Titi Ogufere

IDAN President And Publisher Of Essential Interiors Takes Us Into Her World Of Interior Design

Let’s get to know you more; your educational background, growing up, family etc.

GROWING up for me was quite eventful, and family is everything! I studied Interior Design and Events management and PR from Dublin Business School. I went further to obtain a Certificate in Editorial Design from London College of Arts

How about your career progression?

I started my career in 2001 in Design Option where I worked for a year. In 2002 I started Essential interiors as a furniture-making company. I was encouraged by a good friend of mine to go to school to study Interior Design at that time I was looking to go the Florence Academy of Design. By 2004 fate took me to Dublin where I eventually gained my qualification as an Interior Designer. Incidentally, I had my company still operational in Lagos and came back from time to time to work on projects until I returned back finally to Lagos in 2017.

Why are you so passionate about Interiors? Why did you decide to go and study Interior Design?

As long as I can remember I have had a passion and drive for art and design. From my early days at school, followed on as I graduated and insisted that I wanted to work in a furniture manufacturing company. I believe I was created to be an Interior Designer. Design is in my DNA. I find myself in my element whenever I engage in anything that has to do with design.

Tell us briefly what it entails contrary to common perception

Interior design is a profession just like architecture and it’s a very technical profession because it has to do with the health safety and wellbeing of a space. It’s a problem for design to be funneled into the “cool” and “hip” and “trendy.” There’s that side to it, but in every aspect there are far more pertinent conversations to be had. ‘’Trendiness’’ in such a myopic context takes away from excellence. For example, there are people out there who believe that interdisciplinary design is important ... For me, architects are architects and designers are designers, and there is a difference. If we decide that titles don’t matter, why do we have them? Design is pervasive; nothing in the world today is not designed. The public does not know what good design is. It needs experts to execute design in smart ways, so we can accomplish great design.

Is the sector really developed in this country? If not, how can government assist to develop it?

We still have a long way to go, but we’ve started the journey. Education is a key factor in the development of the industry and I’m happy to say that the University of Lagos will be setting up the first-degree program starting September 2018. We are also working on a licensing system for professional Interior Designers. We need government to help us in regulating Interior Design because we have a lot of unqualified artisans and wannabe designers in the industry who love the industry but should not be authorized to practice without going through the right channels and upholding the ethics of the industry. I’ve had my hands burnt a few times. Lastly we need health and safety Laws for Interior Design, I heard of a very sad incident where a lady got electrocuted because the landlord cut corners. In most schools health and safety is integrated in the curriculum for the four-year course.

Tell us more about IDAN. Has it been able to achieve its objectives?

In 2006, I had the vision and shared it with Ekua Abudu who, owing to her experience with associations, showed me how to start. Subsequently, I approached other industry leaders such as Muni Shonibare who was the first president of IDAN, Anselm Tabansi the next president, Moni Fagbemi, Sarah Daniels and Debola Omooba, the rest is history. Another significant contributor to the successful establishment of the association is Oliver Enwonwu who with his experience with NGO’S helped with most of the initial setup.

As the national body for the Interior Design profession, IDAN represents members which largely consist of fully qualified interior designers, interior decorators, suppliers of interior design products and finishing companies. The national body has executives in Lagos and Abuja with the headquarters in Lagos and the regional branches in

Abuja and Port Harcourt.

What was the import of the recently held ACDF conference and exhibition in Lagos? What success was recorded at the event?

We need government to help us in regulating Interior Design because we have a lot of unqualified artisans and wannabe designers in the industry who love the industry but should not be authorized to practice without going through the right channels and upholding the ethics of the industry