Hi, I’m Lolade. I’m a writer, editor and musician. I’m reclusive and not good with conversations because I’m socially awkward. It’s getting better now, but there was a time when it felt like people were pinching me just by talking to me. I’d choose dark elements over joy and fun. I’m like Wednesday Addams; I’ve loved her since I was a child. I love horror, but more than that, I love psycho-thrillers. I have a weird relationship with animal protein in the sense that I still eat it, but I don’t enjoy the taste or the thought that it was once alive. I’m vegan, but just lazy because it’s hard work. I was also a child genius.

Tell me about the child genius bit

I entered JSS 1 at age eight because I skipped four classes in primary school. I was good at school, so everybody assumed I’d study medicine. That must be where my social awkwardness came from. My classmates were years ahead of me, so I was always worried I’d say something stupid. I had a baby voice, and people always made sure to point that out. I was always hung up about whether what I’m about to say would make any sense. 

Just because I was smart, people were like, “You have to go to science class.” But I’ve been artistic for as long as I can remember. I love to draw. As a child, I’d take all my picture storybooks, recreate them page by page and paste the pictures all over my room walls. Everyone just ignored that and said, “You’ll sha still study medicine.”

On school variety days, the social people would get to participate in dance and drama, but I had to do debates, spelling bees and math competitions. I’d win the competitions, fair, but I just wanted to dance, sing and do all those other things. But I’d always hear, “No. That’s not you.” I was sad and lonely because people had put me in a box, making me reluctant to be around others. 

Was your reluctance a growing-up thing, or did it stick with you?

By university, I’d gotten used to being the strange one. I just wanted to be on my own, so I’d destroy my friendships without knowing. I’d be friends with some people for several months, and then suddenly, I’d just start acting up. It was like an out-of-body experience. I’d start doing all sorts of stupid things, and before you know it, they can’t stand me. 

What did you study at uni?

Architecture, which is like medicine. You need to be passionate to study it, or you’d be sad. The late nights at the studio, drawing buildings from skeleton to roof — I still have chronic back pains from my years in architecture school. I hated it so much I had a panic attack in my first semester. Studying architecture is one of my biggest regrets in life. And to think my family thought it was a good compromise between medicine and visual art. I never practised architecture for one day.

How did you go from reclusive genius to architecture hater to musician? 

I’ve always loved music. 

One of my biggest issues in life is how I’m good at and interested in too many things — drawing, storytelling, singing. When I graduated from university at 19, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. But I’ve always sung in church and school. I always joined the choir, but no one paid attention to me. Because of that, I believed my voice was average, so I even started singing off-key on purpose. No one knew I could sing in school, except my roommates. 

I didn’t know where to start with music until I went to Calabar for NYSC in 2016. I stayed at my mum’s friend’s house whose husband was a commissioner, and a lot of young people would just come over to hang out with them. One day, I met this woman who just opened a music school. She talked about her passion for music, and how she started as a dancer and had won several competitions. She was better at dancing, but she wanted to sing, so she started taking vocal classes. I was so excited by her story.

She gave me her number, I visited her school, and that was how I started taking vocal classes. In my very first class, she sat at her piano and just said, “Sing”. I did. She was like, “Wow. See sweet voice oh.” I was like, “Oh, me?” It was then I started to think I could actually be a professional singer. We were both dreamers. She made me feel like I could do the seemingly impossible things I dreamt of doing. 

I can’t put into words how I feel just listening to music or watching someone perform. It was refreshing to meet someone who understood that. She taught me how to exercise my voice, perform with it, make it convey emotion and pass a message. When I applied these techniques, I sounded almost like the great performers I admired.

Since you now know all the techniques, do great music performances still impress you? 

I won’t say I know all the techniques o. Learning never stops. But I criticise a lot more. Sometimes, I hear Mariah Carey sing, and I’m like, “This woman is straining her voice here”. But I don’t do that in public o. MC is a vocal goddess, please. But it’s also made music more achievable. The classic composers — Beethoven, Mozart, etc. — made great symphonies because they had all the time and support from the church and state, not some superior talent. 

What else do you do besides being a regular hater?

I hate on things for sport. Hating what most people like is training. If you can argue against what most people argue for, it would arm you with the skill to have an argument for anything at any given time and to get out of any situation. 

I’m also a good writer. But I write mostly fiction. I’ve been working on a book since 2016. I actually finished 500 pages of a first draft in 2019, but I’ve been rewriting it since then.

For what audience — millennials, young adults? Or is it for everyone?

It’s a family saga that cuts through five generations of women. So there’s a section that could be YA, but the book as a whole is an adult read. I want it to be a timeless piece. 

What happened after the singing lessons in Calabar? How did your music career kick-off?

I don’t think my music career has kicked off yet, TBH. I’m still experimenting and figuring things out. The music industry is a lot.

As part of my training in Calabar, I had to make a cover video and post it on YouTube. So I did Asa’s Bibanke. As soon as I got back to Lagos, I started posting more covers on social media, and everybody was shocked to see them. My first real performance was during a church Independence Day celebration in 2016, where I sang the national anthem.

I got a lot of engagement on my covers because nobody knew I could sing — not even my extended family members, many of whom were quite disappointed I chose to pursue something “unserious”. I’ll never forget my uncle calling me over the phone to tell me I’d never succeed as a musician because I was an efiko, and I should just give up now. He said I was making a fool of myself.

What keeps you going despite the struggles?

The numbness I feel with everything else.

Meanwhile, my out-of-body experiences happen most strongly on stage. When I start performing a song I love, in front of people, there’s this joy I feel. Nothing else makes me genuinely happy like that. Regardless of whether I’m making money from it, I feel so proud of myself when I’m just singing. When I was younger, one of the happiest things that ever happened to me was when the Disney Channel came to our TVs. I remember being so amazed by the movies and shows. I’d watch them over and over just to learn the lyrics to the songs.

How did writing and editing now come in?

In secondary school, I started writing stories in notebooks just because my best friend could write and I was jealous. We both loved reading novels, so it was kind of natural. In uni, I led the student press and media team. Some months after NYSC, I started freelance writing to support myself while shooting and posting my covers, because my parents were worried I might turn into a layabout. 

So your parents weren’t supportive?

They were, and still are, in their own way.

They had friends in the gospel music industry, and they’d always introduce me to them. But I remember one time, this particular friend of theirs listened to me sing, and we talked about what I could do to kickstart my career, like coming to his studio to record. I told my father about our conversation. He later said he’d talked to the man privately and he’d advised that, though I had promise, I should get a job first. So I got a job.

A few weeks later, the man called and invited me to meet with some people. I responded with, “Oh, I’m at work. Can we do it during the weekend?” He sounded really surprised. From that point on, he hasn’t invited me for anything or tried to help my career. It’s clear now that my dad lied about the man’s advice, but I stayed at the job for the next four and a half years. I got to meet many people in the entertainment industry there, and I’d always be like, “What the fuck am I doing here? Why am I meeting people who can help my career but not being able to leverage it?”

In hindsight, I know none of these people are interested in helping anyone’s career. A whole machine exists in the music industry that nobody ever tells you about. Nobody really wants to sign you or make you a star. There are way too many aspiring musicians for that, and 90% of them are extremely good. Some are even multi-skilled and know big names in the industry, but still don’t get signed.

The only thing that helps is a music executive’s perception of you and how much money they’d make immediately, or a certain storyline or criteria you fit. No one really knows what that criteria is until they see it.

I know you have a song out called “happy”. Are you working on any new music? 

I have seven unreleased songs, and I’m working on more. But I don’t know when I’ll drop them. I hope “happy” will be the only song I’ll drop on my own. It was an experiment to see what it would be like to drop a song and promote it on my own, and how far it’ll go organically. 

Why are you hoarding your songs? 

What else will I use to pitch to potential investors? One thing about creative projects is only 20% of the budget goes into producing the art. 80% should be for promoting it. Right now, I only have enough to produce my art. I don’t want to waste it with zero-budget promotion. That’s how it’s done in K-pop. They spend $1m to produce a song and video and reserve $9m for aggressive promotion.

Is this you soft-launching yourself on the internet as a K-pop fan?

I’m lowkey trying to refrain from using Blackpink as an example. 

2023 will be about getting sponsorships, which could come in many forms. There’s the record deal everyone’s striving for, there’s actual sponsorship or investment, management deals, so many options.

Which artists influence your music?

I have too many influences. I listen to all kinds of artists — new, old, legendary, underground, local, western, Asian — and they all influence my music. But to summarise, I’d start with my Nigerian love, Tiwa Savage. I love her staying power. More than everything else, I love that she started again at an advanced age and still killed it. She inspires me to keep going. 

I’m fascinated by tragic icons who’ve passed, like Michael Jackson, Kurt Cobain, and my fave, Aaliyah. I also like hearing strong, sonorous vocals, people who sing with pure, bright tones. And I’m inspired by people who really get into performing their songs — choreo, acting, complex stage production. Nigerian artists don’t do that, and I get why. Nigerian fans prefer when you shout and hype and just vibe with them. They don’t send all the other oversabi.

Do you have a favourite career moment? 

My favourite career moment happened recently. I attended an industry event with a lot of influential people to support my mum. She’d just completed a music business and management program because she wants to help me in this struggle.

The organiser invited her to a reserved seat right in front — of course, I tagged along. He especially recognised her in his speech, saying the industry tries hard to encourage Nigerian parents to support their children’s music careers. But my mum didn’t just show interest, she participated in the program, all the projects and was even involved in planning the event.

Once the event ended, an influential woman in the industry walked up to her and said, “It’s so good to finally meet you, Ma.” I literally froze when I saw her stand in front of me. She turned to me, greeted me and shook my hand. I was shooketh. And that’s how people kept coming to my mum, and through her, I got to meet different managers of big artists.

There was this Jamaican music exec who said to me, “You have a mum that supports and is actively involved in your career. You’ll definitely go places.” The whole night was the highest of highs for me. 

How much more do you hope to do with music in the next couple of years?

Just because I’m obsessed with music, I know I’ll have an entertainment company structured just like K-pop companies. 

After NYSC, I was obsessed with the idea of getting a record deal. I still want one because it does help with structure. But now, I have an artistic vision for my sound and visuals. I already know how my songs will lead up to each other, the storyline of my entire discography. I even have a Pinterest account with secret vision boards for each song. I’m on my bed every night, just scrolling through those boards, reminding myself about all the ideas and how they connect. 

