TEEP beneficiary, Chioma Olamide Udom goes global with Mi'De Fashion County...

Light Spirit hearted and ever smiling Chioma Olamide Udom is a beneficiary of Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme 2015, the young lady who holds fashion in great esteem shares her story with TREND WITH ME...

My names are Chioma Olamide Udom, I am from Akwa Ibom State. A lot of people always question my names. My mom is Ibo and my paternal grandma was Yoruba, she named me Olamide. I am the third child in a family of six, I moved a lot as a child, so I attended different primary schools. I had my secondary education in Police Secondary School, Minna.  I majored in Economics in the University of Port Harcourt.

I love reading marketing and entrepreneurship related books, writing, conducting online research, sketching fashion designs, travelling and listening to music.

As a young girl I had a dream to touch the world with something positive from inside of me before I bow out from life.

At a very young age I discovered that I could draw amongst other talents. I also had great interest for clothing, its composition and was always fascinated by outstanding patterns, stitches and styles.

Combining my drawing ability with my growing voracious interest in clothing, unconsciously was rising in my inner recess thus making me a passionate young lady who stuck closer and closer with fashion designing.

As I advanced in age my interest developed from mere drawing to sketching designs. Seeing how I made people around me happy and excited especially because of my hand work I then decided I was going to major in a degree in the university that would help me explore my dream which at the time had fully form into designs for African fashion.

I started making designs for clients when I got into the university from which part of the proceeds I used to supplement my allowance I got from my parents.

During this period I enrolled under a local fashion designer as an apprentices. I was then groomed on sewing, stitches, patterns and styles using fabrics and general techniques in fashion design.

With this burning passion and drive I file in an application to get my business name registered in Nigeria as Mi'De Fashion County. Before this time I had already taken Mi’De Fashion County  online through my blog and social networks in facebook and twitter.

I use both local and foreign fabrics to produce customized attires. Over time my business have evolved, we have included designing of customized African inspired accessories.

My business got her first contract to design and produce a set of African traditional costume for a traditional wedding for the bride and her bridal train. Ever since we have being getting job from individuals and groups.

We have also being getting words of encouragement from fashion designers based in Nigeria and in the UK.

Major challenge faced so far is intellectual theft. Some people will take our designs from the internet and give their tailors to produce without permission.

Once, a client of ours called to tell me that her friend saw her in a fashion style catalogue wearing MFC, the people who produce fashion style catalogue used by tailors do not ask for the permission of the designer.

Fashion designing involves sketching designs and transforming the sketched design into a piece of clothing, I think it is okay to get inspired by another designer's work and make a master piece by adding your own touch of talent but it is unethical to base a business on another person's creativity.

The inadequate supply of electricity is another major challenge, most of our production processes need electricity to enable perfect finishings, to solve this problem, we have to use the substitute source "generator", which is challenging since it involves buying fuel and maintenance of the generator.

My company, Mi'De Fashion County is a fashion and designing company.We currently provide customised fashion designs and accessories. We cater to male, female and children.

As creative director, I sketch the designs in a sketch pad. The art of fashion designing comes to me from the simplest things in life; this guarantees me the sustainability of my inspirations in the fashion world.

Clients are free to choose a design from our sketch pad and we guide them when they want to select a design of their choice, this is because there are different sizes and figures. Our job is to create pieces that flatter our clients body figures.

Our production unit which is keen on excellent finishing is in charge of transforming every sketched design into the physical form which becomes a piece of clothing when fully made.

In addition  to our current products and services, we plan to expand our business to include offering fashion education services to individuals interested in pursuing a career in fashion and in the long run produce high street clothing to cater to the demand of the middle and low income earners in the market.

My TEEP story started when I found out about the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme via facebook, a friend had posted the link as a status update and encouraged entrepreneurs to apply for it. In the past, I had applied for several similar opportunities in my industry, gone for interviews and in some cases, auditions.  Some of these opportunities did not have a good ending, some worked out for me. Like all the other times I had applied for such opportunities, I was not sure I would be selected but I am always optimistic and prefer to try than give excuses.

I completed my application form and submitted it two weeks to the deadline, the programme had given us duration of 3 months to complete our form which is really fair and I believed offered a lot of space for other entrepreneurs who did not know about it when it was officially announced, to participate in it.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation twitter account tweeted a time for the announcement of successful candidates for the programme. It was to be announced by 3pm, I was so nervous that day; I kept looking at the clock, desperately waiting for the time to come.

