‘21 Wrap Up: The 21 Mag Team Reflects On The Year They've Had By Answering 21 Questions

21 questions. See what we did there?

1. Meet:

Mide, Itseju, Ella, Enyene, Lola, Bibi, Oreoluwa, Udo, Ebuka, Chiamaka, Oyinda.

2. Tell Us What You Do At 21 Without Stating Your Work Title?

Lola: I ask people a lot of questions.

Ebuka: I write article reviews on music projects from amazing Nigerian female artistes.

Mide: I recount the intricacies of the sex and romantic lives of Nigerian women.

Itseju: I am the in-house fairy plug mother for all things beauty and wellness here at 21.

Udo: I have meetings with this group of cool creatives, and we brainstorm content we believe women will enjoy. After such meetings, I’m consumed by the various ways my pitch can come alive. The head of the brilliant team I work with, politely reminds me that I’m a little bit past my deadline. This is when I’ve just internally concluded on the perfect title for the pitch but of course I don’t tell her that. Hours later or days later, my brain and fingers sync and create magic.

3. What Were Your Top 3 Favorite Articles Published Under The Magazine This Year?

Oyinda: Nigerian Women Share Their Brazilian Wax Experience, Attachment Theory In Relationships and The 21 Do Better Guide.

Itseju: Every Real Asf article, Let’s Debate If These Girl Code Rules Are Realistic and 9 Things You Can Relate To If You’re A Chronic Online Shopper

Enyene: Ouu tough one. Off the top of my head I would say: Things Nigerian Women Need To Do To Earn The Ashawo Title, Things Every Woman Should Try In her 20s, What Men Can Teach You About Leaving Toxic Relationships (I wrote this one!)

Ella: The Squid Game article, the one on the Smart Money Woman series and The Exclusive Interview With Vero The Vibrator.

Oreoluwa: Here’s Why Your Period Is A Month Late Again, Random Things Men Do That Are Actually Attractive and the one on Navigating Sex Life As A Plus Size Woman.

4. What’s The Funniest Movie/Series You Watched This Year?

Oreoluwa: Has to be The Big Bang Theory.

Chiamaka: Superstore!

Mide: Omo Ghetto.

Ella, Lola: The Office!

Itseju: ‘Kambili The Whole 30 Yards’. Don’t judge me.

Enyene: Modern Family! I’ve seen it so many times and it’s still so funny. Sofía Vergara (Gloria) is my spirit animal and her character is so effortlessly hilarious. Don’t get me started on the Phil Dumphy.

5. Are You Ending The Year Single or Coupled Up?

Ebuka: Single AF.

Mide: The wild thing is, I started the year boo’d up. In fact, I thought I had seen husband but in the end, Mide proposes but Eledumare disposes. We move.

Udo: Coupled all the way up.

Ella: Coupled up.

Enyene : Single! We go again next year.

6. Tik Tok or Instagram?

Itseju: Tiktok, forever and always.

Udo: Instagram. I have the tiktok app but in preparation for my transition to 30+, I watch my TikToks on IG.

Bibi: Instagram.

7. What Tik Tok Challenge Did You Join In This Year? 👀

Itseju: I threw my phone up in the air to allow it rotate in slow mo for a TikTok. Never again.

Udo: That lovers edition (who eats more, who spends more money) with shrek.

Enyene: Lol no! I’m an elderly person please

Oreoluwa: You want to Bam Ba?

8. Weirdest Food Combination You Tried This Year?

Bibi: Please I don’t want to test our divine providers, plus unlike you people my stomach isn’t made of cast iron, my meal plan this year was basic.

Chiamaka: Mayo and Eggs.

Enyene: Has to be suya dipped in ice cream. I was on my period and you know the uterus wants what it wants.

Mide: Does bread and egusi count?

9. How Active Was Your Sex Life This Year on A Scale of 1-10?

Bibi: Hehehe 8.

Lola: 7.

Chiamaka: 5.

