Today we’d like to introduce you to Okikioluwa Popoola.
Okikioluwa, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Well, it all started freshman year of college. I’m currently a senior at Morgan state University. I picked up a camera because I was injured from track, and the camera was a way for me to just pick up a new thing. From there on, I started with weddings, and last summer I came across a certain individual’s page. His name is Gabriel Moses, and I was just like, “I can do this.” From that moment on, my creative spark just lit up, and I decided to create projects that I believed I loved, not just projects people just come to me with, like, “Oh, I want you to shoot my wedding.” I create things that I believe will have an impact on people, and I believe that’s where I am right now, so I create fashion films, commercials, just stuff that makes meaning.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. I would say some of the struggles I came across were just figuring out my style, and I still believe I’m still figuring out that style. In that process, whoever is there that doesn’t have the style yet, just keep shooting. That’s what I would say: just figuring out your style, because in this world we’re in right now, everything moves so fast. You come across so many different styles. You’re like, “Oh, should I do this? Should I do that?” I think just finding your identity in your art is the best thing, the most proper thing to do.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Well, I’ll say what I do. I am a director, a creative director. Also, you know, and I’m also a marketing genius, right? And I consider myself an artist, right? Because all that involves artistry. I’m known for just showcasing the African culture, but mixed with the Western world, you know. One of my most proud of, I’m most proud of just putting my work out there and just making people see. what I think of, and just make me see like you can do it. Also like just whatever idea you have, don’t let it stall. Just do it.
What sets me apart from others? Basically my perseverance. I want to do something, I’m going to do it. I’m not going to procrastinate on it. Even if I procrastinate on it, there’s a reason I’m procrastinating on it because I believe some pieces are not there yet. I said that’s what separates me from others, and also my experience and my background. Just having a background living in Nigeria and also living here mixes both worlds together. Not many people can put that on film, put that in a creative way. They can talk about it, they can write about it, but I don’t think a lot of people can put that in an artistic way.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I define success by the impact I leave on people, basically the impact Kipper Moses left on me, which I said I created. If I have that impact on people too, just that created, I believe I’m pretty successful.
The more impact I start having, it can start from one person, two people, ten people, 100 people, 1,000 people, a million people. The more impact I start having, the more successful I believe I am, and I still believe I’m successful right now because I’m having impact on individuals, and that’s what I feel.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://okiki.me
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/popoola._/
