Interview With Dbanj: I Did Not Know About The Occupy Nigeria Protests

In a recent interview with Chika Oduah of Sahara TV, popular Nigerian act Dbanj explains why he didn’t join in the Occupy Nigeria protests and why he was silent through out the entire period.

View the video here and the transcript below:

 

Chika: Did you ever dream of being this big in music?

D’banj: I dreamt about this…(Jokes: I’ve a dream!) God is using us to take our message across from Africa to here.

Chika: You are the face of African Pop music don’t you feel a lot of pressure?

D’banj: Yes a lot of pressure but I have nothing to be scared of. I have much responsibility.

Chika: There are rumors that you are dating Genevieve Nnaji how true is that?

D’banj: No! We are not dating.

Chika: What is your status?

D’banj: I’m very single. I like Rihanna, I’m interested in her.

Chika: Will you Americanize your music now that you are working mostly in America…, (D’banj cuts in)

D’banj: What do you mean by Americanize?

Chika: I mean you use a lot of pidgin and yoruba in your music will you still do that?

D’banj: Yes I’ll, did you hear scapegoat? fall in love or oliver twist? I do music depending on the message and who I want it to suite.

Chika: So will you maintain the identity?

D’banj: I think American music is universal so I’ve a lot of work to do.

Chika: Ok, now on your interview with the President of Nigeria, there are talks that you collected money from him to sing and interview him.

D’banj: I didn’t collect money from the President. It wasn’t an interview it was a request, watch the interview I asked the President and I can remember the statements “What are your plans for the Nigerian youth?” because I dedicated a track to him so I wanted the people to know why I said I was going to vote for him, I wanted them to know his plans.

Chika: We understand you run a foundation and you were appointed as the United Nations youth ambassador for peace, with your position what are your responsibilities and what have you done with you position?

D’banj: I have much responsibility. I represent Africa, I represent Nigeria…do your research.

Chika: What was your take on the Occupy Nigeria and the fuel subsidy removal?

D’banj: 1st of all, lets take a minute silence for those who lost their lives during this period

Chika: Ok D’banj we really appreciate that, so carry on.

D’banj: I did not know anything that was happening [in Nigeria during protests] because I was working on my album in the UK.

Chika: But there was a protest in London why didn’t you participate?

D’banj: I didn’t know anything that was happening in London about the feul protest because I was working… I am not a politician! And everyone that knows me well knows I don’t like cold, so I couldn’t go outside.

Chika: So what do you have to say?

D’banj: I don’t have anything to say, I wasn’t in the country when it was happening.

Chika: But I wasn’t in the country also.

D’banj: I’ve told you I don’t want to say anything about that topic, I don’t say what I don’t know anything about, If you know me very well I speak about what I know. I will not speak on something that I don’t know about. You will not get me to speak about what I don’t know. I wish my publicist told me that this was a political interview… (Chika cuts in)

Chika: So who operates your twitter handle?

D’banj: I operate it but I’m not always online, I’m on twitter when I want to pass an information not when you want me to.

Chika: There has been increase in poverty in Nigeria what do you have to say about this?

D’banj:  Yes I know, but poverty has always been in Nigeria. Let us focus on what we have,why are you hammering on negativity? I’ll speak from the angle that I know well which is the entertainment, that is what I know we can export, we should invest our talents to escape from poverty. I’ve a concert tomorrow, I need to practice and prepare well so I can represent Africa well.

Chika: Thank you very much D’banj. We appreciate the time you spent with us, we wish you all the best in your concert tomorrow.

23 COMMENTS

  1. D’banj should respect nigerians at least enough to come up with a resonable lie, your choice in the matter of fuel subsidy and the occupy nigeria protests is a personal one, so why is he lying that he never heared about it? Mr D’banj I lost all respect for you as I watched your interview. Is this the kind of man we want our youths to look up to?

  2. D’banj! Why did you have to lie? The greatest movement of all time in the whole naija and yet he claims not to know anything about it. He is claiming not to be a politician yet he was campaigning for Jonathan! Why lie? Why? We wouldn’t kill you nau, haba! If you knew you were not a politician and wouldn’t like to be linked with politics, why would you now campaign for Jonathan for free? You should have stayed out of the campaign! Come on, money was involved! Haba bros, this lie too much!

  3. “Why are u hammering on negativity?” Because ur country is a beehive of negative realities,u moron!!!!!! This guy is as dumb as a rock. Damned pathetic liar. Who do u think u r fooling? Do u think all Nigerian youths are as dumb as u are? Just wait until that ur album that u r holding onto as an alibi comes out. I will personally campaign against people buying it till u come out and admit ur fault and apologise. Dbanj is a disappointment wallahi.

  4. Ambassador representing who? People he knows nothin about?. He only wants to send messages out like “buy M̶̲̥̅γ̲̣̣̥ album, i have a show next week bla bla bla” he doesn’t care what we have to tell him. Am sure he doesn’t know what it entails to represent Nigerian Youths. Its not his fault, its that of the people who made him. Thanks Chika for bringing us close to our representatives, you are a real darling. If you are on twitter pls kindly reply M̶̲̥̅γ̲̣̣̥ mail with your twitter addy.

  5. All these Yoruba idiots talking against Dbanj, what did you expect him to say? Do you want him to tell you that he supports Jonathan or is against the decision? If you don’t know what to say, why not remain quiet? Do you think it’s everybody that is again the decision, or do you want to imposed your own decision on us the way SANUSI is imposing Islamic Banking on us, and Boko Haram’s imposition of ISLAM in the North?