Tag Archives: NITC

NITC 12

Posted in events by

Hey guys,

So the 12th NITC (Naturals In The City), a natural hair and lifestyle meetup, was on the 26th of September and as you probably know, I went.

I met some lovely blog readers and I got to meet some great bloggers too e.g Nafisah and Grace.

This time, I wasn’t early so the hall was full when I got there(there were soooo many people at this NITC!). As a result, I will not be doing a summary of the talks because I missed them unfortunately.

I however have pictures for you!

Continue reading →

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Instapicks of the week #05

Posted in Instapicks by

Hello guys,

I hope you’ve had a good week? I’ve been on leave for most of the week so I definitely have had some much needed rest and relaxation.

I even went to NITC yesterday and I met quite a few sweet souls; I was able to put faces to a couple of blogs I follow as well. Afterwards I went to Rele which is an art gallery in Onikan and saw some dope art. I will do a post(or two) about both outings so stay tuned.

You know our normal Sunday ritual on the blog na. Here are my picks for the week.

 

Source: @nigerianandnatural (Original source: http://www.stylenews.peoplestylewatch.com)


I am not team Lupita but this Vogue spread was beautiful! 

 

Source: @_tttos


I love when Lagos looks like art 

Source: @ukcurlygirl

Source: @igobyfrankie


 

Source: @beyonce


My bae! Peep Blue’s curls and flower crown in the background  
 

Source: @adaa_ora


*Crying*

 

Source: @fisayolonge

 Lagos evenings.

Source: @4chairchicks

#RelationshipGoals 

 

Source: @kwasi_darko


But why are our oranges never actually orange?

   
Source: @bretmanrock 

When your makeup is on fleek and it starts to drizzle.

Throwing in a couple of shots from NITC

 

Source: @beeeyuteeful


I know I look sad but I promise I wasn’t.

 

Source: @namasteorganics

  How pretty are they?

 

Source: @dee_mako


Which picture is your favourite?

Have a great week.

Xoxo 

 
 

NITC 11

Posted in events by
Hi beautiful people!
The eleventh NITC was on Saturday. 
In case you don’t know what NITC is, *gasps* where have you been?! 
It’s a hair meetup that holds a few times a year organized by Natural Nigerian, The Kink and I and Carib Health.
As always, it was an opportunity to mingle, learn, shop and feed your eyes with beautiful hair.
It seems Mother Nature didn’t get the memo though because it was raining for the better part of the day. As a result, the turnout wasn’t as good as it usually is but there was still a good number of people.
The theme of the event was Keeping It Real. 
There were four talks and I have the scoop.

Talk 1: By Kelechi Koko- @yellowsisi
 

 


 Main points:

Some things that dry your hair out-

  1. Products- Not all products work for everyone. Some things might be moisturizing for some and drying for others e.g. aloe vera, shea butter, ACV. 
  2. Not moisturizing properly.
  3. Build up.
  • Natural hair is for everyone; it grows out of your scalp; but not everyone is patient enough to handle it. 
  • Don’t confuse breakage with shedding. It’s normal for your hair to shed daily; don’t think it’s breaking when it isn’t.
Talk 2: By Esther Morenikeji (a weight loss professional)- @estamorenikeji
 

She was so so so funny, relatable and fun to listen to!


Main points:
  • Fitfam and naturalistas have things in common. They like sharp sharp things. (LOL! So true!)
  • The purpose of exercise is beyond body beautiful.
  • Being thin doesn’t necessarily mean you’re fit.
  • Not every time fry fry. Sometimes, toast, roast and grill.
  • For a healthier stew, boil the tomatoes and pepper till almost dry and add a little oil followed by your spices. (As opposed to the original method of frying the tomatoes in oil)
  • Do a maintainable diet so it doesn’t seem like a punishment. Don’t go for expensive food stuff that you can’t maintain. 
  • Exercise doesn’t have to be anything major. Walk, jump rope.
  • Bulk your meals with veggies and proteins as opposed to carbohydrates.
  • Nigerian foods are not unhealthy. They can be healthy when you choose healthier methods of preparing them and eat the correct portions.
Talk 3: By Cherise (Not sure)- Carib Health.
  