By 3pm, I received an email with a video link, my heart was racing fast. You see!  When you have participated in a lot of programmes like this, which have had you travelling a lot with a few seeming not so successful, you get a lot of people discouraging you.

My heart was racing fast because I wanted this opportunity so much, I clicked the link to the video and there he was, The chairman of the Tony Elumelu Foundation and founder of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme “Mr Tony Elumelu himself” congratulating me, I had been selected. I screamed, danced, jumped up and down, the excitement was overwhelming.

TEEP contributed immensely to building my confidence level as an entrepreneur.  Prior to this programme, I got all my knowledge about entrepreneurship from books or articles, so this was the perfect programme for me as it opened a door of opportunity to learn directly from my mentor and Tony Elumelu.

The weekly online tasks was very expository. The worksheets and articles made me understand my industry better. It guided my thought as I research in different areas that aided in the discovery of more problems that exist in my industry. I was able to understand my customers and competitors better.

I also learnt the hall marks of successful products and businesses just by reading “THE TOE WAY business values” weekly. The key information in TOE way has guided my journey as an entrepreneur and aided me in my business. It was a delightful honour to read Tony Elumelu's thoughts on business and entrepreneurship in general.

Before TEEP Bootcamp practically expanded my network of business minded individual locally and internationally. I really enjoyed the Bootcamp, the ambience in the hall during lectures was so inspiring, it was a great experience and I felt so blessed to be in the midst of great minds and to also learn from other successful African entrepreneurs.

God, my supporting fiancé and my younger sister have been such influence and I honestly do not know what I will do without these three individuals in my life.

If I could be or do anything else, what will that be... I will be a professional photographer and travel blogger.

If I can change anything in the past, what will that be?... I love my past, it is not full of pleasant experiences but it has molded me into the woman I am today.

 #TWM : If you could have dinner with five famous people from all over the world, who would they be?

Wow! This is an interesting question. If I could dine with five famous people, it will be Lisa Folawiyo, Angelina Jolie, Kate Middleton, Tony Elumelu and Mo Abudu.

#TWM: What has been the happiest moment of your life where your work is concerned?

My happiest moment where work is concerned is when a client is satisfied with the interpretation of my design. I'm satisfied when my clients are satisfied.

#TWM: What has been the saddest moment of your life where your work is concerned?

The saddest moment was an ugly experience I had some time ago from an event hosted by a popular cable network company from south Africa.

from what I was presented with before the main event, it was meant to be a kind of program that was designed to support the up and coming fashion designers. To my surprise it was more or less a scam. It was like they already had their selected the set of designers even before the audition started. I had never being so embarrassed. Evidently they needed the extra crowd to make a show for the world to see.

All my effort from sketching,  to production, having to travel from Port Harcourt to Lagos, with all the sacrifices inbetween,  were all in vain except that I've learnt never to honor any invitation of any sort from this cable network company from south Africa.

#TWM: How would you like to be remembered?

I would like to be remembered as a game changer in the world of fashion, as a woman who inspired others to dream and follow their passion, as a loving wife, mother and friend.

#TWM: Married life so far...and how it affects your works...

I'm not married yet although I'm engaged to a loving, sweet and fabulously supporting gentleman who has inspire me and support me in becoming a better me.

 #TWN: future aspirations?

Our future aspiration is to strive to keep our core focus on innovative style while building a strong lifetime relationship of superior customer loyalty and flourish into a timeless Pan-African fashion brand.

#Jane'sCORNER: Children and the stigma Witch branding...

#Jane'sCORNER

Witchcraft is known to be as old as 40,000 years and is traced to the act of people worshiping gods.it is the oldest religion on earth and has been transferred from generation to generation.

Believe in witchcraft however have survived even till date in primitive societies. Because  of the poverty and ignorance in most Africa countries , many old superstition still survive till today.

Witchcraft is frequently used to explain why unpleasant circumstances such as sudden death, Miscarriages, illness, unfortunately, in such society women and children are mostly branded as witches.

Historically so many women and children have been stoned to death, burnt alive and even banished from the community. So many women and children have been intimidated and subdued for fear of being accused as witches.

In a world dominated by men, it is convenient to use ”witchcraft” as a tool to strengthen men’s control over women however in contemporary society, women are no longer confined in the house, they now  meet the men in work places thereby reduces the influence of such accusation.This has given women a voice and seems to reduce the notion that every adverse situation is a wicked act of a witch who must be a woman.

Pentecostalism in Africa has introduce another twist on the issue of Children accused of witchcraft.

