The day D’Banj name didn’t count

Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo, musician and songwriter  popularly known as D’Banj is a man whose name has invaded every household and a figure sure to cause a stir any time and anywhere. He is arguably one of the most popular singers to have come out of Nigeria.

Both the young and the old see the name “D’Banj’  as a status symbol which is not only to be loved but also to be idolized, at least, in some quarters.

But not to be forgotten and still fresh in the minds of some people was the day this supposedly rave-of-the-moment, the Koko Master, was treated as incognito. His superstar status could not even attract the respectable appellate of a Mister, he was simply referred to as “that boy”

Who could have referred to the Koko Master as “that boy” and got not even as much as a second look? President Goodluck Jonathan of course! But to think the president wouldn’t have recognised him is tantamount to his never amounting to much in some certain strata, wouldn’t you say?

The event was at the Silverbird @ 30 celebration at the Eko Hotel and Suites some two weeks ago where the Koko Master was on stage, dishing out his usual flavour and thoroughly enjoying himself.

Immediately after Mr Ben Bruce’s Speech and the president mounted the stage to speak, before he let loose the bounty on the entertainment industry like a fatherly Santa Claus, he remarked that the entertainment industry is full of young men who need to be encouraged to succeed and referring to D’Banj he said “like that boy that entertained us now”.

The crowd could not help going “umh”. Perhaps as a way of paying back in kind or trying to make himself more relevant when the crooner got hold of the mike again, he just kept chirping “Jona, Jona, Jona”