Banky W

By Nehru Odeh

Popular Nigerian artiste, Olubankole Wellington, aka Banky W, easily fits into any role and performs exceedingly well in it. No wonder he has succeeded as a singer, actor, filmmaker, entrepreneur, master of ceremony and motivational speaker.

However, the singer, who is set to release an album this year, after a lull, is fast making it big as a motivational speaker. His religiosity, his artistry and his corporate dress sense aside, the Ebutte Metta crooner has over the years been motivating the youths both in religious assemblies and various online platforms.

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And he has done so well that many now designate him as a pastor. But that is not for Banky W. whose debonair lifestyle and the confidence and charm he exudes on the pulpit cast him as one. Still, he has come out to debunk that, saying he is not a clergyman since he doesn’t have the requisite qualification. He disclosed this recently in an interview via Zoom with presenters of Wake Up Nigeria, a breakfast show on TVC.

He said: “I think people tend to rush to attribute titles because they automatically want you to fit into a specific box.  I don’t officially go by the pastor title because I am not officially a pastor.  What I am is a work in progress child of God.

 “I have learnt a lot of things over the years and I think God has been speaking to me and teaching me through His word, through just spending time with the word of God and through my experiences.

 “And I’m just trying to share from that because I honestly believe that, especially for the younger generation, if you think you can get through these times without God, then you’re fooling yourself.  We need God now more than ever.

“I can share from the experiences I have had, from the lessons that I am learning and from what God is teaching me. If  I can help young people kind of draw closer to God and make it through this difficult time and have the kind of backbone that you need and the kind of strategies that you need for success and just the wisdom that I have been fortunate enough to be blessed with.”

Still, Banky W said the reason he is motivating the youths is that he wants to draw them closer to God, using his wealth of experience

“I am going to share from that experience. And I think for me It’s kind of special because I have this wealth of experience from music, from movies and from business.

“You as a young person may not listen to a pastor but you will listen to me because you identify with me. You know the place that I am from and the life that I have lived and the things that I have gone thorough.”

Asked what he would like to be called, he maintained:  “My name is not Pastor or anything. My name is Banky. Call me by my name.”