She is a fashionista and beauty icon. For several decades, she bestrides the Nigerian beauty and style terrains like a colossus.
With her Midas touch, she brought the hitherto despised beauty industry into the limelight, contributing to the making of great men and women of style.
In fact, the initiative of Chief (Mrs) Opral Mason-Benson many years ago was not only a monumental success, but also a giant leap for the beauty industry.
The setting up of Opral Mason-Benson Beauty Institute (OBTI) was not by happenstance but divined. Her passion, zeal and doggedness saw her navigating the murky waters of skepticism to building an industry that is bubbling with activities. All credits go to the pioneering efforts of Iya Oge of Lagos, a title Benson earned in 1973, long before she established her training institute.
A respected awardee of two national honours of MON and many more both locally and internationally, Benson has succeeded in lacing her mosaic coat of honours with indelible milestones.
In this exclusive interview with KEHINDE OGUNDIMU and SAM ADEGBE, ‘Mama’, as Opral Benson is popularly known, shares her thoughts, experiences, challenges, and contributions to the development and growth of the African beauty industry.
Genesis
At the time I started, I was inspired by my concern and love for the beauty industry. I really love the sector and I saw the need to get others to appreciate what the industry was all about. I saw some companies manufacturing beauty products in the country and there were no trained personnel to manage these products. I also saw a lot of people that were not having anything to do and I thought I could take as many of them that could avail themselves the kind of intervention we wanted to provide. Apart from this, I saw the beauty industry as something that was being looked down upon, an industry that was considered unusual and denigrated by many. People in that sector were seen as people who didn’t have the brain and ambition to excel or make contributions to society and so, I decided I was going to train people and empower them. Particularly, it was something I liked doing myself.
Motivation
I was not motivated by the urge to make money. I am still not moved by the urge to make profit. I think my interest was to educate people and show them what the beauty industry is all about. It was necessary to let people know that the industry was respectable. Also, I wanted to make entrepreneurs out of those willing to understand what we are doing. People needed to do their own thing, establish their own shops, schools, et cetera. I had the urge to see people go out there and have confidence in themselves, do their own thing, expand and develop themselves. I was very interested in nation building, not through political office or means but through the private sector. Anything you can contribute as your own quota to nation building motivates me.
University days
I did a full-time job while at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) as an administrator, and when I decided to leave, I faced my new calling with a passion. There was no time I combined the two. As soon as I decided on starting off, I left UNILAG and concentrated full-time on my chosen career. So, there was no conflict at all. I have always wanted to be in this industry, even long before I got into it. So, what I did while working at UNILAG was to establish a fashion outlet where we made and sold fashionable items, and that didn’t interfere with my work because I had people managing the business. So, it didn’t in any way tamper with my work at the university, but I kept my eye on it that one day I would go into the beauty industry full-time. And when I decided to leave UNILAG, I left with a feeling of fulfillment.
Hubby’s blessing
I will not describe my husband’s (TOS Benson) support for me as an influence. You may wish to understand it this way: whatever I wanted to do, he supported me. It is not a case of influencing me. I remember when I was still working at UNILAG, long before I left, I kept telling him I wanted to operate in the beauty industry. Many of his friends called him and said, ‘Why does she want to go and become a hairdresser when she has a good job and is well educated?’ But he kept saying that I should please myself and do what I enjoy doing. He asked me to do anything that will give me happiness.
Between family and career
There were no clashes between my family life and career. All you need is to organize yourself and make sure there is time for everything. My family life was there, and my job was also there. The time my husband, Chief TOS Benson was involved in public life, I knew I had to support him in doing things, both at home and outside the home. So, I planned my activities in such a way that there were no clashes between my business concerns and family life. Sometimes it was necessary to bring people on board to assist because I had many commitments. They were given instructions on what and when to carry out tasks. It all depends on how you plan and organize yourself.
Touching lives
I can safely say we have touched so many lives through the Opral Mason Benson Beauty Institute (OBBTI). The number of people who have passed through us may run into several thousands because every year we have an average of 100 to 150 students. And you can imagine what that translates to over the years. As you know, if you touch one life, that touches 100 and sometimes more. So, we have indeed touched many lives in this sector, which hitherto was not seen as important.
Going by my own perception, the Opral Mason Benson Training Institute has been able to create awareness in public life about beauty. Apart from this, it has also helped to empower many to assume a self-reliant existence and assisted them to stand on their own and contribute on some scale to the economy. Most of the people that have passed through us are now standing bold to explain what this industry is all about. We do not intend to unnecessarily blow our trumpet, but our achievements are eloquent and showcase landmarks that can be clearly seen and defined.
