LAVONNE CELE TAWO EXPLODES, SAYS:”I’D BEEN IN THE CORRIDORS OF POWER SINCE CHILDHOOD”

in the Nigerian Fashion Industry. Yet, she single-handedly through the dint of hardwork founded ‘Best Moments Magazine’, a high-profile journal for the noveau rich for almost a decade. Also, she established ‘Super Big Boys’ magazine due to more pressure by her fans world-wide for another publication. More determined as a foremost amazon in celebrity reporatge, she had just concluded plans to float a tabloid newspaper, that would go daily after 6 months in operation. She narrated all these plans to our American EDITORS led by our hardworking

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CEO, GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU.

It’s a loaded and interesting 40 minutes incisive interview.

Can you kindly take us through the success stories of your two publications?

The journey has been adventurous, interesting and challenging same time. But i can sincerely say that i practise celebrity journalism. I am glad that you are also a reputable publisher who knows the challenges associated with publishing. Let me explain that our two publications-‘Best Moments’ is 10 years old and we recently celebrated the anniversary; while ‘Super Big Boys’ is another journal from my stable that has just been introduced into the media market.

Are there other challenges you have encountered as a publisher?

Aside my earlier explanations, i do other businnesses. A good publisher must have the flair, intelligence, creativity, vision and plans set ahead to stand out from the crowd. All of those factors i have just mentioned are compulsory for any good publisher.

Don’t you think the Nigeria’s media industry is presently saturated?

I do not think so because each publication has its own idea, direction, message and audience. It is all about carving out a special niche for your own audience through your vision.

Do we put it to you that you practise celebrity journalism?

As a celebrity myself, i have been in the corridors of power from my childhood. So pracising celebrity journalism to me is a hobby and passion. I have always seen my destiny in relation to the elites because i am often in the midst of newsmakers and the rich people in the society. So, i thought to myself that

time was ripe that i set up two special publications to meet the demand of these elites friends of mine who are always in the corridors of power.

Can you shed more light on this issue?

Several years ago, i used to write my celebrity column in ThisDay newspaper under the Sunday Edition called ‘The Glitteratti.’ Then also, i had my own television show. At a time, my ThisDay editor began

to call me, requesting for my article to fill my column. And i felt i could extract contents from

my television production. An idea came up in my mind that my exclusive interview with high-profile celebrities could as well run in ThisDay newspaper. I knew a lot of celebrities in the United Kingdom

(UK) that i could interview on my television programme whose contents i could use in my ThisDay

newspaper coulmn. While in the UK, i had a burden in my heart how i was going to leave my daughter

and fly to Sweden to interview Dr. Alban for a newspaper that was not paying me? In thie course

of this meditation in the church, i heard a message from God clearly saying ‘Daughter, you can do

this for yourself.’ I had little sum in my bank account then and i knew to do this kind of all-glosy

journal, i would need 100,000 to 200,000 pounds sterling. There was another time i was in the bus

in the UK, I opened my wrap of sweet, and i found a message inscribed written ‘Trust Me.’ I knew

that was a re-assurance that i had God backing me in my publishing idea. That was how i started. I

did not have the capital to beging, but God intervened through destiny-helpers. The rest is history.

My belief is, when you have the vision, the money will come. Every other businesses i have done so far, i have never really had the pgysicla cash when i am nusring any idea, but once i set out to actualize

my vision, God will arise in my favor and send me helpers of destiny. I beleive in the power of posibilities because from my childhood, God has been positioning me for the tops. I give God all the glory because i am so happy that my name open doors in the corridors of power.There is nobody in the world i cannot meet now only if i put my mind to it.

What are your distribution strategies for your magazines?

Inittially, my friends told me ‘Lavvonne we don’t normally see your magazines on the streets’, when

i returned from Europe then. I assured them not to worry because we have our own chain of network distribution globally because when you give some of these vendors or media agents money to help distribute your magazines, the money just become a waste. As a professional media man, you can see the amount of money that have been pumped into this production, since we print abroad. We do off-the-chain distribution as done in America and the UK. In four months from now, it is gonna be at major media outlets, bookshops and shopping malls in the United States. ‘Best Moments’ magazine started in Europe after which we now brought it to Nigeria.

What are your other forms of creativity?

I design African fabrics myself, which i wear as a belief in the true ideology of Nigeria and our

rich cultural heritage. Millenery that i was known for, is an act of fashion. So, my African

fabrics design is an act of creativity. In the last one year i had been wearing African fabrics.

Over the years you have continually been wearing this low cut hair style, why this style?

Let me tell you that i call my low hair cut style ‘Freedom Look.’ I feel so happy wearing it

because it is simple, natural and without any stress. I have never entered the dryer because

it is so uncomfortable. I am avery busy person, and this my low cut hair style gives me an

ample time to tidy up my other businesses. I am not owing anybody. And i have been wearing

this low cut in the past 7 to 8 years. I pour water on it easily every morning and night. I

don’t need to spend millions in doing my hair.

How do you enjoy your lesiure?

I hardly do have time for leisure because i am daily too busy.

What is your message for other fashion-loving Nigerians and fans in the Diaspora?

You have to beleive in yourself, work hard and pray; surely the Lord God will see you through.

I have never had anything easy, i had to really work very hard for it. Ideas and vision are

for certain time. All you got to do is make good use of these times very well because you may

not get a similar opportunity again.