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Chiori Paul Cole
@OSSYACHIEVAS
Senior IT Consultant | ServiceNow Expert | Automation & AI Enthusiast. Tech-Ststems-Strategy-Stories
Dallas, TX
Joined September 2010
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By the time the “One In A Million” song by Solidstar featuring 2Face Idibia was completed in 2010, we already knew we had something special on our hands. But recording a hit song is one thing… turning it into a movement is another.
The next mission was the video.
We reached out to Clarence Peters, who was already one of the biggest video directors in Africa at the time. The budget he gave us was massive. Between production, logistics, travel, accommodation, equipment, and coordination, we spent well over ₦10 million on that video shoot alone. In 2010, that was huge money.
But the biggest challenge wasn’t even the money.
It was getting 2Face to travel with us to Erin Ijesha Waterfalls for the shoot.
I met with 2Face personally and said, “Bro, let’s go make history.”
He looked at me and replied, “Have you spoken to Efe?
At the time, Efe Omoreighe was managing him, and naturally, he had his schedule locked down. I started calling Efe immediately. First call, no response. Second call, he said he was in a meeting. Eventually, he called me back.
He said:
“OC, the date you picked clashes with another shoot for a brand 2Face already has the next morning
At that point, I started pleading.
I explained to him that we had already paid the director, paid for logistics, and everybody was set. I told him this project meant everything to us.
Finally, he said:
“Okay… but on one condition. Make sure you bring 2Face back early the next morning.”
I assured him we would.
That was how permission was granted.
We traveled to Erin Ijesha and shot all day. Everything was going perfectly. Then suddenly, that evening, Efe called me again and said the other shoot had been postponed.
Meaning?
We had 2Face for another full day.
That extra time changed everything.
We completed the shoot properly, captured amazing scenes, and the final video came out beautifully. That video opened doors for us internationally.
Immediately after the shoot, I told Clarence:
“Please give me copies of the video.”
I took those copies myself, went online, downloaded Trace TV’s submission forms, packaged everything, and sent the video through DHL directly to Trace International in France.
A few days later, I got the email:
APPROVED.
Trace started airing the video heavily.
At the time, very few Nigerian videos were making it onto that platform. “One In A Million” became one of the early Nigerian videos to break into that international rotation.
That moment changed everything for us.
People see success today and think it happens overnight. They don’t see the sleepless nights, the begging, the pressure, the logistics, the risk, and the faith behind the scenes.
More stories from the Solidstar x Achievas journey coming soon…
@ClarenceShotIt Working with you was amazing.. You are the 🐐
What many people don’t know is that between 2007 and 2009, Solid Star recorded a lot of songs, but as the A&R and CEO of the label, I knew something was still missing. The talent was obvious, the vocals were amazing, but there was a particular spark I was searching for that I hadn’t heard yet in any of the records.
One day, I called him and said, “Look, I don’t want another fast-tempo song. I need something different. Give me a mid-tempo record, something with a bounce, something emotional. Just write a proper love song.”
He agreed and went to work on it. After a while, he came back and said, “I’ve written the love song. Do you want to hear it?” I told him yes immediately.
Around that same period, we were at Comfort Suites in Festac, and luckily for us, the late legendary producer OJB Jezreel was there that night working with 2Baba. I introduced Solid Star to OJB and told him we really wanted to work with him. OJB welcomed the idea and asked us to come back in a few days.
When we got to the appointment, OJB said he wanted to hear the song first.Solidstar sang the song for him, and almost instantly he caught the vision. Within less than 40 minutes, OJB had already created the beat, Solid Star had voiced the track, and the foundation of One in a Million was born.
After the recording, OJB looked at me and said something I would never forget: “If you can get 2Face on this song, it will be massive. This sounds like something he would naturally jump on.”
That advice changed everything.
As soon as I got back to Festac, I took the song to 2Baba. Before he even traveled to Abuja for his 10-year anniversary celebration, he was already vibing heavily to the song. By the time he got to Abuja, he knew the lyrics almost word for word. He told me he already had ideas for what he wanted to add to the record.
