Don Crucifixto will fill the gaps in entertainment industry — Tumi

It’s no more news that the Nigerian the entertainment industry is booming both at home and abroad. Against this backdrop, United State based Nigerian entrepreneur, Tumininu Oluyole, who is better known by friends as Tumi, has said that his outfit, Don Crucifixto, a new production and entertainment company, which he recently launched in the United States will fill the gaps in the entertainment space.

According to him, the entertainment outfit is tailored more to signing African artistes, while his movies poised to showcase the continent’s rising talents.

His words: “As a matter of fact, as we speak, I have an ongoing project in a West African country to build a school with recreational and sports activities aimed at getting kids out of the streets and helping them achieve their God given talents through sports and other areas that can be discovered rather than being on the streets where talents and dreams are being killed.”

“All my businesses are making both direct and indirect positive impacts on Nigerians as well as other African countries. My digital marketing is outsourced to Nigerian companies; my non-profit organisation provides numerous items to less privileged children in Nigeria and other African countries,” he added.

Speaking about his involvement in music and movie production, Tumi said: “I have always loved entertainment and appreciated the arts. While growing up, I used to play drama and was part of drama teams. I feel it is the right time for me to give more into what I believe in and I’m passionate about.

“Don Crucifixto Entertainment feels like a great name and that is what the outfit is called. I am hoping to have three major artistes on the label and, we have two movies going through the production process as we speak. It is exciting times I must tell you.”

Asked how well he understands the Nigerian saturated entertainment industry and market, and how he intends to standout, the entrepreneur stated that entertainment keeps people busy and happy, adding that happy people live long.

“The idea is to make sure every work we produce add value to the public. I know the industry seems saturated and that is where the opportunity to be different and unique lies. We will tap into this and fill the gaps. We will always deliver quality productions, and that is our bond.”

How convinced are you that this will not fail at the end?

“If I believe it will fail, I will not embark on this journey. Aside that, I have loads of professionals in the industry that make up the team, and believe me, these professionals have earned their stripes. So failure is never an option on the table.”

He explained that the Nigerian entertainment industry is an evolving institution, stressing that there are loads of opportunities, and “we feel lucky and blessed to be tapping into this evolution.

“The industry is growing and with every growth, there is that pain. We need to keep encouraging the process and in 5/10 years we should be able to give better accountability. The goal is for the Nigerian entertainment industry to compete head-to-head in all aspects with the US and the modern world.”

Commenting on why he lent his voice to the ongoing #EndSARS protest, Tumi said: “I have was a victim of these people in the past and obviously the creation was faulty from the beginning. What we want is the voice of the people, the youth.

“We have been having a shuffling of politicians for too long. It is time for them to step aside and let the beauty of the talents of this young generation blossom. This current situation simply tells us that there is a chance for a new uprising and we are ready to make a change from corrupt politicians who know nothing about 21st century governing.”

He continued: “If there is anything to be learned, it is that as a people we have a voice! We have the right to demand good governance. We have not achieved anything yet. As a matter of fact this is just an icing on the cake. We still need to tackle poverty, injustices, unfair treatment, inequality, and corrupt politicians.

“The leaders now know that power has shifted and we are not stopping. We are all energized now for true change and I cannot be more proud of my country Nigeria, the Nigerian diaspora and the African diaspora for coming together as one to put an end to this injustice.

“For those that have been bruised, beaten, and died, you will not be forgotten as your pains would resurrect the strength we need to conquer and succeed.

Reacting on the Inspector General of Police statement of renaming the unit, the label chief said: “The government does not need this department. What we need is to properly educate and train the ones already in the system. Creating something else would eventually lead to the same thing if the problems are not fixed from the roots. It’s the foundation that matters.”

Commenting on his prompted new catchphrase: “I was born a nobody, but I shall die as a known body for a positive cause”, Tumi said, “I grew up as a shy kid; a kid that no one thought could achieve anything. I was an average student, but always believed in myself.

“There was a particular day I got into my deep thoughts and reminiscing. I looked at a 360-degree view of myself and realised that people tend to be leeches; people want to cheat to get by. Most people prefer the easier route than feeling the pains and joy of true success from hard work. That day, I promised myself one thing: I do not want to be noticed, rather I want to be known.

“I want to change the trajectory of my family and future and many more people that I encounter. I do not want to have my children go through the toughest times I went through. I want to be a legacy and build a legacy. These were my driving force.”

Sharing his experiences the first time he found himself in a strange land, the Don Crucifixto founder said: “When I got to the US, it was a big culture shock. I was young and naïve; I didn’t know what to expect, I was afraid. But I was fortunate enough to meet people that were driven just like myself, and I received a very welcoming experience from the international department of the school I attended when I arrived. I immediately fell in love with the snow.

“I was amazed to see beautiful buildings, cars, people of different backgrounds. It was real; pets such as dogs and cats are treated even better than humans. Electricity was on 24/7; I mean in less than one month I was looking fresh. Everything seemed organised unlike from the chaos I was coming from.”

Asked how he feels creating jobs abroad being a Nigerian and African, Tumi said: “As gratifying as it may seem, being an African from Nigeria creating opportunities, I do not believe I have done anything yet. I am still at my beginning stage, and by the time I am done ruffling the establishment, and the elite, and the dust settles, I’m confident that there will be no eulogy due to me because I only would have done what God had created me to do and for as long as I put in my best and keep striving for utopia, the job that I would have done will speak for itself.

“It does not matter if I am white, black, African, Nigerian or from any ethnicity. All women and men are made equal. I am only a vessel for God’s own work. I am grateful and humble that God had looked after my family and me, and has given me the unmerited favour to be able to change people’s lives through my job creation.”

What was growing up like for you?
“Even though I enjoyed it, growing up on the streets of Lagos was bitter-sweet for me. In spite of the difficult life, the sense of freedom and carefree living was second to none. My parents, even though, struggling to afford school fees for my siblings, and me they made sure that we were exposed to the best possible education they can think of.

“Growing up as a child, my parents instilled in me a resilient attitude to always work hard and never give up. This disciplined made me pick one of my dad’s old car up, worked hard to fix the car and used it as a taxi to send myself to the University for me to pay tuition.

“I was a very stubborn kid, always defying. I always go against authority. I almost always get in trouble that I always solicited. I believe that was how I became creative.”