'I AM TWENTY'

He is the young charming singer that rocks our screens and airwaves often. Born Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun whom we have come to know as Wizkid. The Twenty year old singer took us through his world where he spoke about how he stumbled into music, his oppositions and how he has been able to keep his relationship with the female gender.

Can you let us briefly into your background?

"My name is Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun. I am a student of Leadcity Univercity, 200 level where I currently study International Relations. I got into music when I was eleven in my church. For me, it was fun but I was doing it better until I met and featured in OJB, the popular song producers single then. We started working together then I realized music is a profession I would like to go into fully. Then on and on it went till this moment."

Did your parents agree to your music career at first, especially when you are growing up?

"My parents agreed. They were proud of me until they discovered that I was taking it to another level. It was at that point my father started going against it. He asked me if I wanted to take it as a profession, to which I said yes, that I wanted to do music. He went against it but at the end of the day he consented. My mother did not go against it at any point."

Do you intend do a Nine to Five job when your through with school?

"Time will tell but am' not sure."

And at what point of your career did you come across Banky W?

"That was about two years ago. There was a party somewhere and he was there too. He saw me performing and he liked my performance. He approched me and after some time I got signed on to Empire Mates Entertainment (EME)."

How did you come about your name Wizkid?

"I came about it through a funny situation and since then it became a teaser. It stuck and I adopted it."

You just released a new video directed by Kemi Adetiba's Dragonfly. Its a good video but it seems you took it to another direction considering your frist video 'Holla at your boy'?


"Yes, it's a different part of me. That's true, but what we intended to achive was to say Wizkid is no more that young boy we all you use to know. The video is like positioning Wizkid as a grown up chap that does what adults do now. The video is not suggestive,this is why it turned out to be a dream at the end of the video. But its just about positioning me as a grown up."

But you are not Twenty one yet?

"Yes I am not. I am Twenty."

It means when you are twenty One, that is what we should look out for?

"Not really. I am matured and I know what to do at that point of ny life. The video is a dream like I said and as it is, am' currently working on another video that will balance up both the first and second videos."

How do you cope with female advances because you are a good looking boy and am' sure you will have a lot of girls around you?

"Yes I have a lot of girls, but as friends. I just keep them as friends and I move on from there. What you see in the video is just the opposite of me. I love them all as friends."

You mean you have nothing to do with the girl in your first video 'Holla at your boy',because I understand there is a kind of pairing for the video?

"She is my girlfriend and a friend for the video. That is all, nothing less and nothing more."

How do you write your songs?

"I write when it comes. I write my songs based on what is happeniing to me. My songs are compendium of what has happened and what is happening to me. Its all about true life stories, this is what my forth coming album is all about."

What is the title of your yet to be released debut album, and how many songs should we expect?

"Well am just putting finishing touches to it. I don't have a title and the number of tracks to expect, it's still under wraps now cause am still working on it."

What comes to your mind when you hear your songs?

"I see myself because like I said its a true reflection of what has been happening to me."

Who is your biggest fan?

"I love 2face Idibia, I am a fan of his music and am also working with him on my coming album. Then of cource. Dbanj and Banky W."

Where do you see yourself in the next few years?

"I see myself doing music and travelling all over the world doing music."

Our World of Pearls....

Oh what an ornament! Is probably the first words that will jump out of one's lips at the sight of rope of beautifully collected pearl.
Like it is always said; 'the description of pearl is a hopeless task,in its simple aesthetic perfection,mystery,sensuous and seductive charm,it is simply indescribable !. History has shown in its records that no stone,jewel or metal has so entranced people more than the soft,seductive pearl especially with the knowing that it comes to us naturally without having to do anything to them,they are simply and purely what nature gives to us with no need for cutting or polishing like other gems and precious stones,they are just for the eyes to behold and the soul to appreciate and covet.

Persian mythology described pearls as the tears of gods,the Chinese believed only the moonlight made pearls grow,to the Greeks pearls are dew collected by oysters openly flaunting their inside as they float on the sea at night,and the romans attributed pearls to Venus with a flavored myth that included impregnation from a kind of celestial sperm bank of heavenly dew! The importance and luxury attached to the pearl is enormous and unmatched,less wonder they were the first gem known to prehistoric man.

Pearl has been adorned since the history of man. It has hung from the necks of aging rulers and ruthless tyrants,nestled in the cleavages of queens and fashion goddess and found prominent places in rings,buckles,necklaces and even crowns and treasure chest of millions of people since antiquity. Queen Elizabeth 1(1533-1603) is perhaps the most passionate royalty and celebrity about pearls in history. She almost aways wore seven ropes of them,some reaching her knee. She was also a proud possessor of 3,000 pearl embroided dresses
Its value is always determined by the combination of luster,color,size,lack of surface flaw and symmetry. The larger the pearl the costlier or more valuable it is but the perfectly round ones are scarce and most valued. They come basically in eight shapes;baroque,oval,round,button,semi round ,circle ,dropped and pear. And as we'll in different colour grades;pink,blue,green,champagne,black and even purple.
By Subomi Kukoyi.