Then he said something that became another major turning point in Solid Star’s career: “If you don’t mind, bring Solidstar to Abuja to perform.”
That Abuja event — 2Face’s 10-year anniversary — became Solid Star’s very first major stage performance.
After they returned from Abuja, 2Face called me again and said, “Bring Solo to the house. I want to record my verse.” And that was how the legendary collaboration finally came together.
Once the audio was done, I approached Clarence Peters with the song. He listened carefully and immediately said he had a strong visual concept for it. He suggested we travel all the way to Erin Ijesha water falls for the shoot and also involve legendary photographer Kelechi Amadi-Obi in the creative process.
Everything sounded incredible — until he gave me the budget. It was a seven-figure production cost, which at that time was a huge risk for us as a growing label. I took the proposal back to my directors and explained everything to them. After deliberating, we all agreed on one thing: “Let’s give it a shot.”
And that was how we traveled toOsun state and shot the iconic One in a Million video.
On another note, I’ll still tell the full story of how I eventually got 2Baba to personally appear in that video.
A lot of people only saw the success later, but they don’t know the journey behind Solidstar’s story.
Before we even signed him officially, there was already a responsibility on my shoulders. Back then, every time my phone rang from his side, it was one issue or the other. Either police had raided where he was, or he had been picked up during one misunderstanding or another. Sometimes his family members would come looking for me, sometimes I’d get direct calls Ajeromi police station,Ajegunle.
And every single time, I would go there and bail him out.
After a while, I told myself: “This talent cannot waste like this.”
At that time, my brothers and I were already living in Festac. So one day I told him straight:
“O guy, pack your things and relocate to Festac.”
And that was how Solidstar moved in with us around 2007, even before any contract was signed.
From there, I started exposing him to the entertainment industry properly. Anywhere I was going that involved music or artists, I carried him along. Industry nights, studio sessions, entertainment hangouts — everywhere. I already had relationships with artists like 2Baba and Blackface, so I wanted Solidstar to see the environment firsthand and understand the culture.
At that point, he still hadn’t recorded a hit song yet. He was still grinding, recording, learning, observing, and developing.
A lot of people don’t realize this part: Solidstar stayed with us from 2007 till 2009 before I finally handed him his first professional contract. Two full years of mentorship, development, exposure, mistakes, growth, and brotherhood before business officially started.
Sometimes artist management is deeper than contracts and money. Sometimes it starts with simply saving somebody from destroying their own future.
More to come on the Solidstar’s story.
A lot of people don’t know how my journey into artist management really started as CEO of Achievas Entertainment.
Before music management, as far back as the late 90’s, I was already managing dancers across Lagos nightlife, from Wazobia in Apapa, to Terry’s Bar in Surulere to the Colusium in Ikeja and also Lords night club in Maryland several other hotspots. I organized movement, bookings, payments, and made sure everybody got their share after every performance. That hustle taught me early lessons about people, talent, and entertainment business.
Around 2004 myself and my fellow directors, mostly my brothers, started pushing upcoming artists seriously. The first artist we tried signing was an artist named F9. I honestly believed the name wouldn’t scale commercially and advised him to rebrand to “Famous” or something more marketable. But he stood his ground. We argued several times and eventually never signed him because he wasn’t willing to adapt.
Then came the turning point.
While planning an event in Apapa with my friend G daddy Mack where comedian Dauda was supposed to headline, I went to Ajegunle to pick up speakers from the legendary DJ ADC. While there, I heard a song blasting from the speakers.
Immediately I asked:
“Whose song is this?”
I loved the voice. I loved the flow. The energy was different.
They pointed at a young guy standing nearby and said:
“That’s him right there.”
That young man was @Solidstarisoko
Right there on the spot, I told him:
“Hop into my car.”
I drove him straight to Little Johnny’s studio and told Little Johnny,
“This is my boy. I just met him and I want to push him.”
The rest, as they say, is history.
And trust me… this is only the beginning of the story.
I’ll still share how the journey with Solidstar really unfolded, the struggles, the breakthrough moments, and how we created the very first hit together.
