Vanessa Obioha
The Chairman of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia was among the large drove of people who convened at the Eko Energy City of Eko Atlantic in Victoria Island, Lagos, yesterday November 29, for the second edition of the Style by Zenith. Accompanied by top management staff, Ovia expressed satisfaction at the turnout, more particularly the layout of the venue which was transformed into a fairground of some sort. He walked the length and breadth of the recreational facility, stopping at a few retailer booths to drop a few kind words.
The new venue accommodated more than a 100 exhibitors from different segments of the lifestyle sector. From fashion vendors to food vendors, the facility boasted a potpourri of activities. There were also on display art works as well as a game arcade for children and adults who want to indulge in the pastime. Operators in the Information and Communication Technology were not left out. Notable brands at the fair include MTN Nigeria, Airtel, and Glo. To add panache to the event, a VIP section was created for high profile personalities. Over here, top executives unwind, clink glasses and network while the DJ supply cool music vibes.
Over a 1000 applicants applied for a spot in the fair this year, according to a senior management staff, Titi Awokoya. Only 300 booths however were available. The figure indicated over five per cent increase from last year which recorded only 285 retailers. Awokoyo hinted that there will be a significant increase in subsequent editions once the bank gets its permanent site.
Part of the increase, Awokoya pointed out, was from the accessibility of the fair to retailers outside Lagos state.
“The maiden edition was open to only retailers residing in Lagos state. But this year, we have people applying from different parts of the country. We have a special booth for Aba SMEs. We sponsored the Aba SME Fair last month so they are here to participate in the fair. We are giving our customers exposure” she said, a fact that the Brand Activation Representative (West), of NatnudO Foods, Abiodun Adekola attested to. It is the second time the brand is participating in the fair. He is exceptionally excited about the new venue because it is spacious and with the greenery food court, customers can enjoy their meals under a serene ambience.
One of the reasons the brand participates in the fair according to Adekola was the class of people that it connects them to.
“Zenith is associated with class so it is a good avenue to introduce our products to the elites.”
However for first timers like High Prestige Bella, a hair company, they are excited to participate in the fair and look forward to greater business opportunities.
For its second edition, the financial institution threw all in the ring to deliver a holistic experience for its customers. It flew in top international fashion designers like Tom Ford to walk the red runway. The three-day event will also witness leading fashion designers in the country like Mai Atafo. Each day will be crowned by music performances from tpp rated music artistes like 2Baba, Teni the Entertainer to mention a few.
Attendees of the first day of the event had the opportunity to participate in masterclasses of high-profiled creative entrepreneurs like the ace photographer, Kelechi Amadi-Obi who enlightened the audience on fashion photography while veteran Nollywood actress cum apostle Eucharia Anunobi shared insights on how to stay relevant in an ever-changing industry.
Launched in 2018 with the objective of supporting and creating value for customers by focusing on various aspects of their lifestyle, ‘Style by Zenith 2.0’ caps a year of all-encompassing customer lifestyle engagements by Zenith Bank. This year, the bank held its first ever music concert Aspire Music Festival. The show which was held in Lagos last September attracted a large pool of millennials.
In October, the bank threw its weight behind Aba SME Fair, organised for SMEs in the Aba Fashion Market, Abia State.
Awokoya said the whole idea is to build up events that will culminate in the lifestyle event.
“It is a retail initiative. We are trying to bring all the entrepreneurs together under one umbrella which is in line with the apex bank of Nigeria, CBN’s Intervention Fund. We want to empower entrepreneurs so their businesses can grow.”
The fair continues today with more lined-up activities and will draw its curtains on Sunday, December 1.
