Raheem Okoya, son of billionaire industrialist Rasaq Okoya, has opened up about carving his own path in business and music, insisting that his success is not tied to his father’s fortune.
Speaking in an interview with BBC News Yoruba shared on Instagram, the young Executive Director of Eleganza Industries said he earns a salary, works hard, and has independent investors backing his music career.
“I work. I have a salary that I earn. I have investors. People believe in my music. They put money behind it,” Okoya said, seeking to dispel perceptions that his achievements come automatically from his father’s wealth.
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He credited his father’s upbringing for instilling values of hard work. “My dad wasn’t born rich. He tries to instill those values in his kids. He wants his kids to also be able to work and build a fortune rather than just spend and destroy,” he said.
Despite his young age, Okoya said his role at Eleganza, one of Nigeria’s most recognised industrial brands, is the result of nearly a decade of preparation.
“I’ve been learning this position my whole life. From when I was in school, I’ve been shadowing my dad. It’s not an overnight thing. It’s been 10 years in the making,” he explained.
Okoya admitted that age remains a constant hurdle. “It’s definitely challenging. People already look at you. You’re young. They want to doubt you. You always have to prove that you know what you’re talking about,” he said.
The Lagos-born executive also spoke about the musical influences that shaped him, highlighting Fuji legends like King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (K1 De Ultimate) as a constant presence in his childhood home. “K1 is a legend. He used to ring in the corridors of my house,” he recalled.
Beneath the business and music ambition, Okoya said his ultimate motivation is to make his father proud. “I love my dad so much. He’s my number one hero, my mentor. I just hope I can really, really make him proud one day,” he said.
He also addressed what he called a pattern of media misrepresentation. “I don’t like fake news. It cuts in my head. The media likes to put me up as a villain. They will take a little thing or completely change the narrative… It’s painful,” Okoya said.
The interview comes months after the young singer made headlines in January with plans for an exclusive $5,000-a-year bowling club, sparking widespread conversations across social media.