By Eveafrique Business and News
we are excited to introduce Mrs Amiediki Emmanuel Georgewill, a native of Kalabari, The creative director at Kolor Kraft and mother of three. As a woman in Business, Amiediki Emmanuel, takes us through her journey on how she started up her career to become who she is today.
• Can you share a bit about yourself?
Amie: Thank you very much, my name is Amiediki Emmanuel Georgewill, I’m 56 years old.
I went to port harcourt primary school when it was just a handful of people , a lot of white children and white teachers and all that, Then Federal government girls college Abuloma for secondary school and university of Jos to study English, I wanted to study geography and planning but I didn’t pass maths. I don’t know what it is with maths but I just couldn’t pass maths and they used to look at me in awe in school because I would have straight A’s in every subject but I’ll fail maths and fail it woefully and so I couldn’t study geography then. I studied English which for me was a walk in the park and very interesting.
Back in Secondary school, I was very interested in fashion. Anytime I’m being punished if you’ll ask, it is because I’ll shave my eye brows in school then get punished for doing it. After Secondary School, I went to university of Jos to study English. After I was done studying English my Dad was like “oh Amie I just want you to do one more thing for me, he went on to say “I want you to study law”, he also bribed me with a piece of land and said I could do whatever I wanted to do with it when I was done with law school. I agreed and went into the University of Ibadan to study law and went to law school but I never practiced. Law comes in very handy because I deal with documents, I know how to read between the lines and what exactly to look out for and that really helps me .
After university of Ibadan , while in Law school, I started my small fashion house on bornu way in yaba, Lagos state, which I ran for about 2 years before I met my husband Emmanuel, we decided to get married and we’ve been married for over 28 years.
I have 3 lovely children , my first daughter is called Tamuno-nimi, she is 23 years old , she’s a Bio-medical engineer, My second daughter Onimitei is also in the United States undergoing a masters degree in Public health in John Hopkins university “I call her the Okonjo Iweala of the family” because she’s a goal getter. Nimi is like me , she’ll say she’s an introvert but we have the same kind of driven personality and fashion sense and all that . So after 5 years I thought I was done and just in my old age just to keep me going I had Odein.
Odein came along 6 years after I had Nimi, He is still in Ss1. Everybody knows him as mummy’s boy because he is always tied to me. I had him when I was 41 and everyone was in total shock, I was as well .it was very interesting to have a child at that age.
• Where did you get the Business drive from?
Amie : it’s been there literally all my life , it’s always been there.
I told you, when it comes to my head I have a lot there. I have a way of subsuming myself into a situation, i’m a creative.
• where are you with Kolor Kraft?
Amie : Kolor Kraft has been registered since 1991, if you are a creative, It is a life long thing. Kolor kraft is Still in business, we have our products in shopping outlets in Lagos and Abuja.
We have our own Label called K that go to other stalls and is also stocked in kolor kraft as well. If you walk into kolor kraft you might not even tell the difference between what I import and what we’re selling as our own label. At kolor kraft we have diverse people come in , some would want “oh I just want this particular look for only me “ others would say “oh it had to be imported “ and all that so I just cater for everybody.
• So kolor kraft caters for everybody , irrespective of your pocket, if you come you’d find something nice to get?
Amie : yes you will , I tell my staff that once somebody walks in that door , that person must pick up something, whether it is 2,000 naira you have , you will find something that is 2k there even if it’s 500 naira we’ll find a way to find something. It goes from that low to high up because it’s about selling , making your money , your name and still keeping to your quality and all that .
• What other Business are you involved in?
Amie : Kolot kraft for the most part but I’m into styling and interior decor, I collect art as well and also recently started a hospitality business. We give services compareble to none anywhere in the world. You come and experience orderliness, cleanliness, and precision.
The Nigerian business terrain is not easy at all you just have to posses a lot of courage and strength, innovation to be able to do what you do.
• Do you have some words for the ijaw girl child?
Amie: the ijaw girl should be proud. I’m proudly ijaw , I’m proud of the fact that I’m from Rivers. I love my okrika heritage, my dad was okrika. I Love my Kalabari heritage, my mum is Kalabari and I am okrika and married to a kalabari man . I love them both.
For the Niger delta girl, I want to tell you not to give up . I know the road has been very rough but you just hold on and believe in yourself and in your self worth . Work hard, as hard as you can , you can never work too hard , focus on your education ,try to be the best you can be ,learn contentment ,integrity ,it’ll take you a very very long way and grace will find you in Jesus name Amen.
• what do you know for sure ?
Amie: I know for sure that contentment and integrity is non negotiable in my life.
• should the Niger Delta girl participate in politics?
Amie: Yes she should, but politics takes a lot of financing. if you have integrity and you work hard you can attach yourself to someone of likemind you can grow politically with . The water of politics is milky as we all know sometimes you have to get your feet wet to get to where you want to go so it doesn’t matter, join! Push! Get your foot wet! Because we need to have a better framework for what we want politically in the Niger delta even for the women and bring selfless leaders that are passionate about the Niger delta.
