On January 20th 2021, Kamala Harris became the 49th Vice President of the United States. Ms. Harris who is of Indian-Jamaican heritage made history by becoming the first female, first black, and first Asian-American Vice-President in U.S history.
12 days later on February 2nd, 2021, President Joe Biden signed a number of Immigration Executive Orders that amongst others effectively ended the African Immigrant Ban. The previous ban had stopped citizens from various African Countries like Nigeria from visiting the U.S, including a temporary hold on consulate interviews for those who had legally won the U.S Diversity Lottery.
These policies put in place by the previous Administration directly sent the message that immigrants of African descent were not welcome in the U.S. Did that mean that their past and ongoing contributions to U.S Society were not meaningful?
Our research painted a different picture. It showed that African immigrants, 1st and 2nd generation are one of the most educated and successful immigrant groups in the U.S.
The Editorial Team at Ayoo Africa went a step further and over the course of 6 months, researched over 700 individuals to find the most innovative and successful. We later told the stories of 100 DC-Based individuals of African descent in our first and 2020 Print/Digital Edition of the Ayoo Mag.
We covered stories on Aba Kwawu (Ghana), Roye Okupe (Nigeria), Riflex (Cameroon), Amarachi Nwosu (Nigeria), Claude Di Martian (Cameroon), Dj Sam I Am (Sierra Leone), Somi Nwandu (Nigeria), Stanley Akisah (Cameroon), Jackson Mvunganyi (Rwanda), Semhar Araia (Eritrea), Uncle Azeez (Nigeria), Vanicia (Cameroon), Chef Kwame Onwuachi (Nigeria), Chef Kizi Kodia (Ivory Coast) and CouncilMember Will Jawando (Nigeria), amongst others who were at the forefront of their individual industries.
Ankara BVBE shoot by Kerla Marie at Ayoo Studios
Creative Director- Kerla Pamphile
Photographer: Temiloluwa Omotayo
Makeup: Kerla Pamphile
Styling & Designer- Saffie Koroma
With the whirlwind and changes the pandemic brought to our world, this year we wanted to shift the narrative. Stories of success often intertwine triumph and pain. The stories in this month’s issue will highlight both. Through pain, we rise and triumph. Our prayer is that through these stories you will see yourself and understand that you are not alone, for our stories are both beautiful and dark, and that is okay.
This month, we are featuring Temmy, a Nigerian Photographer and Owner of the brand Temmy Turner. We are also featuring Victoria, a Liberian Beauty and Editorial Model.
These are their stories…
Temiloluwa “Temmy Turner” Omotayo
“… 2020 was my most creative year and I put out some of my best work so far.”
Temmy Turner
Temiloluwa Omotayo, is a Nigerian Photographer, Owner of the brand Temmy Turner, and an IT Professional based in the Metropolitan Washington, D.C area. He shared that his first name means “God is mine.” in Yoruba, which we thought was cool. Some interesting facts about him are that he is the only child, he can actually cook professionally, and he is trained to be an Electrical Marine Engineer. How one can adapt into various roles is quite fascinating to say the least, but also begs to ask the question… who really is Temmy?
AYOO AFRICA: What did you aspire to be when you were a child?
Temmy: “I wanted to be a Surgeon.”
“My parents didn’t push me in any direction. That was my choice. Society still had an impact on me, but it wasn’t a push. They let me be fluid.”
Temmy Turner
AYOO AFRICA : Did it have anything to do with the fact that you’re African, and that tends to be one of the top things one “should” become?
Temmy: “My Parents didn’t push me in any direction. That was my choice. Society still had an impact on me, but it wasn’t a push. They let me be fluid.”
AYOO AFRICA: “Why did you start photography?”
Temmy: “So, photography was never like something I wanted to do from the jump. I got here in 2016 and, to be honest, it started out of boredom. I had nothing to do at the time, so I started watching YouTube videos and I found a channel on photography.
“… I took one shot. It was my first time actually playing with a camera-based on what I learned. She let me keep the camera, and now we’re here.”
I think it was Peter McKinnon that I started watching. How he captures people, is so beautiful. You can’t just not love it. I had zero money to my name, no work, and the interest built. I just kept watching videos, kept learning stuff with nothing to practice on. And then I got my first job as a cook in a lounge. A week or two into me starting the job, out of nowhere, I see there’s a camera sitting in the corner of the floor and nobody was using it.
So I go up to the lady, the owner. I’m like, ‘Um, that’s a camera?’. She’s like, ‘Yeah, we have a camera, but there’s no photographer to take pictures.’ I’m like, ‘I’m a photographer.’ I picked up the camera and I took one shot. I just changed a couple of settings and took one shot. It was my first time actually playing with a camera based on what I learned. She liked the shot, and eventually let me keep the camera, and now we’re here.”
AYOO AFRICA: Greatest inspiration?
Kunle Afolayan; An Award-winning Nigerian Actor, Producer and Director.
AYOO AFRICA: Do you have any tips or mistakes that you want to share?
Temmy: “ Just be smart. You want your hobby to pay you.”
AYOO AFRICA: Let’s talk about challenges. 2020 was an interesting year. There were highs, lows, peaks, valleys, and everything. How did your 2020 go?
Temmy: “It was interesting. I appreciate God because I couldn’t have done anything without him. (In late 2019) I started a company with some of my friends. It’s called The Point 5% and that was one of my goals; to have a Production Company. We started, but we couldn’t get much done because of 2020. That kind of pushed me a little bit. I did a couple of self-portraits in 2019, but 2020 was my most creative year and I put out some of my best work so far.
