By #adl
Prince Christopher Olawole Igbeda popularly known as Krix Walawala is an inspirational Ekiti hip-hop Reggae artist, songwriter and record producer.
Not many people were familiar with his music until he was discovered by the wife of Ekiti state governor Erelu Bisi Fayemi in 2014.
That year Walawala composed a special track for JKF titled “Witiwiti lojude”. He sent the track to Erelu and after listening to it in her car amongst many others that came around the same time Erelu made a promise that Walawala was a total talent that must be improved and developed. Though the track wasn’t a total hit then because people had not heard of it but Erelu was ready to make something big out of it.
That was how the track became the official campaign song in 2014. Walawala was also made to join the campaign train and his song became a total hit. He also came out with another monster hit “Fayemi yomi leyin re..” to step up the 2014 campaign of Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
The songs/tracks caught the attention of everyone and became a favourite song amongst the JKF followers in the state particularly during any campaign tour.
Erelu Bisi Fayemi invited Walawala for a discussion on how his career could be boosted and himself rebranded.
Walawala gave a vivid account of his encounter with Erelu as follows:
“Sometime around 2014, I had composed a track for the second term bid of Governor Kayode Fayemi titled (Witiwiti lojude).
Caught in web of the beautiful rendition of the song, Erelu put a call across to me asking me to see her. Initially when the phone rang, I didn’t know who the caller was. I picked it and the voice at the other end said, “Is that Prince Wala Walawala?” I said yes, she again said “where are are you now.” I said please who am I speaking with? But to my greatest surprise, the voice said “This is Erelu Bisi Fayemi”.
I was dumbfounded because many people believed nothing good could come out of my Israel. Erelu invited me over and transformed my life. I was a chain smoker and I have won several smoker awards as the best smoker of the year, when I was a student in OSUA, but Erelu made sure I did away with that bad habit. The first wonder she performed in my life.
Erelu is my destiny helper, she picked me up from the gutter and rebranded my life. I was already enmeshed in smoking, gangsterism, and alcoholism before I met Erelu. She rebuilt me and transformed my life.
From that point, she asked what she could do for me, and I told her I wanted to set up my recording studio which she made sure I achieved but due to political vengeance, the studio was destroyed in 2015 after Governor Fayemi left office.
On the inspiration behind Asia BAO song:
It was this same Erelu Bisi Fayemi that made it possible by sending the CPS to his Excellency, Dr. Kayode Fayemi to inform me that I would be part of the BAO’s campaign.
BAO is my brother, I have known him for over fifty years as a special being, so am in a better position to project his image because I know him very well. He’s a rare gift. That am part of BAO’s campaign was a great honour, and a special thanks to God, Erelu Bisi Fayemi and my friend the Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode.
The song was an inspiration to honour my exemplary brother, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji Omo Ogun oke ulule. It was specifically dedicated to add swagger and ginger to his campaign because he deserves more than that. To my greatest surprise, the song made a huge difference in the campaign.
To the glory of God, and by the special intervention of Erelu Bisi Fayemi, I am today a different person. I started music at age three, which BAO knows very well. Am a well educated guy having attended Christ School Ado Ekiti and Ondo State University Ado Ekiti now Ekiti State University where I read Microbiology and graduated in 1997.
Walawala in the Future:
I have been struggling to rebuild my musical career after the complete demolition of my recording studio, but it has not been easy. Nevertheless, I have continued to build my career along the path of honour to showcase the beauty of my music in Ekiti dialect and culture.
I want charitable people to help me with funds to build a world-class studio and a complete set of instruments for my band estimated to cost me over five million naira. That will go a long way to completely transform my musical career.
Am a role model in Ekiti music industry and I know with me, I will discover and develop many other budding talents in the state. That is one way to contribute my quota to the development of our great state particularly our own grown music.
I can build an industry of talented Ekiti youth through that process. Am also appealing to the government of the day to look towards helping me to further enhance my musical career.
ALALE EKITI A GBEA OO!!!”