Ayo Shonaiya
Encyclopedia
Ayo Shonaiya is a producer of film, television and music projects. He is also a lawyer and an experienced talent agent who has managed and represented many of Nigeria
's top artists, over time or on a one off basis. The list include Fuji music
star King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal 1 (K1 the Ultimate), pop star D'banj
(and Don Jazzy
), Eldee
the Don of Trybe Records, R&B artiste Michael Word and rapper Muna
. He is the Chairman/CEO of entertainment and media management company R70 Media Group in the UK, known as RMG or The RMG Company.
on 6 December 1968 to Nigerian parents, father Babafemi (deceased) and mother Florence Bolaji Shonaiya, a trained fashion designer in 1960s London. He moved with his parents and elder brother to Lagos Nigeria at an early age, and was educated at Sunnyfields Primary School, Igbobi College (Angus Memorial High School) before relocating back to London after graduating from High School.
Ayo is the fifth child of six children. He has two elder brothers, two elder sisters and one younger brother. Although he had ambitions of becoming a lawyer when he was young, his friends and family had always thought he would end up working in the entertainment or creative field when he grew up, he achieved both.
in Florida, he worked for free at a local TV station to gain experience in producing for television and within months was producing music and adventure segments for a program broadcasted on the local Sunshine Cable Network. He was advised while in college to pursue, after graduation, a career in screenwriting for film or documentary filmmaking.
After a brief stint in Los Angeles
California
after college, he soon returned to his birth city of London
in late 1992, determined to make films for a living, but instead he enrolled at the University of Westminster
Law School in 1993 to fulfill his childhood dream of becoming a lawyer. In his final year of Law School, he wrote, produced, directed and acted in his first feature film More Blessing about a dubious Nigerian Pastor in London starring famous Yoruba actor Jide Kosoko. He scheduled his film shoot around his final law exam.
In 1997, after some months of combining both vocations, Ayo had to choose between law and film. He chose film and in that year he again wrote, produced, directed and starred in the iconic film King of my Country, playing a Nigerian who travelled to London to work menial jobs but soon turned to fraud. This film will later inspire Nigerian singer Sound Sultan to write a hit song of the same title featuring international star Wyclef Jean
.
In 1999, Ayo wrote, directed and starred in his third feature film Spin. The film shoot was halted after 3 weeks when the original lead actress couldn't continue due to illness. There was a break of another 6 weeks before a replacement lead actress was found. A young up and coming British/Nigerian actress Caroline Chikezie
was cast in her first starring role in Spin, which also featured Chebe Azih, Deborah Asante and Femi Houghton with the soundtrack by British/Nigerian soul singer Ola Onabule
. Contrary to many claims by other Nigerian producers, Spin was the first film by a Nigerian to be premiered in a cinema in the West End of London
at the inaugural BFM International Film Festival in 1999. Spin was nominated for Best New Director at the 2001 Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles and also for the MICA Prize at the FESPACO in Ouagadougou
Burkina Faso
in the same year.
In 2005, Ayo made his fourth feature film in London, writing and directing the film Good Evening, which was produced by Nollywood star Jim Iyke
who also played the starring role alongside American actress Tanjareen Martin
. The film was never released.
). He agreed and signed a 2 year contract to produce programs for the station's 24 hour schedule and also as Programs Director to seek and acquire programs from other sources for broadcast. In the 2 years (2003–2005), Ayo Shonaiya's R70 World productions was responsible for 70% of the station's activity including programs, spin off events and media.
In 2003, Ayo made history by creating, producing and directing the first live black African television program in the UK and Europe, a music program called Intro with his good friend Abass Tijani (DJ Abass
) as the Presenter. Intro quickly became very popular and a must watch for all Nigerians and Africans across Europe every Wednesday night from 8pm to 10pm (then on Sky channel 234), featuring musical guests from Nigeria, Africa and across the world. Viewers could call in to speak to the Presenter and guests and this was the program where all the new music videos from Africa were premiered and played. Intro was responsible for breaking the many stars of the Nigerian music industry today and created spin-offs like the annual concert series the Big Nigerian Independence Intro Jam and the Intro Hollywood Special TV feature filmed in Los Angeles annually over the Grammy weekend.
