She was not a pap lover until she had the one her aunt made many years ago which was a combination of grains. She enjoyed it and thought to herself “what if this turns into a business and packaged properly for the sake of people like her who wouldn’t be caught taking the regular pap”… the rest as they say is history or shall I say led to the birth of Ogicentric. I bet you can’t wait to meet Adejumoke Solomon, the founder of Ogicentric in this exclusive interview.
With no further ado, let’s meet the Founder of Ogicentric for an exclusive interview.
Please Introduce yourself and your background.
Hi! I’m Adejumoke Solomon, a beautiful mum of three, graduate of Lagos State University, a freelance real estate consultant and an entrepreneur.
Tell us about your work. How did your company start?
I produce, package and sell our locally made pudding called pap/ogi/koko/akamu. I was not a pap lover until I had the one my aunt made many years ago which was a combination of grains. I enjoyed it and thought to myself ” what if I turn this into business for the sake of people like me who wouldn’t be caught taking the regular pap”..since then we have been able to create more variants to suit everyone.
How did you come about the name and what does it mean?
Well, it’s our desire to meet everyone halfway, a central point where both the young,old and even the aged on special diet can benefit from our range of products hence the name Ogicentric. “Ogi” is pap.
What is your niche and how did you know it was a market to get into?
The desire to see people eat healthy meals that are natural and affordable, also, we do our best to disabuse minds of the nation that pap is for the poor and sickly.
Where do you get inspiration for your products?
I get my inspiration from the needs of people God opens my eyes to, especially adults and the aging on special diet.
Can you remember one of the first products you made?
Ogicentric Big4. The fact that it was warmly accepted.
What are some of the challenges you face in your business?
Access to funds. We produce in batches and/as ordered due to poor power supply, because we are not 100% tech savvy, we appear inconsistent on our social media platforms as we are also unable to outsource social media personnel due to lack of funds.
Do you have any regrets about venturing into this business?
None whatsoever
What is your most popular product?
Ogicentric Big4
To what extent do you draw upon your Nigerian heritage for your work?
100% as all raw materials are locally sourced for
What are some of your short term and long term goals, both in your business and life in general?
Short term goal is to distribute consistently to major stores in Nigeria so our products can reach as many homes as possible and i would like to speak someday at the White House as ogicentric compliments the moimoi that made this milestone.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
That I’m shy
What profession would you be in if you weren’t in this industry?
Media, most likely
If you could give one piece of advice to anyone who wants to start their own business in your industry, what would it be?
A lot of people make pap now, different variants and quite interesting ones but something singles you out and that is your target audience. Why are you venturing into this industry? Know your WHY, it keeps you going.
To connect with Ogicentric, you can follow and contact her via:
In 2020, the moment parties and events were banned during the COVID lockdown in my home town Lagos, Nigeria and I trade in party fabrics (popularly called asoebi), the yearn to make income led to the birth of Kisah Lagos. From selling fabrics to making premium quality shoes with asooke (a Nigerian woven fabric), I bet you can’t wait to meet Akinola Saheed, the founder of Kisah Lagos in this exclusive interview.
With no further ado, let’s meet the Founder of Kisah Lagos for an exclusive interview.
Please Introduce yourself and your background.
My name is akinola saheed. Newly married businessman.
Tell us about your work. How did your company start?
I make shoes from premium quality asooke. The lockdown birthed kisahlagos. Parties and events were banned and I’m into asoebi, man must chop o (meaning money must be made).
How did you come about the name and what does it mean?
Originally it was akisah(First 3 letters of my first and last name) but God forbid I use “akisah” as a Yoruba boy that I am. Akisah means rag in Yoruba so that’s a No No… so the A was moved up to be the logo, leaving me with kisah. So we have kisah lagos as a born and bred lagosian 😉
What is your niche and how did you know it was a market to get into?
There are a lot of shoe brands in Nigeria as a whole, but asooke shoes? Not very saturated, we are not many hence why I’m excited to build the brand. I have designed different unique shoes for the young and old, even children. The fact that I use asooke is already a selling point. Not everyone believes it can be done.
Where do you get inspiration for your products?
Asides my asooke background, I have people around me that mentor me. I also did a leatherwork training. I didn’t just start stitching asooke together. So seeing what can be done with leather, I’m like why not asooke. Just like that the mixing started (asooke fabric and leather).
