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Singer and songwriter Aituaje Aina Vivian Iruobe, better known as Waje, has said she may quit music due to lack of funds to promote her work.
In a 12-minute- video uploaded on her YouTube page titled ‘Music is not for me’, the artiste said her latest album, which she thinks is one of the best that has come out of Nigeria, has been largely ignored.
“I’m frustrated, I am really tired. I no longer believe that this thing is working. I am respecting in this thing that we do but there is also bowing out when the applause is loudest,” she told members of her team whom she identified as Tolani and Fatima.
“I do not have faith in it anymore. Nobody will say that I have failed or anything. The point is that I am not willing to do this thing anymore. Do you know how much I have invested in this career thing?
“There is nothing wrong with change. There are other things I am good at; maybe it is fair to give it a rest and try other things. If you people do not understand, it is my money that I am spending in this thing and I am tired of putting my money in something that I do not have faith in.
“To be honest, I don’t see why I should continue because it is frustrating. The desire of every entrepreneur is to see proceeds from what they invest in and some sort of awareness that they have a product.
“I can’t have released an album after everybody said Waje, your last album was years ago. All the people that said we need an album, where are they?”
The mother of one said music has taken a lot of money from her and she believes is not longer working for her.
“I don’t have the money for publicity. My music has been taking the bulk of the money and I am not willing to put money there anymore. I don’t want to be in the class of artistes that have failed. I just think that I have gotten to the point where I don’t think it is working for me anymore.”
The 38-year-old singer first hit limelight when she featured on the remake of ‘Do Me’, 2008 hit single released by now defunct music group, P-Square. Her album, Red Velvet, was released in December 2018.
However, it is not expected that she will quit the entertainment industry totally because she recently started a media company with her friend Omawunmi. They just released their first film which they both featured in title “She is”.
Apart from music, Waje has a foundation called Safe House, through which she collaborates with different non-governmental organisations on their projects.
The foundation was launched on October 1, 2012, and has assisted NGOs such as Mental and Environmental Development Initiative for Children (MEDIC) and Child Life Line. She has also donated to orphanages in Nigeria and Kenya in association with a corporate organisation.