. He was driven by the belief that Nigerian cuisine deserved the same respect and global presence as any other cuisine, and that belief still guides him. He is the founder of Red Dish Chronicles, a culinary school which came about after asking himself why African chefs need to leave the continent to receive worldclass training. He wanted to build a school that could stand on the international level and give young chefs the tools to dream big. Today, Red Dish Chronicles has trained thousands of chefs, becoming one of the largest culinary schools in Africa.
What Your Skin Needs Before the New Year (And What It Doesn’t)
20TH & 21ST DEC. 2025
On 30 Years of Odio Mimonet And The Future
@renooflife
@adeyemobola16
@elmo_knowsss I mean could you be anymore gorgeous
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VOL 5 NO. 52 • NEW YEAR EDITION 2026
FASHION
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
5 WAYS TO WEAR THE
2026 PANTONE COLOUR OF THE YEAR
BY DORCAS AKINTOYE
T
he 2026 Pantone Colour of the Year, Cloud Dancer, is one of those colours that doesn’t shout for attention but still gets noticed. It’s soft, calm, and clean, sitting somewhere between white and light grey. It’s the kind of colour that makes outfits look effortless, even when you didn’t try too hard. What makes it special is how easy it is to wear. It works for almost everyone, fits into different styles, and blends well with pieces you already own. Whether you love simple outfits or like to mix things up, Cloud Dancer gives you room to play without stress. In this article, we will show you five easy ways to wear it.
WEAR IT FROM HEAD TO TOE A full Cloud Dancer outfit looks clean, soft, and very put-together. Think of dresses, matching sets, or even a simple top-andtrouser combo in the same shade. Because the colour is light and calm, wearing it all over doesn’t feel too much. To keep it interesting, mix fabrics. For example, pair a soft cotton shirt with structured trousers or a flowing skirt. You don’t need loud accessories here; simple shoes and a small bag are enough.
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VOL 5 NO. 52 • NEW YEAR EDITION 2026
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
FASHION MIX IT WITH NEUTRAL COLOURS looks even Cloud Dancer ired with better when pa ades. sh other neutral e, brown, ig be e Colours lik d nude black, grey, an e outfit and th nd help grou lanced. You make it feel ba Dancer can wear Cloud ige or be a trousers with ud lo C a black top, or dark ith w se ou Dancer bl st nd of yling jeans. This ki d easy, feels natural an you’d wear like something king. It’s in without overth casual k, or perfect for w hen you w ys da outings, or at without want to look ne overdoing it.
USE IT AS A LAYER ot ready to If you’re n d Dancer wear Clou in outfit, as your ma layer. A use it as a igan, rd a blazer, c ket in or light jac can this colour change completely hrow T your look. cer n a a Cloud D ans je r e v blazer o le top, and a simp nly the and sudde fresh and outfit feels polished.
ADD IT THROUGH ACCESSORIES Sometimes, small details make the biggest difference. If you prefer safe outfits, try Cloud Dancer in your accessories. A bag, shoes, belt, or scarf in this shade can brighten your look without taking over. This is an easy way to follow the trend without stepping too far out of your comfort zone.
PAIR IT WITH SOFT COLOURS AND TEXTURES Cloud Dancer loves soft company. Pastel shades like baby blue, blush pink, or light green work beautifully with it. You can also play with textures like knits, pleats, lace, or satin to keep things interesting. It’s perfect for casual days, brunch dates, or moments when you want to look good without trying too hard.
Cloud Dancer is one of those colours that fits easily. It doesn’t demand attention; it just quietly makes everything look better. Whether you wear it boldly or in small touches, the key is to keep things simple and comfortable.
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VOL 5 NO. 52 • NEW YEAR EDITION 2026
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THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
VOL 5 NO. 52 • NEW YEAR EDITION 2026
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
#UNSHAKABLE TRUTHS
SALLY CHIWUZIE
@unshakable.is.a.state.of.mind
UNTOLD TRUTHS IF ALL YOU DID WAS SURVIVE present and keeping faith with myself even when the outcomes were unclear. Yet, this is where the truth becomes somewhat layered still — survival was not the only thing happening. My theme for the year was juxtaposition. Life has a way of doing that: placing growth alongside grief, clarity alongside confusion, hope alongside fatigue. While surviving, I was also becoming. While holding on, I was also letting go. While standing still, I was quietly re-learning how to move differently.
