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Lucy Nnaji
Sina Elijah Adeosun emerges as one of the most experienced Nigerians as far as lighting for events is concerned.
The father of three started out as a musician before finally finding success and fulfillment in the event sector of the entertainment industry. He bares it all in this chat. Enjoy it.
How did you come into entertainment?
I started as an artiste. I recorded many tracks and was part of a group called, Smooth Events. I was just like 2Face; I could really sing. In my group, we had Murphy, Beshe and myself. We had a track that topped the charts back then but later, everyone went their separate ways. I had up to three tracks topping the charts on Star FM. We had the likes of DJ Bombastic among others. Back then I learnt one or two deejay skills at Music Temple in Isolo, Lagos. Music Temple was the only place you could transfer music in cassettes into CDs. Those days it was just cassettes, nobody had CDs. This was between 1995 and 1998. We had groups like X Appeal, Triple B, Def ‘O Clan and De Remedies.
Was your family supportive of you career path?
My family was very supportive of my career. However, when I went into politics, they did not; because they assumed it’s a dirty game. They would rather have me focus on my entertainment stuff. Apart from that, I have always had strong support from my family. I had an uncle who was a drummer for fuji maestro, Adewale Ayuba back then, and he inspired me to pursue music as a career. He had this drum set at home then. That was how I developed interest in entertainment. My wife has been wonderful too.
So far, how has the journey been?
Sometimes it is good and sometimes rough. But the biggest challenge is travelling. We travel a lot. There were times when we traveled like two or three times a week. It is not really easy travelling from one state to another, like from Kaduna to Sokoto, from Kano and then to Jalingo before hitting Benin. Sometimes we traveled to some parts of Africa like Ghana and Cameroon. I remember vividly the first reality TV show in Ghana christened ‘Vodaphone with Storm Vision’. I was one of the brains behind it. I was the technical director for stage, lighting and sound.
What is the secret behind your success?
I learnt from the best in the industry. Those days, we had Rothmans, Benson and Hedges having big shows in Nigeria. White men used to manage most of them. There was Richard and Derick. I actually learnt from these people. They were handling top class events in Nigeria. As a lighting guy, we are always behind the scene. We provide lighting for most of the video you see on TV, and most of the shows you see at Eko Hotels and other big venues are produced by us in terms of light, stage design, production, sound and more.
Was there any point in your career when you felt you were losing it?
It was when I ventured into politics and also tried other businesses. I contested for a seat in the House of Assembly during the last elections, but I was asked to wait and allow the incumbent to return. Politics took a lot of my time actually, because I concentrated more on it to the detriment of my entertainment career.
Could you share your high points with us?
My highest point as an artiste was when I had a track featuring Slam and another big artiste. Back then, Slam was big, and as a younger guy who was just coming up, having them on my track was a big deal. Another time was when I had another track, Talk to Me, which topped charts. As a lighting guy, I have had too many high points. l have worked on The Experience concert for six straight years. I did Star Mega Jam those days when we had Kanye West, LL. Cool Jay and Beyonce performing at the show.
What has been the challenge so far?
The challenge is investing big on equipment. We invested over N200 million buying equipment and after five or six months, it seems like you haven’t done anything because the equipment are worn out.
What are you working on next?
We are planning to have four shows before the end of the year. The first one is Easter Fiesta coming up in Epe on Easter Sunday, and also, we are storming 10 universities for raves where students can come in and have fun. We are also planning for bigger events towards the end of the year.
What is your advice for youngsters who want to walk in your footsteps?
They should remain focused. Sooner or later, the entertainment industry is going to be very big in Nigeria, so with consistency, they will go far. I want to plead with the youths to get involved in politics because if we don’t get in and make a difference, the country will continue to be what it is. The youth should be involved in the governance of this country.
