He borrowed and begged for transport fare and recharge cards when he started modeling, today, he's an award-winning model
When he departed the job-starved streets of Delta State years ago to seek greener pastures within the Centre of Excellence, the biggest agenda he had his sights on was to practically find out how soon he could become a millionaire.
Unfortunately, nothing in his upbringing or experience prepared him for the harsh realities of poverty that he would come face to face with while pursuing the only thing he had a passion for – modeling.
The situation got so unpleasant to an extent where he began borrowing money from virtually any source available to accomplish two things – to transport himself around Lagos and recharge his mobile phone with call credit.
He persevered and endured the hardships and just when he was beginning to question his career choice, fortune doled out a joker. Suddenly, the seemingly grey areas morphed into opportunities and given his grueling experiences, he grabbed it with both hands.
Such was the transition of one of Nigeria's brightest models, Crozz (born Ejiro Jalogho) from a young hustler trying to make ends meet to a chief executive officer that he has become today.
In a chat with SLAPSnHUGS, Crozz revealed details of how he changed his status from a job seeker to become an employer of labour within the Nigerian modeling industry.
He also dabbled into the grey areas of his profession where he recounts his experiences with desperate female models, nymphomaniacs, bisexuals, homosexuals and others he generally branded freaks. He also revealed his worst outing in his modeling career.
Prior to his relocation to Lagos, Crozz had always considered modeling a major part of him and this was verbally reiterated by those who believed he had the required qualities to sustain a modeling career.
“I was in Delta State but the jobs were just not there. In Delta State, the jobs were very scanty. So I traveled down to Lagos and I had to hang out with a friend, Dude Teshola till I could stand on my feet. I was with him for some time and I later joined a modeling school and started taking modeling lessons. There, I started at Hot line modeling training school three years ago. After that, I started with one or two jobs here and there.”
After a year, he decided it was time to capitalize on his experience and exposure and he took a bold step. “I was experienced enough because I was exposed top shows and so many other modeling jobs so I decided it was time to do it on my own. I knew this for certain so I started by registering a company called EG Models. We started small but right now, we’re quite big. Now, I have models working with me. I scout for models, call them up for auditions, pick the ones I need and train them. As time goes on, we build a professionally and mutually benefiting relationship and everybody stays happy. I do a lot of runway fashion and photography. Most of the time, my models do runway with me but they do more of photography, bill boards and TV commercial (TVC), ushering and so on and so forth.”
Looking back at the beginning of his modeling career, Crozz makes it clear that it was not a walk in the park. “There’s a big difference between the way it was back then when I was hustling and right now. When I was hustling, I was always broke and asking loved ones to buy credit for me. I also borrowed money from one or two people. Sometimes, I would want to go to Victoria Island or outside Lagos and wouldn’t have money to transport myself there. The condition was really hectic. Right now, I can confidently beat my chest that modeling pays my bills.”
A lot of people do not consider modeling a lucrative enough to be taken up as a full time job but Crozz strongly opposes this line of argument. “You even find some models thinking this way. Those are the kind of people I consider lazy. They are probably not well connected. Modeling is a profession and it is a big business. I can boldly tell you that modeling now pays my bills because I have the right contacts and know who to meet at the right time. I do shows and my models also do shows so I make money from two angles.
From 2005, I started from ushering and was doing fashion shows; though they used to pay peanuts. I also do commercials and supply models for ushering jobs. For instance, a company might need about 10-20 models and I supply them. They pay me and I pay the models.”
Modeling has hurled him into organizing a lot of high profile shows in Accra, Ghana and around Nigeria. “As for fashion shows, I have done Nigerian Fashion Shows, Nigerian Television Fashion Shows, T-Naija Fashion Show, St. Moritz All Starts. I did a show with Sound Sultan when he was launching his clothing line, Naija Ninja. We also did a show/carnival with La Campaign. For these shows, I come in by giving them models and I also participate when I can. It not just a one way thing. I decided to make it on a percentage basis. I pay them 70 per cent while the company gets 30 per cent.”
His worst fashion show was at the Lagos Airport Hotel where he was summoned without prior notice and went ahead to hit the run way knowing he had exceeded his booze limit. “I was high and my eyes were dark. I was shaking on the run way and could not walk straight and it got so bad that I fell. The problem was that I had gone clubbing a day before the show because I did not know a job would suddenly pop up so I had drank myself into stupor. I got myself into trouble by experimentally mixing and drinking different brands of alcoholic drinks at the club. That messed my system up. This was about three years ago. After falling, I got up and ran back even as the cameras continued to flash.”
On the other hand, the most memorable till date was the St. Moritz show in Port Harcourt. “The organizers transported us to Part Harcourt by air and gave us VIP treatment all the way. It was so good I wished the show would go on for a month. To crown it, the pay was very high. Oh God! It was splendid.”
The only other day that might rival this day for Crozz was the day he emerged Most Outstanding Runway Model 2011 at the Nigerian Models Achievers Awards.
That's Crozz's story and of course, the time has come to decide what he gets - a freshly baked slap or a hug from Heaven?
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