#WhereAreThey? Okin biscuits, Reynolds pens, Kito sandals & others – Let’s help you remember some of random stuff we used to love

by ‘Ifreke Inyang

We grew up with a lot of stuff that seem indispensable at the time. For intance, there was a particular shoe every had to have, a particular pen, store or mobile phone that was the in-thing. But things have changed quickly like fuel subsidy and they are hardly seen in the market today.

Here’s a quick list of some of those random things:

 

Collectibles – At one point in time, Collectibles was the fashion store to visit. The outfit had stars like Genevieve Nnaji model some of their clothes and was seen as the boutique where those who wanted to stand out shopped. For over the years, with the expansion of the country’s fashion industry, Collectibles lives on its past glory – but they are strong signs that they’re coming back strong – see their re-freshed website for one.

Sagem – Sagem phones were one of the first phones that entered into the Nigerian market. Although not very flashy, they were a tad expensive at the time and Nigerians who owned them displayed the phones as a status symbol – which they were indeed they were at the time.

Kito Sandals – For those of us who attended schools where fancy shoes and sandals were not allowed, it was Kito we fell back on. Whether it was black or brown, we rocked the footwear that came in simple designs.

Turaya – Turaya was an exclusive preserve of the affluent sometime ago in Nigeria. There were several myths about the phone – some were true and some weren’t. However, they have become a thing of the past in Nigeria and all we are concerned about are our BlackBerries!

Okin Biscuits – Whether it was the round or rectangular type, you surely must have eaten Okin biscuit in those days. However, what we favour these days are flavoured biscuits and cream crackers.

ZOE Ministries – The emphasis on prosperity by men of God didn’t start today. One of the early proponents of this ministry was Pastor Patrick Anwuziam. He used to describe himself as a strategic preacher of practical Christianity. But things took a twist for him after a series of scandals and assassins’ attack on him.

Eleganza biro – One of the things that the Chief Razak Okoya-owned Eleganza produced were different colours of writing pens. And at that time, they were in a fierce rivalry with Bic biros, which ironically are still in the market today.

Reynolds pen – Reynolds pens were the sleeker and more trendy pens back in the days, but they are not as popular as they used to be anymore.

Crush – With its sleek bottle design (which Fanta has replicated recently) and bright orange colour, Crush was the soft drink we all loved.

2-minute noodles – In the days when we didn’t have Indomie noodles or the now popular Honeywell noodles, it was 2-minute noodles that we cooked when we needed a quick meal. But it is no longer in the market, as it was suffocated by stiff competition.

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