Joanna Boer (Photo credit: The Nerve)
While many are yet to embrace the #buynaijatogrowthenaira
mentality, a Trinidadian woman, Joanna Boer is making millions exporting
Nigeria' culture around the world. A report by Perez Tigidam for the The Nerve has revealed the spectacular progress she has made so far.
Here is what the report reveals about the fascinating life of the woman.
***********
Joanna Boer, the 36-year-old unassumingly daring Trinidadian
entrepreneur is not just content with living a life of luxury behind
high, gated expat walls, she saw opportunity in this situation and has
spent the last 3 years cashing out gleefully to the bank. Her company,
Empire Jane turns everything from street craft, scenic photos, slangs,
street lingo, buzz words and social media viral trends into custom
crafted homeware and gift items. These items are produced and sold to
members of the expat community across Nigeria, to locals (who are
fascinated with seeing their local cultures properly packaged) and to a
global travel market interested in African culture.
The streets of Lagos are one of the liveliest places on the African
continent, the lingo, mannerisms and vibes of Lagos has a huge
influence on Nigeria’s movie and music industry. The movie and music
industry has become a huge cultural export, not only shaping life and
living in Nigeria but in other African countries were it is consumed.
Last year Nigeria’s music industry had an estimated total revenue of
US$56 million, projected to grow to US$88 million in 2019 according to a
report by PWC. Most of Nigeria’s current movie and music releases
builds heavily on ideas from the street and viral internet sensations.
Joanna understands this and has her eye firmly set on the market.
Joanna is an unusual ‘Oyinbo’, who feels the pulse, heartbeat and
experiences that make the everyday Lagos life interesting.Trying to
compare her to the average expat I have met in different Nigerian
cities, she says to me “To enjoy a country, you have to get into it”.
From the dirt filled roads of the local craft market in the
Jakande-Lekki axis of Lagos to the over populated, nearly suffocating
and sweat drenched Balogun market, Joanna can be seen navigating these
places herself. Joanna buys the fabric herself; an opportunity to not
only haggle prices but also to learn a thing or two from the local
traders, or to use her own words, an opportunity to “get into it”
All of her staff and tailors are young Nigerian men who have been
with her from the beginning. I noticed the tailoring, product finishing
and quality was impeccable which prompted me to ask a few questions
about her team.
Joanna and her team literally turned her home to her factory, her
team of local tailors and assistants resume daily at her home. She says
it was the best decision she had to make to get her passion off the
ground due to exorbitant prices of real estate in Lagos.
One of Joanna’s highest selling product is the ‘Oga At The Top‘
branded items. Oga At The Top was a viral sensation across Nigeria in
2013. The phrase My Oga At The Top is a Nigerian term for “a boss” used
to show respect to someone in a position of authority.
The phrase became popular in this Channels TV video clip from an
interview with Obafaiye Shem, the Lagos State Commandant of the Nigeria
Security and Civil Defence Corps on the need to know the correct website
of the corp to avoid misleading job seekers. He was asked, “What is the website of the NSCDC?” in response, he said, “I cannot categorically tell you one now.” He was asked again, “Do you mean the NSCDC has multiple websites?” He responded, “We can’t have multiple websites but I cannot tell you one now, and “My Oga At The Top” say is another one and the one we are going to make use of will be made known by “My Oga At The Top”.
His response immediately became a viral hit across Nigeria inspiring
several parody video skits like this and this by a group of diaspora
Nigerians.
Joana is expanding her retail network locally with the signing up
of local shops like Terra Kulture, Quintessence and Avivar Centre all
in Lagos.
No comments:
Post a Comment