A man who couldn't find a black doll in the shops
as a gift for his niece decided to take matters into his own hands.
In 2007, Taofick Okoya, 43, created his own doll
that Nigerian girls could identify with by recreating their skin colour and
style - and it is now so successful that it is outselling Barbie.
The doll, which is called Queens of Africa, comes
with traditional outfits and accessories and costs around £4.50.
The doll is now so popular that it is selling up to
9,000 units a month – a staggering 15 per cent of the country's toy market.
He explained that even though they live in Nigeria,
there was a lot of Western influence. He said: 'This might have been
responsible for her wishing she was white. It made me aware that I needed
to make her proud and happy being a black African girl, and not limit it to her
alone as this was a common trend among the younger generation. The Queens
of Africa became a platform to achieve this.'
The dolls' look is modelled on three of the
country's biggest tribes and aims to promote strong feminine ideals, like love,
peace and endurance.
The doll is now so popular that it is selling up to
9,000 units a month – a staggering 15 per cent of the country's toy market.
But the Queens of Africa aren't just selling in
their home country.
Thanks to the doll's online presence, customers are
coming from as far as America, Brazil and Europe.
Speaking about his dolls out-selling Barbie in his
native Nigeria, Okoya said: 'My mission is to make the Queens of Africa a
symbol of hope, trust, and confidence by promoting African history, culture,
and fashion.'
One person that Okoya really hopes the dolls will
have a positive impact on is his daughter, who, he explains, once wished she
was white.
He explained that even though they live in Nigeria,
there was a lot of Western influence. He said: 'This might have been
responsible for her wishing she was white. It made me aware that I needed
to make her proud and happy being a black African girl, and not limit it to her
alone as this was a common trend among the younger generation. The Queens
of Africa became a platform to achieve this.'
Unfortunately, Okoya has been told that he won't be
able to sell the dolls on the shelves of mainline stories in America and will
have to limit his business to specialist stores.
But he is determined to
see the decision overturned, he said: 'I am looking to prove them wrong.'
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