Can you remember one of the first products you made?
My very first product was a shoe made by Gandyfootwears (mentor). It was just a trial, I supplied the material and she went to work. She delivered, I rocked it and the acceptance was wow! That was the ginger I needed to get started. Just like that I found myself in Mushin, Nigeria learning shoemaking.
What are some of the challenges you face in your business?
Asooke weavers disappointing, scarcity of thread to weave colours being requested. Of course dispatch trouble, we are still outsourcing that.
Do you have any regrets about venturing into this business?
No regrets so far alhamdulilah.
What is your most popular product?
I call it the krisskross, bestseller any time any day
To what extent do you draw upon your Nigerian heritage for your work?
100% as Asooke originates from Nigeria
What are some of your short term and long term goals, both in your business and life in general?
Well we are still online(Instagram/WhatsApp) at the moment, so no walk in store yet. It’s coming in the near future by the grace of God.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I actually sell gele and asooke for asoebi
What profession would you be in if you weren’t in this industry?
Most likely a tech guy, I know my way around computers. Studied computer information systems at Babcock university.
If you could give one piece of advice to anyone who wants to start their own business in your industry, what would it be?
Just start, it’s as simple as that.
To connect with Kisah Lagos, you can follow and contact her via:
Have you ever met a female string artist? Yes you heard that right, one who uses strings and nails to make an artwork! I am excited to introduce you to the Founder of Artini (string art), Omisakin Temitope in this exclusive interview.
With no further ado, let’s meet the Founder of Artini for an exclusive interview.
Please Introduce yourself and your background
My Name is Omisakin Temitope, I’m from Osun state in Nigeria. A graduate of economics.
Tell us about your work. How did your company start?
I found out about string art when I was surfing the internet for church stage decor ideas, we needed to come up with something creative and I was a member of the decoration team. And that is how my love for string art started.
How did you come about the name and what does it mean?
Coming up with a brand name wasn’t an easy task but at the end of the day we came up with ARTINI which means: A creative piece (craft, literature, filmmaking, etc.) that causes emotion or a new awareness.
What is your niche and how did you know it was a market to get into?
ART and HOME DECOR is our niche and it was pretty easy for us to know our market due to the nature of our products
Where do you get inspiration for your products?
I’m a strong believer of JESUS and I believe my creativity comes from him. So I pray for creativity and inspiration. I also believe he lead me to string art in the first place for the church stage decor. Apart from this I watch tons of YouTube videos and also check out art pages, art blogs and Pinterest.
Can you remember one of the first products you made?
As the JESUS girl that I am, the first string art I made was “GOD” I just felt like it should be the first Art I make even before we did the stage design.
What are some of the challenges you face in your business?
For challenges I’d say string art is not taught in this part of the world so I was only left with Russian YouTube videos that where often times not translated, calculating geometric patterns and designs where hard at the beginning. Another challenge was sourcing materials, I did a lot of improvisation when I first started out, especially with nails since they weren’t available in Nigeria
Do you have any regrets about venturing into this business?
I have faced a number of challenges but no regrets at all.
What is your most popular product?
I have two actually. “The African woman” and “Red hat lady”
To what extent do you draw upon your Nigerian heritage for your work?
To some extent actually, I’ve realised African inspired work are easily accepted and look unique. Like the “African woman for example “
What are some of your short term and long term goals, both in your business and life in general?
For my business I’d say getting a work station that would also serve as a training centre for students and also double as a mini gallery for walk-in clients And to also be a leading and learning art centre in Nigeria. In life generally would be to teach, impact and empower people.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I’m not sure it would be a surprised but for what it’s worth I’m “Left handed “.
What profession would you be in if you weren’t in this industry?
I would probably have a business consulting firm.
If you could give one piece of advice to anyone who wants to start their own business in your industry, what would it be?
Whatever mistakes you make, learn to move on from it, you’re only human. Just work on improving yourself and your business so it doesn’t happen again
To connect with Artini, you can follow and contact her via:
I am honoured and thrilled to introduce you to the Founder of Scents Pro, Boluwatife Adeife in this exclusive interview.
With no further ado, let’s meet the Founder of Scents Pro Luxury for an exclusive interview.
Please Introduce yourself and your background.
