I’ve not wanted to mention this publicly but a quick tour of Shomolu my childhood area changed all of that
The ghettofication and the expanding creeping poverty really opened my eyes to the unseen hand dragging me
As a young stockbroker, I had started noticing an unseen hand in my life.
It comes in the form of intuition. Each time, I made money, something would tell me that this is not what I am meant to be
I have made serious money in my life three times and lost money the same amount of time
While I was in Habib, I first saw money. I made real money and bought my first house, and then one morning, I lost it all including the house.
Then in BGL, i made N40m in one cheque and lost it all in one moment
Imagine making that kind of money that early and then losing it and feeling empty
Then i lost my job, got arrested and started a long clinb back with its attendant crap
But in all of these, as I hit any milestone, my intuition will tell me that there is something I was missing.
It will tell me that this is not what you are meant to be doing and i would be wondering what was I supposed to do
I was making money, not in their millions but enough to afford international education for my children, drive nice cars, go on vacation abroad and meet all reasonable living costs
But something was still missing.
Then I found myself in theatre and like fish in water, I threw myself in like a sex starved prisoner just released from prison
The plays started from just one a year, to two to eight and now 32 this year
The more people think its not doable, the more i plunge my head and push
The risks are crazy. Jumping into a plane and landing in London with less than 50% of the budget and using the last two weeks to raise the balance on the phone
Working with barracuders who are just outbto get you snd not being distracted by theor bites while still pushing
The risks energise me and I laugh when little minds say – are you sure?
Three weeks to Ekiti i was 80% out of budget and my people said we shd postpone and I said never and we raised the money to cover costs and live in Ekiti like a pop star.
As I finish one project, the next one gets bigger in my head
We have done over 60 plays in less than 7 years and next year that thing that is dragging me is saying do more
Ibadan, Nsukka festivals are in my head right now
Five days in Ibadan, another Six major plays by Six beautiful and brilliant women, two in London and dts my 2026 by Gods grace
Then Nsukka, then four in London and another 4 in Lagos and hit Portugal and try America
Something is dragging me, its compulsive and i am helpless as it drags me
It doesn’t allow me doubt, doesn’t allow me slow down and forces me to take decisions that apoear crazy but inevitably brings joy
Listening to KSA’s rep as he was speaking to me, i felt annoyed
I stopped him half way and said – bro if we dont hear from u by Friday, I will cancel
No sane human being will cancel after spending so much and driving so hard esp also knowing that you cannot execute a major Play in London in less than six weeks without any funding beyond the £5,000 Wale Adedeji had given me
But i did it. Called their bluff, announced Kashimawo and raised 40% of the funds in a week
Its not me, its that thing. I dont knw what it is.
Its not real, its not physical, it doesn’t talk, it just seizes me and makes me make the proclamation
I am doing this, I am going to Ekiti, I will go to London and I will go see the Asagba of Asaba no matter what anybody thinks
Now I am working on one the most expensive books Nigeria has ever seen
Pulled in 50 major people, 100 profiles, 100 caricatures and deliver history
Something is dragging me, what is dragging you
Are you afraid?
Duke of Shomolu