by KeanzoAbami
IBADAN — MY CITY, MY HEART, MY CALL FOR CHANGE 🖤🔥
Ibadan my city…
Every time I hear how much clubs and event organizers spend to bring artists from outside, I just sigh. Because the bitter truth is—many of these same artists don’t even earn that much in Lagos.
And no, I’m not talking about the Big 5 or A-list stars; those ones only touch stadium gigs.
After all the setups, PR, and expenses—what’s really left?
It’s time we build a strong, united industry for ourselves. OLORUN, we can do it.
Back then, when JayRu, Wyza, Pizzy, Portah, Keanzo, K-Shab, Sheun Natural, Ceeboi and others were on top of the Ibadan wave, we hardly brought in outside artists. Yet, our clubs, lounges, and bars were sold out—because we believed in ourselves.
We pushed one another. We created our sound.
But even then, only a few made money—₦50k, maybe ₦100k, at most ₦200k.
People forget that music investment isn’t small money.
So how do you expect an artist to grow?
How do you want them to:
🎯 Promote their songs?
📢 Pay influencers and OAPs?
👕 Look good, own a brand, or even buy a decent phone or car?
Then we turn around and mock artists for “no packaging,” forgetting that packaging requires investment.
₦50k shows once or twice a month can’t sustain growth.
By 2016, everything called love in Ibadan entertainment began to fade.
And today, we can see the result.
We had 6–7 Ibadan artists perform at Davido’s show, yet not one of our songs was a crowd sing-along. Why?
Because love disappeared — and love is the foundation of any industry.
I’ve heard people say, “KingSoundBoie charges too much.”
But where were we when he was grinding—sleeping in one room with five producers just to learn and grow?
We didn’t invest, we didn’t support. But now we complain.
Ibadan, let’s wake up. 🙏🏾
Let’s stop fighting each other and start collaborating again.
💡 Here’s the truth:
Ibadan artists will rise when Ibadan DJs treat them as a priority.
They’ll shine when radio OAPs and stations take their music seriously.
They’ll blow when influencers push them with pride.
They’ll grow when event organizers pay them fairly and give them a stage.
They’ll last when artists themselves give back to those who believed in them.
Let’s stop these little payments that kill motivation.
If we want Ibadan artists to rise, we must invest real value in them.
Because to blow in music, talent alone isn’t enough. You need:
🎚️ Quality production
🎧 Proper mixing & mastering
🎬 Good music videos
📱 Plenty of online content
💼 Branding and lifestyle
🚀 Marketing & strategy
💰 Real investment
Do hype men or DJs spend this much to build one performance? No.
But artists carry the cost, the pressure, the dream — yet still spread love to everyone else in the chain.
Even Don Jazzy once said he spent over $250,000 just to push a single song — and that’s without guarantee of success.
So when people say, “Ibadan no get industry,” I ask — have we truly built one yet?
What we need is love, structure, and collaboration.
Not envy. Not competition. Not divide.
Let’s remember — Ibadan now has a lot of smart, young professionals who understand PR, A&R, management, and event organizing.
The big names should empower them, link them up, and let them work.
These young ones have vision, and they know the value every creative deserves.
Look at Davido’s tour team — mostly young people who understand the business and protect the brand. Ibadan can do the same.
This message is not to attack anyone — it’s a wake-up call.
Because deep down, both the young and the old talents in this city are frustrated.
Everyone wants to earn, but very few are thinking long-term about how to grow the culture.
Let’s make 2026 our turning point.
More artists will visit Ibadan and cash out this year, but let’s make sure Ibadan artists can do the same soon.
Let’s build a structure we’ll be proud to present to the government and to the world — a structure where 10,000 or 20,000 people can proudly sing Ibadan songs word for word.
We have the talent. We have the heart. Now let’s rebuild the love. 🖤
#IbadanMusicIndustry #IbadanToTheWorld #SupportLocalArtists #UnityOverEgo #KeanzoAbami
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