By Bon Peters
Fashion designer Angela Wells, who resides in Port Harcourt, expressed optimism that 2024 would be a prosperous year for business, despite her criticism of the federal government for not doing enough to maintain exchange rate stability.
Speaking to reporters outside of her yearly event known as “Shop and Chop” in Port Harcourt, the state capital of Rivers, Wells asserted that 2023 was a difficult year for business, noting that many entrepreneurs only made it through by God’s grace.
Wells explained the reasoning for this claim by pointing out that the currency rate was unstable and urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to step up steps to secure the strengthening of the naira.
“Those of us who deal in imported materials for our attires, did not find it funny in 2023. A situation you will wake up and your supplier tells you Dollars today is exchanging for N1, 000 or above, only what you do is to struggle to survive” she said.
“In a situation you have already agreed with your customers on the price and quality of the materials, you would still have to design according to agreement and specifications despite the increase in the purchasing of the materials for the work” Wells noted.
Angela Wells, the Chairman and CEO of Precise Look, International, a fashion designing company, is from Ugwunagbo LGA in Abia State and owns one of the most exquisite traditional fashion shops in Port Harcourt. She said that the purpose of her annual fashion show is to bring fashion tourism to the state government’s attention and emphasise the need for it to create jobs for young people. She also called on people who share her vision to work together to organise a fashion exhibition in Rivers State.
Recall that a large number of people from all walks of life in Rivers State and beyond attended the event, which included a fashion exhibition, masquerade displays, high life music, a 50% discount on all traditional attire purchased, free food for every buyer, and free gifts for every child who attended.
Wells gave a historical overview of her company, stating that she began operations in 2000 with N10,000 that she earned from the sale of oranges.
“It was in the year 2000, here in Oruworukwu Rivers State, that I started this business with only N10, 000 which I saved from the sale of Oranges.”
“I was pushing wheelbarrow around, hawking traditional dresses and others but today, when I look back and see what I have achieved so far, it is only God that I give all the Glory.”
On the challenges faced during her early stages, she explained “It wasn’t easy for me, a young girl hawking dresses in a wheelbarrow, and you know, my customers were mainly men, most of them who patronized me, would always want to go down with me, but in all these, I was able to overcome because I was focused, committed and resilient.”
Regarding the current get-rich-quick trend in society, particularly among young ladies who rely on selling their bodies for cash, Wells warned that young people—boys and girls alike—should study trade in order to support themselves.
“Youths should be entrepreneural driven, the era of white collar jobs are gone even if you didn’t go to school, please learn something, as a girl depending on men for your daily survival has its adverse consequences”
She continued, “if I can survive with N10, 000, only then, you can also survive no matter the amount you use in starting the business, I assure you determination is the key.”
Looking into 2024 business climate, Wells noted that though it will not be rosy at the beginning, but according to her, “this year will be better than last year.”
She said “with a new government in place, what the president and his team need is to restrategise, remove some economic bottlenecks dragging the economy down and introduce measures that will favour business.
She insisted that the government should work the talk by making sure the nation’s refineries work hence according to her” such will reduce transportation cost. “Business is always affected by transportation.”
“That is why when petroleum products, especially PMS Premium motor spirit (Petrol) and AGO, Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel) are high, definitely every other product and service will equally do the same” , Wells said.
She also reiterated that the level of corruption in the society is much coupled with insecurity, insisting that when such problems are cleared, every business in Nigeria will see the light of the day.
Wells who said she was in Dubai, United Arab Emirates recently for a business survey stated that her vision is to take the African traditional attires to Europe, America, Asia and the rest of the world even as she advocated that those in business should be more focused, committed, proactive and professional for them to survive in 2024.
