Back in the day, you will hardly see celebrity friends doing the same kind of business. This is because they tend to see themselves as rivals in business. And they usually keep one another at arm’s length. This trend seems to have changed these days as many fabric merchants who are celebrity friends have one another as best friends.
They are always sighted at Lagos parties wearing same cloth, wearing same 18carat gold, dressed in same styles while some have taken it further by stocking same fabrics in their stores. You may even find it so difficult to know they are friends as one may mistake them for Siamese twins.
Who are these celebrity friends you may ask? Two of them are popular Lagos fabric merchants, Alhaja Folasade Fasahad and Alhaja Sherifat Olugbode. They are both big fabric merchants in Ereko area of Lagos Island. They run mega stores in Idumota and have over 4 shops each at strategic location of Lagos. Alhaja Folasade and Sherifat Olugbode have been friends for many years and still counting. They are always spotted wearing same attire to parties. Though Alhaja Folasade Fashad started her fabric store in Ibadan but she has since moved close to her bestfriend, Folasade Fasahd.
Let us gist you about Alhaja Mufuti Savage, the pretty CEO of Morning Star on Ereko Street, Idumota and her friend, Alhaja Kudirat Oyinlomo Danmole, the wife of ex-Lagos Commissioner. They are both top fabric merchants in Ereko. Hajia Oyinlomo is the CEO of Kuditex and they have been friends for over 30 years and attend parties together.
Another celebrity fabric friends are Alhaja Fatimo Opere and Alhaja Bola Ogunsanya. You have to be new on Lagos social scene not to know these 2 Saudi Eko fabric merchants. They have been able to add a new twist to friendship by stocking same fabrics in their shop. They travel to Switzerland and other countries to stock their shop. There is no fabric you will find in Hajia Bola Ogunsanyas shop that you wont find in Opere Fabric Store. They have been friends for over 25 years and still counting. It was also Hajia Fatimo Opere who introduced Bola Ogunsanya into the textile business.
Have we told you about Alhaja Idera NimotalaiTitilayo and Alhaja Abiola Abebi? They are one of the biggest fabric sellers in Idumota area of Lagos Island. They are both big players in textile fabric business. Their friendship is dated over 25 years ago when they both started their fabric businesses selling fabric as young babes. They are both very fashion conscious and have always been spotted together at many Lagos Owambe. AlhajaIdera is the brain behind that giant 3 storey building textile store on John Street while Abiola Abebi has her store in Ereko area of Lagos Island.
Is this list complete without mentioning Alhaja Anike Subairu, Arise Fabrics boss and Alhaja Kdijat Morayo Seriki, Kadmos fabric boss? The answer is No. You can mistake Alhaja Kadmos and Arise Fabric boss, Alhaja Anike Subaru as Siamese twins. They are both in their 60s and they have been friends for over 20 years. Their kids are also very close. They always rock same attire and same 18carat gold at parties. When Alhaja Anike Subaru turned 60 many weeks ago, they were both spotted in same Luxury Swiss lace matched with 18carat Gold. They both run mega stores in John Street Idumota Lagos.
Alhaja Mosun Masha and Alhaja Iyabo Doala have been friends for over 30 years and still counting. They are one of Lagos fabric merchants who have been selling fabrics for over 45 years. They both have their stores on John Street, Lagos. They are one of the pioneer members of fabric business in Lagos. They are also from prominent Lagos families. Alhaja Mosun Masha who is from the popular Ogbara family of Ikorodu has been selling fabrics for over 50 years and still counting. She is also the in-law of King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal.
What about these celebrity fabric merchants turned friends? We are talking about Alhaja Femi Suleiman, the Ceo of Mofals Fabrics and Alhaja Bukola Osunsanya. They are friends turned sisters. You may even find it difficult to believe that these fabric merchants are friends and not biological sisters. Alhaja Femi Suleieman and Alhaja Bukola always wear same fabric and same 18carat gold to parties. While Alhaja Femi runs Moofals, her best friends has her store in Lagos Island.
They are young and so stylish. We are talking about Alhaja Sekinat Olateju, the Ceo of Olatec Fabrics and Timtem Fabrics in Saudi Eko. They are both big players inside Lagoon Market and they are celebrity friends we can’t help but admire at Owambe. They are stylish and pretty too. There is no way you will see Olatec and Timtem and not admire them at any owambe.
Can we stop admiring the friendship between Alhaja Modinat Ajadi-Lawa and Alhaja Modinat fondly called “Ayinliko”? The answer is No. They are both pretty and have their stores in Lagos Island. They are rich and calm Lagos fabric merchants whose friendship we admire.
Ebony pretty, Alhaja Yetunde Idris and Alhaja Oyinlomo is also one of Lagos fabric merchant friends we can’t stop admiring. They are pretty and loaded. There is no way you will meet them at parties and not admire them. Alhaja Yetunde Idris is the ceo of Yemtuns fabrics while Oyinlomo, the younger sister of Alhaja Shinene cosmetics are also very close.
Alhaja Latifat Isikalu and Ub fabrics, and Kb fabrics may be young in their 40s but these celebrity friends are so close that they always attend owambe in each other’s arms. Alhaja Latifat Isikalu is the daughter of popular Lagos fabric merchant sherryl and fabrics while UB and KB fabrics are celebrity sisters who are very close to Latifat Isikalu, the ceo of Tifah fabrics.
Have you also noticed that Awwal Alli Balogun, the CEO of Fayna Fabrics in Lagoon Plaza Nnamdi Azikiwe also has her clique of friends selling fabrics? Yes, Olabiso Store whose store is in popular “Iso Panla” and Awwal are also friends from childhood.
The pretty wife of Babalaje of Lagoon Plaza, Kafayah Salawu, CEO of Ahmed Fabrics and Jimsons Fabrics in Lagoon are bestfriends. They attend Lagos Owambe to gether.
So also is Muheez Store and her bestfriend Atinuke Bude, is the CEO of Rodutex in Saudi Eko. They always attend parties together and sell fabrics inside Lagoon Plaza.
– ABIOLA ORISILE
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