Maureen Onigbanjo, née Amenechi, rose to prominence in the 1980s with her Maufechi fashion brand, quickly earning respect as one of Nigeria’s leading designers. She won the Afprint Designer of the Year, and the Chique African Fashion and Style awards in 1986.

As Nigerian women increasingly embraced locally designed clothes in the early 1990s, Maufechi stood out by crafting bold, stylish garments that perfectly captured their evolving tastes. Onigbanjo’s designs struck a rare balance between flair and sophistication, helping to shift elite fashion preferences away from imported labels like Gucci and Chanel towards proud, homegrown creations.

Selling her work to high-profile boutiques in the United States alongside other Nigerian designers breaking into international markets, she proved that Nigerian fashion could be aspirational and original, not just a copy of foreign trends.