These children are believed to have evil powers which they can use to destroy homes, bring about business failure, accident. Etc.

Pastors who are so desperate for fame and material wealth are now the people championing the accusation of children as witches. Many of these children are forced into prolong religious fasting, some are flogged and tortured in a bid to extract false connections.

Children subjected to domestics helps  bears this brunt mostly when the economic situation of the employers deteriorate and they become scape goat.

Most times, when people possess special, uncommon or unexplainable characters and attribute it is often misconstrued to witchcraft.

This Act of attributing every uncommon behaviours to witches is often propagated by self-styled pastors and preachers  in Nigeria, gullible and vulnerable parents and guidance are quick to toe the line of these pastors. The community will therefore not have any choice but to queue up in the same belief.

It is very painful how beautiful and innocent Children are stigmatized, abandoned and tortured by pastors and relatives who  are quick to brand them as witches. These tragedy is most common in the South South part of Nigeria, Akwa Ibom and Cross River state precisely.

It is difficult to phantom the offences these innocent children have committed .A closer look at all the children who are accused of being witches indicate that they are mainly children from poor homes.

Is it now a crime to come from a poor home? Can’t children from rich homes equally be witches? Another question that might come to mind is why is this disastrous event peculiar to Cross River and Akwa Ibom State?Akwa Ibom and Cross River State are not the only state that we have  children from poor homes.

It is on record that more than 15,000 children have been displaced and some sent to early grave for the mere accusation of being witches.

Child traffickers and ritual killers have equally catch in on these children who are forced out of their homes on the allegation of being witch craft fall prey to human traffickers and ritual killers as they are not adequately protected by government.

Other Agencies in the society like Churches, Media houses and Movie industries that should discourage and preach against this ugly situation often times are involved in propagating it.

The media and movie industries are in such sensational event to make more profits while the churches sees it as an avenue to enrich themselves.

Several movies even those produced by pastors are geared towards making people believe that children from poor homes in Akwa Ibom  are witches.

Most children from poor homes in Akwa Ibom and Cross River are given out as domestic helps in different parts of the country are most vulnerable to this accusation.

These young children, often times, cry continuously at night because they are missing their parents and as such run temperature. The notorious pastors and evangelist are quick to label such children as witches.

In spite of child Right Act which was signed into law in 2003,nothing much has been  done to alleviate the suffering faced by these children. All the right enshrined in the Act are still been denied of the children.      
                                                    
Parents should know that Children are gifts from God and they add no sorrow .We should learn how to love and protect them. The upbringing of every child is a responsibility that God has bestowed on every parents and understand,  Witch Craft is an organization  that are meant for Adult. It is a voluntary Organization. So it is wrong when you accuse your child of being a witch. Parents that brand their children as witches, are also witches because those Children are their offspring. People should learn how to take responsibility for their failure and short coming.

I plead with Federal Government to pay more attention to the numerous problems facing these children and set up a Regulatory body that will monitor the activities  of this self-styled pastors  and  parents that are bent on wiping  out this generation by branding children witches.

My thanks goes to all Non-Governmental organizations, Individual, co-operate bodies. sincere Religious organization who has fought tirelessly to bring back hope  to children who has been victims of these STIGMATIZATION, ABANDONMENT, TORTURED,RAPE ETC.

Children should know they are created for a special purpose.

JANE KALU OKEREKE
janekaluokerek@gmail.com

#TEEP: Founder of Tripple C Production and awardee of Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme, Christian Chukwu speaks on his experiences...

#TWM : Who is Christian Chukwu ?

Chukwu, Christian Chimezie is from Ugwulangwu in Ohaozara local government Area of Ebonyi State. I reside in Port harcout and was born on Nov., 19th. 1987.

I graduated from the  University Of Port Harcourt with a 2nd class Honours (Upper Division) in Sociology.

I am the 6th child in a family of 7, the 4th Son precisely in a very poor or low class family that is striving to become great in future. My Dad is an Okada rider while my mum is a petty trader.

I am the Chief Executive Officer of TRIPPLE C PRODUCTION, The Founder of Clarion Media Foundation, an alumnus of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Foundation and also the financial Secretary for Rivers state Photographers Association (Freelance Photographers). Currently, is of the Batch A serving member of N.Y.S.C In Enugu State. 

