Ayoo Africa 2020 Top Ten Awardee // Curators
“My father, who is an international playwright and theatre director, filled our home with the works of his close artist friends and colleagues. I was always immersed in a world of artistic gratification; and as such, developed a deep love and appreciation for creatives.”
Self-described ‘quintessential African American’, Seju Alero Mike was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria to an American father and a Nigerian mother. Despite her studies being focused in another field, she wanted to do more.
This longing led to the founding of OSENGWA – a platform featuring contemporary African art, fashion and music conceived by artists at the forefront of today’s Neo-African movement. Through OSENGWA, Seju merged her creative upbringing, cultural heritage, global worldview and business shrewdness to promote and present African art in a new way. OSENGWA has also given Seju the opportunity to help African creatives monetize and build their businesses, and as such she has worked as a creative and cultural connector with a roster of innovative designers, brands and artists; including Orange Culture, Data Oruwari, Ohab TBJ, Daniel Obasi, I.AM.ISIGO and Baingor Joiner.
The success of OSENGWA coupled with Seju’s continued desire to bring together Africans and harness the power of ‘us for us’, led to the creation of iRAAMi – an app which helps Africans in the diaspora find resources and experiences that connect them with the continent and one another.
