Building networks and having collaborations can seriously boost your career, that’s for sure. They can land you quality deals and jobs. It is even more rewarding when you build close friendships with some special people in your network. They may be few, but there are surprising friendships in the Nigerian music industry that have survived the years (and perhaps criticism).
In the entire sphere of the Nigerian entertainment industry, these few music celebrities below seem to have enduring friendships. They have stayed true to one another in their own way. Let’s celebrate them.
Omawunmi and Waje
Omawunmi Megbele-Yusuff and Aituaje Iruobe (Waje) are two well-known female music artists. They are best friends who have managed to stay out of controversy. And both of them have mostly kept a low profile (probably to pursue other things as well) these past few years.
They are also business partners. Both Omawunmi and Waje teamed up in 2019 to set up Hermanes Media. The company specializes in producing adverts, digital marketing, film and Television production, and brand event activation. The singer-partners were able to co-produce a movie titled ‘She Is’.
Omawunmi revealed in a 2019 interview with Pulse magazine, that her friendship with Waje dates back over a decade. And the singer made it clear that there have been moments of disagreement nearing almost trading blows with one another. But, as she said, it all boils down to mutual understanding and sharing the goals and visions that agree. Waje. who was also present, added that they are both family-oriented. And even their family members question any one of them when the other is not seen or heard of in more than a day or two.
Olamide and Phyno
For the past one decade thereabout, famous Nigerian rappers Olamide and Phyno have stayed glued to one another. And not merely as friends. They have worked together on music collaborations continually. As far back as 2013, Olamide brought Phyno to feature in his song ‘Dope Money’ on the ‘Baddest Guy Ever Liveth’ Album. Then Phyno released the song ‘Ghost Mode’ and featured Olamide. And then came their jointly-produced studio album ‘2Kings’; the popular ‘Ladi’ track on it particularly went viral. Phyno’s ‘Fada Fada’ and Olamide’s ‘Who You EPP’ were hit songs featuring both of them. And believe us when we say, their collaborative works in those songs were fire.
What is more surprising is the way Olamide and Phyno rapped seamlessly in different languages. Olamide is skilled in Yoruba lyrics; while Phyno is adept in Igbo rap and tone. But they successfully blended the two languages, with strong Pidgin and standard English infusions that ended up raving hot. Their mutual support for each other’s careers is something to learn from.
Wizkid and Tiwa Savage
If there is any controversial friendship in Nigeria and on the planet right now, it has got to be Tiwa and Wizkid. These two big Nigerian music stars have connected, disconnected and reconnected over the years. At the onset, music fans felt Tiwa Savage and Wizkid were dating, owing to their closeness both on-stage and off-stage. Particularly since Wizkid released his hit song ‘Fever’ in 2018, which featured Tiwa Savage.
And no, Tiwa in particular was unapologetically open about it – she refused to hide her fondness for Wizkid. It probably sparked envy in certain quarters. When questioned on the status of their friendship, Tiwa told the media that they were simply friends with ‘some benefits’ – no strings attached. Wizkid in his characteristic style, did not volunteer to say much about the matter.
Sometime around 2020, it appeared Tiwa went her separate ways from Wizkid. Both of them actually unfollowed each other on social media. But in 2022, the duo were seen hanging out with each other. When Tiwa Savage went on tour to Los Angeles to promote her ‘Garri and Water’ album, Wizkid was there to support her.
They met again in Germany not long after. This was following their music tours that seemed to coincide in the same location. Both of them joyfully hugged each other, to the admiration of bystanders.
Celebrity Beefs Turned Around: Davido and Wizkid, Wizkid and Burna Boy
Concerning the relationship between hit music stars Davido and Wizkid, all we can say is ‘Wow’. They were long-time friends who entered the music industry around the same period, sometime in 2011.
What started as meaningless rivalry engineered by their fans, soon spiraled out of control. And Davido could almost not stand his friend Wizkid on stage. There were even accounts of violent confrontations between them – Davido on the offensive, Wizkid remaining cool most of the time. In any case, the ‘meaningless’ beef was thrown out of the window in early 2022 at a night club in Lagos. They hugged and that was it.
There was also an unhealthy rivalry between Burna Boy and Davido. It started early in 2020 on social media, with Burna boy throwing a few verbal missiles and Davido responding somehow. Davido did not waste any opportunity to hint at their brawl in his song ‘Fem’.
And you know Burna Boy is an earthquake; Davido is fire. Well – they eventually had a physical clash at a club in Ghana. It was not a funny encounter. Anger burns like an incinerator. Thankfully, they ended their rift in 2021.
