For many young creatives in Nigeria, the biggest challenge is finding a way to pursue their passion while still making a living. The dream is to wake up every day and do what you love, but the reality is that bills have to be paid. Some people abandon their creative dreams entirely for financial stability, while others take the risk of following their passion full-time, hoping it eventually pays off. But what if there was a way to do both?
Obilonu Chinedu Damian, popularly known as DamianNedu, is an artist who has managed to find that balance. A musician at heart, he funds his passion by working as a scriptwriter for film, stage, and television while also taking acting gigs occasionally. In this interview, he shares how he juggles his corporate work and music career, the sacrifices he has made, and what advice he has for fresh graduates facing the same dilemma.
How do you balance your musical career and your corporate life? I mean, sometimes it will clash, right?
“Uhmm, so the balance I found was not taking a full-time 9-5 job. Working remotely works best for me. So I have the liberty to manage my working hours. I have time scheduled to shoot content (which is not an everyday thing. I shoot content that can last for three days in one day), and there’s time for work. I can close any time I want and resume anytime I want because my jobs are based on contract, so the hours are flexible as long as I meet my deadline. Then performances and studio time, it’s not every day I go to the studio to record. It’s also not every day I have performances. So that’s how I balance everything. Working remotely is the best bet for me.”
For many creatives, the struggle isn’t just about making money to promote their craft but about having the time to create it. By choosing remote and contract-based jobs instead of a rigid 9-5, Damian found himself a system that allows him to focus on both work and passion without feeling trapped in a schedule that limits his creativity.
Do you advise fresh graduates to balance both or just chase one of them? (Should they pick one and leave the other?)
“Omo, they should chase as much as they can. If I had a full-time 9-5, I’d still find a way to balance music with it. In fact, I recently turned down a 9-5 gig, but the only reason I did that was because the pay was too little and I have commitments to other things like a play I’m in. Also, the freelance jobs I’m doing that pay more, this 9-5 job will make it suffer ‘cus they already told me I’d have to drop most of what I’m doing and focus on them. And me, I’m betting on myself this year. I chose me over them. So yeah, people should definitely chase as much as they can. In my opinion, 9-5 holds people back from doing a lot of things, but if you can hack it and still do other things you want to do, then you should go ahead and do it.”
This is a mindset many creatives need to learn to adopt. Choosing themselves over rigid job expectations. The truth is, that financial stability is important, but so is personal fulfillment. If there’s a way to work and still push your passion, why not do both?
Have you ever thought of stopping corporate jobs and just focusing on your music?
“Well, because my music is not bringing in so much money just yet, I can’t even have this thought. The jobs I do on the side are my primary source of income. Music is more like a lifetime investment, and I’m just in the beginning stage. I never even dey withdraw money from streams. Plus, it’s not all the shows I do that I’m paid for. Some are really still for exposure and connections, so until I’m being paid to just be somewhere, I’ll still be doing corporate jobs.”
It takes a lot of discipline and courage for one to face such a reality because many young creatives want to quit their jobs and dive fully into their craft. The truth is, passion doesn’t always pay immediately and DamianNedu understands that his music career is an investment i.e. something that will pay off in the future but requires financial support for now.
DamianNedu is an example of a patient, strategic, and self-aware person, who understands the importance of chasing his passion but also acknowledges the reality of financial obligations.
His approach in choosing flexible jobs, making time for his craft, and seeing his music as a long-term investment can serve as a guide for many young and fresh graduates navigating a similar path.
For anyone struggling to balance passion and financial stability, the important part is that: you don’t have to choose one over the other instead, you just need to find a system that works for you.
