Twice As Nice Boss, Waheed Shonibare is Dead

He began with shirts in a car trunk and turned them into a fashion empire. Now, the man behind Nigeria’s beloved Twice As Nice brand, Waheed Shonibare, is gone. His death, confirmed by family sources last week, has left a quiet ache in the country’s fashion scene. The cause remains undisclosed.

Shonibare’s story was one of reinvention. A Pharmacy graduate of Ogun State University, he swapped test tubes for textiles, chasing the art of dressing well. In 2000, he opened a small shop at Kolex Hotels in Fola Agoro, Lagos. From that modest space grew a chain of nearly 30 outlets across Nigeria and Ghana, each a shrine to polished masculinity.

He built Twice As Nice on British tailoring: shirts by T.M. Lewin, Hawes & Curtis, Fred Thomas. Then he paired them with local flair. The boutiques spoke of quiet luxury, attracting upwardly mobile professionals who saw dressing as both armour and art. “We build trust in what we do,” he once said, describing his secret as a mix of quality, service, and charm.

Shonibare’s success was also a personal rebellion. Friends recall a young man determined to carve his own path rather than live off his late father’s wealth. He started small, selling shirts from his car while doubters whispered that fashion was a gamble for dreamers. His triumph silenced them, turning Twice As Nice into a household name for tasteful dressing.

Beyond commerce, he served on the Lagos State Pilgrims Welfare Board, a reminder that he moved easily between faith and fashion, business and service. Those who knew him speak of humility stitched into ambition, the rare combination that makes success feel deserved.

Now, his passing leaves a void lined with elegance and unfinished dreams. Twice As Nice remains open, its windows filled with folded shirts and soft light. Somewhere in those displays lives his ethos: that style, at its best, is a kind of grace.