By Agatha Emeadi
Dr Princess Kelechi Oghene is a serial entrepreneur and educationist with interest in fashion. A former model for Orange Drugs Limited, she is the Chief Executive of GMYT Group Limited, a fashion institute. With focus and determination, she has created a number of business enterprises. Oghene’s late mother began to groom her early in life to become an entrepreneur.
A graduate of the Lagos State University who has acquired certifications in various areas of study from the Lagos Business School and other notable foreign institutions, Oghene easily comes across as a role model for enterprising young people hungry for success that comes through hard work propelled by grace.
How did you become a model for Orange Drugs Limited?
I was not scouted to become a model. In fact, I started working from a very young age. I became a millionaire at 18 or 19. I used to sell jewelery, goods and products from the boot of my car at my late mother’s office at the defunct National Electrical Power Authority (NEPA), before it changed to Power Holding Company of Nigeria.
My mum introduced me to other offices around her Oba Akran office, Ikeja, which aided me to have clients all over. My first store was at Ojomu Shopping Complex close to Alpha Beach. I started with jewelery and then expanded it into a boutique about the time I was rounding off my studies at Lagos State University. At the same time, I was also in a computer school – what I learnt back then is the reason I am good at graphic designs and development. As a student and business girl, I had some close friends at LASU who were business-minded like me. One day, they were discussing about an interview they would have with Orange Drugs. I got interested and offered to drop them at the Orange Drugs office since I had a car. We got there and they all went in while I was at the reception looking at previous pictures. The Chairman of Orange Drugs, Sir Tony Ezenna saw me from the CCTV camera and inquired who I was. The staff asked me to go into the photoshoot area. I told them I did not come to model, but rather brought my friends. They insisted and I went in and was asked if I would like to model because I have the face and the skin. That was when I realized that modeling is not all about the runway. There and then, I was chosen and got outfits and went in for the photoshoot. That did not sit well with my girls. We fell out because they were not chosen but I was selected. Given our young ages then, they did not understand when grace is speaking in someone’s life. It was also not my decision to make. I got the facial modelling back-to-back every year. We were usually four girls, but I was in three places until 2015 I decided to give it a break to face my own work. Though it did not disturb me at all because the photoshoot is just for one day. I decided it was time to face my other studies and businesses because I was offering one course or the other both online and physical.
What did you study at LASU and how did your academic trajectory progress from that point onwards?
My first degree was in Industrial Relations and Personnel Management. I used to tell my staff that I can communicate from employee and employer perspectives because I have done human resources management. I did a programme with Lagos Business School, London College of Fashion, Havard Business School, an Executive MBA from Business School Netherlands. As a fashion educationist, I need to master my craft and art. I have done a lot of business courses that have defined my businesses today. I was also recently awarded a certification in Global Business Strategy from the prestigious China Europe International Business school. It is so shocking hearing the young ones say school is a scam. I have young people who have dropped out of school but are here to learn fashion. When they come here, they realize that it would have been better for them to remain in their various institutions because here is more intensive. Our programme is so structured to university standard. Going through our academic calendar, we have a complete curriculum that involves research work, practicals and examinations, etc. Everything I learnt from all the schools I attended, I bring it here. For fashion designing, students write proposals and prepare documents, address clients etc. With this, we have graduated thousands of students.
What does GYMT, your fashion acronym stand for?
The fashion business, GYMT, is the acronym of my name. I was prophetically named God’s Might when I was born. I am one of those children said to come with the coil in their hand at birth. My parents had concluded their family cycle according to them. My mother was done with child bearing, yet, I came with the coil in my hand. So, this prophetic name has been speaking for me. Fashion came my way because one of the many businesses my mother had was fashion. She was a seamstress who graduated from YWCA at Obalende then. My mother was a very restless woman and I am an advanced version of her. I am always birthing businesses. I can say I am lucky but His grace is making all of these to generate income, but for me it is passion. I have not seen any other person bear God’s Might, instead, some people who have come in contact with me give it to their children. Once I see any challenge, I turn it into a business. For example, when I was making clothes, I discovered that the designers were not aligning to processes, structure and sustainability. It simply reminded me why Igbo people’s trade is sustained. While teaching on processes, at some point, I got frustrated. One cannot be an overnight success without mentors and guidance, even with money. People who are interested in various crafts need to have the patience to learn and serve. From my experience as a fashion person, once someone knows how to sew, next is their break off, to open their own. Within a short time, the business is closed down because the process was not completed, it was rather done half way. So, I broke from fashion designing and decided to study and learn so I can teach for sustainability.