Even though Ayo directed other live shows on BEN TV, such as the current affairs program In Perspective, it was another of his TV creations that further changed the face of what is now referred to as black television in the UK. The Black Variety Show was first broadcast on BEN TV (Saturdays 1pm - 3pm) in August 2003, a live call-in show with 2 presenters (Ronke Apampa and Maria Soyinka). The show was tagged to be about "nothing, something, anything and everything". BVS soon became the No.1 program on BEN TV as it showcased (although mostly Nigerian and African) black lifestyle, adventure, cuisine, film and travel. Guests on the live show ranged from movie stars and fashion designers to wife of former vice president of Nigeria and cookbook writers. Actress Dakore Egbuson was also a co-presenter of the Black Variety Show before she became a Nollywood star. Ronke Apampa was the only presenter from 2004 to 2007 when the program finally went off air.
In 2005, after a rift developed between BEN TV founder Alistair Soyode and Ayo Shonaiya over which direction the station was going and disagreements over the quality of the programs that was accepted for broadcast by the station owners, Ayo decided not to extend his contract with BEN TV and moved his popular programs to rival African station OBE TV for another 2 years.
In 2010, Ayo created a new TV series called United States of Nigeria, featuring exclusive interviews and features about Nigerians in America. The show is presented by Seun Maduka.
In the year 2001, Ayo came across the trio of Eldee, Freestyle and Kaboom, young rappers in a group called the Trybesmen
. Although he was still contracted to Kwam 1, he took a liking to the Trybesmen and started managing them informally and supporting their causes. Ayo once said in an interview "The Trybesmen and Da Trybe were like my children, I was using my manager's percentage money from Wasiu to fund their videos". The Trybesmen videos for Plenty Nonsense and the groundbreaking Oya (by Da Trybe) were actually directed by Ayo Shonaiya. He would subsequently work with and/or manage the careers of the Trybesmen (and members of the Da Trybe such as Dr SID
, Sasha and 2Shotz) over a period of 3 years. Ayo and Trybe leader Eldee the Don later reunited in Atlanta US as the latter produced his solo album Return of the King.
Ayo Shonaiya had known Don Jazzy
for a couple of years as a member of the Solek Crew and later as in-house producer for Afro-Pop artiste JJC
's Backbone Music. D'banj
had sometime in 2004 introduced himself to Ayo as an aspiring artiste also in JJC
's London studio. Backstage at the 2004 Big Nigerian Independence Intro Jam in London, featuring JJC
and his 419 Squad as one of the acts, Don Jazzy and D'banj were reportedly 'dismissed' from the crew just before the group's turn to go on stage. But D'banj had a song featuring the singer Kween (another member of the crew). So, as show promoters, Ayo Shonaiya and DJ Abass
allowed D'banj and Kween to go on stage on their own to perform their duet and maybe D'banj's single. After the duet, D'banj's solo performance of his song Mobolowowon was hailed as the best performance of the night.
After that performance at the Intro Jam, Ayo was to take D'banj
and producer Don Jazzy
under his wing, to guide, develop and manage their early careers. D'banj's first album No Long Thing
was being produced by Don Jazzy while a strategic plan was drawn up to make them big stars on the UK Nigerian scene, in Nigeria and eventually internationally. One of the tracks on the album was titled Tongolo with the chorus line "make I tell dem the Koko" (D'banj would later nickname himself the Kokomaster). In December 2004 Ayo flew to Atlanta to be at the birth of his child while D'banj and Don Jazzy flew to Lagos to open for Jamaican reggae
star Beenie Man
in concert and to shoot the video for Tongolo (directed by DJ Tee). On 12 December 2004, Ayo's 4th child, a girl, was born on the same day the Tongolo video was filmed. With everybody back in London by January 2005, the Tongolo video was premiered as a WORLD EXCLUSIVE on the Intro live program with DJ Abass
interviewing D'banj and Ayo Shonaiya directing. A star was born!
From then on D'banj was touted as the next big thing to happen to the Nigerian music industry, he was frequently booked in Nigeria for big shows such as the Guinness Extra Smooth concert in Port Harcourt (supporting 2face Idibia
) and the launch of the Dome in Abuja alongside American actor Wesley Snipes
. The Tongolo album was launched in the UK and the duo were also the headline act at R70 and DJA Music concerts in the UK. Later in the year, Ayo negotiated a deal with Obaino Records in Nigeria to pay D'banj for a video remix album based on potential sales (an unprecedented deal at the time). The video/documentary Tongolo Remix (directed by DJ Tee and produced by R70 World) was released in 2005, and just like in the original video, Don Jazzy would include in the credits the name Mo' Hits Records, the record label he founded and now headed by himself and D'banj.