T
he end of the year has a peculiar way of putting people on trial. Suddenly, timelines are filled with lists: milestones reached, goals smashed, dreams manifested, bodies transformed, businesses scaled, love found, joy multiplied. It is celebratory on the surface, but beneath, something quieter happens. End-of-year reflections can gently shame some people. They can intimidate. They can make some feel small, behind, or invisible. Sometimes, they can even tempt people to exaggerate, to polish the truth, to tell a slightly shinier story than the one they actually lived, not because people are dishonest by nature, but because nobody wants to admit that their year didn’t look triumphant. There is an untold truth we don’t say loudly enough at this time of year: it is okay if all you did was survive. Speaking honestly, on some level, I feel like I belong in that category. This year did not arrive wrapped in neat victories or dramatic ‘before and after’ moments. Much of it required endurance – holding on, staying
There were new ideas. New approaches. New ways of seeing familiar things, especially detours. What once felt like delays or wrong turns began to reveal themselves as transformation opportunities – not glamorous ones or Instagram-ready ones, but honest ones. I learned this: when you plant a seed, you do not dig it up every day to check if it has roots. You plant it, you water it, you protect the soil, and then you wait. Some of us spend entire years digging up what we planted too soon, convinced that if we can’t see growth, nothing is happening. The thing is growth doesn’t announce itself loudly. Roots form in darkness. Strength is built underground. Some plants take longer than others, and that doesn’t make them failures; it makes them deep.
This has been my biggest takeaway of the year. Not everything needs proof. Not everything needs applause. Not everything needs a caption. Some seasons are about trust, about allowing unseen work to take place without interference, about resisting the urge to measure progress by external markers alone. So when I look back on this year, I don’t ask myself, ‘What did I achieve?’ I ask, ‘What did I survive? What did I learn to see differently? What seeds did I plant that I am now brave enough to leave alone?’ Maybe that’s a better question for all of us as the year closes. What do you think? If your year was loud and victorious, celebrate it genuinely. If your year was quiet, heavy, uncertain, or humbling, please know this: you are not behind. You are not late. You are not lacking. You are not required to perform a miracle just because the calendar is changing. Sometimes the bravest thing you do all year is stay. Stay curious. Stay kind. Stay alive to possibility, even when nothing looks certain yet. So here is the untold truth I want to leave you with as the year ends: If all you did was survive, that is not a failure. That is a foundation. Those seeds you planted…you planted quietly, imperfectly, patiently, they are not dead. They are just growing where no one can see them yet. What did you survive this year? See you next week.
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VOL 5 NO. 52 • NEW YEAR EDITION 2026
CHEF STONE
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
COVER
PAGE 8
REDEFINING NIGERIAN CUISINE, ONE PLATE AT A TIME
VOL 5 NO. 52 • NEW YEAR EDITION 2026
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
COVER
W
hen you think of modern Nigerian cuisine, there’s one name that resonates across kitchens, fine-dining tables, and culinary classrooms alike: Chef Stone, born Abiola Akanji. From the bustling streets of Lagos to the refined culinary stages of Abuja, Chef Stone has carved a space for himself as more than just a chef; he is a culinary visionary, educator, and ambassador of African flavours. Cooking wasn’t always a career for him; it was a childhood passion nurtured under the guidance of his mother, a foundation that would later merge with formal training at the French Culinary Institute in New York City. Armed with a Business Management degree from London Metropolitan University and a determination to elevate Nigerian food to global standards, Chef Stone returned home with a mission: to show the world that African cuisine is not just about tradition, it’s about innovation, presentation, and experience. His ventures speak volumes: Red Dish Chronicles Culinary School has become a hub for aspiring chefs eager to master both traditional dishes and modern techniques, while The Burgundy by Chef Stone transforms pan-African dining into an art form. Add to that Truck Central, West Africa’s first curated food truck park, and you have a culinary entrepreneur redefining the very way Nigerians eat and experience food. In this exclusive with THEWILL DOWNTOWN’s Johnson Chukwueke, we bring you Chef Stone’s story, a journey of flavour, creativity, and inspiration, a man on a mission to put Nigerian cuisine on the global culinary map.
You are regarded as one of the chefs who changed the direction of modern Nigerian cuisine. What inspired your journey into the culinary world? My journey began with curiosity. I wanted to understand how flavours worked and why food could make people feel something deeper than hunger. Cooking became my language. It allowed me to tell stories about culture, memory, and possibility. I was driven by the belief that Nigerian cuisine deserved the same respect and global presence as any other cuisine. That belief still guides me every day.
