Yemi Elesho: I Once Paid Asake With Rice and Soft Drink for Performances

Nigerian actor and content creator Yemi Elesho has reminisced about his long-standing friendship with Grammy-nominated artist Asake, revealing that during their university days, he compensated the singer with a plate of rice and a bottle of Coca-Cola for performances.

Speaking in a recent interview with content creator Jigan, Elesho recounted how their relationship dates back to their time at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, where they collaborated on several projects.

Asake’s Humble Beginnings at OAU

According to Elesho, Asake regularly featured in his movies and skits while they were both students, and at the time, his payment for those performances was simply a meal.

“I used to give Asake a ₦700 plate of rice and a bottle of Coca-Cola as performance fees for featuring in my movies during our undergraduate days at OAU,” he shared.

Elesho described Asake as a “day-one friend”, emphasizing that they shared memorable moments, including participating in celebrity football matches on campus.

Now a global music star, Asake has risen to fame as one of Nigeria’s most successful Afrobeats artists, proving that humble beginnings can lead to extraordinary success.