I quit 3 jobs for my creative fire – Ele Emmanuel Egbunu

Ele Emmanuel Egbunu is into painting, handcrafts and more. A graduate of Industrial Design from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, he started training children while in NYSC and presently runs a company that makes fashion accessories. In this interview, Egbunu talks about his passion for art, his concept for getting children to learn and the challenges […]

Ele Emmanuel Egbunu is into painting, handcrafts and more. A graduate of Industrial Design from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, he started training children while in NYSC and presently runs a company that makes fashion accessories. In this interview, Egbunu talks about his passion for art, his concept for getting children to learn and the challenges in following ones’ passion. Excerpts:
When and how did you delve into art?
I have been making art from as far back as I can remember, right from my childhood. The earliest I can remember is making comic books of super heroes. This was between 1993 and 1994. I drew every picture I came across from cars to flowers to portrait photographs.
What kind of artwork do you make?
In 1996 I started making greeting cards and movement charts for the students on Campus where I grew up. I saved up from my profits of about N5 and bought myself a shoe. I was in my second year in Junior Secondary then. I think this was when I started developing my entrepreneurial skills.
I made everything that interested me-that also meant I had to destroy family property in a bid to source for materials for my projects. I would keep found items and collect magazines just to fuel my creativity.
By the time I was in Senior Secondary, I was doing more. I used to design Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Materials for Rotary Organisation, they were my biggest clients at the time. Immediately after secondary school, my mum gave me some money to buy cloths and I used everything to buy my first oil paint pack and canvas for painting. I was so excited after my first oil painting-I turned the house upside down looking for what to paint.
By 2002 and 2003, just when I gained admission into the university, I had started event decoration, where I partnered with a catering service and started decorating in my church. My most memorable moment was when NECO invited me to their Head office in Minna to decorate their Hall for their 5th Year Anniversary.
Still, I had to take it slow because school was really demanding. Tie dye and painting on fabrics was my interest in school, it was very much related to what I was studying, which was textile design.
By my final year, as a textile designer, I had fallen deeply in love with animation. I had stumbled on a technique called ‘stop motion’ and I gave it a try, took a risk to do it for my final year project and it paid off. It earned me a distinction.
Then I started giving time to learning computer graphic software. I later stumbled on Paper Craft and Origami on the internet. My room became a bed of papers. I was cutting, bending, folding and gluing everywhere I turned. I was so eager to show case it, I staged a group exhibition with a friend. 
Right now, I’m your go to ‘crafts man’ the nature of Art I do now is not limited to type or technique. It’s a wide range… fashion, graphics, architectural models, Interior decoration, paintings, paper craft, DIY kids craft.
But I officially run two businesses, Creative Aley, where we hold art workshops for kids, and Enkindle, where we make ‘Bespoke Clothing’ and fashion accessories
Did you study in line with your passion in school?
Yes I studied Arts in school. Started by offering Fine Arts at the secondary level, at Demonstration Secondary School, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, which was the foundation for me as I had very good teachers who taught and inspired me. Then I went on to further at Ahmadu Bello University to Study Industrial Design, where I specialised in Textile Design. For some reason, this was the only university I had my mind on. Our teachers back in secondary school took us on frequent excursions to the Fine Art and Industrial Design Departments. I had close friends who had the same career dream as I had, so it was easy for me to make this decision. Life as a young designer was interesting. Every day brought about a new challenge, working through the process of Idea to tangible products. The course was more practical oriented so we had a lot of studio practice and field work. It was quite difficult balancing schoolwork and social life, as most university student would want to have, because the length of time required in completing a weeks’ assignment would take days. We had examinations on particular courses lasting over several days. We took so much pride in the designs we created. We had to organise departmental exhibitions to showcase our designs. I took short creative courses in Pattern Making for Fashion Designers and also in Character Animation.
Did you attempt to engage yourself in a white collar job after school?
Yes, after my service year, I took up a job with an IT firm in Kaduna. I was advised to quit after six months because I was distracted-I had my creative desires dancing right before me.  I went back to freelancing, got another job offer in Abuja, I quit the job after 29 days, relocated back to Kaduna to face ‘Creative Aley’, my art workshops for Kids. After a year it became difficult organising events because of the crisis in Kaduna at that time. So another opportunity opened up in Abuja with an architectural and interior design firm. This gave me an opportunity to express my creativity, unlike my first two jobs. It was the longest I ever worked for an organization-nine months.
What has it been like striking out on your own?
For most businesses, especially creative industries, it’s a daunting task venturing out. You are faced with a lot of challenges, from start-up capital, lack of quality manpower, to poor acceptance and so on. It’s been challenging, but again totally worth it, including every process of trying out different products, which in fact is the beauty of being an entrepreneur.
It is said in some quarters, Nigerians do not appreciate art much. What is your take on that?