As the founder of Red Dish Chronicles, how did the idea come about, and what were the biggest challenges when you started? Red Dish Chronicles started from a simple question: Why should African chefs need to leave the continent to receive world-class training? I wanted to build a school that could stand on the international level and give young chefs the tools to dream big. The biggest challenge in the beginning was convincing people to believe in the vision. Many did not think a culinary school in Nigeria could grow into a global brand. Today, it has trained thousands of chefs and has become one of the largest culinary schools in Africa. That journey taught me the power of consistency and conviction.
tastes a dish and pauses because it reminds them of something they have felt before. When food connects to emotion, that is the true highlight. Those moments stay with me more than any famous event.
“My journey began with curiosity. I wanted to understand how flavours worked and why food could make people feel something deeper than hunger. Cooking became my language. It allowed me to tell stories about culture, memory, and possibility. I was driven by the belief that Nigerian cuisine deserved the same respect and global presence as any other cuisine. That belief still guides me every day.”
What is your creative process when you design a new dish? Do you start from a flavour, a story, or an ingredient? I always start with a story. Every dish has a memory or an emotion behind it. From that story, I begin to build flavours, textures, and techniques. Sometimes an ingredient inspires me, and I work backwards from there. Other times, the story leads the entire direction. What matters most to me is the feeling the dish gives when it reaches the table. What is one Nigerian ingredient you believe is underrated and deserves more attention? Yaji. It carries so much depth and character. It is smoky, slightly spicy, and full of tradition. Yaji can elevate almost anything. It deserves more recognition on the global stage.
If you were not a chef, what career do you think you would have chosen? I would probably be a designer or an architect. I enjoy creating things. Whether it is food, a food truck, or a restaurant space, the creative process has always been a part of who I am.
Are there any upcoming projects, collaborations, or expansions your fans should look forward to? Yes. There are several new projects across food, education, and hospitality. One project I am especially excited about is The Red Africa Culinary Innovation Centre. It will be a space that pushes the future of African cuisine and gives chefs an environment to experiment, learn, and grow. There are also expansions happening in my restaurants and food truck brands. This is an important year for growth.
How do you see Nigerian cuisine growing internationally? What needs to happen for it to get the recognition it deserves? Nigerian cuisine has everything it needs. The flavours are bold, soulful, and complex. What we need is better documentation, more consistent presentation, and stronger storytelling. The world embraces what it understands. Once we present our food with clarity, confidence, and intention, people everywhere will appreciate it the same way they appreciate Japanese or Italian cuisine.
“I always start with a story. Every dish has a memory or an emotion behind it. From that story, I begin to build flavours, textures, and techniques. Sometimes an ingredient inspires me, and I work backwards from there. Other times, the story leads the entire direction. What matters most to me is the feeling the dish gives when it reaches the table.”
You have worked with many celebrities and major events. What has been your most memorable dining experience so far? The most memorable moments for me are not about the celebrity names. They are the quiet moments when someone
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VOL 5 NO. 52 • NEW YEAR EDITION 2026
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
COVER
When you are not in the kitchen or teaching, how do you unwind? I enjoy peace and quiet. Good music. A glass of wine. Time with my family. Travelling also helps me reset and gives me new ideas. What is your idea of a perfect day off? A slow morning. No rush. Good food. Time with my wife and children. Maybe a simple drive and laughter with the people I love. For me, a perfect day is calm and meaningful. Is there a special meal you like to cook for your loved ones? Yes. I enjoy making simple comfort food for my family. Sometimes it is rice, sometimes pasta, or a dish from my childhood. At home,
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the food is not about technique. It is about love and togetherness. Who is Chef Stone when the apron comes off? I am a calm and thoughtful person. I enjoy quiet moments and deep conversations. I value growth, family, and purpose. People see the chef, the teacher, and the entrepreneur. The side they do not always see is the person who is always learning, always reflecting, and always working to become a better version of himself.
VOL 5 NO. 52 • NEW YEAR EDITION 2026
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
LUXURY SILK
ADA OBIAJUNWA @aaddaahh
MILLENNIALS
THE ONES WHO LEARNED LIFE TWICE Raised in One World, Expected to Thrive in Another
This is the millennial story that rarely gets told. People see the hesitation, but not the conditioning. They see the overthinking, but not the quiet way they were raised to make themselves small. They see the pivots, but not the pressure of rewriting rules while still honouring the people who handed them the original ones.
