I duff my hat for Nigerian artists like Davido

By Emmanuel Nicholas

My journey into the realm of music began in 1996, despite my father’s vehement objections.

My father, Sir Nicholas Okokon, was a dedicated educationist and accountant who devoted many years of his life to teaching at the primary school level.

His career took a significant turn in 1976 when a family friend provided him with his account statement, enabling him to secure a visa and embark on an educational journey to the United States of America.

Born to a fisherman, Obong Okon Edet Okon, my father’s early life was shaped by a singular motivation instilled by his father. He often recounted how his father would awaken him at the break of dawn, around 4 a.m., to discuss his dreams of venturing abroad, concluding each night with fervent prayers for his success.

Ultimately, those prayers bore fruit. My father journeyed overseas, enrolled at Dallas Texas University, and earned both a Bachelor of Science and a Master’s degree in Accounting.

Upon his return to Nigeria in 1984, he secured a position at the Central Bank of Nigeria, with aspirations for all his children to attain a higher level of education, ideally achieving Ph.D. degrees.

Thus, you can imagine the depth of his frustration when I expressed my desire to pursue a music career.

His disapproval manifested in physical reprimands and the destruction of my demo tapes, yet I remained undeterred.

Music, I believe, is a spiritual calling; it resonates within the very souls of those who are truly artists, making it nearly impossible to dissuade them from their passion. After completing my secondary education in 1992, I relocated to Port Harcourt, where I recorded my first demo tape at the renowned Top Rank Studios in Aba.

Not long after, I was whisked away to Lagos by my manager, where I signed with Salt Records and released my debut album, “At Last.”

The album was met with considerable success, earning me the prestigious Nigerian Song Festival Award and nominations for the Amen and Pman Awards in the category of Best Reggae Artist.

Throughout my life, I have possessed two significant talents: writing and music. My father often used my letters to him as a benchmark, comparing my writing skills to those of my siblings who were pursuing higher education.

During my time at Government Technical College in Ikot Ada Idem, I became known for penning love letters to my classmates, often receiving cash or beverages as compensation.

However, my writing talent would also lead to my downfall on one occasion. I composed a love letter that ultimately resulted in my being punished in front of the entire school and suspended for three weeks.

A fine arts teacher named Mr. Ukut intercepted the letter intended for delivery to a friend’s girlfriend, and the contents were leaked to the school.

Conducting a forensic analysis of the letter, he swiftly concluded that my friend could not have authored it given its eloquent prose—he recognized my distinctive style from our literature classes.

In a moment of sheer humiliation, I was compelled to read the letter aloud before an audience of approximately 4,600 students. Yet, paradoxically, it was the first time my father felt pride in my abilities.

After reading the letter in the principal’s office, he took me home without punishment, secretly informing my father of my prowess as a writer.

Years later, my writing endeavours led me to contribute a romance column for Encomium Magazine, eventually transitioning into political writing, which garnered me recognition as a professional in that field.

This pivotal shift marked a significant turn in my career, moving me from the world of music into the realm of writing.

Reflecting on the music scene during my formative years, it is evident that we were able to earn substantial sums from our craft. I was fortunate enough to purchase my first home in Gbagada Estate, Lagos, through the fruits of my singing career, where I witnessed my peers earning hundreds of thousands of naira for their performances, and some established artists receiving fees of up to a million naira.

In my era, only a select few artists ventured beyond Nigeria’s borders: the legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti, primarily performing at festivals, and Sunny Ade, who played internationally and others like Oliver De Coque performed at celebrations organized by various Nigerian tribal communities and Gigs .

However, the dawn of the 2000s brought forth a new generation of Nigerian artists, including the likes of 2Baba, P-Square, Nice, and MI, who captured the hearts of audiences across the African continent.

They organized concerts, filled stadiums in major African nations and South American Countries, and began touring internationally, performing to enthusiastic crowds.

These artists were able to command fees exceeding fifty million naira per concert and secured numerous lucrative endorsements, with some even acquiring private jets and luxury vehicles valued at over a hundred million naira.

Their success heralded the rise of Afrobeats on the global stage. Today, artists like Davido have achieved the remarkable feat of filling stadiums with audiences exceeding two hundred thousand, and Nigerian music has found its place on the Billboard charts of platforms like Apple Music and Amazon.

No longer relegated to the status of underdogs, Nigerian artists have transformed the music landscape. As noted by Julius Melema, they are not merely competing with their African counterparts; they are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with American artists.

Akon, a prominent figure in the world’s music industry, has remarked that while American artists often project a facade of wealth, the displays of affluence by Nigerian artists in their music videos are genuine and not merely rented.

Nowadays, Nigerian artists are frequently nominated for esteemed accolades such as the Grammy Awards and the BET Awards, with some achieving victories while others strive for recognition.

Most significantly, artists like Davido, Burna Boy, Wizkid, Yemi Alade, Tiwa Savage, and Asake have propelled Afrobeats to a world-class genre, consistently selling out event centers within moments of ticket release.

It is a testament to their talent that there is scarcely an event center or stadium in the world that has not been graced by the presence of Nigerian artists and their devoted fans.

Across Africa, Nigerian music has become a guiding light for artists from other nations, illustrating a path to success.

However, this unprecedented rise has also sparked envy and resentment from certain countries, such as South Africa, toward Nigeria, the continent’s most populous nation.

Nigerians are undeniably among the most gifted individuals in Africa, excelling in fields ranging from medicine, hi-tech, Science, and sports to business and tourism.

Wherever you may not find a Nigerian, it is often a sign that financial opportunities are lacking.

It is increasingly rare to discover any enterprise around the globe that does not have a Nigerian at its helm, providing the intellectual insight necessary to drive the business forward.

Davido and his contemporaries have made Nigeria and, indeed, Africa, immensely proud. Today, countless Nigerian artists can claim ownership of luxurious mansions worldwide and the privilege of owning private jets, all while forging connections with individuals from various nationalities to further establish their influence and prominence in the global music arena.