Encomium
Award-winning gospel artiste, Nikki Laoye is known for her eclectic musical expressions with the fusion of RnB, hip hop and more. Aside her musical career, she also has the passion to take care of the physically challenged. In an interview with ENCOMIUM Weekly, she opened up on her foundation and many more…
What have you been up to?
Nikki Laoye has certainly been up to a lot. I am a singer, a humanitarian, a radio host(Girls Rock with Nikki Laoye show at PraiseWorld Radio), the Voice of Refugees, ambassador for the government body, NCFRMI (National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons) and Project Manager for Wahala Media Entertainment while I run my graphics company, Scribbles by Nikki Laoye. With all these responsibilities, I have certainly been busier than a bee.
How are you basking in the success of your song and video, 123?
I am definitely excited by the recognition, numerous award nominations and wins at home and abroad. It’s been mind-blowing and worth all the hard work my team and I put into the song and its video.
The song received Song of the Year award at 2013 Nigeria Gospel Music Awards and few weeks ago in London, I received the 2014 Best Female Artiste – Africa award by the African Gospel Music Awards, UK and many more nominations are in view. I do thank God for it all.
What inspired it?
123 was inspired by my brother and producer, Xblaze who produced the song. We simply wanted to create a song everyone can relate to, for that special moment you just want to celebrate a new milestone, a new baby or simply thank God that you are alive.
How does it feel being a gospel artiste?
I am more than just a gospel artiste according to the Nigerian definition of who a gospel artiste is. I do Nikki Laoye Music – Life Music. I simply love to express my life, my God, my emotions, my experiences via my music.
For me, music is a huge tool of communication so I decide what i want to talk about within these three sectors of my expressions – love, life and God.
A love song today, a worship song tomorrow, a patriotic song for my nation next week. As long as it will inspire, motivate and encourage people and relationships, that is all I am working with.
Recently, you were at Gosporella Open House Day as the star host. How does it feel?
It was fun as always, celebrating with DJ Gosporella and handling the live radio interviews for the celebrities that dropped by that day. I have been into broadcasting for years so I was simply having fun, doing my job as always.
How did you develop the passion for radio broadcasting?
It’s more than radio broadcasting. I simply love all forms of media broadcasting from radio, TV, blogging, and I handle them quite easily.
I have gathered experience over the years as I worked at NTA Duste (Jigawa State) in 2004; hosted a youth TV show on Silverbird TV few years back and now I’m still working as an On-Air Personality at Africa’s No 1 online gospel radio station, PraiseWorld Radio.
How did you come about Angel 4 Life Foundation?
Angel 4 Life Foundation has been my baby project since I was a child. I never could bear seeing children suffer even as a child myself. I remember asking my parents many times, while driving across town, if we could stop and take home some of the kids begging on the road side and take care of them.
And I made up my mind then to do something about it when I grew older and here am I today.
I kicked off the foundation officially in 2010 on my 30th birthday and we are growing gradually.
What are the challenges of running such a Non-Governmental Organisation ( NGO0?
Funding is the major challenge as resources are needed to keep up with the huge need-list we deal with every day. For now, we handle our projects from my personal contributions and donations from our trustees and kind individuals.
What have you achieved so far with the foundation?
Since its inception, we have handled a lot of projects which are still ongoing to achieve our goals.
In 2012, with the support of my fellow colleagues and celebrities, we kicked off fundraising projects such as the Buy A Cane project as well as the Sing For The Blind fundraiser, which held on the hallways of The Palms Mall and featured artistes/celebrities such as Sammie Okposo, Funke Kuti, PITA, MEX, Tiwa Savage and more.
In 2012, We also helped to organise the first Lagos edition of the International White Cane Day for the blind for the Nigeria Association of the Blind (NAB) Lagos Chapter and got the involvement of some Nigerian Celebrities and companies such as Sammie Okposo, Funke Kuti, Mc Abbey, Kiki Omeili, Yaw, Nedu, Chicken Republic, CocaCola Bottling Company, Say Cheese Cakes, Oaken Events and many more. We partner with them every year to celebrate this occasion and this year, we did same as always.
