Fola: I worked in my father’s bet shop before fame

Fast-rising singer Fola has shared how he started from humble beginnings, working in his father’s betting shop before making his mark in the music industry.

In an interview, Fola said his love for music began in high school, where he played in a band, but he lacked the resources to pursue it professionally.

“I started making music in high school, not professionally, but I had a band I was playing with,” he said.

After graduating, the challenges became more real. Fola recalled that he didn’t even own a phone and had to use a friend’s device to work on his music.

“With limited opportunities in Ibadan, I decided to work at a small bet shop owned by my dad. I worked as a manager and cashier so I could save some money for myself,” he explained.

Fola later moved to Lagos, which he described as a turning point in his career. There, he met the late Mohbad, whom he credits for opening doors in the industry.

“Mohbad did a lot of things for me,” Fola said. Through Mohbad, he was introduced to Bella Shmurda, leading to an informal collaboration in 2022.

“The gap in our profiles was big, but Bella agreed to the collaboration even though he wasn’t going to make any money from it,” he said.

Looking back, Fola expressed gratitude for his journey. “I thank God for where we are today,” he said.