Many people believe that having a wide forehead is a sign of intelligence and great skills. I’m inclined to agree with them because very often, you find that successful people have wide foreheads. Celebrities like Rihanna, Rahma Sadau, Jennifer Anniston, Adesua Etomi are all successful people with large foreheads. They’re also very attractive as many people tend to say the most attractive women are the ones with wide foreheads. So what kind of gele styles are suited for wide foreheads?
Are you a woman with a wide forehead? Yes? Come closer, how many times have you heard the “I could land a plane here/ park a car here” joke. Or the famous “is that a mirror? I can see my reflection”
Yeah I know, it gets tiring and sometimes annoying, but I’m sure you’ve also heard that girls with wide foreheads are the prettiest. So, if you’re a fellow forehead gang person, you’re in good company. To many women, Gele is a wardrobe essential they can’t live without.
With regards to the gele styles; there are many major gele styles we have for wide foreheads.
1. Zahra Buhari Turban
This is one of the gele Gele styles for wide foreheads that went viral again after Zahra Buhari was seen rocking it. It starts from the front and goes back to hold together at the back and comes down halfway towards your brows so it covers most of your forehead.
2. The V Round Gele
This is a kind of gele that starts from the back and meets at the middle of the forehead to form a V shape. Because of the V shape in the middle of the head, it gives an illusion of a slimmer forehead compared to the round gele. It doesn’t end there,
There is so much drama going on after it meets at the forehead. People experiment by making ruffles on it.
3. Turbans with a Twist
This style generally fits everyone and some also have the V shape. It also starts the same way the V round gele starts, to meet at the forehead and form a V shape.
There are some that come with a bun on top of the head and this is perfect for the forehead gang. Some have a rose on top of it while others have a bow tie.
4. Rose Gele Style
This kind of gele has a rose on top of it. It starts off as normal gele tying with several layers of upon layers and ends with a rose on top of it.
This creates a kind of canopy on top of the head and covers part of the forehead too. It takes the attention away from your forehead to the rose.
5. The Tie Back Style
This is one of the Gele styles for wide foreheads done with a silk scarf or material scarf that is easy to manipulate. It involves tying your head while covering over half of your forehead and forming a knot at the back.
This knot can either be small or large depending on how a person wants it. It covers most of your forehead and looks great.
6. Zahra Buhari Fan Gele
This is like the Zahra Buhari turban but it has much more activity than the Zahra turban. It has a fan-like shape above that opens.
It also covers the forehead more than the Zahra Buhari turban does.
7. Double Twist Headwrap
This kind of headwrap is done using a very long scarf. It doesn’t necessarily have to be wide, length is what makes it what it is.
It starts with you tying your scarf at the back, then twisting the remaining ends of the scarf and bringing it over your head to form a kind of crown over the already tied scarf.
8. Messy Bun Head Wrap
This gele style for people with wide foreheads is done with a scarf that’s easy to manipulate, such as a cotton scarf. To achieve the messy bun, you’re to tie your scarf at the front of your head, directly above the forehead then you’ll grab one end of the scarf and fold it into your scarf so that it’ll look like a bun and to hold it together, you’ll use the other end of the scarf and tie around the bun so it’ll stay put.
The bun could be as big as you want it, other people go ahead to even put another scarf under their head to make the bun bigger.
9. Twist Gele
This kind of gele gives a very dramatic look and is very easy to create. All you need to do is twist your scarf thoroughly and wrap it around your head as many times as it allows you, i.e according to the length of the scarf.
In the end, you tie it to keep it in place.
10. The African Aunty Gele
This is the most dramatic of all. It covers over half of your forehead, reaching the top one eyebrow. Only one side comes down to the eyebrows, thereby making it look slanted, as though it is going to fall.
This has been the style for so many years and seems to be coming back now as aunties are seen rocking it here and there. It gives the rich Aunty vibes.
Conclusion
Wide foreheads are in vogue, there’s so much space for your make up, not to mention you get the cutest hairstyles and gele styles. You can literally see the forehead popping after making your hair.
Which one are you rocking anytime soon? Let me know in the comments!
A year later, on the 4th day of December 2021, another one was hosted.
