BY OGBONNA AMADI (Entertainment Editor) & ADEBIMPE ADESEGUN

John Asieno popularly known as Daddy Showkey is one of Nigeria’s most celebrated musicians who has paid his dues. He started off as a musician and he later veered into business, resulting from an accident which affected his health.

Recently, armed robbers invaded his home. But luckily, Showkey was not at home to encounter them. He narrates the incident to Showtime Celebrity.

Daddy Showkey

We heard that some people came into your house and someone was killed. Where you at home?

The first time they came to my house was about a month ago.

Was it in the morning or afternoon?

It was around 1:30 in the afternoon.

But your dogs were suppose to be untied at that time?

My dogs were locked inside their cages.

So how did those bandits gain entrance?

On that day, my daughter went out to buy something. When she got back, my gate-man refused to open the gate for her because he’d warned them not to go out in the first place but she disobey. So my son was begging the guard so he’ll allow her in not knowing that six guys were also standing outside the gate. After much pleading, the guard opened the gate for her to come in. Then those guys forced themselves inside. As they got inside the gate, my guard jumped outside because of fear and unfortunately they saw my eldest son, Raymond. So they asked Raymond whether it was my house but he lied and said he doesn’t know Daddy Showkey and that he only knows that the owner of the compound is Daddy Showkey as it’s an uncompleted building.

They asked him to take them inside and he did. He took them inside to where some people were working. After some time, they decided to leave. But as they were leaving, Raymond went back to tell those working inside that some people came with gun and were looking for his father. They thought he was joking. Immediately they all rushed outside and those guys saw Wale, one of my aides. But they thought he was my bouncer and they shot him and ran away.

Did those guys say anything to anybody in your house?

According to my guard, he said they came asking after me some months ago. But that he thought they were people who came for business.

What happened to the guy that was killed?

When they called me and informed me about what happened, I was somewhere in Ipaja. So, I asked them to take him to the hospital. When they got to the hospital, they refused to admit him. The hospital advised that he should be taken to the general hospital. Then I begged the hospital to help take him to the general hospital in their ambulance but they refused.

Did they know it was you calling?

They knew. Then I asked those who took Wale there to take him to the general hospital that I’ll meet them there. Then the plumber who lives in my house and the guard hired Keke Marwa and took him there.

Was he still talking on their way to the general hospital?

Yes, he was still talking when they got to the hospital. Then, they tried to revive him but unfortunately, he died.

Was he shot in the chest?

Yes.

Was he married?

Yes he was. He has three children.

So what happens to them?

Since then, I haven’t been around. I traveled because of the shock of the incidence. But we’ve buried him and I’m trying to arrange a meeting with his family to know what we’ll do next. To me, I didn’t plan for anybody to be killed in my house. It was me they came to kill but I wasn’t around. It’s very sad because the boy they killed was a nice person

How would you know they came to kill you?

They asked after me from my son. If they were armed robbers, they would have stolen something from the house or from people but they didn’t.

What did the police do about it?

That day, the police in my neighbourhood tried. They helped by going to the hospital and supervised how Wale was taken to Ikeja General hospital. The IPO, Roland and the DPO were there too. They tried but we lost Wale.

They came back last week?

Yes, five days ago, around 1:30 in the morning.

Did they gain entrance?

They couldn’t because of my dogs. They fired several gunshots that neighbours couldn’t even come outside

So how did the neighbourhood chase them away?

The security men later chased them towards the swamp but didn’t know which route they escaped through. So if it was not for the security men and my dogs, it would have been another story. I’m using this opportunity to tell appeal to Nigerians, to step into this case because I’ve tried all I can.

The question is, did you offend anybody?

The only place I suspected this threat could come from was during my campaign for Goodluck.

What did the police do the second time those people came back?

When the incident was going on, my phone battery was down so I couldn’t call the DPO. This time, the police beefed up security around this area. They tried because some police men were at Oke Ira while others blocked the other road. But they didn’t know there was another road at the back of my street, so the killers escaped from there. Had it been the assassins ran towards Ojodu Local Government Council, the police would have caught them.

But you never had this kind of crises in all the years you were more active in music

Yes I never had it. But this happened during Goodluck’s campaign. A lot of threats came to me that if I didn’t stop campaigning for Goodluck, they’d deal with me. But I didn’t know it’ll get to this extent. The public shouldn’t watch them kill me. I reported this issue to some people in the campaign team. And some days ago, I got calls from an unknown number that I should leave Lagos State before the local government election.

But I heard you’re also supporting the present local government chairman

I wouldn’t believe the threat emanated from Ajegunle. Nobody in my neighbourhood can go to that extent.

Don’t you think another person interested in being the local government chairman might think you’ll pose a threat to him?

I don’t think so because the first time they came and killed Wale, the local government campaign hasn’t even started. So I don’t think anybody from my neighbourhood can do that.

So why didn’t you go back to music?

I can’t leave music because it’s part of me

When last did you sing?

I sing anytime I want to. Maybe you meant releasing albums?

Yes because right now you’re a business man

I’ve been a business man right from time.

Yes but you did music to cover you. But now, you’re a full time business man and a man makes enemies when he goes into business.

The enemies in music are even worse than those in politics. But right now, I can’t say it’s business that caused the attack. I don’t do dubious business. Even before I I released my album, I was into business. So I’m not new in it. But music is inborn. The reason why I haven’t been doing music is because I have health issues which affected me. So I laugh when people said I left music because I couldn’t compose songs.

I don’t pray what happens to me happens to anyone. When I had the accident, I got annoyed and decided not to release again because nobody came to see me. Nobody talked about my life. Many musicians like Sunny Okosun, Oliver De Coke, died at that period. And I was in the hospital abroad when they all died. I thank God those people achieved a lot during their life time. But it’s not right for them to die without people showing love. Assuming I didn’t save up some money for myself and waited for people to raise money for me, I’ll be an handicap by now. My spinal cord and breathing system were affected. So I decided to do music at my own time.

But you didn’t tell anybody your problem

I’m not blaming anybody. Besides, at that time I wasn’t in the country. If people cared they would have asked after me. I had a car accident when I rode my car under a trailer at Ikosi road. I almost died. We are entertainers and we make people happy. We too have the right to be happy. But really, this recent attempt on my life made me know that people still love me. It touched me a lot.