Ojei Omogie is a visual artist from Lagos, Nigeria, who is critically acclaimed for his minimalist and abstract representations of characters from the city of Lagos and the overall portrayal of life in the famous city.
Along with building his career as an artist, he has also founded a string of art and fashion related businesses over the years, which have led to his work with notable corporations and influential individuals across industries. We interviewed femi.the.god shortly after his solo art exhibition, to get some insight into his background, his influences, and his life as an entrepreneur. We also got his views on how the Nigerian economy affects businesses, and what advice he has for budding entrepreneurs.
Who is Ojei (Femi.the.god) Omogie?
I am a visual artist and writer from Lagos, who is in love with telling the stories that come from the little and overlooked things in the world around me. I don’t consider myself a creative even though i do creative things – I think of myself as more of a conduit where these ideas and perspectives can flow and show through; a creative conduit.
What uniqueness do you bring to the art world and how has such impacted on the society?
There are a few physically measurable unique things that might be worth mentioning but from an artist’s point of view, those things don’t really matter as they can change with time. What i think are important factors are my ability to scrutinize and question ideas objectively in order to ascertain whatever is closest to the truth, my ability to grasp the totality of a subject after observing it from all the possible angles and how I am able to synthesize the information to the point where I am able to come up with fresh perspectives and finally, My propensity to always see life differently due to how open my mind is. These are the things that really set me apart. And in terms of how my art impacts others; I make people think differently when they interact with my art and I present my audience with a paused version of a simple idea so they can relish it so much that they realize how true beauty lies in the mundane and simple things. I have also mentored young individuals who were starting their own businesses and artists who were dealing with imposter syndrome and fears of not being enough for the art industry, and i did this simply with my stories and revealing what my own struggles were, coming up as an artist. And finally i made my art into a business that has impacted thousands of people with the joy that comes from wearing art, and has created jobs for the people that have worked with me over the years.
As an artist, how would you define a Lagosian and how does the Lagosian differ from other Nigerians?
The interesting thing about Lagosians is that they can’t be said to be different from other people who are resident in other parts of Nigeria, because what Lagos is, essentially is just a place where different cultures throughout history have converged with a common goal to make a better and more beautiful life for themselves. So at the core, these people are still who they are. The peculiarity is that the idea for the pursuit of success has evolved into a mind-set, which has in turn evolved into a culture. And now it’s like a spirit that comes upon you and makes you into this person who is highly motivated and driven but not afraid to kick back and have some fun, extra cautious but strangely welcoming at the same time, and most of all, tenacious and resilient; Lagosians never back down – they are already committed to the system and they just have to keep on moving. A lot of it can be misunderstood if not patiently observed. I grew up around some bus drivers who were originally from outside of Lagos – you see them with their families and they are calm, reasonable and respectful men, but when you see them working in the streets, they are completely different people. Then you realize that Lagos just makes people a certain way – deep down there is no difference, and it’s fascinating.
You took so much time to explain the highs and lows of living in Lagos, and the resilience of Nigerian people. How were you able to explain those events to your audience?
I’m a very empathetic and observant person. Also being able to see things through the eyes of others is something that i uncontrollably do. I like to understand the workings of a person, what their biases may be and what generally motivates them. Particularly the underdog and we have a lot of that in Lagos. So when I’m working and going through the city, I’m not just interacting with people, I’m instantaneously picking different people as subjects and taking their world view. Sometimes it’s not so easy and i have to go closer to get a better idea by talking or buying something from someone on the streets. I think I’m just addicted to how beautiful people can be when you look deeper. Sometimes you encounter terrible people, but that’s beautiful too. At the end of the day you get a sense of how strong people are and how they perceive their environment and the ruling class. You realize how they think about the past and the future and how it relates to their present. You get a feel of their substance and you see how hard it is for them, and how much they are holding on to hope. You realize that most of these people don’t mind doing what they do because they don’t necessarily care about themselves anymore; they just want to give their children a better future. Even the children on the street – most of them were just dealt a bad hand and now they have to be a part of the engine that puts food on the table in their households. There are so many stories really. When you can share that space and you can feel their pains and their joys, it becomes very easy to communicate the purity of their stories.
What impact has your background had on your works in terms of creativity and the originality of your art?
My father was a critical thinker. I didn’t realize this until much later. He had his limitations but he definitely showed me the examples of open-mindedness that brought me to a realization of myself as a critical thinker, ideator and problem solver – and these are the backbones of my creativity. To top it off, he moved to Lagos as a teenager and gave birth to me in this beautiful place. Inarguably, being raised in Lagos had a massive impact on my work as a writer, and illustrator. First of all there is so much material out here, the stories are literally endless and you don’t even have to look that hard before you are overwhelmed with the cultural wealth that Lagos has to offer. Secondly, i have a personal relationship with Lagos because coming up with nothing and going through the streets of Lagos to make a living has left a bond between us. It gave me everything i needed to survive and it gave me all the stories i have ever told, and these stories are what gave me the recognition and respect that i have now. Every once in a while i draw something that is based on another subject or write a song about other things because life is too beautiful to focus on one story, but i really have no problems with telling the Lagos story continuously to the rest of the world. Its influence on me is huge.
