Nigerian tailors have a very interesting reputation. They’re known to constantly disappoint their customers. In a bid to understand why they earn this reputation, some Nigerians shared with us their funny tailor horror stories.
“She relocated with my material”
Two times, I’ve had tailors relocate without sewing my clothes. One left Nigeria and at least had the decency to return my material to me. The one that left Lagos actually carried my fabric with her to wherever she went to. At this point, if you’re planning to relocate, you should try being my tailor.
– Titi
“He sewed my material for his girlfriend”
My friend was getting married in two weeks and I had given my tailor the asoebi and style I wanted to sew. Since it was the same tailor I had been using for a couple of months and had not been disappointed before, I was entirely confident in his abilities. Two days to the wedding and he was telling me stories about the dress and how they ran out of the colour of mesh in the market.
A day to the wedding, my friend had to find extra material for me to carry to another bridesmaid’s tailor, and we slept in her shop overnight so she could sew the dress for me. After the wedding, I kept calling the man to return the material and my money, but I kept getting excuse after excuse. One day, I was scrolling through Facebook and they recommended his page to me. That’s where I saw pictures of his girlfriend wearing the asoebi I gave him to sew. As in, he used my asoebi to sew my design for his girlfriend. I was so angry, I went to his shop unannounced and packed all the materials I saw. Either I sell all of them till I get my money back, or I dash them out as gifts.
-Jane
“He spent New Year’s day with my dress, twice”
October of 2017, I gave my tailor material to sew the dress I would wear for the New Year. I gave him months in advance so that I won’t hear story, but who ended up hearing story when December was coming to an end? Me. He told me the outfit would be ready and I should not worry, but who ended up worrying? Me. Luckily, I had an outfit I could wear to church. I asked him to give me back my material, he said no. Sew my cloth, also no. So, I told him to keep it. I’d just sew the cloth for my birthday thanksgiving service in 2018. Once again, outfit and cloth I did not see. Even the tailor, I did not see. When he eventually materialised from wherever he came from, he said all that was left was ironing of the cloth. I told him to bring it, and I will iron it myself. He ghosted me.
December of 2018, I told him that since another year was coming up, this was his chance to prove himself. When we entered the New Year, he stopped replying my texts and picking my calls. I had to take a bike to his shop. I found him there sleeping, with my uncut material on his table. Until I threatened to arrest him, he didn’t start sewing my clothes. I sat down there and waited. Eventually, he made my dress and I wore it to church.
-Anita
“Brought the wrong material on the day of the event”
My cousin was getting married and since I had to travel in for the wedding, I sent my measurements and style to my mother two weeks before the wedding so she can pick a tailor. I got in four days to the wedding and there was a lot going on, so the dress skipped my mind. Three days to the wedding and I asked my mother about my dress. She told me it was to come that day. Night came and tailor I did not see. My mother said the tailor would come the next day. The next day, I still did not see the tailor. I became agitated and at some point, the tailor sent a message that her network was bad and she’d bring the dress the morning of the wedding.
The morning of the wedding, the tailor arrived and brought a purple ankara dress for me to wear. The asoebi for the wedding was blue lace. . I ended up wearing one of the evening dresses I had packed. I was so angry, I could beat someone.
–Chioma
“She’s been dragging clothes for almost two years”
This is someone I am still currently dragging for my clothes. I gave her materials in November or December of 2020. The plan was she was to make me a skirt, a tote bag, and two dresses. A while after I gave her the clothes, I asked about her progress and she told me she had not started making them because I had not paid her yet. I told her to calculate the price of everything and then I transferred the money to her account in full so that i won’t have any hitches.
It’s January of 2022 and all I have gotten is the tote bag that I collected in August of 2021. The only reason I even have that is because she made one for herself and I just took it. My dresses and skirt are still with her. I’m asking her to return my money so I can meet someone else, but she’s not even answering me.
-Aminat
“Ugly clothes”
I bought a white lace that I would wear for the first Sunday service of the year. My plan was to enter the New Year with style and grace, being far above my enemies, but my tailor had other plans. The dress she made for me was so ugly, I couldn’t smile in church. My self-esteem was absolutely ruined that day. I sat at the back of the church and was just seething.
The second time, I gave her my cloth a week before the fake date I gave her for the event. Just for me to arrive the day she had promised my cloth would be ready and find it unsewn. Her excuse? She had a sore throat. She was begging, but I didn’t even have her time.
– Cynthia
“It has turned into a police case”
My friend had a wedding on the 4th of January and since her usual tailor travelled, she had to find a new one. She gave the material to one of our coursemates who assured her she could sew the cloth properly. My friend insisted that of the outfit turned out to be rubbish, she would collect her money back. The tailor agreed.
On the second, my friend called the tailor, but the tailor wasn’t picking up. When she eventually picked up the call, she said there were some finishing touches. My friend had to travel back to the village where the wedding was taking place, and the tailor promised to deliver the cloth to her there.
A day to the wedding, my friend called the tailor and the babe said markets didn’t open the day before and she would send it the morning of the wedding. The day of the wedding. My friend tried calling, but the tailor’s number didn’t go through. She had to find something else to wear to the wedding.
At 1 p.m. the tailor called and told my friend the dress was at the car park. My friend left the wedding and went to pick it up. When she saw the dress, it was terrible. My friend asked for a refund and the tailor started shouting, so she called the police for the tailor. They’re still settling the case till now.
-Ada
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