D’banj was enrolled in the Nigerian Military School at age 11, but decided to quit the school after three years. During this time, he was a member of the elite drum corps, before he moved to the Nigerian Navy Secondary School to finish his secondary education.
D’banj’s older brother, Femi Oyebanjo, tragically died in a plane crash at the age of 17. Femi’s harmonica was one of the few items retrieved from the wreckage, and D’banj appropriated it and began to cherish the instrument. His skill is self-taught, — a touching tribute to his older brother.
After receiving his secondary school degree, D’banj briefly attended the Univeristy of Lagos in 1999, where he studied mechanical engineering before leaving early to pursue music.
D’banj’s hit song, “All The Way,” is about the struggles he faced with his parents over his chosen career. His father in particular continued to hold out hope that he would pursue the military.
In June 2011, D’banj was signed to the label as a part of Mo’ Hits – the allstar collective group from Mo’ Hits Records that included Dr. SID, Wande Coal, KaySwitch, and D’prince.
D’banj is the founder of the Koko Foundation for Youth and Peace Development, an organization dedicated to helping underserved Nigerian children in around Lagos and Abuja. D’banj also uses his platform and voice to discuss international affairs. He recently condemned the Boko Haram kidnapping of Nigerian schoolgirls and urged the international community to take swift action.
There’s an entirely unverified rumor that D’banj and Don Jazzy split because D’banj joined the international occult group, the Illuminati. The rumor mills turned even quicker when Don Jazzy donated all the proceeds from his production catalog to charity, supposedly to avoid keeping “dirty money.”
In his music, D’banj incorporates many of the same Afro beats as the legendary Afrobeat master, Fela Kuti. Similarly, D’banj performs in Yoruba, English, and Pidgin English, much as Fela Kuti did.
Given his fame, D’banj has not surprisingly been linked with a variety of women, including Nigerian actress Genevieve Nnaji and Ghanian actress Nadia Buari.
In 2009, D’banj hosted his own reality TV show, “Koko Mansion.” The setup was similar to America’s “The Bachelor.” Twelve women, referred to as “Kokolets,” competed to win his heart.
