Sunday, October 17, 2010
[size=14pt]I told my mum that my wife is better than her before my family allowed me to marry a Yoruba lady[/size]

ADA ONYEMA


Ugochukwu Igbokwe is the chief executive officer of Make Me, a celebrity beauty salon in Lagos. In this interview with ADA ONYEMA, he talks about the basics of hairstyling, his career and marriage

[img]http://odili.net/news/source/2010/oct/17/punch/images/pix201010160502282[1].jpg[/img]
Ugochukwu Igbokwe, Make Me CEO



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How come nothing much has been heard about you lately?

There is nothing to make a noise about. If you are doing well, it speaks for itself. You don't have to scream about what you don't have; so to me I feel there is so much to do and attain. Whatever I'm doing now is still minute to what's to come.

Do we say it is your style?

Basically, I think I am a very quiet person. It is more of my personality that is reflecting on the way I run my business. I don't see anything that I probably would scream about now that I have achieved that no one has not before. For now we are just doing what we have to, doing it well as much as we can; we believe we will get to the point we will come out to scream.

These days we have new stylists doing perfectly well. Aren't you afraid of being displaced?

Any industry without aspiring ones, does not have a future of because the likes of me in a few years to come might not stand in the salon, making hairs. It is pretty much welcome to see people aspiring to be professional stylists. I am not threatened at all. Hairmaking is an art. Nobody teaches you the other part. As a matter of fact, it has to come from within; if it is not in you, it is not in you. We are all different and unique in our individual ways. It does not matter how many people that have come on board, I don't have to be worried.

How did you become a professional stylist?

Honestly, I never thought I would be a stylist. I started as a barber and all my dream was to travel abroad. At a point I started seeing different things: from male hairstyling to female styling. And it occurred to me that this is where I belong because I think I have a lot to offer, which I could not achieve being a barber. And then it just happened; it is not something that I made up my mind that I was going to do.

Did you learn it?

Yes, I learnt the basics of hairstyling and that's how much I know, but the creative part is what has to come from you. I don't have to follow the rules 100 per cent; I can step out of the rules and do something different.

With 11 years of experience as a hairstylist, which celebrity or hairstyling brought you to limelight?

It was more of styles rather than personalities. We are known for creating styles. When we came into the business, nobody used a hot tool on a synthetic fibre and that was the first thing we did, which came out different. We started curling and (doing) different short styles.

Where do you derive inspiration while creating hairstyles?

What I do is taking bits and bits of everything from everywhere to come up with something different. But what that has done is that over 20 per cent of what we try to create, maybe one or two, could be successful. So, often, it might seem as if it is a waste of time, but anyone that sails through pays for all the troubles. Also, I get inspired by photographers and fashion designers.

What is your assessment of Nigeria's hairstyling industry?

I think we are not there yet; we are still pushing. It is an industry that we ought to do better than we are doing. Everybody is far apart doing his own thing, unlike other industries that work together. But in all, we are doing better today than yesterday because the standard of the salons you see today can attest to this; and much more, nowadays, we have graduates going into the industry.

What comes to your mind when styling a customer's hair?

First of all, it comes as a competition to me because everything I do is a challenge; I want to do it better than I did it before. We put into consideration the facial structure, event, place, wardrobes and how long you want to wear the hair.

What are the challenges?

The challenges are numerous. It is pretty difficult to project business in Nigeria because of the economic situation. As a career person, you have to keep up with the good products that you have, which is why people keep coming to your place, updating and coming up with something new. You would agree with me that it is not easy coming up with something new that would be acceptable to all.

How did your parents react to the fact that you were going into the industry?

As a matter of fact, my parents did not kick against it. Rather, they wished me well. Their concern was that I should not get lost in the industry because they see it as a women thing.

Do you have any regret being in a women-dominated industry?

No way. I don't see hairstyling as a women-dominated industry. It is only when people say it that I look at it that way.

How was your growing up?

It was okay with caring parents. I remember vividly that I wanted to be a footballer and was always running away from home because I would always go out to play football and sometimes when I get home, I run into trouble.

How difficult was it for you to choose a wife considering the industry you are in?

It wasn't difficult, but more of an eye opener because I was not looking in that direction. It got to a point when my eyes were open to it and I am ever grateful. There were different distractions; would I say because one was young and there were no much responsibilities. I was thinking of leaving Nigeria, there was nothing like settling down until my eyes were open to things around me that I had taken for granted. The only thing I know was that I had a wonderful friend and never looked at her as someone that is going to be my wife and you know the funny part; it was just like destiny. We both knew where we were going, same opinion, direction and one after the other all our goals were falling into place.

What do you think made her to accept you?

As I said, everything was just happening as if it was a script.

So you never proposed to her? I knew there was no special time that I proposed; we were just doing things together. Everybody was on our case; we planned together and things fell into place for us.

How did you convince your parents about your decision to marry a Yoruba lady?

My father is late, it was more of my uncles. I fought the whole war with my mum and she dealt with the whole people. Nobody had the guts to call me into that discussion again. I just dropped a bomb with her and told her that my wife is better than her and walked away, asking her to deal with it. With or without anybody, I had made up my mind to marry her; I didn't give a damn and that was it.

What is it about her that made you to go for her?

I don't think there is anybody like her. I remember the first time we went to the East, my mum was saying, 'You want to marry onye ofe mmanu (derisive description of Yoruba by Igbo).' I took offence immediately and walked out on her. At the end of the day, she was not against it, but asked if I was really sure of what I was going into.

How were you able to conquer the cultural differences?

It does not exist and if there is any, I don't know. We hear stories of people having families and cultural differences interfering with their marriages but so far, we thank God and pray that it would not be our case.

http://odili.net/news/source/2010/oct/17/802.html

He looks gay!

Ujujoan:

He looks gay!   

I can see that Igbo women are jealous that their brother looked westwards for a little sugar.

that man has guts! to tell that to his mother

~Sissy~:

that man has guts! to tell that to his mother

He is a liar. He never said that to his mother. Oh no, not an igbo mother because they surely have strong grip on their sons.

Aloy+Emeka:

He is a liar. He never said that to his mother. Oh no, not an igbo mother because they surely have strong grip on their sons.

Lol. i can believe that. i mean i can understand "mom, im going to marry regardless of what you think or say etc" and not "mom,she is better than you"

her mom will look into his dil's eyes everyday and wonder why and how she is better than her.definitely wouldnt be an easy transition for dil

~Sissy~:

Lol. i can believe that. i mean i can understand "mom, im going to marry regardless of what you think or say etc" and not "mom,she is better than you"

[b]her mom will look into his dil's eyes everyday and wonder why and how she is better than her.definitely wouldnt be an easy transition for di[/b]l

She should know but women sometimes women don't care when marriage is involved.