Being a force in an industry is a difficult position to attribute to anyone. But after producing the top three highest-grossing movies in Nollywood and being the first and only filmmaker to surpass ₦1-billion-box-office sales, Funke Akindele has cemented herself as an entertainment titan.

From the ‘Checking Out’ of the 80s to today’s ‘Japa’ wave, Nigeria’s enduring struggle with brain drain has lasted far too long. Despite promises of change, the nation continues to grapple with familiar challenges that drive its citizens abroad in search of more; more opportunities, more peace of mind, and the ability to be more.

Using cosmetic endeavours aimed at achieving lighter skin is a longstanding tradition among a staggering number of Nigerians. To this group of people—who are conditioned by factors like Eurocentric beauty standards and colourism, melanin is a stain whose trace they strive to eliminate. This has, over the years, led to the development of different skin-lightening beauty methods that focus on faster and relatively thorough results but gape the skin and leave the body open to grave health repercussions.