Well, I won’t generalise that statement because I have come across many Nigerian art lovers. Funny enough, I think most creative people encounter the non art lovers at the earlier stages of their career. So encouragement at this level is poor. I remember one of my early art exhibitions where a lady walked up to me and prized my art piece for a very ridiculous amount and said I better take her offer because she just wanted to encourage me. I smiled nicely and replied that I have been selling my art for a long time now and will rather give it out for free to someone who appreciates my efforts and loves the piece but has no money to buy it than give it out for that amount in the name of encouragement.
What made you decide to involve children in what you do?
During my service year, I was fortunate to teach in a community school in Delta State. I was in a community that had value systems entirely different from what I was exposed to while growing up. I had noticed the children were growing up and learning around negative values. I remember spending half of my teaching time encouraging them. I frantically tried everything to get across to this kids that were exposed to practices that would endanger their future. This all fell on deaf ears. So I thought about engaging them in something that would excite them and then subtly introduce my teaching. That was how I started researching on how arts can be used as a vehicle for education, emotional stability and personal development.
I sent part of the money – from the five months arrears of my state allowance – to Lagos to purchase art materials and bought a printer with the rest. I wrote to NYSC stating my intentions of a community development project. As soon as I got approval I started writing invitations to schools for participation. I started the six week long program by allowing the students come up with paintings about their understanding of some value systems that should be imbibed by a school student. So we gave them themes like ‘The responsibility of a Good School Student’. In response, we got funny and entirely unrelated drawings as they had no idea about the subject matter. Then the next phase kicked in-orientation. I got different speakers to talk on different subjects from sex education, choosing a career, to responsibilities around the school, home and community.
We did a follow-up with the drawing sessions on the same theme and realised the students had more defined drawings based on their understanding.
We kept having a series of orientation programs in different schools.
I rounded off the event with a Mural Painting on one of the school walls. I put together visual images and messages that inspired the students. I wanted to leave behind something that would continue to speak to them even after the event.
I returned to Kaduna knowing to whom much is given, much is expected. I had a greater purpose than just creating art, but Inspiring Children through Arts to get ready to take on life challenges.
So how has it been after your youth service?
Working with Children is a very delicate sector. A lot has to be put into consideration. The first challenge was acceptance. Even when I offered to do workshops entirely at my own cost, people still raised eyebrows, so I started out by partnering with organizations that schools and parents could trust. Also, I was just starting out, I had just had one event, so I had to use a lot of personal funds to organise events to build a portfolio. The rest is history.
So alongside this, you are presently making fashion accessories? How has it been so far?
As mentioned earlier, Enkindle is the Fashion Arm of my creative endeavours. We make bespoke clothing and accessories, design prints and fashion Illustrations, and also produce traditional hand dyed fabrics. Our products include shirts, tunics, ties, lapel pins, pocket squares, and dyed fabrics.
My fashion business has gone through many stages like most businesses, but we officially rebranded and settled with the name ‘Enkindle’ and lunched it on the 4th of January this year. We rolled out the ‘Lapel Pins’ which introduced us into the market- making custom orders for groomsmen, groups and individuals.
What is your staff strength like?
We have three permanent and three contract staff
How do you work?
We have a studio space where production takes place from. We all resume there in the morning and close at 5 pm. But I basically have duplicated materials at home for customers who may call close to midnight, few hours before they need products.
What did it take to get your first order?
Lapel Pins had not fully been embraced by the time I was learning it. So I had a second thought as to whether or not I had to do this, but God was leading me on, so I spent months learning and perfecting it while I made for myself and a close friend. People kept asking me to make for them. I didn’t have everything I needed to complete the piece at that time, so I kept stalling and doing more research.
I made the first set of Lapel Flowers for my unit at The Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) and after that it’s been orders all the way. We have not gotten the kind of exposure we need yet, but we are getting there.
Did you undergo any particular training?
Yes, I had very short informal training, coupled with months of developing myself, working day and night.
How do you train your staff, or do they come fully experienced?
I take staff with experience in the fashion industry that come in as tailors. They basically learn on the job as I expose them to what they can handle per time. But the last 40% of the completion process is done by me.
Having engaged children on a creative level, how will you say the government and the Nigerian society can ensure the future of those who are gifted is brighter?
Children learn and retain faster by doing and not by hearing. Most of the doing process has been taken away. Emphasis on the Arts in schools has been watered down, because we have failed to realise that involvement in the Arts, whether Performing or Visual Arts, empowers children with lifelong lessons more than any other subject in school.
Teachers should also ensure creative projects are executed by the students and not their parents or contractors. The development of the child is in the process of taking an idea from the initial stage and refining it through several stages before it becomes a product or piece of art work. Also, more creative competitions should be organised at the primary and secondary level to encourage participation as well.
But I couldn’t have done or come this far on my own. The Grace of God, the support of family and friends. My biggest mentors and spiritual Parents Rev. Biodun and Pastor Modele Fatoyinbo, who have invested so much in me, teaching and praying for me relentlessly. I can never appreciate them enough.