IHe couldn't find a black doll for his daughter, so he created her. Seven years later, the two doll lines created by a Nigerian family man occupy 15% of the toy market in the country, overtaking Barbie.
It all started when Taofick Okoya, 43, wanted her daughter to be "proud and happy to be an African girl". "There is a strong Western influence in Nigeria," he tells Elle.com, which may explain why she wanted to be white.
A symbol of pride
The man then created two lines of dolls, modeled on the three most represented ethnic groups in Nigeria. There are two lines, Queens of Africa and Naija Princesses, cheaper. All wear brightly colored clothes, with patterns popular in West Africa, which greatly contributed to their success according to Taofick Okoya.
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