How RPSN Helps Members Grow Their Businesses – Bukola Uviase, RPSN Public Relations Officer

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A few days ago, Bukola Uviase visited City People, where she shared her inspiring story and explained how the Rental Professionals Society of Nigeria (RPSN) is helping members grow their businesses, raise standards in the event rental industry and build companies that can stand the test of time.

Uviase is a multi award winning event professional and the Public Relations Officer of the Rental Professionals Society of Nigeria. As a Celebration Expert, she is a certified Master of Event Management from Lagos Business School in 2024. She also holds a degree in Psychology from the University of Lagos and an MBA in International Business from Birmingham City University in the United Kingdom.

She is the Chief Executive Officer of The Berry Place, home to Luxury Rentals by Berry, Flowershop by Berry, Events Styled by Berry, Giftings by Berry and Berry Africana, while also serving as the Managing Director of Manifold Decor Props Shop. Over the years, she has distinguished herself in luxury décor rentals and sales, event styling, planning, gifting and fashion. Beyond business, she has trained more than 800 event entrepreneurs through volunteer work and has earned multiple leadership nominations and awards.

A devoted wife, mother and faith driven leader, Bukola remains passionate about empowering others to reach their full potential.

Speaking on the recently concluded Event Rental Expo 3.0, she explained that the programme was carefully designed to extend beyond a single conference.

“Alright, so we started the Expo with the press conference that we had on Monday right at Messi Hall in Magodo. We had press men come around on the 8th of June to let the public know about what we were about to do. For this Event Rental Expo 3.0, we had it span through about five events.”

According to her, the first activity was the press conference before the organisation moved into its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative in partnership with the Lagos Food Bank.

“We also had the CSR with the Lagos Food Bank and there we gave out food to communities that had vulnerable people. For old women and others, we gave them foodstuffs. It was a great experience packing the food and giving back to society.”

She stressed that the association believes strongly in giving back and does not see itself as being concerned only with rentals and profit.

“We are not only about rentals and doing business. We are also about giving back and it is actually very big for us. Last year we gave to LASMA by donating raincoats and all that. The year before, we also gave to our staff. So again, we are very big about giving back at the Rental Professionals Society of Nigeria.”

She explained that the activities continued on June 11 with two major events held on the same day.

“We had the conference in the morning and in the evening we had our Ojude RPSN, which was our grand ethnic dinner.”

According to her, the conference was deliberately structured to help members build businesses that would survive beyond them.

“We were trying to make sure that our members understand how they need to build businesses that would last. We wanted them to start thinking about legacy and longevity at this point so they are not just thinking about feeding their families but are thinking more globally and also about sustainability.”

To achieve that objective, RPSN invited speakers who could challenge members to think differently.

“We brought speakers that could talk to those points.”

One of the major themes discussed at the conference was the importance of telling the industry’s own story.

“If we don’t tell the stories about what we do, nobody is going to say it for us.”

She explained that the event rental industry creates employment opportunities for thousands of Nigerians even though many people fail to appreciate its impact.

“For our industry, most of us employ maybe 15 or 20 contract staff. When we have jobs, we carry guys and pay them every weekend. Some might not be full time, but we are helping those families put food on their tables.

“The events we execute also help caterers and other people who cook. It is a very big ecosystem that seems to ignore us, but we cannot ignore ourselves. We want to make sure people see us and understand what we stand for.”

She added that many people wrongly assume that rental professionals merely move chairs from one venue to another.

“We are not just a group of women and a few men carrying chairs about. No. We are helping the economy and we want people to understand that.”

The conference also encouraged members to begin succession planning early in their businesses.

“We wanted every company to start thinking about who would succeed them and who they are training.”

For that reason, members were encouraged to bring their children and key staff members to the conference at discounted rates.

“If your child is interested in what you are doing, bring them. They get a discount. If your staff is someone you are grooming to take over or at least understand how the business runs, bring them in.”

She recalled seeing one of the board members attend with her son, describing it as a practical example of preparing the next generation.

“She is giving him a place to thrive and it gives us the thought process to understand that you can actually begin to hand over or at least share positions in your company and see how other people can help you build your business in a way that it will outlive you.”

For Bukola, that was one of the greatest achievements of the conference.

