Mide and I were bunkmates last semester at the University of Lagos. 
When she came in, I was probably not in the best of moods, but I noticed a black file case and how she tried to carefully make space to accommodate it. At that point I was wondering what was so important in it that it couldn't be put just anywhere. Alas, she brought out artworks in them and I was amazed at the talent, the colours…
I had to get to know Mide better and discover a bit of where she picked up this talent from.
Hi, I'm Nimi and I love hearing and telling amazing stories of ordinary people. You and I have unique stories everyone can learn from. My aim is to spotlight unconventional stories, people, and perspectives.
Mide is an upcoming superstar (in the art field of course), and you have free insight into how she's pulling it off.
Please share this story, it would mean the world to I, and Mide.
Q. When I told you about telling your story, what were your honest thoughts? And why did you agree to sharing your story?
So I've always wanted to let my story be out there, remember I told you once that I was writing something about myself? It's something I started once in my life, like 3 to 4 years ago; writing my story, and my struggles. Your story is art too, and that's why I agreed to it.

Q. Mide, so we want to know you better, tell us about yourself, your background and how that has shaped who you're becoming today.
My name is Ayomide Elizabeth Adebayo, and I'm 22. My mum's a single parent and I'm her only child. My parents used to be together, they had it all to some extent. We could afford anything at that time, life happened when I was 10 and I knew from that time that the struggle had began. We were not okay from that time, and I think that has shaped me to who I am today. It's still shaping me because I'm still on that journey to becoming a better person. My background has made me wiser and my experience has pushed me to pursue my talent. If I was too comfortable I don't think I would be chasing art right now.

Q. How did you figure out you're an artist? I know, the question looks so bold lol. Where did it all start from? How is the journey of starting out and small like?
In primary school I couldn't draw, I was like the worst in drawing, but my mum knew, and still knows how to sketch so I'll see her sketch gowns, clothes and most times if I have art projects I'll meet her or we'll use the trick of kerosene on paper. When I'll take my book to school the next day everything will be smelling of kerosene. But in primary 6 I had these classmates, Faith and Gideon who could draw really well and I started being close to them. I'll watch how they were drawing, I just really wanted to know how to do it. Gideon put me through in some aspects, and he'd say "just do it this way", but it was much easier to say than to do. I pursued it till Jss3 during our NECO exams. We had categories of art to pick from, textile, sculpture, but I went for painting. I remember drawing some kitchen utensils with colours like brown, and blue. I saw how to make colours lighter than it should be, so the object looks more realistic. I remember making this tortoise paper mache in Jss and the school kept the work because it was good, same with my neco project. The school wanted to enroll me in an art competition but my age didn't allow me. I also changed schools along the line, and in that new school they didn't offer visual or fine art and I found it sad. Only when I was less busy or at home was when I got the time to draw. I wasn't really serious with drawing at this point till I was done with secondary school. After secondary school I'll make biro arts, I'll search Google for "art for beginners", and I'll see something and want to recreate it. That's when I knew I really had interest in this.When it was time to enter the university too, I wanted to do fine art but I was unable to do that because I didn't offer fine art in my waec as a result of that secondary school I finished from.
I feel like I still have lots of doubts in myself and I want to push myself to do more but resources can be a drawback. Although, I want to make do with what I have, create more artworks, and attend exhibitions. 
This journey of starting small is something people will really love to see later in the future and want to hear my story of how I started.

Q. Did it ever scare you being called an artist? 
Yes. I'm a very shy person and I don't like pressure. So, apart from drawing, I also know how to make hair. If someone tells me they want to get their hair done, there's this fear that comes with me questioning if I'm that good, or if I'll fumble. 
It's always scary for someone to call me an artist. I feel like there's a lot of expectation, like you have to be really good. 
I didn't learn it. It's just something I do for fun, and to make money for myself now so it's not like I'm idle. It scared me, and till now sometimes it scares me.

Q. Where there times you were celebrated for your creativity and you just brushed (see what I did there?) it aside as something that wasn't a big deal?
Hmmm, yeah, there are times I'll make an artwork and people will celebrate it. Comments celebrating it too, but then I can see another artwork and be like whoa what I did is even small compared to what this person did. So yeah, there have been times like that.

