It all started in 2016. I was broke, jobless and unemployable. Yes, UNEMPLOYABLE. As a matter of fact, I didn't have a sense of direction. I was a wondering general. To top it all, I didn't have a phone.

I was determined to be self employed. But how? I decided to go into arts, but without prior art experience and mediocre drawing skills, it was like trying to fetch rain from the open sky. Really crazy. I sought a material that I could find without much stress, so I picked paper, which I had always been in love with and was cheap and accessible.

Around Eid festival, I was lucky to have made some money, so I got some paper and settled down to make some artworks. Assisted by my sister, the artworks were ready in no time, we projected our sales and revenue, and we were very happy that my art career had kick-started. But eventually, I was unable to sell a single piece, save for two that were bought by my mentor to encourage me. All that period, in my head, I wasn't just an artist but an 'artpreneur.' What a fool I was!

I was devastated but kept moving, I was lucky to be gifted a feature phone with operamini browser. That was when I started researching into paper arts with the help of free basics, there I saw some artworks that involved twisting and rolling of paper. I gladly set out to ape them using waste magazine. I scavenged for some waste glass and framed up the artworks. I marketed them and to my astonishment, I didn't have difficulty selling them, though for between ₦1,000 and ₦1,500. I was elated nontheless. That was the beginning of turn of events. The art style became the basis of everything I made henceforth.

In 2017, I managed to get a smartphone and I attended different events as an 'Artpreneur.' Through the events, I realized that I could get grants for my ideas if well projected. Eventually, I made the logo for a certain company using waste materials and attached the image to my proposal, that won me a grant, a small contract and a hope for investment which sadly never came, but I did not slow down.

I joined the group of social media entrepreneurs by having a cool picture in which I appeared to boss up. I started dishing out motivational quotes. But to what end? I couldn't give what I didn't have. So, ultimately, I failed.

I decided to stop thinking I was an Artpreneur and assumed the role of an artist. I channeled every kobo I got into building my art, I would get materials and produce art works, and it worked out, as my style and technique has improved, and with that comes an influx of interests in my works. Also, I am back to being an Artpreneur with a focuse on good products and quality service delivery, rather than mere outlook.

Now, though I am nothing close to where I want to be, my journey has changed and I am moving, and I am glad that I stuck to what I do and have become a pro at it. I figured out that staying focused and trying to get better at what you do really works!