Entertainment
“I used to hawk fruits in traffic” – Crayon speaks on his trench to triumph story
In an interview with Freelanews, Nigerian singer Crayon shed light on the inspiration behind his latest album, “Trench to Triumph Story.”
The Mavin Records superstar shared his remarkable journey from humble beginnings to stardom, emphasizing the album’s embodiment of his life’s struggles and eventual success.
Crayon, whose real name is Charles Chibuezechukwu Ojie, narrated his upbringing, which began in Orile Iganmu, Lagos.
At the tender age of seven, he and his family moved into a modest “face-me-I-face-you” apartment in Ojo, where approximately nine or ten family members shared a single room.
As the eldest child in the family, he faced severe financial constraints throughout his childhood.
Money was often scarce, and Crayon found himself frequently sent home from school due to unpaid fees, even retaking the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) five times.
Despite the financial challenges, Crayon never abandoned his dream of making music.
While facing these adversities, he worked alongside his mother in the fruit market, sometimes even resorting to hawking fruits in Lagos traffic.
“My ‘Trench to Triumph’ story is about where I come from, and how I got to where I am today.
“I was born in Orile Iganmu (Lagos) and when I was seven years old, we moved to a ‘face-me-I-face-you’ apartment in Ojo. We were about nine or 10 people sharing a room. I am the eldest child of my parents, and I faced a lot of financial struggles growing up. Money was very tight. I was sent home regularly from school due to unpaid fees, and I ended up taking the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination five times.
“During that time, I was working on my music, and helping my mum at the stall where she sold fruits in the market. Sometimes, I would even hawk the fruits in traffic. Going from that kind of life to being signed by Mavin Records, and on my way to becoming a global superstar, is my triumph. I used to be in the trenches and now I am triumphant.”
In the interview, Crayon also spoke on his experience meeting with the veteran actress, Ngozi Ezeonu, after singing a song which featured her name.
“First, I appreciate the marketing team at Mavin Records. We were going back and forth on ideas on how to push my song, ‘Ngozi’, and Ella, the head of marketing, suggested that should do something with Ngozi Ezeonu.
“So, I reached out to her management, later contacted her personally and shared the idea with her. She was really open to the idea. She is such a sweet soul. She actually knew the song, because her kids used to playing it in the house. I was so excited seeing her, and it was a full-circle moment for me, because I used to watch her in movies while growing up, and my mum is one of her biggest fans.
“When I showed my mum the video of my visit to her, she was quite excited as well. That visit was one of my best and funniest moments this year. When I posted the videos and pictures, some people even thought she was my mum.”
Nollywood actress Lizzy Anjorin has questioned the authenticity of an interim order issued by the Lagos State High Court on 2 September 2026, restraining her from publishing photographs of Priscilla Ojo’s one-year-old son, Rakeem Mkambala, and from posting editorials concerning the family on specified social media platforms.
Anjorin raised the issue during an Instagram Live session on Friday, 4 September, after Priscilla shared a copy of the court order online.
The actress argued that publicising court documents before formally serving the respondent undermines the case.
“Your case na dead on arrival. If you post court letter on any platform before serving person wey you wan go serve, that court case na fake court case,” Anjorin said during the live session.
Her comments came shortly after the High Court of Lagos State granted an ex parte application brought by Priscilla, her husband, Tanzanian singer Juma Mussa Mkambala, and their son, Rakeem.
Justice Yetunde Adesanya issued the interim order in Suit No. LD/ADR/6646/2026.
The order restrains Anjorin, as well as people acting under her authority, from publishing, posting, circulating, uploading or broadcasting photographs of Rakeem on specified social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and TikTok.
The court also directed Anjorin to cease publishing or broadcasting editorials concerning the applicants on the platforms covered by the order.
An ex parte order is made at an interim stage without the respondent being heard. The order is therefore not a final determination of the dispute and remains subject to further proceedings.
Priscilla shared the certified copy of the order on her Instagram Story on Friday, bringing the legal development into public view.
Anjorin’s reaction centres on the timing and manner in which the court documents were publicised. Her assertion that such publication makes a case “fake” is her own claim and is not a finding contained in the court order.
The development marks another chapter in the prolonged public dispute between Anjorin and Priscilla’s family, particularly Priscilla’s mother, actress Iyabo Ojo.
The disagreement has played out largely on social media and has previously resulted in legal action, including a ₦1 billion defamation suit filed by Iyabo Ojo against Anjorin.
In recent weeks, the dispute has also drawn Priscilla and her young son into the controversy, following public comments by Anjorin concerning the family.
Kesiena Tony Adjekpovu, popularly known as Kess, has said that participating in Big Brother Naija can make life harder, offering a candid reflection on the challenges that may come with the reality television experience.
The former Big Brother Naija housemate made the comment in a statement shared on social media, where he suggested that winning or simply taking part in the reality show does not necessarily make life easier after leaving the house.
“Big Brother makes your life harder,” Kess said.
The remark has drawn attention because life after reality television can bring a different set of expectations, particularly as former housemates adjust to increased public attention and the pressure that can accompany visibility.
Kess was a housemate on the seventh season of Big Brother Naija, which aired in 2022. He entered the show as a businessman and was among the contestants who competed for the season’s grand prize.
His time on the programme also placed him in the public eye, giving viewers an opportunity to follow his personality and relationships inside the house.
Kess’s latest comment offers a more reflective view of the reality TV platform, suggesting that the experience does not end when a contestant leaves the house.
However, he did not provide further details in the available post explaining which specific aspects of life after Big Brother he was referring to.
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