I owe my good looks to my parents –Seun Olagunju

Seun Olagunju is a wife and mother. She received her first degree in Communication and Language Arts from University of Ibadan and later a master’s in International Law and Diplomacy. In this interview with ADAEZE AMOS, this model and style aficionado talks about life as a TV personality, among others.

Tell us about your experience in the media.

My experience in the media which of course has spanned over two decades started at the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State, BCOS; the then Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation, OGBC; Daar Communications, Raypower and AIT and the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA. I am currently on secondment to the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, after my appointment in 2013. I hope to be back to broadcasting after my tenure.

What you are doing right to keep glowing or radiant?

I owe my looks to good genes I got from my parents. I am lucky I don’t go through any stress to look good. Most of it comes effortlessly.

You were at a time a model to some products?

Yes, I was the ‘Face of Omo’ at a time. I was also the face of some hair and beauty products.

When some women are married and have children, they think it is a waste of time to look good; what’s your take on this?

Even if only for a psychological boost, a woman needs to make an effort to look good. A lot of women, married or not, are under a lot of pressure due to the demands of work, motherhood and just gradually get sloppy. My advice is you should try as much as possible to create time for your personal hygiene and beauty. You will be creating more pressure for yourself if you send your man away by being dirty and not presentable. It really doesn’t take much to remain attractive despite life’s pressures. You only need to put your mind to it and make some sacrifices.

When you look around you, what beauty/make-up blunder do you think is common in our society that ought not to?

I think the one that disgusts me most is the very long, unnatural looking fake eyelashes! Some people look really weird at such unnatural length and colour. Sometimes, you can even see the glue.

How about some common fashion mistakes you think women should desist from?

I see some women wearing some styles that don’t suit their body just because it is in vogue.

When you want to attend a red carpet event, what exactly do you bear in mind when dressing up?

That if you choose to walk the red carpet, you’re consciously submitting yourself to fashion scrutiny, so a special attention must be paid to detail. If I decide to attend such an event, I choose relevant costume and try as much as possible not to commit any fashion faux pas.

What fashion item forms a larger part of your wardrobe?

Shoes. Those close to me know that’s my weakness. I have loads of them.

Do you follow vogue?

I’m a trendsetter. I don’t wear what doesn’t suit me because everybody is wearing it. I said earlier that a woman ought to be mindful of her body structure before joining the vogue wagon. Some things just don’t suit some shapes. That’s why God created us differently.

How do you think life would have looked like without fashion?

Even if humans still wore leaves, we’d find a way to make them fashionable! For one thing, without fashion, many people would be out of job – from the cotton grower or silk spinner to the tailor to even the fashion editor (laughs). But seriously, I can’t fathom a world without fashion, humans are born vain, the desire to look good always and the creativity in us would keep fashion here for a long while.

What are your beauty tips?

I make sure I remove makeup from my face before bedtime. I try to exfoliate once in a while to get rid of dead skin cells to bring out the new ones, and I try to get at least five or six hours of sleep every night.

What have you been doing right to retain your figure and shape when so many mothers are battling with big tummies even when they are not pregnant?

I think I have been lucky. My tummy just comes down on its own after delivery. I hardly have issues with that. I think, again, it must have something to do with the genes. I’m also not a food or alcohol person and I hardly ever take junk.

What exactly thrills you about fashion, glamour and life generally?

For fashion, beauty or glamour, it’s the versatility…the freedom and creativity God gave humans to create beautiful stuffs and make ourselves beautiful. Beauty lies in us all; we only need to bring it out with little effort.

For life, the gift of life and every gift of new day are thrilling. Also, the gift of the beautiful things money cannot buy – love, family, children, true friendship all thrill me tremendously.

When you are less busy, what do you do to unwind?

I bond with my children, take them out, read or just lie down and watch T the telly

What kind of books do you read?

I read thrillers, drama, comics and professional books. No knowledge is ever lost and as a journalist, one must have some knowledge of everything.

What lesson has life taught you?

Life has taught me to expect less, give benefits of the doubt (no human is infallible), reciprocate unconditional love and generally be fair to all.

What is your life philosophy?

Do unto others as you would want them do unto you. As I said, lower your expectations from people, no human is infallible. Be quick to forgive, we all have our imperfections. Live life like the special gift it is. Give to the needy and be kind to them.

How do you blend the home-front with your career?

The most stressful period is over, thank God. The children are older now. Three are in secondary school. As teenagers, they are like mothers to their kid brother now. It was tougher when they were younger and I had to combine the very stressful broadcast journalism with raising a family. My husband was also very understanding (he met me on the job). My late mother was also very helpful then. Combining both can be really tough but, thankfully, I have been successful so far.