NaijaBrains: Celebrating Music On The Web

By this time, the hall was already jampacked with people. There are different calibres, from youngsters to people in the corporate world, presenters, celebrities, artiste……e.t.c
I take a quick exit back into the main hallway because i was overwhelmed by the large crowd. I run into Uncle Gbola Oba of BEN TV breakfast show as he walked through the main door. I greeted him as he try so hard to recognise my face.

“Dayo israel’s Friend”, i muttered, smiling at his inability to recognise my face
“Oohhhhhhhhhh………….i remember you now” he said with a recalling memory.
“didn’t you go to Nigeria with Dayo?” he asked……..
“No sir, i have other dreams, Exams, e.t.c i said defending myself.
“Alright, thats a wise decision” He said as he excused himself.

I walked further down beside the “green carpet”, Some of the celebrities talking with the press includes DBanj, Marvellous Benjy, African China, the duo of Kenny Ogungbe and Dayo Adeneye, Faze, Don Jazzy, Ara, e.t.c

Dbanj stole the green carpet with his funny character. He was just greeting everyone as if he knows them all. Moving from one person to the other. I can tell that he is a extrovert. With Don Jazzy right behind him, i moved forward to say Hi. I am a great fan of Don Jazzy, much more than i like Dbanj, but both of them created a good Artiste-fan relationship on the green carpet.

(C) Molara Wood
Faze was the gentle type, only greeting if approached. Pasuma also arrived with two other people trailing from his back. He is still his old self as usual, beaming with infectious smiles and bowing down in the form of a greeting to everyone. The duo of Kenny and D-one, granted interviews as well(Typical of them innit) to the press as well.

After exchanging pleasantries with Don jazzy and taking quite few pictures, i rushed down the stairs to meet Tunde of BlackKnight entertainment, who was waiting outside the venue. We came in together and we entered the main hall where the show was going on.

We assumed our sitting position in the front as he asked me how i was doing. i beamed with smile again saying i was fine.
He introduced me to other Blacknights crew and we exhanged pleasantries. we were in the fore front with other VIPS, and African China was sitting right behind us. He has a really small stature and he was beaming with smiles. I fixed my Gaze on stage, as suni Irabo and Adora of Ben TV ( the MC’s for the day) introduce the guest of the day.

i woke up from my day dreams, its been five minutes that i have dropped the phone. i felt a bit of fulfilment after speaking to Tosin. I met her at the reception of the NMA venue. I had wanted to buy a ticket for the program, but Tunde, a good friend of mine and a member of Blacknights that i was supporting as the “promoter of the year” told me he got me a free ticket for me with the Blacknights train.
“walk to the entrance and call Tosin” He said to me on the fone
as he gave me her number. She walked out moments later, accompanied by two other friends looking around. She went past me and did not for once thought i was the one she spoke to seconds ago on the phone. I guess she assumed, the so called “Gbenga is about the same age as Tunde”.
Knowing fully well that i was the one been looked for, i walked right behind her just before she hit her finger on the dial button of her mobile phone and said “Gbenga here”, as i tried to put on a bright smile.
“oh sorry, you are the one from blacknights right?” she said back gesturing with her mobile phone in her hands.
“Mmmm….yesssss…..” i replied with a shaky voice, but still with the bright smile on my face. I was surprised that i was
called a member of Blacknights. I wasnt a member anyway, just a friend of Blacknights. Blacknights promote Nigerian Music professionally, i do my thing on NaijaBrains as a hobby. There
is a sharp difference, but i didnt seem to be bothered as long as i get a pass in for the NMA. She ushered me to the ticket desk as she tried sorting the details out. My name seem not to be on the list. I explained myself over and over again. I know she quite understood all my rantings. She tried making some contacts on her black radiophone. it seem nothing was coming up, she had to excuse me to go and sort it out personally. “Naija, i whispered to myself” I had arrived at connaught rooms which is the venue at 5.15pm which was 15 minutes before the start of the program. I was clearly dissapointed at the so called “African Time” again as the whole place still look scantily populated.
” do you have a ticket….can i see your ticket?” two Nigerian
accented security officers muttered to me without courtsey.

“eem…mm… I am actually waiting for someone who is sorting that out for me” I replied in an emarrassed tone.
” alrite”, he muttered back without apologising.
Once again, i thought to myself, Why is it that power weilding
people do not give courtesy to other people as I felt i was been addressed as a nonentity and my patience seems to be eluding me. Its been 30 minutes have been standing and for a million times thought Tosin won’t be coming out again. I looked at my watch, it was 6pm. I made a resolution, if nothing is forthcoming, i will leave the venue in 30 minutes. Just as i was about losing hope, I saw someone i have been looking out for months. Tunde Oyedoyin, a UK correspondent for the Nigerian Guardian. I met him in 2003 at Aunty debbie’s office in AFRUCA. i heard he wrote a book on long tennis and since i am a great enthusiast of Long tennis, i am really dieing hard for a copy. we chatted and talked for a bit of time, as he told me he wants a website designed. i suggested a Blog since he is a good writer. We exchanged contacts and he moved on to deal with other things.