Nigeria is in the news for all the bad reasons; but if there is one thing I love about Nigerians is that we do not let our corrupt leaders deter us. In Nigeria today, public electricity like all public infrastructure is still a far cry from other growing African nations and for the most populous nation in Africa, corruption alone has bedeviled our economy. But we do not sit around waiting for the government to create an enabling environment; we make things happen. And the art of beading is one of the many creative ways young Nigerians are making it in business.

The art of beading has experienced a boom in Nigeria of recent, and much like makeup artistry, many young people are enrolling with jewelry designers to receive training in beading. To the professional, beading is not about sliding strings through the holes of stones but an expression of their creativity. Recently, I met a wonderful and talented lady who has successfully initiated me into the appreciation of Nigerian beads – I say Nigerian beads because they are sourced locally. I was impressed by the designs she had to offer as they were elegant and trendy.

I recently purchased two – the one in the picture above, and this:

who said the art of beading can’t meet the world of makeup artistry?

I absolutely adore them!

This is what makes me proud to be Nigerian because when I see creative things like this come out of Nigeria, I want to shout out loud!

Cheers!
Ene