Education is not a scam — Davido

Award-winning singer, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has dismissed claims that education is a scam, stressing that schooling remains important for success in every profession and area of life.

The singer made this known recently during an interaction with journalists while visiting Babcock University.

The music star said he remains proud of earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Babcock University in 2015, adding that he often tells his colleagues that he attended and completed university education.

Davido also announced plans to support the growth of the university’s music department by building a modern facility equipped with standard music equipment to help train globally competitive graduates.

The singer said balancing academics with his rapidly growing music career at the time was difficult and nearly forced him to quit school. He, however, credited his father, elder brother to the Osun State Governor, Dr Adedeji Adeleke, his aunt and some lecturers for encouraging him to complete his studies.

Davido added that apart from meeting his wife, Chioma, at the university, discipline was another major lesson he gained from the institution.

He was warmly received by the university management led by the Vice Chancellor, Afolarin Ojewole, alongside students who trooped out in large numbers to welcome him back to campus.

Speaking on the impact of the university on his life and career, Davido said that “aside from my wife, whom I met at the university, I’ll say discipline is another thing.

“I already did two years in the States in Oakwood, so I was here for about two and a half years and I lived in the house of the VC and after that, I actually dropped music, so I blew up so much that I couldn’t stay in school fully because of fans and stuff like that, but with the help of Prof and my auntie that pushed me I was able to finish.

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“Sometimes, I’ll be like, auntie, I’m leaving, I’m leaving, I’m going but she will say David, be patient and just finish, and I ended up finishing, and like I said before It’s been a bragging rights for me among my colleagues, I am always quick to tell them that I went to school, I will say I went to school, It is something I’m happy, that I ended up doing.”

Speaking further on his plans for the institution, Davido said the music department deserves greater investment and expansion.

According to him, “The music department is what I want to expand .. I feel like it should be a standalone building.

“I just personally built an office in Lagos, it’s a high-class, standard music studio, so we are ready to donate and give back to the school and make sure we have proper, standard equipment because music is oil right now in Nigeria.

“Creativity right now is oil, I’m ready to back that, I need it. So, for the university, one of the things I want to do is for the music department. I want to have my own building, and VC and I will talk and hopefully get that done before the year runs out.”

The singer also faulted the growing trend of young people describing education as a scam.

He said, “I will definitely say that education is not a scam, I’ll say no. I’ll say no. But actually, there are people who didn’t go to school that made it, you know, but it would be wrong for anyone to say that education is a scam.”

Davido further advised Nigerian youths to remain focused, develop their talents and remain passionate about whatever career they choose.

He said that, “Nigerian youth must believe in themselves, work on their craft fully. I love my job. I feel like if I didn’t love my job, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I pushed myself to the furthest extent of anything that I do.

“So, whatever you are doing, whether it’s music, whether it’s sports, whether it’s journalism, engineering, push yourself, love what you are doing and most importantly, love God too.”