My name is Boluwatife Adeife. A Nigerian and the creative director and chandler of Scents Pro, an indigenous fragrance company where we create premium quality, hand crafted home and space fragrances in diffusers, scented candles, et al.
Tell us about your work. How did your company start?
Scents Pro was birthed from the love for scents generally and how particular I’ve always been about my space and it’s general appearance. I was (still am) a fragrance lover, but when I did my research on home scents I realized at that time, there wasn’t a lot of indigenous brands, accessibility to international brands was a challenge and the quality of these international brands, as regards raw materials for production, was not 100% in most cases.
So Scents Pro Luxury came in, to bridge the gap by providing eco friendly, toxic free and luxurious home scents that’s would bring some level of comfort into homes and spaces.
How did you come about the name and what does it mean?
An expert in any field is called a PRO. An expert with Scents, is a Scents Pro.
What is your niche and how did you know it was a market to get into?
Indigenous and Toxic free(eco friendly). These were what seemed to be missing at the time we were going to start. These days, people are more open to buying locally made products and the fact that they are vegan and eco friendly makes it even better as people have become more conscious.
Where do you get inspiration for your products?
I get inspiration from everywhere, from different people and brands.
Can you remember one of the first products you made?
A scented candle. I was over the moon excited even though it was obviously not perfect.
What are some of the challenges you face in your business?
Running the business in general. It can be overwhelming
Do you have any regrets about venturing into this business?
Not at all.
What is your most popular product?
To what extent do you draw upon your Nigerian heritage for your work?
Scents Pro is an indigenous brand. Our products are all 100% locally hand made
What are some of your short term and long term goals, both in your business and life in general?
Short term goal is to evolve and improve generally in every area of the business. Long term goal is to be the leading and most preferred home fragrance brand in the Nigeria and West Africa.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I speak French
What profession would you be in if you weren’t in this industry?
Sales and Marketing
If you could give one piece of advice to anyone who wants to start their own business in your industry, what would it be?
Build your brand at your own pace and not compare with existing brands.
To connect with Scents Pro, you can follow and contact her via:
I had the utmost pleasure of meeting this beautiful soul during the ACE Awards 2021, where she won the category for the best home & lifestyle brand. I was beyond awed at her graciousness, humility and positivity that she radiated at every point. Hence why I am honoured and thrilled to meet the Founder of Yasmin Crafts in this exclusive interview.
Hamsatu Aliyu-Afegbua – Founder of Yasmin Crafts
*To know more about the products, simply click on the images*
With no further ado, let’s meet the Founder of Yasmin Crafts for an exclusive interview.
Please Introduce yourself and your background.
My name is Hamsatu Aliyu-Afegbua and I’m an architect and hand-crafter. By the grace of God, I juggle 2 businesses: Eden Signature Limited, an Architectural and Interior design firm as well as Yasmin Crafts Limited which is my handicrafts business. Both of them are situated in Abuja, Nigeria. I am a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria with an M.Sc in Architecture. I also hold a certificate in Entrepreneurship Management under the EDC, from Lagos Business School.
Tell us about your work. How did your company start?
We produce handcrafted products in the form of furniture, home decor and multi-purpose baskets. We use locally available raw materials to create these products. The brand Yasmin Crafts was born to satisfy the need for a custom crafts provider that could give better quality handcrafted products in Abuja.
How did you come about the name and what does it mean?
“Yasmin” is my proposed first daughter’s name. The “crafts” I derived from the general term “handicrafts” which is the term used to describe our niche.
What is your niche and how did you know it was a market to get into?
My niche is Handicrafts. Known by some as Arts and Crafts. Living in Abuja for over 2 decades, I came to realise there was no craft maker who could skillfully add on accessories like real leather, fabric, logos, and art on products to enhance them. Most of the attempts to customise crafts, that I saw by the roadside or in the local markets did not turn out looking too good. One day, I decided to buy the basket from the market and then, customise it to my taste. It turned out great and everybody asked me where I bought the customised basket from.
The rest is history. 3 years down the line, here we are 😊. I started out with baskets and decor and within a year into the business, we had begun furniture production.
*The Lidded Laundry hamper with removable liner is available in 5 different colors including natural, you can tuck this hamper away in a corner of your bed or bath room and keep those clothes off the floor.*
*These stunning natural wicker planters are a nice way to add interior plants into your home. They come with bottoms designed to drain water away from the plant pot you intend to place inside the basket. Great for both real and faux plants.*
Where do you get inspiration for your products?
