Charles Enebeli, also known as D’Prince, who was recently signed on
as MTN brand ambassador and whose track, Booty Bag, has been enjoying
airplay on radio, speaks with
Tribune, on Wande Coal and Don Jazzy’s break-up with Mavin Record and other issues.
You were in Ibadan recently for the MTN Loud Naija event, what was
it like, seeing a lot of people turning out to watch you and other
musicians’ perform?
Honestly, the feeling was
great. I have been to Ibadan a couple of times, but this last show was
something special. What thrilled me most that night was the fact that we
had a lot of young and old people showing us love. The impression we
had was that Ibadan people don’t go out at night, that they always
retire to bed early. So, when I was about to perform and I saw the huge
crowd, I said to myself that I better give these people the best of my
performance. I am happy that they really had fun because I did too.
What memory of your experience in Ibadan did you take back to Lagos?
Ibadan is like our second home after Lagos. The fact is that you will
always have something to say about anywhere you visit around the world.
But as I said, I always love coming to Ibadan. The love you get from
these wonderful people will always make you want to go back to that
city. The after-party was another unforgettable night of fun. I really
had fun. Ibadan is fast becoming another big place like Lagos. I am
happy that after Lagos, there is another big place where people
appreciate good music and will stop at nothing to make sure they have
fun to the full.
You are a member of Mavin group. How do you feel about the goings-on in the group?
Mavin is not just my label, it is my family. It is my home and I am
happy with it. I am enjoying my contract because I am working with a
great set of people who share the same vision with me about my career.
So, everybody is working to take the label to an enviable height and I
know God is in control of our affairs. From the boss to the least person
on the label, we all work together as one big family. We always make
sure we produce good music that people will always say good things
about. You must have noticed that we know how to do it, that’s why
everybody appreciates anything that comes out of that label. What
matters in life is how happy you are with what you are doing and who you
are working with. For me, I am very happy and satisfied with what I am
doing under Mavin records.
Are you happy with the way things are going, considering the fact it was formed after the break up of Mo’hits?
There is nothing special about it. You heard in the news just like I
did. It is one of those things that happen with any successful record
label. It is not peculiar to Mavin. Mavin remains stronger than before.
Everybody is working and we are moving ahead. That somebody left or that
somebody may leave tomorrow, does not mean we should all stand down and
look. This is one big happy family; whatever happens, we have to stick
together so that we can fashion out the way forward; not to dwell on
what happened in the past. That will only take us back.
What does this unfortunate development portend for Mavin as a group?
You know this is like a business and you can’t always foresee what
might happen to you or your partner. You won’t even know where your
relationship is heading to until it ends one day. But at the end of the
day, you just have to give thanks to God for the gift of life because
that’s what matters to me. As long as I have my life, I can always find
my way through whatever challenge that comes my way. You can’t run away
from things like this, but your ability to deal with it is the most
important thing. You will agree with me that at the end of the day, you
have got only your life to look after. I f you lose it, you are
finished. I just thank God for my life, that’s all I can say.
You have suffered two break-ups in less than three years. If you look at the two scenarios, do you see any connection?
Why are you linking two different things together? But back to your
question, as I said, I can’t really explain how it happened. If I tell
you I could, I won’t be telling you the truth. In order not to confuse
our audience, especially those who love us for what we have been able to
prove over the years, I will say it was a big shock to me as it was to
you people. I felt the way you might have felt when you heard about it.
What I want people to do is to pray for us that God should guide us.
Without His guide, we can’t do anything successfully.
What lesson have you learnt from it personally and don’t you think this may affect you in one way or the other?
One thing I want to bring out of this is that nobody knows tomorrow.
So, whatever you do today, just do it very well. This development is a
shock to all of us because Wande Coal is like our brother. Basically, we
will keep the flag flying. No hard feelings and no bad blood. Like I
said, we are all brothers. We will definitely find a way to get things
sorted out.
Will this not affect your relationship with Wande Coal?
I don’t see it that way. Wande is my brother. We see each other at
least every other day. I have no problem with Wande. The relationship
remains as cordial as before. If you know the kind of relationship that
exists between us, I am sure you won’t be saying this. That he decided
to leave does not mean it will affect our relationship; it won’t.
Break-up or no break-up, you have to be thankful to God for the good
life He has blessed you with. Whether we like it or not, we remain one
big family. From D’Banj to Don Jazzy, Wande Coal, me, Dr Sid and Tiwa
Savage, I want our fans to continue to pray for us. It will mean a lot
to the group right now.
Is there any difference between the defunct Mo’hits and the current Mavin group?
When you hear Mavin, you hear Mo’hits because this is something that
has been on for a long time. We didn’t just start yesterday. People love
us because they know we will give them positive music as we have been
churning it out since day one. My last album is barely a year old and
you can see how far it has gone.