W
e talk a lot about Gen Z these days. Their clarity, their boundaries, and their ease in saying this does not work for me. Watching them made me think about the generation before them. The millennials. The people who were raised with dreams, but not always with full permission to chase those dreams without guilt. They grew up hearing they could be anything, but often in homes where anything came with quiet rules. You see it clearly when you remember the world they stepped into. They were trained for stability, but entered adulthood during the BBM years, the recession and the rise of social media. The old formula of school, job and loyalty had already cracked, yet their parents were still holding it up as law. Millennials arrived with a script that expired before they even got to the first page. This is the root of their tension. A generation raised on halfpermission. Enough freedom to imagine a different life, but not enough cultural room to pursue it confidently. We were the generation told to dream big and still be home by 6. They watched Gen X work with quiet endurance. You stayed. You kept your head down. You took pride in not using your leave days. Millennials admired that strength, but they also saw the cost. And in that gentle way that defines them, they decided to seek something different for themselves. They became the first to test modern adulthood. Many of the choices that feel normal today were pioneered by millennials. Leaving a job that stopped making sense. Switching careers entirely. Building a side business from their living room. Taking online courses before people called it upskilling. Asking managers for clarity. And sometimes even saying no. They were the first adults who tried to choose passion, while their parents kept asking the question that mattered most to them: Does the company have pension? They did this without the cultural permission Gen Z now enjoys. A millennial might draft a resignation email, rehearse it like a speech and
Millennials were not raised to be bold. They were raised to be responsible. But responsibility alone could not survive the world they entered. So they created a middle path that their parents never had the tools or language for.
still wonder if they were being ungrateful. Their courage was steady, not loud. They were navigating possibility with an upbringing that told them to be careful. You see this same pattern in their personal lives. Older generations believed desire should stay hidden. A woman could admire a man for years and never say a word. Silence was dignity. Wanting openly was trouble. Millennials grew up watching that, but the world around them had shifted just enough for them to question it. They were not fully free, but they were free enough to try. A millennial woman may type a message, delete it, rewrite it, send it, panic for ten seconds and then pretend everything is fine. But she will send it. Millennial men were learning too. Many of them went from saying nothing at all to saying good morning like it was a risk. This was new. It was the emotional version of leaving an old job to try something else. It required negotiation with the old rules and courage for the new ones.
They softened the workplace. They introduced the idea that rest is not a reward. They questioned timelines that no longer served anyone. They made emotional honesty less taboo. They raised Gen Z to speak clearly, even while they were still learning the words themselves. They did not inherit a world shaped for freedom. They built one gently. They negotiated the space they needed. They tried, adjusted, retreated, tried again. And slowly, they made room for possibilities that now feel normal. So when people call millennials inconsistent, I want to ask, compared to what? They are the only generation expected to honour the old rules while pioneering new ones. To appear grateful while wanting better. To build new maps without disrespecting the old ones. Millennials are not lost. They are layered. A generation raised on half-permission who still found a way to create full possibilities. They learned life twice. Once from the world they inherited, and once from the world they had to shape with their own hands. And maybe that is the real Luxury Silk.
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VOL 5 NO. 52 • NEW YEAR EDITION 2026
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
BEAUTY
WHAT YOUR SKIN NEEDS
BEFORE THE
NEW YEAR (AND WHAT IT DOESN’T) BY DORCAS AKINTOYE
A
s the New Year gets closer, many people suddenly become very hard on their skin. This is when people start using too many products, switching routines too fast, or scrubbing their skin as if it has offended them. But your skin doesn’t need pressure or punishment. It needs understanding, patience, and simple care. When you focus on the basics, your skin responds better and looks healthier. Here we highlight five things your skin truly needs before the New Year, and what it doesn’t.
YOUR SKIN NEEDS CONSISTENT CLEANSING, NOT OVERWASHING Cleansing helps remove dirt, sweat, oil, makeup, and sunscreen that build up on your skin daily. Washing your face morning and night with a gentle cleanser keeps your pores clean and reduces breakouts. What matters is using a cleanser that suits your skin type and sticking to it. Your skin does not need harsh soaps, strong face washes, or washing your face many times a day. Over-washing can dry out your skin, cause irritation, and even lead to more oil production and breakouts.
