By Gbenga Aderanti
Published 24/04/2010

Funke Olayode, the African Celine Dion, was the rave of the Nigerian music scene between 2000 and 2001 after she dropped her single, To ba J’oun To Gba (If that is what it takes). She was so popular that a lot of people thought Nigeria had produced a Grammy Awards winner. Though she shone like a morning star, disasters did not allow her to consolidate. The once bubbling artiste now sleeps on the street of Ikeja, Lagos.

Seeing her in all black attire, T-shirt, pants and a pair of sandals, she portrayed the image of bereaved. Why won’t she mourn? At 36, what she has experienced would have driven some others in her shoes to commit suicide. Her father died mysteriously. Her mother who is alive is constantly tormented. She sleeps on the streets and ekes out a living from begging. She has no husband and no child. Her once bubbling career seems dead. She is despondent.

"My name is Funke Olayode, a native of Ogbomosho in Oyo State. I didn’t name myself African Celine Dion, people did. I attended Federal Government College, Ogbomosho. I’m a half baked graduate of the Creative Arts from the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos," she introduced herself to our reporter.

She abandoned her university education to pursue her passion – music,- her single, To ba joun to gba , enjoyed generous airplay. The track was the most preferred on the airwaves and in clubs between 2000 and 2001. Many producers jostled for her, but she eventually pitched her tent with one. Unfortunately, the romance was ephemeral as things went awry following a disagreement with one of her benefactors.

"In 2004, they gathered my file of creativity and they’d been trying to kill me or turn me to a mad person. All my friends, family and colleagues in the media and music came around me in November 2004 when I was attacked; they threatened and tormented them. They were lying to the world that I was hooked on drugs and that I was going nuts. I’ve never seen narcotics in my entire life. I’ve never seen anybody taking drugs before; but I have an idea of what it looks like from what I see in the movies. That is the truth. I was once frustrated to the point of smoking and drinking, but as for drugs, I’ve never seen it in my life."

When the torment was unbearable, she had to leave Lagos. Things would have been better if her mother was in agreement with her. But this was not to be as the woman had been intimidated into submission. The story making the rounds then was that she was hit on the head with a bottle, and ever since, she had been misbehaving. Painfully, she said, her mother also bandied about this story: "That was basically what they put in her mouth to be saying and as a result of the threat, she couldn’t say the truth. I knew I was no longer safe with her. I went to stay in my auntie’s house and unknown men, about six or seven of them, led by my mum and sister, bundled me away right in the presence of a crowd, telling them that I was sick, and that they were going to take care of me."

Miss Olayode was taken to a teaching hospital in Osogbo, Osun State. After a thorough examination, the doctor discharged her after just a week and a half stay in the hospital.

"I was discharged, nothing was wrong with me, I was only heart-broken," she said.

According to her, she has lost her dad and her uncle’s wife as part of a series of disasters. The story of her uncle is pathetic. He was the only member of her extended family that did accommodate her when other members of her family rejected her on the grounds that she was of unstable mind. But according to her, the forces that wanted her dead, attacked her uncle and took his wife away. He had to evict her from his Samuel Jinadu Street, Agege, Lagos, residence and ever since, Olayode has been living on the streets. As a precaution against the loss of another life, her mother has since relocated to their Ogbomoso home town.

Painting the picture of her uncle’s predicament, she tried not to betray her emotion, her voice and mien gave her out. "In fact, I thank my father’s brother that I came to live with in Agege. Thank God, he listened to my own part of the story. They told him that I was sick. But he said, "If you think this person is mad, let her demonstrate the madness in my house and I will know the next step to take.

"He did not know anything about the crime; he did not know there was a stronger force. The man eventually lost his wife after a year.

"After he lost his wife and some forces started tormenting his life, he called me last year and said, ‘Look, we cannot put all our eggs in a basket. I cannot continue to accomodate you. What I’m experiencing is too much for me.’ Since December 21, I’ve been homeless."

Speaking on the so-called forces, she alleged that a powerful dynasty in Nigeria and a prominent resort owner did everything to eliminate her. Explaining her encounter with the dynasty, she said her first contact was when she dropped her single and she needed to do a video. One thing led to the other, she found herself in a web. It was then they collected her passport in the hope of getting her a visa. The passport has, however, not been returned. At a point, according to her, while in their web, they made the whole world believe that she had travelled abroad. Miraculously, she escaped from their clutches, yet, they refused to stay off her, she said.

When they failed, she said, they introduced another strategy, adding that they started courting people that were close to her with the intention of getting rid of her. Funke alleged that as at today, the arrow head of the dynasty is the father of the babies of the two ladies who used to be very close to her . As a proof, she showed the reporter the picture of one of the babies. As for the resort owner, she alleged that the man stole over 100 songs from her. Though her story is like a fairy tale (one could even be tempted to think she was sick), a close interaction with her revealed that she is well and sound.

