By Ayomide Otitoju
Nigerian music icon and galala pioneer Daddy Showkey has reflected on his five-decade journey in the entertainment industry, revealing that his career began when he was still a child.
The veteran entertainer said his longevity in the industry is worth celebrating, noting that his stage career dates back to 1976, when he performed as an acrobat.
“It’s in our world to be celebrated,” Daddy Showkey said during an interview on Rubbin’ Minds on Sunday.
“I started in 1976 as an acrobat. I did acrobatic dancing and performed in many places,” he said, adding that his entertainment career actually began earlier.
According to him, he chose 1976 as the starting point because that was when he began appearing on television.
Daddy Showkey recalled that one of his earliest television appearances was on the Barbie Show during the era of Nigerian Television (NTV), before it became the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
He said people often question his claim of having spent 50 years on stage because they do not realise that he began performing professionally as a child.
“I’ve been telling people that by 2026, it would be 50 years on stage, and they ask, ‘How old are you?’ But I was a child star. I started as a young child,” he said.
The singer also called for the early discovery and proper documentation of children’s talents, saying many gifted youngsters miss opportunities because their achievements are not adequately recorded.
“I always pray that people discover their children in time and document their movement,” he said.
Daddy Showkey recalled that his late mother, a teacher, had limited time to follow his early performances because other people often took him to events.
The entertainer also paid tribute to veteran master of ceremonies John Chukwu and musician Jimmy Johnson, whom he identified among the influential figures who shaped his early career.
He recalled performing at Jimmy Johnson’s album launch at the Federal Palace Hotel after meeting the veteran entertainers through his appearance on the television drama Village Headmaster.
Daddy Showkey also recounted his participation in the historic FESTAC ’77 celebrations and his acrobatic performance during the opening of Eko Holiday Inn, then known as Kuramo Lodge.