In 2006, Ayo went to Calabar
Cross River State
to co-direct a reality TV show called Creative Academii. After almost 12 weeks of the show, it came down to 2 music contestants. The contestant that came second was a young student called Michael Ojo. Weeks after the show, Ayo met up with Michael in Lagos and it was agreed that he would take the stage name Michael Word but he would go back to university to finish his degree while he develops his skills as an R&B artiste. After graduating in 2009 Michael set about making music his full time vocation. Ayo introduced Michael to producer Puffy T to record some tracks (including singing the hook on Who Am I by actor Jim Iyke
and 2face Idibia
), and also took Michael on the Yes Records Tour to Abuja
, Accra
Ghana
and to the United Kingdom
to perform and gain stage experience.
In 2010, Michael Word became the first artiste on the roster of the newly named management company RMG by Ayo Shonaiya, and again travelled to London to open for Terry G and 9ice
at the StarMix concert and also shoot a video for his song Do It For Love.
At the 2007 edition of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) in Lagos, Ayo Shonaiya was directing a TV feature for the Black Variety Show. The event producer Guy Murray-Bruce introduced the winner of the pageant, Munachi Abii, to Ayo. In 2010, Munachi Abii was signed to RMG as Muna
the rapper, to manage her career and to represent her in all business and commercial matters. Within months Ayo had negotiated an endorsement deal for her with Unilever
for the Lux (soap)
brand and taken her to the United States to record tracks for her debut album that will include already released singles I Feel Real and Killer Queen.
Muna
is featured in Nigerian singer Waje's song So Inspired and also in Michael Word’s latest single called Pop Sugar and have shot videos for the songs. Michael Word's 4th video, for the single In My Room was filmed in the UK in 2011.
In 2011, Ayo took on another artiste, Axterix, onto his fledging independent label RMG Records.
doll. Ayo is inspired by Nigerian Afrobeat
musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti, former Manchester United soccer player Eric Cantona
, filmmaker Oliver Stone
, Indian film actor Amitabh Bachchan
and Nigerian comedians Papalolo & Jacob.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
's top artists, over time or on a one off basis. The list include Fuji music
Fuji music
Fuji is a popular Nigerian musical genre. It arose from the improvisation Ajisari/were music tradition, which is a kind of music performed to wake muslims before dawn during the Ramadan fasting season...
star King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal 1 (K1 the Ultimate), pop star D'banj
D'banj
Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo , is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and harmonica player. He has won several music awards including the awards for Best African Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2007, Artist of the Year at the MTV Africa Music Awards 2009. and BET Awards of 2011 for Best International Act; Africa...
(and Don Jazzy
Don Jazzy
Michael Collins Ajereh , better known as Don Jazzy, is a Nigerian Multi award-winning record producer, singer-songwriter, musician and CEO of Nigerian record label Mo' Hits Records founded in 2004...
), Eldee
Eldee
Lanre Dabiri, better known by his stage name Eldee, stylized as eLDee, is a Nigerian American rapper, record producer and architect. "Lanre" is a diminutive for the Yoruba name "Olanrewaju" . eLDee studied Architecture at the University of Lagos, Nigeria...
the Don of Trybe Records, R&B artiste Michael Word and rapper Muna
Muna
Muna may refer to:*Muna, Yucatán, town in Yucatán, Mexico*Muna, Nepal, village development committee, Myagdi District, Nepal*Muna, Estonia, village in Rõuge Parish, Võru County, Estonia*Muna River, river in Murmansk Oblast, Russia...
. He is the Chairman/CEO of entertainment and media management company R70 Media Group in the UK, known as RMG or The RMG Company.
Background
Born in Central LondonCentral London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
on 6 December 1968 to Nigerian parents, father Babafemi (deceased) and mother Florence Bolaji Shonaiya, a trained fashion designer in 1960s London. He moved with his parents and elder brother to Lagos Nigeria at an early age, and was educated at Sunnyfields Primary School, Igbobi College (Angus Memorial High School) before relocating back to London after graduating from High School.
Ayo is the fifth child of six children. He has two elder brothers, two elder sisters and one younger brother. Although he had ambitions of becoming a lawyer when he was young, his friends and family had always thought he would end up working in the entertainment or creative field when he grew up, he achieved both.
Film
While studying Filmmaking and Video Production at The Art Institute of Fort LauderdaleThe Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale
The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale is a private, coeducational applied-arts college located in southeast urban Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Founded in 1968 by the late Mark K. Wheeler, it is the second Art Institute of a current 50 to be established in North America...
in Florida, he worked for free at a local TV station to gain experience in producing for television and within months was producing music and adventure segments for a program broadcasted on the local Sunshine Cable Network. He was advised while in college to pursue, after graduation, a career in screenwriting for film or documentary filmmaking.
