A few months ago, we wrote about perplexed reaction in Nigeria to an October issue cover of digital magazine House of Maliq. A chicken was involved.

Now, the same script has begun to play out with a new critter. That’s model and fashion designer Tania Omotayo above, on one of the magazine’s just-released January 2017 issue covers. Website pulse.ng can’t fathom why the editors chose to frame her this way:

Why in the world is a cockroach on her body? What kind of concept is this? Who thought this would make sense? Wasn’t there any old person in the room that told them this wouldn’t make sense?

Ha ha. Yes, perhaps a Nigerian equivalent to General Larry Platt could have talked some sense into that editorial meeting. On the other hand, a clue here may be the cover line at the very top-right: ‘Wizkid: Why He’s So Famous.’

You see, until a few months ago, Omotayo and the famous Nigerian musical artist were an item. Perhaps the cockroach is meant to symbolize in some way her ex-boyfriend and the distorting power of fame, money?

The sub-headline for the Pulse.ng takedown reads: ‘House of Maliq magazine is on a constant mission to annoy Nigerians.’ At the very end of the article, senior associate Ayomide O. Tayo suggests that covers like this may be calculated attempts to generate Instagram reaction. Check out some of the responses to the Omotayo cover image here.

Previously on FishbowlNY:

The Beyoncé-Chicken Photo Came First