Furniture making used to be seen as a venture for illiterates. But evolving developments in the society seem to have changed that perception, as more enlightened people show interest in the business.Of course, most of these new faces in the business have been telling tales of good fortune and success. With various modifications and creativity coming into play in the business, it is a noticeable trend that most of the successful furniture firms are city-based, indicating that the business has the prospect of thriving more in urban and semi-urban areas than rural areas. The reason is that most of the people who have the financial capability to acquire appreciable works of furniture are in the urban centres. In Nigeria, the business, which is seen more as an art than a vocation, has generally proven to be a lucrative venture, nevertheless. Its general appeal lies in the universality of its usage. Considered as a form of decorative art, the furniture maker, as an artist, thinks of a design and brings it to life by making furniture that can represent his idea. This is the reason furniture business is often described as companion of relevance in homes, offices and occasions. Furniture making, which presently employs many globally, is said to have gradually improved through the ages. According to operators in the venture, the art of furniture making gives room for creativity. This creativity and the expanse of marketing opportunities generated by the aesthetic appeals, operators say, allow skillful individuals in the trade to laugh all the way to the bank after having their works heavily priced. From tables, chairs, wardrobes, cabinets and drawers making to artistic designing of woods, skilled furniture makers in the country say the business is money spinning. This underscores the description of operators as placid money makers by their clients. The implication is that expertise in the art, as operators say, enhances the chance of making good money from the venture. According to them, a well grounded furniture maker in any location, to a large extent, enjoys the liberty of deciding his price for particular furniture, regardless of what may be obtainable elsewhere. Elvis Okene, who is the Managing Director of Elviso Furniture Company in Kosofe area of Lagos, says for in-depth mastery of the art, prospective furniture makers should be trained for, at least, three years. He notes that only when an operator is sound in the trade can he enjoy the benefits associated with the art. Failure to do this, he says, results in shoddy jobs that heap losses on clients. He says, "I spent four years learning this skill, and an additional two years serving my boss. And this was because I wanted a good understanding of the art. Some people, after spending one or two years, begin to parade themselves as furniture makers. However, they suffer from their lack of expertise when people begin to notice that they are not skillful." On the required start-up capital, Okene says N300,000 may be enough for anyone, who wishes to begin the venture, at least, on a small-scale basis. He explains that the gains from the trade vary from place to place, depending on the location of operation, the makers negotiating ability, type of furniture work he is into, and most importantly, the profile of the furniture maker within the area. "This work has a lot to do with ones name and ability to deliver credible jobs. If your customers confirm your work as good, you will get calls from them as well as other people, whom you dont even know," he says. His advice is that those who wish to work as furniture makers should be dedicated and ensure that they pay attention to details required in the venture. Okene, who specialises in wooden furniture, says he has always been broadening his knowledge by learning how to use other materials to produce furniture. He says, "The incursion of finished products from foreign countries is putting extra pressure and challenge on our wooden furniture. This underscores the need to learn more about the present and future dimensions to the trade. For instance, we now have tables that are made of glass, wardrobes that are made of steel, and chairs that are made of materials that are not wood. "However, the good thing about wooden furniture, which is the reason most of us are still in business, is that furniture made of wood are stronger than some of new developments, including those products from overseas in most cases, he adds." Christian Chuma, another expert and a renowned operator, while speaking on the challenges of the trade, says inadequate electricity supply has made the job tougher than expected. Chuma says electricity is important in powering some of the equipment used in furniture production. According to him, 21st Century furniture making requires "brilliant wood finishing, excellent leather sewing and crisp polishing." He says wood finishing, which is the process of protecting the surface of wooden materials, for instance, can only be done admirably by using a specialised machine. "The process starts with surface preparation, and of course, furniture makers get the best from it when used," he says. Besides, he adds that getting supplies of important materials also poses a challenge to operators in the venture. Though Chuma says some of these material inputs are expensive, he, nevertheless, admits that the gains associated with the venture far outweigh the challenges. He explains, "Creative furniture makers generate considerable revenue from the business. Interested people should not be deterred by the challenges because the gains easily rub off the pains. The innovations in the business are attracting increased patronage from clients, resulting in improved fortunes for furniture makers." The furniture expert, however, frowned on the importation of furniture from overseas, noting that furniture makers in the country are beginning to advance beyond what they were in the past. In the same vein, he tasks existing and prospective furniture makers on the need to try and learn from reputable individuals, as retraining programmes determine the level of brilliance displayed in jobs.
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