By Linus Akomolafe and Olajumoke Fakomi
With a special focus on small and medium-sized enterprises, Eritobor Ochuko Janet, creative Director of Oasis Home of Cane spoke with IKEJA BIRD reporters about how she began using cane to make beautiful designs at the age 15 in Lagos. Now at twenty seven years old her craft company makes chairs, baskets, bags, earrings and other stunning designs.
At what age did you start Oasis?
At 15-years-old I began to help my mum weave some baskets. But professionally I started in 2019 after I graduated from Delta State University, Abraka, where I studied History Education.
I graduated in 2019 and was preparing for NYSC when COVID-19 lockdown came. Out of joke and considering that I didn’t want to be idle, I started it and it began to grow like this.
What was it like when you began at age 15?
From the age of 15 I helped my mum in little ways, and even after I went to Delta State to stay with my Aunty at 17-years-old, I still made sure I helped mum out when I returned for holidays in Lagos. My mum paid my university fees from making baskets.
Where is the source of your canes?
We source our materials from Delta State, Edo State and Lagos. They have thick forests in those places and these canes are more like rope inside the forest. So there are people who go into the forest and get the materials out for us.
In Lagos here, we get our materials from Ajah, inside Ajah bushes.
What does craft making entail?
Those that want to make it in craft should be educated. It is not for people who are not. I think it is more of people who know what they want to do. I am someone that does not like to work under anyone and realising that I don’t want to be that Nigerian girl that carries files for job hunting, I decided to do what I have always done as a child.
Starting wasn’t easy because my mum didn’t support me. She had asked me to go seek a white collar job. I just knew that it required dedication and passion. I started this business with N50, 000 and mum also gave me N50, 000.
With my N100, 000, I started sourcing for materials. I already had access to the cane suppliers, so I traveled to Delta State to meet with them and requested for some bundles. A bundle of cane is sold for N2, 500 and I can make 10 baskets from a bundle.
What are some of the processes?
You need to clean the cane. After cleaning the cane you will have to cave it to a sizable shape then add colour. There are a lot of things involved and if a bundle is N2, 500 you will spend a lot to get a basket out. That was how I started and meeting up with orders wasn’t easy for me because I was the only one which made me partner with some friends who are also involved in the business.
How did you infuse your education background to craft making?
In putting my education to craft making, you will see that there is a difference between me and mum. I used my education to bring value to what she’s doing. Mum is not exposed to the internet and didn’t know that craft making has a lot of value. Many people do not see it as just a common cane. A lot of products are being made from cane.
I let my clients know the value and importance of the craft and also promote African culture through this craft.
How do you market your products?
90% of my clients are from Instagram. I am always online and I’m at a stage where I ship my products outside the country, so I am always awake. I work during the day and at night I don’t sleep. So in a day I sleep for just three hours.
What is your greatest motivation in this business?
One of the reasons I’m enjoying what I’m doing is because it’s promoting my culture, Africa and Nigeria as a whole. At the end of the day, we are all Nigerians and we can’t leave it for other countries. We need to look for a way to promote what we have. We need to buy and support Nigerian made products.
How do you feel when Nigerians patronize foreign furniture and products?
Nigerians who buy foreign products do that because they do not know how good Nigerian made products are. Here, we use good materials and treat them to make sure they stay as long as 50 years. So if someone buys a product from you and gets a guarantee and in 4 -5 years the person is still using it, the person would recommend to another which would increase patronage on our products.
How do you deal with insects on your products?
Some of our products, when treated, can stay for more than 50 years. We have different kinds; we have the ones made from just wood and you know that wood and termite don’t go together. So we have chemicals for treating them.
What are your words of encouragement to youths out there with this spate in unemployment?
Youths need to learn a skill even if it is not for business purposes but for oneself. When you have a skill and find out that there is no job, you’ll be able to create something from it. Even if it is tailoring you can learn, there should be something different in it. They should be focused and determined.
I am someone that never says no to anything even my clients know that. When they give me something to make and I am seeing it for the first time, I will try as much as possible to either get the exact design or give more than what they gave to me and 90% it has always come out better.