It’s interesting because I’m finding out now that many of these record companies want stuff like that. They won’t even sign you until they’re sure you’re marketable — and for a long time. So this is my safety net. Whenever a record label decides to approach me, I already have ten years’ worth of content to show. I’m just waiting for a platform, and while I wait, I’m working on having my own resources. 

You call yourself the “Queen of Lagosians”. Why? 

I come from an old Yoruba family that’s originally from Lagos. One time in 2019, I attended a family owambe, where I wore traditional lace and aso-oke with my mum’s corals. When I posted the photos on Instagram, my friends started calling me “Queen of Lagos”. 

I changed it to “Queen of Lagosians” because I want to be the queen of people’s hearts, not just a location. I’m obsessed with royalty, so a while back I heard about this woman in history called Mary, Queen of Scots, who had a very sad life. And because sadness fascinates me, I’m obsessed with her too. Even though she was the sovereign queen of Scotland, she lived in France for a long time and had a French accent, so her people didn’t like her. She tried to endear herself to them by saying she was the Queen of “Scots”. Also, Princess Diana was asked in an interview whether she thinks she’d ever be the Queen of England. She said no, but that she wanted to be the queen of people’s hearts. 

In my mind, I was like, I don’t want to be the Queen of Lagos. I want to be the Queen of Lagosians, queen of the people. 

READ ALSO: Creator Spotlight: Moyomade on Creating a Soft Life Through Adire

Hi. I’m Hamda.

I’m 25, IJN. COVID stole two years of my life, so that may or may not be my actual age. I’m very crafty and hands-on. If I were a cartoon character, I’d be Bob the Builder. I illustrate, create videos, write and make outfits. I just like making shit. I think the content I create is vibes. I play a lot. I don’t take life too seriously, and I think it translates into my content. It gives off “joy”. 

You have the prettiest name. Is there a story there?

This name thing! I was named after my paternal grandmother. She’s late now, and I genuinely liked her. She was so full of life. The kind of grandma who went to parties every weekend. My government name is Oladoyin Hamdallah Odukoya. I started using Hamdallah in uni because I’ve always liked my middle name, but Nigerians always mispronounce and misspell it, so I shortened it to Hamda.

Oh, I can definitely relate to that. When did you officially begin your content creator journey?

In 2021. For me it was two things: I wanted to go out more, and I wanted to document my journey. I’d heard people say I would do well as a creator because of my personality. Plus, I used to work in an agency, and the influencers’ rate cards used to wow me. I couldn’t wrap my head around how posting one video got them one million naira. So, I sat down one day and just decided I’m going to be a creator.

You’re so real for that. Do you remember your first project?

My first collaboration project was for a hair brand. They shared a promo package with me, and I’ll always remember it fondly because I felt recognised. I did an unboxing video instead of a ‘get ready with me’ and found an engaging way to tell the story.

Does what you do tie in with what you studied in school?

Nope. My parents paid school fees for me to study architecture o! I even did a masters. Last month, my uncle still called me to explain why architecture is the truth and the light, but I know I can never return to it. I quit my architecture job in 2019 because that thing was sucking my blood. I’d gotten to the point where I was dreading going to work every day. It was just depressing. I sha took a risk and quit, but the plan was to find another Architecture job. A number of interviews later, lockdown happened, and I was stuck at home. I was applying for jobs remotely, learning new architecture software — and scrolling aimlessly through social media like the rest of us. 

I found content marketing by mistake. I saw one ad for digital marketing course on Instagram. I found it interesting, and it sounded like something I could do, so I applied. That was the start of my content journey.

Why did you limit “The Lagos Tourist” to Lagos?

Omo, I’ve always been within or around Lagos. I was born in Mowe, Ogun state, but my primary school was in Lagos. We used to wake up at 4:30 a.m., and my mum would drive my siblings and I to Lagos from 6:00 everyday. Lagos is home in a way. All my friends are in Lagos. I did my NYSC in Lagos. Lagos is in my blood. 

I love Lagos, but omo, this city needs help. How did you catch the traveling bug?

If you’ve ever heard the phrase, “Omo, get inside,” that was me. I think it’s one of the major reasons I’m an explorer as an adult. How did I start travelling? Depression, bro. 2019 to 2020 was the most mentally draining period of my life. I just knew I needed to get outside more. It started from taking morning and evening walks, and I saw how that uplifted my mood. 

I wanted to travel, but Nigeria and sapa did not allow me to be great. So, I decided to explore locally, and I began to go to different places once or twice weekly. It was generally feel-good, and it helped with my state of mind. 

What are some of the best projects you’ve worked on?

The most exciting one so far was my first trip. I think I’m very sentimental about it because it was a reassurance that my community actually sees me, the way they showed up for me. We went to Omu Resort, and it was the first time I organised an event, so I kept stressing over the tiny details. But it turned out well, and I used it as a template for future trips.

Has it been smooth sailing ever since?

 I still struggle with taking risks. For every major risk I’ve taken, there was some external push. It shocks me how much people believe in my skills sometimes. 

What’s the most and least you’ve charged to create content?

The least I’ve gotten paid for content was ₦30k. The most I’ve charged was  ₦1m.

How do you price these things?

I have a rate card that states the cost of each content format — reels, feed post, story and in-person appearance. In the end, it all boils down to negotiation between me, my manager and the client. We agree on the content type and projected timelines. I always require creative freedom because I work best when my mind is free. We send an invoice, and alert ma wole.

Have you ever regretted taking a bet on yourself with content creation? 

I never really regret anything because I tend to do things with my chest. I have a coconut head, and it comes with the package. I think it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made because I make more money as a content creator than from my 9-5. But I still feel like I’m just starting out. I have some structure, with two managers — a talent manager who helps with daily content and client negotiations, and an events manager who plans my trips and experiences. 

Initially, I would create content blindly, but I’m finally hacking the monetisation aspect of it and how to leverage communities. I’ve not neared my peak yet.

Why is it important for you to be managed by two people?

I used to have one manager to manage me and the event side of things. But I realised how hard it was to balance. She was really great on the client management side, but the events kept suffering.

And although I’m not a fulltime creator yet, I work like one. So the pressure was a lot. I was burning out quickly, and it was telling on my work across board. 

I had to hire the events manager. Now, I handle creating the actual content — scripting, shooting, video editing. One manager helps with contract negotiation, responding to mails and generally getting brands to approach “The Lagos Tourist” brand. And the other does things like location scouting and vendor management. Sometimes, we’re intertwined. Everybody chips in on content and gives feedback.

How do you stay so relatable?

I think I’ve hacked Nigerian storytelling. We like drama, we like gist — this helps me craft my scripts properly. I’m also always on social media, so I know what’s trending in the country. It’s basically just staying abreast with cultural trends and telling that story with my brand voice.

Any longterm projects we should expect?

Yes! Just know it involves plenty of group travels. I also want to delve into podcasting, but I can’t tell you much about it now because it’s still in the development phase.

What’s something you’d have done differently now that you know better?

Three things. First, I would’ve put out content on TikTok and YouTube from day one. My Instagram page growth has been amazing, but I know if I’d just repurposed the content for TikTok and YouTube shorts, I would’ve grown my page across board. Doing it now feels like a chore. Na every time my manager dey drag me.

Another thing is, I would’ve reached out for more collaborations when I first started. I’m a generally shy person even though nobody ever believes me when I say so. It was only when other creators started reaching out for collabs that I realised the importance of it. I’m still a shy girl, but I’ve been accepting more invitations and intentionally asking people whose content I resonate with for potential collabs.

The third thing I would’ve done differently is charge enough from the start. If I had been communicating with other creators, I could’ve asked them what they charged at what point. In the creator economy, nobody really knows what anybody else charges, and when you first start out, you’re never sure if you’re overcharging or undercharging. So, yeah, I definitely would’ve asked fellow creators more questions. 

What do you think of our website’s new look? It’ll only take a minute to fill this form and let us know.

I’m a person of many names. Some know me as Sasha, Nosa, Saz or Zemi/Zemee, and I might add another one to spice things up a bit. But I haven’t really thought it through yet. I’m a filmmaker, writer, digital collager, photographer, explorer and lover of food and films.

Do you have a favourite film?

Oh, I do. The first ones that come to mind are anything by Celine Sciamma. She’s a French filmmaker. She made Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Tom Boy and Girlhood. I like Persona by Ingmar Bergman, one of my newer favourite movies. I love Jennifer’s Body and Kajillionaire.

Dying because I only know three of those. How did you fall in love with films?

I was surrounded by books because my mum loved reading. She was an English professor. We were also surrounded by movies in the same way. My siblings and I were also raised by an older relative, and she liked films. We used to go across the street to rent them. I remember borrowing Little Mermaid, Sound of Music and many others. 

Films became an escape for me, and I think, for my siblings too. Because we moved around a lot, it became our one constant thing. Wherever you go, you see the same thing on TV. It was nice to have that locus of control. My siblings and I used to critique movies a lot. We’d talk about how their accents were too forced, things they could’ve done differently and all. But I didn’t really know it was something I’d make. There was even a time I wanted to be an actress, something I’m still hoping to explore in the future. 

I saw your cameo in your movie, Ixora. Was that your acting debut?

That wasn’t supposed to happen. We needed more extras, and my co-director, Nengi, was like, “Go in there, Saz.” My best friend, Lotanna, gave me clothes, and I was just like, “You know what? Maybe it’s meant to be”. I did a little dancing in the club scene. And that was it.

Did you study something related to what you’re doing now?

I studied sociology in school, and I was planning to be a lawyer. I honestly think everything I’ve studied and experienced helps me to be a filmmaker. Sometimes when I go through certain things, I’m like, you know what? It’s good for the cinematic experience. So yeah, sociology helped me understand how human beings create structures, what these structures mean to them, how it affects them, and how they control the structures. And with film, it’s kind of the same thing, because you are trying to replicate different structures, and just experimenting with what these structures can do. It was definitely helpful. 

What was your first moviemaking experience like? 

My first film was for a cultural club I was part of in university. I was the communications coordinator, and we needed to promote an event. So I decided to make a series of three short films. It didn’t require money. It was just my phone, my friends and then uploading on social media. 

The first planned film I made and released is Anwuli, which means “joy”. That was when I really started to realise that making films is not a solitary experience. You need to reach out to people and push boundaries. I used to do everything myself: record, direct, sound. But then I just realised I needed other people. Someone showed me how I could connect with people on Facebook. 

For instance, a director wants to make a movie but doesn’t know how to write, and a writer doesn’t know how to direct but wants to be involved in making movies. Everybody just tries to work together to create something and grow their careers. It’s a community of people who just want to create work with little to no money involved. So the budget for my first film was maybe $300. I was working a 9-5 around that time. I just asked my friends to act, and I worked with a community of people just looking to make work. 

