Last week, we looked at five Nigerians who were all firsts in Nigeria or Africa in various endeavours of life. Today, we are going to meet three women who blazed the trail in their respective professions.
1. MRS SADE THOMAS-FAHM (NIGERIA’S FIRST FASHION DESIGNER)
Chief (Mrs.) Victoria Folashade Thomas-Fahm is Nigeria’s first fashion designer and the first to own a boutique (Shade’s Boutique) in Nigeria. The legendary designer who is in her 70’s now set the pace for the Nigerian fashion industry in the 1960s and 1970s.
Mrs. Sade Thomas-Fahm acquired training abroad at St Martin’s College of Fashion, London. Her trademark was using traditional fabrics to create diverse styles. She didn’t just stop at designing clothes; she drafted, cut, sewed, modelled, produced fashion shows and sold; which led to her owning the first boutique in Nigeria.
Her design outfit and store, Shade’s Boutique was the go-to-place for men and women living in Lagos in the 60’s and 70’s. Mrs. Shade Thomas-Fahm is the originator of the “boubou” – a style she created when she “feminized” the male ‘agbada’ for women by reducing the volume. Some of her creations also include: Kaftans, Aso-oke dresses, beaded shoes, Ankara shirts and mini dresses as well as the twist on the “Iro and buba”. She also wrote a book titled “The Faces of She” which has a fair number of pictures of her early designs and the glamorous sixties.
2. FLORA NWAPA (FIRST AFRICAN FEMALE PUBLISHER)
Florence Nwanzuruahu Nkiru Nwapa was a Nigerian author best known for re-creating the life and customs of the Igbos from a woman’s viewpoint. Her first novel ‘Efuru’ (1966) became Africa’s first internationally published novel in the English language by a woman.
After the civil war, she became the Commissioner for Health and Social Welfare in East Central State. Flora Nwapa – who has been called the mother of modern African literature – went on to become the first African female publisher when she founded “Tana Press/Flora Nwapa Company” to publish African books. Some of her books include “In This Lagos, and Other Stories” (1971), “Never Again” (1975), “One Is Enough” (1981) and others.
3. VIOLET ODOGWU (COMMONWEALTH GAMES FIRST AFRICAN WOMAN MEDALIST)
Violet Odogwu, now Mrs. Violet Odogwu-Nwajei (MON) is the first Nigerian female athlete to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games.
She won a medal in the long jump category at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. She cleared 6.15m behind England’s Sheila Parkin (6.30m), and Mary Rand (6.36m) to win a bronze medal which was the first medal won by an African woman in the history of the games. She was also the only African woman with a medal at the same 1966 games, where she reached the final of the 80 meters hurdles long jump.
About the Writer: Chris Bamidele is a passionate and unapologetic Nigerian, who believes in God and humanity. He is a writer, blogger, and an aspiring Television Director; and an optimist to the core. He blogs at www.chrisbamidele.wordpress.com and tweets @Chrisbamidele
