Growing up in the suburbs of Ojo town in Lagos State came with its blessings. I grew up in my father’s three-room apartment, which lies a few blocks from the bustling Alaba International Market. Our proximity to this hub of commercial activities ignited in me a strong affinity for entrepreneurship .
At age seven, I developed a deep passion for entrepreneurship, though without a defined niche. I fell in love with the various shows on display at the market: of people haggling over the prices of goods, the result of which could be a spontaneous fracas that leaves a receipt of swollen red lumps on the face of a customer who had haggled beyond the seller’s patience limit or a smile that lights up the face of someone who had just struck a bargain.
My parents had expected me to indulge myself in some childhood rituals by playing video games with my friend Chike or dragging ownership rights to the TV remote with my siblings.
The fun in such exuberance had eluded me. Instead, I would drop my bag, immediately change into my favourite baggy shorts and an oversized T-shirt, and head straight to my father’s shop.
My father’s electronic store occupies the second floor of a three-story building situated along the main road. It had a large signpost lined with fancy neon lights attached to the frontage that read, “From grass to grace.”
Astonished by my unwavering commitment, my father would pat me on the back, an act I have come to understand as his show of affirmation of my precocious traits.
On one occasion, my father recounted,
“At eight, I was busy hunting innocent lizards on the streets of Afor_ugwu in Aguobuowa, Enugu state”.
My father would recline in his revolving armchair and tell me stories of how he had felt an urgency to leave the village and start something for himself.
“I left my village with only a pair of clothes and shoes and promised never to return until I became successful.”
His success story stirred up a desire in me to write my own narrative.
At night, I will bring out my dog-eared velvet diary, which has been deprived of its best years.
I would recreate scenes I had witnessed earlier in the market in detail. I would sketch, as appendages to my stories, the images of real-life people that detailed their varying dispositions toward their new acquisitions or their disappointments at their inability to obtain what they had come for.
I had unconsciously developed an uncanny ability to string words and images into a narrative.
At eighteen, I became obsessed with giving the family’s business a little prodding.
I stumbled upon an advertisement offering free training on social media marketing and other packages that seemed overpriced. I enrolled for the free class and later paid for the extra packages on offer, such as video editing and graphic design using Canva.
My love for video creation grew more.
I began creating video ads in the form of skits to promote the business. I uploaded the video skits to my YouTube channel with high hopes of instant success, but to my dismay, I discovered that success itself is an adventure.
I encountered more challenges, the most memorable being the day I was cornered by some of my father’s competitors and was accused of fraternizing with voodoo to boost our patronage.
I remained resilient, seeing each obstacle as an opportunity to learn and grow.
I began experimenting with different genres and styles until I eventually resorted to acting out the scenes I had enacted in my dog-eared diary as a seven-year-old.
I gripped my audience by projecting the joy and enthusiasm visibly reflected on the faces of the clients that eventually make a purchase, while comically presenting the red, swollen face as a consequence of a decision to ignore what I’m offering.
This level of creativity caught the online community unawares, and by implication, my followers and subscriber list had risen astronomically overnight from nothing to a little above 30k.
I sat down to reflect on my journey so far, I was convinced that it was time to write my own story.
I poured my heart and soul into producing vivid and compelling scripts alongside high-quality video skits highlighting the attitude it takes to thrive as an entrepreneur. I meticulously researched each topic to ensure accuracy and relevance while infusing my content with a playful and imaginative approach.
My game went viral and consequently, opportunities began to knock at my door.
I received invitations to collaborate with renowned organizations to amplify their brands while projecting them for an even broader reach.
I had earned myself a valid reputation that booked me romantic dates with different brands and sponsors who could not resist the mouth-watering potential that our partnership had to offer.
The Redridge Consortium, a firm worth billions of dollars, offered me a deal to create video ads for an entire section of their properties on Banana Island.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime offer that included an acre of land in Ajah and a whopping sum of one hundred million dollars.
I only had to do what I have always done.
I executed the project to my client’s expectations. The video recorded over a million views within the next five days of its uploading on all social media platforms. It was a landmark achievement.
I couldn’t contain my excitement at becoming the latest millionaire in town, so I chartered a private flight and headed straight to the Amazons to fulfil my lifelong dream of a cruise under the Aspen trees that overlay the bank of the Amazon River and an evening spent listening to the melodies of thrushes and other mysterious birds that had made the Amazons their home.
My BIO
Oyadiran Faith is a graduate of English Language and Literary Studies from Obafemi Awolowo University Osun State, Nigeria. He is an avid reader and a passionate writer. He currently works as a Diction instructor. He is on Instagram as @Op_bolu and can be reached @oyadiranfaithopeyemi@gmail.com