From my imagination and from observing the needs in the market. I sketch ideas down and develop them. I also draw inspiration from nature.
Another source of inspiration is listening to feedback from our customers, especially negative feedback. We take the feedback and examine our way of doing things as a business. We change what we can and fix what we can’t.
I tell my entire team that here at Yasmin Crafts, customer service is not just one department, it is all of us. Working as a team and sharing feedback has helped us grow as a business.
Natural Lani trunk
*Giving gifts are an essential part of life and relationships. The packaging container is what will be seen first, so make it a memorable time for the person who is receiving it. This trunk is a classy woven gift box that you can be proud of placing your luxury gifts in.*
*With the high quality interior lining be ready to wow your recipients and make a great impression. You can’t go wrong with this as your choice of container when it comes to gifting. The best part is, the gift recipient can use the trunk as an extra storage, extra seating to give another gift or even as a decorative piece afterwards!*
Can you remember one of the first products you made?
Yes. It is a 2 tone coiled raffia basket that I made to store my small jewellery pieces in. I was just learning how to weave at the time, and I had to push myself to try and finish it. I’m very proud of that basket.
What are some of the challenges you face in your business?
Lack of funds to expand our production. Buying large scale woodworking equipment and conducting more research on product development.
Do you have any regrets about venturing into this business?
Not at all.
What is your most popular product?
Our Aisha set of 3 multi-purpose baskets is one of our best sellers. This is because they can serve a multitude of purposes like storage, home organisation, home decor and gifting purposes.
Aisha baskets are available in 2 designs: a Plain basket with no fabric lining and our fabric lined baskets.
*Customised Aisha storage baskets. These gorgeously lined baskets can serve a wide variety of purposes. They come in 3 different fabric lining as pictures unless you say otherwise. There is a touch of Ankara to symbolise Africa.*
Top uses among our customers for these baskets include:
Making a set of gift hampers with each basket.
Decluttering table tops.
Storing small items.
Displaying products for sale at a store.
Using them as a tray for serving snacks.
Hanging them as a wall decor basket.
Styling a shelf or console.
These baskets are dry use only, please note.
To what extent do you draw upon your Nigerian heritage for your work?
We spice things up with touches of popular Nigerian cultural items like sewing beadwork on the handles of our baskets. We also make use of African fabrics to customise our baskets, decor and furniture.
What are some of your short term and long term goals, both in your business and life in general?
Short term, we hope to be able to invest in large scale woodworking machinery and power tools that will help scale up production and cater for the time demands of our customers. Handcrafting is a slow process, having the right machinery speeds things up.
In the long run, we hope to expand our sales and grow the naira through large scale exports. Promoting quality African crafts all over the world is another long term goal we hope to achieve through expanding our locations.
For my goal in life, I’ll say I hope to be recorded in the history books as the founder of a premium Nigerian lifestyle brand that created employment for millions of women We currently employ a majority of women in our workforce and we intend to keep it that way.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I do some of the metal and carpentry work at Yasmin Crafts.
*This handy piece of furniture helps you save space. With varying sizes of storage baskets, you can organise and display products or decor items on these ladder shelf. Ladder shelves makes for an eye catching display and are great for small spaces where you need a tall storage option. Available in 3 colors: Dark brown, Black and White.*
What profession would you be in if you weren’t in this industry?
I would be in the building profession, which I am already privileged to have been doing long before I founded Yasmin Crafts.
If you could give one piece of advice to anyone who wants to start their own business in your industry, what would it be?
Learn the skill of crafting if you can. Knowing how to make your own products or some of them, is definitely an added advantage.
Take your failures as a part of the success to come. It may take a lot of time, and you will have to be committed and disciplined to be able to launch and sustain a business in hand-crafting.
It has been an absolute pleasure having this exclusive interview and getting to meet the Founder of Yasmin Crafts.
To connect with Yasmin Crafts, you can follow and contact her via:
In an exclusive interview, we get to meet the Founder of Mooie Kraft. Ndedigwe Mary Chinaza is a resourceful and talented entrepreneur, who has successfully infused fashion with African prints.
