Folake Oyemade
With a vision to grow one of the few and well known indigenous uniform manufacturing outfits, Sam & Sara, to an enviable height, Folake Oyemade speaks to NKARENYI UKONU about her business and life generally
Beautiful and stylish, with a coordinated dress sense, one would have expected that having given vent to her passion — beauty and fashion — she would not only pitch her tent there, but remain one of the forces to be reckoned with in the industry. Instead, she delved into the mass production of uniforms, a largely untapped and unexplored area for organisations and individuals with a large work force.
Folake Oyemade recalls how it all started.
”I initially started out importing cosmetics, but because of my love for fashion, my mother wanted me to go to Paris to study fashion designing and become a professional in that field but I declined because I didn‘t think I wanted to sew, even in that capacity. I simply wanted to create designs in my head. In fact, my mother gave me the capital to start my first business. Unfortunately, the business didn‘t go too well, as I refused to do some of the unethical things players in the industry were doing.
”When the ban on clothes was lifted, I quickly switched over to what I know I really had a flair for and could control — that is, selling clothes. Bijoux Unisex collection opened in 1986 and we were the foremost household name in fashion retailing in those days. We had six stores nationwide. The business did very well and I enjoyed every bit of it because it was what I had always wanted to do and it gave me the opportunity to express myself, fashion-wise.
”I closed all Bijoux stores and relocated during the Abacha era to America because the country wasn‘t looking too promising or safe; everything looked bleak. I later came back in 1999 and floated Bijoux again, but because it had already become a business for everyone, it no longer held any attraction to me. The idea of manufacturing high-quality uniforms started to take shape. That was how Sam & Sara was born.”
Named after her twins, the vision and motivation to set up the eight-year old business was inspired by God and the fact that making uniforms is an untapped area of garmenting. ”Before Sam & Sara, organisations and private individuals would always import uniforms because that area was largely left to local tailors who do not have the capacity to do large-scale production of high-quality uniforms. But today, I believe that the Nigerian economy is big and organised enough to accommodate big organisations that will be willing to ask to be supplied well tailored and high quality uniforms that would compete with international standards.
Besides having a natural flair for designing, the Ondo indigene has been able to learn a few things about her line of business from her expatriate staff and her partners overseas. She also enumerated some of the dire challenges she faces while trying to produce her standards. ”One of them is fabrics. We don‘t make fabrics and with the ban on importation of fabrics, we are saddled with taking what the local manufacturers have to offer. While some are doing well, most others aren‘t in terms of quality and delivery; and this is having a crippling effect on the business.
”Another issue is that of power. I believe in the Nigerian dream and it doesn‘t matter how much some people are shipping money out of this country, some of us want this country to stand, that is why I am doing all these; otherwise, I could jolly well just maintain my office, import from either China or America and run a small factory to service the Nigerian market. A lot of people aren‘t employed, but I would be more than glad to do my own bit to get as many people off the labour market as possible, if only the situation would improve and get more encouragement from the Federal Government.
Feeling every inch fulfilled, she adds that the satisfaction she gets is mostly from seeing a good job done at her factory, which isn‘t quantifiable in terms of monetary return.
With a degree in Philosophy from the University of Lagos, she initially planned to get a second degree in law just because her parents felt she would make a good lawyer, what with the way she was adept at arguing herself out of any situation, making her point and having people to accept it. She suddenly had a change of mind, venturing into business instead.
Born to Pauline and Simeon Tubo who were involved in importation of gold and poultry farming respectively, in addition to their paid employment, Oyemade recalls with nostalgia her growing up days. ”I come from a pretty large family of nine children and growing up was good. The mere thought that Christmas was coming was always very exciting. In fact, from October, the excitement would have started building up and when my dad announced that we would be doing our shopping a few weeks before Christmas, we would get so excited and would hardly concentrate on our studies.
”We grew up doing everything in the house together, playing with one another. That is why, even up till now, I am not given to going out a lot. My parents were comfortable enough to give us all good education, more than the basic things of life. When it became the vogue to travel out on holiday, my parents were able to do it for me, at least once a year.
Not looking anywhere near her age, the 49-year old willingly shared some of her secrets. ”I don‘t stress myself. If I‘m upset, you‘re likely to hear me shout and scream, but that is where it ends. I try to close for the day by 4.00pm, head home, stretch my leg on the stool, relax and watch television, African Magic especially, because it makes me laugh. I try not to watch what would make me task my brain. I exercise a lot. I used to be quite big, a size 16, but I shed all the weight about four years ago. I had to because I didn‘t like being big. I was always a slim and tall person, but after I had my kids, I saw myself adding weight and couldn‘t get my size in the type of clothing I would love to wear; so, I had to shed off the weight.”
Married to the honourable Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Lagos State, Mr. Adeniyi Oyemade, whom she has been with for 18 years, she describes him as ”a wonderful man who is nice to a fault and very unassuming. There aren‘t too many men in Nigeria like him; he is encouraging and very supportive in terms of advice.” She also likes to unwind with her husband, just as she enjoys taking exotic holiday trips. ”I love to spoil myself. I don‘t do the regular travelling that a lot of Nigerians do. I have reached a stage in my life where I don‘t travel to shop but to unwind. So, I really save up to give myself a treat.”
SOURCE:http://www.punchng.com/
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