After a brief stint in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
after college, he soon returned to his birth city of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in late 1992, determined to make films for a living, but instead he enrolled at the University of Westminster
University of Westminster
The University of Westminster is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom. Its origins go back to the foundation of the Royal Polytechnic Institution in 1838, and it was awarded university status in 1992.The university's headquarters and original campus are based on Regent...
Law School in 1993 to fulfill his childhood dream of becoming a lawyer. In his final year of Law School, he wrote, produced, directed and acted in his first feature film More Blessing about a dubious Nigerian Pastor in London starring famous Yoruba actor Jide Kosoko. He scheduled his film shoot around his final law exam.
In 1997, after some months of combining both vocations, Ayo had to choose between law and film. He chose film and in that year he again wrote, produced, directed and starred in the iconic film King of my Country, playing a Nigerian who travelled to London to work menial jobs but soon turned to fraud. This film will later inspire Nigerian singer Sound Sultan to write a hit song of the same title featuring international star Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
.
In 1999, Ayo wrote, directed and starred in his third feature film Spin. The film shoot was halted after 3 weeks when the original lead actress couldn't continue due to illness. There was a break of another 6 weeks before a replacement lead actress was found. A young up and coming British/Nigerian actress Caroline Chikezie
Caroline Chikezie
Caroline Chikezie is a British actress, born of Nigerian heritage. She is probably most famous for playing the role of 'Sasha Williams' in the British teen soap As If from 2001 to 2004...
was cast in her first starring role in Spin, which also featured Chebe Azih, Deborah Asante and Femi Houghton with the soundtrack by British/Nigerian soul singer Ola Onabule
Ola Onabule
Ola Onabule, a British-Nigerian, soul, jazz, singer-songwriter, musician and producer; born Islington, London 30th March.Ola Onabule has had a career that spans almost two decades defined by his decision to release his music independently on his own label Rugged Ram Records. After a brief...
. Contrary to many claims by other Nigerian producers, Spin was the first film by a Nigerian to be premiered in a cinema in the West End of London
West End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
at the inaugural BFM International Film Festival in 1999. Spin was nominated for Best New Director at the 2001 Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles and also for the MICA Prize at the FESPACO in Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou is the capital of Burkina Faso and the administrative, communications, cultural and economic center of the nation. It is also the country's largest city, with a population of 1,475,223 . The city's name is often shortened to Ouaga. The inhabitants are called ouagalais...
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
in the same year.
In 2005, Ayo made his fourth feature film in London, writing and directing the film Good Evening, which was produced by Nollywood star Jim Iyke
Jim Iyke
Jim Iyke is a Nigerian actor. He started acting in 2005, and was crowned Sexiest Man in Nigeria in 2008. He has starred in over 200 Nollywood movies in Nigeria, and is also popular for starring in roles alongside Rita Dominic.-External links:...
who also played the starring role alongside American actress Tanjareen Martin
Tanjareen Martin
Tanjareen Chere Martin is an American actress, producer, and radio personality. She was born and raised in Inglewood, CA. Her television credits include: Curb Your Enthusiasm, Days of our Lives, Strong Medicine, Howard Stern, The Steve Harvey Show, and City Guys...
. The film was never released.
Television
Although he had little experience in producing for television, after coming off a world tour with Kwam 1, Ayo was invited by his friend Alistair Soyode to help set up and produce original programs for a new television venture, the first black owned TV station in the United Kingdom called Bright Entertainment Network (BEN TelevisionBEN Television
BEN Television is a British television channel launched in 2003, aimed mainly at expatriate Africans living in Europe and north Africa...
). He agreed and signed a 2 year contract to produce programs for the station's 24 hour schedule and also as Programs Director to seek and acquire programs from other sources for broadcast. In the 2 years (2003–2005), Ayo Shonaiya's R70 World productions was responsible for 70% of the station's activity including programs, spin off events and media.
In 2003, Ayo made history by creating, producing and directing the first live black African television program in the UK and Europe, a music program called Intro with his good friend Abass Tijani (DJ Abass
DJ Abass
DJ Abass is a Nigerian DJ and an Entertainment & Media Consultant based in the United Kingdom. He is also well known in the Nigerian and African community in the United Kingdom for presenting the television show Intro and the Big Nigerian Independence Intro Jam[1] series produced by himself and...
