I worked as a casual worker at Eagle Flour -- Yinka Ayefele

Tungba gospel/juju artiste, Yinka Ayefele, had an opportunity to recall his turbulent past recently. He and other professionals had a mentoring session with a group of secondary school students in Ibadan, Oyo State. The event was organised by the Nigeria Bottling Company Plc.

The youths, who converged on Jogor Centre, Ibadan, had a fun-packed moment listening to several professionals from different disciplines. The programme brought together pupils and young professionals for career counselling, motivation and brainstorming session in a relaxed atmosphere.

On his part, Ayefele told the pupils that he initially planned to be a lawyer but ended up as a broadcaster. Though he is now seen as a successful artiste, he explained that the road to fame was tortuous.

“I worked as a casual worker at Eagle Flour. I joined Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria in 1989. I was there as a Father Christmas and I used to earn N50.’’

Recalling his experience when he had an accident and sustained a spinal cord injury, he said, “I spent nine months in hospital and I knew there was no remedy for spinal cord injury. I had a choice – to die or to live. I chose to live. I didn’t want to become a liability. I decided to live and make it.

“I learnt how to play all musical instruments on my own. I was in persistent pains 24 hours – five of my ribs got broken in the accident, but I had to forget my pains and forge ahead”.

He urged the participants to aim high and refuse to allow anything to stop them from reaching their goals in life.