Femi Dapson, a music video producer, recently shared his inspiring journey of breaking into the entertainment industry.
Speaking on the WithChude podcast, Dapson revealed that he once worked at Winners Chapel, closely assisting the church’s founder, David Oyedepo, as the assistant to his secretary.
After three years in the role, he realized he was becoming too comfortable and decided it was time for a change, despite not yet having a university degree.
“I had to leave Winners, honestly. If I stayed, I would get too comfortable,” Dapson recalled. “I was already working at the highest level in the church, wearing ties, meeting with the president—no uni degree. I knew I needed to move on.”
Determined to start anew, Dapson moved to Lagos, where he initially worked as a cleaner before gradually finding his place in the entertainment world.
Dapson shared how his life took a turn when he found an opportunity in the media industry. Despite lacking a university degree and competing against candidates with stronger academic credentials, he secured a junior editor position at a newspaper company. “I came to Lagos and did cleaning jobs for a while. One day, I noticed a job interview ad at the back of a newspaper and decided to apply,” he recalled.
During the interview, Dapson found himself surrounded by candidates with BSc degrees. “When I walked in, I knew how to sell myself. I painted them a picture, promising to make their work easier, just as I had done at Winners. They were impressed and excited,” he said.
Now a renowned music video producer, Dapson credits his experience for teaching him that anyone who can read and write can learn almost anything. “If you can read and write, you can teach yourself anything,” he emphasized.
He also spoke candidly about growing up in poverty, which fueled his determination to succeed. “If you grew up poor, your only thought is how to escape that life. You don’t want to die poor. My father died poor; all his life, he hoped to be rich, but it never happened,” Dapson shared.
Today, Dapson is the founder of Nouvelle Films, a Lagos-based production company. He is celebrated for producing music videos for some of Nigeria’s biggest artists, including Burna Boy’s ‘City Boy’, Rema’s ‘Calm Down’, and Kizz Daniel’s ‘Cough’, among others.