Ndedigwe Mary Chinaza – Founder of Mooie Kraft
*To know more about the products, simply click on the images*
Please introduce yourself and your background.
My name is Ndedigwe Mary Chinaza, I’m a graduate of computer science from Crawford University, I am from Nnewi South local government Anambra state.
Tell us about your work and how did your company start?
My love for bag making drove me into bag making. I started MOOIE KRAFT in 2020 and it’s been an amazing journey so far. MOOIE KRAFT is not just about bag making but we are also into the making of beautiful accessories with our African prints, leather works such as belts and we also make top-notch souvenirs for events and parties.
Ankara foldable hand-fan
How did you come about the name and what does it mean?
Mooie is gotten from a Dutch word that means beautiful, pretty and fine. So I wanted a name that represents everything that my brand signifies. with our name, you should know what to expect from us. [Winks].
What is your niche and how did you know it was a market to get into?
Producing beautiful bags, belts and accessories for both males, females and also children. we are partially for everybody.
Ankara themed Hoops earrings
Mooie Kraft chain Bag
Where do you get the inspiration for your products?
Everything around me. I also work with customers descriptions.
Can you remember one of the first products you made? What makes it memorable?
Yes of cos, it was an Ankara bag I made for myself, it was memorable because I made it out of little/ no knowledge about bag making.
African print mixed laptop bag
What are some of the challenges you face in your business?
Cost of production is one of the major challenges we are facing, material sourcing is another challenge we are facing, the high prices of leatherworking tools to achieve proper finishing of the leather productions.
Do you have any regrets about venturing into this line of business?
NEVER. Not at all ….lol
What is your most popular product?
Right now our Genuine Reversible belt is really selling fast now. And our African mix laptop bag.
Genuine leather Reversible belt
This genuine leather reversible belt is a 2 faced belt. You have the chance to get 2 different colors of your choice in 1 belt.
To what extent do you draw upon your Nigerian (African) heritage for your work?
In most of our signature products, we used our African print/ indigenous fabric to produce them.
Ankara themed flipflop
What are some of your short term and long term goals, both in your business and life in general?
My short term goal is for Mooie kraft to be able to reach out to many people across the world and collaborate with many big fashion brands,
My long term goal is for Mooie kraft to have my dream fashion studio with different branches across the world, empower both young and adults, create jobs opportunity for people.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I love to bake and cook for fun
What profession would you be in if you weren’t in this industry?
I would probably be a baker (hahahaha)
What is success to you?
Success to me is achieving all my dreams come true and impacting my knowledge and skills in society.
Mooie Kraft Cross bagWaist bag
If you could give one piece of advice to anyone who wants to start their own business in your industry, what would it be?
I would advise the person should make proper research about everything especially when the person has zero knowledge about the business.
Who and what has been your greatest source of inspiration?
God almighty, my family, my friends and everyone that has patronized my brand. You all are my greatest inspiration.
Thank you for having this interview. It was indeed a pleasure to meet with this bubbly personality – Ndedigwe Mary Chinaza.
There you have it. An exclusive interview with the Founder of Mooie Kraft. To connect with her, you can follow her via:
Together, we meet the Founder of Kathrah Enterprise in an exclusive interview. Ayobami Makinde is the CEO of Kathrah Enterprise, which produces good quality honey with the brand name Kathrah honey, bee-wax and honey derivatives.
She has been in the business of farming honeybees and processing honey for the past 7years and has been educating people about the benefits and myths of honey using social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram). Recently, she has been sensitizing the public about the adverse effect of climate change in the production of honey which has led to the loss of sales, discouraging the young beekeepers from abandoning the profession. It is my pleasure to be having this exclusive interview with the Founder of Kathrah Enterprise.
*To know more about the products, simply click on the images*
Please introduce yourself and your background
My name is Ayobami Makinde, a differently-abled, resilient and smart young lady farmer. I am an Alumni of the University of Ilorin, where I studied Pure Chemistry. I am a trained beekeeper, health research consultant. The founder and owner of Kathrah Enterprise. I hail from Orile Owu town in Osun State and am also a mother of two smart boys.
Tell us about your work. How did your company start?