OMB brand
Some products were branded in the Opral Mason-Benson (OMB) label. At a time, some were being produced abroad and some locally. But now, none of these products is being produced. For a long time, I was the Chairman of Johnson Products Nigeria Limited. We started back in 1978, producing beauty and hair products, and the company was instrumental in producing many of these products we had then. But as of now, these products are no longer out there because we had problems in the manufacturing industry. Problems of infrastructure – power and other problems all combined to bedevil the productive sector.
I’m a pioneer
I will describe myself as a pioneer in a way. Pioneering for me is not new. In a sense, I am a pioneer. I have contributed significantly to the improvement of the beauty industry. Of course, there are still opportunities for growth in this industry. Like every sector, there is always the need to do new things or improve on the old ways. The industry has grown so well that it is no longer stigmatized as it was in those days when people regarded it as an industry for never-do-wells and dropouts.
That is no longer the case today, as a lot has changed about the beauty industry. Today, the perception of the sector is different from what it used to be. It is now everybody’s industry -the male, the female, the high, and the low. Everybody wants to get a piece of the action.
The industry has expanded significantly and has improved creditably. It was not viewed seriously in the beginning, but all that has given way to a better understanding of what the beauty industry is all about. That is good for the sector.
All-gender affair
The notion that only women deal with beauty-related issues has since changed. Today, men patronize beauty clinics, and there are also many male beauticians. Beauty is now an all-gender affair. As a matter of fact, a lot of men are involved in the beauty business, both in this country and beyond. Many men now maintain beauty routines for themselves and also provide beauty services for others. There was a time when men felt marginalized because they were few in the industry, but all that has changed.
Challenges
There are challenges, really. One of them is getting people who are committed to the vision. People who have the same vision like you, who can be committed to your cause, and who can work together with you. In the manufacturing sector, there has been the problem of infrastructure, which has hampered the development of the sector. When manufacturing is hampered, product delivery and use become equally hampered. These are some of the shortcomings.
Role models
I was not looking at any specific person. I was looking more or less at organizations, which are well established and have spent time manufacturing beauty products. Organizations like Johnson Products have been my reference point. Also, my travels to Europe and America provided the exposure for me to get ideas and be what I wanted to be. There, I was able to reach out to people who made this industry what it is, and have made it acceptable to people. So, for me, there wasn’t a particular role model. There was the idea to make people look good. That you have gone through the beauty industry makes you feel better. It gives you self-confidence. You can carry out whatever you wish because you feel good from within. And that feeling also starts from your personality and outlook.
Honours and titles
I am not the only person with two national honours. There are a few others too. Initially, I was given an MON and you may call it promotion as I was later given an OON. Other people are also in that category. My second award came three years after the first one.
In all you do, people assess and give kudos to you. I’m quite impressed by this recognition. It is nice to be recognized by one’s country. I have a national honour from Liberia too. I feel proud that I have been able to make an impact. Giving up yourself for others is rewarding. Oh no, it is not correct that I was given the Iya Oge title because of my involvement in the beauty and fashion industry. I got the title in 1973 long before I established the institute. It was my personality that earned me the title from the late Oba of Lagos, Oba Oyekan. He gave me the title 12 years before I started the institute. I appreciate it because it made me feel that I have something positive.
Leisure
I read a lot – the good, the bad and the ugly. I also watch a lot of Nigerian movies. I enjoy them, especially on Africa Magic. I learn a lot about Nigerian and African cultures from them. I find it as a way of recreating. I go to social events sometimes but ultimately I enjoy quiet moments, getting myself educated through reading. I buy a bunch of newspapers, and if I can’t finish reading them at a time, I return to them when I am less busy.
Advice to upcoming ones
I can offer advice to the young ones given my vast experience as a pioneer. I am among the early starters of the industry, which makes me a pioneer. There were a few others practising before me. Perhaps the only difference is that they may not have established at the level that I did. One particular person that I know is Mrs. Osisanya (Elegant Twins). Luckily, the up comers don’t have the problems that we had in those days. The industry is already kicking and on the roll. They should position themselves to benefit from the enormous potentials in the society. They should be focused and willing to deliver qualitative products to their customers. They should make up their minds on what they want to make out of the industry and remain purposeful. They should be broad-minded, integrate and avoid being selfish. They should also help others.
This interview was conducted in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of OBBTI in 2011.