Meet Bukola Taiwo, oldest African model

BY CHRISTY ANYANWU
S he modeled as a young girl in the late eighties and early
nineties before leaving the shores of this country for
greener pasture. Coming back, she noticed the industry
has expanded with the proliferation of designers in
Nigeria. Still in shape with the right curves, she decided to
go back to her first love, which is runway modeling. In the
course of interacting with designers and models , she has
this penchant to improve modeling in Nigeria by starting a
school for budding models. Bukola Taiwo visited The Sun
in Lagos lately to tell her story.
Excerpts:
Tell us more about who you are?
I’m Bukola Taiwo and I’m a super model. I have been
modeling for over 20 years now. I modeled in the late
eighties and early nineties. I did that for a while and came
back to Nigeria to complete my tertiary education. I am
married and I had four kids. After I had all my children, I
still discovered I’m still in shape and I know that being a
model is my calling. I decided to go back professionally to
the runway. I had to register with an agency but I
discovered along the line that most Nigerian models don’t
really have the basic wherewithal. Some designers
complained about their personal hygiene. For instance,
there were cases when the girls wore dirty clothes that
needed the drycleaners touch. Modeling agencies don’t tell
you all you need to know about hygiene and other
necessary things you need to know as a woman. They
only tell you how to catwalk and get ready for the design­
ers, wear their clothes and make your money. I think it’s
much more than that. After a while, I decided to start my
own modeling academy, which is totally like a school that
will teach the nitty-gritty of modeling. We have catwalk
classes and aerobic classes to keep them in shape. We
teach them etiquettes and also work on their diction to
bring them to international standards. There are no good
schools in Nigeria anymore to groom models. I know
Nigeria models are the best world-wide. During my time,
the only modeling school then was owned by Yemi Fawaz
and she’s no more in the country. I’m trying to put such a
school together, and we are taking off in January in
Lagos. The criterion is just your statistics and we’ll put
them to shape even if they don’t have the right statistics.
You don’t look like you already had four kids. What’s the
secret?
I had four kids but now I’m left with two. I lost two. They
were three boys and a girl. I lost one to autism. That was
what they called it but I’m pretty sure that my boy was not
autistic because when I looked at the other students in his
class, there were more severe cases. He was my first
born. I have another son and he’s a model here in Nigeria.
I lost the third one and my last born is a girl. Now, I have a
17-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl. I’m just a very
cautious person. I try to discipline myself. Apart from the
fact that I’m a model and people should see me slim and
all that, it’s just me personally. That’s why I say modeling
is my calling. I don’t make an extra effort to keep in
shape. But these days, I walk. I play music and dance, so
that keeps me in shape. I don’t always drive but I don’t do
the usual gym and jogging anymore. I eat right . I eat little
of fruits and vegetables. I don’t eat beef; I try to eat more
sea foods and poultry. I just watch what I eat and try to
maintain my looks.
How old are you now?
I’m 47.
Can you tell us about your modeling experience?
I modeled in New York, London, Milan and Paris in the late
eighties. I didn’t take it as a profession then. But when I
came back to Nigeria , I saw that modeling is a serious
business here. I have attended quite a number of shows
since I’ve returned. I have been a judge at Nigeria’s next
super model casting, Lagos fashion awards and I was the
face of super runway cervical cancer campaign.
Could you recall some of the shows you did abroad?
I can’t. I just went there for the fun of it. In my secondary
school days, I used to admire models. I read about them
in magazines and I was excited. When I travelled abroad
and the opportunity came. I just jumped at it. It was
shortly after my secondary education and I was naïve.
When I returned to the country, I decided to make a come
back into the profession since I still have my shape. I still
walk on the runway. I modeled for Ade Bakare during
Style& Essence awards and other designers.
Now that you are back, what are the things you cannot wear
on the runway?
I cannot wear bikini on the runway because I’m not a
bikini model. Bikini models are the busty ones like Tyra
Banks. I can take pictures in bikini if I want and if the pay
is good. It depends on what the client wants. I have a
good body so what is stopping me? I can wear short and
minis, but the most important thing about a runway model
are her legs and being able to walk on heels comfortably. I
have good legs. I think I’m the oldest African model on the
runway.
How long have you been wearing your hairstyle?
Over ten years. My husband wasn’t happy about it initially
but if I decide to wear a wig he won’t like it. It’s like a
signature now and I’m cool with it. I’m used to it. A lot of
people call me African Queen; other people think I lost
someone by shaving my hair. Some people think as a
woman I shouldn’t have, wondering why . I always tell
them, that’s the look I want for my profession.
Is your husband a model too?
No, he’s not. He used to be a media consultant but now he
owns his own business.