As night falls over Lagos, a city that never sleeps, our team visited the Quacktails Kitchen, where Dare Aderinokun and his crew whip up delicious cocktails. He shared his journey from banking to entrepreneurship, reflecting on his mission to redefine social life in Nigeria.
OBIDA:What are some fond memories from your childhood in Lagos?
Dare: For me growing up in Lagos, my childhood was split into two; Ikeja and Lekki Phase 1, the experience on the mainland was significantly different from the experience on the Island. I remember on the mainland we had a closer bond with the people in our neighbourhood, as we would visit each other's houses to play football, swim and play video games, we had a real sense of community. I remember one time, our home caught fire, it was our neighbors who were the first ones there, helping out, putting out the fire with sand , soap, and water. I was only seven or eight then, but it really showed me how everyone looked out for each other. Growing up we had a really big compound and a really small house.
It was a good combination because there was so much space for my imagination to roam. I could play in the garden, by myself, and feel like I was in a whole different world. That’s where my introverted nature developed just being able to play on my own and feeling completely comfortable with myself.
OBIDA: You grew up living partly on the mainland (Ikeja) and island (Lekki), what were both experiences like for you?
Dare: Lagos mainland and the Island are like night and day, Ikeja was about community not in the way that we use community now. This is more like a neighborhood. Being your neighbor's keeper, I could go across the road and if they are having lunch I can sit and I'll have lunch with them. But we moved to Lekki because Ikeja became really dangerous. There were a lot of home invasions. My family didn't feel safe and my dad thought we should move. We moved in April 1998. There was no electricity in Lekki Phase 1 at the time. There were not many people living in this area at the time. It was just sand, reptiles, and uncompleted buildings surrounding us. We only had the construction workers to interact with and we would play football with them.
It's exciting to see how much Lekki has grown, Lekki has become like what Allen Avenue Ikeja used to be, fast-paced and commercial. I feel like Lekki is the Lagos middle class dream, when you when make some money you want to come to Lekki to get a house here and I find that interesting. I'm hoping to find somewhere a bit quieter, with more of a community feel, a saner environment to raise my kids on the Island, maybe Victoria Island or Ikoyi.
OBIDA: What drew you to study in the US, and how did that exposure influence your worldview?
Dare: To be honest, going to the US to study wasn't really my own choice. When I was finishing secondary school my parents told me that they had aligned some schools for me so I didn't really have too much of a say, it was ‘just pack up you're going to this school’, The first school I went to was in a very rural area in Alabama and it wasn't really my scene. It felt very one-dimensional, like there was already a box waiting for me as a Black African guy, I mean I wasn't used to the race problem in America. When I moved to Atlanta, it was a breath of fresh air I felt like I could be myself and I met people who were like me. There was a place called Little Five Points where every other week there was a music concert, alternative music, the Afrocentric people were there, the rock and roll people were there, the vintage people where there, maybe what we call the “Alte” scene here in Lagos to today. It was in Atlanta I picked up some interest in music, fashion and that played a very big part on my character before I returned to Nigeria after my university education.
OBIDA: You spent about a decade in Banking, tell us about the experience?
Dare: I come from a banking family, when I returned back to Nigeria, I followed that path as well. I really enjoyed banking, I had diverse experiences, some were good, some were not so good. My time in banking exposed me to how business should work. I was thrown into a high pressure, no excuse environment which was instrumental in shaping my discipline, responsibility and ethics. For example, in GTBank you don't go into a deal without knowing how you are going to come out and turn a profit for the organization. When I look back, GTBank was great for showing me how a business should be run.
OBIDA: What impact has the experience had on your journey into entrepreneurship.
Dare: My experience in Banking had a significant impact on my journey into entrepreneurship, particularly in understanding the business environment in Nigeria. I’ve realized that Nigeria doesn't run on any real system. I’ve witnessed how people’s fortunes change with shifts in administration, so favor plays a very big part in prosperity. Being in business here is often about survival, adaptability and then perhaps improvement.
Passion is important, but if you’re not turning a profit, your business won’t survive. You can manage your business effectively and still end up with little to show for it. There are others who may have had good years, but they live in paranoia due to the questionable methods they used to achieve success. The people I respect most are good businessmen who can see an opportunity and grow gradually.
OBIDA: What sparked your transition from banking to entrepreneurship, and what was the catalyst for starting Quacktails?
