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The King Dems Podcast - Ep. 4 with Mayowa Balogun · King Dems Podcast | Growth Mindset, Leadership, AI and Business Insights

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OK. Ladies and gentlemen, you once
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again welcome to the Kingdom's forecast.
2:40
And today we have with us a man who wears many hearts.
2:45
He's an entrepreneur extraordinaire.
2:50
He's a man. Who is going to be?
2:53
A member of the Forbes 40 Under 40.
2:57
Mick, Welcome, Mayawati. How are you doing today, my
3:01
brother? I'm doing good, my brother, and
3:04
I'm not worried about the Forbes anymore.
3:06
I've left them alone. Anyways, congratulations,
3:13
Congratulations on turning 30. You know, in August, right?
3:17
And of course, you know you have achieved a lot, you've achieved
3:20
a whole lot. How?
3:21
How are you feeling? First off, being 30.
3:26
A little bit old, you know, when you get to Ted.
3:32
See all the all the all the planes over, You got to be
3:36
serious now. Yeah.
3:38
When he's gonna mess around when you test, you haven't got to.
3:41
I mean, no, people don't have it figured out, but you have to
3:42
kind of have an idea. That is where I'm going with my
3:45
life. You understand?
3:47
Or at least it feels that way. Exactly.
3:52
Exactly. Exactly.
3:53
You know, I've seen something on social media recently.
3:58
Saw posted something saying. If.
4:03
You're under 30, right? You can still complain that you
4:05
come from, that you come from a poor background, but once you're
4:08
30 and above, you are the background.
4:12
So. You can no.
4:16
Longer believe your parents for your fortunes in life.
4:19
You know when. It's funny because I hear that
4:20
your tenses are actually actually your most like, like
4:25
the years when you figure it out actually, right?
4:27
Like a lot of good old figures are in their 20s and 30s when
4:30
you actually figure it out. That's what that's what I heard
4:32
from older people. When you're 13 now, it feels
4:35
like you should have, you should have kind of have it
4:39
concentrated. But a lot of people forget that
4:40
in their cases, and that's when they actually developed.
4:42
I think 40 is the one where it's like if you're not if, you're
4:45
not done if. You're not going.
4:47
Forward. That's.
4:49
What? That's what I'm telling you.
4:51
That's right. That's why.
4:52
That's why you say. Forever.
4:55
Right. I guess I have 10 more years to
4:57
experiment. To.
4:59
Become a wise man forever, right?
5:03
Yeah, but. But also, you know, like your
5:06
20s kind of set the precedence for your your your 30s, right?
5:12
Like these sets of conversation. Yeah, exactly.
5:15
You know, I always remember one book I read growing up.
5:18
It's titled Invest Your Two Years, you know, And I think
5:23
we're roughly around the same age, right?
5:24
I am 31 and then, you know, when I clock 30, I think there's this
5:28
realisation immediately. Like my 20s group, I think I was
5:32
having that super reflection. And then, you know, I thought
5:34
about it like, OK, yeah, Yes. He felt, in fact, he felt very
5:43
long. Like, I like, OK, what did I do
5:45
with my life? OK, I remember OK, I had like
5:48
some academic achievements. I became a chartered accountant,
5:51
right. I worked with, you know, some of
5:53
the top, you know, accounting firms in the world.
5:56
I was like, OK. Like, even though I'm not a.
6:00
Bit like so much money, right? But then like I it set that
6:04
precedent, you know, for me in order to achieve like a lot of
6:07
the things that I am now achieving in my life, right.
6:12
So I feel like in the 20s probably people should just, you
6:17
know, use it to set that, you know, background for whatever it
6:20
is they want to like achieve in life or want to be doing in
6:23
life, right. That's the time you can, you can
6:27
focus on building skills, for example, because like you have
6:30
like less responsibilities and less distractions, right?
6:34
Yes. But then you know, with the 30s
6:36
and then you know, I don't know if you notice it yourself like
6:40
you you feel some sort of like would I say deep or
6:44
deterioration in energy when you start hitting that 30 mark, like
6:49
you don't feel as strong as you used to be in your 20s,
6:53
especially your early 20s, mid 20s, right.
6:55
And then you're not discovered that you need to focus more on,
6:58
you know, healthy even, right. You need to take your diet more
7:01
seriously. You need to take exercise with
7:02
more seriously, right. You can't, like would I say get
7:10
away with a lot of, you know, excesses that you used to get
7:13
away with. You know, when you when you were
7:15
in your early 20s, I don't know, did you, did you experience that
7:18
as well? So for me, I feel like, and I
7:23
was saying it's mostly mental, I've already felt physically
7:28
that different yet. But I feel like, I feel like all
7:31
those things happen in my 20s because like when I was 2122,
7:35
below that, I was like, it's very skinny, right?
7:39
And when I I used to eat that is that is OK What's going?
7:47
On. What happened crazy like I never
7:51
had to worry about like when I was younger you know all my
7:54
friends compared, I was like bro.
7:55
Like I used to, I used to, I used to be skinny no matter what
7:57
I did you understand? And then 222425 I started
8:00
getting like adding weights and my weighted good up and down a
8:03
little bit. So I think I really kind of gone
8:05
through that in my 20 in my in my mid 20s already and then
8:08
mentally I was, I was, I started out my life in many ways like
8:14
entrepreneurship and things like that and kind of young and you
8:18
know like the parties and the experiences and stuff.
8:20
So by the most 2827 I was really thirsty in my mind like who used
8:24
to tease me that finally here. So I hope you're.
8:29
Finally here. That's that's a nice one.
8:32
That's a really, really nice one because you know, people have
8:35
like different, you know, trajectories like true life,
8:39
right. Mentally, physically, you know,
8:42
like talking about the mental. Patrick I I teach, I can relate
8:46
with that as well, right? But then I think I was getting
8:51
close to 30 when I started realising that you need to take
8:54
your health more seriously. Right, like.
8:56
It hits different people at different times, but then I
8:59
think, I feel like you're fortunate as a person that it
9:02
did hit you like early on in life.
9:04
You know it's good to incorporate, you know, health.
9:06
At least you have changed. I think.
9:15
For the last year, four years, I only drink water mostly.
9:20
I don't really think a lot of soda and stuff like that.
9:25
Exactly, exactly. At some point in my life, I was
9:29
addicted to Coca-Cola. I feel like there's.
9:39
A year when I was maybe 20, I didn't drink any water at all.
9:43
I just drank sweet tea. And like sweet tea was my like
9:46
version of water. For like a year at least, I'm
9:49
not going. To.
9:52
Forget the 30 under 30. Thing Yeah, I.
9:58
Saw it on your socials. You know, I see your socials.
10:02
I think on your 30th birthday you made a post like, oh, you
10:06
did not make the first thirty other 30, 440 under 40.
10:11
Yeah, shared a little bit of light over that rather.
10:16
So I mean, I always had to go when I was, I don't know, I
10:20
don't know what I said having that go.
10:21
But probably in my early 20s, well my when I was 19, I wanted
10:24
to make that list now, always for everybody that made the list
10:29
and especially Africa one, and I felt like I could make it right.
10:33
But I think life happened, especially the last last 3-4
10:37
years of my 20. I think life happened
10:38
differently and they have also realised that I could have
10:42
probably made those. Those lists are very credits, a
10:46
lot of who made those little merits.
10:48
Don't get me wrong, a lot of people do do great things and we
10:50
do this list, but also they don't like me.
10:54
With the background I have those I could have.
10:57
I don't want to say this. This was a club navigated to
11:01
make the list of kind of campaign setting way and put
11:05
some 30 things out setting way to make the list.
11:08
And that's and that's what I think a lot of people are seeing
11:10
now with some of those people that have been on this list.
11:12
You know there's a popular Freeze Forbes to fraud pipeline,
11:16
right? You can navigate those lists and
11:18
get And so over time, I said to realise that, man, you know
11:28
what? It would have been good.
11:30
Actually. That person will go to make the
11:31
list so we can actually measure achievements.
11:36
But also on the other hand, those lists are kind of, you
11:41
know, that's credible as they always seem.
11:45
You can navigate your way to windows list and then you may be
11:49
doing some things that or be being a better place.
11:52
That's a good because I have, I know I would have been on that
11:56
list in the past and personally and I know what they were doing
11:58
and I know that what they were actually doing and what they
12:02
said they were doing on the list.
12:06
All the. Vessels what you get.
12:08
Yeah, so they. Found a way to get it so that
12:12
I'm saying So what? I just it's not as big as the
12:14
deal as I as it was for me when I was younger.
12:18
And I think for now it's just if I can be the best person I can
12:21
be, good things I need to do. If I make a list, I'll make the
12:25
list. If I don't make the list, it
12:26
doesn't. Matter.
12:27
Exactly. Exactly.
12:31
You should be. Proud of your accomplishments.
12:33
I for 1:00 AM proud of you anyways.
12:35
So. The least?
12:36
No problem. No list, no problem.
12:39
So what should we be expecting? What should be expecting from
12:43
you? You know for.
12:44
Your for your 30s like what are what's like the the trajectory
12:50
was the was a good map you know what are those things you have
12:54
your eyes are set on for for the 30s.
12:58
Well, if you if you ask my I have to get married soon.
13:02
Ah, so I guess. I guess I'll.
13:12
Put that at the. Top of my list.
13:15
Instead of family, I just concentrate a little bit more.
13:19
So like like you said, 20s, you know, a lot of building, a lot
13:23
of learning. I'm currently doing my MBA right
13:25
now. I'll finish that at the end of
13:26
next year. Fantastic, fantastic.
13:30
We seem to have a lot of common. I'm doing my MBA as well
13:33
currently. How'd you like?
13:35
How'd you like? How'd you like?
13:36
How did you like the programme? Yeah, it's fantastic.
13:39
And interestingly, you know, my my Business School is also the,
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the very first sponsor of this podcast.
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So it's called the Augmentin School and yeah, yeah, it's an
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online Business School taught by, you know, business leaders,
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you know, the founder of ways, founder of Wikipedia, founder of
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Shazam, found out of YouTube. They're all teachers in the
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programme. It's really, really fantastic.
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You know, it's it's one thing, yeah, it's really it's a
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fantastic thing to to build your business argument.
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You get it like, you know, for me, like I I as a professional,
14:14
right? I tend to have a professional
14:18
framework that I praise myself with, right?
14:21
In terms of my personal development, so one very key
14:26
criteria is business argument. You know business acumen, your
14:29
technical competence, your global acumen.
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That your global acumen is your ability to work with cross
14:35
functional teams, right. Your whole leadership and your
14:39
beauty, your beauty relationships.
14:41
You know, how do you, you know, maintain relationships?
14:43
Because relationships are key, you know, very vital in
14:46
achieving success. You know, in life, as you know,
14:51
in a professional carrier or in a business career, it's very
14:54
important to build relationships for business acumen is very key
14:59
if you want to build wealth, right.
15:02
It is very, yeah, very key, you know, and it's, it's something
15:06
that a good MBA programme helps you sharpen.
15:09
Yeah, it helps you sharpen. And interestingly, you know,
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courtesy of the sponsors, right, the listeners that want to enrol
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on the programme are entitled to a 30% discount, right?
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Cuts. You're looking news podcasts,
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yeah? So if you sign up with the promo
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code King James 30 right, they have 30% discount on the
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programme. So.
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That's really big discount, so that's pretty good.
15:36
Nice. Yes.
15:37
Yes, yes. Yes, there is.
15:40
We are happy, we are happy to spread the word of, you know,
15:43
the MBA programme that you know. It's always fantastic to have an
15:47
MBA, you know, But, but. Really.
15:51
For on your own, on your own hand, how are you coming along
15:54
with the programme? Like, what are the things you're
15:56
learning, how you seen it Like do you think, do you think it's
16:00
good, Do you think it's bad? Like what's what's your
16:02
experience like I mean? It's nice, It's nice.
16:05
It's nice. It's it's, it's sympathetic.
16:09
There's a lot of, there's a lot of things you have to do.
16:14
But it's nice and I think it's some validation for me, what I
16:16
realised in my SO. So I did my MBA, I did it, I did
16:20
a postgraduate in music business and whatever it has with these
16:28
two programmes is that there's things to learn about like
16:32
experience to the basically a lot of things that those
16:34
programmes. Are.
16:37
I'm sorry, exactly in it for me. It's almost like the evaluation
16:42
of what my experiences have been.
16:46
So, so it's nice, it's nice. It's nice to kind of see that,
16:49
you know, I was with with or without the MBI was kind of the
16:53
right part anyway. Interesting.
16:55
Interesting. Doesn't always have that people
16:59
and have that kind of structure and network with the people and
17:01
all those. Goods.
17:03
Exactly, exactly. That's that's one word I was
17:05
waiting for the network, you know, it's very, very important.
17:08
And the network speaks to that part of you know of my
17:11
professional framework that is in relationships.
17:14
Your relationships are like very very important here in, you
17:18
know, scaling up. And I guess people respect you a
17:19
little bit more. You know, NBA people respect you
17:22
a little bit. Different, yeah.
17:25
Exactly, exactly. It's probably smarter and has
17:29
some business or something like that, you know.
17:33
Exactly. Exactly, brother.
17:35
Exactly. You know, it's it's crazy how
17:39
it's it's crazy how qualifications make people see
17:42
you differently. It's just it's just crazy.
17:45
But it is what it is. You know, so so actually I.
17:48
Never liked, like, I don't like that idea that people look at
17:52
you differently because of you know what?
17:54
But that's what it is. You're like, you're right.
17:56
That's what that's what it is and it is what it is, so you
17:58
know. And yeah, exactly because.
18:02
Going, Sir. I'll see what I want to see when
18:07
you're done. Like let me have your your
18:10
thoughts. I just want to say, yeah, I mean
18:13
it is what it is. What can you do?
18:17
You have to adapt to it in a way.
18:18
But I guess the other thing you can do, because I guess what I
18:22
also learned is that so one of my cousins is doing very well
18:26
with his life and was telling me, well I've done an MBA.
18:28
But I realised that like all the instructors are, all the people
18:31
that are teaching him, they don't have Better Business than
18:34
him and they not know the business better.
18:36
They don't. They're not having, they don't
18:37
have more turnover than I'm like, you know what, fair enough
18:43
like and that's why. And we've realised a lot of guys
18:45
like Usman did. The thing happened last year.
18:48
A lot of the top guys, when you get to the top of the game in
18:51
sports, entertainment, whatever, they can always go get an MBA,
18:53
but they get invited because of their level of success in their
18:57
careers. Exactly, I suppose.
18:59
Exactly so, I think. That's the right thing that you
19:01
can do to balance it, as you can see.
19:02
You know, I don't want to go through that, you know, do what
19:04
I'm doing when I'm successful enough to go, invite me and give
19:07
me this honorary degrees or give or put me in a little programme
19:11
because of my achievements already.
19:12
So, you know, there's ways to look at it, you know?
19:16
Exactly like what you're talking about.
19:19
Interestingly the the episode before your own episode, right,
19:23
the, the guests that were on board were the founders of the
19:26
Augment Business School. And then the the mentioned some
19:30
of the things you you're saying right with, you know, the
19:32
business education. They said something that
19:34
inspired them to create the open Business School programme.
19:37
You know, was, you know, the disappointment that they had
19:40
when they were doing their own and MBA programming some, you
19:44
know, top school in Europe. They're like a lot of the
19:47
teachers. They're not even they were
19:49
mostly academics or people who did not even have, like,
19:52
practical business experience. And how can you teach me
19:55
business without having, you know, done business yourself?
19:58
Like sometimes it's quite, you know, disappointing with, you
20:02
know, the traditional NBA programmes, but it is what it
20:05
is, you know, you need to have a balance of the structure.
20:07
Academics has its place and your practical business experience
20:10
also has its place. But I think, you know, the envy
20:13
of the future should be more tilted towards, you know, more
20:16
practical business experience. When I told you that the father
20:20
of YouTube, for example, father of Queens, father of you know,
20:24
Shazam, you know are people who are teachers on this programme,
20:27
I think you were quite impressed with that kind of programme.
20:31
You know people would want to listen to you if you've been
20:33
able to build a business from scratch to becoming a Unicorn,
20:36
right? Like people would want to tap
20:40
into, you know, your your business experience because you
20:42
know what you're talking about, right?
20:44
And it's practical, practical experience and practical
20:48
knowledge. So, umm, they don't.
20:50
Envy is right. Let's let's dive into Hue,
20:53
because you're asking me about. You're asking me about my what?
21:00
I don't like what my tenses were looking like, and I don't think
21:02
I finished. OK.
21:03
OK. OK.
21:04
OK. OK.
21:04
Yeah, that's. So in the next decade, I want to
21:12
my family has a travelling business.
21:17
A Tribune business. Yeah, travelling businesses, to
21:20
be honest with you. Travelling business Empire is
21:25
green. I think it's.
21:27
A. Good job of getting it to where
21:29
it is. I feel like as they get older
21:31
and older and older, I have to take the responsibility to start
21:35
looking to hike and run into the business and you.
21:38
Have to scale up. Because you have to scale up.
21:43
We love our parents, especially the Nigerians.
21:48
I love our parents. You know, they had these very
21:51
successful business worries and they did.
21:53
They never, But you know, I almost put this in their
21:58
children to one day try to take over those businesses.
22:00
That's why they love their businesses in Nigeria.
22:03
Once the patriarchal metrics guys business kind of goes down
22:08
because the children never have no interest to take over or you
22:11
know, they just aren't groomed enough to take over.
22:14
So for me, I, I I told myself I need to start to plan and think
22:19
about OK, my friends are going to get older and older and
22:22
older. They also have to get the way.
22:23
They got to give me a training they need to give me.
22:25
And I have to start the possibility to say, listen, I
22:28
need to start to involve myself in business and know how it
22:31
works, figure it out how we can start to scale and grow bigger
22:34
and even bigger and even bigger, And then my children will do the
22:37
same thing for me. And then that's how those
22:39
businesses last for 500 years. Generational.
