Oghozor Oghenekaro Vanessa, a graduate of Mass Communication from the National Open University of Nigeria, first built her entrepreneurial career as a makeup artist and fashion designer. That ambitious path was the beginning of a journey that eventually led her to filmmaking.
By Eberechi Obinagwam
Oghozor Oghenekaro Vanessa, a graduate of Mass Communication from the National Open University of Nigeria, first built her entrepreneurial career as a makeup artist and fashion designer. That ambitious path was the beginning of a journey that eventually led her to filmmaking.
She recalled hanging out with friends at a casual spot when a music video director approached them, thinking they were models he could co-opt into his project. That chance encounter earned Vanessa and her friend, a dancer role in his music video project. “He introduced himself as a music director and said he needed our services for a music video the following weekend. That project kicked off our careers,” she recalled.
From that moment Vanessa’s interest in filmmaking was sparked. She began freelancing, learning on the go, and gradually built what is now Visual Masterpiece, a brand she officially launched in 2012, where she creates projects that merge beauty, fashion, and storytelling.
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Capital
Starting up first as a makeup artist, Vanessa said it was challenging that she had to borrow from her dancer friend and her mother to buy her first makeup kits and costume. “I didn’t have any startup capital — just passion, creativity, and vision. I began on a small scale, reinvesting every earning into the business. Over time, consistency and quality work attracted clients who believed in me, which helped the brand grow steadily,” she said.
Penetrating the market
Vanessa faced many challenges penetrating the market, but the setbacks only propelled her to push further. In the end, she overcame by staying consistent and grabbing every opportunity. She explained that in Nigeria’s film industry, there are different groups — the Yoruba industry, Asaba wood, and the Lagos (cinema) scene .”I wanted to create memorable films that people could truly connect with, but breaking into the Lagos circle was tough because it’s very cliquish,” she said.
Vanessa’s big break, however, came in 2013 where she worked on Lasgidi Cops by Yemisi Wada, followed by Desperate Housewives Africa on EbonyLife TV, MTV Shuga, and many more. She had earlier overcome the initial obstacles in her makeup business, where she encountered some difficulties because the industry is highly competitive. She prevailed in that sector by building trust and visibility. “It took a few years of hard work and consistency before the brand gained recognition. And for the fact that I’m not a social media person made it quite difficult,” she said.
Startup experience
In the film industry, Vanessa had some difficult experience especially human management but with her inexhaustible tenacity she stood shoulder high against all odds. She said those experiences shook her confidence so much that at times she questioned herself whether filmmaking was truly for her. “But I thank God for the amazing people who supported me through it,” she said.
In the makeup scene, Vanessa will never forget the day everything went wrong because of lack of proper and upgraded tools. She said: “I will never forget one production I handled early in my career. Everything went wrong because of lack of proper and upgraded tools — a particular actor refused me to touch her. She had to ask her Personal Assistant to drive back to her home to get her makeup products which caused down time but somehow, the final result turned out amazing.”
That experience she said, brought growth, and taught her resilience, problem-solving, and how to create magic even under pressure. “It was a defining moment for me,” she said.
Breakthrough in business
A business breakthrough for Vanessa came through people. According to her, she met individuals who constantly encouraged and reminded her of her talent. “They motivated me not to give up. Their belief in me led to life -changing decisions.” She added that getting good feedback from her close colleagues showed that the world was beginning to see her efforts, which encouraged her to keep pushing forward.
Doing business in Nigeria
The founder of Visual Masterpiece said running a business in Nigeria is not easy. She said the mental demand of staying creative and relevant is challenging because it’s intense. Another challenge she mentioned is convincing clients that she can deliver quality work, especially when they have been disappointed by others.
To overcome these, she constantly invests in rebranding, training, and upgrading her tools and products, in order to keep afloat and abreast with modern trends and requirements. “I have learned to adapt, stay disciplined, and focus on innovation regardless”, she said.
Japa
Vanessa said, while she understands the desire to “japa,” her focus is on building something impactful here. She said: “I believe success isn’t limited by location but by vision and determination. I want to contribute to Nigeria’s creative industry, empower others, and prove that excellence can be built right here and recognized globally.” She added that the thought of japa sometimes comes up especially because she would want to take her craft internationally.
Brief on Vanessa
Oghozor Oghenekaro Vanessa is the founder of Visual Masterpiece. She is a creative entrepreneur, makeup artist, stylist, and filmmaker. Vanessa studied Mass Communication from National open university of Nigeria (NOUN). She also studied Production Designing and Art direction for TV at the Ebonylife Creative Academy (ElCA).
She has worked with several brands and production houses, like Ebonylife tv, mtv shuga, Trino motion pictures, Inkblot etc creating projects that merge beauty, fashion, and storytelling. Vanessa is passionate about mentoring young creatives and showcasing the richness of African artistry to the world.
