StartUp Gist: How I Got The Eko Hotel Contract
1) I was on the site of Polo Club Ikoyi when I got an email as one of the artist shortlisted to do a mural for Eko Hotel. It was an open call for mural- I was told to submit a presentation for my proposed design.
2) I was so terrified; the email had specifications for dimensions, pictures, and they requested for my CV- me that stopped updating my CV for 5 years now. When I saw the requirements I just gave up. Where would I start from 🤷🏼♀️
3)But to dot the i’s and cross the t’s. I called my Project management team and the TRADITIONAL WELCOME design was created.
It is a mural about the mud-house with old peoples faces popping out of the windows and doors saying welcome in different attires and gestures.
It is a mural about the mud-house with old peoples faces popping out of the windows and doors saying welcome in different attires and gestures.
4) Now back to the real question... where will I find a mud house? Where will I find old people? Where will I find the attires? Tan ran mi nise 😩. I set out to look for a mud house. I found nothing🙅🏼♀️.
5) I started talking to a carpenter to construct one for me. Then a friend told me about a mud house on Ikorodu road. When I got there... it was a detached roof with leaves and a house-made with bamboo sticks. Not what I wanted ☹️. But no wahala. We move
6) Next was the issue of old people. Where will I find a group of old people at the same time? I went to an old people’s home and it was a No! No! They refused. Then I remembered the beggars on the road in Ajah.
7)I thought to myself “I can employ them to be my models for a day, give them Regalia clothes and pay them”. Easy-peasy!!!! Yeah right!!!!! They turned down the offer, they thought I wanted to use them for rituals 😭😭😭
I had to start all over again.
I had to start all over again.
8) I sourced for a young male model and the remaining 4 people for the proposed artwork happened to be me and my team members. We decided to use the popular @faceapp to make us look older.
9) • I paid a Nollywood costume designer for the outfits
Omo, I spent money oh 😩
•Paid for the location
• Paid the young model
•Paid a photographer
• Paid a makeup artist
•And lastly, the graphic artist for some photoshop edits
10) Voila!!!! It was all done. At the end of this entire process, I had spent almost 200k without knowing for sure if I was going to get the contract or not. But I submitted my proposal.
11)I got a mail to come for stage 2 of the interview! Stage 2 ke??? Ha 🙆🏼♀️😳!!!! After all the money I’ve spent???
You will think that I will just cross over and win the contract. Yinmu!!!
You will think that I will just cross over and win the contract. Yinmu!!!
12) Stage 2 had other artists present for the interview. I was nervous but after everything... I got the job. When I got that email.... the kind of dance that happened in my living room ehnnn... I can’t explain it in text. 🤣😂🤣😅😂🤣😂
13)These drawings are real-life people. They were paid and a consent form was obtained for their faces to be used. And that’s HOW I GOT THE EKO HOTEL JOB!!!!! 💃🏻
This is the photoshoot we went to do in Ikorodu road before recreating it as a drawing 😩 
We were even faffing around on the photo shoot day. I’m in tears right now 😩😩😩 pic.twitter.com/MksBI50ud1— Instagram @ceracerni (@ceracerni) December 11, 2019
See the little boy he was exhausted 😔 😢 pic.twitter.com/1kLnwAkGTl— Instagram @ceracerni (@ceracerni) December 11, 2019
Just take a look at the detailing 😩😩😩😩😩
Let me just quickly add this..on the morning of the photoshoot we forgot to buy roasted corn for d boy to hold. We had to use gala. My graphics guy did an amazing job photoshopping the real corn 🌽 into his hands. God placed the best people around me 😩.#nostopping
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