The foundation, in partnership with a training school class of Guaranty Trust Bank, helped to obtain studio equipment and build a music recording studio for the talented challenged producer, Akeem, who resides at the home.
The foundation has also adopted Adeola, a visually impaired student; Toma, a physically challenged female art painter; Sammy and Akeem, physically challenged recording artistes and helps provide financial support for the development of their skills and education.
For the success stories of the foundation, I have also received two humanitarian awards. In 2013, The 234 Giver Award by 234Giver.com for the Buy A Cane initiative and The Ambassador of Charity 2014 award. It definitely encourages us to keep doing what we do.
Your foundation is focused on the visually impaired, why?
The foundation is focused on visually impaired and physically challenged people as I realised that the society doesn’t place much emphasis on their needs and most times, places a stigma on these wonderful people who are just like you and I but need more help and assistance due to the loss of one of their senses or body functions.
Also, I was inspired by my friend, renowned visually impaired producer, Cobhams, who was my neighbour and produced my very first single, Never Felt This Way Before. His strength and attitude to life despite his lack of sight amazed me, motivated me and I saw that he had a great family support system which helped to make life easier for him. This built my resolve to help as many as I can, including Adeola, my adopted brother (who is also blind) and be the big sister figure they needed to be all that God has called them to be despite their disabilities.
What kind of programmes have you put in place in order to make it a success?
We have different projects which help to achieve our objectives to support and empower visually impaired and physically challenged youths.
We have the #BuyACane Project (to purchase white guide canes for the visually impaired); #5kForKelechi (Help Kelechi Walk, a fund-raising project to raise funds for reconstructive spinal surgery needed by Scoliosis victim, Kelechi Uhegwu); Teach-A-Child Project (supporting the education of the physically challenged); The See The Art In Me Project (supporting the creative skills/arts of talented challenged youths). We also have mentorship sessions where we have counselling sessions with them as well.
You recently organised a campaign Buy A White Cane, what was it about?
The #BuyACane Project is simply a community fundraising project to purchase white guide canes which are mobility aids for visually impaired youths. This project kicked off in 2012 with the target of buying 5,000 canes for free distribution within Lagos and across Nigeria. We were notified of this need by the Nigeria Association of the Blind (Lagos Chapter) for their members.
Each white cane cost N3,500, how many have you sold and how will it help the course of the foundation?
Our target is 5,000 canes and we have been able to raise enough to buy over 200 canes and we are still on it.
This project definitely helps us to achieve one of our major objectives as a foundation and that is to support and empower the visually impaired community with training towards their self-sufficiency and independence for easy integration back into the society.
How are you enjoying marital bliss?
It’s been beautiful and I thank God.
What is your view about celebrity marriages collapsing?
It’s definitely saddening but I do understand what they might be dealing with. Celebrity marriages are under more 
pressure especially as the personalities are well known and constantly being followed by the media and fans alike. And any small sign of trouble is preyed upon quickly by the public.
Though it is like any other marriage when it comes to the two people involved, who have to deal with the pressures of life, work, children and their own personalities to make it work daily, I know it’s not easy to do what we do and still keep our homes stable as we travel often, work late many times. It’s definitely God’s grace, strength and wisdom that helped us to achieve this equation.
What do you think couples can do to keep their homes?
Never stop dating your spouse. See him/her as your forever boyfriend and girlfriend and treat each day as your new date right in your home. It keeps the spark alive and keeps boredom at bay which is the Number one problem in all marriages.
We all need to lean on God some more for help and wisdom to handle serious situations when they arise and also ensure that you have a good family and friend support system at all times that tell you the truth even when it hurts.
How do you juggle career and family?
It’s definitely demanding, I must say but I do apply wisdom to keep work time in its place and family time in its own place as well.
-DOLAPO AMODENI
