Meet Nigeria's Top 10 YouTube Stars

According to Google, these are the top ten Nigerian YouTube stars for 2016. These stars have made a name for themselves on YouTube from varying fields, ranging from entertainment and comedy to make-up tutorials and lifestyle vlogs.

1. Emmanuella Samuel

Popularly known as Emmanuella, she is the six-year-old comedienne of the MarkAngel comedy series. Currently, Emmanuella is really popular with over 280 thousand subscribers and views regularly exceeding 3 million. And that is not even her real face o.

2. Toke Makinwa

Toke Makinwa is an on air personality and also a presenter with Rhythm 93.7, where she co-presents the Morning Drive show. However, she also has a YouTube vlog series called, 'Toke Moments' with over thirty-two thousand subscribers. She talks about everything from make-up, to lifestyle and relationship issues, and does it in an honest, fun way. 

3. Akah Nnani

Nnani is popular for his YouTube channel on which he gives commentary on social issues and does really funny celebrity impersonations. The channel is ‘Akah’s Bants’.

4. Yemisi Odusanya / SisiYemmie

Possibly my favourite lifestyle personality, ‘Sisi Yemmie’ holds twenty three thousand subscribers spell bound on her YouTube Channel, where she regularly shows them what it means to be a wife, mother and working woman in Lagos, Nigeria. 

5. Osagie Alonge

I have known Osagie Alonge for a bit. Fun fact- he started out as a rapper. Now he does a great job of keeping us up with pop culture with frank (and sometimes unpopular) analysis. His show is called, 'Facts Only'.

6. Adanna Ohakim Steinacker

The daughter of former Imo State Governor, Ihedi Ohakim. Adanna who started vlogging while dating (now husband) David Steinacker. Their life as a (bi-racial) couple and now, her life as a mum and in Ireland make for unique and great content which has grown her viewer base. 

7. Ikenna Azuike

Ikenna Azuike is a Nigerian-British lawyer, whose YouTube channel is called: What’s up Africa. He offers a unique and humorous take on Africa and the latest issues surrounding the continent. Using quirky and hilarious videos, his YouTube channel with over sixteen thousand subscribers has earned him a place on BBC Focus Africa.

8. Patricia Bright

Patricia Bright is one of the queens of YouTube channels on beauty and fashion tips. With an amazing 876,000 subscribers, she has truly carved a niche for herself in beauty tips, tricks and hacks. She offers all this with just the right dose of charm.

9. Chidinma Umeh

Chidinma runs the YouTube channel named: ThatIgboChick and beauty is her forte. A lot of people obviously believe she has what it takes, as she has two million views on her channel.

10. Kunle Idowu / "Frank Donga"

Kunle Idowu is so popular, yet not with his real name. Many know him as Frank Donga. And if young Emmanuella is the queen of comedy, Kunle is the king on YouTube. He  rose to fame on GTBank’s Ndani TV, starring in the online comedy series The Interview. Frank Donga was nominated at the 2016 Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards.

#SkincareSaturday Oats... for health, nutrition and skincare

When I was growing up, oats were the same thing as dirt to me- to be stayed away from.
I didn't want it for breakfast because I thought oats were tasteless and boring.

In the past year though, I have become an oats ambassador of sorts. They really are, the goods! When it comes to health, nutrition and skin, oats are great for you. And guess what? I've moved oats away from my thoughts as breakfast meal to simply meal.

Yup!

One fine day I was hungry, had some leftover meat but didn't want anything heavy. I saw the oats and thought, why not? Googled some oats recipes and was pleasantly surprised. That day, i poured the oats in stock and ate it. Almost like it was a side for the beef.
Weird?

Try delicious, NUTRITIOUS and healthy alternative weirdness!

Oats help with bowel movement, are not high in sugar and are a fitness dream as well.

And o. Extra tip. Don't pour excess oats away. Turn it into a face scrub. Your skin will thank you for it!

TravelThursday; My Travel Pet Peeves

I love travelling, i love talking about travelling, and i love s.h.a.r.ing pictures and my travel experiences.
BUT! With all of this, there are still some things i do not like about travelling. A few of these make part one of my 'Travel Pet Peeves".

