On Saturday, June 13, 2015, Olakunle Ogunrombi popularly known as K-Peace emerged the winner of the fifth season of Nigeria’s leading music TV Reality Show, Nigerian Idol. This win came with a handsome cash reward of N7.5 million, an all-expense paid trip to Dubai, a Hyundai Sports Utility Vehicle and a N7.5 million recording deal with South Africa-based Universal Music label not forgetting the high end devices.
With this win however have come some revelations about the past life of the 32 years old who took the Competition by storm with a unique genre of music, FujiRnB which is a fusion of contemporary and Fuji music.
Speaking about his life in the ‘wilderness’, K-Peace, who hails from Ogun State, recalled that he had had to embrace hawking of such edible items as Gala, pure water and soft drinks in the traffic after the loss of his father placed a heavy financial burden on the family.
“I came from a family of five children and we were well-catered for. My father was an engineer with Leventis Motors at the time, but he lost his job and later tried his hands on trading in motor parts. We eventually lost him to cardiac arrest. That marked the beginning of many difficult years ahead for every one of us, including our mother whose duty it was to provide for us,” recalled K-Peace as he began a sad narrative of his family struggles.
“During this time, I covered from Mile 2 to Maza-Maza and Alakija, selling Chin-chin. I later started selling Gala, Pure water and soft drinks around the “Chopping Centre” neighbourhood of Festac Town,” he said.
K-Peace had started out sealing and supplying Chin-Chin to some roadside traders, but opted to go into direct selling when he realised he would make more money doing so.
Prior to this, he had worked as a casual worker in a factory at Maza-Maza where he worked daily from 7 am to 5 pm for a paltry sum of N120.00 with an option of overtime at N30.00. per day. He was on that job for a year before switching to roadside trading (Hawking).
All that had changed prior to his coming to the Show, but his glorious triumph and the attendant rewards, monetary and non-monetary will obviously boost his finances and music career.
During the Show, K-Peace repeatedly shone like the star that he is today. He was a leading light among the final top 12 contestants and he left no one in doubt about his music qualities and, more so, his rating as a top contender for the top prize throughout the seven weeks that the spotlight was cast on them.
Nigerian Idol focuses on discovering Nigerian youths with talent in music and giving them a unique platform to take shots at stardom.
Kanyi Okeke
