Connect with us

Featured

I’m Changing the Face of African Fashion – Lexy Mojo-Eyes

Published

on

Oftentimes people who engineer groundbreaking achievements do not cut the picture of whom we expect, just ordinary folks who inspire change for a better world.

Nothing could be more inspiring than learning from people who manifest their dreams and inspire others to, people who have found ways of turning obstacles into opportunities and fathomed means of being resourceful when resources become scarce, people with focus, persistence and dedication.

Africa’s foremost fashion promoter, mentor and entrepreneur, Lexy Mojo-Eyes is a man cut in this mould.

Best known for advancing the essence of African fashion industry by inspiring African designers to look inwards to the rich peculiarities embedded in African culture in projecting African fashion towards global recognition, inclusion, and economic viability, Mojo-Eyes can well be described as the unsung hero behind the revolution that has characterized the African fashion for almost 3 decades.

With unswerving faith in the commercial prospects in African fashion and how it can be transformed into a vehicle to combat poverty in the continent, Mojo-Eyes has recorded groundbreaking achievements in the African fashion industry, making him an authority and a revered name in the industry.

As President and CEO of Legendary Gold Limited, a leading African Fashion and creatives promoting organization, Mojo Eyes has been at the vanguard of the continent’s fashion industry since the 90’s, introducing the first major fashion event in Nigeria known as “The Nigeria Fashion Show” in 1997, ostensibly as a vehicle to build awareness on the rich prospects imbued in African fashion; sustained by its annual editions ever since.
In stimulating this awareness, the show which gave Nigerian designers the first national platform to express their creative talents compelled participating designers to use only local fabrics and accessories in producing their collection.

Debuting on the international stage in the year 2000, Mojo-Eyes took 10 top designers from Nigeria to the first international edition of the Nigeria Fashion Show in Paris, from where it proceeded to Milan, London, New York, Atlanta, Houston, Washington DC, Stockholm, Tel Aviv, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Shanghai and the list is endless.

Determined to push even further the frontiers of Nigeria’s fashion possibilities, Mojo-Eyes got the ears of the wife of former president Obasanjo, late Chief (Mrs) Stella Obasanjo who lauded the objective of the show and supported the initiative of which she ultimately became Grand Patron and regularly attended.

Understanding the Unique connection between fashion and modelling, Mojo-Eyes has also been creating opportunities for African youths to make meaningful careers in modelling. As a result, Mojo-Eyes in December 2003, signed a franchise contract in Paris with the International fashion television, Fashion TV, a union that birthed The Nigeria Model Awards, with the goal to create opportunities for young Nigerian girls seeking to build careers in International Modelling.

The insatiable quest of the fashion titan to create new opportunities for young Nigerian girls led to his signing of a new contract with New York based Ford Models in 2004, which secures a Nigerian representative at the annual Ford Supermodel of the World contest in New York where these girls stand the opportunity to win modelling contracts worth $500,000 and above. It is instructive to note that the lives of many young girls have been transformed through these channels, with positive ripple effects resonating with global sustainable development goals.

In recognition of the value he has brought to the fashion space, Mojo-Eyes was appointed by Federal Government of Nigeria through the Ministry of Information and Communications in 2005 to produce fashion shows as part of the Heart of Africa Project, which he satisfactorily executed in Washington DC, Atlanta, Houston, Paris and London.

Furthering his enduring exploits and positive influence on African fashion, Mojo- Eyes in 2009 was appointed the only African on the Board of Governors of the World Fashion Organization due to his invaluable contributions to the growth and development of the Fashion industry in Africa.

In 2010, Mojo-Eyes was commissioned by the office of the President of the Nigeria to produce and direct Nigeria/South African 10th Bi-National Commission event which was held at the banquet hall of the presidential villa in Abuja, attended by the Presidents of both countries and broadcast live by MTV Base.

The remarkable strides of Mojo-Eyes in the African Fashion Industry weaves from bringing recognition and attention to African textile, garment and fashion industry to the very core of its commercial nerve, stimulating investment and economic opportunities that give the continent’s fashion business viable impetus.

In 2011, Mojo-Eyes was invited to Perth Australia to address the International Fashion Incubators Conference on how to create wealth in Africa through the fashion and garment industry and in 2012, he addressed the United Nations Assembly in New York on the theme; ‘Empowering African Rural Creative Women through Enterprise Development & Global Fashion Opportunities’

He spoke on ‘Africa, the Next Emerging Marketplace’ in a forum at the Department of International Trade, Fashion Institute of Technology, New York State University in October 2012.

Mojo Eyes was in 2015 invited to address the 4th Pan African Congress in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he spoke on the topic ‘infrastructural investment in the garment and textile industry in Africa as the most important vehicle towards job creation and poverty alleviation’

Today, everyone appreciates the glowing global encomiums showered the African Fashion industry for its very rich peculiarities, yet few really know the man bestriding Africa’s fashion square like a colossus, inspiring innovations that continue to spark further opportunities.

