Being an entrepreneur in Uniuyo

Hi im hope Jacob a 22 years old young tailor and im here to share my challenges being a student entrepreneur in Nigeria, Akwaibom state Uyo. My niche is in female clothing (African print A.K.A Ankara).

My journey in this business started in Rivers state as an apprentice under my boss “Tailor Grace” as she is known, in a small thatched shop for two months. I trained under my boss and at that time I was awaiting my result into the University of Uyo, while doing so I gained admission in to the university, department of food science and technology faculty of agriculture. In my department we were 60 female students and 11 male students and among we girls, 8 of us were into fashion, 2 being famous, the struggle was real as I did not complete my training, at that time I could barely make a dress. Along the line in my 200 level I made some really good friends who encouraged me to pick up from where I stopped, well at this point I considered staying idle was no excuse. Thereafter, two months later I ordered my first sewing machine, I gained experience in sewing by using free sources like, watching YouTube videos, taking free online courses and using Illustrations on Facebook.

It’s been six years now (3 years training) I’ve been into sewing business and the struggle is real since I’m self-taught, it takes a lot of hard work (practicing and ripping), spending on materials for mock practice, sleepless nights drawing at the same time while engaging in academic activities. I lost hope, I lost focus I was barely paid since I couldn’t stand out in the competition, but good doesn’t come quickly does it? With all this circumstances facing me I decided to apply for a three-month non-profit internship in sewing during the coronavirus, I seized that opportunity to focus on something different. Studying the streets of Uyo, you can see different designs on male and female sewn Ankara, owambe (for ground occasions) and lace designs displayed on mannequins, roaming the markets you could see so many people buying already wear clothes and a lot more fashion activities going on, judging by this observation I decided to go in for women’s English corporate wears. I felt different, I had that overwhelming joy in it. So I decided to speak to my boss about it, well as kind as he is I was put through. Two weeks after the training I sewed my first corporate wear for my-self and oh I had a lot of reviews and positive comments, I also had contracts. Since then that has been my focus. Like I said earlier, it takes a lot of hard work to get through, I never relent in practicing. I made money though not quite a lot because I was underrated due to my age but people who patronize me were happy and they also recommended their friends to me. But do you know the funny part of the story; my clients were between the age range of 21-28 years old. I’ve never made corporate wear for an older person, ha ha its funny right. I can remember the first Ankara I made for my aunt (you should know how some aunt are) and my big sis, oh my days, it was so frustrating, they paid zero naira to make their clothes for them and the most painful part is that they brought piled up clothes for repairs. The most troubling was, I really needed to pay some bills and that was all that I had left, no-matter what I say to them, their response is “just sew it eh, I know you can, please do it for me just that things are rough now but I assure you by the end of the month I might find something to compensate. But remember that I need it for a burial by next week, hope you will attend, I know you will, just try) at this point I opted for borrowing some cash to get them done, this was so painful and I wanted giving up sewing. Being something I love doing, trust me that feeling didn’t last for long I found my-self on my machine again working. All this being said, the road for success is rough, it needs determination sometimes a little drifting from the part to acquire substance in order to continue in your dreams not necessary that you must have a place to stay, I sew in my apartment till now and I’ve made it through. As it stands now I’m among the famous in my department, that’s sweet right, yeah but I want to be famous everywhere else as I have made it through. I’ve graduated from the university. Taking a step to the future I’m working towards it and I’m never giving up so my journey continues.