Why our creative process takes into account the Nigerian national colours – Abegunde

Folajimi “FJ” Abegunde, CEO of DUNKIT INC., previously led FJ Williams Inc., an Atlanta-based international remittance firm leveraging financial technology. His background also includes marketing management at Cox Automotive, where he developed sophisticated reporting dashboards to analyse the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. He is a graduate of Babcock University and Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School (MBA). In this interview with KENNETH ATHEKAME, he spoke on the place of patriotism and the influence of Nigerian history on his creative work, among other issues. Excerpts:

What inspired you to combine patriotism with fashion in your entrepreneurial journey?

It happens that I am an avid reader that likes to research issues centered around economic development. It also happens that I spent around a decade in the United States. What my research found is that – among other factors – a key ingredient behind the success of these countries that are economically successful is the patriotism of its citizenry. Take the United States for example, a supermajority of its people are patriotic. They have what I like to call national self-confidence. Regarding combining fashion with patriotism, our brand – True Patriot – is more like a movement, a movement whose goal is foster a sense of oneness between Nigeria, on the one hand; and the Nigerian people on the other. The goal is also to develop a shared sense of national self-confidence, and the joint striving for the restoration of our national purpose. The True Patriot fashion line is just one means through which the movement manifests. When you wear the True Patriot fashion brand, you are not just wearing a piece of clothing; rather, you’re implicitly joining the True Patriot movement.

What does patriotism mean to you, and how is it woven into your business strategy?

Patriotism to me means feeling a oneness with one’s country. It means to love one’s country. It means to be devoted to the success of one’s country. It means to defend one’s country, and its people. To me, the importance of patriotism cannot be overemphasised especially in a country like Nigeria where corruption is pretty rampant. If people love their country, and are devoted it, they would be less likely to rape her; steal from her, or run her down. In terms of our business model, our model is built on two pillars. The first pillar is Patriotism, and the second pillar focuses on the highest quality, when it comes to True Patriot products. As such, by embracing the True Patriot fashion line, you are literally killing two birds with one stone – that is, on the one hand, you are demonstrating your patriotism; on the other hand, you can be fully assured that you’re wearing an item that is of the highest quality.

How do you use your designs to celebrate Nigeria’s culture and heritage?

We are a luxury lifestyle fashion brand. At this time, our collection basically consists of the True Patriot Ultra-Luxury Jacket (currently in two variations); Ultra-Luxury Polo Shirts; Ultra-Luxury T-Shirts; Ultra-Luxury Baseball Hats; Ultra Luxury Socks et cetera. Our creative process takes into account the Nigerian national colours, elements of the coat of arms, and elements of our national history that thus creates a captivating fusion of these elements. The final product of this process is a luxury lifestyle fashion brand that consists of items that can be worn casually every day.

What role does Nigerian history play in your creative process?

The history of Nigeria plays a pivotal role in our creative process. For example, our premier True Patriot Ultra-Luxury Jackets are called “Spirit of 1960 Jackets.” The 1960 element of the name of the jacket reflect the year of Nigeria’s independence – a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s history.

How do you balance modern trends with traditional Nigerian elements in your collections?

We are currently working on fusing the luxury lifestyle element of our brand with more traditional fashion elements. This traditional element would mostly reflect in out True Patriot Ultra-Luxury pants (trousers). Please watch out for these amazing outfits.

In what ways do you aim to reshape Nigeria’s business narrative through your brand?

Fundamentally, I believe in the power of private capital. I really do not believe that the government is the solution to every single problem. As such, another goal of the True Patriot movement is a profound advocacy for meritocracy – within Nigeria – where there are equal opportunities for all. A system where talent is not only rewarded, but celebrated. How do we get there? We get there by promoting miscellaneous competitions where the winners are rewarded with fortune and fame. These competitions would also be structured to provide entertainment value. So, you have contestants that compete for rewards, on the one hand; and an audience – physical, and online – that gets entertained by the competitions. It goes without saying that there are several opportunities for monetization in this process.

In sum, while we have absolutely no intent to work at cross-purposes with the government; we however want to push a narrative to the effect that Nigerians ought to be less dependent on the government to solve all problems. Furthermore, Nigerians ought to be less risk averse when it comes to investing in business ideas. Traditionally, we tend to save our money in the bank; invest in government bonds; invest in the stock market; invest in real estate et cetera. While I do not discourage any of these; I however urge Nigerians to be more inclined to investing in startups. In my view, this is a key ingredient when it comes to growing the Nigerian economy.

How does your business contribute to economic development or job creation in Nigeria?