22:43
Wealth. So that's a big thing for me.
22:46
Interested. Sorry to interrupt you.
22:47
You know that that speaks to one of my philosophies, right?
22:50
That speaks to one of my philosophies.
22:52
You know, I like to ask what is success without a successor?
22:56
There you go. Yeah, success is incomplete
22:59
without a successor, so a great one.
23:02
So let me leave. It to you.
23:05
So, and also I have a lot of passion as well.
23:07
So I think for me, I've always been intrigued and I when I do
23:11
it and I again, we're just going to grow those things over the
23:13
next decade. To me, every person, company,
23:16
business, or at least at least a business opportunity.
23:21
And, you know, because we met through.
23:24
You know our. Platform, combat sports engine
23:29
that you know, that we're trying to develop as well and that came
23:32
from just listening. I watch MMA, I'm a Nigerian.
23:34
I didn't see any platforms around, you know, kind of
23:37
putting African fighters on the map or like, you know, covering
23:43
fighters that we develop, right. You know, like even one of my
23:46
things I don't understand as hobbies, I like and the writer
23:48
for the People's Gazette as the majority super.
23:51
And I started contributing to them for sports.
23:54
And part of the reason why they are contributing them for sports
23:56
is because we're covering like if you're a Jack bar wins, you
23:59
know, secondary boxing title, nobody knows about it until the
24:03
guy becomes the world champion. There's no courage, right?
24:07
And you know, it's just crazy to see even guys like Empire
24:09
Impaired is now the world champion.
24:11
PFL Impact. Followed him from I'm sorry I
24:14
followed him from when it was regional circuit, right.
24:17
Those kind of guys, we're not getting love.
24:19
You know you can't find any interviews about it.
24:21
You can't find, you can't, you don't look at their stories
24:24
until they start to get recognition in those.
24:25
So and I feel like we need a platform for things like that
24:28
which is good and you're doing what you're doing.
24:30
It's good that doesn't know what they're doing.
24:31
But so, so those kind of things, but that's that's for me, it's a
24:34
passion project. You know what I does well or
24:37
not, you know, I obviously wanted to do well, which is why
24:40
we're saying we need to make it a business.
24:41
But like ultimately it comes from a place of passion.
24:44
When I was actually in the music industry this was a place of
24:48
passion as well. So those are the things that.
24:50
So for me, in my mind, I want my passion to develop into things
24:53
that be driving businesses as well.
24:57
And I want to spend more time doing that.
24:58
Even like like, you know, just like just like you're doing
25:00
that. You inspire me because you're
25:02
doing a podcast and podcasts are.
25:04
I know I had the answer because I.
25:07
Very, very. Difficult.
25:10
I don't have currently, I don't have any skills like in terms of
25:14
like editing the podcast or things like that.
25:15
So what is what I do? I have a partner and I will
25:19
record and stuff and he has been indisposing.
25:22
He's a married man. He's doing things, and that's
25:25
kind of stole the scoring. Do you understand?
25:27
You know, so I have to. But I can tell you, I can tell
25:29
you for free, the editing part is not so difficult.
25:32
I had to learn it, you know. I know, I know what I'm saying.
25:36
It's just YouTube videos, just having to do it, you know, be
25:40
consistent with it every time, get the equipment.
25:43
So these are things I want to get.
25:45
I want to get into and say, listen, I got to get into this
25:48
thing. I was not like me.
25:50
I have a lot of things to say. It's for sports business wise,
25:53
you know, very active on Twitter and a lot, a lot better to see
25:56
what I'm saying about things that are going on, you know in
25:58
the business world, Nigerian politics, things like that.
26:00
So, you know, I want to develop that personal brand a little bit
26:04
more where I can, where my voice is, you know, can make me some
26:07
money, you know, so, so these are things I'm looking into the
26:10
next, the next decade I got to get into.
26:12
And this is our time creation guys are going crazy and you
26:15
know you never know these things go so you know it goes.
26:19
So a lot of guys who became big concentration guys were like,
26:22
you know, Peterson was a professor.
26:24
I'm not, I wasn't anybody. I'm just giving them examples of
26:27
people who have been successful. Kevin Samuels was, was a
26:29
corporate finance guy or whatever.
26:31
You know, their platforms became bigger than their jobs that they
26:35
were doing for their careers and they switched completely, right.
26:38
So you never know how that's going to go.
26:39
So I'm looking into at least explore exposing those,
26:42
exploring those passions about a little bit more and developing
26:45
them as how far they take me. So between those two things, I
26:48
think the next decade I have in the family, which is.
26:51
Which is a difficult one as well.
26:55
Nothing. Nothing.
26:57
Nothing Good comes easy, you know.
27:00
Hey, listen. Nothing.
27:01
Nothing. Nothing.
27:02
Good comes easy. Yeah, but then it's it's
27:05
interesting. You know how good mature the
27:06
world of MMA, right. Then like, I like for you to
27:11
talk a bit more about your your your passion for enemy.
27:14
Because I think you you probably started watching MMA before me.
27:21
I think I started watching sometime around 2019.
27:24
But then I don't know who got you into the sport.
27:27
You know, how did you, you know, get so passionate about it?
27:34
It's very easy for me. I'm very, I'm a very big fan of
27:38
sports, Period, right. I watch probably most major
27:42
sports available. Like I watch football, soccer,
27:46
that's the regular football that we know.
27:48
What's American football, Watch basketball, and I watch MMA,
27:52
boxing and all that kind of stuff.
27:53
So with combat sports in general, MMA and boxing,
27:57
ultimately I was never really a big fan.
27:59
I used to kind of watch the big events here and there.
28:02
I think I didn't kind of follow it, but then in 20, maybe 17 or
28:08
16, so I just live in Dallas, right?
28:12
And. Guzman, when he was still young
28:15
in the UFC, when he would win the fight, he would do, he hosts
28:18
other parties in Dallas, right? And so from there, I never
28:22
actually made him in person and stuff, but I but I was always
28:24
familiar because I knew all the promoters were promoting his
28:28
events and I was like, oh, Kamara was smart UFC fighter
28:30
after party, blah, blah blah. So I'm like, who's this guy, you
28:33
know? And obviously I knew guys like
28:35
corn on all the chocolate and all the popular guys always in
28:37
Nigeria, you know, for me, I'm very passionate Nigerian.
28:40
Yeah, Nigerian success. The way I see Nigeria, I'm like,
28:44
what's going on? And I and I always take the
28:47
intention to jump on things that Nigerians are doing before they
28:50
start to grow up and everybody's jumping on doing because I feel
28:53
like I know from being from being in the music industry that
28:56
is difficult when you're coming up.
28:57
It's not when you're already up. Everybody's family like it's
29:00
easy then, right? It's only support when they're
29:02
like coming up, right? So for me, being a Nigerian guy
29:05
passionate about Nigeria has seen Nigerians doing things that
29:07
are good and just being on top of it.
29:09
I just said it's. I said it's fully Usman clues.
29:12
Watching the gold fights today, watching all these fights.
29:15
And then I realised that Usman in MM wasn't popular at the
29:21
time, right? People didn't like him.
29:22
I remember he fought make and dinner and he said, you know, he
29:27
fought at 30%, which I interpreted and I remember when
29:29
I saw the Internet, it means that he wasn't healthy.
29:32
But then I says, oh, he's not putting 100% effort and bashed
29:36
him. I remember that.
29:37
And everybody dragging him. I'm just like why?
29:40
Like I couldn't see. For me it was why.
29:42
It was a genuine guy. I thought it was interesting.
29:43
He had a good story. So I never saw why people hated
29:46
it. So I became just like passionate
29:48
defender of smart, that's what. I feel, I feel like this style,
29:52
you know, style's big fights, right?
29:54
Like you like to see. I think.
29:56
I think the style is also a contributory factor.
29:58
You know he's a wrestler, but then people tend to be drawn
30:01
more towards towards the strikers.
30:03
Yeah, yeah, yeah. But then so So I guess I get
30:05
that part but I I felt like and even even when I even when we
30:08
speak around Nigerians people say things like Usman is not
30:10
authentic you know or he has a brain personality.
30:14
I'm just like why like everybody must not be like slammed
30:18
whatever. But like I think as much as an
30:19
interesting person personally. So I just I just he's always
30:22
just being comments on YouTube. I hear the people you know like
30:26
so I just became a lot drawn to him and because of him and
30:29
obviously he was always fighting and become winning and
30:32
eventually he's on his fighting round guys and just from him
30:36
being so successful and we just can following this journey from
30:41
tough and stuff like that and and then I started looking at if
30:44
Osman is Nigerian you know I did a Nigerian that fought in in in
30:47
the UFC before you know and I can explain it to OK who are the
30:51
guys at 40 commercials of ski boxing that's successful.
30:54
So I remember like finding that but easy like a year before the
30:56
UFC I'm like oh who's this guy kickboxer in the way from very
31:01
funny he has crazy knockouts so I remember him making his GFC
31:04
debut right. So that's that that became the
31:06
thing where he's like I started becoming passionate about seeing
31:10
all these African fighters come up like from you know, whether
31:13
they were poor or begging for money or they have 2000
31:16
followers and you see them like fights and win a win and win.
31:19
So I just became and then I said get into this because of that.
31:21
And then I started going back to watching all the old movie, you
31:24
know, legendary fights that I didn't watch live.
31:27
What I heard about it was I saw highlights and just because of
31:30
that and then I think it was a month was just like spend the
31:33
whole month watching like old fights.
31:37
Did you have a Did you have UFC Fight Pass?
31:40
I don't. Play with it.
31:41
Yeah, exactly 5 pass helps me. That library.
31:44
That library is massive. Right now, like at this stage of
31:48
my life now, I'd rather not go out myself.
31:51
I'd rather sit on my watch. I'm in Nigeria where the fights
31:55
are like, like I was up last night watching, you know, what's
31:59
his name, so you don't fight. Yeah, And the boxing and the
32:07
boxing fighting programme, which was good for it, wasn't a great
32:10
fight. It was good for him.
32:13
What are your thoughts on the? Common events that was Anthony
32:16
Leiner versus this. He needs to retire.
32:22
I think he's been a good fighter.
32:24
He's still a good fighting board and this is what I I'm, I'm
32:29
worried about this man a little bit with the same thing I'm
32:32
going to say about Anthony Smith.
32:34
What happens when he starts to fall down when you get older,
32:38
right? Simply happen to you don't.
32:41
You're right in top five or. You're #1, #2, #3, even top 10.
32:46
Whatever, right? You don't fall down and you say,
32:48
OK, you know you lost two fights, let's, let's give you a
32:50
debutante, right Give you like the following slowly.
32:55
They give you guys that are wrapped around you, that are
32:57
young and upcoming, that are, so they're tougher than you, right?
33:00
And they're. Hungry.
33:02
Do. You understand?
33:05
That's what I'm. Saying right.
33:08
So they never say, OK, don't get to be rebuilt.
33:14
You know how the boxer is coming up.
33:15
They give him like cans to fight.
33:17
Even guys he got originally gonna fight Ruby guys and be
33:20
there. He'll be there.
33:21
You don't get very old and successful and you have to fight
33:24
the tough guys in the way that you understand.
33:27
So Smith card, there's a girl that Smith has won a bunch of
33:29
fights in the last like 2-3 years.
33:30
I know that these guys are, you can be there maybe around that
33:32
are ranked, maybe the bottom 15. I can probably still beat up.
33:35
You're not going to get those guys.
33:37
You're going to keep getting guys that are on the way up.
33:39
Prospects. Yes, right.
33:41
And I just think that it's not great.
33:43
It's not that guy anymore. So you got to let it go 35
33:45
years. He has like almost 60 fights,
33:47
which is crazy for MLA like. Something fights is crazy.
33:53
Yeah they were. They weren't here.
33:55
Is is is crazy? And the guy has a great career
33:58
in broadcasting. So like bro, let it go.
34:01
Yes, exactly. And he's also commentator with
34:04
the UFC as well. So you're making money off of
34:06
that stuff. So why, why do you want to
34:08
continue to, you know, get the damage right.
34:11
When we look at fighters on their way down, like I think it
34:15
happened to the likes of what's what's this RDA, right?
34:21
Yeah. It's fluctuating.
34:27
Like Japan. And that's the.
34:31
Silver. Look at this one.
34:34
Nobody's going to think about how he lost.
34:36
It's lots of Leon in the first time.
34:39
Like literally. Very close.
34:40
Very close. Daylight.
34:42
That's my only life I've been to, you know, that I've seen
34:44
live and I was like, I cannot believe it, but anyway, so you
34:47
lost. That fight?
34:49
You know, you lose that fight with one minute to go.
34:51
By the way he was in the clinch, you could have said in the
34:54
clinch. I don't know why they supported
34:55
him, but that's a very different thing.
34:57
I want to get into that part right second.
34:59
Fight second part. Right, so close Leon is like,
35:03
you know, holding the cage like multiple times.
35:07
You know, committing multiple files, they can really take down
35:12
that he didn't get, I mean he got because of the, you know, a
35:14
lot of hours, you know, you know, not shots or all that kind
35:17
of stuff. This is you could have been a
35:18
draw, right? He loses that for that tool.
35:21
How much he? Might have.
35:23
How about the timer? You get to Miami short notice,
35:27
right? He should say.
35:29
I don't know. I didn't take 5 rounds and he
35:30
had the option to do it. So now, like we know if you
35:36
watch the fight and you find it was 1 or whatever, you know that
35:39
he's still he's he's competing all the time.
35:44
Yeah, he's very sharp and it's still game.
35:47
He doesn't. There's nothing fighting the
35:50
rule. That's what is on the record,
35:52
right? He's about 36 years old right
35:54
now. That's that's it.
35:56
That's what? That's what it is.
35:58
Eventually you see us making excuses every time he loses,
36:01
like, oh, he lost. He was close fight.
36:05
Now it's scary because you might be wrong.
36:07
Maybe he was just lucky. And now he's going to get
36:09
another guy and he's going to beat him up because he's like
36:11
also when you look at us in Silver Stories, kind of similar.
36:14
He lost, he lost, you know, the crazy knockout.
36:17
What was that was Chris Whiteman.
36:18
The second fight, I remember in my rematch, Brooks length right?
36:22
He broke his leg. Oh, right.
36:25
That. Week.
36:28
Do you understand? Then he fights Bisping.
36:31
He not Bisping. Almost not Bisping out the fight
36:34
can. Continue that fight.
36:35
It's Vampire was controversial. I've seen that fight like about
36:38
four or five times, right? And it was a close decision.
36:42
I strongly, strongly think he won that fight.
36:45
But you know, and it was in London, it was in London, so.
36:50
Then then Remember Remember in that in that he's loses losing
36:54
streak. I think he won one fight that
36:57
was made no contest because of the pop he popped.
37:01
Just like similar to what you might did right?
37:05
I'm sorry. Remember, he fought DC on short
37:07
notice when we have this course in MMM about Silver's career.
37:13
At the end of it, nobody remembers that.
37:15
All these nuances of what happened and that's what scaling
37:21
about osmosis and I just like bro like and that's it.
37:31
If you don't, and then what? Are you saying that, oh, Leon
37:36
has only been told people they're not in their prime
37:39
anymore? And who has yeah, that, that,
37:40
that's, that's. That's that's all Kobe is
37:42
saying. That is what Kobe is saying.
37:43
What? Is the guy who has beat twice in
37:46
a row. So who are who's all the guy
37:48
talking about this man So now he's changing over time.
37:53
Hopefully this month can get a win in there and I feel like he
37:55
hasn't fight in two years like play like please.
38:00
So I'm I'm. I'm.
38:01
I'm worried about my guy. I'm.
38:03
Worried as well, right? And I think something similar
38:05
happened to Tyron. Woodley as well.
38:08
That's what I'm saying. But to be fair, because he was
38:10
getting like more every time, he wasn't competing.
38:14
So he's almost like a fast decline, right?
38:17
But bro, Silva was, even when she was fought, right?
38:20
We are all. His last fight before he left
38:22
the UFC, he was still competitive.
38:23
He was still competitive in that fight for two rounds.
38:25
Do you understand? That's the thing about like some
38:29
of those very, like annoying declines.
38:31
It's like they are still competing, like Tony is not.
38:34
Competing. I mean, I think he competed with
38:36
the Chandler. He's a bit, but for the most
38:38
part he's just like he's getting beat up.
38:39
So you know, like these guys just start to watch.
38:41
Osman is competing every time. Silver was also kind of
38:44
competing all these guys all the time.
38:45
Silva, Silva and Silvanzi was very, was a competitive fight.
38:48
It wasn't close, but it was competitive and back and forth.
38:50
And so it's like you see these guys like, oh, you can still
38:53
fight because he's still competing with all these guys.
38:55
But you you you always end up losing.
38:59
You know, like there's there's that element of workshop,
39:04
there's that element of worship and you know I'm scared for for
39:08
two legacy versus a Paddy piglet, that's.
39:13
That's only I think Tony can can to be fair.
39:16
You should. You should.
39:17
You should Sonic and grappling. We can't grab.
39:20
We can't like those guys take him down as well.
39:22
So I think cardio will take him down.
39:24
But I feel like I'm just, I'm a Tony guy, man.
39:28
So I'm going to, I'm going to. I think Tony can surprise
39:30
everybody. I think he looks good in this
39:31
channel right now. You know, it looks good against
39:33
Bobby Green. Remember the first one?
39:35
Drop. Yeah, he, he's really looked
39:36
good against Barbara Green, yeah, Barbara Green said.
39:38
Yeah, like and he, he feels like he has, you know, a lot of a few
39:42
fights left in him. And I think he puts his chin
39:45
out. I think obviously wrestling is
39:46
going to be. I just hope I also be going to
39:48
keep the fight standing for like 5 to 10 minutes.
39:51
I think he can keep the fight standing.
39:52
That's a good chance to win that fight because party has no
39:55
defence. He's just high like this, you
39:58
know, so. But you know, that's why.
