I was once a shoemaker – Ojez Boss

Joseph Anayo Odobeatu, the brain behind Ojez Entertainment has said building his brand to this current level was not a child’s play.
In a recent chat with Bliss, the entertainment guru who just clocked 60 said he started his career as a shoemaker before delving into engineering and then entertainment.

He said, “I started as a shoemaker when I was young. My mom was selling stockfish then. And I used to stay in the sheds. I told my mother to buy me pinches and other tools. That’s how the journey of going into engineering began. I started repairing shoes, later I went into repairing machetes and bicycles. In fact, when I was 12 years old, I had 18 apprentices working in all four market days in my hometown in Anambra state. What I learned from life is that whatever you are doing, be honest and work hard, because with this you’re building your tomorrow.”

Though he is still into Engineering with his company Jonac Engineering, Odebatu said he delved into entertainment when his engineering company started manufacturing compact diss.

“I joined the entertainment business when I started to partner with some Chinese to start producing CDs when they were in vogue. Later, I opened Ojez as part of while we were doing production, we could then sell our products, going into music production. People like Sunny Neji, Baba Fryo, Daddy Showkey, and other musicians would bring their music to us to produce, using it like a marketing tool. That’s what brought about Ojez.”

“Ojez as a nightclub started at Iwaya, Onike, Lagos. And it turned to become something that many people came to and had fun. And we were doing it in a very clean way in the sense that we created something that was bringing families together. And so you needed to be decent. That’s why when we established the one at the National Stadium, we found out that there are some families who have been coming with their children for over 20 years.”

Read also: Meet Oladoyin Olayiwola, first-class shoemaker

Talking about what inspired him to build Ojez entrrtainment, Odebatu could relate it to his love for music and entertainment.

“I would say that in 1982, when I was with my boss, and then at Ojuelegba, Lagos, I used to be at Soundway Records, Cassidy. So I used to help them to dub CDs and before we knew it, I started recording music. Before we knew it, I started to play music. So I became increasingly involved in music and entertainment. That drives my passion.

“When in my business, Jonac Engineering, we wanted to set up a CD factory, then I had to come out fully. Even then, I used to do a lot of things for PMAN such that anybody that’s doing film or music would come and print; we did the production for them. I think that is one of the things that brought me into the entertainment industry.

“It is when Facebook came out that the business of CDs went down; just like when CDs came out the business of cassettes went down. I used to have a cassette shop in those days. So, Facebook and social media platforms phased out the CD business.”
And as he clocks 60, Odebatu said it is great to hit this milestone.

“Twenty ago, I was inducted as one of the elders when I was 40 years old. I cannot forget that day. Papa Benson Idonije said to me: “Look, you deserve more than this because you are putting happiness and joy in people’s minds. So we need to make you join the elders.” So I was just looking at myself having fun with the elders. So this feeling of when I’m 60, I’ve started enjoying it since I was 40.

“I am going to unveil a foundation set up to cater primarily for the physically challenged. They are blind, but they play all instruments with good hands. I named it “Voice of Unknown.” Because one thing I see in this our country is that people try to neglect people that are physically challenged.”