Afterwards, I was like, “I had to pay people”, so I decided to increase my budget a bit. The more I create things, the more I realise filmmaking is very expensive. Financing is the hardest part of filmmaking. 

In Ixora’s end credits, I noticed you were the writer, co-director and co-producer. Was it exhausting?

I like writing. I like being able to bring to life the vision I have when I’m writing, so directing comes naturally. While I’m writing, I’m already thinking about who would fit which role. Even if it’s hard, I don’t consider giving up filmmaking. It doesn’t feel like it’s taking anything away from me. It feels like an extension of me. 

You’re a writer who likes to write? Wow 

Of all three — writing, producing and directing — writing can be the hardest. I’ve come to understand my process, so that makes it look easy. I can do it, but it’s not easy. When someone hears you’re a writer, they feel you can just wake up one morning and write a book. I wish I could do that. But it requires a process. And the process is not just writing; it’s everything from experience to reading to watching things. Playing is part of the process. All of them are the ingredients that produce writing. 

Does writing your own movies make it easy for you to bring your vision to life? 

Definitely. I’ve directed other people’s work before, and it’s harder because you’re not in that person’s head. Yet when I produce what I direct and wrote, it doesn’t come out 100% the way I want it because I still have actors who can bring a different (sometimes better) vision. 

This happened in Ixora. I had a vision of what I wanted out of the characters, but our main character, played by Dafna, brought a different quality to Izi’s character. It felt like she was reintroducing me to this character I made up. So yes, it’s easier to direct my own work, but it doesn’t necessarily mean my vision will come out the way I want it. It’s like, this is what you want, but keep an open mind that I might come out differently, better even.

How many films have you created so far?

I’d say roughly 10, including music videos. I’m still writing new ones and some are in production.  

Do you have any favourites?

My first film, Anwuli, is a fave. It’s so beautiful. The production process was easy. The only thing I don’t like about it is the sound quality. I wish the volume was a bit lower, and some of the audio parts were crisper. But I love the music. It was an original composition by a Ukrainian composer I met online — Myroslav Melymuk. 

Carmilla is another favourite. It was just a fun thing to make. Another one I really like is Baby, This Is How You Break Open. When I feel down sometimes, I go back to watch it. If I want to process an experience or emotion, an efficient way for me to do it is to make a film. 

Oh, it shows. Ixora had me in my feelings. What was the process like?

It was shot in two days, but it was supposed to be three. If you come with that “It will work” mentality, sometimes, it means giving yourself extra room for surplus. If we had another day, there was a scene I wish we could’ve added, but we were constricted for time. 

My friend wanted us to make a film, so I brought a draft, but they did not feel it. It wasn’t clear enough. I wrote another one two months later, based on a conversation I had with myself about women’s bodies and how they present them. I wanted answers, and somehow, I translated this dialogue into characters That was it. 

The next thing was casting. I already knew who would play the two main characters. Next was financing. We tried to apply for grants. But we didn’t get any, so we put filming off for a bit. Later, we were just like, “Let’s do what we can with what we have”. Me alongside my co-proucer and friend contributed money, and everyone else was briefed on how much we were working with. We practised a lot. Shout out to everybody for putting in the work.  

And are you getting paid to make films yet?

I’m getting paid now.

When I made Ixora, I wasn’t. Baby, This is How You Break Open costs zero naira to make. We didn’t spend much on Carmilla. We had to pay for a ₦3k location and bought a few costumes like the dress and scarf — it only had one character after all. I think we spent under ₦5k. Although we paid to host it on a website at one time, but it wasn’t expensive. Ixora is the most expensive movie my friends and I funded. I don’t remember how much it was. 

How much are your movies making now?

They haven’t made any money yet. When Ixora gets on a streaming platform, the team will benefit. But for now, it hasn’t made money. That’s another misconception people have about filmmakers. They assume you’re balling. Depending on your background, filmmaking requires a lot of work that might not be financially reciprocated, and you have to be patient with that.

Do you think you’ll ever do a mainstream movie?

Yes, it’s something I’d like to do. I’m working on two documentaries now. I’ve written romance and done music videos. I’m openminded when it comes to filmmaking and storytelling. The content interests me even more than the genre.

You’ve mentioned a French director. Are there other people or things that influence you?

Life itself influences me a lot. I’ve had a lot of interesting experiences, and that alone makes creating fun and easier. I like exploring films in different genres because they open my mind to questions I want to answer, and I can answer them in my own work. One of my latest unreleased films is a response to Persona by Ingmar Bergman. I’m influenced by music, quotes from poetry books, experiences, experiences, experiences. 

Most filmmakers have a signature thing they do in their movies. Do you have that yet?

According to people, yes. I like to have pidgin in my work. And I like a level of playfulness. I don’t do this intentionally, but there’s always some emotion that’s highlighted when you watch something I make, whether it’s happiness, empathy or curiosity. 

I’m not even sure I want a pattern. The films I make are a reflection of where or who I am, and people evolve. What I make will also evolve. 

What fun things do you do when you’re not busy making films in your head and in real life?

I really like to experience where I am. When I’m in Lagos, I like to experience Lagos. Recently, a friend of mine wanted to visit someone in a convent, and because I’d never been to one, I went with him. I just like to experience different aspects of life. I like eating, watching films and digital collaging — putting together fragments of images to create something different.

Are there some skills you feel filmmakers and writers should have to be able to create quality work?

Emotional intelligence is very important. Being able to tell a story in a way that’s respectful to characters and the people they represent. Patience is important, but a lack of patience is also important. It’s okay to wait for something, but sometimes, you have to actively go after it too. For methods? I’m not a stickler. I enjoy seeing different methods at work. Compatibility is also important in filmmaking. 

You make the process sound like smooth sailing. Have you never had a clash with people you work with?

I haven’t had issues on set. Communication is important. As sets get bigger, you get to deal with more complications. You just have to figure it out. It’s good to work with people you’re compatible with on set.

Do you have any favourite career moments so far?

I like hearing people tell me they like my work, explaining perspectives even I who wrote it never saw. The story has gone beyond me. It’s out there, and other people are sharing it. In terms of milestones, it was nice to have Ixora and Carmilla show at S16, and just see people connect with it and talk about it. It was nice to see everybody involved getting celebrated. Having my films shown at several festivals last year was nice. 

Are there projects you’re working on that we should be expecting?

The next project I’ll release is an experimental film. Beside that, I made a music video for an artist, it’ll be out soon. Longterm, I want to make feature films. I’d love to work with Celine Sciamma, Love and Basketball star, Sanaa Lathan, and Genevieve Nnaji. There are some people I  want to work with but I also don’t want to work with them because I just want to watch them. In a way that I appreciate filmmakers’ capacity to create and my ability to experience their creations.

At some point, my goal was to create films with an optimistic narrative for queer people, and I still want to do that, but I also want to tell stories that experiment with what can be. This involves a level of absurdism. I want to continue to create things that make people feel something. 

Have you watched any film and wished you were the one who made it?

Love and Basketball I was 13 or 14 when I watched it. I still think with film it’s not impossible. I don’t think it’s an industry where you can only wish you could create something. You always have the space to do that. I can decide to make a film based on Love and Basketball. My character could be queer and find love. I’m not sure if what she had with Quincy was love or not; I would explore her relationship with Gabrielle Union’s character or Sidra instead of him.

I’d have liked to make Nneka, the Pretty Serpent and Suicide Mission. I’d have made them more playful but scary still. 

READ ALSO: Creator Spotlight: How Lex Ash Reimagines a Better Future for Nigerian Creatives

My full name is Alexander Chidiebere Ashimole.

People tried to give me different nicknames at different points in my life, but the only one that stuck was the one I gave myself — Lex Ash. I’m a photographer, but I’m also a musician. I’m relatively good at every artistic thing I’ve tried, so I’m thankful for that gift. I’m deeply spiritual, and I don’t like anything that stresses me out. When I want to relax, I watch comedy. I’m also an amala hater. I’m a gadget person, so if I had all the money in the world, I’d probably just be buying tech gadgets for the sake of it. 

Lex, this is not a safe space for amala hate. Also, only rich people like gadgets. Do you have Starlink?

I’ve tried amala, and it’s not worth it. I don’t know why people put themselves through that, but Nigerians voted Buhari twice, so yeah. I’m not rich o. I spent all my money on a new place, and I’ve decided that until further notice, no big purchases. But Starlink might be somewhere in my future. I don’t just spend money like that. I have to plan and think about it. 

All I’m hearing is wealth. I’ve added you to my list of rich people

Where did the wealth come from, please? I started by saying I don’t have any money.

I refuse to hear about poverty. A new place in this regime? Work must be great, then

Work isn’t going all that great, so you people should give me work. So if you guys have an opening in Zikoko, please, let me know. I do like money, so any extra source of income is welcome. Photography can be, and I hate this part of it, seasonal. Sometimes, it’s good; other times, you get worried because you don’t know when money will come again. It’s spaced out, so I don’t get a lot of jobs too frequently. So annoying. For example, there are seasons when people get married more frequently. And I think I’m one of the more expensive brands in wedding photography. Some people come to me after some of the photographers they want have been booked, a lot of people also come to me because of my style, so I’m thankful for that.

You make it sound like you’re second choice 

That’s usually the case. But a lot of event planners don’t refer me because they probably don’t see a lot of my wedding photography work online. I’m trying to change that. At the same time, if I don’t get photography jobs, where will I see photography pictures? Event planners have roasters of people who cover their weddings. Most times, it’s the couple who reach out to me, and they always love my work. If you know anybody who’s getting married, or ageing up and has money as well, please tell them I’m available. 

What’s your price range? 

I have a base charge. I have rate cards for weddings.

For portraits, I charge somewhere per outfit, depending on the situation. I also started creating alternative options for people with lesser budgets, we can come up with a custom price or package for you. Studio shoots are cheaper. And charging per hour doesn’t work because we Nigerians have a time problem.

What happens when the person wears a suit, then takes off the jacket? They technically did not change the outfit

You also get a limited amount of images per outfit. So if you’re wearing a jacket and take it off, you didn’t change the outfit, but you’re still limited to three images. I deliver three retouched images per outfit, no matter what you do to your outfits.

How do you charge for weddings?

I charge a day rate with extra charges for whatever service they want to add to it. If you’re going to do a pre-wedding session, an after-party, photo books and frames or if I need extra hands, those cost extra.