40:02
Yeah, Did you? See, did you see what he's doing
40:04
with David Goggins? Right the the whole over
40:08
trading, over trading thing going through how we can, I
40:11
don't know like how how relevant is that you know to success in
40:17
MMA? I think, I guess, I guess
40:20
mentally like if you if you lost five times because it's like a
40:25
special kind of guy, right. You know push yourself harder.
40:28
So I think, I think for I think Tony needs it for his mind so he
40:31
can stay, he can stay competitive mentally because so
40:35
like Tony and I think like Usman again alluded to like I keep
40:38
going back to his one because I'm so close.
40:40
I watch everything that he does. He added to it in his last like
40:44
after the last fight, like when he wants, when he wants to look
40:47
so many times. And he started to lose, right.
40:51
So I think Tony, Tony won 12 fights in a row, allies with.
40:56
It's like what you need. You lost five and it's like
40:58
started that you're safe and doubt your ability, like are you
41:00
good, are you that good? So I think Tony is doing that
41:03
difficult thing for mental fortitude.
41:05
I don't think he's doing it for anymore.
41:07
Physical. I don't think, at least at least
41:08
at this age now, I don't think he's doing anything for physical
41:11
advantages. Anymore he just.
41:13
He wants to stay. He Does he?
41:15
Does did that mental resilience you know right?
41:17
But, but, but then when you think about it, when you think
41:21
about it right, sometimes something happens with fighters,
41:23
right? You lose a certain fight and it
41:26
feels like your your your life or your body just changes.
41:31
So for example, Tony Ferguson after that Gaji fight, he was
41:34
never the same again, right? Like when people fight Geechee,
41:39
right? They still never to beat him
41:42
again. And same thing with John Jones
41:43
as well, you know, See Anthony Smith, he fought John Jones.
41:46
He was never the same person again, right?
41:49
Even. DC after after fighting John
41:51
Jones twice, right? Like you know that this person
41:54
is not. Really.
41:55
Really the same and longer it happened to Dominic Reyes as
41:58
well, right after after taking like immense damage like that to
42:04
even Thiago Santos. Yeah, Marita, how many guys?
42:10
It's it's just crazy. But there we wish our man the
42:14
very best, right? And you know, I pray and hope
42:17
that you know, Usman, you know, would would rise again, because
42:21
we always love to see our Nigerian brothers rise so
42:23
before. We leave.
42:26
Before we leave, before I leave the world of ever be right Who
42:30
do you who are you rooting for between Leon Edwards and Kobe
42:34
Covington? Should I be honest with you?
42:41
Honestly. And I've not been dishonest
42:43
about this thing, like, publicly, just in my heart,
42:48
actually. Like, I like, learn so much as a
42:50
fighter, right. And I've always liked it because
42:52
I even want to have similar stories kind of underlooked for
42:54
their way, for their way. And just, you know what I'm
42:56
saying? Just kind of hunger suck at the
42:59
job and just keep finding that way until they got the
43:01
opportunity. So they're very similar.
43:03
And it's more respected. Obviously not, but just need to
43:06
go together. That will be too small.
43:07
And I'm still bitter about it. That was the truth of the
43:10
matter. I can't lie to you.
43:11
I'm just bitter about the fact that you get to smile.
43:14
It's right the way you get to smile the first time.
43:15
Because when I really had that fight one bro, it was like, I'm
43:18
already like, tweeting about it. I think we're giving the good
43:20
traffic. So everything.
43:22
Really. Yes.
43:23
I haven't gotten so. Like I still follow.
43:26
You. I still follow you in everywhere
43:29
and I I respect him, but he's a part of me.
43:31
He's like, oh, I'm so mad. I've been my guy.
43:33
I did like that so and then so that's so that's one kind of
43:36
effect. Second side of it is that I know
43:38
that if you don't miss Kobe Kobe is a smart best one that's what
43:43
this week right so and this one is like you're talking about
43:50
this one is like if even though number one number two all time
43:54
we'll talk about all time rates If we honestly I've been to this
43:57
man twice and it's cool is the guys that left are going to mass
44:06
now now you're talking about Leon is like also top three, top
44:10
four, top five workers of all time because like the guy who's.
44:16
The guy he beat, the guy that beat the guy who?
44:19
Is the best win you understand? And obviously there's context,
44:23
like they are much older now, obviously, but still it's going
44:26
to be the names. The names are the names.
44:28
You understand what I'm saying? Leon has also not been, he
44:31
hasn't lost the fighting like, I don't know, seven years, right.
44:34
So it's a similar thing to what? What makes us, man, he talked
44:38
about of all time. It's similar to like a long
44:41
undefeated streak, you know, between very tough guys who were
44:46
like champion if if Usman wasn't there, right.
44:50
So if you don't be, that's what you're going to get, right?
44:52
So now we're saying Leon and Musman are going to be like,
44:54
they're going to say one or two more.
44:57
So now that's kind of tough for me to kind of to kind of accept.
45:00
I'm not going to lie. Now that being said, and to be
45:03
fair to you, I'm not going to lie as well.
45:04
Kobe, after a small business the first time, I think I don't hate
45:08
him as much anymore. I'm not going to lie, I hated
45:10
like when he was talking about his mind.
45:12
Anyhow, the first time, as soon as one beat him up with that
45:15
lockout, you know, five, I was like, you know what, as long as
45:20
business guy, who who cares? Like you don't want to do it
45:23
right. I also know that he's very easy.
45:25
Instead of fighting typically tough for Neil, I told my
45:31
friends I have a different router than I mean on Twitter.
45:33
I told my guys looked at this one because we only have any
45:40
local. I think they had like 2 locals
45:41
in the UFC for Smart, right? So now Leon knocking out Usman
45:46
and then Leon stuffing takedowns in the second fight.
45:48
Now I know that again there was times of holding kids and
45:50
things, but for the most part I think Smart should be over 10
45:53
times and he definitely, like, maybe said right.
45:55
And if I didn't, very well. So now that I've seen this new
46:01
Leon with all those new wrinkles, you know of having
46:05
more killer instinct, having the tattoo to take down defence,
46:08
which did have before because I've watched all these fights to
46:13
defect. Kobe is a is a different type of
46:16
wrestling fight with a lot more pressure and he doesn't.
46:18
It's like it's almost like mirror, he doesn't need to take
46:20
it and keep you there. He can continue just spamming.
46:23
Let me get to a point. And you know where you are.
46:25
So in that respect, Kobe has an advantage, I think.
46:30
But then Kobe is also something years old, you know, he can get
46:34
knocked out, you know, and I think young and frustrating
46:38
because if your defence 560 downs in a row.
46:43
Repeatedly. Because unpredictable.
46:46
But then, on the other hand, Kobe has so much cardio, so much
46:49
pressure. That and Leon kind of slows down
46:50
at the end of fights, but again, he hasn't done that recently.
46:54
Yeah, we saw. The last time we saw that, the
46:56
last time we saw that was the delete the ice fight.
46:59
Right. So, so we don't know if it's
47:01
miles or kind of getting older. And it took that secondary match
47:03
too early a little bit because he was looking gas in the first
47:06
fight. But then the first fight you'll
47:07
see elevation, whatever, whatever.
47:08
So there's so much. So there's only things you can
47:10
engage and answer in this fight. I think it's 5050 and whoever
47:14
wins is what it is. You know, we're the best man win
47:17
I really have. I think I'm OK with that person.
47:19
That's what I'm OK with that person.
47:21
Whoever wins, I'm working with it.
47:23
So let's just get, let's get into next week.
47:25
Let's see. Interested.
47:27
Interested. Be the best man.
47:30
Let's leave the world of Ever me and get back to the world of
47:32
bio. How is?
47:36
How is? Childhood, you know, I'm growing
47:38
up like, for you. Was pretty good actually.
47:43
Just did an exam yesterday in my interpretation class.
47:48
So the exam was about awesome get.
47:55
So get that. I just want an entrepreneur
47:58
interview them and kind of get the story of how they became
48:00
successful and what they did, how things like that, right.
48:04
And for me personally, peace was more because my mom is an
48:09
entrepreneur. She's kind of like my
48:11
explanation, like my biggest mental whatever, all that, all
48:15
that kind of stuff, right? And because I've seen her, like,
48:17
like I've seen my parents as I was growing up and in the first
48:22
half, so I was there always. Like I've seen them.
48:25
I've seen my life as a child with my parents, and my parents
48:28
lives transform US, agree. You know, and I've seen them
48:32
like aspiring for like things like at the time, like buying a
48:36
brand new car, you understand or like building the house or going
48:40
up going abroad, Right. Go abroad.
48:42
Are you serious? Like, I wish I could just, you
48:45
know, I'm saying just go to London like they're going to,
48:49
you know, they're going to Lagos or something, whatever.
48:52
So I've seen that happen. So.
48:54
So in that respect, I think my childhood was kind of, it was
48:57
good because I, it got better as I grew up, right.
49:00
My friends were always like, no matter what position we're in,
49:04
we're always like very loving. You're not always present
49:06
because we're always trying to hustle and find them.
49:08
But that was the Army moving around every time my mom was
49:11
trying to, you know, just, you know, things like that, you
49:14
know, so they were always, always physically present there.
49:18
But we always, like, evolved to understand.
49:23
She's always had things that we needed, that we needed.
49:26
There's a lot of love around a lot of my aunties and uncles
49:29
that grow up around them. So I kind of learned a lot of
49:31
things about life. A lot of my values are come from
49:34
that same time of my life. Like, you know, I don't I'm not
49:36
very extravagant at this. At my old age now because I grew
49:39
up, I didn't grow up so I'm I'm still OK because everything, you
49:43
know. So I had a good job, my best put
49:46
me and tried to put me the best school they could put me in,
49:48
right? Education is best legacy.
49:52
So there you go. So I I nothing to complain
49:54
about. Man, I had a good childhood.
49:57
Very much for giving me the best they could give me and I hope I
50:01
can do the same. Interesting.
50:04
Hopefully like us Grace. So like assessment of your
50:07
parents, who were your other alien like influences?
50:11
My aunties and my uncles, So my house was kind of.
50:13
I grew up in a very active household.
50:15
My parents always had like their sisters or their cousins living
50:19
with us at different times of the of of our life, church
50:23
members, things like that. So the ones from my mom's side,
50:26
my uncles, they're the ones that I kind of grew up with a lot.
50:30
You know, they came from the village.
50:31
They were always very active, very nice, very funny, you know,
50:35
That's why that's why I let that speak.
50:37
So So there it was. And then obviously like friends,
50:41
family, friends, you know the one that you got that's those
50:45
ones with the ones that kind of you know that kind of grow up
50:48
around then if in terms of other influences, I think that I can't
50:53
I could reach out to physically, right.
50:54
You think of guys like trying to think.
50:58
It's a big one. The holy football players, you
51:02
know, the world had dreams of trying to be football players.
51:06
I'm trying to think of like the specifically that I used to
51:09
admire when I was young. I'm trying to think about them
51:11
right now, like all the guys. I'm going to lie like I always I
51:13
always liked money. So I always like Bill Gates.
51:20
You know those? Guys.
51:30
And then like. Teachers in school.
51:36
Some of my teachers rest in peace.
51:40
Great teacher for my primary school.
51:44
How do you understand? You can also rest in peace.
51:47
These are the guys that like seems like the situation you and
51:51
they're like, they only let you, like let you flow, you
51:55
understand, you know? And at the time he's like, why
51:57
is this guy picking on me? But he's like, Nah, he's just
51:59
like, I still even better. Like man, he started to go.
52:03
I struggled with math for a long time.
52:04
Right now Matt is one of the strong points strong suits but I
52:07
struggled with finding us because he didn't let me
52:09
struggle. He's like yeah I can't smart.
52:11
I can tell like just you know to work hard and just keep pushing
52:15
me and call me classical and solve something from the board,
52:21
you know and you know and actually make me better though
52:23
if I don't get an E in my wife I'll I'll be I'll be in 5000.
52:28
I never you know so I have another opinion.
52:32
I think I by the time I was paid when he was there so I end up
52:34
saying his daughter I think. But you know that's that much we
52:37
need to try because I I was going to, I was going for AC in
52:39
that month that be the arbitrary I got the room that the room
52:43
pushed me. I understand.
52:45
So rest in peace Mr You know after this to reach out to his
52:51
family and maybe send him some stuff as well for Christmas.
52:53
Because you. Know that very kind of you that
52:57
that that would be very kind of you.
52:58
You know like it it it reminds me of something like this one
53:01
year as well. You know there was one time one
53:04
of his teachers back when he was in Ghana you know type something
53:09
I think on Twitter or something saying that he's part of him and
53:11
then you know he he paid a lot of respect to that teacher.
53:15
It's interesting how you know teachers are very big you know
53:19
in life influencers, right. Yes, I I probably.
53:22
I pride myself as well in being a teacher.
53:25
But I wasn't privileged to teach, you know, like children.
53:30
I teach like very young people. I used to teach professional
53:34
students. So like, a lot of my teaching
53:37
has been like adult education. But then, you know, it's it's a
53:41
beautiful thing, right? Still, when I get to meet people
53:47
who did not have any knowledge of accounting or finance, then I
53:51
instil that knowledge in them. You know, I packed them and I
53:54
see a lot of them go out to to to do great things.
53:58
You know, for for adult education, the gestation period
54:01
is shorter that you know, early life education, you know.
54:06
So for example, I I see a lot of my students have become
54:10
chattered accountants and working like big organisations.
54:13
So sometimes I work into an organisation and I need
54:16
something and I see some of my students and he's in charge.
54:19
Yeah. Like you don't feel great.
54:24
About this thing like if you have to meet all the best
54:27
feelings in life, like where does this rank among your best
54:31
feelings? Achieving like achievement, what
54:43
does that rank on your top and best feelings?
54:45
I. Think it's it's easy.
54:47
Easy top three. Because you know, even on my
54:50
Instagram bio, you'll see a teacher.
54:52
I put it up there like I'm I'm. Sorry, I'm putting you on this
54:56
point because I'm let me stop. What are the other two that you
54:59
think that can compete with? Actually, don't say some crazy
55:02
shit now. Don't say something.
55:05
With that feeling, no. No.
55:08
I'm. I'm not.
55:08
Saying anything crazy? Like, I'm not about that life,
55:11
you know? I'm not about that.
55:13
Life. But I think, I think another
55:17
feeling that could compete with that is setting a goal for
55:21
myself and achieving it you. Know.
55:24
Yeah, setting a goal for myself. Because some of our evil
55:28
friends, they tell me that if I were to be an evil guy, maybe my
55:32
son, it should be equipment. You.
55:34
Know equipment means talk and do like you say something and you
55:37
give up to your work. He gets it.
55:38
So that that's one thing with me.
55:40
I don't I don't like to give field promises you get to I like
55:45
to live up to my work you know and then when I say something I
55:48
do it. You know I have I have a
55:49
Jamaican friend and then you know I told them about my
55:53
podcast earlier in the year. They also into podcasting, you
55:56
know, in in in London. And you know, I think they do
56:00
not believe in it or something, right.
56:01
In like, OK, one of these guys that, you know, just talking
56:03
about, well, I want to do something.
56:05
And then all of a sudden I got a call yesterday.
56:07
I was like, oh, you. Said it and you did it.
56:09
Right. That feeling was you was was
56:12
actually very good. You know where you set the goal
56:15
and you you achieve it. I think it's up there in the top
56:18
three what whatever will be the third one I don't really know of
56:24
of my head. Let me just keep the third one
56:25
for some other time. You said what?
56:30
The difference of teaching is talk to them.
56:32
Yes, it's it's top two. You know, when when I really
56:35
came to London, you know, I think the first time I ever went
56:38
to church in London, you know, it was a Nigerian dominated our
56:44
church. And then as I got in, you know,
56:47
I think after the service somebody saw me.
56:48
I was like, well, I know you, you taught me in Abuja.
56:51
Allah. Allah.
56:56
You guys are not good even I love you, you know.
56:59
Calm down to this new environment, like I'm still
57:01
seeing, you know, and you know, he felt really.
57:03
Great. You know, you know, seeing
57:05
people that you teach, you know, I appreciate.
57:07
OK. I think maybe maybe the third
57:09
one should be gratitude because I'm very, very big on gratitude.
57:13
You know, when you probably went you to help somebody, right.
57:19
And you discover that person, you know.
57:21
Yeah. Makes it, makes it, you know, in
57:23
life or is able to use, you know, the help that you provided
57:27
them to to make something good out of their lives.
57:30
And they are grateful, I think. Yeah, that.
57:32
You know what? You know the third one?
57:35
Just people happy after you've done something that that's just
57:39
great little joys that that for me is I think the top three.
57:42
I think people just happy and they're excited that like you
57:44
said, like happy people get to their like goals and their
57:47
dreams. For me, I feel better that.
57:49
I I That's for me. That's not feeling like you can
57:51
ever have like. I feel like I'm happy for people
57:53
than myself, like if I achieve a Goku because I feel like if I
57:58
go, if I go get that you achieve your goal.
58:00
If you work at it. I think their own goals is that
58:04
is way better for me. It's way better Feeling like
58:07
this one is so like you were here and it gets here.
58:09
You know someone that is just struggling and it just needs
58:13
something tiny and just God disease.
58:15
You as a person, just give them that you need and just take it
58:18
and go with it. Exactly, exactly.
58:22
Because, you know, a lot of people go through like a lot of
58:26
challenges in life, right? And they just need that one
58:29
person to give them that nudge that, you know, push that hope
58:33
in life. And I think that that's one of
58:35
the main reasons why I started this podcast, basically because
58:37
of the impact. You know, when urban Visa school
58:40
were going to sponsor me, they were asking me like, like, do
58:43
you need us to give you money or something?
58:45
So I'd like, I'm not about the money, right?
58:48
I'm about the impact, right? About, you know, you guys, you
58:52
know, give him that platform to ensure that these forecasts
58:56
reaches as many people as possible, right.
58:58
You guys supporting, you know, the podcast with your platform,
59:03
right. You guys are credible.
