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As President Muhammadu Buhari and 29 state governors were inaugurated on Wednesday, beauty, style and elegance were all on display. From gayly dressed dignitaries to flamboyant first families, great fashion was boldly written in the air.
Newspeak fashion team observed that blue and white dominated.
The women showed that flare sleeves and aso-oke head ties were in vogue, even in the more conservative north.
Below are titbits from some of the states.
Oyo – Seyi Makinde
Fresh breath for Oyo
In Oyo, the sky was blue. The first family chose the colour which signifies peace and indicates fresh breath for the state.
Governor Seyi Makinde is mostly known for simple native shirt and trouser attires but probably in order to appear like a typical Yoruba Oyo man on an important occasion, he was decked in blue Agbada with cap to match, an attire he is rarely seen in. Many say he appears older in Agbada than in simple native shirt and trousers.
His wife, Tamunominni, matched up with blue lace skirt and blouse with double flare sleeves. Her make up, especially her eyelashes were charming as usual.
The daughters went ‘off shoulder’ with their blouse on blue wrapper. And like their mother, had the aso-oke for gele to complement. The boy was simple as his father would have loved to be without the Agbada.
Lagos- Babajide Sanwoolu
Unity in Lagos
In Lagos, the fashion statement made by the families of the governor and Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, is that of “we are one family” as they went the aso-ebi way.
While the governor and deputy chose white agbada with grey fila,their wives wore blue lace iro and blouse. The male children chose sky blue agbada while the females wore sky blue lace.
Cross River- Ben Ayade
Work work work
Ben Ayade and his wife veered off the native path and went casual. The couple wore dark grey shirt and black pants.
Explaining why he chose to go casual on his inauguration day, Ayade said it was to indicate that he would spend more time outside his office inspecting projects.
Akwa Ibom – Udom Emmanuel
Corporate governance
In Akwa Ibom, Governor Emmaunel went corporate in blue suit, white shirt and red tie, appearing like the typical banker that he is. His wife wore a lace gown lace patterned with splashes of white, yellow and black with a yellow head tie. The First Lady chose mild make up.
Kaduna- Nasir El-Rufai
A woman’s world
Kaduna gave northern Nigeria its first female deputy governor in the Fourth Republic in Dr. Hadiza Balaberu. While Governor el-Rufai wore a sky blue babanriga with navy blue cap, Dr. Balaberu was the cynosure of the day. ‘Madam Deputy’ wore a white gown with pleated flare and went Southern Nigeria for her aso-oke head tie.
Rivers- Nyesom Wike
This is Niger Delta
Governor Nyesom Wike’s fashion statement was “this is Niger Delta”. While his counterparts in Delta, Cross River and Akwa Ibom went simple, Wike went sophisticatedly Niger Delta in his etibo style with a fedora/pillbox hat.
His wife and daughter wore blue blouses and traditional navy blue wrappers.
Quran handbags for men?
Islam first
It is a common sight to see Muslim public officers take oath with the quran in a bag hung on their shoulders. On inauguration day, Islam came first for Buhari and Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaha of Gombe State, with their wives robed in hijabs.
Guests in attendance
We rock
While attending Makinde’s inauguration in Ibadan, former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose looked cool, calm and collected in his atiku agbada and aso-oke fila with black sunglasses to go
Nollywood actress, Ini Edo looked georgous in her beautiful net gown with flare sleeves as she stepped out to celebrate with Governor Emmanuel in Akwa-Ibom.