Can you let us into your background?
My name is Olutoyin Kuye Ajayi, a native of Abeokuta, Ogun State. My father was a Colonel in the army before he died. I am the first child of my mother but from my father I am the sixth child. Being from military home I cannot count the number of secondary schools that I attended. This is because my father was always on transfer almost every six months and naturally I had to follow him to any statewhere he went on transfer.
As a result of these frequent movements, I became exposed to the cultures of peoples in many states in Nigeria. I attended Independent Primary School in Cross River State, in Lagos I schooled in Mushin, Surulere to mention but few. I had my secondary school education finally in my mother’s hometown, Ilesha.
From there I proceeded to the University of Abuja where I obtained a BA in Theatre Arts in 1996. I did my national service at Guardian Newspaper and I freelanced at MITV in Lagos. It was after my service that I discovered that my profession was not giving me the satisfaction that I needed and so in 2002 I ventured into buying and selling baby things.
After sometime I discovered that I was not making the desired progress, so I decided to change focus. At first, I thought of learning fashion designing but my immediate elder sister was already into it. I then thought of something else; that was how I went to learn bead making.
Naturally I am creative, so I have all it takes to be a jeweler, to be a bead designer and that was how I started bead making. I went for training for three months under a friend’s mother. In the process of desiring to know more about bead making, I started doing some personal research.
I went on the Internet to do some research about bead making and stones, and then I discovered that there are a lot to do about bead making. Bead making is segmented, there are some people that will make use of wood, ceramic, bone, stone, but I just took interest in gemological stone.
I have gone far to learn more about stone in gemological Institute of America, I am one out of the five Nigerians that went for the training. Although it was not easy for me to get the money but with the little one I had I was able to move with it. I had attended symposia and exhibitions to acquire more knowledge. Can we say you ventured into bead making when there was no white collar job for you? Yes in a way but also as a Theater Artist
I have a window opened to me. After some efforts to get a white collar job after my service were unsuccessful, I was to be part of the people to produce the Yoruba film “Sango” . However the challenges was much for me because I was married and it was not possible for me to leave my family for three to four months to shoot a film and all we were taught in school was stage plays.
So it was difficult for me to cope, and that was why I decided that I should find something to do, something I could use my creative ideas to do.
But the influence of your father as a Colonel should have helped you get a better job?
I left the University in 1996 and that was the same year that he died, and you know that if a man dies his influence wanes. I had different promises from people after his death but all came to naught. So instead of waiting for the promises that would not see the light of the day and going to people’s door step seeking for job, I decided to do something with my life.
Why did you decide to choose stone out of all the segments we have in bead making?
People of high calibre within and outside Nigeria wear stone. Someone like Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala wears stone and every time she wears it, I feel proud, because she knows its value. Stones are durable, you can use it as long as you can, it will not fade. The stone that can fade are not the natural ones.
Gemological stones are natural materials from the soil. There are stones in Nigeria but it is not known to many people, we are the largest producer of tourmaline. So when it is taken from the ground it will take a lot of process before it will become what people can admire. Some stones are made through sedimentary rock, some are from the ocean.
Can we attribute your success in bead industry to your educational background?
Yes, and it is synonymous to every profession, if you sell papers, you will want to take it to another level. I will say my educational background has helped me a lot. My colleagues in school will always say that I will like to know everything and that has been my disposition. I made a second class lower division on graduation at the University and in those days, second class lower cannot be compared with what they have now, because in those days you will have to study hard before you can have that kind of result. I am also planning to go for a course gemology in diamonds in the USA.
So what are the challenges in the industry?
I have been in the industry since 2006. The first challenge is funding. There is a saying that without money nothing good can be done; I have refused to submit myself to that expression, so I go into exhibition to generate more money. I also do door to door sale; I go to my friends in offices to sell my products to them.
I have been to the bank to get loan and some of the banks have been supportive while some have not but I am still looking for more. Another challenge is the selling of the product because convincing people to buy what you produce can be difficult. Most people don’t know what they are wearing they just want to put something on their necks and ears.
What makes you different from other bead makers?
It is my stone. I make use of natural stone. If a customer approaches me that she needs a bluish stone, I will educate the customer on how to make perfect use of it and how to maintain it. Most people call me the gem stone woman because they know that I don’t use any other thing apart from stone.
Where do you plan to be in the next ten years?
Ten years is too far for me. If I have to go by my dream I will say next year but dreams can only come through by the special grace of God. I desire to have an Institution of bead making in five different strategic places in Nigeria like Lagos, Port-Harcourt, Abuja, Owerri and Kaduna.
Those are the places where business thrives in Nigeria. This can be achieved through seminars, visiting the NYSC camp educating call members that instead of depending on the white collar jobs, they can engage themselves in six months training and become independent.
So how do you plan to achieve this?
Since I don’t have my personal money the next thing is to apply for loan, and it will come one day.