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‘I did not grow up poor, my father was a successful pilot, I was an engineer at Schlumberger’ – Mr Eazi
Nigerian Afrobeats star and entrepreneur Oluwatosin Oluwole Ajibade, popularly known as Mr Eazi, has addressed long-standing assumptions about his upbringing, stating that contrary to popular belief, he did not grow up poor.
The clarification comes in the wake of his extravagant wedding to billionaire heiress Temi Otedola, which spanned Monaco, Iceland, and Dubai, with reports placing the ceremony’s cost at over $14 million.
Temi’s bridal gown alone was said to be worth about $250,000. Following the wedding, she officially took on her husband’s surname, Ajibade a move that set social media buzzing with jokes about Mr Eazi “choosing wisely” because “life is not Eazi.”
In an interview with Goldmyne, the 34-year-old singer revealed that he came from a comfortable background. He explained that his father, Captain Ajibade, was a professional pilot who later established a successful aviation consulting firm.
After completing his early education in Nigeria, Eazi moved to Ghana, where he studied mechanical engineering at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
By the age of 23, he returned to Nigeria and worked as a mechanical engineer with Schlumberger, a global oilfield services giant, earning around $6,000 monthly at the time.
“I didn’t grow up poor. My father was a pilot who founded an aviation consulting firm. After studying Mechanical Engineering at KNUST in Ghana, I came back to Nigeria at 23 to work with Schlumberger. Music makes up just 20% of my earnings.
Before the fame, I was already an entrepreneur dabbling into e-commerce, club promotion, and other ventures. Today, I run businesses in 18 African countries. I always say I’m more than an artist — I’m a businessman first,” he said.
I didn’t grow up poor. My father was a pilot who later founded an aviation consulting firm. After schooling in Nigeria, I moved to Ghana and studied Mechanical Engineering at KNUST. At 23, I returned home to Nigeria and began working as a mechanical engineer with Schlumberger.… pic.twitter.com/fPPwA5TjiF
— GoldMyneTV (@GoldmyneTV) September 13, 2025
Beyond music, Mr Eazi has established himself as a serial entrepreneur and investor. He is the founder of emPawa Africa, a talent incubation platform that has nurtured several Afrobeats stars, and Zagadat Capital, an investment firm with stakes in startups such as Ruka Hair, Decagon, Apata, Turf, Choplife, and Eden Life.
He also co-founded PawaPay, a fintech company focused on mobile money payments across Africa, and serves as CEO of BetPawa, a leading sports betting platform. Additionally, he runs Swagger Entertainment, an event promotion outfit, has invested in real estate in Rwanda, and holds shares in the Cape Town Tigers basketball team.
With his marriage to Temi Otedola and his expanding portfolio, Mr Eazi continues to balance music, business, and investments, proving that his story is one of vision, discipline, and innovation.