Main points:

  • Don’t overdo weight loss. 4kg per month is acceptable weight loss.
  • Drink water before you eat; like 30 mins before. This helps you eat less and digest better.
  • Eat slower and savour your meal; it helps you eat less.
  • Mixing fruit and meat can cause bloating. Eat fruits first and then food like 30 mins later. 
  • Don’t eat high in sugar fruits at night e.g mangoes and pineapples.
Carib Health also has a wellness show every Sunday at 1pm on 92.3 
Talk 4: By Geraldine- Intimate Pleasures
  
To be extremely honest, I did not write anything in this segment. I was too busy listening and oohing and giggling. 
But to summarize, it was an interactive sex talk with topics ranging from tampons versus menstrual cups to perceptions about sexually liberated women in our society to vibrators.
It was quite interesting.
Side note: During the talk, someone mentioned ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) for infections ‘down there’. Diluted with water and used to rinse (alternatively you can sit in a bowl of it for a short while), it helps to alleviate itching and cure the infection.
So here’s what we really came for, pictures!
 

Ife

  

She has clip ins in her hair which she made herself

  

Kanyinsola

      Ekene of The Kink And I    Ify of Ify’s Musings  

Ekene and Isioma

       

Can you believe this is a weave?

  

The hall with vendors

  

Shopping and chatting

      Berry of Berry Dakara and Nicole  Atilola of African Naturalistas   

Here’s what I bought (even though I said I wouldn’t buy anything at all) 
Island Shea Butter Cup from Savvy & Chic

A floral headband from Fashion Strings (I was apprehensive about buying it because the last time I bought stuff from them, everything spoilt in no time but let’s see)

   I also got a Henna Tattoo from The Henna Place

Outfit of the day

I scored this Eve and Tribe skirt on sale for less than 2000 Naira some time ago.

And that’s a wrap on NITC 11!

Shoutout to Anita, a lovely blog reader who said hi! 

How was NITC 11 for you if you attended? If you didn’t attend, tell me whyyyyyy? How’s your week going?

NITC 10

Posted in events by
 
Hi guys,
NITC 10 was on Saturday and I went. I think this is the third one I've been to. If you missed it, not to worry; I gat you(sort of).
 
I was really early for this one and I got a little bag of Jessicurl samples for being early(See why you should say NO to African time?).

There were 4 talks:
1. Dr Sandra of Naija Girl Next Door spoke about making the most of what you have product-wise.

Pretty jumpsuit ei?

Main Points:
-Be realistic- Don't buy products with unrealistic expectations e.g an expensive curl cream when you know your hair will probably never curl like that of the girl on the container.

-Pick one- Pick the best product/the product that works best for you e.g you don't need to have 4 conditioners; just pick one.

-Merge products- Use multitasking products e.g a rinse out conditioner that can serve as a leave in.

-Use a light hand- Don't be heavy handed with products.

-DIY- It's relatively inexpensive; you can strike gold with trial and error.

2. Nkechi of Formula Botanica spoke about making the most of things around you for natural skin care

Although you can't see it well, she has amazing skin.

Main Points:
-For cleansing- The Oil Cleansing Method(she recommended castor oil for this), honey, yoghurt(you can add some lemon/lemon essential oil), black soap.
 
-For moisturizing- Aloe vera, green tea and other humectants can be added to your moisturizer.
 
-As a serum- 1 teaspoon water + 2 teaspoons glycerin + half teaspoon vitamin C(Ascorbic acid in powdered form. Found in pharmacies)
 
-For the under eye area- Witch hazel(can be found in pharmacies), cucumber, green tea bags, lemon juice(for dark circles), aloe vera.
 
-For exfoliants and masks- clays(e.g bentonite), bananas, tomatoes, cocoa, yoghurt, honey, milk, sea salt.
 
