Nike Ogunlesi Biography: Early Life, Career, Awards, Husband, Children & Net Worth
Nike Ogunlesi is a Nigerian fashion entrepreneur who designs, manufactures, and sells designer children’s apparel. She is a major player in the West African children’s fashion sector. Adenike Ogunlesi is the proud founder and creative director of Ruff ‘n’ Tumble, a leading maker of children’s clothes in Nigeria.
Adenike is one of the entrepreneurs whose success story inspires and motivates young Nigerians and Africans in general.
Nike Ogunlesi Biography
Adenike Ogunlesi was born to a Scottish mother on July 14, 1959. She grew up in a polygamous household in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. Her father was a medical doctor, while her mother, Elizabeth Okuboyejo, was a fashion businesswoman.
Nike completed her secondary education in Ibadan, Oyo State, before attending Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria to study law. She dropped out of school in her second year after realising that law was not for her and later joined her mother’s tiny tailoring business. Of course, Adenike had taken some executive training classes at Lagos Business School.
Career
Nike was unsure what to do with her life after dropping out of school in her second year, but her mother persuaded her to work with her. At the time, her mother owned Betti O, a burgeoning fashion business known for making outfits for both men and women using indigenous fabric, Adire.
While at Betti O, they introduced colourful dyeing patterns that may be employed in a variety of designs by fashion-conscious individuals and early adopters. Nike realised she enjoyed what she was doing after a few months and worked with her mother till she married.
After marrying and having children, she decided to become a stay-at-home mom to spend more time with them. Nike was an expert dressmaker, according to her mother, but her drive for designing children’s apparel stemmed from a need for her children.
She came up with the concept after searching for new pyjamas for her children and finding none. She then created pyjamas for her children, which were liked by family and friends. Her spouse pushed her to create more for other children once she received patronage from family and friends.
That marked the start of what is now an instantly identifiable brand. Adenike Ogunlesi investigated the Nigerian local market for ready-made children’s clothing and determined that it was either badly made or imported at exorbitant prices. She noticed an opportunity and started Ruff ‘n’ Tumble, a children’s clothing brand, in 1996.
When Adenike Ogunlesi first started, she sold outfits from the trunk of her car, at bazaars, and local markets, and she was always eager to display her ideas to others. Sales climbed continuously, so she expanded by hiring more tailors to satisfy the growing demand.
She then built her flagship store in Ikeja GRA in 2000 and enrolled at Lagos Business School to expand her business knowledge.
Ruff ‘n’ Tumble currently runs a warehouse, a manufacturing facility, and numerous retail locations in key cities around Nigeria, as well as various distributors throughout the West African coast.
Nigeria’s retail outlet cities include Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ilorin, and Kano. Adenike Ogunlesi expanded her income plan by introducing newer products such as Trendsetters and NaijaBoysz.
These companies were established to meet the distinct fashion preferences of today’s young adults. Adenike Ogunlesi was appointed as a non-executive Director of Lafarge Africa PLC on March 11, 2015.
She also serves on the advisory boards of Lagos Business School’s Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) and Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR). Adenike Ogunlesi founded and served as the inaugural president of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW).
Nike mentors aspiring entrepreneurs through the FATE Foundation, Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR), and MARA Foundation. She is the coordinator for the Marriage and Family Life unit of Presentation Catholic Church.
Adenike Ogunlesi established the Betti-O Foundation and Betti-O School Fashion in remembrance of her late mother, Betti Okuboyebo. The foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to training young people in the art of fashion design, soft skills, and entrepreneurship.
The Betti-O Foundation is affiliated with Ruff ‘n’ Tumble. Betti-O Foundation has enabled many Nigerian women to produce something out of nothing and begin their business path with as little money as they can spare. They teamed with the Lagos State Ministry for Wealth Creation and Employment earlier this year to teach 50 youngsters in fashion design and garment manufacture for six months.
She also established the ‘I Share Cuz I Care’ foundation in 2014. The non-governmental organisation teaches and empowers youngsters. They also encourage empathy and enhance access to decent education, particularly for children living on the streets and orphans.
One of their endeavours involves donating whiteboards to public schools. I Share Cuz I Care has organised a variety of activities to help Nigerian children, with themes such as Dress a Child, Love Lives Here, and Feed a Child.
Recognition and Awards
- Female Achiever in Children’s Fashion at City People Awards 2001
- Fate Model Entrepreneur Award at the FATE Foundation 2005
- Female Game Changer in Children’s Fashion at the Glam Awards 2014
- Creativity and Excellence at Nigeria Entrepreneur Awards 2014
- Diamond Woman at Diamond Band Awards 2014
- Business Woman of the Year at CNBC Africa 2014
Nike Ogunlesi Husband
She is married to Adegbola Ogunlesi, a beauty industrialist and co-founder of the men’s fashion business Sofisticat. They are blessed with three children. One of her children, Adey Ogunlesi, is a Nigerian music producer and vocalist.
Nike Ogunlesi Net Worth
Dr. Adenike Ogunlesi is a wealthy entrepreneur and philanthropist with an estimated net worth of over $50 million. She is a Lagos, Nigeria native who started and operates Ruff ‘n’ Tumble, a brand styling company.
Social Media
Instagram: @adenikeogunlesi
