Veteran Nigerian singer, Lanre Dabiri popularly known as Eldee, has claimed that his father was the first person that brought the internet to Nigeria.
The musician turned realtor made the claim in a recent interview with media personality, JOI, adding that all his father was responsible for the establishment of cybercafes, tech companies at the time.
The artiste who is now living in the United States with his family, said although he studied architecture at the university, he inherited ICT knowledge from his father.
Eldee said; “My dad was the person that brought the internet, the very first person that brought the internet to Nigeria.
So, he set up pretty much everyone; all the companies that initially, all the first cybercafés that you know. All of those connections came through my popcy.
“He was an IT guy. So, naturally, by association, I dey very align to IT even though I studied architecture.”
Meanwhile, he recently said that watching the likes of Wizkid, Davido and other new generational Afrobeats artiste succeed and be recognised globally is a thing of pride and joy.
The ‘One Day’ crooner stated this while speaking in an interview with Hip TV, noted that it is like a father watching his child become successful.
According to Eldee, he is overwhelmed to witness the waves that the present crop of Nigerian artistes’ are making in other countries.
He also talked about a recent family trip to five countries in Europe and how he observed that Afrobeats music is making waves in non-black settlements.
Eldee said; You know, the father who has watched a child become very very successful. That’s how it [Afrobeats artists’ growth] feels to me. Nothing gives me more joy.
Recently, actually last year, we went on a family vacation to Europe. We went to five countries. Every single city that we were in, even in Venice where maybe there were only like, two other black people.
We were the only black family in the whole of Venice. We enter the stores and they are playing Afrobeats. From Rema to Joeboy to Fireboy to Burna Boy to Wizkid to Davido to Tiwa Savage everywhere.
We were in Paris listening to the radio, to Latin radio and they were playing Afrobeats. Some of this stuff is mind-blowing if you know what was happening in Nigeria in 1995 or 1997 to 1998. It’s mind-blowing because in Nigeria then you couldn’t hear our own music on Nigerian radio.