I am Agripreneur, apicultural sector to be precise (Beekeeping). I keep the honeybees, harvest, process and package honey into shelf sizes (for retail outlets, stockists and end-users), in bulk (20L galloon) to honey vendors/resellers. We also infuse beneficial herbs spices and fruits into honey to help health-conscious individuals in achieving a wholesome healthy lifestyle. Sales of other honey byproducts such as Bee-wax are used in cosmetics, drug and candle industries.
Also, add shades of colours to events with our honey or infused honey favours as souvenirs in preferred package sizes.
Kathrah Enterprise started 2014 in one room in my parent’s house with the sum of 15,000naira only with support from family and friends. The business was registered with CAC 2016 with the guidance of my mother’s friend, interestingly as at then I had no clarity on the specific type of business, so I chose sales of agricultural products and general merchants.
Kathrah Honey infused with Black Seed
How did you come about the name and what does it mean?
The name Kathrah was coined from the Hadith on a surah in the Quran, Suratul kawthar. It means Abundance. Honey is an abundance gift from God that flows too, so I related it to the meaning I read about, and I fell in love with it and used it.
Kathrah Honey infused with Cinnamon
What is your niche and how did you know it was a market to get into?
My niche is Food, (natural). Food is a fast-moving goods. The profit margin is small but because it’s consumed daily, this makes it profitable mostly with volume. Honey is a class of food that has diverse usage ranging from cosmetics to pharmaceuticals. The food industry uses honey for therapeutic purposes.
Kathrah Honey infused with Cinnamon
Where do you get the inspiration for your products?
I got the inspiration to start a honey business from my experience when I used honey for medicinal purposes. On a fateful day, February 12, 2012, I had a road accident along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, leaving a very deep wound on my leg with my right hand partially paralyzed. I mixed honey with Shea butter and apply to the wound because the wound wasn’t discovered early which could no longer be sutured. During my school days, I had heard about the therapeutic ability of honey so I decided to try it, so I used myself as an experiment.
The results were amazing within two (2) weeks. That is how the journey started and In order to be an authority in the business, I did learn about the art and science of honeybees. Today we keep honeybees, sell the by-products and intentionally build a household honey brand in Nigeria and Africa at large.
Furthermore, we added new variants which are all NAFDAC certified to my products list. The pandemic made a lot of individuals more conscious about what they eat and their preference for natural food increased drastically. As a researcher, I thought to create a product that can help achieve a wholesome healthy lifestyle, not just flavour. This led to creating five (5) different variants that can serve as a natural remedy in managing some common illnesses among people. All variants solve a pain point in which all ages above 12month can use.
Kathrah Honey infused with Lemon & Ginger
Can you remember one of the first products you made? What makes it memorable?
A 350ml,500ml size of Kathrah Honey. it’s memorable because it’s my first. We’ve come a long way since then, from the packaging to the company’s growth.
Kathrah Honey infused with Zobo
What are some of the challenges you face in your business?
Honey business is a very controversial business. There are lots of misconceptions about raw honey. Majority especially in Nigeria mistaken original honey for adulterated honey because of the myths attached, which is a major challenge. Also, insecurity is affecting access to the farm and charges in logistics as results of the weight of honey. It’s a highly viscous liquid.
Kathrah Honey infused with Cacao.
Do you have any regrets about venturing into this line of business?
None. I have no regrets.
What is your most popular product?
Kathrah honey (plain), 1L size.
To what extent do you draw upon your Nigerian (African) heritage for your work?
In curating the new product line, infused honey, I ensured that at least three of my raw materials are native to Africa, specifically Nigeria. Asides, the health benefits, it is to promote our own homegrown, which are Zobo leaves, lemons, gingers and Cocoa.
What are some of your short term and long term goals, both in your business and life in general?
My short term goal is to distribute the new honey variants and plain honey to strategic retail outlets such as pharmacy retail chains, and superstores in Nigeria.
My long term goal is to create a manufacturing /processing hub for honeybees by-products, thereby profferring easy manufacturing process to MSMEs,startups and smart small businesses either for contract manufacturing or toll manufacturing.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I know how to process locust beans (Iru) and have the knowledge to water a mass number of building blocks manually. Also, I consider myself quite handy [LOL], as I can roll a lister Generator.
What profession would you be in if you weren’t in this industry?
I will be in the pharmaceuticals company, a laboratory or a Lecturer.
If you could give one piece of advice to anyone who wants to start their own business in your industry, what would it be?
