Turaka, the roof-top restaurant at the EbonyLife Place in Victoria Island, was suffused with music this Sunday as legendary Nigerian textile artist, Jimi King, celebrated his 70th birthday in style and grandeur. Friends, family, staffers and other well-wishers converged on the birthday venue to celebrate and honour the owner of Jimi King Art Fashion, a man who has been described as proudly African, an ambassador and promoter of African art and culture on the international stage. Popular model and fashion designer, Modela, also went back in time: “I used to model for Jimi King Fashion in the early 90s.
I always loved the way he takes our local fabrics and makes them into unique pieces that stand out. I could remember those days at fashion shows. After each runway show, the crowd must always bombard us and every piece of fashion item must go.
We pray for him to celebrate his 80s and 90s.” Friends also highlighted other attributes of the fashion legend that many people do not know about, describing him as very generous and forthright. Dr Mudiare Onobrakpeya, an Urhobo man who revealed how Jimi King accommodated him in his house in America for a whole year, also described him as “a detribalised Nigerian.
Very generous, Jimi would give you his shirt from off the rack. My wife and I were his guests for a whole year in his Atlanta home. We even had our son there.
He’s a very humane and kind person.” Gushing with all the accolades, the celebrant profusely thanked everyone w.
