(MY SUCCESS STORY) I didn’t have formal training but now have 25 apprentices learning sewing from me -Nkechinyere Nwefuru, director of Rotate Worldwide Passionate Fashion Designers
Charles Nwankwo, Abakaliki
Executive Director of Rotate Worldwide Passionate Fashion Designers, Mrs. Nkechinyere Nwefuru this interview speaks about how she developed her passion for sewing into a thriving business.
How and when did your journey into the world of fashion designing and dressmaking start?
I was inspired to be a fashion designer. I have a passion for it. It is my dream handiwork which I pursued to limelight. I didn’t learn tailoring as an apprentice for one day. I started through God’s inspiration with one machine in Port Harcourt between 2009 to 2015. From Port Harcourt when my parents relocated to Abakaliki, there was no shop to continue the work, I persisted until I saw an uncompleted building which I negotiated and agreed with the landlord for me to complete the shop with my money.
I thought that the finishing of the shop would cost about N150,000 at that time but the money was not enough. I started frying and selling Akara in front of the shop and also other menial jobs to earn enough money until I completed the building and furnishing of the shop in Abakaliki. I never joked with my career and that is why today, I have five functioning industrial and six manual machines.
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I am proud because I never depended on my parents since I became an adult. And since I got married, my husband and I have not found it difficult to put food on our table despite the bad economic situation in the country. I can say I am succeeding today because I discovered my talent and nurtured it despite challenges.
You said you didn’t learn sewing? What magic happened that today you are one of the best in Abakaliki with an expansive shop?
Anyway, my mother was a village tailor. When I was very tender I used to sit with her while cutting pieces of clothes and joining them together. I never thought I would be a professional tailor. It was one day in 2009, I told my parents and husband I could cut and sew clothes. They started laughing at me, saying “how can you do”. They warned me not to go and damage somebody’s fabrics.
I told them that sewing was my dream vocation. I was determined to fulfil my dream and bought one sewing machine from my wedding sponsor for the sum of N8,000. I started with pieces of fabric. In December 2009, two people brought clothes for me to sew for them and I did. There were no complaints about the garments I sewed for those two.
In 2010, I emerged as the best tailor in our village, and people started rumours that I have charms because my village people were surprised how I was able to sew clothes better than anyone else without any formal training. I am also surprised how I could sew clothes for people to wear without learning it. My parents concluded that I inherited the skill from the woman whom I was named after who was said to be artistic. Today, there is no type of dress that I cannot sew, including wedding gowns.
Do you have a role model that you look onto in the fashion business?
No, as I told you, my venturing into the vocation was inspirational. I have a passion for it. I don’t even browse to see how I can cut clothes. I only browse to see new styles and I think out styles on my own. When I develop new styles, people cherish and buy them. Anyone that doubts me should come to Number 8 Umunze Street, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
What were the challenges you encountered since starting this skillful work?
A lot of challenges were before me but I made God my friend and that is why I overcame all my challenges. In the 2019 season, I stocked fabrics and sewing materials in my shop and thieves burgled my shop and carted them away. It was painful but I was undaunted and did not relent. The same thing happened in 2020 but I have faith that I must excel in the name of God.
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Over-taxation is another challenge that is militating against the kind of job one is doing in Ebonyi State here. What I normally do is cut down other expenses to ensure pay government tax so that I can relax and work in my shop, otherwise, the government task force will come after you and keep you off balance by carrying your workshop materials to the government house. So my dear, insecurity, and taxation have been the most difficult challenges here.
Apart from the expansion of your shop, what other achievements have you made?
Not really much apart from the expansion but by God’s grace, this business will help me embark on a capital project as time progresses. Right now, I have about 25 apprentices learning the skills from me.
What is your advice to the teeming Nigerian youths who have finished school but have no jobs?
I encourage the youths to choose their career right from primary school and grow with them. They should not rest their hope on white-collar jobs. If you are opportune to be a graduate, you can equally learn a skill so that you can have something to do when the government does not employ you. Even if you are employed by the government you need to have a second address.
Focused corps members should be serving their fatherland and equally learning handiwork to keep themselves busy. They cannot be waiting for a non-existent government job if they want to carry out their responsibilities as a man or woman because there is no food for a lazy man. The worst thing that can happen to a man or woman is to be a liability to his/her parent, husband, or wife. The endpoint for lazy people is to roam the streets roaming and be lured into criminal activities and prostitution.
It doesn’t take time to learn skills. Don’t say you don’t have anybody to pay for you to learn a skill, be responsible and God will send a helper to you.
