I tell conceptual stories with images
In my first year of uni, I taught myself photography. Initially i took crap photos and even had a client reject my photos but now I think I take pretty decent photographs, what do you think?
I am a creative, researcher and designer based in Nigeria morphing human stories into visual, written, digital and physical experiences.
A bit of what I’m up to at the moment
Researcher; Project Pathways
Since Nov. 2022
Currently working as a Designer Researcher for Sonder Collective on the Pathways project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Building Perimeter Base
Since Feb. 2024
A library of African women’s history attempting to dismantle the predominantly male definition of historical significance.
Researcher, Storyteller; Afrika Designers
Since Jun. 2023
Building Afrika Designers with Manuel Ogomigo, a platform dedicated to helping Africans standout through storytelling.
Graduate school
Since Dec. 2023
Hoping to get into graduate school this year. Something along the lines of functional Design and Research. Not too academic or crafty.
Boundlessly Evolving
Who is Funmilayo Obasa?
I like to describe myself as creative; because I read, appreciate art and write to tell stories. My pursuits started with creative writing, and then photography. Now I’m an Experience Designer and Researcher I combining my curiosity, rigor and storytelling skills to translate thoughts and behaviors into streamlined experiences and outcomes.
My story starts like this
I write poems and creative non-fiction essays
But I’ve fallen out of love with poetry. I began writing poems and essays in secondary school, I even won a mini fridge for my first place essay on environmental sustainability. I believe writing — even of the most creative pieces — should be done for clarity.
The Woman Is No Messiah: An Anthology
I have a poem, titled Anatomy on page 16 of this anthology, curated & edited by Angel Nduka-Nwosu.
How To Fall In Love Again: An Inskpired Poetry Anthology
I was an editor for the 2nd edition of INKSPIRED’s poetry anthology.
The radical politics of women’s bodies
Women in Nigeria’s Kaduna state march naked and partially dressed to demand an end to deadly violence.
I studied History.
History and International Studies.
But that didn’t stop me from teaching myself photography.
Covid came, Nigerian lecturers went on strike
& this happened…
Researching & Designing Experiences
Yup! That’s my job 🙂. In 2020, I started learning UX Design due to its intersection between technology and human behaviour. Now, I combine Research with Design to build products and services in various industries.
Research is at the core of my Design practice
When I say Research, Design, Build, I mean understand how people behave in a given context & use those insights to design and build product and service experiences. The products and services can range from a digital app to events and frontstage interactions.
Spaceless...
From building a library of African women’s history to helping African Designers standout through spotlighting and storytelling, my side projects are a collection of topics I am passionate about.
I write about design, research and my feelings about life.
To storytelling, to unapologetically sharing opinions, and to connecting ideas because without connections, we will never learn.