TheChibyVerse Spotlight: SURAJ

Work hard & play hard!

Lagos knows him as the plug. Lawal Olayinka Suraj is the CEO of Suraj Stores, the gadget brand out of Computer Village, Ikeja, that's quietly become the go-to for the city's biggest names in entertainment. But long before the celebrity clientele, there was just a university student helping a friend post an iPhone 7 Plus on a WhatsApp status. That was 2019, right before COVID hit.

"I kept pushing and pushing, and God kept blessing me," he says. "I consider myself lucky most times." Lucky? Maybe. But six years later, luck has a business address in Computer Village.

 

An Amazing Experience

His entry into The Chibyverse world came in 2021, a year after lockdown lifted, when friends brought him along. Back then it felt more like an in-house gathering than the movement it's become. "It was an amazing experience," he recalls, and he's been coming back ever since.

 

One Word: Socializing

Ask Suraj what makes The Chibyverse work, and he doesn't reach for anything complicated. One word: socializing. "That's a powerful tool, and The Chibyverse has been useful over the years. Meeting new people and all, many end up patronizing the brand too."

It's a businessman's read on a nightlife brand and he sees the room as a network before he sees it as a party. These days, it's practically an extension of his work life.

Nowadays I actually meet a lot of colleagues from work at The Chibyverse. It's becoming more like a hangout spot for us.

 

No "Dorime" Energy

What sets it apart from a regular night out in Lagos, in his eyes, is what's absent, no unnecessary drama, no "dorime" energy. "Over 90% of people there just want to have fun," he says. Add the DJ lineups and the hype men bringing it from start to finish, and the formula holds.

Ask him if it's worth the pull-up for a high-profile client, and there's no hesitation:

100000% yes! Worth every second.

 

"It Has Always Been This Way, From Time"

To Suraj, community isn't a marketing line, it's just how it's always been. "It's more like a community. It has always been this way, from time."

And when he thinks about where it goes next, his mind goes national: he'd love to see The Chibyverse expand into other Nigerian states. "I know it's a whole lot of work, but it's achievable." Ask about a Suraj Stores x Chibyverse collaboration, and the door stays wide open: "Nothing is impossible, as long as it's profitable to both brands. I'm definitely open to suggestions!"

 

Work Hard & Play Hard

His three words for The Chibyverse: Amazing. Interesting. Fantastic.

And his final word for the community: "Work hard and play hard. Life should be lived to its fullest extent one day we're here, the next moment we're gone. Why not live it up to the best of your abilities?"

The Chibyverse is… a haven of unwinding from the hustle and bustle of living and working in Lagos. Great community! Great fun! Great people! 🌀