What is a TED Talk
A TEDx talk is a showcase for speakers presenting great well-formed ideas in under 18 minutes. Experts in different fields go onstage to talk about their areas of expertise, videos are then recorded of these talks and uploaded to the TED platform where millions of people can access them for free and learn.
TEDx Kangiwa Speakers
The theme of this year’s TED talk in Katsina was RESILIENCE; A BRAVE NEW WORLD. Since this talk was hosted a year after the lockdown, it was imperative that such was acknowledged. The year of the lockdown was a tedious one and several people struggled to get through it, so the theme focused on that.
While some people used the lockdown to connect with family and start new businesses, some felt trapped by it all.
Muhammad Sani Dattijo
Dattijo, currently Commissioner for Budget and Planning in Kaduna State talked about the state of Nigeria and how it is riddled with banditry, insecurity and other vile crimes.
When we were on our way here, everybody would ask ‘How are you getting to Katsina?’ so I didn’t want to come here and talk to you about myself, but to come and talk to you about all of us here today.
He also talked about the intelligent minds and talented people that are in Nigeria and graduates who have no jobs “I sat at the back and met fashion designers, businessmen, students, all doing fantastic things” and goes on to lament about how lucky the people who attended the talk were because a couple of kilometres away were people being killed, kidnapped, children being out of school, and graduates who were out of jobs.
Badamasi Aliyu
Another speaker – Badamasi Aliyu (Co-founder Eco Fertilizer|Founder ELLEN Network) submitted;
Some of the problems that have bedridden our country – poverty, insecurity, unemployment is all because of lack of initiative.
He stressed how people refuse to seize opportunities to make a difference or create something. He said people refuse to start small, they only want to miraculously become big at something without taking the necessary steps.
He reiterated that nothing comes out of thin air, you have to work for it.
When I embarked on this endless entrepreneurial journey, I never knew I had certain skills and tools embedded in me that would help me weather the toughest storms. The interesting thing is that as each new challenge presented itself with the rising of the sun, it seemed I had a quiver full of arrows to pull down every single challenge.
Through lowering her expectations, taking full responsibility, asking for help, and using her values to build resilience, she was able to keep her business alive.
He navigated through life, giving everything his best until it worked out in his favour. His story is a tough one but he was able to come out flourishing.
Abdulsalam Kassim
If you aren’t called mad for the dream you believe in, you are not doing anything new
This was the response of Abdulsalam Kassim, a shoemaker to his dad calling him mad after he told the father that he wanted to go into the shoe business. Despite his father’s disapproval of his idea, he went ahead to follow his dream.
He has since grown to become a recognized person in Africa who makes quality leather shoes of all kinds.
This did not stop him from facing challenges when the pandemic broke in. He confessed to losing a lot of money from people’s investments but he was able to work around it to recover the money lost.
Olusola Ayoola
Dr Olusola Ayoola the Founder of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence in Nigeria, RAIN brought us the importance of technology and using it to bring solutions to problems. He believes people can use technology and artificial intelligence to build a better economy in Nigeria.
Leveraging artificial intelligence and robotics to improve infrastructure, human capacity development and health development could take the country to a whole new level.
Performances
One of the most interesting things about the event was a performance by Adebayo Ebenezer Seun (Diligent Artist), a speed painter who did a painting of Muhammad Sani Dattijo.
This performance took less than 10 minutes to complete.
To top it all off, there was an exhibition by the same artist along with one other artist (Saidu Abdulmumin Degri – AbdulBigArt) and two documentary photographers – Abdullahi Ahmad and Umar Maigwaram.
Any event like this couldn’t possibly have closed without a book fest. TEDx Kangiwa was no exception. Several books were on display by several authors from Northern Nigeria like Audee T Giwa, Yusuf M Adamu as well as foreign books.
Conclusion
This sensational Tedx Kangiwa event wouldn’t have been possible without the team effort of the volunteers who worked together to bring it to life. It shows that we still have youth who are willing to build their nation and their societies and they are right there in Katsina State.
“Baiko” is a Hausa word meaning engagement. This is when a man and woman are betrothed to be married to each other. In the northern part of Nigeria, when a man sees a lady he likes, he approaches her and tells her his intentions. If she likes him too, she will agree to court him so they will see where the relationship will go.