A lot of people don’t know how my journey into artist management really started as CEO of Achievas Entertainment.
Before music management, as far back as the late 90’s, I was already managing dancers across Lagos nightlife, from Wazobia in Apapa, to Terry’s Bar in Surulere to the Colusium in Ikeja and also Lords night club in Maryland several other hotspots. I organized movement, bookings, payments, and made sure everybody got their share after every performance. That hustle taught me early lessons about people, talent, and entertainment business.
Around 2004 myself and my fellow directors, mostly my brothers, started pushing upcoming artists seriously. The first artist we tried signing was an artist named F9. I honestly believed the name wouldn’t scale commercially and advised him to rebrand to “Famous” or something more marketable. But he stood his ground. We argued several times and eventually never signed him because he wasn’t willing to adapt.
Then came the turning point.
While planning an event in Apapa with my friend G daddy Mack where comedian Dauda was supposed to headline, I went to Ajegunle to pick up speakers from the legendary DJ ADC. While there, I heard a song blasting from the speakers.
Immediately I asked:
“Whose song is this?”
I loved the voice. I loved the flow. The energy was different.
They pointed at a young guy standing nearby and said:
“That’s him right there.”
That young man was @Solidstarisoko
Right there on the spot, I told him:
“Hop into my car.”
I drove him straight to Little Johnny’s studio and told Little Johnny,
“This is my boy. I just met him and I want to push him.”
The rest, as they say, is history.
And trust me… this is only the beginning of the story.
I’ll still share how the journey with Solidstar really unfolded, the struggles, the breakthrough moments, and how we created the very first hit together.
I've worked with many artists over the years. But @Olamide stands in a league of his own when it comes to humility, discipline, and selflessness.
This is a man who arrives at meetings before everyone else. Sometimes he would lodge close to the venue or at the venue itself just to make sure he was never late. At his level. That alone tells you everything.
During OLIC 1 to 3 he didn't move like a superstar waiting to be worshipped. He was doing legwork himself. Going from place to place, grassroots promotion, personally reaching out to fans. Not just making sure they attended the concert but making sure they felt like part of the movement.
But there's one particular moment that made me respect him even more.
We had a meeting with a major telecom company. Their position was that because Olamide was their brand ambassador, they automatically had the right to be attached to any event he did without paying a sponsorship fee.
I had eaten well that day. Drank well. And I was in absolutely no mood for corporate manipulation. 😂
The moment they finished their pitch I told them straight up that proposal would never fly. And without hesitation Olamide backed me completely.
The next day they sent an email requesting a follow up meeting. With one condition. I shouldn't be present.
I laughed. I knew exactly what they were trying to do.
I wasn't going anywhere. As long as money and value were being discussed I would be in that room. But before the meeting I pulled Olamide aside and told him exactly what I thought. "These people don't value you. If they did they wouldn't be saying what they're saying. You're their brand ambassador and you're headlining this event. They should be paying you more, not trying to ride for free."
They came back with an offer.
That's what happens when an artist and their team are fully aligned. Nobody gets played.
Sometimes the biggest moves in this game happen in moments you least expect.
Back in 2014, when we decided to make Eko Hotel concerts a major part of our strategy, we knew the first artist we chose would define everything.
Naturally we went for Wizkid. He was buzzing at the time. We sat down with him at Sailors Lounge in Lekki, had a solid forty five minute conversation. But two things didn't align. The fee, and more importantly the structure.
We weren't just looking to pay an artist and hope for the best. We wanted partners. Reinvest the fee, own part of the show, and we all win together. Wiz wasn't interested in that route. And on top of that the fee we were offering wasn't what he had in mind either.
One thing I'll never forget from that meeting though. He didn't let his manager say a word. I think it was Seun or Segun managing him at the time. Wiz just looked at us and said "Baba mi sọ fún mi pé kí n sọrọ̀ fún ara mi." My dad always told me to speak for myself.
Respect honestly. No bad blood. Just business that didn't align.
As soon as that door closed, @Mansacole said "let's talk to @Olamide."