) as the Presenter. Intro quickly became very popular and a must watch for all Nigerians and Africans across Europe every Wednesday night from 8pm to 10pm (then on Sky channel 234), featuring musical guests from Nigeria, Africa and across the world. Viewers could call in to speak to the Presenter and guests and this was the program where all the new music videos from Africa were premiered and played. Intro was responsible for breaking the many stars of the Nigerian music industry today and created spin-offs like the annual concert series the Big Nigerian Independence Intro Jam and the Intro Hollywood Special TV feature filmed in Los Angeles annually over the Grammy weekend.
Even though Ayo directed other live shows on BEN TV, such as the current affairs program In Perspective, it was another of his TV creations that further changed the face of what is now referred to as black television in the UK. The Black Variety Show was first broadcast on BEN TV (Saturdays 1pm - 3pm) in August 2003, a live call-in show with 2 presenters (Ronke Apampa and Maria Soyinka). The show was tagged to be about "nothing, something, anything and everything". BVS soon became the No.1 program on BEN TV as it showcased (although mostly Nigerian and African) black lifestyle, adventure, cuisine, film and travel. Guests on the live show ranged from movie stars and fashion designers to wife of former vice president of Nigeria and cookbook writers. Actress Dakore Egbuson was also a co-presenter of the Black Variety Show before she became a Nollywood star. Ronke Apampa was the only presenter from 2004 to 2007 when the program finally went off air.
In 2005, after a rift developed between BEN TV founder Alistair Soyode and Ayo Shonaiya over which direction the station was going and disagreements over the quality of the programs that was accepted for broadcast by the station owners, Ayo decided not to extend his contract with BEN TV and moved his popular programs to rival African station OBE TV for another 2 years.
In 2010, Ayo created a new TV series called United States of Nigeria, featuring exclusive interviews and features about Nigerians in America. The show is presented by Seun Maduka.
Music
Ayo Shonaiya has always said he got into the music business by mistake and persuasion. In 1999, while he was shooting a documentary about Fuji star Kwam 1 (now K1 the Ultimate) titled Kwam 1: The Future, and as his on/off legal consultant, he was invited by the musician to be part of his team full time. In December of the same year he agreed and signed a contract to become Kwam 1's International Manager (alongside artiste manager Percy Ademokun). Ayo's first job was to promote a Christmas "comeback" concert in London which was very successful. From there he was tasked to co-promote a full UK Tour with Biyi Adepegba of Joyful Noise and subsequently a tour of the United States (and Canada) with a 17 piece band the following year. Ayo, as International Manager would eventually tour the world with Kwam 1 and full band 3 times in almost 4 years, recording 5 albums in that period.In the year 2001, Ayo came across the trio of Eldee, Freestyle and Kaboom, young rappers in a group called the Trybesmen
Trybesmen
Trybesmen is an African hip-hop group from Lagos, Nigeria. The Nigerian newspaper NEXT describes them as "one of the pioneers of hip hop in Nigeria" and the BBC called the group "legendary" in 2005....
. Although he was still contracted to Kwam 1, he took a liking to the Trybesmen and started managing them informally and supporting their causes. Ayo once said in an interview "The Trybesmen and Da Trybe were like my children, I was using my manager's percentage money from Wasiu to fund their videos". The Trybesmen videos for Plenty Nonsense and the groundbreaking Oya (by Da Trybe) were actually directed by Ayo Shonaiya. He would subsequently work with and/or manage the careers of the Trybesmen (and members of the Da Trybe such as Dr SID
Dr SID
Sidney Onoriode Esiri , known commonly as, Dr SID is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and Dentist, who is originally from Delta state, but was raised in Lagos...
, Sasha and 2Shotz) over a period of 3 years. Ayo and Trybe leader Eldee the Don later reunited in Atlanta US as the latter produced his solo album Return of the King.
Ayo Shonaiya had known Don Jazzy
Don Jazzy
Michael Collins Ajereh , better known as Don Jazzy, is a Nigerian Multi award-winning record producer, singer-songwriter, musician and CEO of Nigerian record label Mo' Hits Records founded in 2004...
for a couple of years as a member of the Solek Crew and later as in-house producer for Afro-Pop artiste JJC
JJC
JJC a.ka Skillz, is most known in the UK as the producer and creator of the multi-platinum and award winning group Big Brovaz. He has also worked with the likes of Jamelia, Lemar, Jennifer Lopez, Liberty X and Genuwine....