- The processes

Grr!
Where is my passport? Yellow fever card? Travel insurance? bla la la!
When you travel you have to ensure a lot of things are in place because who wants their holiday ruined because they forgot some process?
And let's not forget how owning a green passport makes things a bit more complicated with visa appointments...

- Packing

Grr!
Why can't i either just buy every single thing i need where i go to, or have a fairy that helps me pack?
First i have to pack here, with things i need, but enough space for what i want to bring back. And i hate all that folding up and fitting things into boxes that comes with packing!

- Unpacking

Because apparently, everything packed must be unpacked.
Hian

- The journey

I do not know about you but i am not aa fan of any mode of transportation that lasts longer than say one hour.
I can barely sit still in traffic so road trips can start off fine but by the second hour i am bored, need to pee and uncomfortable. Then there is all that sea or air sickness, cramped legs, headaches and everything that comes with it.
Nah.

- Coming back

Well.
Self explanatory.

What are your Travel Pet Peeves?

Why I think Iceland Should Win the Euros 2016

Yes, because first off, it will make a great story.
 Iceland the underdog team, winning the tournament? It would be bigger than the story of Leicester winning the English Premier League.

Lol. I am of course now fascinated by Iceand. a nation with the population of over 300000 only. That is like the size of a village in Nigeria o, and almost a hundred thousand fewer people than follow Ronaldo on twitter!

- They are so non-violent, that they do not have an army, navy or air force, plus their police do not carry guns.

- Their national sport is handball. And yes, this country, whose national sport is handball, held a Portugal side with Cristiano Ronaldo playing, to a draw! They have shown great heart.

- Get this- they qualified for their first ever World Cup in 2014, becoming the smallest ever nation to do that.

- Despite their non-violent disposition, one of the most violent characters from the popular Game of Thrones Series is from Iceland. Yup- The Mountain, whose real name is: ‎Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson .



He even made a funny Youtube video, where he threatened, (in jest of course) to remove Ronaldo's head if he scored against his team.

- As for football, experts say because they were not used to football at that level, they did not know all the diving gimmicks and other theatrics. Which means they played clean. Another achievement in my books!



You can see why i am rooting for this peace loving, honest and pure people. I think it is time i visit Iceland myself, who wants to come along?

#WinThisWeek Win a Make Up Session with iDazzle!

Hi all!

Today's giveaway comes courtesy one of my make up artistes!

I'll tell the story of how we met one day but I love her because she's so calm and smiles all the time!
Plus she's very patient (which you need to be when you have to work on my face in between speech breaks on air) and does good work!

So I had a little chat with her on her birthday (yesterday), about who she is and why she does what she does!

To win a free make up session with her at the iDazzle studio, just read the chat below, then answer this question "Who is head make up artiste at iDazzle?" over on my instagram. You must be following both iDazzle and myself to win!

Good luck!

T.B: Happy Birthday! Let's start with that! New age. What feels different?

iDazzle: The major difference is the realization of what really matters in life. It's not about the flashy and material things but making an impact and showing love when you can.
Usually, I'd celebrate and go all out..but this time around I decided to shift focus and opted to celebrate with the less privileged who would appreciate it more. The smiles on their faces made my day!

T.B: Now I have you saved on my phone as 'IDazzle', lol. But of course your name is Idowu. Tell me a bit more though.

iDazzle: My full name is Idowu Ogundare, and I'm Head makeup artist at iDazzle.

I've always had a keen interest in makeup right from college days. I had even enrolled at a beauty college but my Mum totally disagreed and insisted I got a degree first, so I went ahead and studied Computer Science at King's College, London.

Worked for a year at an IT Company then got bored and went back to my first love and that's how it all started.

Been at it now for almost 4 years and thankfully we are growing each day.

T.B: What's the biggest misconception about the beauty industry?

iDazzle: I wish ppl would understand that being popular doesn't mean you are the best but let skills speak!

Amen sister!

iDazzle is a makeup and beauty outfit, known for flawless Make-Up artistry, Sale of quality makeup products, eyelash extensions, headgear tying, and ladies accessories.

They are located at 25 Oluwaleimu street, off Amore street, Toyin street, Ikeja.
Tel: 07014821396

www.idazzlestudio.com
F: idazzle
I: idazzlemakeover
T: idazzlestudio

Christina Grimmie; A Star Snuffed Out

There has been so much death and destruction lately that i have gone to bed a few times this week just weak.