YOUR SKIN NEEDS SUN PROTECTION, NOT ONLY WHEN IT’S SUNNY Sun exposure is one of the biggest causes of dark spots, uneven skin tone, and early ageing. Even on cloudy days, UV rays can still damage your skin. Using sunscreen daily helps protect your skin and maintain the progress you are making with your routine. Your skin does not need you to skip sunscreen because you are indoors, dark-skinned, or trying to glow.
YOUR SKIN NEEDS GENTLE EXFOLIATION, NOT DAILY SCRUBBING Exfoliation helps remove dead skin cells that make the skin look rough and dull. When done gently, it helps your skin look brighter and allows your products to work better. Exfoliating once or twice a week is enough for most people. Your skin does not need harsh scrubs every day or mixing multiple exfoliating products at once. Exfoliating too much can damage your skin, cause sensitivity, and even worsen dark spots.
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YOUR SKIN NEEDS MOISTURE, NOT JUST “GLOW” PRODUCTS Many people want glowing skin, but forget that glow comes from proper hydration. When your skin is moisturised, it looks soft, smooth, and healthy. A good moisturiser helps protect your skin barrier and prevents dryness, flakiness, and dullness. Even oily skin needs moisture, because skipping it can make the skin produce more oil. What your skin does not need is skipping moisturiser, relying only on oils, or buying random glow creams without checking if they actually hydrate.
YOUR SKIN NEEDS REST AND PATIENCE, NOT LAST-MINUTE EXPERIMENTS As the year ends, many people start testing new products all at once, hoping for quick results. This often leads to irritation, breakouts, or damaged skin. Your skin needs rest, good sleep, water, and a routine it already understands. It does not need panic buying or copying someone else’s routine without knowing your skin type. Before the New Year, focus on simple, steady care. When you treat your skin with patience and consistency, it rewards you with calm, healthy beauty that lasts beyond the countdown.
VOL 5 NO. 52 • NEW YEAR EDITION 2026
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
WELLNESS BEAUTY
LIVING SLOWLY
WINDING DOWN WITHOUT FEELING LEFT BEHIND BY JOHNSON CHUKWUEKE
I
n a world obsessed with speed, productivity, and constant motion, choosing to slow down can feel almost rebellious and unproductive. But what if living slowly isn’t falling behind, and is actually the smartest way to move forward? Somewhere between endless notifications, packed schedules, and the quiet pressure to always be “doing more,” many of us have forgotten how to pause. Hustle culture has sold the idea that rest equals laziness and stillness means stagnation. Yet, beneath the noise, a quieter movement is gaining momentum, one that values intention over urgency and presence over pressure. Living slowly doesn’t mean quitting your job, moving off-grid, or abandoning ambition. It means reclaiming control over your time, energy, and emotional well-being. It’s about choosing quality over quantity, in how you work, love, rest, and show up for yourself. In a fast world, slow living is not about escape, but rather, it’s about alignment. Here’s how to embrace a slower lifestyle without feeling like life is passing you by.
Curate Your Commitments Not every invitation deserves a yes. Not every trend needs your attention. Slow living is about intentional choices: choosing commitments that energise you rather than drain you. When you curate your schedule with care, your time stops feeling like something that’s constantly slipping away.
Remember, Slower Doesn’t Mean Smaller Slowing down doesn’t shrink your dreams; it strengthens them. When you move with intention, clarity replaces chaos. You begin to make better decisions, build deeper relationships, and live more authentically, on your own terms.
Redefine What “Productive” Really Means
Be Present, Not Just Available
Embrace Simple Joys Without Guilt
Productivity isn’t measured only by packed calendars or constant output. Sometimes, being productive looks like saying no, taking breaks, or doing one thing well instead of ten things halfway. Slow living encourages you to detach your self-worth from busyness and recognise that rest, reflection, and creativity are just as valuable as action.
Living slowly starts with being fully present in your everyday moments, conversations, meals, walks, and even silence. Instead of multitasking your way through life, slow living asks you to experience it. Put the phone down during dinner. Listen without rushing to reply. Presence doesn’t remove you from the world; it helps you connect more deeply to it.
Morning coffee, unhurried walks, journaling, music playing softly in the background, these small rituals anchor slow living. The beauty lies in allowing yourself to enjoy them without guilt. Life doesn’t always have to be loud to be meaningful.
Living slowly is not about opting out of life; it’s about finally being in it. In choosing calm over chaos and intention over impulse, you don’t fall behind; you find your rhythm. And sometimes, the most powerful way forward is simply to slow down and breathe.