-As a toner- Witch hazel(for oily skin) and floral waters(e.g rose water for dry skin)
 
-Don't store natural products/DIY mixes as they are a breeding ground for bacteria. Make them in small, single-use batches.
 
 
 
3. Dr Patrick of Carib Health spoke about making the most of the natural foods around us.
Main Points:
-Go for a checkup annually(I won't even lie, I don't think I've ever been for a checkup. I only go to the hospital when I'm sick)
 
-The following foods are super good for you:
 
~Tigernuts(Those brownish small things that mallams hawk that you chew and spit out. He suggested eating them like 2 times a week)
~Dates(Also hawked by mallams. Brownish like a big raisin)
~Moringa
~Bitter leaf
-Doing a detox every now and then is very beneficial.
 
 
4. Isioma spoke about loving yourself. It was also her birthday!
Main Points:
–Self love- Love yourself just the way you are. Any changes you make, do them for yourself and not for anyone.
 
-Acceptance- Accept that you are who you are and make the most of whatever your situation is. E.g If your hair does not curl, that is something it does not do. Accept it, focus on and rock what your hair can do.
 
-A little selfishness goes a long way- Think about yourself every now and then and put yourself and your opinions first.
 
-You are the only you you have
 
 
There was also a panel where some ladies were asked questions about their hair and experiences but I only stayed for the first few minutes of this part before I had to leave.
 
I had good conversations about hair with a couple of people before the main event started.
I also took a few shots of a few good people.
 
Loved her threaded hair! Not sure if I can pull it off though.
 
AB's twists were on serious fleek
(Taking pictures like a professional stalker)
 
Wish I had taken more pictures but my battery was at about 15% when I got there.
 
By the way, do you know The Kink and I now has a store?
I got this cute note with my purchase from their stand at NITC.
 
 
 
And shoutout to the lady that recognized me from here and said hi! 😀
 
Keep your eyes glued to Natural Nigerian and The Kink and I for more deets and pictures from NITC 10 soon.
 
Sidebar: My friends and I went to lunch afterwards and we thought our experience was totally “blogable” so that might show up here as a restaurant review sometime within the week. I wanted to add it to this post but I am not a fan of really long posts.
 
Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @nigerianandnatural
 
Xoxo
 

2015 thus far

Posted in events, Not hair, Weight loss by
It's the last day of February already!
 
Remember my Pounds and Inches post? I talked about two areas I wanted to work on in 2015.
Seeing as we're entering the third month of the year already, I was thinking about my progress(or lack thereof)
 
One area I wanted to work on was that I wanted to post more on the blog this year.
In that aspect, I hope you will agree with me that there has been some improvement. This is the 9th week of the year(if I'm correct) and there's been 11 posts on the blog so far(including this one). That's about a post a week as opposed to 2 posts a month last year. I hope to still improve but so far, I think I can give myself a pat on the back.
 
The other area I wanted to work on was losing weight.
I wish I had worked on this but honestly I have so many excuses that I'd rather not share at the risk of sounding ridiculous.
 
I even started my day today with hot akara and sugary creamy pap while my mates were probably lifting weights and gulping down smoothies *sigh*.
 
I'm not going to even lie and say I've made any effort because I haven't in all honesty. I know how to lose weight, really I think I do. My problem is the lack of willpower aka laziness and the fact that I have a job now and less time for workouts and meal prep.
 
 
In other news, next week Saturday (7th of March) is NITC 10.
Venue: The Social Place, 33 Sinari Daranijo street, VI
Time: 1:30 to 5:30(Don't be late, I missed a lot the last time because I was late)
Gate fee: N500
 
As always, there will be hair talks, giveaways and stands where you can buy those hair products you have been lusting after. There will be a product swap also so bring those products you don't want(not more than halfway used) to swap for other stuff.
And as always, everyone is invited; natural, relaxed, texlaxed, on a healthy hair journey, curious etc
I will most probably be there so if you see me, do say hi! 😀
 
 
How are your 2015 goals coming along? Do you have any weightloss tips for me with my newly busy life? Please share; I love to read your comments.

