I Can't Explain Why I'm Still Single - Banky W

He is Handsome, Elegant, Tall, Rich, and Famous. He's also one of the most successful artists in Africa today. But despite all of this features that the ladies would cramp themselves to go, Bankole Wellington a.k.a Banky W is still single.

In this interview with NONYE BEN-NWANKWO, he talks about his being single, his deal with MTV, and why he returned to Nigeria from USA. Click READ MORE to Enjoy this interview -
 

My deal with MTV

I’m involved in a project titled Sugar: Love, Sex and Money. It is a drama series that MTV started in 2009. This will be a follow-up to the series. Apart from being very entertaining, it tries to communicate messages about safe sex, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS awareness, risky sexual behaviour, rape, and the things that Africa does not like to talk about to young people. These things are important and they should be talked about. That is essentially what the series is all about. It is well produced and fantastic.

 Our involvement

When we got the call and everything was explained to us, we had to be involved. Anything that has to do with young people or making Nigeria or Africa a better place, I want to be involved in it personally. Wizkid and I played small cameos in the drama series. We played ourselves and it wasn’t much of a stressful task. The theme song was handled by Empire Mates Entertainment  and it was produced by Mastercraft. It featured Wizkid, Boneface, L Tido and me on vocals. The song sets the tone for the series. But it is exciting and contains a message. Hopefully, it will be a tremendous success.

 

Why MTV chose us

I think you should ask them. I don’t know the criteria they used to choose EME, Banky W and Wizkid. But I think that, in terms of entertainment and music in Africa today, we are not doing badly. We have been able to build up different successful artistes that are appealing to young people. I think, in terms of speaking up and standing up for issues that we believe in, we have a track record. We have been involved in speaking out, especially during the last general elections in which we encouraged the youths to come out and vote. Maybe they took some of these things into consideration and ended up with us. I don’t know. We didn’t collect a dime for the project. I’m 100 per cent positive. We weren’t paid anything. Don’t get me wrong. We are not a charity organisation. We appreciate the fact that we did business with other corporate organisations and got paid for it. In this instance, this is about giving back to Africa and about being a part of something that can help young people across the continent.

 

My interest in acting

Technically, this will be my second cameo. I did something in The Return of Jenifa. Wizkid and I, alongside other entertainers, played ourselves in the movie. Funny enough, when I was growing up, acting was something I was involved in. When I was in school, I acted a lot and I wrote plays and scripts. But as I grew older, I focused on music. Acting is something I love to do. Hopefully, you will see me explore a little bit more this year. I have been opposed to playing myself because I don’t feel like it is acting. I will be involved in one or two projects where I would explore my life as an actor. The beautiful thing about acting is that it is an avenue for you to express yourself and be creative. I might be good or terrible as an actor, but I enjoy it. It will never take me away from who I am. It will never take away what I am. At the end of the day, fundamentally, I am still a records label owner and an R and B singer.

 

Last music album

My last album did very well. Till date, it is still my most successful music project. But for the past two years, I took a step backward from being an artiste. I concentrated on becoming an executive and helping to push the Wizkid and Skales projects. But I am coming back this year with another solo album. It is going to be titled R and B W. The artiste bug has been eating into me for awhile.

 

Wizkid and I

I feel grateful that Wizkid is where he is now. It was a conscious effort for me to sign him on and to invest in his talents. I also reap the benefit of his success because he is signed on to my label. Apart from that, his talent is very special and unique. Because Dr. Drake signed Eminem and Eminem is so successful, it doesn’t take away the fact that Dr. Drake is also a very fine artiste. It was never supposed to be just me. I only wanted to be big enough where I could just start to do the things I do now, have enough big people around me so that I needn’t be the only one and EME doesn’t live and die with only what I do. This was my dream for the company and specifically, for Wiz. He is like my younger brother. I met him three years ago and I know what we have been through. I know his family. I have a personal interest in seeing him grow. I am extremely proud of him and I want to make him as big as it is actually humanly possible.

 

