The name, Oluwaseyi Adekunle, does not ring a bell in Nigeria. But mention the name, Seyi Vodi, and the respondent, who probably wears a dress made by the immensely popular fashion designer, would tell you he knows him like the back of his palm. What the respondent may not know is that the two names belong to the same person, the difference being that one, Seyi Adekunle, created the other, Seyi Vodi, which has become a household name in Nigeria – by far more popular than its creator.
The opportunity came for many Nigerians, including his customers, to establish a nexus between the “two” Seyis when he celebrated his Golden Jubilee birthday anniversary that brought the movers and shakers of Nigeria together in Abuja on Saturday, July 19, 2025. The high-octane event, which was held at the Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, was a reflection of the socio-economic status of a tailor who has made dresses for the who’s who, the high and the mighty, in every Nigerian circle – politics, religion, royalty, business, the academia, banking, etc. The day also marked the 24th anniversary of the establishment of the Vodi fashion line and commissioning of the multi-billion-naira, state-of-the-art headquarters of the company on Kado Road, Abuja.
The roll call at the talk-of-the-town birthday celebration included Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife; Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State; former Liberian president, George Weah; Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ou Olukoyode; Senator Dine Melaye, Ovation International magazine publisher and African Democratic Congress member; Dele Momodu; Seyi Tinubu, President Tinubu’s son, and numerous others. Celebrities from the entertainment sector, notably movie and music stars, were not left out. The event lent credence to the popular adage that says when a child washes his hands clean, he dines with the elders. What would certainly be remembered about the birthday celebration in a long time is the fact that Seyi chose the occasion to gift himself a 2025 Rolls Royce Cullinan as present.
Seyi’s phenomenal rise from ground zero to the pinnacle of his profession as a tailor, becoming a fashion icon not just in Nigeria, but outside, as well, speaks to the fact that success in any chosen field is more of what you have passion for, not necessarily what you studied in the classroom. If that were so, he would be in the creeks of the Niger Delta, or offshore the country’s coasts, exploring, drilling and producing oil. And he would perhaps not be anywhere near what he is today. Indeed, happenstance could be a major factor to changing the course of one’s history.
The call to national service had taken him to Akwa Ibom State for the mandatory National Youth Service programme after graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from the University of Maiduguri, in Bornu State. While in the state, he made friends with some tailors and soon developed interest in sewing, learning from them. His foray into tailoring started as a hobby, sewing shirts and boxers for his friends and colleagues. The hobby ignited in him a greater interest in sewing, prompting him to register a company, Testimony Fabrics, in 2001. He changed the name of the company to Vodi in 2003 because it sounded more African, and shorter.
Before then, however, Seyi sought employment in a bank in 2002 and was invited for an interview, but was not successful. He later got a bank job in 2003, but decided to quit the suit-and-tie wearing job after a stint to pursue his dream in tailoring. He did not have a shop, and had to sew at home to deliver to clients in their offices and homes in Abuja. It wasn’t long before he discovered that, indeed, his future lay in tailoring, not on an oil rig; not a banking hall, not even any other job, no matter how attractive it might appear to be.
Seyi began on a modest scale sewing well-designed and sewn shirts and trousers for a small circle of customers mostly in banks and other establishments in the nation’s capital. He paid attention to detail in terms of quality, consistency and customer satisfaction, attributes that would become the hallmarks of his businesses and for which he would become known. Through word of mouth, his brands soon caught the attention of those in the categories of not just office workers, but successful professionals including the top echelon in banks, as well as private and public establishments.
One of the high-profile customers who got wowed by his products was Tony Elumelu, the chairman of United Bank for Africa and chairman of Heirs Holdings. Not only did Elumelu patronize him, the promoter of Africapitalism who is leading the charge for entrepreneurship across the African continent gave him an endorsement that opened for him the kind of doors he could never have imagined, ushering him into a new circle of the rich and the powerful. Elumelu, with outstanding successes in diverse fields such as banking, insurance, hospitality and power generation became, for Seyi, a role model, mentor and source of inspiration. There couldn’t be a better teacher to learn from.
Seyi has used his Vodi brand to build a network of high profile clients and friends from all the strata of society. Among the big names that have visited his fashion house to see things for themselves and show support and solidarity are Vice President Kashim Shettima and Bishop David Oyedepo, Founder of Living Faith Church worldwide.
A beautiful flower attracts butterflies from far and near. Seyi did not need to spend money to advertise his fashion brand in newspaper and television commercials. His products spoke for him, and they spoke loud enough to be heard within and outside Nigeria, thus highlighting the burgeoning creative industry that is increasingly stamping the country’s presence on the world map. Vodi is one of the big names that are promoting Nigeria as a top fashion destination in the world.
As the fashion business began to grow in leaps and bounds, Seyi realized the need for diversification into other areas, not just as avenues for making more money, but as a way of contributing to Nigeria’s economic growth. Today, he sits atop the Vodi Group that comprises Vodi Tailors, the flagship business that creates bespoke tailoring designs for high profile clients from all walks of life; VodiKlean, a laundry and dry cleaning company; VodiDebbo, an outfit that handles sourcing of fabrics of the highest quality from wherever they can be found; Vodi Shoes, which is into shoe production and Vodi Training Institute, where people are trained in fashion design. These businesses create jobs and empower people to get a head start in business. Together, the Vodi Group provides direct employment for about 300 Nigerians, and thousands in indirect employment.
A Lagos-born, Osun State indigene, Seyi has established himself not just as a successful entrepreneur, but also a philanthropist with keen interest in youth empowerment. This has made him very popular among the youths. He has focused his philanthropic activities in areas such as provision of water projects, construction of roads and bridges and renovation of school blocks in different communities, among others. On July 15, 2025, he was a panelist at the National Youth Entrepreneurship and Empowerment Programme (YEEP) organized by the Activate Services
International Foundation at the Nigerian Air Force Conference Centre in Abuja. Seyi’s contributions to the socio-economic growth of Nigeria have earned him the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON). It is an honour for which he is immensely grateful to the federal government. “I am so humbled by this honour from my country. It is the highest form of recognition anyone could ask for from his fatherland,” he said. “I am also humbled by the fact that my industry, fashion, is also being recognised. The recognition is in appreciation of our little contributions to society.” He urges Nigerians to believe in the country and contribute to its development in whatever way they can. “We have to believe in this country and make it great,” he said. “The national honour of OON can only spur someone like me to give more and do more for the greater benefit of the country and the uplift of her people.”
