He first came to our screens last May when he starred as lead male character in the first all-black-cast High School Musical premiered in Nigeria. Troy, as his character was called, passed Minjin (Troy’s real name) as a pampered teen.

Contrary to this impression, Minjin who later won Kennis Music’s Centage Superstar musical talent hunt few months after HSM, tells Lolade Sowoolu how tough surviving has been since his parents separated about five years ago.

After losing two scholarships and suffering disappointments, he took to learning painting by the roadside in Ikeja in order to support his family. Today he rides a Prado Jeep and has a record deal with Kennis Music- one of Nigeria’s leading labels. It’s an interesting piece; read on!

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Minjin

My name is Minjin Adewale Lawanson Junior. My mum gave ‘Minjin’ to me when I was a few months old. It means ‘son of the most high’. She used to watch Asian movies a lot. That’s where she heard the name and gave it to her son. I didn’t like the name at first but as time went on it was like nobody else had the name. So I took it up as a first name .

So when did you begin to like the name, in secondary school?

I started liking it when I started singing. I’d tried two other names but they were so common. I gave myself ‘J boy’ then J. J. I wanted a name that would draw attention but not tell where I’m from. I wanted my music to do the talking that I’m from Nigeria.

When did you discover your singing talent?

I’d always been singing but I started having the consciousness of being a singer at age sixteen.

Where are you from?

I’m from Oyo state but I was born and brought up in Lagos. I was trained by my mother and I have two younger siblings.

What was growing up like?

Growing up for me was not the nicest of childhood. I went to Rising Sun Children school and later King Solomon secondary school. I was head boy at primary school but changed secondary school at the end of my third year.

During that period my parents separated so I missed out on a scholarship that I would have been awarded for coming first through out Junior school. I left with my mum and so changed to Fortune Private College where I struggled to find my feet because of the psychological impact of the separation.

I was in Science department and represented the school at Cowbell Maths competition and stuffs like that.

So where is the art connection…?

All the while I enjoyed painting. I’m a member of the Extremely Talented Artists (ETA) Foundation and the Society of Nigerian Arts.

Where did you learn to paint?

When I finished secondary school, a lot of things happened. School fees started rising and my siblings had to be taken care of by my mum.

Did you all move with her?

Yes, everybody. Being a single mother isn’t easy but she tries to make the best out of us.

I wanted to study Medicine at Ife (Obafemi Awolowo University) I passed my Post Jamb exam but  required a very huge amount of money to get the course I wanted and some other complications.

What year was that?

That was in 2005/2006. I just finished secondary school and  was about sixteen. After Ife failed, I sat for NIIT scholarship exam and I passed with an A plus. I was given a scholarship to study Oracle 10J Data based Administration. I was so happy I didn’t know it was a partial scholarship.

I was to pay about N100, 000 instead of the total 400, 000 plus. I discussed with the school and they agreed that I could pay in installments. I already had my books, laptop and all but when I told my mum about the money, she told a few family members who felt I should focus on going to a higher institution instead. So I had to let it (the scholarship) go.

So when did painting come in?

Painting came after I missed the NIIT scholarship. I tried to find something doing because I hate being idle. Before then I could paint with brush on paper but not on canvass.  So I went to roadside painter in Ikeja and became an apprentice. I thought it was going to be a kind of coaching and I would be treated like a school boy because I wasn’t the street kid. But it wasn’t at all.

I started on Valentine’s Day in 2007. He said I should pay N15, 000 but I told him I had only N2, 000 and he said I could start. I didn’t even tell my mum. The training started like I thought until he started sending me to buy rice, Kerosine and stuff.

Then it dawned on me that I was omo- ise (an apprentice). I never thought I’d be in that kind of position.

Where in Ikeja was this?

Just opposite Country club, thereabout.

Were you living in Ikeja around that time?

No, I stay in Igando and was going to Ikeja everyday then. I’d ask my mum for a hundred naira or two in addition to whatever I had on me and she would give me.

Then I would go to ‘work’ and she didn’t even know where. I learned but it was not easy. I was so black, I was just like a boy-boy.

You didn’t have girlfriends then or you weren’t thinking about them?

I didn’t have one because I felt like there was so much responsibility on me. I was more of a book-worm.

How long did your training last?

Everyday; for about a year and half . I wasn’t happy but I felt it was something I had to do.

What happened after your graduation?

I had started doing my own painting before I left there. Sometimes I would paint and give to him (his boss) and people would come and buy them. He’d collect the money from me and not give me a dime but I didn’t mind.

At a point I told my mum I wanted to write JAMB exam again, but there was no money to buy the form. Today I have staged exhibitions for my paintings and gone to a few places.

How did you start off on your own?

I was carrying my paintings around in a bag. I’d look at a good place for instance and say, ‘this place is beautiful, the owner must be rich’. I’ll  just go in and show my work to the owner of the place.

I could ask for N20, 000 for a painting but then he’ll (the buyer) cut it down to N5, 000. I remember the first big sale I made was from a woman along  Opebi road, Ikeja.

She bought like three set of paintings from me for N12, 000. I was so happy.
So how did you get to be cast as Troy in the High School Musical in the middle of all these?

I could sing and play the guitar. I have been to so many competition, some I won and wasn’t given the prize but I was just determined to keep pushing hoping that someday someone would single me out. I model and act very wellbecause I watch movies a lot.

So when I saw the advert for someone who could act, sing and dance; I knew that was me. I went for the auditioning and scaled through. Incidentally at the auditions I was asked to act like someone whose father abandoned and then later comes back after a long time to apologise.

It was very real to me because it’s like my story so I played the role well and was almost crying and they (the judges) thought, ‘this boy can act’ (laughter). Meanwhile many of the other cast had seen the original movie and could sing all the songs but I had never even seen the movie. It was at the rehearsals that I learnt the songs.

What if your father comes back today apologising and asking that you live as one again?

No no no, we can communicate again but living as one family won’t work. He’s been too far. He’s not been in touch until maybe last month or two when he suddenly called me to ask how I was, my mum and all of us. I have a platform now and I can make money for myself and my younger ones.

Lets talk about winning Centage Superstar talent hunt.

I was preparing to go and collect the money for my form when I was called to come to the office that the show was about to begin. This was after about a year since I bought the form.

We recorded songs and behold, I won. At the finals when the winner was to be announced I didn’t care about winning because winning wasn’t new to me just that people just don’t redeem their promises. Surprisingly, this time around I got a Prado Jeep.

There was no money attached to winning but there’s a record deal. I’ve started recording already and even have a song with Goldie titled ‘You’re the one’. There’s a single too titled ‘Kini ma se’. My life is full of stories but things are changing now. I’m the total package.

In the past I’ve done adverts for Lucomalt, Premium Pension and some others but now I’m trying to work on my image so that when the adverts come, they’ll come with ‘big money’.