Skate collective WAFFLESNCREAM (WNC) was nothing more than an idea, dreamt up by co-founder Jomi Marcus-Bello. "The idea started when I was 16, so it had been a part of me since," he told Globetrotter. "I actually tried to shake it off, but it seemed to find me and follow me. Like a passion project."
Based in Lagos, Nigeria since 2015, WNC was first founded in Leeds, UK in 2008 before Jomi decided to bring it back home. In the start, things didn't go as smooth as he had hoped. "It's hard. Nigeria is a very, very difficult place because, you know, the circumstances for infrastructure and for people to do things are very hard." It wasn't until recently, Jomi noted, that any interest in the creative fields was finally taken seriously. And despite all the struggles, Jomi said, "I'm still here, pushing forward."
And that’s what he’s been doing to this day: pushing forward. WNC has been flourishing, building a tight-knit community, an apparel line dedicated to skating, and, in the near future, a skatepark. "We also try to empower our community and our people that work within our shop," Jomi said. "We produce in the stores, we produce with partners. We don't produce outside Nigeria as much as we can."
Watch the video above!
