Nigerian Singer, Ruger Claims Talented Musicians In Nigeria Are Not Up To Five

Popular Nigerian singer Michael Adebayo Olayinka, widely known as Ruger, has sparked controversy with his recent assertion that out of the hundreds of musicians in the country, fewer than five possess true talent.

In an interview with Cool FM, Lagos, Ruger expressed his belief that most Nigerian artists are merely producing music for entertainment without genuine talent. “Those of us who are talented and doing proper music are not up to five,” Ruger claimed, though he refrained from naming who he considers the truly talented artists or specifying his own ranking among them.

“I’m not the biggest artiste in Nigeria, but talent-wise, I’m standing somewhere there. We are not up to five,” he stated. “Most people are just singing for cruise, but we [the talented artists], we make music.”

Ruger also shared a surprising revelation about his international fan base, noting that he has a significant following in Israel. He highlighted his achievement of selling out a 7,000-capacity venue in the country, indicating his growing global appeal.

The singer’s bold statements have ignited discussions about the state of the Nigerian music industry and the standards of talent among its artists.