's Backbone Music. D'banj
D'banj
Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo , is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and harmonica player. He has won several music awards including the awards for Best African Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2007, Artist of the Year at the MTV Africa Music Awards 2009. and BET Awards of 2011 for Best International Act; Africa...
had sometime in 2004 introduced himself to Ayo as an aspiring artiste also in JJC
JJC
JJC a.ka Skillz, is most known in the UK as the producer and creator of the multi-platinum and award winning group Big Brovaz. He has also worked with the likes of Jamelia, Lemar, Jennifer Lopez, Liberty X and Genuwine....
's London studio. Backstage at the 2004 Big Nigerian Independence Intro Jam in London, featuring JJC
JJC
JJC a.ka Skillz, is most known in the UK as the producer and creator of the multi-platinum and award winning group Big Brovaz. He has also worked with the likes of Jamelia, Lemar, Jennifer Lopez, Liberty X and Genuwine....
and his 419 Squad as one of the acts, Don Jazzy and D'banj were reportedly 'dismissed' from the crew just before the group's turn to go on stage. But D'banj had a song featuring the singer Kween (another member of the crew). So, as show promoters, Ayo Shonaiya and DJ Abass
DJ Abass
DJ Abass is a Nigerian DJ and an Entertainment & Media Consultant based in the United Kingdom. He is also well known in the Nigerian and African community in the United Kingdom for presenting the television show Intro and the Big Nigerian Independence Intro Jam[1] series produced by himself and...
allowed D'banj and Kween to go on stage on their own to perform their duet and maybe D'banj's single. After the duet, D'banj's solo performance of his song Mobolowowon was hailed as the best performance of the night.
After that performance at the Intro Jam, Ayo was to take D'banj
D'banj
Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo , is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and harmonica player. He has won several music awards including the awards for Best African Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2007, Artist of the Year at the MTV Africa Music Awards 2009. and BET Awards of 2011 for Best International Act; Africa...
and producer Don Jazzy
Don Jazzy
Michael Collins Ajereh , better known as Don Jazzy, is a Nigerian Multi award-winning record producer, singer-songwriter, musician and CEO of Nigerian record label Mo' Hits Records founded in 2004...
under his wing, to guide, develop and manage their early careers. D'banj's first album No Long Thing
No Long Thing
No Long Thing is a the debut album by D'banj,it was released in 2005.-Track listing:# "Intro" – 1:35# "Tongolo" – 4:11# "Socor" – 4:17# "Pastor " – 1:21# "All Da Way" – 2:46# "Iya Mi" – 5:08# "Mr. Olopa" – 4:27...
was being produced by Don Jazzy while a strategic plan was drawn up to make them big stars on the UK Nigerian scene, in Nigeria and eventually internationally. One of the tracks on the album was titled Tongolo with the chorus line "make I tell dem the Koko" (D'banj would later nickname himself the Kokomaster). In December 2004 Ayo flew to Atlanta to be at the birth of his child while D'banj and Don Jazzy flew to Lagos to open for Jamaican reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
star Beenie Man
Beenie Man
Anthony Moses Davis , better known by his stage name Beenie Man, is a Grammy award winning Jamaican reggae artist. He is the self-proclaimed "King of the Dancehall".-Biography:...
in concert and to shoot the video for Tongolo (directed by DJ Tee). On 12 December 2004, Ayo's 4th child, a girl, was born on the same day the Tongolo video was filmed. With everybody back in London by January 2005, the Tongolo video was premiered as a WORLD EXCLUSIVE on the Intro live program with DJ Abass
DJ Abass
DJ Abass is a Nigerian DJ and an Entertainment & Media Consultant based in the United Kingdom. He is also well known in the Nigerian and African community in the United Kingdom for presenting the television show Intro and the Big Nigerian Independence Intro Jam[1] series produced by himself and...
interviewing D'banj and Ayo Shonaiya directing. A star was born!
From then on D'banj was touted as the next big thing to happen to the Nigerian music industry, he was frequently booked in Nigeria for big shows such as the Guinness Extra Smooth concert in Port Harcourt (supporting 2face Idibia
2face Idibia
Innocent Ugah Idibia , best known by his stage name 2Face Idibia, is a Nigerian singer-songwriter, actor and record producer. He was a member of the defunct R&B/hip hop group Plantashun Boyz. 2Face is currently one of the most popular artistes on the African music scene.- Early life :2Face Idibia...
) and the launch of the Dome in Abuja alongside American actor Wesley Snipes
Wesley Snipes
Wesley Trent Snipes is an American actor, film producer, and martial artist, who has starred in numerous action films, thrillers, and dramatic feature films. Snipes is known for playing the Marvel Comics character Blade in the Blade film trilogy, among various other high profile roles...
