ASA is the culmination of the vision of one man. And that man is Rey, entrepreneur extraordinaire. Hailing from Edo State, Nigeria, Rey, an enigma to be honest, is reticent to reveal too much inside info about himself, but rather wants to talk about ASA.
“ASA (which means “culture” in Yoruba) gives readers what they want to see and hear about when it comes to lifestyle and culture. Luxury, high fashion and uniqueness are what we celebrate,” explains Rey whose own sense of style is a combination of quirk, edge and high-end labels crossed with a dash of athleisure street smart (he has a special fetish for sneakers). You only have to meet him to see that the man himself has the making of a style icon—his love of fashion, design, music and interesting people doing exciting things is evident in his stream.
So, what elicited this mystery man’s desire to build a platform that elevates culture on our African continent (and as ASA grows, beyond) to an art form? A gift of the Pandemic has been the opportunity for us as humans to really investigate what’s important to us and what makes us tick, what makes our hearts beat faster. At the beginning of lockdown, Rey was searching for outlets for his own creativity and curiosity. Spotting a gap in the market for a pan-African luxury digital lifestyle platform, from a seed of thought that was planted way back when, finally, ASA was born. Rey, in his wisdom, doesn’t perceive other magazines operating in the same space as competition, but rather as inspiration.
“I have a passion for photography, for beautiful images and a big part of ASA is getting that emotion, that feeling through a photograph,” says the founder. Using top-end photographers is essential to the look and feel of the magazine which will also use social media to pull in its audience and keep them coming back for more.
With the aim of entertaining and captivating with top-quality content that is not only aspirational for readers, but also compelling, ASA uses a variety of media forms including videos, soundbites and YouTube links in the articles, to name a few. If it’s edgy, interesting and relevant, ASA is on it.
“To be a thought-leader is important. It’s not about following trends. No copying. It’s about being comfortable in your own skin,” says Rey. And, as a detail-orientated perfectionist who inhabits his own skin with panache, he reiterates, “of course, excellence in what we do is paramount.” You can feel the fire burning behind ASA fueled by the dedication of its maker.
“My mission is for ASA to be the go-to reference point for luxury, fashion and entertainment “affirms Rey. Authenticity is the name of the ASA game. What you see is what you get — and Rey himself is a representation of the brand that he conceptualised into being through pure passion. Originality is the key. And that’s what Rey is: a true original.