Q. At what point did you decide to take art serious?
Hmm, okay, I decided to take art seriously when ASUU was playing with my destiny. 
During the first ASUU strike, coupled with covid-19, I learned how to make hair. If I had known then, I should have looked for art schools to learn it. I ended up taking it seriously in the first semester of year 4 when there was a strike. I'd spent a lot of time at home trying to gather money to get art tools and supplies. 
I took it seriously and I just said if I can just keep at it, one day I'll be that good and someone will take interest in what I do and buy into it. 

Q. What inspires you and motivates you to keep on creating?
First, I'll say the comments I get from people inspires me. I may not rate it as much when I look at it, but people say things like "this thing is really making sense", "guy you're going to go places". It just keeps me going. The financial part too is very important, I actually want to make something out of my arts. The finance and the comments. Yeah. 

Q. Who are the people you look up to in this space? And why them?
To be honest, I don't think I'm looking up to anyone presently. I don't know why, I just feel I don't want to be looking up to someone then I find myself comparing my works to theirs. I don't like competition. I have people I check their works out, to give me the ginger that there are better people out there and I can still push myself to do more. So that's Arinze, Agu Kingsley, Temilolu (same department), and some other people on Instagram.

Q. What does building a career in art in Nigeria mean for you? Are there any pros and cons?
 Hmm, building art in Nigeria to be honest is not really somewhere to build, it's just a one day appreciation that's what I feel. 
It happens abroad too where people are not well recognized but it's a lot here. They'll prefer to travel out to buy an artwork, spend dollars abroad, expensive money rather than supporting one of theirs here. It has a lot of cons, I don't think people value art enough here. It's not something I want to do for long here, I get some comments from people who want to take my artworks abroad to sell because it'll be more appreciated there. 
I don't know if there's any pros here.

Q. How do you intend to spread this your gift and promote the culture of art later on?
 Hmm, well there are other parts of art I would like to consider. 
Like African kind of artworks, but I feel the people that will appreciate African artworks are not really here. In terms of promoting the culture of arts, I'll make artworks more accessible to people, I'll make artworks to tell stories, to keep the tradition going. Making artworks on any object people can come in contact with, it doesn't have to be on walls alone. These are some of the ways I intend to spread my gift and promote the culture of art.

Q. What was the biggest project you've ever worked on?
 The biggest project I worked on was a student thing. It was a 10ft drawing of a silhouette, Fela's silhouette. 
I had doubts coming in if I could really do it, but I began sketching the silhouette on paper so the next time I'll hold a pencil to it I wouldn't feel like it's new. The morning of the work, I saw the size of what I'll be working on and this thing was twice as tall as me and I'm like wow this is the largest thing I've ever worked on. Though it didn't pay well, I like the fact that I participated. It opened my mind to the reality that I can do something this big.

Q. Tell us some of the challenges you've faced on this journey and what kind of support is needed to keep going?
Number one for me would be funds, like money. Art products are expensive and I don't think it's just here. I watch YouTube videos and I see artists abroad complaining through memes. People do not understand how much this costs so the major challenge is finance, for me getting my supplies and those wanting to purchase stuff. 
Another challenge is publicity, trying to get my work out there. We're in a time where irrelevant things get more popularity than the relevant things. For people to know about what I do and what I'm marketing is really difficult. 
Time is also another challenge, but it has come to an end, because I should have enough time as soon as I'm done with my final year project defense. School took my time because I was not doing what I wanted. I was studying theater but I wanted visual art. There's always no time. As a theater artist, you're always busy with rehearsals, doing assignments, or reading a play text. There was really no time for me to focus on my art. 
Those are the challenges, that's it.
The kind of support helps me too; buying the artwork, and collaborating with me. Then if I can get good art tools, or people to sponsor me even. I feel like it will be better through these kinds of support.

Q. You're a grad now! What lies ahead for you and your paint? Tell us about the career and figuring it out.
This is a very big question because I don't know what NYSC is going to be like. 
I don't know where I'm going to be put, but I feel I still need time to work on myself so I don't think I'll be really focused on making art to sell at that period. I also want to really learn to be better and work under someone. I need to be tutored. 
I know I'm going to have my own studio, my gallery, my art store where I'll be selling everything that looks like art, everything that feels like art, everything that is art. I know but, I still need time to learn, to understand certain things, to understand conventions of painting. 
I still need time to learn, but trust me, I'm going to be giving very awesome artworks from now till forever. 
Thank you for having me.

I had a wonderful time interviewing Mide, and I got to learn a lot I didn't know too!
Let me know what you think!.Subscribe so you don't miss out on our next story! 
Till next time. 👋🏾❤️