By Timothy Babalola

At the University of Ibadan, entertainment is gradually becoming more than a pastime for many students. Beyond academics, some students are building careers in music, dance, modelling, hyping, and content creation, transforming their talents into sources of income and personal brands.

Across Nigeria, the entertainment industry has evolved from casual performance into a thriving business sector with global recognition. This growth has inspired many student entertainers to take their craft seriously, especially as they witness the success of Nigerian entertainers who once navigated university life themselves.

For many students on campus, talent alone is no longer considered enough. Branding, visibility, networking, promotion, and consistency have become just as important as performance itself. Social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok now serve as tools for exposure, allowing student entertainers to reach wider audiences, secure collaborations, and attract paid opportunities.

For Victor, a 200-level student of the Department of Linguistics and African Languages, modelling became more than an interest shortly after he gained admission into the university. Popularly known for runway modelling, he described the craft as the confident expression of fashion and creativity.

“Modelling is a work generally but it is the expression of an outfit with so much aura and putting it out there in such a way that people would love to get that kind of outfit and then walking.”

There are different types of modelling, there is Commercial modelling, Fashion modelling, Face modelling, Run-way modelling and I am into Run-way modelling and that type of modelling is you bringing out the outfit of a designer then expressing it on a Run-way with so much aura and elegance while walking.”

Victor explained that his journey into modelling began during the AFAS Freshers’ Week pageantry after he was nominated by a friend to contest for Mr AFAS Fresher.

According to him, watching his instructor during rehearsals sparked his passion for runway modelling and inspired him to pursue it seriously.

“When I resumed into UI, I was nominated by a very good friend of mine, his name is Kelvin, He nominated me to go for the pageantry in my Faculty that is AFAS and it was AFAS Freshers’ week and he nominated me to go for MR AFAS Fresher and when I went for it, my instructor I saw the way he was walking, the way he was teaching and I just had a passion for it and I loved it.

“After the whole pageantry, I was like Ok, this is something I would love to delve into and I said ok, well, I should train myself and Run-way modelling builds confidence because there’s a sense of aura it brings when you walk with so much dignity and pride.”

Beyond financial gains, Victor said modelling has helped him build confidence, popularity, and meaningful connections. While some modelling jobs are paid, he explained that collaborations between designers, photographers, and models are also common within the industry.

“Run-way modelling is a job, it’s a profession, professional modelling but there are times that you go for collaborations. Collaboration means that you, the designer and the photographer agree to come together to bring a beautiful picture for people out there to see so yes, I do get paid for Run-way modelling and sometimes, it’s a collaboration.”

Another student balancing entertainment with academics is Alim Aishat Adepeju, popularly known as Ayoka Akewi, a 300-level student of the Yoruba Department and the current departmental president.

As a professional chanter, she explained that her journey started from passion long before it became profitable.

“I started chanting at the age of 9 and back then I wasn’t really concerned about making money and then I would just take my Mom’s phone and chant an oriki and post it online because it’s my passion and anyone who has a talent won’t sleep, In fact the talent won’t allow you sleep until you start showcasing the talent to the world that’s when you can have peace of mind. So, I started showing the talent and little by little, I started making money from it.”

Today, Ayoka performs at weddings, birthdays, inductions, and other ceremonies, earning income through her performances. According to her, consistency and dedication eventually turned her passion into a business venture.

She also noted that chanting has provided more than financial benefits, giving her opportunities to build connections and expand her network.

Speaking on balancing academics with work, she acknowledged that combining both responsibilities can be difficult but manageable with discipline and proper planning.

“Yoruba do say “A o le fi oko kan pa eye meji ki ikan ma fo lo” It literally means that you cannot kill two birds with one stone without one escaping or even both escaping as the case may be. So, I only try to manage it well so they don’t affect each other because my primary duty as a student is to attend lectures and pass exams, tests.”

Ayoka maintained that academics remain her primary responsibility as a student, while entertainment functions as a secondary engagement.

“As a student, I then treat my business as secondary. I don’t think one should affect one another because as you’re studying, you also have to make money and so both are balanced, they’re fifty-fifty.”

Similarly, Godwin Emmanuel Miracle, popularly known as Dadaboi, described dance as both a passion and a profession. The student dancer, who specialises in Afro-Fusion dance, explained that the style blends African dance elements with modern hip-hop influences.

“Afro-Fusion is the Hip-Hop side of Afro, cause when we talk about Afro, we speak more about African dance style, and Afro-Fusion just makes it different from the cultural way we do our dance, It is more or less a new-age style.”

Dadaboi explained that although he initially started dancing out of passion, adulthood and increasing responsibilities gradually pushed him to see it from a business perspective.

“At first when I started, the reason I started dancing was because of the love and passion I had towards dancing and the more I grew, the more I understood certain things and as a grown man, I do now for the money because there are responsibilities to take care of. That’s why I showcase the business side of it. It was my first passion but now passion and money work hand-in-hand.”

He added that dance has opened opportunities for him, including collaborations with celebrities and increased visibility.

“Dance can be very very crazy because I started with some set of people and one way or the other, I can say that I am even getting what some people are not getting regarding dance. I have worked with some celebrities, the likes of Kizz Daniel, Olamide and co, so, I’ll say I’m getting income, even followership.”

Another student entertainer, Akinyemi Joseph, popularly known as Hypeman Valorous, described hyping as more than simply speaking into a microphone. According to him, the role involves creating energy and ensuring audiences remain entertained throughout events.

“Being a hypeman is more than just shouting on the mic. It’s about controlling energy, entertaining the crowd, engaging the audience, and making sure people enjoy every moment of an event. A hypeman helps create vibes, keeps the atmosphere alive and supports the DJ or performers to make the event unforgettable.”

The 200-level Microbiology student explained that his interest in entertainment and his passion for making people happy motivated him to pursue hyping professionally.

“I’ve always loved entertainment and the feeling of making people happy. Over time, I discovered I had the confidence, voice and energy to engage crowds, so I decided to pursue hyping professionally.”

He explained that hyping generates income through performances, event bookings, collaborations, hosting opportunities, and brand promotions.

“Hyping is a profession and a service just like any other entertainment craft. We get paid through performances, event bookings, club gigs, hosting, collaborations, brand promotions and other entertainment-related opportunities.”

However, he admitted that building a career in entertainment often requires significant personal investment before financial rewards become substantial.

“To be honest, sometimes the effort and investment can be more than the returns, especially at those early stages then. There’s a lot of sacrifice behind the scenes — branding, transportation, networking, content creation, outfits, consistency and building a name.

Sometimes the investment is more than the returns, but with time, passion, growth and consistency, the rewards gradually begin to match the sacrifices.”

Like many others, he said balancing entertainment with academics requires discipline and effective time management.

“It takes discipline and proper time management. I prioritize my academics while also making time for my entertainment career. I try to plan my schedules well so neither my education nor my career affects the other negatively.”

For many students at the University of Ibadan, entertainment is steadily evolving beyond talent or leisure into a serious business venture. While balancing creative careers with academic responsibilities remains challenging, these students continue to demonstrate that it is possible to pursue passion, build visibility, and still succeed academically.