As 2020 goes, I still think generally speaking, it was a great year for me and I appreciate God for that, and I’m looking forward to 2021.
“(As a child) I had a serious fear of speaking and was very shy. I would rather keep quiet than get my point across in a room.”
Temmy Turner
AYOO AFRICA: What has been your greatest challenge so far?
Temmy: “(As a child) I had a serious fear of speaking and was very shy. I would rather keep quiet than get my point across in a room. Looking back, I can say it was a lack of self-confidence, and I had to outgrow that. I was called upon to pray in front of the assembly in Secondary School, and I was thinking ‘I am about to pass out.’ I closed my eyes and did it. From there on, I tried to communicate more with people. I’m glad I did that when I was younger, and it was hard, but I am better now. Even now, I am still a conservative person, and I am still reserved, but I am trying, and I am actually starting conversations.
Victoria Togoe
Ankara BVBE shoot by Kerla Marie at Ayoo Studios
Creative Director- Kerla Pamphile
Photographer: Temiloluwa Omotayo
Makeup: Kerla Pamphile
Styling & Designer- Saffie Koroma
“The greatest challenge for me, was or is, my mental and emotional health.”
Victoria Togoe
Victoria Togoe (pronounced “Togo”) is a Liberian Beauty and Editorial Model based in the Metropolitan Washington D.C Area. If we are to judge by her appearance, one would think that she doesn’t have anything to worry about. Whether we agree or disagree, society tends to look upon those who are seen or perceived as glamorous with jaded eyes. We wonder if they have always known they were different. We don’t think that they encounter any major challenges like we mere mortals. So, who is Victoria? Who lurks underneath the beautifully chiselled face and lean figure?
AYOO AFRICA: What did you aspire to be when you were a child?
Victoria: “It switched a lot as a child, but the main one was a Motivational Speaker, but I never thought I could, because I stuttered. It was way bad when I was a kid, but it has gotten better.”
AYOO AFRICA: Why do you do what you do?
“I was at Prince George’s community college, and I was miserable. I did not want to be there. I got on my knees and I’m like, ‘Lord, show me a sign, show me what I’m supposed to do.’
Victoria: So then like two weeks later, I was at my job. I was a supervisor and these two women were just staring at me. She said, ‘what are you doing here?’ And I’m just like, ‘I’m working.’ She was like, ‘No, you need to be modeling.’ And I kid you not, for five consecutive days, people kept coming up to me, asking me if I model. So I was like, ‘Lord, I don’t know why this keeps happening, but if this is for me, I’m going to have my first photo shoot.’
I went on Pinterest and saw Grace Jones, and when I went to that photoshoot, it felt like home. I was like, ‘Yo, I think this is what it is.’ And the moment the photographer posted the picture, my life just changed after that.”
“…when I went to that photoshoot, it felt like home. I was like, ‘Yo, I think this is what it is.”
Victoria Togoe
AYOO AFRICA: Do you have any tips or mistakes that you learned from?
Victoria: “I didn’t really think it through. When I first started modeling things were going well, for me, I was like, ‘Oh, I got this!’ I do get paid well, especially with my agency, but the problem is the consistency part. What I would do differently is, I would have kept my job and done it part-time.
“The way I am dealing with my mental and emotional health is understanding that my feelings are fleeting, and I am not my feelings.”
Victoria Togoe
AYOO AFRICA: Let’s talk about challenges. 2020 was an interesting year. There were highs, lows, peaks, valleys, and everything. How did your 2020 go?
Victoria: “The greatest challenge for me, was or is, my mental and emotional health.
My mental health took a toll when I was 19 years old. I got out of (an) abusive relationship, and that really messed me (up) badly. I was in a bad relationship because I thought that love was you hitting me and talking back to me… I grew up in an angry and abusive environment… then going into relationships, that is all I knew. I would attract men talking down to me, and putting their hands on me.
Once I got out of that, I was angry! People’s depression hits different. For me, it came through anger. I ended up in therapy for 6 years. Throughout that whole time, I was suffering from major depression which ended up with me trying to take my life 3 times.
“People’s depression hits different. For me, it came through anger.”
Victoria Togoe
Ever since the last time I tried to take my life, I started to talk more to God. I was like, ‘Lord, I don’t know what is going on. You know, I went to therapy.’ I wish it worked, but I still felt incomplete. I started to seek God more and started reading the Bible more, and that’s when the Pandemic hit. I started to realize, that I felt better.
The way I am dealing with my mental and emotional health is understanding that my feelings are fleeting, and I am not my feelings.”
AYOO AFRICA: What would be your advice for people who don’t even know that they may have some issues from the way they were raised, especially for the women?
“What saved me was my bestfriend and she had an amazing family that was welcoming. Always have that one person that is going to be there for you, because you need that support system. I always had great friends who had amazing families. Try and find your utopia that is outside yourself to have a different perspective.”
AYOO AFRICA: Are you healed or on the journey to healing?
“I can’t describe it to you, but things are better. I have peace and joy.”
Victoria Togoe
“I am a lover, but… I got out of a relationship about a year ago, and he was great, but I need to work on my blocks. Romantically, it is hard for me to let you love me. I sat down and had to dissect my life for about 6 months to figure it out. I can’t describe it to you, but things are better. I have peace and joy.”