@SirPumba made it happen. Next thing I know it's a Saturday morning, not even 7AM, and we're at Badoo's place in Magodo. No long talk, no back and forth. Five minutes. Agreement, alignment, energy. Just like that, Olamide Live in Concert was born.
Same plan. Same vision. Different partner. Different outcome.
That moment taught me something I've never forgotten. Sometimes it's not about forcing who you think is the biggest name or who is trending at the time. It's about finding the right partner.
After 20 years in this industry, let me say something clearly. A successful concert is never luck. Never. It's a formula. And most people get the formula wrong.
Three things determine whether a show wins or fails.
First, the artist. And I don't mean just showing up and performing. I mean full ownership. Promotion, energy, commitment, the whole thing. Because if a show flops, the headliner takes the blame regardless of what happened behind the scenes. Their name is on the ticket.
Second, production. Sound, lights, stage design, the full experience. Fans come for the artist but what they go home talking about is how the show made them feel. That's what sticks.
Third, marketing. This is where the real money goes. There were times marketing alone swallowed over 200 million naira for a single show. Let that sink in.
Now here's the part most people don't know about.
We built a model that genuinely changed things for us. Instead of paying an artist a flat fee and crossing our fingers, we made them partners. The artist agrees on their fee, reinvests it back into the show, and after the event they get their full fee back plus equity from the profits.
Sounds simple right? But the results have been different. Because now the artist isn't just performing, they're invested. They promote differently. They show up differently. We've had a 100% success rate with this model and honestly it comes down to one thing. Alignment.
Now the numbers. Marketing around 200 million. Production 100 to 150 million. Artist fee on top of that. A truly world class show today is at least 400 million naira all in. And even that can't cut it currently because artists have priced themselves out of the market. It's not that brands stopped wanting to work with them. It's that the math no longer makes sense.
You'll keep seeing fewer commercial shows. Not because the culture is weak but because the business model is broken.
Now Afrobeats itself? Not dying. Two things are keeping it strong. The internet, which means anyone anywhere in the world can access the music right now. And Nigerians themselves, because wherever we land we carry our culture with us. Food, music, identity. That travels.
But the concerts? Compare what we had a few years ago to now. The drop is real and it's not the music's fault.
The culture will be fine. The business model is what needs fixing.
After three years of hosting Olamide's concert back to back, my team sat down and asked ourselves one question. What's next?
I suggested we approach @davido. Said I'd shoot him a DM. This was December 2016.
He replied almost immediately. "Yes, I'm ready. Let's do it."
What stood out from the jump was how he approached the whole thing. He took ownership of that project like it was personal to him. Not just another show. That energy made the entire planning process different.
Then the event sold out. Two days before the show, we were completely done. No tables, nothing.
Davido's dad called. He wanted three table tickets. I had to tell him we were sold out. He wasn't happy, asked me to work something out. I genuinely couldn't. Then Davido himself called. Same answer.
Think about that for a second. I turned down Davido's father. For Davido's own concert. 😂
Then on the night itself, Eko Hotel pulled me aside while Davido was on stage and said they would shut the show down in fifteen minutes. The crowd outside was bigger than the crowd inside.
We managed it. The show went on.
And for context, that same night was when Wizkid and Davido publicly squashed their beef. So you can imagine the kind of energy that was in that building.
It ended up being one of the most successful concerts of my entire career. We tried to do it again in 2020 but COVID had other plans. We eventually reunited in 2023 for the Beer With Us concert at Landmark Beach.
Some shows are just bigger than the show itself.
@thewaleadeyemi Trust me, it was very draining knowing how impatient we are as Nigerians 😂. But Burna killed it with support from A listers like Davido and others that graced the stage that night
Let me tell you about Burna Boy Live at Eko Hotel in 2018.
I don't even know where to start with this one 😂
It all started at soundcheck. Burna came in, took one look at the setup and wasn't feeling it. The original concept was something else entirely. Tunde Phoenix, a guy based in the UK, had this vision to build something like an aircraft structure on top of the stage. Burna would emerge from it, move around, the whole thing. But the space at Eko Hotel just wouldn't allow it. We had to scrap it.