59:05
And then you guys have been able to, you know, bring on board a
59:08
lot of laptop entrepreneurs, top pieces, leaders in the world,
59:11
right? Having that brand been
59:13
associated with my brand, right. It gives my brand a lot of
59:16
credibility, right. And I'm not about, you know,
59:18
crazy lifestyle. I'm about, you know, impacting
59:20
lives of people. You know, I look back at maybe
59:22
like 20 or 820 or 9. I saw my skinny self in a suit
59:25
on the Internet, You know, uh, with posting something about
59:28
being a motivational speaker. You know, right From even when I
59:31
was a teenager, I had always been that person that wants me
59:33
to be people, to be better in life.
59:35
I think. I don't know, some some years
59:37
back I saw some guy you know, in Lagos, you know, I was living in
59:41
Abuja, right? But I was born in Lagos and grew
59:43
up in Lagos. I actually so one in my place in
59:52
Lagos, right? And then the guy walked up to me
59:55
and told me that while that he he he just graduated from
1:00:00
university, right? And that do I know that my words
1:00:05
actually encouraged him? And that's I, he said.
1:00:10
I encouraged him sometime, and then I prayed for him.
1:00:13
I couldn't even remember that it was because of me that he did
1:00:17
not give up on his education. And then he's very grateful to
1:00:21
me. And you know, it really made me
1:00:23
feel. You know.
1:00:26
You know, some type of way that day like I was happy and I was
1:00:30
shocked at the same time. Like, wow, I never knew that
1:00:33
good words that I said to somebody many years ago, right,
1:00:37
was the reason why this person did not give up in life.
1:00:41
And you know, from then onwards, right, It just became a bigger
1:00:45
part of me. I am very generous with my
1:00:48
compliments, you know, with positive remarks, with, you
1:00:53
know, constructive criticism, even in my professional work,
1:00:56
right. You know, in the world of
1:00:59
finance, like I also work as an auditor, right?
1:01:02
You are usually responsible for training, you know, less
1:01:06
experienced team members, right? I always ensure to encourage
1:01:09
them, give them positive feedback you get.
1:01:11
If somebody is doing something that is wrong, right, tell them
1:01:14
the, you know, the great things, the positive things they do
1:01:17
first before not addressing those negative things.
1:01:20
It pushes people, you get it. So, but then, you know, in our
1:01:23
age and time, a lot of people just tend to focus on the
1:01:26
negative things that people do, up to, you know, all this year
1:01:29
to talk, talk about them. But for me, I'm very big on
1:01:31
encouraging people because you know, isn't time.
1:01:34
Trust me, a lot of people go through a lot of mental health,
1:01:36
you know? Challenges.
1:01:38
And just your good words can actually be the difference
1:01:41
between some of the committee and society tomorrow.
1:01:45
So yeah, every opportunity you have, you know, you always have
1:01:48
to use it to impact people positively.
1:01:50
So I think that thing really changed my life.
1:01:52
You know, when the guy walked up to me and told me that because
1:01:54
of me, he did not give up on his education and, you know, he
1:01:57
believed in himself. So imagine if, you know, you had
1:02:00
said a bad word to the person as well.
1:02:01
Like, it would be the reason why the person, you know, would give
1:02:05
up. So a lot of people look up to us
1:02:06
as individuals, right? And you know, the society has
1:02:10
given to us to in order to be enable us to succeed, you know,
1:02:17
in ways that we have succeeded, right.
1:02:19
I think it's just fair for us to also give back and you know,
1:02:23
encourage people be the reason why, you know, people would not
1:02:26
give up or give you the reason why people have hope to chase
1:02:30
their dreams, right, and believe in themselves.
1:02:33
And it has a multiplier effect because for everyone that's not
1:02:36
successful, other people, you know, get benefits from that
1:02:40
business. Success.
1:02:43
So that's that is easy you know, from my aunt interested.
1:02:49
So I think the next Question album is, you know, what's your
1:02:53
inspiration? They had your love for music
1:02:56
and, you know, the Beam Group. I.
1:03:02
Don't, especially from to music itself, especially for music
1:03:05
itself. I just I.
1:03:06
Think we do, not just music is just part of like human life
1:03:12
just evokes emotions from you, right?
1:03:16
Both in terms of the music business, which is what?
1:03:18
Which is what I'm thinking we're going to get to.
1:03:19
I think motivation that got me to get involved in music
1:03:24
business was I just and the same thing for me, the same thing
1:03:27
like with sports, you know, now we're trying to work with boxers
1:03:31
and athletes and things like that.
1:03:33
And it's something that got me this, that got me to, you know,
1:03:35
I guess I remember when it was, I just remember being young and
1:03:39
I remember Michael, Michael Jackson be bankrupt.
1:03:44
I'm never sure what he meant. And I also remember like Tyson
1:03:48
as well-being. Bangkok.
1:03:51
There's many artists. There's so many artists and
1:03:53
athletes and just like are you seeing stories like how much
1:03:57
money you made this, how impactful the way to people is,
1:04:00
how much it means to everybody else.
1:04:02
But like internally, nobody's. Nobody cares about them enough
1:04:05
to almost make sure that they don't like, they like.
1:04:10
I feel like if you impact the world to a certain level, you
1:04:16
should be good for like. You should be able to live a
1:04:18
happy life to you like. Financially for life?
1:04:22
That's what I'm saying, Like you can't be my Tyson that give the
1:04:25
old so much in terms of like entertainment and things like
1:04:28
that. Get that much money for so many
1:04:30
people, maybe all money for yourself as well.
1:04:31
And I'm not trying to absorb people with personal
1:04:34
responsibility. And when you get to management,
1:04:36
I think that you start to realise that some of those
1:04:38
things it's hard to get through to some people to make them make
1:04:41
better choices and it's ultimately up to them.
1:04:43
But ultimately what I'm saying is like people are very people
1:04:47
are comfortable kicking from all these great athletes that gifted
1:04:51
and great musicians be able to stick to go and do show, you
1:04:56
know manage to collect what is collecting.
1:04:59
And I feel like people don't. People never.
1:05:01
I think I just felt like people didn't give them back enough
1:05:04
loyalty and helps them to, you know, navigate their lives and
1:05:10
just ultimately be happy and not end up being poor, right?
1:05:14
So for me, I'll just be that guy that, you know, when I go to the
1:05:18
management, I I care about my my artists and I guess athletes now
1:05:23
going forward, well-being, these guys need to be financially
1:05:27
secure. You know, the career is, the
1:05:28
career is not that long, right? You're an accountant.
1:05:31
You have a skill that you can earn money for you that really,
1:05:38
you know, keep him to whatever you want to.
1:05:40
You can consult, you know, people can come to them.
1:05:42
You know, you can do a lot of things remotely even when you're
1:05:46
not very strong anymore, right, when you get this one.
1:05:48
And that's the benefit of the school, right.
1:05:50
So we just want to do things that, you know, a lot of people
1:05:52
that do those things they should also consider doing by the way,
1:05:56
right. So but like all you have is and
1:05:58
even if you're a single kind of similarly, you can.
1:06:00
Well, how long can you perform for, You know what I'm saying?
1:06:03
Like physical strength. How long can you play football
1:06:05
for play or fight for MMA? Look at until this week. 35
1:06:08
years old, which is in life. That's actually young, like in
1:06:12
life. Two bullet for.
1:06:15
The sports and. Anyway, so let's not get into
1:06:19
them. But ultimately, like think about
1:06:21
guys like you, you playing for maybe 10 years in your career
1:06:25
and your any potential for the most part is tied to that thing
1:06:28
is right. So people think about it like,
1:06:30
oh, you're making so much money. Yes.
1:06:32
But you're making money that my make for the lifetime, 10 years,
1:06:38
right? So all the money, all the money.
1:06:40
What are they going to make in your lifetime?
1:06:42
You're going to make it, except you transition and do bigger
1:06:44
things. For the most part, you're at
1:06:45
least one of the money you're going to make in life.
1:06:47
You're going to make for me maybe 1819 to 30 to 34 and after
1:06:52
that she's like drastically. So how can you maximise and let
1:06:59
them on the stretch out so they will not be stranded?
1:07:02
Like statistics tell you three years after stop playing
1:07:05
football or American football or basketball, you become broke,
1:07:07
you know. So I just, I think that just
1:07:11
triggered me when I was young. I just, I just didn't like the
1:07:13
fact that people that have worked too hard for their India
1:07:15
and those guys, they started work from a young age training,
1:07:18
you know, singles are, you know, I know how to be artists and
1:07:23
performing, travelling with the and just doing shows and shows
1:07:26
and everybody's just taking from me, your father, thinking from
1:07:29
you. You can't go anywhere and do
1:07:30
anything. You know, we just want to take,
1:07:31
want to hear you sing, we want to hear you talk.
1:07:34
You know it's always dreaming and after all that have nothing.
1:07:38
To fall back on. That's what motivated me to kind
1:07:41
of get into the business. I just wanted to be happy for
1:07:44
the artist and the guys that are the ones that are actually
1:07:47
making everybody money, you understand?
1:07:49
And that's and that's what kind of got me into.
1:07:53
OK. But then can you talk us through
1:07:55
briefly about the structure and the recent diversities of the
1:07:58
music industry? In what?
1:08:02
Respect. So you see, you see what's
1:08:08
happening, you know, like with the Niger music industry for
1:08:12
example, right. And now Afrobeat has taken over
1:08:15
the world, right? And then we have even in
1:08:18
Afrobeat we have like defenders of Afrobeats, right.
1:08:21
And then you know, looking at the influence way back to you
1:08:24
know, Baba fella, right. And then also there are also
1:08:27
other generous that are also like making making waves, right.
1:08:31
But then in terms of the commercial nature, the music
1:08:35
industry, yes, music is fruit to the soul, right.
1:08:37
But then, you know, music is also peace.
1:08:39
That's right. And you on the, you know,
1:08:41
business side of of the music, right.
1:08:45
So, So what's your take like? What's the structure currently?
1:08:50
Because previously, I think in the early 2000s, right, and late
1:08:55
90s, right, we saw music not being taken very seriously as a
1:09:00
business. But I think at some point, like
1:09:02
some of The Pioneers of Afrobeats, right, with, you
1:09:06
know, the influence of, I think American pop culture started
1:09:10
taking, you know, music more seriously with the advent of
1:09:14
digital streaming platforms, you know, but just just talk us
1:09:18
through, you know, I do. I don't know.
1:09:19
I'm a music lover, right? But then I'm not into music
1:09:22
business. The first thing you're saying is
1:09:26
very motivated. We can actually do a podcast
1:09:27
just on this, you know? Yeah, that's why I said briefly.
1:09:30
Please. There's many.
1:09:33
Things to look so far away to give us a summary.
1:09:37
I have a lot of very unpopular problems about this as well,
1:09:41
with respect to all the legends and what they've done for the
1:09:43
industry. Because I think when I was
1:09:45
growing up, right when I was in high school, I remember being in
1:09:48
chess, one chase, two. I mean, when I was going again
1:09:51
back to my eyes, I was telling about my uncle.
1:09:52
It's created on Nigerian music in my house, like the local
1:09:54
stuff, like all the gala, all those kind of stuff.
1:09:56
That's what I grew up. That's what I liked.
1:09:58
They liked all the American Music too.
1:09:59
But I didn't really like. I didn't.
1:10:00
I didn't resolve it with all those guys when I was young.
1:10:03
She scored all those kind of guys.
1:10:05
Not really, not gonna lie. What I liked was the one that
1:10:07
was from my second school needs to be used to be raspy.
1:10:13
People need to know how to wrap $0.50 and G unit and candy shop.
1:10:18
Whatever, exactly back in the days you're bringing, you
1:10:21
bringing. Back old memories.
1:10:29
So so like. See coming from that point and
1:10:35
this was and I think that just happened in isolation, Nigerian
1:10:40
reduced US when playing Nigerian music at the time radio, right.
1:10:46
If you look at the airtime, I think for every maybe 2
1:10:49
Nigerians something you play, you play like it for instance,
1:10:52
right? You changed as very O5O6O4 era.
1:10:56
It's what became like dominant in Nigeria.
1:11:00
It wasn't like that. It wasn't like that when we when
1:11:03
we maybe 5-4 years old, like seven years or 8 years old,
1:11:07
right? So, so ultimately, in fact, we
1:11:14
got it from that point where we didn't really embrace our own
1:11:16
culture. And it's not just music.
1:11:18
Remember when I was also growing up, I didn't want to wear
1:11:21
traditional clothes. I just wear more Timberland
1:11:23
baggy. So all these all the things are
1:11:25
connected, right? It's not just about the music.
1:11:27
The culture is connected. We didn't want to lose our
1:11:28
culture when we're young. That's the present experience,
1:11:30
right? And I think that music has
1:11:32
helped us get to the point where we started to embrace being
1:11:35
Nigerian and Nigerian culture. A lot more things have happened
1:11:38
too. But the music was the main
1:11:39
driver of that. So, right.
1:11:40
So in that in that in that perspective, I'm very, you know
1:11:45
you can't become prouder see what I've seen our culture not
1:11:48
getting to the point we were not just embracing it in Nigeria but
1:11:51
exporting it and other people are embracing it.
1:11:53
You know I remember again going to America the first time and
1:11:56
all you want to do is be like be like a rapper now that you know
1:11:58
guys that American are asking you about African things who who
1:12:04
I want to be wearing like oh, what does this mean.
1:12:08
So it's great story to think about the fact that now people
1:12:13
that we look like people that look for culture, African
1:12:15
Americans, Americans and we looked up for their culture and
1:12:17
now coming back and saying hey, once we share culture as well
1:12:20
too right. And I and it's a good thing, I
1:12:22
wish, I wish to have more because I mean sometimes I think
1:12:25
because drug and I wish we can just become friendly with it and
1:12:29
just share an exchange and be happy for it for all of us for
1:12:32
sharing our culture, right. So that's what I said to the
1:12:35
business side, the business side I'm not very not proud of.
1:12:41
I'm going to lie, right what what has happened is, is
1:12:47
generally but for Nigeria what happens is it's top heavy.
1:12:52
What that means that as like every other thing, right?
1:12:55
It's like you have to see everybody at the top like get
1:12:57
paid good money but it gets at the bottom of the getting paid
1:12:59
and that's. But what happens is that is not
1:13:02
the structure is not strong enough in Nigeria and we're
1:13:04
getting better, we're getting better.
1:13:05
We moved with a little progress, but not enough progress, right?
1:13:11
Because guys like guys like whiskies, Davidos, If you blow
1:13:17
up, you make your money right? You'll be rich.
1:13:18
Those guys are making money that their generation will be OK for
1:13:21
a long time. You understand the video, but
1:13:29
they're not they. They're not taking the the
1:13:34
industry forward as an industry, right.
1:13:38
It's it's almost like they're just doing things for their own
1:13:41
careers and themselves, right? You think about, I was talking
1:13:48
on Twitter, I don't know if you can get in this conversation
1:13:51
about valuations of like musical laws in Nigeria, right.
1:13:55
And we're talking about how like, so first of all, moving
1:13:57
records, I think they put up for sale, right.
1:14:01
So you want to sell. I think something like that I
1:14:03
believe, right. And how they can achieve because
1:14:06
if they achieve that, that changes kind of the the way
1:14:11
people look at African music because the label exited that's
1:14:15
like I'm putting it at the same level as please start exiting,
1:14:18
you know, exiting with striper. So that's that's a crazy, you
1:14:21
know what I'm saying? That's a crazy. $200 million or?
1:14:26
What currency? Wow.
1:14:30
No, that's that's it. That's it.
1:14:33
That's indicated. Remember this is what they are
1:14:37
saying, the value for potential investors, right.
1:14:41
And so that kind of factor discussion about like you know
1:14:44
valuations and things like that about OK, what do we think
1:14:48
Whiskey's catalogue is going to be worth because in Newcastle
1:14:52
Investments that is kind of trending now is catalogue
1:14:56
investing. A lot of these equity guys and
1:14:58
headphones are investing in like you hear that the budget and
1:15:01
basket log or the boards, but it doesn't catalogue from somebody
1:15:04
that's $500,1,000,000 something, you know so investing in
1:15:09
catalogues of artists because those can bring Australian
1:15:13
income in perpetuity, right. So, so we have a discussion
1:15:17
about like African musical nations, right?
1:15:19
And talk about two phase things like that.
1:15:21
And I'm telling guys like this is Shorty because another time
1:15:28
we structured their business the right way.
1:15:32
Copyrights are ability to be, shall be, you know, who owns
1:15:34
what people do. That's getting to, let's start
1:15:37
cleaning up these catalogues. A lot of people start crying.
1:15:40
You know, I was telling, I was telling some people that I like
1:15:43
a lot of artists now that are legends in Nigeria they can't
1:15:46
find, they don't have access to their masters.
1:15:50
Masters is like when you record the song, the original copy of
1:15:52
that song, right? And you can beat them now it's
1:15:56
very easy. But back in the catalogue, I
1:15:57
mean analogue, right? You know guys can't accept that
1:16:00
the original master to be a song to my to the mouth.
1:16:04
I was going to do this home from a life of somebody else.
1:16:06
Do you understand? So this, this level of a lot of
1:16:11
us are still playing us so. When?
1:16:16
Things like this, like valuations now, OK, who owns the
1:16:18
song? Who wrote it?
1:16:19
Who's who is the, you know, guys.
1:16:20
They don't do split sheets. Split sheets, It's split.
1:16:23
It's something that defines who owns the song.
1:16:26
So you need. I don't want to get too
1:16:28
complicated with this, but like. It means all.
1:16:30
Percentages. There's written parts and
1:16:34
there's a performed part. So the part that you sing when
1:16:36
you sing a song, that's one side of the music.
1:16:38
That's all writing of the song, the lyrics and the whoever did
1:16:42
the sound see the song will be doing.
1:16:47
Me president who sings this song as a performer.
