*Software Engineer polls highest African Diaspora votes of 45,950 to defeat nine other international artists including Wale, Skepta, Portable, Naira Marley
*Set to appear LIVE on 98.3 Mainland FM, Nigeria’s No 1 Cultural Radio Station, Sounds of Lagos State ‘Nigerians ABROAD’ program
*“This is the highest honour of my music career. The fact that the ceremony took place in Nigeria, the land of my birth is remarkable and unforgettable to me, and I promise to cherish the moment forever. My hit album ‘Todun Todun’ is still trending on air play in almost all the radio shows from Dee Jays in the United States and Canada. I want to specially thank Dr Seye Kehinde, City People publisher, Dr Felyx Duke, Nigeria famous music superstar, Bishop Dr Ojo Sanya, and all other dignitaries for gracing the event”–OLALEKAN
*BY PHILIP FAVOUR BOLUWATIFE/SOUTHWEST REPORTER, Nigeria /Naija Standard Newspaper Inc USA
HE has shattered the glass ceilings, broken the record in far away Lone Star state, Texas, USA, as the first Software Engineer born in Africa’s most populous black nation turned Music Songster in Yankee who won the prestigious honour, and a recipient of North America Nigeria’s 2025 Hip Hop Indigenous Artist of the Year Award in Lagos State, Nigeria. Plans are now in place as Olalekan Olaleye ‘Enuope’ is set to appear LIVE on 98.3 Mainland FM, Nigeria’s No 1 Cultural Radio Station, Sounds of Lagos State, Thursday, April 9, 2026 on ‘Nigerians ABROAD’ program.
Friday, March 27, 2026, will go down in the annals of Nigeria’s entertainment and media history as a day that Lagos stood still to celebrate one of her finest sons making extraordinary waves in the diaspora. At exactly 10:30AM, the Conference Room of City People Media Group, located opposite Charlie Boy Bus Stop, along the Gbagada Expressway, Lagos State, became the epicenter of a global celebration as the Board of Directors and American Editors of Naija Standard Newspaper Inc USA in conjunction with City People Media Group, witnessed the event.
It was an epoch celebration. A ceremony that fused culture, continental pride, and the indomitable Nigerian spirit into one unforgettable afternoon in Lagos.
The occasion attracted a constellation of Nigeria’s foremost media personalities, cultural icons and industry stakeholders. In attendance were Dr Seye Kehinde, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of City People Media Group, Halim Mohammed, an Iconic Editor in the Nigeria media industry.
Renowned Reggae Music Superstar, Dr Felyx Duke, and representatives of Nigeria’s famous Afro juju icon, Yomi Peters, added enormous glamour and cultural firepower to the ceremony.
Also present were Otunba Micheal Adeleye, highly respected Nigerian Economist/Tax Analyst & Rotary Club President, Isheri, Lagos State; Bishop Dr Sanya Ojo, General Overseer of Veno International Prayer Center, Ori Oke Majemu, Lagos State, provided the spiritual covering for the occasion. A-List MC McDonald served as Master of Ceremony, keeping the atmosphere electric from start to finish. Area Fada, Charlie Boy, one of Nigeria’s greatest showbiz impresarios and Former President of the Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria, PMAN, could not attend due to unavoidable scheduling commitments.
For the records, the NSN Award Committee, operating from its base in Houston, Texas, received a total of 50 entries for the coveted award category. After painstaking evaluation, 10 finalists emerged, selected based on the votes of Africans in the diaspora and judged across five critical criteria: Lyrical content; Message in songs; Attraction from the public; Dee Jay air plays in Africa; and Ability to represent Africa as a Music Ambassador devoid of scandal.
The distinguished top 10 finalists were: WALE, Nigerian rapper known for introspective lyrics, full name Olubowale Akintimehin, residing in New York; JIDENNA, a Nigerian American act; ROTIMI, a Nigerian-born American Singer and Actor known for ‘Power’; ENUOPE, Nigerian-born American Yoruba Hip Hop Musician in Texas; SKEPTA, prominent British MC born in London to Nigerian immigrant parents; NAIRA MARLEY, the Nigerian artist who spent significant years growing up in South London; ERI IFE, a Nigerian singer-songwriter in the UK whose music blends Afrobeats, R&B, Soul and Gospel; PAUL DAIRO, famous Nigerian highlife Musician known for ‘Mo So Rire’ in London; VICTORIA TUNDE, UK-based Nigerian Gospel singer known for hits including ‘Onise Iyanu’; and PORTABLE, Habeeb Okikiola Badmus, born 12 March 1994, known for controversies and massive online buzz.
When the final African vote count was tabulated by the NSN Award Committee, the figures spoke with undeniable authority. WALE received 40,000 votes; JIDENNA had 15,000 votes; ROTIMI received 28,800 votes; SKEPTA received 44,900 votes; NAIRA MARLEY had 38,978 votes; ERI IFE garnered 43,298 votes; PAUL DAIRO received 36,200 votes; VICTORIA TUNDE had 45,860 votes; PORTABLE received 45,925 votes. And then there was ENUOPE, who with a commanding 45,950 votes emerged as the undisputed winner, claiming the highest African vote count of any artist in the entire competition. The verdict of the African diaspora was clear and historic.