Also an actor, Orator, Film maker, Comedian, Photographer, Videographer and an Entrepreneur

This dream started when my Elder brother registered me under one “Studio K” having seen how lucrative the business is after my secondary school education. He however believed that with the skills, I can assist the status of our family, through my little earnings especially if I can take care of myself. That breakthrough assisted me a lot because I supported myself with that business till I graduated from the University. I still believe that I haven’t gotten to anywhere yet because I will keep struggling and working hard to prove to poverty that there is a Big God who is by my side always.

Over time my greatest challenge is: not having the necessary network relationship with more professionals in my line of business to improve my learning skills. Secondly, Lack of funding from investors or grants to invest and lastly, Mentors to keep guiding and motivating me to strive further .

I was a  Director of photography on “Hands on the clock” by Prime Business School in Partnership with the National Youth Service Corps Skill and Acquisition Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) Check it out on Youtube.

Tripple C Production is a media company that specializes on Photography, Music/Film Production and General Contracts. It started in my secondary school days (2006) with different business names and developmental skills attached to it such as Airforce 1 Digital Production, Clarion Digital Production, Clarion Media International but was fully registered under the Cooperate affairs commission in 2015 with the above name (Tripple C Production)

 My TEEP story started like a normal social media chat. People usually get to me quickly through social media so one day; I just stormed on the TEEP advert on face book. I did not apply that day, I even told my friends but they felt it was one of these normal stuff. So a day came, precisely the closing day for registration, I stormed on the platform and registered without having any hope of been selected. One day I just decided to check on my mail because I don’t usually check mails, but my story changed. Congratulations, for you have been selected.

I really didn't understood the mail so I called my elder brother and told him, he said I should read what I saw, when I read it, he said I should start celebrating wherever I am that am now a big boy. I started as usual, called some of my pals, shared it on all my social media and gave a resounding testimony in my Church the Seventh day Adventist Church Rumuodumaya that week, and now am happy to be a part of this great achievement. Thank you so much Mr. Tony O Elumelu for making me a “Big Boy” I pray for more of this opportunities.



 My family background has a great influence on me because I promised never to let my background put me to the ground nor deprive me from achieving greater heights and to be an agent of  fulfillment to dreams, vision and passion.
 I feel happy now because, When I recall how I use to hawk the streets of Port Harcourt selling Garden Eggs and Ground-nuts after secondary school hours, and how I use to sing one of my favorite songs aloud "I'm Pressing on the upward way, new heights I'm gaining everyday, still praying as I onward bound, Lord Plant my feet on highter ground. The chorus usually interest me because it pictures my future and always keeps me focused and it goes as thus "Lord, lift up, and I shall stand, by faith on heaven's table land, a higher plane than I have found; lord plant my feet on Highter ground"
I just give God all the glory.

 If I can change anything in the past, it will be the experiences I had growing up from a poor family

I look forward to dining with Tony Elumelu, President Barack Obama, Aliko Dangote, Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, vice President Yomi Osibanjo and Mike Adenuga

Happiest moments where my work is concerned is when after submitting a finished job to clients, i get positive feedback that my Jobs are perfect even when I no that there is no perfection in life. I also feel happy when they refer me to other clients.

I will like to be remembered for the legacy I tend to leave behind .

I am still single and hoping to find a real and respected woman of my dreams that will respect my ambitions and desires. This will make me to be more focused in life. However, business will never distant me with my family because, very soon I will find that woman.

My future aspiration is to be one of the leading media professionals/Entrepreneur that will  transform and develop other aspiring media personnel/Entrepreneurs in Africa. Also, I pray God to bless me with so much wealth, enough to replicate what Tony Elumelu is doing for this Generation

#KidsCo: Mothers be more vigilante with your Children, If you won't protect them... WHO WILL?

#Alert

Mothers be vigilante with your children, if you won't protect them... WHO WILL?

TREND WITH ME will dedicate the next 3 weeks in making awareness to the ordeals children go through by sharing stories that pricks and question the safety of kids in their homes, environ and among family friends.

Mothers need to be extremely vigilante as to caring and tendering for their children. The least people we believe actually hurt the kids.


This is a Story culled from VANGUARD NIGERIA

A seven-year-old girl (names withheld) has narrated how her father paid her after sexually abusing her at their Ojokoro Housing Estate, Meiran, Ijaiye, Lagos, residence.

Chukwuemeka Odunzie, The primary three pupil said: “My daddy usually gives me money after touching my private part or putting his penis in my mouth. He touches my private part when my mother is outside washing clothes or when she is not in the house.”

The victim’s father, identified as Chukwuemeka Odunzie, allegedly started defiling his daughter early last year.