What were the key things that determined your career choice- passion, money or fame?
If i was to pick just one, i would pick passion. However these three factors have had different parts to play at different stages of my life and career. Because i started off with my interests in the arts, and grew my passion. Around this time i was doing a lot of free work, and then i realized that i had to make a living. So i had to monetize my ability and money obviously became a part of my motivations. But I’ve never been interested in fame. Even when I was still in the music business, i was more interested in the song writing aspect. However the reality soon hit me that it wasn’t really about fame for me, it was about acquiring fame for my art. Because people have to see and hear these stories somehow – and if i get seen in the process, then it’s too bad. (Laughs)
What other things have you tried aside arts and what happened to such hustle?
My work has always been art related i really have never seen myself doing anything else, even when i graduated and tried to get a regular job, it was in advertising. That however, didn’t work out so i just stuck to platinum j co.It’s an apparel branding agency that handles garment manufacture, describing it roughly. I founded it back when i was in the University of Lagos and it’s a very successful business now. We have worked with a lot of large corporations and influential individuals since we launched in 2012. Along the line, there were other business and there was a business I started shortly after platinum j.co that failed mainly because of a lack of interest on my part. I also worked in construction and as a teacher at some point.
What is the biggest challenge facing entrepreneurs in Nigeria and how would you suggest such problem be solved?
Entrepreneurship is hard – and it is easy. There are a lot of factors that can bring you down and a lot of factors that can lift you up as an entrepreneur and really it just depends on what your mind-set is and how much you want it. We can go on and on about challenges that entrepreneurs are faced with and they would all be real issues. But they really don’t have anything to do with your success or failure as an entrepreneur. What determines your success or failure is you. Not the government. In fact, when you really think about what a business is and what it takes to grow one, you’ll realize that there are so many shortcuts here that you won’t exactly find anywhere else. That being said, being in an environment where the system actually works and shortcuts are unnecessary would definitely be better for any business but the point here is, as an entrepreneur, your role is to think your way out of every situation by leveraging everything that is available to you. It might sound like a cliché but you really have to think positively. You have to go for the information that is required to thrive, know your game, leverage your connections and understand that growth takes time. You also have to understand the concept of sacrifice and giving, and do your best to avoid the sweet distractions that might stifle your growth. Most people who complain about the challenges in the country don’t follow any of these things because they are fixated on the fact that the challenges will prevent them from getting anything done. I’ve built a business and a livelihood from close to zero naira so it’s safe to say I have some idea of the subject. I’ve had friends say ‘oh it’s because you are creative, and you can draw etc.’ but real entrepreneurs won’t think like that, because you can buy these creative assets for cheap these days and get going. Also your ideas don’t have to be original ones for them to make you money. Some people just don’t think about these things this way. If we want to talk strictly about the politics in Nigeria, of course, it’s absolutely terrible. People are out here suffering because they aren’t provided with the basics that working governments should know to provide like power, good roads, an educational system that works and a system where everyone is equal and no one gets to go first because of their inherited status – a place where people actually see their votes count.
And yes, these terrible things can be considered challenges that can cripple or slow down anything that is created inside it, but when you really think about what an entrepreneur is, you realize that all these things I’ve stated don’t matter. It’s just better to look at the chaos and try to see the avenues for some success rather than utter doom, because as an entrepreneur you’re an independent warrior. There is no excuse to not have some kind of control over your life, no matter where you find yourself. Otherwise, lose the title and join the line of the people who are actually entitled to complain.
What are your thoughts on arts as a business…does it really sell in Nigeria given the current economic condition?
Art sells impressively well in Nigeria. And I don’t say it’s impressive because of the economic condition in the country – it’s more of a cultural issue for people in a country to be inclined towards things like art. The economy does affect the culture in a sense because some would say it takes a full belly to think about buying art, but unlike the old days where art used to be a thing that was basically a tool for the rich and powerful, art is beginning to attract the middle class as a market – and that’s a beautiful thing because it shows that the love for art is genuine and not just a thing that is associated with status. You will be shocked at how much the country is frothing with art collectors – especially in the major cities. Also you have to consider the fact that art and art sales aren’t restricted to a national market, art sales are global. We are a part of the global art market and that changes the perspectives on things. This is also true for digital art because it is also on sale globally even though there are many conversations around how these genres function commercially. But basically, if you follow the path of an artist by putting in the work, creating the visibility for your work, building your brand as an artist and waiting for your brand to gain the credibility it needs, there are collectors out there for you. Though I will say that the global art market is rather small, but that’s just the nature of the art market in general.
What is your five-year vision in terms of new works and connecting to the global market?
Connecting to the global art market is inevitable, the art is already reaching out and right now, we are in conversations with European curators and gallery owners who will show my work. In five years, i will have a large body of work that is internationally collected, a studio with an overwhelming amount of work awaiting global exhibitions, a study where i can do my writing, and I will have the ijapabrand. I know i didn’t say anything on ijapa,but I guess we can leave that for another interview.