Skip to main content

Nigerian doll 'Queen of Africa' outsells Barbie Eight years ago there wasn't a black alternative to Barbie, but today Taofick Okoya's toy sells around 9,000 a month Zachary Davies Boren Saturday 31 January 2015 1K Print A A A There's a new Barbie in town. She's a queen, she's black, she wears traditional African costumes — and she's not actually a Barbie. Created by a Nigerian man, Taofick Okoya, seven years ago after he couldn't find a black doll for his niece, the Queens of Africa have since beaten Barbie to become one of the best-selling toys in Africa's most populous country. The 43-year-old Okoya sells between 6,000 and 9,000 'Queens of Africa' and 'Naijia Princesses' a month in Nigeria, and claims to have up to 15 per cent of the country's toy market. The dolls, which sell for equivalent to £4.50, resemble Barbie dolls insomuch as they are thin - earlier big bodied editions weren't as popular - but their African outfits and darker skin stands them apart. Nigerian children see themselves in these increasingly popular dolls, with one customer - five-year-old Ifunanya Odiah - proudly proclaiming at a Lagos shopping mall: "I like it. It's black, like me." Earlier this month, Okoya told ELLE: "I spent about two years campaigning on the importance and benefits of dolls in the African likeness. "During that process, I realized greater social issues such as low self esteem, which led to the passion to make a change in the coming generation. It's been a tough journey but one I have enjoyed." American manufacturer Mattel, which does sell black Barbies, is not a large presence in the region and told Reuters it has no any plans for expansion. Mattel yesterday announced global Barbie sales fell by 12 per cent last quarter. Read more: US retailers apologise for white and black Barbie price difference The success of the Queens of Africa is another example of the emergence of a middle class in Nigeria, which along with Mexico, Indonesia and Turkey is thought to be one of the world's awakening economic giants. Toy sales in emerging markets such as Nigeria are growing at a rate of 13 per cent, as opposed to just 1 per cent in the developed world, suggesting that Okoya's Queens, Princesses and their to-be successors may have a successful stint on the shelf.

Nigerian doll 'Queen of Africa' outsells Barbie

Eight years ago there wasn't a black alternative to Barbie, but today Taofick Okoya's toy sells around 9,000 a month

There's a new Barbie in town. She's a queen, she's black, she wears traditional African costumes — and she's not actually a Barbie.
Created by a Nigerian man, Taofick Okoya, seven years ago after he couldn't find a black doll for his niece, the Queens of Africa have since beaten Barbie to become one of the best-selling toys in Africa's most populous country.
The 43-year-old Okoya sells between 6,000 and 9,000 'Queens of Africa' and 'Naijia Princesses' a month in Nigeria, and claims to have up to 15 per cent of the country's toy market.
The dolls, which sell for equivalent to £4.50, resemble Barbie dolls insomuch as they are thin - earlier big bodied editions weren't as popular - but their African outfits and darker skin stands them apart.
Nigerian children see themselves in these increasingly popular dolls, with one customer - five-year-old Ifunanya Odiah - proudly proclaiming at a Lagos shopping mall: "I like it. It's black, like me."
Earlier this month, Okoya told ELLE: "I spent about two years campaigning on the importance and benefits of dolls in the African likeness.
"During that process, I realized greater social issues such as low self esteem, which led to the passion to make a change in the coming generation. It's been a tough journey but one I have enjoyed."
American manufacturer Mattel, which does sell black Barbies, is not a large presence in the region and told Reuters it has no any plans for expansion.
Mattel yesterday announced global Barbie sales fell by 12 per cent last quarter.
Read more:
US retailers apologise for white and black Barbie price difference
The success of the Queens of Africa is another example of the emergence of a middle class in Nigeria, which along with Mexico, Indonesia and Turkey is thought to be one of the world's awakening economic giants.
Toy sales in emerging markets such as Nigeria are growing at a rate of 13 per cent, as opposed to just 1 per cent in the developed world, suggesting that Okoya's Queens, Princesses and their to-be successors may have a successful stint on the shelf.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Mona Farouk reveals scenes of "scandalous video"Egyptian actress Mona Farouk appeared on

