Their faces are amongst the most popular faces in the whole of Africa when it comes to entertainment and they have been there, seen things and done that; from starting up a music TV show, producing the best crop of musicians, building a music empire to winning the first ever MTV Award ever won by a Nigeria, Kenny ‘KK’ Ogungbe and Dayo ‘D1’ Adeneye are no doubt Entertainment Czars in the Nigeria. For their achievements in starting a revolution in the Nigerian music scene, they received the Entertainment Icons Awards in the National Daily Awards. D1 in this chat with AHAOMA KANU goes way back to when they played the first jam.
Congratulations on the award given to you by the National Daily; you have received numerous awards both locally and internationally and I would want to know how you feel when you get some of these recognitions?
We thank God; the recognitions come both on a personal level and on company level and we thank God that not just Nigerians but Africans and blacks in Diaspora have embraced our vision , our goals and aspirations; they have understood what we set out to do and they have supported us and encourage us with these awards. We have won virtually just about every award there is to win in this country called Nigeria and have also done so outside this country with the MTV, Channel O, KORA, MOBO and we thank God. We also see it as a way for our colleagues and peers to say Thank you for what you are doing and continue doing what you are doing it.
Going back then in the year 1999 and the first day you came on air with Primetime Entertainment, when you guys started was it in your agenda to stir up a revolution in the Nigeria music scene like we have seen you do?
We wanted to do something different to be honest with you but how far and how big it would go we never really knew. We felt that there should be something better than what we had; 150 million Nigeria and our culture and music is not been promoted or exported. Now if you look at Jamaica of about 3 million people, Reggae that is their music is being exported and also the Rasta culture and Patua language is being exported to every part of the world.
Looking back at what you guys achieved and so many that have tried and did not really make it there, I want to know the kind of model you employed?
To be honest, we did not sit down and draw a plan; we only put in a 110 per cent and I believe that is what might have changed a whole lot of things and most people who go into this kind of business go in there because of the money and they want to be famous and drive the Hummers; they don’t have the passion and commitment to it.
Twelve years down the line you are not doing badly; you have driven the Hummers, gone to the Grammys, talked to the Celebs and all that but among all these feats, which two will you say stands out?
I will say when we won our first MTV in Portugal because it really came at a time that Nigeria was not been portrayed in good light; everything you heard on international news was always negative. It made us feel very proud when it was announced, “and the winner is…From Nigeria…” something positive for a change, heard all over the world. It made me proud and made me tingle all over and I still have that feeling that I will never forget again. The second one is when I met Michael Jackson and Nelson Mandela; thank God that this our job takes us round and has taken us around the world and we have met celebrities and super stars but when you meet living legends like Nelson Mandela and the late Michael Jackson.
That’s great because I think we will pause here so you can tell me how it feels meeting Wacko Jacko in person.
It is really overwhelming and it makes you appreciates God’s work that this is a human being that God anointed and appointed to affect humanity. When you see the embodiment of what this man has done and short of Jesus Christ and maybe Muhammed Ali, Michael Jackson was the most popular person in the world then. I did not have the chance to interview him but we spoke to him for about a minute and he was nice.
How did you receive the news of his death?
I must tell you, I was not surprised! I was shocked but not surprised because when you take a cursory look at most super stars, they don’t live to a ripe old age; they do come, live, blaze hearts and go. I was not surprised and I never pictured a Michael Jackson at 75-80 years, No. The world will continue missing him but his works will ever live.
One part of entertainment that we don’t have in Nigeria is event centers, is Primetime Entertainment thinking towards that direction having been to many international events.
One constraint any business has is capital. That is why it keeps coming back to government support. If you go to developed countries, you will see a Coca Cola Dome, a Staples centre, an Emirates Stadium. These are achieved because government gives a tax break for these companies to invest in the business of entertainment. In an environment like ours where those things are not obtainable how can we realize it? Which bank will I go to get a loan to do that and it is not as if we don’t need these facilities, we need it; there is no need for an MTV Awards to be held at the Velodrome in Abuja; it was not built for concerts, it was built for sports; we don’t have to hold awards at international conference centre; it was not built for that. But people have money to do this but they don’t have to invest in entertainment.
When will Kennis Music get Nigeria a Grammy?
To be honest, it is time that Africans and Nigerians stop looking toward the Grammy as the stamp of the ultimate; the Grammys was made for the American music industry; the nominees go through the process of the American music industry and you are nominated based on the air play you get across radio stations in America; that is how Grammy nominees are nominated. The others are nominated through the Academy of the Music Industry in America. Due to pressure they created other categories. We should stop looking towards the Grammy. It is like asking when Jay Z will win a CORA. It is good that we participate but it should not keep looking at the Grammy.
I was watching my TV and I see this song, Calabar Girl done by Eedris Abdukarim featuring Kenny Ogungbe and I start asking when you will pick up the mic?
To do what? No I can’t sing; I and Kenny differ a lot. I am a more reserved guy.
To whom would you dedicate the award to?
Besides God, I will say our staff, our families and the people at National Daily for deeming us fit for this honour and also to our fans. We will not relent and will continue doing our country proud.
