Nigerian Doll Out Sells Barbie
Feb 1, 2015 19:55:11 GMT -5
Tukuler al~Takruri and MorolongDithabeng like this
Post by anansi on Feb 1, 2015 19:55:11 GMT -5
Nigerian doll created by man who couldn't find a black toy for his niece
is so popular in his country that it's outselling BARBIE
In 2007, Taofick Okoya, created a doll that Nigerian girls could identify with
43-year-old based his Queens of Africa dolls on country's biggest tribes
They cost roughly £4.50 and aim to promote strong feminine ideals
A Nigerian businessman decided to create own doll that Nigerian girls could identify with called Queens of Africa, by recreating their skin colour and style - and now it's outselling Barbie in his native country
A Nigerian businessman decided to create own doll that Nigerian girls could identify with called Queens of Africa, by recreating their skin colour and style - and now it's outselling Barbie in his native country.
But the Queens of Africa aren't just selling in their home country.
Thanks to the doll's online presence, customers are coming from as far as America, Brazil and Europe.
Speaking to ELLE about his dolls out-selling Barbie in his native Nigeria, Okoya said: 'My mission is to make the Queens of Africa a symbol of hope, trust, and confidence by promoting African history, culture, and fashion.'
One person that Okoya really hopes the dolls will have a positive impact on is his daughter, who, he explains, once wished she was white.
He explained that even though they live in Nigeria, there was a lot of Western influence. He said: '[This] might have been responsible for her wishing she was white. It made me aware that I needed to make her proud and happy being a black African girl, and not limit it to her alone as this was a common trend among the younger generation. The Queens of Africa became a platform to achieve this.'
Unfortunately, Okoya has been told that he won't be able to sell the dolls on the shelves of mainline stories in America and will have to limit his business to specialist stores.
But he is determined to see the decision overturned, he said: 'I am looking to prove them wrong.'
Read more: www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2931846/Nigerian-doll-created-man-couldn-t-black-toy-niece-popular-country-s-outselling-BARBIE.html#ixzz3QXp1n4ws
Follow us: @mailonline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Don't know why this haven't been done earlier,in a perhaps unrelated news Barbie sales have been in decline so much that the top got booted out.
is so popular in his country that it's outselling BARBIE
In 2007, Taofick Okoya, created a doll that Nigerian girls could identify with
43-year-old based his Queens of Africa dolls on country's biggest tribes
They cost roughly £4.50 and aim to promote strong feminine ideals
A Nigerian businessman decided to create own doll that Nigerian girls could identify with called Queens of Africa, by recreating their skin colour and style - and now it's outselling Barbie in his native country
A Nigerian businessman decided to create own doll that Nigerian girls could identify with called Queens of Africa, by recreating their skin colour and style - and now it's outselling Barbie in his native country.
But the Queens of Africa aren't just selling in their home country.
Thanks to the doll's online presence, customers are coming from as far as America, Brazil and Europe.
Speaking to ELLE about his dolls out-selling Barbie in his native Nigeria, Okoya said: 'My mission is to make the Queens of Africa a symbol of hope, trust, and confidence by promoting African history, culture, and fashion.'
One person that Okoya really hopes the dolls will have a positive impact on is his daughter, who, he explains, once wished she was white.
He explained that even though they live in Nigeria, there was a lot of Western influence. He said: '[This] might have been responsible for her wishing she was white. It made me aware that I needed to make her proud and happy being a black African girl, and not limit it to her alone as this was a common trend among the younger generation. The Queens of Africa became a platform to achieve this.'
Unfortunately, Okoya has been told that he won't be able to sell the dolls on the shelves of mainline stories in America and will have to limit his business to specialist stores.
But he is determined to see the decision overturned, he said: 'I am looking to prove them wrong.'
Read more: www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2931846/Nigerian-doll-created-man-couldn-t-black-toy-niece-popular-country-s-outselling-BARBIE.html#ixzz3QXp1n4ws
Follow us: @mailonline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Don't know why this haven't been done earlier,in a perhaps unrelated news Barbie sales have been in decline so much that the top got booted out.
