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The tale of grass to grace I know is cliche to hear for
many a celebrity as the typical journey to stardom. Its so expected that
in many cases stories of a rough start is fabricated to spice up the
look of that happy ending.
This however, is not anywhere near the case with Izuchukwu Chinedu OKoli for there is no artificial flavor to his story for the sake of increased palatability.
Flavor’s story is as real as it is super inspiring.
Traditionally, we keep it short and simple so I would not bore you with the details of how he got conceived but cut to the chase and begin his story with the wake of his personal struggle at the age of 13 in the year 1996.
At 13 flavor was a drummer for the church of God mission band in Enugu and there he felt the irresistible chemistry with the sound of music.
His expertise with the drums caught his pastors love and interest and so he introduced
Flavor to a friend who was interested in musical talents with a company called Sound City communications (not the music channel you know) and it didn’t take much for Flavour to blow their mind. So perplexed they were that Flavor was offered a scholarship from his secondary school to university level. So it was that Flavour became a student in the University of Nigeria Nssuka.
One would call this paradise ordinarily but sadly the nightmare begins to unfold at this point.
First,
his parents spat at the idea of their son being a musician for Flavor
had chose to study Music in UNN. His parents cited a lot of
irresponsible examples of those whom they knew had veered into music and
a life of waywardness. It got so bad they withdrew moral support and
wouldn’t even speak to the young man.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Sound City Communications decided to leave Enugu for Port harcourt but were willing to take Flavor along to study music under their sponsorship and supervision.
Now Flavour’s dad finally spoke to Flavour. “No Port harcourt, No Music! Okwu a gwu” (meaning “End of discussion” or “Shikena” if you may)
So Sound city pulled out on the scholarship, Flavour dropped out in his first year and the suffering street boy was born.
From pub to pub trying to find an outlet to free the tormenting spirit of music that wrestled daily with his restless talent.
It was rough and reconciling with his dad and studying some professional course seemed like the only way to stay off the streets. Thus his seeming prodigal return in 2002 where he was made to right Jamb again and this time popsie filled the course in himself.
3yrs later, Flavor was a 3rd student of the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC) and struggling to pass test and exams but could barely do so with his heart so far removed from Business Administration which he studied. Not being able to get music off his mind and not being able to find peace with school, the streets called again. Flavor dropped out for the second time.
Now his father and mothers hands were washed cleaner than that of Pontious Pilate. Life may now do what it pleases with him and trust life to be a ruthless master at times like this. Flavour’s trials had just began.
Every joint in Enugu had witnessed the hustling play of Flavour and his street music gang, They spent 3whole years playing at Oneal Plaza lower chime, New Haven. Enugu until the management stopped selling alcohol and there goes Flavour’s most steady source of a low paying income. Back to the club hopping, birthdays and burials.
He remembers with near tears this one burial where the road was not motor-able after a several kilometers, they had to carry equipment on their heads and walk for about 2km to the village. The had played all night for the wake keep, slept on benches for less than 3 hours only to wash their faces with pure water and kick of play at 6am. They didn’t get full pay at this gig.
Back to Enugu, the market was saturated so they chose to seek for greener pastures at Onitsha. Here he fell so ill with what seemed like typhoid fever. No one to run to and the boy was slowly dying. The band all agreed that he should return to Enugu where he could at least get medication on credit. Sa he returned back home without a band.
Was this the end of music and Flavor? Not for this rugged die hard believer in himself and God.
Flavor began to sequence the beats into the keyboard, got a partner to play while he sang and called his band “Two can play”. Two can play entertained at bubbles plaza, Ogui road Eastern shop.
Here he saved money to buy his first set of speakers and could now take bookings for weddings (bye bye to burials).
As he his game got better and he pulled quite a crowed. Bubbles city center (another joint) offered him a deal for “Flavor Friday Live” and of course he got on his first real stage on that debut Friday night. He played from 9pm to 2:30am and would usually open with the chant “Nabania” meaning “Tonight!!” and the crowd would respond “ife ni ne ga eme” meaning “everything would happen” or “its all going down”
So he decides to use the slogan and response for his first single. That my people, was how Flavor saw the streets of Eko for the first time in his life. Kingsley Ogoro’s studio in Surulere was the studio. the producer was Albert Kalu and the song Nabania was born.
He took it back to Enugu and would tip the DJ to play it and the response was masssssssive!!! He started hawking a few copies from table to table and the Nabania gospel kept spreading. Everyone kept pushing for him to go look for a marketer in Lagos. He was in no hurry to look desperate. In the words of Chief Zebrudia “he have see 99 so what are 100?”. “They will come for me” Flavor said with faith and patience, two qualities he had learned the hard way.
Six months later, he got a call from an Obino who was interested in his music. You see, Obaino was the biggest marketer from Alaba at that time and his asking offer was N2,000,000:00 for a Flavor album.
Fast forward this story to Cotonou where Mr Flavor N’abania is hand picking his first “Tokunbo moto” and the rest of his growth unfolded right before our eyes.
Hey! After 11years, his family now talks to him and his siblings are part of his entourage globe trotting with him as you read this.
Izuchukwu Chinedu Okoli, a truly inspiring story of patience, perseverance, prayers, focus and success.
What is your passion? How rough has the journey been? Do you think its wise to give up?
