Ifeyinwa Odo studied Political Science but somehow the amiable lady veered off to music, designing, as well as working as an air hostess for about six years. In an encounter with Yetunde Oladeinde, she talks about life as a jazz artiste as well as the hazards of flying.
LET’S talk about your profession and background?
I used to be an air hostess with Arik Air but I left last year. I was there from 2006 to 2012. I went to sing somewhere and the gathering had some dignitaries. Interestingly, they were the founders of Arik Air and they had come from overseas to start Arik. I gave them my CV at that point and never saw them again until I started flying as an air hostess. After three months, I got a call for two interviews and I was shortlisted, signed some documents and went for training and swimming tests.
When I was young I boarded aircraft a lot, shuttling from Lagos to Enugu by air. Then I fancied and admired them. And by the time I decided that it was a profession that I loved, God gave me the opportunity. It was fun for me because the aviation industry is very versatile. It was interesting and adventurous and it gave me a lot of exposure. I also got contacts for my fashion business which was then a part time passion. On the job, I met people like Lexy Mojo Eyes, initiator of the Nigerian Fashion Show. He really encouraged me. The job took me around the country as well as out of the country. The Arik routes that I passed though included the United Kingdom, South Africa and the West Coast region that includes countries like Senegal, Gambia, Ouagadougou and Liberia. Interestingly, I studied Political Science at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology.
Why did you leave the job?
My musical and fashion career started to get bigger. The demands of the job, however, were encroaching and so I needed to step down. Do I miss anything? The answer would be yes and no. I miss the fast-pace demand of the job. You have to be there on time; the travel in and out, as well as the exposure.
What about the hazards of flying on aircraft? How did you cope with these?
I thank God. Everywhere has its own dangers. For me, God put me there. He told me that at the right time he would bring me out. So it has been by His grace. But I agree that there are always events like that in the air. The turbulence, little emergencies have kept me on.
What do you do at the moment?
I run a fashion outfit called Muciano. Here we design fashion outfits for men and women. It actually started as a passion, something that I did as a small girl in school. While I was at St Mary’s private school in Lagos and I was very good in the needle work and could knit very well. Then I went on to the Federal Government Girls College in Owerri where I did clothes and textiles. I was very creative and good with my hands.
Does this skill run in your family?
Yes, it does. I actually got the skill from my mother who was also into fashion and designing but she couldn’t push it to the extent that I did. She actually did it on a part time basis for family and friends. I started sketching my designs from a very early age and this has helped to make my work easy. A lot of my customers do not need to rack their heads over the designs because they are usually satisfied with the things I churn out for them. I would say that being multi-talented is natural for me.
Who are your targets?
They actually cover a very broad aspect of the society. They are basically people who know what they want. People with a touch of style and they usually want to stand out. There is actually something for everyone. From the way I have designed my stuff, you would definitely find something for the high class, the middle, as well as the low class.
So how did you get into music?
Well, I would say that it is also something that comes naturally.
I am also a recording gospel artiste. When God called me in 1997, He started working on me. Just before all this happened, I had done some secular stuff too. When I was in school I was the Nightingale and it was a title you had to be proud of. To get it, you must have won a lot of awards for the school which I had done. I represented the school at different events. After I left secondary school, I joined a jazz band at the Sheraton Hotel in Lagos. We used to sing almost on a daily basis and I combined this with my fashion business.
Along the line, I became born again and that was how I was transformed into a gospel minister, preaching the gospel by songs. I have also recorded my first video; it is called ‘Jehovah na baba’. The video is a contemporary Nigerian style with a fusion of rock in it. The message is something that tries to say that God is the Almighty, Jehovah El Shaddai. It is a message that encourages people, telling them that there is a time and season for everyone to shine. Every challenge is just a phase; it is not going to last forever. So this is for people to know and hold on to God. It is better for God to work for you and take you to the promised land.
Producing the music and video didn’t come easy because generally living a life of a Christian is not easy. If you persevere, you can be sure that victory is certain at the end. For example, when it comes to financing music, it’s easier to get sponsorship for secular music. However, because gospel music is more of ministration and not entertainment, it is not the same thing. But somehow, God released helpers for me and it was a miracle. I am an evangelist with the Communion Church in FESTAC.
I also run a fashion school, Musiano Royal School of Fashion. It started about two years ago. The first set of people that were was trained were my colleagues. They created awareness and now I get a number of referrals from different people. Here I teach young people how to empower themselves. I also try to empower young girls who don’t have anyone to help them.
Tell us about some of the women you admire?
For fashion, there are quite a number and they include Susan Eyo Honesty of Eve 2000. She worked on my mind way back and that motivated me. There is also Funmi Ajila Ladipo of Regalia. These two women helped to shape me in the short period that I met them. Lexy Mojo Eyes is a big uncle from another mother. He really encouraged me.
I also love Ejiro Amos, Deola Sagoe,Modella, Mudi and Lanre Da Silva. There is something conservative about Lanre that I really like. I must say that my fashion background helped a lot while I was with Arik in terms of grooming. I knew how to take care of my uniform, the looks and I made uniforms for some of my colleagues. Even now that I am out , I am still doing that.