Can you give me a rough estimate? What’s the highest you’ve been paid? 

₦4.something million for a four-day wedding. The first day was thirty minutes of work. The last day was four hours of work, but the main wedding events lasted two days.

Wow. I didn’t know Nigerians spent money like that

People spend as much as 200 million on weddings. Probably even more.

Does being around all that jazz make you want to settle down?

The weddings themselves don’t necessarily make me feel like that; there’s just the human urge to be coupled. Have you seen how stressful weddings can be? Even me, as the photographer, I know. In fact, let’s take out all the traditional wedding activities. Why do people feel the need to make sure the whole world is at their wedding, and they all have to dress up in certain weaves, aso-ebi and whatnot. I don’t like spending money like that, but if it’s my close friend, I’ll do it.

How did you get into photography? Did you grow up with a camera?

So remember how I said I like gadgets? I had this friend who got a camera in school. In fact, it was a camcorder, and I was just playing around with it during our science and technology week when I was randomly given the assignment to make a photography workshop happen. That was my first-ever experience in the same space with a photographer and people who are interested in photography. This is all the way back in 2011. People would see me with my friend’s camera and say, “Oh, this is nice. Take a picture of me.” And by 2013, I definitely wanted to do it for real. 

What kind of pictures did you take at first?

I used to do graphic design. And it was just hard to find pictures of black people to use for designs. That was my first project, manipulating, putting somebody who’s dancing in a place where there’s water flowing, for example. Or changing a person’s face to grass. Something like that, just random things.

 Do you remember your first official project?

In 2012, my friend allowed me to borrow his camera, and we were having a trade fair in school. I was just going around taking random pictures when somebody was trying to make a decision about buying asun. So I took a picture of the asun and showed it to them, and they went, I’ll take two packs, please. The fact that the picture I took made them decide to actually buy the asun was very interesting and funny to me. Later in 2013, the pictures I took during some chapel services were used on a billboard. That was pretty cool too.

Did they pay you for that? 

I wasn’t even thinking of payment that time. I just made friends with the people in the Corporate Affairs Unit, and they’d let me borrow their cameras once in a while. So it was okay.

Did that asun story prompt you to use photography to tell stories?

Probably, but I think it was everything together. I always just loved the idea of creating images other people can connect with. From my graphic design to photography, or even when I was writing and singing in school. I always wanted people to have an emotional connection to it. But I didn’t know how that would take shape exactly. The asun incident was just one of the things I was doing to pass the time that contributed to the big idea.

What did you study in school actually?

I studied estate management, but that’s not what I want to be hired for. I want to be the chief marketing officer of a tech startup.

How do you go from estate management to marketing officer?

Estate management is about selling and evaluating landed property, and marketing is attached to it. I’ve always been big on brand building since I started doing graphic design. So all my work experience has been related to that. I worked two months in Unilever Nigeria with the internal communications team. I also worked in radio as the chair of content management. I worked in a tech company for two years before I quit in 2017 to try this photography something.

Do you ever regret taking a bet on yourself like that?

No, not at all. I knew it was coming. I just didn’t know when, and after I left, I was broke for a while. But I knew what was possible. This is the sixth year, and I haven’t regretted that decision one bit. I don’t miss the 9-5 life. I can’t deny that consistent income helps you plan your life and gives you something to do on a daily basis. But I don’t think I’d ever want to go back. If anything, I’d do consultancy where I choose my hours. Even now, the only reason I’m looking for a job is because my eyes have tear. I want more money. I love money. I’m trying to burn the candle from two ends. I want to get consistent money while I get photography money in a way that’s maximally efficient.

How did you now get into music?

I was in the choir in Covenant University. Even when I finished youth service, a church paid me to be part of their choir l. I say music was my first love. But I’m the type to double my talents like that parable from the Bible. Everyone needs an alternative source of income. At the very beginning, I had photography, but I didn’t feel like I could stand alone with it. It’s possible for you to love something, but because it’s your source of income, it becomes more stressful and challenging. So you want to find other artistic hobbies as an outlet. So I still love photography, but music started for me because my photography business had come to a point where I could explore another side of myself. 

So with music, you want to express yourself, not earn?

No o. I want to earn and express myself, please. Remember what I said about money and liking it? So if it can get me money, of course I’d take it. I’m looking for money. At the end of the day, please, it’s important.

Are you earning from music yet?

Not as much as I’d like. As much as I want to earn from it, I’m also big on doing what I love. I’m creating music, but I don’t have a label, or the financial backing is not as big as it needs to be. That’s also how my photography started, right? I was doing stuff I loved, and eventually, people came around to it. Now, people pay me a lot of money for it. Before you can make a lot of money off streaming, you need to get a million streams or something. I haven’t gotten to that point yet.

But does photography open doors for you? 

Yes, my photography has helped me meet some really interesting people. I’ve met Mark Zuckerberg. I’ve been able to change people’s lives. I’m thankful because I’ve mentored people who now live on their photography. I’ve been talked about in places I’ve never been because of my photography. You know, the bible says a man’s gift maketh way for him and puts him before great men. That’s my testimony.

Hallelujah. Do you feel like you’re at the peak of your career? 

I don’t think I’m anywhere close to up there. I think I’m, if anything, a tiny local champion — even “champion” is a strong word. I hope to be a global phenomenon, not just in photography, in everything. Photography, as much as I love it, is still a stepping stone to my bigger goals. 

What are these goals? What does going global look like?

I want somebody somewhere in Bangladesh to think, “I can be a great photographer” because this random guy from Nigeria did it. I want people I probably will never meet to connect with my work on a personal level. 

I want to establish a University of the Arts in Nigeria. I don’t know how it’ll happen or how I’ll get there, but there are so many incredibly gifted people in this country who never get the opportunities they need to showcase their gifts. I hate how they may never get the chance to pursue their passion. The Grammys are big because there’s an academy of scholars who’ve studied music and the arts to the point where they’ve come together to create a conglomerate that celebrates them. The reason why we don’t have that in Nigeria is because the art world is still growing here. But also, people don’t think it’s a viable, life choice to become an artist. There are no schools people respect, like universities where you can study the arts.

Are you doing anything to make these dreams happen yet?

Everything I’ve done up to this point has led me here, and it’ll lead me there, if that makes sense. I don’t have a school currently, but one thing I’m trying to do in 2023 is create a mentorship program. I won’t restrict it to photographers, but they’ll be the main focus. And hopefully, this coming election will be the starting point of a new era, and we get to the point where our passports can do better, so creatives can stay or go and come as they please. 

Here’s my final question: Why do you tell such bad dad jokes on Twitter? 

I take offence to that. What do you mean my dad jokes are bad? First of all, I’m not a dad; it’s just a joke. Secondly, for you to call it a joke, that means it’s funny. I feel like it takes a refined mind to appreciate a good joke; bad is not a word I’d use for art. So the fact that you did not snicker at my snickers makes me doubt the bounty of your ability to imagine.

You should stick to photography

Who do you know that’s a better jokes person than I am?

Honestly, if you ever do stand up? I’ll be throwing tomatoes and that shit’s expensive

I’ll be getting vegetables, and that means I’ll be getting a balanced diet. So I don’t mind it. I’d still keep on my stand-up career.

I’m a musician. I’m also an overthinker, constantly analysing things and forming smart or deep. I used to like reading a lot, but that’s changed because I can’t focus on anything for more than five seconds. I must have undiagnosed ADHD. I blame TikTok for reducing my attention span, but will I stop using the app? No.

Will you ever get a proper diagnosis?

I hate going to the hospital and taking drugs, so I won’t get one. I like to give my immune system a chance to fight since that’s what it’s there for. My friend has been trying to get me to get checked for a while now, but I’m just waiting it out and eating vegetables. I don’t want meds to ruin my life. That’s what I do, run away from hospitals and make music. I was in medical lab science. Then I got bored in my finals and had a panic attack, so I quit.  

Wait, rewind. How? What did you tell your parents?

They didn’t bring me up. Of course, I lived in their house, but they didn’t have any time for me. I was the last, and I think they were tired of raising kids. They never really made any decision for me. 

I created rules and laws for my life. And I always paid the price on my own. One time, I got into big trouble with the police, and I called my dad. He was like, “I didn’t send you there”. It’s messed up sometimes, but I live through it. When you know nobody will be there for you when you fall, you’ll be more careful with your decisions.

I guess their opinion wasn’t necessary when you went into music either?

Nope. It was just me and my best friend, Teddy. He learnt how to produce music and we made my first song together just like that. I was 14 at the time. We later got into uni together at 16. I was in medical lab science, and he was in medicine. We made covers, saved up for studio equipment, rented a room and created a studio in school.

How does a 16-year-old save up for studio equipment?

I had to start making money fast because my pocket money was ₦5k a month. If not, there was only death by starvation at the end of the light. I’ve always been smart and calculative. My dad made sure I understood math, which helped me with money. I also used to do side jobs, like getting paid by real estate agents to broadcast their hostels around school, and I was very popular in school.  

What made you popular?

I was popular for being an idiot. Many people liked talking to me because I never took anything too serious. I never had enemies, and I was small and fine, so there was no reason to hate me. I was already loved before I dropped my first cover, so my second cover went viral. It was a cover of Burna Boy’s On the Low in 2018. 

When did you start making your own music, and how was it received? 

My first song was Sober. I dropped it in January 2020. Back then, I didn’t even have money for the promo, but it did really well. I’d been rapping on my IG for a while, so nobody knew I could sing when I dropped it. People were shocked by my voice. I got a lot of love and support. 

How did you come up with your name?

It was a nickname from secondary school. We had five Ellas in my class. There was tomboy Ella, tall Ella, short Ella, and I was the one who created a space in the roof to hide and avoid work. But I wasn’t lazy. I just didn’t like physical work.

How did you get signed?

I got picked by Kimani, the CEO of my company, and it just happened. She was obsessed with my song, Body On Me. Before we started any business talk or whatever, she really just wanted to tell me how much she loved my music. It felt so good.

When I made it, I didn’t like it that much. It was the last song I made on When the Lights Go Off. I made it without a beat, inspired by Burna Boy. Then I gave it to Teddy, and his beat made it so sick. It worked well because Teddy and I are usually in the same headspace. But now, he’s focused on finishing school.  

Which of your songs do you actually like?

Deep Into You from my last project, Chemical and Put It On Me. I prefer my music when I’m going extra hard. So if it sounds like anything I might’ve heard before, I don’t feel special listening to it.

Does the company make you create certain types of songs?