Xoxo
 

What I Wore: Lady In Valentine’s Red

Posted in Fashion, Not hair, What I Wore by

Ello baes! Happy Valentine’s!! Kisses all around! *muah*

No hair related news for now. My hair is still in braids but I’m not sure the braids will see the end of today because I am so tired of the style already.

Anyways, I decided I was going to wear this red dress yesterday with sneakers to work and I thought to do a day to night look for the blog as well.

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And because I like to goof around

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Dress: Papaya
Plimsolls: Primark
Heels: Asos (borrow pose from my sister)

To be honest, I am liking the outfit posts and I hope you are too.

Hope you’re spending the day with the one(s) you love. If you’re like me, you’re going to be in bed all day falling in and out of love sleep. Enjoy it either ways.

And if you’re feeling sad, remember self love is what’s most important and remember that I love you and God loves you too!
Here’s a really awesome post to lift your spirit(watch the video; it’s the best part)-> How To Be Alone

Also, Lagosians the 10th edition of NITC(a natural hair meet-up) is on the 7th of March so save the date.

Lots of love and warm hugs from me to you!
Xoxo

My Hair Stash (Feb 2015)

Posted in hair practices, products by

Salut, hello, howdy!

I am not a product junkie! I really am not. However I seem to have a lot of stuff for someone who basically uses mostly shampoo, conditioner, leave in and shea butter 95% of the time! I did not realize until I was taking pictures for this post that I had so much stuff that I don't use often! I had to dust some of them before taking pictures sef

IMG_9717 (Photo Cred: @thecreamycrackrehab on Instagram)

Without further ado,behold my stash

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CLEANSERS/SHAMPOOS

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-Bobeam shampoo bar in Shealoe (purchased from The Kinky Apothecary ). I have had it for over a year y'all)
-Dudu Osun- melted down and mixed with water and olive oil (Can be purchased from your local grocery/beauty store)

My staple: Dudu Osun

CONDITIONERS

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-Shea Moisture restorative conditioner (a gift from someone who went abroad but can be purchased on The Kinky Apothecary as well as Olori)
-V05 herbal escapes conditioner (purchased at NITC but can be bought at many local grocery/beauty stores. I mostly buy it at Bruno's Place opposite Silverbird at Ikeja City Mall)
-V05 tea therapy conditioner (purchased at Bruno's Place)
-Herbal Essences ignite my color conditioner (purchased at Maxmart in Accra but can be found at Casa Bella or Goodies)

My staple: V05 conditioners(any kind but I like the Moisture Milks line the most I think). Haven't had a chance to use the Shea Moisture much yet.

DEEP CONDITIONERS

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-Vitale hair mayonnaise (purchased at Spar but can be found at many local grocery/beauty stores)
-Coconut milk (purchased at Spar and can be found in most big grocery stores. You can also make yours)
-Shea Moisture purification masque (purchased at NITC but can be purchased on The Kinky Apothecary as well as Olori)

My staple: None. I haven't used them long enough but I like the purification masque. Still not sold on the Vitale. Coconut milk is something I've used a number of times and I like but I don't use it very often(I mix it with other stuff e.g conditioner before use). Usually I deep condition with my regular conditioner and don't use a store bought deep conditioner so these are relatively new(except coconut milk as I explained)

LEAVE IN CONDITIONERS/MOISTURIZERS

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-Cantu Shea butter leave in conditioning repair cream-2 tubs. (One was a gift while the other was purchased on Olori)
-Elasta QP olive oil and mango butter moisturizer (Purchased at Casa Bella but can also be bought on Olori)
-Water in a spray bottle (purchased at… Just kidding)

My staple: Cantu and water

STYLING PRODUCTS

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-Shea Moisture curl enhancing smoothie (won in a giveaway but can be purchased on The Kinky Apothecary as well as Olori)
-Eco Styler olive oil gel (purchased from The Kinky Apothecary at the same time as the Bobeam)

My staple: None. I don't really use styling products. Eco styler works well when I want a laid down sleek look.

