By AKINTAYO OPEOLUWANI & CHARLES MGBOLU
It’s more than a year since rapper and artiste, Olaitan Olanipekun, popularly called Dagrin, died of injuries sustained in a ghastly motor accident.

Though dead many still believe he is not as loving memories of him linger with his songs still enjoying air play.

Dagrin

And since his demise, several songs have been composed in his honour by his colleagues. More recently too new videos of collaborating musical works he recorded with several continue to dominate the TV stations.

Today as we remember the young Chief Executive Omoita (CEO), we take solace in the new movie Dagrin which premieres soon on Nigerian cinema circuits.

Ghetto Dreamz tells the story from the end where Dagrin was involved in a that fatal accident and was lying in the hospital, battling for life. Then, the story makes an U-turn on the road that takes him to the hospital.

The movie zeros in on Dagrin from the beginning when he is a very poor student who cannot secure good scores in his examinations and, hence, dashing his parents’ hopes of his ever going to the University.

Last week and at the instance of the Ope Banwo who doubles as the executive producer and initiator of the movie Dagrin, the media had a preview of the movie at the Silverbird Cinemas.

The movie, directed by fast rising Daniel Ademinokan, moved at a brisk pace while laying bare some of the mysteries surrounding the life of Dagrin and the challenges he had to deal with to survive as an artiste with a focus on indigenous rap – a brand that was not readily accepted by the public initially.

As the gripping tale of struggle and rejection roars towards the climactic death of Dagrin at LUTH Hospital, most of the people in the audience could not hold back the tears.

The sobbing continued unabated as the drama of the last minutes of Dagrin on the hospital bed soundlessly unfolded.

The VIP red carpet premiere of ‘Ghetto Dreamz’ held last night at the Atrium, Cinema Floor of the Silverbird Cinemas in Lagos and the movie will begin showing at cinemas across the nation the same day.

We bring to you reactions of some notable Nigerian celebrities as the entertainment industry remembers one of its own.

Enjoy.

Happy I worked with Dagrin – Ruggedman

Dagrin was a humble person when he was alive. And I’m not saying this because he’s no longer alive, I’m saying this because I had the privilege of working with him.

He impacted something great into my life.

He’s down to earth and showed me that he’s a wonderful person to be with. He showed that he’s got talent which he put to good use during his life.

To show how much he was loved, he became the fifth most goggled person after his death because people wanted to know who he was after his death. He is greatly missed.

And it’s obvious because most of us wept when we heard about his death. To show how important he is to me, I had to delay the release of my recent video which I featured him till the 22nd of April which was the day he died.

I also applaud Gbenga Daniel for sponsoring a movie about the late Dagrin. It’s the first time such will be done to honour a Nigerian artiste. And that goes to show how much he was loved.

He lived  well – Fragrance

Dagrin and I used to live in the same estate at Magodo GRA. And we were planning on doing something together .

I remember how he insisted that the song be produced by SoSick. There was a day we had  a show at Abeokuta.

He went on stage after me and I saw over 40 guys on stage with him. When I asked him who those guys were, he told me that he didn’t even know any of them! They were fans who wanted to be part of him. I remember he used to say “Joo o!” and the crowd would scream. For me, he lived short but he lived well.

Set up Trust Fund in Dagrin’s name — Weird MC

It’s a pity a talent like that with such power and potential passed away at such a young age.
There should be a benevolent fund set up to help his mother.

I’m sure that would make him smile wherever he is. I know that abroad that is usually the case. There should be some sort of a welfare package put together so that his family can still benefit from the life he shared with them.

His songs, collabos, album sales should be monitored so that the funds are directed to his family.

He was a great musician – Mr Raw

Although I didn’t get the opportunity to meet him one-on-one but I was planning to do a song with him when I suddenly heard of his death.

But while he was alive, he was a great artiste. And recently, I read about the movie shot to immortalize him and I think that’s great. For a group of people to have come together to do such, shows he had a great impact on the music industry while he lived.

I haven’t seen the movie but I look forward to. He is greatly missed.

Dagrin, a hero – Vasco G

It’s a pity a talent like that with such power and potential passed away at such a young age.

There should be a benevolent fund set up to help his mother.

I’m sure that would make him smile wherever he is. I know that abroad that is usually the case. There should be some sort of a welfare package put together so that his family can still benefit from the life he shared with them.

His songs, collabos, album sales should be monitored so that the funds are directed to his family.