In this International Day of Friendship special, celebrated dancer and singer, Aituaje Iruobe, professionally known as Waje, speaks with SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN, about the secret of her long-standing friendship with Omawumi Megbele. Excerpts:
What does good friendship mean to you?
Good friendship means support. People who show God’s grace and celebrate you as well.
You and Omawumi have come a long way. How did your friendship start?
We met at Television Continental, TVC. We were both there to promote our songs. We got talking and we eventually became friends.
How long have you been friends?
More than a decade now. We became friends in 2008.
What has kept your friendship going over the years?
Understanding and the fact that our friendship is grounded. It is important for friends like us to be grounded individually so that their relationship can flourish. We understand the value of keeping certain things away from the public. It’s not as if we don’t disagree on issues sometimes. We do, but we normally find a common ground. You must know that it is okay to disagree, fight and be upset with each other, but you must be able to sit down and have a conversation about whatever got you to that point. Omawumi and I have reached a phase where even when we fight, we are mature enough to sit down and address the issue. You have to also learn to respect people. If you know the importance of respecting people, eventually when you get into a different relationship, be it in business or friendship, you will respect them as well. People who take their quarrels to social media and wash their dirty linen in public don’t have respect for their friends. It means that in trying to undo the other person they are actually undoing themselves. It shows a flaw in their character.
You both own a media company known as Hermanes. Which role do you both play in the company?
I can’t even remember, but we both own equal shares in the country. We have a business model that works for us which I don’t want to disclose. Like I said, it all boils down to the reason you two are in the business in the first place and if you respect each other. You mustn’t take the other person for granted. That is how it works for us.
Most women find it difficult to go into partnership business wise. How have you been able to synergize your business?
I believe in staying around people who are just like me. People who will support you. Which is why you have to check to know the reason you guys are friends and the value your friendship is bringing into the business. I think it is important for friends to flourish and grow financially. I think it is unfair in the circle of friends for just one person to be stable financially. The others will drag that one person down. Sometimes, the selfish part of us always wants to be the loudest in the room. Friendship is sweeter when all of you are flourishing. You can suggest going for summer vacation and all of you can afford to travel together without the financial burden falling on just one person. You will be able to set goals and meet up with them. It may not necessarily be money all the time, it might be value and everyone can contribute to it.
You have had musical collaboration in the past. When will there be another one?
Very soon. We always work on different ideas, but we are waiting for the right time to push them out. There is no pressure. We understand that there is time for everything. We are not working with other people’s calendar. We are working with our business calendar and our individual plans. We are working towards releasing an Extended Play, EP but I can’t tell you when.
What inspired the title of your last album ‘Misfit’?
If you listen to the album, you will notice that the sound of the album is very distinct in many ways. Someone can bring out an album and it will be all RnB, but ‘Misfit’ is different. It is a mixture of RnB, pop and other genres. That is why we called it ‘Misfit’.
Has it been well received?
It has been amazing, but honestly, we need to push for more. ‘The Voice’ music reality show took away my attention for a while, but I am back to promoting the album. I am grateful that the album I released before ‘Misfit’ was nominated for the Headies, those are the things that will encourage me to keep doing what I have been doing. The fact that people love my music and appreciate the brand. I am really grateful.
How does it feel to become a member of the recording academy of the Grammy?
It feels amazing. When I say that, it is not from a selfish point of view because I have seen a lot of young artists that I want to plug. I can plug them by submitting their works if they are befitting for a Grammy nomination. When you are given this kind of opportunity, you don’t just use it for yourself alone. For me, that is the most exciting part. I have a lot of mentees that need to be embraced in the global space so that the world can enjoy and listen to the power of their music. So I am going to use the opportunity I have been given to leverage and advocate for others.
Which of your works will you be submitting for Grammy?
This year, musical works that were released between October 2022 and September 2023 can be submitted. So, my album, ‘Misfit’ can make it for submission.
You are planning to release an EP. What is it all about?
I am releasing an EP with a producer known as Sess. It is a producer, singer and songwriter album. I am excited about it because it is a genre that people know with me, but it will also push me out of my comfort zone. I am excited about pushing out the promo. We are working on it. I want the fans to keep their fingers crossed.
You are also working on a new brand, ‘Affirmation by Waje’. What is it all about?
‘Affirmation by Waje’ is my new merchandise. It comprises of things that have made life easy for me and things that I use in my daily activities. It was inspired by the desire to put new items in the market. I wanted something that everyone can have access to, in terms of price. We are starting with three products, including perfume and active wear. I like to work out a lot and because I am a busty woman, I find it difficult to get what works for me. So my brand will cater for women of different sizes. We also have the glasses as well. I love shades a lot and I want to put them out there. Let me keep the third product a secret for now.
Can you share your experience as one of the judges of the music reality show, ‘The Voice’?