Attention later shifted to the Ojude RPSN cultural celebration, which she described as one of the most memorable moments of the Expo.

“The theme for the event was about fostering unity. Whatever is happening in Nigeria or around the world, we want to keep showing that unity is important even if we are diverse.”

Unlike what many expected, the event celebrated more than one culture.

“If you watched our videos, you saw people wearing Yoruba outfits, but you also saw people dressed in Bini attire and other cultural outfits. It was not only about Yoruba culture. It was about everybody.”

To make it even more engaging, members were randomly assigned into groups.

“The group leaders decided what everyone would wear and we gave them a free hand. We thought about it in a small way but our members took it off the roof.”

She smiled as she recalled how colourful the event became.

“Even till now it is still trending. We are seeing many people sharing their experiences. It simply means the event was a success.”

According to her, another objective was to strengthen relationships among members from different parts of Nigeria.

“If you run a rental company in Akure, you might end up bonding with a member in Lagos or another state. Spending months planning together helps everyone know each other better.”

The result, she said, was an atmosphere filled with joy.

“The happiness was contagious. People who were there can testify to the positive vibe in the room. We really achieved what we wanted with Ojude RPSN and we are grateful that God gave us that direction.”

Bukola also spoke about the journey of RPSN itself.

“We started in 2020 when the founder, Mrs. Kemi Adeleke of KFA Rentals, established the association.”

Since then, the organisation has grown significantly.

“We have grown to 140 members from across Nigeria and we are still looking to expand.”

The objective, according to her, goes beyond increasing membership numbers.

“We want to make sure standards are maintained. People should not just wake up and decide to start rental companies without understanding how things should be done because that gives the industry a bad name.”

She encouraged those entering the business to join RPSN so they can learn the right way.

“They get challenged, they get mentors and they can take their businesses to the next level properly.”

Speaking personally about the event industry, Bukola revealed that she belongs to the second generation of her family’s event business.

“My mum started events more than 20 years ago. While I was in the university, she used to decorate the weddings of all my friends.”

Despite growing up around the business, she initially had different career ambitions.

“I never saw it as a business I would go into. I wanted to work in oil and gas. I went to school abroad and came back.”

Eventually, circumstances brought her back.

“After a couple of years, it started staring me in the face because my mother was getting older and the business was there.”

She admitted she initially resisted taking over.

“I didn’t want to do it.”

However, over the last 16 years of running the business alongside her mother, she has witnessed incredible transformation.

“I have seen the event business move from simple drums and random things to what it is today.”

She believes the industry deserves to be taken much more seriously.

“There is a lot of potential in it, but people assume we just pack chairs around. They don’t understand how much happens behind the scenes.”

For that reason, she decided to actively serve within RPSN.

“I am actually very happy to belong to this industry. I call myself a solution expert because I am into planning and décor, and all these come from more than two decades of history in the event business.”

She believes the industry has even greater potential.

“I have seen it grow and I know it can grow bigger. That is why I decided to put myself into this so everybody else can enjoy what is available in this industry.”

She also argued that the event industry should no longer be hidden under hospitality.

“When you fill forms today, you see hospitality. But we believe we are an industry by ourselves. As we keep pushing this narrative, government and everyone else will begin to see us as a serious industry.”

Even within her own family, she is already preparing the next generation.

“I was telling my kids the other day that they like events too, so I am beginning to groom them. They don’t have to only become doctors or lawyers. They can choose to become experience curators using events as their stepping stone.”

Asked how she manages multiple businesses successfully, Bukola said she eventually realised they all revolve around one thing.

“Everything I do is around celebration.”

She explained that because she plans events, owns rental companies and supplies décor products, integrating everything became natural.

“I saw that the ecosystem where I was working had different things I needed to control to give clients the best delivery.”

At Manifold Decor Shop, she said, they now focus mainly on sales by importing décor products.

“We buy from there and rent through Luxury Rentals by Berry. If something gets damaged, we can restock through the same value chain.”

Flowers also became another strategic addition.

“People like renting dirty flowers, but we cannot. So we decided to specialise in renting very clean artificial flowers and also live flowers.”

The same philosophy extends to planning and decoration.

“We are able to interpret briefs and deliver because we already understand the entire process. That is why I call myself a celebration expert.”

