Your dress sense seems quite impressive, but there are some who feel offended by the way you dress up?
If I did not dress this way then it will not be a subject of discussion. So, I Like to say that I don’t read the news, I make the news and I dress the way I choose, I look into the mirror and I like what I see. I am not really bothered if people don’t like it honestly. At first when I started, the reception was negative, people did not understand what I was doing, but I think it has reached a level that people have not only accepted it, it has been recognised , it has been celebrated and it has been acknowledged and na him dey put food for my table so bros, don’t shorten my ration and cut my market short.
There are others who believe that you dress like a woman?
Omo, leave that one, even some women no fit dress like this.
Some insinuate that you are homosexual?
The women when de vex na de one when no fit wear this kind thing, so them go dey vex and then I think it is just self-expression at the end of the day.
So far will you say that the dressing has paid in business?
Yes it has, it has been an extension of my personality because I am an unpredictable person, I am full of life, I am vivacious. I am all over the place and it reflects in what I wear. These clothes are extension of my individuality, I thrive on self expression so well, so i no send anybody papa or mama. I tried it once, I wore a normal suit for a show and nobody knew it was me, it was last year in(2012) Abuja. I packed my hair to the back, I wore a three piece suit with tie and a flat shoe, and nobody knew, they said, oh, is that you, so that kind thing no de sell. Then I now took off everything, under it was my cloth.
It seems you are wearing mascara?
Yes, it is mascara.
Why?
I get a lot of freebies, so at the end of the day, I can’t waste it now, they dashed me the mascara. I had a day with Mac, when I travelled; I did a full internship with Mac. They give me alot of products and I pack am wiam, wiam for my face?
Some said your parents are not happy with you and with what you are doing?
My parents are the most amazing supporters of what I am doing, I can’t wish for better parents. They are the best ever, my papa when be Yoruba man de my house, the man de jolly. My papa is sorted now, If your pikin de craze and the craze they bring something come house, you papa go dey sorted but if he no de see the fruition of the craze, then go and check out that child.
What is your worth as Denrele?
Wao, I never sat down to estimate it and I don’t think I will ever sit down to estimate it. I just like what I am doing and it is not just about building Denrele but investing in other people and building success stories. That is basically what is going for me.
When are you getting married?
E never reach, I just clocked 30, cool down. Why you de rush!
But people get married at 25?
That is those people, I never ready now.
What about all those girls flocking around you?
They should calm down, their blood is still hot.
I hope you are not going to have 168 children like Iyanya?
Never, when it comes to those kind of things, I am very disciplined. I am not ready and Iyanya did not born 168 children.
No, it is African China
Leave Africa China for that one.
We learnt that some time a go, some thieves invaded your family house in Yaba and they carted away alot of things, how true is the story?
Yes, a lot of things. They must have thought that Goldie willed her properties to me because we had buried Goldie Monday, and we now had her candlelight service on Friday and I had not seen my dad and my grand ma after Goldie’s death and they were worried. So I got to the house on Saturday, Obviously they were sent. They took alot of things, they took my grand mummy’s jeweleries, they took alot of money, gadgets and all that stuff and of course they beat shege comot for my body.
They should know who you are, why are they merciless?
Of course they know who I was but they just wanted to prove a point, what point I don’t know but then you know that is life and as long as no body was harmed not too bad – that was when I felt like traveling out of the country so that I don’t put my family in jeopardy. I felt really bad about it.
Have you been able to overcome that shock?
Over the robbery attack yes, over Goldie’s death no but then life has to continue.
What are you missing about her?
Everything, you know when you are with somebody, you practically know everything about that person. We had dreams, we had so many aspirations, there were so many things we wanted to do and in a week, she was gone. I was in a shock all through that period, it was like I was in a trance and I am still trying to deal with it. Alot of people are saying, oh you have forgotten Goldie and replaced her with Careen or Beverly, no. We are keeping her legacy alive; any show I am anchoring I do a tribute to Goldie.
Are you dating Karen?
No, Karen is my friend. Them say i am dating Beverly, Beverly is my friend.
But you are so close to Karen?
God bless these ten fingers anybody when I carry like this, them go bless am kpam and I do it from the goodness of my heart. You know how it is in this country, alot of people have not found people that will believe in them or invest in them. Everybody just wants to hold on to their jobs, they don’t want to help people. So when they find someone helping people they start saying things that are not true. When Karen won, how much did she win, $300,000, one Naira did not enter my hand I did not take any money from her. It was her money, she worked for it and she won it. I just gave her the push. If people keep doing that, we call it pay it forward, people don’t pay it forward in this country.
Is this your real hair?
Touch it, it is my real hair.
Is it permanent?
Yes, it is permanent and I can always change it to black. It is dye cutting.
Will you continue to keep this long hair when you get married?
Yes, you will be there now, my suit go long, them go carry am inside church, na my wife dress go short, my own go long, we go mix am together.
What happened to your Akpola?
The Akpolas hold a special place in my life.
How do you cope with shoes like this, you should be in pain?
Look fashion is pain.
When you get home, do you put your leg in salt water to calm the veins?
Forget it, I don’t put my leg in salt water.
But it is paining you!
Yes na, it is paining me but we will survive, who send me! Sha na me de find work! I don find am now. I have never put my let in salt water. There is no therapy, I am blessed with good feet. God carry leg give me gbam, but body e no give me. All these food when I de shop na my hair them de go, life is too short, let me enjoy my life. We have to live it each moment as fela said it.
You said you love children, when are you having one?
Very soon, because I may be expecting.
Have you ever had a girl friend?
Yes, the funny thing is that you people know them but you don’t know they are the ones but most of them are married.
When are you going to stop the rumour that Denrele is gay?
They will talk now, they will find a loophole somewhere if you are excelling in what you do, they will talk, and I think I am excelling, I am doing well.
How old is Denrele now?
I am 30 this year, I was born June 13, 1983.
Are you getting married soon?
Calm down, my blood still dey hot, make I enjoy my life first.
How many girl friends do you have?
I am single and not married, still searching and ready to mingle.