Nigeria is blessed with so many talents. I am also a product of a TV reality show with MTV Base. That journey impacted me a lot. That was where I met Cobbams Asuquo and South African designer, David Tlale. I have met a lot of people. This is one good thing about reality shows. You meet a lot of people that will change your life forever. I really hope that every talented person that has participated in ‘The Voice’ will also have the same story. They may not all come out as winners, but the foundation they have been given to thrust themselves into an industry that is filled with hungry people is one of the best. Giving the right foundation to contestants is a blessing in it for me. It was an honour preparing those talents.
How have you been able to joggle all you do together without lagging behind in any aspect?
It has not been easy. If I tell you that it’s been easy, that is not true. It’s the effort of a great team from my manager and his wonderful wife. As a matter of fact, both of them manage me. And to the rest of the team, my makeup artist. Quite a number of people have supported me. I literally don’t do anything. They all take care of everything. I really struggled with management when I started out in the industry, but right now I have been able to find the balance. Even with the music, I have song writers and contributors that work with us. That is the way it should be. There is no reason to be jack-of-all-trades and master of none. Let those who are experienced and know how to do the job play their own parts too.
Do you think the Nigeria music industry has enough female artistes?
I think there is room for more people. I am grateful that there are many more successful females now than when I started. I am a huge fan of Ayra Starr. I love her essence and how hungry she is. There are so many of them that I see now. I can imagine myself when I was their age. I was typically clueless. I wasn’t clear about what I wanted to do at the time. It is just fun to see young women who are really pushing on their own and doing the job. I know there is room for more. The time will come. We just need to keep pushing. I don’t subscribe to the narrative about women not supporting women. I don’t believe in that. I have a lot of women who supported me in my career and I have supported quite a lot as well. So that narrative is not true. I hope that more women will find support with their gender, especially in the business space and not just in the music industry. We need more female Chief Executive Officers in the music business space.
If you were to choose one of the new generation female artistes to have a collaboration with, who would you choose?
I would love to have a collaboration with all of them. We are going to make it a female album. Each female artist will be featured in each track. Trust me, I am actually a fan of all of them.
Are there things that you feel should be done in the industry to enable it to thrive better than it is currently doing?
A lot of improvement is required, but I don’t dwell on those things because there are people who are still striving in the market. I have noticed that a lot more musicians are now business minded. I think that is truly how you take your brand to the next level. It’s business and you are a brand. The way you sell your soap or your cream should be the same way you should sell your brand. When you put that into consideration, the manner in which you will brand yourself will be different. I think some of us have leant that on the way, but there are some people who still don’t understand it.
What would you say has shaped you to who you are today?
God, first of all. He has shielded me. I am a strong Christ follower. His grace has carried me thus far. There are many people that we started together, but they are not here today. I also think I have grown to be someone who is looking for a solution. In my career, I have faced quite a number of challenges, but the fact that I am constantly trying to look for a solution is the reason I can still be having an interview. It is also the reason I can get nominated for an award. Understanding that problems or difficulties in business are stepping stones to finding solutions is key. That has really shaped me to a point where I can easily choose what I want. Seven years ago, I was on a tour, I had done the Nigeria tour then and when it was time for the East Africa tour, I was disappointed and I had to fly back home. I just gave up and came back home. With the way I have grown over the years, I would figure a way and ensure that what I went for happened. I was much younger then.
As a female artist, how have you been able to reinvent yourself over the years?
My relevance will have come from an honest conversation of trying to evolve. I don’t believe that my time is up. I don’t believe that age is a factor. I don’t believe that the journey has been so long that I don’t have to do music again. Age is not a factor. The number of years I have been in the industry is not a factor, but the desire to evolve. So I think I am looking for new ways to conquer new territories. There is so much that can be done. Perhaps, I will be here for a long time like some musicians who sang till their last moment. I will be doing this for a long time. Maybe when I am 50 or 55 years, I will do it on my own term,s but I still feel that there are so many territories to conquer.
What are the challenges of being a female artiste?
It is a male-dominated industry, first of all and of course, there are challenges. That is why I said earlier that we need more women in the industry. When you have a seat at the table, you can make things change. That is my mind set. I don’t dwell on the challenges but on what I do to change the narrative. Like I said earlier, there should be more women who are business minded. It may not necessarily mean the CEO of the company, but they should have shares in the industry. That way, they can make decisions that affect women.
If you have to do something outside the entertainment industry, what will it be?
I love decorating. I am in love with interior design. I love to express myself through design. It is in my future plan.
What advice do you have for those who are trying to find their feet in the music industry?
I will tell them to absolutely love the job. If they love it, they will do what needs to be done to flourish in it. They should not be carried away by the accolades. I will also tell them to own up and respect relationships. They meet people every day and some of those people will literally take them to where they are going. They should be smart enough to know how to honour relationships.