Scandals involving Wizkid

When you become a public personality, everything is up for grabs. Everything you do becomes national news. Whether you do them or not, people will make up stuff about you and say stuff about you. They will slander you. But the truth is that as frustrating as it seems, it is part of the job. If you don’t want people to talk about you, then go and work in a bank. If you want people to scream and cheer you, you have to be prepared for the other side. It comes with the game and I try to teach my artistes about it. People will say what they want to say. It is not everybody that wants you to be happy and not everybody is happy about your success. People are so frustrated with their lives and they can’t understand why God chose to bless you. We don’t even understand why God chose to bless us. But the fact is that we are here and we are grateful and we don’t take it for granted. We always try to put our best foot forward in terms of our craft. We try to be the best we can. The issue that I found ridiculous was the sex tape. I knew he was not the one. I watched it because I wanted to know why it was getting so much attention. It was pretty ridiculous because the person in the tape wanted to make sure the camera got him. You can see clearly that the guy wasn’t Wizkid. But some people carried the matter with so much venom. It was as if they were pursuing a personal vendetta in trying to slander him and bring him down. In situations like that, what will you do? You cannot control it. That is the reality of the business we do. As long as you can understand this, you will be fine. The idea is to keep a level head. Don’t buy into the hype. Those who love you today will hate you tomorrow. At the same time, don’t get too depressed when they are saying things about you that are not true. Don’t let it affect you, just stay on course and be the best you can be. That is what I communicate to them and they understand it.

 

Why I’m still single

I’m not as rich as you think. But I don’t know why I am still single. Until somebody is married, there is always a reason why he is still single. Maybe your last relationship didn’t work out or you are not ready or she is not ready. Whatever the case, all we try to do is to figure it out and learn lessons from the last relationship until you find the right person that is your missing rib. When you find him or her, you get married and hopefully, till death do you part. Honestly, the best I can tell you about why I’m not married is that I’ve not figured it out yet. Until I do, I have chosen to take care of my business, to be more successful and to be the best man that I can be, so that when she comes along, I will be ready to take care of her and I will be as successful as a husband and father as I have been as a businessman. I have not met anyone yet. The truth is that we live a very hectic life. Actually, my lifestyle is not even suitable for a relationship. Sometimes, I stay at home just for one or two days. I come home to unpack my bag and to pack the next bag. That is tough to build a relationship on. But it will be nice to have somebody that you know is your clutch or somebody you know that has your back. Unfortunately, the more successful you are, the harder it is to find somebody that really loves you and knows who you are and will be there for you if all of this disappears tomorrow. I’m praying I get somebody nice when the time is right and my parents are praying as well and when God gives her to me, I will take care of her forever.

 

 Why I returned from America

When I was in America, I was fortunate enough to get good education. I had a very good job. I was working for an engineering company. I studied industrial engineering. However, when you feel something is your destiny and you are passionate about it, it would continue to eat at you no matter the fact that you are getting a great pay cheque every week. My parents don’t live in Nigeria. It was tough telling them I wanted to come back home and try to make something about this music thing I have always loved since my childhood. It was tough for them to accept. Parents always want the best for their kids. I remember the day I finally had a confrontation with my dad. I told him that if I didn’t try this out, I would always be thinking about it and asking what if I had done it. I told him to give me his blessings and just give me 18 months to try something and if it didn’t work out, since I have a good university degree, I would come back and get another job and I would pick up the pieces of my life. I told him I needed his blessing. He agreed and said he would talk to my mum. And he gave me his blessing. But in those 18 months, I wasn’t as successful as I had wanted. But things were happening. If I didn’t move back, you probably wouldn’t have heard of me. I am glad I made the decision when I did. I have no regrets coming back home.

 

 My background

I disagree with you if you think that I became successful because of my background. Growing up, I was neither wealthy nor dead poor. My parents did the best they could and God bless them for the upbringing they gave me. I grew up in Akoka, Lagos. The common misconception is that I grew up on Lagos Island. I have never actually lived on the Island. I have never lived in Ikoyi. I went back to the house I grew up in Akoka and the apartment we lived in has actually sank into the ground. When we were still living in it, it had started sinking. Every year, during the rainy season, we would have to scoop out the water. We couldn’t put any electronic appliance below a certain level because of the rain. People like 9ice, Psquare, Wizkid, never travelled outside until they became successful. On the flip side, there is Banky W, MI, Naeto C. These were people who lived outside Nigeria. Whatever situation you find yourself, you can be a success. 

 

Not controversial

I’m not controversial. I’m just somebody who is very principled and I always stand up for those principles. In terms of the Rueben Abati article, much respect to him, he was grossly misinformed. He didn’t put his facts straight. He was essentially contradicting himself and attempting to bring down an entire generation of young people who really should be applauded. In the time when Nigeria is known for corrupt leadership, wasteful spending, no health care and these are people that are shining a positive light on our country and are changing the perception of Nigerians around the globe and they are achieving fantastic things. I felt that was unfair and unnecessary and I decided to speak up. In the fuel subsidy, it wasn’t about fuel subsidy, it was about everything we have been involved in. The first thing the government did in the New Year, when the cost of living was high, was to increase the price of fuel. Everything went up. The only thing that didn’t go up was the salary. It is not fair. We have been speaking up even before now. We will make Nigeria a better place and that is the ultimate goal. I will write my article, I will deliver my speeches; I will be a part of the change.

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