Because of the way I was brought up, I don’t handle being controlled well. So it helps that my CEO and I trust each other’s work. We’re always sharing ideas, and we take each other seriously. But sometimes, when they play a beat, you never really know what you’re creating until it’s done and you listen to it again.

I’m still amused a 14-year-old woke up one day and said, “Yeah, let’s do music”. At 14, I was sleeping during night prep

I was in the choir as a child. I’d been into music since I was four or five. My brother would make me try to hit some notes and sing Beyonce’s songs. That boy was 13 to my five, but if I sang the wrong note, he’d slap me. So I picked up rapping instead because I knew he couldn’t rap.

Who were your rap influences? 

There was DeJ Loaf, Eminem, Baby Keem and Young Thug. I loved Young Thug. His flows are fire. He’s funny, and I imagine him on Afrobeats sometimes. Outside rap, there’s Koffee, Harry Styles recently and Post Malone.

How about Nigerians? Anyone you want to work with?

Fireboy. We’ve collaborated before, and that was one of my favourite sessions ever. I want a song with Rema. I’m curious how we would sound, but it’s not really my priority to work with anyone. I don’t give a fuck about anything but the listeners and numbers because, obviously, that’s how you know people care about your craft.

It must feel good to have people support your music

Of course I does. I created something, so I like knowing it touched people. I don’t even care if I get awarded for it. I love it when I get texts from my listeners telling me they love my music or they’re thinking of me. I know how I feel when I listen to an artist I love; it’s almost like I’m connected to the artist. So for somebody to fall in love with whatever I created in the past; it always feels so fucking good.

What’s your creative process? 

It changes all the time. I’ve been going through this creative block for the past three months. It’s gone now, and I know I’ve become a new person, but I’m still too lazy to record. 

I wrote my first song, Sober, without a beat. I was in love then, so the person was giving me rhythm. For the second one, I locked myself up for about a month or two, creating with Teddy. I heard the inspiration for the beat of Chemical by mistake and wrote it in 20 minutes. It was like God gave it to me. 

God? Chemical that sounds like sexual tension itself? What were you going through?

That’s crazy because I was in my third month of celibacy when I wrote Chemical. I wanted to put all my pent-up sexual passion in a song. I’m a very sexual person, so if I’m not having sex, the sexual energy has to go somewhere else. If you listen to Put It On Me, you’d hear the sexual tension too.

Interesting. Has anyone ever told you they added Chemical to their sex playlist?

I see titles like “Spread them Cheeks”, “Mine” and “Contraband” on my Spotify for Artists. Just looking through now, I can see its on about 44 playlist on Spotify alone. It’s funny because we were trying to push Hypnotise, but Chemical just sold on its own. My friend, Steph, kept hyping it then people started making videos, and that gave me the ginger to promote it. 

Are you currently making money from music?

Well, I’m signed, so I get paid for every project I drop. It’s in thousands of dollars, that’s all I can say.

But what’s the least you’ve made since you started?

I only made about $300 – 400 from Sober. You get paid a certain amount per stream, and Sober did about 100k streams.

How about performing? Do you make any money from it?

I almost never perform. I’ve performed on stage thrice. I don’t really rate it because they’ve not started paying me big money for it yet. 

What’s your favourite song to perform?

Right now, Chemical, but before, it was Somebody. They both have a bounce that keeps your waist moving. 

Has anyone ever thrown something at you while you were performing?

Jesus, no. I would just cry.

I mean things like their shirts  

No, not yet. But I’m performing at Blaqbonez’s show today, so let’s see if someone throws their bra at me when I perform Chemical. 

Do you think you’re at the peak of your career?

At all. Sometimes, when you create and don’t get the energy you want, it kills your ginger. But there’s more to come. I’m already thinking of my follow up so people know I’m not a one-hit wonder. It’s all about the rollout. I’m creating content around this song while working on the next because the next song is done already. It’s a different vibe but still as sexy as Chemical. I almost never make the same type of song twice except one is an upgraded version of the other.

And your plan for the coming years? 

I don’t know. I’ll let God and the world decide because you can make plans but you can never tell what the results would be. There are plans for some features and joint projects with big producers, but the results of those are all in the hands of God.

When did you start making music?

I started early. As a kid, I used to make choruses for my brother for fun. I was a big fan of Eminem and used to rap all his lyrics, even the ones I couldn’t hear. Back then, the only way to get lyrics was to wait ten minutes for the A-Z lyrics to load, or you listen, pause and write down each line on paper. The second process subconsciously helped me understand the way lyrics are put together, the syntax of a song. 

Down the line, I tried to be a petroleum engineer then a computer scientist because I wanted to make money. You know you just want to make money when you’re a kid.

Isn’t Nigeria just catching up on the money-making side of computer science?

Yeah, that’s the cool thing. I got in early. I really liked computers and programming. At 15, I’d already imagined having my own tech company. I had this book where I drew and designed the uniforms my company staff would wear. I was also a big fan of Steve Jobs. 

But then?

You know music. It comes out and tells you to say goodbye to all your other dreams. I started singing covers and posting on social media when I was in secondary school. Then I quit university in 2017. I was 17 and attending Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Delta State. I only stayed there two weeks before I left for Ibadan to stay with my brother who was at the UI, studying theatre and performing arts. I applied there and got admitted, but I didn’t accept the admission because I wanted to focus on music. 

It was around that time I got a gig to play at Freedom Park, Lagos. Someone had gone through my Instagram and loved my covers. I was 18. It made me realise I really wanted to make a name for myself doing music on the road like the artists I admired. Fun fact: the road is bad; it’s full of traffic and potholes. 

What did you do while you were at UI though?

I started performing. I even busked in public places for voluntary donations. People gathered, and some said I sounded so well. My best experience was playing my guitar somewhere around the student union building, when an old lady, one of the cooks, came out and was like, “I thought it was the radio.” 

Were your parents okay with you quitting school?

When I quit the first time, it was to enrol in UI, so my parents were kinda cool with it. When I didn’t end up attending UI, it was strange because I thought they’d say no. In fact, I was willing to fight them. I already had my speech planned. But they just asked, “Is that what you want to do?” I said yes. They said, ok. I was a bit pissed by their response. It was almost like they didn’t give a fuck.

Now, I’m doing a music diploma, a songwriting thing in London. I’ll be back in Nigeria in September and probably get more juicy gigs.

In All Na Vibes, your character said he didn’t want to make dance music, but music his parents would be proud of. Can you relate to that?

Oh, that was just the director and the producer. It felt weird when they brought up that line because I don’t actually care about that. But I made it sound convincing. 

Since you started making music full time, what has the journey been like?

It’s been insane. It started with that gig in Lagos. Mind you, I wasn’t even paid for it. I was young, so I didn’t really care. I thought it was just one of many, and that others would pay. But the industry doesn’t work that way. If you keep dishing out free gigs, you’ll keep getting free gigs. The older I got, the more I started to feel insane like I was wasting my time. The industry is fraught with people who want to take advantage of you, trying to get you to sign shitty contracts. I never did sign anything. I even got into a big fight with a guy who wanted to be my manager. I went from a scared, stressed-out kid to realising the industry is hectic, but it’s business. 

But I did many things on the way, like starting a doughnut business with my brother in 2019. Before Krispy Kreme came to Nigeria, we attempted something like It in Ibadan, which I’m very proud of. I left the business because my music started doing fine.

Sounds like the industry showed you shege

There were moments when I felt like I’m almost there, I’m about to blow, like when I opened for Johnny Drille in 2019. That was the biggest crowd I’d ever played for. I thought all the hard work was just about to pay off, but the moment passed. That was when I understood I needed to have a plan and just stick to it, not caring when the big break would come but just enjoying the process. 

I’m building something, and everything I do adds to the things I’ve already done. I’ve also since realised people love sincerity. People like to feel seen and heard when they listen to music, which is what I’ve been trying to do with mine. You’re telling people stories, so the least you can do is tell people what matters.

What does “blowing” mean to you?

I used to say I wanted to be famous, but now, I don’t even know. What a lot of artists struggle with when they become famous is maintaining a connection with fans on a personal level. Even a little fame would make you unable to respond to most of the feedback you get from fans. For me, blowing up is a long-run thing. It’s not about making one viral song. It’s about building something that inspires and outlives you, a legacy. 

How did you go from putting all your eggs in your music career to being the lead character in All Na Vibes?

It was random. Remember I mentioned my brother studied theatre arts? He started a theatre group with a vision to change the industry. I cameoed as a random musician in one of the group director’s movies in Ibadan. He called me later, during COVID, and asked if I’d like to be in a movie. I wasn’t doing anything besides learning to produce music, so I said, let’s do this. I thought it’d just be a Youtube thing. I really don’t know what gave them the idea that I’d be good, but they trusted me with their project. Now, I’m a Netflix actor. 

Will you continue acting, or is it a one-time thing?

I can’t really say. I’m not sure. I’m so nervous that I haven’t even seen All Na Vibes. I tried to watch the movie the night it came out, but as soon as I saw my face, I shut down the computer. First of all, I go very hard on myself, which I think I need to do less because, you know, everyone is allowed to grow. There’s that, and there’s the thing about other actors confirming that they also feel uncomfortable watching themselves in movies.

How alike are you and Abiola, the character you played?

He believes in a lot of conspiracy theories, and I wouldn’t say I believe them too, but I like asking many questions. You’ll find me in a wormhole of books, Wikipedia pages and Youtube, researching one topic because I want to know the truth. We’re quite alike in a lot of other things. We both make music. We’re chill people. He doesn’t have my charm, but he’s calmer. We’re different creatures at the core.

In the spirit of talking about conspiracies, do you have a super controversial take on music?

I feel like music you can download and play on your phone could and should be free. People should pay if they want to, but it should be available at zero cost. Many of the songs that inspired me when I was a kid, I don’t remember how I got them. They came to my phone by the power of the almighty. People shouldn’t be denied the chance to listen to music because they can’t pay for it. Digital music should be free. 

Then how would you get paid as a musician? 

You perform. There are a lot of other ways to make money from your music. If you go to my website, all my songs are there and downloadable for free. It’s how it’s always going to be unless I get signed to a label that controls everything, which I don’t want to do. Music should be free.

Interesting. Who do you make music for?

I write for people who are going through it, people who sometimes sit down to evaluate their life then feel grateful or pissed off about it. Basically, people who are aware of their humanity. 

When I’m going through something, I make music to explain myself to myself. The emotions get so heavy that the only way to get them off my chest would be to write about them. For some people, when they feel something, they go punch a wall. For me, I just write, even if I never release the music. I might eventually make money from it, and people may feel so connected that they’d be willing to pay for it, but in the beginning, I write to explain myself.

