This week, we’re spotlighting Tara and drawing lessons from her resilience and tenacity. This self-employed henna artist is catering for herself and living life on her terms by ensuring she learns a new skill every year.
Zikoko has a documentary series, and it’s called “HER“. The series shares its name with our women-focused vertical, HER, under which we have told all kinds of stories about women over the years. The second episode of the HER docu-series is out, and if you haven’t already seen it, this is a good place to start.
Now, let’s introduce you to Omotara Nafisat Oluwatomisin, who kicked off her career on the football pitch. She’s drawing her future in henna as one of Nigeria’s top celebrity artists.
1. Tara Knew What She Wanted
From a young age, Tara pursued everything she felt passionate about, starting with football. As early as 2009, Omotara knew what was expected of her as the eldest daughter in a family of five, and she was right on track in meeting those expectations. She was also very intentional about what she wanted for herself, in this case, football. Tara was influenced by Cristiano Ronaldo and his field movements, and she sought to achieve similar things for herself, whether or not she gained international recognition. She played with and amongst boys in her neighbourhood from as early as 2009, and went on to play professionally in 2014.
When she hit a dead end with the profession and realised that chasing the ball wasn’t giving her the kind of freedom she desired, Tara decided to explore other ways to chase the bag. Her mind was set on one thing, and one thing only, her freedom.
2. She Learnt a New Skill as Often as She Could
After Tara saw that football wasn’t going to give her the financial and personal freedom she wanted, she pivoted and stuck to perfecting her henna skills. Her customers describe her craft as bespoke, and her execution with words like intentional, meticulous, and impeccable, all of which make her special and almost irreplaceable to her clients.
In her bid to obtain freedom, Tara tries to learn a new skill every year. Whether it’s acquiring a practical skill like sugar waxing or a life skill like managing her finances, she’s always eager to learn new ways to better herself. Being self-employed helps her achieve these goals more easily. Tara wants to be the boss so she can manage her time and learn a new skill whenever she feels like it. That, to her, is freedom.
3. She Pushed Herself
At the end of the episode, Tara gets emotional as she reflects on how much she pushed herself, how far she’s come, how driven she was, and how the journey has been anything but straightforward.
Tara juggled football while going to salons to scout for henna customers. She prioritised getting a degree in the process and learned soft skills along the way. She took every opportunity that came her way, convinced unwilling parents to support her, and maximised it until there was nothing left to give.
In the end, Tara is still pushing herself, setting new goals and achieving them. She’s happy with the choices she made, the independence she’s gained, and the freedom she continues to fight for.
Find out more about Tara’s journey and what next she’s up to in Episode 2 of HER.
Also Read: What We Know About Ibukun Akinola, the Money-Moving Woman at PiggyVest
