The Real Housewives of Lagos is bound to be your next reality TV obsession.
This installment of the Real Housewives is actually the third set in Africa. Real Housewives of Johannesburg is set in the South African capital, while Real Housewives of Durban is set on the east coast of South Africa, facing the Indian Ocean.
But the new reality show, which is distributed in Nigeria by Showmax — and internationally by NBCUniversal — is promising to show a different side of Nigeria to the viewing public.
“As an African brand, showcasing and telling African stories is at the core of our content production, so we are excited to be partnering with NBCUniversal Formats to bring The Real Housewives of Lagos to our subscribers,” said Candice Fangueiro, head of content at Showmax Africa, in a statement to Sowetan Live.
The show is set to premiere in April, and it’s already got the Internet abuzz with what promises to be high drama and nonsense — exactly what we’ve come to expect from the Real Housewives brand of reality television.
As with the other installments of the franchise, these six ladies epitomize Nigerian glamour and high society — and now, they’re bringing their drama to an international audience.
Here, then, is your first look at the six ladies of The Real Housewives of Lagos.
Carolyna Hutchings
Carolyna Hutchings is nothing if not exactly the embodiment of a “Real Housewife.” She’s a former Nollywood superstar who has turned her attention to her various business dealings — according to Olisa TV, her last major film role was in 2006, and she officially quit acting at that time. Today, she works for an oil and gas company and owns an eponymously-named real estate firm.
Iyabo Ojo
Alice Iyabo Ojo is another former Nollywood star who also served as a producer and director of several Nollywood films, per her IMDb page. She was once married to a Lagos-based film marketer — with whom she has two grown children — but according to Nigeria Films, she no longer wants to use his last name and prefers, instead, to use her maiden name. However, she has yet to formally change her name.
Chioma “Good Hair” Ikokwu
Chioma Ikokwu — known simply as “Good Hair” on the Nigerian social circuit — is a lawyer, philanthropist, and business owner. She also owns her own accelerator firm, where she provides funding for startup businesses in Nigeria.
Toyin Lawani
As a fashion stylist who made her name on the Nollywood film circuit, Toyin Lawani is the owner of Tianna’s Place Empire, which has nearly 2 million followers on its Instagram page. A licensed cosmetologist, The Guardian also confirms that she has a Bachelor’s Degree in English from the University of Lagos.
Laura Ikeji-Kanu
Laura Ikeji-Kanu is a Nigerian fashion blogger and influencer. She also has her own perfume line called Incomplete, and is married to Nigerian soccer star Christopher Kanu. The couple’s son, Ryan, was born in Texas. The pair also recently welcomed a second child.
Mariam Adeyemi Timmer
Billing herself as a PR consultant and writer, Mariam Adeyemi Timmer is also a graduate of the University of Abuja, per her LinkedIn page. She is also the owner of Six Sixteen Agency, Ltd., and she’s married with one daughter.
