June 21, (THEWILL) – In celebration of Father’s Day today, THEWILL takes a look at prominent Nigerians whose children are actively involved in the entertainment industry
Afe Babalola
Unknown to many, Afe Babalola SAN, the renowned legal luminary and founder of Afe Babalola University is the father of Bolanle Austen-Peters. A trained lawyer like her father, she actually had a stint in law in her father’s law firm, the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights in Switzerland, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and the United Nations Development Programme. She would eventually veer off course to embrace the world of entertainment as a movie director whose movie and theatre company, BAP Productions, has produced musicals, including: Saro The Musical, Wakaa The Musical, Moremi The Musical, Fela and the Kalakuta Queens, The Oluronbi Musical and most recently, Death and The King’s Horseman. It has also produced films, including 93 Days, Bling Lagosians, Collision Course, and Man of God.
Bolanle is also the founder and Managing Director of Terra Kulture, the foremost Nigerian Art and Culture centre located in Lagos via which she partners with Google Arts and Culture Institute to create an online museum.
Adebayo Salami
Veteran actor, Adebayo Salami, professionally known as Oga Bello, is not only a talented thespian but he also has groomed his children in the act of movie making too. The film maker started his acting career in 1964 with a group called the Young Concert Party under the leadership of Ojo Ladipo. The group later changed its name to Awada Kerikeri Theatre Group. After the demise of the group leader, Adebayo took over the mantle of leadership which later brought him into limelight.
Four of Salami’s sons have already pitched their tents in the make believe world and are forces to reckon with when it comes to acting, producing and directing. There is Femi Adebayo, the most successful among his children who is also an actor. A property lawyer, most blockbuster movies in the Yoruba movie genre are usually not complete without Femi appearing in the movie. There is Sadiq Adebayo. A location manager, he however appears on screen once in a while. A graduate of Geology and Mineral Science from the University of Ilorin, Sadiq is the boss of Blackman Entertainment. Then there is Tope Adebayo, a graduate of Computer Science from the University of Ilorin. He fell in love with acting after watching his father on the screen. He is fast becoming a favourite of movie producers. And finally, there is Ridwan Adebayo who plies his trade in Nollywood as both a video editor and an actor. He also handles almost all the post production works of his family.
Taiwo Afolabi
Taiwo Afolabi sits at the helm of an investment conglomerate that has stakes in maritime, aviation, haulage, hospitality and financial services, as well as oil and gas. He has built the SIFAX Group of companies into a force to reckon with in the business world. Despite his vast business empire, his son, Damilola, otherwise known as L.A.X, isn’t keen on joining his father to run things. He is more interested in making music. The younger Afolabi fell in love with music after visiting a studio with his friends. After Ayo Balogun, professionally known as Wizkid left Empire Music, the first recording artist he signed to his Starboy Entertainment record label was L.A.X in 2013. The duo produced a hit single, Gingah, which was the first and only song they produced together before parting ways. Unlike his father who has made a success out of every business he touches, L.A.X’s music career has not been so rosy in Nigeria, but he has a huge fan base in London and Canada.
Adedeji Adeleke
Dr Adedeji Adeleke, the president of Adeleke University and the Chief Executive Officer of Pacific Holding Limited is father to one of the most popular music acts in Africa, David otherwise known as Davido. Like most typical Nigerian fathers, Adeleke senior was not in support of his son towing the music path, not after working hard to leave a legacy for his children. But having seen the unusual grace on his son in such a short period of time, he had no choice but to become an ‘apostle’ of his son’s music.
Davido might have been born with a golden spoon, but he has achieved a lot today by dint of hard work. He has built his music empire and record Label, David Music Worldwide, DMW to a multi-billion naira empire. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, his interest in music started during his time at Oakwood University, Huntsville, Alabama, United States. He bought musical equipment and started making beats, in addition to recording vocal references.