Do you have a favourite song you’ve written?

I have many. But one of my favourites is To Be Missed, a song I did for All Na Vibes. The whole concept is me realising in 2018 or 2019 that we’re all designed to want to be remembered, especially when we’re not in a place anymore. It’s okay to feel a bit lost, or like someone who wanted you before doesn’t anymore. It’s human nature to feel that way.

It sounds like a heartbreak song. How many have you written when you were heartbroken?

Between 2018 and 2020, almost all the songs I wrote were about heartbreak, and I wrote many good songs then. Most musicians would agree that some of the best songs have come from heartbreak. 

What are your fave heartbreak songs you didn’t write?

Sunburn by Ed Sheeran. I wish I was the one who wrote it. I likeLast Last. That’s a proper sad song. And you can make it even sadder if you sing it acoustically. But it’s a vibe. You know Nigerians will always make it a vibe, even if it’s sad.

Who or what influences your music?

Two of my biggest influences are Ed Sheeran and Passenger. But in recent times, it’s been places. The more time I spend in Ibadan, the more I fall in love with the place. I interact with it in a way that it starts to feel like a person and begins to inspire me. Nigeria inspired me to make angry songs like Gossip, from my old EP.

What does it feel like performing on stage to an audience holding on to every word? 

No matter how many times it happens — though it doesn’t happen many times — it makes me feel like the world should just end. It’s just so consuming, it kind of makes you feel small. Or maybe it’s just me wanting to feel small in that moment. I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s beautiful. I just want to embrace the moment and live in it in a way that’s not intrusive, and I can’t get too used to it so that it continues to feel special every time.

What’s the least or most you’ve been paid, whether in music or acting? 

Today’s prices are not really like 2022’s. Last year it was in six digits. And I may not play in any show until September, when I’m back in Nigeria.

How fulfilled do you feel?

Very fulfilled. I’ve learnt to abide in everything I do, however great or small. I used to compare myself with others, but I have learnt that it doesn’t matter. Right now, I feel very fulfilled, doing exactly what I want and how I want it. I write and perform music, get paid for it, and I have songs people listen to. My 16-year-old self would be mindblown. I think that’s enough fulfilment for me.

What sort of legacy do you want to create?

Make albums of the highest quality. Do concept projects. I have onee coming out that I’ve been working on for a long time now. It’ll be out when I return to Nigeria. I don’t want it to be a collection of random stuff. There are stories behind it, and everything just works together to create this really cool, sweetcake album. 

I also want to work on the performance scene in Lagos and Ibadan. One of my dreams is to have it more structured and easier for artists coming after me to find places to perform. Right now, I’m focused on putting out quality projects and collaborating with artists. When I return, I want to work with more people even outside my space. 

Which Nigerian artists would you like to work with?

Lagbaja. Asa — she’s been at the top of my list since I was a kid. 2Baba, interestingly. His music isn’t the same again, but I plan to tap into 2Face of the 2000s. I want to work with Obongjayar too. 

What are the struggles you face as an artist?

Making music regularly while always being online. It’s a lot to juggle as an artist.

What are you currently working on?

An EP, which will be out soon. Expect a minimum of four songs.

Gaming? What do you play?

God of War, Call of Duty, The Last of Us and Red Dead Redemption. I play anything but soccer. I don’t see the point. You just keep kicking the ball around; I’ve never understood it.  

The question boggling my mind about your skits is how… how do you have so much chemistry with yourself?

First of all, I’m androgynous. Growing up, I was the only child, and my parents were very protective of me. I wasn’t allowed to go out, much less make friends. They were very sceptical, so I spent a lot of time in my own company, watching people. As a child, I never leaned toward any gender completely. If I bring out my childhood pictures, you’d mistake me in some of them for my brother. When I did make friends, they were boys. 

Have you named the male version of yourself?

No, I haven’t. But I’m planning to. 

When you walk in on me shooting, it’s a different person. I’ve actually shot with people, and the moment I finished dressing up, they’d be like, “Wow! There’s a change around here.” I don’t know how it happens.

You’re really committed. You wear a bodysuit and even cut your hair

In 2020, I went the whole year without doing anything to my hair. I didn’t make it. I didn’t care for it. I just ended up looking like I had rats running through it. I realised that since I play a male character, keeping a low cut would make it easier. 

You’re right, I’m committed. Becoming that character is a sort of escapism. I feel like a whole new person. There’s this feeling, this aura. I get to be two different people. 

You make it look so easy. What’s your content creation story? 

I’ve just been coasting through life. I grew up in the east, Anambra. As a child, I wanted to be an actor. I was 15 and in university when I started to reach out to producers and directors. You can count only a handful of Asaba directors or producers I don’t know or haven’t met. I met a whole lot of them, and at the end of the day, they were all asking for the same thing. 

Oh no. You were just a baby

Oh yes. And they didn’t care. 

There was this guy — he was quite popular, and I don’t want to name names. He gave me a script to read so I could hone my scriptwriting skill, then asked me to see him at a hotel. He’s been in the game since the early Nollywood days. That’s how old he was. He tried to kiss me, but I resisted. I was like, “Hello. When did we go from reading scripts to kissing?” He smiled and asked how old I was. I said 15. He smiled again and said, “You’re young. Everything you’ve done and have yet to do has been forgiven”. I gave him back his script and left. He said he’d reach out to me but never did. He stopped picking my calls. But at least, that one took my no for no.

This other director told me everybody pays their dues in the industry because I said I believed my talent and God would take me to wherever I wanted to be. He told me that what I was saying was laughable because, before Lucifer’s fall, he was the chief angel of entertainment. And after he was cast out, God didn’t take that power from him. The entertainment industry is governed by Lucifer, so my God and I can fuck off. 

That’s a lot. You were a kid. Were your parents aware?

The incident that made them know was really nasty, and I still can’t talk about it. I’ve always been very curious and independent. When I want something, I go for it. There was even a time I went to Enugu to see Pete Edochie, unplanned. 

Omo? You’re bold oh

I got to Enugu and started asking people on the streets for his address. It was crazy. Somehow, I located his house. I waited for some time before he came down. I told him I wanted to act and had been trying for some time. He asked me how old I was. I told him I was 15 and in my first year of university. He scolded me and told me not to rush. I should go back and focus on school. I won’t say I listened, but I had a nasty experience that eventually made me stop. That was the last straw. 

Around that time, skit-making was becoming popular, so my friends were like, “All these people are doing these skits from their homes.” I wanted to act, but who would watch me? But I eventually shot a video, posted it, and people liked it. This was around 2015. I started fully in 2017, so I’ve been at it for six years now. The growth was exponential. My creations were Nollywood-based. I migrated from Instagram to TikTok in November 2021.

When did you have your first viral video? 

I posted grace to grass stories, “Nollywood Movies Be Like” and more. One day, I checked my phone and saw +100 followers and +100 notifications. Tunde Ednut and Don Jazzy had reposted one of my videos. It was everywhere.

There was also this competition Larry Gaga hosted. At the time, I wanted a new workstation, which cost ₦1.5 million, so I needed all the money I could get. That was the first time I posted on TikTok with intention, and I got 500 views. I won the competition and I think that was my second viral post.  

What was the first Nollywood movie you saw that made you want to make Nollywood skits?

For someone who makes short Nollywood skits, you’d think I watch many of them. I didn’t watch television because of my strict parents. I started watching Nollywood movies, and none really stood out for me. I just found it easy to spot the cliches. I don’t reference any movies; I just stitch up words and cliches I have heard Nollywood characters use, and I run with them. 

Did you study something related to your content creation? 

I studied English because my dad wouldn’t let me do Theatre Arts. I don’t write scripts except when a client specifically asks for it. Most of my acting is by impulse. I don’t think about them; I just know what I’m going for and how it should come out.

What’s your dream cast and plot?

I have a story in my head. I don’t have the capacity for it now, but one day, I will. I hope Pete Edochie will still be alive by then because I need him in it. So there’s him, Blossom Chukwujekwu, Stan Nze, Jimmy Odukoya. It’ll be an epic movie.

If you don’t watch a lot of Nollywood movies, why did you pick this form of creative expression? 

I stuck to Nollywood because I started taking TikTok much more seriously. The post I made for the competition was Nollywood cliche-themed. Because it did well, I made another one, which did even more numbers. The content transcended my regular audience. People from China, who’d never heard of Nollywood, were asking for more. And the slap-stick industry was becoming saturated. I’m not even good at it; it doesn’t come naturally to me. I just wanted something different. The moment I left the slap-stick comedy niche, I lost some of my audience. But when people look at my work, I want them to see the effort and thought that went into it. I just needed something special. 

You do good work

I give my character’s backstories. I try to get into their mind. Who is this character? A lover boy? A wicked prince? I know how the character walks and talks. The moment I have all that in my head, I’m that person. For instance, the very clear difference between my male and female characters is that I suddenly take up more physical space when I’m the male character. The way I walk and speak is different. 

How much time and money goes into making one video?

It takes more time and effort than money. I could manoeuvre my screen the way I want, and I already have a wardrobe full of costumes. There was one video I spent more than ₦100k to make. It was about the different tribes in Nigeria, so I had to get the different costumes. And I can spend up to a week making a video. When I say a week, I mean several hours back-to-back.

What does a typical day of creating content look like?

I usually sleep from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. When I wake up, I eat my breakfast, lunch and dinner all in one. I like setting up my shoot at 11 p.m., and depending on what I’m working on, I may be at it till 10 a.m. Then I sleep and wake up again around 5 p.m. to continue. It has altered my circadian rhythm because even when I take breaks, even when I am not working, I find myself sleeping through the day and being up at night. 

What are your rates like?

I charge brands from ₦500k to ₦700k for ads. It’s efficient. I’m not as poor as my enemies think I am, but I’m also not as rich as some people think. 

What would you being rich look like?

Being rich would entail waking up one morning and impulsively booking a flight to Paris to get ice cream and come back. I make enough to put food on my table and satisfy my basic needs, but I can’t go on a spending spree or splurge money the way I would want. My income isn’t consistent, so I have to make do, and plan ahead, even though it’s hard. There are some months I eat really well; I’d have like three clients I’m creating for. Then I could go three months without a client.  

How many videos do you think you’ve created?

I don’t keep count. One thing about me is once I’ve created and posted a video, it’s gone. When I do visit them again, I’m usually like, I should’ve done better.

Who or what influences you?

