By Afrobeats artist Folarin Odunlami, better known by his stage name Fola, has opened up about a rocky start to life in Lagos, recalling how he was arrested on the very day he arrived in the state.
The Alone crooner, who moved to Lagos in 2018 to chase his music dreams, shared the experience during a recent interview with The Beat 99.9 FM. He described his first night in the city as a nightmare that nearly made him abandon his ambitions.
“The very first day I came to Lagos, I was arrested. I slept at the police station. It was a long story. I don’t want to remember it. I almost gave up,” Fola said.
Looking back, he admitted that adapting to the city was tough, especially since he wasn’t born there.
“I relocated to Lagos in 2018 to pursue my music career. It has been rough but… I wasn’t born here, so it was so hard at first, but I have adapted to both the living conditions and the hustle,” he added.
Despite the difficult start, Fola credited his resilience for helping him adjust to the city’s fast-paced lifestyle. That grit has since paid off, with the singer gaining wider recognition after signing with Bella Shmurda’s label, Dangbani Republik, in October 2024.
His catalogue now includes tracks such as Alone, Feeling, Mandela, and Who Does That featuring Bella Shmurda.