In 2016 he was received and recognized in the Elysee Palace by French President, Francois Hollande as one of those that have promoted bi-lateral relationship between France and Africa through his annual event, the Africa Fashion Reception project where he annually presents designers from all over Africa.

At the instance of AFREXIM Bank through Folio Communication, Mojo-Eyes was appointed to organize an event which included, fashion, music, films and the Arts for the African creative industry at the 1st Intra African Trade Fair in Cairo, Egypt. He consulted in the creative industry sector for the African Union participation in Expo 2020 Dubai and presently consults for the United Nations on the African creative economy.

Legendary Gold Limited has been at the forefront in promoting African designers and creatives in the African fashion industry, with quite an impressive number of influential designers having been influenced by the brain behind Africa’s foremost fashion promoting firm sustainably inspiring creativity and economic opportunities with its annual events; The Nigeria Fashion Show, the Nigeria Fashion Week, the Nigeria Fashion Awards, the Nigeria Model Awards, Africa Fashion Reception and its novel initiative, Agogo Africa – an ecommerce marketplace for African fashion designers and creatives.

Characteristically unassuming, always adorned in African attires and buzzing with lofty development ideas, Mojo-Eyes’ ‘going green’ fashion initiative, the first ever in Africa, through the Nigeria Fashion Week attracted international media coverage from CNN, BBC, Aljazeera, REAUTERS etc.

In collaboration with the African Union and UNESCO, Mojo – Eyes through The African Fashion Reception, has globally projected Africa Fashion designers and entrepreneurs since 2013 bringing immense success to the continent

With the aim of using fashion as of tool to fight poverty in Africa by creating wealth through the empowerment of women and youths in the various fashion vocations, the Africa Fashion Reception also creates free trade and partnerships among fashion practitioners throughout the African continent, thus taking advantage of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), while attracting global attention to Africa’s very rich and diversified dress culture, exploring it as a catalyst for growth of the continent’s garment/textile industry and overall economic development.

The objective of the Africa Fashion Reception initiative has over the years been advancing the essence the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union Agenda 2063 by building bridges to stimulate economic growth in the continent.

Apparently with tall antecedents in the African fashion industry, spilling the borders, the fashion innovator must be a fulfilled man, except that he is not yet fulfilled.

Not one to rest on his oars, it can be expected or wisely assumed that the muse known as Mojo-Eyes still has some more fashion aces up his sleeves waiting to be rolled out in due time.

Mojo-Eyes may be the unsung hero of African fashion, yet when it’s history is told whether today or in the generations ahead, one name that will always stand out clearly like the northern star, is non other than the very pioneer and champion of contemporary African fashion, Lexy Mojo-Eyes.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Featured

Tinubu Congratulates Ex-FirstBank’s Group MD, Adeduntan, Lauds Bank on Management Ethos

Published

on

By

By Eric Elezuo

Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, has congratulated the immediate past Chief Executive Officer of the FirstBank of Nigeria Limited, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan as the bank holds a splendid Sendforth party on his behalf for a meritorious service.

The president’s congratulatory message is contained in a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Information & Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga.

The statement reads in full:

PRESIDENT TINUBU CONGRATULATES DR ADEDUNTAN, AS FIRST BANK CELEBRATES EX-GROUP CEO

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu congratulates Dr Adesola Adeduntan, the retired Group Chief Executive Officer of First Bank Nigeria Limited, for his exceptional service at Nigeria’s oldest bank.

In celebration of Adeduntan’s remarkable tenure, the 130-year-old First Bank will host a special send-off ceremony this weekend, expressing gratitude for his contributions over the past nine years.

President Tinubu commends him for steering the bank through transformative growth, which includes expanding customer accounts from 10 million to over 42 million and elevating Profit Before Tax from N10 billion in 2015 to an impressive N300 billion in 2023.

These milestones, the President said, reflected Adeduntan’s visionary leadership and commitment to excellence.

The President expresses his appreciation for Adeduntan’s willingness to serve the nation in various pivotal roles, including his contributions to the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and other prominent institutions. His extensive expertise in the financial sector has significantly bolstered Nigeria’s economic landscape.

President Tinubu also lauds the bank’s solid internal management ethos, which is responsible for the seamless transition from Adeduntan to the current CEO, Olusegun Alebiosu.

President Tinubu wishes Dr Adeduntan continued success in all his future endeavours.

Continue Reading

Featured

Oluyede Takes Over As Acting Chief of Army Staff, Assumes Duties

Published

on

By

The newly appointed Acting Chief of Army Staff (Ag COAS), Major General Olufemi Oluyede, on Friday, assumed duties at the Army Headquarters, Abuja.

Recalled that the Acting COAS was appointed by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Wednesday, pending the return of the substantive COAS, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, who is currently on medical leave.