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VOL 5 NO. 52 • NEW YEAR EDITION 2026
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
DOWNTOWN ZODIAC
CAPRICORN ENERGY Built to Last, Destined to Win DECEMBER 22ND - JANUARY 19TH
ELEMENT: EARTH RULING PLANET: SATURN SYMBOL: THE SEA-GOAT FLOWER: PANSY BIRTHSTONES: GARNET
Ambition With a Plan
Quiet Strength And Self-Control
Loyal, But Selective
Capricorn energy reminds us that success doesn’t always come with noise or drama. Sometimes, it looks like discipline, patience, and quietly becoming the best version of yourself. In a world obsessed with instant gratification, Capricorn teaches us the beauty of consistency and the power of playing the long game.
Capricorns are natural goal-setters. They don’t just dream, they strategise. From five-year plans to mental checklists, they’re always thinking ahead. What sets them apart is patience; they understand that real success takes time. While others may burn out chasing fast rewards, Capricorns are building solid foundations that last. When it comes to relationships, Capricorns are cautious but deeply loyal. They don’t open up easily, but once they do, they’re all in. They value trust, consistency, and emotional safety, preferring meaningful connections over surface-level bonds. If a Capricorn chooses you, it’s intentional and means something.
Capricorns rarely panic. They’re calm under pressure and known for handling challenges with maturity and logic. Even when life gets overwhelming, they rely on discipline and inner strength to push through. This emotional control often makes them dependable leaders and steady partners.
Denzel Washington, Dec 28th
BY JOHNSON CHUKWUEKE
C
apricorn season arrives with a grounded calm, usually when the year is winding down, and everyone is reflecting, resetting, and planning. Born between December 22 and January 19, Capricorns are often misunderstood as overly serious or rigid. But beneath that composed exterior is a deeply intentional soul that values growth, security, and long-term success. Capricorns don’t rush timelines or chase quick wins. They believe in showing up daily, doing the work, and letting the results speak for themselves. Whether in career, relationships, or personal goals, this earth sign thrives on structure and purpose. If you’ve ever wondered how some people seem to always “have their life together,” chances are, you’re looking at a Capricorn.
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Kemi Adetiba, Jan 8th
Victor Osimhen, Dec 29th
VOL 5 NO. 52 • NEW YEAR EDITION 2026
THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
DOWNTOWN CONFIDENTIAL
s e l c i n o r h c ’s y cass
AFTER AMEN
T
he room was quiet except for our breathing, like we were both trying to come back to ourselves. He lay beside me, one arm heavy across my waist. I closed my eyes and let myself feel it: the warmth, the calm, the softness that came after something intense. My body was relaxed in a way I wasn’t used to. My mind, though, was busy. How did I even get here? I remembered the first day I really noticed him. How he stood during worship, eyes closed, singing like he meant every word. How he didn’t try too hard to be seen. How he listened when people spoke. He wasn’t loud or showy like some of the men I’d met before. He had this quiet confidence, the kind that didn’t need approval. That was what pulled me in. We started talking after service, small talk at first, then longer conversations that stretched into the week. He remembered things I said. Asked questions and waited for answers. He didn’t rush me, didn’t flirt carelessly. When he smiled, it felt intentional. He was different.
That was the word that kept returning to me now, as his fingers moved slowly through my hair, like he had all the time in the world. Different from the men who only called late at night. Different from the ones who made promises they never meant to keep. With him, I felt seen. And that scared me. Because now that we had crossed this line, I wasn’t sure I could pretend it meant nothing. I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling, my chest tightening slightly. What if I wanted more? What if this wasn’t just a moment I could pack away and forget? The thought of wanting him again, his presence, his care, felt dangerous. Wanting him like this could change things. He shifted beside me, his hand pausing in my hair. “You’re thinking too hard,” he said softly. I turned to look at him. He was watching me. “Am I that obvious?” I asked. He smiled. “A little.” I hesitated, then decided not to hide. “I was just… wondering what this means.” He exhaled, like he’d been holding something in too. “I was hoping you’d ask.” That surprised me. “I don’t do things like this without feeling
something,” he continued. “And I don’t want this to be something we pretend didn’t matter.” My heart skipped, slow and heavy. “So you’ve been thinking about it too?” I asked. He nodded. “Since before tonight.” Silence settled between us again, but this time it was warm, full. His thumb brushed lightly against my arm, grounding me. “I like you,” he said simply. “Not just what happened here. You.” I felt something loosen inside me.