Dare: A very integral part of my person is being an introvert. I feel like it’s something I’ve become very comfortable with in my adult life. But at the same time, I like a good drink or good cocktail. It dawned on me that I could not have both the introvert life and enjoy drinks without having to go to a bar or a party, so I started learning how to make drinks for myself at home. Fortunately for me I married into a big family and when they visited the house, they liked the drinks that I was making for myself, so I started making drinks for my family and friends.
Then I started Quacktails as a joke and registered as a vendor for an Oil and Gas company’s end of year party. I never worked in a bar. I never worked in a restaurant. So in my mind, I was a quack making cocktails in pouches, hence the name (Quacktails) and that was the beginning of the story of Quacktails.
OBIDA: What's next for Quacktails, and how do you envision your brand evolving in the coming years?
Dare: We are building for the future of social life in Nigeria, We strongly believe in using the right ingredients to make the right drinks and delivering it to people at the right time. We are building long-term relationships with our customers, we literally go from their first pouch delivery, to a date night with their partner, then their weddings, their child’s first birthday, and beyond. By growing with them through each stage of life, we become part of their journey.
I want to expand our reach as well, people often ask about us branching out to London, etc, but Lagos is such a big city, and we haven’t fully explored it yet, Festac, Ogudu, Magodo, so there’s still a lot to achieve before thinking of going outside. There are also communities across Nigeria, from Enugu to Port Harcourt, where we can enhance social life by catering to their specific needs, it’s not about offering one-size-fits-all cocktails, but about understanding how people consume and adapting to that.
I also see potential in consulting on youth culture and consumption patterns. Nigeria is getting younger, and as liquidity decreases, we need to develop single-serve strategies that cater to the budgets of young people, allowing them to enjoy themselves without feeling inferior.
OBIDA: How do you stay true to yourself while staying connected to your roots and community ?
Dare: I have the best time at home in complete silence or enjoying a movie or music, just not thinking about anything else. I also enjoy being in social spaces, like at a rave, simply observing how people interact. I’m Alté Daddy (Alté is Nigerian Alternative culture), and I admire people who say “no” to the mainstream and strive to change things. I have empathy for marginalized people in our society, as long as they’re not harming anyone. I knew I was leaving banking when during the 2020 EndSARS protests, we were told we could possibly be sanctioned for our attendance. I’m like, what? We’re fighting for a good cause here, when I saw our values weren’t aligning, I knew my time there was up. Staying true to that energy and supporting others on that path keeps me connected to my roots and my community.
OBIDA: How important is personal style to you?
Dare: I feel personal style should be an extension of one’s character. If you’re a colorful person, your style should reflect that. My style is quirky, I accessories a lot and I like a fun play with color. I enjoy wearing something that represents my community and my people. I think it’s amazing that we’re at a point where I can wear clothing made by my friends.
OBIDA: What about the OBIDA brand do you admire ?
Dare: I admire the precision of tailoring, the aso-oke piping at the back, the hem, and the brand’s ability to deliver on its promise of good quality. There was this one time I wanted a pair of pants over the weekend. I asked an OBIDA representative, “What day will they be ready?” and I was told it would be ready by this day, either on that day or even the day before, I received a message saying they were ready. That’s not a mistake. In Lagos, nine times out of 10, when someone promises you something outside of their standard process, without consulting the tailor or the person responsible for production, they’re just guessing. But this person gave me a date for something customized to my size without even taking my measurements, and they delivered it the day before. This shows there’s a solid operating process behind the scenes that ensures promises are kept. That's rare and impressive.
OBIDA: We'd love to hear about a memorable occasion where you incorporated an OBIDA piece into your outfit and felt a sense of pride
Dare: I have so many memories of wearing OBIDA, and I feel like every time I do, I get a compliment, it’s almost guaranteed! My wife has bought me some OBIDA pieces, and I once wore one to the kids’ school, only to find someone else wearing the same shirt in a different color. I remember feeling like we were the stylish ones in the room, like we had all the swag compared to everyone else. One of my favorite memories was at one of the parties at the OBIDA Garden, it was such a great night. Everyone looked so sophisticated but still comfortable, like we belonged there, just enjoying ourselves. Sometimes when you wear something, you feel like you have to live up to the outfit, but that night, we could just be ourselves and still look great. It’s funny how a good outfit can keep you in a good mood. I loved that.
OBIDA: Thank you