Our distinguished Press Secretary and Administrative Director, Mrs Mary Otumu, delivered a stirring welcome address, describing the ceremony as historic and noting proudly that this award, now in its 14th remarkable year, was brought home to Nigeria in direct response to the growing, passionate calls from Africans in the diaspora who wished to see their brightest stars celebrated in their motherland. She declared that the initiative, jointly organised with City People Media Group, was anchored on a timeless principle: “charity begins at home”.
The baton fell upon Dr George Elijah Otumu, Executive Editor and Group Managing Director of Naija Standard Newspaper Inc USA who doubles as National President of the Nigerian American Press Association (NAPA), to deliver the keynote address. Citing the groundbreaking Basslines to Billions: ‘Nigeria’s Music Market Intelligence Report’, produced by Regal Stone Capital in collaboration with the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), this member of the Editorial Board of the company revealed to the gathering that Nigeria’s music industry has achieved a defining economic milestone, generating an estimated N901,664,585,962.50, approximately N901.7 billion in annual earnings, equivalent to $600,739,723.98.
The report further reveals that live performances accounted for a staggering 65.74 percent of total artist earnings in 2024/2025, making live music the dominant revenue engine for creators. Streaming and digital platforms contributed approximately 30.13 percent of total industry earnings, estimated at $181 million, with Spotify alone paying Nigerian artists an estimated N58 billion ($38 million) in royalties in 2024/2025, more than double the figure recorded the previous year.
Looking forward, the report projects that Nigeria’s music industry will grow at a conservative 7 percent annual rate, pushing total revenues beyond N1.5 trillion by 2033, with the potential to scale to $3 to 5 billion annually by 2035, positioning music as one of Nigeria’s most powerful non-oil exports.
The high point of the ceremony came with a dramatic twist that made an already great event truly unforgettable. Due to the Iran-US war tensions and the consequent cancellation of his flight for security reasons, Olalekan Olaleye could not be physically present in Nigeria. But nothing, not war, not cancelled flights, not the thousands of miles of Atlantic Ocean could separate him from his homeland, or keep ‘Enuope’ from his moment of glory.
In a moment that awed every soul in that conference room, ‘Enuope’ joined the ceremony via a live virtual call from the United States of America, watching with visible joy and deep emotion as everything unfolded before his eyes in real time. The ‘Enuope group’ was present in the hall, their energy added glamour to the celebratory atmosphere. And in a moment of profound filial pride, his wonderful son, Babatunde Olaleye, stepped forward with grace and dignity to receive the historic award on his father’s behalf as ‘Enuope’ watched from across the ocean, overwhelmed and deeply moved.
Speaking during his virtual appearance, an elated ‘Enuope’ declared: “It is a great honour to be the first Nigerian to win this award. It is a great honour for people to listen to you and understand the message you are trying to pass across through your music. For people to understand your message as an artiste is awesome.”
He further expressed profound gratitude to his supporters and the organizing team: “I would love to appreciate the organisers and my team. I am so overwhelmed to have won this award; it is a proud moment for me.”
Then, in a moment that brought the entire hall to its feet, ‘Enuope’ performed his song ‘Todun Todun’ live from the United States of America, his voice filling the Lagos conference room through the virtual connection. The invited guests and honourable dignitaries were absolutely awestruck by the live performance. The applause was thunderous. The atmosphere was electric. It was so amazing and a huge success, celebrating a hardworking Nigerian making waves in the diaspora.
Young Babatunde, holding the award in his hands, expressed immense pride in his father’s achievement and noted that the recognition had further motivated him to continue striving in his own pursuits, with the firm belief that dedication always yields reward.
What makes ‘Enuope’ particularly remarkable is his extraordinary dual identity as both a Software Engineer and a Musician, a combination that sets him firmly apart and embodies the full potential of the modern African renaissance man.
His album ‘Undying Dreams’ continues to trend on major broadcast stations across the world, a testament to the enduring quality and global appeal of his artistic vision. It was this body of work, combined with his consistent representation of Yoruba culture and African values on the world stage, that earned him 45,950 votes, the highest in the competition, from Africans in the diaspora.
Speaking directly to the Editorial Board of the publication after the award, ‘Enuope’ said: “This is the highest honour of my music career. The fact that the ceremony took place in Nigeria, the land of my birth is remarkable and unforgettable to me, and I promise to cherish the moment forever. My hit album ‘Todun Todun’ is still trending on air play in almost all the radio shows from Dee Jays in the United States and Canada. I want to specially thank Dr Seye Kehinde, City People publisher, Dr Felyx Duke, Nigeria famous music superstar, Bishop Dr Ojo Sanya, and all other dignitaries for gracing the event”.
The award was powered by NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER INC USA (Texas) in conjunction with CITY PEOPLE MEDIA GROUP, Lagos State, Nigeria.
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