Growing up around the business also made it effortless.

“I am like the child of a woman who sells amala. I grew up around it. It wasn’t a business to me before. It was simply what I knew.”

Bukola explained that what many people see as multiple businesses is, to her, simply one integrated ecosystem built around celebrations.

“Everything I’m doing is around celebration, so it fits in beautifully. I’ve had jobs where clients need me to plan the event and I plan it. I already have the rental items because I do luxury rentals under Luxury Rentals by Berry, so I’m able to put everything together.”

She revealed that she intentionally structured her businesses to complement one another.

“I saw that the ecosystem where I was working had a couple of things that I needed to have control over to give the best delivery. For instance, at Manifold Decor Shop, which is the business I run with my mum, we have moved it mainly into a sales business where we import décor items and people buy from us. We also buy from there and rent through Luxury Rentals by Berry. If an item gets spoilt, we can restock from the same value chain.”

Flowers also became an important part of the business.

“Flowers are a big deal. People love to rent very dirty, ugly flowers, but we can’t do that. So we decided on our own market niche and chose to rent very clean artificial flowers. We also provide live flowers as well.”

Beyond rentals and flowers, she said the company also handles décor because it already has access to most of the required elements.

“We’re able to interpret a client’s brief and deliver it under décor. We’re also able to plan the event because we understand the entire process. That’s why I say I’m a celebration expert. It’s part of what I do.”

For Bukola, the transition into the family business became natural after years of growing up around it.

“It just comes naturally because I grew up in it. I’m like the child of a woman who sells amala. I grew up around it. It wasn’t really a business to me before. It was simply what I knew because I was surrounded by it. Now, I just do it effortlessly without even thinking about it. It’s all part of our ecosystem.”

Reflecting on the growth of RPSN, Bukola was asked about the association’s evolution from its first edition in 2020 to the remarkable Event Rental Expo 3.0.

She responded by praising the leadership of the current president.

“I think it’s important to mention that RPSN, under the leadership of our president, Tairat Warden of Jason Davids Rental, has been very daring. She has pushed us to do the most amazing things.”

One of the biggest milestones achieved under the current administration, she said, was the collaboration with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce to take members to China.

“This year, under RPSN in collaboration with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce, we got 45 of our members to travel to China to source items that would improve their businesses. Never in the history of the event industry has anything like that happened before.”

She disclosed that the delegation was coordinated by Patricia of Perfect Events, herself, CAT Events and Locations Events, all of whom served on the planning committee.

“We also had someone we fondly call Mac B. She received three awards that night. She is our mother, our mentor and our motivator. She keeps telling us that we can do it and constantly encourages us to pursue our biggest dreams.”

According to Bukola, the boldness demonstrated by the association’s leadership has encouraged members to think bigger.

“We had thought about some of these ideas before and wondered if we could actually achieve them. But when you have a leader who keeps pushing you to do big things, you also keep doing big things.”

She noted that every edition of the Expo has been an improvement on the previous one.

“This is not how we did it last year or two years ago. Every year we deliberately take it one step higher.”

The current executive committee still has another year left in office.

“Our tenure is for two years and we’ll be finishing next year. We still have one more Rental Expo before we hand over, but we cannot afford to go lower. If we’ve reached this level, then we have to keep pushing even higher.”

Membership growth, she said, has also been encouraging.

“We used to be around one hundred members, but we are now 140. Imagine what we’ve been able to achieve already. More people will definitely want to join us and when they come with their own ideas and energy, we’ll continue moving to the next level.”

Bukola also revealed that while the annual conference has already taken place, another major event is still ahead.

“One thing I forgot to mention is that we usually organise our exhibitions every two years.”

Originally scheduled to hold alongside the conference, the exhibition was postponed after the association realised the workload would be too heavy.

“We were meant to have it during the same week but we found out that handling all those events back to back would be too much, so we decided to move the exhibition to September.”

The decision was also influenced by the recent China trip.

“A lot of work went into the China project and many of the items our members purchased will only arrive towards the end of July. By moving the exhibition to September, it gives them enough time to showcase those products to brides, grooms, celebrities and everyone preparing for the Ember season.”

She explained that the exhibition is open to more than just RPSN members.