Think about Adu boy aka Flavor and please keep pushing as you wake up everyday with the determination to make a success of your story.
This however, is not anywhere near the case with Izuchukwu Chinedu OKoli for there is no artificial flavor to his story for the sake of increased palatability.
Flavor’s story is as real as it is super inspiring.
Traditionally, we keep it short and simple so I would not bore you with the details of how he got conceived but cut to the chase and begin his story with the wake of his personal struggle at the age of 13 in the year 1996.
At 13 flavor was a drummer for the church of God mission band in Enugu and there he felt the irresistible chemistry with the sound of music.
His expertise with the drums caught his pastors love and interest and so he introduced
Flavor to a friend who was interested in musical talents with a company called Sound City communications (not the music channel you know) and it didn’t take much for Flavour to blow their mind. So perplexed they were that Flavor was offered a scholarship from his secondary school to university level. So it was that Flavour became a student in the University of Nigeria Nssuka.
One would call this paradise ordinarily but sadly the nightmare begins to unfold at this point.
First,
his parents spat at the idea of their son being a musician for Flavor
had chose to study Music in UNN. His parents cited a lot of
irresponsible examples of those whom they knew had veered into music and
a life of waywardness. It got so bad they withdrew moral support and
wouldn’t even speak to the young man.As if that wasn’t bad enough, Sound City Communications decided to leave Enugu for Port harcourt but were willing to take Flavor along to study music under their sponsorship and supervision.
Now Flavour’s dad finally spoke to Flavour. “No Port harcourt, No Music! Okwu a gwu” (meaning “End of discussion” or “Shikena” if you may)
So Sound city pulled out on the scholarship, Flavour dropped out in his first year and the suffering street boy was born.
From pub to pub trying to find an outlet to free the tormenting spirit of music that wrestled daily with his restless talent.
It was rough and reconciling with his dad and studying some professional course seemed like the only way to stay off the streets. Thus his seeming prodigal return in 2002 where he was made to right Jamb again and this time popsie filled the course in himself.
3yrs later, Flavor was a 3rd student of the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC) and struggling to pass test and exams but could barely do so with his heart so far removed from Business Administration which he studied. Not being able to get music off his mind and not being able to find peace with school, the streets called again. Flavor dropped out for the second time.
Now his father and mothers hands were washed cleaner than that of Pontious Pilate. Life may now do what it pleases with him and trust life to be a ruthless master at times like this. Flavour’s trials had just began.
Every joint in Enugu had witnessed the hustling play of Flavour and his street music gang, They spent 3whole years playing at Oneal Plaza lower chime, New Haven. Enugu until the management stopped selling alcohol and there goes Flavour’s most steady source of a low paying income. Back to the club hopping, birthdays and burials.
He remembers with near tears this one burial where the road was not motor-able after a several kilometers, they had to carry equipment on their heads and walk for about 2km to the village. The had played all night for the wake keep, slept on benches for less than 3 hours only to wash their faces with pure water and kick of play at 6am. They didn’t get full pay at this gig.
Back to Enugu, the market was saturated so they chose to seek for greener pastures at Onitsha. Here he fell so ill with what seemed like typhoid fever. No one to run to and the boy was slowly dying. The band all agreed that he should return to Enugu where he could at least get medication on credit. Sa he returned back home without a band.
Was this the end of music and Flavor? Not for this rugged die hard believer in himself and God.
Flavor began to sequence the beats into the keyboard, got a partner to play while he sang and called his band “Two can play”. Two can play entertained at bubbles plaza, Ogui road Eastern shop.
Here he saved money to buy his first set of speakers and could now take bookings for weddings (bye bye to burials).
As he his game got better and he pulled quite a crowed. Bubbles city center (another joint) offered him a deal for “Flavor Friday Live” and of course he got on his first real stage on that debut Friday night. He played from 9pm to 2:30am and would usually open with the chant “Nabania” meaning “Tonight!!” and the crowd would respond “ife ni ne ga eme” meaning “everything would happen” or “its all going down”
So he decides to use the slogan and response for his first single. That my people, was how Flavor saw the streets of Eko for the first time in his life. Kingsley Ogoro’s studio in Surulere was the studio. the producer was Albert Kalu and the song Nabania was born.
He took it back to Enugu and would tip the DJ to play it and the response was masssssssive!!! He started hawking a few copies from table to table and the Nabania gospel kept spreading. Everyone kept pushing for him to go look for a marketer in Lagos. He was in no hurry to look desperate. In the words of Chief Zebrudia “he have see 99 so what are 100?”. “They will come for me” Flavor said with faith and patience, two qualities he had learned the hard way.
Six months later, he got a call from an Obino who was interested in his music. You see, Obaino was the biggest marketer from Alaba at that time and his asking offer was N2,000,000:00 for a Flavor album.
Fast forward this story to Cotonou where Mr Flavor N’abania is hand picking his first “Tokunbo moto” and the rest of his growth unfolded right before our eyes.
Hey! After 11years, his family now talks to him and his siblings are part of his entourage globe trotting with him as you read this.
Izuchukwu Chinedu Okoli, a truly inspiring story of patience, perseverance, prayers, focus and success.
What is your passion? How rough has the journey been? Do you think its wise to give up?
Think about Adu boy aka Flavor and please keep pushing as you wake up everyday with the determination to make a success of your story.
wow!!! pursuit of happiness
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