ehigocho lucy © I am Benue 2021

I Couldn’t Wait To Be Independent – Ehigocho

Development, Entrepreneurship 11/04/2021 by Lucy Ehigocho Agih

My name is Lucy Ehigocho Agih. I am from Benue State, Nigeria. I am Idoma by tribe from Apa local government area. I was born in Kontagora in Niger State on the 17th of October, 1993 and there I started my primary education at St. Micheals Nursery/Primary School, Kontagora and continued at Poly Staff School, Bida still in Niger State when my father got transferred and finally completed my primary education at Makurdi International Nursery/Primary School in 2004 after which I was admitted into Queen of the Rosary Secondary School, Gboko popularly known as Queens for my secondary education and graduated in 2010. 

I didn’t get into the University immediately, I guess fate had it that I spent 1 year at home after secondary school and not necessarily because I failed, in fact, I passed my WAEC and JAMB exams very well, but I wasn’t just lucky, maybe because I wanted so bad to travel to another State for my University education, I couldn’t wait to be independent, well, I guess God had His own plans. 

I like to call or define myself as a Creative Person because my creativity has found expression not just in sewing but in accessories design, packaging, photography and sometimes food, yes I’m a foodie, so I play with food and create recipes just to excite my taste buds.

While I waited to try again, I began to learn how to sew not necessarily because I wanted to make clothes commercially, but I wanted to make dresses for myself that would turn heads, plus I didn’t want the “you’ll grow into them” kind of outfits my mum liked to get us, I hope she doesn’t get to read this but that was just it for me, I loved to look good and I still love to look good, I remember drawing girls in dresses that I imagined myself wearing and asking my mum or dad that I wanted that for Christmas. Well, I think they just nodded to agree with my childish expectations but not necessarily paying attention, probably they were like… Hmmm! This child, but well, what do I know? It’s just a thought.

I learned to sew and became quite good at it before I gained admission into the Benue State University to study Mass Communication and sometimes, I would wear the clothes I made to lectures and I had to answer questions like “Where did you buy this from?” or “Who made this for you?” and I will proudly say “I made it” with all my chest and that was how I began to get little deals to make dresses for them as well, then came the thought to turn it into a business, so I began to sew bespoke dresses and sometimes sew ready to wear tops and gowns to sell off and I usually came up with unique designs.

This creative side of me didn’t just show up when I started sewing, I was born creative. I’ve got itchy and busy hands to create or craft since I was little. I remember how my dad would beat the hell out of me for cutting out my textbooks and notebooks to do some crafts, sometimes they’d have to number my notebooks so I don’t tear out any paper out of it. One time, in Secondary School, SS1 precisely, my commerce teacher made me recopy my entire Commerce note that was copied from the first term to the third term of that session for scribbling I Love Jesus at the back of my notebook, how traumatizing it was. Guess what? I still haven’t stopped scribbling in my notes and I do that to date. 

I have taught over 20 people the art of box making both online and offline and I look forward to training over a 100 and more!

So, I like to call or define myself as a Creative Person because my creativity has found expression not just in sewing but in accessories design, packaging, photography and sometimes food, yes I’m a foodie, so I play with food and create recipes just to excite my taste buds. Trust me, I never thought I could explore these areas with my creativity like I have done, I just thought I will grow as a fashion designer, wowing the world with mind-blowing designs but then there came a need or rather needs in the fashion business that I still had no clue what I was doing at the time but I was tired of being seen as a cheap tailor and I wanted an upgrade and that upgrade was going to require a better packaging, cleaner photographs of my works for social media but having these was going to be expensive for me, I couldn’t afford it. I couldn’t even brag of N5,000 in my account at the time, so I thought to myself “How about I learned to craft these bags or boxes myself, it would be cheaper”. So I search online and practised how to make them and I began to master it. I also researched and learned the art of smartphone photography to take really nice model like shots, I downloaded editing apps, I explored them all and soon my pictures were competing with professional pictures taken with proper cameras.

I soon realized that they were small businesses that suffered the same challenges as I did especially with packaging, so I set up an online class on how to make different types of packaging for cakes, shoes, clothing etc on Telegram. For my first class, a class I had charged a token of N1000 only 2 people showed up and paid, my aunt and a friend of mine just to encourage me after over 100 people showed interest in the class, I was discouraged and disappointed but I didn’t stop, I tried again and this time 3 new people joined and then many others began to reach out stating they’d prefer an offline class to an online class and so far, I have taught over 20 people the art of box making both online and offline and I look forward to training over a 100 and more!

I have gone ahead to continue with a creative brand I called Pins & Crowns, it was initially an accessories brand but now a Ready To Wear Clothing for Women, Accessories, Packaging and Gifts Store, still in its infant stage but growing. Here is the Facebook page and Instagram acount.

As for photography, I’ve gone from taking interesting pictures of my products alone to launching a products photography business and I get paid to take pictures of products for different businesses in different areas including shoes, food, perfumes, jewellery and I shoot with my phone. Wild, I know! The photography business is on Instagram, view and connect.

Well, here’s my little story! Cheers!

You might enjoy learning how Lucy Ehigocho Agih prepares her Vegetable Soup. View!

7 thoughts on “I Couldn’t Wait To Be Independent – Ehigocho

  1. Israel

    Wow this is absolutely amazing, I’m really inspired with your Story and I’m quite impressed with your act of delligence and never giving up spirit regardless of the discouragement. Keep it up deari, I really hope we do some big business together somedays.

    Reply
    • Ehigocho

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  2. Miracle Ndubueze

    Your story is awe inspiring and it’s so obvious that you have greater heights ahead. Congratulations ?

    Reply
  3. Sharryjay

    You’re an inspiration ma…I love ya

    Reply
  4. Mattdouglas Umajari

    This is an inspiration to many young people who are scared of failure, please keep the momentum going, your success story is very close dear.

    Reply
  5. Funmi

    A very unique and special being…Heavenly talented ??Yes….That’s my boss?

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Ehigocho Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.