Fola Reveals He Spent His First Night in Lagos at a Police Station
Afrobeats singer Folarin Odunlami, better known as Fola, has opened up about the tough experience he faced when he first came to Lagos to chase his music dreams. The rising star revealed that his very first night in the city ended at a police station.
In a recent chat with The Beat 99.9 FM Lagos, Fola recalled how he relocated to Lagos in 2018 with hopes of building his music career. However, on the very day he arrived, he was arrested and had to spend the night behind bars. He described the experience as one of the lowest moments of his life.
According to him, the incident almost made him give up on his dream of becoming a musician. He explained that starting life in Lagos was already tough, and the arrest added to his fears about whether he had made the right decision to leave home.
Fola admitted that adapting to life in Lagos was not easy, especially since he was not born in the city. He said the hustle, pressure, and struggles of settling down made the journey even harder. But with determination, he gradually adjusted to the lifestyle and kept pushing forward.
Despite his rough start, Fola’s resilience paid off. His big break came in October 2024 when he joined Bella Shmurda’s Dagbani Republik. Soon after, his single “Alone” brought him into the spotlight and created opportunities for him in the Afrobeats scene.
Since then, Fola has gone on to work with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Wizkid and Kizz Daniel. He said these achievements remind him of how far he has come from that first night at the police station.
Reflecting on his journey, Fola admitted that he still does not like to remember that incident, but it made him stronger. He shared that his story is proof that success often comes after struggles, and he hopes it will inspire others chasing their dreams.
Today, Fola is one of the young voices rising in Afrobeats, showing that persistence and hard work can turn even the roughest beginnings into success stories.
