Omobolanle Banwo
Founder - Geneza Brands
Nigeria & UK
30 AUGUST, 2024
I grew up in Ikorodu, Lagos State, Nigeria, and I come from a large family with diverse interests and careers, including engineers, mathematicians, and more. Despite the pressure to follow a traditional path, I always had a passion for design.
In school, I excelled in art-related subjects, and even my teachers recognized my talent. I had a strong inclination towards design and art, but it took me a while to gather the confidence to pursue it as a career. Back then, there weren’t many well-established designers or design schools, so the path was unclear. One of my first design roles was as a Comic Illustrator, and this experience allowed me to gain valuable skills and prove to myself and my family that design was my true calling. Over time, I ventured into various design-related roles, from creating movie cover designs to video editing, and today, I mostly work as a Brand Identity Consultant which spans across visual design, brand strategy and consulting.
My favorite part of the creative process is presentation design. I love seeing how ideas come together to form meaningful patterns. Showing the final look and talking about the process and research is exciting. Telling the story in a relatable and resonating way is fulfilling.
The creative process often looks like a blob, even after spending so much time on it. However, when it all starts to come together and make sense, there's a rush of adrenaline. This encourages you to keep going and reach the finish line. Any designer can attest that working countless hours on a project that’s not fully forming before your eyes is extremely frustrating.
To get to this point, I have to understand the problem, whether it’s a project, product, or business. I break it down and conduct extensive research. Then, I think about a solution that matches the goals. Next, I build a stylescape, which involves bringing everything together to see if they work and speak one visual language. Finally, I present the final look.
Design is easy.
Branding isn't necessary.
I started in Nigeria, and one major obstacle is the unreliable electricity supply. I can vividly recall the struggles of working on design projects with a laptop that had a subpar battery because it was a used one. When there was no electricity, which was a frequent occurrence, the heat could be unbearable. Many designers in Nigeria have to deal with these power outages while trying to create unique and impactful designs. Limited resources are a recurring theme, and even tools like Adobe software can be prohibitively expensive for many designers.
Overcoming challenges like these requires money. I had to keep at it, develop my skills so I could provide more value and earn more.
Another challenge is the lack of formal training and education in design can be limited and costly. Many designers turn to online resources, like YouTube, to learn and improve their skills. To address some of these challenges, I founded the Geneza School, offering affordable courses to empower aspiring designers with the skills they need. The goal is to make quality design education accessible to those who might not have the financial means to pursue formal training. Despite these challenges, Nigerian designers are resilient and resourceful, and I believe in their potential to overcome obstacles and make a significant impact on the global design scene.
There are so many. I have been a designer for over 10 years and worked on several brands as the Lead Consultant and Brand Identity Designer. Every one of them unique in their own way. You can see them here: genezabrands.com
To get away from my screen I stare at my aquarium lol… I enjoy watching my fishes do their thing … if I’m not doing this … I’m researching food, new recipes, I love food. I also love going to a museum. I find inspiration everywhere, the grocery store…the way products are packaged, looking at design agencies like Pentagram, Studio Koto.
I visited Monrovia and I loved it, the food was amazing… I had this pineapple and ginger drink there and it was so lovely.
Excellence, always. And never get complacent.
The day you stop learning is the day you stop improving.
