For Victor Ogodo, popularly known as Pastor Victor, music is not merely an entertainment business or a means of livelihood. It is a calling, a responsibility and, ultimately, a vehicle for communicating truth and shaping society.

The founder of Konka Records stated this in an exclusive interview with The Guardian, where he reflected on his journey through music, ministry, talent development and humanitarian intervention.

According to him, the growing commercialisation of the music industry should not obscure what he considers its deeper social and spiritual responsibility.

“Music is a calling. Until you are called and ordained, you can’t pass a message. Musicians are prophets and teachers of the truth,” he said.

That conviction, he explained, informs the philosophy behind Konka Records, which he describes as more than a conventional record label. Rather, he sees it as a platform for identifying, nurturing and strengthening young talents whose potential could otherwise remain unrealised.

With only two artistes currently signed to the label, Pastor Victor said he was deliberately more interested in developing talents with substance and purpose than expanding the company for commercial visibility.

He said his choice of artistes was informed not only by their musical abilities but also by their character, dedication and leadership potential.

“I see greatness in them. They are unique in so many ways—lyrically, passionate, and dedicated. But beyond that, I see a new generation leader in them. Their music is not just music, but a message,” he said.

His intervention in talent development, he added, is partly driven by his concern about young people whose abilities become sources of frustration because of a lack of support and opportunities.

Pastor Victor argued that while Nigeria is home to enormous creative talent, many aspiring artistes are left without the structures required to transform their abilities into sustainable careers.

“A lot of people are very talented but have no one to support them or exploit their talent. This has caused a whole lot of talented people to be depressed. Talent that ought to be a blessing ends up being a tool to their depression,” he said.

His concern for vulnerable people, he explained, predates his involvement in the record business. Having grown up in a rural community where hardship was commonplace, he said his experiences shaped his desire to create opportunities for others.

His spiritual journey also played a significant role. After enrolling in pastor school in 2017, he spent four years serving at Living Faith Church, an experience that, he said, altered his understanding of success and human responsibility.

“I began to realise that life is more than how we think. Life is more beautiful when we become the reason why people smile and have hope again,” he said.

It is this intersection of music, faith and social intervention that appears to underpin his approach to the creative industry.

He believes government also has a significant role to play in transforming Nigeria’s vast pool of creative talent into economic opportunities.

“Everything good and bad comes from the street,” he said, urging government to develop structures that would identify, support and export Nigerian talents to international markets.

Such investment, he argued, could not only generate employment and foreign exchange but also help address some of the social pressures that expose young people to crime.

For Pastor Victor, the creative industry remains one of Nigeria’s largely under-utilised economic assets. With the right structures, he believes, the sector could become one of the country’s most lucrative sources of employment and wealth creation.

His own ambition, however, appears less centred on personal success than on what he can leave behind for those coming after him.

He credits Derek Zai, who introduced him to the entertainment industry in 2006, with helping to open the door to his own journey. That experience, he said, taught him that those who receive opportunities have a responsibility to create similar pathways for others.

“People who come into our lives to brighten our path or help us do so for us to also lighten other people’s path,” he said.

As he concentrates on developing the two artistes under Konka Records, Pastor Victor said his larger objective remains the creation of a more supportive environment for emerging musicians.

“I just want to pave way for the upcoming artists to make it easy for them to achieve their dreams,” he said. “Because I know the struggle I went through when I was coming up, and I don’t wish anyone to have the same experience.”