Away from the Nigerian elections, something to brighten your day.  The regional Government of Madrid, Spain (who sponsors the Fashion Week show) recently imposed restrictions that effectively ban skinny models from appearing on the catwalk.

Should we say bravo to Spain or thumbs down?  Do these models not have a right to be skinny?  In this world where people have few choices, surely they have a right to be whatever they want to be, thin - it’s a matter of choice. 

Come to think of it, why do people deliberately choose the path of illness instead of health in the name of modeling?   Now, before anyone reading this gets offended and says that some people are just naturally thin, yeah, I am well aware of that fact, just as some are naturally a bit bigger, but I seriously doubt that many people are naturally as thin as the women who stroll down the runway looking gaunt, with sunken faces and ready to be blown away by the slightest wind not to mention a hurricane! 

In this age of Hollywood culture, teenagers are known to turn to fashion as a way to be unique and if they see these models that are extremely underweight, all they will want to do is lose tons of weight and wear the same clothes as they see!  They see Hollywood stars as their role models.  I hope the rest of the world sees this as a wake up call and stop underweight models from modeling.

It's about time the living dead were removed from the spotlight, where impressionable young girls see them and think it is normal, even desirable, to look emaciated and sickly.  That is why I like some areas in Africa where big is beautiful.   Many South African women are quite roundish and heavy at the back side.  In Nigeria , most men refer to women with heavy and roundish back sides as ‘proudly South African’.   My big friends usually say they are flourishing and well endowed not fat.

What is exciting about a woman who looks like lollipops, a big head on a stick of a body, no butt, no boobs, gosh!!!!  If she was naturally that thin her head would match the rest of her and she wouldn't look so ill.  Milan is now hinting that they too will enforce laws against using models who look gaunt and emaciated.  Hopefully, New York will follow suit.   Nigerians like to see slim models on the catwalk modeling our own Ankara and Aso oke.  As a matter of fact, some Nigerian bobos go for lekpa babes (abeg pronounce as spelt, I no sabi use those Yoruba alphabets) but I bet a lot of our men also like some meat on their women.  Na so so bone man go chop?

To some people anorexia may be attractive, but it is certainly not healthy and it’s definitely not sexy.  They look like skeletons.  Does any one wonder why Beckingham allegedly chose to bed Loosbecky?   You may never become thin, but you could become a healthy "voluptuous" woman.  Too many women stress the value of being thin. They don't see the value in being voluptuous and healthy.

So you can't expect yourself to compete with anorexic supermodels. They aren't real. Most of what you see in such pictures have been enhanced and airbrushed using computers so that their skin looks flawless.  In reality they have pimples, mosquito bites and blemishes just like the rest of us.  

Of course, not all of us have a face like Marilyn Monroe.  So the question you have to ask yourself is: what kind of look do I want?  Embrace the weight you are and try to find a man or woman who likes you like that after all, one of my Nigerian male friends always says in relation to ladies, ‘the more the merrier’.  Many African women are voluptuous, roundish and no doubt ‘sweet’ or are they?   Your looks and attractiveness depend on you.  Find out what your best assets are and use them in your clothes combined with a beautiful hairstyle that creates an interesting and sexy look, dress glamorous, carry yourself with grace and create that classic look.

Don't blame God or genes. God did not intend for you to be ugly.  Neither do your genes. Your genes expect you to be a healthy, average weight based upon a reasonable consumption of food.   When I go into fast food restaurants sometimes and see how people who would be considered obese stock food up in their abdomen, I just wonder.  Snacking on potato crisps, gurgling sugary liquids and stocking yourself on chocolates is what makes you obese or overweight.   

A little chocolate now and then is not going to hurt you, but don't over do it.  Fat, greasy, salty, sugary foods are not natural.  Fast foods and junk foods are the number 1 cause of obesity in Europe .  Lack of exercise is the number 2 reason (I am guilty of that).  Eating disorders are number 3. Genes and God are no where on the list.  The cult of thinness is strictly a modern-day phenomenon. 

I have no doubt that if we regularly saw pictures of fat women wearing beautiful clothes and make-up, wielding power, and being admired by men, our beliefs about beauty would shift, and we'd want to look more like them. Fashion photographs have a hypnotic, addictive effect.  Let’s celebrate health and not illness. Bring the curvy models on! 