Kunle Afolayan, Jade Osiberu, Charles of Play — he has a lot of money to pursue his dreams, and he pursues them. Art should be all about pure passion, but unfortunately, that will get you only so far. In the real world, you need more than that. You need flamboyance, exposure and connection. If you want to make it purely on passion, make peace with the fact that you won’t achieve your full potential. You need money, you need to know people to push your art, no matter how good it is.

What do you do when you’re not creating?

Sleep. I close my eyes and sleep. And sometimes, I game. I’ve also made a promise to myself to go out a bit more and meet people. Since I shot that video for the TikTok competition, I don’t think I’ve left my house more than 20 times. I just shoot and post. In 2023, I’ll go out more and maybe find love.

What’s the most annoying thing about your work?

When I decide to try something different once in a while, people will be like, ”No, no. This isn’t why we’re here.” And I’m like, “Shut the fuck up”. Or when you offer your two cents about a concerning issue, I’ll hear, “You better focus on your comedy.” It’s annoying. 

What sort of impact do you want to make in the industry within the next couple of years?

I have a dream of owning a film school one day. I don’t even know how to go about that, but I’d like to see actors with more skills in the industry. When you watch a good movie, you watch an actor become the character they’re playing. It feels like they’re in their house in that movie. It feels real. You can see the connection. But when you watch a movie, and it feels like the home is from Airbnb, I want that to change. 

Do you feel fulfilled yet, though?

I could be doing more. There are days when I feel fulfilled, and there are other days I just don’t know. I try to tell people, and they don’t understand. 

Do you struggle with imposter syndrome? 

All the time. I know I dey try, but when people post my work, I’m like, are you gassing me up? I feel my own audience may be lying to me, so what I do when different accounts share my work is I go through the comments. Because I feel I would see the truth there, from complete strangers who’d rate my work without sentiments. Most times, though, it’s the same praise.

Food coma? Wow. How would you describe what you do? 

I actually do a bunch of things. I’ve gotten tired of saying I’m a writer when there’s more to it. So I sat down and decided “creative industry entrepreneur” is the best way to describe myself. For the most part, I just sell my ideas. 

What’s the best idea you’ve sold so far?

The articles I wrote for NotJustOk. I’ve had some really standout ones. In 2020, I did a listicle titled “Seyi Vibez, Bella Shmurda and Other Street Pop Artists You Should Know”. While everyone else was unsure of Wizkid’s Made in Lagos, it was one of the few projects I ever reviewed. I wrote that it was a really good album and a perfection of his career output so far.

One of the coolest things you do is your “Fit check” videos

For the longest time, I’ve felt that while I’m not rich in wealth, I’m rich in friends. People who know me just know I like fashion, so they end up giving me stuff. Like right now, I’m wearing a pair of white shades my colleague gave me for Secret Santa. People helped build my wardrobe, and I’m always conscious of that because I remember where I got everything from. My love language is getting fly shit. When I get dressed sometimes, I realise the only thing I bought with my money was my underwear, or something crazy like that.

Are any of your fashion items more special or sentimental than the rest?

I also have a pair of pink crocs I named “Flacko” after ASAP Rocky, ‘cause in A$AP Mob’s Yamborghini High video, he wore this pink bathrobe. It made me realise pink is such a cool colour, and ever since then, I’ve been a big fan of pink. Flacko has been my ride-or-die since 300 level. They were actually famous in UI because when you see pink crocs, you know it’s for Bamy. I always used to post them and just wear them everywhere. I don’t wear the crocs now though; they’re just somewhere in the house. 

Well, I think crocs are supreme. So you know what, I get it 

 Thank you.

What are some basics you think everyone should have in their wardrobe, as somebody who doesn’t actually get half of their stuff themself?

I’m starting to get stuff myself. I’ve been thrifting a lot since 2022 to build a wardrobe that feels like me. 

I want to say cargo pants, but I don’t know if there’s an age limit to this. I’ll say denim jackets because they fly and pair well with literally anything. If you’re like me and you get cold easily then, denim jackets and Oxford shirts. If you’re at a party, denim jackets might be a bit heavy, so an Oxford shirt because you can tie them around your waist and wear them later when you feel a bit cold. They’re really great for mutable fashion. Also, sunshades. I don’t understand how people don’t wear shades. People say shades don’t fit them, but it’s just a matter of understanding what type of shades work for your face. 

But doesn’t it feel embarrassing to be scared of the sun

When I turned 16, I had to travel with my mum and I needed shades, so she helped me choose the pair that worked best. I’ve been wearing shades ever since. I never really got people not liking shades, like why are you subjecting yourself to the harsh glare of the sun? For me, it’s not even a fashion accessory. 

And fashion irks?

One of my fashion irks is those thin slippers I see babes wear. I get that it’s part of the rich aunty aesthetic, but I see girls wearing them in the rainy season and I’m like, “Water could splash on you, and you might have to wade through a flood”. That’s why comfy and chunky slides should be essential.

Fair. What are your rules for thrifting? 

I’m not the best person at bargaining. It stresses me out because how will I know the price? I like to work based on my value of things and do some research. If I think it’s worth a certain price, and you call a crazy amount, It won’t work. I found one really good thrift store, ‘Retro Addicts’, and since then, the Instagram algorithm keeps bringing more my way.

For my rules, I ask myself if I can see myself wearing it more than once. Also, boots are a heavy standard for me. I call my aesthetic “super rager girlfriend”. So I ask myself, “Can I wear this with my boots or any other pair of shoes?” If I think I’m being too impulsive, I come back the next day. The boots thing actually helps me create outfits that feel like me.

But the major thing is the mutability of the outfit. I ensure that I can style the outfit in different ways. Fashion isn’t necessarily about what you wear, but how you wear it. 

How did you get so confident about your style?

I’m from a very conservative home, but I’ve always been very fashion-conscious. My mum would dress me in Deeper Life-type clothes, and I’d be unhappy as hell. It made me frown a lot because I never liked my outfits. It was crazier because my brothers used to wear like really fly shit gifted to them from my family friends, but the same people would conform to our conservative rules and send me dowdy ass clothes. So I felt cheated. 

In church, I didn’t talk to anybody besides my brothers. Immediately after, I’d go and sleep in the car ‘cause I didn’t want anybody to see me. Eventually, I realised I didn’t have any friends, which affected me. One time, I designed a poll about how people perceived me, but I never gave it to anybody to fill it out. I just decided you know what, fuck this. I don’t make the rules. I’ll just rock my shit like that and try to frown less. 

I spent all my life wearing things I didn’t want, but when I got into uni, I could start dressing as I wanted. I actually had to hard-wire confidence into myself. So now, I don’t care how ridiculous you think my outfit is. I like it, and that’s all that matters. I don’t care about what you, your grandma or granddad thinks. Once I can get out of the house with it, and the people outside see me? Mission accomplished. For me, every outfit is a reality I’m living. 

Explain that

The biggest example is when I went to an only women’s fest in 2021 in this mesh dress. I don’t think I’d ever even worn it before that, but I thought it would be nice to have my titties out, so I wore it that way. I knew it would be a safe space where I could get away with a risque outfit. Now, every other place I’ve gone, I layer it as a top even. But in that moment when I wore the mesh dress and nothing else, I was living the reality of that dress as the ultimate bad bitch attire. 

Well, you can wear that dress again to Zikoko’s Hertitude. It’s a safe space for women

I’m bigender. My pronouns are she/he/they. But I don’t enforce it because you technically can’t misgender me. It’s just irritating when my profile photo is clearly femme, and you say, “Good afternoon, sir”. For me, my pronouns should align with how I am presenting at that moment. When I’m wearing a cool, hard-ass, steal-your-girl-type outfit, and then, some guys are like “damsel”. I’m like, “Who are you talking to?” So that’s the thing about living the reality of the outfits. I’ve always been androgynous, and the biggest expression of that is my fashion.

You also work as a producer on Taymesan’s podcast. What’s that like as a young person?

The creative industry is actually a young industry if you look around you, so I don’t think there’s anything crazy about my age and the work I’m doing. There’s tons of young people doing kick-ass shit right now. For Tea with Tay, before I was his producer, I was actually his assistant for a year, then he needed a fresher approach to his podcast, and I was down for the challenge because I like to align my interest and my passion with my job. If the job doesn’t interest or excite me, I can’t do it. 

What did you do differently to make him keep you on? 

I’ve just been more hands-on. So far, I’ve put out eight episodes, so it’s still a new experience for me. For the first few months, that was just me getting clarity. Now, I’m taking a new approach to the content and how things are rolled out. We introduced a new segment called “Spill The Tea”, and that’s been fun. 

As much as the creative industry is young, the scene is very much “who you know”. So when did you start putting yourself out there? 

I’ve just always been an expressive person. So I guess without even saying anything, people just always thought of me as a creative. I studied English at the University of Ibadan. Along the line, I worked as a ghostwriter. Then after NYSC, I got a job as a writer, but the pay was not it at all. After a while, I started seeing Linkedin profiles with all these high-achieving corporate people, and I’d feel a tinge of jealousy. I didn’t understand it because I know I’m not trying to climb the ranks in the corporate world. So I started to tell my friends about jobs I wanted to do; they were creatives as well. One of them, Jimmy — I always joke that I’ll build him a statue one day — was already more established in the creative industry, so he plugged me on to “Notjustok’’, and since then, I’ve just been blossoming.  

What influences everything you do? 

How passionate I am about it or how much it excites me.

What if the money is good, but you’re not passionate about it? 

I can’t work in a bank, for instance, even if the pay is crazy. I quit writing for ‘Notjustok’ earlier this year because I’m not as passionate about writing. Passion and money go hand-in-hand like a handshake because, at the same time, I can’t do free work where I am. YKB’s Oshofree has actually been my mantra since the beginning of 2022. 

Will you ever write again?

I need to reconnect with it and just that part of me that’s passionate about writing without having to be paid for it. Capitalism ruined my first love. 

I wish you good luck with that. How do you unwind?

I just sleep. All my friends know I don’t really watch movies because it takes me like a million years to hyperfocus on it. I’ve also been exploring dining out with friends, but for the most part, I sleep, even when I shouldn’t be sleeping. 

What are your favourite Nigerian designers? 

I’m bigender. So, I really like TJWHO’s androgynous but clean designs. They have a really masculine edge to their femme designs. It’s like masc. and avant-garde at the same time — very slim cut, sharp. I love it. Then, Tokyo James, I think, for similar reasons and just how they work with fabric. It’s very exciting and groundbreaking. Then Tubo Reni, I think her sculpting skills are next to none, and what she did with Tiwa Savage on the Water and Garri tour was impressive. Tiwa actually wore Fendi and Versace throughout. I think Tubo Reni was the only Nigerian brand she wore .