What were the challenges you experienced while running the fashion business?
When one tailor leaves, everyone is running helter-skelter. These tailors leave during the festive seasons when fashionistas would want to showcase their outfits during the festive seasons. Every structure I have built today was born out of experience. I authored a book called ‘The Ungrateful Souls’. I saw hell in running a fashion business. I recorded some of my pains and how I overcame them. If you are ready to learn, one should have a clear vision of how to survive. I had a perfect structure which includes the client. My tailors will take measurement and document so I can track the tailor, know how long it is supposed to take. The client would know when to come and fit her outfit, part payment made. She will come in and the clothes were not ready. From my CCTV camera, I would see ongoing work, yet clothes were not coming out. When they finally come out, it is full of errors. When I visit the showroom, work will be going on, the moment I leave, everything would just stop. I have not talked about the tailors that work with my clients. If the company is charging N80,000 some tailors would offer the client N50,000, to do it privately. What about other designers that would come poach your tailors? It was a big mess. So, I decided to teach fashion instead of running it as a business.
My mum as a seamstress made our Christmas clothes at home. She made sure all of her children went through various skills as we grew up. While completing secondary school, my mother did not allow us to have and visit friends, there was no time for that. Instead, she sent us to learn a skill. My elder sister made her wedding gown and her husband’s suit herself during her wedding in year 2003. She learnt catering, hair dressing, tailoring, mention any skill including university education. Even my brothers learnt skills too and you must complete that cycle by my mother’s ruling. So, school and skill went hand in hand with us while growing up in Asaba, Delta State capital. So, with my fashion teaching, everything we do here is smart goal approach. With all the exposures, training and experience, we can stand our grounds. These experiences birthed the GMYT Academy. I mentioned that once I see a challenge, I turn it into an opportunity. We usually have lots of students that are coming from other states with no accommodation. I realized that my money was taken to other places for accommodation. Again, we were losing students including workers who were coming from distant places. So, accommodation gave me a nightmare and I conquered it. Accommodation was solved. I have single-handedly given out over 300 industrial machines. I have done a lot of scholarships and trained a lot of people for free. We also have a GMYT Store where students shop for their kits, and we also supply other people. I started writing books since 2017 and have written a lot of fashion books that are sold as well. I authored pattern drafting and illustration textbooks as a guide for students. The books are sustainable over time. I have never gone into any business because someone is there, it has always been borne out of my experience and need for my business. It is like a value chain that I have created, especially as a smart-go-method. I also take trainings for organizations as well. Now, The smart-go-method that I am creating is actually like Zoho that I initiated for my business but every other person including artisans can use it.
It is a check list reporting system where formulars are created.
I saw ‘Dr’ attached to your name. Do you also have a doctorate degree?
Well, from all of the accolades, certifications and degrees, I was conferred with an honorary doctorate in Business Administration from a university in United States.
Are you also a princess from a royal family?
Princess is my birth name. In those days one is given about six names at birth. God’s Myth was the first which was bastardized by people calling it wrongly. I gave it to my business and decided to go with Princess. I was given the following names at birth: God’s Myth, Princess, Ekenedilichukwu, Kelechi and others.
Talk a bit about the GAHAWARDs which you initiated.
I am managing different businesses and different clientele. So, I have the young ones who just want to start. I also have the elite who I also manage. I help to position their brands globally. I am looking forward to GAH Business Summit which is done annually. How many Nigerian businesses outlive their founders like we see in foreign countries? For the first time, I am thinking of going into politics because I have the capacity, I have done the work without being a politician.
What advice do you have for upcoming fashion educationists who want to be like you?
You cannot cut corners. You must serve because if you do not serve, it will be a matter of time, then experience will teach you a lesson. When one serves, one is actually not cutting corners because you would have a lot of mentors that will hold your hand and walk with you. The collaboration is the way to go. I have executed a lot of events because I have professionals on my team. Upcoming young ones must learn to serve and submit because one cannot buy experience.