D’Banj Advised Me Not To Celebrate My 40th Birthday – Toke Makinwa

D’Banj Advised Me Not To Celebrate My 40th Birthday – Toke MakinwaMedia personality Toke Makinwa recently opened up about her apprehensions regarding turning 40 during a heartfelt episode of her podcast, Toke Moments. Makinwa shared a candid conversation with veteran singer D’Banj, who advised her against celebrating her milestone birthday, highlighting the pressures and potential risks associated with aging in the entertainment industry.

“I’m turning a very big age this year and I’m so nervous,” Makinwa revealed. “At first, I started the year by saying I didn’t want to do anything. D’Banj, I’m going to call him out. D’Banj called me and said, ‘Don’t do a birthday o! You know this industry. Did I do my birthday? Did Don Jazzy celebrate his birthday? Who shouted when they were 40? Don’t do any birthday o! They will retire you.’ I was like, ‘Dapo, what do you mean?’”

Makinwa’s apprehension resonates with many who feel the weight of societal expectations as they grow older. “When I fill forms these days, you know when we were so excited to fill between 18 and 25, we tick fast. Between like 25 and 35, you tick. After 35, it’s like, is this answer required?” she mused.

However, Makinwa’s guest, IK Osakioduwa, offered a different perspective, emphasizing that age should not be seen as a limitation. “Thou shall not be nervous. I am 45, I just turned 45. And I’m still doing this thing. They can’t retire you,” Osakioduwa reassured her.

Osakioduwa shared his vision for transitioning from being just a presenter to becoming a platform for others. “I won’t lie to you, there is that stage you get to where you feel like if I tell them my age, won’t people feel I’m too old for this? But I’ve started to transition to a space where I’m just no longer a presenter, but a platform for presenters because I want to be able to create other means.”

He emphasized the importance of impact over accolades: “I want to be able to sit down and look and count not how many awards or trophies I have on shelves, but I want to be able to look at the lives of people I’ve changed because our paths crossed.”

As Makinwa navigates this new chapter of her life, she is reminded that age is just a number and that her contributions and influence extend far beyond any numerical milestone. Her conversation with Osakioduwa serves as a powerful reminder to focus on the legacy one builds and the lives one touches.