If, after courting each other for some time, they decide they want to be with each other for the rest of their lives, they then make plans towards getting married. In order for them to get married, they must get engaged first.
This is when the girl will inform her parents that she has someone who would like to come and meet them while the man will inform his parents that he has found the one and they will prepare to go and ask for her hand in marriage.
After asking for the girl’s hand in marriage, her parents will inform the man’s family that they need time to make a decision on their proposal. They will then use this time to ask the girl if she loves him and when she answers in the affirmative, they will conduct an investigation on the man to find out who he is, what kind of company he keeps, his job, and any other relevant thing to ensure that they are giving out their daughter to a responsible person.
The Engagement
After the investigation, the girl’s family will invite the man’s family to come for the betrothal as they approve of the man and are willing to give him their daughter out for marriage. The man’s family don’t go for the engagement empty-handed, they take with them cartons of candy, chewing gum, biscuits and kola nut. These items are called “Kayan baiko”.
They are what people will be given to let them know that a girl is betrothed to someone and that a wedding is coming up.
Who Conducts Baiko?
Baiko is strictly a parental affair and it is not accompanied by any celebration. It is simply an agreement between parents to marry their children and create another family. There need not be dancing or any singing while at it, unlike the Kamu ceremony. It is also important to know that most fathers don’t go to ask for the hand of the lady for their sons neither do most fathers accept the offer of marriage made to their daughters themselves. Fathers usually assign their brothers or friends or even older people to perform these roles for them.
The Venue for Baiko
The location for Baiko depends on the people accepting the proposal. The venue will be her father’s house if he is the one accepting the proposal or any of the representatives residence accepting it.
The Death of Baiko and The Rise of “Sa Rana”
People no longer call this tradition by its actual name “Baiko”, it is now called “Sa Rana” but it has the same process as “Baiko”, the only difference is in the “Kayan Baiko” Back then, part of the things the man’s family took to the lady’s family as “Kayan Baiko” included a mattress, a mat, a pillow and a bedsheet. Nowadays, it’s only the candy, gum, biscuits, kola nuts and in some cases, dates, which are then distributed to friends and family.
It’s December, It’s Christmas, and it’s all celebration. Did I mention that winter is coming? Yeah, Jon Snow has been in touch lately so get your coats and socks because it is the season. Here is what I have for this week’s newsletter.
Monday
For Monday, I dove into You! You have not been taking care of yourself, but I will give you 14 Smart Ways to Invest in Yourself because I see you, and I care. You may not know this but everything I do is for you because I love you.
I see that I have your attention now, are you flirting with me? You obviously are because how couldn’t you when I am armed with the 5 Stunning Ways to Make a Good First Impression. I can’t just walk up to you dressed up anyhow. I have to prepare for you and this is what people don’t understand – that for you to catch a person’s attention, you have to do it well. And you are not making it easy for me.
I started a small business a month ago but I can’t for the life of me understand how I am always broke. I know that I have sold so many of my products but I can’t account for the money so I started looking for ways to solve this problem. Luckily for you and me, Umar Farouk Kabir gave us How Manage Cashflow For Your Business to Succeed.
Tuesday
Brought to you on Tuesday are 10 Interesting Facts about First Borns You Should Know. I don’t know about you but most of the comments I have heard that are being made about first children are not flattering at all. I don’t know why people fail to acknowledge the several great attributes they have. They are after all like our second parents. I know mine is.
Wednesday
Isn’t it nuts that nuts are part of the 8 Foods That Will Help Boost Your Memory? Pun fiercely intended. I used to remember everything I was told or taught but now I struggle to remember the smallest things. I won’t be deterred by this and neither should you, so read this with me.
Did you know that having a negative Rh Factor could endanger your baby? I did not know either. This is What You Need to Know about Rh-Factor and how to keep your little angel alive while it’s still in your tummy.
Thursday
It’s not death that bothers me, it’s living a painful life. And what’s more painful than people pointing fingers at you and acting like you carry a contagious disease? Read the story of Malama Sa’adatu and find out how HIV AIDS Didn’t Kill Her, The Stigma Did. It’s sad that despite all the awareness about this disease, people choose to stigmatize.