By combining patriotism with miscellaneous competitions; there would likely be a decline in the general proclivity for all things foreign; and Nigerians would likely patronize locally produced content. For example, we could have a situation where our local stadiums are filled up to capacity as a result of local football teams competing for a grand prize. In this scenario, these individual teams would have supporters that come to the matches to cheer their teams on. If this is put together successfully, there would definitely be profound effects on the overall macroeconomic outlook in Nigeria in the short, medium, and long term. Imagine one of the teams produces the next “Osimehin;” also imagine that while watching the said competition, a local scout from Chelsea football club spots this talent, and then goes on to sign him/her up for millions of United States Dollars. Additionally, the ripple effects would also be quite significant. People that come to watch football games may want to buy food or drinks. They may want to buy team paraphernalia. They may even travel from other states. As a result, multiple industries would be created, thereby reducing unemployment. Another result of the successful implementation of these plans would be a likely decrease in emigration from Nigeria since hard work would be rewarded. Again, this is only sustainable if Nigerians become more patriotic; which is the goal of the True Patriot movement.

What challenges have you faced in promoting Nigerian-made products on the global stage?

The biggest challenge that most startup businesses face is raising capital. However, by demonstrating viability, capital eventually comes looking for you. Our sales till date demonstrate that our product line is generally viable.

How do you ensure your business model supports sustainability and ethical practices?

The True Patriot brand’s slogan is “Altering Perspectives.” We want to alter a predominant narrative – among most youths – that the way to wealth is via a government position where they can have access to their share of the national cake. Another predominant theme in Nigeria is that engaging in fraudulent conduct can be acceptable. Another goal of the True Patriot movement is to create a shift in this mindset; to counter these predominant narratives among my fellow Nigerians such that meritocracy would be the order of the day.

What initiatives have you undertaken to empower local artisans and designers?

Our movement is built on the notion that Nigeria belongs to Nigerians – at home, and abroad – and no one is going to help us to develop our country. That is, the onus is on us to build our country up. Bearing this in mind, a significant majority of our employees, and partners are Nigerian. In terms of empowering our local communities, our designers, and digital managers are all locally sourced. We also concede that a lot more can be done in terms of CSR. As we grow, we will definitely pay more attention to this.

How do you use your brand to address social issues or inspire change in your community?

Any time I have an opportunity to speak to this issue, I always make it unambiguously clear that the objective of the True Patriot movement/ brand is not to work at cross-purposes with the government. Rather, our goal is to compliment government efforts by building a bottom-up movement where there are equal opportunities for all Nigerians. Where the Nigerian people come to a firm understanding that their intense efforts would be rewarded. A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. The journey has begun, and the True Patriot movement is taking the first steps in this journey.

As a leader, how do you encourage patriotism and a sense of pride in your team and audience?

As much as possible, I always attempt to be an embodiment of patriotism at work, as well as while engaging in other pursuits. Also, as much as possible, I endeavour to wear one form of True Patriot apparel, or the other every single day. Additionally, any time I have the opportunity to speak on the issue of patriotism; I never hesitate to speak positively about my country. I will likely be embarking on a media tour soon, I intend to utilise the opportunity to promote the patriotism narrative, and to reach as many Nigerians as I possibly can.

What strategies have been most effective in growing your brand’s influence across Nigeria and beyond?

In terms of growth strategy, the most effective strategy has been networking. I mean networking both physically, and virtually. We utilize existing assets, resources, and capabilities in attempts to reach as many influential people – that have a large following – as possible. There is a direct relationship between engaging with as many people as possible, on the one hand; and revenue growth on the other hand. As such, we are always making attempts to drive engagement on and offline.

What advice would you give to other Nigeria entrepreneurs seeking to combine passion with business?

In terms of advice to other Nigerian entrepreneurs, quite frankly, I do not think I am qualified to offer any advice. However, I suggest imbibing a spirit of resilience, being focused, being flexible, and having a maniacal sense of urgency in all undertakings.

What is your long-term vision for your brand and its role in Nigeria’s transformation?

The long-term vision of the brand is to duplicate the success – that we are cautiously optimistic about attaining – in other African countries. In other words, just as we have a True Patriot Nigeria, we will strive to create manifold country-based True Patriot brands across Africa, and in the world at large.

How do you plan to expand your impact and inspire a new generation of patriotic entrepreneurs?

Making these – short, medium, and long term – visions for our brand a reality will definitely inspire other entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams with vigor.

If given the opportunity, what other industries would you like to influence using your brand?

Regarding other industries, I have already hinted about putting together miscellaneous competitions as we go along. These miscellaneous competitions will have applications in multiple domains. It will be applicable in sports, in the sciences, technological solutions applicable to everyday life etcetera.

What lessons have you learned from your journey so far?

With one exception, most of my professional life in the marketing space has been in B2B (Business to Business), which involves subject matter expertise when it comes to interaction with customers. I have learned that while B2C (Business to Consumer) can be quite challenging, it is quite interesting. It is like casting a wide net; and depending on your marketing strategy, you may catch a high number of fish, not many fish, or no fish at all. I am in the process of learning how to capture as many fish as possible.

How do you want to be remembered in the context of reshaping Nigeria’s business landscape?

I like to see myself as a very young man with decades ahead of me. As such, at this time, I am not inclined to speak about my legacy. We are at the initial stages of building something magnificent. I am hopeful, and cautiously optimistic that come a few years from now; we will have built a globally recognised brand.