1:16:50
So he did two things risky. Now a lot of times the president
1:16:53
sings the song, also writes the song.
1:16:54
So yeah, that person can be both.
1:16:56
A lot of times too. You can feel like people like,
1:16:59
be honest, a lot of, a lot of things like Beyoncé, people
1:17:01
write them for that, right? Look at the review of his songs,
1:17:05
just to earn a lot of money from Beyoncé songs as well, right?
1:17:08
In Nigeria, those songwriters don't usually get a lot of
1:17:12
credit. They don't get credits on this
1:17:13
song, so they can end residual income from that song.
1:17:19
Difficulties to do with the video or I'm not specific, I'm
1:17:22
just using them as an example. In this case, maybe give them.
1:17:31
So when we start to now get into the integrity of value in the
1:17:36
catalogue, those things will have to come in handy.
1:17:39
Who wrote the song? Who made the beat?
1:17:41
How much? How much do you guys decide to
1:17:43
share the percentages? Those things have not happened
1:17:46
in the past. Did they happen in the past?
1:17:49
And I don't think they're going back to being proactive.
1:17:53
But not enough. They are still artists today.
1:17:55
They're still doing songs. They don't have those splits
1:17:58
secured, understand. That's like that's not
1:18:01
reasonable. There's a lot of things that we
1:18:05
don't have yet, and I and Nigeria doesn't have a lot of
1:18:09
and again that you can. That one is just a bigger issue
1:18:11
of Nigerian governance failures, right?
1:18:14
A couple of laws are weak here. You know, we don't have a lot
1:18:17
of, you know, then not this thing like AI.
1:18:19
This is digital copies of music that's using analogue, analogue
1:18:23
copyright laws, you know. So there's many things that, you
1:18:26
know, and we should have gotten past those things.
1:18:28
Now the acting is ownership, right.
1:18:30
You know this actors are signed, they're signed in.
1:18:33
They're saying they're signed, they're assigned their
1:18:34
ownership. We need to foreign labels.
1:18:37
It's only the music is by Nigeria for Nigerians exported.
1:18:41
We're not only and over, over and over as as we get older and
1:18:44
older and older, even though we this is our culture and our
1:18:48
music. Welcome national movies, artists
1:18:51
and even those in the country, because it's going to be going
1:18:54
by some some wise men that only labels in Spain or France or
1:18:58
America or whatever, right? And that's a big issue.
1:19:02
And it's, it's, it's. And you look at artist issues,
1:19:05
you look at maybe, I don't know how much you follow those, some
1:19:08
of those discussions, oh, this guy signed for this amount of
1:19:11
money 10 years ago. Now he's trying to get his
1:19:12
master's back, his masters back. And they're not going to give it
1:19:16
to him they're going to have going forward.
1:19:18
Because a lot of people are saying they're right and they're
1:19:20
getting money to there. They're like, yeah, listen, OK,
1:19:22
just want to collect my money and be happy for now.
1:19:25
And then eventually when they hold and relate how much assets
1:19:28
they sold off with those masters when they are now making their
1:19:33
income and maybe there is a new app and the song is being used
1:19:36
to, you know, I don't know, in a game and I can't even much money
1:19:40
for me. Is there any 5 pennies or five
1:19:43
penny per every dollar instead of maybe 5050?
1:19:46
That's when I think that this wave of aphobies being to the
1:19:51
world should have been a time for us to not concentrate our
1:19:53
business locally so that we can be the foundation for for these
1:19:58
things that are happening globally.
1:20:01
But we're just. We're just almost like the How
1:20:06
do I want this? For this thing that's going on,
1:20:08
I just like the the cheerleaders were not really involved in the
1:20:14
business of it. There's again, like I said, the
1:20:16
guys, the riskiest individuals and their teams are doing pretty
1:20:18
good. But as Nigerians in general
1:20:21
minority benefiting, you know, you understand.
1:20:24
And it's got a point where we start to feel like our musical
1:20:28
story from us because the structure is in place in in
1:20:32
Italy, in Nigeria to kind of secure these things because
1:20:38
music, music, exporting should be part of the judge GDP,
1:20:41
currently biz dog. Yeah, and it's it's a massive
1:20:44
industry, but. It's not because right He's not
1:20:50
coming to Nigeria financially from our but that's.
1:20:57
That's one essence of business education.
1:21:01
Yes. Yeah, you know, a lot of people
1:21:04
do not even understand, like the basic contract laws, for
1:21:09
example, right? Business education is actually
1:21:11
essential for everybody. And then I think it should be
1:21:15
incorporated into our educational curriculum, right?
1:21:20
Ensure that people understand business laws, right.
1:21:23
People understand, you know, core concepts and business
1:21:27
people understand core concepts of financial management, right?
1:21:31
Yes. Like it's it's it will go a long
1:21:35
way in helping people structure the ways they actually do
1:21:42
anything they do in life. You know it's it's it's it's
1:21:45
it's different when you're educated.
1:21:47
Did you? Do you act the way you?
1:21:49
Perform. Do you do you know that and and
1:21:52
and I'm sure we've had to discuss this thing before
1:21:54
because because again, because our enemy, there's no legitimate
1:21:57
look at Nigeria again like you said that's the holy city hub of
1:22:00
Afrobeat. This is the centre of Aphrodite.
1:22:04
There's not one legitimate venue in Nigeria like a host.
1:22:08
Illegitimate Concerts one. That's crazy.
1:22:12
About MMA, right? Remember.
1:22:15
No Arenas. No, No.
1:22:15
Arenas, Nigeria. You don't have one performance
1:22:25
value. These are the things that these
1:22:28
are the law. I'm going for the 11 I was
1:22:30
talking about, you know, that's what I'm saying.
1:22:33
So you can't even say let's even enjoy this one.
1:22:36
You know, we call an antique sound is people like what are we
1:22:40
talking about at this level, you know?
1:22:43
So sorry, go on Joe, I want to just add that.
1:22:47
It's really crazy. So I just, I don't know how
1:22:51
that's going to be done. But then I think in Nigeria,
1:22:53
like the, I don't know, maybe the Ministry of Education or
1:22:57
something to try to ensure that, you know, business, education,
1:23:00
business goal is actually incorporated into maybe like
1:23:03
high school education. So that you know, people have an
1:23:06
understanding of, you know, what contracts you know are.
1:23:09
Because I know that in Nigeria a lot of people do not even honour
1:23:12
contracts. They don't, they don't
1:23:15
understand the sanctity of a contract.
1:23:17
They just feel like they can enter into, you know,
1:23:19
gentlemen's agreements and you know, just think you can, you
1:23:26
can just go with the flow of flow with the tide right, with
1:23:28
the tide right. It doesn't, it doesn't work that
1:23:30
way. You know, a lot of people don't
1:23:32
honour at events in Nigeria and it's it's it's it's weird and
1:23:37
it's wild. But you know, like I think it
1:23:39
takes education to get to get things right when people
1:23:42
understand the implications of agreements, the implication of
1:23:44
contracts, right. How businesses you know, work,
1:23:48
you know, business structures, right, the different types of
1:23:51
businesses, right. And you know what
1:23:54
entrepreneurship is about, right?
1:23:56
It just gives you know structure to, to help people operate, you
1:24:00
know, in business environments, right.
1:24:03
So I hope, I hope that is you know, that is implemented and
1:24:08
you know we we can get it right going forward.
1:24:11
But what would you say have been your challenges, you know, and
1:24:15
achievements in the entertainment industry?
1:24:18
Thus far. Challenge is always is always
1:24:20
money, man. They want to get money there
1:24:26
like like I was because I'm still a manager, but I'm really
1:24:32
Anyway, let's get into that now. But anyway, also do I?
1:24:39
The money's not kind of works is that it's like it's almost like
1:24:43
an investment in relationship with an artist, right?
1:24:48
Mentally, physically, financially, and the same way,
1:24:53
I'm assuming. I'm trying to think of the same
1:24:56
way promoter in boxing might invest in an Olympian edition.
1:25:01
And they put money and they pay him, pay him and pay him and
1:25:03
then they become the champion. You might see when I want to win
1:25:06
a contract with this company, I want to go to Missouri, right?
1:25:11
So that's kind of similar structure with music teams.
1:25:14
You're kind of investing in somebody and somebody's career,
1:25:19
giving it to all and there's no, there's no guarantee of loyalty
1:25:23
back if that and that. If they're successful and if
1:25:26
it's very big, because you take the chance.
1:25:28
If they never be successful, if they get the chance, the hell is
1:25:32
on you to hold. Because you know you're known as
1:25:34
investing in a lot of the time energy a lot of times finances
1:25:41
and and but it's also if they do become successful then did
1:25:45
you're hoping to believe that to you it's Julia because when you
1:25:48
sign a contract it's really greatly it's hard to really you
1:25:53
can't force someone to play out to you that's the best I can see
1:25:56
it what are you saying? What are you saying?
1:25:57
What are you saying? We've seen this we would have
1:25:59
signed contracts and they've gone squad and he fought and
1:26:01
he's bitter and ultimately everybody loses right.
1:26:05
So, yeah, So that's that's the biggest challenge is like you
1:26:08
essentially having a little feet fit that that investment we
1:26:14
don't work in the 1st place because that's.
1:26:16
A blind face again a. Finance guy and I can't think
1:26:19
you guys you can do the modification and things like
1:26:22
that. So you can see exactly.
1:26:26
And I put $1,000,000 capital into this business and this is
1:26:28
my product. I can sell it here or this is my
1:26:31
customers is you can even project this is not really kind
1:26:35
of the same way because it's you're dealing with human
1:26:39
emotions and feelings I suppose in various objective stuff.
1:26:44
Exactly. People.
1:26:48
'S ears such a difficult, such a difficulty to such an expensive
1:26:54
thing to do. And there's so many intangibles
1:26:56
like the person's character, the person that you can't really.
1:26:59
You could try, but you can't really fully capture in the
1:27:04
mood, right? So.
1:27:08
What does that you know, basically due to.
1:27:10
From. You know quantitative variables,
1:27:13
right? You know and premise on
1:27:16
assumptions, right? And those assumptions are
1:27:19
mostly, you know, quantitative in nature.
1:27:21
But then these are qualitative factors.
1:27:23
And, you know, qualitative. Factors.
1:27:28
Even. The biggest labels at at the
1:27:33
base level of understanding their strategy every year is we
1:27:38
need to get and this guy spend money on and they trust me that
1:27:41
old data or the streaming data they have all the data you can
1:27:43
have access like any major business right to figure out
1:27:46
their way to go about things. But even then you may sign 100
1:27:51
glasses per year you just need two to blow everyone or two
1:27:55
right. That's this is the model of the
1:27:57
industry. You just need a few every year
1:28:00
to block the ones that you start.
1:28:01
So sign an artist means I just give them money up for advance.
1:28:05
The first that is capable, which is that you can, you can.
1:28:09
Is there any essentially an alarm you put forward that you
1:28:12
can only make from making money in music?
1:28:16
That's when the music makes money.
1:28:17
So music doesn't make any money. That's the right of.
1:28:26
All the rest. Every year, maybe 50 to 100
1:28:30
advices every year and you don't need to give out those two.
1:28:33
That and I want to find one that goes crazy like it can be or
1:28:37
Taylor Swift 1 like that is a boner boy, it just goes crazy.
1:28:41
That's one guy is enough to cope with their losses that they're
1:28:47
giving everybody else. So this is how this is the model
1:28:50
of the industry. So when you get to Nigeria, it's
1:28:52
even more complicated, more more big.
1:28:55
So. So you just so there is really
1:28:59
just it's an industry you have to have a little passion for
1:29:02
because you have a blind feet you're going to go in with and
1:29:04
just blind belief and just persistence and consistency
1:29:07
until it works right and that's kind of what it is.
1:29:10
So that's, that's the challenge always.
1:29:12
Just like getting that reality as men, you might put in 10-5
1:29:16
years, $100,000, whatever amount of money you could and it might
1:29:20
not work and you got to keep going with your life.
1:29:24
It's interested. Interested.
1:29:25
Speaking of Butter Boy, you meant a better boy That.
1:29:28
That's the one Nigerian artist that I really, really like a
1:29:30
lot, right? I was looking at my YouTube
1:29:32
Music wrapped for the year and even Apple Music summary for the
1:29:38
year and I saw that Burner Boy is the artist that I listen to.
1:29:43
Yeah, this, this year. So quickly, what's your take on,
1:29:46
you know, Burning Boy, his body of work, of work, you know, what
1:29:49
he's done for the culture, for the Afrobeat movement.
1:29:52
Like what's your opinion on on the guy?
1:29:56
But I always agree at this man. And yeah, I'm like, I'm an
1:29:59
Ojibwa fan, so me as a brother boyfriend, when people didn't
1:30:03
like him as much, right? So if you didn't remember, you
1:30:08
know, you know what I'm saying. When he first came out, he was
1:30:11
like he called. 20/13/2015. He did very well and I got
1:30:18
families and he actually broke like the Party was a big song.
1:30:22
That album was pretty good. Then he started kind of
1:30:24
declining because his character will be like his character,
1:30:28
whatever, whatever. Yeah, he he put that as an.
1:30:37
I was just like maybe three months ago.
1:30:43
I said I remember 20/13/14, so big one day.
1:30:49
So that's kind of funny. I don't know.
1:30:51
I don't like him as much now. Umm, not because I don't like
1:30:56
his music, music, but nobody is probably as a half a bit as it's
1:30:59
pure. I think it's probably the best
1:31:01
one that we have, even over whiskey, right?
1:31:03
I think we see just the kind of like the Golden Ball.
1:31:06
That's what everybody always knew was going to be like,
1:31:08
you're right, you're helping us like this serious person when
1:31:11
they're like, he's like messy. He's got to be a good player,
1:31:15
but I was one of the ones where you saw the talent was like
1:31:18
almost like he like like a Binafa, right?
1:31:23
Like it's pretty talented. Boom, everything.
1:31:26
Just get Walla and just hoping that one day you can put it
1:31:28
together and if it doesn't be so great, right?
1:31:31
And that's kind of what I'm supposed to.
1:31:32
And so, and I think that's something that a lot of people
1:31:36
can relate to, right? Just on the table so long.
1:31:39
And I feel that Johnny, step by step, I remember when he went to
1:31:41
the UK after being banned for I think five years.
1:31:43
And his first concern, I know when he got signed.
1:31:45
He's. Very.
1:31:49
I don't know. He started that page like in
1:31:52
2018 or so. That was YouTube, the audience,
1:31:56
all these things I had all YouTube instantly took it down
1:31:58
on it to put them on this new page.
1:32:02
So I remember him just like going through that statement and
1:32:04
now he'll be the biggest one arguably.
1:32:07
But I think, honestly, objective, I think whenever is
1:32:10
probably the most successful one now, right?
1:32:13
Whiskey. So I don't want to make that
1:32:15
whole comparison, but I think in terms of just like how activity
1:32:19
he's touring, selling out of his arenas consistently, right?
1:32:23
And he wasn't the one that was supposed to be there.
1:32:25
What do we see even though talent wise always had that and
1:32:30
it was always a great he gave so much to the industry even when
1:32:33
it was again even when he wasn't been listening to yes you could
1:32:36
tell he just gifts to give him off to the industry.
1:32:40
It's just a good thing I successfully and you can see
1:32:42
that and see why he's there you know currently you know so
1:32:46
respect to him. Yes.
1:32:47
I'm I'm yeah, I'm actually happy for him.
1:32:49
You know, I respect, you know, his art history in terms of, you
1:32:52
know, being able to balance good lyrics with with good rhythm,
1:32:57
good melody. Interested.
1:33:05
I don't. I don't have like a favourite.
1:33:08
Yeah, so to speak. Yeah.
1:33:09
I don't have AII love every, you know, artist doing great work
1:33:13
from from from Nigeria, right. I love them.
1:33:19
You know, they have like crazy fan bases, you know, a lot of
1:33:23
them seem to have crazy fan bases where they will attack you
1:33:26
if you, if you go against any whoever.
1:33:29
But I'm I'm not. Yeah, I'm not about that life.
1:33:31
I appreciate it every. All of all of their rates.
1:33:34
I've heard of all of them. Yeah, all of them.
1:33:36
Yeah, I'm really proud of all of them.
1:33:37
You know, the Afrobeats movement makes me really proud to be a
1:33:40
Nigerian. And then I think, like, it's a
1:33:42
really great time to be alive, you know, and to be a Nigerian
1:33:45
diaspora at this time. I I don't know.
1:33:47
I think like I choose the best time.
1:33:51
I'm I'm fortunate to be. That Nigerian, that's where at
1:33:53
the best time possible because our culture has been embraced
1:33:56
by, you know, foreigners, unlike what it used to be in, you know,
1:34:01
in yesterday. Right.
1:34:03
So talking about your transition into other businesses, real
1:34:09
estate, you know that is your bin properties port and beam
1:34:12
travels like how's the journey been and you know like what are
1:34:17
you currently putting in more energy into right now?
1:34:23
So remember I told one of my big things my goals for the next
1:34:28
decade is to how my personal transition into like businesses.
1:34:33
So I have a lot of passions and for me I always announced and
1:34:37
that's why you see when you say you say being property you say
1:34:39
everything is being by the way it's my it's actually my
1:34:42
initials on my on my names so not just like it and I just
1:34:44
found something actually all my names initials has been so.
1:34:48
That's oh wow. So BB is for Palugu.
1:34:51
Palugu is my I don't even like to say this publicly.
1:34:55
Oh wow, you have an adult name. Interesting.
1:34:57
So my. Mum is going to do things.
1:35:01
Why do we have? Too much in common.
1:35:03
My mom is there, dude. My mom is at the state as well.
1:35:05
Like my middle name is. Cecil.
1:35:09
Yeah, that is. Prayer my.
1:35:17
Parents are answered right? So yeah.
1:35:27
So. For me, it's almost like, you
1:35:30
know how people, how people have.
1:35:32
Like, I want to say this how people have a family company,
1:35:40
family Crest, that kind of holdings in it.
