Follow Us on Google
Iyiola Eniola is not only a musician, he is a public administrator, certified hotel and event expert, media personality and has effectively combined working on these seamlessly.
In this interview with Daily Sun, he speaks on a lot of issues about his music, his experience in Germany among others
Can you tell us about yourself and your growing up days?
My growing up was a mixture of the good, bad and ugly. I attended the Estaport Schools in Gbagada, Lagos State, which was the basic foundation of all I do today especially music. I attended Igbobi College for my secondary school and later when to Lagos State University (LASU) for my first degree.
What genre of music do you sing and why?
I will like to describe my genre of music as World Music because I influence people positively through my music. A lot of people see me as a gospel minister because of my involvement in church music. I have coordinated various church choir in Nigeria and outside the country to perform at concerts, competitions, festivals, weddings among others.
What inspired you to start singing gospel music instead of secular music?
The origin of my interest in music was when I was in primary school, and later joined Igbobi College choir and church choir respectively where I participated actively in different capacity.
Can you tell us more about viewpointswitheniolagogo?
I will say Viewpointswitheniola is a social media platform I use to share my views likewise the views of others who are making positive impacts in their various sphere of life. There are a lot of people who put more efforts in doing great things but they are not being known or heard. The platform gives them the opportunity to share their views, works and encourage the younger generation.
As the initiator of Small Scale Business Support, Why do you help young entrepreneurs in their businesses?
The younger ones are the future and they need support. I always encourage young Entrepreneurs not just with words but with finance. The earlier they start the better for the economy and country will be better. Engaging the youth reduces crime and it creates the enabling environment for other young ones to work hard.
As the founder of Gosquare Fortune Limited, how do you combine music and business together?
Gosquare Fortune Limited was officially registered in 2010, but I started investing in small scale businesses since 2008. The objective was to help keep young individuals out of the streets by engaging them in activities like photography, barbing, cleaning services.
How has your experience as a Nigerian entertainer in Germany influence your music?
I understand simplicity when it comes to music composition or production. The German music are mostly very simple and cultural. Their simplicity and its acceptability makes me understand that with the right lyrics and concepts someone is listening.
What do you think are the key differences and similarities between the music scenes in Nigeria and Germany?
Nigeria is a multicultural environment, you can hardly find what we have anywhere else in the world. The creativity we have has its origin mostly from our cultural heritage.
Does German music influenced your work?
A lot of people in Germany listen to Pop and Rock music. They also have huge fan base for Electronic Music, and there is a huge difference in our style of music.
How do you see the cultural exchange between these two countries through music?
We may speak different languages but music gives insights into who we truly are, it mends the gap that language finds difficult to bridge.
In what ways do you find the music industry in Nigeria unique compared to Germany?
The music industry in Nigeria is gaining more recognition especially with Afro beats and gospel music. If we are able to make and produce different genre of music of international standard, there will be no country in the world that will be able to compete with us. The German music industry is well managed and rights are being protected by laws, our government should also look in it also.
What challenges and opportunities do artists face in each country’s music industry?
Germany has an enabling environment for everyone. Facilities and amenities are there. You only need to get the right documentation and approval. Music producers are trained and qualified to produce music, the right resources are almost in all cases available to be used. We are still developing in that area.
How does the audience response differ between Nigerian and German music scenes?
When you listen to music in your language, you will enjoy the rhythm. In a foreign language and style, you will be surprised that songs can be made with similar rhythm and melody.
How do you use your platform as an entertainer to address or highlight these social issues?
I have learnt to live in harmony, I encourage people to stay calm when harassed or feel racially abused. A lot of these reactions or attitudes fades away when the people realize you are talented.