Narrating her ordeal, the victim’s mother, Mrs Odunzie, said: “Last year, my son told me that his younger sister was fond of playing with her private parts. It sounded strange that a seven-year-old child would be doing that.

“I will talk to her, scold her and sometimes beat her. There was a time I told my husband.

“All he said was that if she was acting strangely I should take her to any of these white garment churches. I was alarmed when one day, while we were in the sitting room, she started touching and playing with herself.
She confesses to mother

“Immediately, I called her inside the room and asked her what the problem was. I asked her if anyone was fiddling with her private parts. She said it was her father that always touched her private parts and that after touching her private parts, he would give her money.

“I confronted my husband when he returned from work but he denied vehemently. I reported a case of defilement to Ebenezer Divisional Police and the policemen invited my husband for questioning.

“He was arrested later by the police, who gave me a report to take my daughter to the hospital. The doctor said there had been no penetration, but that there is an opening in her virginal and advised that the victim be tested for infection.

Family pressure
“By the time we came back from the hospital, the IPO said it was a family issue and that we should go home and settle the case.

“Members of his family were shouting, saying that I had no right to report the case to the police, that it was a family issue that should be treated as one. They pressurized me till I withdrew the case, after which he promised not to defile our daughter again.

“After I withdrew the case, my husband began to beat the children at the slightest provocation. And at times, he would beat them for no tangible reason.

“Two weeks ago, it happened again. I asked her what she did for her father that made him give her money without giving her siblings. That was when she said that daddy gave her the money after touching her private part.

“Her siblings said it had been ongoing for a while and that they refused to tell me because the last time they did, their daddy kept beating them.

“He puts it in my mouth”

“Her brother said whenever I was not around, or I was outside washing clothes, daddy would send him and his other siblings inside the bedroom, while he would ask the victim to kneel down in between his legs and bend her head towards his manhood.

“She also confirmed that after touching her, daddy would put his penis in her mouth.

“There was even a time my daughter was caught in the act with a four-year-old boy, who is a neighbour’s child.”

In his defense, the victim’s father, Chukwuemeka Odunzie, admitted that it was only once he abused his daughter and that he was not doing it for occult reasons.

Reacting to the issue, the Co-coordinator, Project Alert, Josephine Effah Chukwuma, said: “Apart from ensuring that the law takes it course, the main task is how to rehabilitate the children".

“There is need to rehabilitate her and her siblings, who watched.”


Mothers, never be scared to stand up for the right of your child against any indiscriminate act from a family member , family friends and environ.

The future of your child counts on voicing out...

Hiding behind closed doors on important issues as molestation leaves such a victim with long lasting phobia or stigma...

Having a child is a gift with different changes in a parents' life however hurting such a child in any form is inhuman...

#BeAware  #BeVigilante #SpeakOut

#DaArtInU: Unvieling the face behind the song OLORUN KOFIMISILE, Nigerian Soul Singer, Seyi Ajayi

The fast rising Nigerian vocalist Oluwaseyi Kehinde Ajayi was born 19th of December. She hails from the western part of Nigeria, precisely Ogun state.

Seyi attended Ifako international Primary and Secondary school respectively during her pupilage.Graduated from Olabisi Onabanjo University with a diploma in Law. She also went further to study broadcasting.

Her flair for creativity nurtured her journey into singing so it wasn't a surprise to her family when she began singing at a tender age. She started out her career with an acapella group of five called "cymbals of fire".

The Soul singer and songwriter with the stage name Seyi Ajayi has worked with great artistes in the music industry like Sunny Neji, Ron Kenoly, African China, Keffe, and others before proceeding to release her debut single titled "Iwo ni”.

Her first video recently released is an inspirational single “Olorun kofimisile” directed by Mahmoud Olympio (Mofilmworks).

She quoted to #DaArtInU, 'I want every heart that listen to OLORUN KOFIMISILE to realise that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel and GOD will never abandon you no matter the circumstances'. God has been her source of inspiration. 

Given the opportunity to dine with five people in the world, Seyi Ajayi listed her family, President Obama,Denzel Washington, Celine Dion and Bola Ahmed Tinubu...

'Happy moments with me are moments I have spent with my family and few honest and sincere friends', she said

Seyi Ajayi also runs a band called Black Radiance Band.

Watch "Seyi Ajayi - Olorun Kofimisile" on YouTube - https://youtu.be/Lf0CZLCkI0Y and be #inspired...

Get aquainted with Seyi Ajayi on Twitter @iam_seyiajayi : email : detwins1@yahoo.co.uk : instagram:seyiajayi7