Idol Record Label’s CEO, Lawal Olaide, has a mission to nurture and groom young minds with his platform. But beyond that, he has a ministry that gives back to the society and helps the underprivileged. In this interview by SEGUN ADEBAYO, Olaide shares his story about ministry and the music industry.
As an entertainment executive and CEO of Idol Record Label, what do you think about the growth of the music industry these days and the new school artistes dominating the scene?
The truth is that we have to appreciate our artistes, producers, video directors, DJs and others who have played a big role in shaping and developing the industry to this point. The industry has grown in leaps and bounds and it’s a goldmine that we have just started reaping from. Nigerian artistes have won Grammy, MOBO, MAMA, MTV, EMA and all other awards you can think about. Our artistes can favorably stand side by side with their foreign counterparts that we used to be crazy about.
How much value do you hope to add to the industry?
I came in to add value to the industry by discovering, mentoring, nurturing and managing new talents and that’s why we launched IDOL RECORDS in 2018. It’s been a good and tough ride but we are thankful for all we have achieved, lost, learnt and won. There is no plan to back out and we are cooking great stuff already.
We have seen how record labels and artistes usually fall out over deals. How do you intend to make this right with your artistes?
This is an issue that can’t be addressed in just few minutes of an interview. It’s a virus that is as deadly as Coronavirus. Someone works hard to raise millions of naira, then raises the millions and invests it in you, out of the love of the business or the love of your person. Sponsors your music videos, fashion needs, mobility and accommodation, takes you on tours within and even beyond the country and you wake up to offer dramas and make them feel stupid.
Artistes believe that they should be heard. That’s why they come on Social media to air their views. Shouldn’t they be given a fair hearing?
The truth is that even if you have a genuine reason to be angry or worried, you should not go about it in such way. You can’t be maligning labels and thinking you’ve arrived and can be alone. It is sheer wickedness. I see showbiz and entertainment investment as a blind business venture where success can only be achieved with stubbornness.
But are there labels willing to do what the Kennis Music and others did back then?
There are good and bankable artistes for sure. See how 2face Idibia left Kennis Music. There was no dragging, or hassles. But all these new boys just want to leave their label with fight and rush to Social media to scream blue murder. I have been there and I have learnt greatly. That’s why I said we would be back in 2022; we will take the industry by the storm. I’m confident that we will have a great outing. I signed three artistes and I know how it ended with them on individual notes. We went as far as shooting videos for each and every one of them! They had access to cars and free house and yet they will always still make moves behind the label; like the label is some charity vehicle and that’s why we took a break off.
Tell us about your vision for the entertainment industry beyond signing artistes to your label?
I grew up in a tough environment. My mum raised me as a single parent and she went through lots of hardships to make sure I was fine. She got pregnant as an apprentice with no home of hers yet operating on zero income. She used to squat in the shop where she was training. She worked as a personal wash woman to a particular woman those years just to earn a bowl of soup. When she gets the soup, she now goes about again to hustle for maybe gari or similar products just to keep life moving forward.
How does it feel doing this for the young minds?
I have always hoped and prayed that someday in my life, I want to be able to support people in similar situations. I witnessed hardship on first hand basis so I know to a large extent how tough it is. I’ve seen people lose their kids, parents and family to death, drugs, crime and many other vices. I would have even done this before now but I had to wait on it a bit for me to fix my record label and transportation business, to a sustainable level. And I’m glad we have kicked off. I tagged the project “Raising The New Deborahs” and it’s just an avenue for us to raise our sisters, mothers, daughters to be new queens.
What is the essence of this project?
For me, it’s more of charity than anything else. We complain about government’s failure to raise the standard of living of the people but we don’t look at what we can do to help one another to get above the poverty lines. I believe that as a business person, I should be able to touch the lives of at least 20 people. With joint efforts, we will reduce unemployment and revitalise our economy. I am not doing this for political or business gains. Although I have friends and family around the world, supporting my movement and we know we’d push it to be bigger, heavier and richer than what it is now. I’ve had this ministry since over seven years. I always organise periodic events in March and December, but this year I broke the rules to strike a balance beyond the typical revival, crusade settings. So now we’d start empowering our women in Lagos and next stops are Ogun and Oyo and we move like that across till we are everywhere. We’d be giving out cash grants to 30 women and we have a partnership with a global brand to have them train another 20 and we’d finance their start ups.
How is this not going to affect your entertainment commitment?
I didn’t abandon any of my businesses for ministry/charity work. I’m just taking up the work of the ministry to make life better for more people. This is what I was born to do and that’s what has always been my goal since I was a kid. It’s just some form of fulfillment of destiny so that the will of God will manifest. I’m a spiritual man and I don’t let my Showbiz interest take over that. D’Banj few days ago openly confessed to being “born again”. This is to let us all remember that no matter how hard, crazy or fun-filled it is, heaven should be the goal. For now there is no activity going on for Idol Records, but in 2022, we’d open our new studio and headquarters and sign one or two artistes and a producer too. Nigerian music industry felt our arrival in 2018 and our comeback after a brief hiatus will definitely be mind-blowing.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Battle For First Bank: The Untold Story
Last week was one of twists and turns for First Bank of Nigeria Limited, the nation’s oldest banking institution. It was a week that saw the bank’s MD sacked and reinstated, as major shareholders struggled for control of the financial powerhouse. SULAIMON OLANREWAJU reports…
#EndSARS Panel: Drama As Witness Presents Video Evidence Of Slain Lekki Protesters
A witness of the Lekki tollgate shooting incident, Miss Sarah Ibrahim has presented video evidence of people injured and killed at the scene to the Lagos State Judicial Panel. Tribune Online reports that…
Truck loaded with live bullets falls, spills contents in Onitsha
Onitsha residents are currently in fear, as a truck fully loaded with cartons of live bullets fell into a ditch and spilled its content all around the street, in the commercial city of Anambra State…
After Two Years, Daddy Freeze Apologises To Bishop Oyedepo
Daddy Freeze whose real name is Ifedayo Olarinde has apologised to Bishop Oyedepo who is the presiding bishop and founder of Living Faith Church aka Winners Chapel…
and then