From Music Hits to Luxury Leather: How a Father Built a Legacy for His Daughter

If you were in Kenya in the late 1990s, you couldn't escape the sound of Tedd Josiah. As a self-taught music producer, he was the architect of the "Kenyan Sound," producing era-defining hits like "Unbwogable" and working with legends like Gidi Gidi Maji Maji and Necessary Noise. But in 2017, Josiah’s world was upended. His wife, Regina Katar, a talented musician and fashion enthusiast who had first suggested they design leather goods together, passed away suddenly, leaving him to raise their three-month-old daughter, Jameela, alone. Grieving and seeking a way to build a future for his child, Josiah walked away from the music studio and into the leather workshop. He founded JokaJok, a brand whose name is an acronym of the names that matter most: Tedd Josiah, Regina Katar, and Jameela Josiah (JJ).

JokaJok is a direct response to the "raw material paradox" that has long plagued the continent. Africa produces some of the world's highest-quality leather, yet for decades, these hides have been exported raw to Europe, only to be sold back to Africans as expensive designer bags. Josiah is fiercely vocal about this: "The African has to stop being a beggar asking foreigners to come and build our home... let us build African brands that build jobs". At JokaJok, luxury is not just an aesthetic; it is an act of economic decolonization. Every hide is sourced within Kenya, and every bag is handcrafted by local artisans trained to international standards.

The JokaJok workshop, located at Josiah’s home in Runda, is a place of rigorous craftsmanship. The brand began with one stitching machine and a single artisan; today, it features seven machines and a growing team of full-time stitchers and cutters. The workshop operates 24 hours a day with carefully planned shifts to meet growing demand. Working with leather is an unforgiving and expensive trade. Josiah notes that hides are purchased by the square foot, and because high-end leather is a luxurious product, the processing and creation of the hides is a massive investment. Every JokaJok bag is designed to be "unbreakable", exemplified by the "Kifaru 360" (Rhino), a bag designed to last for generations.

Josiah’s approach to design is uniquely African in its use of colour. He noticed that many established leather companies in Kenya stuck to safe, "safari" colours like brown and black to appeal to tourists. But Josiah, remembering his childhood, wanted something that "looks like me". JokaJok’s catalogue now features over 80 different bags in 12 vibrant colours, embracing the African love for bold expression. His top seller is the "Wendo Tote", named after a word for love, a bag that symbolises the affection and craftsmanship that go into every piece.

Josiah has used his background in media to revolutionise how African luxury is marketed. Instead of high-end boutiques, JokaJok was built on Instagram. With a combined following of over 330,000, Josiah treats his social media as a transparent window into his life and business. He shares the challenges of single fatherhood, the technical details of leather tanning, and even asks his followers to vote on new designs and price points. This direct-to-consumer model has allowed JokaJok to scale rapidly, serving customers in Nigeria, South Africa, the US, Dubai, and South Sudan.

Beyond the profit, JokaJok is about wealth creation. Josiah is adamant that his generation must move past the idea of "poverty alleviation" to build massive, self-sustaining wealth for the continent. He envisions JokaJok as a 100-year brand, comparable to icons like Tusker Malt, that symbolises African excellence and craftsmanship. "I'm hoping that 200 years from now, people can say this brand was born back in the day and see how far it has gone". For Tedd Josiah, every bag is more than a fashion statement; it is a brick in the home he is building for his daughter and for Africa.

JokaJok: Luxury Craftsmanship & Market Data