FROM OGBOMOSHO BOY TO LAOLU GBENJO
Laolu Gbenjo is a vibrant and talented gospel artist, he started his Musical career professionally in 2008, with his first album titled Next Level and the second; Take Over which was launched in 2014 and pulled over 3000 worshippers at KICC Maryland Nigeria and his recent Album title Expressions, which was launched in Laolu Gbenjo and Friends concert .2016. Born into the family of 5 and he is the 2nd in the family.
Coming down to Lagos was never in my plans at all, not because i doesn’t like the good life in Lagos, but i couldn’t blend in Lagos, i just couldn’t roll with my age mates and peers because all i could speak then was this CONC Yoruba language from Ogbomosho… and if you understand how a conc Yoruba sounds, you might just want to think about “Sanyeri” – that funny Yoruba actor.
All the same, i arrived Lagos for holidays to join the rest of my family members – the reason i was the only one in Ogbomosho, I just don’t know! Holidays are over; it’s now time to return to my precious Ogbomosho villa, no Money! i hustled hard and I did all sort of menial jobs, selling sachet water and all that just to raise t-fare back to his favorite town, but the more he tried to raise money, the more the money was been spent on the family, because things were so hard then.
It got dawn on me! How will i cope with my strong Yoruba accent, making me look so gentle daily because when my brothers and friends were speaking, i just stare and they be like.. o boy talk now! But guess what, this God is too good ooo.. this Ogbomosho local boy got a Lagos girlfriend still, even with my predicament.
Having tried all possible means to get back to my villa with no avail, I just made up my mind to start catching up, thanks to my girlfriend who started teaching me on how to communicate in English little by little.i started all over to enroll in another local school here in Lagos and as God will have it, i started blending bit by bit. i started moving alongside my brothers who were into music then, learning and trying to be like them, singing and all that; then the D-Day came, i was going to perform in public.
You know how it is now, when you’ve been given the opportunity to perform on a big platform; you just gotta rehearse in the mirror and most time ‘cram’ your speech, just what this Ogbomosho dude did. i had memorized my intro and everything, only for me to get on the stage on the performance day and said, “THE TOPIC OF MY SONG IS…” Whaaat!!!!! Who does that!!! Lmaoo
But you know what… that Ogbomosho boy today has become LAOLU GBENJO!
Sometime you might be going through unpleasant situations and you kinda feel like you’re not progressing, don’t give up, it is a Divine setup to take you to a major Step-up. If I had gotten t-fare back to Ogbomosho that period, I probably wouldn’t have been here today, but Glory be to God.. The journey from Ogbomosho to Lagos turned out to be my major breakthrough in disguise!
Keep working on your dreams as a music minister or whatever thing you’re into, don’t give up. That situation right now might just be a Divine setup for you and trust me, YOU SHALL GET THERE!
I QUIT!
Yes, I Quit; was exactly what I said some years back after my 1st Album launch in 2008. You see, after the album launch I had HIGH expectations for invitations to minister in various programmes and events but guess what – NONE! No invitation showed up, then the few we hustled to get was a “God bless you” ministration – if you understand what I mean.
Aside from little or no honorarium from these invitations, my Album CDs recorded Zero sales! Then it dawned on me, and like Mensah Otabil will say, “Reality Hits Me on my face, and I was like; “Is this what I will feed my family with?”
This is actually my TESTIMONY, to encourage someone out there. You might have been degenerated in whatever you do be it a music minister, you run a business or just anything… Guess what? Let’s continue..
I made a decision to Quit singing or ministering in songs after those ugly experiences and went into business, yea I went into Sound Business under the business name, Pleasant Sound Entertainment (I still do that too tho). 5 years down the line after quitting singing, I went for a friend’s concert and was given the platform to take worship song – even though that has been like years ago, I did anyways, and after the ministration, someone walked up to me, and that was how the story CHANGED!
No, he didn’t give me some huge or sum of money; you’re probably thinking that right? Lol. He walked up to me and said to me; “Laolu, You Have Missed Your Purpose”. My eyes were dazed! I was surprised in shock. I haven’t heard such before but you know what, I felt it within me instantly that this person was saying something reasonable, he was saying the Truth! You know that feelings when you’re convinced about something – all thanks to the Holy Spirit
I prayed for forgiveness and asked God for direction and in November that same year, 2013, I re-organised my band members, motivated them and let them know that we might have to run couple of free shows on our journey to stardom #smile (we still do till now, but don’t call me for free show ooo lol)
The journey started..
In 2014, I wrote “So Beautiful and Baba n faye mi dabira”, which happened to be a testimony of my experiences above even though I was still expecting to be “Beautiful”. We didn’t stop there, I took a major step, and you might call it risk too, in hosting my first concert in 2014 which turned out to be Massive, beyond our expectations and guess what, ever since then, the story, my singing ministry has never remained the same. My first album which we struggled to sell few copies, even giving out free sometime was still struggling; now to the Glory of God people get my album for 50k, 100k, 200k and so on. We’ve had invitations for 10 Days stretch without break and so many amazing results – I must say, it’s been GOD!
I Have ministered on several big stages within and outside Nigeria.
My advice to upcoming gospel artists, or whatever thing you do, so much it is God’s purpose and plan for you, just keep at it; keep working on your brand and packaging, when the time is right, you will surely blow out from your shell!
Don’t give up!
