Nigerian Afrobeats singer Afolarin Odunlami, popularly known as Fola, has reflected on his journey from working in a Fola factory job as a teenager to building a career in music.
The singer shared a post of an old employee identification card from his first job, revealing that he began factory work in Oyo State in 2016 when he was 15. This Fola factory job marked the beginning of his story.
Fola used the photograph to reflect on how dramatically his circumstances had changed in the decade since taking that job.
He said his younger self could not have imagined that music would eventually become the force that transformed his life.
Music changes Fola’s path
The 25-year-old artiste described his journey with gratitude, crediting God and music for the progress he has made. Indeed, the contrast between a Fola factory job and his pursuit of music is striking.
“Music would be the very thing God would use to change his life,” he wrote while reflecting on his teenage years.
Fola later moved to Lagos while trying to build his career, but his early experience in the city was far from straightforward.
He previously revealed that his first day in Lagos in 2018 ended with him spending a night in a police cell, an experience that made him question the direction his life was taking. Clearly, leaving his Fola factory job behind was a turning point.
Career gathers momentum
Fola’s music career gained greater attention after he signed with Bella Shmurda’s Dangbana Republik in October 2024.
His catalogue has since expanded through songs including “Alone,” “Feeling” and “Mandela,” alongside his collaboration with Shmurda, “Who Does That.”
His latest reflection gives fans another glimpse into the difficult years before recognition and highlights the contrast between his teenage Fola factory job and his current music career.