Burna was not happy.
He started complaining during soundcheck. "This is not what I want for my first event." Back and forth, back and forth. Then at some point he threw the mic. In the direction of where myself and his mum were standing. Then walked off the stage without finishing soundcheck.
His mum didn't say a word. Just quiet.
I called Larry Gaga. I called my guy Gattuso, who was like Burna's godfather at the time. We needed someone he would actually listen to. Eventually Gattuso got through to him, he came back and finished the soundcheck.
We convinced him to stay in the presidential suite at Eko Signature rather than go back to Fahrenheit down the road. He said he'd be back before the show. He went to Fahrenheit anyway.
Openers performed. Time kept moving. One thirty came and went. Burna was supposed to be on stage. I'm asking around, "where is Burna Boy?" Still in Fahrenheit.
The guests were agitated. And to make things worse, most of the table bookings hadn't paid yet. Sponsors hadn't paid yet. Everything was riding on that night ending well.
He finally showed up close to 3AM. But what we didn't know was that he'd already created a scene leaving Fahrenheit. Area boys, his people, a whole crowd had gathered around him and were essentially walking him down the road to Eko Hotel.
Me, Elvis, and some of my team literally walked from Fahrenheit alongside his car. Clearing the road, making sure he got there safe.
When he got to Eko Signature he stepped out of the car and started performing right there in the street. For the crowd that had followed him. Just like that.
Then he went upstairs, got himself together, came on that stage and gave one of the most rousing performances I had seen in a long time.
Those same guests who were ready to tear me apart an hour earlier were hugging me by the end of the night. "Achievas thank you, what a show."
That night lowkey took years off my life. But it ended well. 😂
I'm honestly overwhelmed by the love and response to my last post.
I didn't expect it to resonate the way it did. But it told me one thing clearly, the stories matter, and the culture remembers.
Before we go any further though, I need to take a step back and acknowledge some people. Because I'd be doing this whole thing wrong if I jumped straight into the stories without first talking about the people who made those stories possible.
Chief Jude, CEO of Ojez Restaurant and Bar, was foundational for me. He helped me understand the business side of entertainment in a way that most people in my position at the time simply didn't get. That exposure changed how I moved.
The late Johnny Nabs from Ragga Dub Chapel, Ajegunle. Wilmer bus stop. That area had something in it that I still can't fully explain. So much of what we celebrate today came out of environments like that one.
And Ben Omoage, Grand Master Lee. A true veteran. The kind of person whose influence you feel long after the conversation is over.
These men didn't just invest in me. They built lanes. For me, for others, for people who probably don't even know their names. That's the kind of impact that doesn't always get talked about but absolutely needs to be.
Everything I'll be sharing here is built on that foundation.
More stories coming. Let's keep going!
Two decades in entertainment teaches you things no school will ever put in a curriculum.
I'm Ossy Achievas. I've been in this industry long enough to know where the bodies are buried, and long enough to have helped build some of the stages those bodies were buried under. lol.
But seriously. I've worked with Daddy Showkey, Daddy Fresh, @official2baba, @Blackfacenaija, @Solidstarisoko, @asakemusik @davido, @wizkidayo, @Olamide, @blacksherif_, and a lot of others I'll mention as we go. Not just as a fan. I was in the room. Sometimes I was the room.
What I want to do on this page is talk about the stuff that never makes the press release. How many generators it takes to power a concert. What actually goes into booking an artist. The conversations that happened before the shows you'll never forget. The people who made Afrobeats what it is today and still haven't gotten their credit.
Football too. I ran the Achievas Cup, which brought out players like John Ogu and Nnamdi Oduamadi. I played a role in getting Stanley Amuzie into the Nigeria U-23 camp. That world has its own untold stories.
And then at some point I walked away from all of it and moved into tech. That story is its own thing entirely.
This page is going to be a lot of things. But boring isn't one of them.
If any of this sounds like your kind of conversation, you know what to do.
@bizzleosikoya Chief!!! Greetings
@DESYICEE It is the Lord’s doings 😊
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