I just wanted to do a little post about Christina Grimmie, who we first discovered on 'The Voice'. She died at 22 of gunshot wounds after she was attacked by a gunman a few days ago on June 11, 2016. She had just finished performing at a show in Orlando, Florida. Her death has been largely overshadowed by the gruesome massacre at a gay nightclub in the same area on Sunday, the 12th of June, 2016 but the senselessness of these deaths weaken me.

Christina Victoria Grimmie was only 22, but was already famous as a beautiful singer. Her father noticed her talent for singing when she was six years old, and she started playing the piano at age ten. Despite having received piano lessons, she said she played by ear, without music sheets. Grimmie began posting videos to her YouTube channel in 2009, at age 15. The first video she uploaded was a cover of Hannah Montana's "Don't Wanna Be Torn". Her cover of Miley Cyrus's "Party in the U.S.A." in August 2009, made her extremely popular on Youtube. In 2016 the 22 year old became the fourth most subscribed musician on Youtube, with two million subscribers and 375 million views. She opened stages for the Selena Gomez, the Jonas Brothers, Ed Sheeran and appeared on The Ellen Degeneres Show.

Grimmie was shot three times by 27-year-old Kevin James Loibl of St. Petersburg, Florida, while she signed autographs following her performance.
Praying with her friends and family

Samuel Eto'o's Beautiful White Wedding After 9 Years.

When i first saw that headline yesterday, i was sure it was a joke, because i knew Samuel Eto'o, the star Cameroon footballer had been married a while. But guess what? Samuel Eto'o and Georgette Tra Lou have been married since 2007, they have two beautiful girls together Siena and Lynn Eto'o.
So full gist:
Apparently, Eto'o and Georgette decided after nine years to have a white wedding and from the pictures i will be sharing, it was beautiful.
This white wedding of the former Barcelona and Chelsea striker, took place in a church at Stezzano, 25 miles northeast of Milan, Italy on the 14th of June, 2016, just yesterday.

Eto'o who is now 35, was dressed in a beautiful grey three piece suit and and black tie, a cream rose pinned to his lapel and get this: He drove himself to the church in a vintage Fiat car. How is that for fairy tale! His beautiful wife Georgette arrived in a separate vintage Mercedes Excalibur.


Former Barcelona Captain and teammate Carles Puyol was in attendance with his wife to support his friend.


Apparently, he was fulfilling his wife's dream of a fairy tale white wedding, nine years after and he pulled all stops to give her everything. Well the money certainly helped, as a huge crowd turned up at the church steps to watch the celebrity couple.

After 9 years and two children, can i still say happy married life? Well, i can say i wish them more beautiful years to come.

#MondayMotivation How to get on with it! Plus, a Dj Spinall tip

Let's be honest! Some days, you can't do it. 

Or at least you think you can't.

You can't go to work
You can't go to school
You can't face people
You can't smile.

That's a lot of can'ts.

And here's one more- you can't do that.

In an ideal world, we would "take all the time you need" but as grown ups, we have to get up and go, no matter what we are dealing with and each one of us has something we do to get things going.

I chatted with Dj Spinall on my show this morning and he told me he has a go to song that he plays when he is feeling down but still has to dj at an event. I have that too. Just a set of songs that pump me up.

And that's my first tip for you-

* Have a Go-To
It could be a go to song, Bible verse or poem that leaves you pumped!

* Psych yourself
I am not averse to throwing punches like Ali when I'm in the studio feeling down. I start dancing and psyching myself up. Err, just remember to do this away from people lest they call a doctor..

* Separate the two
They say women are able to compartmentalise better. I say, we all need to learn to separate. Don't bring those emotions from personal life to the workplace, and especially not with colleagues, bosses or clients. I can't be on air crying, dj Spinall can't start playing "my heart will go on" at a wedding just cos he's heartbroken.
Lol.

Separate it!
Practise and it makes perfect.

* Deal with it
I don't want to end this post on a defeatist or 'avoidance' note.
It's important to deal with whatever it is getting you down. If it's something that can be solved, solve it. Whatever it is, deal with it.

So, how do YOU cope?

#TravelThursday Let's go to Mauritius!