OILS

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-Olive oil (Can be found at your local grocery store)
-Silverbird Eucalyptus oil (Can be found at your local pharmacy)
-Canola oil (Can be found at your local grocery store)
-Castor oil (can be found at your local pharmacy)

My staple: None. I'm using oils less and less. If you had asked me in the past I would say Olive oil but ever since I realized that it does nothing for me when it comes to sealing, I now only use it for occasional oil rinses, prepooing and deep conditioning mixes. Silverbird I use because it is so affordable compared to other essential oils and I like the menthol feel and smell. Castor oil I use mostly when I have a protective style on or if I see my edges vanishing. Canola oil I used out of curiosity and only use for oil rinses and prepooing occasionally.

BUTTERS

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-Nasheaba Shea body butter (purchased at Shoprite Accra)
-African Naturalistas hair butter in Sweet Rosie (won in a giveaway but I believe the formula has been revised. Can be purchased on African Naturalistas or Jumia)
-Shea butter (purchased at Game Accra but can be found at your local market)

My staple: Nasheaba or any Shea butter mix/whipped Shea butter really.

MISCELLANEOUS

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-Apple Cider Vinegar (purchased at Spar. Can also be found at Shoprite. The organic version can be found at Health Plus)
-Neem powder (purchased on Olori)
-Shikakai powder (purchased on Olori)
-Bhringraj powder (purchased on Olori)

My staple: Apple cider vinegar. I use it as a final rinse most times when I wash my hair(don't know if it makes a difference but I do it) and I use it to clean my scalp when I have a protective style on. Still haven't gotten the hang of Ayurveda though.

C'est fini.

What are your staple products? Is your stash less, similar to or bigger than mine? What products do you recommend I try? Please share!

 

First go at protective styling: Bohemian curls

Posted in products, protective styling by

Hey guys,
So I went for NITC7 and I learnt some new things especially about Ayurveda(will definitely be giving it a go in the near future)! Didn’t stay till the end though because I wanted to avoid evening traffic.
Anyways, here’s what I bought!

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vo5(N500), African Naturalistas’ glycerine(N1400) and Jamaican Black Castor Oil aka JBCO(N1750)
I also got some coconut oil(not pictured); a 500ml bottle which I shared with my friend(think it cost N1740).
My eyes also had a happy time seeing so much natural hair! I was so inspired. Didn’t take pictures sadly 😦 Only these two below.

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They’ve both been natural for about a year! The one on the left has a hair blog that you should definitely check out.

Funny story guys: Before I went to NITC and bought Vo5, I’d been to Park n Shop and Goodies searching for it to no avail.
So after I got it at NITC, I went by my mum’s shop to meet her and guess what I saw on one of the shelves? Vo5! Imagine! (Talk about going to Sokoto in search of what was inside my sokoto!). So if you’re ever in need of Vo5, pay the shop a visit.
Angels supermarket: 88 Awolowo way Ikeja, Lagos(somewhat opposite Access bank; beside Holy Trinity hospital)
It’s N600.

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The shop also has butterfly clamps(for sectioning your hair), honey(for deep conditioning etc), Extra Virgin Olive Oil({both little bottles and giant bottles} For hot oil treatments, sealing etc), Green tea and black tea( for tea rinses) and wide tooth combs(for detangling) as well as provisions and whatnot. So stop by.

I found a new silicone free conditioner! Garnier Fructis fortifying comditioner(strength and shine). I got it at Park n shop on Mobolaji Bank Anthony way for N550.

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Sooooo, I’m finally in my first protective style since my big chop! 😀 My hair needed a major break from daily combing. It’s a full sew in using Pro 10 Bohemian curls(12″, colour 2).

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I got it from a hair shop in my neighborhood for N1800 each(I used 2 packs so N3600).

I’m going to be doing my own castor oil challenge while I have the weave to see how much hair I’ll grow. I’ll be massaging castor oil into my scalp 3x a week(Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays).
Didn’t do length check pictures cos I forgot but I have this picture I took some days before I got the weave for some sort of reference. I had straightened a small section in front to see my length. It’s about 3″ long in this section(my hair is between 2″-3″ in different parts with most parts being 2.5″).

