Omolara Cole: Couture to stitching stories of unspoken childhood trauma in Nigeria

At 38, Omolara Cole has a lot going for her. A decade spent sculpting ideas in fabric has spawned a fashion business that has grown exponentially, turning her into one of Nigeria’s well-known young entrepreneurs.

Yet, it isn’t so much her hard-earned success in couture that gives Omolara’s life meaning as her decision to confront a reality hiding in one of the darkest recesses of human experience: childhood trauma.

The journey of discovery and catharsis started in late 2021 when a close family member confided in Omolara about a childhood assault that scarred her for life. "The trauma sent my relative to a dark place," she recounts, her voice still laced with the shock of that revelation.

Sitting in her London home, Omolara describes how that single conversation became a turning point in her life.

As she redirected her creative energy towards her newfound mission, the successful entrepreneur with an MBA on her résumé found herself researching childhood trauma instead of fashion trends.

"Watching the news and seeing the daily vicious abuse endured by children spurred me to action," she tells TRT Afrika. "I told myself that I had to find a way to tell a story detailing how these traumatic events in childhood have a painful lifelong effect."

Omolara’s mind constantly returned to a set of statistics that worried her – post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at 39.9%, depression at 52%, anxiety at 60%, somatisation disorder at 72.2%, suicidal ideation at 22.7% and alcohol abuse at 18.2%.

To her, these numbers from the American National Library of Medicine weren't just data points; they represented real children whose suffering may have gone unrecognised. Omolara felt compelled to put these out for the world to acknowledge the magnitude of the problem.

Messaging for impact

The initial challenge for her was how to convey such a heavy message through her domain.

"I was unsure if themed fashion statements around the subject of trauma would be loud enough," she says. "I turned to film because I didn't know how strong the message would come across if themed into fashion pieces."

Omolara reached out to filmmakers and screenwriters with a clear vision in mind. The result was Ejan’la, a chilling narrative that unveils the enduring impact of a horrific childhood experience.

The film follows two brothers scarred by a tragic event – their father accidentally killing their sister during a bitter divorce and child custody battle.

The protagonists grapple with a crippling fear of commitment, terrified of reliving the vicious cycle of their childhood. One sibling attempts to drown his pain in alcohol, while the other remains blind to how his unresolved trauma unravels in his marriage.

The duo’s childhood trauma dogs them through adulthood, as it does millions of other sufferers worldwide. "They struggle with articulating their emotions and needs; they always internalise; they also misinterpret neutral behaviours. Some go into alcoholism, substance abuse, and grapple with anger issues," explains Omolara.

Simmering stress

UNICEF defines PTSD as a mental health condition triggered by terrifying events, either directly experienced or witnessed. In children, any such event – scary, dangerous, violent or life-threatening – can leave indelible scars.

The American National Library of Medicine’s September 2024 study confirmed the alarming prevalence of PTSD among children aged 0-18 in Africa, with older children and those who lost family members to traumatic events being particularly vulnerable.

Although the battle to raise awareness beyond statistics is far from over, Omolara’s Ejan’la – now streaming on Amazon Prime – holds out hope.

"This is my own little way of contributing to raising awareness of this problem that many people choose to stay silent about," Omolara tells TRT Afrika, hoping the crucial message of childhood trauma permeates the laughter and entertainment.

The fashion entrepreneur hasn't abandoned her first love; she has just found a way to intertwine her fashion career with her life purpose.

She reckons Ejan’la is just the beginning.

"This is such an important message for me," Omolara says of the film project seeing the light of day. "I plan to host a charity-themed fashion ball to raise awareness further, this time on how childhood trauma impacts women and underprivileged children."