. The Tongolo album was launched in the UK and the duo were also the headline act at R70 and DJA Music concerts in the UK. Later in the year, Ayo negotiated a deal with Obaino Records in Nigeria to pay D'banj for a video remix album based on potential sales (an unprecedented deal at the time). The video/documentary Tongolo Remix (directed by DJ Tee and produced by R70 World) was released in 2005, and just like in the original video, Don Jazzy would include in the credits the name Mo' Hits Records, the record label he founded and now headed by himself and D'banj.
In 2006, Ayo went to Calabar
Calabar
Calabar is a city in Cross River State, southeastern Nigeria. The original name for Calabar was Atakpa, from the Jukun language....
Cross River State
Cross River State
Cross River State is a coastal state in southeastern Nigeria, bordering Cameroon to the east. Its capital is at Calabar, and it is named for the Cross River , which passes through the state...
to co-direct a reality TV show called Creative Academii. After almost 12 weeks of the show, it came down to 2 music contestants. The contestant that came second was a young student called Michael Ojo. Weeks after the show, Ayo met up with Michael in Lagos and it was agreed that he would take the stage name Michael Word but he would go back to university to finish his degree while he develops his skills as an R&B artiste. After graduating in 2009 Michael set about making music his full time vocation. Ayo introduced Michael to producer Puffy T to record some tracks (including singing the hook on Who Am I by actor Jim Iyke
Jim Iyke
Jim Iyke is a Nigerian actor. He started acting in 2005, and was crowned Sexiest Man in Nigeria in 2008. He has starred in over 200 Nollywood movies in Nigeria, and is also popular for starring in roles alongside Rita Dominic.-External links:...
and 2face Idibia
2face Idibia
Innocent Ugah Idibia , best known by his stage name 2Face Idibia, is a Nigerian singer-songwriter, actor and record producer. He was a member of the defunct R&B/hip hop group Plantashun Boyz. 2Face is currently one of the most popular artistes on the African music scene.- Early life :2Face Idibia...
), and also took Michael on the Yes Records Tour to Abuja
Abuja
Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos...
, Accra
Accra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
and to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to perform and gain stage experience.
In 2010, Michael Word became the first artiste on the roster of the newly named management company RMG by Ayo Shonaiya, and again travelled to London to open for Terry G and 9ice
9ice
9ice was born on Thursday, January 17, 1980. He is a very popular Nigerian Musician with a classic style of music. 9ice is a south-westerner from Ogbomoso in Oyo State but he grew up in the district of Bariga in Lagos....
at the StarMix concert and also shoot a video for his song Do It For Love.
At the 2007 edition of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) in Lagos, Ayo Shonaiya was directing a TV feature for the Black Variety Show. The event producer Guy Murray-Bruce introduced the winner of the pageant, Munachi Abii, to Ayo. In 2010, Munachi Abii was signed to RMG as Muna
Muna
Muna may refer to:*Muna, Yucatán, town in Yucatán, Mexico*Muna, Nepal, village development committee, Myagdi District, Nepal*Muna, Estonia, village in Rõuge Parish, Võru County, Estonia*Muna River, river in Murmansk Oblast, Russia...
the rapper, to manage her career and to represent her in all business and commercial matters. Within months Ayo had negotiated an endorsement deal for her with Unilever
Unilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
for the Lux (soap)
Lux (soap)
Lux is a global brand developed by Unilever. The range of products includes beauty soaps, shower gels, bath additives, hair shampoos and conditioners. Lux started as “Sunlight Flakes” laundry soap in 1899....
brand and taken her to the United States to record tracks for her debut album that will include already released singles I Feel Real and Killer Queen.
Muna
Muna
Muna may refer to:*Muna, Yucatán, town in Yucatán, Mexico*Muna, Nepal, village development committee, Myagdi District, Nepal*Muna, Estonia, village in Rõuge Parish, Võru County, Estonia*Muna River, river in Murmansk Oblast, Russia...
is featured in Nigerian singer Waje's song So Inspired and also in Michael Word’s latest single called Pop Sugar and have shot videos for the songs. Michael Word's 4th video, for the single In My Room was filmed in the UK in 2011.
In 2011, Ayo took on another artiste, Axterix, onto his fledging independent label RMG Records.