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So I went and got the sew in! It was corn rowed/ sewn a tad too tight so I sprayed my edges with some water and peppermint oil for some relief and then applied some castor oil and tugged gently to try and loosen it a bit. That really helped but I hope I don’t lose hair 😦

So here’s my hair

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Love it!

At work this morning, someone asked why I did my hair in an accusatory tone( a tone that implied that he preferred the twa).
Someone else said with a smirk on her face “I thought you liked your short hair; why did you get a weave?”. In my mind I’m like “Ermm 1) na my head, no be ur own 2) yes I like the short hair. That don’t mean I don’t like weaves too 3) wipe that silly smirk off ur face”.

The head tapping has begun! Why is it that my head always itches when I get a weave, no matter how clean my scalp is?! 😥

Casa Bella deal on Dealdey! + NITC reminder

Posted in events, products by

As I might have mentioned in a previous post, Casa Bella is a Nigerian store that sells natural hair products like Giovanni, Cantu, Taliah Waajid, Creme of Nature etc as well as other hair and beauty products. At the moment, they have a deal on Dealdey for 50% off on a N3000 voucher. This simply means you will be paying N1500 for a voucher worth N3000 so you’re saving N1500. So you can buy N3000 worth of stuff from Casa Bella with this voucher having only paid N1500 for it.

You can use the voucher at any of the following Casa Bella outlets:

-The Palms Shopping Centre, Lekki
-Ikeja City Mall, Alausa
-Adeniran Ogunsanya (Shoprite) Mall, Surulere
-Polo Park Mall, Enugu
-Grand Towers Mall, Abuja
-Ajose Adeogun Street, opposite Zenith Bank HQ, Victoria Island

You know your girl got a voucher! Cheapskates don’t sleep, LOL! I have my eyes on that Cantu shea butter leave in.

Hurry because the voucher sales end in 5 days!

To buy your own voucher from Dealdey, click here

Also, don’t forget that NITC7 is this Saturday! Don’t let them gist you; come and see it first hand. Relaxed, big chop, natural, transitioning, bald; it don’t even matter! The focus is healthy hair and we all want that right?

Highlights:

~There will be talks about:
..protective styling
..hygienic makeup application
..Ayurvedic treatments
etc.

~A hair documentary will also be screened and discussed.

~There will be a product swap as well so come with all the products you would like to swap(Don’t bring empty containers oh!).

~There will be stands selling all sorts of goodies from essential oils to conditioners to accessories, name it! (All those products you’ve been eyeing but didn’t order because of delivery costs will be there! I know I want glycerin, aloe vera juice, tea tree oil and Jamaican Black Castor Oil!)

So clear your calendar and try your absolute best not to miss it.

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Till next time,
Peace, love and good hair!

Natural hair event in Lagos!

Posted in events by

Hi y’all, I just dropped by to inform you guys that there will be a natural hair event in Lagos on the 30th of Novemeber! *crowd goes wild*

It’s called Naturals In The City(NITC) and this is actually the 7th time it’s being held. I’ve never attended one but I’ve seen the pictures and it looks like so much fun. There’s natural, transitioning and even relaxed ladies to meet, educative hair talks, various stands where you can buy natural hair goodies and lots more. I wasn’t able to go for the 6th one because I was at NYSC camp I think but I hope to be there for this one!

This one is going to focus on protective styling. And guess what? There’ll be a product swap! So bring all the products you don’t want and see if you can swap them with people. If I go, I’ll definitely be bringing my Ecostyler gel that’s still full.

Venue: Omenka Gallery, 24 Ikoyi Crescent off Osborne RD, Ikoyi Lagos.
Date: 30th November, 2013.
Time: 1:30pm to 5:30pm
ENTRY IS FREE! *team cheapskate applauds* But hold your cash to buy some products and stuff at the stands!

So save the date and make sure you come! Tell someone to tell someone

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