The Facebook Creators docu-series has kickstarted with the stories of three creative artists — award-winning photographer, Emmanuel Oyeleke, Ghanaian sensation, Laud Anoo Konadu, popularly known as Dancegod Lloyd, and Fashion Designer Extraordinaire, Funke Adepoju. Five other creative artists have been selected to share their stories in the #FacebookCreators campaign, highlighting the exciting stories of successful content creators using the Facebook Family of Apps to inspire other creative artists and their community.
Emmanuel Oyeleke is a Nigerian photographer who moved to Lagos to begin his career with persistence and passion. He draws inspiration from seeing beauty in everything and not giving up when times get tough. Emmanuel said, “Facebook has been there to always remind me of how I started. Instagram has also been very instrumental to my growth and the growth of my online audience. I really enjoy using the platform and its utilities to express my creativity.”
Ghanaian dancer and choreographer, Dancegod Lloyd, shares how growing up in a town where people are referred to as rascals and bad boys did not hinder him from becoming an entertainer. After taking a break to find himself shortly after high school, Dancegod Lloyd followed his passion to become a dancer and has built a strong brand for himself. In his words, “I got my biggest break through Facebook. It brought me to the world, and also brought the world to me.”
Fashion designer extraordinaire, Funde Adepoju became a national sensation when pieces from one of her creative collections were picked up by leading online platform, BellaNaija and posted on Facebook. Since then, her fashion brand has soared, and her unique pieces have been worn by several local and international stars, including Chimamanda Adichie and Lupita Nyong’o. “Thanks to Facebook, I was able to reach celebrities and people I would have never reached by myself. Instagram is my favourite app as it serves as a home office, all in one platform. Today, 85% of our sales come Via Instagram and Whatsapp,” Funke said.
Through the Facebook Creators campaign, Emmanuel Oyeleke, Dancegod Lloyd and Funke Adepoju let us into their lives and journeys, opening up on how they stayed focused and determined through life’s challenges to become content creators building, communicating, and scaling their art and craft to the world using Facebook and Instagram.
Watch their stories on Facebook Africa page, Pulse Nigeria and Pulse Ghana to find out more about how these three creative artists have succeeded, and how Facebook and Instagram have contributed to their growth and success.