Robot  # 1 | 03.05.2007 18:37

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Walking  # 2 | 03.05.2007 20:35

Let me concor with you that 'the more the better.' I've asked myself why any man would prefer to hang out with such skinny anorexic women that dots the catwalk business. As an African man, I just cannot fathom how simply exhibiting the bones could make me want to buy into a fashion sense exhibited by this thin gods. As much as I detest fat ladies, but I must say the natural ingredients adds a lot of flavour to the deal. Why should any man settle for 'Bone to Bone.' Don't forget 'figure eight'(8) and 'good attack and defence'. This are the natural resources we are lucky to have in African women. Let it be called whatever, but I still feel a woman should possess the right curves in the right places, these are the reasons for a woman. hhmm

mulan  # 3 | 04.05.2007 04:14

I agree with the article, most naija men prefer their ladies with a littlt more on them not to say that there are not some that go for the 'slimmys'. But most lekpas in nigeria are naturally slim, our genes and diet precluding otherwise unlike the truly sick models in europe and america who are either bulimic or anorexic. The worrying fact is that so many young girls are trying to copy them and the rates of these two illneses are rising. The recent trend by some fashion shows is a welcome thing, lets hope its not too late. PS I just couldn't resist adding that i am waiting for the day when articles like this are written about men, whether by a man or a woman.

Oghre  # 4 | 04.05.2007 04:26

Sister, Let us not confuse the behaviour of Nigerian men in the yonder years with what gives today (yes, today). Let us not also confuse our likeness for a well formed backside and voluptuous women…with fat. Fat has become the norm among Nigerian women, yes it has. Many Nigerian women don’t know how to look after themselves thinking the men are quite happy with their “chop money” looking faces, protruding midriff and flabby bellies. A contributory factor to the excessive weight problem among us is we still believe back home (and in Diaspora) that a fat person is a sign of good living; so you see these newly arrived Nigerian women….some married, who decide to eat every food in sight with a view to pile on the weigh, ikebe, and heavy jaw line. Photos then get sent back home to relatives in the village and beyond to give the impression they are “enjoying life” I don’t know many Nigerian woman making efforts to control their spiralling weigh, if anything they will tell you “I dey Kampe” I no be small girl” “see for yourself” “cash madam”, and I go get contract for nijja because I no look like small girl. No doubt, backwardness and stark illiteracy contributes to the constant “African” belief in big backside women… Totally ignoring the health issues involved; at the end of the day it is only the men’s heads telling them sex is actually better with a heavy woman who cannot move properly in bed but just lie there or turn around waiting for you use the energy you will typically spend on a full day’s labourer job.

mulan  # 5 | 04.05.2007 05:20

No doubt, backwardness and stark illiteracy contributes to the constant “African” belief in big backside women… Totally ignoring the health issues involved; at the end of the day it is only the men’s heads telling them sex is actually better with a heavy woman who cannot move properly in bed but just lie there or turn around waiting for you use the energy you will typically spend on a full day’s labourer job. Ehyaaaaaaaaa, I can see you feel very strongly on this issue. Kpele, but you don't have to denigrate 'african' men. If a guy likes fat women or just those with big backside, it is his choice. It doesnt have to mean he is backward or stark illiterate.

EezeeBee  # 6 | 04.05.2007 06:03

=Oghre>...use the energy you will typically spend on a full day’s labourer job. Oghre! Haba!!! :lol: :lol:

MrsChocT  # 7 | 04.05.2007 11:36

=mulan;173361> Ehyaaaaaaaaa, I can see you feel very strongly on this issue. Kpele, but you don't have to denigrate 'african' men. If a guy likes fat women or just those with big backside, it is his choice. It doesnt have to mean he is backward or stark illiterate. Gbam!Gbam!!Gbosa!!

Ajanlekoko  # 8 | 04.05.2007 13:36

I believe in moderation. Anything between Beyonce (or 1 size below) and Queen Latifah is ideal.

PAULO  # 9 | 04.05.2007 16:20

=Oghre;173350>Sister, A contributory factor to the excessive weight problem among us is we still believe back home (and in Diaspora) that a fat person is a sign of good living; I quite agree with you here, we should encourage our women to take care of themselves, not necessarily looking thin like a model or all that Hollywood false impression of what a woman should be. As much as a woman should have curves in all the right places, I believe there is a difference between obesity and being plumpy and well rounded. If you really love your wife, you won't want her to die of hypertension from excessive weight problem. Even for those who are naturally big, there is a range of weight for them that is healthy and not tending towards obesity.