Afrobeats star Iyanya has opened up about how he narrowly missed the chance to compete in the finals of the first season of Nigerian Idol due to academic commitments.
In a recent interview with Hip TV, the singer revealed that he was selected alongside Omawumi during the Calabar auditions for the maiden edition of the music reality show in 2007. Omawumi would go on to become the first runner-up that season.
However, Iyanya explained that he had to forgo the opportunity to appear in the finals because it clashed with his final year examinations at the university.
“Omawumi and I were the only ones picked at the Calabar Nigerian Idol auditions. I couldn’t make it. I had my final year exam. A year later, I won Project Fame. Today, we’re both judges on Nigerian Idol,” he shared.
The irony isn’t lost on the singer, who now sits as a co-judge on the current season of Nigerian Idol—alongside Omawumi, the very artist he once auditioned with.
Iyanya would later rise to fame after winning the debut season of Project Fame West Africa in 2008, launching a successful career in music with hits like “Kukere” and “Ur Waist.”