Mona Farouk reveals scenes of "scandalous video"Egyptian actress Mona Farouk appeared on Monday in a video clip to discuss the details of the case she is currently facing. She recorded the first video and audio statements about the scandalous video that she brings together with Khaled Youssef.Farouk detonated several surprises, on the sidelines of her summons to the Egyptian prosecution, that Khalid Youssef was a friend of her father years ago, when she was a young age, and then collected a love relationship with him when she grew up, and married him in secret with the knowledge of her parents and her father and brother because his social status was not allowed to declare marriage .Muna Farouk revealed that the video was filmed in a drunken state. She and her colleague Shima al-Hajj said that on the same day the video was filmed, she was at odds with Shima, and Khaled Yusuf repaired them and then drank alcohol.She confirmed that Youssef was the one who filmed the clips whil

الحلقة 20 هنادي المطلقة والمحلل (ماذا قال كتاب العرب في هنادي)-----------Khalid Babiker

• الجنس شعور فوضوي يتحكم في الذات والعقل . وله قوة ذاتية لا تتصالح إلا مع نفسها . هكذا قال أنصار المحلل الحلقة 20 هنادي المطلقة والمحلل (ماذا قال كتاب العرب في هنادي) أول طريق عبره الإنسان هو طريق الذكر . بعدها شهق وصرخ . تمرغ في الزيت المقدس . وجرب نشوة الأرغوس . عاجلا أم آجلا سيبحث عن هذا الطريق ( كالأسماك تعود إلى أرض ميلادها لتبيض وتموت ) . وسيعبره . سيعبره بحثا عن الديمومة . وسيشهق وسيضحك . لقد جاء إليه غريبا . سيظل بين جدرانه الدافئة غريبا . وحالما يدفع تلك الكائنات الحية الصغيرة المضطربة في الهاوية الملعونة سيخرج فقيرا مدحورا يشعر بخيانة ما ( ..... ) . لن ينسى الإنسان أبدا طريق الذكر الذي عبره في البدء . سيتذكره ليس بالذاكرة وإنما بالذكر . سيعود إليه بعد البلوغ أكثر شوقا وتولعا . ولن يدخل فيه بجميع بدنه كما فعل في تلك السنوات التي مضت وإنما سيدخل برأسه . بعد ذلك سيندفع غير مبال بالخطر والفضيحة والقانون والدين . الله هناك خلف الأشياء الصغيرة . خلف كل شهقة . كل صرخة مندفعا في الظلام كالثور في قاعة المسلخ . الله لا يوجد في الأشياء الكبيرة . في الشرانق . في المح . ينشق فمه . تن

Trusting Liar (#5) Leave a reply

Trusting Liar (#5) Leave a reply Gertruida is the first to recover.  “Klasie… ?” “Ag drop the pretence, Gertruida. You all call me ‘Liar’ behind my back, so why stop now? Might as well be on the same page, yes?” Liar’s face is flushed with anger; the muscles in his thin neck prominently bulging. “That diamond belongs to me. Hand it over.” “What are you doing? Put away the gun…” “No! This…,” Liar sweeps his one hand towards the horizon, “…is my place.  Mine!   I earned it! And you…you have no right to be here!” “Listen, Liar, we’re not the enemy. Whoever is looking for you with the aeroplane and the chopper….well, it isn’t us. In fact, we were worried about you and that’s why we followed you. We’re here to help, man!” Vetfaan’s voice is pleading as he takes a step closer to the distraught man. “Now, put down the gun and let’s chat about all this.” Liar hesitates, taken aback after clearly being convinced that the group  had hostile intentions. “I…I’m not sure I believe