Scouting for Inspiration? Time to shift our gaze from the West to West Africa

The bustling Lagos Market

For too long, we’ve embraced the standards set by the West as that of excellence, and strive to achieve them. We may be forgetting that professionals in the West operate on the bedrock of mature economies with the benefit of structure and resources. For those of us operating in emerging markets where time is money and creativity the need of the hour, perhaps we will go further if we replace our ‘appetite for the acclaimed’ with ‘curiosity for the unknown’. Our creative process must become more inclusive if we are to create work that sets us apart rather than one that elicits a 'seen before' response. And so, I recommend shifting our gaze away from the same sources of inspiration in the West towards unlikely sources in West Africa to stir us up. 

Countries like Ghana and Nigeria have served as incubators for creatives that thrive with meager resources. From there, underdogs have emerged and broken onto the world stage despite a severe lack of systemic, structural or societal support. As businesses struggle to navigate COVID-disrupted marketplaces, it is from such less explored breeding grounds that we have more opportunities to learn and derive inspiration from.

That I, an Indian woman working in Dubai, thought of penning down this clarion call is no accident – it is by design. I was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria's populous commercial and cultural hub. While our family loved a life of relative comforts, we could not escape the basic infrastructural failures entrenched in Lagosian life. With no electricity for months on end and our jerrycans of petrol running dry for our personal power generator, we've completed homework and studied for exams in candlelight. On days when water supply was erratic, we've managed with nothing more than half a bucket per person. Till today, for many there, daily struggles like these are an accepted reality but the masses soldier on. Millions of dwellers in West Africa are hustling and thriving in difficult circumstances, but their voices are taking up space in a rather noisy world. Their peculiarity is successfully gaining significant cultural currency world-over. The strength of social media and the open-mindedness of the young generation call for brands and A-list celebrities to take notice of the West African might.

The Afrobeat phenomenon has burst into the global music scene and artists like Davido, WizKid, Burna Boy and Tiwa Savage are commanding prolific influence. Voices of these powerful artists have helped the #EndSARSBrutality protests gain international attention. The humble Ghanian and Nigeria staple 'Jollof Rice' has gained much epicurean fandom, and even spurred #JollofGate outrage from West Africans when British TV chef Jamie Oliver released his own version of the dish. From DVD releases being sold to tired Lagosians stuck in gridlocked traffic, to Nollywood movies now streaming on Netflix, Nigerian stories are resonating with an international audience. In May 2018, the Nigerian dancers of ‘Gold Carvier Crew’ broke the internet when they showed the fashion world that you could dance rather than walk the runway. In June this year, the hilarious and ingenious low-budget remake of Hollywood movie ‘Extraction’ by ‘@IkoroduBois’ (a group of three Nigerian kids) in the quotidian environs of a Lagos suburb, not only won praise from the Russo Brothers but also elicited a generous gift of state-of-the-art video equipment from Netflix. Homeless kids turned dance students of entrepreneur Seyi Oluyole’s Dream Catchers Academy have become viral Instagram sensations courtesy the likes of Beyonce and Rihanna reposting their dance videos. I can continue citing examples of Nigeria’s common folk ushering in new possibilities, armed simply with their determination and authenticity.  

To help me understand what it is that makes Nigerians relentlessly pursue opportunities in the face of enormous challenges, I turned to David Adeleke, a communications and media expert based in Lagos. “The word ‘impossible’ is not in our dictionary. For Nigerians, it is less about whether something is possible and more about how we can make it happen. Nigerians are very aspirational people and have the drive to succeed. The current generation belongs to families who have worked very hard, and now they finally have the chance to lead a better life than their parents and grandparents ever did.”

A cultural powerhouse, Nigeria's 'get-rich' entrepreneurial spirit is a testament of its potential. Adeleke says, “Social media is the best thing to happen to Nigerians. Our creativity is there for all to see and brands can identify talent across multiple industries.” Recognizing the collective economic value to be gained from collaboration, Adeleke himself exemplifies a Nigerian pushing the needle in the country’s media and communications industry. In addition to his full-time job, he also authors his newsletter 'Communiqué' to galvanize the creative community. “In Nigeria, it is very important to get things done, and we take pride in doing them our way without seeking validation from others.” He continues, “Across the world, there is a growing rejection to the imposition of western values and, more often than not, ideas from the West lack the ‘relatability’ factor.”

Ultimately, it is soft power fostering Nigerian ingenuity; Adeleke quips, “Our ability to create despite challenges is propelled by our society’s cultural diversity, collective spirit and collaborative nature.” So whether it’s about having a strong sense of self, uniquely leveraging social media platforms, donning a never-give up attitude or embracing collectivism over individualism, there’s a lot to learn from this West African country. The next time you're in a bit of a creative rut, will you imbibe a bit of their spirit to land your next big breakthrough idea?

This article was published on 25 October 2020 in Campaign Middle East magazine.