How Taiwo Adebiyi’s gele artistry is opening doors for him

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Years ago, I went to visit my best friend in Indiana, United States, and coincidentally, her children were having their cultural day in school. Her mother and I were responsible for showing her children and their classmates Nigeria’s rich culture, and aside the beads grandma brought from Benin, Nigeria, there was also gele available. We did our best tying for the girls in the class, and they all loved it. Truth is, as happy and as excited as they were, not one of the several ones we tied looked anything close to Taiwo Adebiyi’s type.

Who is Taiwo Adebiyi and what is Taiwo Adebiyi’s type? You ask? Well, Taiwo Adebiyi is the CEO and Lead Stylist of Taiwo’s Touch International, and his company specialises in the art of styling the Nigerian headgear known as gele, catering to individuals worldwide.

In 2017, Taiwo burst onto the scene. The young man possesses exceptional skills in the art of tying gele, displaying his mastery and finesse in this traditional Nigerian headgear.

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Talk about precision and expertise, Taiwo seamlessly transforms yards of that fabric into a beautifully sculpted masterpiece that gracefully adorns the wearer’s head.

Curious to see him in action, I was delighted to see the videos he sent to me when I reached out to him to hear him tell me of his love for the art of gele tying.

It’s in how he maneuvers his hands deftly, easily manipulating the fabric, showing the artistry in making of the intricate folds. Then check out the twists and pleats, done with outstanding dexterity. For the design that requires knots and tucks, he does it effortlessly, and the final result is a head-turning fabulously styled gele.

It is certainly not a surprise that he has tied gele for the likes of H.E Nana Shettima, Oludolapo Osinbajo, Folorunsho Alakija, Folashade Okoya, Bella Disu, Bola Shagaya, Olori Shekinat Elegushi, Olori Ivie Emiko-Atuwatse, Mo Abudu, Tiwa Savage, Toke Makinwa, Omotola Ekeinde to mention a few.

One distinct skill Taiwo possesses is his ability to know what style of gele fits different faces, shapes, and head sizes. His attention to detail extends to understanding the nuances of each individual’s features.

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From regal and voluminous to sleek and modern with an aura of tradition, Taiwo’s clients always come out fabulous!

In summary, this young man’s outstanding gele tying skills encompass technical mastery, creative flair, adaptability, and excellent client service. His talent and dedication elevate him to the ranks of the finest gele stylists, leaving a lasting impression on all who have the privilege of experiencing his artistry.

The gele is a head tie worn mostly by women in Nigeria and West Africa. It is popular amongst the Yoruba-speaking people, but its easy adaptability has made it a favourite even with non-speaking Yorubas.

It is inspiring to see how well Taiwo has embraced his craft, and how he is serving us as we demand.

Originally based in Lagos State, Nigeria, Taiwo’s enterprise has expanded its reach across the entire country and even ventured outside the shores of Nigeria such as the United Kingdom, Italy, Kenya, Ghana, and the Benin Republic. He has become the go-to stylist for various occasions, including weddings, birthdays, award ceremonies, and corporate events.

On why the decision to follow this passion diligently and his parents’ opinion, speaking exclusively with Women’s Hub, he said “I like beautifying women. It’s a passion of mine. My dad never knew I could tie gele because he always wanted me to be a Lawyer. I started by tying my mum’s gele as a child, and I could also braid hair since my childhood, but my dad would always wonder why I cared about beautifying women like I did.” Taiwo stated.

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Trust me when I say he kicked off this profession officially on the right note. How do you get to tie the gele of Africa’s leading media mogul, Mo Abudu, CEO Ebonylife Group, and in ‘local’ English parlance ‘you no go blow?’ Like…how?

“My first was Mo Abudu, CEO Ebonylife Group, and I’m grateful to God to have come this far. Getting the opportunity to tie the headgear of celebrities, CEOs, business moguls, politicians across Nigeria and now all over the world, this is such a huge privilege that I don’t take for granted, and I am motivated to achieve more” Adebiyi revealed.

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Ask Taiwo what makes his gele tying unique, and with a stint of pride without airs, he would readily tell you “My style is classy and elegant. It is very different from others, and when you see my handwork, you can just tell the difference.”

What makes Taiwo’s story even more endearing is that, as previously stated, he has gone international. He attributes this feat to his dedication to his gifts when he says “The bible says in Proverbs 18:16-17, that a man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men. Gele tying has taken me around the world to UK, Ghana, Italy, Kenya, and Morocco to name a few. It has also expanded my network and I’m just beyond grateful for the opportunity.”

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If you think you are a big dreamer, Taiwo has got his dream too. Guess whose gele he wishes to tie next? Hear him mention them “I want to tie gele for Pastor Folu Adeboye. I would also love to tie gele for Beyonce, Kim Kardashian’s family, The First Lady of Nigeria Oluremi Tinubu and Queen Camilla.”

With these few bold words of his, in the words of my American friend, “Kemi, I ain’t playing”, permit me to say, as long as Taiwo’s wish list is concerned, he ain’t playing!

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Indeed, you are allowed to dream and dream big! You lose nothing for dreaming and you don’t pay taxes for dreaming (But when your dream materializes, when you start making money, pay your tax!)

To the youths who are willing to dare to dream, Taiwo has this message for you.

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“My advice to any youth is that they should first work on themselves to be the best at whatever they are doing. Then they should work on having a positive mental attitude toward the opinions of others and never let opinions kill their dreams, visions, and purpose. They should see challenges as opportunities and stepping stones to greater things.

