DASA ENTREPRENEUR OF THE WEEK

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Stage Voice: Good evening Ibk

Ibukun Oluwa: Hello good evening 

Stage Voice: It's nice to have you here Ibukun. Please can you tell us your full name

Ibukun Oluwa: Yeah, the pleasure is mine. My name is Ibukunoluwa Arike Akanji

Stage Voice : Alright Ibukun, how are you doing?

Ibukun Oluwa: I'm fine thank you

Stage Voice: That's good to hear... So yeah, tell us about your business or businesses.. What do  you do?

Ibukun Oluwa: All right, I'm a saxophonist and a Gele artist. In the sax business, I'm called Hybeekay sax while in the Gele business, my brand name is Gelesmith.

Stage Voice: Wowwww wow wow...

Ibukun Oluwa: Yeah

Stage Voice : So first let's talk about you being a saxophonist, how did it all start what inspired you? Or which did you start first?

Ibukun Oluwa: I started with being a saxophonist and I started at the age of eight. I was inspired by my parents and also i decided to take up the saxophone to challenge myself due to the fact that I had just gotten out of a major brain surgery. I was into other instruments before then e.g keyboard, guitar, violin but eventually I fell in love with the saxophone and I majored in it. Besides, at that time it was few number of ladies that played the saxophone so i guess it was also part of what challenged me.

Stage Voice : Hnmmmm...  I'm really impressed by your story... So for you it's more than just wanting to play... It has a great story behind it. Wow.  Would you still continue to play the saxophone even without any thing coming from it In monetary terms?

Ibukun Oluwa: Yes, I would. I have a passion and also it's like a covenant between me and God.

Stage voice: Hnmmmm

Stage Voice: Which year did you start learning how to play the saxophone?

Ibukun Oluwa: I started learning in the year 2011 with the help of my dad. Yeah, I learnt from him.

Stage voice : Awwwnnn 🥰🥰

Ibukun Oluwa: Yes, he is my coach so to say

Stage voice : Now to you being a Gele artist...what inspired you and how did it start?

Ibukun Oluwa: My gele inspiration came from my mum. So she taught me how to tie gele in the year 2014 and she taught me just so I could tie gele for her to church or to parties. The gele style she taught me was just the basic round and at the time, that was the style that was in vogue. Then I realized that I wanted to know more about gele and I started observing makeup artists whenever I see them tying and when I get home, I would try to replicate it on my mum's head

Stage Voice : Is that how you became a Pro at it? Or you explored and learnt it professionally?

Ibukun Oluwa: Like i said, i started learning sometime ago but I only tied for my mum. Then I realized that outsiders were always begging me to tie for them and to me, i was still a beginner so I told my parents that I wanted to go professional and that means I had to go to a gele tying school. I signed up for the training last year during the ASUU strike, I was there for a month and that was where GELESMITH was born.

After mum taught me the basics, I explored the internet, and with the support of my parents, learnt it professionally because they didn't want me to be a "local champion"

Stage Voice: Was just about to ask if you have a brand name yet? GELESMITH🔥🔥. Wow

Ibukun Oluwa: Yes and the brand name was an inspiration from my mum. the name Gelesmith is likened to "BLACKSMITH, GOLDSMITH" so GELESMITH is someone who can make anything out of Gele

Ibukun Oluwa: Um yeah I can say that.

Stage Voice: how has it been managing business with academics? 

Ibukun Oluwa: It has not been easy especially with the nature of my department and so I let my clients know when I will be available to take their bookings and also make time to go for jobs.

Stage voice : So Ibk Where do you see GELESMITH in five years?

Ibukun Oluwa: Hmm that's a big question o. I hope to have gone higher, better, more professional, more fulfilled but then, my future is in the hands of the Lord

Stage voice: I pray it all works out according to His plans

Stage voice: Don't mean to pry 🌝 but are you in a relationship?

Ibukun Oluwa: No I'm not

Stage voice : Hnmmmm Okayyyyy

Ibukun Oluwa: Yeah

Stage voice : What advice would you like to give any young entrepreneurs in your field.

Ibukun Oluwa: Believe in God, believe in yourself, don't limit your knowledge to just what you have been taught, explore your creativity, find your spark (passion) and follow it. In everything you do, put God first and he will direct you.

Stage Voice: One more thing who would like to make a shout to

Ibukun Oluwa: My parents, my lovely friends (Pelumi, Moyin, Timmy Joe, Badmus, Tolu, Michael, Oga Noah, Oga Jude, Oga Araba) i can't mention them all but I love you guys and thank you so much for your encouragement.

Stage Voice : Thank you so much for your time🥰🥰❤️❤️

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