06/11/2025
David yes Devid Adeleke. Devido was bounced from a radio station studio in Ibadan.
In my active days on radio and having stakes in the entertainment industry as Aand R as well as working for an experiential marketing and events management company , i have cross paths with many creative talents. Some are remarkable and stands out and Davido story is one of them.
I remember the moments just like yesterday.
Sauce kid sinzu, an artist I was running promo for came to Ibadan and introduced a young guy to me. Don Tee, this is David, a very talented guy, and also in his company was Dami crane. David was very polite. I asked him to go do a voice drop in the production studio but was chased out, another colleague was using the place and upcoming artist entering his space was the last thing on his schedule, David came back to inform of the situation, I immediately left the live studio and ensured he had his voice drop. I dropped the song immediately and was flabbergasted. Wow.so this unassuming guy is the one featured on this track. It was so remarkable that on my song request show callers kept referring to Carolina by Devido instead of Sauce kid. As a promoter and showbiz person I got a gig to supply Davido, I called Sauce kid to ask for David since he introduced me to him. Infact we had a misunderstanding over the issue. You can imagine how he felt. I didn't offer him instead making offers to who he introduced me to. I used a proxy for the deal like I have for many other shows as I also play many parts behind the scenes.
The Neato C feature "Back Then. Davido was number 1 on my top 10 countdown show. Infact, when I saw Damiduro video in a hotel lobby, I stood frozen and just like I saw a vision of the future. I saw a super mega star in the making.
Latter as his stardom grew, he came back to Splash Fm and I was so proud. He described our first meeting to his crew. Where he sat, how he was bounced from the production studio etc. I literally waited all day anticipating his arrival. K boggy could no longer chase him out of the studio. We had a good laugh over the matter.
One things he doesn't realize is I don't see him in the light of an artist but as a kid brother who was able make best out of life. In a Twist of Fate, I had visited his father's house on many occasions as a young man in company of another associate who like a senior brother took us to Ede on several occasions while following late Isiaka Adeleke the first executive governor of Osun State. So when I saw the link of that young talented David as an Adeleke the bond grew.
I never had the opportunity to express it. Now after 5 albums of a very successful career my David has become a Maga super star of world repute, and as fate will have it, after many years of my creative and professional journey I am here 14 years letter to welcome David into not as the presenter but as chairman davido 5ive concert organizing committee.
When I finally see him just like I have dreamed, I will look him in the eye and say. Congratulations. I am proud of you. You made my eye see and experience greatness and a success story. If the opportunity presents itself a hug of heartfelt gratitude will surface.
He may just say, "Lati will see you " or don't I deserve it.
Tony Rowland Awobode
Aka Don Tee
Chairman Organizing Committee
Davido 5ive Tour in Ibadan
