Flytime TV’s Toke Makinwa meets with the EME boss in this frank interview.
What was your life like growing up?
I was raised by my wonderful parents, I was born in the US but came back to Nigeria when I was five, and I had my primary school and secondary school in Nigeria. I went to Corona Ikoyi and Home Science secondary school. There is this misconception that I grew up in a rich home, which I didn’t, the fact is that my parents did everything possible to make sure we were comfortable. When I was at Corona, I lived in Akoka, inside an apartment that would sink when rain fell. Every morning we’d have to scoop the floor and we couldn’t put the electronics beyond a particular level so they wouldn’t get damaged.
Let’s talk about EME.
EME (Empire Mates Entertainment) is a record label I started 10 years ago while I was still in university (in America). We had this dream of doing great in the music industry but we couldn’t get the right deal, so, we decided to start our own record label. I got together with my friend Tunde Demuren and we started independently in New York. Back then, my first income in music was when I used to sell my CD for $5. We’d walk into salons and beg the owners to let us sing for them for some seconds, after which we would advertise our music. That was the first income EME ever generated
How do you cope with fame and women?
I must say I am appreciative of the attention and you try not to get too carried away with it. At the same time, with the kind of business that we’re in, people change, you know, they can tell you they love you now and tomorrow will be a different story. So one of the things that I tell people I’m guiding is not to get too excited with the present. The same thing goes for female attention.
What’s the down side?
I think what ever you decide to do; there are positives and negatives to it. There are things that make it worth it and there are things you don’t like so much, like when you get harassed, it’s just part of the territory. I am very blessed I’m doing this for living.
At a point, you had an illness that interrupted your career, can you tell us about that?
When I was in university, I had cancer somewhere around my shoulder and I treated it, but when I graduated and was working, it came back again. Thank God I’m fine now.
How did you decide on what is now your signature look of sunglasses and a hat?
Yea, I learnt early that once you look tired, your face looks like crap, so my sunglasses covers up for my tiredness. I go bare-faced when I’m not taking pictures but put on my glasses when I’m to take pictures. My manager actually taught me to do this.
Do you have any sex tapes out there…..
Banky cuts in….thankfully NO. I do my moves on a low key.
You have a track titled ‘Setting P’, what does setting P mean?
It essentially means any activity you do to get the opposite sex attracted to you.
You have been romantically linked with different ladies, radio personalities, actresses, etc. Are you in a relationship?
No, [but] as soon as I get the right person, I will make my choice.
Who will the ideal Mrs Wellington be?
Honestly, if I could answer that question, I’d probably be in a relationship now. But I like beautiful girls, intelligent girls, someone that can inspire me and I can inspire her in return. That’s the kind of person Mrs Banky W will be.
Apart from music, you’re very passionate about activism, right?
Yes! I am involved in any anti-corruption movement, I am involved in ‘enough is enough’ Nigeria and many more. I am Nigerian and I believe in Nigeria as a country, though I would like to see change, and whatever it takes to change it, even if it’s taking to the streets, I don’t mind. We did enough is enough, writing articles and things like that. I don’t really consider myself an activist but a concerned citizen. I believe we are fantastic people and things will change.
What are your future plans?
Professionally, I hope that in five years my business will have grown better than this, producing talents that the world can reckon with and Personally, I want to have a wife and a kid in the next five.
