Entertainment lawyer and filmmaker Ayo Shonaiya has revealed one of the biggest regrets of his career — turning down the chance to manage late Nigerian rapper, Dagrin.
In a reflective post shared via X (formerly Twitter), Shonaiya recalled how he was first introduced to Dagrin by his former personal assistant, Destiny, during a meeting at a hotel in Opebi, Lagos.
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“Destiny told me this guy was going to be the next big thing in hip-hop, especially with those raw Yoruba punchlines,” Shonaiya wrote, noting that they sat by the hotel pool as Destiny played rough demos from a CD player.
Despite the encouragement, Shonaiya admitted, “I was not really feeling it like that,” and eventually turned down the opportunity to manage Dagrin. They snapped a photo before parting ways.
“Less than a year later, he had made Kondo, produced by a young producer named Sarz,” he continued. “I bumped into him again at Tee-A’s Lounge behind the Headies office off Allen Avenue in Ikeja. He made sure he reminded me that I passed on him. Lol.”
Shonaiya said they took another photo that night, and he genuinely celebrated the rapper’s rising fame. That encounter would sadly be their last before Dagrin died in a tragic car accident in 2010.
“Rest in peace Dagrin,” he added. “Only God knows the heights you would have reached.”
Dagrin, born Oladapo Olaitan Olaonipekun, gained fame for hit songs like Pon Pon Pon and Kondo, which helped popularise Yoruba rap in Nigeria’s mainstream music scene. His death at just 25 remains one of the industry’s most painful losses.