John Edozien
John Edozien was a career civil servant who rose through the ranks to eventually join politics, becoming first a Deputy Governor of old Bendel State in Nigeria in 1990 and later the first Deputy Governor of Delta State in 1992. He would later join the financial world as the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the defunct Afribank Nigeria PLC and later, Chairman of Afribank International Limited before retiring from active service.
While some of Edozien’s children followed in his footsteps, his only son, Chukie turned to entertainment. Despite studying Economics and Marketing at the university, the younger Edozien fell in love with music and released his first debut single in 2009. Before then, he was already working behind the scenes as a digital recording studio owner known as Red Room. A few years after his foray into music, he became born again but never switched to the gospel genre. He currently juggles his singing career with running his businesses.
Charles Soludo
He is a renowned economist whose tenure as Governor and Chairman, Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria left an indelible mark in financial sector. One would have expected any of his children to follow in his footsteps, but it is obvious that Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo, the current governor of Anambra State, is not one to keep his offspring from pursuing their dream as he has allowed one of them, his London-raised son, Ozonna to follow his heart – the art and craft of music.
A graduate of music from the Institute of Contemporary Music, London, Ozonna is known for his ability to skillfully combine pop, dance and African rhythms with other music genres. The younger Soludo attracted the attention of music fans in 2013 when he released his free promo single titled, Me and You on Top. However, he is yet to hit it big on the Nigerian music scene.
Femi Falana
Renowned lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana, is well known for opposing oppression from successive Nigerian governments, military or civilian. His only son, Folarin, otherwise known as Falz, equally a trained lawyer, showed that he was ready to take after his father in activism during the EndSars movement that rocked the nation in 2020 where he was an active participant. Beyond activism, Falz showed early on that he is cut out for entertainment. An actor, singer and rapper, he is lucky to have the support of his parents. His love for entertainment dates back to his secondary school days where he formed a group called ‘The School Boys’. He owns an independent record label, Bahd Guys Record and he has used his song to campaign against bad leadership in the country.
Donald Duke
Although Donald Duke is a politician, having been a former Governor of Cross River State and a one time presidential aspirant, he has never hidden his love for entertainment. One of his past times is serenading people with his saxophone. His first daughter, Xerona, though a trained lawyer from the University of Nottingham, UK has gone all out to give expression to her first love, entertainment. Besides being an entertainment lawyer to some Nigerian artistes including Ice Prince, Niyola, and some international artistes, she has recorded songs like, Free falling, Intangible, and the cover version of some prominent songs. Xerona who is also a filmmaker, is married to Derin Philips, otherwise known as DJ Caise, the son of Teju Philips, the first daughter of late billionaire businessman, Deinde Fernandez.
Peter Obi
Shrewd businessman and a former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi’s only son, Oseloka Gregory is in the entertainment business where he is making his mark in the movie industry in London where he is based. Like Soludo, Obi who is the Labour Party presidential candidate, has no qualms allowing his children to follow their own chosen path. A graduate of Philosophy from Bristol University, Oseloka has featured in a handful of movies in Hollywood. He is the founder of TB, a movie company in Bristol, London.
Zachee Ama Orji
Veteran actor, director and movie producer, Zachee Ama Orji, professionally known as Zack Orij, is one of those whose sons chose a career in the entertainment industry. His son, Lionel, has registered his name among music acts in Nigeria. He started singing when he was in secondary school. He started out as a rap artiste and his actor father has been a great influence in his career. He was the one who took him to his first studio session when he ventured professionally into music. Lionel has worked with some famous Nigeria music artistes, such as Wizkid, Davido, MI and a host of others. Although the young man has made a name for himself, his father’s name has definitely opened doors for him as an up and coming music act.
Shina Peters
Whatever appellation you choose to give him, either Sir Shina Peters or Bishop Shina Peters, the fact still remains that he has a pride of place when the history of Nigerian music is eventually written. Moreover, his ordination as a minister of the gospel has not stopped him from mesmerizing his audience with his brand of music. The afro juju singer sired a son with one of the most respected actresses in Nigeria, Clarion Chukwurah. The two met in 1982 when they both acted in the movie, Money Power. They hit it off and in 1983 after Clarence was born, the two love birds went their separate ways.
