Media personality Joseph Onaolapo, popularly known as Jay On-Air, has opened up about how TikTok became his saving grace after his secondhand clothing (‘okrika’) business collapsed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a candid chat with Chude Jideonwo, Jay shared how his journey took a drastic turn after leaving his corporate job due to unpaid salaries and feeling undervalued.
“I want to roll with the big boys and big girls and all of that. I came to Lagos from Benin. In two seconds, they were employing me. I sent my CV to every radio station. Every radio station. Nothing happened,” he said.
Eventually, Jay landed a spot at an online radio station, but when that didn’t provide the stability he needed, he switched to the corporate world, working as an executive assistant and communications executive. Unfortunately, he faced the same challenges there.
“…Was owed salaries a lot. I was treated like I was not worth anything. That all just crippled me. And then, eventually, I left the job. And I started a business,” he explained.
Determined to survive, Jay turned to selling secondhand clothes — popularly called ‘okrika’ — and quickly made a name for himself as “the shorts guy” due to the high demand for the shorts he sold. Things were finally looking up until the COVID-19 lockdowns hit.
“And COVID-19 hit. I am like, oh my God. The business just… well, because it’s buying clothes. I was selling okrika, by the way. And it was becoming a thriving business. I was becoming the shorts guy. People would come to me to buy shorts. I tried. This one was actually starting to work. It was starting to work,” Jay recalled.
Just when he thought he had found his footing, the pandemic forced his business to shut down.
“COVID-19 hit. And everything just… silent. Became silent. I was home. I didn’t have a job. Nothing was working for me. And then people were on TikTok. And I was just like, what is happening here?”
It was in this moment of despair that Jay discovered TikTok and began creating content to keep his spirits up.
“And that is how I got on TikTok. Lip-syncing sounds, just to have fun. And that’s why I love creating so much. Because when I was depressed, when I was sad, I would wake up in the morning, shower, and be on TikTok. How many sounds can I create in one hour? How quickly can I lip-sync sounds?”
Today, Jay On-Air is not only a beloved content creator but also an inspiring voice for many young Nigerians who find hope through creativity and resilience.
