Senpai isn’t a destination, its a state of connectedness
Please do not mistake what I am building for a company or a destination because these are merely surface level things and I am far from a surface level thinker
Humans all exist and interact with the world in various degrees. Some people see constraints whereas others see possibilities. I like to think I fall into the hyper-optimistic categories of humans.
About 3 years ago I started what is now SENPAI, my company. The idea was simple, I have a passion for creative people and I feel they have not been giving the proper tools to succeed as a creative Nigerian youth. You see we grew up in a country that is very conservative and cultural, that its been a struggle to find one's voice as a creative youth in this region. As with most of the world Education and formal work has been seen as the “only way out” and this is especially intensified by the middle-class families in Africa who feel their kids should be especially more grateful and thankful their parent can even afford to send them to good schools. So you can imagine what happens when one of their children even think about wanting to pursue a creative career… It, not a pretty sight. As I mentioned this is quite common all over the world but its rather more intensified in Nigeria, especially because of strong cultural practices and beliefs in the society.
This has lead to a rather untapped creative sector as most people in this field are in the lower class and are mostly artisans with very little experience on how to build a business out of their skills but are rather left selling their artworks on the streets. This further reinforces our parents believe that art/creating doesn't make you rich. ( which seemly is soo )
Taking into the fact that Nigeria is 60% youths and most of them are unemployed we can begin to have a picture of the affairs of the country. I have met and interacted with really creative people that only creative behind closes doors and never pursue it full time because of the instilled fear of being ridiculed by family.
But things are changing and the internet is connecting and empowering us more than ever before.
When I created Senpai the goal was to tackle one problem, Which was the belive that being creative won't make you successful. I thought about this in extreme details and the idea was to use my story of building senpai as a way to bring a sense of connection amongst other creatives that also have the passion to build something.
You see, I was in college and I grew up from a middle-class family and though my parent acknowledged my creativity it was also said to me that “this isn't America and you are not Mark Zuckerberg”. But thing was that I didn't need to be Zucks and I knew that, I had the privilege to go to Texas for college for 2 years, UNT, before being brought back to Nigeria. So ive been exposed to alot of new ideas and also the internet in its prime in 2012. I truly felt I had as much exposure to make a dent that soo many other people were incapable of making. As I sit on my bed in my new school in Nigeria, Covenant University, I thought to myself. If I don't show them its possible who will?
You see building senpai from the beginning has NEVER been about me, its always been about showing creative youths what is possible by using myself as an example. My mind was made up, I sent my mom a text telling her I was dropping out of school to chase my dreams and that how I started SENPAI.
