Undergrxnd Interview
The next generation will always surpass the previous one. It’s one of the never-ending cycles in life. –Masashi Kishimoto
Young Nigerians across the country are striving to build their legacy in various fields and endeavors. However, unlike the previous generation, there is significant interest amongst the young population in Tech or arts-related roles such as UI/UX, Content writing, Coding, Music, and Graphic design amongst others as opposed to traditional professions.
There is also a noticeable drive amongst them to succeed early with many Gen Ziers already competing in the job market in one form or another. This hustle culture is one remarkable characteristic of the Nigerian people which remains unbroken despite the harsh economic conditions that Nigerians find themselves in. So even amid significant economic and political uncertainty Nigerian youth are still trying to build something of value for themselves and many of them are already redefining the narrative.
Liman Abubakar and Al-ameen Raji, Like many of their peers across the country are determined to leave their mark in the Nigerian design space and establish their company, LA Studio, as a leading design agency in the country.
Underground: Can you tell us how you two became partners?
Al-ameen: Liman is a very creative person and I like being around creative people. We were course mates so we already had a friendship going on, but at first, we were into different niches, I was into writing and podcasting while Liman was focused on design, blogging, and building the LA brand. As a result, we didn’t collaborate as much but things changed over time when I picked an interest in learning design and asked Liman if we could partner up on a project. From there it just made sense to partner up and try building something new.
Liman: Things kicked off when Al-ameen brought up a brand identity design project. So I worked with him through presenting and showing the client the value of having a brand identity for their brand and that’s how we partnered up.
Underground: What drove you both to design and what challenges have you faced?
Liman: Curiosity drove me to design. When I was little I’d see music covers and poster designs and I would wonder how they created those designs because the posters would feature cool images with tattoos, but the person doesn’t actually have a tattoo. So that drove me to learn about graphic design, photoshop, Corel Draw, PowerPoint, and so on.
Al-ameen: Honestly I just needed a side hustle and I liked seeing cool designs and video edits. So I thought it’d be fun to try and learn design and possibly make some money in the process.
Underground: It is often difficult for Nigerian parents to be supportive of non-professional career paths. How did yours react to your interest in design?
Liman: My parents have been supportive since day one I’m Ngl. They’ve been there for me even though they aren’t familiar with the design industry and there’s nobody that they know who made it through design. Graphic design is kind of a new field that’s for Gen Z’s or the young. Not many people know Nigerian designers who have been in this game for 50 or 40-plus years. I’m not disputing that they exist, it’s just that they are in their little bubble so our parents aren’t aware of them and as a result, they don’t really understand the potential in this field which is why they often don’t see the potential.
Al-ameen: My parents have always been supportive of what I do, especially my mum. As long as it doesn’t interfere with school and they see that I’m doing something tangible they are all for it.
Underground: What do you two consider your biggest achievement so far?
Al-ameen: I think Liman should answer this question.
[Liman laughs while asking why he should answer the question]
Liman: I’d say what we are most proud of at the moment is the brand identity project we just completed for Tape & Threads. We created the brand identity for a fashion house that provides tailored-to-fit outfits for women and it allowed us to see the possibilities of what we could achieve because we are just starting.
Underground: What are the biggest challenges you guys faced over time while trying to get started?
Al-ameen: For me, I would say the biggest challenge has been navigating the poor electricity supply we have in this country. Nigeria makes remote work more difficult than it needs to be. We often have to deal with poor electricity supply which reduces productivity and just makes you panic because you have deadlines to meet but all your gadgets are down. Meanwhile, the client expects you to deliver at the agreed-upon date so you just have to find a way.
Liman: I’ll say graphic design is not valued in this country especially where I’m based, Keffi. Most people see graphic design as something easy to do because on the surface it looks easy. But a lot of time and effort is involved in making a good design. So they undervalue our work and don’t think it’s worth their investment which results in a lot of low-paying offers which is bad. But our motto is “bad energy stay far away.” Bad clients should leave us so the good ones will have space to find us.
Underground: Where do you guys envision LA studio to be in a couple of years?
Al-ameen: On the global stage without a doubt. We want to become one of the leading design agencies not just in Nigeria but globally while handling the design needs of international and local brands. After all, what is the point of doing something if you are not aiming for the sky and beyond?
Underground: Tell us about your most recent project, the creative process involved in actualizing it, and the challenges you had to overcome.
Liman: Like I said earlier, our most recent project was a brand identity design for Tape & Threads. Our biggest challenge was honestly the poor electricity supply which slowed down the process significantly. Aside from that, our network service was also an issue because we’d be trying to download an asset or just checking out something on YouTube and the network would be acting up. For the creative process, we took our time and conducted a lot of research because i’m a bit of a perfectionist and I always want our clients to love the first design I sent to them. They might still have revisions but when I send the first presentation your mind go dey. Not to brag, but when we sent the brand presentation, the client loved it.
Al-ameen: For the creative process we first had to discuss with the brand’s creative director about what they envisioned for their brand’s image. Then we used that information to create a concept that we believed aligned with what they envisioned for their brand. We had to create the brand’s identity from scratch while dealing with poor electricity. However, I believe that we did justice to the brand because the client was satisfied with what we presented.
Underground: How has your career progressed over the years?
Liman: So far it has been good, I’ve been taking baby steps and expanding my skill set. So I started by polishing my design skills and then started getting into visual design like motion graphics and video editing. This has allowed me to work with bigger clients from overseas and within Naij.
Al-ameen: I don’t have things figured out to be honest, I started out with content writing and I’ve worked with some cool people. My design skills have also gotten better which is great because that has allowed me to become more confident as a designer. I’m planning on merging my writing skills and design because they actually go hand in hand. So I’m just hoping for the best.
Underground: Do you guys think that there is more room for improvement in the Nigerian design space?
Liman: Yes, totally! Nigeria is a huge market because people are constantly starting new business ventures and they all want a personal brand that helps them stand out which is where designers come in. So designer’s have a huge role to play.
Underground: Who would you say are your role models?
Liman: There are a lot but Abi connick for brand identity design, USB designs and Rahimz graphics. I’m not sure if Chris Do is a designer but I also like his content.
What are your next steps
Liman: This is a scoop for your guys because we are planning big things. Just to give you guys a hint, watch out for Paragon!
Underground: What is Paragon?
Al-ameen: Paragon is a creative media conglomerate that will connect and oversee the collective. The collective is our hub of creatives who will bring their distinct skill set towards providing more efficient and robust services to our client’s. Our goal is to become a premier design and media agency in Nigeria and Sub Saharan Africa. Picture what Meta is to Facebook and Whatsapp or what Vought is to The Seven in The Boys and you’ll have an idea of what we are talking about.
Liman: So if you are a designer, content creator, photographer, copy writer or any type of creative, join Paragon and let’s build!.
WUG 
