Comedian and actor Akunyota Akpobome, popularly known as Alibaba, has claimed that aspiring artistes get involved in occultic practices before getting signed by a record label.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, Alibaba claimed that these traditions are just one of many things that cause young artists to have blind spots.
He warned artistes going into the music industry to ensure that they define their purpose and stick to the qualities they were brought up with.
Alibaba’s comment is coming against the backdrop of public outrage over the alleged abuse suffered by late Nigerian singer Ilerioluwa Olademeji, also known as Mohbad.
According to him, “For me, there are some things that you would not want to do, and you must stick with it. It is the same thing with some of these artists — some of them do rituals now.
“As an artiste, you must define your purpose, you must hold on to some strong values you’ve been brought up with.
“If you are someone who is in a position with your creative abilities, you don’t need that kind of pressure. You don’t need somebody making you sign or take an oath for you to be creative.”
According to the performer, there is a strong desire to become well-known and successful that is displacing some artistes core principles, and “this is where peer pressure sets in”.
“People just want to blow; they want to be seen, they want to be heard, they want to make money, they want to belong. And because of that, they step back from the values they have been brought up with and do what they shouldn’t do,” he added.