1:35:42
It's like a holding company for a family, family, office,
1:35:46
whatever you want to call it. But that's for the bridge for
1:35:48
richer people. It's like kind of like regular
1:35:52
for all my interests that's they can express in the business
1:35:57
capacity, right. So everything, every, so
1:36:00
everything kind of extend and I say OK, there's a big version of
1:36:03
there's a business of business and it's been right and kind of
1:36:06
all my all my trademarks even though that are not being
1:36:09
directed like combustors, whatever, they're all trademarks
1:36:11
that are under like that holding.
1:36:16
So literally, literally, you have.
1:36:17
So you have a beam group. Pretty much that's.
1:36:20
That's more like a construction. So yeah so things like when you
1:36:24
think about things like travelling things like so I have
1:36:28
you are simulated for me is you start to seem like I, I and I
1:36:33
guess I got here after I setting level of like reading studying
1:36:37
which people to restrict things like that like land has always
1:36:40
been the thing that is a value is a value has always been the
1:36:43
major store store value like land gold as well that's kind of
1:36:50
sent to the test of time. But that has always been the
1:36:52
thing was like OK back in the day people that were rich, they
1:36:54
were rich by having only just not just Nigeria globally
1:36:57
worldwide it was land was looking like people you know
1:37:00
people used to show at least no backing you know farming
1:37:03
whatever. So land is always so and that's
1:37:05
really because like Islam. So for me, with the idea in mind
1:37:10
is you know anybody who you start to, you know, go through
1:37:16
your life, start to work, earn an income.
1:37:19
For me, I've owning property or land is something that must
1:37:25
happen. Is that something that should be
1:37:28
even like business or business, something that you should always
1:37:33
have your portfolio, right, property, landed properties,
1:37:37
whether it's a house, you know, that's the thing that the
1:37:39
American dream, I guess the European Union is like, OK,
1:37:43
work, work, work, work, go to school, get a job, get a house,
1:37:46
right. But the home is the foundation
1:37:49
of everything. And that home itself in the
1:37:50
land, you understand. So that's going to be different.
1:37:52
So for me, I always do the hockey from a young lady.
1:37:55
When I start to make money, I want to start buying property,
1:37:57
buy land and whatever. Obviously you try to think about
1:37:59
it. I want to buy if I buy a
1:38:00
property, if I buy a house and I write it out, retain Comcast.
1:38:03
He meant to me was more than come to the points where if I
1:38:05
don't have multiple properties, then I can.
1:38:07
I have no money for mental income that I don't need to be.
1:38:10
I don't need to be to even live on my working.
1:38:13
I just say I don't. I don't work anymore.
1:38:14
I just have enough property of people like that when they
1:38:20
bought one line, lucky that was typing or not, that is 1
1:38:22
billionaire. And if they're all abroad,
1:38:24
they're always going to sell one now that he just don't want to
1:38:27
survive until the next one comes.
1:38:28
Just the idea of that's just the right and that's not even the
1:38:31
business. That's just the thing that, OK,
1:38:33
how do I have a portfolio and diversify it, you know, stocks,
1:38:37
bonds, properties, whatever, right.
1:38:39
So for me, that's how I got into real estate, right?
1:38:42
And it's also the thing where I just need, OK, as long as I have
1:38:44
to make any money. Also I want to always be, I want
1:38:46
to have property. And me?
1:38:47
I'll tell you what it is too. You know, when you invest,
1:39:01
people have preferences. I'm a lot.
1:39:13
More comfortable with property. It's a lot more consistent.
1:39:17
It's a lot more like. You.
1:39:21
You'll never be wrong, but you know like owning property
1:39:25
nobody. Now that I think that might
1:39:27
happen, like you know if I pay for property and the property
1:39:29
value will go down for some time to go back up.
1:39:31
But generally life if you own property, that's like I can.
1:39:38
Take. Collateral needs.
1:39:41
I can do what I want to do. I can see I can borrow against
1:39:43
whatever, whatever, right. So that's so I will just I
1:39:45
settled on. I feel like when you are, you
1:39:47
know, everybody. But when I was growing up in my,
1:39:50
I started to figure out, OK, I want to always have wealth and
1:39:53
develop and build my wealth. You know, people go through that
1:39:56
phase of what should I put my money in that that makes me
1:39:59
comfortable. So people like stocks, people
1:40:02
like bonds, I do all of them. Politics is going to make me a
1:40:06
lot more comfortable. So that's why goes into that,
1:40:09
right. And then over time you start
1:40:13
now, you know you buy one, land, whatever, so you need to buy
1:40:15
two. You better, you don't want to
1:40:18
rent out for your needs. I want to get a bigger one.
1:40:21
You just kind of transition, you keep going from there before you
1:40:23
know it's OK. How's that developing?
1:40:24
Do you understand? I'm not sure what happened.
1:40:31
Sorry. OK.
1:40:32
You're talking about, you know, the capital appreciation of of
1:40:35
land, right. So you seem quite interested in
1:40:37
investment properties. Yeah.
1:40:39
So, yeah. So I was saying like.
1:40:43
I. Don't know what you're
1:40:44
investing, like what you like to invest in, but whatever you're
1:40:46
investing as an just as a young guy, we just did like doing
1:40:50
something that is on the side to call your income, right.
1:40:54
There's a point you got to be in that stage where it's like you
1:40:57
need to get to the next level of that investment.
1:40:59
Like like for example, if like when I tell you invest in stock,
1:41:01
like no stock, I started very step by step.
1:41:03
I started from doing. I don't know what they call the
1:41:06
UK was like fix deposit and just two or three percent.
1:41:13
You lock it in. Yeah.
1:41:15
We have things like ISIS, yeah. In the in the UK.
1:41:20
Then I started doing mutual funds.
1:41:23
You know, contributing $100 a month, whatever they doing,
1:41:29
stocks and ETA that you could treat by yourself, by Apple, buy
1:41:32
Facebook, whatever, right? And if you are doing it, if you
1:41:38
are into it enough, that's the point where it's lucky.
1:41:41
Just just doing, just doing things about it is it gets
1:41:46
boring and redundant, right? Just doing.
1:41:50
It the. Marginal profit is very low.
1:41:55
I should get more because so now waiting for Facebook to go, OK
1:42:03
options are there, you know they trade this day.
1:42:05
So you always find the next level of
1:42:45
no, just let you think about OK what can I do is that you know
1:42:47
what all these things going wrong.
1:42:48
I don't want to own again, I just want to develop a good
1:42:51
seller and then so you just kind of position so that's that's
1:42:54
kind of what it is. That's why I'm saying all these
1:42:56
things, all these passions you can always translate into
1:42:59
businesses. So that's kind of how I got into
1:43:01
that. And then music industry, I kind
1:43:04
of had some bit of a downtime during COVID.
1:43:07
A lot of things happen personally.
1:43:09
Otherwise. I think, I think that that is
1:43:11
touching on the next thing I was going to ask ask about, right.
1:43:14
You know, I was going to ask like why entrepreneurship for
1:43:17
you? And you know what have been the
1:43:18
highs and lows, you know, in entrepreneurship so far?
1:43:22
So I want to present for me, I think I was just, I was just
1:43:25
born like that, man. Like I like I said, my mom is
1:43:27
the biggest inspiration. That's what I saw.
1:43:29
That's what I knew. That's what I'm comfortable
1:43:30
with. You know, I can't imagine to
1:43:34
work with the like. And I don't get wrong like a lot
1:43:36
of jobs that are very like that you can do your own time, you
1:43:40
get your level at your job, you can pick your own schedule,
1:43:43
whatever. So I'm not going to act like,
1:43:44
but still I'm still just somewhere just like that.
1:43:47
Some people are born and that's just how they look at their
1:43:50
life. Like, I was just creating and
1:43:52
being control of those things and that's just kind of what I
1:43:55
know, right? So I was always looking for
1:43:57
things to do that, you know, I was in secondary school selling
1:43:59
bread, watching whose clothes, just doing my own, whatever.
1:44:04
Just I don't want to have my own money and do my own thing.
1:44:06
So that's just what it was. And then our interpretation
1:44:09
lose, lose come every day. The major the major ones.
1:44:17
But. Because what I think was COVID
1:44:18
Man, first of all that COVID year, so we might ask that at
1:44:26
the time they did only and we had worked maybe 2-3.
1:44:30
Years. I have friends that went to.
1:44:34
Think universe. She went to some private
1:44:39
university. Is it OK?
1:44:44
OK, so in the UK, Right. So it means that she she
1:44:46
actually, she went to secondary school in Abuja.
1:44:49
Yes, yes, yes. She grew up in Abuja like I had
1:44:52
much of friends. In Abuja.
1:44:56
So so. We had like I said, remember
1:45:02
like you know, you meet an artist, you take a chance and
1:45:06
it's vice versa. You can tell you that you did
1:45:09
you're great with your work and you guide them to right, to
1:45:12
guide them up right. Do you think it has on each
1:45:14
other? You invest a lot of time,
1:45:15
energy, finances, whatever, overtime and it's hard to work
1:45:18
out eventually. Scenario.
1:45:22
So. So we started working, I think
1:45:23
2017 was 2019. We're doing shows.
1:45:26
You know, getting booked in December was very part of doing
1:45:29
3/4 shows a day. We've got UK go on tour and and
1:45:32
and things are looking up like things are going now we're
1:45:35
talking about the UK 23rd. I haven't been UK in that time.
1:45:39
I was in UK 20 February. They're going to all these
1:45:41
labour meetings trying to get this done publishing deal here
1:45:44
this one day and COVID, So COVID happens first of all, right?
1:45:49
And only at the time she's a lot of our plan was based on her
1:45:52
going on talk like actively doing shows UK, you know,
1:45:57
Austin, TX, you know, France, Spain just and you know active
1:46:02
showing up in those shows and and so COVID, first thing that
1:46:05
happened was kind of shut us down.
1:46:06
I've had so many things that were planned up.
1:46:08
No money on the table, you understand, you know, and
1:46:11
everybody's like putting out of those things because like, oh,
1:46:13
there's COVID, like, no, there's no fucking show.
1:46:15
So everybody's like pulling out, oh, this show cancelled.
1:46:17
To further notice this event, cancel the festival, cancel to
1:46:20
see them. And then at some point in that
1:46:26
session as well, I had some personal trouble and I went
1:46:29
viral until that was some crazy things that happened and because
1:46:31
of that relationship ended, you know.
1:46:33
So ultimately that's six months past year span.
1:46:36
You know it works to get these points where I really like
1:46:39
getting the points where you work and you have seen the
1:46:42
results coming and it's just like you can go from here and
1:46:45
then first of all COVID slows us down and then we have stopped
1:46:49
working together and. It's just that's crazy.
1:46:53
That's crazy crazy like was. Was that before?
1:47:04
After her collaboration with DVD?
1:47:05
Well, after, that's what. I'm saying so that's not so the
1:47:09
video that's what the peak this is all this everything is going
1:47:11
2019 as the video song is 2019. That's the big going crazy, you
1:47:17
know, and it's supposed to go from there and go higher and
1:47:19
higher and higher and then, you know, COVID happens and then we
1:47:21
stop working together and that was that.
1:47:26
So that's the. Lowest point and.
1:47:28
After that, I kind of approved my life at the time.
1:47:30
I've given music videos for maybe 10 years.
1:47:33
I started when I was 1516, Being a big Blogger, you know, don't
1:47:39
do shows in your memory. And we are.
1:47:42
We. I don't want to be because a lot
1:47:45
of people have the little things.
1:47:46
But in my own way, I was part of the kind of pioneers, a lot of
1:47:50
things that are not happening that are big.
1:47:52
Like we're doing shows in America when, you know, it's not
1:47:56
doing it in stadiums. We're doing horse clubs.
1:48:00
So we put that time, you know, so we started from that.
1:48:03
So I started from that blogging, they're doing tours, managing
1:48:06
artists and all that. And then you know the time when
1:48:08
it's like that's not collecting and benefiting.
1:48:10
And it's funny because, like, right after COVID, that's when I
1:48:16
was really, really, really started doing, like taking off
1:48:19
and making. Waves I.
1:48:23
Really benefit from all the time.
1:48:25
That we put in before that, you know, so it was a bit tough, you
1:48:30
know, that's kind of review. So at that time I just, I kind
1:48:33
of, I mean to this point now I'm still a little bit of a bit of a
1:48:38
sabbatical, a bit of a break because I, you know what, I've
1:48:40
put too much time in this game and having to restart or rebuild
1:48:46
seems to be difficult for me. So that's when I started doing a
1:48:48
little more realistic stuff because I was at the time I was
1:48:52
doing music fully right. I was related on the side like
1:48:57
as I don't think it's a hobby, but like as I was doing it like
1:49:03
as my secondary, secondary thing, right.
1:49:05
So as soon as the COVID thing happened, transition, like, you
1:49:08
know what I'm going to focus on the United States music will
1:49:11
still be there, but you'll be, you know, switching, switching
1:49:14
parties because that one is so, so right now.
1:49:17
Right now, right now, as you, let's say like the primary thing
1:49:20
now. Yes, it is.
1:49:23
And I'm also, we also have a recycling company that we are
1:49:27
plastic recycling. But yeah, really, this is a big
1:49:29
thing. But it's funny Because life,
1:49:31
life is crazy. Because that's why.
1:49:34
Because that's what happened during COVID.
1:49:37
United States blows up, right? If we're a developer, for
1:49:43
example, if everybody like property I bought before COVID,
1:49:45
if anywhere, is where I lived, a place called Weasel Canada.
1:49:49
Affordable prices go up steady, makes a lot of sense.
1:49:54
COVID comes, everything goes up in price.
1:49:56
High rockets, right? I mean, so This is why we
1:49:59
stopped buying and that's the story differently.
1:50:01
But that's why the reason is I I left purchasing property to
1:50:05
developing was I'm like, man, listen, the prices are going up
1:50:08
too much. So back in the day when I was
1:50:11
Canada, for example, I got my first property.
1:50:12
You can buy a property and you can make enough money to pay all
1:50:15
your bills from your rent. I still have little income to
1:50:18
survive. The price was so high that the
1:50:23
rent was, the rent wasn't going up as high as possible going up.
1:50:25
And so now you're buying properties like, OK, yeah,
1:50:27
they're just breaking even or even having to come out of a
1:50:31
little bit to service the bills of the property, you know, And
1:50:35
that's without even thinking about a leaky roof or changing
1:50:37
your funding or whatever, whatever, OK.
1:50:39
This is now much is likely to reduce.
1:50:42
So it's no more exciting anymore.
1:50:44
Exciting, right. Because.
1:50:47
Property. Property Insurance.
1:50:51
That's no, that's that's a different thing.
1:50:52
That's a different career completely, right.
1:50:54
It's still related, technically, but that's a different that's a
1:50:57
different. Thing.
1:50:57
No, no, no. I was saying like property
1:51:00
insurance, but back. In the day, like when I started
1:51:07
in the business, your rent will cover your rent.
1:51:10
My rent was covering everything and I was still my rent.
1:51:12
My first car that I bought brand new, my rent was paid my rent
1:51:17
icon was paying all the all the house bills and pay for my car.
1:51:21
You understand and I'll still have some some chicken change on
1:51:24
top of all that produce peanuts right.
1:51:26
So at the time it's not OK if I have more, if I have two 3-4
1:51:29
properties, I can get enough properties that can pay all my
1:51:32
bills from rent you do, right? That's I guess they're changing
1:51:37
as could be getting closer because probably going up the
1:51:40
value to the point they must for some reason.
1:51:42
You know obviously there was a lot of stimulus a lot of giving
1:51:45
out free money. So what is what is going on
1:51:48
rentals state going up but not the same some level right.
1:51:51
And so and that's why we're still facing our global America,
1:51:54
you guys, you guys in UK, also in America, in Canada, you
1:51:58
understand what I'm saying? What's expensive?
1:52:01
And people are out priced. As you go to me, I saw that
1:52:04
coming because I still need models.
1:52:05
I read a lot of, you know, historical data, stuff like
1:52:08
that. I'm like, OK, but then went into
1:52:10
developing development too. Guess what?
1:52:13
Guess what happened there when you're buying would really buy
1:52:16
maybe to the last two by four, two dollar $2.50 before 9 is
1:52:19
like $4.50, right? So, so now we're reporting
1:52:22
developing to like in Canada where it's like because it will
1:52:26
be so high as well, right. It's almost even higher than the
1:52:30
cost of say when you finish at this point.
1:52:32
Now there's a big disconnect because there's so much backlog
1:52:36
of demand from windows producing anymore, right.
1:52:39
So there was so much demand of and so Canada is we have a
1:52:43
shortage of of property. So we need property because
1:52:47
people are coming from everywhere every day
1:52:49
immigration, right. So we have shortage but it's
1:52:51
also there's also the demand for development property is so, so
1:52:59
much because of the supply that are so high right.
1:53:04
But then we know that all the indicators that people are
1:53:08
struggling to afford properties. So who's going to pay for this
1:53:12
expensive really built properties that we that you
1:53:14
could have for half price three years ago, right.
1:53:17
So it's so nice. So where the workplace Canada
1:53:19
government is doing a lot of things to support developers you
1:53:23
know grant here very you know very cheap payable loans there
1:53:28
were time to tap into but again when you get to these things you
1:53:32
know for seasonally and this and.
1:53:35
These challenges. It's that challenges that come
1:53:39
once every generation, generations, these are not, is
1:53:42
happening constantly. This happen once every 15,
1:53:44
thirty, 40-50 years, right? COVID happens once every hundred
1:53:48
years Pandemic. So those are things that you
1:53:50
can't, you can't plan for, right?
1:53:51
So you know a lot of local as entrepreneur I cannot like
1:53:56
Someone Like You as a career guy like you guys put out doing
1:53:59
things that move to take that you know even the tech guys to
1:54:02
the ones that are not that they stand on their.