She bears no grudge against anybody. Probably, frustrations have turned her to a talkative, a behaviour she attested to. "The truth is that God has actually blessed me with a nature that doesn’t hate people. This is the reason you’re hearing my story this late. I don’t bear grudges, if these people had not disturbed my progress, I wouldn’t have bothered about anybody. They turned me to a talkative; I was not used to talking. You would only hear me singing."

While some would want the world to believe she is not well, speaking with Funke revealed the contrary. For three hours, this reporter took her up on sundry issues. She spoke about time and events accurately. In fact, it was in the process that the reporter requested her to take him to the Agege house where she was evicted. She obliged. At the street, she walked freely and even exchanged pleasantries with people. She even went to rejoice with one of her friends who had just been delivered of a baby.



http://thenationonlineng.net/web2/articles/44130/1/Funke-Olayode-Abused-tormented-homeless-/Page1.html

Drugsta'

Ah nkan nbe!

This story get k-leg, sounds like tales by moonlight.

Who exactly is this [b]THEY[/B] , i just want to make sure she aint deluding herself

This story get k-leg, sounds like tales by moonlight.

Who exactly is this [b]THEY[/B] , i just want to make sure she aint deluding herself

This one na real Gangalinga

oyinda go and sit down jare , u no get job,. nigerian celine dion koo, selina odion nee

she don fagbo finish come dey give us tales by moonlight . . . . And she really had future, cos that her track was a classic. . . . . its not too late @36 to come back sha, make she go 4 rehabilitation

Lol @ the comments on this thread.

All these They They They sef! Who are They gan?
I knew she was settin herself up for trouble when she started dancing for Femi Kuti. Now she cant handle the hard stuff like the rest

fame can be very destructive for some. imagine if she had never appear on screen, would her life have been different?

and plz, can someone upload her celine dion song for me? anyone?

i read dis mnths ago,she was actuali referin to her record label owner.

.

THIS IS SERIOUS,WE CAN MAKE YOU DELIRIOUS,YOU SHOULD HAVE A HEALTHY FEAR OF US COS TOO MUCH OF US IS DANGEROUS,SO DANGEROUS, THIS IS A SERIOUS STORY. PLS IF YOU KNOW HER,ADVICE HER TO GO TO MFM FOR DELIVERANCE,

Na wa o, but which career is she talking about? She should better keep quiet on that aspect before she enter double wahala with Celine Dion suing for copyright issues. We don't want more people haunting her, do we?

chronique:

THIS IS SERIOUS,WE CAN MAKE YOU DELIRIOUS,YOU SHOULD HAVE A HEALTHY FEAR OF US COS TOO MUCH OF US IS DANGEROUS,SO DANGEROUS, THIS IS A SERIOUS STORY. PLS IF YOU KNOW HER,ADVICE HER TO GO TO MFM FOR DELIVERANCE,

rofl. . .

pls who has the music "oun to ba gba"?

DjLefty:
pls who has the music "oun to ba gba"?

Also looking for that track.

This her official facebook page https://mobile.facebook.com/funke.olayode.7 I hope one of these producers will help her find her way back to the top. She has went through a lot of stuff

oyinda3:
By Gbenga Aderanti
Published 24/04/2010

Funke Olayode, the African Celine Dion, was the rave of the Nigerian music scene between 2000 and 2001 after she dropped her single, To ba J’oun To Gba (If that is what it takes). She was so popular that a lot of people thought Nigeria had produced a Grammy Awards winner. Though she shone like a morning star, disasters did not allow her to consolidate. The once bubbling artiste now sleeps on the street of Ikeja, Lagos.

Seeing her in all black attire, T-shirt, pants and a pair of sandals, she portrayed the image of bereaved. Why won’t she mourn? At 36, what she has experienced would have driven some others in her shoes to commit suicide. Her father died mysteriously. Her mother who is alive is constantly tormented. She sleeps on the streets and ekes out a living from begging. She has no husband and no child. Her once bubbling career seems dead. She is despondent.

"My name is Funke Olayode, a native of Ogbomosho in Oyo State. I didn’t name myself African Celine Dion, people did. I attended Federal Government College, Ogbomosho. I’m a half baked graduate of the Creative Arts from the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos," she introduced herself to our reporter.

She abandoned her university education to pursue her passion – music,- her single, To ba joun to gba , enjoyed generous airplay. The track was the most preferred on the airwaves and in clubs between 2000 and 2001. Many producers jostled for her, but she eventually pitched her tent with one. Unfortunately, the romance was ephemeral as things went awry following a disagreement with one of her benefactors.

