I’m Chiwuzo Austine Lotesia, art has always been a part of my family. As kids, my siblings and I had a natural gift for drawing. However, we were strictly forbidden from pursuing it because we often filled the backs of our notebooks with sketches instead of schoolwork. By the time we reached secondary school, we had all abandoned drawing and focused on other subjects.
For me, that focus became science. I gained admission into Delta State University, where I pursued a degree in Biochemistry. My academic journey was fulfilling—I eventually graduated in 2019, serving as the President of the Biochemistry Department.
However, life took a turn in 2017 when I lost my father. As the first son, I had to find ways to ease my mother’s burden. After graduating, instead of returning home, I decided to remain at school since my rent had not yet expired. I stayed for about two to three weeks before I realized I needed to find a job.
Through a connection my late father once helped, I got a job at a boutique owned by Bros Charlie, a man my father had once favored. He had built a successful business with two large branches, and I was placed in one of them.
I dedicated myself to the job with enthusiasm and a cheerful attitude, making sure customers felt valued. My approach paid off—many customers began favoring me, often giving me cash tips ranging from ₦3,000 to ₦10,000. Unfortunately, this success did not sit well with the store manager, who happened to be Bros Charlie’s younger brother.
Jealousy began to brew. At first, he tried withholding some of my cash gifts. Later, he began delaying my salary. But thanks to the generosity of customers, I wasn’t too affected—I was sometimes earning my salary through their tips alone. When he realized he couldn’t control the cash gifts, he began owing me my salary for extended periods.
Despite these challenges, I remained diligent. My hard work caught the attention of the store owner, Bros Charlie himself. Instead of consulting his brother (the manager) about sales and operations, he started asking me directly. Among the six employees, my sales alone often exceeded the combined total of the others.
Seeing my dedication, Bros Charlie promoted me to Assistant Manager. This, however, only deepened the manager’s resentment. He began blaming me for everything—spoiled goods, missing inventory, and even problems that occurred on my off days. His hostility grew to the point that my presence in the store seemed to irritate him. Some days, he would send me home without reason.
During this difficult period, I started visiting a friend—Jaymond, He was an exceptional artist and a kind-hearted person. Whenever we hung out, he would joke, “Quit that job and come learn art.”
One day, things escalated at work—the manager got violent with me. That was my breaking point. I left. When I arrived at Jaymond’s place, he said, “Just quit the job and start learning art. But I doubt your brain can handle it.” That comment stung. I took it as a challenge. “Give me a pencil,” I said. And that was how it all began. I never paid to learn. I never planned for it. It was simply destiny. In 2020, I picked up a pencil, and my progress since then has been nothing short of miraculous. The speed at which I improved, the passion that reignited in me—it could only be God.
My art journey was never forced. It was never random. It was meant to be.