1:54:06
I didn't elevate a lot of those freedom that guy that this
1:54:10
Chrome master or whatever they are getting through now now
1:54:13
right. So the world is transitioning,
1:54:15
so we have to just trying. To figure out, you know,
1:54:19
business, business continuity, resilience.
1:54:24
In this generation, this is on learning on the job.
1:54:29
Because I haven't gone through this.
1:54:30
I went through these things last, like World War Two people
1:54:34
put away when there was wars in the.
1:54:39
World. So I'm just trying to navigate.
1:54:42
It's not easy. So you know a lot of challenges
1:54:44
that are coming are very unique, you know, so we are pushing
1:54:48
through. Interest interested, right.
1:54:52
Like I was going to ask you about, you know, you talked
1:54:55
about your time in Canada, right?
1:54:57
Like briefly talk us through like what life was like, you
1:55:02
know, as a Nigerian diaspora, like what was the experience for
1:55:06
you? Like when did you move to
1:55:07
Canada? Like are you back fully Nigeria
1:55:09
and you know or really? I mean Nigeria.
1:55:14
'S life like for you in the Eyesboro?
1:55:17
Are you? I lived in Nigeria.
1:55:19
I lived in, so I'm 13 and I left Nigeria when I was 16 and not to
1:55:23
the US First I went to school in the US and I was Canada after
1:55:26
that. So I've been, I've been in
1:55:28
Canada years. I was there for maybe about 11,
1:55:31
like 12 years, right? But for me, I always kept in
1:55:36
touch with Nigeria. I was always actively like a lot
1:55:41
of my friends that that moved around when they moved.
1:55:43
You know, that family, they don't.
1:55:44
I kept up in a joke every time I knew what was going on here.
1:55:48
I had my bank accounts. I was always trying to do
1:55:49
business in Nigeria. Every time I was, I came back at
1:55:51
least once a year, right? So I was always tied to Nigeria
1:55:55
no matter what. Like I remember I did my N 9
1:56:00
before people in Nigeria and I. Came.
1:56:03
I saw, I thought you you I think you you you go out from Canada
1:56:08
at some point to to go vote in Nigeria as well like I'm like
1:56:12
wow this. Guy.
1:56:13
I've always been that kind of guy, right?
1:56:16
And and going into my experience in America, I just and Canada,
1:56:21
I'm just going to go together right.
1:56:24
Great countries opportunities but for me I never somewhere in
1:56:26
Canada. I'm in Canadian resident now.
1:56:30
Whenever I saw myself as I don't, I don't know if I was a
1:56:32
Canadian. That's just like, that's how I
1:56:35
can see this week. And America had America,
1:56:37
definitely not, because I think Canada at least have residency
1:56:40
there. But America was a student,
1:56:42
right? So you know, Kelly, because you
1:56:44
treated a lot to do, you can't do a lot of things.
1:56:46
I don't buy a house. I could have bought my first
1:56:48
house when I was younger if I was in Canada when I was in
1:56:51
America, But I bought the house as a student when America is
1:56:56
hard to do because you can't, you know, because you can't have
1:56:58
a job for, you can't have a full time job, you can't even work on
1:57:01
campus. There's a lot of rules that you
1:57:02
have to have in America as a student.
1:57:04
So I never felt like I was. I never got to carry away with.
1:57:08
I thought I was an immigrant. Do you understand?
1:57:11
And you make the best of it. But I my true belief is every
1:57:18
night I was every Nigerian. Most, like most Nigerians,
1:57:22
rather live in Nigeria if it was working optimally.
1:57:25
I think if Nigeria was working comparable to some of those
1:57:28
other countries, I think that most Nigerians will not be here.
1:57:30
We have good weather. Canada is so cold in the winter,
1:57:35
so it's just it's different for me.
1:57:36
I just never like my brother. My brother is a little different
1:57:39
from my brother. My brother moved to America and
1:57:40
he kind of my brother. He has been to Nigeria I think
1:57:44
once since he left for like 2 days, my mom's birthday, to
1:57:47
surprise her. He's coming this.
1:57:48
It's coming next week now for the first time like actual
1:57:51
holiday for the first time in like 10 years ice so my
1:57:54
brother's opposite of me so he's like based America very much.
1:57:58
You know all his friends are like white you know he's he's so
1:58:01
he's asked so that people possess it differently.
1:58:04
For me I was the other way around.
1:58:05
I just never embraced America or Canada.
1:58:06
It's the same way as always Nigerian understand all my
1:58:12
friends. Nigerian, Nigerian culture
1:58:15
shocks that, that's affected you?
1:58:20
It's just it seems, it seems to be the ones like it comes and
1:58:23
you the first time you go, people can hear.
1:58:26
I mean, I mean, I really speak very fast anyway, but people
1:58:28
can't understand what you're saying.
1:58:30
Trying to speak for next to them that, you know, it's just some
1:58:33
weird. I remember trying to tell them
1:58:36
my name was Albert because that's my middle name and that's
1:58:38
an English name because the company has very well.
1:58:40
And I ended up, I end up saying, listen, I can't because they'll
1:58:43
call me up and I won't know who they're talking because nobody
1:58:45
calls me my middle name ever. You understand, through like new
1:58:48
workouts for me. So like all those kind of little
1:58:50
things and like, you know, they ask you like a lot more like
1:58:54
genuinely like now, I guess, I guess it's better now if you go
1:58:59
abroad. I guess people are, social media
1:59:00
is more equitable where people can see Africa and they can kind
1:59:04
of have a better feeling about what it what it looks like or
1:59:07
what it feels like. At the time, somebody was just
1:59:10
popping up. It wasn't like, what's this now?
1:59:11
So people are still, like, oblivious, like, oh, did you
1:59:16
swim here? Comedy, like stupid stuff like
1:59:18
that and still like you comedy boots here.
1:59:20
You ever flown before? Like, you know, like it's like
1:59:23
how do you think I'm in school with you?
1:59:24
If I'm like what do you think? Like just little kind of things.
1:59:28
Like I just have a little bit. I think we're we're different
1:59:33
culturally. Like I remember my first
1:59:36
roommates, right? First of all, the guys were very
1:59:38
loud and make noise, just noisy people, right?
1:59:42
So that we should have issues with our but also it's just what
1:59:48
we do with stuff like Nigerians. You want to go to, you want to
1:59:51
go for, you know you do you do a baby party, invite people maybe
1:59:55
now you go do the food. You know, if I put out like
2:00:00
white people, then in my experience they're very like.
2:00:05
You know, like you think about the right place in and the money
2:00:07
of Ruba is like $10.15 will tell you that.
2:00:10
OK, you send me my $5.07 of this to give me another.
2:00:21
Splitting. Splitting wheels?
2:00:24
A few pounds today, a few pounds tomorrow, A few pounds next
2:00:27
week. Who cares?
2:00:28
But then they're like with them. They're about to piss me like 5
2:00:35
dollars, $7.00 so that I can see that you said that I can we can
2:00:38
pay and it's very and it's like they don't, they don't round up
2:00:41
and down. In my experience, you pay that
2:00:46
money to the parents is exactly the way I'm just like this now.
2:00:52
That's not if I have someone like me that grew up with so
2:00:55
many people around me in my house sleeping with in the same
2:00:58
room like 5 to 4 different people.
2:01:00
Because we're just very community in Africa here and
2:01:03
especially the home from communal.
2:01:04
So that's what they're like. I'm used to being communal.
2:01:07
We don't want our friends to be around, we want everybody.
2:01:09
If you can afford it, take care of everybody.
2:01:11
If you can afford it, whatever. And the person, 'cause each to
2:01:17
each, to each style of living, you know at least.
2:01:20
Because Nigerians, sometimes you get carried away with thinking
2:01:22
of people that it affects us personally and we can't afford
2:01:24
it. That's why.
2:01:24
That's why we like to have big weddings and we can't even.
2:01:26
We can't afford this, OK? I want to.
2:01:30
So they actually are pros and cons, you know?
2:01:32
But overall I I prefer that. And that's part of those are the
2:01:35
kind of things that for me, I'm based in Nigeria because it's
2:01:39
just culturally here. It's just I, I, I I understand.
2:01:41
I embrace and relate to that more than you know, been abroad.
2:01:49
I have a lot of hope in Nigeria, very patriotic, which I don't
2:01:53
know why I. Love that.
2:01:54
I love that. I love.
2:01:55
That. It will get better.
2:02:01
It will get better over time. As a black.
2:02:06
Entrepreneur, right? Like what are your thoughts on
2:02:08
like black ownership? You know, taking over black
2:02:11
power in business. What do you think Blacklist
2:02:14
should do? You know to to incorporate, you
2:02:17
know more in business, right. So what, what should they do to
2:02:21
to to get better and, you know, to become more successful in
2:02:25
business? To me.
2:02:27
So I look at that somebody recently, yes, we're Nigerian.
2:02:33
Yes, I'm Yoruba. Yes, America.
2:02:35
And if you're black or more and and this and this, that's one
2:02:39
thing that part of the culture. So that's one thing that you
2:02:40
learn, I think, pretty quickly abroad.
2:02:46
Black, nasty, black, African or not.
2:02:48
Obviously something might say Africans are educated and they
2:02:51
look, they act differently from the black people in America or
2:02:54
whatever. But ultimately you're black,
2:02:57
you're black or anything. And I feel like black.
2:02:59
We need to embrace our skin colour collectively a lot more,
2:03:03
right? For this, unless I was going to
2:03:07
like. I was talking about the music
2:03:08
and the music and cultural exchange and I was like talking
2:03:11
about how, like, I feel like we need to do, like we have more in
2:03:19
common as black people globally. And and only this is going to go
2:03:22
to Instagram and see like somebody talking about her in
2:03:24
Jamaica, you know, they're eating food and their mother
2:03:27
slaps them when they're praying. Like we're all the same, you
2:03:29
know? That's what I'm saying.
2:03:30
And it's blackboard the same. Like we have the same similar
2:03:31
cultures and it's just I feel like if we're communicating with
2:03:35
each other more we have more common ground.
2:03:39
That common ground is what we need to be able to elevate.
2:03:43
I'm very big on good economics right.
2:03:46
You talk about, you know I'm sure UK is very similar to
2:03:49
America and Canada. The back level doesn't Security
2:03:51
in the back community more than one time don't even want to.
2:03:53
I think it's 0.6 times before it goes out to other communities
2:03:57
like Jews maybe. I think that is like. 8.
2:04:02
Unlike the cheese, right? I read that book The Jewish
2:04:04
Phenomenon, like it's really the like details how you know to
2:04:08
choose, you know, vintage generation of wealth.
2:04:11
So Bobby, we always, always quick to embrace something.
2:04:14
I think, I feel like it's the same issue that we have, the
2:04:17
same issue that we have with Nigerians talking about black
2:04:19
American people or black British people.
2:04:22
The same thing that you see that even within evil people you say
2:04:25
that you really from this village and that village the
2:04:29
same, be sure to reach each other that we have and lack of
2:04:33
understanding of each other that we have that is plaguing us at
2:04:35
every level of our our groups. Even when you have a group chat
2:04:40
on WhatsApp with Nigerians, with 10 people, 15 people, sometimes
2:04:45
we can't come together and I don't want it and that's it.
2:04:48
Because I feel like that's our biggest issue.
2:04:50
Everything is for me hinges on us just being open to.
2:04:56
I was always happy We must not have the same ideas.
2:04:58
We can just understand that we have the same skin colour and if
2:05:03
we are busy enough and collaborate enough we can build
2:05:07
on that collaboration and everything that.
2:05:09
For me, everything else is on the back of that, just us
2:05:12
collaborating, the same thing like when I was abroad, you
2:05:15
know, I, I, I fought hard for Africans to be together, you
2:05:17
know, because you live, you live in UK, so you know what I'm
2:05:20
saying? You got abroad.
2:05:21
They are doing your accounting. You know, you may not have a
2:05:27
group of accountants and Nigerian that you guys can be
2:05:30
together and will help and say, OK, we're going to go to schools
2:05:34
and find all the Nigerian children and teach and show them
2:05:37
how they can become accountants. These are things that other
2:05:39
communities are doing for their people.
2:05:41
There's all these little groups and they're actively, completely
2:05:44
involved trying to develop the next generation of people.
2:05:46
You know, having friends that are Arab, you know, in Canada.
2:05:50
I want to buy a house my my Arab.
2:05:53
As I'm talking to me, I do. Do you need the do you need the
2:05:58
you know a mortgage I'll say yes or how have my friend at the
2:06:02
bank that can approve you. You know that just go talk to my
2:06:04
Google As for this person. And that person is Arab, right.
2:06:07
And you know I want to change oh I want to send money to Nigeria.
2:06:10
I want to change my dollars from Caribbean to US.
2:06:12
So I have a have a friend that changes money here go to his own
2:06:15
tell him I sent you. They have that very
2:06:17
collaborative, you know, if you have one Arab friend, something
2:06:22
with Asians, everything you need, they can give it to you in
2:06:25
the community. Mention my.
2:06:28
Name here, measure my name there.
2:06:29
And I feel like we don't have that as black people, as
2:06:34
Nigerians, as Africans. We have them small, maybe the
2:06:37
church. They go to them.
2:06:39
Yeah, in small pockets. Small pockets like maybe if you
2:06:43
are doctors you knew or or you know I do.
2:06:47
I do community wanting wanting this.
2:06:51
There's there's a little more fighting than collaboration but
2:06:53
at least they have. But we don't have it
2:06:54
collectively where it's like, OK, I see OK, how do you how do
2:07:01
you. I'm more comfortable having
2:07:03
better shots. You know, like I I think job
2:07:05
interviews and like the Ricotta is an Arabic guy and Malaysia or
2:07:10
Arab person for the recruiting line, they they start speaking
2:07:12
English. They're speaking, they're like,
2:07:15
OK, the guys like you, this is like we did see my card, see my
2:07:18
extension. When you play with your call me
2:07:21
and you've applied, these are things that I'm seeing that
2:07:24
happening on the job interview line with Nigeria, Nigeria
2:07:28
interview and you did here, they will make it up for you, they
2:07:34
will make it up for you. It's crazy.
2:07:38
It's crazy but. Then I think in the UK for
2:07:41
example, we're taking some steps in the right direction, right?
2:07:46
We have some network code. Is it the ACN African and
2:07:50
Caribbean network? You know, at least you.
2:07:52
Know they're like in different places then workplace schools
2:07:56
and then you know you have the Africans and Caribbeans you know
2:07:59
collaborating to do you know good stuff.
2:08:01
You know it takes a step in general 1000 miles you know
2:08:04
begins with a step and you know I see that as a step in the
2:08:07
right direction. So let's let's.
2:08:09
Go you guys must lead the way because I think.
2:08:12
Definitely. The British, Just the the UK
2:08:15
British diaspora is a lot more history.
2:08:21
History is better. You guys have like Caribbeans,
2:08:25
Africans, you guys have more integrated into the culture than
2:08:28
Africans in America or Africans in Canada.
2:08:31
This is so I hear, so I hear right about this very
2:08:34
experience. America, you know friends like.
2:08:38
Like I don't hear things about like most Buddha and consider
2:08:41
black British. You can treat the African
2:08:44
Caribbean roots directly to Africa, right?
2:08:48
Yes, in. America has been weird ways,
2:08:50
like there is they come from the slaves, these ones that come
2:08:55
that are Nigerian like me that were born abroad but a Nigerian
2:08:58
and there's one that come like me at 1617 for university and
2:09:01
we're all like different. Well, I.
2:09:05
Think you guys, you can have a lot more synergy.
2:09:09
Exactly. So you guys have to be and then
2:09:12
this will take a blueprint. We will do that.
2:09:16
We will do that. So what are your your, your
2:09:21
hobbies, your interests? You know and you know the the
2:09:25
competences that you have, but then the world is here to see in
2:09:30
in in a nutshell. Interesting.
2:09:32
I think you know my I'm a big guy.
2:09:35
I'm a big sports fan, so I have a lot of sports.
2:09:39
So it has a sports like would you say everybody is you're the
2:09:43
one sport? I hate, I hate to say.
2:09:47
It because we we we connected a true enemy and it's very.
2:09:51
You know what? You know what is my own #1
2:09:54
sport? I can't.
2:09:55
Think of like football is so close to my heart, I can't
2:09:59
accept. That.
2:10:00
Anybody can pass football. I just can't accept it.
2:10:03
We just. Have to accept it.
2:10:06
You need to accept it at no peace I have accepted.
2:10:09
It truly, truly, truly, truly, I'm like when I'm watching
2:10:13
those, I don't feel like, I feel like at that time like I
2:10:16
followed them religiously. I follow like and even in
2:10:19
Nigeria where like those American sports are like late in
2:10:23
the night like bro and they feel just like enemies, like on
2:10:28
Monday night watching Monday Night Football.
2:10:29
America, NFL and come up like so I'm gonna be, oh Jesus Christ,
2:10:37
so big fun of sports. I love politics, business.
2:10:42
So as soon as I say I love business, I'm not not doing, I'm
2:10:46
not just doing business. I mean talking about business.
2:10:49
Like when I even think that even talking about loving sports,
2:10:51
part of my love for sports is loving this course business
2:10:56
itself. Like I'm always looking up
2:10:58
looking up player contracts, see how long the sign which one is
2:11:01
guaranteed, money or not. Guarantee.
2:11:03
Like I'm actively taking the business.
2:11:05
OK, I did this amount of money so they can do this like I'm
2:11:09
always thinking about and it's like sometimes when I talk to my
2:11:12
like my in my group chat like boy like bro like why you know
2:11:17
spending your money as I spent like as I both can have it for
2:11:23
65,000,000. Why?
2:11:25
Why can't you Why can't why didn't why didn't you Wait just
2:11:29
this guy is a Chelsea player. Chelsea needs money.
2:11:32
Nobody's chasing this guy. Why are you rushing to buy him
2:11:35
Just from a purely economic standpoint like negotiation.