Do you have any plans to create your own fashion pieces? 

I’ve been designing since I was a kid, but imposter syndrome hit me really early. I’ve just decided to go to a proper fashion school to learn. I went to Queen’s College, and they had a clothing and textile course. I did that from SS 1 to 3. I want to go to a proper fashion school and maybe start designing for myself first and see where it goes from there. I worked with a bunch of stylists last year, and before that, I actually styled one of my friends for his video shoot. I worked as a styling intern in 2022. I’m obsessed with getting experience. I don’t appreciate being in a place where I second-guess myself. But because I’m busy with my other passions that pay me money, I  haven’t found time to give it as much attention.

 What are the other passions that pay you money? 

I work as a content lead for WeTalkSound. I’ve always wanted to be in a space where I share ideas and see them through till the execution point, and I’m very passionate about music, so that’s me bringing two of my passions together. I also work as Artiste and Label Relations Manager for Gojë Distro. I get to be an active part of the music distribution process. For Taymesan, I’ve always wanted to work with someone with a level of access to resources that I don’t have because it’s just a really good learning ground. I get to interact with vast minds, vast talents. 

Favourite career moments? 

Working as a content lead has been very rewarding. It’s something I’d always dreamed of doing. We made a viral post recently, and I know it’s hard to replicate, but we’ve grown so much, and the difference is clear. In 2021, I wrote a timeline of the alté subculture and sound. I spoke to Douglas Jekan for the interview, and he gave me a shout-out for the work I was doing. I listened to him a lot when I was in secondary school and he was actually my window to the alternative music scene in Nigeria. So this was a personal crowning moment for me. 

What are your favourite parts about being a creative industry entrepreneur?

The freedom. The fashion freedom. You see me pressing my phone, but I’m actually restlessly working. I could be working on a news report, putting a Canva design together or reviewing a content idea. I also love that I get to cover shows, from music listening parties to concerts. 

What do you want to do in the next couple of years? 

If I’m still alive. 

This is why I don’t like you Gen Z people 

I mean, we have to be honest. But I want to own a creative agency to build ideas from scratch that help people in the entertainment world. Do you need to bring a show to life, or a concept, we can help. People don’t understand things like how powerful a good copy is, how to sell things, how immersive concerts make people want to come back for another edition the next year, or even an artist’s social media branding, from how they dress to how they text. A creative agency helps people in the industry to take concrete ideas and execute them. 

I also want to get into headhunting, to look out for people with a second class or even dropouts. I think I’d be great at this because when people need talent, they always come to me. I always look within my community before looking outside ‘cause it’s just always better to refer people you know firsthand can do the work. Down the line, I’d like to make headhunting an even wider reach for the creative and tech spaces. I’m not sure if I should be sharing this much, before somebody steals my idea. 

If they steal it, we’ll fight. Can’t wait for your creative agency, maybe we’d finally have musicians who give me something outside of their music, which is great, but like, I want to connect with you

As Nigerians, we’re actually very big on personality. We love big personalities. If you’re not selling us a personality that’s larger than life, your brand will actually suffer. 

Very, very true. How would you describe your personality?

I’ve never thought about my personality, but someone called me a “crackhead rockstar”. I protested at first, but I think it’s apt. 

Emmanuel

This is my first anime event. I love the experience so far. It’s really nice, and I know it’s going to get better, so I’m here for it. The world is advancing technologically, so I hope they have a VR experience next time. But besides that, I love anime, I love HunterXHunter, my number one is One Piece, and I really like Cowboy Bepop. I’ve been watching anime since I was in junior school.

Mine

I’ve been watching anime since I was six, and my first was Naruto. Yes, I’m one of them; Naruto is my favourite anime. I’ve cosplayed about four times now. I cosplayed Carole from Carole & Tuesday and Yumeko from Kakegurui. I’ve been to about four anime cosplay events, and my favourite thing is seeing other people as enthusiastic about what we love around me. I love the feeling of being around people who understand why we do what we do. It’s a small-ish community, but it makes me happy.

Femi

I’ve cosplayed just once before this, and I did Itachi. My favourite anime is Naruto, but I like Akame Ga Kill. My big three are Naruto, Full Metal Alchemist and Akame Ga Kill. I’ve been watching anime since 2004, when I saw Ronin Kenshin. This might be my first anime con, but I’m impressed by how people went all out. They took their time to cosplay their characters, and I see the effort. I also love how this small community helps me meet like-minded people who love anime. 

Kammie

I’ve been watching anime for two years. My favourite anime is One Piece and Kuroko no Basket. This is the second anime con event I’ve cosplayed at, and I love how happy everyone is. People come up to you to take pictures because they appreciate the effort you put into your cosplay. It’s amazing, and I love that we get to have this. For anyone trying to get into anime, it’s not too late. Watch Naruto, Food Wars, Demon Slayer and Black Clover as a starter. We’ll all be here for you.

Saiki

I’ve been watching anime for two years, since the pandemic. I’d heard about Naruto from primary school to uni, so it felt like a new starting point. I finally had time to try it because I was at home with nothing to do. I’ve seen almost 100 episodes since then because I kept watching them back-to-back to catch up. I’ve slowed down a lot, though. I love Saiki, it’s my comfort anime, but my favourites are Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Attack on Titan. 

This is my first time cosplaying, so I tried to do something not so risky but still significant. I did Saiki since he’’s my favourite character. It was fun to source the material to make it happen. I’m new here, but obviously, anime is going mainstream, so I love the sense of community we get to have. People on the road might wonder what we’re doing, but we get each other. It’s fun to see people excited about something others consider a niche. It’s just fun to be around people you can relate with.

Bolu

I’ve been a big anime fan for five years now. Not to be cliche, but I love One Piece a lot. Then there’s One Piece, Haikyuu!! and Dororo. I love cosplaying. I cosplayed as No-Face for the first time last year and actually won the competition. I love seeing other people as weird as me, who share similar interests and love of anime, in the same place. It’s so cool. Where else will I see these many people looking like this in Lagos? 

Crys.chan.cosplay

I’ve been watching anime since primary school; my first was Pokemon. My big three are My Hero Academia, Haikyuu!! and Fullmetal Alchemist. Anyone who wants to start off should try Demon Slayer or Noragami. For romance, try My Little Monster and Say I Love You. 

I’m a regular cosplayer. In 2022, I did about 26 cosplays in total, and I make almost all the costumes from scratch. I love coming to community events like these ‘cause everyone else I know dismisses my interest, but here, everyone likes it as much as I do. And I love it.

RELATED: Now That Ash and Pikachu Are Jobless, Here’s What They Can Do Next

by Dorcas Bello, Bird Story Agency

When Jacob Onoja opens the door to welcome guests into his house in Jos, Plateau State, the first thing that catches one’s eyes are the exquisite paintings on the walls. This is an artist who lives and breathes art.

“As far back as I can remember, I have always loved scribbling, drawing, painting and visualising imaginary things in the sky. I did it in my teenage years, and I still do in my adult life,” he said.

Onoja started to paint professionally in 1987 when he opened a studio, the Diadem Art Gallery. To refine his talent, he enrolled at Ahmadu Bello University, where he earned his first degree in fine and applied art. After his mandatory NYSC year, Onoja displayed some of his paintings at the NICON Hotel in Abuja, and after attaining a master’s degree at Ahmadu Bello University, enrolled for a doctorate in art history. Earning his doctorate in 2014, he then joined the University of Jos as a lecturer. But he never let go of his private studio engagement.

“It hasn’t been an easy ride juggling academics and private studio practice, but what keeps me moving is the long-term impact of my work. I have already started seeing the fruit of my labour as some of my students are now professional artists,” he said.

While Onoja uses his brush to depict a wide range of subjects on his canvases, the theme of peace is close to his heart.

“I was born and still live here in Plateau State, a place that has suffered insecurity, both cross-border and inter-communal,” he said.

Through his art, Onoja projects peace as a value presented not only as a right but something every individual needs to consciously strive for. This he describes as a form of community therapy.

“I try to tell stories of peace to entrap people into my space of therapy,” he explained.

In 2014, Onoja launched an annual exhibition called “Landscapes and More” that brings people from within and outside of Plateau State together to discuss peace as they experience the stories behind his paintings. Since then, it has been held every December as an artistic event to “wrap up the year”.

“It is a time of the year I look forward to, and many attendees have made it their annual routine,” he said.

One of those who’ve been attending the exhibition is Nenkinan Deshi.

“Onoja’s consistency in bringing peace messages is so healing… the scars of the instability in our state that I had nursed for years have been healed by the exhibitions. I appreciate his work and determination to preach peace through his art,” Deshi said.

Onoja says he draws inspiration for his work from nature: flowers, buzzing bees, the skyline, waterfalls, everything nature offers. But above all, he is inspired by the divine.

Onoja’s work enabled him to lead the Zaman Tare project, a peace partnership between CANFOD, an NGO based in Abuja, and the European Union, from January 2018 until January 2020. Zaman Tare means
“peaceful co-existence” in Hausa.

Its impact was summed up by Anas Ibrahim Suleiman, a community youth leader in Nasarawa Filin Ball, one of the “hot zones”:

“I have never experienced something so great and more than ever before, I have seen the need for us to work for peace together as a community,” said Suleiman.

Onoja has been engaged in other group and solo exhibitions, with some of his paintings appearing in foreign publications and receiving great patronage. He also says art pays most of his bills besides being a fulfilling career. His paintings sell between ₦7k ($15) for the smallest size, to ₦350k ($780) for the big pieces. However, the prices can also be higher depending on the place and organisers of the exhibition.

To speak to a broader audience, Onoja has gone digital and is also using Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) to sell his work.

“Digitalisation, especially the NFTs, is revolutionising African art. More creatives should leverage the technology to advertise and sell their artworks,” he said. On future plans:

“I want to grow and nurture this ‘baby’, the Diadem Art Gallery, into a huge enterprise specialising in collecting paintings and exhibitions on (the) theme of peace and co-existence,” he said. “I will continue to devote all my energy to art, my career as a lecturer and peace crusader”.

Creator Spotlight: Zonna on Creating Sustainable Art Through Tuft

<script src="https://bird.africanofilter.org/hits/counter.js" id="bird-counter" data-counter="https://bird.africanofilter.org/hits/story?id=62fe4c50735d9305bfdb8305&slug=offering-community-therapy-this-artist-imagines-peace" type="text/javascript" async="async"></script>