BBC Award-winning Jeremiah Obuobi makes another international impact with classic Akan head motifs

Ghanaian designer, Jeremiah Obuobi has been tagged as one of the best designer to come from Africa. His concept of designing is shocking and makes people marvel whenever they see him work.

He is currently pursuing a Nas era Master’s Degree in Jewellery and Metal at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

Jeremiah Obuobi who operates as OBJClothing was awarded a contract in 2007 by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) to design and manufacture the first ever BBC Africa Radio Awards trophies. Jeremiah produced all 20 trophies for the show in 22 Karat Gold plating of brass metal.

The show was held in Kenya on 29th May 2007 with important personalities like Jan Malan, the late Komla Dumor and Vera Kwakofi of BBC, Benard Avle of City Fm, Kwadwo Oppong Nkrumah and Kwesi Asare of Joy Fm and Africa’s celebrated Nigerian artiste 2face Idibia present. Trophies presented where to recognize the best Radio Station of the Year, New Radio Station of the Year, News Journalist of the Year, Sports Journalist of the Year, Local On-Air Campaign of the Year, Interactive/Talk Show of the Year and Young Broadcaster of the Year.

The British Council of Ghana nominated him as the first Runner-up of the Ghanaian Fashion Entrepreneur of the Year Competition in 2008, and also nominated by Design Mate Online Magazine in South Africa as Promising Young Designer from West Africa in 2009. He was recently featured on one of America’s most respected design website Yanko.com for his Lamborghini Automobile Shoe Concept designs he made.

The designer is out with a new breed of designs he call the “AKAN HEAD”. The Akan Head according to Jeremiah basically talks about the ingenuity and commitment shown by the Akan (a tribe in Ghana) to survive over the centuries. The migration of the Akan tribe to West Africa have a long standing history of coming from one common area and from one ancestor. The Akans believe to have migrated from Canaan and moved through Ancient Egypt (Kemet) and Nubia (which is modern day Sudan) through the Sahel to West Africa.

The Akan tribes have over the years shown high levels of ingenuity in governance, academia, medicine, design, music, architecture and etc. and therefore this artwork celebrates the contribution of these tribes in Ghana who have contributed positively through creative vision for the betterment of the people and other tribes they have lived peacefully with.

The designs comes in the form of apparels, cases & skins, wall art, home décor, bags and stationery.