2:11:38
Why are you rushing to buy? Why can't you wait for one
2:11:41
moment when they're more desperate and they're probably
2:11:43
selling for less. Like he's like bro, why you
2:11:45
care. Like if he's a good player, a
2:11:47
good player like no opportunity because of the money can go to
2:11:49
you know you can have bought it for this amount and that person
2:11:53
so that. So just having discussions about
2:11:57
the business of things that happen, sports, politics, you
2:12:04
know, entertainment just is a big hobby for me.
2:12:06
I spend a lot of time just random number crunching of just
2:12:10
random things, right? I love to.
2:12:13
I love to read, listen to music. Obviously I love to travel.
2:12:19
That's part of the way you talk about being travel.
2:12:21
I used to travel. I used to travel by Rd.
2:12:24
Wow, I like to grow trip like Nigerian states.
2:12:28
I've travelled all the way to Ivory Coast, Beirut.
2:12:30
I want to do like West Africa, Beirut, but at some point.
2:12:36
Are you, are you like, interested in like, historical
2:12:37
and geographical monuments, whatever you?
2:12:40
Big. I mean big.
2:12:41
I mean, I go to all the museums I can, all the like, all the big
2:12:47
historical places, like landmarks.
2:12:50
Because my movies, I'm always in my temperature.
2:12:52
You see me in some historical places I've been explore culture
2:12:58
explore history figures white someone like me lies in Nigeria
2:13:05
are different like what made those difference what's how do
2:13:08
you how do how do they do their things here?
2:13:10
That's how. How does the history how does
2:13:12
the history tie to that culture. Because that's the way the
2:13:14
culture is. The reason why I became like
2:13:16
that is the history behind it. So how do we how do we.
2:13:19
Being from Nigeria, Being from Bennett the same people before
2:13:23
was only draw one day and now we had cultural change.
2:13:26
How did the history change that culture?
2:13:28
Like seeing that I went to Ghana, I saw the coast.
2:13:32
Please put those things in perspective, like seeing how
2:13:36
some of those people lived, you know, see where they put them
2:13:38
when they were stubborn, like those things interesting.
2:13:43
It's something I wasn't highly interested in as well, you know,
2:13:47
history, geography, like yeah, come on, come on.
2:13:54
Interest, right. And then second back to MMB,
2:13:56
right. I think in the world, in the
2:13:57
world of M&B, like in the global space for Nigerians, I think in
2:14:03
terms of. Knowledgeable.
2:14:05
Nigerians, you know, I think I'll put myself and yourself and
2:14:08
this is being conservative. In the top. 20 Most
2:14:11
knowledgeable Nigeria, Top 20 There's some strong people I
2:14:21
think yeah talk to top 20 come on myself, yourself.
2:14:26
Jabil Jabil Amir of African Fighters maybe for a book as
2:14:30
well. Like I think easily we we sneak
2:14:33
into that top 30 we got. The.
2:14:35
Guys. The guys that do that, No, no,
2:14:40
no, not them. There's a lot of young to love.
2:14:44
Them as well. And then the 4th enemy as well,
2:14:49
so. Exactly.
2:14:52
Think Yeah, I think. I think at least if we did not
2:14:55
make Forbes 30 or not 30, we make. 30.
2:15:02
But, you know, we should be the gatekeepers of this industry in.
2:15:09
Nigeria. That's.
2:15:14
Why? Like when I speak to Farooq and
2:15:18
about about I feel a bit, I feel a bit like you're not listening.
2:15:26
And even like they're, I don't think that they have any passion
2:15:30
for the sport itself. I think they just want to run
2:15:32
the business, which I want to get into that today, but they
2:15:36
need to have more people in those in those rooms trying.
2:15:42
To. Yeah.
2:15:45
And and and there are many other, there's a little, there's
2:15:47
like 3 or 4 hours. I've seen promotions you all
2:15:49
need to have in Nigeria. In Nigeria, yeah, But yeah.
2:15:55
But then I see our primary plan is actually like heavily
2:15:58
invested in the AKO show. I think again this and this one
2:16:06
is under. I think that he is a I think
2:16:10
what happened was I did so the DDK issue, that's the actual
2:16:13
show itself. Remember it was a show like like
2:16:16
tough right? I think it's like they will have
2:16:20
success with that format as a stand alone format.
2:16:24
So then they went to smile and say, hey, listen how before you
2:16:27
stick and offer you a chunk of money,
2:16:57
Nigeria, understand the sport. And that's what I'm saying.
2:17:09
What they have is people. They have money, dads.
2:17:12
See, Osman is champion, so let's get into, let's get into it to
2:17:16
endorse and Usman, listen, it doesn't live in Nigeria.
2:17:21
He and he understood. He embraces the fact that the
2:17:25
idea that he thinks he had knowledge, that's good enough
2:17:29
for him. These people know what they're
2:17:31
doing. They're going to pay me more.
2:17:32
They're going to pay me more. They're going to give me a
2:17:34
mistake in the company. I'll endorse it.
2:17:35
I'll try to come to Nigeria once again twice a year, meet the
2:17:37
fighters. That's all you can do.
2:17:40
He doesn't need to do more than what he's doing.
2:17:43
But he can't run. He can't run into the operations
2:17:45
of that business. That's exactly those guys
2:17:48
themselves. They're probably very good
2:17:50
business people, good businessmen, good business.
2:17:51
But in terms of the sports and the business of MMA, I don't
2:17:54
think that they. I don't think they, I don't
2:17:59
think they know what they're doing per Southeast, right.
2:18:02
It doesn't mean like it can still work as a feeder league
2:18:04
even even without them. You know, I just think that
2:18:07
because think about enemy again, tongue is very is good for me
2:18:12
because you're a business guy, so you understand.
2:18:16
Why? Why?
2:18:17
Why? The perspective, right?
2:18:23
Exactly. Like think about globally making
2:18:28
money doing MMA as a business. Is the UFC the benefit of the
2:18:33
money for the time? I don't know.
2:18:34
I think by the time they go through, we don't make any money
2:18:37
anymore. I don't make any profit.
2:18:41
We're not profitable anymore. CPFL is clearly like said there
2:18:48
is like 5, four, $500 million right?
2:18:50
And they are solution like four times have checked their blood
2:18:53
through their money quickly, right do more resist and get
2:18:58
more investors and get more venture capital and I think
2:19:01
they're buying benefits is going to save their business, right.
2:19:07
But they're not making money making a profit currently,
2:19:10
right? I saw the last show that they
2:19:12
did the paper view with all the titles.
2:19:16
The venue was. Most of the tickets were blocked
2:19:19
out. They only had I think two or
2:19:21
three seconds that we opened $1000 thousand dollars something
2:19:26
crazy amount of money, right? So they're kind of not making
2:19:28
any money. I know that they're not making
2:19:29
much money, right. So if if people in America with
2:19:33
all these with backing but Italian school America has the
2:19:38
astronomy to compete in America with UFC, I was struggling to
2:19:42
even be profitable as a business.
2:19:44
So why do you think? To be fair, I think the ones in
2:19:46
you like those Octagon enemy or those ones in Poland kids, I
2:19:51
think those ones are probably doing well because you know
2:19:53
what, because they have a regional.
2:19:56
A secure basically even even even in the UK as well they have
2:20:01
is the, what you call it, the kid warriors.
2:20:03
Or something. Kid warriors.
2:20:05
Yeah. So I think this one is
2:20:06
sustainable because they're they've tied their destiny to
2:20:09
GFC and they're like, listen, no, we can run them around.
2:20:14
They can break and break and bring their own local farm bases
2:20:17
and grow and just do and can do enough here with the Salisbury,
2:20:20
the salary structure and everything to be sustainable.
2:20:23
That's the modern journey needs to do.
2:20:24
But the reason it's not working is because we don't have the
2:20:29
amateur background of enemy here.
2:20:31
You understand those guys have talent.
2:20:34
These guys are training at the gym.
2:20:35
Jujitsu, 546 years old talent, you know, that's what I'm
2:20:41
saying. Yeah, The first for me, Nigeria
2:20:43
is developing talent. You can't start.
2:20:45
You can just put the promotion there and say OK you boxer.
2:20:47
I come and try them in and that's how yesterday two books,
2:20:50
it took them time to get to that point where it's like, OK, you
2:20:53
both come and box and and I think about it, a lot of those
2:20:58
guys, boxers and again, I'm I'm in the trenches with these
2:21:00
boxers, so I know what, you know what it is.
2:21:04
So those guys, I'm sure they're like, listen, they're boxing for
2:21:07
5-10 years because they're five years old because that's their
2:21:09
dream. And even boxing as as deep as
2:21:12
boxes in Nigeria, boxing doesn't make a lot of money too.
2:21:14
Some guys, some promotions are doing OK, right?
2:21:17
And they find where to get those guys, like America, whatever,
2:21:24
right? With all the amateur pedigrees
2:21:26
here, right? But MMA, they're just telling
2:21:28
guys that are maybe that that's kickboxing or doing karate that
2:21:32
and it's fine. But then to me, the first thing
2:21:35
should be awareness. OK, all you guys are the boxers,
2:21:37
kickboxers, Taekwondo guys, judo guys, come together.
2:21:45
You're not going to make money fighting to do.
2:21:47
You're not going to make money. It's not likely to make money.
2:21:51
Even boxing, boxing is going to make money for key boxing.
2:21:54
Nobody watching those things globally, you understand the one
2:21:58
that you have a chance to get to the top faster.
2:22:02
Enemy 5345675 UFC was called to sign you.
2:22:07
You go to PFL and do tournaments, so you know it's
2:22:09
1,000,000, you understand. So combat sports guys in Nigeria
2:22:15
need to 1st understand how more the top prospects go to the
2:22:19
Olympics for boxing, Taekwondo, all these things right?
2:22:24
You start looking at me. Let them just understand that
2:22:27
MMA is the place where they can still live out their dreams of
2:22:30
fighting and earning money right now.
2:22:33
I'm starting now before the promotion comes and that's what
2:22:41
I think that those Nigerian promoters are missing.
2:22:49
It's it's really crazy right? But then don't worry I'm going
2:22:53
to manifest something now right. So at some point you know it did
2:22:57
not too distant future we will be having Israel at the soya on
2:23:01
the on this podcast, we'll be having a cameras one of the
2:23:04
podcasts as well right as well currently talking with oh I see
2:23:12
you're currently on mute. So what we have these guys on
2:23:19
the pod I have these discussions with them and hopefully it will
2:23:24
be not to deserve future as well.
2:23:26
I'll have Uncle Dana, Dana Wise on the podcast.
2:23:33
Then I need to bring the listing here, bring the.
2:23:37
USC it depends on. Nigeria to Nigeria.
2:23:40
Yes, exactly. Because there's a tonne of
2:23:43
talent in Nigeria and you know it's going to change the
2:23:45
landscape. Think about what Easy and
2:23:48
Camaro's man have done, you know, in the UFC.
2:23:50
Think about We have just very few Nigerians at the UFC and
2:23:52
then they really don't work for themselves.
2:23:55
Also, Kennedy is a Chuku super Sadiq.
2:23:57
Who? Who else?
2:24:00
Who else do we have currently? Chidi.
2:24:06
Doesn't really come in Nigeria, but we have.
2:24:08
We have Hakim, Daudu. He doesn't really keep Nigeria.
2:24:10
We have him here. Yeah, the very few Nigerians in
2:24:17
the UFC had trained great. You know, they are above average
2:24:20
at, you know, imagine the Italian pool that is way back
2:24:25
home. They're going to do a lot of
2:24:30
great stuff. OK, So what advice do you have
2:24:33
for young up and coming people? You know people who are getting
2:24:39
into Korea who are getting into business?
2:24:43
You know young people, you know the the forthcoming 30s, under
2:24:47
30s, like what? What advice do you have for
2:24:49
them? Try to find trying to find what
2:24:53
you like to do and figure out what career become beautiful
2:24:57
that whatever you like to do. Find a way you can build because
2:25:01
I feel like what is going now it's tough for you to do what
2:25:13
you don't like doing. I think and I'm back in the
2:25:17
details was a good trade off because we're getting paid a big
2:25:20
load of money from this. They would you know have a job
2:25:23
working 95. I don't like my job but but now
2:25:29
he loved love career transitioning going on globally
2:25:31
and and the world is shifting so this is and and the world is
2:25:36
more open more open than ever. So I think right now you have a
2:25:40
chance to find your passion and figure out how that person can
2:25:45
make you make a make a career making money and just go to that
2:25:49
and that's the consistency. Nothing I know is I know a lot
2:25:52
of our generation and people after us.
2:25:54
They are very committee entitled.
2:25:59
Millennials. And Genesis?
2:26:06
Nobody can give you anything and get what you get, what you work
2:26:13
hard for to obviously you know you want to be treated nice and
2:26:19
whatever you want to be treated nice at your job, what there has
2:26:23
to be, You have to do the things you need to do.
2:26:27
If you have a job that is minimum wage, there is a city
2:26:31
job just going to build your dreams.
2:26:32
That's OK Just give us every timeline and a goal, OK?
2:26:34
I will do this job for three, 4-5 years and invest the money
2:26:37
if I'm getting into this and stick with that plan.
2:26:39
It's not easy. It's not easy to stick something
2:26:42
with the plan and follow through and not buy the good.
2:26:45
Everybody's buying stuff. But we have to do it because he
2:26:49
will tell you simply that. So just try to, because you
2:26:53
know, find what you like, chase it with all your heart and be
2:26:55
consistent with this. And that's what I can tell you
2:26:58
so. So, keywords from from your your
2:27:01
pieces of advice, right? Passion.
2:27:04
You know, hard work. Consistency, dedication.
2:27:09
That's the biggest. That's the biggest because it's
2:27:12
really difficult to be consistent.
2:27:13
So that's what you have to do. Interesting.
2:27:18
So, so before we let you go, right, you know, we have a
2:27:20
tradition on the port, right. So we're in the previous guests,
2:27:24
you know leaves a question for the current guest and the
2:27:27
current guest gives, you know a question for the next guest.
2:27:32
But interestingly, you know we had a double special in the
2:27:36
previous episode. So we had two Co founders, 2 Co
2:27:40
founders of the Augment Business School job questions for you
2:27:46
Myra. So do you want to know what the
2:27:48
questions are? Jobs for you are OK.
2:27:52
The number one question is what are you most proud of?
2:27:58
Woodman was part of. Yes.
2:28:01
I was proud of. That's a good question.
2:28:07
You know what I'll say? I'll say my first degree because
2:28:10
it took me, it took me a while to get that degree.
2:28:13
So I got the finalism as that's what I'm most proud of, I think
2:28:18
just because of how long the journey was to get a degree.
2:28:23
That's what I was doing. Interest Interested.
2:28:26
So so. The the, the bigger the pain,
2:28:29
the bigger the gain or the longer the the story, The the
2:28:33
the bigger the glory. Is that it for you?
2:28:40
But the tough was, yeah, the. Tough right?
2:28:45
OK, interesting. So the second question left by I
2:28:50
think this must have been led by two.
2:28:52
So the first one is worth, led by Roy, second by Joe, he says,
2:28:57
what's that thing you would you would be doing if you weren't
2:29:01
doing what you are currently doing now?
2:29:03
Like what's like the second best thing you would, you know, have
2:29:06
been doing with your life if you're not doing what you're
2:29:08
currently doing? You know what I feel like?
2:29:20
I think if I go back to that I can have been a fighter.
2:29:31
Maybe boxing? I feel like if I started.
2:29:41
Interested. Interested.
2:29:46
So finally, what question would? You like to leave for the next
2:29:48
guest to. Answer when you speak to them
2:30:00
and I, and I hope I can I watch this.
2:30:02
I can. I will get the answer.
2:30:04
What did he? Everything.
2:30:07
The world is headed. The world is heading.
2:30:13
Wow, wow. If you want to see that in
2:30:17
Europe. Do you speak Yoruba?
2:30:18
Not not the way you enjoy it. I sound like an evil.
2:30:21
Person. That would actually start, you
2:30:26
know, interesting. Let.
2:30:32
Me see, Let me see. There are different.
2:30:43
Ways. There are different ways to you
2:30:45
know there are different ways. To put it.
2:30:47
Actually, so you can say Ebola and lobby, right?
2:30:51
That is so. But also you could also say
2:30:55
Ebony I am Dorico because hedging Ori is head he gets like
2:31:00
sometimes you're about there like different ways to see one
2:31:02
exact thing. So people lie into Rico.
2:31:07
Yeah, but just yeah, like, what do you think politically,
2:31:10
economically, like what is it like?
2:31:12
What do they think the prospects of the world are in the next,
2:31:15
like, five years? In the next five years.
2:31:18
OK, OK, interesting, interesting.
2:31:23
So that that interview will take place much later today, and I'll
2:31:27
send you a clips. Of who's?
2:31:28
Who's the guest? Who's the person?
2:31:32
Not to keep much away. He's a musician.
2:31:37
It's just you know. I'm not gonna put that because
2:31:40
the guy didn't come from that kind of intellectual
2:31:42
conversation, but he. Was explaining and I'll be there
2:31:44
OK. Anyways, he's an intellectual as
2:31:46
well. Like he he has a yeah.
2:31:52
OK, OK. Interested.
2:31:54
Interested. So basically it's all it's all
2:31:56
about. Sharing the stories of ordinary
2:31:58
people doing extraordinary things with the with the focus,
2:32:02
with the aim of inspiring people, especially the up and
2:32:05
coming people. You know, we want to be the
2:32:07
reason why people do not lose hope.
2:32:09
We want to be the reason why people have faith in themselves,
2:32:13
you know, because we are giving back to the society to inspire
2:32:17
the up and coming people. So thank you very much for your
2:32:20
time. Maya Balogun, It's.
2:32:22
Been a long, interested, fantastic episode.
2:32:27
You know for a man of your of your nature and stature to give
2:32:32
us, you know this long hours of your time.
2:32:35
It is, it is very much a light to show, to express a lot of
2:32:41
gratitude. So we appreciate you.
2:32:43
It's my. Pleasure.
2:32:45
Thank you.