Jideofor Ezeofor: From Law to Fashion

Coming from a lineage of lawyers, it was expected that Chief Jideofor Ezeofor would follow in his parents’ footsteps. However, he tells Vanessa Obioha that he found his true calling in the needle and thread business.

Providence always has a way of directing people  to their true calling. Take, for example, High Chief Jideofor Ezeofor, a Barrister at Law and the brain behind the renowned Zeof fashion brand.

Hailing from a family with the highest noble rank of the legal profession – the body of benchers, Chief Ezeofor would have probably been sitting on the Bar as a Court of Appeal judge had he threaded the family’s traditional career path. Rather, Ezeofor who practised law for a while, switched to the fashion business. His label today is a toast of upscale fashion enthusiasts, captains of industry, political leaders, corporate eggheads and professionals of different hues, both at home and abroad. His story is a classical example of how far passion, dedication and hard work can help one achieve their dreams.

Fashion became an allure to Ezeofor as a child. Even though nobody in his family showed a proclivity towards the art, he embraced it wholeheartedly.

“I started designing clothes when I was very young, around 12 years old,” he recalled during a recent chat. “All through my senior secondary school and university, I designed and made clothes. My initial clients were my schoolmates at the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, where I studied law.”

Although he did not get formal training in the fashion field, his talents and ingenuity paved the way for him in the industry.  Ezeofor, whose eyes glittered with pride, revealed how he found himself in the fashion field despite having parents who were prominent in the legal field. According to the soft-spoken entrepreneur, fashion and design are where his true calling lies.

“I’m a lawyer by training and a tailor and artist by inclination. I didn’t abandon the legal profession. I am a second-generation lawyer. My father and mother are lawyers. My father, Ichie Ezeofor is a life bencher of the Body of Benchers; it is a body of lawyers of the highest distinction in Nigeria.

“Law also is in my veins. I was once a Magistrate in the Anambra State Judiciary. I served for five years at the Chief Magistrate Court Ogidi and Onitsha respectively. The fulfillment I got when I dispensed justice without fear or favour cannot be equated. I became conflicted when it was our turn to be elevated to the High Court. The artist in me couldn’t keep still. Subsequently, I resigned from the Magistracy to follow my childhood passion which is designing clothes, house interiors and furniture. But my first love has always been designing clothes. I get my design inspiration from nature:  I can get inspiration from watching the breeze impact a tree. Just looking at the way the leaves dance to the wind can turn into a design.”

With over three decades in the industry, Ezeofor has expanded his fashion business significantly. His designer label, Zeof Excluzioni, now serves a diverse clientele across all segments of society, establishing itself as a top-end brand.

“We clothe captains of industries, bankers, professionals, top public servants, businessmen, governors, African presidents and upwardly mobile individuals with great sense of style. Over the years, our attention to detail in our outfit is second to none,” he enthused.

Following the shift from foreign to local designs, Ezeofor sees it as a positive trend, attributing it to the maturation of the Nigerian fashion industry. He noted that more Nigerians are embracing local fabrics and designs, which signifies the industry’s growing recognition and appreciation within the country.

“Nigerian designers have matured in their craft over the years. When I started designing clothes in 1985, it wasn’t popular; Nigerians preferred to buy ready-to-wear clothes imported from Europe and America. But now, we have matured in fashion content, just like our Afrobeat music. We have clients in Europe and America. The Nigerian fashion brand is international,” he explained.

The fashion Czar elaborated further: “We receive orders from abroad,  package and ship them. Sometimes in 2007, I showcased how my Zeof tropical, hybrid and African suit is worn in the international fashion arena in the magic marketplace in Las Vegas, USA,  organised by the US Commercial department.”

The top designer lamented that many young Nigerians today rarely learn and acquire artisanal skills such as tailoring, tiling, electrical, and mechanical skills. Instead, they prefer to leave the country in search of greener pastures.

In his opinion, the situation is two-fold: the government’s failure to provide basic services and the issue of the young demographic being in a hurry to get rich quickly, which he believes is not the proper way.

To address this issue, Ezeofor advised the government to enhance the provision of enabling services. He also urged Nigerian youths to understand that success is a gradual process—it involves learning, toiling, making mistakes, gaining experience, and advancing over time.

“There is no quick fix, but the younger generation are in a hurry to make money which most times leads to unscrupulous situations where they find themselves in fraud or other businesses that are not within the ambit of the law.

“In Nigeria, such artisanal skills take about five years to master, but in most cases after two years, you find the learner moves away and tries to establish his own. Just like a house without a strong foundation, fall is inevitable.

“The fashion business is tough; you have to have the extra passion to be successful in the fashion business. The early years can be frustrating, but if you persist, you will gather experience and tenacity and success will be yours. I am appealing to the young ones to be patient and learn a craft or trade; you can become a multimillionaire. There is money in tailoring, plumbing, painting, pop placements, electrical installations and other fields.”

Ezeofor also decried the many textile companies in Nigeria shutting down operations due to the unconducive business environment. He admitted that this unfortunate situation has forced Zeof to start sourcing most of its raw materials from China. According to him, the frequent power outages in Nigeria are a major reason textile industries are shutting down, as a constant power supply is crucial for fabric production. He urged the federal government to consider providing textile manufacturers with single-digit, long-term loans to help revive the industry and resuscitate the many textile companies that have closed.

Zeof, he said, was also a victim of Nigeria’s power paralysis as the fashion company suffered an epileptic power supply for 10 years, which hampered production. He, however, disclosed that he has since veered off into alternative energy sources, thus providing Zeof Fashion the much-needed power respite.

“We suffered epileptic power supply for 10 years. It was very very unbearable for us, particularly putting gas in the generators and maintaining them. So, this was what gave rise to the Zeof Solar Solution company. We install solar systems for individuals and companies,” he explained.

While calling on the government to embed fashion designing and other vocational skills in the tertiary education curriculum, High Chief Ezeofor expressed optimism that in the next 30 years, Zeof will expand beyond its present status and become a global brand.  He expressed the absolute conviction that Zeof Fashion will outlive him “as some of my children have shown interest in towing the fashion line.”

“My first son, who is an architect, is very much interested in continuing with the business. He has his design for the younger generation and his younger brother too. They created a label known as Denzel Blake Imperial, which is an offshoot of Zeof Excluzioni.”

An avid golfer and historian who carries his golfer bag wherever he travels, Ezeofor revealed that Zeof Fashion Training Institute is in the pipeline. The Fashion Training Institute, he said, will help mentor and train young Nigerians to acquire the fashion designing skills.

“It will offer mainly practical training, and when you graduate, you will be a more seasoned person. It will help a lot of our unemployed youths,” he remarked.