Lola Hair and Beauty College unveiled
A new cosmetology training centre, Lola Hair and Beauty College (LHBC) was officially inaugurated last Friday in Accra to provide professional training for aspiring hairdressers and beauticians.
The facility aims to equip individuals passionate about skincare, hairdressing and beauty therapy with the practical skills needed to thrive in the industry.
The college boasts of fully equipped classrooms with modern hairdressing tools and devices, in line with current industry standards.
The inauguration ceremony also doubled as a graduation event for the class of 2024, comprising 14 students — including three males who specialised in hair locking and 11 females who focused on hairdressing. The graduates showcased their creative work during the event.
Dignitaries present included the acting Deputy Managing Director of Kotoka International Airport, Miss Obuobia Darko-Opoku; General Overseer of the Charismatic Evangelistic Ministry, Rev. Dr Steve Mensah and his wife, Rev. Mrs Jane Mensah; Chief Executive Officer of The Hair Senta, Miss Gwen Addo, and a lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Dr Jemima Agyare Nunoo.
Delivering the keynote address, Miss Obuobia Darko-Opoku praised the graduates for choosing a vocational path and encouraged them to remain innovative to stay competitive in the ever-evolving beauty industry.
“If you sit at home saying you don’t want to learn a trade and expect money to come from somewhere, that is how you end up idle and struggling. But when you decide to start this way, you can always grow,” she said.
She also dismissed the notion that Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) was meant only for academically weak students, stressing that even university and PhD graduates were turning to the beauty sector.
Miss Darko-Opoku further noted that the training received by the graduates aligns with the government’s “Adwumapa Apprenticeship Programme” and called for partnerships between LHBC and relevant stakeholders.
Lola Hope Foundation launched
During the ceremony, the Founder of LHBC, Rev. Mrs Latifa Adekanla, also launched the Lola Hope Foundation Ghana — a non-governmental organisation aimed at supporting underprivileged youth in the Greater Accra Region and beyond to access TVET opportunities.
A makeup training setup
Having benefited from the generosity of others during her early struggles to find formal employment, Mrs Adekanla said the foundation was her way of giving back to society.
She said that her venture into the beauty industry was inspired by a prophecy after several unsuccessful attempts to secure a white-collar job.
Today, despite having completed her master’s degree, she proudly makes a living from the beauty profession.
“Although I have completed my master’s, a livelihood has been found in hair and beauty,” she said, urging the youth to embrace vocational training as a viable path to self-reliance.
A nail studio for training
She also encouraged parents to support children who express interest in acquiring practical skills, emphasising that vocational training should not only be pursued after academic failure but integrated into a child's broader development.
Machines for wig making
“Parents should be encouraged to allow their children to engage in vocational activities as part of their extracurricular development,” she added.
