Wumi Tori

Modern West African jewelry made by local artisans

Wumi Tori started with an heirloom. My younger sister Teni went to Owo, Nigeria to visit my 96-year-old grandmother. Teni was born in the United States and this was her first visit to our hometown. She saw a beautiful gold ring on my grandmother’s finger and inquired about the source of the ring. My grandmother immediately took off this ring that she had worn every day for at least 30 years and gave it to my sister.

My grandmother mentioned that a goldsmith in Owo made the ring. I instantly recalled some memories from my childhood of my grandmother visiting goldsmiths to make or repair jewelry.

I realized that as an adult, I no longer heard of people making jewelry in Nigeria! Out of curiosity, I decided to research the state of the goldsmith industry in Nigeria.

Many of the goldsmiths and artisans I discovered were no longer skilled in making jewelry and focused on repairs. Others still made jewelry but the quality of the work especially the finishing was okay at best. Some were incredibly skilled and complained about lack of customers. Ultimately, my curiosity led to passion which led to Wumi Tori.

Wumi Tori stems from a desire to elevate West African jewelry into the present day.

Wumi Tori is a mix of West African art, culture and creativity. We aim to make jewelry that is designed with our roots in mind and with quality that can compete globally. We hope to build workshops that train local artisans to meet our standards. For now, we will partner with jewelry makers in Lagos as well as in New York to fill the production gaps that we cannot meet. As we grow and empower local artists and artisans, we hope to continue to make contemporary everyday jewelry pieces for you from this magnificent yet often disregarded part of the world.

Thank you,

Wumi