Itseju: Is non-existent an option?

10. Would You Shave Your Hair For 100k?

Bibi: 100k Dollars or Naira? If it’s 100k Dollars, should I go to my own barber abi you people’s own? And do y’all want it shaved clean or will low cut do? If it’s Naira you want to offer me, just use the door please.

Itseju: For only 100k? No thank you.

Oyinda: Make it 1 million.

Oreoluwa: Bald bald or just small shave?

Udo: I shaved my head earlier this year for free so why the fuck not?

11. If You Had To Get a Tattoo Today, What Would You Get?

Ebuka: Cliche but I would still say a Butterfly.

Enyene: Probably my Dad’s name on my inner wrist.

Udo: *inserts cool igbo proverb*

12. Tell Us Your Favorite Quote From a Movie/Series, Without Mentioning The Title.

Oreoluwa: Hey, you.

Mide: I burn for you.

Oyinda: If I can’t marry the man of my dreams, I will marry the man of my dream bank account.

Lola: I will not be judged by you or society, I will wear whatever and blow whomever I want as long as I can breathe and kneel.

13. What’s One Deal Breaker On A First Date For You?

Itseju: When they don’t get my internet references!

Ebuka: Bringing your friends and making me pay for them all.

Bibi: If he has one of those long and nasty cocaine nails *cringes*

Oyinda: Mouth odor.

14. Describe Your Detty December In One Word?

Ebuka: Dead.

Lola: Soft.

Ella: Clean.

15. What Song Is The Soundtrack To Your Life Right Now?

Chiamaka: Snapchat – Ruger

Ella: High – AG Baby, Davido

Mide – Amaarae’s Sad Girlz Luv Money.

16. You’re Trying To Shoot Your Shot At A Hottie You Just Met At A Bar. Give Us Your Best Pick Up Line.

Mide: What’s a pick up line when I can stare at him from across the room hoping he catches my eyes or reads my mind?

Ebuka: Let’s be having hoo-cup ma.

Oreoluwa: The Nigerian girl urge in me to say “big head ”

Bibi: Hi, are you a lizard? Cause agama eyes on you. *inserts hysterical cackles*

Udo: Shooting shot at a man? Please girl, I’ll rather chew jeans.

17. If You Could Get Stuck On An Island With Only 1 Person From The 21 Mag Team, Who Would You Pick? (Why?)

Ebuka: Fif. Simple, she likes mad flex.

Mide: Oreoluwa. She’s funny and radiates good, warm and fuzzy vibes.

Oreoluwa: Ella – I trust her food choices.

Enyene: Udo! She gives me serious cool girl vibes. I saw her Instagram bio once and sis said “assigned iconic at birth”- I love it!

Bibi: Itseju. Well she’s super sweet and we would have a lot to talk about.

Ella: Hm. I think Ore. She has a nice island partner vibe.

Itseju: Fif, definitely! Our Libra and Aquarius signs seem so harmonious and I believe I can learn a lot from her.

Udo: I will say Bibi, she seems like a very sweet person so even if we are dying of hunger on the island she won’t snap at me when I’m suggesting stupid shit.

18. What Month This Year Was The Best For You and Why?

Enyene: June. It’s my birthday month and I was so intentional about being happy that month. It worked.

Lola: May, I graduated college.

Itseju: February. I had a moment of self-actualization in the month of love and it redefined the rest of 2021 for me.

Chiamaka: April. I got the birthday I desperately prayed for.

Oyinda: December. I have been going out and making money.

19. What Is Something You Learnt This Year That You’re Taking Into 2022?

Lola: Stop being nice to men.

Oreoluwa: Self care over everything.

Ella: Did I learn anything? God. I think it’s to do the bare minimum at work or they’ll actually kill you with work. Hard work is only rewarded with more hardwork. Fml. I hope I actually remember this in 2022 sha.

Enyene: Omg! Cherish the people in your corner, love them as loudly as you can and take pictures.