Last year, i went with Multichoice to Mauritius for the #OnlyTheBest content showcase and while that in itself was an adventure, discovering Mauritius made it even more beautiful.

Here are some quick facts about Mauritius

- It is actually in Africa.

It can be difficult to believe especially as you have to connect via Dubai, and bla la la but yes it is! It is near South Africa, to the East of the famous Madagascar island!

- Remember Dodo?

No, not fried plantain.

Dodo,the bird? There was a cartoon on NTA back in the day? Well the Dodo bird was actually real and is the nationa bird of Mauritius. I say 'was' though because they are now extinct. When it was still around, it was only found in Mauritius, and nowhere else in the whole world. Now that is something, 

Imagine a selfie with a dodo?!

- Mauritius has sugarcane. In ABUNDANCE. As their MAJOR cash crop. Large Sugarcane plantations are a common sight through out the small island country. They also grow tea too. So their revenue comes mainly from sugarcane, tea and then tourists.

- The beaches of Mauritius are to die for! White sand, trees and clear turquoise waters will have you forgetting your troubles and wishing you could live there forever. Which you can, if you have enough Mauritian rupees (their legal currency).

- What else have i not mentioned? There are NO wild animals in Mauritius. Or so they say. Who's going to stay to find out if the snakes and more are actually poisonous.

#PinkFootball News: Good Night Big Boss

I was reading the news headlines when i saw the final headline- Stephen Keshi passes on.

It is one of those things you hope will later turn out to be a rumour but alas it wasn't. 

Stephen Keshi passed on in the early hours of Wednesday morning, just a few months after losing his wife in December 2015. They got married when he was nineteen, one year before he joined the Nigerian National team. It must have been a terrible loss for him.

He was a brilliant coach with excellent leadership skills that earned him the name Big Boss. He managed the Nigerian, Togolese and Malian national teams during his coaching career. He guided the Togolese team to their only World cup appearance till date and won the African Nation’s cup with Nigeria in 2013.
He was the second only person in the world to win the African Nations Cup as a player in 1994 and as a coach in 2013, for the Super Eagles of Nigeria, a feat he will be remembered for. His legacy lives o superb coach, spirited and principled man..

Stephen Keshi is survived by four children and his mother. May he rest in peace, and may his family find comfort during this difficult time. As at the time of going to press, his body was at the hospital in Benin for an autopsy. 

Good Night Big Boss.

Here's a surprise i'd want- Taylor Swift showing up at your wedding!

True story- when i got married last year, i was hoping Eminem would show up at my wedding to surprise me.

Well that didn't happen!

One lucky couple however had something similar happen for them- Taylor Swift surprised them at their wedding! How cool is that?  Let me start from the beginning.

Max Singer and Kenya Smith were getting married on Saturday at the Brant Beach Yacht Club in Brant Beach, New Jersey when Taylor showed up! How did she even know about them? Turns out Max's Sister, Ali Singer, had written to Taylor Swift in April, telling her about how Max had married his wife first in their mother's hospital room, as she was dying, so she would not miss out on her son's wedding. She even told Taylor, that the mother and son had danced to the her new song 'Blank Space' in the hospital room, and shortly after the mother died. It must have moved Taylor, because she showed up at the wedding and even led a sing along to the song 'Blank Space'.

She took pictures and then gave them a special card with one line from the song 'Blank Space' written on it:


Hope some people like Funke and Mr A are reading this cos there WILL be an anniversary! So hint hint cough cough!

So if your wish could be granted, which Nigerian celebrity would you like to crash your wedding and surprise you?

#MondayMotivation You can't get it back

I remember one time when I lost my hundred naira. My dad saw me looking distraught and said okay o, here's another hundred.

I was grateful, but I still kept crying.

Why?

Well my theory was, if I had not lost that initial hundred, now I would have two hundred, not hundred.

Uhn?

It made sense to me at the time and upset me. Until I figured, even if my dad gave me another hundred to make it two, then I would only think about how it could have been three.. And on and on. So, hey, Tosyn, free it!

You can't get it back.

I remember this every time I lose something. I ask, "will you rather keep regretting things you can't have or do you want to move on and enjoy what you do have?". Usually it works and I do move on.