I will advise any newbie in the honey business to ensure to invest in learning the art and science of processing honey and be willing to invest in educating people via marketing mediums.
Colour me impressed, enlightened and pleased!
There you have it. An exclusive interview with the Founder of Kathrah Enterprise. To connect with her, you can follow her via:
Maryam Aliyu-Baba is a verified member of Bellafricana and the winner of the best innovative product of the year 2021 at the recently held African Creative Exhibition and Awards. A military wife, mother of four, an entrepreneur and CEO of Clay by Marienne. I had the opportunity to meet the Founder of Clay by Marienne for an exclusive interview.
Please introduce yourself and your background
I am Maryam Aliyu-Baba C.E.O. clay by Marienne. A passionate designer with a BA in Industrial Design (ceramics major) from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, M.Sc. Hazard Management and Emergency Response IRGIB Africa University and the Winner ACE Awards (2021) best innovative product.
Tell us about your work. How did your company start?
The company started as Marienne art as a student experiencing the pleasure of creating, and the joy of seeing your creations add elegance to spaces. This passion took a back seat as I started having babies. We resumed mid-2021 and evolved into Clay by Marienne after learning that clay is much more than just art but indeed what we were made from and is indeed one with our bodies, possessing amazing healing abilities. It is also good for the environment and has no negative effect on climate, making it the next best thing and an amazing replacement for plastic and other culinary wares.
How did you come about the name and what does it mean?
Marienne is French for Maryam, so the name is pretty straightforward.
What is your niche and how did you know it was a market to get into?
The average global citizen with an awareness of personal health and overall wellbeing, people with health complications who are looking to make a holistic lifestyle change. The market is viable because we as humans are constantly seeking ways to improve wellbeing.
Where do you get the inspiration for your products?
Having children, and being exposed to a whole new set of health issues and remedies, and brought about the move to this range of products. Design inspirations come from my creativity and imagination, brainstorming with team members, ideas online and feedback from our esteemed customers.
Can you remember one of the first products you made? What makes it memorable?
Yes, I can. It was a set of 3 long neck tabletop vases. They are so memorable because I created them while trying to answer my 300level first semester exams.
What are some of the challenges you face in your business?
Introducing this new product range to the people and getting them on board. It Is quite challenging to get people to make a lifestyle change.
Do you have any regrets about venturing into this line of business?
None; except that I did not come across the knowledge to kick start earlier.
What is your most popular product?
It will have to be the alkaline water bottle series.
To what extent do you draw upon your Nigerian (African) heritage for your work?
To a very large extent, as it is common knowledge that traditional African homes would bury clay pots to store drinking water.
What are some of your short term and long term goals, both in your business and life in general?
In business, I look forward to spreading the word and getting as many people as possible on board this journey to a healthier more intentional living; growing the brand and becoming a household name home and abroad.
In life, I look forward to continued learning and being the best possible role model for my growing children and the upcoming generation.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I started out as a B.Sc Chemistry student and made the switch partway after discovering the beauty of the design.
What profession would you be in if you weren’t in this industry?
I would be a counsellor or a Teacher.
If you could give one piece of advice to anyone who wants to start their own business in your industry, what would it be?
It would be that you should start where you are and with what you have. There is never a perfect time/ situation.
There you have it. An exclusive interview with the Founder of Clay by Marienne. To connect with her, you can follow her via:
[dropcap custom_class=”bl”]The various styles to sew with Adire cloth are becoming more innovative and trendsetting everyday. There is an unmissable hype on the Adire fabric and it has gone beyond using plain old Adire textiles to sew the stereotypical iro and buba, agbada and bubus etc. Now, more fashionable ready to wear Adire pieces are popping up everywhere for stylish millennials.[/dropcap]
In 2017 alone, there has been an amazing trend of styles sewn with different variations of the Adire fabric.
If you are looking for top styles to sew with Adire cloth in Nigeria, then you might want to read this article to the very end, because I guarantee that I am not about to bore you.Continue reading
The Eyo festival also known as the Adamu Orisa is a Yoruba festival celebrated in Lagos Island, Nigeria. With no fixed date on the calendar, the Eyo festival was known to only take place when a King or important Chief passed away. The Eyo Masquerades come out in their throngs to escort the soul of the departed and/or to usher in the new leader. Continue reading
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