Politics has been part of me; it’s in my blood - 9ice Speaks

9ice spoke to Saturday Sun on his relationship with Toni Payne and ID Cabassa, his music career and his transition into the politics of Oyo State.

Read excerpts of the interview below:

Your poster is everywhere indicating your interest in politics, why are you quitting music for politics?

Yes, I want to leave music for politics. Next year January, I will be 35-years-old and I’m not praying to still be in music at that age. I am serious about politics now. If you listen to my music, you would notice that politics has been part of me; it’s in my blood. When I started initially, I talked about being your brother’s keeper, and that’s why I studied Law at Lagos State University before I dropped out to concentrate on my music career. I hate when things go wrong. When two or three people are having issues, I love to get there to settle their differences. I have passion for politics and it has always been in my blood.

If you go fully into politics, most of your friends and fans will miss you?

I will say they will love me more by the time they see the plans that I have for them. I have so many plans on my mind. Imagine if the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was a politician, he will not just criticize the mistakes of our leaders but also correct them. Imagine if Wole Soyinka was to be the president of this nation, people like him are only preaching the truth and criticising the government but they are not ready to get into politics to make corrections. I am tired of preaching, I want to contribute my own quota for the sake of my people. We have graduates riding commercial motorcycles (okada), selling meat etc, their certificates are not being used but they are shouting that the government is not doing well. There can’t be any change if the youths don’t stand-up now to do something to help the country.

You are coming out under the umbrella of APC, have you been nominated as their candidate?

No, but every member of the party is eligible to aspire for any position; it is now left for the party to choose or to go by election. Six of us are going for the same position under APC. The party will decide on how the candidate will emerge.

Let’s pray that you win, but assuming you didn’t win, how would you feel? Would you go back to your music?

My own politics is not a do-or-die; if my party refuses to pick me, life goes on. I will still support the person that won. I’m not doing what I cannot afford to do. Thank God, I am not owing any bank or anybody money, I can’t do something that I cannot afford, so I have no problem. But it will be recorded that Aboloore Akande vied for this post but didn’t win. People will know that I am not a spectator but a participant. For what I will do if the primary didn’t favour me, hum, I will go into business or any other thing that will give me money. Or better still, I will get back to my music career or talk to one of my friends to employ me in his company. Nothing do me, I am a Nigerian that knows how to struggle.