For Dr Merit Obua, conquering youth restlessness is a passion. To do this effectively, she has been hunting for talents in fashion and modelling with the red carpet reception. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, she talks about some of the achievements recorded, challenges, and potential in the sector, as well as women in leadership position.
WHAT is new? This is exactly one year that I did one of my major events in Bayelsa State. The programme is a yearly event and last year’s event gave birth to another young one because of the way we handled it. This year, we may likely have two major programmes before the end of the year. One is the African Fashion Reception in Nigeria. The last edition took place in Bayelsa State and the opening event was done on the third of July, it was a three-day event. The objective of the event is using the creative industry to fight poverty.
Recently, when you check, you see that the level of insecurity is getting high and this insurgency is mainly within the youth because they are not engaged. So we are including this aspect to engage them. Secondly, this other programme would enlighten our local consumption and production of fashion to launch them into the big market. When you check very well, you find that Nigeria produces more for local consumption.
The world body of fashion, however, has given us a platform to build and showcase in the big market. We also sought for talented youths that want to take modelling as a way of life. After the talent hunt, we would also have the fashion show. One would be in Abuja, being organised by the World Fashion Week. Then another would be either in Lagos or Bayelsa that hosted last year’s. After discovering them, we train them just the way we train our footballers and then launch them into the market for international designers.
What was the turn out like last year?
Last year, we proposed to exhibit in Abuja but the Governor of Bayelsa said that we should take it to Bayelsa and it was done in collaboration with the federal government. The turnout was very high and about twenty Nigerian youths benefitted from it. These youths were launched, they are doing well and being sponsored by the private sector. Government only launched it and the private sector took over. They were launched into the international market and some of them are in UK, India, Asia and the US. Last year, the pageant accommodated the union of Nigerian tailors. FADAN was represented and those who desired to use fashion as a career. The turnout was very high; even within that short period of change, the hall did not even contain people.
What are some of the highpoints of this year’s event?
The highpoint is that we are expecting about five super top models, to be led by Kate Moore (Moss). We are expecting over 50 international designers. We are also expecting other top movie actors and celebrities. They are all coming on humanitarian ground. A day would be chosen where they would visit the less-privileged schools to sing for children within the age of six and 13 years. At the close of the event, we would also use the opportunity to launch the 2016 grand finale that we are preparing for in Paris, where the World Fashion Week International is hosting 190 countries, where Nigeria has been given one hour to execute on the runway. Nigeria has also been given a pavilion to exhibit for one week to display made in Nigeria attires for 190 countries to view. Then we are also going to do a talent hunt for models because we are getting them from the scratch, not the self made. We have a number of designers whose names are not heard. We are also going to have fashion photographers, makeup artists, choreographers. After doing that in 2016, these are the people that we would present in Paris.
What inspired you to go into the fashion line?
At the age of three months, I started living with my grandmother. It was when I was nine that my grandmother died. As a growing child, when you do something, they would say this was how she was doing when she was small. They said that I was very finicky about my looks. That explains that it started in me, even when I didn’t know what was happening. I just like looking good and appreciate people that dress well.
How do you combine all this with family life?
First, we started with prayers. Prayers that the people who would come, let God direct them. Secondly, when people come, we ask them what exactly they want to do.
You mean that there are no challenges?
Of course, there are financial challenges but we know that we have the experts and Nigerians are talented. We need sponsors, people who have the heart for fashion as well as those who want our youths to be gainfully engaged through fashion. It is all about sanitising the minds of our youths. In spite of the challenges, I am happy that our designers are doing well. Last year, Beyonce used our fabric to celebrate her wedding anniversary. It is all over on Instagram, Facebook and internet. Also the famous American first lady uses ankara once in a while. They have started appreciating and on the other hand the Nigerian government should bring in garment-manufacturing plants. All the top designers that we are crazy about are producing in China, they have moved to Indonesia and interestingly all of them are clamouring to come to Africa.
What was it like growing up?
I grew up in our little palace from the age of nine when my grand mum died. I lived with the King of Imiringi, in Ogvia Local Government of Bayelsa State. There, I did my primary, secondary education before leaving for the university and then I came back again. Those early days, my dreams were not stable. My first dream was to be a lawyer. Throughout that period, I dreamt and lived for that career, so I always wore black suits. Then suddenly, I found a nurse posted to our community. She was very humble and took care of the kids and then I wanted to be a nurse. When I left our community, I desired to join the Navy because of that white. My final desire was to be a soldier and whenever I see a female solider well dressed in full regalia I was impressed. I studied Business Management from the University of Port Harcourt. The first place I worked was the biggest car stand in Port Harcourt; the owner is like a father to me. I also worked with Valin Chemicals, Headnail and now I work with Niger Delta University, I am the Liaison Officer in Abuja. The programme for fashion is non -governmental and it is a way of giving back to the society.
Your organisation is also bringing the World Fashion University to Nigeria. Tell us more about this.
That is the highpoint of the programme and World Fashion Week has a plan of building the World Fashion University; that is one of the projects. They desire to build six across the world, one per continent and the one for Africa is the one we are bringing to Nigeria.
Where is the university going to be located?
We are using fashion to fight poverty and so it is better for the location to be in a very poor state and that is how we arrived at Bayelsa. Bayelsa has over 56 oil wells but when you go to Bayelsa, it is only one way in and one way out. There is need for international bodies to invest, so that it would attract tourists. It is not only the university; it is coming with the World Fashion Tower, a five star hotel with different halls for runways. It would also have different shops that international designers would use as their warehouse. They are also coming with garment manufacturing plant and all these cannot be in one place.
What about your passion for women and leadership?
I am a life patron of the African Women in Leadership. This was a programme that brought talented women and upcoming women together to discuss how to balance home and career. Here we had women that had broken the glass ceiling to share experiences. I first led women to Uyo in 2013 and in 2014 I led them to Atlanta in the United States. This year, the train is moving to the US again. Last year’s event was wonderful and I got a surprise that I was not expecting. They gave me an honorary citizenship from US Senate in Georgia. It was given to me by the first lady of Mozambique, the founder of the organisation. I felt honoured and last year again, the black caucus also came down to Nigeria and endorsed me into their system.
Let’s talk about life as a philanthropist?
It started from school. My dad was a retired TV director, he is late and I named my foundation, Branzuk Ikuli Foundation, after him. As a young girl, I love Lucky Dube’s songs; the track I loved most says blessed is the hand that giveth, than the hand that taketh. I was motivated by that music and I found myself doing same. Also, my father motivated me and always told me stories when he comes back, because we did not live together. My dad wasn’t the king but he kept cautioning me to direct my energy positively.
Tell us about some memorable moments in your life…
Like every young lady, the day I got married is one. Secondly, was the day I gave birth to my set of triplets, I wasn’t expecting it; two boys and one girl. Then anytime God uses me to assist someone in need is memorable.