Singer Ego Ihenacho has revealed how she joined and stayed in Lagbaja’s band for 12 years.
Ego disclosed this in a recent interview with QEDNG publisher Olumide Iyanda while narrating some of her experiences being a part of the band.
According to her, she came into the band to stand in for the female lead singer Onos Brisibi who was away at the time.
She said: “Like I said, it was not what I set out to do but I started doing it and I was enjoying it and I decided that that was what I wanted to do. I think with the other ladies they had other things that they were doing. Onos at that point was working a 9 to 5 job and at a point, it was really difficult for her to juggle both. There were some times when she had to go to a job and then we had a show. She was in the band but she had to travel so I was filling in for her so that was how I joined the band, just to fill in for her till she got back but by the time she got back, we just hit it off and our voices matched, they merged very well.
“So she would take me out to Federal Palace where she handles evening shows with a few guys in the band and she would just put me there like ‘sing for me, one hour I’ll be back’ and that was what actually helped me to face the crowd. It was one of those things, I would go with her, and I would watch her, she would bring me on stage. I think that was one of the reasons.
“And again I decided to stay and learn and continue improving and I guess he (Lagbaja) saw that and he actually saw even some of the things I didn’t see in myself he actually saw the potential and it just happened that I was there and it was meant to be.”
Speaking about working with the “crazy guys” in the band, Ego said: “It wasn’t easy meeting like 14 guys from different backgrounds, different ages and everything and the funny thing is we are still friends till today but I had to earn my place. I had to do a lot of fighting and quarrelling, I quarrelled with practically every single one of them, I had to earn it and then I now sort of became their mother.
Video: Singer Ego Ihenacho reads news for QEDNG
“I was taking care of them whenever we went on tour, I was cooking, I was a little sister, I was a big sister, I was a friend, a mother. I think after a while we just got into the groove of getting to know each other and being good friends.”
Ego currently plays Iyabo Kuti in the Showmax series Wura.
