Olawale Ayodele Ojo, winner of the MTN Project Fame (Season 6), tells
BAYO ADETU about his experience in the competition and other issues
Q: Shortly after you were announced winner of the MTN project Fame, you
said your mind was still blank to express how you felt. It is more than
48 hours now, so how are you feeling?
I feel blessed. I feel that everything around just worked for me this
season because I didn’t really expect to come out as the winner this
season. It’s about God because I don’t believe there is something I did
that others didn’t do. It was the grace of God and the people that voted
for me. I’m really grateful to all the people that believed in me and
voted. I wouldn’t have won without them. Basically, I feel this is God’s
grace because at a point in the competition, I was almost evicted, so
when you look at everything from beginning to the end, you will realise
that
it is God’s grace.
If you didn’t envisage winning the competition, what was your plan when you registered to participate at the auditions?
I came up to register when ASUU was on strike, and this was my first
time to participate in a music competition. I didn’t really come with
too much determination, but anywhere I find myself, I always try to give
my best in all I do. So, when I got into the academy, I didn’t have a
choice than to give my best for everything.
So ASUU strike actually pushed you to Project Fame?
Yes, but I believe that is how God wants it to be. The strike is a blessing in disguise for me.
Who is Olawale?
I am a normal guy and like I said, I am into sales and repairs of phones
and laptops, and I do that in school just to make some money. But I
love music so much. I play the piano, drums and I sing in my church
choir. I was the music director of my church choir for two years before I
left for school. Basically, that’s just me. My life has just been music
and business. I just try to add value to myself.
Tell us more about your experience as a phone and laptop repairer?
I started as a lover of gadgets because I know much about gadgets. Like
some people will call me love-vendor. I use to love-vendor their phones.
It was expensive then to put some media applications like Bible on
phones. It was a luxury then, and that was what I was actually doing. I
later graduated into selling phones. I started knowing the problems that
are peculiar with some phones and how to fix them. I didn’t really go
for any special training though. I am not saying that I am very good at
repairs, I do it basically based on the experience I have with phones.
How lucrative was the business, and did you sponsor yourself to school with it?
I didn’t sponsor myself to school, my parents did that. But there are
some extra money needed in school that you can’t ask your parents; that
was the type of money I was making. At times, I feel like taking some
responsibilities myself, so I need to get extra cash.
As a millionaire now, how do you intend to cope with your colleagues in
school when the ASUU strike is over? Will there be any pressure on you?
I think the only change is that I meet a lot of people and people know
me now. I wasn’t this popular, but now I am popular. I think that is
just the difference. I am still Olawale. The only thing different is
just that I am now popular and I have to be more conscious of my career
now because I have to work more on my songs. I have to make sure I don’t
disappoint my fans out there. The work has changed.
Project Fame had produced five previous winners before you. What are your plans to rank among the most successful ones?
Basically, I am sure that those that have won it before didn’t achieve
that because of what they did, but that is God’s plan for them, and I
believe that God’s time is the best; if you come out at the wrong time,
then you might just crash. I am putting everything to God and I will
just play my part, work hard and make sure I write good songs. But
everything depends on God. He knows when He needs me to come out, when
people needs to know me. My music will not be a do-or-die affair. I
didn’t bring myself to the Project Fame academy, God did, and He is able
to sustain me.
You sound very religious…
I won’t say that I’m too religious, but at the same time, I believe so
much in God. Looking at my journey from the beginning of the competition
to the end, it has been God. I was almost evicted at a point.
You started from the church as a choir coordinator, and now you are a
winner of the project fame. Are you going to play gospel or secular
music?
I’m not doing gospel music, and my personal composition at the Project
Fame finals wasn’t gospel music. I believe that God created love and
dance, which is not bad for us. I don’t believe that everything should
be gospel; music should be either positive or negative. Even if a
secular song has a message of love, it is good, but there are some music
that don’t deliver love, and I wouldn’t go into such music.
Before the Project Fame competition, how well did you study the Nigerian music industry?
I am very observant and listen a lot. I don’t really listen to Nigerian
music, but at a point, I realised that my culture is important, so I
started listening to it. I actually wanted to know what they do that
make people scream and shout their names, understand their kind of music
and know the type that sells. For a song to sell, it has to have
African trade mark on it, either you put Yoruba language or you put
pidgin English. WizKid, 2Face, P-Square and others put something of
these languages into their music; that is one major thing I have
discovered. With that, their music flows in a way that even a roadside
mechanic can get your message and enjoy it. That is music that both the
rich and poor can listen to.
Are there any Nigerian artistes that you draw inspiration from?
I don’t draw it from one person. I draw experience from different
sources, so I will say they all have their own peculiarity. I am a very
flexible person, and have decided to throw myself open so I can learn a
lot. They are all great, so I will try picking one or two things from
each of them and add them to my own and pray better things will come out
of it by God’s grace.
Despite having a good music background before coming to the Project Fame, what have you learnt in the academy?
I have learnt to have confidence in myself. I sing in church but have
not been in this kind of platform before. Project Fame is my very first
experience, the first time I will appear on TV. At a point, I became
nervous. The first time I came on stage, it was written all over me that
this guy is scared, but the Faculty members worked on me. I really
appreciate them. They helped me manage those weaknesses and now, I’m
more confident on stage and believe in myself, despite the fact that I
have a small stature.
What was the most challenging thing you encountered in the academy?
Like I said, I do business, so am used to it. I don’t have problem with
my co-contestants, don’t quarrel, and I don’t get angry easily, so
everything was just fun for me.
While the competition lasted, was there any other contestant you had feelings for?
None.
You were never close to any of them?
One thing is that throughout the competition, I made sure I wasn’t too
close to one person. Samuel was my birthday mate; Roland’s bed was
beside my bed. As for Immaculate, I learnt from her. But I didn’t really
have a favourite.
Was there any contestant’s eviction that really hit you?
Everybody. During the first eviction in the show, people were weeping,
but I wasn’t crying. At a point, some of them were like ‘come on, are
you not human?’ and I told them that this is a competition and it is
normal for people to be evicted. Besides, your crying won’t bring the
person back. I was determined that even if I was evicted, I won’t cry,
but I focussed on my task. Each time anyone gets evicted, I always feel
for them, but that is how it is meant to be.
Since you emerged winner, have you spoken to your girlfriend on phone?
I don’t have a girl friend.
Why?
Nothing, I’m still young.
How old are you?
I’m just 25.
That is not too young to have a girlfriend
I see myself as a young boy. Look at me, do I look like someone that can maintain a girlfriend?
But you’re now a millionaire. Your level has changed?
It’s not about the level, I’m still Olawale and I don’t look like someone that can maintain a girlfriend.
Where do you see Olawale in the next few years?
Majorly, I see myself as a very different person, coming into the music
industry with my own originality, and I don’t want to lose it for any
reason.
Who is likely to be the first artiste you will work with?
I don’t know. I can’t really predict. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
Culled From: PMNEWS
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