At the formal taking-over ceremony at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, emphasized that the appointment aligns with the Armed Forces Act of 2004.
General Musa stressed that the Armed Forces could not afford to let insecurity prevail and called for support for the acting COAS in his new role.

General Musa reminded all field commanders of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate to the Armed Forces and the tasks at hand. He urged the commanders not to relent in guaranteeing national security and the safety of all Nigerians.

In his remarks, the acting Chief of Army Staff, Major General Olufemi Oluyede, expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for finding him worthy of the appointment and prayed for the speedy recuperation of the COAS, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja.

The Ag COAS solicited support from all personnel of the Armed Forces and Nigerians in general, in tackling the security challenges bedeviling the country. He pledged his loyalty to the Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Highlight of the event was the formal handover of Army Command flag by the CDS, General Christopher Musa to the acting Chief of Army Staff.

Until his appointment, Major General Olufemi Oluyede served as the 56th Commander of the Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army in Jaji, Kaduna.

A member of the 39th Regular Combatant Course of the prestigious Nigerian Defence Academy, Major General Oluyede was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a Second Lieutenant in 1992 and rose steadily to the enviable rank of Major General in September 2020. His illustrious career traverse various command, staff and instructional appointments such as Platoon Commander, Adjutant, Company Commander, Brigade commander, and General Officer Commanding, amongst several other appointments.

He has participated in several operations, including the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) Mission, Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi and Operation HADIN KAI in the North East theatre of operations, where he commanded 27 Task Force Brigade and Sector 2.

Major General Olufemi Oluyede also earned several honours and awards for his meritorious service in diverse fields of operation.

Continue Reading

Featured

We’re Not Obligated to Release Petrol to IPMAN without NNPCL Authorization – Dangote Refinery

Published

on

By

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery says it has not received authorisation from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to supply Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, to members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria.

It announced this on Thursday as oil dealers under the aegis of the Petroleum Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria demanded the refinery to release its PMS price, stressing that its silence on this matter had dragged on for so long.

On Wednesday, IPMAN’s National President, Abubakar Maigandi, said his members had gone to the Lekki-based refinery but could not lift petrol for almost four days.

Maigandi was reacting to Tuesday’s comment by the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, that the facility has over 500 million litres of petrol but marketers were nowhere to be found.

Maigandi had said, “If the refinery truly has 500 million litres, then there should be no reason our members couldn’t load after four days. We’re willing to buy the product directly if the refinery is ready to sell to us, but for now, our members can’t access it even after paying.”

The National President of PETROAN, Billy Gillis-Harry, corroborated the position of his IPMAN counterpart, stressing that petrol retailers had approached the refinery on the need to load products but this never worked.

“We have listened to him (Dangote) and as far as I’m concerned what he said is very strange to my hearing. PETROAN had written to him since 2022, we wanted to have a business meeting with him and understand the business dynamics but no way up till now,” Gillis-Harry told one of our correspondents.

However, in a Thursday statement by the Dangote Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, the company denied receiving money from IPMAN, saying the IPMAN members’ money was paid to NNPC which did not authorise Dangote to sell the independent marketers.

The refinery said it has no direct dealings with IPMAN yet, though talks are ongoing as regards that.

The statement titled, ‘IPMAN: Setting the Record Straight’, read partly, “The Dangote Petroleum Refinery wishes to clarify that it has not received any payments from the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria to purchase refined petroleum products.

“Although discussions are ongoing with IPMAN, it is misleading to suggest that they (IPMAN members) are experiencing difficulties loading refined products from our petroleum refinery, as we currently have no direct business dealings with them. Consequently, we cannot be held responsible for any payments made to other entities.

“The payment in mention has been made through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, and not us. In the same vein, NNPCL has neither approved nor authorised us to release our Premium Motor Spirit to IPMAN.”

Speaking further, Chiejina emphasised that the Dangote refinery has capacity to meet the nation’s fuel demand with the ability to load 2,900 trucks per day.

“We would like to emphasise that we can meet the nation’s demand for all petroleum products, including petrol, diesel, and aviation fuel. At present, we can load 2,900 trucks per day and we have also been evacuating petroleum products by sea.

“We advise IPMAN to register with us and make direct payment as we have more than enough petroleum products to satisfy the needs of their members,“ the company stated.

It further advised stakeholders to refrain from making what it called unfounded statements in the media.

“Furthermore, we believe it is instructive for all stakeholders to refrain from making unfounded statements in the media, as that could undermine the economic re-engineering efforts of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Conducting business through public speculation is counterproductive and unpatriotic.

“In the interest of our country, we encourage all stakeholders to collaborate and heed the advice of President Tinubu, while promoting a unified approach, rather than engaging in media conflicts and needless propaganda,“ the statement concluded.

Source: The Punch

Continue Reading

Trending