Other projects
- Nigeria Corner Notting Hill Carnival London UK 1986–Present. Founding participant of the famous Nigerian Corner at the annual Notting Hill CarnivalNotting Hill CarnivalThe Notting Hill Carnival is an annual event which since 1964 has taken place on the streets of Notting Hill, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea , London, UK each August, over two days...
in London. Co-organiser and Producer for television of the Corner from 1999 at the Cambridge Gardens site (except for 2007 & 2008 when site was closed). Ayo is part of the team that resurrected the Nigeria Corner at the new site on Adela Road from 2009.
- Femi KutiFemi KutiOlufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti popularly known as Femi Kuti, is a Nigerian musician and the eldest son of afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti....
Tour documentary 1999. Documentary of the Afrobeat artiste's tour of UK and Europe in 1999 including performance at Glastonbury FestivalGlastonbury FestivalThe Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
.
- Kwam 1 European, US (and Canada) and World Tours, 1999 - 2003. Co- Producer and Tour Manager.
- Big Nigerian Independence Intro Jam & Intro Summer Jam series, London UK 2003 - 2005. Co-Producer with DJ Abass.
- Gordon's "Spark Party" Tour for Guinness Nigeria with DJ AbassDJ AbassDJ Abass is a Nigerian DJ and an Entertainment & Media Consultant based in the United Kingdom. He is also well known in the Nigerian and African community in the United Kingdom for presenting the television show Intro and the Big Nigerian Independence Intro Jam[1] series produced by himself and...
and DJ Jimmy Jatt, Abuja, Lagos & Ibadan 2004. Tour Manager.
- Intro Independence Tour, Napoli Italy, London UK and Dublin Ireland 2005. Co-Producer with DJ AbassDJ AbassDJ Abass is a Nigerian DJ and an Entertainment & Media Consultant based in the United Kingdom. He is also well known in the Nigerian and African community in the United Kingdom for presenting the television show Intro and the Big Nigerian Independence Intro Jam[1] series produced by himself and...
.
- Intro Afro-Hip Hop Jam, Atlanta US 2005. Producer and Executive Producer.
- Kanu Heart Foundation UK Charity Gala 2006. Co-Producer
- Night of 1001 Laughs, Nigerian Reunion Atlanta 2006. First time ever for Nigerian comedians (Julius Agwu and Basketmouth) performing in the United States. Producer.
- Creative Academii Reality Show, Calabar Nigeria 2006. Co- Director.
- Stars on the Runway, Lagos Nigeria 2007. 60 Celebrities, 12 Designers, 1 Stage. Fashion show to raise money for charity. Co-Creator and Producer for R70 World.
- Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) UK auditions 2008. Producer for Silverbird Productions.
- Yes Records Tour 2009, Abuja Nigeria, Accra Ghana, Washington DC US and London UK. Tour Manager.
- StarMix SummerFest Concert, London UK 2010. Consultant and Agent for 9ice.
- 9ice Concert Amsterdam 2010. Consultant and Agent for 9ice.
- Arise Magazine Fashion Week 2011, Lagos Nigeria. Agent for model Aminat Ayinde.
Personal life
Ayo Shonaiya is married to Moriamo and has 5 children; Leala-Rain (from a previous relationship), Fela, Babafemi, Simisola and Korede (Kory). An avid fan of the English soccer team Manchester United, he claims to have started supporting the Red Devils in 1973 after his father (who was an Arsenal FC fan) bought him a George BestGeorge Best
George Best was a professional footballer from Northern Ireland, who played for Manchester United and the Northern Ireland national team. He was a winger whose game combined pace, acceleration, balance, two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to beat defenders...
doll. Ayo is inspired by Nigerian Afrobeat
Afrobeat
Afrobeat is a combination of traditional Yoruba music, jazz, highlife, funk and chanted vocals, fused with percussion and vocal styles, popularised in Africa in the 1970s. Its main creator was the Nigerian multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Fela Kuti, who gave it its name, who used it to...
musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti, former Manchester United soccer player Eric Cantona
Eric Cantona
Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona is a French actor and former French international footballer. He played for Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes and Leeds United before ending his professional footballing career at Manchester United, where he won four Premier League titles in...
, filmmaker Oliver Stone
Oliver Stone
William Oliver Stone is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Stone became well known in the late 1980s and the early 1990s for directing a series of films about the Vietnam War, for which he had previously participated as an infantry soldier. His work frequently focuses on...
, Indian film actor Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan is an Indian film actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s as the "angry young man" of Hindi cinema, and has since appeared in over 180 Indian films in a career spanning more than four decades...
and Nigerian comedians Papalolo & Jacob.