I rested my head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, steady and sure. For the first time in a long while, the idea of tomorrow didn’t make me anxious. It made me curious. Maybe this could be more than a secret moment. Maybe it could be the start of something real. As he held me closer, I allowed myself to imagine it. The possibility of finally dating him didn’t feel impossible anymore. It felt like something I wanted to try.
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THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com
VOL NO. 52 52 •• NEW NEW YEAR YEAREDITION EDITION2026 2026 VOL 5 5 NO.
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:
The Downtown Year End Review
W
as 2025 a good year for movies and TV? I really think it was. We got quality releases year round, and best of all, the biggest hits were (for the most part at least) original releases. Of course franchise and IP- related films came out and made a LOT of money (see: The Minecraft Movie grossing almost $1Billion) but with only 2 Marvel movies and 1 DC movie, the year’s main tentpoles were original films by some of the biggest directors working today. Weirdly, this year was also the year of double performances. We got 2 Pattinsons in Mickey 17, two Michael B. Jordan’s in Sinners and 2 (sort of ) Emma Stone’s in Bugonia. Odd coincidence, but a fun one. This article will take a look back at some of these hits, and maybe take a look into the future at 2026, which looks to be the biggest film year in a long time (franchise or original!)
The Review’s Top 5 Movies of 2025
5. Wake Up Dead Man (Netflix) Rian Johnson’s third Benoit Blanc mystery is maybe the most emotionally satisfying of the three, starring Josh O’Connor as a young priest suspected of killing the bombastic Monsignor Wicks (Josh Brolin), with whom he’d repeatedly clashed. O’Connor and Daniel Craig, playing Blanc, are marvelous together, and while the film is funny, it’s also a respectful and deeply felt story about faith and how hard it can be to maintain. And, yes, there’s another great supporting cast, including Glenn Close, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington and Andrew Scott. 4. Bugonia Bugonia, based on the South Korean sci-fi film Save the Green Planet!, stars Jesse Plemons as an aggrieved warehouse worker who kidnaps the CEO (Emma Stone) of his pharmaceutical employer, convinced that she’s secretly an alien plotting the destruction of Earth. Plemons gives his most engrossing performance to date, embodying a familiar, pathological conspiracism that thrives in overly online isolation and has taken root in a working class exploited by oligarchs and politicians alike. Stone is equally compelling as a shrewd CEO struggling to convince Plemons – and the audience – that she isn’t a cold, unfeeling extraterrestrial hellbent on destroying our planet, a tall order for the average human billionaire. Newcomer Aidan Delbis deserves a shout-out for his performance as Plemons’ cousin, a much-needed empathetic light in this dark, discomforting film. 3. Weapons This is ostensibly a horror movie about all but one child from a single elementary school class disappearing overnight. And while Weapons
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is certainly scary, that’s not all it is. Director and screenwriter Zach Cregger follows up Barbarian with a film that’s told in chapters. One, about the teacher of the missing children, is a drama; another, about a parent, unfolds like a suburban detective story; a chapter about a town vagrant feels like a comedy (P.S., this movie is so hilarious.). But when the actor Amy Madigan shows up as the creepy Aunt Gladys, the film reaches both terrifying and comedic levels of greatness. As an added bonus, Aunt Gladys will be an easy Halloween costume for years to come. 2. Sinners On paper, a history-heavy vampire flick shouldn’t work, but in the capable hands of Ryan Coogler, it became one of the biggest hits of the year. Coogler’s Sinners stars his muse, Michael B. Jordan, doing his typical top-notch work in dual roles as identical twins Smoke and Stack: one taciturn, the other a powder keg. The two want to open a juke joint in the Jim Crow South and, in the process, nab themselves a piece of the American dream. But as if racism weren’t enough, Smoke and Stack must contend with literal vampires, too. While Sinners presents as a horror flick, it’s rife with commentary about the intersectionality of race, class, and art in America. Beautifully illustrated by aspiring blues musician Sammie Moore (Miles Caton) and his ethereal, ancestor-calling musical performance in the juke joint. Like its subject matter, Sinners is actually an amalgam of genres, part scary movie, part period piece, part musical, blending to create something greater than the sum of the film’s very excellent parts. The result is an unexpected box office smash with something important to say about the culture and its many vultures. 1. One Battle After Another Paul Thomas Anderson’s propulsive film is truly a movie for and of our wild times. One Battle After Another examines the spirit of rebellion as well as the oppressive forces we must rebel against, capturing both with humour and honesty. A beer-drinking, robe-wearing Leonardo DiCaprio is unexpectedly hilarious as ex-revolutionary and consummate girl dad Bob Ferguson, while Sean Penn plays his old foe, Colonel Lockjaw, with a truly twisted rigidity. Their cat-and-mouse chase is as thrilling as it is compelling, holding attention throughout the film’s lengthy run time. One Battle After Another also cements not one, but two new movie stars: There’s multihyphenate Teyana Taylor, who commands the first half of the film with the sheer power of her presence as impulsive revolutionary Perfidia Beverly Hills. And then there’s Chase Infiniti, a true newcomer who more than holds her own opposite stalwarts like Penn and DiCaprio. Add in excellent supporting performances from Regina Hall, Benicio Del Toro, and Tony Goldwyn, and it seems Anderson has pulled off the seemingly impossible: directing the rare politically radical crowd-pleaser.
