“Having Children Outside Wedlock Could End Your Career In My Generation” – D’banj

Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo, the renowned Nigerian musician known as D’banj, has highlighted the stark moral differences between his generation of musicians and the current crop.

In a recent interview with The Beat FM, Lagos, the ‘Koko Master’ discussed how societal attitudes towards musicians having children out of wedlock have evolved over time.

D’banj observed that during his era, such actions could jeopardize a musician’s career. He humorously recounted calling his colleague 2Baba, who faced scandals years ago for fathering children out of wedlock, to jestingly criticize him for not setting an example. “Our generation was so hard. If you had a child out of wedlock, your career could just end. But now everybody is just embracing it,” he said.

He pointed out that today’s celebrities are often celebrated for having children out of wedlock, a significant departure from the past. “Sometimes I call 2Face to chide him for not encouraging me back then because it is something different when you now see them celebrating with their kids. They are in their 30s and their kids are teenagers,” D’banj remarked.

However, D’banj emphasized that readiness for parenthood goes beyond societal acceptance. “It goes to your state of mind: Are you mentally and financially ready? You don’t have to have everything in the world, if you’re ready to embrace what is coming to you, I think that is the best,” he concluded.

The discussion sheds light on the shifting cultural norms within the Nigerian music industry and the broader society, reflecting a more accepting and celebratory stance towards life choices that were once considered career-threatening.