"In 2004, they gathered my file of creativity and they’d been trying to kill me or turn me to a mad person. All my friends, family and colleagues in the media and music came around me in November 2004 when I was attacked; they threatened and tormented them. They were lying to the world that I was hooked on drugs and that I was going nuts. I’ve never seen narcotics in my entire life. I’ve never seen anybody taking drugs before; but I have an idea of what it looks like from what I see in the movies. That is the truth. I was once frustrated to the point of smoking and drinking, but as for drugs, I’ve never seen it in my life."

When the torment was unbearable, she had to leave Lagos. Things would have been better if her mother was in agreement with her. But this was not to be as the woman had been intimidated into submission. The story making the rounds then was that she was hit on the head with a bottle, and ever since, she had been misbehaving. Painfully, she said, her mother also bandied about this story: "That was basically what they put in her mouth to be saying and as a result of the threat, she couldn’t say the truth. I knew I was no longer safe with her. I went to stay in my auntie’s house and unknown men, about six or seven of them, led by my mum and sister, bundled me away right in the presence of a crowd, telling them that I was sick, and that they were going to take care of me."

Miss Olayode was taken to a teaching hospital in Osogbo, Osun State. After a thorough examination, the doctor discharged her after just a week and a half stay in the hospital.

"I was discharged, nothing was wrong with me, I was only heart-broken," she said.

According to her, she has lost her dad and her uncle’s wife as part of a series of disasters. The story of her uncle is pathetic. He was the only member of her extended family that did accommodate her when other members of her family rejected her on the grounds that she was of unstable mind. But according to her, the forces that wanted her dead, attacked her uncle and took his wife away. He had to evict her from his Samuel Jinadu Street, Agege, Lagos, residence and ever since, Olayode has been living on the streets. As a precaution against the loss of another life, her mother has since relocated to their Ogbomoso home town.

Painting the picture of her uncle’s predicament, she tried not to betray her emotion, her voice and mien gave her out. "In fact, I thank my father’s brother that I came to live with in Agege. Thank God, he listened to my own part of the story. They told him that I was sick. But he said, "If you think this person is mad, let her demonstrate the madness in my house and I will know the next step to take.

"He did not know anything about the crime; he did not know there was a stronger force. The man eventually lost his wife after a year.

"After he lost his wife and some forces started tormenting his life, he called me last year and said, ‘Look, we cannot put all our eggs in a basket. I cannot continue to accomodate you. What I’m experiencing is too much for me.’ Since December 21, I’ve been homeless."

Speaking on the so-called forces, she alleged that a powerful dynasty in Nigeria and a prominent resort owner did everything to eliminate her. Explaining her encounter with the dynasty, she said her first contact was when she dropped her single and she needed to do a video. One thing led to the other, she found herself in a web. It was then they collected her passport in the hope of getting her a visa. The passport has, however, not been returned. At a point, according to her, while in their web, they made the whole world believe that she had travelled abroad. Miraculously, she escaped from their clutches, yet, they refused to stay off her, she said.

When they failed, she said, they introduced another strategy, adding that they started courting people that were close to her with the intention of getting rid of her. Funke alleged that as at today, the arrow head of the dynasty is the father of the babies of the two ladies who used to be very close to her . As a proof, she showed the reporter the picture of one of the babies. As for the resort owner, she alleged that the man stole over 100 songs from her. Though her story is like a fairy tale (one could even be tempted to think she was sick), a close interaction with her revealed that she is well and sound.

She bears no grudge against anybody. Probably, frustrations have turned her to a talkative, a behaviour she attested to. "The truth is that God has actually blessed me with a nature that doesn’t hate people. This is the reason you’re hearing my story this late. I don’t bear grudges, if these people had not disturbed my progress, I wouldn’t have bothered about anybody. They turned me to a talkative; I was not used to talking. You would only hear me singing."

While some would want the world to believe she is not well, speaking with Funke revealed the contrary. For three hours, this reporter took her up on sundry issues. She spoke about time and events accurately. In fact, it was in the process that the reporter requested her to take him to the Agege house where she was evicted. She obliged. At the street, she walked freely and even exchanged pleasantries with people. She even went to rejoice with one of her friends who had just been delivered of a baby.



http://thenationonlineng.net/web2/articles/44130/1/Funke-Olayode-Abused-tormented-homeless-/Page1.html

Gosh! I'm just getting to know
this happened to her. I heard
that song back in the day a few times and instantly liked the sonorous voice of the lady
who would have been 47 as
of 2021.

I do hope she got help from
the obvious deep mental depression and homeless
situation.