On our wedding agenda this week is How Kamu Tradition is Done in Hausa Land. I may not agree with some traditions but I can’t do away with fun – significant ones like this. Come and watch the Hausa culture flourish.
Friday
As much as the Hausa culture is interesting, the Yoruba people like gbedu more than we do, and where best to experience it if not Kwara State? These are the 12 Interesting Places to Visit Kwara State to get the best experience.
Saturday
One of my favorite sayings in Yoruba language is “ati lo ati de” which means “we have gone, we have come” it signifies a lack of progress in an activity. Don’t you just get tired of being served breakfast in relationships? If You See These 10 Signs in Your Relationship, You Are Dating Yourself. Spot the red flags and flee while you can.
Sunday
As usual, I’ll sign with my favorite thing – food. Learn How to Make Gullisuwa (Milk Balls) and How to Prepare Miyan Kubewa (Okro Soup). I’m guessing Okro soup learnt of my little rant against it last week.
Thanks for reading. I can’t wait to write to you next week. It has become the highlight of my week. Cheers!
The literal meaning of the Hausa word “Kamu” is “to catch”, but a more comprehensive explanation is that Kamu is one of the wedding traditions of the Hausa people of the Northern part of Nigeria. Kamu tradition is a pre-wedding event that is organized for the family of the groom to be to come and catch the bride to be who is soon going to be a member of their family.
How Kamu is Done in the Olden Days
In the olden days, the Kamu begins with the bride and/or her family deciding who her ‘Uwar Kunshi’ is, i.e. the woman whose house will be used to adorn the bride in preparation for her wedding. The Uwar Kunshi can be an aunt, an older sister or any other elderly female relative. It could even be an elderly person who is just a friend of the family. A day for the Kamu will be chosen, and on that day the bride will go into hiding with the help of her friends.
They will find the bride locked in a room while her friends stay guard, and the friends will tell the family of the groom that they will not let them into the room until they pay them some money, and negotiation will ensue. This negotiation process is called “Cinikin Kofa”
The Uwar Kunshi will gather a bunch of women including the bride’s family and the groom’s family in order to find the bride. These women will go from house to house in the designated area chosen for the Kamu and try to find the bride and her friends.
The friends of the bride will name their price, and the groom’s family will reduce the price, such will continue until they come to an agreement, then the friends will let them into the room where the family of the groom will see the bride. They will then apply henna or perfume to her body. This will mark the end of the Kamu as the bride has been ‘caught’.
The people who went to catch the bride along with her friends and the bride herself will then go to the house of the Uwar Kunshi for the “Kunshi”. This event that comes immediately after the Kamu tradition is basically time spent getting the bride ready for her big day. She and her friends will spend two or three days cleaning her up and beautifying her for her big day.
The food which they will eat during this period will be provided for by the groom, not the Uwar Kunshi. The friends of the bride will collect money from the groom to purchase foodstuff to cook for those days. The bride’s body will be scrubbed, waxed and henna applied on her hands, feet and in some cases, the neck. And then the marriage will be done.
Modern Kamu Tradition
Nowadays people have a different way of doing the Kamu tradition. It has morphed into an opportunity for people to play music, dance, and do other fun stuff. It is more of an event than a tradition.
In this case, the bride glams up for the Kamu by getting her hair done, makeup and henna on her hands and feet. She is then dressed up in glamorous clothes and seated down on a stage. Some people go to great lengths to ensure that the venue for the Kamu looks glamorous and is decorated to taste.
Once the bride has reached the venue, food is served, music is played. The bride, her friends and family dance to music and pictures are taken. Some people decide to chip in a bit of tradition here by engaging in a negotiation between the groom’s family and the bride’s friends to see the bride. Once an agreement has been reached regarding the price to be paid to the friends, they will then let the groom’s family see her. This marks the end of the Kamu, and people engage in more dancing and more eating.
Conclusion
Although the Kamu is a female affair, nowadays the groom attends the Kamu with a couple of his friends to take pictures with the bride, his and her family and other people present. The Kamu tradition is no longer done according to the traditions. The actual meaning of the word has lost its significance.
