Meet woman who will make you feel proud of Nigeria (photo)

Editor’s note: NAIJ.com continues a series of stories about talented Nigerians, who achieved a great success abroad, written by Martha Olawale. Ms Olawale, the founder of Stars of Afrika writes from Florida, USA. She is passionate about changing the narrative about Africa and celebrating each African doing us proud. This week’s story focuses on Roboh Oladokun, one […]

The post Meet woman who will make you feel proud of Nigeria (photo) appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read Naij.com 24/7.

Editor’s note: NAIJ.com continues a series of stories about talented Nigerians, who achieved a great success abroad, written by Martha Olawale.

Ms Olawale, the founder of Stars of Afrika writes from Florida, USA. She is passionate about changing the narrative about Africa and celebrating each African doing us proud.

This week’s story focuses on Roboh Oladokun, one of the recipients of the 2014 YouWin grant by the federal government of Nigeria. She has a degree in computer science but today pursues her passion in fashion.

Meet Roboh Oladokun: Computer Scientist to Fashion Entrepreneur

“Dream big but start small. Enjoy the journey and never give up.” Roboh Oladokun

Meet Roboh Oladokun

Roboh Oladokun is the founder of Ella Bernard Fashion School in Abuja, Nigeria. She is also the award winner of the YouWin grant by the Nigerian Government. A testament to her contribution to the development of the Nigerian economy. As a young entrepreneur, Roboh is a great example of the versatility of an African mind.

She graduated as a Computer Scientist from the leading private university in Nigeria but did not limit her dreams to the dictates of her certificates. Straight out of the university, she worked for a bank in Nigeria. However, her dissatisfaction led her to pursue her passion in fashion designing. While she experienced different odds along the way, she stayed focused on her dreams and followed her passion with tenacity.

Stars of Afrika celebrates the successes of Roboh Oladokun. We applaud your constant desire for growth and devotion to learning. Your achievements so far proves to the world that Africans can compete with the best in their fields. While there are more steps for you to climb, we encourage you to never let go, keep pushing until you get the best out of your hard work as a fashionista.

Background

My Name is Ogheneroboh Emmanuella Oladokun. I was born in Lagos Nigeria, the third of and only female child of six children (I have a stepsister from my Dad). We were well catered for by my parents. I enjoyed the privilege of growing up in an upper middle class Family but my parents separated when I was about 6 years old. Although I lived with my dad, my mum was very present in my life. I have a lot of fond memories of my childhood years.

One particular incidence I can clearly remember happened when I was about 10 years old during the Christmas period. My dad wanted a tailor to make clothes for the children to celebrate the season. He asked me what I wanted and I drew a sketch of a black palazzo pinafore. When he looked at it, he said that it was too fashionable for a child. This was however my first fashion sketch. As a child, I loved watching beauty pageants because of the elegant evening gowns, the hairstyles, and makeup of the contestants.

Educational journey

I attended Command Secondary School, a boarding school in Ibadan from 1994-2000. Secondary school life was one of adventure and self-discovery. After secondary school, I enrolled for a diploma course in data processing at the Olabisi Onabanjo University from 2001-2003, Ogun state. I then proceeded to Covenant University, Ogun state where I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer science in 2007. Covenant University was where I learned about entrepreneurship and leadership.

Why fashion?

Fashion designing chose me. By papers, I am a computer scientist but by heart, I am a fashion designer. I learned so much about entrepreneurship at Covenant University but my first motivation was financial independence. I started by sketching my own designs and choosing the fabric for a friend’s mum to make for me when I was still a student at Covenant University.

However, I soon realized that people were not interpreting my designs well and I knew I had to train myself to sew. After completing two different fashion design trainings, I was still dissatisfied because I realized I needed to know more in order to perfectly execute my unique designs. I bought books on designs and spent a lot of time on the internet researching. Each time I travelled out of Nigeria, I looked for every opportunity to take courses in fashion designing to improve myself.

I took a course with Marilyn Johnson fashion Studio in Maryland, U.S.A. I am also a certified TR (Transformation Reconstruction Technique) Master by TR Cutting School, Japanese Pattern Maker Shingo Sato. I am totally in love with fashion and I always look for ways to broaden my knowledge.

What are some of the obstacles that you faced pursuing your passion?

Fund was a major obstacle because setting up a world class studio in Nigeria is financially demanding. We had to consider rent, materials, sewing machines, office furniture, marketing, and solving the problem of erratic electricity supply. I also had to learn to separate my passion from the demands of a budding business.

At the beginning, I gave out many of my designs for free because I loved to see them on people and also loved making new ones. Another obstacle was putting together a committed team because most of the tailors believe that they can be their own bosses so after painstakingly training them, they leave.

How did you overcome those obstacles?

The YouWin grant helped to alleviate some of the financial strain. We learned how to prioritize how to manage available funds to maximize production. We had to come up with creative ways of getting things done like advertising and photography. We also kept reinvesting in the business instead of spending the profits. To encourage our team, we trained them on the importance of commitment and compensated hard work beyond their monthly salaries with sales commission.

What are some of your greatest achievements?

Ella Bernard Fashion School has trained close to 250 students. In addition, our ready to wear line is widely accepted. We are also proud of how we are helping to shape the perception of what it means to be a fashion designer in this part of the world. In recognition of our impact in developing human capital through fashion design training, the Federal Government of Nigeria awarded us the YouWin Grant in 2014.

What/who are the greatest inspiration in your life?

My biggest inspiration is my Husband. He is my coach, my manager, my partner, my cheer leader and my biggest Fan. He is such a formidable force behind me and his support is invaluable. He scrutinizes my designs, constructively criticizes them, and always give me an objective perspective. I also admire Shingo Sato, a Japanese pattern maker and the creative mind behind Transformational Reconstruction Technique, a technique based on Origami fashion. Another creative designer who inspires me is Nigel Chia, a Malaysian Fashion designer whose designs are impeccable. His attention to detail and couture techniques are intimidating and very inspiring.

What are your goals for Ella Bernard and the future?

Our number one goal is to become the fashion voice in Africa. We intend to include more classes like Bridals, Corsetry, and Advanced Patternmaking to our training programs. We are hoping to infiltrate the international markets with more African-inspired fashion.
What advice do you have for this generation of Africans? Dream big but start small. Enjoy the Journey and never give up. There is no substitute for hard work, commitment and dedication. Keep improving your skills and never stop learning.

What do you want the world to know about Nigeria?

Nigeria is a country of resilient people, who work twice as hard to get half as much as their counterparts in other parts of the world. Nigeria is a great product in need of good marketing. Nigerians are brilliant and this generation is out to change our tainted image.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial policy of Naij.com.

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The post Meet woman who will make you feel proud of Nigeria (photo) appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read Naij.com 24/7.