Mojo Kojo

Mojo Kojo huh? That's a cool name. Well yes, Mojo Kojo is the African inspired streetwear label launched by Koyejo Adesanya in January 2016. Koyejo is a British Nigerian designer/cool kid and 'Kojo' is just a shortened version of his first name. And of course, he's got the Mojo, hence the name, Mojo Kojo.

Urban Dictionary came through with the official meaning of Mojo.

Koyejo Adesanya aka Mojo Kojo

Koyejo Adesanya (his pals call him 'Koye') grew up mainly in the UK, he was lucky enough to live in Nigeria with his parents before moving back to the UK for secondary school. In the streets of Lagos, he always saw the bold African prints worn by everyone from his several 'aunties' at church to the people at the markets and the streets. The great thing about the fabric (locally called Ankara) is that it is unifying. People of all classes wear it and to me that shows it truly represents the 'people'. This is truly streetwear. 

I couldn't help but notice that I wasn't seeing many people in my circle of friends wearing their prints. We would wear them as formal wear, but not enough to parties, events or just general lifestyle. That's why I created Mojo Kojo, a life style brand celebrating African culture globally. 

Koye considers himself a true British Nigerian, switching to his Nigerian accent when in Nigeria (the locals say he's not fooling anyone) and switching back to his original British accent. He travels to Lagos, Nigeria often, getting inspiration from the busy city and delves deeper and deeper into the culture with each visit. 

Mojo Kojo is simply for anyone that wants to celebrate African culture. I know there are discussions regarding 'cultural appreciation', but I feel that becomes an issue when the wearer doesn't respect the culture and doesn't acknowledge the roots of the garment. As long as you understand where your Mojo Kojo garments are made and the vision behind Mojo Kojo, you are 'culturally appreciating.' If you still feel uncomfortable after this, you can always cop a Tee!

Ijoya

We've hosted African disco, Afro swing and modern Afrobeat nights in connection to the clothing, both in London and Manchester. We are influenced by African dance music and club culture. Ijoya means 'time to dance' in Koyejo's native language Yoruba, from Nigeria.

Check out the photos from the previous Ijoya parties below. 

 

@burneece

@burneece

@burneece

More photo albums here