JIDENNA CELEBRATES NIGERIA'S INDEPENDENCE DAY IN 'CLASSIC' FASHION

After the recent backlash in his controversial interview with urban news channel VladTV, Nigeria’s Independence Day could not come at a better time for the 30-year-old singer, Jidenna.

Jessica Chibueze & Jidenna, both of Nigerian decent featured in an editorial in honor of “Nigerian Renaissance.” The “All Things Ankara Ball” commemorates Nigeria’s 55th Independence Day celebration on October 1st. The campaign images combine very French and African aesthetics.

The official slogan for the All Things Ankara Ball is a phrase that comes from Fear & Fancy (a social club co-founded by Jidenna), “Come Dry, Leave Wet”. It simply means going to a party dressed to the nines; “to perfection in the most fashionable attire” (Come Dry) but having a good time, dancing and sweating out your clothing (Leave Wet). Jidenna is certainly giving people something else to talk about since his infamous interview with VladTV.

In the interview the singer shared his experience of burying his father, “Our family was light. Therefore when we go to our village… and when I actually buried my father, I had to bring a lot of AK47s. Because when you’re light skinned, you’re heavier target for being kidnapped. Because you’re seen as more valuable. For me being light skinned in Nigeria, in my family, it was difficult. It was always challenging. We were hounded. We were robbed.”

His comments sparked mixed reactions, specifically since people from the many parts of Nigeria have comparable skin tones- Nigeria is a country of many shades and Nigerians on Twitter sought to remind Jidenna of that fact.