7 Nigerian Celebrities Who Worked Odd Jobs Before Stardom

A few of the world’s wealthy population are born with a silver spoon while a vast majority of wealthy personalities and celebrities worked their way up the social ladder and wealth status they are known for today.

Some started with odd and demeaning jobs before having the fame and recognition they have garnered today.

For these artists and celebrities wealth, fame and fortune did not come overnight but went through different processes and life’s work to achieve their aim and goal.

We’ll be going through 7 Nigerian artists and Celebrities who had worked odd jobs before they became famous and successful.

1. Banky W

Banky W before his success as a musician, actor, and politician, had previously worked at a fast food outlet,a clothing store, and as a knife salesman advertising knives from door to door. He was able to save money he used to pay for studio recording time.

2. Timaya

Another musician whose story is very motivational is Timaya aka ‘Egberi papa one of Bayelsa’ who worked hard from his childhood days to make ends meet. The famous dance hall artist was a plantain seller.

He has a hit song on the topic which espouses his life as a plantain seller as he proudly refers to himself as a plantain seller to remind his fans that it wasn’t always rosy from the beginning.

3. Mercy Johnson

Mercy Johnson also had to do a few menial job before her shot at fame and stardom. She recalled in an interview how her family moved into an uncompleted building and had to take cover whenever it rained because of the building’s condition.

She worked as a housemaid before she started acting and finally changing her family’s position and status.

4. Patoranking

Patoranking is another dancehall artist who made it up the social ladder after doing several menial jobs. Before making it big in the music industry, he had worked as a bricklayer, sold rat poison in the streets of Lagos, and worked as a fuel pump attendant. There’s no denying Patoranking was a hardcore hustler.

5. Joseph Benjamin

Joseph Benjamin is a famous Nollywood actor. The prolific actor who is known for playing men with white-collar jobs in movie roles moved from being a bus conductor, security guard, waiter, working in a bakery, selling shoes at Balogun, then moved into the IT industry before acting.

6. M.I. Abaga

M.I Abaga aka Mr. Incredible is rated as one of the best rappers in Nigeria with a lot of legendary hits to his name. Before his success as a musician, he had tried his hand at comedy.

The successful rapper said that he left his career in comedy because people did not laugh at his jokes and booed him on stage.

7. John Okafor

Nollywood actor John Okafor popularly known as Mr. Ibru did several odd jobs before acting. The prolific actor before stardom had once sold firewood, was once a butcher, and worked as a barber.