Veteran musician John Odafe Asiemo, popularly known as Daddy Showkey, has opened up about his struggles after the breakup of his group, Pretty Busy Boys, revealing that he returned to life in the garage and even considered joining the army before discovering his talent as a solo artiste.
Speaking about his journey to stardom on Channels TV, the Galala music pioneer said the period after the group split was confusing and uncertain.
“After the Pretty Busy Boys, everybody went solo. Me, I was thinking, what will I do? I went back to the garage. First of all, I wanted to join the army… but the training was too much for me.
“I came back to Lagos and went back to the garage. It was in the garage that I discovered that I have the potential to be a singer,” he said.
Showkey, known for street anthems in the 1990s, said the experience taught him that success is not reserved for a select few.
“God does not choose who will succeed. You cannot say God has chosen only one person to succeed. God wants to bless everybody,” he added.
Daddy Showkey rose to fame after going solo in the mid-90s with hits like Diana and Fire Fire.
He is widely credited as one of the pioneers who brought Ajegunle street music to the mainstream.
Meanwhile, the veteran singer has explained why he is celebrating 50 years on stage this year despite being 56 years old.
The ‘Galala man’ made the clarification during an interview on Arise TV ahead of his 57th birthday on August 4.
According to the singer, the milestone marks his entire journey in the entertainment industry rather than the period of his music career alone.
Daddy Showkey revealed that he began performing as an acrobat before venturing into television, where he featured in productions including Village Headmaster.
He also credited veteran actor Adejumo Lewis with discovering him in Ajegunle, a breakthrough he said laid the foundation for his career in entertainment.
Showkey explained, “I started appearing on television in 1976. I was on the Bar Beach Show, then I went on to feature in other shows, and I was just six years old. It surprises me when people ask how old I am because I’m celebrating 50 years on stage. TV & Video
“I will only encourage parents to discover their children’s talents and document their journey. I started as an acrobat. I’m not just celebrating Daddy Showkey the musician, but Daddy Showkey as an entertainer.
“Some of the people who discovered me back then are still alive. I was part of ‘Village Headmaster.’ It was Adejumo Lewis who discovered me in Ajegunle. I started when I was six, and I’ll be 56 soon. I call myself a child star, and I appreciate my mother for that.”
Packaged by Oludotun Ajibola
