Nigerian rapper Jude MI Abaga recently shared a humbling moment from the early stages of his career, recalling an incident at the 2008 Headies Awards where he was asked to step aside on the red carpet to make way for Nollywood actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde.

At the time, MI had been nominated for the ‘Best Rap Single’ award, but event staff didn’t recognize him when he arrived.

He recounted how he and his manager were constantly moved around as photographers focused on the actress.

“I had been working hard, but nobody seemed to notice me. In February 2008, I remember walking into the crowd with my manager, and Omotola arrived with her security. The red carpet staff didn’t even realize I was nominated, so they told us to move aside. We ended up in another corner, but as Omotola moved around for pictures, they kept asking us to shift,” MI said during an appearance on Vbyz TV Cartel. “I was just observing stardom in action.”

Despite the red carpet challenge, MI’s efforts were eventually recognized. He went on to win the ‘Best Rap Single’ award, receiving a gold plaque from Ayo Animashaun.

“Two hours later, my name was announced as the winner for ‘Best Rap Single,’ and I held a gold plaque in my hands from Ayo Animashaun,” he recalled.

This recognition marked a turning point in MI Abaga’s career. He later released hit tracks such as ‘Safe,’ ‘Talk About It,’ and ‘Incredible Music,’ firmly establishing his place in Nigeria’s music industry.

Reflecting on the moment, MI described it as a crucial milestone in his journey.

“After that gold plaque, everyone started saying, ‘MI is in the game.’ It was then that tracks like ‘Safe,’ ‘Talk About It,’ and ‘Incredible Music’ followed,” he added.