“We’re going to sell exhibition spaces to people who want to join us, manufacturers in Nigeria and anyone producing items related to events.”

She recalled that the previous edition attracted exhibitors from outside the country.

“The last time we held it, Chinese companies came all the way to Nigeria to exhibit the products they sell to our members.”

The association is hoping for an even bigger turnout this year.

“We’re looking forward to having something just as beautiful as what we had two years ago.”

The exhibition, she stressed, is held every two years while the conference remains an annual event.

“So we’re looking forward to the exhibition in September. Everybody who manufactures something related to events is welcome. Last time, we even had Eleganza exhibiting alongside many other companies.”

Bukola was also asked whether RPSN’s membership is concentrated mainly in the South West and South South regions and whether there are plans to expand beyond Nigeria.

She admitted that the leadership has ambitious plans for the future.

“My president has a lot of big plans. There are things already in the pipeline that she will unveil when the time is right.”

For now, however, the immediate focus is Nigeria.

“We first need to get a good grasp of Nigeria. Rental is a subset of the event business itself. We’re not just supplying chairs. We’re selling peace of mind to our clients.”

She explained that the association wants to establish clear standards for rental businesses across the country.

“People shouldn’t just wake up and start rental businesses without any regulations guiding them. That’s exactly what we’re trying to establish.”

According to her, RPSN wants to eliminate poor service delivery.

“You cannot give out dirty items and believe you’re doing proper rental business. You cannot consistently deliver late. You cannot collect people’s money and fail to supply what you promised.”

Integrity, she insisted, must become non negotiable.

“Just as banks have regulators, we also want to become the body that sets standards for the rental industry.”

Whenever people want to understand how event rentals should be done professionally, she wants them to turn to RPSN.

“If someone wants to import rental items from China or manufacture products locally and asks what the standards should be, they should be able to come to us.”

The association has already expanded significantly beyond Lagos.

“We now have members from Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ondo, Akure, Abeokuta and several other places. We didn’t have that before.”

As awareness continues to grow, she believes more people will recognise the value of joining.

“We are the main umbrella body for rentals in Nigeria and we want to keep pushing that message to every state.”

Only after firmly establishing itself across Nigeria will the association consider international expansion.

“Once we’ve achieved that, then we can begin to think about branches outside Nigeria. But for now, we are the Rental Professionals Society of Nigeria.”

When asked if future conferences could be hosted outside Lagos, Bukola said such a possibility depends on membership strength in other locations.

“If we eventually have forty members in Abuja, for example, we can decide to host the conference there.”

At present, however, Lagos remains the logical choice.

“About sixty percent of our members are based in Lagos, so it still makes sense to host the conference here.”

Still, she did not rule out even bigger possibilities.

“With time, who knows? We may eventually hold one in China, America or anywhere else in the world. It’s possible.”

She also explained the process of joining RPSN.

“To join us, interested people simply visit our website and fill out the necessary forms.”

However, admission is far from automatic.

“We conduct background checks. We inspect warehouses and verify that applicants are genuine businesses.”

According to her, the association does not admit people who simply borrow inventory to appear established.

“You must actually own your inventory. You must understand what the business is about and satisfy our requirements.”

Character also matters.

“We don’t just allow everybody to join. We want to make sure we can stand behind anyone who becomes part of the association.”

Finally, Bukola broke down the wide range of professionals represented within RPSN.

“Our members rent out screens, charger plates, canopies, marquees, air conditioning units, flowers, candelabras, tables, chairs, VIP chairs and cutlery.”

The list extends much further.

“We also have people who rent generators, portable toilets, lighting systems, trusses and many other specialised event equipment.”

Although DJs are currently not represented within the association, she noted that providers of sound systems and lighting equipment are already involved.

“In fact, anything that has to do with event rentals is welcome under our umbrella.”

For Bukola Uviase, the mission of RPSN is simple but far reaching.

By promoting integrity, professionalism, mentorship, succession planning and national standards, the association is not only helping members grow their businesses but is also redefining how Nigeria’s event rental industry is perceived.

“We want people to understand that this industry is bigger than many imagine. We are creating jobs, supporting families, driving economic activity and building businesses that will outlive us. That is the future we are working towards.”

By Benprince Ezeh, Favour Okore, Toyin Fowobaje & Sera Ojo