By Funsho Arogundade
Award–winning entertainer, Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo popularly known as D’banj, has emerged as one of the star judges for the seventh season of the Nigerian Idol reality TV show.
In this chat, the singer opens up on his music, marriage and why for the first time he agreed to serve as a judge of a reality singing competition. Enjoy it.
Is this your first time you are serving as a judge of any reality show?
Yes, this is the first time I will be a judge of any show. I’ve had different offers all through the years. But this is the first time I’m on a reality show for singing talents as a judge, and it has been very interesting.
If this is your first time serving as a judge on a reality show, why Nigerian idol?
First and foremost, it’s Nigerian Idol and I’m Nigerian. Secondly, I think there’s no better time because of the growth of the Nigerian music industry. You know, the recent growth of the industry has made it so important for us to really embrace what God has given us. This is a journey that we have been on for over a decade, and to have this kind of acceptance globally as we have today, it is so important to grow the ones on grounds, and let them know that they are part of the growth. So for me, there is no other perfect platform more than the Nigerian Idol. I was actually out of the country when the offer came to be one of the judges this new season. To be honest, I couldn’t contain my excitement and right from there, I decided that I would come to the show with my own unique strategy that will wow the contestants and viewers.
As someone who often says it’s hard to say no to any talent, how would you handle a lot of contestants wanting you to pick them whereas you have limited choices?
Yes, it’s hard sometimes to say no to all the talents, but that’s why if you know yourself, you actually have to adapt. I believe everyone has a chance in life, but if you don’t encourage people to excel, they might not get to the next level. I believe there are creative ways you can turn people down to the extent that even while they are going home, they are happy. I can’t pass everybody but those that would have to go back home, I think there are creative ways that you can actually pass your message, leaving that visible hope.
As an experienced entertainer and now a judge of a music talent show, what quality do you think any of the contestants must have to emerge as a Nigerian Idol?
I would like to say two things: firstly, people are coming to listen to you sing. So, it is very important for you to know how to choose the best song for your voice and use that on the show so that people would know you have a great voice. So, I think generally while it’s important to have a voice, for you to be an idol, it must be beyond the voice. It’s all about 360: your confidence, believing in what you’re coming to sell to us. You can’t sell what you don’t believe in. So, that’s what I will be looking for. Yes, some people can say, ‘Oh, I am looking for how great your voice is’. Nope, for me, I am looking for the next entertainer. I’m looking for the contestant who has everything.
Talking about your music career, you seem to have been a little bit quiet…
I have been busy with other businesses. I love to tell people that music gets you into the room. But what you do once inside that room is totally up to you. You have known me for a long time and you know I have always been focused, and I was more focused especially when I became a family man. This is my sixth year of being married, and since then I have looked for different platforms where I can invest and fly. If you Google Jay Z or search for the richest musicians in the world, you will see that only 10% of their wealth is probably from music.
Does that mean we shouldn’t expect music from you anymore?
All I am trying to say is that if you look at Kanye (West) now and you read that he is a billionaire, a further search will reveal that maybe $100 million of that is from music while the rest is from business. It’s the same thing with Jay Z, and we need that here in Nigeria. Do we have the rights to merchandising because that’s what is going to sustain you as a musician? If you do, then you can do music. Of course, I already have my merchandise business and my luxury perfume is already selling. That’s what has been keeping me busy. The music is forever going to be in me. I am still in music and going to do music for so long. But what can you do to keep it up? We grew up by not having anybody to look up to, but now the whole industry has us to guide and direct it to a right path.
Were you not challenged by the exploits of the new Afropop artistes?
Generally, I would say I love everybody. More so, I think the industry is going to such a level where we’ve always prayed. They (new artistes) are all extremely good. So, on your question, I won’t say I am challenged (by them) because if you say ‘challenged’, that means I still have something to prove but fortunately I have nothing to prove to anyone any longer. It’s my life and I am living it well. I’m not in competition with anybody. There’s none of these new artistes that will stand there and will not say that I’m a source of inspiration to their growth.
How far is your venture into agribusiness?
That’s what I love most. From Shoprite to many other big stores in Nigeria, my ‘Koko Garri’ is on their shelves and doing well.
As a married man, don’t you miss those days and what has really sustained your marriage?
Let me start with what has sustained my marriage, as most people probably didn’t expect me to be this happily married. It is God but it is also very important for me when I say that I’m so happy that I got married when I got married. When I decided to quit the bachelor’s life, I thought at that stage in my life I needed to grow an empire, and the best way to do that was to have a best friend as partner, and then you have to be true to yourself. So, I believe all these put together, I pray to God believing in what the Bible says that ‘he who findeth a wife finds a good thing’. So, I got myself my best friend, my best partner who understands everything about me, and we have been growing together. Oh yes, once in a while, I do miss all those good old bachelor’s days. But I’m also so happy that there is a difference between Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo and D’banj Kokomaster. Of course, I still get those kokolets rushing to me on stage but I always tell myself that ‘hey, you’re committed to someone’ and that’s what life is.