A renowned music video director, filmmaker and cinematographer, Clarence started out as a footballer, but later developed interest in movies and music after studying Cinematography in Cape Town, South Africa. He is the Chief Executive Officer of Capital Dreams Pictures. He has worked with notable brands and made a name for himself without relying on the fame and fortune of his parents.
Joseph Blell
Joseph Blell is a famous politician from Sierra-Leone. He was the team manager of the National Football Team, known as Leone Stars that qualified for the African Cup of Nations in 1994 in Tunisia. He also served as Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to Nigeria between 1993 and 2002. He was the Deputy Minister of Defense in Sierra Leone from 2002-2007. While he was stationed in Nigeria, he fathered singer Hadiza Blell-Olo, also known as Di’Ja. a signee on Marvin’s Record Label. He is among the few prominent people who have supported his children’s career, even though they didn’t follow in his steps and this he did for Di’Ja when he made a cameo appearance in one of his daughter’s music video in 2016.
Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi
Iconic juju musician, Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi, otherwise known as Chief Commander, is one of the highly respected juju artiste in Nigeria. He started his career under the tutelage of another veteran artiste, Fatai Rolling Dollars in mid-50’s. He would later set up International Brothers band in 1964 but it later metamorphosed to International Reformers. His band was reputed for praise singing of socialites and business tycoons at social functions. He became a born-again Christian, switched to gospel music in the 1990’s and established Decross Gospel Ministry in 1992 to propagate the gospel. Now in semi-retirement, his first son, Tolu, has taken over his father’s career as an artiste. He started a band with his brother, Folarin, who later left to study abroad. When he started out as an artist, people started comparing his style and performance with that of his father. However, he was able to hold it down and establish his own style of music which is different from that of his father’s.
Levi Chibuike Ajuonuma
The late veteran broadcaster, journalist, academic and public relation expert was popularly known for hosting an entertainment programme on Saturdays tagged Open House Party on Raypower FM. Also, while working at the Nigeria Television Authority, NTA, he was famous for his entertainment show, The Sunday Show , Showtime and Levi Ajuonuma Live. His son, Obinna, is a popular disc jockey known as DJ Obi. He started his career while still a student in 2011 and has won a lot of accolades for his works.
Pete Edochie
Pete Edochie is arguably the most respected actor in Nollywood. He is also considered to be one of the most talented African thespians. One of his unique selling points is the use of proverbs while playing his roles in movies. Of his six children, two of them followed in his steps. There is Lincoln Edochie who joined the movie industry in 1995. Then there is Yul, the more popular one and the last child. Yul joined the movie industry in 2005 but got his big break in 2007 in the movie Wind of Glory. In 2017, he made his intention known to venture into politics when he attempted running for the governorship seat in Anambra State but later stepped down. In 2022, he announced that he had taken a second wife, Judy Austin, months after welcoming a child with her.
Oba Lamidi Adeyemi
Oba Lamidi Olaiwola Adeyemi III, the late Alaafin of Oyo who passed on in April 2022 fathered several children, but of the lot, only one of his daughters, Princess Adedoja Adeyemi is actively involved in the entertainment business. Despite being a former beauty queen, her love for entertainment led to her acting debut on the set of Kunle Afolayan’s movie, Anikulapo where she played the role of a princess. Adeyemi has a Master’s degree from the Institute of African and Diasporan Studies, University of Lagos. She made history as the first student to bag a distinction from the Institute since it was established in 2017.
Femi Anikulapo-Kuti
The Kutis have successfully made music through three generations. Femi’s father, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti pioneered Afrobeat music in Nigeria. Reputed as the most challenging and charismatic performing musician who used his music for political activism, Fela passed the baton to his son, Femi who is also an iconic musician who has paid his dues in the music industry. Though he is still actively involved in music, Femi’s first son, Made, is poised to take over any time his father retires from active music which may likely not be anytime soon. Made has also made his mark as an Afrobeat artiste, songwriter and instrumentalist.
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