As a youth who wants to earn a living with their gifts, make sure you are selling value not skills because anything that’s valuable will be bought at any price, just the way the price is not on the metal, but the price is on the value which is gold (the refined metal). Don’t get drowned by your humble beginnings because all great things start small.”

When you are male, young, gifted and intelligent, with such apt and smart responses, even when you confirm to me you aren’t Taiwo Adebiyi, I will tell you, you sound just like him.

With a strong presence both locally and internationally, coupled with his extensive social media following, ‘Taiwo’s Touch’ is poised to maintain its position as one of the foremost leaders in gele styling within the Nigerian fashion industry.

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sanya-onayoade

Sanya Onayoade

Continental Editor, North America

SANYA ONAYOADE is a graduate of Mass Communication and a Master of Communication Arts degree holder from the University of Ibadan. He has attended local and international courses on Media, Branding, Public Relations and Corporate Governance in many institutions including the University of Pittsburgh; Reuters Foundation of Rhodes University, South Africa and Lagos Business School. He has worked in many newspaper houses including The Guardian and The Punch. He was the pioneer Corporate Affairs Manager of Odua Telecoms Ltd, and later Head of Business Development and Marketing of Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO Plc).

He has led business teams to several countries in the US, Asia and Europe; and was part of an Aviation investment drive in West Africa. He has also driven media and brand consultancy for a few organizations such as the British Council, Industrial Training Fund, PKF Audit/Accounting Firm and Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme. He is a Fellow of Freedom House, Washington DC, and also Fellow of Institute of Brand Management of Nigeria. Sanya is a member of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) and Project Management Institute (PMI). He is a 1998 Commonwealth Media Awards winner and the Author of A Decade Of Democracy.
Morak Babajide-Alabi

Morak Babajide-Alabi

Continental Editor, Europe

Morak Babajide-Alabi is a graduate of Mass Communication with a Master of Arts Degree in Journalism from Napier University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. He is an experienced Social Media practitioner with a strong passion for connecting with customers of brands.

Morak works as part of a team currently building an e-commerce project for the Volkswagen Group UK. Before this, he worked on the social media accounts of SKODA, Audi, SEAT, CUPRA, Volkswagen Passenger Cars, and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. In this job, he brought his vast experience in journalism, marketing, and search engine optimisation to play to make sure the brands are well represented on social media. He monitored the performance of marketing campaigns and data analysis of all volumes of social media interaction for the brands.

In his private capacity, Morak is the Chief Operating Officer of Syllable Media Limited, an England-based marketing agency with head office in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The agency handles briefs such as creative writing, ghostwriting, website designs, and print and broadcast productions, with an emphasis on search engine optimisation. Syllable Media analyses, reviews, and works alongside clients to maximise returns on their businesses.

Morak is a writer, blogger, journalist, and social media “enthusiast”. He has several publications and projects to his credit with over 20 years of experience writing and editing for print and online media in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

Morak is a dependable team player who succeeds in a high-pressure environment. He started his professional career with the flagship of Nigerian journalism – The Guardian Newspapers in 1992 where he honed his writing and editing skills before joining TELL Magazine. He has edited, reported for, and produced newspapers and magazines in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. Morak is involved in the development of information management tools for the healthcare sector in Africa. He is on the board of DeMiTAG HealthConcepts Limited, a company with branches in London, Lagos, and Abuja, to make healthcare information available at the fingertips of professionals. DeMiTAG HealthConcepts Limited achieved this by collaborating with notable informatics companies. It had partnered in the past with Avia Informatics Plc and i2i TeleSolutions Pvt.

Out of work, Morak loves walking and also volunteers on the board of a few UK Charity Organisations. He can be reached via http://www.syllablemedia.com
Ademola-Akinbola

Ademola Akinbola

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

Brief Profile of Ademola Akinbola

Ademola AKINBOLA is an author, publisher, trainer, digital marketing strategist, and a brand development specialist with nearly three decades of experience in the areas of branding, communication, corporate reputation management, business development, organizational change management, and digital marketing.

He is the Founder and Head Steward at BrandStewards Limited, a brand and reputation management consultancy. He is also the Publisher of The Podium International Magazine, Ile-Oluji Times, and Who’s Who in Ile-Oluji.

He had a successful media practice at The Guardian, Punch and This Day.

He started his brand management career at Owena Bank as Media Relations Manager before joining Prudent Bank (now Polaris Bank) as the pioneer Head of Corporate Affairs.

The British Council appointed him as Head of Communication and Marketing to co-ordinate branding and reputation management activities at its Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt offices.

In 2007, he was recruited as the Head of Corporate Planning and Strategy for the Nigerian Aviation Handling company. He led on the branding, strategic planning and stakeholder management support function.

His job was later expanded and redesigned as Head of Corporate Communication and Business Development with the mandate to continue to execute the Board’s vision in the areas of Corporate Planning and Strategy, Branding and New Businesses.

In 2010, he voluntarily resigned from nacho aviance to focus on managing BrandStewards, a reputation and brand management firm he established in 2003. BrandStewards has successfully executed branding, re-branding and marketing communication projects for clients in the private and public sectors.

Ademola obtained a M.Sc. Degree in Digital Marketing & Web Analytics from Dublin Institute of Technology in 2016, and the Master of Communication Arts degree of the University of Ibadan in 1997. He had previously obtained a Higher National Diploma (with Upper Credit) in Mass Communication from Ogun State Polytechnic, Abeokuta.

He has published several articles and authored five management books.

He has benefitted from several domestic and international training programmes on Brand Management, Corporate Communications, Change Management and Organizational Strategy.
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