Regret is a dangerous street. It brings up the past and offers you pain with no healing. You can't let it suck you in, keep moving till you turn off.

Think of things you've lost- money, jobs, love, whatever. Is thinking about it now bringing it back? Exactly. So keep moving!!!

I hope this helps, and please s.h.a.r.e with me- what is one thing you wish you could get back?

#WinThisWeek Last Week in Pictures: Nigezie at 10, #MCM Tjan and o that Turtle

This would look like a week of Eclectic by Sasha by the way but purely accidental!

Rocked one for my Nigezie at 10 guest host duties, and a top for a casual day out on Saturday.

Also had Tjan on the show (New Music Monday) but the turtle i hung out with at the Lekki Conservation Centre was my MCM. Lol.

And o, lucky bae. He went out Friday and got to meet Peter of P Square. *sob*.

So to win today's gift, head on over to my instagram and answer this question on my #WinThisWeek post- "name two people i met last week".

#SkincareSaturday Don't forget your sunscreen!

I remember some years ago, I had an accident that left me unwilling and unable to drive. Those became my taxi months and boy do I have stories to tell about the experience (series anyone?).

But back to hopping cabs everywhere.

By the time I got my mojo back and started driving again, I realised something frightening - the sun isn't your friend.

I began the slow process of trying to heal my skin and we got to a good place eventually.

Black people revel in the fact that we have melanin and boy is melanin sexy. But we take that as an excuse to ignore protecting ourselves from the sun. We may not see it immediately but it will damage our skin. Not only that, but there is also the risk of skin cancer.

So what can you do to prevent skin damage?

* Always use sunscreen!
SPF 30 is great. Some sunscreens leave some stupid streaks on your skin so be sure to use sunscreen made for black skin. Also, while the face shows damage quicker, remember to protect your arms and legs and places usually exposed to the sun.

* Hats are your friend!
Heading to the beach? Rock a hat. Get baseball ('face') caps for your commute even if it does not match your outfit. You can keep it in your bag then wear when you are trying to get a cab or bus.

* Limit your exposure
Plan your day and movement so you are not getting the sun at the worst.

* Shade and Shades
Don't throw shade, get under the shade. And rock some stylish fashionable shades.
Of course I can't take my advice re: the latter since I wear recommended glasses, but you can always get your prescription put in some shades, or go for photocromic lens which will go dark and protect you when the sun is out.

* Repair
If your skin HAS been damaged, it's time to fix this.

Check my next skincare post for how to repair!

#TravelThursday My Seychelles Beauty haul

#TravelTip when you go somewhere, check out their beauty products! Every area has that special thing you can only get there so bring some of that magic with you.

I went to Seychelles a few weeks ago and loved the sand the sun and the sea. So what about Seychelles is harnessed to make skin supple and people happy?

Turns out Seychelles has a lot to offer!

First I stumbled on this line called 'Yikings' which has a range of products for various skin types and needs. I copped the lip balm, some scrubs, face mist, skin rejuvenation lotion and cleanser.

Then at a souvenir shop, I found gems like these cute soaps (some already packaged as souvenirs), and lotions.

The natural products I got were mainly coconuts and lemon grass but there was also the peach one just for the smell.

I should have got some sunscreen though! Lol. So that's another tip- don't forget your sunscreen!

So that's my current haul and I'm enjoying using all of them, especially the facial soaps and body scrubs.

What's the best product you've bought while on holiday? s.h.a.r.e!

#ThrowbackThursday Mary Poppins sequel set for 2018 release

Hi all!

So months ago, i told you about a rumoured 'Mary Poppins' release.

Rumour no more as Disney has now announced that the sequel will open on December 25th 2018, with the title, 'Mary Poppins Returns'.

O hoooooooo!

If you saw the first one, you would have fallen in love with Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews, but now get set to hopefully fall in love with the new actors, including Lin-Manuel Miranda as a new character, and Emily Blunt as the nanny. 'Mary Poppins Returns' will be directed by Rob Marshall, and is based on a David Magee adapted script.

i'm already like, "Why you messing with a classic?!" but i know i will watch it to see where they take the story. They say it is set in Depression-era London, and the family will be visited by their former nanny following a tragedy that leaves them hopeless.

Hian.

Well then everyone, "Super-cali-fragil-istic-expi-ali-docious".