By G9ija
The Chief Executive Officer of Yomi Casual fashion designers, Oluyomi Makun, has said that he is not an internet fraudster, popularly known as ‘Yahoo Boy.’
The fashion and clothing entrepreneur who made the remarks while on TV show, Lunch Date with Vanguard, opined that it takes years and personal development to be successful in any business in Nigeria, and he had paid his dues before arriving as a celebrity.
Yomi Casual added that the majority of his critics that labelled him ‘Yahoo boy’ because of his success do not even know anything about the business.
His words: “You know there is one thing about Nigerians or people that are in the same business with you. And if they are not doing good as you’re doing, they try to compensate themselves with such words.
“No be the same work we they do? Na im dey sew pass? Wetin happen?’ I get that a lot. We need to educate them, when I get such a response,” Yomi Casual said. Yomi Casual, the younger brother of the popular comedian, AY (Ayo Makun), also revealed that a lot of people in the fashion business ventured into the business.
He further said, “Some people are very young in the business; some of them joined two years ago. And if you ask them ‘how do you even find yourself as a fashion designer’, you’ll hear many of them, 80% of them trust me, will say it’s due to hunger because there is no job.
“They just believe if this guy is living this life and making money from this business, they too can do it and make money and venture into that business.
“They don’t know jack about the business. 80% to 85% of them take designs to tailors in the market. They don’t even know jack about what they are doing. They don’t know anything. These days, it’s very easy to become fashion designers.”
He also talked about the time invested in the business and the strategy of reaching out to influential people in the business.
“They don’t know what you’re going through because I look so young. They don’t know I’ve been in the business for more than a decade. It’s 15 years, going to 16 now. That’s not beans. That’s a long time.
“And that’s not even how it should be when you’re in the industry because there are some that have been there for 20 years and not even make as much as you make.
“But, I understand my card, I play my card so well. And there’s money in the fashion business. People don’t know. There is so much money in the business.
“I got motivated into fashion by Mudi. And going back to 2006-2007, Mudi was already a big shop at that time. Imagine Mudi now saying ‘what’s this Yomi Casual doing?’ I saw it with my eyes. I saw it with what the guy is doing. Mudi has the best pieces everywhere. Every big man and woman that I have now has Mudi.
“My clientele and yours are not on the same level. If I clothe presidents and governors and you are doing ‘Baba Ibeji’ and the rest on the streets, and you are trying to compare. You can’t compare that.
“It’s so wrong. People don’t understand these things. You have to invest in yourself. You have to be in the right gathering.
“You have to go to some place to meet billionaires. You have to be in DMs. Send them messages. If you’re good at what you’re doing, send them outfits, free outfits, just to get their attention.
“Then they will invite you over. At some point, I have to accept it when people say Yahoo tailor. They don’t understand. And if you keep thinking like that as a young guy, you’re not going anywhere.”