WATCH OF THE WEEK
BEST TV SHOWS OF 2025 1. Task
This crime drama starring Mark Ruffalo as gone-to-seed cop Tom Brandis, allocated a dangerous new assignment in Philadelphia, certainly wasn’t for the faint-hearted. But if you could handle the all-pervasive air of impending catastrophe, it was a fine, gritty, twisty procedural centred on stick-up merchants, biker gangs and the grim ramifications of the fentanyl trade. An intense downer, in the best possible way. 2. Pluribus
With Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul behind him, there were huge expectations for showrunner Vince Gilligan’s new drama – but he has pulled off a spectacularly original sci-fi story. Carol (the brilliant Rhea Seehorn, for whom the show was written) is a miserable novelist who is immune to an alien virus that takes hold of 99.9% of the world and turns them into a happy hive. As Carol tries to “save” the world, the show morphs into a sharply funny social observation and a psychological thriller that hums with existential dread. As per Gilligan’s works, trust and patience are rewarded – thanks in part to those hypnotic opening montages – and each episode racks up more questions that you’re happy to wait the whole series to find answers to. It’s a good job that season 2 has already been commissioned. 3. Severance Following up on the stunning cliffhanger finale of this creepy workplace satire’s first season was always going to be a difficult feat. But this second outing managed to move past the novelty of a clever premise, featuring
employees mentally “severed” into two personalities so that their workplace incarnations are ignorant of their personal lives and vice versa. What emerged were love stories that were touching, troubling and had a flair for wrongfooting the viewer, the show’s creepiest scenes ever and a terrifying guest spot from Gwendoline Christie that’s not just a strong contender for the show’s most memorable moment, but possibly one of her defining roles. 4. The Studio Seth Rogen’s sitcom about a Hollywood film studio broke records for the number of Emmys it won, and with good reason. Despite being stuffed with brilliant celeb cameos, its core cast outshone them, oozing astonishing comic flair as they rattled through one side-splitting farce after another. The show’s embrace of its subject matter extended to a soundtrack of big-band-style skittering drums reminiscent of the golden era of
Hollywood and artfully directed episodes whose camerawork included one filmed in an elaborate single-take shot (while the episode’s plot is about a filmmaker trying to get an elaborate single-take shot). 5. Andor
Probably the best and certainly the most universally appealing of the many additions to the Star Wars universe in recent years, this Rogue One prequel may have had the usual fantasy trappings, but was also a stirring meditation on oppression and resistance. And dropping in the year of Donald Trump’s second coming, it felt particularly poignant and potent. It starred the excellent Diego Luna as Cassian Andor, a thief and scavenger whose home planet has been rendered uninhabitable by the Galactic Empire. Andor is a natural leader, but he’s also a cynic; sceptical of revolutionary idealism. How does such a man turn into a freedom fighter, willing to risk everything for his cause? What we said: “Even when it’s in a lighter mode, Andor is Star Wars for grown-ups. This rebellion is a serious business.”
YEAR END PLAYLIST 2025
Sakhile - iBanga
Amaarae - sweeeet
Kevin Ross - Sweet Release
Rema - YAYO
Icee Red; Isaiah Falls; Flozigg - FWT
Tame Impala - Dracula
Ayra Starr - Hot Body
Khruangbin - The No.3
berlioz - something will happen